❛ The sky resembles a back-lit canopy with holes punched in it. I'm counting UFOs, I signal them with might and in this moment, I am happy. ❜

SEASON 2, EPISODE 8 & 9
nebraska & triggerfinger

━━━━━━ day 71.

SOPHIA WAS DEAD.

⠀⠀⠀The sweet little girl with an abusive father and a mother who tried, who deserved so much more, was dead. They would never see her shy smile or hear her tinkling laugh when she ran around with Carl. Some of them could see the two become great friends, possibly fall in love one day even if they were only children now. There was a world of possibility ahead for both of them, and now one was dead.

⠀⠀⠀All the hope Bianca held onto leaked from her soul and rolled down her skin until it was carried away with the breeze. It wasn't only Sophia that had gone, but any possibility that they'd survive for as long as they wanted to.

⠀⠀⠀Just seeing those bony little fingers open the door and her lithe body slip through the doors was hard. She had slipped through their fingers for a moment, and in those moments, she was dead. They had searched and wondered and prayed for her to be returned to them. However, none of them expected this. A walker hidden in the barn just feet from them.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca hated to think it, thought it was selfish, but if not, even Sophia could survive in a moment being left alone what could be of Cal. He had been missing for months. She'd found his car abandoned on the highway. Was she even sure he could survive the woods if he made it from there? He could be dead now, or worse.

⠀⠀⠀Now, the fear Cal was gone for good ate away at Bianca's mind. Her will to stay around on the planet flooding away, and only a thin string kept her tethered. If it weren't for the people standing around her, if she was left to not care for anyone, she might do as Jenner suggested and opt-out.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca walked over to the bodies and posed as if she were checking the rest were dead. But, in reality, she was checking to see if Hershel and his people had found Cal and stuffed him into the barn, too.

⠀⠀⠀For half a second, her heart stopped when she walked over to matted golden hair. However, it was only her mind playing tricks on her as she rolled over a young woman staring blankly up at her. Bianca let out a sigh of relief then did the same with all the rest.

BIANCA SAT OUT on the outskirts of the Greene's property with Daryl. Her mind was scrambled, and her heart was shattered. Daryl had been heartbroken, too. He put so much of himself into trying to find Sophia, and she ended up dead in the end. It was like all of them had hoped far too much in the end because this death was about to break them.

⠀⠀⠀Daryl had even snapped at Bianca to leave him alone when she followed. Bianca didn't listen, unresponsive, as she sat down and stared into space. When Daryl realized he wasn't getting rid of her and that she wouldn't bother him to open up about his feelings, he left her alone. He found a stick and began to whittle to dull out his frustration.

⠀⠀⠀It was a while before they were disturbed, but it was inevitable.

⠀⠀⠀"Listen, Beth's in some kind of catatonic shock. We need Hershel," Lori called out to them as she approached, quick to the point.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, so what?" Daryl asked under his breath.

⠀⠀⠀Lori squatted down beside him, glanced at Bianca, and then turned back to Daryl. Bianca had begun listening when she approached but kept still so Lori wouldn't try talking to her, too.

⠀⠀⠀"So, I need you to run into town real quick and bring him and Rick back," Lori explained simply. Daryl didn't respond, continuing to scrape his knife against the stick with more force than necessary. "Daryl?"

⠀⠀⠀"Your bitch went window-shoppin'. You want him? Go fetch him yourself," Daryl snapped at her. "I got better things to do."

⠀⠀⠀"What's the matter with you?" Lori bit back, furrowing her brows. "Don't you be so selfish."

⠀⠀⠀"Selfish?" Daryl asked, standing to his feet and turning to her defensively as he raised his knife to emphasize his point. "Listen to me, Olive Oyl. I was out there lookin' for that little girl every single day. I took a bullet and an arrow in the process. Don't you tell me about me gettin' my hands dirty! You want those two idiots? Have a nice ride. I'm done lookin' for people."

⠀⠀⠀Daryl sat back down, returning to his stick, stating their conversation was over. Lori accepted what he had to say, even if she didn't like it, and turned away. Bianca stood, exhausted by the emotional turmoil, and followed after Lori.

⠀⠀⠀"Where are you goin'?" Daryl called after her.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca didn't look but just raised her middle finger to him. She turned to Lori as she approached her and followed alongside her. Bianca pulled out her gun and checked the ammo.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm gonna need more ammo," Bianca stated.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Lori asked, turning to her.

