[Finished] Living Among the Dead

42. Mercy

"When I first met him Jesus said that my world was gonna get a whole lot bigger. Well, we found that world. We found each other. That bigger world is ours by right. That we've come together for it, all of us it's that much more true; it's ours by right. Any person who would live in peace and fairness, who would find common ground it's their right, too. But those who use and take and kill to carve out the world and make it theirs alone; we end them. We don't celebrate it. We don't have shame about it, either. There's only one person who has to die and I will kill him myself. I will. I will. But if it's the others the others who prop him up, stand by his side, even those who just look the other way; so be it. Then we keep making the world bigger. Together." Rick's speech is long, like all his speeches. But I can't help but agree for once with everything he says. This time there is no debates on what we should do, how we should go forward. Everyone has been hurt enough by Negan and his men, and we are all ready to do something about it.
"Together." Ezekiel agrees, throwing his hands out in that showy way he does things. "Bound forever! To quote The Bard, 'For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. For she today my sister.'" Shiva agrees by roaring from her truck.
"We've practiced." Maggie continues. " We've been through it over and over again. We all know the plan doesn't end this morning. That we may have to live in uncertainty for days, maybe more. That we have to keep our faith in each other. If we can hold on to that with everything we have, the future is ours. The world is ours."
"I don't want to wait for it anymore." Rick adds, "You don't either. Yeah, I know. So we don't have to wait for it. If we start tomorrow right now with everything we've beaten, everything we've endured, everything we've risen above, everything we've become If we start tomorrow right now no matter what comes next we've won. We've already won." The crowd all cheer.

"Your leaving?" I ask Daryl, quietly so as not to wake up Mason or Hope who are asleep in our new trailer.
"Got to get Dwight's next message." He's sitting up in our bed, his shirt not on yet, letting me see the scars scattered on the wing tattoos displayed on his back.
"I hate you leaving... I hate not getting to go with you."
"'m gonna take out some pricks and make the world a little safer for our kids."
I nod, "I still wish I could help..."
"Rick wants Mase to fight when they get here. With you out, we could use the help."
I nod, "Okay. You'll keep him safe?"
He nods, then gets up, pulling on a shirt and then his vest before walking the short way to Mason's bed and shakes him awake, "C'mon kid, lets go kill some pricks."
Mason's eyes light up as though it were Christmas and my stomach clenches painfully, he shouldn't be excited about murdering anyone... but he jumps up from his bed yelling, "Hell yeah!"
"Language," I chastise.
"Sorry, Mom." Mason says as Hope starts crying.
I ruffle his hair as I walk past him and pick up his sister and bounce her gently, "Look at my boys going off to war. Now come back safe, understand?"
Mason shoots me a smirk as he starts getting dressed, "I'll be with Dad... uh, Daryl..."
"You can call me dad. If you want to." Daryl says, a stoic look on his face.
Mason grins, "Cool. Anyway, I'll be safe."
I grin and pull him in for a one armed hug, then pull Daryl down for a quick kiss on the cheek. He surprises me with a quick kiss on the lips. "Stay safe." I warn him.
"Okay." He says, before walking out the door and bringing our son with him. I look at Hope and coo, "Daddy's going to be back soon, won't he, Baby Girl." She giggles as I boop her nose gently.

I change her butt, and then feed her a bottle, I'm shocked by how cheerful despite what my husband and son are doing today. But after today, we'll be free, and can raise our children in peace.

[AN] I've been known to write a filler chapter or two; well here's another one. The dawn before the many storms left to come. I've said it before and will say it again, Negan's rein goes on for way too long. It got annoying by the end, so if that shows up in my writing, I apologize profusely.