The three of them sat on the small sofa in Calista's room, the firelight casting a warm glow across their faces. For once, the atmosphere felt somewhat relaxed.
"What's it like out there now?" Maggie couldn't help asking. "You two came from outside, and it looks like you've gone even farther than Glenn and the others. You must have seen more than we have."
Calista chose her words carefully, neither exaggerating the despair nor sugarcoating reality.
"It's bad, Maggie. The cities have basically fallen. Walkers are everywhere. Survivor groups are on their own, and fighting over resources is the norm. A place like your farm, relatively peaceful, is rare and precious."
Leah added simply, "Strength is the only ticket."
Maggie nodded thoughtfully, then looked back at Calista.
"So what are your plans? I mean in the long run."
"Survive, and build order," Calista replied without hesitation. "Find reliable companions, develop the base, arm ourselves, and take the initiative to create a new beginning."
She did not reveal the specifics of Rock Fortress, but her philosophy was clear.
A spark flickered in Maggie's eyes, as if she had been quietly encouraged by that outlook.
"Dad always thinks this will pass, that we'll go back to how things used to be," she said softly. "But I know that's probably not going to happen. Maybe… thinking the way you do is the right approach."
Calista smiled and smoothly steered the conversation in a lighter direction.
She looked at Maggie with a teasing glint. "That Asian guy named Glen seems pretty great. Quick thinker, brave, and most importantly, he really cares about you."
She remembered this pair of ill-fated lovers from the original storyline.
Maggie's face flushed instantly, a mix of shy embarrassment and sweetness. She shot Calista a lightly reproachful glance, but didn't deny it.
"Glenn… he's… really good."
Watching the blush on Maggie's face, Calista kept smiling, though something stirred deep inside her.
Glenn.
That name was like a key, unlocking memories from another world.
That pizza delivery boy, street-smart and resourceful, yet with a core cleaner and more steadfast than anyone else's.
From the moment he saved Rick in that Atlanta high-rise, Glenn had grown from an inexperienced young man into an indispensable pillar of the group.
And Maggie, the strong-willed farmer's daughter, who inherited Hershel's kindness and resilience. Even after losing so many loved ones, she carried on, took up arms, and eventually became a leader in the apocalypse.
This young couple was one of the rare pairs in this desperate world who never "lost themselves."
They never fell into delusion like the Governor, never broke under fear like Carol in the early days, and never teetered on the edge of extremes like Rick did at times later on.
They held onto their humanity, stayed clear-minded, resolute, and upright. They were the true moral backbone and dual pillars of the main group.
Their relationship was also free from the usual melodramatic misunderstandings and entanglements.
From their first spark on the farm, to supporting each other in the prison, to clinging to one another through life and death after the Governor's catastrophe...
Maggie and Glenn walked that road together, supporting each other every step of the way, staying true to each other from beginning to end.
In a world filled with betrayal, death, and uncertainty, their love was one of the few steady, warm constants. A light that countless viewers held onto amid the darkness.
Calista's thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the scene she could never forget.
Glenn looking at Maggie one last time, struggling to say, "Maggie, I'll find you…", but never managing to finish.
This was the regret that never faded for fans.
Someone as good as Glenn, someone who always carried hope and fought to keep the people around him alive, died in such a brutal and meaningless way under Negan's cruel game.
That episode had nearly made Calista quit the show. The pain of watching something so beautiful be completely shattered had been too much.
But that was all it was now. A lingering regret.
The current Calista was no longer the ordinary viewer who would cry over a storyline.
She was part of this world now. A leader responsible for the survival of hundreds.
Every decision she made had to put herself and her base first.
Negan. The Saviors.
A cold glint flashed deep in her eyes.
They were a massive force, a violent group that enslaved other communities, not unlike Lorenzo.
Was she supposed to risk everything she had built at Rock Fortress, to clash head-on with the Saviors and face potentially devastating consequences, just for two people she couldn't let go of?
That was not a losing deal Calista would ever accept.
Compassion and impulsiveness were fatal weaknesses in the apocalypse.
Still, perhaps conflict in the future could not be avoided. But the outcome would not be the same as in the original story.
Her thoughts raced.
Glenn and Maggie were more than just a source of regret. They were valuable in their own right.
Glenn's sharp mind, courage, and scouting ability, along with Maggie's resilience and leadership potential, made them rare talents in this world.
If they could survive, and if they remembered the help they received, they might one day become an asset to Rock Fortress.
A vague plan began to take shape.
Protecting them did not necessarily mean direct confrontation.
Calista could guide things instead.
At the right time, she could reveal vague information about a powerful raider group, putting Rick's team on guard in advance. That alone might change their fate of blindly running into the Saviors.
She could even use the advantage of what she knew to carry out a precise intervention at a critical moment.
For instance, if fate still led them to be surrounded by the Saviors, she might be able to influence the final outcome in some way before Negan made his choice.
The key was that the cost had to remain under control. She could not afford to bring disaster upon herself.
Just then, the door opened slightly, and Beth's pale but clear-eyed face peeked in.
"Maggie? C-can I come in?"
"Beth!" Maggie immediately stood and hurried over to support her sister. "How are you feeling? Why did you get up?"
"I slept for a long time. I heard you talking." Beth's voice was still weak. She looked at Calista and Leah shyly. "Thank you for saving me."
Calista came back to herself and looked at the sisters who had survived the ordeal. Her gaze softened, but there was a quiet firmness beneath it.
She gestured gently. "Come in and sit, Beth."
With Maggie's support, Beth walked in and sat beside her.
Four women, two pairs of sisters, gathered around the warm fireplace.
At first, the atmosphere was a little quiet and awkward, mainly because Beth still didn't dare lift her head.
Calista didn't rush to lecture her. Instead, she shared some of their experiences.
Leah remained a woman of few words, but she occasionally added a comment.
Maggie held her sister's hand tightly and said softly, "Beth, do you see?
The world may have become terrible, but there are still so many people trying to live, and so many things worth holding onto. Dad, me, Jimmy, Otis, Patricia, everyone… we all need you."