Once A Dixon, Always A Dixon (Daryl Dixon)

Story of The Hilltop

Setting: Hilltop, Season Six

Daryl and I scramble out of bed and run to Merle and Harley's room. The two are sound asleep.

"Wake up, nerds!" I scream. Merle shoots up, hitting his head on the bedpost. 

"What the ding dong is wrong with you?" he groans.

"We have an intruder in Officer Friendly's abode!" I explain. 

The four of us run downstairs and down the street to Rick's house. Glenn and Maggie join us.

"You saw that?" Glenn asks. We nod. We run into Rick's house, where Jesus is sitting on the steps, looking at a framed painting. Carl pulls his gun on him.  

"What the hell are you doing in our house?" Carl sneers. 

"I'm, uh, sitting on the steps looking at this painting, waiting for your mom and dad to get dressed," Jesus says simply. 

Say what now? 

"Don't joke about Carl's mom," I snarl and point my crossbow at him. "She's dead."

Jesus looks confused, "You mean the woman with dreadlocks isn't his mom? But she and Rick were, uh... well, let's say they were pretty busy."  

Oh my God. 

As if on cue, Rick and Michonne run out Rick is shirtless and busy buttoning up his pants. Carl looks like he's about to throw up. 

"Carl, hey, um..." Rick stutters. "Hey, everyone." 

"It's-- it's okay," Michonne says. Her throat sounds scratchy, wonder why... 

"You said we should talk," Rick says to Jesus. "So let's talk." I turn to Daryl.

"You owe me twelve bucks," I grin. 

"We never placed a bet!"

"An argument can be made for fifteen!" 

---

Soon, morning arrives and we all sit at Rick's kitchen table. 

"So, how'd you get out?" Rick asks. 

"One guard can't cover two exits or third floor windows," Jesus says. "Knots untie and locks get picked. Entropy comes from order, right?" 

"Right," Daryl says. 

"I checked out your arsenal," Jesus adds. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. You're well-equipped, but your provisions are low. Very low for the amount of people you have. Fifty-four?" 

"More than that," Maggie says. 

"Well, I appreciate the cookie," Jesus smiles. "My compliments to the chef."

"Yeah, she ain't here," Daryl hisses. 

"Look, we got off to a bad start," Jesus says.

"No shit, Sherlock, you threw me against a truck!" I throw my hands up. 

"But we're on the same side-- the living side," Jesus continues. "You three had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't. I'm from a place that's a lot like this one. Part of my job is searching out other settlements to trade with. I took your truck because my community needs things, and you looked like trouble. I was wrong. You're good people. And this is a good place. I think our communities may be in a position to help each other."

"Do you have food?" Glenn asks. 

"We've started to raise livestock," Jesus explains. "We scavenge, we grow. Everything from tomatoes to sorghum."