Unbreakable threads

Chapter Seventy- Two: Journey Too Terminus.

Rick hesitated, his eyes flicking to Michonne and then back to Alyssa. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice heavy. "But it's a lead. It's somethin'. Better than wanderin' aimlessly."

Daryl, who had been standing silently, finally spoke up. His voice was low, almost a growl. "If it's somethin', then we follow it. Ain't no time to waste." His tone was filled with guilt and determination, his mind clearly set on making up for what had happened to Beth.

Michonne nodded in agreement, her steady presence grounding them. "It's a place to start," she said simply. "But we don't go in blind. We'll approach carefully. We don't know what we're walking into."

Alyssa folded her arms, her jaw tight as she mulled over the idea. She hated the uncertainty, the feeling of not knowing where Beth or Judith were. But Rick was right—Terminus was a lead, and leads were rare in their shattered world. After a moment, she gave a curt nod. "Fine," she said. "We head for Terminus. But if this place is a dead end..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the steel in her voice said it all.

Rick placed a hand on her shoulder, a flicker of determination in his weary eyes. "We'll find them, Alyssa," he said, his voice firm. "Beth. Judith. All of 'em. We'll find 'em."

As the group made their way back toward the train tracks Rick had mentioned, Alyssa fell into step beside Carl, hoping to offer some sense of comfort to her younger half-brother. But she could feel the tension radiating off him. Carl walked stiffly, his eyes darting between her and Rick with an unease that hadn't been there before. He hadn't said much since the confrontation, but Alyssa could see it in his expression—he was wary of them both, troubled by what he'd witnessed.

Carl glanced up at her, his face pale but set in a guarded frown. "You and Dad..." he started hesitantly, his voice quiet. "You were like... like them." He didn't need to elaborate; Alyssa knew exactly what he meant. The blood smeared on her hands and face, the wild fury she'd unleashed—it wasn't far removed from the monsters they fought every day. And Rick? Carl had seen him tear into a man with his teeth.

Alyssa felt a pang of guilt but didn't know how to answer. She wasn't sure there was an answer that could make Carl see it differently. "Carl," she said softly, her voice cracking, "we had to. They were going to... they were gonna hurt us. Hurt me." Her hands tightened into fists at the memory. "We didn't have a choice."

Carl's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond, his silence cutting deeper than any words.

Daryl, a few steps behind, tried to catch up to Alyssa. His movements were awkward, hesitant, like he wasn't sure if he should speak or just keep his distance. "Alyssa," he called, his voice low, filled with regret. "Can we talk—"

"Don't," Alyssa cut him off sharply, shrugging him off without even looking back. Her shoulders were tense, her posture stiff as she kept walking, putting more space between them. She didn't have the energy to face Daryl right now—not after everything.

Rick, noticing the tension between them, fell into step beside Alyssa, his brow furrowed in concern. "Alyssa," he said, his voice soft but probing. "I know you're angry about Beth, but... this between you and Daryl. It's more than that, isn't it?"

Alyssa tensed, her gaze fixed firmly ahead. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't tell him. How could she explain that her anger at Daryl ran deeper than just Beth? That it stemmed from the way he'd outed her sexuality, unthinkingly exposing her truth to Beth, a truth she hadn't even told her own father yet?

"It's nothing," she muttered, her voice tight and clipped.

Rick wasn't convinced. "Doesn't look like nothing," he said, his tone pressing but not unkind. "You two have been at each other's throats since I got here. Daryl cares about you, Alyssa. He wouldn't let this happen unless..." He trailed off, studying her carefully.