Chapter 112-It doesn't need me

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl and Rick walked towards the first door that led into the college. Daryl pounded on the door and leaned up against it as he looked at Rick. "If all that stuff is still here, we're gonna have to clear this place to get it back to the truck." Daryl tells him.

"There are at least three dozen walkers there." Rick informed him grimly.

"I know." Daryl says. "We'll figure it out." Daryl says as they hear a walker hit the door.

"I'll get it," Rick tells Daryl, who nods as he grabs the handle to the door and pulls it open. The walker comes out, and Rick slams his hatchet into the head of the walker. He pulls it out, and the walker falls to the ground. Daryl and Rick pull out their flashlights and enter the building.

Shane's P.O.V

Shane walks into the campgrounds with Madison, Ofelia, and Merle. "Why don't you two take the rabbits to your Mom." Shane tells the children, who nod with a smile as they take the string with four rabbits and walk towards their cabin. Shane walks past Madison towards their cabin, where He walks inside, and Madison shuts the door behind him. "You shouldn't have lied to them." Shane tells her.

"They're kids." Madison reminded him sternly.

"They are seven years old. They'll find out eventually, just like they'll find out about what Negan and Morgan have done. I don't want to lie to them." Shane argued with her.

"Maybe just wait-"

"Madison." Shane stared with a tight look "They are going to know a lot of things about all of us. I figure let's just get it out of the way."

"Then tell them the truth." Madison closed her eyes in resignation, knowing her husband wouldn't change his mind when like this. "It's your choice."

"I will."

Michonne's P.O.V

Michonne sat on her porch, watching Judith and Andrea in the yard, Judith trying to show her sister how to ride a bike.

"Careful sweetheart!" Michonne called out, causing Judith to nod and Andrea to yell back. "Yes, Mama!"

She looked at Enid as she walked up to the porch after giving a cheerful wave to the girls and sat down beside her. "It's weird, isn't it? I'm so used to seeing Rick sitting up here with you." Enid tells her.

"I know. I almost called out to him before I left the house. When he got up this morning and started getting ready for the run. I saw a look I hadn't seen in a long time in his eyes. He was excited, hopeful." Michonne with a grin, then sobered up. "The last few years have been hell for him. He hid it from everybody, but I could tell. Oh don't get be wrong he loved being here for the girls but... he hated being stuck in here while the rest of us were out fighting."

"He's one strong son of a bitch." Enid says with a smirk.

Michonne nods with a chuckle "True that."

"OW!"

They looked over to see Andrea falling to the ground after a few feet down the street as Judith gasped and ran over.

"Growing pains." Michonne shook her head and got up to help the two with Enid following.

Rick's P.O.V

Rick and Daryl stop at the exit to the building and push the door open. "So, what's the plan here?" Rick asks as he stares at the walkers, noticing there were fewer then expeceted.

"We don't know what supplies are left here." Daryl says as he walks away. Rick follows him until they get back to the entrance. "We go through the herd and get to the building Eugene was talking about. Depending on what's left. We'll make a plan."

Rick nods, agreeing with him as he starts to cut the walker open. After ten minutes, they were covered in guts. They go back to the exit and walk into the herd. They walk beside each other as the walkers look at them and continue to walk until they get to the building Eugene was talking about. It was a small warehouse. They shut the door behind them and looked around the warehouse. "Daryl." Rick says as he points at a truck. Daryl nods as he goes towards the truck and opens the backup. "The son of a bitch was right," Rick says.

"Yeah, he was. Let's make sure we don't drive this one into a lake." Daryl says with a smirk making Rick chuckle. "So what's the plan, brother?"

"Hmmm let's get the truck working first...but noticed something?" Rick looked over "Was it just me or on the way here there were surprisingly few walkers?"

Daryl paused, noticing just one stray one that they took care of on the way to the college "Yeah...eh maybe Eugene's right that they're dying out. But yeah, let's get this thing working."

Negan's P.O.V

Beth stops the truck inside the Sanctuary, and they climb out. They look at Reilly and Arat as they walk up to them, Reilly looking at the former leader and gave a tight nod while Arat beamed and hugged him.

"Arat, Reilly how's the place?"

"Fine." Reilly said dryly, causing Arat to break the hug and elbow her boyfriend.

"Where's this kid?" Negan asks them.

"Church, he's waiting for you." Arat tells Negan, who nods as he walks past him and towards the church. Negan pushes the door open, and the kid turns to look at him.

