Better Days

Chapter 380

Author's Note: Finally here is Summer's chapter, which introduces Hilltop. If you haven't figured it out yet, Summer is going to be separated from team family until Rick and Daryl meet Jesus. Character development for her and angst for Jewel and Rick and the rest. See the character sheet for OC's that I posted right before this. Sam Heughan (Outlander) is the main one in this chapter. Veronika Vernadaski as Rayne. But the previous post has all characters, including OC's for all four known communities. May add or take away depending on what is added. Please review.

Summer's POV:

Summer turned slowly as her leg gave out as she fell to the ground. "Jesus," she said as passed out.

Jesus bent down and felt for a pulse as a red haired man and a young woman came from inside the building. "Women never fall at my feet," the red hair man said as the woman grabbed her bag.

"You would think they would with you wearing a skirt," the young woman said.

"Rayna, it's a kilt," the red headed man said with a scottish accent.

"Help me get her inside," Jesus said as he stood and took her feet.

"Why are we helping her? What if she's one of Negan's?" Rayna asked.

"She isn't," Jesus answered.

"How can you tell Paul?" the young woman questioned.

The red haired man helped him lay her down on the bed. "She's to dirty to be one of Negan's, plus look at the weapons. Negan wouldn't let one of his women carry weapons," he said.

"If she escaped from Negan, then maybe she could tell you where your sister is Archie," Rayna said hopefully.

Jesus gave her a warning look. "She isn't one of Negan's, probably from a community. She was shot with one of the arrows Archie made. She's running from Negan," he said.

"We need to get her to the Hilltop," Archie said as he ripped his shirt.

"You want to take a stranger to the Hilltop? Uncle Gregory isn't going to want another mouth to feed," Rayna pointed out.

"What do you suggest Rayna? Leave her out here? For the dead to get? For Negan's men to find her? Or Negan himself? She's hurt and injured, and she isn't in any shape to fend for herself, even if she was conscious, which she isn't," Jesus pointed out.

"We can't let her go North, the dead are heading that way. Jesus is right, we can't leave her. And Gregory can just get over himself," Archie said. "She's only a year older than you, if that, and I can't in good conscious just leave her out here."

"What if he wants to give her to Negan like he did with Aislynn?" Rayna asked.

"Rayna, clear out the back of the truck, we're going to have to have a place for our guest to lay down on the way back," Jesus instructed. He waited until she left and looked at Archie. "We will get Aislynn back, you know that."

"We don't know that, Paul. Negan took Aislynn as a power play, just like he killed Rory, to show us he had the power over us. He keeps Aislynn so I'll continue to hunt for him, continue to make weapons for him, continue to wear this stupid kilt. I never thought that my father making us do Highland warrior reconstructions would come in handy," Archie said. "Rayna is correct when she says that Gregory won't like it. He's going to see her as another mouth to feed."

"And?" Jesus asked as he looked at him.

"And nothing, I am just pointing out the fact that he isn't going to be happy," Archie said. "Negan isn't going to take her," he said matter of factly. "She is someone's sister or daughter, and I'm not going to let her be under Negan's wing."

"I don't want anyone under Negan's wing, especially not Aislynn," Jesus said. "I know what you mean though, and we won't let Negan get to her. The wound looks bad, she was definitely running on it for a while. Doctor Carson will have to look at it and disinfect it, hopefully it won't be to bad," he said.

"She's running a slight fever," Archie said as he moved Summer's hair out of her eyes.

"One of us is going to have to sit in the back with her, just in case she starts to turn," Rayna says as she comes in. "I found some blankets, in the back of the truck, I built kind of a bed, we can use something to wrap her up in. We should get going, who knows if Negan is going to send men from the outpost to investigate all the commotion. I don't necessarily want to be caught out here if they are, and we really can't explain her," Rayna said.

Jesus nodded as he stood up and started to bend down to pick up Summer. "I've got her," Archie told him as he bent down and picked her up. "I'll stay in the back with her."

"Don't you think it may be better if I stay with her, in case she wakes up?" Rayna asked.

"I'll stay in the back, lass, in case she doesn't. Sit up front with Paul," the red headed man instructed.

Jesus put his hand on her shoulder. "You can climb in the back if she wakes up," he said. "Grab the food and weapons we collected, and grab hers," he instructed as he led them out of the shed.

