Tomorrow Will Come

Thirty seven

"Hey, kiddo." Jesus grinned, welcoming the small group of Alexandrians into Hilltop, Mary hugging him tightly as soon as they were close.
"I've missed you."
"I've missed you too." Jesus whispered into her hair, Mary clinging onto him. Jesus breathed in slowly, a hand resting on her head, thinking of the girl and all she'd been through, holding her safe for a second while he could.
"Is my Uncle Daryl here?" Mary asked, gently pulling away from the hug after a moment.
"Yeah. Yeah, the Kingdomers and Oceansiders arrived yesterday. He's waiting for you."
"And Al?"
"He's not going great, Moo. He's not doing too good at all."
"I'll... I'll go see him. Before I go. Maybe it can, I don't know, maybe I can help a little bit. He helped me."
"Yeah. I think he's like to see you." Jesus nodded gently, and Mary smiled back sadly, then walked over to Alden's small lodgings, knocking on the door gently, to no response.
"Alden?" Mary asked loudly, knocking sharply again.
"Please. No thanks." A man responded, and Mary let out a shaky breath.
"Al, it's me. Mary. Please." Mary called out again, and she heard movement, a sigh, then the lock turn, and the door open.
"Hey." Alden breathed, Mary staring at him for a split second before hugging him tightly. He was skinnier, and paler than normal, without the classic dirt and mud up his arms. His hair was matted, and he desperately needed a shave.
"I love you." Mary whimpered, hugging Alden tightly, clinging to him as though she'd never let go. It was the first time she'd seen him since the murders, since Enid died, and they never wanted to let go of each other.
"Love you too, kid." Alden cried back, kissing the top of her head, holding her tightly, feeling her pain, and her feeling his.

"I missed you." Mary smiled softly to Daryl as they sat in the back of the cart, on route to the bunker.
"Miss you too, kid."
"How's... Lydia? How is she?"
"She's doin' good. As good as expected."
"Who'd know that yer basically a dad? My dad would be proud." Mary half laughed, and Daryl gently rolled his eyes.
"I'm nothing like a dad. Just lookin' our for her."
"Alright, Dar'. I believe you. Definitely."
"Shut up. Lil shit."
"Imma tell my mom you said that." Mary teased, and Daryl rolled his eyes, jostling her with shoulder.
"Shut it, and go to sleep or something. Be where we're stopping for the night soon, and we'll be up most of the night on watch. Get to sleep while you can."
"Loser."
"Annoying."
"I'm your favourite really." Mary teased again, and Daryl rolled his eyes, wrinkling his nose, then tossing a blanket to Mary, preparing for a long night ahead.

When Mary looked into the bunker, she had to hold back her tears at the mass of supplies. There had only been two Walkers inside - a father and young son, the younger bitten, the elder not - and Mary could tell they'd been in there for a while, the bodies barely walking before they were put down.
Mary watched as Magna laid the young Walker on the floor, taking her knife out of his skull. She shut his eyes, and pushed his hair away from his face, ignoring the awful smell of Walker. With a gentle hand, she zipped up his jacket, and the stood up, looking away from the others as they saw her sensitive moment, Mary watching sadly.
"Okay," Aaron called, "let's sweep. Pair up, take everything. If the door's shut, be careful. Might still be Walkers inside that have been shut in there. Meet back here in an hour. Everything we can carry, but especially meds. Mary, you can..."
"I got her." Daryl said firmly, wanting her by his side. Magna's eyes met Mary's, and Mary nodded in confirmation, walking away with Daryl.
"You stressed?" Mary asked almost gently, and Daryl shrugged.
"Don't like yer being out here. Yer da... He'd kill me."
"Nah. He'd have me here. He knows I'm the best." Mary winked, banging on a door sharply before listening to hear if there was any movement; it was silent. With a rustle of the doorknob, Daryl burst the door open, knives ready, but it was empty. They searched the cupboards, and every last inch of the room, finding a few office supplies - Mary guessed they'd used it as a school for the little boy, looking at the times table charts, and Spanish colours written in the corresponding chunky crayon.
"Get these in the hall. If we have space we can take them for the school." Daryl nodded, the pair putting notepads and papers and a chalkboard in a neat pile.
"Next one? There's not much here?"
"Yeah." Daryl nodded, the pair repeating the process until they reached their last room, breaking in to see one Walker tied to a cabinet, an empty bottle of pills in one hand, a photo by her side. Mary walked over slowly, then gently put her to sleep, looking at the photo - it must have been the little boy outside. They must have been a family. She didn't want to think about how they ended up alone and separated, but presumed one died first, and didn't want the other to see. To put them down.
"Hey Moo. Jackpot." Daryl beamed, breaking Mary's thoughts by making her realise what this room held. Medication, and it was by the bucketload.

"Mary?" Daryl called, the girl filling in a grave with Magna and Jesus.
"Yeah?" Mary asked, walking over and leaving Magna and Jesus to finish burying the family.
"Hunt?" Daryl suggested, and Mary nodded, zipping up Glenn's jacket, then putting her hands into an old pair of leather gloves. They checked the traps they'd set up that morning, and saw they'd caught a few rabbits, and Daryl managed to shoot down some birds, giving them enough meat to feed the dozen people there.
"These?" Mary asked in a whisper, pointing to some roots, and Daryl nodded in agreement, helping her dig them up, along with finding some wild mint and berries.
"A feast." Mary smiled proudly, and Daryl half laughed, flicking her hat.
"When yer was little, we always found ya berries like these. All yer liked at one point. When yer was shot, it was pretty much all ya could eat. Would just chew on a few berries while we carried ya."
"Find it weird thinking I was that little once. When we were on the road. I was RJ's age, I couldn't even imagine him going through what I did, doing the things I did. I do."
"Yer've done too much. Seen too much. It's good. That ya can't imagine it. Ya shouldn't have to. Hopefully he'll never experience it."
"I'd never let that happen."
"Nah. Nah, I know yer wouldn't."
"Why don't you come back for a bit? With me and the others, to Alexandria? He'd love to see you. RJ, and Judith obviously. They miss you. They always miss you."
"Maybe. I don't know, I wan' to be there. In case they need me at the Kingdom. It's been hard, since... It's hard."
"We're struggling too, Daryl. Jude really misses you. She's struggling at the moment. Being a little asshole. She needs her Uncle Daryl."
"I'll think about it. Anything else happenin' at home?"
"See? You call it home!" Mary insisted earnestly, "It's your home. Always has been. Judith wants you there. Dad would."
"I'll visit. Just maybe not right now. It's hard. And you've got a whole army of people. Who's Lydia got?" Daryl justified, making Mary sigh, her opinion torn - she wanted to be selfish. She wanted to kick and scream like a toddler and get Daryl home, get him there for her siblings, for herself. But she also knew he was right. Lydia didn't have anyone. She needed Daryl more than them. So she nodded slowly, ignoring the pit of jealously in her stomach, and her body filling with envy.