KEZZ 1: Thank you as always and happy to update.

RaphaeltheCowboy: As I said, I can change a lot of shit while keeping the end results the same. As for Beth's story, it's going to be touched upon, as is Merle's and Sophia's and Carl's (I mean, no way in hell am I going to let him die)...I'm kind of starting to focus more on Ani and Daryl specifically seeing as seasons 6 and 7 happen within a few weeks and I want to make sure that I'm not constantly writing shit I don't need to.

Daryl was standing outside of Deanna's late in the evening when Ania finally came out, the two immediately gravitating towards each other as his arm came up over her shoulders. Ani was feeling so much calmer after she'd worked with Deanna, forbidding Nick, Tobin, and several others from going on runs while also assigning some people to learning gardening with Maggie and others to go with Beth, Sophia, and Denise for first aide and field dressing training. She'd helped Deanna to come up with a training program that used Rosita, Rick, and Michonne to train the lesser combatants, so everyone who needed to stay behind the walls, while Merle and Abraham were in charge of preparing the guard, those who Ani said were perfect to guard the perimeter and patrol the area outside. They needed to be prepared to guard this place like a military compound, and Deanna finally seemed to be on board with how things had to be. Ani was quite happy with taking on the role of advisor instead of leader; these people wouldn't listen to her anyway, not with her rap sheet already.

"You were in there a long time," Daryl commented as he lead her away from the house.

"Yeah," Ani admitted. "Sorry. Kinda got caught up and forgot ta ask 'er ta send ya word. Was jus' gettin' shite done."

"Like what?"

"Like reviewin' some a the people's videos and gettin' an idea a what needs doin'. Makin' plans on who and how and when ta do what. Gonna have Merle helpin' set up a militia-type detail ta protect the place. Got some more people ta go learn medicine. Jus' a few things like that. Gonna be spendin' some time with Deanna the next few days ta finish goin' ova the videos a people. Only saw 'bout twenny a them. Wanna double check everyone's mental state who've been livin' here. Need ta know who can be trusted ta go out the walls. Nick's grounded. No more leavin'. Not 'til 'e gets a clear by me."

"You still pissed about earlier?"

"Nah," she said, stopping their progression to press against his chest and wrap her arms around his waist. "Was jus' upset at the thought a losin' ya. Especially like that. Ya can' do that ta me. Sacrifice yaself like that. Ya can'. Heat a the moment, shite happens, I can accept that if it happens. But ya jus' runnin' out inta them ta try and save me? Nah, D. Ya can' do that ta me. Ask me ta watch ya die while I wait for me chance ta run. Ain' eva gonna run. Not without ya."

Daryl looked down at her and sighed, nodding his head before she stood on her tip toes and he bent his head to meet her. Sharing a sweet but still intense kiss, he wrapped his arms around her as they pulled away, just holding her to him as they both thought about what almost happened out there. He pressed a kiss into her hair as her arms tightened around him, grabbing twin handfuls of his vest as she rubbed her face on his chest, trying to wipe her tears away.

"What you cryin' for?" he asked, gently rubbing a thumb across her cheek before his hand went into her hair.

"I can' rightly say. Almost lost ya. Almost like I can see it happenin' in me head."

"I'm right here. You ain't losin' me."

"I know, but, please, neva try ta pull a stunt like that again. Don' eva even suggest it," Ani told him, looking up at him as he gingerly ran a finger along her scar.

"Ain't promisin' nothin'," he told her before kissing her again. "Come on."

They made their way back to the houses, Ani stopping to check in on everyone. Sasha was finally feeling better as she cuddled on Abraham's lap, Ani asking if she and Daryl looked that sickeningly happy when they were together. Even Daryl had to chuckle when they both responded with a resounding yes. Ani made a face at them before looking at Daryl and realizing she had no ally in trying to persuade the new couple otherwise. Pouting, she left the house to see Rosita stalking pass, the woman's face contorting as Abraham, Sasha, and Daryl followed her out. Checking on Eugene and Tara at the infirmary once more, Ani allowed Daryl to lead her home where Merle had some fresh squirrel fried up. Sophia had made a nice salad out of greens from wild lettuce and dandelion with some fresh tomatoes and peppers she'd worked in the small garden for.

