Chapter 86: Shadows


KPOV

~Over a month ago~

Sat beside my father, he had taken the vacant space to call it his own and since then, we had spoken of how he imagined my mother would be proud of me, how he was proud of all of us. Of myself and Carl, who made it this far because of him. Because of what we could do because of him.

When I looked to dad, I was waiting for what he'd say to me about what was missing from my mother's list. "What your mother always forgot to mention in her vision of you..." dad started with a huge smile on his face.

His thumb had brushed the back of my hand gently, his eyes gazing down at our joined hands. "Of what she'd thought you'd be like today," dad was simply adding tension and I was beginning to grow impatient.

When his hand overlapped mine, clasping my hand tightly in his, all that irritation that was bubbling under my skin, melted away by that one touch. "Was how brave you are," dad said as my eyes met with his, after briefly glancing to his hands over mine.

Meeting his gaze, there was a warmness in his eyes, almost matching his tone perfectly. "You're just saying that dad..." I tried to brush it off like it was nothing, that he was only saying it because he was my father and wanted me feeling good about myself.

Shaking my head, I looked to our joined hands. "I get scared, just like everyone else," I stated facts. Everyone gets afraid sometimes.

Dad's hand that overlapped my own, went under my chin to gently raise my eyes to meet his. "Hey," dad's voice softly called to gain my attention. As though his hand bringing my face up to look into his eyes, wasn't enough.

"It's okay to be afraid," dad reassured me that this wasn't seen as something negative. "But unlike others, you don't let it take over. You don't let it weaken you," dad pointed out about me as I gazed into his eyes.

How he looked at me, it always made me feel comforted and calm. "If anything, fear makes you stronger, makes you smarter," dad put a positive to something that usually was negative. "Because it takes bravery to push through the fear and to not let it take control of you," dad explained why this made me brave.

My eyes softened as I slipped my other hand over his. My father, was more than just my hero. He was a saint to me. "You let fear help you," dad was confident in his words, as it only gave me more encouragement than he knew.

Letting out a little laugh, dad's thumb brushed away a tear that escaped from my eye. When he spoke like this, it was only normal for my reactions to be emotional. "Is that what you do?" I giggled out my question.

Chuckling, dad's smile was heartwarming, genuine and creased at the corners of his eyes. "It's what I try," dad admitted. "It helps that I've got great teacher to show me the way," dad said, his eyes telling me clearly he was speaking about me, being the teacher to show him the way.


PRESENT DAY...KPOV

Waking up, it was the regular routine, drink water, take my pre-natal vitamins and contemplate my plans for the day. At least, with no Dr Carson, I now could feel a little less tense. And with Dwight being my guardian, I felt a little more at peace. Dwight would get me what I wanted for breakfast and suggest what I could and couldn't eat, now that everyone knew about the baby growing inside me.

When I was done getting ready, I'd leave to spend time with the girls, just to keep up appearances for a few hours, act like I was actually becoming a part of this life. When Negan would visit, I'd play along and Dwight would look on.

Looking after me, I was thankful Dwight was someone I could mostly trust. As I'd sip on juice, freshly made for me and my child, the girls would mostly keep their distance or talk about anything, but the baby. Little did anyone know, that Negan wasn't the father. In fact, the only people to know, one escaped, the other died and the other was my guardian.

By day, I was Negan's wife, looking after the girls, acting like the queen of the place, now that I was pregnant. I'd do as I pleased, visit where I wanted, talk to who I wanted, take what I wanted, eat what I wanted and pretended to be the local princess of this place.

By night, I was something completely different...


CPOV

Waking up this morning, I had gone to visit Judith, but she was gone, more than likely being looked after by someone while I had slept. Deciding to take some time for myself, before I'd leave to look for my sister, I went looking through dad's things.

Sat on the dresser, was the picture taken of me, Kat and Judith months ago. Lifting the picture, to get a better look, I gazed at the two out of the four most important women in my life. Michonne, who was family to me. Enid, who was more than a friend to me. Kat, my best friend. Judith, my adorable baby sister.

My eyes landed on Kat, who was baring the most beautiful, wide smile I'd ever seen and that alone, warmed my heart. I miss that smile. I miss that laugh. I miss her. Kat was someone I had missed on a regular basis, as all she did, she did it for us and it was proven by how she was putting all of us, before her own safety and the safety of her child for her to prove that she was helping us.

Sighing, I put the picture down, as memories of Kat had been flashing before my eyes and all I wanted, was for her to be back. To be safe and with Daryl again, where she belonged. She should be with family. With the father of her child. She should be here, with us. Getting my hat, my gun and other weapons, I left to go to the pantry.

Taking out a bow and quiver filled with arrows, I went to Kat's spot and tried practising. For Kat, I need to do this. I need to learn. To prove to her I can fight, just like she can. That all she taught me, wasn't for nothing. That I do listen to her.

I wanted to do better, not just for Kat, but for myself. To prove to myself that with Kat's training, I could do it. That I could defend my sister. Defend my niece or nephew. As the arrow would whistle and land close to the bulls-eye, I was proud of myself. I'm getting better.


