Chapter 93: Community


CPOV

~A Few Days Ago~

Hearing footsteps chase after me, Kat was the first one to catch up and then it was dad. "Hey. Hey," dad called to me as he chased after me. "What does that mean?" dad continued to jog until he got beside me, Kat being the first to catch up as she tried her best to catch her breath after the jog to get to me.

Part of me didn't like that I had somehow forced her to run, but I was angry. I didn't like that dad had fired warning shots at a guy who seemed friendly, desperate. "What I said," I told dad bluntly. "You hope the guy makes it. That's not enough," I pointed out. "If you give a shit-" I went to say but I was cut off.

"Carl," Kat was the one to scold me, already having her motherly instincts kick in. Since she got back and now that she's pregnant, it's a whole lot more different. She's not weak but she's not the strongest she's been either.

Dad glanced to Kat, then back to me. "If you care, you do something. You don't just hope," I tried to explain to dad more than to Kat. Kat knows about these things, but since she had been locked up with Negan for weeks, it was like she forgot how to be herself.

How to have hope, to do the right thing and to give a damn about people. "It takes more than that. That's what I meant," I tried further explaining to him, in case he didn't understand the first time. "There's gonna be something after the fight's over," I wanted them to feel the same hope I had.

"Not for everyone," dad said a little firmly as he glanced at me, but I felt him also glance up at my sister who was gazing between us.

I knew Negan had been on his mind. On both of their minds. "Okay, yeah, but...what about for you? For both of you?" I asked them as my eye went to look up at both of them.

Dad was silent, pondering as his head bowed in thought. Kat though, her eyes were more focused, like she already knew her answer long before I asked it. "We keep building for our futures," Kat started. "For the futures of everyone," Kat included those we may of hoped to include, such as the communities joining us in this war.

But it made me wonder if she was ever willing to let the Saviors be included in this hopeful, prosperous future. "The Saviors included in that future you're talking about?" I asked her, pointedly and she noticed.

Kat's expression quickly changed, to something more angered, sad and slightly unsure. "You said it. There are women, workers, families, all people who don't want to be under Negan's rule," I reminded Kat of everything she told us from her stay there.

Even if I wanted there to be something better for all of us, I couldn't blame my sister for her spite towards those who wronged her. "But there are still many of them loyal to him," Kat stated what we all knew.

My sister's eyes were cold, stern and I knew her time in the Sanctuary had really messed her up. It had given her the kind of rage, I feared would break her. "And many that aren't," I agreed with Kat but twisted it a little to remind her that not everyone wanted that kind of life.

There had to be some kind of hope that not all people were bad, that there was still plenty of good out here, that we could all live in peace, together. "It doesn't matter, they've all done bad stuff, worser stuff than me," dad cut us off, ending our chat abruptly as we walked on.

Trying to digest what was thrown at me, I knew the Saviors and how they worked, but Kat knew them better than any of us. As did Daryl, as did Dwight. "Maybe," I subtly agreed with them. "You're gonna live, both of you," I was sure of this.

Both of them had shown a kind of strength, the skill to live, that I never saw in anyone but them and a few others. "So, why are we doing this? Why are we fighting them?" I asked them. "So it isn't like how they want it, with everyone working for them, everyone living for them?" I questioned why we kept fighting.

There was a time for peace and I could feel it coming. I can feel it. "We're fighting so it's all of us working together for something more than just killing other people," I told them what our goal was for at the end of this. This has to be our ultimate goal. It has to be.

Dad didn't seem impressed by my idea. "Well, you think we're gonna be out there, picking strawberries with Negan?" dad asked me, to which I heard Kat let out a small scoff as she looked away.

She hates Negan. More than any of us. I know that. "If that's what it takes," I wanted to hope maybe that could change him, the same way it had changed me. "It's more than just hope," to me, it was us finally doing something to change it, to favour us.

"What, are we just gonna kill all of them?" I questioned them, especially Kat as she looked away from me.

Kat was looking off to the distance but the second she heard this, her head whipped to look at me. "We're just going to let him live, to breathe, after everything he did to me?" Kat questioned me and my morals because of Negan.

