Summary: Five years since the walker outbreak occurred in 2010, Debbie Abrams is taking one day at a time, when the unthinkable happens. Daryl Dixon is trying to keep the group together, despite the growing distance between him, Rick and Michonne over keeping Negan alive. He finds himself escorting a young woman across the USA, after surviving being bit. Co-Written with WalkingPotterGirl14. Loosely following season 9.
So, I know it's been a while but we hope you enjoy this story.
Endure and Survive
Chapter 1
The weather outside was pleasant but windy as a young dark blonde-haired woman searched through an abandoned town. Debbie Abrams sighed grimly and surveyed the abandoned hospital. Hopefully, this place would have supplies that included medicine. She looked at where her brother-in-law, Lucas Williams, was rummaging through the cars.
She shook her head in disgust when he put a bottle of whisky in his backpack. Typical that he would prioritize getting alcohol over getting medicine, food and fuel. Regular kind of man, he was.
She might be partially deaf, but she wasn't stupid. She headed into the hospital entrance and held her machete tightly by the handle. She went down to the paediatric ward, looking around. Some of the windows were smashed. There were dead bodies on the floor in states of decomposition, and dried blood stained the flooring.
Debbie shook her head as she checked the medical cabinet and found some cough medicine, which was probably past it's sell by date. She did manage to find bandages, gauze and some alcohol for medical use.
Shoving it into her backpack she searched for anymore supplies but couldn't find any aside from two IV drips. She started heading back to where Lucas was, when she heard yelling outside.
Oh Christ, what had Lucas gotten himself into now? Knowing her luck, he'd probably ended up getting hurt. She sighed, and quickly hurried down the hallway. Once she turned, she froze.
Coming towards her and Lucas was the largest herd of walkers that Debbie had seen in her life, since the outbreak had occurred seven years ago.
"Run!" she yelled at Lucas. He ran ahead of her as she started running from the herd of walkers. Was it her imagination but had one of them spoke?
'Don't look back, just keep running Deb,' she thought frantically, trying to stay calm despite the fear running through her. Christ, she was going to kill Lucas.
She looks around quickly, trying to see if she could find some sort of entrance around them to get out. But all of them seemed to be closing in. Her eyes move to where Lucas was and found him nowhere to be seen. Her rage intensifies. That fucker had abandoned her.
She quickly wipes out her knife and stabs it into one of the walkers, but before she could somehow push her way through, there was a sharp pain on her right wrist. She looks around and slams her knife into the walker that was currently taking a chomp out of her skin. She stares at it in shock before pushing her mind to leave. No…no, no….
Debbie runs through the walkers and into the woods, as fast as her body could take her. As fast as her mind would allow her. Every single bit of her body was yelling at her to stop running, to just relax and let herself breathe, but she couldn't. Not now. Not ever.
Her eyes snap back towards the bite on her wrist. Her…her wrist…
She had been bit. She had been bit. She…she was going to die.
"…. fuck," she sobs. After her years of fighting, of avoiding stupid shit like this, she had been taken down by a lone walker. She was dead meat.
Finally, she allows herself to lean against the tree, tears starting to stream down her cheeks. She was dead. That was was going to die. Her family nowhere to be seen. And her life in shambles. Fuck.
Daryl looked down at the Saviors that were trying to keep the Sanctuary going. Constantly, there were people always either bickering or sighing about the crops not growing. Nothing was working for real in this place. And no matter how many times he would try and say this to Rick, it wouldn't work. He hated taking over this place. The one area that had drove him almost to a point of insanity. The one place where he had nearly lost his will to live. And Rick had put him in charge. Smart choice.
He sighs and shakes his head. This was ridiculous. At this point, he wanted to be out on the road rather than in here. To feel the stares of the people he used to fight. To hear the whispered words that transferred from mouth to mouth on a daily basis. He hated it so much. Every bit of it.
He wondered what it would be like back on the road again.
He loved his family. He loved a lot of them, as much as he didn't talk about it. He cared for Carol like a sister and was happy for her and was happy for everyone, but there were times where he didn't want to lead. He never wanted to lead. But if it was what he had to do, it was what he had to do.
And he hated it.
He hated that Negan was still breathing, while Glenn, Carl, Abraham, Eric, Sasha and countless others were dad. He wished he was with his brothers at the Hilltop, rather than here, and hang out with Beth, and Maggie.