KPOV

By night, I was slipping through halls, ghosting around the blocks as I did my best to not get spotted as myself and Dwight would make it my priority to keep my skills up. To keep me practising for the fight we felt was coming, sooner rather than later.

By night, I was a fighter. I'd practice my archery skills and my fighting stances, my skills with the knife and prepare myself for what was to come. As I'd shoot my arrows into the target that Dwight had installed for both of us, one he'd use early in the mornings, and one I'd use for late at night.

Negan wasn't bothered by it, nor did he know I was using it, as we were keeping it secret just what I could do. My skills, my talents in fighting, were mine and mine alone. Looking up at Dwight, he seemed pleased by my accuracy as I hit bulls-eye almost every time. Nodding, he'd give me a few claps before we would return to my room.

I had worked hard to keep myself in shape, mentally and physically. As emotionally, I was a wreck but working hard to stay strong. I have to be ready. For anything. Davey proved as much...


DPOV

For all the nights I had been there, I didn't speak to Maggie, didn't try and go up to her, as I didn't want to be in the same room with her. From fear, for the hate I had for myself for what I did. Knowing that Glenn was dead, because of me.

Even when Kat told me it wasn't me, I didn't believe it. I couldn't. I kept replaying what could of happened if I stayed seated. That Glenn would have lived, that Maggie's child wouldn't be an orphan and that we'd be all happily together.

Maybe I would of never left Alexandria, Kat and I would of been growing our child, together, helping her through all the stages of her pregnancy. Same as Glenn would have with Maggie. But I had to go and ruin it all.

And here we all were. Miserable. Pregnant. And alone. Even if myself and Maggie were different, we were just the same when it came to those three words. Miserable. Pregnant. Alone. Those words were what made me keep sharpening my bolts with my knife, while Maggie stepped out to hand me a dish of something.

I didn't even dare to look, as I stayed deadly still. I was expecting her to hit me, to throw the bowl at me, to punch me. To tell me she hated me. But instead, she rest the food on the table, put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it.

My hand stopped working on the bolt as I looked over to her, as she went back to the trailer. Maggie had stopped, her back to me, her hands came up to her sniffling face as she wiped her tears away.

I did this...

Wiping her tears away, she straightened up and kept going. Maggie and Kat are similar in some ways. They keep moving. They keep going. Because they have to. Because that's who they were. Maggie picked herself up, because she had to but it didn't make me feel any less guilty. She wouldn't be this way had I not got Glenn killed.

Looking away, I took a deep breath and felt my heart sink. Memories of Glenn, of Kat, of the ones we loved, it all came to mind. I wish things were different. For the both of us...


MAGGIE'S POV

So far, we were all getting things done, from people learning to fight, training from either myself or Sasha, or Judith and the small things she knew. Or the basic skills Jesus could teach, gradually, people were coming together and practising to get stronger by their own choices.

My baby was growing, I was focusing on my work here and what I needed to do next. I would talk to Jesus, make arrangements with him and life, my future, here, was getting stronger. Except, since Daryl got back from the Kingdom, he wasn't the same again.

He hadn't been the same since he left the Sanctuary. Then, the fact he was expecting his first child with Kat, was another shocker to find out. It was something all of us were finding hard to process, as Kat was sealed up tightly in the Sanctuary and possibly, never to leave again. Not unless we fought and got her out of there.

Walking out to check to see if what I had been cooking outside was ready, I went to place it back on my plate but saw Daryl was sat out on a bench alone, working on something. He wouldn't look at me. He wouldn't talk to me. I know he blames himself.

All of it had been obvious since the second he stepped into the Hilltop after Jesus brought him back here. Instead of bringing the food for me to eat, I gave it to him. Not knowing when the last time he ate, I put the plate beside him.

Placing my hand on his shoulder, I gave it a gentle squeeze, to show him I still cared. That we, were still family. I just wish he would come inside. That he would talk to me. Instead, he sat out alone, using his knife to sharpen his bolts as he sat alone.

As much as I wanted to hate him for fighting against Negan, I knew it wasn't his fault. No one could have predicted what Negan would do. And how he showed Rosita his bloody bat, covered in Abraham's brains and blood, it was horrific. And I knew, Glenn loved Daryl like family.

We were family. He's our family, too. I could hear Rick's voice in my head. About Glenn, but this time, it fit me and Daryl perfectly. As much as I wanted to hate him, I couldn't. Because his intentions were always good.

And now, we were both on the same shitty page. Both of us, expecting children, hiding from the Saviors and with our significant others gone from where we wanted them to be. We are on the same stupid boat and neither of us can do anything about it.

Leaving him, I went to go back to the trailer but stopped, to let a few tears fall. I want to but I can't. I just can't hate him. It's physically impossible. Daryl wasn't guilty and I reminded myself that as I brushed my hair back, wiped away my tears and returned to the trailer. Daryl will come to us when he is ready...


DPOV

Sitting on the bench I usually took my time on, I heard clanging before I looked up and saw people at the gates, turning their attention to us. "The Saviors are coming!" one guy announced as he would hit a rod with another. Sharpening an arrow, I tried doing it the same way Kat showed me how.

