The next day arrived slowly, almost reluctantly, with a gray light that seeped through the thin curtains of the room.
Jason was lying on his side on the narrow bed, the sheet bunched up around his waist. Maggie was lying on his chest, completely naked, her skin still warm and slightly damp with the sweat from the night. One of her legs was thrown over his, her hip pressed against Jason's body as if she wanted to merge with him there. Her short brown hair fell messily over his shoulder, tickling his skin with every slow, deep breath she took.
He had one arm wrapped around her back, his hand spread across the curve of her lower back, his fingers lazily tracing her spine. The other arm was bent behind his head, his eyes half-closed as he stared at the wooden ceiling of the room. Her heart beat against his in a steady, calm rhythm that contrasted with the many thoughts running through his mind.
The surgery had been long and exhausting, but in the end, Carl was alive and his condition had finally stabilized successfully. The bullet fragments from the rifle had been removed, and the bleeding, which had previously seemed impossible to control, had been stopped in time. With proper care, in a few days he would be able to stand again… and, more importantly, he would survive.
Performing the surgery had not been particularly difficult for him. Removing the bullet fragments had not posed a major technical challenge either. During the procedure, he clearly understood why, in the original story, Rick had needed to donate so much blood: one of the fragments had hit an extremely delicate area where any mistake could result in a fatal hemorrhage. Fortunately, Hershel had acted in time, containing the initial bleeding and preventing the situation from worsening even further. Still, during the operation, every movement had required absolute precision to avoid causing additional damage to that critical region, but it had not caused any problems for him.
Hershel had worked beside him throughout the entire process, remaining silent for the most part. The words exchanged had been few, almost nonexistent, but there had been no need for more. In practice, he had barely needed his "father-in-law's" help.
After the surgery, the inevitable reactions had come. Rick, Lori… even Shane had shown gratitude. The latter had changed his appearance; he now had a shaved head, and Jason knew the reason for it but said nothing.
He then changed T-Dog's bandage more carefully while talking with him and Glenn about various things...
Later, he went upstairs to the bedroom with Maggie. She had spent the entire night by Patricia's side, along with Beth and Jimmy, trying to comfort her after the loss of her husband. Even though she was also deeply shaken, Maggie had not wanted to sink into that pain at that moment. There was something in her that sought escape, even if only for a few hours. And it was that impulse that made her let her desire speak louder. So the two of them had spent a few passionate hours together...
When they finally lay down to sleep, it was Maggie who broke the silence. She brought up the subject: the relationship between the two of them… and the conversation she had had with her father. He had already given his "blessing."
There were no more doubts or hesitations.
What had once been implicit was now official.
They were, in fact, together.
In other words, they were dating...
Although he wanted to make a formal proposal with an engagement ring in a nice place, he would have to wait a little longer...
Maggie stirred slightly, letting out a small murmur as she settled even more against him. Her face pressed into Jason's chest for a moment before she slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times, still half-lost between sleep and reality.
When she finally focused, a lazy smile appeared on her lips.
"Good morning…" she murmured, her voice hoarse and heavy with sleep.
Jason shifted his gaze from the ceiling to her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Good morning…" he replied softly.
She raised her face a little, resting her chin on his chest, her fingers drawing slow circles on his skin, completely unhurried. For a moment, she simply watched him… as if confirming that he was still there.
Then she leaned in and left a light peck on his lips.
Jason didn't move much, only turned his face slightly to meet her better, receiving the kiss calmly. Maggie repeated the gesture, another peck… and then one more, this time a little longer.
He let out a small breath of laughter through his nose.
"Someone woke up in a good mood…" he teased, his voice low.
"I had a good night's sleep…" she replied with a half-smile.
She adjusted herself better on top of him, hugging him more comfortably, her leg still intertwined with his. Jason ran his hand slowly down her back, moving up and down in a calm, almost automatic motion.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
Maggie let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes again.
"I could stay here all day…" she murmured.
Jason looked at the ceiling once more, then at her.
"Me too…" he admitted.
But both knew they couldn't.
Still, neither of them made any move to get up.
They stayed there for a few more minutes, exchanging light pecks, gentle touches, and lazy caresses, prolonging as much as possible that rare moment of peace before reality came knocking again.
The comfortable silence stretched on, broken only by their calm breathing and the soft brush of Jason's fingers on her skin. After a few moments, he looked away from the ceiling once more and spoke in a complex way...
