"But We Had A Dream..." (Nature)

''Elliot stepped back into the mountain cabin. “Daddy!” Lucy Jr. ran up to him, “Hey! There’s my little princess!” He hugged her tightly, “Where’s your sister then?” Lucy Jr. took Elliot’s hand and lead him to his other daughter. “There’s my other little princess!” She had taken Elliot into the playroom at the back of the cabin. “Hey! Come here Alice!” He embraced his other daughter too. “Ow, come here both of you!” Elliot brought both of his daughters in for a hug. “You’re back early.” Olivia entered the room from behind, startling him. “Oh, yea. Erica let me go early.” He embraced his wife as well, before kissing her. “By the way, I convinced Reed to let us take Lucy and Alice to the dance tonight as well. He says his own son might like to dance with one of them.” They both chuckled lightly. “Well, who am I to hinder the course of love?” They laughed again before kissing each other a second time. ''

Reed sat back in the corner, watching as Raphael winced in agony, bleeding out massively. “I would say hurry up and die because the noise your making is annoying, but then your suffering would be over. So basically, feel free to take as much time as you want with your death.” He sarcastically smiled.

Raphael made a sudden jump as he fell off of his bed. He tugged at his chain before turning to face Reed – Raphael’s eyes had gone dark red; he had mutated. “Well I’ll be damned…” He was intrigued by this revelation. “Are you dead or alive? I wonder what ‘mutant’ really classes as. Undead maybe?” He edged towards him slowly, reaching his hand out. The mutated Raphael made a biting motion, as Reed retracted his hand and looked up.

“You see, father? You see what I mean? Everyone is evil on the inside! You have to show that evil in order to beat it! And this is that evil…” He looked back down to Raphael. “Alright, you’re boring me now.” He approached Raphael and stabbed him in the side of his throat. “That’s it, just die. Just, die.”

Reed crouched down next to Raphael, watching his mindless biting slow down, as he collapsed to the floor and died. “Just desserts,” Reed planted the knife through Raphael’s eyeball, “This is my significant kill, father. I claim this one! I leave my knife here as a symbol of my victory…” He rose to his feet, looking down at Raphael’s corpse as well as the knife going through his eye. “See you in Hell…” He marched out of the tent now that the commotion outside had died down.

“We’ve been sitting here for quite some time now, Elliot. Can’t we just leave already?” Zach was growing impatient, which in turn had made Elliot impatient as well. “You know what? Fine.” He got up, and began pushing the bookshelf away from the door. “Elliot, hey! Let me help you!” Olivia rose to her feet at once, assisting Elliot with pushing the bookshelf. “One, two, three!” They pushed it together, emptying the doorway. “Alright then, let’s go team!”

As Elliot guided them outside, they were all shocked by the amount of corpses on the floor. “What have we done?” Olivia felt guilt. “No, stop!” Elliot turned her towards him, “Olivia, look at me. Not them. Look at me.” She slowly turned her eyes towards his, “This wasn’t your fault… It was mine.” He reassured her, “Don’t feel guilt. Ever. Olivia?” She cleared her throat and nodded, as the group continued forth.

They headed into the tent hospital, discovering all of the mutated patients. “Oh my word!” Celeste was stunned. Elliot looked around. “Put them out of their misery… We can’t save them now.” Elliot remorsefully instructed, as everyone went up to each of the patients and mercy-killed them. At the far end of the hospital, Elliot discovered Raphael’s corpse with open reddened eyes. “Crikey,” Elliot pointed to him as the others caught up. “Raphael was infected?” Gwen asked, astonished. “This is our fault. We brought the radiation here,” Elliot made everyone feel guilty. “So where are Erica and Tina then?” Gwen pointed out a fact which made the situation worse. “Christ… And Reed? Alright, everyone split up!” Elliot instructed. “We have to find them. No one leaves the camp without at least one of the missing people, ok?” Elliot ran off before anyone could suggest the possibility that they were already dead.

Olivia followed him outside, “Elliot! Wait up! Let me go with you.” She held his hand tightly, “Alright,” he nodded at her, but also seemed confused. “Elliot, you said it yourself earlier. This world kept us apart for far too long,” they fully turned to face each other, “I don’t want to be without you for a single second more,” she smiled at affectionately at him, as they moved in for a loving kiss.