But it all stopped when this announcement was made. "The Saviors are coming!" the guy yelled again. Part of me wanted to stay, to let them take me, to go back to Kat. Another part of me, wanted to kill them all. But the father in me, knew I needed to stay safe and hide.

The two options I wanted to do, were only going to get me killed, one way or another. Quick steps, the sound of running feet were heard. "We have to get Maggie," Enid told me as I glanced over to her.

Hearing of Maggie, only encouraged me more to hide with her, to protect her from these assholes. "Where is she?" I asked Enid, feeling the need to protect her build. I won't make any mistakes again. I can't.

Getting up off the bench, I went to follow Enid as she ran off. "Come on!" Enid pointed to a spot, where I only assumed Maggie would be. Grabbing my knife, I took it with me and would keep it close, just in case.

Running after her, eventually, we found Maggie, who looked relieved to have found us. "They're coming," Enid told Maggie with a little worry evident in her breathless voice.

"Where's Sasha?" was Maggie's first concern as I saw her glance to me from the sides of my eyes.

I couldn't look at her. Since I got there, I couldn't face her. "She's safe," Enid reassured Maggie that Sasha was out of sight. But the hesitancy in her voice, only made me think Enid was lying.

Maggie's eyes seemed concerned but there was no time to discuss. "Alright," Maggie decided to move on. "We've got to hide," was the next thing on our list of concerns. As we began running, we tried to find a good spot to hide.

But we were running out of time. "We'll never make it in time," Maggie was sure of this as we stopped by the goat pen.

"Come on!" Enid though, she was determined as we ran towards the house. The gates were open and the Saviors were already starting to roll in. Keeping my eyes on their trucks, on the sounds of motorbikes, I wondered if Dwight was with them.

My grip tense on my knife as Enid opened up the doors to the basement. "Just stay down there. I'll keep them away," Enid encouraged us and told us she'd keep us safe at the same time. "They aren't the same ones who came to Alexandria," Enid told us.

She was right, but I knew Simon, I knew some of the faces that appeared as they began climbing out of their vehicles. Shutting the last door behind me, Enid made sure we were safe and locked it.

Maggie had began shifting shelves to close it in for us, to hide us behind them. "Daryl," I heard her whisper to me as I would gaze through the second set of doors under the basement, ones that lead to the stairs, to the door. Looking out from them, I was keeping watch, in case one of them came in.

My grip on the knife tighter than my grip on the door as it creaked shut. "Daryl. Daryl," each whisper became louder as Maggie called for me to join her. Looking back to her, then to the door, I knew my priority. Joining her, I shifted some shelves to hide us from the sight, as we got to the darkest corner of the basement.

I have to keep her safe. I have to protect her before protecting myself. Her being pregnant, was only a reminder of what I'd have to be like when the time came for myself and Kat to be parents.


KPOV

Another day, I was sitting with the girls, sipping on my juice, as nothing else seemed to be hitting the spot for me. Anything else, anything that wasn't juice, made me want to throw the contents from my stomach up. Sitting in the most comfortable couch, the girls were stood around the window when they heard something outside.

"Shit," Frankie spoke as she looked out the window. "They're leaving," Frankie said as I got up and joined the girls.

What I didn't see, or feel, was Negan approaching us as we all gazed down at the trucks and cars that were getting ready to leave. I could see Simon stood outside one of the trucks. "Where are they going?" I asked, wondering if any of the girls knew or heard anything.

Except, a voice answered me that I didn't expect. "They, my dear wife, are goin' to get Dr Carson," Negan answered for us as we all slowly turned to look at him. "He can help you with our lil' bean," Negan was referring to my baby, his hand came up to hold my stomach, like he really believed he was the father.

His touch, it revolted me and it made me wish to move away from him, but I knew, I had to stay still. To stay strong. All because, if I flinched, or if I moved, all I had done, all I worked for, would have been for nothing.

Swallowing hard, I already knew Dr Carson from the Hilltop and only worried for how he'd react to seeing me here. "But, Dr Carson is dead..." I feigned like I knew nothing of who Dr Carson was. I know everything. Or at least, almost everything...

Scoffing, Negan approached me, I stayed stood tall as I stared into his eyes with no fear. The girls around me, moved away or hid their eyes from Negan. They fear him. "He has a brother," Negan smirked at me. "Harlan Carson," Negan informed me. "The one you met, that was Emmett Carson," Negan further explained who was who.

Not that any of it mattered now. "Oh..." I mumbled, not knowing what to say to this as gradually, Negan left and returned to being an asshole to everyone.

Needing a few hours by myself, I left to seek shelter and sanity in my room. Sighing, I took a seat on the seat beside the shelf of books. Dwight had walked me to my room but he didn't close the door and leave me alone in it.

Instead, he kept the door opened. "Kat...do you know the other Dr Carson?" Dwight was asking me so freely, while anyone could walk by and catch us. I didn't say anything, for two reasons. The door was open and the second being, I didn't trust him that much, not yet at least.

My silence only seemed to irritate Dwight further. "If you know about the place where he comes from? You need to tell me," Dwight pushed me to say something but I wasn't willing to do so.