"How's Patricia?"
He hadn't asked the night before for a simple reason… there had been no room for it. As soon as they entered the room, Maggie had barely given him time to think. The kiss had come first, urgent and loaded with everything she was feeling, and the rest had followed naturally from there. As an excellent psychologist, he knew this was not the kind of subject that should be ignored, but he also knew how to recognize the right moment to bring it up. And last night had definitely not been that moment...
Maggie took a while to answer. Her body grew a little heavier on his, as if the question had brought back something she had been avoiding.
She let out a low sigh.
"Shaken…" she said at last. "Very."
Her fingers paused for a second on his chest before resuming their slow movement.
"Beth stayed with her most of the time. She didn't want to be alone… and Beth wouldn't let her."
Jason nodded slightly, absorbing the answer in silence.
It made sense.
He then turned his face a little more, looking at Maggie with greater attention.
"And you? How are you? I know I already asked you last night and you said you didn't want to talk about it..." he asked simply.
The question made Maggie stop completely this time.
For a few seconds, she didn't answer.
Her gaze lost itself somewhere on his chest, as if she were trying to organize something she didn't want to face.
When she finally spoke, her voice came out lower.
"I… don't know."
She swallowed hard, looking away for a moment.
"I can't think about it much right now... Because every time I try… only sadness comes. Otis… he wasn't just someone who worked here. I've known him forever. He was part of the farm… part of our lives."
Her eyes grew slightly misty, but she didn't cry.
"He was truly a good man... and he ended up dying while trying to do the right thing..."
Jason didn't answer immediately.
His hand moved up her back with more firmness this time, in a silent gesture of support, pausing at the nape of her neck for a moment before sliding down again.
There wasn't much to say.
So he didn't try.
Maggie let out a long, almost resigned sigh and lifted her face to look Jason in the eyes. The green of them was still a little wet, but she blinked, pushing away what remained of the emotion.
"There's no point in lying here all day..." she murmured softly. "The world downstairs won't stop just because I want it to..."
Jason agreed with a slight nod, his fingers still lazily tracing the curve of her back.
"Yeah. Better head down."
They separated slowly, as if both were reluctant to break the contact. Maggie rolled to the side of the bed and sat up, the sheet slipping down to her waist, revealing her fair skin and the harmonious lines of her body. Jason remained there for a second longer, watching her in silence. She really was beautiful...
After smiling slightly, he got up, picking up the clean clothes scattered around the room. He put on green sweatpants and a long-sleeved black shirt. Maggie did the same, putting on a pair of jeans and a simple light-blue cotton shirt. Neither of them spoke much while getting ready; it was the kind of silence that comes after an intense night, when words are still not necessary...
Before leaving the room, Maggie stopped in front of him and adjusted the collar of his shirt with her fingers, a small and intimate gesture.
"Are you going into town today?" she asked quietly, her eyes rising to meet his.
Jason held her hands against his chest for a moment.
"No, not today."
She gave a small, slightly crooked smile.
"Well, if you decide to go, I want to go with you..."
They went down the stairs together, the steps creaking under their feet as always. The house was already awake. Low voices came from the kitchen and the living room. The smell of improvised coffee and fresh bread mixed with the heavy air of the worry that still hung over everything.
When they entered the main room, the atmosphere was calm but charged. Rick was sitting near the window, looking outside thoughtfully. Lori was beside him, holding his hand tightly. Hershel was walking slowly between the kitchen and the living room, checking on Carl from time to time. Glenn and T-Dog were talking quietly in a corner.
Maggie let go of Jason's hand when they reached the center of the room. He felt several eyes on them, some curious, others simply tired.
Hershel was the first to approach. The old veterinarian looked exhausted but still steady.
"Good morning..." he said, his voice grave. His eyes passed quickly over Jason, then over Maggie. "Carl had a stable night. The fever has gone down a bit. But I think you should check on him..."
Jason nodded.
"Good. I'll take a look at him now."
Maggie touched his arm lightly before stepping away.
"I'll help Patricia in the kitchen."
Jason followed Hershel to the room where Carl was. The boy was still sleeping, his face pale but his breathing more regular than the night before. Rick and Lori followed the two...
Jason approached the bed with calm, professional movements. He placed his hand on Carl's forehead, checked his pulse, and observed the color of his skin.
