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                    UNSTABLE HOMES COME WITH a lot of consequences. Seeking love where love should not be seeked, begging for attention from those who could not give less of a shit about you—trusting people you shouldn't simply for the safety they come with. The safety you didn't get in the unstable home.

The Governor lingers within Sadie Finch, always. Everyone is scared of letting in new people. Sadie used to be someone that had a bunch of friends, someone that people trusted with just a smile. Sure, she welcomed this group with open arms. How could she not?

Rick, Carl and Koa trust them with their lives—why shouldn't she? There's no doubt in her mind these people are good. Michonne said she'd stop looking for Phillip. He's gone or hopefully dead. Sadie doubts that. She doubts that he's dead.

He's like a cockroach. Always rising from under whatever is thrown his way and normally she'd admire that trait but God, does she wish she knew in her heart he was dead.

Sadie sits in Koa's cell, giving her sister slow sips of water. Medicine flows through Koa and the rest of the sick's veins. Color has come back to Koa's skin and her hair isn't stuck to her head with sweat all within less than 24 hours. "You're staring off into space, Sads," Koa says, voice less hoarse even with all the crying she did. Uncle Shane hasn't shown up, Koa thanks the medicine for that one.

Sadie clears her throat, "Thinkin'."

"About what?" Koa sits up. Sadie clicks her tongue, contemplating telling her sister about her fears. Koa raises her eyebrows, lightly smacking Sadie's arm, "Tell me. I don't have anything else to do." The blonde sighs, handing her sister a bag of baby carrots, "I don't think The Governor is dead. Not even gone. It's like he follows me around, flooding my life with all this doubt all because I trusted the wrong guy—guys—really," Sadie picks at her cuticles, remembering the monster that is Merle Dixon, "I haven't left the prison grounds in months. I think Michonne is going on a run today."

Koa's eyes fill with concern, "Sadie, I don't think that's a good idea. If you don't think he's dead, you shouldn't leave the prison."

"Michonne does it."

"Michonne knows how to shoot a gun and use a sword," Koa quickly retorts. Sadie sighs frustratedly, "He'll never go away until I see his lifeless eyes in front of me but I'm not gonna let him control me like this anymore. Even with him gone he still has the exact thing he wanted. Power. And it's fuckin' bullshit. And," Sadie shoves a playful finger in Koa's face, "I know how to use a pistol now, so, fuck you."

Koa rolls her eyes, swatting the finger away, "I get that but—I don't know. I don't like it." She munches loudly into a carrot, gaze locked on her sister's dazed one that hasn't left the wall.

Koa sits up even more, hands touching Sadie's gently, "I saw Uncle Shane—and Lori when I was like, really deep into this fever. Lori was not Lori. She was scary and Shane was—Shane. He talked shit about Rick even six feet under. Well, no one buried him actually, so—," Koa cuts herself when she sees the grimace across Sadie's face as she tugs at the hoodie sleeves that once belonged to their uncle, "—Sorry."

"You had a fever dream?" Sadie says, clearing her throat. Koa just nods, feeling bad for being so crude about their uncle's death. That ring and watch she took remains in her actual cell, sitting on the dresser her and Beth share. Probably for the best.

Koa thinks she'd lose it if she saw the items after seeing the phantom of her uncle. Not to mention the photo of their mother that hasn't been touched in months. Koa feels like she'll awaken something if she moves it again from it's place off the dresser.

"Yeah. Beth knows about it," Koa says, face falling, "I miss Beth," She pouts.

Sadie chuckles, peeling herself off the chair, "'Course ya do. You like her," She says, dragging out the E. Koa groans, "Stop—Stop! Are you going on that run?"

"You think I should?" Sadie questions, walking towards the cell's doorway. Koa shrugs, "Can't be Rapunzel your whole life. Just—be safe, please."

"I will," Sadie assures her sister, "Drink water," She reminds her. "I will," Koa smiles, feeling much better than the day prior.

