Better Days

Chapter 294

Author's Note: Things are getting interesting in Alexandria, aren't they? There's going to be a plot twist around the time Deanna wants to kick out Rick. Not telling you all got to be patient. Love and thanks to all of you reading!

Mitch and Daryl's POV:

Daryl looked at Mitch as they walked. "That bad?" he questioned Mitch.

Mitch shrugged. "I feel sorry for these people. They are living in a fantasy world, thinking they are immune to this world. Just like Hershel did when we first went to the farm. At least he was willing to die at the farm, fighting. He adjusted to the world, just like we all had to. But, I think it's to late for most of these people. They don't know how to fight, Deanna won't let us carry."

Daryl glanced at him. "You feel safe here?"

"I feel safe with the family, but not around most of these people. But Aaron, he's one of us, maybe Phoebe too," the boy answered.

"Mm…" Daryl answered as they walked. Both of them stopped as they saw lights turn on and heard the door to a house open.

"Daryl, Mitch, hey," Aaron greeted.

"Thought you were going to that party over there," Daryl told him.

Aaron looked toward the other house. "Oh I was never going, 'cause of Erik's ankle. Thank God."

Mitch crossed his arms and glared at him as Daryl talked. "Then why the hell did you tell us to go?"

"I said try, you did. It's a thought that counts thing," Aaron told them.

Daryl put his hand on Mitch's shoulder to indicate they were leaving. "Alright," he told Aaron as they both started to turn.

"Hey come in, have some dinner, both of you," Aaron told them as they both hesitated.

"What are you having?" Mitch asked.

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "That's bein' rude and what do I say about bein' rude?"

"That you aren't going to be raising a rude kid," Mitch said. "Sorry Aaron."

Aaron tried not to laugh but it was hard not to. Daryl was different with Mitch then anyone else. "It's alright. Some serious spaghetti," he said.

"Alright," Daryl answered as they followed Aaron into the house.

"Emily, can you set two more plates?" Aaron called out.

Emily came out of the kitchen. "No problem," she answered. "I take it this is Daryl and Mitch?" the red head asked. "My brother is good at describing everyone."

Aaron smiled. "Emily is Erik's sister."

Emily shook her head. "Like they couldn't tell, Aaron? I mean Erik and I are both red heads. Seriously. You'll have to forgive Aaron, he states the very obvious at times," she told them. "Aaron take them to the table, dinner's almost ready," she told him.

"Mitch can help you," Daryl told her.

"That's not necessary but thank you. You two are our guests," Emily told them.

"I don't mind, you're being nice enough to have us as guests. I can set the table," Mitch told her.

"Don't try to argue with them Emily. I've discovered the Dixon's are very stubborn when they've made up there minds," Aaron told her.

"Alright, then come on and wash your hands Mitch," Emily told him as they walked out into the kitchen.

"So you've met my annoying kid sister," Erik said as he passed her.

"I heard you!" Emily called back.

"You were supposed to!" Erik told her. "Glad to have you and Mitch here," he told Daryl as they sat down. "Mar stayed at the party?"

"Yeah, she grew up in Boston, used to parties like this," Daryl answered.

"Were the two of you together before all this?" Emily questioned as she came out with the spaghetti.

"Em, let's lay off the personal questions so our guests don't run away," Aaron told her.

"Nah, it's alright. Mar and I knew each other before this. She worked at the same clinic my sister worked at. But bein' together? No we weren't," Daryl answered.

"My sister was a journalist major before this, so you'll have to overlook her extremely noisy behavior," Erik told them.

"I think it's all women," Daryl responded as he put spaghetti on his plate.

Mitch looked at him with his mouth open. "I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that. Jewel and Mom never need to find that out," he said with a slight giggle.

Daryl looked at him and nodded. "That's a pretty safe bet," he said as he looked over at Emily. "So what's your story?"

"This is the most I think I've heard you talk," Erik told Daryl.

"It's fair right? I mean you all know about us, and we should be able to ask you questions," Mitch asked as he put food on his plate.

"I like this kid, he's straightforward. Have you met Liam yet? Phoebe's nephew?" Emily questioned.

"They met when we all first came in," Aaron answered as Daryl and Mitch had there mouth's full.

"He's a lot like you," Emily said. "The kids that have been out there for a while, they're different. I don't mean that as a bad thing, it's actually a compliment. It shows you all know how to live, do what has to be done," she said.

"You're avoiding the question," Mitch said, in between bites.

