Disclaimer: Do not own The Walking Dead or any associated characters. If I did, I wouldn't have killed off Beth, and Merle. I only own Suzanne Giroux, and Emil Deveraux.
Warnings: Mentions of torture
Special Thanks To: gneebee, celia azul, rckyrk, and angel897 for reviewing the story. It truly means a lot to me and WalkingPotterGirl14.
Hold Me Tight
Chapter 3
"Thank you. So much - we need to get two of my friends out of there, and I think one of the guys wearing those masks is her brother. But...I don't think he's there by choice," Emil explained quietly, worry in his voice. He hoped like hell that Lindsey and Carlos had gotten away with the supplies.
He couldn't give a shit about Gavin, if he was perfectly honest, or Melinda either. He knew that she was Suzanne's youngest sister, and that Suzanne loved her very much, but it was clear to him that she didn't care.
"If you're saying that they aren't there willingly, we'll give them a chance," Maggie decided. He nodded in thanks as she patched him up. Negan with the help of Elijah carved him a mask and, he put the mask on with great care.
The smell was disgusting, but if it meant rescuing his friends, then he would gladly do it.
Suzanne had lost track of how long she had been in the cell. She knew it had been hours, but it felt like an infinity. She prayed that the rest of the group had gotten away and delivered the supplies to Alexandria. If they didn't, she was going to hate that they went through all of this for nothing.
She hated the thought of people slowly starving to death and struggling to survive. Brandon had always said that she was too nice. Same with Jaime too. He said she was naive and needed to toughen up.
Well, she had toughened up in a sense. She gently looked at her silver heart locket that had photos in five of the twelve photo frames. It was a special one, one that she had had for years, since she was younger, a kind of locket that could pull out frames and keep in as many pictures as one person wanted.
She sighed sadly, and hoped that her grandmother was alright, staring at the photo. She flicked through some of the frames, seeing her brother, some of her family, until she got to the last. A sad smile comes on her lips as she looks at that one.
What she wouldn't give to see them again...
Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching and quickly closed her locket, as she looked up. There were two men standing outside of her cell, one of them was dressed in all black, and the other one was wearing a dark blue plaid shirt, dark jeans and a familiar leather vest that had angel wings on the back.
One wing was white, the other was an electric blue, but she would know that vest from anywhere.
The gate was unlocked, as the two men entered her cell. She couldn't believe who was standing in front of her. Her body was frozen in shock. She didn't know whether to be surprised, stunned, happy, or all three.
Brandon and Daryl. Her big brother and old best friend were standing right in front of her. Alive.
Brandon stared at her with an expression of disbelief, shock, and joy at seeing her. She got up shakily, limping slightly because of the gunshot wound to her left leg but hugged him tightly. He was hugging her hurt just as tight, and seeing tears in his dark brown eyes.
"I can't believe you're here," he whispers, shocked into her neck before pulling back, looking down at her bruised face, cupping it lightly. "You're alive…"
"So are you," she whispers, shaking in happiness before swallowing. "Gran's alive, Brandon, and so is Melinda...God, I'm so happy to see you," she said emotionally. Brandon nodded as he glanced at Daryl, who was watching Suzanne with relief.
"Thank God they're alive. What about Jaime and Matilda?" he asked worriedly, keeping his voice quiet. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to the three of them.
Suzanne sighed heavily, as she thought of her two older siblings who she hadn't seen in the last four years.
"Jaime went to Nebraska with Cheyenne. They heard about a safe zone in Omaha, Nebraska. Matilda and Jericho went with them," she explained quietly, wishing that they hadn't gone. But she couldn't blame them though.
They hadn't liked living in the Commonwealth and if she was perfectly honest, she didn't like it either. She hated how the upper-class treated people like they were slaves. She knew Gavin didn't mind making people feel like they were useless.
He did it to her all the time.
"We'll find them, Suzie. I promise...but there's someone else here who I think missed you like hell," Brandon said quietly, glancing over at Daryl who looked surprised at his words.
