LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

tension

"If you ever fucking-"

"Oh my God!" Sakiko throws her head back, "Dad, come on!"

Daryl shakes his head, "Nah. You put your ass on the line leaving like that and again when you were in Kingdom. You-"

"Survived," Sakiko cuts him off, "I survived and we got Ezekiel, Benjamin, and Sophia back."

"That shouldn't be your place-"

"I wanted it to be," she argues, crossing her arms, "I felt like it was my place because I care about them. I wanted to help my friends."

Daryl sighs. Why did Sakiko feel so.. indebted to Kingdom?

"But, I'm here now. You're here. Where's Nanami?"

"Inside," Daryl motions to the Hilltop's main house, "He and Carl are talking to Maggie on the next plan."

"Where's Rick?"

"He's with Michonne and Jerry. They're getting security breaches fixed and assigning guard shifts."

"The Saviors are coming," Sakiko nods once, "Hilltop is the only place still standing."

"It is. But, we're all here."

"We're sitting ducks."

"We're a unit working all together," Daryl rephrases.

"It's like pinning a tack to a map and drawing a giant target around us with a sign saying 'Saviors attack here'."

"We'll fight back when they come," Daryl comforts, "Now, come on. Let's go see what Maggie has up her sleeve."

--

"You look pretty badass with a gun," Carl tells Sakiko.

"Right?" Sakiko laughs, "Who would've thought, huh?"

Carl smiles, loading his gun. Sakiko winces a bit and Carl gives her a look.

"It's a work in progress. But, I'm here. I'm good as long as I can focus on what I'm fighting for."'

"That's good. We need you out on the fields."

"We gotta win.. Negan's gotta die. I should be here for that."

Carl hesitates, "Yeah.."

"What?" Sakiko catches on to his tone.

She looks over the balcony of Hilltop's main house, looking for signs from Maggie, Daryl, Rick, or Ezekiel.

"Nothing," Carl dismisses, "It's nothing."

"What? You got a secret or something? Or are you still the one determined to kill him like when you came in guns blazing in the back of their truck?"

Carl doesn't say anything and Sakiko figures that's what it was.

"I don't really care who gets the shot on him as long as they take it and do something with it."

"You don't want to kill him?" Carl hopes.

"I do. But.." she sighs, "When Merle and I went after the Governor.. It nearly killed me. It did kill him. Ezekiel told me that I shouldn't have to be the one making it all about me. Negan killed my husband, yes.. But.. I don't want a repeat of the past."

"You don't want to die this time around?"

"No.. I want-" she pauses, "I need to survive."

"Even if it means Negan lives?"

Sakiko's head snaps over to Carl, squinting in confusion.

"Negan has to die."

Carl clears his throat, situating the gun against his shoulder, "Yeah.. Right."