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Even if people say the world ended August 26, 2010, that was not the case. Worlds do end, they just have various times depending on the person. The end isn't an experience everyone has at the exact same time. It is personal. The end can happen years after or even before what people call "The End of the World."

You could have some seemingly close calls that feel like it, but the world has not ended yet. Not for Nadia at least.

So far, the girl has had four. The first being when she was informed she'd be forced to wear braces during her senior year. Throwing a tantrum and saying Lori and Rick hated her for "forcing" the teen to wear metal instead of Invisalign.

The next was a few months later when Rick got shot. Seeing her father on that hospital bed hooked up to who knows how many wires and machines helped her realize braces were not that big a deal.

Then there was the massive event. The rising of the dead. God, Nadia Grimes could still remember the first time she saw death. Watching from afar as the refugee centre was bombed to smithereens. Her eyes glistened in terror from the sight of fire in Atlanta.

Finally, it was the obvious one. Cutting her mother open. That had to have been the closest of calls the teenager had had. One she almost hadn't come back from. Or wouldn't have if not for the boy she met on the road that is.

The strange thing about the world ending was that it also technically didn't. Or rather wouldn't.

The world didn't give a single shit about you. It didn't matter if you were alive or not. The globe would still be spinning. Flowers would still grow, and rain wouldn't just stop falling because of you.

The end would just be you realizing how little anything mattered. Something unlike the Grimes girl, had ever experienced yet. Though she knew someone who had. As she had been there to witness it.

It was early on after the fall. Only a few months or so Nadia believed. Their convoy had suddenly come to a stop. The teen had followed her parents out of their vehicle, joining the others to stare at the smoking RV engine.

The old man who owned the truck couldn't help but huff, "I said it. Didn't I say it? A thousand times dead in the water."

"Problem Dale?" Shane asked as he kept a firm hand on his firearm, being rather cautious, considering the group was out in the open.

Nadia stayed close to her father as he continuously scanned their surroundings. Taking note of the many empty cars cluttered close together on the highway they were now technically stuck on.

She did her best to not show her wariness, especially around the two twelve-year-olds in the group. Crossing her arms as she over her chest as her lip stung from how deeply her teeth pressed against it. Nadia thought she was hiding it well.

Or that was until she felt Lori's hand gently gripping her shoulder in comfort.

"Oh, just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no hope of..." Dale trailed off as he stared at the various flipped over or abandoned cars blocking their path. "Okay, that was dumb."

"Can't find a radiator hose here," Shane sarcastically replied as Daryl was already raiding one of the cars closest to them. "There's a whole bunch of stuff we can find."

T-Dog, another member of Nadia's original group, stepped forward, "Can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start."

"Maybe some water?" Carol thought out loud, as her arms wrapped around her young daughter.

"Or food!" Glenn hoped.

As Nadia hummed at the thought of something to eat her mother spoke up. The woman's eyes fixated on the wreckage before them, "This is a graveyard. I don't know how I feel about this."

Though as usual Lori Grimes' opinion meant nothing as the others began to raid the cars as if it were an open market. Still, Nadia's mom had to put her own feelings aside as they needed a chance at finding some food.

While most others went off on their own, the mother's and their children stayed together. Nadia stayed near the back as she made sure Car and Sophia didn't run off. Going past fly filled cars making their nests inside the leftover corpses.

She couldn't help but gag as they walked through the fly hord, "Kids, don't look," Carol tried to protect the three from the sight of death. Though you couldn't blame her. How was she supposed to know that death would become so mainstream?

"Carl? Always within my sight, okay? Same with you, Nadia," Lori made sure to tell her children.

As the Grimes children nodded, Carol took the opportunity to tell her own daughter, "You too, Sophia."

As the group started to scavenge the few cars close by, the eldest girl found something that for some reason caught her eye. Pushing the random clothing aside as she held up a medium sized brown leather jacket.

The girl let out a whistle as she placed it on, turning to the younger two, "What do you think?"

Carl gave a shrug as Sophia grinned, "I love it!"

Nadia's lips turned up into a similar smile as the Peletier girl had. One that would've most likely stayed if it weren't for their leader quietly springing over, "Lori! Under the cars!" He loudly whispered.