With a boost of confidence in her step, Sadie trails over to Glenn's cell, seeing Maggie still taking care of her fiancee. "How's he doin'?" Sadie asks softly. Maggie smiles up at her, "Better. Breathing on his own. He's just sleepin' now. Koa okay?"

"Better," Sadie repeats with a bigger smile, "Did Michonne leave yet?" Maggie raises a confused eyebrow, "No clue. Why? You goin' with her? I don't know if that's the best idea."

Sadie sighs loudly, "Maggie, was Hershel strict when you were a teenager?" Maggie thinks for a moment before chuckling, "He raised us religious on a farm. You take a guess." Sadie shrugs like she understands, "So, I've been on these grounds for five months. Death has done nothing but consumed me. If we're staying here, I have to go out at some point."

Maggie clicks her tongue, "Just—be safe, alright? I'm not your mom, can't tell ya what to do except be safe."

"You, too, Mags. I'll be back before Glenny Boy wakes up!" Sadie announces, skipping out of the cell block and all the way down to her own cell.

"Nellie?" Sadie says in confusion at her best friend sitting on her bed reading one of her books. Nellie tilts her head at Sadie like she isn't in her cell, "Hey, Sadie," She smiles, "How's Koa and Glenn? Maggie wouldn't let me in to see what the hell happened." Her tone is oddly joyous, making Sadie concerned for Nellie.

"Nellie, I love you but—why are you in my bed?" Sadie questions. Nellie closes the book, lunging from the bottom bunk, "Can't be near my mom."

"Oh. Well, thank you for bringing the medicine back by the way. Um—should I ask why you don't wanna talk to Michonne?" Sadie swallows, watching Nellie's tongue run alongside her bottom lip. Nellie groans, tying her braids up with a big hair tie, "She lied."

"About what?"

"Something."

"Something big enough to make you wanna read a book in my cell, Nellie," Sadie retorts. Nellie scoffs, pushing passed Sadie. Frustration overwhelms her as the situation from yesterday is still very much evident. She doesn't want to talk about it, not even with Sadie. "I'll see you later," Nellie groans, "Here's your book," She tosses it onto the bed, not paying Sadie another glance.

The blonde closes her eyes for a moment, opening them to see Nellie walking away. She pulls at the skin on the inside of her lip before scoffing in annoyance and grabbing her stuff for the run.

FOR ALL SEVENTEEN YEARS of her life Nellie Hawthorne has been glued to Michonne's side.

Every thought or opinion, Michonne knows it. Every detail, Michonne knows it. Nellie didn't have anything to hide from her mom and even if she did, it would cascade from her mouth the second Nellie was alone with her mother.

Nellie didn't sleep in her own cell last night. She grabbed her shit and slept in the watchtower, against Rick's wishes may she add.

But—he isn't her father. No one is her father, apparently. The one that made her left, the one that raised her was a fraud that killed her little brother and she's not looking for another man to disappoint her.

Nellie determines that she'll just be her own father at this point.

The sun is hitting her dark skin, glistening with sweat as she fiddles with a string at the end of her black tank top. Walker bodies litter the grounds and the field, stinking up the place burn she'd rather deal ith that than anyone in there currently pissing her off.

"Your mom is lookin' for you, y'know?" Hershel limps over with a soft smile. The sun shines through his stark white hair as he looks down at the teen. Her eyes squint at the bright orb behind him as she looks up at the old man. "I know," Nellie shrugs, "She can keep lookin'."

Hershel steps closer with a loud sigh, "What happened on the run? You should be happy. You helped get medicine for our people." Nellie swallows, pulling the string off her tank top and standing up. She dusts her cargo pants off, looking right right at Hershel. No malice, just the angst that comes with being a seventeen year girl and mad at your mom during the apocalypse.

"Glenn okay?" Nellie asks. Hershel nods a soft yes. Nellie sucks on her teeth, "Is Koa and Sasha okay?"

     Hershel nods a soft yes again. "Okay, that's all I care about," Nellie shrugs, ready to walk passed Hershel and back to her humble abode of the watch tower. The old man gently grabs ahold of her bicep, gazing at her with eyes that tell her she's about to be lectured.

