XV: Brave Horatius

~Clary~

Kelly scrambles onto the watchpost that five of us occupy, standing in a row as we stare down at Alpha at our gate. Tara warns her, "Our community is more than capable of defending itself!"

"I show you my face because we mean you no harm," Alpha returns.

"You can go shovel that horseshit to whoever killed my best friend!" I snap. At least, I mean to, but Tara places a hand over my mouth before I can speak.

"I just want my daughter. I know you have her."

"You should turn around," Daryl advises as Tara lowers her hand from my mouth.

"Yeah," I agree. "You leave now, no one gets hurt."

"Wrong answer," Alpha replies.

She raises her hand in the air, and another group of skins just as large as the first emerges from around the cornfield. Kelly peers through the binoculars, searching for her sister.

"I just made it worse," I whisper, knowing that even more of the enemy standing outside our home drastically increases the chances of someone getting hurt. Knowing my luck, it'll be someone I love, and I start to shake at the thought. In my fear, I grab for the first hand I can, which happens to be Yumiko's.

Yumiko simply squeezes it back, a silent gesture that tells me, I'm here. We're in this together. We're one of your people, and you're one of us.

I give her a nod of thanks, intertwining our fingers before taking Tara's and doing the same, linking us all together as we stand against Alpha, against the devil before us. I glance towards Kelly as she lowers the binoculars. I question, "Connie?"

"They don't see her," she answers as Yumiko gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "At least, not yet."

"That girl told me what her mom does to her," Daryl says. "We ain't sending her back to that."

"Yeah, but what if she has Alden and Luke?" Tara counters, grasping Daryl's hand at the idea of our friends in danger. "Pissing her off can get them killed."

Magna swallow nervously. If I were any farther away, I'd miss the minute bits of fear in Magna. Daryl, noticing the trend, takes Magna's hand, fully linking those of us facing Alpha. Magna looks at him in a mixture of surprise and confusion before noticing the rest of us, and our solidarity reassures her that we're in it together now.

Magna calls, "Did you kill our friends? We found their horses."

"No," Alpha answers. "Which one of you leads these people?"

"The hell's it matter?" Daryl demands.

Alpha shrugs. "Then I'll just address all of you. Your people crossed into our lands. There will be no conflict. Your people killed our people. There will be no conflict. I'm done talking. Bring me my daughter or there will be conflict."

"No one touches the girl," Daryl decides, then glances to Magna. "Keep Clary away from her."

Daryl climbs down from the watchpost, and I drop Yumiko and Tara's hands before following him. He's heading for the gate, and Aaron steps in front of me before I can follow Daryl any further. I plead, "Dad, I have to."

"I don't want to lose you," he replies, taking my hand. Though he hasn't apologized for trying to stop me from going outside the walls after Alden, he understands why I had to go. He knows what might be waiting out there on the other side of the gate, who might have been captured by the new enemy.

Together, we watch as the main gate is opened for my brother as he approaches. Aaron recites, "'Then out spake brave Horatius, the Captain of the Gate: 'To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better than facing fearful odds for the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his gods?''"

"Dad, I have to," I repeat, and he seems to understand that I need to be there with Daryl, having his back like I always do.

"I don't want to lose you," he repeats, but he relents, dropping my hand.

"You won't. But just in case—I love you," I tell him, quickly kissing his cheek before running to catch up with Daryl. I join him halfway down the path, falling into step beside him. He glances at me, whispering, "I didn't think you'd come."

"Of course I'm here, I'm your sister," I reply. "It's my job to stick with you. 'I will stand at thy right hand and keep the bridge with thee.'"

We stop at the border gate, Alpha standing at the other side. I find myself reminded of another standoff, years ago. I was outside the gates at that confrontation, having returned to the prison just in time to see the Governor standing outside its fences with a full militia and two of ours held captive.

I'm not about to lose my home and my friends like I did that day. I'll fight until I'm dead for these people, for this place. Hilltop has been my home for ten years, its people my family. I'm willing to do whatever to keep them safe, and if Alpha has Alden and Luke, I'm more than willing to give her daughter back to her to keep him safe.

To keep them safe, I have to correct myself. This is about more than just Alden. Remember that, Clary.