He nodded at Laura and she nodded back before going back into the factory to get some seeds. He glanced around the yard and saw Arat and Justin trying to use a walker as a scarecrow, like they used to do, under the pretence to scare off the crows. Now he was pissed off. He stormed over towards the two of them as they looked up his approach. He was mad and glared at them warningly.
He put the walker down with his crossbow, glaring at them before going to get ready for the supply run that was going to the museum to get farming equipment.
He was done with this shit. He didn't want to lead these people. The people who had mocked him and taunted him.
Debbie numbly walked back to the Commonwealth Safe Zone and stood outside the gates. She didn't know if she could bring herself to tell her older brothers, sister and niece that she'd been bitten. God, how the hell were they gonna react to this? She could only imagine how Zoe was going to react. Her niece was only sixteen years old, but wise beyond her years.
Eve had raised her well. She was proud of her older sister. Debbie sighed quietly, as she looked at the crescent moon shaped scar that was on her right wrist. Surprisingly it didn't hurt, but that might be the adrenaline pulsing through her veins at the moment.
She slumped onto the ground and looked at her pistol. Maybe if she could just get into the safe zone to say her goodbyes...then she'd be able to do the next thing.
"Debs? What are you doing out here?" Eve's voice asked concerned. She turned to see her older sister's soft but weary light blue eyes looking at her.
Debbie swallowed and held out her right wrist. It was the only way she could tell her sister without crying or going into a rage. Eve stared at her in denial, and shook her head.
"No, no, no. After everything we've been through, after everything we've done, I am not letting you go out this way! How long ago were you bit?" Eve asked quickly, trying to stay calm.
Debbie looked at her arm briefly, frowning as she realized that it was almost six hours since she'd been bitten by the walker in the abandoned town.
"Six hours, Eve," she said quietly. Eve didn't hesitate as she grabbed her, and they rushed to the safe zone. The gates were open, and they went to Georgie.
Maybe she could help them.
Daryl glared at the graffiti that said, 'WE ARE STILL NEGAN!', on the wall and glared at Arat and Justin. He knew they were behind this. He barely reigned in his temper.
"Clean that shit up now!" He growled angrily. He stormed upstairs as he saw Rick come up to join him. Daryl finally had enough. He wasn't staying here anymore.
"I don't wanna be leader of this place, Rick. This place is a factory, it ain't gonna grow crops. I'm gonna go back to Hilltop, see Maggie, the baby and my family," Daryl said firmly, refusing to budge on this.
"Someone's gonna have to take your place; you know, that right?" Rick asked finally and continued. "You should come back to Alexandria; things have changed." Rick argued impatiently. Daryl glared at him.
"It's because ya changed them Rick, not us. I'm goin' back to the Hilltop, and that's my final word," Daryl said warningly, and stormed out of the factory.
Rick watched him go, feeling frustrated.
But for once, Daryl didn't care what Rick said. All he wanted to do was go somewhere they he thought he might be able to be remotely happy. Not even a bit, just remotely. And he knew if he was at least near his family he could be.
Not near these fuckers.
Once Debbie had gone to Georgie to see what they could do, they determined that it was too long to risk anything close to cutting off her arm. They just had to wait it out. Her family wasn't taking it so well. Most were crying or saying it couldn't be true. Luke was nowhere to be seen. Fucking bastard.
The strange thing was, it really didn't hurt. Even after the adrenaline wore off. After all that, she felt...fine. But she still cooperated because she knew that sometimes placebo effect was a bitch.
They gently handcuff her to the bed, like that really mattered, and all sobbed. Each one of them said a teary goodbye and Debbie had quietly asked them to leave her be for a while. They complied and left the room.
The young woman lays her head against her pillow. Just years ago, she had been doing what she wanted to do, a teacher, learning how the mind words of younger people; surviving. But now here she was, dying due to her fucktard of a brother in law. Was he her brother in law? She had never gotten married to her fiancé from before the turn. Honestly the sad part was that she hardly remembered him.
Love barely existed in this world.
Debbie lays her head down, closing her eyes. It would be any second now. Hopefully. Quick and easy.
She still. Hadn't. Turned.
It had been three full days now. The CDC had said the virus would have killed anyone by now. But she was alive.
She was...alive.
Suddenly, the door opens, and someone is standing there with a knife and keys to the handcuffs. But stop short when they see she was still very much breathing.
