Aaron and Eric sat side by side during Ricks desperate attempt to find the guns. The guns, the 2 Negan needed and demanded he get, and if kept hidden it would cost Olivia's life. Hearing Rick talk about it was slowly killing Eric. Yes, him and Aaron had the guns. Aaron had taken them as soon as he got back from the expedition to get Maggie to hilltop, that failed miserably. Seeing Abraham and Glenn get brutally killed, right in front of him, and Maggie's breakdown, changed him. Eric hated that, and despised Negan for it. For everything. The agony it caused Maggie, Sasha, and Rosita, the guilt and remorse the friends and, even though not blood related, family felt. The horrid nightmares that kept Aaron awake, breathing fast, nearly in tears if it was bad enough, clutching Eric's arm, never wanting to let go. This "Negan" guy managed to destroy lives in minutes.
And now Aaron was paranoid, extremely worried something would happen to someone else, especially Eric. He didn't want to see anyone else die. Which is why he would return the guns. But anonymously. Members of Alexandria already didn't like Aaron and Eric for obvious reasons, but confessing about the guns in front of everyone would make their targets bigger. It would draw Negan to them, who'd most likely resort to violence, or use his mind games to make Aaron even more paranoid.
Eric tapped his foot impatiently. As soon as the meeting was over, they could get the guns back secretly, and help Olivia away from that maniac sooner. But Rick wasn't budging. He wanted, no needed, to find the guns, determined to not let anyone else die. Eric had wanted to just tell Rick, thinking he'd understand.
"He's done it before."Eric pointed out.
"I know, but now is different." Aaron argued. "As soon as the meetings over, I promise, I'll find a way to get them back to him. Olivia won't die"
Eric just nodded.
If we don't find them, they'll kill Olivia. They'll do it."
Aaron knew this. He just wanted to approach the situation in the safest way. Just hurry Rick, he thought, I'll "Accidentally" come across the guns in a random house, we'll give them to Negan, and Olivia won't be harmed.
Now Eric, just watched. And listened to everything carefully.
An Alexandrian who Eric didn't know the name of spoke up.
"Why do they care? 2 guns aren't a threat to them. But they can help protect us from what else is out there."
Rick appeared to be thinking about it.
"..... Do you have them?" he asked after awhile.
The man scoffed and sat down.
"I wish."
"Most of you weren't there. You didn't have to watch."
Aaron did.
"You can look away, and when someone else dies you can again. Or, you can help solve this."
But I didn't.
"We do what they say, we live in peace."
"Not everyones here." Eugene suddenly spoke up.
Spencer, Rosita,Michonne, Tara, Heath, Maggie, Sasha, and Daryl.
But none of them have the guns. We do. Only we can stop this. Eric thought guiltily.
"Aaron we need to do this now."
Eric whispered.
"Don't," Aaron whispered back. "Now is not the time."
"It is." Eric got up, scared, but looked Rick straight in the eyes. Aaron stared at Eric, silently begging him not to say anything.
Eric thought before he just announced it.
"Say we do find the guns. How are we going to get out of this, Rick?"
"There is no way out of this."
Eric sighed and knew what he had to do. But maybe he could spare Aaron some of the blame.
"I took the guns." he blurted out finally.
Aaron stared at his shoes, as Eric said it and he heard the gasps, and rude things people muttered under their breath. The worst, was Ricks gaze that he could feel on him, that continously switched between him and Eric.
"I'm sorry. It's just-"
We do this together, we go through everything together, repeatedly ran through Aarons mind, giving him courage to do something.
Aaron stood up next to Eric, then slipped his hand into Eric's.
"We. We took the guns."
A/N:Well there we go. As soon as I saw Aaron and Eric whispering to each other I thought oooooh nooo they have the guns and Ricks gonna be mad. But that didn't happen, and although I was releaved I thought it would've been interesting if it had went like this. So Hmmm. Anyone want a part 2, Ricks reaction and a confrontation with Negan? Comment my friends.
twentyoneabbys
