Catch Fire | Daryl Dixon

whispers

Kennedy's POV

The plan was set. In the end, it had been Glenn who came up with the idea; a meeting of all the communities, showing Rick just how many people were against his decision to keep Negan alive. The hope was that if Rick could see the overwhelming opposition, maybe he'd back down, and then we could deal with Negan once and for all. It was a long shot, but it was the best shot we had at avoiding more bloodshed.

Daryl and I were heading to Oceanside to talk to Cyndie and her people. They'd been on the outskirts of everything for a while, keeping to themselves, but we needed them now more than ever. If we could convince them to stand with us, to voice their dissent, it might just tip the scales in our favor.

It was a big trip, and we'd be gone for at least two days, maybe more if things didn't go as planned. I'd spent most of the day preparing for it, making sure everything was in place before we left. I'd prepared multiple bottles of milk for Willow, just in case we were delayed. It was the first time she wouldn't have either me or Daryl with her, and the thought of it gnawed at me, but I knew she was in good hands.

Glenn and Tara would be watching her, and while they were both more than capable, I could see the nervousness in their eyes when I handed Willow over. It wasn't just about taking care of her; it was the weight of the responsibility, the knowledge that this little life was the most important thing in our world. But I trusted them. I had to.

"Don't worry," I said, giving Glenn a reassuring smile as he cradled Willow in his arms. "She's in good hands with you two."

Tara nodded, trying to look confident, though I could see the anxiety lurking just beneath the surface. "We've got this," she said, more to herself than to me. "We'll take good care of her."

I placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "I know you will. Just... keep her safe. We'll be back before you know it."

Daryl stood beside me, his eyes on Willow, a hint of worry creasing his brow. He'd been quieter than usual all day, the weight of what we were about to do hanging heavy on him. I knew he wasn't thrilled about leaving Willow either, but like me, he understood what was at stake.

"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to step back. "We should get going."

Glenn nodded, giving me a small smile. "Drive safe. We'll see you when you get back."

With one last glance at Willow, I turned and headed for the car, Daryl right behind me. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over Hilltop as we climbed into the vehicle. I slid into the driver's seat, adjusting the mirrors out of habit, trying to push the worry out of my mind.

Daryl settled into the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. I could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken worries that neither of us wanted to voice. But as I started the engine and pulled out of Hilltop, leaving the safety of those walls behind, I knew we couldn't avoid talking about it forever.

The road stretched out before us, long and winding, with the promise of a long night ahead. I focused on driving, the rhythmic hum of the tires against the pavement a steady backdrop to my thoughts. For a while, we just sat in silence, the weight of everything we'd been through and everything still to come pressing down on us.

It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, though. It was the kind of silence that came from knowing someone so well that words weren't always necessary. We didn't need to fill the space with idle chatter; just being together was enough.

After what felt like an hour, Daryl finally broke the silence, his voice low and thoughtful. "You think Oceanside's gonna go for it?"

I glanced over at him, then back at the road. "I don't know," I admitted. "They've kept to themselves for so long, but they've got every reason to want Negan dead just as much as we do. If we can convince them that standing with us is their best shot at that... maybe they'll join us."