Last Chance

Dawn advanced forwards, drawing her gun as she moved, training it on Daryl, her face a bitter mask of betrayal. "How could you, Daryl?" she barely breathed, her words almost a whine. "How could you?"

Daryl slowly stood up, hands half raised, shielding Beth with his body. He didn't care about what happened to him, but Beth... "I's... I's sorry," he forced himself to say, stepping forwards, careful to keep constant eye contact with Dawn, "it - it w's a mistake."

"A mistake?" Dawn said incredulously, tilting her head to the side. "After all I've done for you - shielding you, trusting you - yet you throw it all away for some little blonde slut!?"

Daryl just stared at Dawn, trying to repress the rage rising in him. She was insane, but it was an insanity edged with lucidity, Dawn deluding herself help was coming, but logical enough to see her power was slipping whilst she waited, driving her to despicable lengths to maintain her might. It was cunning that saw her sanction rape and violence so she could keep control, and it was that same cunning that had driven her to Daryl, seeing him as another way to control the wards, even if her scheme had failed to come to fruition.

She was out of control, and losing control, and she'd tried to use Daryl as an instrument to wrest back control, not just over the wards, but over herself. Daryl was strong, the only one she could class as an equal opponent. By breaking him, she could fix the cracks in her own facade, conquering her own fears. This obsession had underlined and undermined her more carnal objective; subjugating and seducing Daryl could no longer be separated. It was about breaking him in both mind and body, preying on him, employing ploy after ploy to end him.

"I - I thought you don't want me no more," Daryl said, voice cracking on cue, careful to keep the other cops in his eye-line as he came towards her.

Dawn hesitated, her green eyes glittering oddly. "We... we can come back from this," she said feverishly, more to herself than him, "we can still make it work."

"We can," Daryl said huskily, drawing level with her, "we's can start again, you an' me."

Dawn studied him, her lips thinning. "We have to preserve our public face," she said sternly, "I can't be seen letting you get away with undermining my authority. I've covered up for you too many times, Daryl."

Daryl dropped his hands to his sides, hanging his shaggy head in sham shame, acting like he was awaiting her final judgement.

"I know what to do," Dawn muttered, nodding to herself, "I know exactly what to do." She half raised her gun, her aim steady and sure. "Stand aside, Daryl," she said quietly, turning her gaze towards Beth on the bed.

For a heartbeat, Daryl hesitated, time crashing together in his skull like cymbals, the future unfurling in front of him, a single gunshot, the fall, an inevitable end. With one swift movement, the scissors were in his hand, then in Dawn's neck, a flash of dull silver, a cut off cry, then a dull thud, Dawn's reign of destruction finally over. All it had taken was one last chance, a chance nobody had dared to take until Daryl. He understood now, he got it. I get it now...

But as he stared down at what had nearly destroyed him, barely hearing Lansom's desperate demands to stand down, he remembered from far away, as though from another life, the twelve year old Noah had spoken of, the one that had tried to take Dawn down. He had made a vow to finish what they'd started, and he'd fulfilled that promise. In his mind's eye, he saw that kid as Sophia, finally strong, her mother's daughter. He had done this for her, that faceless girl who'd fought back; for Beth, for Joan, for Raeanne; for Noah, Percy and the other wards -

The crackle of Dawn's radio broke the silence, making Daryl's head jerk up, the sound of a voice he thought he'd never hear again filling the void.

"This is Rick Grimes, former deputy of King's County..."

They stood like two armies facing each other on the battlefield, existing at opposite ends of the chessboard. Daryl watched as Noah stepped forwards, searching for Raeanne, his panicked gaze locking with Daryl's, knowing without words she was gone. Daryl shook his head, delivering the final blow, making Noah turn away, burying his face in his hands. Daryl tried to feel pity, but all he remembered was Raeanne's broken body, how Noah had left her behind to save his own skin.

After Lansom had spoken to Rick over the radio, time had sped up and slowed down, Lansom taking charge, O'Donnell putting Dawn down with a single gunshot, Daryl and Beth being escorted to their respective rooms to get changed into their old clothes. Lansom had agreed to exchange Daryl and Beth for his fellow officers, after learning Rick was holding them hostage, and as the final preparations were made, Daryl had drifted, his mind becoming a blank vacuum, and now here they were, bodies braced, fists clenched, watching, waiting.

"One of yours for one of mine," Lansom called out, Rick nodding his head in return.

One of the officers took Daryl's arm, but he shook them off, eyes angry. "Take Beth," he growled, teeth bared.

"Dixon," Lansom said warningly.

"It's okay," Beth said quietly to Daryl, offering him a wobbly smile. "I'll be right behind you."

Daryl looked at her for a long moment, fighting himself, before allowing himself to be escorted forwards, passing Licari, the other man sparing him a grim glance before hastily averting his face. Rick clasped Daryl's shoulder, strong emotion burning in his blue eyes, Daryl nodding, his jaw trembling slightly. As Rick then let Daryl go, he saw Carol standing behind the others, Daryl hesitating before suddenly running forwards, Carol finding herself in his arms, Daryl swinging her off her feet. As he buried his face in her shoulder, hiding his tears, Carol smoothing back his shaggy hair, Maggie stepped forwards, her face pale.

