When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 113 - it's time

"Do you think they're ready?" Maggie asked as she took a stand beside Louise, who had her eyes trained on the archers. She'd been walking back and forth for an hour down the line, checking their stance, their grip and their line of site before she'd given them the nod to fire. The majority of them were ready, they'd done everything she'd asked of them.

After a second to think, she replied. "I think so. They're better than I've seen them and - Sal, a little higher - honestly, I think they've got a good shot with this"

Sal did a he was told, raised his bow a little and aimed. His bolt whipped through the air, gliding through like a knife in butter and lodged itself in the centre of his target.

Lou smiled at him. "Nice"

"You're good with this" Maggie said as everyone began to reload. When her friend looked at her confused, she continued. "Teaching them, you're really good at it"

"Nah, they're just quick learners. Put me in a room with a bunch of teenagers and I couldn't teach them shit" she said, a hint of humour behind her eyes.

With a smirk, Maggie replied. "I doubt that. You were mom, right? I've seen you with Carl, Lou, Henry...you're a natural. Pretty sure I'll be coming to you for help when this one shows up"

She rubbed her bloated belly fondly, not realising how her use of the word 'was' in her sentence almost broke Lou square in two. What she said was completely true but whether Hollie was still alive or not, she would always be a mother. It was just a shame she was a mother without her child.

"Don't worry" she tried to brush the thoughts from her mind. "When he or she is throwing a huge tantrum, I'll be sure to hand them back"

Maggie's smile almost reached her ears. "Sounds good to me" she turned her attention to her soldiers. "Alright guys, good job, go get something to eat. It's almost time"

"You should eat too" Lou offered as she began gathering the weapons. "I'll catch up, okay?"

The two nodded a goodbye as she dropped the bows inside their storage box. The sun was almost about to set on the horizon, casting an orange glow over everything in its path. Any other day she would've thought it beautiful but today, everything was on the line. It didn't matter how much she trained the members of the community; it mattered how they held up under the pressure.

Hopefully she'd done enough to help them.

"Hey, any word from Aaron and Waterside?" Jesus's voice broke her from her thoughts as he ran towards her.

"Nothing" she said. Her hand linked through the edge of the locked crate as she waited for him to lift the other side. To say there was over fifteen bows inside, it didn't weigh as much as she had expected it too and she lifted it with ease - though, Jesus was probably taking a lot of the weight his side.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon" he offered, knowing her mind must be running wild with the thoughts of what could've happened to her best friend.

Lou huffed. "He better. Or I'll drag him back myself"

"I don't doubt it for a second"

"Drop it here" she instructed, letting out a huff as she dropped the container on the soil at their feet. "Thanks"

Jesus wiped his hands on his jeans. "There's food in the hall, you should eat" when she didn't respond, he raised an eyebrow. "It's gonna be a long night, Lou. Go eat...please"

After an eyeroll, she sighed in defeat and followed him towards the delicious smell of grilled vegetables. She helped herself to a small plate and sat bedside him on a bench that was already occupied by Nicole and Enid, who were barely talking and looking at each other awkwardly every few seconds.

The two adults shared a look of amusement before he cleared his throat.

"Enid, how're you feeling?" He was met with a small hum. "Nic?" Another hum.

Lou fort the urge to smile at their teenage quarrel that was most likely to do with a recently deceased male that was partial to a sheriff hat.

"Listen, tonight is gonna be hectic, I want you to stay as far from the gunfire as possible. Help Siddiq with anyone who's injured in the medic tent alright?" Lou asked Nic, hoping that she'd listen to her rather than argue back. To her surprise, she did.

"That's fine" she said as she pushed a carrot around on her plate. Jesus raised an eyebrow at Lou. Lou huffed.

"Alright, what's going on girls?"

"Nothing" they both protested at the same time.

"Clearly it's not nothing because you're both acting like the food on your plate is poisoned" still no response so Lou tried her last resort. She said the words carefully, trying not to spook them like a hunter and its prey. "Is this about Carl?"

Nicole rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath. When Louise asked her to repeat what she said, she grumbled and spoke louder but quicker.

"Nothing, jeeze, you're such a nag" she wined as she flung her leg back over the chair and stormed off towards the Barrington House, Enid in tow.

Jesus scoffed on his laugh and covered his mouth as his friend's eyes went wide.

"Did I approach that wrong?"

"Probably"

She frowned and put her head in her hands. "I told Maggie I couldn't speak teenager"

After a mouthful of grilled beans, he shook his head. "I don't think anyone does"

"They should write a handbook..."

He pointed at her with his fork. "You should write one"

"Sure, how to piss off your teenager 101" she took her last bite, placed her plate on top of Nicole's empty one and took them back up to the counter where Carol was rising them off. When she turned around Jesus was behind her, offering his over too.

"All I'm saying is that teenagers are hard for other teenagers to understand. Too many hormones" he walked by her side towards the gates, where Maggie was deep in conversation with Michonne.

"I can't imagine you as a teenager..."

"Loner and gay...my parents weren't happy" he said, a small chuckle sounding after he'd finished. "You?"

"Knocked up college drop out"

He pursed his lips. "We make a good team"

"I'm glad you survived" she said earnestly. "When you left us at the start, I'm glad you found this place, Paul"

He smiled fondly at her, a pink glow on his cheeks. "You ever gonna call me Jesus again?"

A small laugh left her mouth and she shook her head. "Definitely not. I'm gonna call you Paul until the day you die just to prove a point"

"Really?"

"Damn straight"

A horn blared out to the east of them like an air raid siren, followed by a car horn less than a mile away and the second the two arrived beside Maggie and Michonne, they all knew what the other was thinking. It was time.