Alpha steps closer, looking Daryl and I over. Daryl declares, "You can't have her. Now, if it's a fight you're looking for, we got enough firepower to light you up. Right here and now."

"Twice over, at least," I add. "Just in case you survive the first one."

I ignore the cries, knowing that it's just part of Alpha's sick and twisted game, when I hear the baby. My gaze never leaves Alpha, but I can see Daryl's momentary lapse in attention out of the corner of my eye. He demands, "You brought a baby out here?"

"We're animals," Alpha replies. "Animals live out here. Animals have babies. So we have babies out here. Now, what were you saying? Lighting us all up? You seem to want conflict. I don't. So I'm proposing a trade."

Alpha steps aside, allowing us to see two skins among the others with knives at their necks. The skins holding the knives on them remove their masks. A whole new wave of fear replaces the momentary relief I feel upon seeing him.

She really does have our people.

I rest my hand against the gate as I step forward, meeting his eyes and seeing the fear in them as I whisper, "Alden."

"I wanted to kill them," Alpha says.

"You bitch," I hiss, my head snapping towards her.

"But," she continues, "I want my daughter more. One of mine, two of yours. It's a good trade, which is why you're gonna take it. Now, bring me my daughter."

"Done," I decide. "Daryl, get the girl." I look at him over my shoulder when he doesn't move, pleading with my eyes. "Go get the woman her goddamn daughter. She's right. It's more than a fair trade for our people."

Daryl leans down, whispering in my ear, "Are you sure about this?"

"Our people matter more to me. We make the trade."

Daryl dips his head in a nod, and I remain at the gate to keep a close eye on Alden and Luke while he goes inside to get Lydia. A group of walkers—real ones, I can tell by their growls—wander towards the Hilltop from down the road. The skin with the baby tries to quiet it as its crying intensifies, but she's having no luck. The mother looks to Alpha for guidance, but she simply shrugs when a few of the walkers stumble towards the mother, drawn by the baby's cries.

The mother removes the sling, placing her child on the ground for the dead.

"Hey!" Alden exclaims through his gag.

"Alden, I swear to God, if you die, I'm gonna kill you," I warn, noticing the way the skin moves the knife a little closer to his neck.

"The baby," he continues, ignoring me.

"To live with the dead means to live in silence," Alpha explains in a whisper. "If the mother can't quiet the child, then the dead will. Natural selection."

Behind me, I can hear the others banging on the paneled walls of Hilltop, yelling to distract the dead from the crying baby. It's not working.

"Hey!" Alden tries again. "Come on!"

"Alden, shut your ass up," I try, more frantic this time as the skin holding him hostage presses the edge of the knife against his throat while the one on Luke doesn't even have the knife near his throat.

Connie darts out from the cornfield, using her slingshot to kill a walker that was nearing the child. She kicks another back before scooping up the baby. She pauses for a moment to search for an exit, a way back into the safety of Hilltop that doesn't involve trying to go through the skins.

Alpha nods to two skins in the back. They draw their knives as they step toward Connie, who sees them and retreats back into the cornfield, the baby in her arms. Alpha gestures for them to follow.

"No, please don't!" I exclaim. "Please don't send your people after her! Please don't! She's just saving a child!"

~Daryl~

"Please don't! She's just saving a child!"

It's Clary's voice, frantic as she pleads. Her cries, combined with the yelling of those on watch, concerns me more than the currently missing Lydia.

"What's going on?!" I demand as I near the gate, Kelly scrambling down from the wall to meet me.

"They left the baby for the sickos!" she replies. "Connie went after it, and now there's sickos after her! Alpha started to send her people after her!"

"This way!" Tammy Rose says, and she and Earl lead Kelly and I out another exit, one closer to the cornfield.

We charge into the cornfield, and I almost call out for Connie before remembering that she's deaf. While that worries me, I know that she's got what it takes to survive for her to still be alive after all this time. I spy her through the stalks, and she takes down a walker that grabs for her from behind.

Another approaches from the front, but I run to meet it, killing it. I extend my hand towards her, telling her, "Come on!"

Connie glances over her shoulder before she moves, and I push her ahead of me as we run for the safety of Hilltop's walls. I can only hope that Enid and Addy are back with Lydia when we return, knowing that Alpha's patience is growing thinner with each passing moment.

