ꜰᴏᴏʟ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ || ᴛᴡᴅ

130: ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴏʟᴅ-ꜰᴀꜱʜɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀ ʙᴏʏ

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The Commonwealth soldiers had already overstayed their welcome, to Danny. And when the walkers attacked Hilltop, he was grateful for the stress relief.

But, of course, they had to ruin that, too.

They were here to convince Maggie to join them, like Alexandria. If Hilltop joined them, so did Oceanside. But Danny had seen the Commonwealth. What would they want with Hilltop, Alexandria and Oceanside? He understood wanting to help. He also understood no one wanted to 'just help' anymore. They all wanted something. 

He was honestly frightened of what the Commonwealth might want with them. What they might do. The fact that he didn't know was scary. The fact that they were split up was scary. Everything was very scary without Sami, though. Danny didn't mind admitting that, even at his age. He didn't want them all to be spit up. He wanted to live with his brother and his people, and be okay.

He didn't hear the bullets, as they tore through the large group of walkers, the soldiers standing in a line behind them. He didn't even see the bullets. But he felt it, as it flew through the air, and skimmed his cheekbone.

It was hard, and honestly agony, making him stumble back, hand to his face as blood gathered on it, and Maggie rushed forward, pulling his hand away from the wound to look at it.

"Come on." She said, and hurried towards Hilltop.

It was quite a blur. Danny had been hurt before. Lots of times. It was just the world they lived in. But never like this. 

He felt the sting of stitches, which he wasn't sure he'd felt before. He saw lots of people talking to him, worried faces at first, but then it 

Once they knew he was okay, and had bandaged the side of his face, Lydia, Dianne, and Maggie began talking about the soldiers. What they'd do. 

"Imagine not having to go out every time that alarm goes off." Dianne said, crossing her arms as she looked at Danny, who was sitting on a crate outside the walls of Hilltop, Maggie crouched in front of him.

"We could keep working." Lydia agreed, standing beside Dianne. "No more starts and stops."

"I know there's a lot to consider, but I mean . . . look around. We need this. Even if we get a few nicks here and there."

'Easy for you to say.' Danny signed, but Dianne didn't catch it, only Lydia, who chuckled.

Maggie nodded. "I know."

As Mercer yelled and the pair walked off, Danny followed Maggie's gaze to look at Daryl, as he lifted the walker bodies and dumped them in a pile with soldiers. 

Mercer, the leader, walked over to Daryl, whispering something to him.

Maggie instantly turned to look at Danny.

'They're always watching.' he signed what he thought Mercer had said, and then pointed towards teh largest of the tents, erected for the Prime Minister, or whatever they called her. Pamela Milton. The leader, anyway. 

She looked too clean, too well groomed. Her hair was perfect, bright orange pants and grey vest too clean. She even wore makeup. It reminded Danny of his mother. 

And she was walking over. 

"Never a dull moment here, is there?" She asked, as Danny and Maggie stood, his face now clean.

"Mm. We try." Maggie squinted through the sun at her. 

"You okay?" Hornsby, Pamela's second in command, looked at Danny. "Looks like you've got it under control."