Loving You || Daryl Dixon

Chapter Twenty-Eight- The Fair, The Fear

Jordyn's POV

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   Almost everyone was here and together at the Kingdom's fair. Ezekiel gave a speech before releasing white birds. Carol, me, and a few others were going out to find Henry and Daryl just as they walked through the door which Michonne and Judith.

   "Daryl!" I sighed, rushing to pull him into me. "Hey babygirl" he smiled. "I missed you" I mumbled into his neck. "I missed you more"

   The leaders gathered together to discuss somethings. I sat between Daryl's legs as we talked among the leaders and discussed things with the Whisperers. Alexandria agreed to offer Lydia asylum, the other communities agreed she was one of us.

   We agreed on a pact, an attack on one community is an attack on all. Ezekiel pulled down a big paper with the communities agreements from before. He ans Carol signed under the Kingdom's spot, Rachel signed under Oceanside, Tara signed for Hilltop, and I signed for Alexandria. I handed the marker off to Gabriel to sign, he was co-head of the council.

   Ezekiel reframed it back on the wall. We all headed back out to the fair. "I'm heading with Carol and a few others to Hilltop to keep watch incase the skin walkers show up" Daryl said. I stopped walking and stared at him, "I just got you back after a few days apart and you want to leave again? Wren has been asking for you since you left, she doesn't even know you're here"

   "Babygirl, I need to make sure they're going to be okay. I love you both, I'll say bye to her before I leave" Daryl said. "You need to be with your family Daryl. We don't even know for sure that they're going to attack Hilltop. They could've backed off." I replied.

   "I'm doing this for our family. You're right we don't, but there's still that chance." Daryl said. "Fine, you can tell Wren why daddy hasn't been here in days." I said, walking off to find our daughter.

   "Hi mommy!" Wren smiled. "Hi babycakes. Having fun with Jerry?" I asked. "Yes! Jerry is my best friend. Can I sit with them during the movie?" Wren asked. "Of course honey, make sure you stay with Jerry, his kids, Judith, or someone you know if mommy isn't around" I smiled.

   I went off to go and talk to other people around Kingdom. I watched Daryl kiss Wren goodbye before leaving, tears ran down her little face. All she wants is him home with us, I get his point. But Hilltop might not even be in danger, Alpha doesn't seem the type to hit the same place twice. However, I wish I would've taken Wren with me to Hilltop.

   Maybe then I wouldn't have gone through what I did.

   After Daryl's group left, I thought I'd seen Alpha in the Kingdom. It was a quick glance and when I looked back, she was gone. "Now I'm seeing shit" I mumbled to myself.

   I found Enid and Alden with a few others. Alden and Luke were planning on singing as a duo. "Did you two finally make it official?" I asked Enid. "We did" She smiled. "Well its about damn time" I laughed.

   That night everyone gathered in the Theater. Wren was with Judith and Jerry.

   Well almost everyone was there. I didn't make it. Enid, Tara, Siddiq, Henry, Tammy, Frankie,  Rodney, Addy, and I were taken once night fell and shoved into a barn. Ozzy, Alek, and D.J rushed in to save us. Everyone was given an opening, they fought back until the end.

   Siddiq and I had the absolute hell beaten out of us. I was only kept alive because of Wren, Siddiq so we could tell the others what happens if we don't listen.

   The others were murdered, heads sliced clean off. The sight alone made my insides turn, I started crying.

   Siddiq and I were so badly beaten, we were barely left alive. My lip was busted open, a cut under my left eye, and a nasty stab wound to my thigh.

   We were left in the woods tied to a tree when Michonne, Daryl, Carol, and Yumiko found us. We could barely get words out but lead them to the top of the hill. Daryl rushed to me and pulled me up, he held my weight up, and kept me from falling onto my face.

   At the top of the hill, ten spikes stood stuck into the ground. Our peoples heads placed onto the tops of them, they turned. I started sobbing seeing the sight of them, my body went limp in Daryl's arms.

   Siddiq and I stood on the stage before the people in the Kingdom. I left Siddiq do the talking. He told our people the tragedy of what happened. Tears welled in my eyes hearing him talk.

   I locked eyes with Daryl in the crowd, Wren held tightly in his arms. I limped off stage and Daryl put wren down and pulled me into him. "I'm so sorry I left while we were angry at each other. If she would've.. if something would've happened to you I would've felt fucking awful" Daryl cried into my neck.

   "I'm sorry I was mad at you over something small. I'm so sorry" I whispered. Daryl pulled me in for a kiss. "Ew!" Wren shouted. I laughed at her and wiped my tears, pulling Wren into a hug, Daryl wrapped his arms around us.

   I walked over to Alden and pulled him in for a hug. "I'm so sorry. I tried to keep her alive" I whispered to him. "It's anything but your fault Jo, I know you tried. Thank you" Alden mumbled, hugging me tighter.

***

   We stayed at the Kingdom to help them. The pipes in the basement kept breaking, to the point there was no fixing it. We helped the King pack up everything they had and lead their people to Hilltop. I sent Wren home with some of our people before, she was with Judith.

   Daryl walked beside me on my horse. It was freezing outside and soon it would snow. We noticed walkers walking in the field beside us and everyone was on guard making sure it wasn't Alpha. "Is that them? Are your people watching us now?" Alden asked Lydia.

   "Alden, enough. Please" I said to him. He sighed and had his horse trot up ahead. Daryl moved up to Carol and I trotted up to the King, seeing his glare at Daryl.

   "He's married, Ezekiel" I smiled, showing him my wedding ring. "I know that, but the way they look at each other lately worries me" he replied. "He looks at her like a sister, she looks at him like a brother. They have since Atlanta. Daryl hated everyone including her back then, but he protected the hell out of her. I know my husband" I said.

   The storm kicked in and we needed to find shelter soon. The Sanctuary was the closest place. So that's where we ducked into for the night. "I still fucking hate this place" I mumbled.

   We did what we could to keep everyone warm for the night. Daryl sat on a rug on the floor and motioned for me to come sit with him. I took the big ass blanket I had on, off and wrapped it around Daryl before sitting between his legs. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tighly.

   "I love you" I whispered to him. "I love you too babygirl" he mumbled into my neck.

   The plan was to walk through Alpha's land, but at dark so they couldn't see us.  We needed to cross a river, but in order to do so we couldn't take the wagons with. So we set out on foot.

   When we got to the river Daryl checked the ice before anyone else crossed it. There were half frozen walkers popping up out of the snow. We took them out quickly while the others crossed the river. I grabbed children and quickly crossed the river, Ezekiel did the same.

   By morning we made it to Hilltop safe and sound. We settled in for the night and got everyone settled. "We'll go home to Wrennie in the morning" I said to Daryl. "Definitely. We'll take whoever else with us" he replied. When we got home the next morning Judith, RJ, and Wren ran to greet us at the door.