They Walk

Chapter Sixty One

She glances up at Noah, and now they share a look that I can’t read. And let me tell you, I’m really getting tired of that. I’m not the pathetic sick girl who needs protecting. Damn it, I’ve killed as much of the dead as they have, I know the risks we’d take going back. But I also know when I’m in a losing battle, and clearly Noah and Claire won’t go along with what I want. So I turn away from them and stare up at Gabe, while I squeeze his hand like it’s my only lifeline.

“We can’t leave Dan to die, Gabe. Please, he’s your friend too and I can’t lose my brother, not when I just found my parents.”

I can feel the others practically take in a collective breath, as we wait for Gabe to respond.

He looks so sad for a moment, and I have to wonder what is running through his mind. But then he looks serious and without looking or saying anything to the others, he nods his head at me. Sighing, I rush into his arms again and thank God for giving him to me. Who knows where I’d be without him?

Probably one of the dead still at Austin’s I’m sure.

“Right then, can we go now?” Hanna says impatiently from behind me still near the door.

Gabe releases me and I step back out of the protection of his arms, and face the others knowing this might be the last time we ever see them. I can tell they are thinking the same thing, or at least Noah and Claire are, and who knows what Hanna and Logan think. Claire inches closer to me then, and her mother looks worried for a second, like she is afraid Claire will change her mind and leave with me.

But I know she won’t though, and I can’t be mad at her for it either.

“Maggie, I’m so sorry. I’d go with you if I could, but….” Claire says softly while looking down at her feet.

Stepping directly in front of her, I place my hands on her shoulders and she finally looks up at me with haunted eyes.

“I know Claire, and don’t worry about it. If our roles were reversed, I’d make the same decision as you. Just be careful alright? We’ll meet you guys at the border, I promise.” I tell her, and hope I’m not lying just to make us feel better.

Nodding, she shrugs of the pack around her shoulder and holds it out to me. Only then do I realize that it’s my messenger bag. It feels like a lifetime since I last saw it, and when I take it from her and peer inside. I find that some of my clothes and the pain pills I lost are packed within. Gripping it tightly to myself, I stare in awe at Claire.

I left it here when we left for Bates, and never thought I’d see it again.

“I grabbed it for you, when things went crazy. Figured you might need it, am I right?”

Giving her the first real smile I’ve ever made in a while, I pull her into a hug. When she puts her arms around me, I feel my eyes fill with tears and we squeeze one another like this is the final goodbye. I suppose it kind of is, if you think about it. We pull apart, and I notice that she too has tears in her eyes and we’re both trying our best not to let them fall.

With a heavy sigh, she lets her mother guide her away from me and towards Hanna and Logan.

When I turn back around to face the doors and watch her walk away, I notice that Gabe and Noah aren’t there anymore. Quickly I spin around and search the lobby, almost thinking they went outside already and didn’t wait. But they are still in the room, just on the other side of towards the hallways entrances. They are talking heatedly to one another, and I see something in Gabe’s arms.

It takes me a moment to realize what it is and when I do, I’m rushing over to them to take it from him.

“I want you to hang onto the luggage in the trunk of my car, alright? You’ll need it more than us, and it’s the least I can do.” Noah says.

Reaching their side, I figure out what they are talking about so intently. And by luggage, he means all the guns and ammo we still have. He is right, we’ll need them sooner rather than later. Who knows what state the apartment building will be in when we get there, or how many of the dead returned?

I can see these thoughts practically forming behind Gabe’s eyes and he nods his head at Noah.

“I owe you one Noah, and I pray that I get to return the favor one day.” Gabe says.

Noah takes a step back and holds out a hand to Gabe.

“I know we will, until we meet again brother.” Noah says.

They shake hands, and only then do I really comprehend how each of them has been relying on one another. Like back up or wingmen of something, two people bonded by all this crazy. It makes me see that Gabe doesn’t really have any family around anymore. Knowing this, I vow to myself that I’ll make sure Gabe is never alone in the future. No matter the cost. They turn at the same time and start to make way for the doors again, and they see me there for the first time.

I smile sheepishly at them, like I wasn’t eves dropping or anything.

Noah grins and shakes his head, and as he goes to walk by me, he stops just at my shoulder. I turn to look at him and we are eye to eye.

“Words can’t express how sorry I am, and I want you to be careful, alright?” He tells me.

“You don’t have to be sorry Noah, you’ve done enough. It’s time for you to look after your own family, and Gabe is right, we’ll see each other again.”

He nods his head, and I can see he doesn’t really believe me, but in the end he walks away from me. He joins the others at the door, and as Hanna pushes the doors open fully, only then does Gabe walk over to me finally. He holds up the weapon in his arms, and with a sense of relief I take the ax from him. Having it in my hands again, it feels like home, and I swear to myself we’ll get through this.

Juggling the ax in one hand, I take hold of one of Gabe’s and we quickly catch up to the others, who are already stepping outside. As soon as we cross the threshold, I find that nothing has changed out here and still everything in in an upheaval. Clinging to Gabe, we pace right behind Noah’s group and we make our way across the parking lot and to the cars that are still waiting, thank goodness. There is still gunfire everywhere as the dead are still running about, and we constantly have to dodge being hit ourselves. Just as we are reaching the cars, I see my mother and father both getting out meeting us, and am already shouting at us.

“What is going on Maggie, where is everyone going? Is it not safe here anymore?” My mother shouts in alarm.