~Clary~

It's taking Daryl too long. He should've been out by now, even with the hiccup with the cornfield. I can feel all of us starting to get antsy.

"I'm gonna go see what's taking so long," I decide after glancing at the gate, which still hasn't opened.

"Hurry," Alpha advises in a whisper. "If I don't get my daughter, you don't get your friends."

"You'll get her," I swear, turning back around to look at Alpha for a moment before turning my attention to Alden. "Don't do anything stupid, heroic, or stupidly heroic, Point Break."

I walk back up the path, the gate opening for me. I can see Daryl up ahead, pacing back and forth in front of Barrington. I call, "The hell's going on?! Alpha's gonna fucking kill them if we don't give her the girl!"

"Henry took off with Lydia," Daryl tells me.

"He did what?!"

"Enid and Addy are on it. It'll be okay."

"Alpha's tired of waiting. We need to do this!" I turn towards the men at the gate. "Kal, go tell her we'll be there in a minute! Keep an eye on Alden and Luke and do not let her lay a hand on them!"

"On it," Kal affirms, and he takes off out of the gate, relaying my message to Alpha.

"Lydia's still not here!" Daryl hisses.

"I am," Lydia says, and my brother and I both turn at her voice. She stands a few feet from us, Enid and Addy on either side, Henry trailing behind. "I'm here. It's okay. Do it."

"C'mon," I urge. Daryl and I each take one of her arms, escorting her to the gate. I squeeze Marco's shoulder once he opens the gate for us, standing back to allow us to exit. Kal, when he sees us at the gate with Lydia between us, opens the border gate.

"Whatever it takes," Marco says to me.

I repeat, "Whatever it takes."

Kal steps aside to allow Alpha to start up the path with the two skins escorting Alden and Luke. Daryl and I pause a few yards in front of her, releasing our hold on Lydia. Alpha glances her over before giving the nod. We make the trade all at once, Lydia walking down to her mother while Alden and Luke return to us. I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding when Alden walks past me, relieved they're back and safe.

I'm too relieved to even be jealous when he goes to Enid first, embracing her as she tells him, "I never want to let go of you."

Luke pauses beside me, gesturing for me to cut the rope on his wrists. I happily comply, and he pulls his gag off before leaning towards me to tell me, "When you get back inside, pull Alden aside and tell him how you feel."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I reply.

"Look, I saw too much of Miko and Magna staring at each other to not know long-term pining when I see it."

I scoff. "Get inside, Luke."

I step forward to take Daryl's arm, starting to pull him towards the gate, but I pause in curiosity when I see Lydia reach her mother.

"Sorry, Mom," she says. "Thanks for coming to get me."

Without warning or hesitation, Alpha slaps her daughter, telling her, "You call me Alpha, like all the rest."

"Yes, Alpha."

With that, the skins turn and leave, Lydia walking in the middle to avoid being detected by walkers. As Daryl and I walk back into Hilltop, he murmurs, "We shouldn't've done it."

"Too late, Daryl. It's done." I walk away from my brother, over to where Alden and Enid are still hugging. I don't know why, but I'm actually considering Luke's advice. At least to have Alden to myself while I make sure he's okay. "Hey, um, sorry to break it up, but can I steal Alden for a minute?"

Enid nods and the two pull apart. I gesture for Alden to follow with a jerk of my head, leading Alden towards the back of Barrington so we can have a bit of privacy. As we pass Luke, I make the mistake of looking at him. He's grinning away, giving me a thumbs up. He says, "Go get 'em, tiger."

"Don't call me tiger," I warn, while Alden immediately denies, "I have no idea what he's talking about."

I stop us once we're at the back of Barrington, turning to face Alden. "Did they hurt you?"

Alden shakes his head, but I have to see for myself. I take each of his arms, examining them as he starts, "Clary—"

"Alden, just shut up and let me look at you," I rush, my hands shaking as I brush aside his hair, searching for any signs that the skins hurt him.

"I'm okay, Clary," Alden assures me, grasping my hands and forcing my attention to his words. "They didn't hurt me. I'm okay. Are you?"