                       "She obviously did somethin' to annoy you yesterday. While y'all were gone—we lost a lot of good people. Death isn't avoidable. Not now, wasn't ever. Whatever it was, it's not worth the risk of losing her on bad terms," Hershel tells her wisely.

          Nellie's jaw clenches, face softening simply because of who's talking to her. He's right, she knows that but the betrayal is still heavy in her heart. She doesn't even think it's been 24 hours since her world was rocked.

                      Andre has been bouncing around her mind. All the memories of when he was born and after. Feeding him for the first time and buying him plushies against her mom's wishes. The boy's crib was filled with plushies all from Nellie and now they're all probably gone, just like her little brother and the remaining innocence of her family.

           "Nellie?" Michonne's voice calls out as she turns the corner. Her body fills with flames of anger. Something that was never so intense towards her first best friend. Hershel rubs a comforting thumb against Nellie's skin, "Just—talk to her. Even if it'll anger you. Talk," He says and walks off. Nellie finds herself staying put and listening to Hershel as Michonne approaches her.

            A glint of hope is across her mother's face as she gets closer and Nellie doesn't run away. "I'm only here because Hershel told me to," Nellie says, squashing the hope. Michonne tilts her head slightly, "You listen to him?"

         "He's wise. Like a wizard," Nellie comments in the flattest tone possible. Michonne presses her lips together, "Sadie's comin' on a run with me. Wanna come?" Nellie scoffs. No apology. Just an offer to go on a run. As if her face couldn't fall anymore, it looks like she might lose her shit.

        "No. I don't actually. Is this your apology?" Nellie hisses. Michonne's face twists into annoyance, "I was protecting you. I was protecting your feelings—"

            "I would've rather dealt Mike and Terry's betrayal causing the death of my brother initially than finding out a year later that my mom was hiding the truth from me!" Nellie seethes. Michonne huffs, taking a physical step back from her daughter, "You deserved some—peace in this goddamn world, Nells. I was trying to keep you a normal teenager!"

         "That stopped the moment the dead started walking! The moment we had to leave our home because the world ended is when I stopped being a teeanger. Anything that was left of that was gone the day Andre died. I could've at least gotten the truth from my own mother," Nellie gulps, feeling that rare, not so rare, lump in her throat that tells her she's about to cry. The way she says mother sounds like she's already the villain in her daughter's eyes and it pains Michonne so badly.

              She doesn't want to be the villain. Sure, she and Nellie have argued but what mom and kid don't? Never like this. Never to the point where Nellie has this look like she doesn't recognize her mom.

                   As cheesy as it is, Nellie isn't a mother. She isn't aware of the lengths they'd go to to protect their child, even if it means damaging the relationship.

             Michonne can tell if she pushes this case any further, it'll only anger Nellie more and she'll possibly lose her even further.

          "I'm gonna go on the run with Hershel and Sadie. You need anything?" Michonne softly asks. Nellie's eyes flash with enmity, "For you to get away from me," She hisses, spinning on her heel and not looking back, feeling her mom's eyes burrow into her back.

          WHETHER IT BE PLACEBO effect or pure determination, Koa Finch feels much better than has in a week or so. Or maybe it's her still young immune system finally getting medication.

                   Socked feet touch the cement floor. Her chest is tight but no cough slips out, giving Koa a sigh of relief as she shuffles over to her sneakers.

           The ratty old Vans slip over her feet. Koa can breath again. She can take a deep breath without feeling like it'll be her last. Koa tugs at the sweaty clothing that has clung to her skin, groaning in disgust at herself. The limbs attached her to that once felt weak guide her over to exit her cell.

         It's somewhat quiet with who is left after the massacre from the night before. Everyone is seemingly too scared to even move. The cell door creaks open and Koa steps out. No guards. Guess there's not enough people to give reason for a guard.

            "Glenn?" Koa croaks out, voice no longer as hoarse. But there's no response. Koa groans, "Asshole's sleepin'," She mumbles.

