Determined to Endure: The 4th Installment in my Daryl Dixon Love Story

Chapter 30: War

Rick and Daryl decide to let Dwight go and hope he's actually going to help us. We're all aware that he could be screwing us over but there's a hope we're just barely grasping on to. We take two days to prepare for the fight, for the war. Some leave to scavenge for more bullets or guns and others stay behind to prepare the walls. When Daryl gets back, the night before we lay in bed wide awake. I say to him in a low whisper, "I hate these times, I feel like they are happening far too often."

"We have to fight for what's ours." He returns to me.

"I know" I answer, "I just worry about the outcome. Who comes out alive and who doesn't."

"Yea well, that's what the world has come to. We'll be iight." He returns in a husky whisper. I turn over and start to kiss him. He returns the gesture for just a bit but pulls away when I start to run my tongue over his lip, "naw, not tonight."

I stop kissing him, holding back from pouting. Daryl may not have needs but I do and I'm frustrated he's not trying at all. I know he's still upset or mad about the Negan thing but he has to get over it, I grumble under my breath as I move away from him in the bed "you're gonna have to get over it."

"Watd yew say?" He asks.

I return in a calm neutral tone, "you're gonna have to get over it, Daryl." He looks at me, stares, telling me he's not following what I'm saying. I elaborate further, "the Negan thing, you have to get over it."

I expect him to get mad, maybe pick a fight. However, he simply answers me back, "it ain't about that. I don't wanna have just one more night wit yew. I don't want it to be a this may be the last time we do this kind of thing. We're gonna win tomorrow, and we can celebrate after."

"But what if we don't? What if one of us.." I trail off my thoughts, not even wanting to say the words.

"We'll be iight." He assures me, as he always does, "just stick to the plan."

I sigh but nod, my sexual frustration subsiding as my thoughts turned to a world with out him. The next morning we prepare. Everyone gets in position as the garbage people arrive. Michonne takes high ground with a sniper and Rick stands at the post directly next to the gate. Daryl and I are on the ground behind it, alongside Rosita and some others. There's a duck call out and we know that as the signal that the saviors are coming. Seconds later, we all hear the growl of the trucks getting closer, and we all adjust and prepare for the battle, "Rosita. Get into position." Rick directs, "I'll signal you. And the wall's gonna hold?" He asks her.

"It'll hold" She assures him.

As the vehicles approach, I hear Eugene talking through a megaphone, "all points are covered. Every contingency is already met. I come armed with two barrels of the truth. A test is upon you, and I'm giving out the cheat sheet." The brakes squeak on the multiple cars and then the eEngines shut off, "H-Hello." He stutters out towards his old home, his old family, "I come salved with the hope that it is my dropped knowledge that you heed. Options are zero to none. Compliance and fealty are your only escape. Bottom-lining it -- You may thrive, or you may die. I sincerely wish for the former for everyone's sake." We all eye him through the fence and I stand tensed through his words as he stands in front of us, "he jig is up and in full effect. Will you comply, Rick?"

Rick looks at a few of us, then he answers him with a question, "where's Negan?"

"I'm Negan." Eugene answers, without the megaphone in a clear voice for us all to hear.

We wait for his signal and when he gives it we all brace for the explosion. When none comes, I look over at Rosita then Daryl in a panic. Before I could move to aim my gun, I hear people behind me already doing so. I turn to look, and the garbage people all have their guns pointed at us. I keep my gun on the side of me, knowing we are not in control anymore. As the gate opens, Negan slowly walks to the gate and he beings his crappy speech, "you ever hear the one about the stupid little prick named Rick who thought he knew shit but didn't know shit and got everyone he thought  gave a shit about killed?" He points up to Rick, "it's about you. You're all gonna wanna put your guns down now."

"No one drops anything." Rick growls back and none of us move. He turns to the head of the garbage people, Jadis and utters, "we had a deal."

I hear her answer him, "Tamiel came for the boat things. Followed ones who took. Made a better deal."