"You're..." the person runs before she could say anything. She was just as confused as the next guy. She was alive.
Was...was she...immune?
How the hell was that even possible? People turned after being bitten either hours later, or a day later. How could she have survived being bitten by a walker?
The next thing Debbie knew was that Cain, Ethan, Eve and her daughter Zoe were running into the bedroom, crying or just simply hugging her tightly.
"Oh my god, Deb, you haven't turned. You're immune to the walker virus, sis," Eve said breathlessly through tears of relief and joy. Cain and Ethan simply held her hands.
Zoe had refused to let go of her, and was clinging onto her tightly, scared that her aunt would disappear if she let go. Debbie kissed her forehead reassuringly. She was alive...she had somehow fucking survived not turning into a walker, and infecting anyone.
Daryl helped Cyndie carry the canoe down the stairs and they carefully walked over the glass flooring. Walkers ambled about underneath it. He carefully helped her put it over the wagon, and then turned to help Maggie and the others, helping them carry down the wagon with ropes. He nodded at Joel, his older brother nodding at him. They managed to get the wagon across, when the damn glass finally broke. Ezekiel fell in but was clinging to the rope.
Daryl ran over and fired an arrow atone of the walkers, as Carol pulled up Ezekiel. She kissed him in relief, thankful he lived another day. They carefully left the museum and got to the wagons rode by the horses.
"Heard you and Rick had a disagreement earlier on. Everythin' alright?" Joel asked quietly. They made sure they had everything, the two of them staying near the back. Daryl nodded.
"He didn't want me to step down as leader of the Sanctuary, and the Saviours. I didn't belong there, so I'm goin' back to the Hilltop, with ya and the others. I can't let myself stay there anymore," Daryl explained finally. He knew that his older brother would understand.
Joel looked at him quietly, and a rare smile tugged at his mouth. Daryl knew his brother rarely smiled since losing Sarah at the beginning of the apocalypse, but finding Ellie was like showing his brother again.
Shit, Merle would be proud.
"We'll be happy to have you home, Daryl. We've all missed you. Ellie's been missing her uncle Daryl," he teased, secretly happy that his brother was returning to the Hilltop. She had been wanting to go out hunting more with him.
All of them, including Beth, had known that Daryl had loathed being leader of the Saviors. Being in the place that had tortured and humiliated him.
Daryl smiled at his brother relived, and they both started following the wagon down, as he and Rosita scouted ahead. Joel turned his attention on Rick and Michonne and decided to have a chat with them.
Maggie watched quietly as Rick and Michonne went to talk to Joel about Daryl. She knew it was gonna get ugly. Enid and Ellie were talking about comics and the newborn foal being born at Hilltop, so luckily, they didn't have to pay attention to what they were saying. She peeks around the corner.
"You need to realize, Rick, that putting Daryl in charge of the Saviors and Sanctuary was a bad idea. He don't wanna lead them, and they don't like us. Open your damn eyes and realize that the Saviors don't wanna be helped," he said resentfully. Rick frowned.
"Daryl can stay at Alexandria," he said firmly. "He's always worked well from there." Joel glared at him incredulously, as did Maggie.
"Do you really think Daryl wants to be in charge of the place that had people humiliate and nearly kill him. Jesus, Rick, you are stupid," Joel said contemptuously, and went off to talk with Maggie.
Rick shakes his head and moves away. Maggie looks at Joel, who was grumbling to himself. "You know he's always welcomed at Hilltop, right?" Joel sighs before nodding.
"I know he is. It's why he's coming back. But I hate that Rick keeps forcin' him to stay. It's tearing him apart. I can see it." He turns to Maggie. "Lemme put it this way. If Merle was still here, even his dumbass could tell that Daryl is barely hanging on."
Maggie's brow raises, nodding. She knew that was a serious thing. "He'll be safe there."
"You okay?"
Daryl looks up from where he was sharpening his knife. Beth had come over once they had settled back in Hilltop from their run. One of the people had been bit so they had to bury him, but he tried to stay back as far as he could. He didn't want to piss anyone off.
"Yeah, I'm good." She sits next to him and his eyes go towards her head. Her scar from where she had been shot was very visible, but she almost wore it like a medal of honour. He had to give her props for that. Girl had grown up a lot.
"We both know you're not."
Daryl sighs before placing his knife on the ground. "I just don't want to go back to Sanctuary, Beth. No one there respects a single word I say or what anyone says. I just want to stay here but Rick is being a little dick about it."