        Another creak makes Koa spin around only to see both Carl and Beth holding food. As much as she knows they shouldn't be here, God, is Koa happy to see them. With her skin no longer clammy and as pale, a smile spreads across her face.

         "Guys—"

         "Daddy said with you on medicine we can see you. We brought—um, corn?" Beth holds up the box of food. Carl beams next to the blonde, "Don't tell dad."

        "Rick doesn't know?" Koa sighs. Carl gives her a wide eyed look and just shrugs innocently, walking over to his older sister figure, "You look better." Koa clicks her tongue at the almost backhanded compliment and shoves Carl back a bit, pulling herself closer to Beth. The youngest Greene girl has a bright smile, the smile Koa adores so much. Her blue eyes become brighter as they lock onto Koa's brown orbs.

           "Yeah, pale wasn't exactly your look," Beth jokes, laughing at the other girl's face dropping. "Alright, calm down, Blondie," Koa rolls her eyes, grabbing hold of the box of corn on the cob. Beth's hand stays on the box for a moment, causing Koa's hand to graze hers. Sparks ignite between them as their hands slowly hesitate to leave each other's skin. Their eyes still locked, they finally look away as a blush works it's way onto their cheeks.

            Koa clears her throat, "Sadie told me you and Rick took down a horde of walkers that broke the fence. Good job, bud," She shakes his shoulder a bit. A proud smile reaches across the boy's face, looking up at Koa. It feels like forever since she's seen him. Every moment she's gone, Carl seems to grow up more than he needs to. The two year age gap suddenly seems bigger as she looks down at him. His freckles are becoming less prominent, his hair is longer.

           She reminisces for a moment, remembering Carl just always being there. When her memories unlocked, Carl is in them. Always by her side, even playing dolls with her when they were 7 and 5 when Sadie didn't want to play. Now Carl knows how to handle a gun and has killed someone. Her thumb caresses his cheek, as if trying to feel the freckles that are left on his face.

           "The fence is getting fixed as we speak," Carl comments. "How's Judith?" Koa asks the two, putting down the box of food. "Oh, she's great. Babbling and smilin'. She's an angel, really," Beth giggles and it fills Koa with a warmth that makes her heart skip a beat. "I wish I could see her but I'm still too scared her little immune system won't take it," Koa huffs, "You tell her I said hi, yeah?" She softly smiles.

                      "She misses you. I can tell," Beth says, nudging Koa gently. The brunette gulps, recalling the fact that she mentioned the baby girl to the phantom of the girl's biological father. "Oh," Carl speaks up and grabs something from his back pocket. He reveals a Batman comic, the one Koa was up to before she got sick.

           "Here. I finished it so you can read it now," Carl hands it to her. Koa chuckles, taking the comic happily, "Oh, what a privilege, Carl. Thanks."

       Beth hums for a second, catching Koa's attention quickly at the sweet sound. "We're gonna go help around. But, I—we," Beth correct herself, "We wanted to give you food and see you." The tension between the two girls makes them both nervous, hands fiddling with each other as they stutter to make conversation. "Thanks, guys," Koa grins. Carl's blue eyes bounce between the two girls, feeling suddenly awkward.

           "Bye, Koa!" Carl skips out, not hesitating to leave Beth as he senses the awkward tension between his former crush and Koa. Beth stays for a moment, smiling softly at Koa. "I really miss you in there, y'know? Even the sarcastic comments," Beth chuckles.

                Koa tries to look as confident as she can, heart beating rapidly. "Give me a day or two and I'll be back and you'll be tired of me," Koa half jokes, leaning closer to Beth. The mere three inch height difference seems a lot as the tension builds.

         The shorter blonde girl scrunches her nose, hands folded together as she gazes up at Koa, "I don't think it's possible," Beth says with a shrug. Koa rolls her eyes, purposely looking away to hide her blush that's much more prominent due to the sickness still buried in her immune system.

         "I'll be back in a few hours now that we're allowed to see you, okay?" Beth smiles kindly. Koa's teeth clink together as her hands shake nervously, "Yeah. Can't wait." Beth presses her lips together and then before either girl processes it, Beth's soft lips press a quick and gentle kiss to Koa's cheek. She spins on her heel, hiding her big smile and leaves the cell block.

