My Fallen Angel (Daryl Dixon Love Story)

Chapter ThirtyFour: Nightmares Come True

I'm sitting in the back of the RV with Maggie and Rick. I'm making sure that she is drinking water and comfortable, but that was all I could do. I felt so useless as I am supposed to be my family's Dr. at this point I was going to ask Dr. Carson to lend me learning materials. "What the bitch?" I hear Abraham say as he slows the RV. "Why are we slowing?" I call."Stay here," Rick tells me and gets up."What?" I hear him ask. "Enemy close." I hear and grab my gun and I hear Maggie groan. I shake my head at her when she starts to move."We doing this?" Abraham's voice drifts to the back."No." I hear my brother answer and then he is in the doorway. "Stay here with her. Anyone other than our own comes through that door you shoot. Got it?" He tells me. "Of course," I say standing up and turning the safety on my gun off. He nods and the group exits the RV. I can barely see out the window, I can hear talking but can't make any of the words out as I watch my family stand a bit away from the RV, I can see Rick move his rifle and I think he is about to shoot the group, but he never does. Eventually, I see him give the round-up signal and I watch as the group moves back to the RV. I turn my safety back on and wait for Rick to enter. Abraham starts the RV and we back away from them to find a different way to Hilltop. We try the other path but it is blocked as well. I hear Abrahams's cursing and stand when I hear gunshots as we back away but I don't hear glass breaking or bullets hitting the RV, the gunshots go off two more times and again I wait for the signs of attack. This next route we come across a chain of walkers. Abraham stays behind the wheel as we go to remove it if we can. I'm staring at this chain of walkers and I notice on has a bolt that goes to a crossbow. My heart pounds as I stare at it, I turn to Carl when he calls Rick."Dad," He points to a walker I look. "That's Michonne's," Aaron says as I see the dreadlocks coming out of the walkers head. "Daryl's bolts," I say pointing to the other walker my voice 2 octaves hire. I search the walkers to make sure that none are them I walk to the Walker with Daryl's bolts and pull them out. I stare at them ignoring the walker trying to get to me. I could feel the dreaded thought making its way to the front of my mind, at that same moment I catch the sun's glint on my left hand and look at the ring on my finger. He can't be dead I think... No... I can feel my legs about to give out. I hear Rick yell and turn to him when we start to take fire. "Get back to the RV," Rick yells over the gunfire. "Go!" Abraham and Sasha give cover fire."Esme get the walkers out of the way!!!" He yells as Carl and Aaron make it back into the RV. I turn and see him hacking the arm of a walker with his ax. I grab my knife and kill the three walkers on the left while he gets the right. I run to the RV and jump in when I feel it jolt forward I fall to my knees my eyes catching the bolts in my left hand again. I stare at them with dread. I feel someone's hand on my back but I shake my head. "Aunt Esme." I hear Carl. I shake my head again when he wraps his arms around my waist. "Come sit, please." Aaron helps at that point and we make it to the small sofa. "He can't be, none of them. They can't be." I start to whisper. "Hey, they're not!" Rick's stern voice catches me. "They are not dead!" I look at him and my eyes catch the dreadlocks. I look to his face, he was determined not to believe it. "They were firing at our feet. They blocked the road but they weren't trying to stop us. They want us in this direction.""What does that have..." I start but Sasha cuts me off."Barton Road takes us north, but they have to know we want to go north." "Meadows," Eugene says. "Takes us east a piece but we can get back on track on Mayhew." "What does this..." I try again. "Were down to a 3rd of a tank but we could top off at the next stop," Sasha explains. "But no refills after that." "All right." Rick sighs."She's burning up," Aaron says coming out of Maggie's small room. I sigh and get up grabbing my pack. Ok, Esmeralda, have hope. Daryl would do anything to get back to you he made that Grime's Promise. "I got her," I tell Rick and Aaron. I take a deep breath and go into the room. I look at Maggie and sit next to her. She barely registers me as I dig through the pills as I get acetaminophen. I help her take the pills and pour some water on a rag and place it on her forehead. I lean over and open one of the windows for airflow and I watch her. Glenn comes to mind and my heart