Merle laughed at Ani when she grabbed some more squirrel, "Gee, you'd think you never had the stuff before."

"Dude, it's fried. They have fuckin' oil for fryin' here! And I don' know what the fuck ya added ta it, but damn is this tasty as fuck," Ani complimented before shoving another piece in her mouth.

"Sure you ain't eatin' for two?"

"Shut the fuck up, Merle," Daryl snapped, that particular topic a difficult one; even all these months later he was still disappointed in the fact that the one time he actually thought they were had been fake.

"Ain' happened yet," Ani said a little more seriously. "And ya gotta stop houndin' me 'bout it."

"He's been houndin' you?"

"Hey now, I just said if it didn't happen by the end of the year, I'd walk around buck naked in winter. That ain't houndin' now is it?"

"Is when it's a sore spot."

"And why the fuck is that?" Merle asked incredulously as they ate around their conversation. "So many topics are taboo with you two."

"So many?" Ani laughed. "Yeah, 'cause whetha or not I'm pregnant and not bringin' up the word 'zombie' or Pluto 'cause a me tirades 'bout 'em are oh so many. And so ya know, we've had a false alarm."

"What's that mean?" Sophia asked.

"Well, ya rememba how I was sick every mornin' back when we first took the prison?" Sophia nodded and listened as Ani explained further. "Well, for 'bout a hot minute, we thought that maybe, well, maybe I might've been pregnant. But I wasn'. We always say it'll happen when it happens, but it ain' happened yet. That's why it's a sore subject, Merle. 'Cause it ain' like we don' want it ta happen, ain' like we ain' tryin' ta make it happen. It jus' ain' happenin'."

"I'm with Pops," Sophia told her in a light-hearted tone. "Now that we have a safe space, I know you'll get pregnant sooner or later. Maggie is." Sophia slapped her hand over her mouth when she said that, looking around at the Dixons and their faces, Merle and Ani looking at her in shock while Daryl was side-eyeing Ani before he turned his eyes to his plate. "I wasn't supposed to say anything. I'm sorry!"

"It's okay, sweetie. Ya didn' do anythin' wrong," Ani said, giving her a soft smile before looking to her plate herself.

They finished eating in silence, Merle watching his younger siblings and taking in their crestfallen faces. Excusing herself after she'd finished her plate, Ani went up to the master suite and began undressing. Entering the bathroom and closing the door most of the way behind her, she turned on the shower and climbed in. Letting the sound of the water drown out her quiet sobs, Ani couldn't help but sink to the floor as she cried out her grief. She'd been with Daryl longer, been trying longer, but Maggie and Glenn hit it out of the field right off the bat? It wasn't fair and Ani couldn't help the sting of jealousy nor the pain of loss she felt even if she hadn't lost anything, let alone the feelings of guilt from feeling that way to begin with. She should be happy for the couple, not wallowing in self-pity. She didn't know Daryl was standing in the doorway watching her, feeling the same sense of loss and jealousy welling in his chest.

Closing the door back to how she had it, he sat on the bed with his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. He didn't know how to help her with this when he was feeling the same thing, let alone feeling guilty that he'd seen her like that. It was obvious that she didn't want him to know how she was feeling, having left the bedroom door wide open and closed the bathroom. Usually it was the other way around when she showered; she'd close the bedroom door and leave the bathroom open, mostly for him to see her and usually join her. Furiously wiping at his eyes, he got up and left the room, heading out onto the porch for a smoke, Merle joining him but thankfully remaining silent. Ania came out of the house after another ten or so minutes, walking up to Daryl and just giving him a worried look as if she wasn't sure what she should do. Reaching out and running his fingers through her damp hair, brushing it over her shoulder, he brought her to him and just held her, both gaining comfort in the other.

