All Nightmare Long

Chapter 502

Author's Note: The poll has 8 people wanting Rick to stay in the story and one wanting me to write both versions. I'm keeping it up for a while, since it'll be a while til I get to that. So it'll be highly AU after that, but it's a Jick's story. So if you want to vote, go ahead. Jes wants back in, so Jewel is going to get a chapter with her. Review please.

Jewel's POV:

Jewel adjusted the rifle and a shovel on her back as well as a backpack filled with guns, knives and other weapons and started toward the gate. She needed to be outside the gate and start making plans. That's what Glenn made her second for, to make plans when Rick couldn't.

"Jewel!" Aaron called as he stepped out from the porch. He ran toward her. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Out, just for a bit, not far," Jewel told him.

"You shouldn't, not now," Aaron said. "If you're going after Daryl…"

Jewel held up her hand. "I'm not, I know I'd get myself killed. Do you know how I became Rick's right hand?"

Aaron shook his head. "I always thought it was because you were together."

"No, we weren't, I mean we were getting there. Rick had this friend, his partner in the Sheriff's department, Shane. He had been cheating with Rick's first wife before all this, they were together, and Judith is there biological daughter. Anyway, Shane was in charge, before Rick came back. Daryl, my brother Merle, Summer and I would have left if Shane had stayed in charge, he was dangerous, he even became more so when Rick came back. We were on Maggie and Beth's daddy's farm, and there was this big agreement about what we were going to do with this and he made a veil threat against Rick about how if something happened to him, we would have to listen to Shane. He assumed he would become leader if Rick died. People didn't agree with him, said they'd leave the group. Glenn volunteered me, Daryl seconded it, and Rick said it was a good idea. Almost everyone agreed with them. And from that moment on, I co led this group. Glenn did that, just like he saved Rick in the beginning. He didn't have to, but he did, he started this rag tag family. One of the thing's Glenn said when he volunteered me was that I was a whole lot calmer then Shane, and I thought quick on my feet. Rick's not thinking right, not after what happened, not after Carl and Summer. He's not ready to fight, he needs time, and I get that. But, I need to know that we are ready when he is. Glenn trusted me, and even though I want to burst out in tears, run to check on Maggie and Summer, I need to stay calm, think logically, think like Rick would. He buried weapons outside Terminus, just in case, and this is just in case," Jewel told him.

Aaron nodded. "I'll go with you, you shouldn't be out there alone. We don't do things alone right?" he questioned as he repeated the motto of what he heard several times.

"I can't ask you to do that. Eric and Emily need you here, Aaron," Jewel told him.

"You're not asking," Aaron said. "You're not going alone. I will go tell Rick, if you leave these gates alone. So I'm going with you, or I'm going to tell Rick what you are doing. You're choice," he told her.

Jewel sighed and turned around. "You carry the shovel, you're digging," she said. "Open the gate," she ordered as they walked out.

Aaron followed her out and was quiet for a few minutes. "You know if you want to cry, you can. I won't tell anyone."

Jewel glanced at him not saying a word as she continued walking.

"It's not a sign of weakness, you know. I cried, we all cried last night. You don't always have to be the strong one. I know you're worried about Maggie, Summer, and Daryl," Aaron told her.

"Do you talk this much when you're out with Daryl? Because if you do, I'm sure you've got punched a few times," Jewel told him.

"He hasn't punched me, that's Rick's job," Aaron said trying to tease her.

Jewel shook her head as they walked toward the abandoned cabin that Rick had hid a gun in when they first got to Alexandria. "We'll dig a hole, and cover it up so no one can tell. Daryl and Merle taught me how to do it when I was little, so no one can notice the difference," she said as she took a breath. "I can't be the last Dixon sibling standing, I just can't…."

"You won't be, we'll get him back," Aaron promised her.

"You can't know that, Aaron. You can't make me a promise like that," Jewel told him.

"He can't, but I can," Jes said as she came from behind her.

"Jes," Jewel said as she made a step toward her then pulled her gun on the man with her. "Who the hell are you?" Aaron proceeded to do the same.

Jes stepped between Garza and her two friends. "He's an old Army buddy," she explained. "Summer, Joey and I ran into him a couple days ago, before Denise."