hurts for him. I will do whatever it takes to help Maggie and your child I would protect them with my life. I promise as stare at her pained face, tears start to silently fall."Rick," I hear Abraham call his tone telling me we had a problem, again. "Go back," I hear Rick say."Where?" Abraham asks.I go to the front and stare at the Saviors as Rick goes to check on Maggie. I go back after Abraham turns around. "I believe in you, Rick." I hear Maggie whisper to him. I place my hand on his shoulder and she smiles at me. "Esme..." I smile down at her. Again this route to Hilltop doesn't work. I was starting to get angry. I stayed with Maggie as the group tried to figure something out. It was getting dark soon and my fear was inching its way up. The group makes a plan to go on foot to Hilltop. Eugene would be the distraction taking the RV the other routes. I get out walking with the litter we had Maggie on. "Thank you." She tells Eugene. "Try and stay safe," I tell him, my hand on his shoulder. He nods to both of us. When we had just a few more miles to Sasha and I switch holding her left side so that she could start to take the walkers with Carl. "Aaron, Esme, Please." I look down at Maggie. "Just let me walk it." We both just shake our heads as I lean and check her temp, she was still hot but not as bad as she was earlier, the meds were working. "Just a few more miles," Aaron tells her. We walk one more mile and the whistling starts all around us, fear and anger boil in me."Rick!" I call to him. This brings him out of his trance."Go! Go!" He tells us and we start to run. I falter a bit carrying and running at the same time."Sasha. Take this side." I call as I stumble again. I grab my gun again as she takes hold. I run a bit in front of the group trying to guide them away from the whistles. We run more when we are blinded by lights. Once my eyes clear I can see that we were surrounded by a huge amount of people. There was no way of getting out of this. I sadly think as I turn in all directions with nowhere to go. I look to my group and can't help but make my way to stand in front of Carl. "Good," Someone says. "You made it." I turn my hand on Carl's arm to keep him behind me, he tries to pull away but I tighten my grip, he stops struggling for now. "Welcome to where you're going. We'll take your weapons. Now." He points a gun to me. "Aunt Esme..." I hear from behind me Carl yanks his hand from mine. "We can talk about it..." Rick says staring at me, I turn my eyes to him and I see Rick cringe his eyes focusing on something in front of me."We're done talking." The guy says. I look to him but can't help see that Carl is now in front of me, I gasp. "Carl..." I try to get to him but the guy walks to him his gun still on him I freeze."Time to listen," He says and grins at me. People come and take our weapons at that moment. They take my pack, all my knives, and my guns. I am thankful when they don't touch my side pack with my pump in it. I watch as this man takes Carl's weapon and flicks his hat. It takes everything in me to not run and kick him. "Okay. Let's get her down and get you all on your knees. Lots to cover." The other people try to touch Maggie but Abraham interrupts them. "Hold on!" He growls. "We got it." He glares at them."Sure, Sure," The leader says allowing us to take care of her. Abraham, Rick, and I help Maggie walk a bit. I take her when Rick hands her off to me I watch him and see that he is staring surprised at Eugene, I frown and feel sad when I see that he is beaten. "I'm going to need you on your knees." The leader says to Rick and then looks at us all. I take my spot next to Maggie holding her hand and helping her down when I see Rick finally get on his knees. "Let's get the other ones. Right now." Leader calls. "Dwight! Chop chop!" My head swivels around when I hear his name. "Yeah." He answers and when I see the familiar ugly face my anger increases 10 fold. I follow him with my eyes as he opens the back of a truck. "Come on, you got people to meet." He tells someone dragging them out of the van. "Daryl!" I can't help but call when I see him. I can feel my body rising on its own accord to run to him. He looks to me when he hears my voice I see that he is beaten and bloody. "On your knees!" The leader says as someone pushes me down to the ground. "Leave her alone!" Daryl yells fighting the men as they push him to the ground as well, Dwight laughs. I watch as they pull Rosita, Michonne, and Glenn from the truck as well. We all are surprised to see each other. "Maggie?" I hear Glenn call to her. He tries to get to her and she squeezes