Author's Note: I can't believe I even wrote this. It's been a rollercoaster not only writing it but debating whether or not to share it on here. Thank you for reading.
In April
The death of Daryl Dixon had caused an uproar of emotions to plague the remaining survivors. The bat – named Lucille by its owner Negan – had ended the hunter's life quicker than anyone could have anticipated. The first blow had caused him to falter but a defiant and already injured Daryl had lifted his head back up to face Negan despite the blow cracking his skull upon. Blood had begun to escape the wound to his head and slide down his face and into his eyes but he had sat upright, as much as the pain his body wanted nothing more than to sink to the ground and as though the blow hadn't affected him.
As his friends and adopted family looked on in horror with screams escaping them, Daryl took blow after blow of the bat covered in barbed wire. The pure horror of a man so ruthless, cruel and unrelenting doing such a thing to a man as gentle and protective as Daryl Dixon had caused them to pinch themselves hoping that the harder they pinched, the sooner they were able to escape from the nightmare they were currently in. The harsh reality of the situation only made their hearts break as they realised it wasn't a dream and it was in fact real. They were unable to help him, and it made them angry at themselves even though they knew Daryl wouldn't want the attention of Negan and his bat Lucille to move onto them.
Negan took a step backwards, looking at Daryl's crumpled body lying on the ground and smirked. As if he was looking at a masterpiece he had created. Except he was looking at their friend he had just killed in cold blood.
Negan – a man they once knew only by name – had killed a member of their family.
Daryl's body lay unmoving on the ground, the blanket given to him and was once wrapped around him was now seeping with blood as his brains lay scattered upon the soil. His face – unrecognisable and partly missing – was caved in. Rosita and Glenn stared dumbfounded and in shock at Daryl's face as he was facing them. Tears escaped their wide eyes as their mouths were ajar in a silent scream.
Rick Grimes saw the reaction of his friends and felt his own tears burn his eyes as he fought with himself to keep his gaze away from his fallen brother. The true sadness of his friend's demise was already burdening him with guilt for this wasn't Daryl's fight. Rick had been the one who whose war as an answer to the problems of other people. And his friend – and brother – had paid the ultimate price. He turned his head towards Negan who was hitting Lucille on the ground to rid his weapon of the skin, skull, brain and hair that was embedded in the barbed wire. Nausea and rage rose with Rick as he stared at the man so clearly unaffected at the fact he had taken an innocent man's life. He swallowed the anger, acknowledging the fact that his group were outnumbered by a considerable amount. They wouldn't survive. And Negan knew that.
The complete disregard of the man he had just slain was something that troubled Rick. They were unable to go to Daryl's side, hoping that at least some life still remained within him. They were unable to move even just an inch, knowing they were being watched closely like vultures waiting for their prey to die.
"Hm…" Negan said, after a deadly silence. "I'm guessing he was loved, right?"
The group remained still, never once redirecting their gaze from their friend. Rick was the only one who stared at Negan, his eyes narrowed towards the man. Negan noticed, and moved his attention over to the leader.
"I'm guessing he was a friend to all of you… I'm guessing over time he became like a… big brother," Negan continued, his eyes burning into Rick's. "Now you know who you're messing with. You try anything, this will be the outcome of you…" he knelt down in front of the leader. "… or that boy of yours. Got it?"
Rick felt a snarl leave him, which only caused Negan to smirk.
"Down boy," Negan growled. "You don't need any more trouble knocking at your door. You're one man down, I doubt you can afford to lose anyone else."
"I'm going to kill you," Rick whispered, finding his voice. "And I'm going to make it slow… and painful… and you're going to be begging me for forgiveness. I can promise you that."
Negan watched Rick as he spoke with venom and listening intently. He fought the urge to laugh but remained straight faced.
"Good. I really hope it ain't an empty promise," Negan said, standing. "Because, I mean… what I did to your friend here, I can't wait to do with you. Now if you don't mind us, we have elsewhere to be. It's been great meeting you all, and uh… commiserations to your friend, of course. Lucille sends her love."
And with a whistle, Negan disappeared into a vehicle, and his men that surrounded the group all but disappeared into the shadows. The sound of engines started to fill the air, and with that, they drove away and into the night leaving the group remaining where they were knelt. It was only a while later, once the sounds of the vehicles had disappeared into the distance, that they had stood from their positions, knowing it was safe. Rick ran a hand through his hair as he thought of their next move. He heard cries behind him. He turned to observe his friends in mourning. Glenn was hugging Maggie tightly, and Rick wasn't sure whether he was hugging her or holding her up. He met Michonne's gaze and she stared back at him sadly.
Rick moved over towards where his friend laid. It was only when he was closer that he saw the true extent of the brutality that Daryl had faced. His face was caved in, his eye lay nearby, and his brains scattered the ground around him. Rick knelt down beside his friend, and placed his head in his hands. Sadness rose with him and he allowed the tears that threatened to fall to complete their journey. After a moment, Rick swallowed the lump in his throat and stood.
"We bring him home," Rick said.
The group nodded in unison sadly.
"He deserves a funeral," Rick continued. "He deserves to be remembered."
Abraham knelt and picked Daryl's lifeless body from the ground and placed him on the board that had once carried Maggie. Rick pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket and placed the fragments of skull and Daryl's eye into it before wrapping it up. As the group began to make the journey back the way they came and back to Alexandria - a place they were finally able to call home - they were all silent for they thought of their friend they had just lost.
Daryl Dixon had taught them many things – about the world, about himself, about themselves. One thing they all had in common was they had known a man who, when faced with a dying world, had found a reason to live.