"He's responding well," he said straightforwardly. "The inflammation is under control. If it continues like this, in two or three days he'll already be able to sit up."
Rick let out the breath he seemed to have been holding for hours.
"Thank you..." he murmured again.
Jason simply shook his head, not accepting the thanks as if it were something big. For him, it was just what needed to be done.
Meanwhile, Maggie was helping Patricia set the table for the improvised breakfast. Otis's widow was quiet, her eyes red, but she still moved around the kitchen as if she wanted to distract her mind with something...
The moment was broken by the sound of an engine coming from outside, heavier and more continuous than that of a regular car.
Rick was the first to react.
He stood up quickly and went to the window, pulling the curtain aside slightly. His eyes narrowed for a second… and then visible relief crossed his face.
"They're here…" he said, turning around.
Lori stood up immediately beside him.
"Thank God…"
Without wasting time, the two headed for the porch. The movement drew the attention of the others. Glenn and T-Dog exchanged a quick glance before standing up as well. Even Shane, who had been leaning farther back, straightened up and began walking toward the exit, limping.
Jason observed everything for a moment, then turned his head slightly toward Hershel.
"Looks like the rest of their group has arrived....."
Hershel nodded.
"Let's go welcome them."
Outside, an old trailer had stopped near the house. The door opened, and an older figure was the first to appear, descending carefully.
It was a man with graying hair, a face marked by time, but with attentive and kind eyes. He wore a characteristic hat and moved with a calm that almost contrasted with the world around him. Behind him, other people began to get out, faces tired and road-dirty… but alive.
The reunion began immediately.
Glenn was the first to approach, pulled into a quick hug by Andrea. T-Dog stayed a little farther back while greeting them. Lori was being comforted by a woman with short hair, while Rick exchanged quick words with the older man wearing a hat.
Shane stopped a little farther back, observing, but still present.
Shortly afterward, the people from the farm also came out. Hershel in front, followed by Maggie, Beth, Patricia—who hesitated for a moment before continuing—Jimmy… and Jason.
The eyes inevitably fell on him.
The older man, Dale, was the first to approach. He walked straight up to Jason and extended his hand with a slight, tired smile.
"You must be the doctor Rick told us about..." he said, his voice calm. "I'm Dale. Nice to meet you."
Jason shook his hand firmly.
"The pleasure is mine. My name is Jason....."
Dale nodded, squeezing his hand lightly.
"I want to thank you. Rick told us what you did. Saving that boy… in that condition… is no small thing."
Jason simply tilted his head slightly.
"I just did what needed to be done."
Before the conversation could continue, another person approached, whom he easily recognized as Andrea...
Andrea's gaze traveled over Jason without any discretion, from head to toe… lingering a little longer than necessary. A small smile appeared on her lips.
"So, you're not what I expected from a doctor…" she said, crossing her arms in a casual but clearly calculated way. "I would've believed you were military or something like that..."
Jason shifted his gaze to her just enough to acknowledge her.
"Well, everyone says that..." he replied neutrally.
Andrea tilted her head slightly, taking a step closer.
"Well, thanks for saving Carl. It's reassuring to know we have a doctor if we need one. By the way, my name is Andrea..."
Before he could answer or even show any interest in continuing the conversation, Maggie, standing beside him, became visibly more rigid. Her gaze went straight to Andrea, her expression not hostile… but definitely charged.
Jason, on the other hand, simply didn't play along.
"No need to thank me. Nice to meet you, Andrea. My name is Jason...." he said directly.
The polite and straightforward answer cut through the mood before it could extend.
Dale noticed.
His eyes moved quickly between the three of them, understanding the situation in an instant. He let out a small sigh through his nose, almost amused.
"Andrea," he called naturally, "how about helping me with a few things in the trailer? Since we're staying here..."
She shifted her gaze from Jason, clearly annoyed for a second… but quickly disguised it with a slight smile.
"Sure..." she replied, shrugging.
Before leaving, she cast one more quick glance at Jason… and then walked away with Dale.
The silence that followed was brief.
Maggie crossed her arms, letting out a small sigh through her nose.
Jason turned his head slightly toward her.
"What?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing."
But it clearly wasn't "nothing."
It seemed his girlfriend was quite jealous...
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(A/N: I want to leave a quick notice for you all!
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