Hearing Kat's anger, I understood it but I also knew she could have avoided all of that. "Because he wanted to do those things to me?" Kat's eyes were sad, angry and I swore I could see them pooling with tears. "Carl..." Kat let out a sigh when she got no response from me.

Instead, I had been looking ahead, to where we were going and felt my jaw clench. I hate everything Negan did to her. Everything. "You're the one who went willingly," I argued with her, reminding her that it was her choice to go with him willingly.

"That doesn't mean he can get away with what he did...but maybe there's another way," I needed to have hope. "There's got to be," especially with how she'd been acting. Kat seemed so, hopeless.

Keeping my eyes on her, I knew that killing him, it would be easier than moving forward and letting him live. "Finding some way forward, that's harder," I told her. "That's something more," it was more than just hoping, it was making things a reality.

Looking to dad, I knew he was paying close attention. "Dad, Kat, that's how it's got to be," I shook my head at him and made sure he understood this was what mattered most. We need to keep hope alive, or no one will. Building for a future, where we all can live. It has to mean something.


PRESENT DAY...RPOV

Reaching the point, the road which we all went on, I checked the microwave, the one we agreed would hold the letters for me on my journey to the Scavengers. Taking the two notes inside of them, I began to read them. All while I continued my journey towards the Scavenger's place.

First, I flicked open the letter written by the Hilltop, by Maggie. Her letter said: We beat them, but things got complicated. Jesus took prisoners, brought them back home. We're holding them outside our gates for now, till we decide what to do. Until I decide.

Looking at the letter, I glanced at the pictures I was going to show the Scavengers. I hope they believe us. I hope they actually decide to work with us. Because that way, there will be no more fighting.

Next, I began reading the letter written by the Kingdom, by Carol. Her letter said: We took the outpost bit by bit. We thought we'd won. We were gathered up in the open when they ambushed us. It was over in seconds. Ezekiel, Jerry, and me, we're the only ones who made it back.

So far, what the Savior had told us, was right. It was only those three that survived, meaning the Kingdom, was surely lost from us. At least, for the fight they were but the trade, I hoped that kept being as strong as it looked. Everything just, wasn't exactly how we had planned...


CPOV

As I opened up the gates, I had seen the cars and fighters come back, with a collective face of not disappointment, or happiness. They came back from war, it's only normal that they're not going to be happy with the people we might have lost.

Keeping my eyes peeled for Kat, or Daryl, neither of them were here yet and my heart pounded a little with worry. They'll be fine. They must of just gone to do something else. Or maybe they both went with dad to talk to the Scavengers.

Trying to stay hopeful, I saw as the trucks pulled up, with people in the back, injured from the fight and in another, bodies of the ones we had lost. Scott had been the one to hand a letter over to Michonne. While Tara handed me the letters from both the Hilltop and the Kingdom.

Once I read the two letters from the other communities that joined us in the war, I had then glanced to Michonne, who was reading her letter for a longer amount of time than what mine had.

Edging closer to her, to read it, both of us began to read the words the pages said. The words written on them, were written by none other than my father, our leader. This...I guess it's what we expected.


DPOV

The ride back to Alexandria was quick, as I raced through short cuts to get back, doing my best to get there before it got dark. For both our sakes, I needed to get Kat back home, safely before it was too late.

Her arms were tightly wrapped around my waist as her head would rest on my back. From time to time, I'd feel her shift, to look up at the sights of the roads we were quickly rushing past. I knew Kat wasn't afraid of the bike. Or of me being the one to have control over it.

It was in this ride, that I noticed she only held me tighter and rested her head on me, to give me comfort. To give me strength. And yet, I still haven't said those three little words to her. Not yet. But I should, eventually. When I'm not too chicken shit to tell her myself.


MPOV

Seeing Carl edge closer to me, I knew he just wanted to read the same note I was, which was written by his father. Explaining to us what happened today. What we were preparing ourselves for in the days to come.