~x~

In the morning, Daryl took Ania over to Aaron's to finish working on the four wheeler for her. Even though there wasn't much left to be done on it, it got them out of the house and away from Merle's watchful eyes and Sophia's guilty face. They were both quiet, Ania just watching him as he worked, giving him a soft smile every time he looked up at her, though it was sad in nature. After about an hour of working, Daryl stood up and gave her a kiss on the forehead before wrapping his arms around her.

"One day, baby girl," he told her quietly. "One day."

"Am I interrupting something?" Aaron asked, coming out of his house with a bottle of water for them.

"Nah, jus'...jus' havin' a day," Ani said, feeling as if it wasn't her place to say anything about Maggie's condition to the others.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry," Aaron told her, earning a bewildered look from both Dixons. "Eric talked to Deanna while he was on his way back from the infirmary for his ankle. She was wondering if you'd stop by later to finish going over the videos. Also, did you really put Eric in the 'stay in Alexandria' group?"

"Yeah, I did. Not that 'e don' got no business bein' out there, but 'e needs trainin' up. It's best if 'e stays in Alexandria 'til 'is ankle heals up and he learns the basics a self-defense. As it is, ya not gonna like me, eitha," Ani told him, getting serious all of a sudden. "Ya trainin' with me."

"What?" Daryl and Aaron asked at the same time, Daryl because Ani didn't train the guys one on one simply because he didn't like her doing it.

"Ya gonna be there too, D, don' worry. In fact, I'm countin' on it. Ya couldn' take care a one walka that grabbed ya, Aaron, 'specially when ya should a been able ta break the hold it had on ya easy! So I'm gonna train ya, and Daryl's gonna be ya partna ta spar with."

"Why not you?" Aaron asked before quickly explaining, "I mean, I get it as far as me being a man and you being a woman, but you aren't honestly worried about anything, are you?"

Ani chuckled for a moment before answering with a chuckle, "Hell nah. Ya only got eyes for Eric, but it ain' 'bout that. D don' like otha guys touchin' me, period. 'Sides, if I did have anythin' ta worry 'bout, it'd be ya havin' ya hands all ova Daryl, not me!" she said with a laugh, earning her a horrified expression from both of them. "Oh gods! Ya should see ya faces right now! If looks could kill, I'd be six feet unda! Ya two are too easy!"

Daryl practically growled at her before telling her, "I'm gonna get you for that later."

"Countin' on it, but for now, I should go talk ta Deanna," she told him, hopping down off the table she'd been sitting on, reaching up and putting a hand on Daryl's cheek. "It's gonna be okay. I love ya, ya know that, right?"

"Yeah," he said, catching her wrist and bringing her palm to his lips. "Love you too, now get goin'. I'm gonna keep workin' on this."

"Thanks, D."

Ani ended up spending the better part of the day with Deanna, going over who was best for what and placing a few of Alexandria's people at the top of some of the classes. For example, Tobin had given Abraham control of the construction crew, which opened up his time. He wasn't the best shot, but he knew a lot about welding and building. That knowledge would be crucial in the days to come, as would Reg's architectural knowledge needing to be taught. Spencer was being put on as the main guard in the clock tower with him, Sasha, and Abraham switching out shifts as some of the best shots in the entire community. She learned from Deanna that there was a state park a little ways to the north and past a bridge that they hadn't really touched seeing as they had no seasoned hunters in Alexandria to find the trails. Ani agreed to go on a hunting trip with Daryl for a few days, taking one of the trucks rather than his bike to haul whatever they caught back, to which Deanna was grateful. Maggie had eventually come in to work with Deanna, Ani trying hard to act normal as she used the intrusion as an excuse to excuse herself and head back to Daryl.

They'd made good progress in getting things heading towards the right direction, so Ani was happy enough. It just felt awkward being in the same room with Maggie when she was still trying to process her own feelings on the matter. She was happy for Maggie and Glenn, she really was, but she was also jealous. Not wanting to think about it, she decided to stop in to visit Morgan for a little while. They talked and she commented about how she had worked with Eastman once or twice personally and had used several of his case files as reference for her dissertation. She asked if that's how he'd learned how to use the stick, stating that the man had practiced with a stick after the death of his family. Morgan reminded her that it was called Aikido, and it had saved his life in more ways than one. He also told her about what the man had done, Ani taking the information in before quietly excusing herself, getting up, and leaving. If a man like Eastman had been driven to kill, was there anyone who could be free of the blood?

