ꜰᴏᴏʟ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ || ᴛᴡᴅ

ᴇᴘɪʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

●～●～●～●～●

Rosita and Coco were buried together. Coco was killed by her father before she could turn. It's what they would have wanted. Sami left two days later. 

The Commonwealth was built up. They had the supplies to rebuild the estates, only much better, so that there was no 'better house'. There was a memorial to those lost. Rosita. Luke. Jules. Coco. Rachel. 

Daryl looked for Sami, the same way he looked for Rick. But he left no trace of where he went, what he was doing. The only sign he was alive was the things that they'd find around the communities. Sometimes it would be radios and old circuitry for Eugene. Teddy bears were almost always there. Sometimes it would be books for Danny. 

Alexandria and Hilltop were rebuilt, everything now owned and Governed by Sami's people. All helping each other. Thousands of people, now. Working together to keep each other alive. Free to go from one place to another. All protected. 

Once things were calmer again, Maggie would go out with Daryl, looking for Sami. They'd stay at the spots where he'd leave things for them, but he either saw them and left or never had anything to give, as he never showed up. Even his tracks vanished after a meter or two, Daryl having taught him too well how to hide. 

Danny went between the communities, trying to keep himself busy. It felt everything had fallen apart. He hated everyone for moving on from his brother and Rachel. For not finding Sami. The first three weeks, they'd thought that Danny went with him, but he was just out looking. Daryl thought he was tracking the two of them, but then found Danny alone, and convinced him to come home.

It felt that things shouldn't run without Sami. It felt like he'd died with Rosita and Coco. Like someone else was collecting teddy bears and leaving them outside the walls. Sami and his family had died, together. They were all buried together at the graves that Danny spend his mornings beside. That's  where they would remain. He couldn't face the fact that Sami was actually still alive, somewhere, doing something. Thinking. Just as alive as he'd always been.

Daryl came to Danny with the plan, first. That he'd leave, for a long time. Just him and his bike. He'd find Sami. He'd find Michonne. He'd find Rick. Bring them all home.  Danny wanted to go with him, but Daryl said someone had to watch Judith. Someone who's been there from the start. 

Everyone from the start was dead, now. Lori, Beth, T-Dog. All that was left now was Danny, Carol and Daryl. Now just Danny and Carol.

Danny brought Judith and RJ out to the gate to bid Daryl farewell, on the anniversary of Rosita and Coco's death, Ezekiel with him.

"You be good, alright?" Daryl tapped RJ's hat. 

"I'll keep an eye on Dog." Judith said, smiling up at him. "Danny says he can live with us and Apollo."

Daryl hugged her. "Keep an eye on Danny and Carol, too, will ya?" He pulled away. "If I find anything, see anything, I'll find the three of them and bring them home. Alright?"

She nodded. "Uncle Daryl? You deserve a happy ending, too."

"Will be once I get Sam.  We'll be back."

"I know."

Daryl hugged Ezekiel, saying goodbye to him, before hugging Danny. "Be good."

He nodded, and pulled away. 'I put something in your bag.'

"Better not be something big and useless."

"It's not." He thought for a moment. "Make sure you come home, too. I don't want to lose you both."

"You won't." Daryl ruffled his hair, something he'd fallen into the habit of doing in the past year. "Love ya, kid. We'll be back."

"Love you, too." 

"Just make sure you and Joel don't get married or some shit while I'm gone."

Danny shook his head. 

"Oh, don't." Carol hit Daryl's arm. "I think they're cute together."

"We don't need to talk about this." Danny signed. 

Daryl sniggered. "I'll keep my jokes for when I get back. And both of us 'll be back."

As Danny stood atop of the gate, watching Daryl ride off down the road, he couldn't help but feel more lonely than ever. After everything - all the people he's killed, all the people Sami killed for him - everything, he was just as he was the morning before Sami saved him from Grace. 

Alone, looking out at the green trees, wishing someone would come and save him. wishing someone would have his back. Wishing someone would protect him.

No one would ever stay. It was about time he accepted that he wasn't enough for anyone to stay or live for. But he still wanted to see them safe. 

But here he was. Alone. Scared. And once again, abandoned. 

Sami's story continues in 'White Noise', currently up on my profile 

thank you so much for reading!! Let me know what you think of the characters and where they're going and things you'd have done differently!