Lori Grimes quickly fell to the pavement, forcing Carol down with her. The kids all stared at Rick in frozen shock as he repeated his command to them, "Kids, under the cars. Get down now."

The four went down and did their best to hide. Nadia wrapped her arms around her younger brother as the walkers came out of nowhere. Keeping her hand over the boy's mouth as they watched the literal hord of monsters walking past them. Praying they'd go unnoticed from underneath the abandoned cars.

They were unnoticed. They were safe.

Until Carol's girl got a little anxious and left the safety under her car, getting spotted by two or three walkers.

Nadia Grimes could still hear the screams even over a year later. Thinking of that little girl running off the road as those flesh thirsty beasts chased her into the woods. The cries of Carol as she begged God to let her baby girl walk out from the trees and into her arms. Her world ended with a singular action.

Rather ironic as Nadia sat on the porch of her base. Her hunting rifle loaded as she prepared to shoot anything that dared do the same. Fingers locked around the sides as she watched for the slightest movement.

It was one thing being in a group with two others, but six to watch over? Nadia was surprised how easy her father made it look. Of course, the teen knew it wasn't her job to watch over everyone, but it wasn't like she could be the mousy girl she once was. Hiding behind her daddy as he protected the group from the scary walkers.

And she definitely couldn't be who she was at the prison. A snarling monster more terrifying than the ones outside. Telling the people to run away if they knew what was good for them.

"You know you remind me of a certain man being out here on patrol so late," the voice of Carol Peletier broke the silence of the grove.

Not even glancing back at the woman Nadia moved over slightly so she could join her. Carol took her time to sit next to the teen as she looked at the unfamiliar rifle, "How long have you been out here?"

Naida shrugged, "Since sundown. Checked the perimeter thrice."

"Any weak spots?"

"Not from where I looked... I should check again-" as she went to stand, Carol pulled her back down. "Rest. You've been nonstop since we got here."

"They could still find a way in," she tried to protest as her friend stayed calm and collected.

"And if they find a way in there are others who can handle the situation," Carol gently slid her hand off of Nadia's forearm, moving it to rest on the teen's back. Sliding up and down the windbreaker, creating a slight noise. "You're not alone anymore."

She huffed, not relaxing to the calm voice, "There's three kids now. It's more of a reason to be on guard."

"There are five kids," Nadia slightly chuckled at the statement.

Her a kid? She had never been just a kid. Even before the fall. Children aren't the ones who have to try and save failing marriages or protect their siblings from harm. But then again Nadia failed at both of those things.

"Did something happen?" Carol then asked.

"What?"

She moved her hand up, resting it on the teenager's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze, "Nadia. I know you," Carol stated. "You wouldn't be so on guard for no reason."

Nadia let out a long sigh. It wasn't that she didn't exactly want to tell the older woman of what happened. She just didn't know how to, "It's been a hard week."

"Indeed, it has," The short haired woman agreed with her. Nodding as she moved her hand away. Looking forward like the teen, watching for movement beyond the trees. Waiting for it.

The pair went quiet. Allowing the calm spring wind to fill the void. Listening to the crickets chirping their ballads of both love and warning to their fellow species.

Something people never realized was how quiet life was now. That silence was such a constant in the apocalypse. In a way before the walkers, noise was their quiet. The shouts of people, honking cars, moving vehicles... it was what life was. The brain drowned out the music of life and programmed society into believing that was their normal background. The quiet Nadia and Carol grew up with.

Making the silence louder than any of society ever could.

So, when Nadia Grimes asked a question out of nowhere, it wasn't just an insane thing to ask. It was a way to drown out the loud nothingness, "Have you killed anyone yet?" A strange question for the noise, part of life for the silence.

Carol froze momentarily. Looking back at the girl who was still focusing on the woods. She didn't care if Carol answered the question. She just wanted the silence to end.

"Yes. Yes, I have," Carol admitted.

Nadia nodded, "I remember when dad told us he killed Shane. I just... I couldn't look at him the same. Like, I knew it was necessary. I just..."

"You weren't ready for it?"

She sighed, "Yeah... yeah that's right."