Getting up from my seat, I glared at him and crossed my arms firmly over my chest. "I don't need to tell you anything about what I know and what I don't know," I growled at him, not enjoying how strict and demanding he was getting.

Dwight stepped further into my room. "Yes, you do," Dwight argued as I walked past him. "We're working together. Working together, means no secrets, no lies," Dwight told me whilst I closed the door behind him.

What I couldn't risk, was someone catching us now. "We can't keep secrets if we plan on working together to take Negan down," Dwight said as he spun on his feet as he looked to me.

Knowing he'd eventually figure it out, he knew instantly I had been lying. "I've met him," I revealed to Dwight, but he could already tell. "I've been to the Hilltop, once," I informed him. "Made a deal with Gregory to take down that outpost that was doing the run ins at the Hilltop," I continued spilling information to him.

I knew, if Dwight was to tell Negan now, I'd have to end Dwight next. Part of me feared that if I let Dwight in, more and more to my plans, giving him my trust, that he was doing just that, to get me to reveal it all, so he could reveal it all to Negan.

But if it was true, they were all sick to throw the doctor into the furnace. "That's how we knew where to go," I explained how we found the outpost in the first place. Making it all have some sense to it, rather than us stumbling onto it by surprise.

Dwight had been listening to every word I said, nodding, as he took in the information. "Makes sense now," Dwight realised it was all piecing together perfectly now. "Is that why you're looking for all this information? To take out more of them?" Dwight wondered what I was working to achieve.

Keeping my gaze hard, I stayed strong in the spot I stood. "Yes," I answered him, semi-honestly.

Needing him to know me, I approached him slowly, my eyes dark as I stopped in front of him. "Don't forget who it was that came up with the plan to keep you and Sherry safe, along with saving my own skin," I warned him.

He might have worked for me, but I was the mastermind behind the plan. "If I get so much as a whiff of you taking this information back to Negan, you're going to wish your death was as quick as Dr Carson's was once I'm through with you..." I threatened him. This seemed to stun Dwight a little as he gazed into my eyes, his lips parted as he tried to figure out if I was being honest.

Oh, he best believe I meant it. He will be begging to be burned by the furnace before anything I'd do to him if he decides to go against me...


DPOV

Hearing Enid, talking to a guy, for the longest few minutes, we had been quiet, hidden in the shadows. When we heard the door unlock, more sunlight poured through the cracks of the wooden doors at the bottom of the stairs.

Heavy footsteps coming closer, only meant it was a man. One. Alone. Gripping my knife tighter, I was ready, to attack and kill him, should he spot us down here. When the door opened and he glanced inside, he began picking at fruit and picked up a crate, moving it to the floor. He got closer, the closer he got, the more Maggie shifted behind me.

As she stood behind me, I could her hear little breaths shaking. But I knew Maggie. She didn't fear them. Neither did I. Every one of them should be dead. For what they did to us, to all of the communities and more importantly, because of what they did to Glenn, Abraham, to Maggie, to me and to Kat.


KPOV

Dwight and I had sneaked around the halls, acting like nothing was going on, nothing that would interest anyone as Dwight would follow me around all day, guarding me. Stopping outside the meeting room, I had asked Dwight to lead me there, to find the files and check to see what changed.

Stopping by the door, Dwight glanced up and down the halls. "I'll stay by the door," Dwight offered to let me go in and check it out, that he'd stand guard. "That way, you'll know if Negan is near or someone else is around," Dwight convinced me this was our best bet.

Nodding, I thought this was our only advantage as we worked in a team. "Good idea," I agreed with him. "We need a safe word to let me know if someone's planning on going inside," this was the only thing I thought of when it came to ground we needed to cover in case I needed to make an escape.

If I'd need to hide, I needed to know a specific word would keep me safe and moving out of sight. Last thing we both needed, was for Negan to be coming into the room with me. "No safe word," Dwight refused. "You'll know if they try and get inside," Dwight reassured me that there was other ways in me figuring out they were coming in.

But hearing that he wasn't willing to co-operate, it made me worry more than I should. "What?" I was a little irritated with him. He should be working with me. He should want to use one word to tell me they were planning on coming in.

Dwight took a step closer to me. "Go," Dwight encouraged me to move and to move quickly. "We don't have much time," Dwight warned me as his eyes glanced behind me, as though he was waiting for someone to come closer.

Letting out an angry sigh, I slipped into the room and began looking for the files. It didn't take me too long, as I found the file and began searching through the updates they had on my home. I needed to check to see if everyone was still alive, if they found Daryl and if everyone was safe.

Flicking through names, through many places the Saviors were or had taken from, but when I landed on where the Alexandria file was, there was nothing. "Wait..." I whispered to myself, confused as to where it was.

Continuing to flick through pages, I was a little cautious when I flicked through, making sure I didn't pass it but it wasn't there. "Dwighty boy!" I heard Negan's voice call to Dwight as footsteps became heavy and my body froze up.

"Shit," I whispered before I began trying to find the page as quickly as I could, before they found me but so far, I found nothing.

Seeing a tall, dark shadow loom over the smaller one of Dwight, I tried to focus on finding the information. Checking the information on the Hilltop, I wondered if there was news of Maggie, of Sasha, or anyone else.

