Glenn stood off to the side, holding Maggie tightly to keep her from getting too worked up. His gaze toward Andrea was filled with disapproval and disappointment.
Andrea's face shifted between pale and flushed as she was scolded. She opened her mouth as if to argue, but under everyone's condemning stares, she ultimately said nothing. Instead, she turned her head stubbornly and walked off in quick strides, her retreating figure looking both awkward and alone.
Maggie buried her face in Glenn's chest and began to sob softly, fear and anger tangled together.
Glenn gently patted her back, murmuring, "It's okay. It's over now. Beth's safe. Thanks to Calista and Leah…"
Maggie lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Calista and Leah, who were cleaning the blood from their hands. Her gaze was full of gratitude she couldn't quite put into words.
"Thank you. Thank you so much!" she said through a choked voice. "If you hadn't just happened to pass by, I don't even want to imagine what might've happened…"
Calista shook her head. "We just happened to be there."
Her eyes swept over Beth, who was being carefully carried back to the farmhouse by Hershel and Maggie, then toward the direction where Andrea had disappeared, before finally settling on Leah's profile beside her.
In the original storyline, Maggie and Leah were supposed to be mortal enemies, since Leah's Reaper team stood against the large group Maggie belonged to.
But now, not only had Leah not become Maggie's enemy, she had, by a twist of fate, become the one who saved her sister's life.
That kind of reversal made you realize just how unpredictable fate could be.
Leah seemed to notice her gaze. She turned her head and met Calista's eyes.
"Let's go, Leah," Calista said, sounding a little tired. "We should head back and rest. Tomorrow's going to be busy."
...
When a soft knock came at the door of the farm's tool shed, Calista was sitting by the light of a kerosene lamp, carefully sharpening her dagger on a whetstone.
Leah leaned against a pile of hay nearby, focused on maintaining her rifle.
Merle sat at the doorway, idly flipping a small knife with his left hand, his eyes scanning the heavy darkness outside with quiet vigilance.
The one knocking was Maggie.
Her eyes were still a little red and swollen, but she looked much calmer now. There was sincere gratitude in her gaze, along with the kind of exhaustion that came after everything finally settled.
"Calista, Leah," Maggie said, her voice slightly hoarse, "my dad and I… we'd like to ask you to move into the main house. The tool shed is too rough, and it gets cold at night."
Calista and Leah exchanged a glance, both a little surprised.
They'd grown used to surviving in harsh conditions.
With a roof to keep out the wind and rain and sturdy walls, the tool shed already counted as a decent place to stay in their eyes.
Leah didn't react much. She simply looked at Calista, waiting for her to decide.
Calista put away her dagger, stood up, and gave a gentle smile. "Thank you, Maggie. You're very kind. We're fine staying here. We won't disturb Beth's rest."
"No, please don't refuse," Maggie insisted earnestly. "You saved Beth.
We don't even know how to repay you. At the very least, let us show some hospitality. There are empty rooms in the main house. It's much more comfortable than here."
At that moment, Merle, who had been silent all along, suddenly cut in with a mocking tone:
"Oh, so the two ladies get invited to the big house, huh? Nice. What about me? I stay here keeping the rats company?"
He wore a careless grin, but there was a flash of loneliness in his eyes, along with a sharp edge of being left out.
Merle was used to being excluded, used to being treated like trouble. Right now, he instinctively hid it behind sarcasm.
Maggie froze for a moment, a flicker of awkwardness and hesitation crossing her face.
She had indeed only invited Calista and Leah.
Deep down, she might have felt that Merle Dixon, a foul-mouthed, rough one-armed man, didn't quite fit into the clean, orderly farmhouse. He might even scare Beth, who had only just calmed down.
She opened her mouth, looking at Merle's gaze, which seemed indifferent but carried a hidden sting, and for a moment didn't know what to say.
Invite him?
That felt forced.
Not invite him?
That felt ungrateful and harsh.
Calista frowned slightly, about to speak.
She wouldn't leave Merle behind. The three of them were a team. After everything they'd been through together, their bond was forged in life-and-death moments.
Maybe none of them should move in.
But just as Maggie hesitated and Calista was about to respond, a low, slightly hoarse voice came from outside the tool shed:
"I'm staying here with my brother."
It was Daryl.
At some point, he had already come over, his crossbow slung across his back. His expression was neutral, but his eyes were firm.
Daryl walked up to Merle. He didn't look at Maggie, nor at Calista or Leah. He just looked at his brother and repeated,
"I'm staying here. With my brother."
Merle's hand froze mid-motion, the knife stopping abruptly.
He looked up at the younger brother standing in front of him.
The same brother who had fought with him, argued with him, clashed with him since they were kids, yet had quietly followed him ever since they reunited.
Daryl's words were simple, but to Merle, they hit like a heavy blow, shattering the tough shell he used to hide himself.
His throat tightened. He wanted to throw out a sarcastic remark, but not a single word came out. He could only lower his head quickly, hiding the sudden redness in his eyes and the sob he could barely hold back.
Merle understood this wasn't just about where to sleep.
It was Daryl's choice. A long-overdue acknowledgment between the Dixon brothers. And Daryl's way of declaring that he belonged with Calista's group.
Maggie visibly relaxed. At the same time, she felt a hint of shame for her earlier hesitation and quickly said,
"Then… that works too. The tool shed is pretty spacious. I'll bring over more blankets later!"
Calista took it all in and understood.
She nodded at Maggie. "Thanks, Maggie. We'll pack up our things and head over."
...
The main house was indeed far more comfortable than the tool shed.
A warm fireplace. Clean floors. The furniture was simple, but the place felt lived-in and welcoming.
Maggie arranged for Calista and Leah to stay in two adjacent rooms on the second floor. There was even floral wallpaper and clean bedsheets. In this world, that alone felt like a luxury.
She also brought over clean towels, toiletries, and even a few pieces of her own clothing that looked barely worn.
"They might not fit perfectly, but it's better than wearing the same outfit all the time," she said, a little embarrassed.
"Thank you, Maggie. This is already more than enough," Calista and Leah said sincerely.
After settling them in, Maggie didn't leave right away. It seemed like she wanted to stay with them a little longer.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (45 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.