ACT THREE
        (we'll make it)

    Veroníca peeked inside the barn, her knife in her hand just incase anything happened. Currently Maggie, Glenn, Rick, Daryl and Aiden explored the barn; making sure it was empty. The rest of the group opted with waiting in the pouring rain.

They didn't wait for long seeing as Glenn made his way back over to them. Gesturing them inside. "It's clear." He spoke, moving the barn door all the way open. Only closing it behind him when all of the group had made it inside.

Vee's eyes followed Rory, watching as he and Andre rushed to pick a spot to lay their sleeping bags. Choosing a spot close to the wall, in the corner.

"You okay?" Glenn's voice came from beside the woman, causing her head to shoot towards him. Only now noticing that her group had already began to get comfortable, leaving the couple standing alone by the entrance.

"Yes—just thinking."

"About?" Glenn pressed, grabbing onto her hand as he lead her to a nearby empty spot. Listening intently to her response while he laid his sleeping bag down.

Veroníca laid hers down beside his as she spoke, her voice quiet. "Everything, i'm tired of walking—i'm tired of Rory not having a secure home."

Glenn nodded at her words, finishing setting up his sleeping bag as he did so. He then sat down on it, gesturing for the woman to sit beside him. Which she gladly did.

"I get it, it—it sucks not having a place but we're alive.. And we fought our asses off trying to stay alive, we'll fight to find a place." Glenn reassured, moving some of her damp hair off of her cheek.

Vee stared at the man for a moment longer before ultimately nodding, trying to push away her doubts. "I guess—I hope the next place is permanent.. No more running."

"I hope so too."

Veroníca didn't reply for a minute, pondering on what to say next. Opting with something that had been on her mind. "Glenn, do you actually love me?"

"Yeah—yeah, of course I do, Vee." Glenn stuttered for a moment, taken back by the question. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.. I know it's not a good time to admit it—I was going to wait until we found a place.. Until we settled, but I couldn't wait anymore."

Veroníca smiled shyly at his words, her head tilting.

"I love you." She spoke, repeating her words from earlier. This time in a much more intimate tone.

"I love you." Glenn replied, the smile not leaving his face.

He then placed his hand on her cheek, pulling the woman's face towards him. Placing a long and much needed kiss on her lips.

When they pulled away, Vee pecked his cheek once more. Noticing the light pink blush across her boyfriend's cheeks. "Can I tell you something?"

Glenn nodded, not verbally answering as he waited for her to continue.

Veroníca was nervous about her next topic, she also knew she needed to bring it up. After all, she had been holding off on talking about it for weeks; and the woman knew that Glenn needed to know.

Nonetheless the logic didn't make her hands less shaky, her voice coming out a bit unsure as she spoke. Her tone much more serious.

"Rory talked to me about something—when we were headed to DC.." Veroníca paused, glancing over to her son. Who was currently whispering to Aiden and Andre. "He talked about his dad—he doesn't know him but he was asking about you being his dad. I think he was asking me permission to call you dad.. He didn't ask—he just—hinted?"

"What'd you say?"

"I said—if he thinks of you like that then there's nothing wrong with it, but he was scared we'd be mad."

Glenn squinted at this, confused on why Rory had thought that. "Mad?" He clarified.

Veroníca nodded in response, rendering Glenn silent for a few moments more. He was happy that Rory felt comfortable, but he was unsure how Vee wanted to go about it. Unsure if she would want him to call Glenn that. "What do you think?"

"I think—" Veroníca paused, sighing as she thought of what to say. "Honestly, I wish it were possible for you to be his biological dad.. He deserves a dad like you—So, if you're okay with him calling you dad then i'm okay with it."

Glenn's smile widened at her words, he then leaned in to place two more kisses on the woman's cheek. His voice soft as he spoke. "I'm okay with it.. I'd really like that."

Glenn was more than okay with it, he loved Rory. He would've done anything for the boy, so he was beyond excited to hear that the boy had thought of him like that.

Glenn had always pictured his future with kids, he was convinced he'd settle down and have two. While he knew his dream was no longer possible due to the current state of the world, he felt lucky to know that he does have a kid. Even if it's not biological.

It was then that their conversation came to a comfortable stopping point. The couple both feeling much more relieved than they had prior to speaking. Happy that they got even a short moment to themselves.

Glenn's eyes trailed off-wards. Now focusing on Daryl as he attempted to make a fire for the members that sat around him.

Glenn stared for a moment before patting Vee's thigh, standing up while mumbling a quiet c'mon. A command she didn't hesitate to follow.

Once the couple had reached the rest of the group, it didn't take long to notice that Daryl's attempt at a fire was falling short.

"I'll try." Glenn whispered, kneeling down. He hadn't wanted to wake up the members of the group that had already fallen asleep.