                  Koa is frozen in place. Where Beth Greene kissed her is shocking her, sending jolts of the feeling of a teenage crush through Koa. Once Beth is out of view, Koa shamelessly jumps into the air in excitement. "Holy shit," She whispers as she yelps in pure enthusiasm. Noises of excitement squeal from her mouth as she breaks out into a small dance.

            "You seem better," Glenn's rough voice calls out, scaring Koa and making her freeze once more. Not only is Glenn there but Maggie is as well, both having teasing smiles across their faces. Koa wishes she'd turn into the puddle of embarrassment she feels like right now.

         She crumbles, lips slightly parted as the couple giggles at her.

        "I'm—I'm taking a walk," Koa sighs, exiting the quarantine area for the first time in a week out of pure embarrassment.

         "I ALWAYS WANTED ONE of these Jeeps. Mom couldn't afford one and Uncle Shane thought they were too dangerous when we were kids," Sadie sighs, sitting in the back of the vehicle while Hershel has shotgun and Michonne drives.

            Michonne chuckles, catching her eyes in the mirror, "Even with the dead walkers in the back you're havin' fun?"

       Sadie peeks her head between the seats. The wind from the roof being off and the speed flows through her. Trees that don't surround the prison encapsulate her view. "It's the first time I left the prison in months. Anything is fun," Sadie laughs. Hershel sends her a soft smile, "Rick approved?"

        The teen grants him a nervous smile, gritting her teeth and the oldest man's face falls. "Sadie, he doesn't know?" Hershel scoffs. She leans back, letting the wind hit her face, "He would've never let me go."

               "Well, now Hershel and I might be grounded when we get back. We'll take you back after we burn the bodies—"

            "Please—don't, Michonne. I can't let The Governor control my life. It's no way to live when there's barely much living to do these days," Sadie begs of the woman. The two adults share a quick look. Hershel sighs loudly, turning with an old man groan to face Sadie in the backseat, "I'll talk to him when we get back. You're right. What he did to you wasn't fair and it shouldn't control how you live the life you have," Hershel smiles, satisfying Sadie.

           Michonmne turns into a clearing in the woods, a good spot to burn the bodies of the walker horde. The Jeep comes to a stop and Sadie hops out of the car thanks to it having roof. Her dirtied sneakers plop into a patch of mud, making her groan in disgust as she shakes her foot free of the mud. "Oh, gross!" Sadie tuts, staring at the barely white part of her Converse now covered in brown mud.

         Michonne chuckles, "There's a pile of dead bodies and that makes you gag?"

       Sadie spins around with a playful smile, "Limits. There are limits."

          "Alright, let's get 'er done so we can all relax, yeah?" Hershel claps his hands as they all begin to drag the bodies from the trunk to the area to burn them.

          They pile them all together before drizzling gasoline on the pile of bodies. "Who wants the honor?" Michonne asks with a deep breath, holding the match. Sadie scrunches her nose, "Isn't it so weird that this is what the world has come to? Like, I'm sure some of these people had wills or whatever. A way for their family to remember them bye. Now—this," Sadie points to the walkers. Hershel and Michonne share a look, a concerned look that Sadie catches.

             "I know. They're dead. No longer human. I'm not saying don't burn them. Just—speaking out loud," Sadie waves her hands in the air, "Go 'head."

                Michonne just shrugs at the blonde and throw the lit match at the pile. It catches flame immediately, causing the unlikely trio to step back at the heat. Orange and yellow flames dance as the smell of rotted flesh infiltrates their lungs. The flickering of the flames is quiet, would probably being calming in another world where they weren't burning bodies.

        A snapping of a branch behind them spins them all around only to see nothing. "Did we all imagine that?" Sadie asks, scanning the trees. "No," Michonne says, walking over to the car to grab her katana, "I heard it too."

