CHAPTER SEVENTEEN || A BULLETS CONFESSION

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excruciating pain tore through Alex's body waking her up. A groan escaping her lips. her hand going to her abdomen only for another hand to stop her hand's movements, by interlocking their fingers, prying her eyes open felt like a task alone until she saw her cousin's red-rimmed eyes, and Glenn's hand holding hers.  

"you're okay" a sigh of relief a voice next to her spoke. Glenn's hand on hers, his words more of a reminder to himself than her, the ache in his heart finally easing for a moment. The initial confusion wore off as she looked up at Glenn, the smile on his face one she hadn't seen in a long time.

"What happened?" she rasped her, voice croaked. she winced trying to sit up Glenn stopping her, the panic returning to his eyes in fear she'd injure herself further.

"you were shot. hershel patched you up. you're going to be okay.. just rest" Alex looked down to see bandages covering her side, Glenn's hand connected to hers as he stared down at her, his thumb gently rubbing circles into the back of her hand.

"is everyone okay? carol?" Alex questioned her memory foggy. taking in the sight of Glenn the bruises on his face had began to fade. sitting up despite his attempts to keep her laying down her eyes brows knitted together.

"how long was I out?" she sat up, Glenn sat on the edge of her bed looking at her the worry in his eyes evident. Carl sat silently looking down at his cousin, worry consuming the young boy. pain etched into his features as the fear of losing another family member diminished. She was okay.

"everyone's fine. it's been a few days" Alex sucked in a breath at that information, wondering what had happened in that time. Glenn could see the emotion in her eyes.

"Everythings under control. we need you to rest" Her hand across her stomach she winced sucking in a deep breath Glenn's panic-filled eyes laid on hers.

"I need to help" she challenged gritting her teeth through the pain, Glenn shaking his head. His anxiety had skyrocketed the past few days, His mind purely focused on the girl before him. the many conversations he'd had with Hershel playing on his mind. 

"Everything's fine Alex. I need you to heal. you scared the shit out of me" Glenn sighed, Carl nodded agreeing with Glenn's words. he needed her. he needed his cousin.

"hey jelly bean" Alex smiled noticing the look of grief on Carl's face. what had happened to Alex having reminded him of the loss he'd faced prior.

"hey" Carl's voice was almost weary, Alex's eyes flickered to Glenn's before reconnecting with Carl as she took his smaller hand, the pain that laced his eyes filled her with guilt, all she wanted was to protect him, look after him. and all she seemed to do was fail.

"I'm okay kid. I ain't leaving you" She offered him a small smile despite the roaring pain in her side. he nodded offering the same sad smile, trying to fight his own emotions.

"ill hold you to that. are you in pain?" he asked worry for her consuming him, he couldn't handle losing his cousin, She was his best friend. she was his only friend.

"Nothing I can't handle" she smiled, Carl looked up at Glenn trying to figure out if the Korean actually believed her words. but she was right, this was nothing compared to what had happened before.

"I'll go get Hershel.." Carl continued wanting to make sure she was okay, before getting up the sadness in his eyes prominent as he walked away. Alex's eyes returned to Glenn, his eyes hadn't left her. the close calls the pair had recently scared him.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said his voice wavering as he spoke, the tension that had lingered between the two in recent days disappearing due to what had happened. the anger and thoughts in Glenn's head diminishing as he was purely thankful she was okay.

**

Alex listened to Glenn. She rested. for the rest of that day. 

The next morning came and she got up, painfully getting changed in her cell,m the bandages covered the bloody wound on her side as she pulled on an old t-shirt followed by her baggy low-rise jeans and her military-issued jacket, she spent the morning Avoiding Glenn and Rick, she spoke to maggie, Daryl. about Merle, who had been staying at the prison catching up with what had happened while she'd been recovering. that dog... was back, Merle was poison, how was she supposed to forget when he lingered around every corner. it was almost like trying to heal from a bullet wound, with the bullet still inside. 

she returned to her cell for a while, processing what had happened, what was going to happen now. if they were going to end up on the road again, with Hershel, with a newborn baby. the day progressed and Alex needed to do something. she couldn't sit around anymore, her thoughts were toxic.

 Wincing Alex slowly walked out of her cell, hobbling to the more communal area in the cell block, seeing the group stood around, their faces showing a mixture of anger and relief, no one noticed her. All their eyes glued to a blonde woman. a woman Alex hadn't seen before.

"Who the fuck are you?" she questioned. her hand over her stomach cradling her wound as Glenn's eyes fell on her taking a step towards her concern filled his eyes as he reached out to her. they were just letting random people into the prison now? 

"you should be in bed" his hand went to her lower back as he lead her to the closest table wanting her to sit down. Her uncle's concerned eyes met hers as she sat rolling her eyes. She appreciated Glenn's attempts to make sure she was okay. but they weren't needed. or at least she didn't think they were. She was fine...

"gonna answer my question blondie?" Alex scoffed. the wall she'd built around herself over the years tall as ever seeing an outsider inside the wall of the prison after just having been attacked by the governor, they needed a plan. not whatever the fuck this was. 

"Andrea" Glenn answered for her, Alex's eyes met his as they widened in shock. she'd heard about her. and she knew enough to make her own assumptions. merle had mentioned the bitch. 