⠀⠀⠀"Ammo," Bianca repeated herself. She looked over at Lori and continued, "You probably need a gun, too, if you're lookin' for Rick and Hershel."

⠀⠀⠀Lori's furrowed brows softened, and a stern expression replaced her features. She shook her head dramatically and told Bianca, "No, I don't need you riskin' your life for me."

⠀⠀⠀"You leave me behind, and I'll tell Shane where you're heading," Bianca retorted as a devilish smirk curling at her lips.

⠀⠀⠀Lori chuckled, slightly taken aback by Bianca's threat, but knew she would.

⠀⠀⠀"You're pregnant, anyway, want to keep you and the baby safe," Bianca added with a shrug.

⠀⠀⠀Lori sighed but didn't try to argue further. Instead, she rested her hand on Bianca's back and rubbed it in thanks.

⠀⠀⠀They approached the farmhouse, and Bianca snuck inside. She had assured Lori that she used to steal stuff from her dad's house all the time and never got caught, so this would be a breeze. Lori hid her laugh at Bianca's claim but agreed to it. She then went to ask Andrea to keep an eye on Carl for her.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca grabbed a gun for Lori, a handful of ammo, and a map, then met Lori at the car. Lori drove down the dirt road toward the highway so they could turn into the small town where Hershel and Rick had gone. Bianca had the map out before her, going cross-eyed at all the colored lines and town names marking it up.

⠀⠀⠀"I have no idea what any of this means," Bianca admitted.

⠀⠀⠀Lori glanced over, resting her finger on one of the lines. Bianca wondered how she was able to pick it out so fast.

⠀⠀⠀"We're down on Highway 20. Follow that into town," Lori explained.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca slammed the map down as Lori gasped sharply. She swerved the car, but it was too late as she ran straight into a walker. It went straight into the windshield, cracking the glass, and the car drifted down the road. The car flipped due to the sudden terrain change and landed on its side.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca was caught by her seat belt, head aching, and tiny black dots filling her vision when they stopped. She began hyperventilating, but she kept her scattered mind on Lori. She turned, noticing Lori passed out beside her and a large gash running across her forehead. Bianca's hand fell to her neck, feeling the pulse. Then, she rested her hand under her nose and felt her breathing.

⠀⠀⠀Reassured, Bianca relaxed and grew dizzy, then her mind shut off as the dots filled her vision as she passed out.

BIANCA WOKE UP to Lori screaming. Bianca was greeted by a walker trying to tear its face through the glass towards her as she opened her eyes. Then, a pole went through its eye, and the walker was dead.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca was still slumped into her seat, the seat belt cutting into her skin and her shoulder on fire. As she turned to look, she could see her left shoulder bone was resting at an odd angle. She tried to lift her arm to get out of the car but let out a strangled cry in response.

⠀⠀⠀Lori wasn't in the car, but Bianca could hear her outside as she struggled against a growling walker. Adrenaline kicked back through her system, allowing her shoulder to go numb. Bianca rested her foot on the dashboard to keep her upright then unbuckled herself. With her side on the top side, she used her good arm to pull herself out of the passenger's side window and sit on the door. She opened the glove box and pulled out her gun, aiming for the walker heading for Lori. She shot it down, and Lori turned to her, nodding in thanks.

⠀⠀⠀Lori walked over to her side of the car and helped her down. As Bianca stumbled to the ground, she let out a pained grunt, alerting Lori.

⠀⠀⠀"What? What is it? Are you alright?" Lori asked frantically, removing her hands from Bianca as she looked over her.

⠀⠀⠀"My shoulder," Bianca groaned.

⠀⠀⠀Lori looked, running her hand over her face. "Oh, God, it looks dislocated," she muttered, looking around quickly to assess their situations. "Okay, we need to get you back."

⠀⠀⠀"No, no, I'm fine," Bianca told her quickly, leaning down so she could rest her good hand on her knee. "We gotta keep moving. I know you need to find Rick. I'm not letting you stay out here alone."

⠀⠀⠀"Bianca, you're hurt. We have to go back," Lori insisted.

⠀⠀⠀"For what? If we find Hershel, he'll be able to put my shoulder back," Bianca claimed. "It doesn't change anything if we go back or keep moving. Only that Beth might end up worse if we don't."

⠀⠀⠀"I don't like it, but alright," Lori sighed. "Let's get movin' before any more walkers come out."

