DAMNATION.

chapter nineteen, life goes on.
[ season seven, episode fourteen ]

NO MATTER WHAT, LIFE goes on in the Hilltop Colony. Not as normal, but life goes on.

Sasha trains the residents on how to fight. Cori and Jesus continue their own teachings with Flynn who's still very young but definitely on his way to being the Hilltop's best fighter.

Maggie makes plans for the Hilltop. Enid is right there with her for every single step. And somehow, somewhere along the way, Cori and Flynn appear with Maggie when she gets an ultrasound, as well.

Cori knows what Sasha is planning. It's something Cori's wanted to do every since Silas's death but could never bring herself to do. She's going to take out Negan.

Night settles over the community. The entirety of their little makeshift family is sitting in the fully lit camper that belongs to Jesus.

Most nights Jesus sleeps in the Ackler's trailer since Maggie and the others have been using his, but lately, it's been like this. Everyone all together in one small space.

And to be fair, they like it better this way.

Enid sits at the desk, she steals a glance at Maggie every so often. Sasha is on the couch beside Flynn who's taking a liking to Sasha. Enid calls it a crush but Cori knows better. Jesus sits on the bed, drawing something on a piece of paper. And Cori sits on the floor, twisting a single bullet in between her fingers.

Maggie is at the table, planning something el— no. When Cori looks up at her, she realizes Maggie is asleep. "Finally." The girl whispers. Maggie has been working nonstop, she needs the rest. They all do. But Maggie is the one that needs it the most.

Flynn watches with careful eyes as Jesus stands and walks over to where he and Sasha sit. He hands her a folded piece of paper. And when she opens it, he reads the words; front of factory.

Flynn is a smart kid. For a seven year old, he's incredibly smart. He knows what's up. He glances at Sasha. "You shouldn't do it." He's whispers the words as to not wake up Maggie. "It's gonna end bad."

And then after Daryl and Odessa appear at Hilltop's gates, it's Rosita that strolls in one day after Odessa's arrival.

When Sasha walks into the trailer, Jesus notices her odd body language straight away. Cori and Enid are nearby, planting tomatoes. Jesus taps both their shoulders and motions to the trailer. "Sasha," he whispers so Maggie doesn't hear.

They all enter the trailer together. Sasha holds a book in her hand. Cori knows what books that is. It's not really one at all. It's hollowed out, hiding bullets.

"I was... lookin' for something to read the other day." Sasha lies.

"You can have the bullets. I didn't know you had a gun." Jesus tells her.

"I didn't. I do now," she looks around at the three. They all know what this means. They all know why Rosita showed up when she did. They're gonna go after Negan soon.

"Sasha, don't go— not yet." Jesus walks towards her. "Rosetta didn't coke here to train people. You're both going after Negan. You can't do that without people. A lot of people."

"We've talked about this," Sasha says. Then she glances at Cori, "all of us. I know what you two think. And I appreciate that. But I'm not gonna change my mind. She's not," then Sasha looks at Enid. "Does Maggie know Rosita's here yet?"

"Uh, I— I don't think so." Enid answers. "I didn't— you should tell her. About all of it."

"No. Not yet. I'm still— I'm still getting ready. Rosita is going, with or without me. So it should be with me." Sasha tells them.

"Then, I'll go with you." Jesus states.

"Me, too," Enid pipes.

"So will I." Cori says.

"No." Sasha's voice is firm. "The Hilltop has to be ready for what happens after. Maggie needs you."

"She needs you, too." Cori says sadly.

"Not anymore." Sasha shakes her head. "She has everyone else, and they have her."

Jesus walks even closer to Sasha. "You can stay. I know you can. But I know you won't, and I know she won't, but I wish you would. Cause it's a long life, and then it isn't. You can take anything else you need. But you and Rosita need to talk to Maggie first. You owe her that much."

Jesus turns on his heel. He grabs an apple and a bottle of water. Then he leaves. Enid and Cori stay. Before the redhead leaves, she looks Sasha dead in her eyes and quietly says, "at least tell Flynn bye."

So she does.

After her conversation with Enid and some more preparation, she grabs her bag and slings it over her shoulder. Sasha leaves the trailer and finds Cori sitting on the steps of his trailer that rests just beside Jesus's.

"Flynn," Sasha says. He looks up at her and immediately takes notice of her bag and jacket.

"Are you going after him?" He asks her.

She stops for a moment then nods. The damn kid is too smart for his own good, she thinks. "Yes." Is all she says.

"You're coming to say goodbye." Flynn says slowly, as if testing the words. He frowns. "You're not gonna come back, are you?"

Sasha shakes her head. "Probably not, Flynn."

He nods. Tears well in his brown eyes, "just try, okay? Try to come back."

She nods weakly. Her own tears threaten to fall. Before either can say anything else, the loud sound of metal clanging against metal sounds. Both stand and look to Kal, who stand on the watch post.

"The Saviors are coming!"

Then everyone is rushing around. Rosita runs to where Sasha and Flynn are. "Where do we hide?"

"You're not hiding," Flynn tells the two women. "Hurry." He motions for them to follow him and so they do. They reach the hidden tunnel they've dug out in the past two weeks. "Go through this."

Rosita goes first. As Sasha goes down the ladder, she looks at Flynn and whispers, "if I don't come back, I left you a surprise in the shoebox under your bed."

And then she's gone.

It takes everything in Flynn not to go look now but he doesn't. Not yet.

Enid leads Maggie, Daryl, and Odessa to the underground cellar. Maggie rushes to hide behind the back shelf while Daryl stays at the cellar door, fully prepared to kill whoever walks in.