Heading back to the house, she passed by Ron and Enid. Ron gave her a dirty look, not at all happy that she had not suffered any reprecussions for what she had done to his dad. Ani had checked in with Jessie, who had told her that they were fine and that she didn't blame Ani for what happened. It had all happened so fast that none of them could have expected the outcome. But she also admitted that Ron was having a very similar reaction to what Pete had originally suffered making Ani believe it was a genetic factor more than anything else. Especially since Sam suffering mentally as well. Ani couldn't tell whether or not he was a versie or simply very bad at handling any kind of stressful situation due to how his mother treated him as a younger child than he was. She hadn't been able to talk to him enough and scared him now that she had killed his father, essentially cutting off any line of help Ani could give the child.

Ani heaved a sigh as Sophia and Carl walked up with Judith in the stroller from the other direction. Sophia apologized again, making Carl look at her in confusion, when they came up to Ani, who just waved her off as if nothing had happened. She walked with the two, chatting about nothing in particular aside from the fact that they'd been going over the walls. Sophia had been going over to forage while Carl had been spending time with Enid out there. Through Sophia, Ani learned that Merle wouldn't be coming home tonight because apparently he'd saved Francine's life and the woman was wanting to 'repay his kindness' according to Sophia. It was an awkward conversation for the kids when Sophia asked what he meant and Ani told them that he was planning on having sex with the woman.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Carl asked.

"What? Tellin' ya 'bout sex? Do ya have any fuckin' education in it?" Ani asked.

"Not really," Sophia admitted. "Just what you told me about cycles and stuff. And that was bad enough! Did you really have to go into such detail?"

"Hey, if ya want a real education 'bout sex, it'd be even more graphic," Ani laughed.

"Please don't," Carl asked. "Like, seriously. Please don't."

"Oh, come on, guys! Gonna figya it out some day anyway," she reasoned.

"Can't we just, I don't know, figure it out on our own?" he asked.

"Ya could, but ya gonna stumble and fumble ya way through it and prolly embarrass yaself in the process. Ya know, premature ejaculation, not knowin' what ta do with what. Lots a stuff ya can fuck up if ya don' konw any betta. And then there's diseases and pregnancy and all that good shite. Don' believe the pull-out method, Carl," she stated purposely towards him. "Might as well nut right inside if ya gonna pull out 'cause ya precum is already inside 'er!" Both teens began protesting as Ani laughed at their antics. "Ya guys are jus' as cute as Daryl and Aaron are when I tease 'em."

"Why are you teasing people so much lately?" Carl asked her.

"Dunno. Guess I'm jus' dealin' with everythin' right now. Tryin' not ta think 'bout all the bad or sad shite right now. How're things goin' at the infirmary? Ya gettin' betta at dealin' with sutures and shite?" Ani asked Sophia, who'd been trying to get over her aversion to bad cuts, though Ani's injury had made it all the more worse.

"I can do small ones now, but I don't want to do anything with a lot of blood. It's just too scary," Sophia said, looking down and a bit ashamed.

"You can do it, Sophia," Carl said, putting an arm around her shoulder and giving her a little squeeze, Ani smiling brightly at that. "I believe in you."

"Thanks, Carl," Sophia said, a blush creeping up her neck as she dipped her head even lower.

"Ya comin' ova for dinna tanight, Carl?"

"Is it squirrel again?"

"Nah, the guys are sick a squirrel, though I could eat it every damn day with how many ways we can cook it 'ere," Ani told him. "I'm makin' a casserole. The guys'll eat anythin' and Phia liked it when I made it at the prison and they got all the stuff here ta make it, so..."

"Sure. Why not?" Carl said, removing his arm from Sophia to push the stroller. "Gives Judith something new to try."