         "Is it a walker?" Hershel questions. "Hold on, I'll check it out," Michonne says, carefully walking towards a thick tree where the branch snapped. It's only then that Sadie realizes she doesn't have a weapon on her. She didn't think to bring one, feeling safe with the idea of going out with Hershel and Michonne—it didn't even cross the girl's mind even with the impending doom of The Governor.

              Michonne turns the corner of the tree and then a loud grunt leaves her lips along with the thud of her body. "Michonne?!" Sadie panics as she rushes over. A figure emerges before she gets there, one that strikes fear into her heart that she thought she'd be over by now.

                A revolver sits in his hands, pointing right at her head. The Governor has his eyes locked onto to Sadie's fearful brown orbs, switching the gun from her head to Hershel's as the older man steps forward. "Hey, now. We don't need to do this," Hershel says, hands up.

              Sadie's brain is running a thousand miles per hour, looking for anyone out of this and every solution ends with The Governor dead. "I don't want anyone dead. Just—listen and no one gets hurt," The Governor says in the calmest voice Sadie has heard from him in a while. Not much of his physically appearance has changed. His demeanor still radiates just control and power. Just like the last time she saw him.

             "Bullshit," Sadie curses, narrowing her eyes to hope and trick herself into feeling less scared. The Governor steps closer to Hershel and her heart skips a beat. That's when Sadie realizes she's more scared for him and Michonne's life than her own. She's more scared for her sister's lives and Carl and Rick's and everyone back at the prison not all that far from their spot.

Sadie looks around his tall frame, seeing Michonne still unconscious on the ground. "Listen, we can go back to the prison, pretend this never happened, alright?" Hershel tries to convince the evil man. "No, no," The Governor shakes his head with a chuckle, "I can't do that."

         "Kidnapping is gettin' kinda old, no?" Sadie sasses. Her eyes keep switching front the gun pointed at Hershel to Michonne's weapon laying beside her body. She has no actual plan, just to somehow end up with Hershel alive and Michonne's sword in her grip. "I need you to bargain," He turns to Sadie, eyes going softer even 5 months later, "I got people to care for—"

            "There's a baby in there," Sadie tells him. "No one has to die," The Governor adds.

       "Someone always dies with you," Sadie huffs. "We can go about this a peaceful way," Hershel tries again. The Governor steps closer to Sadie and in one quick move, she's stuck in a headlock with a barrel to her head. Hershel's eyes widen while Sadie gasps in the man's gasp.

          "Now, you're gonna come with me—Augh!" The Governor is cut off by a groan of pain as Sadie elbows him, setting her free and him back. She books it for Michonne's sword right as The Governor recovers. Sadie grabs the handle, spinning around with almost no clue how to navigate it.

             "Sadie—I know you. You don't want anyone hurt," The Governor says as he grabs Hershel tightly, now pressing the barrel against his head as Sadie stands with the sword. Her breathing is hard, chest heaving, "You don't know me. You never did. I was always a pawn."

        "I cared. I care, Sadie," The Governor corrects himself. "Sadie, run," Hershel whispers, "It's fine—"

          "No! I'm tired of this. Of him! You don't know me at all," Sadie grips the sword tighter. "I've changed. I have people to care for now," The Governor gulps, "Sadie—I still want you apart of this—"

       Anger takes over Sadie and her brain doesn't register her feet running at The Governor. She doesn't register the way Hershel shoves himself out of the way, causing a gun shot to ring out after hitting a tree. Sadie charges at him still, ignoring the ringing in her ear. She swipes at The Governor, slicing his arm and leaving a bloody mark.

           With a new found confidence, Sadie narrows her eyes and swipes again at him but he jumps back. Chaos fills Sadie's vision as she tries to go for The Governor again. "Sadie!" Hershel calls out. The warning isn't enough for her though amidst the chaos.

            Sadie turns around and the next thing she sees is an angry Governor and then the ache of a barrel of a gun hitting her skull. The sword falls from her grasp as she too falls to the ground, eyes wandering fro Hershel even as it becomes blurry. Sadie hears groaning but right as she pushes herself up, she falls unconscious, vulnerable to The Governor once more.

———

one more until dooms day gang