Chapter 68 - The Beginning Of War

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Water sloshes about in my mouth before I spit it into the sink, rinsing my mouth out of the residual sick. Footsteps come up behind me and a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, two hands resting on my stomach. I place the cup down and wipe at my mouth with a towel before I rest my head back against his shoulder. He nuzzles into my neck and places a delicate kiss in the crook, causing me to let out a content sigh and close my eyes.

"I don't want you to go today." He murmurs after a quiet moment.

I open my eyes slowly and look at him in the mirror in front of us, "I have to go." I speak softly.

He shakes his head frustratedly and looks down at me, "No you don't, you're better off staying here with Carl, Carol and Gabriel and the others. I don't want you in danger, either of you."

"You just expect me to sit back while the rest of you go out there and put yourselves in danger?" I ask, feeling somewhat offended.

"You saw what happened to Maggie when she took on too much, I'm not going to let that happen to you." He promises with fervor.

I turn in his arms and place my hands on his chest, looking up into his beautiful compelling eyes, "What happened to Maggie, that was rare. Just because it happened to her, doesn't mean it is going to happen to me. You need me out there, I need to be out there. I need this just as much as you do. What Negan's done, what he is going to do... We need to stop it, and I have to be apart of it." I insist.

He grinds his teeth together irritably and I tilt my head to the side, looking at him with pleading eyes, "This is my home, these are my people, my family. I can't stay here and do nothing, to wait here while you all fight for your lives. This isn't just for us now, but for our future, our child's future. I'm a good fighter, I can handle myself and I will have you right by my side. Like I always have. You can protest against this all you want, but I'm going today. We're going to fight these saviours, and we're going to win."

He looks down at me for a long moment, his eyes lost in thought as they scan over my face. I know he is worried about me just as much as I am for him. We've been through so many fights, but none compare to this one. This isn't us fighting against walkers or minor threats, this is so much more than that. It's going to be a tough one, but we can do it. I know we can. We just have to keep our wits and try our best to stay one step ahead. We have what it takes to win this, and we will.

He closes his eyes and lets out a breath before leaning his head down and laying his forehead to mine, "I love you." He whispers.

A smile comes to my lips and I nestle my head against his, "I love you too."

I hold onto him tightly, knowing that this could be our last moment of peace for some time. I use this time to take in his smell, a smell so familiar and comforting that I associate it with home. His strong arms holding me, protecting me from everything that they can. I feel his love and warmth coming off of him, the tenderness of this moment something that only happens in the rarest of times.

This is the man I love more than life itself, the man who has been by my side and loved me my whole life. The man who has given me the greatest gift that I thought I had lost. No matter what I will protect him with all that I have. It will always be us, always.

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We all gather around at the gates to Alexandria, Rick standing up high as he looks around at us all. I can see the nervousness of those in the crowd, but I also see their determinedness, their passion to fight against our oppressors. I haven't seen this in a long time, not since the night we took down the walkers that flooded Alexandria. Like that night, there is spirit and it is something that is going to help us win this war.

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