"No, too wet." Daryl sighed.

Nonetheless, Glenn grabbed the stick from him. Poking the small flame as Rick looked at a nearby sleeping Carl. The boy had been cuddled up with Judith, her head laying on his chest.

"He's gonna be okay. He bounces back. More than any of us do." Carol spoke to Rick, fidgeting with her torn up shoes as she did so.

"I used to feel sorry for kids that have to grow up now—in this—but I think I got it wrong.. Growing up is getting used to the world, this is easier for them."

Rick's short speech caused Veroníca to glance over at her own son. Smiling softly once she saw the boy was fast asleep, his sleeping bag next to Andre.

Aiden sat beside the kids, his back against the barn wall. His head slumped downwards, he had clearly fell asleep on accident.

"This isn't the world." Michonne spoke softly, Vee's attention now turning back to the group that was awake. "This isn't it."

"It might be." Glenn replied now, still staring at the tiny fire.

"That's giving up."

"It's reality."

"Until we see otherwise, this is what we have to live with." Rick cut in, none of the group wanting to respond. Causing the man to continue. "When I was a kid—I asked my grandpa once if he ever killed any germans in the war. He wouldn't answer, said that was grown-up stuff so—so I asked if the germans ever tried to kill him.. Then he got real quiet, he said he was dead the minute he stepped into enemy territory. Every day he woke up, he told himself Rest in peace, now get up and go to war. Then after a few years of pretending he was dead—he made it out alive.. That's the trick of it, I think.. We do what we need to do, and then we get to live. No matter what we find in DC, I know we'll be okay.. Because this is how we survive. We tell ourselves that we are the walking dead."

The group looked around at one another once Rick's speech was over, Vee subconsciously nodding at Rick's words.

"We ain't them." Daryl spoke, getting up. Uncomfortable by the conversation.

"We're not them.. Hey, we're not." Rick reassured, his words falling on deaf ears seeing as Daryl continued getting up. Taking his crossbow as he walked away, going to stand guard.

He hated talking about death, that was evident to any of those around him. Which is why they let him go, not wanting to overstep.

The group fell silence once more, the sound of thunder being the only noise they could focus on. It was then that Veroníca spoke up, getting uncomfortable with the tense air.

"I'm going to get some sleep."

Rick nodded at her words, Glenn standing up seconds after Vee did. "Me too. Goodnight, man. 'Night, Michonne and Carol."

The women smiled softly at Glenn, watching as he and Veroníca made their back to their sleeping bags.

It didn't take long for the couple to get comfortable, the warm embrace of the blanket being a nice contrast to the cold rain that seeped in through the cracks in the roof.

Glenn let out a sigh of comfort as he pulled Veroníca closer, his eyes closing as Vee spoke up. Her voice a mere whisper. "Do you believe him? That we'll be okay?"

"Do you?" Glenn asked, opening his eyes to look into his girlfriend's brown eyes.

Veroníca hesitantly nodded, making the man show a soft smile. "Then I do too." Glenn spoke, pausing for a minute before putting his pinky out.

The Hayes woman tilted her head at the pinky, causing Glenn to speak up once more. "We'll make it."

At his words, the woman smiled a bit. Staring at his pinky for a moment longer before intertwining her pinky with his. "We'll make it." She repeated, promising the man.

Once the promise was complete, Glenn placed a soft kiss on Veroníca's forehead. Mumbling a goodnight as he did so.

                                              |

Veroníca and Glenn were woken up by loud thunder rattling the wooden barn. The woman jumping to sit up, the faint sound of snarls filling their ears.

They hadn't gotten to sleep long, despite falling asleep happy they couldn't help but feeling scared when they woke up.

They looked around for a minute, their eyes watching as Rick and Carol ran towards the entrance. The urgency in their faces making the couple immediately get up. Rushing behind them.

It was then when they realized why the duo had so much urgency, the entire group had currently stood at the barn doors. Their body weight pressed against it. Desperately holding the door closed.

The couple didn't waste any time joining them, using all their weight as they pushed the door against the persistent walkers.

The group was struggling, the mud making it hard to stay in one place. A few members slipping downwards every few seconds.

The thunder booming didn't help the situation, Rory sending a terrified look to his mom as he continued to push against the door. The woman doing the same.

While Veroníca had wanted to comfort him, she knew she couldn't not right now. Not while there was a herd of walkers attempting to get into the barn.

Aiden pushed against the door, using all of his strength as he did so. Letting out an involuntary grunt.

Despite their current circumstance, they couldn't ignore how this solidified them feeling like a family. They all knew that they would do anything to protect one another, no matter the cost.

|

authors note: 😈😈so close to alexandria