The teen's right hand detached itself from her rifle and went to her forehead rubbing the tension away, "I never got how the others could do it so easily. Like... Carl. He was thirteen but he still killed that boy in the woods as if he was a simple walker."

Carol nodded, going back to rubbing Nadia's back, "I remember that same boy running to your dad because you slapped him in the face after he did that."

"Because he deserved it."

"That he did," she agreed. "But I'm guessing you're not thinking of Carl's kills, are you?"

Nadia didn't respond. Making the once mother understand, "How many did you kill?"

The brunette took a moment to sigh, not wanting to think back to her recent kills, "Two. There were three but Link killed the other."

"When did it happen?" Carol's words were soft. Not condescending but rather low. As if she just wanted the young girl to talk it out. Something Nadia never got to do at the prison.

Nadia shrugged, "Almost a week ago?"

"How did you do it?"

The sheer thought alone made Nadia's jaw hurt. Making the teen bite her lip as she played back the memory, "One guy was on top of me. My arms were pinned," she took a breath. "So, I bit his nose off. He went down and the other guy holding Judith didn't last much longer."

She paused for a moment, "Did they do anything to you?"

"I killed them before they could," Nadia responded almost a little too calmly.

"Good," Carol comforted her before asking a question no one ever bothered to, back in their old home. "Are you okay?"

Nadia's filthy nails tapped the wooden sides of her weapon. The question was one people had answered for centuries. Lying and putting on a smile to keep the peace. Asking if one was okay was just a way to calm the person asking the question down.

Something Nadia had done a lot before the fall.

It was just this time she didn't feel like lying, or feel like Carol would appreciate it as much, "Honestly? No."

She frowned, moving a little closer, "I understand that. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it wasn't your fault and you did what needed to be done-"

"What?" Nadia cut Carol off, "N-No. No, I'm not talking about those men. They didn't get a chance to touch me. It was so easy to kill them, and I know that's a good thing. I know I should be proud that I can kill now. I know that," she looked at the woman as tears started to form. "But now... now I'm having these thoughts and terrifying feelings."

"...What thoughts?"

Nadia bit her lip. Debating on telling her or not, "Look... Carol I am so grateful you are here and I'm so happy Tyreese and the kids are okay, but..." the teen had to pause. Clenching her teeth together as a staggered breath broke through the cracks of her braces, "But every time I look at those girls, I can't help but get upset that they lived."

Carol stayed silent as the girl wiped her eyes, "It's just not fair." Noticing the guilt and shame she released with every breath, "Carl was the same age as Lizzie. Why is she here and he isn't?"

Even before the words came out, Nadia knew they were wrong. She knew everything she was telling Carol was just pure evil. They were children. They were innocent.

Nadia started to realize she hadn't changed. Even if she no longer held onto that anger she once had, she was still what the rest called her. She was still a monster.

Still, for some reason, Carol still comforted the monster, "I know it's not their fault. It's just not fair."

"It never is."

"Please tell me you felt this way too," Nadia leaned into her friend's hold. "Please tell me you wished the same for Carl and I at the farm. I don't want to be a monster again," she whispered. Begged.

Carol stayed still for a moment. Thinking it over as she comforted the girl, "You're not a monster. You're grieving and this is part of it."

"But did you?" Nadia sniffled, "When Sophia was gone did you ever wish the same on us?"

She sighed, "Of course I did."

Nadia nodded, feeling slightly more at ease, "Good."

"But here's the thing," Carol moved Nadia up to face her. "You can't let that anger consume you again. Do you understand? You need to focus on the good."

"The good?"

Carol moved her hand to the teen's chin, titling it to force eye contact as she explained, "You got Judith out. You did. There were no others. No one told you too. You saved her on your own. You saved your sister."

She nodded as Carol went on, "Nadia... Rick would be so proud of you right now-"

"Please don't..."

As Nadia tried to pull away, Carol tightened her hold, "No. He would."

"Carol," she sighed. "He died hating me."

"No. He died worried for you," she corrected the Grimes girl. "Nadia, he used to confide in Daryl and I all the time, worried for you. He was scared."

"Scared of me?"

"Scared for you. He thought you were going down a path you'd never come out of, and I wish he could've seen how you did," she gave a small smile. "You saved your little sister's life and got her to safety. Rick and Lori would both be so proud of you right now."

