Off Limits

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Neither one of us liked the fact that we were now staying at the kingdom. I was going to try talking with Ezekiel. Plead our case try to sway him. Daryl had went off with Richard. Some plan he had to try and convince Ezekiel.

After some roaming around I found myself sitting beside the tigers cage. As I sat there petting her head.....

"I believe Shiva has taking a liking to you young lass." Ezekiel said as he sat on the ground beside me.

"Last thing I expected to see when we came here was a tiger."

He chuckled. "I was her keeper before all this. Only seemed right I keep looking after her."

"She's beautiful..........You know I get why you don't want to fight. Your protecting your people. But it's not enough anymore to just survive. There has to be more than just making it.

"We are building something more here. A home, a safe haven, a community."

"For how long? I know it seems safe now,but how long until Negan finds out what you really have here,and takes it from you? And don't kid yourself he will."

"And what is it that's been taken from you? What's your story?"

I started with dad being shot, thinking he was dead. Our time at the quarry. Dad finding us and the miracle that was. I told him about the farm the prison. About the govenor and all the people we had lost. I told him about Shane and Daryl. About Hunter and how being away from her was the worst of it. When I was finished he told his story, and about how they first encountered Negan and Shane.

We sat quietly for awhile each absorbing the others words. When I heard someone else enter the room. Turning to see Daryl I stood to go to him.

"You know Ezekiel there are many great kings in history. What made them great was not who they saved or who they protected. But what they fought for. Loss is inevitable it's gona happen reguardless. It's what it happens for that matters. A great leader puts the needs of the many before the needs of himself. What kind of King will you be?"

Not waiting for his reply I walked to where Daryl stood.

"I wana go back to Hilltop. I wana be with our family. I wana be with Hunter."

"We'll leave in the morning."

Later he told me about Richards plan. How he found Carol staying in a little house not far away. He didn't tell her about Glenn or Abraham. She had left because she knew she couldn't handle killing more people.

The following morning we left heading back to Hilltop.

Getting back to the Hilltop Jesus offered us the same trailer from before. Which was right beside Maggies,Sasha and Enid's. Daryl still hadn't spoken a word directly to Maggie. That night while we cooked he sat in front of our trailer sharpening arrows. He didn't even look up when Maggie took him a plate. It killed me that he was blaming himselg for Glenn. Negan was to blame I didn't know how to make him see that.

The next day Daryl and I were helping with training when one of the guards yelled the saviors were coming.

"Where's Maggie? Daryl we have to find Maggie."

"We'll find her come on."

After finding Maggie it was to late to make a break out to the woods. So the three of us hid in a cellar attatched to the main house.

After the cellar was checked. We waited a few more minutes. Daryl was the first to step out telling Maggie and I to wait.

"Daryl?" Maggie started when we stepped out. "Daryl, why won't you look at me?"

I kept my distance. It was time for him and Maggie to talk,even if he didn't want it.

"Every since you got here you haven't said a word to me. Would you look at me?" She asked.

There were tears in his eyes when he finally looked up at her.

"I'm sorry." He said his voice breaking.

"It wasn't your fault."

"It was." He sniffled.

"No. It wasn't. Your one of the good things in this world. Glenn thought so,and he would know cause he was one of the good things to. I wana kill um all to, but we have to win." She hugged him. "Help us win."

I smiled tears in my eyes watching them. He needed that, he needed to hear that she didn't blame him.

When we left the cellar Enid told us Sasha and Rosita were missing. Daryl seemed to know where they were headed and insisted on going after them.

"So your gona go back? Daryl if they catch you...."

"We can't just leave them out there Em. They don't know what their getting into."

"But you and I both do. If he catches you there........Daryl he'll kill you."

"I have to Em, I can't....I have to help them."

Even though it was a low blow. I said the one thing I thought would work.

"What about Hunter hmm? They catch you, what do I tell her when she ask for daddy?"

"That's not fair Emma.......You tell her.....tell her daddy loves her,but I had to do what's right."

He stepped forward kissing my forehead and he was gone.

I spent the night on the guard wall with Maggie. Praying I would see him coming back.

"He'll be okay Em he always comes back." Maggie said trying to make me feel better.

"Yeah, he always comes back. Until the one time he doesn't." I said as I climed down the wall.

An hour or two before sunrise the door to the trailer opened.

"Em, are you asleep." He whispered barely loud enough to hear.

I didn't say anything just closed my eyes, glad that he had made it back.

I felt the bed dip and his arm go around my waist.

"I'm going back to Alexandria tommrow. I wana be with Hunter."

"Ok Em,lets go home. I wana be with both of you."

Not another word was said as we both fell into an uneasy sleep.