Saviours (Daryl Dixon)

42. Dwights loyalty

"I need you to take her to hilltop" rick sobs and I nod holding the now awake child.
"Can I say goodbye?" Carl weakly asks as I walk over.

I wince as I get on one knee and put her on the end.
"You be good okay? For michonne and dad? Listen when he tells you stuff, you don't have too always. Sometimes kids gotta show parents the way" he says picking up his hat. I glance at the roof trying to blink away the tears.

"This was dads before it was mine. And now it's yours, I don't know- I just, having it with me kept dad with me. It helped me, maybe it will help you too. Before mom died, she told me I was gonna beat this world" he says as I hide my face behind Judith in shame.
"I didn't. But you will, I know you will" he finally says as Judith starts crying.

Rick takes her and hands her to Daryl as he says goodbye:
"These people, you saved them all. It's all you man" he says leaving.
"I'm sorry" I whisper to him.
"Dont be. It isn't your fault" he says as I wipe my eyes.

"I promised. And where the hell have I been?" I ask him and he shakes his head.
"You were saving people, Thea. You were always their. Even when you were busy you always had an eye out for me. I couldn't have asked for more" he whispers.

"I could" I whisper and he shakes his head.
"Goodbye Carl. I'll meet you in the next life" I whisper kissing his forehead and walking after Daryl.
"Ya okay?" Daryl asks as the group turns.
"No, god I'm shit at goodbyes" I whisper rubbing my eyes clear.
"Come on" he says as we start moving.

Daryl whistles us over as he checks under the bridge.
"Best to stay of the roads, go into the woods" he says as we keep walking.
A walker lunges out the bush's nd Terra grabs it.

"I've got it" she claims before throwing it at dwight.
"Terra!" Rosetta shouts.
"What? He can handle it" she says as the walker takes Dwight down.
He rolls over and jumps up before smashing its brains in.
"See?" She says and I shake my head.
"Look man, just keep them moving!"daryl demands as she walks off.

"We need a break" Rosetta tells Daryl.
"Alright 10 minutes. I'll go cover our tracks" Daryl says walking only to be stopped again.
"I'll come with you" Rosetta says.
"Can I ask you a question? Their a reason why he's still breathing?" She asks signalling to dwight.

"He's chosen his side. So did Nathan, if you want to kill him you may as well kill Nathan and pray that Daryl can stop me from killing you after" I threaten as she rolls her eyes.
"We ain't killing him yet" Daryl concludes.
"He's right. Dwight might have an angle that we havnt. We can't give that up" Rosetta tells Terra as she glares at me.

"The swamps will be clear of saviours. Negan maped out the area from hilltop to the sanctuary and made sure he choirs see his men. He decided the swamp was too dangerous" Dwight concludes.
"It also means it could be sworming with walks right?" I ask rubbing my head.
"Yeah. He found it useless to clear it so we didn't" he says and I nod.

"It may be our best route. We can deal with walkers easily" I say and they nod.
"You ain't seriously gonna listen to him? It's too dangerous for the saviours so your gonna send us?" Terra argues.
"I thought I just cleared that up?" I ask and they ignore me.
"We're boxed in" Rosetta tells her.
"Terra has a point why should we trust him and this Nathan guy? He can turn on us like he did his own people" a man adds.
"I didn't just turn on them I killed them. Daryl saw it, Rosetta saw it, you saw it" he says looking at Terra.

"But one got away and if negan finds me he'll put my head on a pike. I'm not going back to him, I chose my side this is it. I'm here to help you beat negan and after that. Well I know how it ends"
"Alright. Well try the swamps" Daryl declares as we start walking again.
"Thea, can I talk to you?" Nathan asks falling into step next to me.
"What about?" I ask emotionless.