DAMNATION.

chapter ten, the great rick grimes.
[ season seven, episode eight ]

CORI SITS IN THE chair that's pressed against the wall as Harlan bandages up Odessa's broken hand. Her arms are crossed over her chest, all jokes have been drained from her. "Negan do that?" She nods to Odessa wounded hand.

"No," she shakes her head. She then glances at Daryl who hovers by the door, watching Harlan closely. "Some other Savior did. He broke my hand, so Daryl killed him. I mean, I was gonna kill him either way."

All four people in the room know this is a lie. Odessa wasn't going to kill that man, he was going to kill her right there in that hallway. If it wasn't for Daryl, she would've died.

Daryl, who's saved her dozens of times now. She's so incredibly grateful for the gruff man. She looks over at him and flashes him a weak and insanely fake close lipped smile. He doesn't smile back because he doesn't have the energy to muster a fake one as Odessa did.

"No. Um— Negan, he never hurt me." She affirms. Physically. He never hurt he physically. But inside, he killed her. "As for my face, uh, the doctor at the Sanctuary said I did it to myself."

"The doctor there, he's okay?" Harlan asks her.

She doesn't tell him that she threatened him. "Yep," she says. She says nothing of the mental illness he diagnosed her with.

"How'd ya do that to yourself?" Cori asks confusedly.

Odessa goes quiet. Harlan glances at her as he finishes wearing her hand. He cuts the medical tape and tapes the gauze together. It takes her a moment to answer. "It's a lot."

"Well, there's nothing but time in this world." Cori tells her. Odessa's eyes snap to her, shock and panic in her eyes.

"Where'd you hear that?" Odessa whispers.

"What?" Cori laughs. "Hear that? I was just sayin' we have a lot of time in this new world."

"No," Odessa shakes her head. She squeezes her eyes shut. "No."

"Odessa?" Harlan worriedly says her name. Daryl steps up, looking at her with great concern. Odessa opens her eyes, she throws her legs over the side of the bed.

She storms out of the medical trailer without looking back at the others. Confusion and worry lingers over them. "I'm sorry," Cori looks at Daryl. "I didn't know that would trigger her."

Daryl grunts in response before he leaves after Odessa.

It's late in morning the next day when Cori and Flynn look up from the young boy's schooling. They sit at one of the picnic tables.

"Sasha! Enid!" Maggie calls from the watch post.

Worry takes hold of Cori's heart. What if Maggie's hurt? Or if something's wrong with the baby again? What if the Saviors are back already? It could be anything.

Flynn shuts his math notebook and sets his pencil on top of it. He looks at his big sister, "should we go over there?"

She nods, "yeah, let's go."

By the time the two Ackler's reach the gate, Maggie has already climbed down the watch post and the gates are opening.

Cori smiles to herself when she sees the familiar face of Rick Grimes. He's not dead. He walks into the Hilltop. He doesn't stop until he reaches Maggie. He embraces her tightly.

Behind Rick Grimes is his own army.

Tara, Michonne, Rosita, Carl, Cole, and Theo.

Cole walks right in Sasha's awaiting arms. She laughs quietly in his ear, happy to be reunited with her best friend. He squeezes her tightly. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"I'm okay," she pulls back. Her eyes scan his face. "Are you?"

"I'm okay." He tells her. "Negan, he, uh— he killed Spencer. Another one killed Olivia."

Sasha's smile drops at the mention of Olivia. She liked her. But the woman holds no feelings for Spencer Monroe. "I'm sorry," she tells Cole. He knows she isn't saying sorry about Olivia or Spencer. She's saying sorry because the woman he loved never really loved him back.

"I'm sorry, too." Cole says, he squeezes her shoulder. And Sasha knows he's saying sorry because of Abraham. Because they just started their relationship, because they deserved more time.

Cori finally makes her presence known. "Hey, Rick," she says. Rick looks over at her. "There's some people here to see you."

Rick looks over Cori shoulder and he's met with the most beautiful sight. Jesus, Daryl, and Odessa walk out from behind a wooden building. His daughter is alive. His best friend is alive. They've seen better days, but still they stand before him. Tears blur Rick's eyes.

His daughter may look absolutely miserable but she's alive. He takes note of her bruised face, the stitches that line her cheek, she's notably skinner than she had been days before as a result of not eating for days, her eyes are bloodshot.

And still she smiles when her eyes lock with his. 

