"Get off of me! Get off of me!" after what happened the night prior, Austin had scared Carl so bad he had to go to Rick. It was a hard decision, especially knowing Austin was gonna resent him for it, but it had to be done. It was easy at first, bringing up the sedative talk so he could get some sleep, but he denied it. That's when it had to get bad.

"Austin, you have to sleep, son. You're hallucinating." Rick tried as multiple group members, including himself, had to hold him down.

"Let me go! Let me go!" he had been a lot strong now then the last time anyone had to hold him down, which was back at the very first camp when his foot got trapped in a bear trap and Daryl had to break him free. "I dont need it."

"Hey, hey!" Glenn yelled as he grabbed Austin's face when Abraham got a good hold on his right arm. "No one's gonna hurt you, okay? You need this, Austin. You gotta trust me."

"Let me go!" he cried out, weakening as he yanked his arms. "Let me go."

"Real fast." Pete spoke as he stuck Austin with a little needle. "It's a low dose but it'll get him some sleep for the time he needs."

"Thanks you." Rick nodded as Austin weakened enough for be let go, he held a hand to his forehead. "I'm sorry."

His eyes were getting heavier as he was drifting. "Let me go."

A full day went by before Austin woke. When he opened his eyes, he could feel a difference. He wasn't dizzy, he wasn't light headed, he didn't feel so sick. He thought about Beth, looking to the side, almost expecting to see her. Only, he was face to face with the younger girl he got in an argument the first day he got here.

"You slept literally an entire day." she sighed, standing up and walking toward the sink. "Pete hates your dad so Deanna thinks I should be the one to wake you."

Austin was quiet, his eyes adjusting to the light as he inhaled. "A full day?"

"Yup." she handed him a glass of water and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When he saw it, a small sigh left his lips. He remembered when they were all separated, and when he saw Peanut Butter and Jelly at the funeral home, with Beth and Daryl, he'd been so happy. "What?"

"Nothing." he slowly sat up. "Just a memory."

"Hate those." she handed it to him with a huff. "So, can you take it from here or do I need to carry you out?"

"I don't know your name." he hummed before taking a bite.

"Enid." she said in return, getting a hum. "You really freaked everyone out, you know?"

He shrugged. "Sorry?"

"Someone die?" she asked, getting a glare. "I got pissed off at the world when someone close to me died."

"My girlfriend." he exhaled, nodding her way. "You?"

"My parents." she blinked.

"The world sucks." Austin stood up for the first time with a little wobble. "Sorry about your parents."

"You didn't even know them." she almost spoke defensively.

"But, I know what it feels like." he explained as Enids eyes softened a bit. "It sucks, but I had people there for me. If you need someone, can't promise i'll be the best company, but I don't mind a plus one on my walker trips."

Enid seemed like she wanted to fight it, but she gave him a minor smile. "Thanks."

He hummed, flashing her a wave as he pushed the infirmary doors opened. The sun was better now, better then the last month had been. He wasn't so tired, his eyes didn't burn so bad. But, his heart still hurt, he still felt empty and on edge. He needed to be around someone, someone that was famialr and comforting. The only problem was everyone that was in his way had to face the bad outcome.

"Oh, you're awa-" Pete started, being cut off by Austin's fist colliding with his jaw. He shook it off, leaving the man as he walked down the road. He remembered where Maggie and Glenn had been staying, most nights he'd spend more time here then alone.

"Hey." Maggie spoke as he walked up to her and Glenn on the porch. "Well rested?"

"Very." he hummed, rubbing his eyes.

"How do you feel?" Glenn asked when he sat by his side.

"Not seeing dead people or thinking they are talking to me on walkies." he hummed as Maggie sat on his other side, his head falling on her shoulder. "What did I miss?"

"Oh man." Glenn exhaled loudly. "So, Pete hits his wife and your dad went a little crazy about it, putting him in a temporary quarantine-"

"Michonne knocked him out." Maggie added.

"Michonne knocked him out." Glenn agreed. "Now Deanna is doing a group meeting but Maggie is trying to save your Dads place here so we can all stay. Also, Judith had a hard time sleeping without you putting her to sleep."

