༻❁༺

The dirty brow of Nadia Grimes raised high as her friend pulled out a small handheld map. She watched with some interest as Lincoln's finger started to trail over the landscape, "We should be around this section. So it should only take us a few days or so to get to Terminus. Depending on walker traffic."

The girl only nodded as she focused on the rest of the map. From the size and quality of the paper she assumed he must've picked it up at a truck stop or something. Though it wasn't the quality of the crinkled paper that caught her attention, but rather the large X's over certain states.

Her hand rubbed her younger sister's head as she kept her eyes locked on the large crosses, "What's that for?"

"Huh?" Lincoln turned to her before the paper, "Oh, uh... nothing."

The girl stared at the few marks across the paper unconvinced that it was in fact simply 'nothing'. It was as if he could tell she was side-eyeing him as he sighed, "Look, it's.... It's kinda embarrassing."

She shrugged, "Judgement kinda doesn't mean anything after the skateboard story," which was true.

During their still ongoing game of Truth Bomb, Lincoln admitted to breaking his shoulder after making makeshift rollerblades by tapping two skateboards to his feet. A rather large comparison to Nadia breaking her toe after it got caught on a door frame, running away from her brother.

He gave a small chuckle, "I guess you have a point, but just don't make fun of me for it. Please."

The girl just gave a small shrug as she needed more information to decide whether or not to be mean. Well... meaner.

Lincoln moved the map closer, "I've been marking off the states I've been to."

Nadia blinked, waiting for the so-called embarrassing aspect, "And?"

"I'm just trying to visit every state in America. That's it," he blushed. "Well... that was the plan at least."

The girl looked him over rather confused. Yes, Lincoln Smith was a rather strange friend, but that didn't explain his red face avoiding eye contact, "And how exactly is that embarrassing?"

The boy just sighed, "Well it's not really a massive goal to have, you know?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Compared to you?" He gestured down at the baby gnawing on the zipper of Nadia's windbreaker, "Your end goal actually has meaning. Getting Judy to safety is way more important than wanting to visit every state."

Nadia's hand ran over Judith's growing blonde locks as she saw his face stay flushed. Watching him shift his arms to reveal the tension as he stared forward.

She could understand his frustration. The envy of her small accomplishment. Saving a sibling. Nadia had sadly never been able to meet Lincoln's brother but from the many stories she had been told of his rather cheeky nature reminded him of her own. She would have liked to meet him.

Maybe if their siblings were alive they might have gotten along. They were the same age after all. Oh well. Nadia had to remember not to day dream anymore, so she pushed the many ideas of unachievable dreams aside to focus on the real one. Finding her, Judith and her friend a safe place to sleep. Or even live. 

"I think it's a good goal, actually," her words made him stop walking. It took her a moment to even notice his missing presence, but when Nadia looked back all she could see was a confused boy, "You good?"

"Did you just... you just said something nice to me?" he pointed at her.

"Yes?" She stared at him with an equally confused expression.

"You've just never done that before."

"Fuck you," she sneered before taking the map from his hands. Slipping her large axe in the makeshift holder she created with twine looped around her belt.

Opening the map she inspected the crosses, noticing how a few seemed to be marked off in much different handwriting with dates from before the end of society. Her head slightly tilted as her fingers went over the dates going as far back as 1998, "Why would you find any goal embarrassing?"

He stole the map back, "It just is, okay? It's always been stupid."

She scoffed, "What do you mean by that?"

Lincoln sighed as he folded the paper up and slipped it back in his inner jacket pocket, "it's just been my plan for awhile. Even before."

"You wanted to travel before the walkers?"

The fluffy haired boy nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I did," he gave a frown. "I didn't get accepted into any of the colleges I applied to and it was... very embarrassing."

She watched as the boy who always seemed to be in high spirits finally expressed a new emotion, "So my mom suggested I take a gap year. Since I didn't have a passport she suggested I travel the states. Go place to place. Learn about myself and send them a postcard every time I was somewhere exciting and cross everything off on this map she brought me," Lincoln then slightly chuckled. "My dad even bought me a car for the journey. A beat up old Ford."

"Sounds like a nice ride," she hummed.

He shrugged, "Never got to drive it. Had to sell it to get my mom's treatment. We didn't have health insurance. She was so upset about it," Nadia watched the way his fingers squeezed around the hilt of his dual blades. Clearly hitting a sore spot.

