We're The Ones Who Live | The Walking Dead (2)

Part 15 - The Fair

"Open the gate!"

On arriving at the Kingdom, Kelly was already sprinting over to hug Connie with Magna, Yumiko and Luke following right after. The others all climbed off the trailer, smiling as they were greeted by their friends.

CJ stood back and smiled softly as she watched Carol and Ezekiel embrace Henry, making him promise to never run away again. Carol spotted Daryl and rushed over to hug him too.

Ezekiel saw CJ and jogged over to hug her. She bit back wincing with pain, wanting to ignore her injuries for a minute and just be happy to have made it.

"Clara-Jane. It has been far too long since your last visit," the King smiled.

"It really has," CJ sighed as they pulled away. "This place looks incredible, Ezekiel."

People were crowed all over the town, where decorations and banners and stalls were set up like a real fair from the old world. Everyone looked happy, communities were finally starting to reunite and rebuild.

"Rick and Carl would have loved to see all this," she whispered, smiling sadly.

"We do this in their honour," Ezekiel stated proudly. "We lost our bridge, but we did not lose our way to one another. All this..." he gestured around the town. "Only proves that to be true."

Michonne hopped off the trailer with Judith, walking around to see everyone and smiling faintly.

"Michonne," Ezekiel grinned.

"I was in the neighbourhood," Michonne coyly shrugged.

Carol looked almost tearful when she approached the small group, her eyes landing on the girl in Ricks' old hat. "Judith?" she questioned in a whisper, chuckling when Michonne smiled and nodded. "Do you remember us?"

"I've been drawing pictures of you since I was little," Judith replied. "You're Carol, and you're the King."

Ezekiel and Carol shared a bright smile, still over the moon that Michonne had decided to come over despite all the previous rejections.

"Your hair got really long," Judith smiled at Carol.

"It did," Carol laughed, playing with the ends of her long, grey hair.

"The plan was to bring Henry."

The group all turned around at the stern voice, seeing Tara glaring at Lydia. She looked over at Daryl and CJ expecting an answer, which neither of them gave.

CJ lowered her voice as she addressed Ezekiel. "Gather up all the leaders. We have a lot to talk about."

**********

It didn't take long for Carol to go around the town and gather the leaders from every community. The meeting between them all was held in the church. Michonne, CJ and Gabriel spoke for Alexandria. Carol and Ezekiel were or course there for the Kingdom. Tara stood for the Hilltop, and a younger woman, Rachel, spoke for Oceanside. Judith, Henry and Lydia were sat in the seats in the front row.

Daryl was sat on the edge of the stage, listening to what they all had to say. He may have had a home in Alexandria, but he floated between all communities and knew more about the whole Alpha situation than anyone else. Everyone else was stood around a table in the centre stage, and Michonne asked if she could start the conversation, which they all agreed to.

"I know I haven't always seen eye-to-eye with everyone in this room," she began, a hint of guilt underlying her tone. "But I never stopped caring about any of you. I was just trying to protect my family and do right by my people. Alexandria's future is here. Together, with you... And I lost sight of that for a while, but I'm here now. We're here now.