Odessa stops and looks at him, "Daryl." She hisses. He doesn't budge. "Daryl, come on."He looks back at her and follows her behind the shelf.

It's only a few minutes until a man they don't know walks in. Odessa pulls out her knives slowly. All three people keep their eyes on the man.

They all watch as he takes baskets full of vegetables. Odessa's lips curl in anger. She moves herself in front of both Daryl and Maggie in a protective stance.

When the man takes something from their shelf and turns his back, she raises her knives higher. But she's quickly stopped. Maggie grabs the young girls arm. Odessa doesn't dare look at her.

The man leaves.

Daryl and Odessa rush out from behind them shelf. Maggie looks at Odessa, "you were gonna kill that guy."

"He was gonna find us." Daryl defends Odessa's actions.

"We wasn't, and he didn't." Maggie tells the two.

"He deserves to die." Odessa looks at Maggie, tears blur in her eyes. "They all do."

Maggie's heart clenches. This poor girl, she thinks. She'll never be the same girl Maggie met all that time ago on her father's farm.

"Every since you two got you here, neither of you have said a word to me. Would you look at me, Daryl? Please?" Maggie says.

Daryl turns his head in her direction slightly, he sniffles. Odessa's heart shatters into a million pieces. "I'm sorry." Daryl's voice breaks. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Maggie tells him sadly.

"It was," he replies.

"No. It wasn't. You're one of the good things in this world." Maggie then looks over at Odessa. "Both of you are. That's what Glenn thought. And he would know, cause he was one of the good things, too. And, uh, I wanted to kill that guy too. I want to string them all up and watch them die. But we have to win."

Odessa knows it's a lie. She is not a good person. She isn't one of the good things in the world. She hasn't been good for a very long time. Since that night on the farm.

Maggie walks coward and embraces Daryl. "Help me win," she whispers. Then she looks at Odessa over Daryl's shoulder. She motions for them to join their hug.

And she does. Without hesitation.

Odessa wraps her arms around both Maggie and Daryl. Maggie brings Odessa into close, holding her tight. And Daryl, who's still rigid and sniffling. The man who had pushed and pushed and pushed Odessa away after Glenn's death. He presses his hand to her back.

And it's much more than just that.

It's his apology. It's everything.

After the Saviors leave with Doctor Carson, the Hilltop is uneasy.

When night settles, that's when Gregory sends for Jesus and Cori. They share a look when Freddie tells them that Gregory wants to see them. But they go.

When Jesus opens the door, he says, "Freddie said you wanted to see u."

"Yes, have a seat." Gregory says. So they do. "I noticed you've been slacking on your scavenging. And Jesus, they are too many people in your trailer. Fire hazard. Plenty of room here at Barrington House for our guests. Speaking of which, I have job assignments for the newcomers. People are gonna stay, they're gonna chip in. No more free rides on the test."

"You let them take Doctor Carson. I'm surprised you didn't kneel again," Cori hisses. "You must be really worried if you're trying to split us all up."

"Shouldn't talk to me like that, Corraine. You knows what might happen with all these Saviors coming around? We don't want a repeat." Gregory says. Jesus and Cori both go completely stiff.

Cori stares at Gregory, her eyes suddenly a storm. Anger is a thunderstorm and it's raging inside of her. It takes everything in her not to slam his face into his desk and break his ugly nose.

This man brought up her dead brother. He's just threatened her only living brother and her found brother.

"What'd you just say to me, Gregory?" Cori asks. Jesus has never seen such rage in her eyes before, he's never heard such danger in her voice. He knows if Cori was anyone else, Gregory would be a dead man. "You do not want to play this game with me."

Jesus's brows shoot skywards.

"I— I—" Gregory pathetically stutters.

"Don't threaten me, Gregory," Cori says. Her voice is low, dangerous. "And don't threaten my brothers either."

"I was being sarcastic, okay?" Gregory rolls his eyes.

"No, you just threatened me and my brothers." She leans in closer, a terrifying gleam in her blue eyes. If looks could kill, Gregory would be dead.

"Think what you want. You know, what I'm saying is, I look out for my friends, and I realized... we're not friends." He growls.

Cori's eyes narrow. Her fists clench in her lap. "I would be very careful if I were you, Gregory." She says lowly. "You know I don't fuck around when it comes to my family."

Then someone knocks on the door. "Come in."

Kal walks in with a bottle of alcohol. Gregory immediately sits up straighter. "Ah, tequila. Crack that open, will you? And Kal, show them out."

Kal opens the tequila and hands it to Gregory. Then he leads the duo from Gregory's office. When they do, the door bursts open and Daryl walks in. "What is it?" Jesus asks, his brows furrowed.

"Where's Sasha and Rosita?"

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word count: 2,014

WOOOOOOO!!!!! gregory that was probably the dumbest shit you could've said to cori. now home girl is gonna fuck with your life big time dude.

you do not fuck with a sister and her brothers. if cori was so adamant on not killing she probably wouldn't killed gregory right then. i'm mean the AUDACITY that man had to bring up silas and threaten flynn and jesus the same way.

cori, jesus, and flynn are brothers and sister. they're my favorite found siblings ever. they're such a cute trio and i love them more than i love myself. they would all die for each other, even little, seven year old flynn (who turns into
an absolute badass by the way).

and that scene between daryl, maggie, and odessa :(((. daryl apologizing to odessa through a simple touch makes my heart so happy and so sad at the same time. they're the three the understand each other the most.

next chapter is kind of an everyone chapter but mostly theo and odessa!! it has a little bit of everyone expect flopleen and flynn.

two chapters left of act one. are y'all ready for the finale??? noooo, y'all are absolutely not prepared for what i'm about to do to y'all.