"We were out there, and I held Paul as he… as he died in my arms. And then I heard them. We lost him, and the rest of us nearly died, and I… I froze. Because of you, Alden. I thought of you. I thought I was a goner, and I didn't think of anyone else, just you. I thought of what it would do to you, losing me, hurting."

"Clary," Alden says softly.

"I didn't know why it was you," I continue. "I didn't. Not until I thought about it a lot on the way back here. It's because… it's because I think… I think I'm falling for you, Alden. But you're with Enid, so this confession doesn't even matt—"

Alden cuts me off with a kiss.

He runs a hand through my hair, stopping at my nape. I pull myself closer to him, hands on his waist, and I can feel his heart racing through his chest. Alden lets his hand drop from my hair, dragging his fingers down my back and sending shivers along my spine. I take a few steps forward, Alden taking a few steps backwards to compensate. He stops when his back presses against the side of Barrington, and I run my hands up his chest, wrapping around his neck.

When we break apart, his taste lingers on my lips. I pant, chest rising and falling with Alden's as he looks down at me. I let my arms fall from his neck, resting my hands on his chest instead.

"I've been wanting to do that," Alden says, "ever since you saved my life."

"Alden, I—"

"Clary?" Enid calls. "Where are you?"

Alden and I jerk apart as his girlfriend rounds the corner of Barrington. We stand apart from each other, both of us pretending like nothing happened between us. Enid tells me, "Daryl's looking for you, Clary. He said it's important."

I nod, starting off towards Barrington, where I assume Daryl is. Alden and Enid start to follow, but Alden says, "Enid, can we talk?"

Enid remains with her boyfriend, who just admitted that he had feelings for me over her. I spare one last glance at them before heading to find my brother.

~Enid~

I turn to Alden as Clary disappears around the corner of Barrington, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him. That's been our thing, asking if we can talk and then kissing. Alden steps back, though, telling me, "No, we actually need to talk."

"Oh," I say. "Yeah, okay, of course. What's up?"

"Enid, I truly hope you know you'll always have a piece of my heart—"

"Oh, that's why you wanna talk," I interrupt.

Alden glances down. "I'm sorry, E. I… I kissed her."

"I know. And I know that I don't have your heart. I'm not stupid, Alden. I've always known that you loved her."

"Enid, I'm really sorry that it's ending this way."

"It's okay. Really, it is. She deserves you. She deserves something happy."

"That doesn't mean you don't."

"No, it doesn't. But Alden, you and I aren't meant to be. If you want to end it, just come out and say it."

"So this is it," Alden says.

"Yup."

"It's over between us."

"It was good while it lasted?" I offer.

Alden smiles softly. "Yeah, it was. And hey, this doesn't mean that we can't be friends. I still do care about you."

I give him a small smile, nodding my agreement. I hold out my hand for a handshake, while Alden goes for a hug. "Oh, um," I start, while Alden says, "Sorry."

We switch; I go for the hug while Alden goes for a handshake. We both let out an awkward laugh, and I shake Alden's hand. Alden drops my hand after a moment, ducking around me and rounding Barrington, presumably going after Clary.

I don't blame either of them—I knew going into this that sooner or later, it would end because Alden doesn't love me the way he loves Clary. I know I don't have their shared history, what they've done for each other. I know that Alden's loved her for years, and I wasn't with him for long.

I know all of this, but it still hurts.

~Clary~

"Clars, you know better than anyone here why we couldn't send that girl back," Daryl says, his arms crossed over his chest. "You saw what her momma did to her the second she was back with 'em."

"It doesn't matter," I hiss. "Alpha said it herself—they're animals. It's what they do. It's how they live."

"It's not right," Daryl returns. "Will's been dead for twelve years, but I still remember. I couldn't send Lydia back to that."

"But we did because it was what we had to do. Lydia is not one of us. You risked two of ours for her, for the enemy."

"You did the same damn thing, all those years ago. Alden wasn't one of us."

I never thought I'd do it, but I smack Daryl across the face. He jerks back, one hand on his cheek in shock. I growl, "Don't you ever fucking say that Alden isn't one of us. Especially when he was here and you weren't. You always said you'd never leave me and then you did. Liar."

"I'm sorry," Daryl whispers, finally realizing exactly how much he fucking hurt me when he told me to leave him alone out there.