"My sister now," she called down to the corridor to Lansom, her voice cracking.

Lansom nodded, Beth making her own way over, Shepherd passing her, head bowed. As soon as Beth reached Maggie, her sister dragged her into her arms, clinging to her like a life raft, the tears streaming down her face. As Glenn stepped forwards, making to lead them away, O'Donnell broke rank, sauntering forwards, a smirk playing on his thin lips, ignoring Lansom's order to come back.

"Now we just need Noah," he said, making everyone's head snap up. "And then you can leave."

"O'Donnell" -

- "Shut it, Bob," O'Donnell snapped over his shoulder at Lansom, "you just keep out of this."

Lansom paled, falling silent, not saying anything else, finally losing his nerve.

O'Donnell smiled, satisfied, before turning back to the others. "Noah," he said, gesturing for the boy to come over.

But Rick halted Noah with his hand. "This - this isn't part of the deal," he said, stepping forwards, struggling to keep his cool.

"Noah was a ward here, and when he went AWOL, Beth took his place," O'Donnell sneered. "Now she's leaving with you lot, so do the math, Sheriff."

Rick just shook his head, refusing to play ball, O'Donnell failing to see the danger signs.

"Our officers risked their lives to find him," he argued, jabbing his finger at Noah. "His place is with us!"

"He ain't stayin'," Daryl hissed, throwing off Carol's restraining hand.

"You have no claim on him," O'Donnell hissed back.

"The boy wants to go home," Rick spat, his hand hovering over his holster, "so you have no claim on him."

"If it's not Noah, then it'll be Beth instead," O'Donnell said coldly, "either one will do, I don't care" - The last of his sentence was cut off by a bullet, the sound ricocheting around the corridor, making the officers instantly raise their weapons, Rick's group doing the same.

"Stand down!" Lansom bellowed, his face completely bloodless now, his hands shaking. "For chrissake, stand down!"

Maggie stared at him, tilting her head to the side, eyes blazing like emerald fire. Then she finally lowered her gun, her other hand unconsciously cradling the still hidden swell of her stomach. "Nobody fucks with my family," she said quietly, "nobody."

They made their way towards the vehicles, Joan raising her eyebrows at the sight of the fire engine. "Nice ride," she observed dryly, making Tara scoff.

"Runs as smooth as silk," Glenn rejoindered, taking Maggie's hand, exchanging a glance filled with unspoken secrets. After Maggie's last stand, they had left without further challenge, but not before Daryl had lain down one last gauntlet, asking anybody who wanted to leave to step forwards now. At the sound of his voice, Joan had stepped out from the doorway of her room, her face a battlefield of emotion, hope and doubt colliding all at once. He had held out his hand to her, and she had taken it, the only one brave enough to break free.

Carol drew level with Daryl, offering him a broken smile. It had been her who'd saved them, following Beth outside, just in time to see her being taken, Carol tracking the car back to Atlanta, where she'd found Noah, bringing him back to Rick, setting off the train of events that had led to now. Daryl smiled brokenly back, Carol then falling into step beside Tyreese and Sasha, Daryl noting the strained peace that existed between the trio, hoping it would become something more permanent. All the group had was each other, and if they didn't have that, they had nothing.

"There isn't a cure," Beth said quietly beside him, making him glance down at her. "Eugene lied."

"Don't matter," Daryl said gruffly, nodding at Rick, who returned the gesture, his grey gaze then falling upon the group of strangers Beth had told him about, Noah standing amongst them, his face pale, fists clenched by his side. Noah would have to live with his regret over Raeanne for what remained of his life, and Daryl hoped he'd learn something from leaving Raeanne behind. It wasn't about the individual anymore, it was about us. Noah wasn't joining a group, he was joining a family, and if he didn't understand this, there was no place for him here.

"Your crossbow's back at the church," Beth said suddenly, startling him, "I forgot to tell you."

"Too damn right you did," Daryl exclaimed, making her grin. But as she stared at the far horizon, Beth's smile faltered then faded, Daryl hesitating before drawing him to her, wrapping his arms around her middle, resting his head on her shoulder. "What you thinkin' ab't?" he asked gruffly, his breath warm on her bare skin, making her shiver slightly.

"About where we go from here," Beth said distantly, her father's fob-watch heavy in her pocket, time standing still. There would be too much left behind, a future they would have to fight for, clawing back what belonged to them.

"We have each other," Daryl said quietly, "an' that's all that counts."

Oh, there's no one left to call
Nothing much to say
Pretty sure the world is gonna end today
Drink up one last whiskey, head to the dance
Baby, this is our last chance
Baby, this is our last chance
I'm the last pretty girl
You're the last decent man…

The End