Brandon nodded at him and kissed Suzanne on the forehead, happy to see that she was alive but determined to get her out. He wouldn't let the others hurt her.
Daryl cautiously moved towards where Suzanne was standing. His mouth felt dry as he tried to get over the fact that Suzanne was standing right in front of him. The person who'd never judged him. Who'd always been kind to him and bathed his cuts when his old man would use his belt and fists on him.
She'd never hated him, not even when he had hurt her when they were younger. He swallowed thickly, remembering what Beth would tell him when he felt lost.
'You have to have hope, Daryl. I know you lost someone that you loved more than anything, but she wouldn't want you to be this way,' she had told him at the shack.
"Is that really you, Daryl?" she whispered, shocked, moving towards him, but he reached her first until there was only a short distance between them both. They both stared at each other. He noticed the silver heart locket that she wore constantly. God, she had kept that all these years?
"It's me, Suzanne…" Just looking at her brought back a montage of memories in his head, ones that made him regret everything. Ones that made him feel like shit for never finding her all these years. For thinking she was gone. "Fuck...I'm so sorry," he said roughly, trying not to cry in front of her. She walked towards him, barely touching his shoulders.
Tiny Dancer, he had called her, or Songbird. He always loved listening to her voice.
She said nothing in response, but very gently wrapped her arms around him, as they both embraced each other. He felt something wet on his chest and looked to see she was crying.
"I'm the one who should be sorry, Daryl. I'm just happy to see that you and Brandon are ok," she says softly, before looking at Brandon. "Is Leah here along with all your military buddies? She's the one who shot me," she asked suddenly. Daryl felt a lump in his throat.
Shit, he'd have to tell her about what happened to Michael and how poor Bossie had been burned alive. The poor fucker. The terror he felt must have been agonizing.
"Bossie, Matthew and Michael are dead, but Leah's alive and so is Danny," Brandon responds quietly, glancing away. "Leah had to do what she had to do...it's what Pope ordered. She had never met you before now." He moves his eyes to where her face was again. "Did Jared do that to ya?" he asked gruffly, seeing the purple bruise on her left eye. Suzanne sighs and shook her head.
"No, it wasn't Jared who did that to me...that was my husband. He just lost it," she admitted hesitantly, not wanting to burden the rest of them. "It doesn't matter though - what matters is what is happening right now."
But that wasn't how Daryl felt. Daryl was pissed. He was gonna fucking kill that prick or give him one hell of a beating. But for now, she was right - anger wasn't going to be what got them out. Planning would be.
He looked at her quietly, her dark blonde hair had gotten longer, and there was a scar on the left side of her neck.
"I've missed you," she admitted quietly, shyness in her voice as she looked back at Daryl. He gripped her hand tightly. He'd heard from Brandon that she had become a fully qualified and experienced Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse and had just gotten a qualification in Midwife Nursing.
He was glad that she had accomplished everything she had wanted.
"I missed ya too...Merle did too even though he never admitted it, Suzie…" he said roughly, a lump in his throat as he thought of his big brother.
Suzanne smiled but winced when she saw the bruises on Daryl's throat from where Brandon had tried to choke him. She swallowed, and she looked at him.
"You and Brandon were there when we got attacked?" she asked quietly. He nodded shamefully. He wasn't proud, and he knew Brandon, Chris, Washington, and Fisher weren't either.
Brandon sighs a bit and runs a hand through his hair. "It's what we have to do sometimes...I didn't think it was you we were tracking down."
Suzanne's brow furrows as she looks at him in surprise. "So, it only changed because it's me? What about the other civilians that you hunt down on a daily basis?" she asks, staring at him. "Both of you."
Daryl instantly responds back. "Hey, I'm only here 'cause I was captured, just like ya," he retorts, gesturing to her lightly. "They attacked my group."
Brandon raises his brow at him. "So now you finally say they were your group when little Suzie comes here?"
"Yer people killed mine. Didn't know if I could trust ya, but I know I can trust her," Daryl responds back firmly. "I saw ya slit the neck of one of my men."