⠀⠀⠀Bianca nodded, and they walked down the road toward town. Their journey was quiet, with Bianca trying to keep herself from faltering from the pain. They walked around half a mile when a car came flying down the road.

⠀⠀⠀Shane screeched to a stop, opening then slamming the door to the Tucson as he ran over to the two women. He looked between them, heading for Lori first.

⠀⠀⠀"Y'all alright?" he asked.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine," Lori claimed.

⠀⠀⠀"You're not fine. I saw the wreck," Shane told her sternly. He looked over her in worry, his hands hovering over her stomach, then he pulled away. He held her face in one hand then grabbed a flashlight. "Let me look at you."

⠀⠀⠀Shane checked Lori for a concussion then assured her that she was okay like she said.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, shit," he muttered, noticing her shoulder. He turned to Lori and asked, "Dammit, what happened?"

⠀⠀⠀"Looked at the map and hit a walker," Lori said simply.

⠀⠀⠀"Next time, stay put. You won't need a map," Shane snapped at her. He turned back to Bianca, looking at her eyes to find no concussion and that it seemed she was okay other than her shoulder. "C'mon, I gotta get y'all back."

⠀⠀⠀"No, we gotta find Rick," Lori argued, putting her foot down.

⠀⠀⠀"He's back," Shane assured her. "They're all back. They're all safe and sound."

⠀⠀⠀"Really?" Lori asked, her tone lighter.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah."

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, thank God," Lori sighed and headed for the car.

⠀⠀⠀Shane turned to Bianca and frowned.

⠀⠀⠀"You alright?"

⠀⠀⠀"Peachy," Bianca told him and reluctantly got in the car.

"OH, MY GOD! Are you alright? What happened?" Andrea exclaimed as Shane pulled into the front gates of the farm, and the three stepped out of the car.

⠀⠀⠀"We were in an accident," Lori explained. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Bianca's a little worse for wear."

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, God, Bianca," T-Dog hissed, staring at her shoulder that was throbbing now. A green and blue welt formed beneath the skin the longer she waited to get it into place.

⠀⠀⠀"Where's Rick and Hershel?" Lori asked for herself and Bianca. Andrea stared at her, not responding, only giving her a wide-eyed stare back. "They're not back? Where are they?"

⠀⠀⠀Shane looked at her, his head bowed in guilt.

⠀⠀⠀"Look, I had to get you back here," he explained.

⠀⠀⠀"You asshole!" Lori shouted, storming over to him and shoving him back.

⠀⠀⠀"Lori."

⠀⠀⠀"He's my husband!" Lori snapped at him. "And that-that girl needs someone to fix her arm!"

⠀⠀⠀"Lori, I will go after him. I will find him," Shane promised, waving his hands to deflect her fists. "Hey! Now, look, first things first... I gotta—I gotta look after you. I gotta make sure the baby's alright, okay?"

⠀⠀⠀"You're having a baby?" Carl asked suddenly, appearing from nowhere. "Why didn't you tell me?"

⠀⠀⠀Lori tried to respond, the beginning of sentences falling from her lips, but it seemed like the words weren't enough each time.

⠀⠀⠀"Come on," Dale called, reaching his hand out to Lori then Bianca, ushering them to the house. "Let's make sure you're alright."

⠀⠀⠀Dale led them inside, the few of them left, looking over Lori and Bianca the best they could. However, without Hershel, they were at a loss for what to do. Maggie wasn't sure how to put Bianca's shoulder back into place.

⠀⠀⠀Carol returned from inside, most likely sitting and praying at her daughter's grave. She looked around at the group with worry seeing Lori and Bianca back and bruised.

⠀⠀⠀"What happened?" Carol asked them.

⠀⠀⠀"Lori and Bianca got into a crash. Lori's fine, but Bianca's shoulder got dislocated. We have to wait for Hershel to get back," Andrea explained for them, giving Carol an awkward smile when she finished.

⠀⠀⠀Carol looked over them, then shook her head, telling them, "No, you don't. C'mon, I'll fix you up."

⠀⠀⠀Bianca stood hesitantly. Carol and Bianca hadn't talked much since the Atlanta camp when Bianca lashed out at her late husband. After that, Carol had been wary of her. They'd gotten on okay on the farm, but there was still subtle tension between them.

⠀⠀⠀Carol led Bianca into one of the guest bedrooms and asked her to lay down. Carl trailed in behind and sat on the bed beside Bianca. She didn't even ask. He just held her hand to comfort her. Bianca smiled at him softly.