As Elliot pulled away from her, he noticed she was beginning to cry, the tears were far from joyful. “Olivia? What is it?” Elliot knew something wasn’t right. “I love you…” She stepped back from him, lifting up the side of her shirt – she had been stabbed in her hip. “No!” Elliot bellowed out, catching her as she dropped to the ground.

“Olivia! No! Why? Why didn’t you just say?” He had never been so shaken up in his entire life as he held her in his arms. “Come on baby, you survived a gunshot, you can survive this too. Just stay with me, ok?” She didn’t respond, rather only looked into his twinkling eyes. “How… When?” He had no idea how or when she could’ve been stabbed. “On my way to you… silly.” She tried to laugh, but it ended up in a chesty cough. “No baby, don’t. Don’t say anything, It’s ok. The others w-will find Erica, a-and Tina,” his voice became croaky. “They’ll save y-you! I promise ‘Liv.” She continued to stare into his eyes, accepting of whatever would happen next…

Zach and Celeste searched the back area of the camp. “Get down!” Celeste pulled Zach back, noticing a knife duel going on up ahead. “Wait a minute,” Zach looked carefully at one of the duellists, “It’s him! Reed!” Zach ran out as Celeste tried to pull him back. “Reed! Over here!” He caught his attention, “Oh no! Reed look out!” He remembered that distracting a combatant in the middle of a fight was always a bad idea. Reed spun around, avoiding his opponents’ knife, and using his own to stab the man in the heart, pushing him back to the ground.

“Nicely done!” Zach complimented him, but then instantly regretted his awe due to the fact that someone else had just died.

On her own, Gwen searched around the other side of the camp. She had found her heavy pistol again, and was searching around with it. She opened one of the tents, noticing a mother with her two frightened children inside. “Shhh! It’s ok! I’m not going to hurt you, just be silent!” Gwen zipped the tent back up again, leaving the family to be.

Suddenly, she was apprehended by Louis, who held a knife against her throat. “Well met again, bitch. Let’s have a little talk, shall we?” He manhandled her about, still at knifepoint.

“What do you want Louis? Just look around, there’s no one left to appease. Why don’t you just give up? Or better yet, why don’t you just die?” He didn’t answer and continued to force her in the direction he wanted to go. “Sit down,” he pushed her onto an office chair, tying her arms down, backing away. “I like your weapon by the way. Very elegant indeed!” He crazily remarked her heavy pistol, before aiming it at her.

“I saw you, Gwen. I saw you kill William. I know it was you. I saw you and your friends enter the hospital as well – I know you killed Raphael. My two best friends they were, great guys. Now, on the same day, both of them have died. It’s all because of you.”

Gwen put her hand up, “Actually, Raphael was dead when we found him. Just thought you should know that. As for William, well, the bastard deserved to die.” Louis intensified his grip. “Why don’t you just run anyway, Louis? I mean, think about it.” Gwen suggested. “If you kill me, my group will find you. When they do, you’ll die anyway. Whereas if you let me live, they’ll never even try to find you. They won’t care what you do.” He began to see reason, but Gwen could tell he still needed convincing.

“Look, I know a place. It’s not far from here. We only left it because we wanted to settle in here with more people,” Gwen bluffed her way into an excuse, “You’d like it. It’s a really big house, with a really big swimming pool. You can live in it with the rest of us. All you have to do is let me live. Just let me live. Can you do that; do you think? Why take vengeance for the past, when you can live the perfect future?” He lowered the gun slightly, then raised it again. He lowered it even more the second time, before yet again raising it. At last however, he saw Gwen’s reasoning, dropping the gun in front of her. “Have a shit life…” He walked away from her, parting with those words. “Louis! No! Aren’t you going to release me? Hey!” She spun the chair around, however he had already disappeared from view, “Talk about spooky…”

“Four green bottles, sitting on a wall. Four green bottles, sitting on a wall,” Gwen had been alone for so long on her chair that she had begun to sing, “And if one green bottle, should accidentally fall, there will be three green bottles, sitting on a wall. Three green bottles,” she took a deep breath, fearing that she may have to go around again, “Sitting on a wall…”

“Gwen!” Fortunately for her however, help had finally arrived. She spun her chair back around, “Erica! Tina! Thank goodness you two are alright!” Erica pulled out her pocket knife, cutting Gwen free of her restraints. “We hid in one of the underground dugouts. A nice little family let us hide with them. They just told us they were leaving however.”