"Hi, I'm Negan," Negan says as he shuts the door. "I hear you're a...fan?"

"It's an honor, sir. I'm Brandon," Brandon tells him, standing up from the pew he was in and looked excited and awestruck.

"Let's talk, kid." Negan says as he motions for Brandon to sit down. Brandon sits down, and Negan sits down beside him, wondering where to start. "So, what have you heard about me?"

"All kinds of stories. About how you killed those assholes, Glenn and Abraham." Negan blinked at this. "How you were trying to save people when they attacked you. I heard that you almost made Rick Grimes cut off his sons arm." Brandon rambled, not noticing Negan's face growing darker with every word.

"You don't need to be scared of these people anymore, they have their guard down. We can beat them, Negan. All of us, we can kill Daryl Dixon, Rick Grimes. We can kill his fucking self righteous son. We can-" Brandon is cut off by Negan grabbing him by his hair and throwing him to the ground. Brandon looks up at him as he pulls his mace off his back and bends down.

"Wait wait sir what are you-"

"If you suggest hurting Daryl, Rick, or Carl again, I'll kill you." Negan growls, leaning down. "I don't know what part of all of this you can't get through your fucked up head, but I am not waiting for the right moment. I'm not going to hurt any of them because they are my family, and I will never hurt Carl. That boy is my best friend. He is like a son to me." Negan says as he lays the mace on Brandon's chest. "So this is what's going to happen. You are going to stop acting like some damn cultist and get it through your head that the Former Saviors are dead. The man who led them is dead. I will fight who they fight, and if I die keeping them safe, then I will die a happy man. So when I leave, you are going to apologize to Rielly and Arat for all the shit you have caused, and you are going to start to help around here, and if I hear that, you call yourself Negan again. I will come back here and tear your fuckin tongue out. You understand all that?" Negan asks Brandon, who quickly nods bug-eyed. "Good," Negan says as he stands up. "Don't make me come back here," He growls as he leaves the church leaving Brandon on the floor.

He walks outside and walks towards the truck where the others are waiting. "You shouldn't have any more problems with that kid,"

"He's alive, right?" Arat asks, her brows furrowed.

"Of course he's alive, I was restrained," Negan says.

"Yeah I'm sure." Arat rolled her eyes and walked to the church with Reilly sighing and following her.

"Let's go," He says as he walks towards the truck, and Beth follows, looking at the church then followed.

Shane's P.O.V

Shane walks up to Alicia's cabin and knocks on the door. The door opens, and Alicia looks at him. "Can I talk to the kids for a minute?" Shane asks her. Alicia blinked, then her lips tightened as she nods as she lets him in.

"I'll step out." Alicia says as she leaves the cabin.

"Hi, Grandpa Shane!" Ofelia says with a smile as Shane sits down.

"We need to talk." Shane tells them as he motions for them to sit down. They sit down and stare at him, not sure of his tone. "Do you remember the conversation we had earlier about Otis?"

"Yeah he saved Uncle Carl's life...right?" Merle asks, then saw Shane's face and frowned, not sure if he said something wrong.

"I lied about how he died." Shane tells them, causing them both to stare at him. "We were running from the herd. My ankle was bad. I was having trouble walking, and I was in a real bad place, so I made a really stupid decision. I shot Otis in the leg and took his bag and left him for the walkers," Shane tells them as his voice cracks and tears swell in his eyes. "I didn't have to do that to him, I was scared, and I did something I will regret for the rest of my life. Something I have tried to make up for since the day it happened. That man who did that to Otis. Isn't me anymore, and I'm so scared that he will come out again someday," Shane tells them as tears start to go down his face. Ofelia hugs her Grandpa, and Merle soon joins.

"It's okay Grandpa." Ofelia says softly as Shane kisses their heads.

After a little while, Shane left the cabin and saw Alicia sitting on the steps. "You have some amazing kids, Alicia," He tells her with a smile.

"I know. I just..." She nodded then paused.

"What is it?" Shane asked then, seeing her face fall.

"I just hope they'll react like this with the others."

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl looked at Rick, who had started the truck, and nodded. He pulls the warehouse door open, Daryl runs to the passenger side door, and Rick drives out, going through the back fence and quickly turning onto the road. "What about the truck?" Rick asks.

"We'll come back for it later," Daryl says with a smile.

Rick nods with a smile as they go down the road. "God, I've missed this."

"Well, don't worry, brother. I have plenty of runs planned."

