ꜰᴏᴏʟ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ || ᴛᴡᴅ

110: ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ

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Sami walked through the woods with Daryl, for what felt like the hundredth time.

They were near an old hospital, where all of their people were. They'd abandoned the settlements, making it look like the people of Alexandria ran to Oceanside, and were planning a trap for the remaining Whisperers, as scouts found Beta had built up another hoard, and was marching towards them. 

While Alden and Aaron were keeping an eye on the herd, Daryl and Sami were making sure no one got near the hospital. If any lone whisperers appeared, they'd take them out. 

"Weird." Daryl grunted as they walked. "Being on the run like this, barely scraping by . . . reminds me of the old gang."

"What, before Alexandria?" Sami asked, glancing at his wrist. It felt bare without the rosary beads.

"Yeah. Seems like ages, now. You've got an entire kid."

Sami hadn't thought back to how things were. Yeah, he'd thought of before, but not quite how much they had lost. Looking at Daryl now, he realized just how much had happened. He'd first met Daryl when he'd handcuffed his brother to a roof, and Daryl almost killed him for it. Now, he probably meant almost as much, if not more, to Daryl that Merle ever had. He'd certainly saved him more times. 

But that was such a large group. Those who made it to the CDC. And every one of them, aside from Daryl, Carol, Sami, Danny and Rachel were dead. All of them. 

"Weird to think about." Sami said, feeling a familiar heavy feeling in his chest at the thought of Lori Grimes. "So many dead."

"Nah. You don't think of that." Daryl glanced around for signs of walkers. "That group, right at the start? Even with your Spanish, we could'a done anything."

"We did. I mean, it's just who we are, now, but then? The killing and . . . it was harder. Meant more."

Daryl was quiet for a minute. "Wonder what your place is like. From before."

"Hate to think of my rabbits. I left them with a friend, she'd already put her life on the line for pets, but . . . " He shrugged. 

Daryl scoffed. "You had rabbits?"

"Yeah. Two. Got them when I was . . . ten or something. Papa got them for me, since they're smaller than dogs. They're really good pets." 

"They were probably made into stew."

"Daryl, I'll kill you, stop." Sami thought for a moment. "Honestly, I'd probably not have to kill so many people there. Head out to some lake or some shit that Papa used to bring me to, just live there."

"And die."

"Probably. But it'd be okay by then. I didn't have many people to fight for."

Daryl glanced at him. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you decided to kidnap Danny and got stuck here. Otherwise I'd be wandering these woods on my own and not have you trailing after me like Dog."

"Always down to be Dog's replacement, everyone loves him and Apollo." 

They were quiet for a moment, before Sami spoke again. 

"I'm glad I didn't see home fall apart. I never knew anything here. There isn't anything to miss. I can just pretend that America's always been this fucked."

"Yeah, it hasn't changed much." 

They heard the sound of a sword going through something, and followed the noise, seeing Judith stabbing a walker in the head.