"I'm sorry if I was rude earlier, mentioning Aislynn," Rayna said as she picked up the weapons. She got into the van and put down the weapons and went to help him with Summer. "She was my friend. Uncle Gregory was wrong, he should have fought to keep her with us. Dad would have, I mean fought him to keep her with us. I know Uncle Gregory isn't a leader like dad was, but at least he is trying to keep Hilltop running."

"By selling our people into slavery," Archie said. "Your father was a good man, and I am sorry that he was killed by Simon. But your Uncle, he is not the same type of man, he does not have the same integrity. Aislynn knew that Negan would kill someone else if she didn't go with him, but it's been a year and the only thing that I know is that she is with Negan. I don't even want to think what that means, Rayna," he said as he looked at the young woman. "Don't think that if Negan gets his sites set on you that Gregory wouldn't make a deal with him to save his weak ass. That's why Paul and I don't mind you coming along, make you a good hunter and scavenger, so we can protect you," he said honestly.

Jesus got into the cab of the truck. "Rayna, let's go," he said as she climbed up front with him.

Hilltop:

Jesus stopped the truck and jumped out. "Get Carson," he told Rayna. "Have him meet us at Barrington house," he said as he opened the back of the truck. "How is she?"

"Fever, mumbling in her unconscious state," Archie answered.

"Let's get her up to the house," Jesus said as Archie picked her up and they went to the house. Jesus opened the door and let Archie take her. "Put her in the room next to mine, it's empty," he instructed.

Both men looked over as the door of the den opened. "Jesus, what is this? What are you doing? Archie, you can just take her to one of the empty trailers, she isn't staying," Gregory said.

"She's injured, she's going to need a place to recover, and Carson is going to want her out of the elements. Those trailers aren't as warm as this house. We can discuss if she is staying when she can be part of the conversation," Jesus said. "Archie, go on take her upstairs."

Archie nodded as he glanced at Gregory. "Right," he answered as he went upstairs.

"Jesus, what are you thinking bringing someone in? What if she escaped from Negan? How are we going to explain another mouth to feed if she isn't Negan's?" Gregory asked. "And where is Rayna? I know she went out with you, I told you that I would rather her stay here."

"Rayna is sixteen, and she needs to know how to hunt and help us survive, her father would have wanted us to teach her, he had asked before he was killed," Jesus answered. "As for our guest, she isn't escaping from Negan or his men. And, we tell the truth, that we found her."

Gregory looked up the stairs then at Jesus. "Well, I guess that under all that grime she could be attractive," he said.

Archie stood on the top of the stairs. "Whatever you're thinking, Gregory, it's not going to happen. You aren't going to use her as a bargaining chip for Negan," he said firmly.

"You don't know her, she isn't one of us. Everything I do, I do is to save our people," Gregory answered.

"How exactly is that working for my sister Gregory? I would ask her but she isn't here. She isn't here because you offered her to Negan because we were short on supplies," Archie answered.

"She agreed," Gregory answered.

"She only agreed because he threatened to kill more people," Jesus said.

"I'm sure Negan is treating her well, I'm sure she is even enjoying it," Gregory told him.

"What did you say?" Archie asked as he started coming down the stairs.

The door to the house opened and Rayna and the Doctor came in. Carson looked between the three men. "Rayna tells me that I have a patient," he said.

"Archie will show you where," Jesus said.

"Are you going to call me a healer again?" Carson teased Archie. "I love your and Aislynn's accents. The way she would describe Scotland, it would make me imagine I was there," he said as they walked upstairs.

Gregory looked at Rayna. "You went against my wishes and went out with Jesus and Archie. You still do live under my roof, and you'll do what I say. Now go clean up," he said as he turned to go back in the den.

"Maybe I shouldn't live under your roof," Rayna said.

Gregory turned and looked at her. "What?"

"Dad didn't live in here when he was leader, we lived in a trailer. He saved the rooms for his people. I can't tell you what to do, but I think I want to go live back at the trailers. Then I can do what I want, and I can learn," Rayna said. "I'll stay until our guest gets better," the brown haired girl told her Uncle as she went upstairs.

Gregory looked at Jesus. "Are you just going to disagree with my wishes when it comes to her?"

"Geoff was my friend, even before all this happened," Jesus told Gregory. "I was there when his wife died in the car accident. I was there when he didn't know if Rayna would recover from her injuries," he reminded Gregory. "You never came to the hospital, you only called twice. I didn't meet you until we got here. I know Rayna better then you do, and I promised Geoff that I would look after her," he explained. "She wants to do this, then I will help her do it," he said as he went upstairs.

TBC