my hand and when they push him to the floor. "All right we got a full boat." The leader says when we are all settled. "Let's meet the man." He says and knocks on the RV door. The RV door opens and out walks a smiling man, he is wearing a leather biker jacket, he had cropped hair and a gray trimmed facial hair. He was carrying a bat over his left shoulder and it was wrapped with barb wire. "Pissing our pants yet?" He asks with a happy tone. "Boy, do I have a feeling that we are getting close. Yep, it's going to be peepee pants city real soon." He talks as he walks to us. I can't help but think his wording reminds me of Abraham's with less cussing. "Which one of you pricks is the leader?" He asks pointing at us all I can't help but follow his finger. "It's this one." The other leader guy says as I turn and see him pointing to Rick next to me. "He's the guy." "Hi. You're Rick, right?" The guy with the Bat walks up to him. "I'm Negan." He announces. I can't help but glare when he says this. So this is the fucker causing all the problems. "And I do not appreciate you killing my men. Also, when I sent my people, to kill your people, for killing my people, you killed more of my people." I scoff and look to Rick he was just staring at Negan. At my scoff, Negan smiles at me when I look back at him "Not cool, not cool, you have no idea how not cool that shit is. But I think you are going to be up to speed shortly. Yeah, you are so going to regret crossing me in a few minutes." Negan continues his speech looking back at Rick and chuckles. "Yes, you are. You see, Rick, whatever you do, no matter what, you don't mess with the new world order. And the new world order is this, and it's really very simple. So, even if you're stupid, which you very may well be, you can understand it. You ready?" He takes his bat off his shoulder holding it with both hands. "Here goes. Pay attention." He points the bat in Ricks's face and I can't help but cringe, Maggie squeezes my hand and I can't help but squeeze back. "Give me your shit... or I will kill you." He pulls the bat aways and starts to address all of the group now. "Today was career day, we invested a lot so you would know who I am and what I can do. You work for me now. You have shit you give it to me. That's your job. Now, I know that is a mighty big, nasty pill to swallow, but swallow it you most certainly will." He goes back to Rick now. "You ruled the roost. You built something. You thought you were safe. I get it, but the word is out. You are not safe. Not even close. In fact, you are pegged, more pegged if you don't do what I want. And what I want is half your shit." I was starting to see now why the Hilltop just went with it. This man was barbaric and insane. "And if that's too much, you can make, find, or steal more and it'll even out sooner or later. This is your way of life now. The more you fight back the harder it will be. So, if someone knocks on your door... you let us in. We own that door. You try to stop us and we will knock it down. You understand?" He bends down to Rick, he doesn't answer. "What, no answer?" I look to Rick with worry, this was the first time I have seen him this scared and for once it scared me, my anger vanished, and I started to shake. "You didn't really think that you were gonna get through this without being punished now, did you?" I look up at Negan now. "I don't want to kill you, people. I just want to make that clear from the get-go. I want you to work for me, you can't do that if you're dead, now can you? I'm not growing a garden, but you killed my people, a whole damn lot of them, more than I am comfortable with, and for that, you're gonna pay." He says and turns to stares at Daryl, my heart jumps into my throat. "So now... I'm gonna beat the holy hell out of one of you. This... this is Lucille," Negan twirls the bat in his hands and shows it off proudly. "And she is awesome. All this, all this is just so we can pick out which one of you gets the honor." Negan walks in front of us all. He stops in front of Abraham, Abraham sits up more glaring. "Huh, gotta shave this shit." He says his hand on his face and moves away. He then moves to Carl, and I feel nausea hit me. "You got one of our guns." not him, not him, pick me. I plead in my head. "Whoah, Yeah, you got a lot of our guns." Carl glares at him. "Shit kid, lighten up, at least cry a little." Negan chuckles and stands up, he walks to Maggie and I. "Jesus you look shitty. I should just put you out of your misery right now." He says looking at Maggie, I move to sit up when he brings the bat up. I would stand by my unspoken