CHAPTER SEVEN || A NEW OUTLOOK

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"We got food" T-dogs voice echoed through the cell block as Alex and Glenn walked towards his voice seeing, T-Dog And Rick walked into the cell block with bags of food, smiles on their faces knowing they'd have enough food for weeks by the looks of things. Hope slowly rejoining the group despite the circumstances with Hershel leg. 

"There's a lot more where this came from" T-Dog smiled as he carried the two boxes further into the cell block. Rick walking up to Lori for an update on Hershel. Although Rick's hope for Hershel was wearing thin. the bite and the dangers that come with it wouldn't escape Rick's mind. he had to protect everyone... and that meant being careful. 

"take my cuffs put them on him" Rick said turning around so Alex could retrieve his handcuffs from his back pocket. Alex took them looking over at Maggie and Beth the sadness in their eyes one Alex was familiar with, making her heart ache for them... the loss of a parent is one she would never wish upon anyone.

Alex looked back at Glenn before going into the cell and taking one of Hershel's hands. She took a deep breath before handcuffing Hershel to the bed, his skin was clammy and she silently hopes that was due to blood loss and not the effects of the bite. 

Meeting Glenn outside the cell, the pair looked at each other, he nodded with a soft smile appreciating everything Alex had done for Hershel and trying to stay positive. Glenn and Alex stood outside Hershel's cell in silence, a mutual sadness hung between them as they waited outside the cell just in case.. just in case he turned. until they saw Carl walking towards them a smile on his face holding a duffel bag as he quickly approached the pair. the cheeky smirk on his face one Alex was familiar with, what had he been up to?

"I thought you were organising food" Glenn stated looking at the young boy, Alex wondered what her younger cousin had done to look so proud of himself.

"even better" Carl smiled walking into the Cell, Glenn and Alex following as he dumped the duffle bag on the floor getting on his knees beside it and slowly unzipped the bag as Alex and  Glenn followed him watching his actions as he revealed the bandages, and antibiotics that filled the bag a proud smile upon the boys face.

"holy shit jelly bean. well done" Alex smiled her hand patting his back proudly as she bent down checking the contents of the bag not noticing the look on Lori's face, more focused on the effect these supplies would have on Hershel's recovery.

"where did you get this?" Lori questioned the young boy as Alex pulled out antibiotics and bandages and began peeling the towels from Hershel's leg to wrap it with sterile gauze and bandages, a smile on her face knowing how much easier it would be for Hershel to fight off infections with antibiotics.

"I found the infirmary" Carl smiled proudly, Alex smiled and continued to wrap Hershel's leg. Alex' was so consumed by her relief knowing Carl had just doubled Hershel's chances of survival she hadn't noticed the angry expression plastered on Loris's face.

"you went by yourself?" Alex could tell by the tone of Lori's voice that Carl was about to get in trouble, her previous statement praising him being taken back immediately after hearing her tone. She understood the danger of this world. but with what he'd already seen and the fact nowhere was safe.. she understood why he'd do this. he wanted to help. just like she did.

"Are you crazy??" Lori scoffed, the look on her face one of total disbelief as she looked back at herself. Carls's naive acts, causing his mother unbelievable anxiety. seeing Hershel like this reminded Lori just how much she needed to protect her boy... 

"you see this? this was with the whole group" Lori gestured towards Hershel's body. Alex didn't want to get involved in whatever drama her family was currently holding on to so she focused on Hershel's leg rather than getting involved she didn't want to undermind Lori and she didn't want to piss carl off, and at that moment her focus was on Hershel... and keeping him alive.

"We needed supplies so I got them" Carl challenged seeing the anger radiating from Lori. Alex looked back to Carl a distasteful look on his face as Alex dressed Hershel wound, sending Carl a quick warning look she turned her attention back to Hershel.

"and I appreciate that but-" Carl immediately cut his mother off, tension strong in the air as the heat from their conversation grew.

"then get off my back!" he yelled, Alex's head shot toward the boy whose anger had gotten the better of him as Beth looked up at him in disbelief. his words shocked the women who remained in the room as Glenn's face dropped in disbelief.

"Carl that's your mother. you can't speak to her like that." Beth exclaimed looking at the anger-ridden boy, as he huffed before storming out of the cell making Lori sigh, Alex could tell his words hurt, after all, Lori was only trying to protect him. She knew both Carl and Rick weren't pleased with her. Alex looked over to her aunt placing a hand on her arm in a comforting manner, knowing she'd have to speak to Carl about his actions later on in the day.

"I'll speak to him later. Don't worry about it.. you're just trying to protect him" Alex offered her aunt a soft smile in an attempt to reassure her.

**

"Alex! He's not breathing!" Alex had left the cell to get some more supplies when she heard Beth's pained yells, Alex dropped the bag she was carrying and ran into the cell. her heart raced panic consuming each girl's face as Lori attempted to give him mouth-to-mouth.