Though just as usual Lincoln sucked in a breath and put on a smile, "So! So... when I was on my own I said 'Fuck it,' and decided to continue on the journey."

"So how is that stupid?" Nadia asked.

Lincoln sighed, "Because it's just kinda pointless now."

"It's a goal. It's a reason to keep fighting. It doesn't matter what it is as long as you have one," she expressed her feelings. "So yeah, so it's rather simple, but so is getting to Terminus."

It took a moment for him to respond but soon he chuckled, "You seem smarter than you let on, Miss Grimes. Let me guess, you got into Yale or something, right?"

"...Harvard."

"Of fucking course you did," he whispered.

As the girl started to chuckle a sudden gush under her boot made her chocolate eyes widen. Looking down she noticed a large amount of faeces now painting the bottom of her shoe. At first the teen gagged, wiping it on the tracks before noticing the fresh tracks following the shit. Deer shit to be exact from the hooves marking the ground.

She completely froze as her stomach started to rumble throughout the area. Lincoln glanced back as he noticed her face looking down at the woods before them, "You good, Naddie?"

Without speaking she moved Judith off of her person and into Lincoln's embrace. He gasped and took the babe as she pulled out her bow and quickly attached an arrow to it, "What are you-"

"Shut up," she whispered before disappearing into the trees.

Lincoln in fact did no such thing as he watched the girl keep her head close to the ground, following a strange set of tracks, "What the hell are you doing? Terminus is that way. Remember? The tracks?"

She slapped him over the back of the head to send a message of silence, "I said shut up. Don't you see what those are?" She pointed at the ground, "Those are deer hooves. And they're fresh."

It was as if he had an epiphany as his eyes widened, "Oh shit."

"Shit indeed," the girl started to follow the tracks deeper into the woods.

Her friend, still holding onto her sister, followed close behind. Stumbling over the wild flowers and logs the teen seemed to have more grace between, "Have you... have you ever done this before?"

"Ish?" She admitted, "Most of the game I've caught were small, like birds and squirrels, but... it shouldn't be too difficult."

The trio continued their way through the thick trees. Nadia kept her eyes locked on the ground while her partner scanned for danger. After a moment she stopped in a huff as the trail started to dwindle. Stopping completely, the Grimes girl sneered once the tracks seemed to simply vanish.

She started to mutter a few curse words and kick the dirt in a hungry anguish while her friend seemed to not care. Instead Lincoln Smith's vision was more focused on something right in front of them.

Without any lip movements he tapped the teen as she continued her tantrum, resulting in him grabbing her head and turning it 90°. Making Nadia Grimes shut up completely at the sight before them.

The trees seemed to mostly vanish in a small clearing. Behind the safety of a broken wire fence was a large wooden cabin with a massive set of barns in equal colours. Her eyes scanned over the grove, seeing wild flowers everywhere as well.

A small sigh in relief passed from Nadia's lips as she turned to her friend. Neither needed to speak as they nodded and moved towards the location. Taking back Judith, Nadia slipped her back into her makeshift holder before zipping up, keeping her safe.

Lincoln unsheathed his blades while Nadia had her bow and arrow at the ready. After a couple loud kicks to the wooden door they wait for any possible movement inside. Be it either heart beating or not.

After a beat of nothing the pair turned to each other, giving a silent nod before entering the home. Giving a quick sweep through the place, hearing a faint snarl inside the kitchen. Lincoln didn't even have a chance to turn before Nadia let go of the string, resulting in her arrow sticking into the lone walker's yellow eye.

Looking back at her she flashed a small smirk as his face heated up. Though a quick cough covered his feelings, "Um..."

"I'll check the rooms and you handle here and the living room?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good."

"Great," she softly smiled and after making sure there were no more unwanted guests in their base she started to scrounge the rooms of the cottage.

The place was rather cozy. Two bedrooms and a singular small bathroom that looked like it could only fit one person at a time. The first room, the masters, was pretty decent with a large bed and some nice decor, but nothing that much of value. The second however... now that made Nadia's lips part.

Stepping into the nursery Nadia couldn't help but feel as if the gods were finally giving her a shred of hope. There was a clean crib delicately placed just by the window allowing the afternoon glow to pour inside. Toys and clothes that would fit her sister neatly folded for her eyes to see. And as she opened the closet Nadia felt as if she were about to cry at the sight of the formula and diapers tucked away.