promise to Glenn. "No! No!" I hear Glenn yell. I look to him just as Negan turns as well. Glenn runs up and some of the Saviors start to beat him."Stop it!" Maggie and I plead fearing that this would cause Glenn to die. "Nope, Nope, get him back in line." Negan orders. The men do as told and pull him back to his spot. I breathe a small sigh of relief. "Don't, don't." He pleads and Negan laughs. "Alright, listen, don't any of you do that again," Negan says I will shut that shit down, no exceptions. First one's free, it's an emotional moment, I get it." He points to Glenn. "Sucks, doesn't it? The moment you realize you don't know shit." He turns then to Carl and points the bat at him looking at Rick, I freeze not knowing what to do, who do I protect? "This is your kid, right? This is definitely your kid." He laughs."Just stop this!" Rick growls at Negan causing me to jump from the anger in his voice."Hey!" Negan yells. "Do not make me kill the little future serial killer. Don't make it easy on me." I cringe at his words. "I gotta pick somebody. Everybody's at the table waiting for me to order." He whistles again 3 times. "I simply can not decide." He chuckles. "I got an idea." He laughs. Starts by pointing the bat at Rick; "Eenie..." Maggie. "Meenie..." Abraham. "Miney..." Michonne. "Moe." Glenn. "Catch..." Daryl. "A tiger..." Sasha. "By his toe," Aaron. "If he hollers." Me. "Let him go." Carl. "My mother..." Rick. "told me..." Maggie. "To Pick..." Me "The very... " Michonne. "Best." Me. "One." Eugene. "And you..." Aaron. "Are." Daryl, Carl, Maggie, Rick, Michonne, Me, my heart skips a bit when he pauses on me a bit longer than the others, he grins at me and I can see Daryl about to move from the corner of my eye. I go to push Maggie away from me when he turns and points the bat directly at Abraham, "It." Negan finally chooses, my heart sinks further as I know I have to add a 27th stone... "Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father and then we will start." He orders. I can't help but thank the gods when it's not someone I promised to protect and that made me feel even worse. I pull Maggie closer to me a bit. "You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that!" He says and swings the bat. I pull Maggie to me fully as blood squirts on us, I can't help but scream as Rosita and Sasha do as well. "Ho! Ho! Look at that, taking it like a champ." "Suck... my... Nuts!" Abraham says. Negan swings again. "Did you hear that? He said 'suck my nuts.' Phew." Negan laughs and swings again bring the bat down harder this time, I finally look away as Abraham falls. "Damn!" 1...2...3...4...5...6...7... more times I count the thuds and squelches of the bat hitting his skull.Maggie and I hold each other shaking at this point I can't tell who is shaking more or if it is just both us. I look up finally as I don't hear any more nasty sounds. I can't help but look at the bat dripping with my friend's blood and other bits, I feel myself want to get sick so I look away. "Oh, my goodness!" Negan laughs. "Look at this. "You guys, look at my dirty girl!" He indicates Lucille. He walks towards Rosita. "Sweetheart, lay your eyes on this." He puts the bat in her face but she isn't seeing anything. "Oh, damn. Were you... were you together?" Negan asks. "That sucks... but if you were you should know there was a reason for all this. Red... and hell he was and hell, he was, is, and will ever be red." He points to Abraham. "He just took one or six or seven for the team!" He puts the bat back in front of her face. "So take... a damn look." She still doesn't. "Take a damn look!" Negan yells, out of nowhere I hear Daryl growl and see him lung from next to her. He punches Negan in the face, and the saviors move and grab him."DARYL!" I yell out to him and let go of Maggie, I grab his arm just as another savior grabs me forcing both of us to the ground. "Ahh..." I cringe and gasp as the savior puts their knee into my back to hold me. I stare at Daryl, he is breathing hard and is pissed looking at me as well, I can tell he's mad at me for moving. "ESME!" I hear Rick behind me yell at me."No!" Negan says pointing the bat at us I freeze in fear, not for me but Daryl. "Oh, no." Negan chuckles and starts to pace. "That? Oh... My... That is a no, no." He bends down to where they are holding Daryl down. "The whole thing... not one bit of that shit flies here." Dwight runs up with the crossbow holding it to Daryl's face. "Do you want me to do it?" He asks. "Right here." I watch as Negan grabs Daryl by his hair and turns him over. I move a bit to get a better look but the knee