Survive - Daryl Dixon - Follow The Plot Fanfic

Sixteen

The next morning, we're all sat in complete and utter boredom, Daryl and I found something to pass the time, he is sat a little away from me, cleaning and doing maintenance on his crossbow while I clean and check the guns of the people that are doing other bits of work, like cleaning up the remains of the previous fire.

Just as I finish cleaning one of the guns Maggie and Sasha return with a stranger. The atmosphere immediately changes as we all grab our weapons, pointing them at him. Daryl rushes over and pats this new guy down to make sure he's clear while I go outside and look around the full perimeter to make sure he wasn't followed.

"This is Aaron. We met him outside. He's by himself. We took his weapons, and we took his gear." Maggie explains before giving a nod to Aaron.

"Hi." He announces, his hands up. "Its nice to meet you." Just as he goes to step forward in, what looks like, an effort to shake Ricks hand, I place my hand on his chest to stop him, my hand on my knife, being the only person to not fully draw my weapon.

"Was there something you need?" Rick asks, rhetorically.

"He has a camp nearby, he wants us to audition for membership." Sasha retells the story, looking at Rick.

"I wish there was another word. 'Audition' make it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe. But that's only on Friday nights." He smiles a little and I do too, I have a good feeling about this guy, but that doesn't mean I trust him with my family. 

"Um, and it's not a camp, its a community. And I think you all would make valuable additions. But that's not my call. My job is to convince you all to follow me back home. I know, If I were you, I wouldn't go either. Not until I knew exactly what I was getting into. In the front pocket of my backpack, there's an envelope." He slowly lowers his hands to rest in front of him as Rick opens his back and takes out the envelope.

"There's no way I could convince you to come with me just by talking about our community, that's why I brought those. I apologise in advance for the picture quality, we just found and old camera store an-"

"Nobody gives a shit." Daryl interrupts and I give him a look.

"Play nice, he hasn't actually done anything wrong yet." My voice soft and gentle.

"No, he's... absolutely, one hundred percent right." He smiles at me softly and turns back to Rick. "That's the first picture I wanted to show you. Because nothing I say about our community will matter, unless you know you'll be safe. If you join us, you will be. Each panel in that wall is a fifteen foot high, twelve foot wide slab of solid steel. Framed by cold-rolled steel beams, and square tubing. Nothing, alive or dead, gets through that without our say so. Like I said, security is obviously important, in fact there's only one recourse more critical to our communities survival. The people. Together, we're strong. You can make us even stronger. The next picture you'll see inside the gates. Our community was first constructe-"

Aaron is quickly interrupted with a punch to the face from Rick. He falls to the floor with a loud thud. 

After a day and a night of a lot of interrogation, no trust, so safety, no alone time, scouting, anxiety, worry, judgement, endless travel and one injured ankle, we're starting to get close to the destination. 

I'm sat in the RV talking with Aaron and Eric with Daryl sat right next to me, his arm around my waist and his hand rested possessively on my hip.

"You know, I'll be able to tell if this community of yours isn't to be trusted before I even step foot in there." I state confidently, smiling a little.

"Alright, you're on." Eric jokes.

"But how?" Aaron adds to his boyfriends silly remark.

"By listening. When we pulled up to Woodbury, I heard nothing, no talking, no gunfire, not a single sign of life, if you walked past those walls you'd have thought it abandoned. The same thing happened with Terminus. Silence. That, is how I will know."

Aaron smiles knowingly at me and nudges my knee with his foot, obviously getting more comfortable around me. "How long have you two been together?" He asks Daryl, who just looks at him.

"I'm sorry about him. He's really not the talkative type, at least not until he's certain you wont murder his family. He's the most protective out of all of us. We've been dating for around a year? Married for... a week? I'm not sure, time moves weirdly these days."

"Wow. Congratulations guys." Eric smiles softy at us.

"Thank you." I smile back and lean into Daryl's side.

We eventually pull up to the gates of Aarons community, which, I now know after a lot of conversations with Aaron on the travel down, to be called 'Alexandria'. 

When the RV stops moving, I push the window open and listen. Daryl places his hand on my knee, looking at me as I listen for any sounds. After a few moments of silence I smile when I hear the sounds of children's laughter and playing. 

Quickly getting out of the vehicle and looking at Aaron as I smile widely I mouth 'we need this' he simply smiles and mouths back, 'I know.'

Walking next to Daryl up to the gate, we all jump and pull our weapons as there's a loud rattle in the metal trash can next to us. When we see its just a Possum we all put down our weapons but Daryl shoots it and picks it up by the tail, turning back to the people stood at the, now open, gates to Alexandria.

Smiling a little, I joke, "We brought dinner." While gesturing to the dead Possum.

"Come on in guys." Aaron smiles and ushers us through the gates.

We all walk into the community and turn to look behind us as the gates slowly close.

"Before you go any further, I need you all to turn in your weapons." The guy that opened the gate states, looking at us all one by one.

"It's okay Nicholas. Let them talk to Deanna first." Aaron states.

"Who's Deanna?" Abraham asks while looking at Aaron.

"She knows everything there is to know about this place. Rick? Why don't you start?"