"You hungry, Judith?" She unzipped her jacket and looked down at the girl.

The baby only stared around the room as the soft pinks were a colour the child had barely seen. Growing up in a prison left one without much of a colour plate. So as the toddler enjoyed the change of scenery Nadia started to check the dates on the formula.

"Nadia!"

"Is it life threatening?" She yelled back at him.

"No."

"Then I'm busy," she stated and started to pull out the haul of fresh diapers.

Her words still didn't stop him from running into the nursery, his muddy shoes sliding across the wooden floorboards, "You've gotta see this."

"So do you. Catch," she threw a bag of diapers at him.

Lincoln gave them a quick glance over and hummed, "Oh shit. They come with a blowout barrier. Nice," he threw them back. "Now you gotta check my 'blowout' find."

"Terrible pun, Link," The girl allowed him to drag her into the kitchen and was rather impressed with the pyramid of cans covering the countertops, "Impressive," she complimented him.

Though his excitement was not directed at the counter, "Oh... just you wait," Lincoln turned the knob on the stove, making a flame suddenly appear below.

Her braces reflected off of the light as her jaw completely fell. Lincoln started to jump as he turned it off, "We've got gas, baby!"

It was a rather comical thing. Only a few years ago the very snooty Nadia Grimes wouldn't have ever dreamed of getting excited over something so small and insignificant. It was a stove for Christ sake.

But as the rather filthy covered girl, who had grown so used to meals cooked over a campfire, stared at the stove she felt herself growing joyful. Her feet left the ground and began to jump along with her friend, making her sister giggle in her arms, "We've got gas! We've got gas!"

And as the pair shared a moment of excitement they momentarily forgot about the terrors that were just outside their door. After all, it was the little things that could change a person's mood. Nadia just never assumed a working stove would make her cackle in delight.

༻❁༺

Nadia Grimes let out another sigh as her hands ran over her feet. After such a long journey and so few safe spaces to rest, she hadn't taken off her boots in well over a week. Her calloused fingers kneading into her equally calloused soles.

As she tried her best to relax in the living room, her eyes focused on her little sister sitting a few feet from her. Both on the ground she watched Judith playing with the plastic cups Lincoln found in storage.

"She's seriously still playing with those?" Lincoln asked as he walked back inside.

She shrugged, "I opened every. Single. Toy. Nothing."

"Nothing?" Lincoln leaned against the large object he was carrying.

"She wants the cups."

"Did she not have toys at the prison?"

"How should I know?"

The boy clicked his tongue, "Fair point. It's probably just a baby thing, you know?"

Nadia glanced back at him, "What do you mean?"

"Didn't you or your brother have a weird item you played with?" Lincoln asked, "Lou always had the rubber mallet from my Fisher Price tool box. He literally cried if you took it away. Bastard teethed on it and I got it back filled with little bite marks, that son of a bitch."

She felt herself slightly chuckle, "We weren't like that. My parents always gave us enough crap to keep us entertained," she then paused as she then remembered the way Carl would throw tantrums over a part of Rick's uniform. "Though... Carl did always throw fits when dad didn't let him wear his uniform hat when we were younger. Dad said he'd get in trouble with his boss for being unkempt for having bite marks on his hat."

Lincoln let out a small gasp, "Wait, your dad was a cop in Georgia. Did he actually have one of those massive cowboy hats?!"

The girl gave him a look and quickly corrected him, "It's a sheriff's hat. Not a cowboy hat," she then started to feel her lips perk up as she remembered her brother always yelling at her for touching his hat. To the point Rick would have to yell at them both to shut up on the road. She missed those fights.

"Carl had it after all this happened," she gestured to their surroundings.

"Really?"

She nodded, "Wore it everyday. It was easy to spot him in a crowd." As he started to nod Nadia could only focus on the large object in his hand, "So... what's with the shovel? Planning on finally killing us?"

"What?" His face shifted before remembering he was in fact holding a shovel, "No? I'm just getting rid of that walker."

She blinked a few times as she put her boots back on, "Then why not just burn it?"

Instead of replying Lincoln gave the girl a cringe she was starting to become accustomed too. Involving half his teeth being shown as his head slightly tilted to the left. Motioning her to follow, Naida placed her sister in the safety of the playpen before following him outside.