"Dessa!" Carl's voice breaks the silence. And then he's kicking up dust. Odessa laughs as Carl crashes into her. They hug each other as if they'll never get to again. Never in her life will she take time for granted again. It isn't guaranteed. The first few hours at the Sanctuary she believed she would die in her cell but she was mistaken.

Odessa kisses Carl's forehead. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you outside that horrible place."

Rick joins the hug. They're a tangle of limbs and tears. A family reunited again. As everyone watches the three, tears fall from their eyes. It's a happy reunion.

Daryl is hugged by Tara and Cole and Michonne.

Carl pulls away first, allowing Rick and Odessa to share a much needed moment. He stands by them, a smile on his face. Rick holds his daughter close. She buries her face in the crook of his neck. She lets out a soft sob. "I'm sorry, Dad," she whispers.

"No," he says to her. "No"

He kisses her head and pulls back from her. He scans her face. "What happened to do you?" His brows furrow.

"We have a lot to talk about, Dad." She informs him. "But first," everyone watched as Odessa pulls out Rick's infamous colt from her waistband. She holds it out for him to take. "It's time to fight."

He looks at his daughter, the corners of his lips quirking. He takes it and checks the chamber. All six bullets remain. Rick doesn't say anything about the dots of blood on the wood of his gun. His daughter doesn't either.

Instead, she looks down at her feet. Rick seems to know what she did to escape the Sanctuary. What she and Daryl both had to do to survive. She killed, so did Daryl. But who is Rick to judge? He would never judge either of them.

Daryl walks forward and he and Rick hug. Theo approaches Odessa. She smiles weakly at him. But then her lips quiver and a silent tear falls down her cheek. Theo is fast to embrace her. She lets out a cry that's muffled by Theo's torso. He feels her ball his shirt into her fists. He presses his cheek against the top of her head.

Carl joins their hug. This is the single most valuable moment shared between the three. This is the very moment Carl and Odessa claim Theo Blake as their big brother, this is the moment Theo Blake becomes Theo Hawthorne-Grimes. He is a new man. He no longer hesitates. No, not anymore.

When they break apart, Rick turns to face his people. It requires no words. They know all know what he means to say just by the look in his eyes. There's a fire of hope in his eyes. It's a look they haven't seen in a long time. Everyone looks back at him with the same blind hope. They look at him with determination, confidence. Some of them smile because this is their new beginning. Some do not smile because something is missing. They say nothing as Rick turns to walk toward Barrington House.

A lawyer, a firefighter, an Olive Garden waiter, a drifter, a farmer's daughter, a police academy student, a medical assistant, a supply runner, and  six children that would rally behind Rick Grimes until their final breaths.

Despite the fact they aren't there, Odessa sees them. Everyone they've lost is there. The others can't see them but she does. She certainly does.

There's no need to say their names because Odessa knows they're good. Because even in death, they believe in Rick Grimes to protect their families.

And they all follow behind Rick Grimes without argument, without hesitation.

Because he is the man that will lead them to greatness.

And while the group walks towards Barrington House, Shane Walsh remains standing by the gate. Invisible to everyone except Odessa Grimes who glances over her shoulder at him. Hatred curls in the pit of her stomach.

She didn't expect Shane to follow her father. Instead of acting upon it, she turns back around and enters Barrington House.

Rick Grimes.

The great leader of his people.

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word count: 1,524

reunions 🥹.

reunions are my absolute favorite thing to write. the good ones always make me so freaking happy. the ones in this chapter show how much this group loves each other.

theo is officially theo hawthorne-grimes!! carl and odessa have loved him as their brother for a long time now but it's official now!! rick and michonne officially adopt him and it makes me so insanely happy. theo finally gets to get rid of the last name that linked him to the governor.

cole and sasha >>>. they're best friends and i love it so so much. they've been through so much together and they get each other. they're trauma bonded besties.

odessa reuniting with rick 🥲. sad and happy. they missed each other so much. their reunions always make me the happiest. i love them SO MUCH!!!

this is the first time she's been genuinely happy in a very long time and it makes me happy. my girl deserves so so much better. she deserves to settle down in alexandria with her family and live her life in peace. but does this happen?? no, sadly. i wish it could happen.

also, cori saying dale's quote??? so weird.

it's time to fight now. odessa said it. our group is about to fight for their fucking lives for the hundredth time.

i also might be taking short break, i haven't decided yet.