Ephemeral - Alia Dixon

15

The next day we all get ready to go to Hilltop. Turns out, Rick was on board and wants to kill Negan now. Allen was right. I don't know if I'm happy about it right now or not though. A lot of people are going to die and I don't want that. I don't want to loose anymore people but if it means that I'll get Negan's head, I'll take my chance. 

I grin as we walk up to Hilltop, spotting Maggie on the lookout point. 
"You okay?" Rick asks as they open the gates and we walk inside. He hugs Maggie tight.
"I'm okay. The babies okay, all of us" Maggie says.
"You were right, right from the start. You told us to get ready to fight. I didn't listen and I couldn't. I  can't now" Rick says before our eyes shift to two other people. 
My jaw drops and tears start welling immediately. I look over at Allen with a smile and see him crying as well before we start running.
"Dad!" we both shout loudly as we run up to him. We both jump into his arms as he hugs us tightly. I sob into my father's chest as he holds me to his chest as tight as he can.
"Are you okay?" Allen asks him and he nods before hugging us even tighter.
"I missed you, dad" I say with a smile as he wipes a few tears out of my face. 
"I missed you, too" he says as we all start laughing. He still looks awful but at least we have him back now. I take a step back and take off the jacket.
"Keep it" he says and I shake my head. I hand it to him.
"This is yours. I don't want it" I say with a grin, watching as he takes it before putting it on. "You look good"
"I know" he states, making me and my brother laugh, as well as Rick who's walking up to us now. I stand aside, watching as the two of them hug. My father never said anything about it but I know that my dad sees Rick like a brother. Maybe even more than Merle. They hug tightly before Daryl talkes out Rick's gun. I smile as they exchange it, Rick smiling for a split second. I take my time and walk over, hugging Maggie and Sasha too.

Rick then turns and starts walking towards the house, all of us following him. We walk straight into Gregory's office without even knocking.
"We need to talk" Rick says and I can see Gregory already freaking out on the inside. "We are going to fight the Saviors and you are going to help us"
"No! No way in hell! That was not the deal. You people swore you could takr the Saviors out, and you failed. So any arrangement we had is now done - null and void, alright? We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met. We don't know eachother. I owe you nothing. In fact you owe me, for taking in the refugees at great personal risk"
"Oh, you were very brave staying in here while Maggie and Sasha saved this place. Your courage is inspiring" Jesus says.
"Hey, don't you work for me? Aren't we friends?" Gregory says annoyedly.
"Gregory, we already started this" Rick says.
"You started it"
"We did. And we're gonna win"
"These are killers"
"Is this how you want to live?" Rick asks him. "Under their thumb, killing your people?"
"S-Sometimes we don't get to choose what our life looks like. Sometimes, Ricky, you have to count the blessings you have"
"How many people can we spare?" Maggie asks. "How many people here can fight?"
"We? I don't even know how many people we have, Margaret. And does it even matter? I mean, w-w-what are you gonna do? Start a platoon of sorghum farmers? 'Cause that's what we got. They grow things. They're not gonna want to fight"
"You're wrong. When people have the chance to do the right thing, they usually step up" Tara says. "I mean, let me just-"
"Let me stop before you break into song, okay?" Gregory says and I roll my eyes annoyedly. "By the way, who would train all this cannon fodder?"
"I will". "Give me a week" Sasha and Rosita say at the same time, causing me to grin.
"Rhetorical, okay?" Gregory sings. "I don't want to know and I don't want to hear another word about any of it, ever."
"Would we be better off without the Saviors, yes or no?" Rick says loudly.
"Yeah. Sure. Okay"
"So, what will you do to fix the problem?" Michonne asks.
"I didn't say we had a problem. You did. And what happens outside my purview is outside of my purview"
"What the hell, man?" my dad says, stepping forward. "You either with us or you ain't. You're sitting over there talking out of both sides of your mouth"
"Well, I-I think I've made my position very clear. And I want to thank all of you for not being here today and not having this meeting with me or- or being seen on your way out. In other words, get out the back"
Rick makes a notion for us all to walk out so we do. I'm boiling with rage but keep quiet.
"We don't need him anyway" my dad states.
"That's right. Because we have Sasha, Maggie and Jesus here"
"And Enid" Maggie says and we all look to the front door, watching her walk inside.
"Come outside" she says happily and we all do. The Hilltopers are standing outside, waiting for us.
"What's going on?" Maggie asks and a woman steps up.
"Hey. So, if you don't remember, I'm Bertie. And I owe my life to you all, twice over. A bunch of us do. Enid says that you want Gregory to get us to fight the Saviors with you. Is that true?"
"Yes"
"Do you think we can win, that we really could beat them? Us?"
"I do" Maggie says and the woman takes a deep breath.
"Well, Enid says you could show us the way. I'm  ready"
Everyone starts chirping in, saying they want to help, making me smile.