Leading her to a pair of well kept graves. Both having wilted flowers resting above the homemade crosses. Though the pair of baby booties attached to the smaller cross made Nadia slightly mellow.

"I don't think that walker was alone for a while. These graves still don't have grass over them yet," Lincoln pointed out. "And... this guy still has fresh-ish skin. Maybe a few weeks ago?"

Nadia only nodded as her friend stared down at the gravesite before them, "Look I know we shouldn't see walkers as people but I... um, if I died I would wanna be buried with my family as well-"

"I get it," she cut him off. Understanding that burying this walker wasn't actually for the unnamed deadman, "You don't need to explain yourself."

The teen gave a nod and started to dig, giving the girl the opportunity to grab another shovel and help him out. As they silently lowered the man into the hole Nadia was the one to actually break the silence, "So I'm guessing you didn't get to bury your family either?"

He shook his head, "No."

"You didn't bury your mom?"

The boy froze for a moment, before continuing, "I didn't have the courage," Lincoln glanced up at her. "I knew it wasn't her but... the thought of driving a blade through her skull," he then scoffed and shook his head.

Nadia gave a small nod and continued to cover the unnamed man, "I didn't get to either. I was going to, but Carl wouldn't let me."

"How old was he?"

"Thirteen," she sighed. "His exact words were, 'I won't let you go through this alone'. Sad right?"

"Damn," he whispered. "But... you didn't bury her? Why?"

The girl gave a small sigh as they started to smooth out the grave, "We had to run before the walkers found us. Had to... leave her body. I went back a couple days later to retrieve her but," she paused. "Did you know if a walker is deprived of food for so long they'll eat the bones?"

He stared at her for a moment as he fully understood what she was telling him. Giving a small frown he shoved his shovel at the head of the grave, "They're in a better place now. All of six of them."

"You believe that?" Nadia placed her shovel right next to his. "Like the afterlife and stuff?"

"No," he started to walk back inside. "But I believe a peaceful sleep is better than what we deal with everyday."

With nothing else to do she followed him back inside, "Ain't that the truth."

༻❁༺

As the sun started to disappear Nadia took the opportunity to disinfect a new toy for her younger sister.

As if their latest stop couldn't get any better, after a bit of securing the cottage for the night the elder two of the trio located a fully functional well. Of course before either could enjoy the fresh drinking water Nadia grabbed Lincoln by the hair and threw him to the ground; preventing him from drinking it straight from the tap.

He of course went to swear at her before watching the teenager check for any unwanted guests renting out their new water system. Confusing the boy in pain until she told him the tale of the obese monster swimming in a well at one of her camps.

Once they knew it was safe they took in a bucket and boiled it on their fictional stovetop. Lincoln handed her a mug of fresh hot water which she quickly took into the living room for Judith. After making sure the pacifier with properly cleaned she held it up for the baby in her arms.

"Okay, little loudmouth. This is called a soother, but I'm gonna call it a Walker Stopper. Because when you have this you can't alert every Walker to our area," she explained as the blonde baby stared at the device in interest.

And when her little sister had it in her mouth she stopped making noise all together. Only having a small suction noise, similar to Maggie Simpsons, being heard.

With a more present smile Nadia swayed Judith in her arms. Getting her energy out before supper. Though the teen could only wonder what the hell Lincoln was making in the kitchen.

And speaking of the devil he appeared at the door to the living room, "Hey quick question. You aren't allergic to tomatoes, right?"

She blinked, "What?"

"I found some sauce hidden behind an empty box," he smiled. "So... are you?"

Nadia's brows lowered, "We had an hour long fight over if pineapple belonged on pizza or not, and you're asking me if I'm allergic to fucking tomatoes?"

"Okay Naddie, you could simply say no," he frowned. "Just... just, dinner is ready."

Walked over with a nod she followed him into the kitchen, "And for the record pineapple does belong on pizza," he whispered.

"I will shoot you. Don't think I won't," she shot back at him as they entered the kitchen.

But any possible anger quickly converted into complete confusion over the sight of the kitchen. When Lincoln said he would handle dinner, she assumed it would be heating up the can of beans they found inside one of the cupboards. Not what she saw instead.

Instead on the table were two plates filled to the brim of spaghetti with a layer of sauce on top. Her stomach loudly growled as she watched the steam of the hot meal sitting kindly on the table, with a fork and knife; as well as a glass of what seemed to be some of the off brand coke called Hola-Cola next to it.