only pushes in harder. I tighten my hold on Daryl's arm. "No." Negan answers. "No, you don't kill them... not until you try a little." Negan gets up and they drag us off to the side, with me holding onto his arm I'm placed right next to him this time. I move my hand down and hold his tightly he yanks me closer to him away from Dwight. "And anyway... that's not how it works. Now I already told you, people, 1st one's free, then what'd I say?" I look up from watching Daryl to Negan. "I said I would shut that shit down! No Exceptions." He walks around us and stops again. "Now, I don't know what kind of lying assholes you've been dealing with...but I'm a man of my word." I tilt my head a bit in confusion, what the fuck is he saying? "First impressions are important. I need you to know me." I know you're a killer. I think still pissed. "So..." He picks up Lucille and I freeze, I can also feel Daryl freeze. "Back to it." and he turns and swings, in less than a sec I realize he's going for Glenn."AAAHHH... NO!" I hear Maggie scream. I can't help but stare at the bashed in the bloody skull of my best friend. I watch him gasp and turn towards us his eyes searching I know for Maggie. "Buddy, you still there?" Negan asks bending down to him. "I just don't know. It seems like you're trying to speak, but you just took a hell of a hit. I just popped your skull so hard, your eyeball just popped out and it is gross as shit!""Maggie, I'll find you." I watch Glenn finally say. I finally cry as I hear his words. I turn and bury my head into Daryl's chest trying to find some small amount of comfort, it's only then that I realize Daryl is frozen and gasping, I look up at his face it's contorted into shock and pain. I hug him then trying to comfort him and me at the same time."Oh, hell. I can see this is hard on you guys. I am sorry. I truly am, but i did say it." Negan says it takes everything in me not to turn and give a sarcastic remark back. "No exceptions!" He says and I hear the bat hitting Glenn again making him fall this time. Again I count the sounds of the bat hitting, 11, 11 times I feel Daryl flinch. 11 times I hear maggie gasp and 1100 tears that fall for my friend. 28 stones now weighed my heart down.Were all frozen as he finally stops. Rosita, Sasha and I are crying. "What?" Negan asks. "Was the joke that bad?" "I'm gonna kill you." I hear Rick say and I pull away from Daryl turning to look at him."What?" Negan asks bending down to him. "I didn't quite catch that. Your gonna have to speak up." "Not today... Not tomorrow... but I'm gonna kill you." Rick tells him."Jesus." Negan chuckles. "Simon... " He calls the second leader guy. "What did he have, a knife?" "Uh, he had a hatchet." Simon answers. "A hatchet." Negan chuckles surprised."He had an ax." "Simons my right-hand man. Having one of those is important." Negan explains randomly. "I mean, what do you have left without them? A whole lot of work. Do you have one? Maybe one of thee fine people breathing?" Rick doesn't answer. "Oh, or did I..." Negan clicks his tongue slightly showing Lucille. Rick looks at him intently. "Sure. Yeah, give me his ax." Simon brings it. Negan stands up and puts the ax in his belt. He then grabs Rick by his jacket and starts to drag him to the RV. "I'll be right back, maybe Rick will be with me. And if not, well, we can just turn these people inside out, won't we? I mean the ones that are left." I gasp as I feel the fear enter me at possibly losing my brother. "Brother..." I whisper staring at him drag him away as Rick struggles to stand up. I start to shake and again feel myself move to get up, Daryl wraps his arms around me. "No." He whispers to me. I stare at the door praying. Please no... Over and over in my head. Next thing I know the van starts to drive away, I whimper as I watch it go. It seems like forever has passed when the RV finally comes back. I stare intently waiting for my brother, the door opens and I watch Rick get thrown out and dragged by Negan to a spot in front of us. I watch him making sure he is not hurt, but I can't say I am relieved because the look on Rick's face tells me he has given in. "Here we are," Negan says. "Let me ask you something, Rick. Do you even know what that little trip was about?" Rick doesn't answer, he just looks too scared and tired to even answer. "Speak when spoken to." Negan chastises."Okay. Okay." Rick pants. "That trip was about the way that you looked at me. I wanted to change that, I wanted you to understand. But your still looking at me the same damn way." Negan explains. "Like I shit in your scrambled eggs and that's not going