Penance (Book One): Daryl Dixon x Sage Wilson

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Here we are, knelt down on our knees. My head throbs from the bludgeoned edges of the butt of a gun. My vision waves back and forth as I stare out into the green pasture.

"Sage!" Daryl calls out but my hearing sounded as though I was in a tunnel. I slowly blink as I look to the left of me, seeing Daryl struggle against the grip of one of the Governor's men.

"Let me go I'll fucking kill you!" Daryl yells.

"Daryl," I call out giving him a warning gaze.

I look to the other side of me, seeing someone I never expected to see.

"Her- Hershel?" I gasp. He looks to me, his Santa white features smiling. How did the Governor manage to capture him?

I look in front of me, seeing everyone in our group stare at us in pure horror. Maggie and Beth yell as they witness their father being put on their knees alongside us. Shane and Rick had a malicious look on their faces, while everyone else was just in utter shock.

"It doesn't have to be like this," Rick says gesturing his hand. "We can all live in harmony."

"It's too late for that, Rick." The Governor steps forward slowly, cocking his gun. I swallow as I look over to Daryl then back up at the Governor.

"You don't have to do this, there's a way." I plead as I feel my cheeks flush with rage.

He smiles down at me, an evil smile. One that did not indicate any sort of remorse. He liked this. He loved the power. He was as scum as scum gets.

Suddenly, I feel a cloth pull to my mouth, prohibiting me to speak. I look over to Daryl as I panic, seeing he was getting the same treatment. I then look over to Hershel, who doesn't have any gag.

I alarmingly look up to the Governor as he slowly makes his way over to Hershel, bearing a large sword in hand.

"Hershel!" I yell through the cloth the best I can.

He slowly turns to me, his old man smile wand and reassuring. Looking into the Governor's eyes, I knew the outcomes of this.

"Please, there's a way." Rick calls over the fence.

"You stole my men!" He calls out.

"We can all live here, we have great walls. Stable food." Rick reassures.

I look back to the Governor, seeing his serious expression turn into a mischievous smirk.

"Never," he whispers.

Suddenly, the blade cuts through the air and into Hershel's neck. Blood flies everywhere, and the screams from behind the fence radiates through the fields. My ears begin to ring and all I feel is the rage boil to my blood. I hear Daryl struggle behind me, and at the last second I felt every muscle in my body lose control.

I feel tears pour from my eyes as my body shakes.

The blade flies into his neck one more time, coming cleanly off and rolling onto the ground. His body flops over, the men laughing.

I lift my chin, the gag falling to my neck and the binds on my wrist loosen for me to wiggle out.

"Fuck you!" I yell.

I stand up, lunging towards the Governor as Rick yells and fired bullets through thin air. My body flies into his, slamming him onto the ground.

My fists fly into his face uncontrollably, and he swings back causing me to fly off of him.

"Kill her!" A man yells. I feel hands on me trying to grab me, but I swing my head back.

I look behind me, seeing Daryl swing into several of his guards. Bullets were flying into bodies left and right, dropping like flies. I take cover behind a truck, pulling a handgun off of a dead man.

Suddenly, a figure crouches beside me.

"Daryl?" I breathe. He looks at me panting, a distraught look in his eyes.

He nods at me, his hand cupping my cheek as his thumb wipes away a stray tear.

"Head up, stay alert. I can't lose you too."

I nod, sniffing. "Yeah. Yeah."

"Let's kill these fuckers."

We both stand up, shooting at the men who are shooting at the prison. I didn't see the Governor anywhere; so I hoped he was dead. That, or he got away.

Fuck.

I breathe in as I look at Hershel, his body slightly twitching. It was as though I could feel my heart tighten and clench around my sternum. Like my body was attacking itself.

I close my eyes, looking to Daryl as we both book it towards the gate. We run in zigzags, trying to avoid the spray of bullets. Rick and Glenn rush to the gates, sliding the latch open as we both dive inside.

"Take cover! We got them!" Glenn yells.

I look up at the sky from the ground, watching the cloudy sky laugh at me. Where Hershel hopefully was now.

I look over to Beth and Maggie, both on the concrete ground and profusely crying as they hang onto the fence.

My Ava. I need you to be alive. I can't take any more loss. I will find you.