Catch Fire | Daryl Dixon

CHANGES

Kennedy's POV

The first flakes of snow fell quietly, a soft reminder that winter was officially here. But for me, the cold had settled in long before now, deep in my bones, somewhere in my chest that felt tight all the time. Willow, who used to love watching the snow, now barely seemed to notice as we walked through the yard. Her hand was clutching mine, her eyes fixed on the ground, dragging her feet like she was weighed down with something far heavier than the tiny body she was in.

At night, it was worse. She'd crawl into my bed, her little arms wrapping around me tightly, begging me to stay awake while she slept. And I did. I stayed awake long enough to make sure she fell into some kind of sleep, though it wasn't restful for either of us. She'd jolt awake from nightmares, crying and shaking, and I'd hold her, whispering that she was safe, that I wouldn't let anyone hurt her. But my words felt empty, even to me.

The past week had been a blur of sleepless nights, of trying to balance being a leader and a mother, and honestly, I wasn't sure which one I was worse at these days.

Willow had become my shadow. She followed me around Hilltop, even when I was supposed to be talking to the council or addressing the community. She needed to be with me, and I understood that, but it made leading nearly impossible. Earl had been particularly vocal, pushing for answers about what we were going to do after losing so many people at the border. I wanted to give him those answers; I wanted to stand up and say I had a plan. Hell, I wanted to go out there and find Alpha myself, take her out. But I couldn't. I couldn't leave Willow, and I couldn't start a war in the middle of this brutal winter. The snow was starting to come down harder, and it was only going to get worse.

But no one else seemed to care about that. All they wanted were answers. And I didn't have any.

It was a particularly cold night. The wind howled outside, and the snow piled up against the windows, adding to the chill already settling in my bones. Hilltop felt like a fortress on the verge of collapse, both physically and mentally. Every day it felt like I was drowning a little more. The grief was still fresh, and every time someone asked me what to do, I felt like an imposter, like I was failing. I kept telling myself I could handle it, that I had to, but the truth was, I was exhausted. Completely spent.

And Willow... God, I could see it in her eyes. She was breaking too.

That night, she refused to sleep in her own bed again. She crawled into mine, as she had every night since we returned from the Kingdom, her tiny body shaking like a leaf. I wrapped my arms around her, doing everything I could to make her feel safe. But it never felt like enough.

"Mommy..." Willow's voice was soft, barely a whisper. She buried her face into my chest, her little hands gripping the fabric of my shirt as if she were afraid to let go. "I don't wanna stay here."

I blinked, feeling my heart tighten in my chest. "Willow, baby... We can't leave. This is our home."

She shook her head, squeezing me tighter. "I don't wanna stay here anymore... I don't want them to find me."

I felt the familiar burn of tears behind my eyes, but I swallowed them down. I had to stay strong for her. "I know it's scary. But we'll be okay. I'm here, and I won't let anything happen to you."

She looked up at me with those big blue eyes, and I could see the fear in them. "But you're always busy. You have to be in charge, and everyone always needs you. What if... what if they take me again?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I tried to find the right thing to say, but nothing came out. She was right. I was stretched too thin. I was barely managing to be a leader, let alone a mother.