Brandon nods a bit a moment later. "Alright, fair, but you weren't just here to survive - you could have broken free. You were here for Leah."
Suzanne's brow furrows as she looks at Daryl. "Leah? You knew her?"
Daryl felt backed into a corner. The last thing he wanted to fucking talk about after seeing Suzanne all these years later were his escapades with Leah years ago out in the woods. But if Brandon was going to play that game, he might as well come clean. "I didn't know her from before. Never knew she was close to Brandon. But I met her ages ago in the woods when I was alone...we were together for a bit. Broke up for other reasons."
Suzanne was quiet for a moment. She didn't look pissed or surprised - just indifferent. "Oh. Wow. Small world, I guess," she says softly before shrugging her shoulders. "Is... are you two…?" Her words trail off, and Daryl shakes his head.
"Nah, ain't like that. But I stayed here to make 'er happy. I even feel like she sometimes doesn't wanna be here." He looks at Brandon. "We can't let them keep torturin' her. Edward said all of ya were going to Alexandria?"
Suzanne rolls her eyes. "Edward told you everything?"
"He didn't want his ass beat."
"Asshole," she mutters before sighing, nodding. "Yeah, we were. To help them. Daryl, are you from there?" He nods again. "Jeez...have we all been this close this whole time? That's insane to me." She crosses her arms against her chest. "I...do all of you want to stay here?"
"No," Daryl instantly responds, to which Brandon slaps his back. Daryl raises his hands in surrender. "Hey, ya fuckin' knew why I was here. Pope scares the shit outta me and I can see he does the same for ya. Suzanne suddenly pops up, yer sister, after years and you want to stay? When she's your way out? I don't care what ya do, I'm goin' with her."
Suzanne feels herself smile a bit at that. It was sweet to see that even after all these years, Daryl was still on her side...even after what they had gone through.
Brandon sighs. "I didn't say that. I just was going to say if we wanted to sneak out, what about Leah?"
"What about me?"
The three of them all turn to the corner, where Leah's arms were crossed, looking at them suspiciously.
"What the hell is going on?" she asks as she comes over. "You know this woman?"
Brandon sighs softly before looking at Leah. "This is my little sister. Suzanne."
Leah looks over at her and suddenly, her eyes widen a bit. "Oh...oh shit. I had no idea. Brandon showed me a really old picture of you from when you were kids, I... I had no idea."
Suzanne sighs. "It's not that big of a deal. Just don't shoot me again."
"We can't stay here anymore, Leah," Brandon states, causing Leah to stare at him in shock.
"So you're just going to abandon everyone? After all we've done?"
"No. I want to give you a chance out there too." Leah looks at him with an expression of anger across her features. "I know why you're here. You're scared you'll be alone again. I know that. I can see that. But Suzanne is right. We've spent years here just hunting people down and killing innocent folk, ones that didn't deserve it. The longer we spend here, the bigger the risk. Pope isn't the same man we once knew. You know it. I know it."
Leah was silent for a moment, looking between Brandon, Daryl, and then Suzanne. She glances back at Brandon. "How do you know the world is going to be better for you out there? You're safe in here."
"Safe taking things from others? From killing innocent people just so we have walls? Daryl told me what you did. You let that family go." Leah glances away. "You're a good person, Leah. Deep down, I know you are. I knew you from before all this. We can get out together. Have a better life somewhere else."
Leah looks back at him and then at Daryl. "Are you leaving too?"
There was a hint of bitterness in her voice, but when Daryl looked at Suzanne, there was no denying his answer.
"I can't stay here, Leah," he says quietly. "I have people to take care of. I ain't lettin' Suzanne head out there alone. All I know is she's not stayin' here. And neither am I."
Leah looks between the three of them before letting her head drop. "I can't believe I'm saying this," she mutters before looking at them. "There's food we can take to your group. Wherever they are...and if you need a way out, I have an idea."
Brandon smiles at her words, and nods. "Then let us know."
