Fighting for our Future {TWD Daryl Dixon}

76: Okay, Okay, We're Counting

I got in the car with my father again after all the speeches were done so we could start traveling to the Sanctuary. Taking out the Saviors will not be an easy task. Lives will be lost, and if I lose mine than at least I know that I went out with a purpose.

While dad was driving, I glanced his was every once in a while wondering what he meant by 'After this, I'm following the both of you'. I get why he would say something like that to Maggie, but to me?

"Bug, if you think any harder, smoke is gonna start coming out of your ears." Dad laughed at me while looking behind us to make sure everyone is still following us with their armoured vehicles. "Worried about today, the fight?"

"No." I shook my head at his question. Maybe I should be more worried, but I know everything will turn out okay. We will beat the Saviors. Maybe we won't get all of them today, but we'll get most of them. "What did you mean when you said that you'll be following Maggie and I once this is all over?"

Dad glanced at me for a moment  before putting his eyes back on the road. "I gotta start figuring some stuff out. I won't be around forever, and with the world how it is, we're not guaranteed tomorrow."

"What does that have to do with me?" I questioned curiously. "I mean yeah, I'll miss you when you die many years from now, but I guess I just don't understand why you said what you did."

"Well, I might not always be around to lead Alexandria. I have to figure out someone who can fill that role, and I have figured out who that is."  He told me calmly. I started frowning immediately because I already knew what he was going to say. "You."

"No. Just no."

"Nora, I believe in you." Dad spoke boldly as if he were proud. "I know you don't believe in yourself, but our whole community believes in you."

"I am not meant to lead." I argued with him while crossing my arms. "Isn't there someone else that is better suited for this job? All I do is make dumb-ass decisions. You could pick Michonne, Daryl, Carl, hell even Judith would do a better job than me."

Dad shook his head at me. "I want it to be you. When I first started leading our group, back in Atlanta, before finding you, I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't ask to lead these people, it just sort of happened. I've made good decisions and bad, but every decision I have made has been for the good of our people. And I know if anyone will carry that out, it's you."

"People won't want to follow me-"

"They already do." Dad cut me off. "Our people have been listening to you ever since the Prison. Maybe you haven't seen it, but I have. The respect everyone in our community has for you...." He started trailing off. "Look, I'm not asking you to take over right away. But I want to start working with you more and start getting you ready for when that day comes."

I groaned. "Do I even get a say?"

"No, you don't." Dad's voice was firm. "'Cause I know you're the best person for the job."

"Fine, I guess." I would love to lead our people, to even be half as good of a leader as my father has been, but I know that will never happen. If Dad wants to work with me though, I'm not gonna tell him no, he'll be disappointed enough in me once he realized he made a mistake. "When we're out there today, I'll act like a leader. You'll get the final say obviously, but if you are so hellbent on making me the next leader, then I guess today will be your sneak peak of what that will look like."

"Alright, but if I tell you to do something, you do it." He narrowed his eyes at me in a serious way. "No questions asked, I say it, you do it. I know you hate listening to others but today, you're gonna."