⠀⠀⠀"I know we haven't seen eye to eye on much," Carol began, her words soft from either trying to comfort Bianca or the death of her daughter. Bianca wasn't sure. "But you've done a lot for me, even when I couldn't see it. I hope you know that."

⠀⠀⠀"Um, thanks," Bianca said nervously, unsure how to respond.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry for how I treated you. I hope we can move forward from here," Carol continued with a kind smile.

⠀⠀⠀Bianca nodded, not sure what she was supposed to say.

⠀⠀⠀Carol looked down at her arm, then grabbed a pillow from behind Carl and put it in Bianca's hand for her to hold.

⠀⠀⠀"Hold onto that, okay? I'm gonna put your shoulder back into place," Carol explained.

⠀⠀⠀Carol slowly moved Bianca's shoulder into place. It felt like molten lava was being pumped through her veins, and the bone in her shoulder had turned to solid stone. Bianca let out groans of pain while Carol kindly encouraged her that she was doing great.

⠀⠀⠀Carl tried to keep a straight face, but her grip on his hand was beginning to hurt him. Bianca tried to pull away when she realized, but just as she was about to, Carol had popped her shoulder back into place with a sick crack.

⠀⠀⠀Then, Bianca felt back to normal. A little sore and banged up, but overall okay.

⠀⠀⠀"Thank you," Bianca sighed.

⠀⠀⠀Carol nodded, happy she could help. Then, they left the bedroom and went into the living room. Carl sat by his mom, and Carol left to sit outside, still in mourning despite taking the time to help Bianca. 

━━━━━━ day 72.

RICK, GLENN AND Hershel came back in one piece the following day, but their new friend had a gaping hole in his leg. He was escorted to the barn for Hershel to conduct surgery. Once they were settled, Rick called a meeting in the house to explain what happened in the town.

⠀⠀⠀"We couldn't just leave him behind," Rick said. They had been in a barn when another group found them. Two men were trying to get into their good graces and come live with them on the farm. But Rick seemed to know they were trouble before the shoot-out. They got out, but not before finding Randall left for dead and decided to bring him back. "He would've bled out, if he lived that long."

⠀⠀⠀"It's gotten bad in town," Glenn added, frowning as he looked around the table then back down at his hands.

⠀⠀⠀Hershel came in a moment later, a few hours in surgery, and told them, "I repaired his calf muscle as best as I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage. Won't be on his feet for at least a week."

⠀⠀⠀"When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way," Rick said.

⠀⠀⠀"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked, furrowing her brows.

⠀⠀⠀The screen door opened, and Daryl walked inside. He caught Bianca's eye first, but she turned away. She wasn't upset that he didn't follow after her and Lori or even that he didn't go into town when Lori asked. She just thought, after all, they'd gone through, he might care enough to see how she was doing after getting into a wreck.

⠀⠀⠀"He'll have a fightin' chance," Rick told Andrea.

⠀⠀⠀"Just gonna let him go?" Shane scoffed. "He knows where we are."

⠀⠀⠀"He was blindfolded the whole way here," Rick assured him. "He's not a threat."

⠀⠀⠀"Not a threat?" Shane asked in disbelief. "How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain't gonna come lookin'?"

⠀⠀⠀"They left him for dead!" Rick hissed. "No one is lookin'."

⠀⠀⠀"We should still post a guard," T-Dog said calmly, not trying to get into the middle of the argument.

⠀⠀⠀"He's out cold right now. Will be for hours," Hershel commented.

⠀⠀⠀"You know what? I'm gonna go get some flowers and candy," Shane said dramatically, rolling his eyes. "Look at this, folks. We back in fantasy land!"

⠀⠀⠀"You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet," Hershel snapped at Shane, making him turn around. "Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all. This is my farm. Now, I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So, do us both a favor, keep your mouth shut."

⠀⠀⠀Shane glared at the old man, his lips tightening into a thin line, but he didn't press his luck for once. He just let out an annoyed huff and stormed out of the house, the screen door shuttering behind him.

⠀⠀⠀"We're not gonna do anything about it today," Rick told the rest of them. "Let's just cool off."

AUTHOR'S NOTE —

I actually really love this chapter! I'm just here for all the relationships going on. And guess what! We only have three more chapters of this act!!! There are a couple episodes I skip I think and then two get pushed together but I'm so excited for this season to end and season three to begin >:) No reason why though... nooooo reason... ;)

SONG: Wish You Were Here by Incubus

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like. However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until the next one.