There was nothing but there was mention of them getting Dr Carson from there, which was something that was already planned since I lead Dr Carson to his fiery death. "What are you doin' here?" Negan asked of Dwight. "Is it Katherine?" there seemed to be a hint of concern in Negan's tone but I saw through it.

Negan cares for no one but himself. "No, I just had something I needed to tell you, about one of our guys," Dwight told him, which I didn't know if it was the truth or a lie, to buy us time. Please keep Negan out of here...

Continuing my search, I saw nothing still for Alexandria but one file seemed to be getting bigger, it was recent and it held the words GARBAGE PEOPLE. Who are these people? "What could be so important that you'd leave my pregnant wife, alone?" Negan questioned Dwight.

Their voices were loud enough that I heard every word spoken between them. "You're right, it's not that important," Dwight brushed off his lie. "I'm sorry," Dwight apologised in an almost genuine tone. Then he calls me the best actress here...

I saw the shadows under the door get darker, my heart stopped as my eyes were glued to the door. Frozen, I was ready to hide everything and run to the closet. "Don't make that mistake again..." Negan warned Dwight darkly.

When footsteps could be heard, silence lasted long enough to let me know that Negan went on with his business and left the meeting room alone.

When the door swung open, Dwight approached me quickly once the door was shut behind him. "I think we're clear but only for a few minutes longer," Dwight warned me that we needed to be quick. "Did you find anything?" Dwight asked me as he approached me.

Stopping beside me, both of us looked down at the files but saw nothing inside it that could help us. "No, the pages with Alexandria's plans are gone," I sighed out and flicked through again, showing it to him.

Dwight took it upon himself to take over, flicking through all the pages and finding nothing with my home's name in it. Shoving the file, I watched as it slid from Dwight's anger to find what I said to be true.

"Shit, Negan must have removed them and put them in the folder in his room," Dwight clutched to the back of his head and then lowered his arms slowly. "He must be taking notes," Dwight suggested this as the only reason he'd have my home's information with him.

Slowly, our eyes met as Dwight looked to me, as though he just remembered something. "I've been hearing him talk about 'big plans' when it came to Alexandria," Dwight revealed to me, which only made me worry for the ones I loved back at home.

I hope it's nothing bad. "Dwight..." I spoke softly, my eyes met his as I held his gaze. "We need to get into that room," I told him what we needed to do next. Nodding slowly, Dwight swallowed hard and that was when I shut the folder.

Returning the folder to its spot, we needed to get to Negan's room, to find the plans, before Negan could do something to hurt us all. I need to know what he's writing about Alexandria.


DPOV

The closer the guy got, the moment he got to the shelf and took something from it, the more convinced I was that he spotted us. Bringing my knife up, I fixed my grip as my palm got more sweaty. Raising my knife, I went to push the shelf back and attack.

But the second I went to do as I had planned, Maggie grabbed hold of my bicep and squeezed it, encouraging me to not to. Sure enough, the guy left, carrying some supplies we had stored down here. Shutting the door, I pushed the shelf a little to rush out there, to make sure this guy really was gone.

Seeing his figure carrying the box up the stairs, I knew we were safe. Or at the very least, for now. "You were gonna kill that guy," Maggie sighed as I had my back to her.

"He was gonna find us," I was convinced he was close to catching us. To alerting the others of our presence down here.

My head bowed, all I could think of was how every moment counts now. How everything we did and chose to do, for the sake of living, could be gone in seconds. It wasn't Glenn or Abraham's choice to go but now, the stakes to live was higher.

Maggie was panting, trying to catch her breath after the adrenaline rush we both felt. "He wasn't, and he didn't," Maggie was confident about this trail of thought.

He could always come back for more. "He deserved to die," I growled out, confident in this myself. After what all of them did, none of them should be left alive after what they do, what they will keep doing, if we don't stop them.

A few seconds of silence passed us. "Ever since you got here, you haven't said a word to me," Maggie finally confronted me. "Would you look at me?" Maggie asked of me but I couldn't.

I knew the moment I'd turn around, Maggie would see my face and her eyes, her face, would remind me of the fact that Glenn wasn't stood beside her, because of me. "Please?" Maggie pleaded with me.

Sniffling, my tears had been falling without me realising the second she confronted me for not talking to her since I got here. I didn't know what else to say other than to plead for forgiveness. Turning to face her, I looked to her and already felt the guilt take over.

I'm here, while Glenn isn't. It should be him here, with her. Not me. I should be dead. "Daryl..." Maggie approached me, getting a better look at my face in the light, instead of the overwhelming darkness that surrounded us.

Ever since Glenn and Abraham's death, all I felt, was darkness. Inside me, around me. Now that they have Kat, the only glimmer of hope I had, was stuck there with him and carrying my child. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I cried, the sniffles took over.

My voice was breaking, because the world was so twisted, I didn't know how else to cope now that I was faced with the one person I took her reason to live from her. All she has left, is their baby. And here I am, having made a life with Kat, and unable to be there for her during it.

I tried to be a man as I shook my head, I cried and looked her in the eyes. "It wasn't your fault," Maggie's voice was soft, like there was nothing to forgive. But if I had stayed still, stayed silent, maybe Glenn would be here with us.