"And Alden?" I continue, on a roll now. "He wanted out of that life, wanted to become one of us. Lydia will never be one of us. She walks among the dead and lives like an animal. And me, what I did? I trusted Alden because he proved to me that he could be trusted! I never put any of you in danger, only myself; and he saved me." I take a step back, starting to leave. "I did what needed to be done, even if it meant sending her back to that."

"Remember who we are," Daryl says, catching my arm before I can leave. "We're Dixons, even if you took their last name. Don't forget what we've been through together. Don't turn your back on us. Don't turn your back on me."

"After you turned your back on me first?!"

"Cheyenne, I am so sorry about that," Daryl pleads. "I never wanted to see you get hurt out there going after me. I didn't want to lose you. But I'm here now. I'm back, and I'm trying to be your brother again. Don't make me beg you to remember who we are."

"I know who we are, Daryl," I return. "I know our past, our history. But I also know my past with Alden, and I am not about to give that up for anything."

I start to pull my arm free of my brother's grasp, but he doesn't release me. "You're slipping, Clary," Daryl says. "We've all seen it. We understand why."

It's not my brother's voice I hear in those words. He remembers that as clearly as I do, when it was Rick losing his mind with grief.

"Hershel said that," I recall. "Back when we were at war with the Governor, all those years ago. It was Rick that slipped then. He got better because he had a chance to. I don't have that luxury, Daryl. Not with the devil just outside our gates. Killing walkers was always dangerous, but now it's not walkers we're fighting. We don't know how many there are or what they want, and we have no way of knowing if it's just another dead bastard or the ones that wear the skins until they kill us. I am terrified, Daryl. They already took away one of the people I can't live without, and there's nothing stopping them from taking you or Dad or Gracie or Alden. They've already threatened Alden, and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him. Daryl, we got lucky today. Next time, we won't be. They'll kill someone else, and it's only a matter of time before they take me, too."

"C'mere," Daryl says softly, pulling me into his arms. It's been years since Daryl held me like this, tucking me into his chest and resting his chin on my head. "Clary, sweetheart, you know I love you. You know I'd do anything to protect you, especially from them. Listen, they're gone, alright? We don't gotta worry about them no more."

"Daryl, will you stay this time?" I question, looking up at him. "Please don't leave again."

"I won't," Daryl promises.

"Thank you." I stand on my tiptoes, kissing his cheek, still red from where I slapped him. "Thank you."

Daryl lets out a small chuckle, saying, "It seems we have an audience."

I look over my shoulder, pulling myself out of my brother's embrace when I find Alden watching us. I ask, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," Alden replies. "Will you walk with me?"

I nod, giving Daryl's hand a squeeze before joining Alden. My steps falter as I realize he's leading me in the direction of the graveyard—after that night, I can hardly bring myself to look at the cemetery, even if it's where two of the most important people to me now lie. I feel the same wave of fear wash over me that I felt when I learned Alden went out there looking for us, realizing, It could've been three.

I rush forward, wrapping my arms around Alden with a sob. He topples forward, not having expected it; and I follow him to the ground. "Whoa, hey," Alden says softly, sitting up and holding me against his chest. "Oh, Clary, you know I hate seeing you cry."

"I'm not ready," I whimper into his shoulder. "I already lost so much! And I was so scared I lost you, too. I almost did and I'm not ready for that!"

"I'm still here," Alden whispers, tilting his head down to whisper in my ear. "I'm still here, Clary." Alden clutches me against him, and I can feel him shaking just as much as me, still terrified over the ordeal he went through. There's a catch in his voice as he adds, "We're together. We're still alive."

Over Alden's shoulder, I can see the graveyard. My eyes flick over Jesus's grave, the latest victim of the newest threat, and land on Abraham's, echoing, "'For however long that'll be.'"

"Clary, I don't think we should go to the Fair," Aaron says during our dinner. It's been mostly silent up until now, the only sound being forks scraping their plates.

"The Kingdom needs us," I reply, looking up at him. Gracie remains silent, looking back and forth between the two of us. "They don't know about Alpha, either. They're in danger."

"We'd be in danger if we go out."

"Dad, it's Carol. It's Ezekiel and Jerry. It's our family."

"I'm not willing to risk mine just to trade tools and blankets."