"I hope so!" Rick smiled back as they headed down the road...then soon several miles away and with no walkers Rick suddenly started to pull over the car.

"Rick?" Seeing his friend and brother park it on the side of the road...slumping over on the wheel.

"...Daryl...If I tell you something can you keep it private?" Rick looked over.

"Always." Daryl answered immediately "What is it?"

Staring for a moment, Rick said tiredly "When I went to visit last week, Hershel asked about his father again."

"What did you tell him?" Daryl asked, eyes alert.

Shrugging, Rick answered "What Maggie wanted me to tell him. I told him that he was killed by a 'Bad Man'." Rick looked away for a moment "Daryl I hate lying to him, lying to Ofelia and Merle, Andrea-"

"Rick." Daryl said firmly "Listen I promise we'll tell them when they are old enough to understand. I promise. I just don't want them to get confused."

"I get that I just don't want them to hate me. Or you...or hell even him." At Daryl's surprised look, Rick sighed "Do Not let him know that, that jackass will never let us hear the end of it."

"Probably not. But right now? Let's head back whole there's still daylight."

An Hour later, the truck drives into Alexandria and stops by the church as Carl and Michonne come up to side as they steppd out. "How'd it go?" Carl asks.

"Good," Daryl says. "But I am going to need a car to get back home."

Rick nods as he hugs Carl and Michonne with a smile on his face, Michonne asking "Rick?"

"It's nothing." Seeing her face was always able to cheer him up.

Enid's P.O.V

Enid was making dinner when Carl walked into the house and set his Hat down on the table. He walked up behind Enid and kissed her cheek. "It go well?"

"Dad came back ok and he looked excited." Carl says as he lays his hand on her shoulder. "I wanna do it."

Enid turns around and looks at him, confused as she put her knife down. "Do what?"

"Have a baby." Carl tells her. A huge grin forms on Enid's face as she hugs him excitedly.

"What changed your mind?" Enid asks.

"Aaron, there is no point in being afraid of the future. The new world we are building. I want our child to see that," Carl says as he kisses her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Rick's P.O.V

It was dark as Rick stood on the porch, gazing at the quite . He looked at Carl as he walked up to him, confused. "What did you need, Dad?" Carl asks him.

"You've done amazing these last six and a half years, Carl. I don't want to become the leader of Alexandria again because you are the leader this place needs. I'll lead the alliance with Daryl, and that is all. It's what I want." Rick says as he unholsters his Col tand holds it out to Carl, who looks at him in shock. "The new world doesn't need Rick Grimes. It needs you. It needs Carl Grimes, your the future Carl like it or not." Rick tells him. "Take it."

Carl hesitantly reaches out and takes the gun. "Dad..are you sure?"

"I am," Rick says. "When I die, when Daryl dies. It'll be you who leads this world. I know it will be in the best hands it can be in."

Carl nods as he hugs his father. "I won't fail you, Dad."

"I know you won't, Carl."

The fight for the New World

A peaceful forest, birds chirping is seen...

Then voices are heard through the trees...then figures appear through the fog.

"We Fight for the Future. We Never fight for Revenge."

Daryl stands, holding his crossbow.

"God must give me strength, as well as our loved ones."

Father Gabriel stands, holding a knife.

"Sometimes the only way to survive is to Embrace the madness."

Strand, with a smirk, gun in hand, leans against a tree.

"Too many people have died to let this be destroyed. I'm not letting that happen."

Alicia aims a rifle with steady hands and eyes.

"I have a life now, a built future. We can't let her destroy it."

Older now and wiser, Carl holds the Colt, pointing at an unseen enemy.

"I promised I wouldn't be that person anymore. You don't want to see that person."

Shane holds a shotgun standing next to Carl.

"No matter how far you go, you can always come around."

Morgan, staff in hand, readies himself.

"We're Not the Walking Dead. We're the ones who survive. For our Future."

Rick stands, hard-eyed holding his hatchet.

Then figure after figure rushes by.

Through the fog.

...

...

Then a voice is heard, young and innocent...a young boy's.

"Are you the Bad Man?"

And Negan stands, grim-faced and holding his mace.

Thanks for reading. With this chapter, we are done with the time before the war. The next chapter will be a year time jump and that should be the last one. It will be a little bit of a fun chapter before we go into the hell that is coming, and that last thing was a teaser for what is coming. I am so excited to write this, and I hope you are excited to read it. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.