Sniffling, I knew Maggie was wrong. Inside my gut, I knew it. "It was," I argued sadly. We're both starting families and neither of us have the ones we love here with us. And I'm the reason for both of them.

It was now, I realised Kat had gone there for me but got caught up with everything else she felt she had to do while she was there. And now, I didn't know how to get her out of there. And while I lived, Maggie's child was to be fatherless. How twisted can this world get?

"No. It wasn't," Maggie's voice was firmer this time. "You're one of the good things in this world," Maggie said with sincerity. "That's what Glenn thought," this was one thing she said to me, which made me cry more.

We go way back. I just hate that he was wrong about me. "And he would know, 'cause he was one of the good things, too," hearing this coming from Maggie as her own voice was heavy with tears, made me sniffle and let out small whimpers through my tears.

Shuddered breaths escaped her as she too was taken over by sad, happy tears. Glenn was too good for this world. Even as he went after me, he still believed in me. Believed in the love I had for Kat, was strong enough to make me go back.

Now, I knew, I should have gone back. "And, uh...I wanted to kill that guy, too," Maggie told me. "I wanted to string them all up and watch them die," Maggie described how she would of loved to have ended them.

"But we have to win," Maggie broke her own wishes to tell me of the facts. As she approached me, she enveloped me into her arms, her hands on my back were comforting. Crying into her shoulder, I held her just as tightly.

But not too tight, as I feared I'd hurt the baby. "Help me win," Maggie said firmly, encouraging me to work with her rather than keep away from her.

Nodding, I rose my head and no matter what I did, she didn't let me go. "And I'll help you get your family back," these words, the words that left Maggie, gave me courage.

It gave me a strength, I didn't know I had. It made me stop the water works. Made me stop feeling the guilt I felt before and gave me courage. I have to help Maggie. I have to fight and help us win. For Glenn. For Abraham. For all of us. I need to get Kat back. To get our family back.


KPOV

Staying calm as we approached Negan's room, while avoiding many glances of people as we walked past them. Reaching the room, Dwight opened it for me and waited for me to get in before he followed after.

Shutting the door behind us, I sunk to my knees and began looking for the folder under the bed but didn't spot it. "We need to hurry," Dwight encouraged as he closed the door behind us. Negan had moved the file, so now it was our job to find it.

Looking in a cabinet, I found the file was actually behind the couch Negan mostly sat on. When I took it out, I began flicking through the endless pages of numbers and words mixed together. "Did you find it?" Dwight rushed to my side to take a look.

Dwight's eyes would dart to the door, as though he was keeping an eye on if the handle moved. "No, no, no, no," I began flicking through the pages and every page, didn't contain what I was looking for.

"Yes," I felt relief as I finally found the page we were looking for. "Alexandria..." I whispered the name of my home, of the place I missed being, because it was where the ones I loved were.

My eyes began scanning the words, skimming over the news of Spencer, of Olivia, it then said words I didn't fully understand, only that they assumed something about my father. About the people in Alexandria. "It all sounds vague," I told Dwight as I couldn't make sense of it all.

Lowering his head momentarily, Dwight gazed down at the papers. "You think he knows someone's been reading through his files?" Dwight asked me, hoping that maybe, this wasn't the case.

I was sure it wasn't. I wasn't obvious in anything I did and so far, he believed we were on his side. "He can't, I never let him think as much," I answered Dwight, feeling confident that Negan knew nothing of my plans.

Glancing over the words, nothing made sense to me and I knew that Dwight could sense it off of me. "Is it code for something?" I asked Dwight.

Dwight removed his glued gaze on the door, to what I held in my hands. "Let me have a look," Dwight gently took the folder from me. As his eyes danced over the words, it was like he slowly figured out what it all meant.

"Shit, Negan has been talking about taking a bunch of us down to one of the settlements. That this settlement has been doing things to make us believe one of the other settlements were willing to start a war, asking for this group's help," Dwight told me, our eyes meeting as he finished glancing over the words.

As our eyes met, his lips had parted and eyes showed both fear and concern. "Does that sound like something your father would do?" Dwight asked of me, wondered if this was what could have happened.

Not wanting to give much away, I knew my father and knew once he heard news of my growing child, I knew he would want to help me. To save me. "Probably," I didn't answer flat out. "Especially after hearing news of my baby," I gave in as I said this to Dwight.

Realisation hit me. He knew Negan was planning a visit to somewhere but he never bothered to mention it to me? That it could be Alexandria? "Why didn't you say anything to me before this?" I questioned Dwight and his loyalty to me.

Where is the no secrets to this arrangement? "I didn't think they were talking about Alexandria," Dwight told me, his eyes firm and gazing down at me with a seriousness in them. "Knowing Negan, it's going to be a huge show to prove how much of a dick he is," Dwight explained.

Folding the file closed, I ducked to tuck the file behind the couch, where it once was. "We need to-" I went to tell him, but footsteps were loudly approaching.

Our heads whipped to the sound, as we heard Negan's little whistles getting louder as he returned to his room. "He's coming," Dwight warned me. I have to work fast.