I glance towards Gracie, not wanting her to hear this conversation. Aaron seems to get the same idea after glancing at the blonde, looking back to me as he says, "Gracie, sweetheart, go to your room."

Gracie starts, "Daddy—"

"Room, Gracie," Aaron repeats. "Please."

Gracie sighs, getting up from the table. She walks back the hall, and Aaron and I are silent until we hear her door close. Aaron repeats, "We'd be in danger if we go out. Michonne was right all those years ago, closing off Alexandria. I don't want to risk you and Gracie. We should stay inside the walls, away from danger."

"If you want to run away and hide, then maybe you should take Gracie and go to Alexandria," I say. I know the real reason why Michonne closed Alexandria's gates six, nearly seven, years ago. It's a memory we don't share with others, a scar the three of us bear.

"Clary—"

"Hide away there, Dad, but I can't," I shoot back, getting pissed now. Maybe if I piss him off enough, he'll take Gracie and go to Alexandria, where they'll be safe away from everything else. I'd rather stay and put myself in danger so they'll be safe, even if it means I won't be able to see them because they're in Alexandria, closed off from the rest of the world.

"Cheyenne, I'm your father," Aaron says. "I can't just leave you."

"You already have. I'm not even your daughter. The only reason you looked after me was 'cause Daryl made you promise! Eric was the one that made it a home! And then he was gone and you abandoned me, just passing me off just like you did with Grace! We were together when we lost Dad, and you left me to lose Carl on my own. You left me to deal with all of that, all by myself!"

Aaron stares at me, speechless.

"You ditched me the first chance you got. I get it. I was the one that led us into the war, the one responsible for Eric's death. Maybe I deserved it. But I didn't deserve you pretending to care about me when it was only you fulfilling a promise you made to my brother."

"Cheyenne," Aaron whispers, his voice breaking as tears come to his eyes. "How can you even think something like that? I always cared about you, and that's why Daryl asked me to look after you. I would've taken care of you even if Daryl hadn't asked me. I am so sorry that I left after we lost Eric, and there is no excuse for that. But don't think for one second that I abandoned you. We may not be related through blood, but you are my daughter, and I love you with all of my heart. With a heart that's still beating."

I get to my feet, looking down at him across the table. "Leave. Go live behind Alexandria's walls. I have to make this right. What they did to Jesus can't go unpunished. And if I make it out alive, I'll let you know, but I can't live with knowing that they're still out there. You might be able to, but that's because you don't want to face them. So go to Alexandria, where you won't have to."

I turn and walk out of our cabin, climbing up on watch with Tara. She glances over at me, questioning, "Everything alright?" I wrap my jacket tighter around myself, choking back tears. "Clary?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," I whisper.

It's within half an hour that Aaron and Gracie emerge from our home, both carrying a bag as they head for the stables. Tara questions, "Where are they going?"

"Alexandria," I answer. "Dad doesn't want to be out there anymore, so they're going to Alexandria, where they can stay inside the walls and not have to worry about communicating with the outside world."

"Are you going with them?"

I shake my head. "No matter how much it hurts, it's better this way. They'll be safe. If they ride fast enough, they'll be able to make it right around nightfall."

I climb down from the watchpost to meet them as Kal opens the gate, hugging Gracie one last time. "I love you, kiddo," I tell her. "Remember that."

"I love you, too, Sissy," Gracie replies. I help her up onto her horse, her bag strapped to its back. Aaron and I look at each other for a long moment before I tell him, "Ride safe, alright?"

Aaron crosses the space between us, wrapping me in a tight hug, pressing his nose into my hair. He kisses my temple as he always does, telling me, "I love you, Cheyenne. Even if you want to push us away."

I pull away from Aaron, turning away so he can't see the tears in my eyes. He rests his hand on my back, telling me, "Either your heart's still beating or it isn't. Make sure that it is."

"I love you," I whisper, unsure if he can even hear me, then clear my throat. "You better get going. It's a lot of ground to cover before nightfall."

I have to walk away, unable to watch them as they leave the Hilltop. The gate closes behind me as I walk away, towards where Alden chats with Marco near the steps of Barrington. Marco gives me a smile as he usually does when he sees me approaching, Alden turning to look. "You alright, short stack?" Alden questions.