"longer breaths" Alex stated as Lori got out of the way letting Alex continue with mouth-to-mouth, before switching to compressions. her heart racing as she thought about what she had promised Glenn. how she wanted to help. she needed to save him. his daughters deserved a father. everyone deserved both parents.

the desperate cries of his daughters behind her made Alex press harder into his chest with compressions begging he would take a breath. She didn't want to lose anyone else. and he was Lori's best bet at surviving childbirth and she knew that all too well. They couldn't lose anyone else.

"Come on Hershel! not like this!" she exclaimed, pushing her hands into his chest again before switching back to mouth-to-mouth. The jump of Hershel's hand coming around Alex's head made the girls around her scream. Alex pulled herself away, heart racing as she saw Hershel breathing, her life almost flashing before her eyes. he wasn't a walker.

"Fuck yeah. Welcome back," she smiled as his eyes closed again, a groan leaving his lips as he returned to his unconscious state. Alex heard the breaths of relief being let out around the room, a smile tugging at her lips.

**

"Carl," Alex called out to her cousin, watching as he walked down the hall with a stony expression, ignoring her attempts to speak to him. She sighed, feeling the weight of the tension between them. But Alex couldn't let it go. She jogged, catching up with him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Carl, stop," he huffed, turning toward his cousin. His eyes were dark with anger, and Alex could see the pain etched on his face. he was hurting.

"What?" he scoffed, looking up at her with a scowl. He was bracing himself for the worst, expecting the conversation to end the same way it did with his mother. Alex took a deep breath, hoping to find the right words to help him.

"Look, Jelly Bean," Alex said, using her cousin's nickname, "I know things are tough right now. I appreciate what you did for Hershel. I really do. But you gotta ease up on your mom." He refused to hold eye contact with his cousin as he shrugged, he couldn't see why he wasn't allowed to help he wanted to prove himself just like Alex. they wanted to be helpful.

"I'm just helping. I did the right thing," he shrugged, taking a few steps away from Alex, wanting to walk away. Yet, Alex's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I get that. But you see the way your dad stopped me from going with them? He was trying to stop me from being where Hershel is right now. And your mom is doing the same thing," his eyes shifted, meeting Alex's, a small sigh leaving his lips as he thought about how his father had annoyed Alex the same way his mother had done to him earlier on in the day.

"Yeah, I guess" he conceded, finally looking at Alex. A small smile tugged at Alex's lips, a sad expression still laid out on Carls as she brought him into a hug, he hugged her back understanding her words.

"love you jelly bean" she smiled softly rubbing his back hoping he really did understand, hoping the secret hed revealed to her earlier on in the day wasn't still troubling him. before she broke the hug looking down at him, the sadness that lay upon his face faltering.

"love you too" he smiled softly as Alex squeezed his shoulder before he walked off leaving Alex to sigh hoping he'd taken in her words.

**

"Hershel stopped breathing. Alex saved him" Carl stated as Rick walked up to the cell, Carl and Glenn stood by the door as Alex sat by Hershel's bed. Rick's eyebrows knitted together unaware his niece knew how to do that. he was finally starting to understand, he was finally coming to terms with the fact she wasn't the same 15-year-old girl who showed up at his workplace in tears.

"it's true" Glenn confirmed looking toward Rick before his glance shifted over to Alex the admiration in his eyes stronger than before. Although she didn't know it, she'd proved to every person within the group how important, how needed she was.

Both Maggie and Beth stood over their father anxiously watching him for any changes as Rick walked over looking at Hershel laying on the bed. Rick looked over to his Niece and nodded appreciatively.

The group surrounded Hershel as he slowly opened his eyes tiredly, Alex stood beside Glenn a smile forming on her face as he opened his eyes, relief falling over the room as Beth and Maggie both let out tears of joy at the fact he was okay, smiles sprung onto their faces as Rick took the handcuffs off of Hershel's wrist.

Alex looked up at Glenn a slight smile on his lips as he looked down at Alex, his hand going to the small of her back thankful, his heart ached for the older man, a man who had taken a fatherly role to the Korean man, He hated it. he hated seeing people in pain, people hurting. Leaving the small family to appreciate their time together, appreciate the fact they were still all still alive. Rick and Lori left the room, Followed by Alex as she walked back to her Cell, Glenn followed her.

"Alex" he called as she walked into her own cell, Glenn stood at the door with a soft smile as he watched the girl take off her military-issued jacket which was now covered in blood. Alex nodded acknowledging him, wanting to just rid herself of the day's memories, exhaustion consuming her body.

"thank you, for doing what you did" Glenn nodded staring into Alex's blue eyes, a soft smile coming up onto her face as she laid her jacket on the table across from her bed.

"you don't have to thank me I'm just glad he's okay" Alex smiled, Glenn bit his lip and nodded turning on his heel to leave. Alex watched as the Korean boy walked away, thoughts filling her head. all of him. her mind rushed with thoughts from the gruelling day, how different it could've gone.  how despite the fact it seemed safe, despite how many people are around... things can still go wrong. 

She couldn't help but think they were fighting for a life they had no chance of truly living.

**