Coby paced backwards and forwards impatiently, stopping every few minutes to look out at the road.
"You're going to fall off there if you're not careful."
She looked down at Gabriel as she stood atop the platform beside the gate. "They shoulda' gotten back by now. Somethin's wrong, i know it."
"Why don't you come down from there, have yourself a rest?"
She shook her head. "I can't, not till they're back."
"They'll be back, Coby. You need to rest, or at the very least eat."
"Nah, i'll eat once they're home safe." She shuffled the rifle on her shoulder, staring out at the road. They'd come back, they had to. Her dad certainly would, that was for sure. There wasn't anyone tougher than him.
Just as she was contemplating leaving to go look for him, she heard a car approaching, her eyes wide as she settled the rifle on her shoulder.
"Who is it, is it Rick?" Gabriel shouted up.
"Don't know." She squinted her eyes. "Can't tell. I think.. yeah, it's Rick. Open the gate." She said as she climbed down.
Gabriel opened the gate, the car rolling through and coming to a stop. Rick stepped out, and Coby didn't like the look on his face. It was sombre and pale.
"Rick. What happened? Did ya' find everyone?"
He stared at her, clenching his jaw so his lip wouldn't tremble.
"Where's my dad?" She asked, looking in the car window as Michonne stepped out. There was a very battered looking Eugene, and a sombre Rosita and Carl, but that was it. "Rick, where's my dad?" Coby repeated herself. "Is he.." The words wouldn't leave her mouth.
Rick shook his head. "Negan took him."
Coby took a step back, her eyes narrowing. "I don't understand. What d'ya mean he took him?"
"He.. he lead us out into the woods, and.. he killed Glenn and Abraham." Tears fell down his cheeks. "I'm sorry."
"No, i don't.. they're gone?" She asked in disbelief. Rick nodded in reply. "An' Maggie?"
"We got her to the Hilltop."
"What d'ya mean he took him?"
"Your dad was shot. He.. he took him back with him."
Coby rushed over. "Where?"
"I don't know."
"What d'ya mean ya' don't know? That's my goddamn dad!" She spat.
"Coby, don't." Michonne made her way over. "I know this is hard, but Rick did-"
"Did what?! Started this in the first place? I told ya' it was stupid attackin' that outpost, said it'd start somethin'. Now look where we are.. Glenn and Abe are dead, an' they got my dad!"
"I'm sorry," Rick said, his eyes blood shot, dark circles beneath.
"Y'aint sorry."
"That's enough," Michonne said.
Coby's lip trembled, her eyes filling up. "That's my dad." She dropped her head, Michonne wrapping an arm around Coby and pulling her close.
"I know, Coby. I know," Michonne said, her own lip beginning to tremble.
Coby sat at Rick's kitchen table with Michonne and Rosita.
"So what's our next move?" Coby asked.
Rick looked across the table, swallowing thickly. "There isn't one."
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Coby frowned.
He shook his head. "There isn't one. We've gotta do what they say, or more people die."
"Are ya' shittin' me?"
"There's just too many of them."
Coby slammed her fist on the table as she got out of her seat. "Ain't no such thing. We've beat assholes like that before."
"Not like this. They have the numbers."
"What, so y'all are just gonna leave him there?!"
"My hands are tied." Rick rubbed at his temples.
"My dad wouldn't leave ya' behind, he wouldn't leave no one behind."
"If i could bring him back, then i would."
"Bullshit." Coby turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Michonne asked.
"I'll go find him myself, don't need none of y'all."
"Coby, just stop." Rick got up from the table. "We don't even know where they are. They could be anywhere."
"I ain't sittin' here on my ass eatin' biscuits an' fuckin' drinkin' tea whilst they got him. What d'ya expect us ta do, Rick?"
"We have to follow their rules. It's the only way we can be sure we won't lose anyone else."
Coby shook her head. "No, see i never wanted ta fight 'em in the first place. This is all on you, Rick. My dad trusted you, an' so did i. Now i just gotta trust number one. I'll find him."
"That's not what he'd want, and you know that," Rick pointed out.
"What, he wouldn't wanna be found?!"
"No, he wouldn't want you risking your life to find him."
Coby scoffed. "Worst thing we did was joinin' you. Shoulda' carried on when we saw y'all at the quarry. Least Uncle Merle would still be here. None of this woulda' happened if Merle was still here."
Rick fought the urge to tell her things would most likely be worse if Merle were still alive, but he planned on keeping his nuts intact, so he bit his tongue. "This is where we are. If you wanna go out there, then i can't stop you. But i'll tell you something, Coby. It's not gonna get you anywhere. You'll end up hurt or worse, or maybe someone else will pay the price."
"Like my dad is?"
Rick pinched the bridge of his nose. "What would you have me do?"
Her brows furrowed as she felt a lump in her throat. "Not sit there lookin' all defeated, like you've just given up."
"We are defeated. You know what Negan said? He said, that if i break his rules, he'll have me cut pieces of off your dad. Negan.." Rick shook his head. "I almost had to cut off my son's arm. Do you understand? That, is where we are."
"Did ya' at least find Carol?"
"Morgan's still out looking for her."
Coby laughs. "Jesus. You left Carol's life in the hands of someone who ain't got the balls ta end someone when it's needed?"
"Coby." Michonne stepped forward once again. "I agree with you, okay."
"Michonne?" Rick looked up at her with a frown.
"No, Rick. I'm saying it how it is." She turned to Coby. "I don't like this. I think we should fight. But Rick's right. Right now, there's nothing we can do. We can't afford to do anything rash."
Coby looked down at her feet. "Easy for you ta say. It ain't your dad," she said before leaving.
She'd been barely four months old when her mother had dropped her off outside Daryl's trailer in a bassinet, with nothing but a note that read, Daryl, this is our daughter, Colby. I got a job in the big city, can't look after her no more, Layla.
Unfortunately, Daryl had been out hunting, so Merle had found her. In fact, he'd been so lit, he'd tripped over her bassinet, and stared down at her as she'd begun to bawl her eyes out.
"What in the holy shit?" He'd frowned, looking down in disbelief. Merle had glanced around the trailer park, sure someone had been playing a prank on him. He'd headed inside, certain someone would come take her once they realised he wasn't falling for it, but after an hour of her crying, he'd brought her in, reading the note. He crossed out the letter l on her name, since he didn't like the name Colby so much, and then he sat her on his lap as he drunk a few more beers and watched a western.
By the time Daryl had gotten back, Merle had been sound asleep, the baby settled in his lap.
They'd raised her together, as best as they could. But no matter how hard up they'd been, Coby had always come first, never missing a meal.
And now, as she sat with her head in her hands, tears dripping on the carpet of the house she shared with her dad in Alexandria, she didn't know what to do.
Rick was right. If she did something, it wouldn't necessarily be her that paid the price. But could she really do nothing? Just let her dad rot away God knows where?
"Dad.. what do i do?" She whispered.
Author's Note
I'd been asked a loooong time ago by Kara315 whether i would do a fic with Daryl's daughter, so here it finally is. Not sure how long it'll be, i'm just kinda winging it.