"the bitch getting the governor's dick wet while he tortured you?" Everyone's eyes shot toward Alex, Rick sending her a glare as Daryl scratched the stubble on his chin attempting to hide the smirk tugging at his lips from Alex's comment.

"Alex," Rick warned as she rolled her eyes looking the blonde woman up and down as she stood awkwardly in the centre of the room Andrea's eyes trained on the unfamiliar girl in confusion, frustration clear on the woman's face. 

"Who are you?" Andrea questioned looking toward Alex, whose face was etched with a disgusted look. bitch was screwing a rapist.

"my cousin," Carl stated his eyes flickered between both Alex and Andrea a small smile showing up on Alex's face, Carl ready to defend his injured cousin even against a woman he'd known since the beginning of the new world. he was taking after Rick, as a protector...  Andrea sighed giving up on the conversation she continued questioning Rick and the rest of the group, Glenn's eyes met Alex's a look of concern behind them.

"you need to be careful, you shouldn't be up walking around. you lost a lot of blood" Glenn stated, his concern for Alex growing knowing she's as stubborn as her uncle if not more so.

"Glenn i'm okay" Her words didn't seem to convince him, Glenn's heart skipped a beat as he thought back to the sight of Alex laying lifeless on the bed. her blood covering his hands. Hershel trying to stop the bleeding. his chest tightened as he glanced down at her she was alive. that's what mattered. 

sighing his hand laid on her shoulder, the worry that consumed his soul didn't shift. Hershel had said the wound Alex had was clean. through and through. it had missed her vital organs. Hershel said she was going to be okay. that's what Glenn kept reminding himself.

"you all live here?"  Andrea questioned looking between the members of the group, Alex rolling her eyes at the blonde.

"in the cell block," Glenn confirmed, Alex subconsciously scoffing. her distrust towards the woman strong enough not to want her to know any details about where they had been living. not the layout of the cell block, not who she was. nothing. but it was too late for that.

"in there?" she pointed towards the doors, before she continued taking a few steps toward the entrance of the cell block.

"well can i go in?" she asked continuing to walk forward before Rick stepped in front of the blonde, stopping her in her tracks. as Alex's distrust toward the woman grew. 

"fuck no" Alex showed her distaste to the idea almost instantly as she went to stand up, Glenn's hand squeezing her shoulder gently as if telling her to stay put and let Rick handle it. he didn't want her to over-exert herself. 

"I won't allow that" Alex could tell by the tone of Rick's voice how serious he was about not letting her in. he didn't care that he'd known Andrea since the start. they didn't know her now, and she had been sleeping with the guy who tormented Rick's niece. he wouldn't allow Andrea near her. 

what he cared about was the fact he had almost lost his niece to the governor twice. guilt consumed him, the fear that he'd been too consumed in his own grief to protect his family. Shane's voice quietly tormented him. he could hear Shane's voice in the back of his head, maybe he was right.

"I'm not an enemy Rick." Andrea defended, and Alex scoffed. the blonde woman sending Alex a glare unable to understand her rudeness.

"We had that field. courtyard... until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up. shot my niece." Rick spat, anger lacing his voice. Glenn subconsciously began rubbing his thumb across the exposed skin of Alex's shoulder the thin material of her tank top letting Glenn's thumb feel her soft skin. The memory of her blood covering his hands rushing back before his eyes.

Alex's hand came up to his, stilling the movement. catching his attention his eyes met hers. the sliver of worry still behind his eyes as she admired his chocolate brown eyes her hand on top of his on her shoulder. the bruises that still littered his face stung Alex's heart as she melted under his gaze.

"he said you fired first" Andrea defended, disbelief laced in her tone tearing Alex's eyes away from Glenn's.

"he's been feeding you lies babe." Alex scoffed sarcasm lacing her words as her hand dropped from Glenn's and returned to its position around her stomach. Andrea looked around the group as Rick agreed with Alex's statement.

"he killed an inmate who survived in here," Hershel confirmed, Alex shook her head in disbelief recalling seeing Axels body drop, remembering Carol desperately hiding behind the man's corpse.

"I didn't know anything about that" Andrea stated shaking her head, her hand raised to her face after learning more about the man she'd started to have feelings for. 

"well, now you do. what you gonna do about it?" Alex questioned, she could see Daryl nod his head in agreement. the mutual agreement between the two still stood.

"I-" Andreas' words wouldn't form a sentence as she looked at Alex, she turned toward Rick in a desperate attempt to stay on good terms with the group. to try and fix whatever mess had been created. 

"as soon as I found out I came here. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury till after the shooting" Andrea defended, desperately looking around the group at her old friends only to see cold expressions laid out on their faces.

"that was days ago." Glenn stated, Andrea glanced between Glenn and Alex noticing the protective stance Glenn had next to Alex as she sat her arm wrapped around her waist almost hugging the gunshot wound she'd sustained.

**

a/n- I've written the next chapter but i'm not sure. i wrote smut but it's my first time writing it i'm not sure if i should post it or not 😭😭
is that something you guys wanna see?

if i do end up posting it and it's shit well i apologise

I might post it on Tumblr first