Austin inhales as he let it sink in. "All in twenty-four hours?"

"All in twenty-four hours." Maggie nodded. "But, don't worry. I can handle the bad, your dad will be safe."

"You just go be with your little lady." Glenn encouraging as he grabbed his hand. "And grieve."

"Just, maybe don't make Michonne knock you out too." Maggie agreed as Austin had to crack a smile, laying on her shoulder and holding Glenn's hand.

"And then she said. 'My sweet, Betsy.' But I said 'My sweet, Austin.'" He spoke to Judith, she grinned up at him as her hands had latched onto her thumbs. "She would have sung it to you too. Are you ready? My sweet, B-"

He was cut off by looking to at his Dad. He stood infront of him with a nod. "You remember her singing that to you?"

Austin looked at his beat up face. "Michonne got you good."

"I'm sorry, for the sedation." Rick admitted as his oldest stared at him. "I got scared."

Austin shrugged. "Don't do it again."

"Do you feel better?" Rick asked him, holding the side of his face as he walked closer to the two.

"I don't know." he admitted. "I didn't feel so sick, more human."

Rick nodded. "It'll take time to heal, no one's expecting you to move on. We just expect you to still take care of yourself. You can yell at me, but you know that's what she'd want."

Austin frowned with a long exhaled, looking up at him. "Carls inside, he's worried about you. I set him up with a few comic books and some peanut butter."

Rick almost laughed. "Breakfast for champions."

Austin cracked a grin as Rick let his face go, heading up the stairs again. He looked back down at Judith with an exhaled. "We should both sleep tonight, little lady."

Austin had a good time killing walkers while the meeting went down. The sun had set, the night sky falling above the trees as he whistled to get their attention. He stabbed one in the head after getting pinned to the tree, huffing loudly as they got collected at his feet. Austin hadn't had the chance to take out the other when a yell echoed into the distance, grabbing his attention. "Glenn!"

It was him, he knew the yell too well.

Austin ran to the direction it had came from, knowing he was getting closer based off Glenn's cries of pain. As he came up a small hill, he only saw red at the sight of Nichols ontop of Glenn, trying to encourage the walkers to come their way. There was only three, Austin shot them quickly. Before Nichols had the chance to react, the younger boy body slammed him off of Glenn. It didn't take long for nothing but rage to set in.

Every walker, every angry thought, every terrible person, every dead loved one, every ounce of humanity in Austin had been released onto Nichols that night on the woods. It started out as a normal hatred, a punch to the face. Then his nose cracked, then blood started to pour onto his wrist. Then, his gun was drawn and he stood up, shooting him right in the head. He didn't feel remorse, not like how he had with Patricia. He tried to kill Glenn, he got Noah killed.

He had it coming.

Austin turned to Glenn. It was almost different seeing him covered in human blood rather then walker blood, just almost. "You okay?"

Glenn gapped, because he didn't see it coming. He looked to a dead Nichols. Austin followed his gaze. "He tried to kill you."

"I'm okay." Glenn reached up for Austin. "I think my knee was popped out of place."

"I can help." he fell onto his knees as he pushed his bandana a little higher on his head. "Hershel taught me how. It's gonna hurt for just a second then it'll be okay."

Glenn nodded as Austin placed his hands on Glenn's knee, giving a tug as he got a loud yelp, but it was back in place. He held his knee a little longer. "I'm sorry."

Glenn met his eye, then he knew he hadn't been talking about his knee. He looked toward the dead man, shaking his head. "You know we can't kill everyone that deserves it."

"I know." Austin promised him.

Glenn held his face with a nod. "I'm okay."

Austen nodded as he helped him to his feet. "What do we do about him?"

Glenn looked to Nicholas again. "He got Noah killed."

"Yeah." Austin nodded. "And Noah would tell us to do the right thing."

Glenn swallowed as he looked as him with a nod. "For Noah."

So, they buried him together. Not because he was a good guy, not because they were even good guys. But, for Noah. Who indeed, was the best good guy they ever knew.

•

kylie speaks

recovery process but still
kills for the bestie era🤪