Rick's letter had said:

The plan is working. We're doing this. We're winning. We had a hard fight. We lost people, brave people who gave their lives to make sure we won. By the time it was over, there weren't any Saviors left standing. All of it, it's scarier than I thought it'd be, but we're doing it. We have to. Sasha was first, and now there's been more. The sacrifices are real. We need to make it right for them. The rest of the plan's still a go. We're moving on to the next step. I'm headed there now. The Sanctuary's still surrounded. They're trapped, cut off from their supplies. Every hour that goes by, we're makin' 'em weaker. The lookouts are all around the compound. They open a door, we fire. But if they open a door, seems like they'd have bigger problems. We meet at Sanctuary in two days to end this, to win it all. It's not like we haven't fought before. We fought every step of the way to this place, to this moment. The path has led us here, to who we are, to each other, to now. And we're so close. This can be our last fight.

Looking up at the bodies, of the ones we lost, I felt my heart sink a little but I knew this was the cost of war. Carl too had looked up to gaze upon those that had fallen during the fight. It was what Rick had warned me about. We've got a lot to do now. Up until the day Rick tells us to join him.

And because of that, I had to be ready, I had to have faith in the plan and I needed to wait. But there was a ringing, like an alarm going off in my head the second Rick had left us with Kat beside him. I should have been there. I should have seen the Sanctuary fall like me and Rick had hoped for since the start of all of this...


RPOV

Approaching the home of the Scavengers, I saw the huge garbage walls, saw the container that lead to the group. As I walked towards their doors, I knocked on the metal cage and waited for them to open it.

Hearing doors open, footsteps approached before they opened the front doors. Once I was checked over, they removed my weapons, opened the doors and let me in. By the time I had been allowed entry, Jadis's people were surrounded in the circle, once more.

And as two of Jadis's people pulled me to walk forward, I had already felt my body tense up. They can kill me, if they want to, but they won't. Not with what I have to say. Leading me to stand in the middle of the circle, Jadis gradually walked up to the front.

Tamiel and Brion were at either side of her. "Alone?" Jadis asked me.

"I am," I answered honestly with a single nod as I kept my eyes on her.

Jadis kept her expression stern, cold. "Shot you," Jadis reminded me of what she did on the day of the betrayal.

She could kill me, but she hasn't done so, no yet. "Grazed me," I snarled a little, my tone stern as I corrected her.

"Why back after?" Jadis was curious to know why I'd returned after the fight.

Isn't it obvious? "For the same thing I wanted before," I told her. "A deal," I clarified why I was here.

Jadis though, she didn't seem to look convinced. "Trust you?" Jadis asked me. "Shot you," Jadis repeated what she'd done.

It might be a reason to be angry but at the end of the day, this was a community we could have fight with us, to do what's right. "You grazed me," I corrected her again. "I woulda still been mad if you'd shot me," I stated.

And do I look mad? No. "We kill your people," Jadis still couldn't seem to comprehend why I was here. Why I wanted to make a deal.

The more we talked, the more annoyed I was becoming. "We killed some of yours, too," I reminded her that my group wasn't the only one who suffered losses. "But we need you, and you need us," it was that simple.

"Trick," Tamiel spat at me.

While Tamiel was angry, Brion appeared to be listening carefully. Jadis, she had gestured for Tamiel to stand down. "It's not," I reassured them this wasn't a trap or a trick. "I coulda come with my people, taken this place," I stated what could have gone down.

"You know I have the numbers for that now. You saw it," I reminded Jadis that it wasn't just Alexandria now, that it was a whole group of different communities.

Jadis nodded. "Still? Alone, you," Jadis said after a small scoff left her. "Need us to save you," Jadis sounded a little smug about this assumption.

She's wrong. Very wrong. Looking to my feet, I let out a small scoff myself. "Not anymore," I revealed to her as my eyes met hers. "The Saviors are finished. We took down their outposts," I announced to everyone as I began showing people the pictures I had in my pocket.

"Negan and his people are trapped by walkers, hundreds of them. Until they surrender...or we end them," I made this clear of what was going to happen. "That's their choice," I stated what would happen in future.

Everyone was silent but they did glance up at the pictures I had been holding in my grasp. "Now I'm giving one to you," I told them that they now, had a choice. "Look, I get it. You take, don't bother," I repeated their regular motto.

Handing Jadis the pictures, she'd glanced at me while looking at the pictures I had taken to prove to her what we had done. "So you took Negan's deal. I'm here to offer a better one," I turned their words around a little. "My people will win," this was a fact I had to hold onto.

"Your choice is to forget Negan, switch sides again. And be a part of the next world that Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom will build together," I gave her the first option. "Or...we destroy you," I gave her the alternative.