"You didn't tell us about them?" Aaron asked.

"I didn't plan to ever run into them again. They stayed out of our way, we stayed out there's. I had no choice when I went to go find Joey and Summer," Jes explained.

"You mind putting the guns down? I'm a friendly," Garza told them.

"I don't know you, for all I know, you could be a spy for Negan. Tell me one reason why I shouldn't put a bullet in between your eyes right now?" Jewel asked.

"Because I'm vouching for him," Jes said. "Raphiel Garza, this is Jewel Grimes and Aaron. We know what happened last night, and I'm sorry I wasn't there," she said as she glanced at Garza. "Maybe I should let her shoot you, since you punched me and I couldn't try to take them out and try to save Summer and Joey. Summer's her daughter."

"We were outnumbered," Garza reminded her.

Jewel lowered her weapon, nodding Aaron to do the same. "You get to dig, Garza. But he was right to stop you, you would have been killed."

"Why am I digging?" Garza asked as he glanced at Jes.

"Because I said so," Jewel told him. "Aaron and I had a really bad night, and spent a whole lot of our times on our knees, threatening to get our heads beat in, and watching two of our people die. Then I watched as baseball wielding maniac had my husband go battle walkers without a weapon to get him an ax. Then he had my son on the ground, telling Rick he had to cut off his arm, and if he didn't, then he'd kill Summer first, then all of us, then Carl, and everyone back at home, but he would keep Rick alive. He made Rick almost cut off our son's arm, and he took my brother. And he'll be back in a week, to get half of our stuff, because we belong to him now. My daughter is at Hilltop with my pregnant friend, who watched her husband get his head beat in, and I'm here. I'm here, burying a bag and guns, so we'll be ready to fight," she said as her eyes started to fill up with tears. "And I had to tell my brother's wife and kid, I don't know if he's coming back. And, I don't even know where Carol and Morgan are, or if they are alive. So, I'm telling you to dig the damn hole, so I can close my eyes for a minute and regroup before I have to go back home and be strong for everyone else. I'm telling you to dig the damn hole so Aaron can take a minute. So just dig the damn hole alright?" she asked as she quickly turned and went into the old cabin.

Aaron turned to go after her before Jes put her hand on his shoulder. "I got her. Garza dig the damn hole," she said as she went inside.

"Jes, I want to be alone for a few minutes," Jewel said as she sat with her head in her knees.

"Well, that's not going to happen," Jes said as she sat down in front of her before hugging her.

"Jes? What are you doing? You don't do hugs," Jewel told her as she backed away and looked at her.

"Like I've been telling Garza, I've changed. Rick know you're out here burying guns?" Jes asked.

"No, Negan got under his skin, he doesn't want to fight back," Jewel told her.

"Alright, are you going to be able to keep this from him? You don't keep secret's from Rick," Jes reminded her.

"I don't have a choice, not now," Jewel answered.

"OK, so I'll tell Aaron he's got to keep it quiet, not tell anyone. You took them off the inventory list?" Jes questioned.

"They weren't on it, we had some stashed around, from when we first got here," Jewel answered.

Jes nodded. "That's my girl," she said with a sad smile. "I wish I was there, maybe I could have done something."

Jewel shook her head. "He would have killed you, just like he did Abraham. Abraham kept raising higher and higher, he saw him as a threat. I tried to get him to kill me, it only turned him on," she said disgusted. "Daryl tried to fight back, he killed Glenn cause of it, and took Daryl. I don't know if we win if we tried to fight back. We don't have the numbers," she told her.

"We don't have to worry about that right now, alright? Everything is too fresh. I'm going to have to see him in action, work on a plan of action, then we work things out. It can be just you and I right now, and when Rick is ready, we'll have a plan," Jes told her.

"Rick threatened to kill him twice, Negan is after him. And I think he enjoys it," Jewel told her.

"Of course he does. All dictators hate to be challenged, especially in front of his people. We'll get him, and we'll get Daryl back. He's not going out like that, even if I have to follow them back and get him out myself. I'm not losing anyone else, alright?" Jes asked as she hugged her. "Come on, let's go home," Jes told her.