Gwen smiled, “Well, looks like Elliot’s plan worked after all. This place is still standing, and there’s less mouths to feed!” Erica and Tina looked at each other, “I’m sorry, his plan? You mean,” Gwen already knew what she was going to ask however, “Yes, that’s exactly I mean. All along, Elliot was tricking us. He had to make it seem real. But ultimately, it worked anyway.” They all breathed sighs of relief. “Where’s Elliot now then?” She put her finger up, “No idea. Might as well go and find him.” They all nodded at each other as they went to find Elliot.

“Don’t let go, baby. Just hold on, just a little longer.” Elliot rocked her in his arms, “Come on, just stay with me. Don’t you dare close your eyes, ever!” She tried to smile at him, but couldn’t succeed. “Think about our future together, ‘Liv! One day, we’re going to settle down in the mountains, in a little cabin. We’ll have two daughters. We’re going to live like a happy family for the rest of our lives. Can you see it now?” Olivia nodded at him slightly…

…''Elliot, Olivia, Lucy Jr. and Alice arrived at the dance later that evening. “Elliot!” Reed ran over to them, “My guy! How’s it hanging?” They shook each other’s hands. Reed then bent down to kiss Olivia’s hand, as well as Elliot’s ‘princesses’. “I must say, you two look absolutely adorable this evening!” Reed complimented Lucy Jr. and Alice. “Well, I’m sure they might get a little bit red in the face when I say this, but they would love to take it in turns to dance with Tommy!” Elliot referenced Reed’s son. “Ohhhh, and I’m sure he’d love to dance with you two as well!” Reed had made both of Elliot’s daughters turn away in shyness. “Oh, come on you two!” Olivia took both of their hands, guiding them towards the other guests. “You were right Elliot,” Reed looked to him, “Everything did work out in the end. You and Olivia finally got your daughters, and I finally got my son. Thank you, mate. Truthfully. I should’ve never doubted you…”''

 

Erica and Tina arrived at where Olivia was. “Everyone back!” Tina demanded space, while Erica examined the wound. “Oh my god…” She whispered to Tina. “What? Oh my god what?” Elliot was distressed and eager. “Don’t say ‘oh my god’ and then not follow it up! Erica? What is it?” Both of the nurses swallowed hard and turned back to Elliot.

Erica put her hand on his shoulder, “Tell her that you love her…” Elliot looked suspicious and bewildered, “Elliot, please. Just do it. Tell her that you love her…” He leant over to her, and put his hands on the sides of her head.

“I love you, Olivia. I’ll love our daughters just as much. You’ve seen that vision. I’ll make it come true – no, we both will. Together, Olivia. I’m only doing this with you.” He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. “So, are you ready to spend the rest of our lives together?”

Her eyes twitched, as one last tear rolled out, “W-we… already… d-did-d…” Elliot looked confused at first; but then, all of reality hit him at once. He heard Olivia exhale her terminal breath, noticing her chest ceasing to move up and down.

Erica put her hands on Elliot’s arms, pulling him away from Olivia’s body. “Wait…” he was quiet, “N-no…” Tears began to flow out as he bobbed his head. “With you, or not at all…” Elliot whispered to Olivia’s corpse, before falling back and passing out.

“Elliot!” Tina caught him before he hit the ground. “How is he?” Erica turned around. “He’s out cold! The shock of Olivia’s death… It’s just taken him down! He’ll be ok but, he’s going to need our support.” She looked around at the entire group, “All of us.”

Standing back still, Zach and Celeste bowed their heads to Olivia. Reed, still knelt next to Elliot, did the same. Erica and Tina followed shortly after.

“God’s speed, Olivia,” Gwen spoke up, “God’s speed…”

-Death of Olivia. -The title of this chapter connects directly to the title of 4x08. The two titles combined makes the sentence "But We Had A Dream... It Was Meant to Be". -This chapter acts as the Season 4 midseason finale (similar to 2x08 being S2's midseason finale).
 * Olivia is the fifth main character to die. The first is Steven, the second is Vincent, the third is Andy, and the fourth is Pierre.
 * She is also the first female main character to die.
 * It is referring to the vision which Elliot gives to a dying Olivia - they "Had A Dream". Even after her death, Elliot still believes that "It Was Meant to Be".
 * Coincidentally, both of these chapters feature the death of a Main Character who was known by another Main Character prior to the apocalypse (Andy knew Gwen & Annabelle pre-apocalypse, and Elliot knew Olivia pre-apocalypse).