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GREY KINGSTON
"the night those walkers from the quarry got into alexandria, you remember when daryl, sasha, and abraham came back? told us the next day that they were stopped on the road by some assholes on bikes who told them their shit belonged to negan?" rick asks in a hushed tone.
"'course i do, why?"
we part for a second, making way for tara and ezekiel to exit the brick colonial. i watch as they help each other lug slabs of wood toward the front gate to use as shields for what's coming.
"turns out those assholes were recruiters." rick says, stepping closer to me so only i can hear. "that's what negan told me. they were tryin' to help."
i let his words sink into my head. we started the war with the saviors; not the other way around. unknowingly, the domino effect of each conflict we've had with the saviors, it all started because of us.
"what about dawn?" i question. "officer gorman? he killed beth, i mean technically the saviors did start this—"
"i wish it wasn't, but that was different. that man was unstable and scared, he thought he was saving her, he—" he sighs, cutting himself off from saying any more. "it doesn't matter anyway."
"so daryl, sasha, abraham, they killed people who wanted to help them?"
"they didn't know." he says. "how could they know? they thought they were a threat and i believe them. they did what they thought was right. whatever, what's done is done. same with the girl daryl brought back here, same with whatever's comin' for us next. we just ... move forward now, that's all we can do. i just thought i'd tell you."
i nod my head as my teeth gnaw on the inside of my cheek.
"okay," i announce, leaning down to place my lantern on the porch since i won't be needing it inside. "should we head in there?"
there's a quick roll to rick's eyes, making me smile. he turns on his heels and pulls open the heavy door, "after you."
inside hilltop's brick home, it smells of the warm fire lit in the fireplace. it reaches the other side of the first floor, where rick and i turn to enter the office.
in the middle of the room sits negan in a plush, red baroque chair—something the sanctuary would never be decorated with.
daryl and maggie's heads turn at the sound of rick and i walking in. i hang back to close the door as rick grabs a chair and pulls it up in front of negan.