Beth shrugs her shoulders. "Then just stay. You're a grown man, Daryl. You can do what you want. You don't have to obey Rick when you're the one unhappy. If you want to stay here, then stay here."
Daryl looks at her quietly before sighing. "I know. Gonna do that…just hope it doesn't end badly."
Beth squeezes his shoulder. "It won't. Trust me."
"I can't believe this."
Debbie watched as Georgie paced back and forth, shaking her head. "Neither can I," she says back, her hand ghosting over her right wrist. "I don't feel sick or hurt. It's just there."
Georgie looks around at her, shaking her head. "Still…this is insane. Do you know what this means, Debbie?" She shakes her head. "Whatever you have in your blood stream, whatever is moving through you…that can be a change for you. That can be the cure to all of humanity. If we could somehow make it god…." She looks down at the walkie talkie on her desk. "We need to get you somewhere."
Debbie's brow furrows. "To where?"
Georgie looks at her as the rest of Debbie's family gathers around. "There is a group of scientists still alive constantly trying to find a solution to what is happening. They have stations all throughout the country that you could go to and tell them that you are immune. That community, Hilltop. We gave them those favours ages ago with the book and this is how they can repay us, by getting you safely across the country for the rest of us. This would be perfect."
Debbie's' brow furrows. "What're the name of the scientists? Or the group leading them?"
"Dr. Marlene Foster. She's the leader and the lead scientist of the group who has spent years trying to find a cure. She worked with Dr. Jenner, and the French to find a cure," Georgie explained excitedly. She was thrilled this was happening. "I'll let you all have something to eat, and then we'll go to the Hilltop Colony and discuss this with them," she said patiently, and left them alone in the apartment.
Debbie looked at the walker bite on her right lower arm. It was angry and red, but she didn't feel sick or feverish. She swallowed, as she realized she might be able to help people.
After everything she's done, maybe this was her way of making it up to the world. In a true sense, of fucking karma.
"Right, let's all pack a bag and grab our gear," Cain said finally, his grey eyes glancing at his younger brother, sisters and niece. They nodded and went to pack. He walked over to where Debbie was, and sat down on the bed next to her, a contemplative expression on his face.
"You sure that you're alright with this, Debs?" he asked quietly. Debbie nodded as she glanced absently at the dog tags that were on a silver chain around her neck.
"I need to do this, Cain. After everything we've done, it can't be for nothing…can it?" she asked quietly. Cain sighed before nodding and hugged her, before going to pack.
She turned to survey her bedroom, and began packing a few toiletries, a few pair of cotton panties, three bras, t-shirts, a sweater, clean pair of socks, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, and she packed a book in her waterproof backpack. All of which from what she truly needed.
She sighed quietly as she looked at the photo album that was packed inside her backpack. She couldn't bring herself to read it. She quietly grabbed her weapons.
Her revolver, and her knife. She wondered who these people were that Georgie wanted to take and her siblings across the ruins of the U.S?
Daryl stood with the others as Maggie spoke to the Hilltop civilians. Gregory was tied up and begging someone to help him. No one lifted a finger, as it was revealed that Gregory had tried to have Maggie assassinated by Earl, who was grieving for the loss of his and Tammy Rose's son, Ken.
Joel nodded at him grimly. Gregory screamed and begged for someone to stop this. Daryl let the horse go, and Michonne screamed at Maggie to stop as Gregory was promptly hanged.
"Maggie, stop!" Michonne begged pleadingly, as some children looked at what was happening. Once he was good and dead, Maggie turned back to the crowd.
"I made this decision...but this is not the beginning of something. I don't want to go through it again. Cut him down," Maggie ordered. Daryl and Joel cut him down, before Beth stabbed him in the head.
That was when they heard knocking at the gates. Daryl saw a look of shock on Maggie, Michonne and Enid's faces, as a middle-aged woman with platinum blonde hair looked at them warmly, with two young men, two women and a young girl around Ellie and Enid's age.
"I was hoping that I'd find you, Maggie. I was wondering if I could talk to you, Michonne, Rick, Ezekiel and Carol about something important," Georgie explained smoothly. Maggie nodded at her as the group were shown into the yard.
Daryl kept his eyes on them and saw Joel glance at the young girl as did Ellie. The woman with light blonde hair offered Ellie a gentle smile.
What the hell did this woman want?
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