to work! So... do I give you another chance?" Negan bends down next to Rick. "Yea... Yes." Rick nods and I know then that Negan has won. Negan pats his back. "Ok. Alright," Negan gets up happy. "And there it is... the grand prize game. What you do next will decide whether your crap day becomes everyone's last crap day or just another crappy day." He turns to his men. "Get some guns to the back of their heads." I then feel one of the saviors pull me from Daryl's arms into a sitting spot next to him with something firmly pressed to the back of my head I watch intently as everyone gets a gun pointed at them. I turn again to face Rick. "Good now, level with their noses, so if you have to fire..." He then imitates and explosion from his face. "It'll be a real mess. Kid..." Negan turns to Carl and crooks his finger and points to a spot next to him. "Right here." He orders. I feel my heart start to accelerate again. How many more of my family was I going to have to lose... "Kid... now." Carl gets up and stands in front of Negan as he takes off his belt. "You a southpaw?" "Am I what?" Carl asks confused. "You a lefty?" "No," Carl answers with attitude. I couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Good." Negan answers as he winds his belt around Carl's left arm. "That hurt?""No." "It should," Negan says tugging more. "It's supposed to." Only then do I realize he's using the belt as a tourniquet. What is he going to do? "All right get down on the ground kid. Next to Daddy, spread them wings." He pushes Carl down. "Simon... you got a pen?" "Yeah." He says and tosses Negan a blue sharpie. Negan bends down and opens the pen, pushes Carls sleeve up and draws a line on his arm. "Sorry, kid." Negan tells Carl. "This is gonna be as cold as a warlocks ballsack. Just like he was hanging his ballsack above you." I gasp when I get what was going to happen, I can tell as well that Carl and Rick knew then as well. "Gives you a little leverage.""Please. Please." Rick starts to plead. "Please don't." "Me?" Negan scoffs. "I ain't doing shit." I gasp. "Ah... Rick why don't you take your ax... cut your son's left arm off, right on that line." I couldn't help but whimper and I cover my mouth when Negan looks to me. "Now, I know... I know. You're gonna have to process that for a second. That makes sense. Still, though, I'm gonna need you to do it." Negan chuckles. "Or all these people are going to die. Then Carl dies, then the people back home die... and then you, eventually. I'll keep you breathing for a few years just to stew on it." I whimper again as tears start to fall again."You don't have to do this." I turn to Michonne as she tries to plead. "We understand." "You understand!" Negan nods to her. "I'm not sure that RICK does. I'm going to need a clean-cut right on the line." Negan tells Rick. "Now I know this is a screwed-up thing to ask but it's going to have to be like a salami slice... nothing messy, clean, 45 degrees... give us something to fold over. We got a great Dr. the kid'll be fine. Probably." I cringe at the thought but he did get something right. I would make sure he was fine. "Rick... This needs to happen now... chop-chop or I'll crush the little fella's skull in myself." Negan says putting his hand on Ricks back I flinch at the fact that I know he would do it."It can... It can be me..." Rick tries. "You can do it to me... I... c... I can go with... with you.""No." Negan simply says. "This is the only way. Rick... Pick up the ax. Not making a decision is a BIG decision. Do you want to see all these people die?" Negan starts to raise his voice. "You will. You will see every ugly thing." Rick still doesn't pick up the ax. "Oh, my god. Are you going to make me count." Rick starts to gasp almost like he's having a panic attack. "Ok, I am counting. 3...""Please!" Rick begs and I cringe at his tone, I close my eyes not able to see. "It can be me." "2!" I flinch."Please don't!" I can hear that my brother is crying now. Tears spill from my closed eyes now. "This is it," Negan says. "1!" I can't help but open my eyes. I see Rick hold Carl's hand his ax in the other he picks it up, hesitating again. I can see that Carl says something but I can't tell what it is. Rick pulls back his arm to swing and Negan sits by him gaining his attention. "Rick..." Negan says. "You answer to me. You provide for me. You belong to me. Right?" I can see Rick nod yes but this angers Negan, he grabs Rick's face. "Speak when you're spoken to!" "Right." Rick finally answers. "Right." "That's the look I wanted to see," Negan says. "We did it!" He says to everyone. "All of us