DWIGHT'S POV

What happened next, left me stunned as I watched Kat take a seat and act like she didn't just get here to search for information. She is a Hollywood actress. I swear. When the door opened, my eyes rose to look to Negan, who approached us with Lucille on his shoulder.

A grin appearing on his face as he noticed both of us. "Katherine..." Negan always referred to Kat using her full name. "Dwighty boy," Negan said my name, his eyes meeting mine as he looked amused to find us here.

Behind Negan, stood Marco and Benny, along with Arat. "What are you two doing here?" Negan asked us, after a few, loud, heavy footsteps were drawn as Negan approached us. His frame standing tall over mine as I gazed at my feet.

"She-" I opened my mouth, trying to think of an excuse but my mind was blank as I elongated the word in how I spoke to Negan.

"I wanted to see you," Kat announced, getting to her feet as she seductively approached her husband. Her hips would sway as she would stand before him. "I've been bored without you and sitting with the girls, gets a little repetitive," Kat pretended she was there for Negan.

Kat's hands went to rest on Negan's jacket, which only made him gaze down at her with a shit eating grin. "And I wanted to be here for our regular appointment, only...earlier than usual," Kat hinted falsely that she had an unhealthy craving for him.

This only appeared to please Negan as Kat saved both of our butts from explaining ourselves to Negan. "Aren't you full of surprises?" Negan chuckled, licking the bottom of his top teeth.

"Leave us," Negan ordered of those of us who guarded them. Moving to walk around them, Negan's hand pushed me back by my chest. "No," Negan said as he stopped me, his eyes slowly finding mine.

A sick look crossed his features, like he was happy to be showing me this side of Kat. "You can stand by the door and keep watch," Negan gave me another job. "Just in case..." Negan snickered before he let me go and I walked off.

Closing the door behind me, I stood alone, outside the room and hated what would come next. I could already predict it. "As you were, Katherine," Negan encouraged of Kat. To which, I assumed she had undressed, only to have Negan use her as he wished.

Every whimper, every moan, I knew it was of pain and I could tell. That wasn't Kat. Kat didn't want any of this. And he was forcing her to suffer. All of it, made me sick as I shut my eyes and held onto my strength. He's going to pay for all of this. For what he did to Kat. To me. To Tina. To Sherry. He's going to pay...


DPOV

Stood with Maggie, we had been waiting for what felt like forever, so far, since that one guy entered, no one else had as we waited a while longer. Stood in the dark, I urged her to sit down, as we could be waiting a while. "So, you and Kat are expecting a child, too," I heard Maggie call over to me while I kept watch.

My back to her, just enough, that when I looked at her, I would have to turn my head slightly to gaze at her. "How do you feel about becoming a father?" Maggie asked me as my head turned to gaze upon her.

Knowing that this question meant more to me than she knew, I didn't have a good enough answer to give her. Or at least, not one that didn't show her my doubt. "I don't know," I answered her.

Looking away, when it came to my past, I only really ever spoke about it to Kat, Carol or sometimes, Beth. "Never had one to begin with...not one I could say was a good father to me or to Merle," I revealed to Maggie, if she didn't already know.

My words, they were slow and I could sense Maggie's eyes sadly on me as she listened. "I didn't expect it to be so soon..." I drifted off, thinking about the baby that we had between us, already. "Me and Kat...feels like we just got started," even though it took us a long time to get to where we were today, it still felt too fresh and early for us to become parents.

It felt surreal to me. "I did offer her advice," Maggie spoke up after a few seconds of silence passed us. "On how to make sure something like that didn't happen. As far as we knew, it had worked between me and Glenn," Maggie informed me that whatever tricks her and Glenn had once the protection had ran out, worked for them.

Although, memories of the first night me and Kat shared came to mind. "We wouldn't have listened," I spoke up a little, cutting her off from saying anything else. "Even if we wanted to," I had known that myself and Kat, we weren't being careful in the slightest.

But I didn't expect it to be so soon, or like this either. "So did you two plan for this to happen?" Maggie asked me, glancing to her, Maggie's eyes were soft, curious and also a little concerned. Unable to keep looking at her, I looked away.

I kept my focus on the doors, to see if anyone would dare enter again, ready to take them on if they approached us. "We're going to get Kat back, Daryl. Have faith," Maggie sensed I was't going to answer. Not because I didn't want to. But because there was no answer I could give her.

Her words though, they were strong, confident and I did have faith. We had to have faith, all of us, as Kat was still out there and she'd want us to believe in ourselves. To believe in her. "Yeah, we will," I agreed, nodding while I looked back at Maggie.

Her small smile, it was all I needed to nod and glance to the floor. Memories of Kat, they were sometimes a haunting but this time, it was an inspiration. If Maggie can be this strong, so can Kat. I know she can do whatever she set out to do. I have to have faith in her.


KPOV

Sitting around all day, I had been tired after all the work I'd put in today and the fact my mind was spinning with need to go to my family, to tell them what happened. To let them know that Negan was on his way, that it was going to be something big.

Unable to just sit around and fear for my family, for everyone I loved back home, I got to my feet and began slipping into my regular clothes. Ones only worn by a survivor and not clothes worn by Negan's wives.