"Atta boy! Let me go get me rednecks. Phia, ya mind gettin' the stuff out at the house?"

"Yeah, I don't mind! Come on, Carl!" she said, picking up her pace as she tried to get away from Carl and Ani and the awkward embarrassment she felt at Carl's affectionate gesture.

Ani laughed as she walked off, going to check in on Denise and Beth, finding Tara awake and talking to Eugene. She couldn't help but laugh at the pair as Tara told the man about the bad dream she'd had where he'd lost all his hair. Beth had smirked while Denise was still trying to gain a sense of confidence as she studied both the medical textbooks she had everywhere and the notebooks Ani had given her. Ani went over and clapped her on the shoulder, giving her an encouraging smile as she grabbed a few herbs and began making tea for Tara to help with circulation, inflammation, and pain. Passing it off, she gave Beth a one arm hug the girl returned before asking if any of them knew where Merle or Daryl were.

"Merle's gone over to Francine's already," Abraham said as he walked in with Sasha, a handful of flowers in one hand. "Daryl's lookin' for a certain someone he swears he's tyin' to the bed when she gets home."

"Wouldn' be the first time," Ani said before slapping her hand over her mouth and turning red. "Forget I eva said that! Lata!"

"Hey, make sure you use silk! It doesn't leave a mark!"

"Fuck ya, Red! Fuck ya!"

~x~

"Why are we in this janky thing?" Daryl asked as he sat shotgun as Ani drove the stick shift down the road after forcing him to pull over and let her take over.

"It ain' janky, ya ability ta drive a stick is!" she chided.

"I'm tellin' you it's the truck!"

"I'm drivin' it jus' fine, D. Quit bein' sore 'bout not knowin' how ta drive a stick."

"I know how to drive a stick!" he insisted. "This thing's gotta have a busted shifter or somethin'!"

"Uh-huh, ya keep tellin' yaself that, love. Whateva ya gotta," Ani told him with a laugh, reaching over and grabbing his hand. "I'm jus' happy we're gettin' back in our element. Get ta go on an honest hunt. Haven' been able ta do this since the prison."

"Yeah," he said, bringing her hand to his lips even though it made her reach farther over, making him release it after the kiss.

"Ya know, it's jus' the two a us. Ain' bein' a bitch ta sit in the middle," she said with a smirk and what Daryl called her 'smolder eyes.' "Or are ya that pissy 'bout me showin' ya up?"

"Ain't bein' pissy. Just get us where we're goin'," he grumbled, pointing out the window and earning a laugh from Ani.

"Yes, sir," she replied cheekily.

They crossed the bridge Deanna had mentioned about an hour after leaving Alexandria. Ani was excited and even Daryl had to admit it was nice being out on a hunt for a change. Being with Aaron and trying to find people had been something they both enjoyed well enough until the end, but being alone in the woods, or the promise of it? Daryl ended up moving to the middle to put an arm up on her shoulders, one foot on the dash as Bobby laid across his lap and Catty sat in Ani's. Even if Daryl had claimed he'd never like the things, he was still scratching away at Bobby's head, the kitten purring loudly as they traveled along.

"Gonna get too big to be like this soon enough," he told her.

"I thought they didn' get that big?" she asked in confusion. "Ya said max about fordy pounds, right? That ain't that big. Size a a small dog, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Ain' too big ta be like this, then. Bobby still likes ya best."

"Damn thing just likes my lap for some reason."

"Ya like 'im too, don' lie ta me 'bout it."

"Gonna be a good hunter one of these days. Caught a chipmunk in the yard yesterday. Them things are fast and small."

"Really now? He's been bringin' me birds. Catty brought me a leaf. Don' think she's gonna end up bein' much a a hunta."

"Some have it, some don't," Daryl said, looking at the kitten in her lap. "Might not be a hunter, but can still train 'er up and teach her how to defend, attack walkers, that kind of thing."

"Turn 'er inta a guard cat?" Ani chuckled.