I shake my head, not trusting myself quite enough to speak. Alden extends an arm, and I tuck myself into his side, wrapping my arms around him. "Hey, Marc, I think we'll see you later," Alden tells him. "C'mon, Clary."

He leads me into Barrington, up the stairs to his room. "Your dad and Gracie left," Alden notes. "That's what it is?"

"I told them to leave," I explain, sitting on the edge of his bed as he sits in the chair by the window. I extend my hand towards him, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Please, Alden." Alden moves to sit beside me on his bed, wrapping his arms around me. I rest my head against his shoulder, continuing, "Dad didn't want to risk us anymore, so I told them to go to Alexandria, 'cause Michonne won't send anyone out. But I have to avenge Jesus, drive a knife into each of their hearts for what they did to him."

"Stay right there," Alden says after a moment. "Don't move." He gets up, crossing his room in just a few strides and stopping at the dresser. His back is to me, and he pauses for a moment before looking at me over his shoulder. "Close your eyes. I'll tell you when to open them."

I do as he says, closing my eyes. I sense Alden in front of me, taking my hands. He turns them, palms up and open. He places a bundle wrapped in cloth in my hands, unwrapping the cloth. "Okay," Alden says softly. "Open your eyes."

I open my eyes to find Alden kneeling in front of me, and he glances down towards the bundle in my hands. I follow his gaze, eyes widening in surprise when I see the dagger. I let the cloth fall into my lap as I pick up the dagger, turning it over in my hands.

The handle is made from an antler; I guess that explains why Alden wanted them from the deer I brought back the other week. There's a small "A" near the handle, too.

"Alden," I breathe, "this is… this is beautiful."

"It's yours," Alden says. "I made it for you."

"You made this?" I question, looking up at him. Alden nods, his cheeks pink. "I… I don't know what to say. I'm speechless, Al."

"Well, a thank you would be acceptable." I put the blade down on his end table, wrapping my arms around his neck as I lean forward to kiss him. "I was joking, but you won't catch me saying no to a kiss."

"Thank you, Alden." Alden gives me a smile and sits back on the bed, pulling me with him. I lay against his chest, reaching over and running my fingers over the antler handle. "I love it, Alden. It's so beautiful. You did an amazing job."

"I was gonna give this to you when you got back with Eugene, but…" Alden sighs softly, knowing how drastically that plan changed.

"Can you do me a favor?" I question, tilting my head to look up at him. "Don't let me go."

"I won't ever let you go. But you need to do something for me, too. Use the dagger when you go out there, alright? Keep yourself safe. I know no one can stop you from your revenge, but make sure you come home. Come home to me."

~Daryl~

I can't get it out of my head, the sight of Alpha slapping Lydia the second her daughter was returned to her. I keep thinking about the marks from the switch on her arms.

I put my head in my hands, no longer looking out into the night over the Hilltop's walls.

"Daryl?" a girl questions from the edge of the platform.

I lift my head to look at her. "Hey. Addy, right?" She nods. "What're you doing here?"

"I found this in Henry's room," she tells me, extending a page torn out of a book towards me. She leaves as I unfold it, reading it.

Couldn't live with it. Left to find Lydia.

Well, shit. I grab my crossbow, taking off for Barrington to find Tara, who meets me on the porch. I give her the rundown the situation, promising that I'll be back in time for the Fair and that we'll meet them at the Kingdom.

I turn to leave, adjusting the crossbow on my shoulder as I walk down the path. I hear the footsteps in the dirt, someone running to meet me. I slow when I see that it's Connie, and she gestures for me to wait as she writes a message in her notebook for me to read.

Where are you going?

In response, I hold up Henry's note for her to read.

She nods before scribbling another message. I'm going with you.

"No," I tell her with a shake of my head. I start down the path again, but Connie catches my arm, forcing me to stop. She points to her message again, determined. "Why?"

I peer down at her notebook as she writes her answer, but she moves before I get a chance to decipher any of the upside down words, holding it up for me to read. I can't live with it either.

I don't explicitly give her the okay to accompany me, but I know that I can't stop her. So she joins me as I reach the gate, Dog running to catch up as we leave in the dead of night, leaving Hilltop behind.