together. Even the dead guys on the ground." I frown. "They get the spirit award for sure. Today was a productive damn day." He smiles at us all. "Now, I hope, for all your sake... that you get it now..." I can feel the anger rising in me again but I knew if I did anything right now it would not end well. I look down and close my eyes. "That you understand how things work. Things have changed, whatever you had going for you... that is... over now..." Negan chuckles. "Ah. Dwight." He calls. "Load him up." I look up and see him pointing to Daryl. I start to shake my head over and over I grab his hand but Michonne pulls me back as Dwight picks him up."Esme, no." She whispers to me as she pulls me back "Daryl!" I yell as he fights Dwight, Dwight keeps the crossbow pointed at him as he shoves him into the back of the van. "Daryl!" He looks to me and keeps his eyes held to mine. "I love you," I whisper knowing he could tell what I'm saying but the doors shut before he can even respond. I fall to the ground then feeling like the doors had just shut the doors to my heart as well. "He's got guts," I hear Negan say. "Not a little bitch like someone I know. I like him. He's mine now." I start to growl in anger and turn but Michonne puts her hand to my mouth. "But you still want to try something? 'Not today, not tomorrow.'" He quotes Rick's words. "I will cut pieces off of..." He stops and looks at Simon. "Hell's his name?" "Daryl." Simon answers."Wow. That actually sounds right." Negan laughs. "I will cut pieces off of Daryl, and put them on your doorstep..." Again the anger is replaced with fear. He did own us all, he owned me just by having Daryl to torcher. I must have made a sound because Negan looks at me and grins. "Or better yet I will bring him to you and have you do it for me, in front of the girl that seems to pine for him." Rick looks from Negan to me, he pats Rick on the back and gets up. "Ahh! Welcome to a brand new beginning, you sorry shits. I'm going to leave you a truck, keep it use it to cart all the crap you're gonna find me. We'll be back for our first offering in one week. Until then ta-ta." Negan and his men finally pack up and leave. We all sit are for a long time processing what happened or at least attempting to. I didn't know what to feel, fear, anger, tired, grief, or all of it. I couldn't process it all at once, it's like when I tried to I would go numb. Finally, Maggie starts to move. I glance at her as she tries to get up. "Maggie, Maggie." Rick tries to gain her attention. "Maggie... you need to sit down." He tells her."Maggie." I finally speak standing up as well."No." She says. "We need to get you to the Hilltop," I tell her as I put my hand on her shoulder."No," She glares at me. "You need to go get ready." I tilt my head in confusion. "For what?" Rick asks as the others are finally getting up. "To fight them." She answers. I look to Rick. "They have Daryl," Rick shakes his head. I frown. "They have an army. We would die, all of us." "Go home." Maggie gasps. "Take everybody with you. I can get there by myself." "Maggie." I shake my head. Rick grabs her arm as well. "No.""You can barely stand." Rick tries."I need to go," Maggie argues. "You need to go to Alexandria." She cries a bit more."Maggie." I try again. She shakes her head."You were out... out here for me." She looks at me. "We still are," Rick tells her and she starts to sob, I pull her into a hug after a bit she pushes me away and turns to Rick. "I can make it now," She tells him. "I need you to go back, I can't have you out here, I can't have you all out here anymore. I need you to go back." "Maggie, I'm not letting you go on your own," I tell her. "Maggie..." Michone speaks up. "Were not letting you go. Okay?" She tries. "You have to," Maggie says."It's not going to happen," Rick tells her as Sasha comes up. "I'm taking her," Sasha tells us. "I'm gonna get her there, I'm going to keep her safe." "I'm going too," I tell both of them. "I'm not giving you a choice." I nod to Maggie."I'm taking him with me." Maggie indicates Glenn and I feel the stones churn in my heart. "Of course," I whisper and we go to Glenn. Aaron and I try to help but she turns to us. "I need to do this, please." She begs."We need to help you," Aaron tells her. Carl tries to help as well."I got it. I got it." He tells her when she tries to lift him. "No. No. ""Please... please, let us." Rick asks."He, he was our family too..." I whisper to her. She starts to sob and hug Carl. I look over and see Eugene, Sasha, and Rosita getting Abraham. The others help carry Glenn as I hold Maggie, we both cry together.