"Why not? Needs to earn her keep somehow. Ain't feedin' an animal that ain't helpin'."

"Could jus' be a lap cat," she suggested. "Ya know, go 'round, givin' people lovin' and makin' people happy."

"Hell naw," Daryl told her, removing his arm from her shoulders to squeeze her thigh. "Thing's gotta earn it's keep."

Ani chuckled and pulled off to the side of the road, down what looked like an old trail used by forest rangers or hunters. Turning to Daryl after she stopped the truck, Ani opened the door to let the kittens out before moving to straddle Daryl, her hands going under Daryl's shirt and and feeling the hard plains of his body. Daryl moved his hands to her hips as she leaned in and kissed him softly, her hands moving to his, entwining their fingers as she ground down against him. All movements were slow and sweet as their hands released and moved to each other's bodies.

"Hell's this for?" Daryl asked her as she leaned back and looked at him.

"Neva been alone with ya in a vehicle. Can' blame me for wantin' ta experience somethin' new, can ya?" Ani told him, removing her jacket and the button up shirt she was wearing over the same baby blue crop top she'd worn that day way back in the quarry.

They didn't start hunting right away, opting instead to fog the truck's windows up in the cool morning air rather than leaving the vehicle. When they did finally leave, Daryl was smirking proudly as Ani shyly smiled up at him, still barely able to make eye contact with him afterwards, even though she didn't know why. Over a year of sleeping with the man and she still got embarrassed afterwards. Then again, she still couldn't believe he got so turned on by her when her body was so covered in scars.

Making their way through the woods, Ani and Daryl followed the trail of a deer out into the woods. It didn't take them long to catch up to it, taking it down and taking it back to the truck before heading back out. Ani wanted to get more than one deer if they could, maybe three or four. It was getting to be fall, so their population should be enough given that walkers hadn't decimated their numbers over the months. And honestly, this far north, Ani doubted the numbers would have been hit too badly as it was hunting season, or would be soon enough, and the north generally needed to cull deer numbers to protect crops and farmland.

They managed to get two more, a doe and a large buck that they both had to carry back and Daryl said he was keeping the antlers from. Bobby and Catty had brought their own catches to the truck, following the hunters' lead, though it was quite funny seeing the contrast. A stick, a leaf, and a small bird for Catty, Bobby bringing in two squirrels and a pheasant. Ani and Daryl had a laugh at that, Ani mentioning that at least Catty had managed to get something living this time, even if it was just a robin. They were following another trail when Ani stopped Daryl and turned her head this way and that, her ears pricked out like a cat's.

"Ya hear that? Or is it jus' the wind?"

"I don't hear nothin'," Daryl said, straining his ears to hear what she heard.

There was something, though, that had him following her when she told him, "It's faint, but it's there."

As they got closer, he heard whatever it was, the sound reminding Ani of the ocean before he said, "Whatever it is, can't be good."

"Holy shiteballs in a fuckin' hand basket!" Ani exclaimed as they got close to a ledge that led into a deep quarry full of thousands of walkers. "Shite, shite shite!"

"Damn, look," Daryl told her, pointing down into the quarry and then up at the road. "Those trucks. They're keepin' 'em in there."

"Shite, that's how."

"How what?"

"How Alexandria's gotten so fuckin' lucky. All this, the walkas down there, the noise they're makin'. It's bringin' in any walka that comes from miles 'round. And look!" she said, pointing at the lower trucks. "The ones gettin' out, they're pushin' their way through. Those trucks ain' gonna last. We got a month, maybe two, tops, ta do somethin', if that. We gotta get back, tell Rick and Deanna 'bout this."

"What are you thinkin'?"

"I dunno, but we gotta do somethin' ta redirect that herd or else they're gonna be goin' ta Alexandria and they'll plow right through. That many, we'd be stuck inside the walls and die out. We'd be helpless. I can' let that happen. Not when...Maggie's pregnant, Judy's there. I don' wanna lose the future we're workin' on buildin'."

"Me eitha, baby girl," Daryl told her, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss into her hair. "Let's go."