That's when she had lost it. Pride may have been a sin but Nadia loved it. Something she strived to give her parents. Showing them her perfect tests, competition crowns and cheer routines she herself choreographed as Head Cheerleader. Her parents were proud. She loved making them proud.

Something she never thought would happen ever again.

So, with a tear-stricken face, Nadia Grimes allowed Carol to pull her close as she cried. Letting out all her grief she thought was gone.

After a while of tears and apologizes with Carol, the former mother sent Nadia to bed. Taking her rifle away in the process saying she would take the next shift.

Nadia didn't even know what she was properly doing until she walked over to the couch Lincoln was sleeping on. After the others moved in, they divided up the two-bedroom cottage. The two girls and Carol took the master bedroom. Nadia and Judith took the nursery. While Tyreese and Lincoln stayed in the living room. With surprisingly no one challenging Carol to the set up.

Though at that moment Nadia wasn't sure she wanted to be alone in the nursery with her sleeping sister. Not so gently nudging the boy until he woke up, "What's going on? What happened?" He quickly jolted. Looking around as he tried to reach for Rick's Python Nadia gave him.

But before he could reach it, she had gently grabbed his wrist, "It's just me."

He sat up properly, "Is everything okay?"

"Um..." she paused, wondering if she should be doing this.

After the events of last night... the very pleasurable night last night, she wondered if it should go any further. She liked Lincoln. Which was strange as she never expected too ever like someone again.

But the concept of relationships didn't really mean anything anymore. There weren't many people to go around after all. Did it need a label?

"Do you wanna sleep with me?" She mumbled.

Lincoln gave a half-asleep nod, rubbing his eyes with the bottoms of his palms, "Yeah sure, but I don't think I have enough condoms-" he didn't get to finish the sentence before she slapped the back of his head. "Ah!"

"I meant sleep next to me, not fuck me. There are kids who have full consciousness here," she huffed. "Just... just can you?"

He looked at her, noticing her rather somber mood, and stood up, "Yeah. Yeah, of course."

Lincoln took his travel partner's hand as they made it to the nursery. Noticing how she stopped for a moment to stare at the two sleeping blonde girls before walking into their new room.

Unlike the master bedroom, the nursery had only one bed. A crib. One that Judith was currently sleeping in. So in order to have a bit of comfort on the hardwood, Nadia had taken the Disney Princess sofa bed she found and turned it sideways. Better than nothing.

As Lincoln grabbed the blankets for the night, Nadia went towards the crib. Checking over her little sister with a small smile before stepping back. Wiping her tears and joining her friend in their makeshift bed.

Her head resting on Lincoln's chest as his fingers found their way through her hair. She was able to let out a comforted breath as he held her.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

She nodded, keeping her arms around him as she rested, "Do you ever miss Lou?"

He stopped playing with her hair for a moment, "...yeah. Everyday."

"So do I..." she sighed. "With Carl."

"It's like I said," he told her. "We've gotta keep going. For them."

Nadia snuggled deeper into his side, "And for the girls."

Lincoln looked down at her, "Lizzie and Mika?"

"They have no one. It's a miracle they made it this far."

The boy let out a sigh as he thought it over. The chances of children were astronomically low. Not that it was their fault. It was basic biology. They were new. They don't know how to survive and are in need of guidance. Someone to teach them how to. Something their species was very successful at.

The reason many animals, such as cats for example, had many babies in a litter was because not all would survive. They had to make sure their population prospered. So the more babies they produced, the more of a chance at least one would survive to make more.

Humans had cracked the code. Which is why the common number of children per pregnancy was one. They could make sure that the child created could prosper. Survive.

And technically, both Nadia and Lincoln's parents had done their part in biology. They were done growing. They were here. They were alive. Even with the new predator in their ecosystem, Nadia Grimes and Lincoln Smith had prospered.

It was now their time to teach the young how to survive the dangerous world they had been surviving in.

So Lincoln gave a stiff nod, pulling Nadia closer, "We've got this," his face dug into her hair. "We can do this."

And at the time they truly believed they could do it. If only they knew that nature was not kind to the smallest of prey.

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