Aaron smirked. "He got you all figured out already, Em."

Emily laughed. "Alright, you caught me. I'm going to have to keep an eye out on you or you're going to take my job! I was visiting these two when everything happened, had graduated from college a few months earlier. I could have been in the middle of the ocean on an expensive boat, since my parents offered a cruise for a graduation present."

"She was the favorite," Erik teased.

"Something like that. But I decided to come visit these two, much to my parents disgust," Emily told Mitch. "I'm kind of glad I did, I would have hated to be in the middle of the ocean with a bunch of people I don't know," she answered.

"Why weren't you at the party?" Daryl asked as he continued to eat his food.

Emily laughed. "Well if I went to the party, who would have boiled the water for this wonderful meal? A meal that I'd say both of you were enjoying," she told Daryl.

Eric stifled a laugh as Daryl wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Mmm, when you're out there, if you happen to be in a store or something, Mrs. Neudermyer is really looking for a pasta maker. And we're all really trying to get her to shut up about it. I mean, we have crates of dried pasta in here, but she wants to make her own or something. I really think she just wants something to talk about, so... if you see one out on your travels, it would go a long way to…" he stopped as he felt Emily kick his leg and looked at Aaron's face.

"You talk to much, Eric. That's how mom and dad found out that you were gay, because you wouldn't shut up," she said as shook her head.

"What's going on?" Mitch asked.

"I thought it was done," Eric told them.

"If it was done, then Aaron would have said 'hey Eric it's done," Emily said as she got up and poured herself another glass of wine.

"You didn't ask him already?" Eric questioned.

Aaron shook his head as he looked down at his plate.

"Ask me what?" Daryl asked as he looked at Mitch.

Emily took her wine glass and nodded. "If you'll follow us. Not you big brother, you just sit there," she told him as Aaron led them to the garage letting Daryl in first.

Aaron stepped in behind him and nodded to the motorcycle. "When I got the place, there was that frame and some parts and equipment, whoever lived here built them."

Daryl picked up a part. "It's a lot of parts for one bike."

"Aaron's good at reading people, he doesn't know a thing about bike or car parts. I told him to take it over to the garage, that's why we do have mechanics," Emily told him.

"Dad had a bike…but Merle took it back and then it got left behind. A lot of things get left behind," Mitch said.

Aaron nodded. "Whenever I came across any parts out there, I brought them back. I wanted to learn how to build it, but I never learned. I didn't know what I'd need. I have a feeling that you know exactly what needs to be done. And the thing is, you're going to need a bike," he told Daryl.

"Why?" Daryl questioned as he walked over to look at other parts.. "Mitch come over here, see what we've got to deal with."

Emily and Aaron looked at each other. "I told Deanna not to give you a job because I think I have one for you. I'd like you to be Alexandria's other recruiter. I don't want Eric risking his life anymore," Aaron told him.

"You want me risking mine right?" Daryl asked.

Emily shook her head at Aaron. "Rick might have led the group, but you kept them safe didn't you? You took the chances?"

"We all pulled our weight," Daryl answered.

"I'm sure that over time you all did, but at first, you were the one who knew how to survive right? You and Jewel? Everyone else was just faking it? Just guessing, but you already knew the difference between good and bad people, and you also knew how to fight. You're the kind of person I want watching this ones back, to bring him back to Aaron and me," Emily told him.

" She's right, you know what you're doing. You're good out there, but you don't belong out there. I know it's hard getting used to people getting used to you. And I understand right now you need to be out there sometimes, so do I. But the main reason why I want you to help me recruit is because you do know the difference between a good person and a bad person," Aaron told him.

"Mom isn't going to have a problem with it, you just got to come back alive," Mitch told him.

"I would have to talk with Mar about it, the rest of the family. Got to make sure Jewel knows she isn't losing her other big brother," Daryl told them. "But I've got nothing better to do. Thanks," he told Aaron. "We better be getting home, maybe stop by Deanna's to see if we can take Little Ass Kicker and Hell Raiser home. I still remember how to give babies bath," he told Mitch.

"Little Ass Kicker? Hell Raiser?" Emily questioned.

"Judith and Hope. Judith didn't have a name for a while, Dad gave her the first bottle and called her Little Ass Kicker. Merle gifted Hope the name Hell Raiser because of the fact that she picked a hell of a place to be born," Mitch explained.

Daryl nodded before starting to go out. "I'll bring you some rabbits," he told them.

Aaron laughed. "Great," he said as he watched them leave.