Catch Fire | Daryl Dixon

TO KINGDOM COME

Kennedy's POV

Negan and the Saviors finally left, their trucks rumbling away, leaving behind a scene of chaos and despair. The community was in shock, standing around in disbelief at the violence and destruction that had just occurred. Spencer's body lay lifeless on the street, his guts spilling out, a gruesome reminder of Negan's brutal power.

Rick moved with a heavy heart, kneeling beside Spencer's corpse. With a swift motion, he plunged his knife into Spencer's skull to prevent him from reanimating. The act was quick, but the weight of it lingered in the air. Rick stood, his eyes scanning the crowd, taking in the devastation and the fear etched on everyone's faces.

Rosita was crying, tears streaming down her face as she blamed herself for Olivia's death and Eugene being taken. "This is my fault," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "Olivia's dead because of me, and Eugene... Eugene is gone."

Carl approached the group, holding Judith tightly in his arms. His face was a mixture of anger and sorrow, his single eye glinting with determination. Glenn came over to me, his face filled with urgency.

"Did you get it done?" he asked, his voice low but intense.

Rick's head snapped towards us. "What are you talking about?"

I nodded at Glenn. "Jesus is on it."

Rick stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "On what?"

Glenn's patience snapped. "We're going to get Daryl back. We're going to fight. The plan is already in motion."

Rick's face contorted with anger. "What? You went behind my back? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? How reckless--"

Before he could continue, Sasha stepped forward. "Rick, we need to tell you something. Daryl escaped. He's at the Hilltop. Rosita and I just came from there."

The news hit me like a wave, a flood of relief washing over me. I turned to Glenn, and we hugged tightly, both of us overjoyed that Daryl was safe.

As we embraced, Michonne arrived, her face resolute. She moved to stand beside Rick, her voice firm. "Glenn's right, Rick. We have to fight back. You said it yourself. We're the ones who get things done. We're the ones who live. That's why we have to fight. For Judith, for Carl, for Alexandria, for the Hilltop, for all of us."

Rick looked at Michonne, the conflict in his eyes clear. He wanted to protect us, to keep us safe, but he also knew we couldn't live under Negan's thumb forever.

"We can fight them, Rick," Michonne continued. "We can find a way to beat them. We can do this."

Rick looked around at all of us, the weight of his leadership heavy on his shoulders. Finally, he nodded, a reluctant agreement in his eyes. "Alright," he said quietly. "We fight."

A sense of unity began to form among us, a shared determination to stand against the terror that Negan brought into our lives. It wasn't going to be easy, and the road ahead was fraught with danger, but for the first time in a long while, we had a glimmer of hope. We would fight for our freedom, for our loved ones, and for a future where we no longer had to live in fear.

---

We stood together in the cold, the ground still freshly turned over Spencer and Olivia's graves. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the weight of our grief. We had lost so much, but now, we had a glimmer of hope. Daryl was free, and we had a plan to fight back.

As we prepared to head to Hilltop, the tension was palpable. We divided into two cars. Rick drove one, with Michonne and Carl, while I took the other. Glenn sat beside me in the passenger seat, with Rosita, Sasha, and Tara in the back. The weight of what lay ahead pressed down on all of us, but we were united in our resolve.