Even if I needed to slip through the night, undetected, I had hope I was going to get out before the next shift change. Since Daryl's escape, we had more people walking the perimeter for anyone suspicious and for walkers.

So I needed to be smart and escape before the next shift swap, which would be soon. Hearing the door open as I was fixing up a backpack with supplies, I had got up, to see who it was and was relieved to see it was Dwight.

Fixing up my knife, I had only that but would probably look for guns or a quiet weapon to use once I got out of the Sanctuary's walls. Checking the condition of the knife, it was fine but Dwight's eyes on me told me nothing of this looked fine to him.

"Kat, where are you going?" Dwight asked me once I was ready and equipped to make my leave. This is my chance. It has to be.

The fact he couldn't tell where I was going, seemed obvious to me. "Home," I answered him, even if it did appear obvious. My family need me. I won't let Negan win.

Dwight though, he didn't understand how me gearing up to fight, would save any of us. I could tell by how he looked at me. "How?" Dwight asked me how I'd be getting back with just a knife to protect me. "If they find out you left, we're both as good as dead," Dwight warned me of something we both knew.

But if we win, if we kill him, then there is nothing to kill us. "It's dark, no one will see me," I reassured him I was going to be fine. Crouching down, I zipped up my bag and got ready to leave. "I have to go. I have to warn them," I told Dwight as I shrugged my backpack onto my shoulders.

Approaching him, my gaze softened against his concerned and worried expression. He doesn't think it smart for me to leave but I can't sit back and watch my home burn. Especially if that was what Negan had planned. "I have to try," I almost cried to Dwight.

I have to try. For me. For my family. My friends. For my baby and everything we had built there. Gaining my composure back, I went to brush past him, but his hand reached up and took my shoulder. "I'll go," Dwight stopped me, offering to go in my stead.

Gazing into his eyes, they seemed soft, genuine, like he meant it. He is really willing to slip out and find my home? To tell them of Negan's plans? "That way you don't have to," Dwight's voice matched the softness in his gaze.

But fear struck me. This Dwight isn't the one they recognise him with. They see the same Dwight that tortured Daryl, the same one that killed Denise. The one I still remembered but slowly began to trust. "What if they don't believe you?" I was worried for the likelihood of them accepting his help.

"You're not the friendliest of faces here that can go to them..." I pointed out as my eyes seeked his.

For the longest time, his eyes were calm, sad but worried for this fact too. "It's a chance I'm willing to take," Dwight said as he cracked a small smile. "You said it, we have to try," Dwight agreed with me. Finally, Dwight was putting himself in my team.

Although, I knew Dwight had been there for me since Sherry left, he'd been the one who was working with me since I found the note in my room. I can trust him. "Thank you," I whispered, knowing this was a huge risk for him, for both of us.

I had to keep hope alive, because if I could, then hopefully, everything would work in our favour. Quickly, I went to write a quick note, which I would hope would encourage them to listen to him. I hope this works.

When I returned to Dwight, I placed the note in his hands and gazed into his eyes with hope but a hint of sadness. I hope they believe him. "Take this, maybe they'll believe you if you show them this..." I encouraged him to show them this if they didn't want to listen to him.

With a nod, he stored the note in his pocket and turned his back slowly. Leaving me there, I watched as he left and hopefully, got away. Getting back into something comfortable to wear at night, I got into bed and cradled my stomach. Please...let this work.


DWIGHT POV

After taking the note, I made a quick stop inside, to take something, before storing it in a bag and carrying it with me. Spotting a figure close to our fences, I saw her face before she saw mine. Tears had took over as she had been crying, her hands on her knees. Who did she just lose?

Approaching slowly, I had all I needed, that I had hoped would convince them that I was being serious about this. The Saviors need to be stopped but I need them to believe me if we're going to end them. "Rosita..." I spoke out to the figure I recognised just by her outline.

"Hi," I greeted her when her angry, tear stained eyes met mine. "I'm on Kat's side," I reassured her that I wasn't the enemy here. "I want to help," I offered to her, this made Rosita's hard eyes soften only a little with slight amusement.

She has to believe me. Right?...


A/N: Here it is. Hope you're liking this story so far. It's getting tougher and tougher to keep prolonging the stuff that is going to happen. It's only getting more tense from here on out. Kat's keeping a look out and trying to do her best to stay out of the spotlight.

Watch out, because the next few chapters are only going to get crazier. Next up, Oceanside...

The next chapter, will be out on the 22nd of March. So be ready! It's going to be a big one. But please, leave me reviews and your thoughts on this chapter.

ALSO, IF YOU DON'T DO SO ALREADY, GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUT MY INSTAGRAM. WITH ALL THE UPDATES, FUTURE PLANS AND EDITS YOU COULD WANT. IT'S THE SAME AS THIS ONE. GO AHEAD, CHECK IT OUT AND NEVER MISS A CHAPTER UPDATE AGAIN.

Questions you can answer in the reviews:

1) What did you think of this chapter?

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3) What do you think about Kat and Dwight working together this way?

4) What do you think Dwight took with him in the bag?

5) What do you predict will happen next?

Until the next update...

Much love!

HeroJustInTime90