Beth Greene stood at the watch tower as she watched a group of about four people come in, all looking bloody and bruised but alive. One of them seemed to stare up at the walls of Alexandria in disdain, his eyes looking at everything but the people.
As she listened in, she heard that it was people from what some called the Commonwealth, and they were here to help after someone sent them supplies. While she was thankful for anything they could get, something felt off about a couple of these people. Two of them - she thinks her names were Lindsey and Carlos? - they seemed nice, but the other two...she didn't know.
Especially the tallest man. She heard from Rosita that his name was Gavin. And there was this sneer on her lips that she just couldn't help but feel unnerved by.
"What a shit hole this place is, Melinda. I can't believe Ezekiel, Eugene, Yumiko, and Princess live here. What a fucking dump," he said disgusted. Melinda nodded in agreement, her blue eyes showing disgust as they looked around.
Some of the houses were in the process of being rebuilt, and the walls were being fixed. Beth watched silently as Carol and Joel carried crates of fresh vegetables, meat, and a barrel of fish to be placed in the smokehouse and freezer.
In exchange, the Alexandrians had given the Commonwealth tobacco, which the Commonwealth Council accepted. Carlos had explained to Beth and a couple of the others that a trade agreement would be set up once the rest of the Commonwealth supply run team had arrived.
But that polite conversation was interrupted by a cunt.
"Look, Gavin, there's a half-breed bastard!" she exclaimed horrified, pointing at RJ, who looked confused at the insult. Tennessee came over to speak up for him as Beth glared.
"He's not a half-breed and you better not say that filthy word again," Beth said threateningly. Melinda sneered at her as Gavin strides over and looks her over.
She didn't miss the fact that he was looking at her breasts, rather than her face. There was something off about this man. She didn't like him or Melinda one bit.
"Better watch your tone, missy."
"Better watch yours if you want to step into our home and do that shit," Beth growls to him. He doesn't say anything else but steps away, scoffing at her. Beth rolls her eyes, arms against her chest.
Lindsey and Carlos were nice enough though, but there was something about Gavin and Melinda that made her uneasy. She told Kal, Scott, and Rosita to keep an eye on them.
"According to Lindsey, they were attacked by the Reapers and lost two of their people to them. The other three, Emil, Suzanne and Edward weren't killed, but I think the Reapers have them. We'll wait and see if they come back with the others," Aaron explained quietly. He really didn't want Alexandria to fall.
Hopefully, when Daryl and the others came back from Meridian, they would be able to manage through the winter.
Brandon had gone to talk with Pope to convince him that they could use Suzanne, since she was a nurse. The Reapers had lost their medic when Pope had killed Bossie by burning him alive after accusing him of abandoning Michael.
"So, you think your little sister can assist us by using her medical skills? What kind of nurse was she before this Armageddon occurred years ago?" Pope questioned suspiciously. He'd been getting more paranoid since they had failed to locate Maggie, and the rest of her group.
"I know she can, Pope. She stays calm under pressure. She was an NICU nurse. But she's helped with a lot of high-risk pregnancies before the Outbreak," Brandon explained honestly, praying that he could keep Suzanne safe while Daryl's friends gathered a massive herd of walkers to attack the town.
Pope was silent as he contemplated his words with a thoughtful expression on his face. He then glanced at the younger man with sharp, intrigued eyes.
"Didn't your sister have a baby when all of this happened?" Pope asked suspiciously. Brandon felt his heart sink as he thought of baby Alice and how sick she'd been when all of this shit had happened.
"She did. When the army stormed into the hospital killing everyone, they turned off the power. She lost her after three days," he admitted, subdued but trying not to appear weak in front of his commander.
Pope nodded, seemingly satisfied as he looked at the younger man.
"Bring her to the shed then, Carver. We'll assess her loyalty. If she's loyal, then I promise we won't hurt her. But if she isn't, well...you saw what happened to Bossie," he said meaningfully, with a sinister smile. Brandon felt his hair stand on end.
"I understand," Brandon said quietly, feeling his stomach roll uneasily. He couldn't help but dread what kind of test Pope had in store for Suzanne.
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