She stayed frozen as Lincoln scooped Judith from her arms and placed her inside the highchair between the chairs, with its own baby plate of spaghetti as well, "Here you go, Judy."

She giggled as Lincoln took her soother and showed off the meal, helping her understand it was food. Lightly clapping as he watched the young girl grip the cut up pasta and shove it into her mouth, "That's my girl!"

As her sister started to eat the first big meal in weeks, Lincoln sat down and noticed how stunned the teenager was, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Nadia gave a quick nod and sat across from him. Keeping her eyes locked on the meal before her eyes.

Lincoln wasted no time digging into his pasta, watching how the brunette was enamoured by the meal, "You not like pasta?"

"No. I do," She shook her head and grabbed her fork, taking a large bite as the warm noodles covered in an expired sauce danced over her tongue.

The Grimes girl gave a satisfied moan as the hot meal rested easy in her stomach. It didn't matter if the entire thing was made of expired products, it tasted like something straight from an expensive restaurant her and her mother used to go to whenever she won a pageant.

He watched as she smiled, taking large chunks within her fork, "Is it good?"

Nadia was at a loss for words. It had been so long since she ate a meal with anyone that it was more of a foreign concept. So the fact he took the time to set the table and prepared her a drink made Naida feel strange. It wasn't a strange feeling that she didn't enjoy. It was just... different. Fuzzy almost. Warming her stomach like the meal itself as she blushed. At first she assumed it was the expired sauce till she looked back up at the smiling boy.

Uh-oh.

When she realised what the warm feeling in her stomach was she quickly pushed more of the meal into her mouth, "It's amazing. Thank you," Nadia replied as her fork scattered the sauce. "Sorry if I'm a little out of it. I haven't, um..." she paused. "It's been a long time since I've eaten a meal like this."

"No pasta at the prison?"

"At a table. On a plate," she cringed.

Lincoln glanced back up at her, "Seriously?"

The girl shrugged as she continued to eat, "Meals were usually passed around the fire. In cans or large bowls. Most went to Carl and my mom, not that I minded of course. Then at the prison... I didn't eat with anyone."

He frowned, "Oh."

"It's fine," she told him. "It was my own doing. I get that now."

"But still," he shrugged and played with his own meal. "My mom always had us eating at the table."

"Really?"

"Yep. Before and after," he chuckled. "When I was in school she didn't care where I was all day but my ass better be in that chair at six for supper."

She smiled, "That sounds nice."

"Yeah. It was," he did as well. "Then when the world ended we didn't have a table in the basement. So we would deal out our portions and sit on the bed to eat. I did a lot of the cooking just to make sure my parents wouldn't give Lou and I extra."

"Well I can say you are a good cook. Judith seems to love it," Naida gestured to her sister now covered in spaghetti sauce.

He smirked at the child, "I wish you guys could try my dads. His would put mine to shame," she watched his smile start to fade. "I'd give anything to have it just one more time."

Without saying a thing, Nadia reached over and grabbed her friend's wrist. Giving it a gentle squeeze telling him he wasn't alone. When he looked up, his lips started to turn as he grabbed her own and did the same.

Neither needed to speak as the emotion was universal. Neither of them were alone now. Even if they believed both of their families were gone, at least they had each other for support. They were in this together and would see the sunrise in the morning.

Little did they know not too far away was another trio in the woods. A very much battered, but alive, Rick Grimes sat by the fire with his son Carl and friend Michonne. The three ate their small can of beans in silence as the fear of what was to come loomed over them.

Rick gave his son the can to finish off as he couldn't even eat. Instead the grieving father pulled out the small heart locket that rested around his neck. Opening it up to stare at the small photos of the ones he lost. Quickly wiping away his tears as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze.

Meanwhile miles upon miles away in Virginia Negan Smith watched from above a platform as his remaining son Louis trained with the rest of the teenagers his age. Watching as the empire he was building for his only living child training him how to survive the life he thought Lincoln never could.

Slowly pulling out a small family photo from his coat pocket of the ones he lost.

The thing about mirrors is, even if the images may have been slightly altered, all and all they were the same image. And as the three groups of survivors all tried to survive the night they had one thing in common. They all missed each other and never thought they'd see them again.

Oh how wrong they were.

•••