Negan goes on, "you push me, and you push me. And you push me, Rick. You just tried to blow us up, right? I mean, I get me, my people. But Eugene? He's one of yours. And after what he did -- He stepped up. You people" he points towards us, "are animals. Universe gives you a sign, and you just shove your finger right up its ass." He laughs, "Dwight, Simon, chop-chop." The two men start to move towards something covered on the back of a truck and as the sheet comes off we see it's a coffin. We watch as they set it up standing, Negan next to it with his same smug smile, "so, you don't like Eugene anymore. You guys gotta like Sasha." With his hand over his heart he adds, "I do, too. Got her right here packaged for your convenience, alive and well.' He taps on in as reference. "Now, I brought her so I wouldn't have to kill all of you, and not killing all of you could get complicated. See, I know there's a lot of firepower left in there, Rick. So I'm gonna make this simple. I want all the guns you've managed to scrape up." My head drops with that realization, "yep, I know about those, too. I want every last grain of lemonade you got left. I want a person of your own choosing... for Lucille." His eyes quickly turn to us on the ground and he says, "Daryl" he puts his hand over his heart again as if he's hurting, "Ooh, I gotta get me my Daryl back." He puts his two fingers to his eyes then points them over to me, "I see you too sweetheart, don't worry. I haven't forgotten about you neither." He moves on the list of things he wants, "and the pool table and all the pool cues and chalk. And I want it now or Sasha dies," his voice gets louder, angrier as he grows impatient with us, "and then all of you. Probably. C'mon, Rick. Just because I brought her in a casket doesn't mean she has to leave in it." Rick doesn't say anything and Negan is over it, sighing out, "you know what? You suck ass, Rick. You really do. I don't want to have to kill her, but that's exactly what you're gonna make me do."

Rick utters out, "let me see her."

"Oh. All right" he chortles, "just give me a second. I might have to get her up to speed. You can't hear shit inside this thing" He taps on it with his bat once then goes to open it, "Sash. You're not gonna believe this crap." I hear his call, "holy, Goddamn!" Before I see it. Sasha is dead, but not fully. She lunges out of the casket and on top of Negan. Gun shots begin to go off and I duck and turn quickly lifting mine and getting a shot off to the man from the garbage community that held us at gun point. He goes down and then I take the one next to him that is aiming her gun at Daryl. She falls and I retreat to get behind the car for coverage. Daryl starts to run towards the men at the gate, and I continue to try and take out the men and women on top of the fence. I spot Janis with her gun still very much on Rick and her finger just waiting to pull the trigger. I keep my gun pointed at her, waiting on any chance I get to take her out. Without me noticing, a shot goes off and I'm hit in the arm. I fall to the ground with force and pain.

When I manage to crawl to my knee's I see Rick on the ground, also bleeding. I try to crawl over to him, but Janis comes over and kicks me. Her boot connects to my jaw and I fall back over. Everything blurs and moves and although I try to move with it, everything's spinning and I can't move without stumbling into the dirt, "up!" I see the end of an assault rifle pointed directly in front of my eyes. I try and look up to see who it is but the sun blocks it, "up!" The gun is pushed further into my face, touching my chin now. I slowly stand, hands up to surrender. The pulsating pain in my arm is strong, but I do my best to ignore it, "let's go, to the truck." It's one of the women from the sanctuary, one of the fighters. I just stare at her and she utters, "don't make me kill you. He'd rather you alive then dead." She semi rolls her eyes. I growl but slowly turn to start to walk out towards the front. I look around, trying to get a glance on what is happening but what I see puts a hole in my gut. Our people, surrendered or down and I know it's over. My head drops, knowing I can't fight my way out of this. The gun shots start to fall further apart as my feet slow, "hurry" she pushes the gun against my back, picking up on my slow pace. I try and do what she says but everything inside of me is just screaming to give up.

___________________

Thanks for reading! Go and check out the next story in the series: Destined to Lose. Thanks for the reads 😊