Brion took a step closer to Jadis and to me. "Threats and dreams. Dreams and threats," Brion said.

These people talk far too complicatedly. "Now, my people know I'm here. And what they do next depends on what you do right now," I warned her. "Yes or no? What's it gonna be?" I questioned what choice she was going to make.

For the longest time, Jadis and I had stared at each other. And just when a smile appeared, giving me hope she'd accept my offer, instead the words that left her mouth was "No."

Next, I had been taken and dragged to another crate. Locked up, I thought I was going to be stuck here forever, or at least, until she made up her mind.

She could try and kill me. Or she could try and take me to Negan, after her and her people try and save them. I need to hold onto hope. Hope that they'll be on our side.


KPOV

As we pulled up to the gates, we waited for them to roll open. Carl and Michonne had been at the watch points, but when they saw us coming, they swapped for a few short moments. Long enough, for them to greet us back.

Carl was the first to approach me, his arms went to pull me in for a hug. "Hey," Carl greeted me as we embraced. Daryl had got off the bike once the rumbling was silenced. "Glad you're back," Carl whispered into my hair as his hands rubbed up and down my back gently.

"It's good to be back," I said with a smile as I pulled back and whispered soft hey's between me and Michonne as we embraced. "But-..." I drifted, knowing that dad still being there, meant it might take him longer to get to the Scavengers.

Michonne pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest. "You dad's still out there," Michonne stated exactly what I was thinking. "With the Scavengers," Michonne knew the plan, better than I did, it appeared.

Shrugging a shoulder, I shifted my hands into my pockets. "I mean, he could be," I wanted to assume he was, that he was safe. "His car was busted, so he ended up having to walk to meet with them," I explained what happened in the end.

Silence hung over me, like a thick cloud of fog as I thought about my dad. Last time he was with them, they shot him. Who's not to say these people wouldn't be willing to kill him, if it meant ending it once and for all?

A gentle hand rubbing my arm, as subconsciously, my eyes were gazing to the gate that had closed behind us, my arms crossed over my chest protectively, without me knowing so. "You okay?" Michonne's voice and touch pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, but..." I went to answer but let out a deep sigh. "I have to go," I told them, my eyes returning to look at them.

Daryl had been silently watching a little off the side, paying close attention to me as we talked. "Where?" Daryl asked, instantly coming closer as to keep me safe, to be the overprotective partner he had become.

Who knew getting pregnant would get Daryl to be so overprotective. "Find him, help him," I gave Daryl my answer. "I don't trust them alone with him," I said as I squinted my eyes at Daryl.

Tensing up a little, I felt my shoulders rise as I squeezed myself in as tightly as I could. "And you think you're gonna be any safer goin' after him?" Daryl questioned me, and possibly my sanity.

"The worst they could do is take me back to Negan," I pointed out to him. Any Savior thinks this baby is Negan's. If anyone hurts me, I'm sure Negan would kill them after. Negan wants me alive and the others, dead. "I can handle it," I reassured Daryl again.

Daryl's head lowered, his eyes gazing down at his feet as he knew I had already won the argument. He knows I'm right, he's only having trouble accepting it.

Tired of having to reassure him, I also did appreciate the fact he cared enough about me and our child to wish to protect us at any cost. Carl slowly took a few steps closer to me. "You sure about this?" Carl asked me.

A small few seconds of silence passed by us. "I can come with you," Carl had offered to come with me, to go help our father but I preferred him being here.

Gently, I placed my hand on his cheek, cupping it as I rubbed his face gently. "No," I rejected his offer to come with me. "If I do this alone, it means less people they're willing to fight in that moment but enough to get them to listen," I stated my reasons why he had to stay.

Two people, won't be worth killing but two people, can persuade them to start a war against the real enemy. "And I can look after dad," I explained why it had to be me, no one else.

Removing my hand from his face and to his shoulder, I gave it a tight squeeze and saw Carl look to me with slight admiration in his eyes. "Make sure you look after yourself first," Michonne said, pulling my attention back to her.

"Your dad would hate me if he knew I let you go out there," Michonne added, which was her way of telling me I could go, if I wanted to. I have her permission, that's all that matters.

Daryl gradually went over to me, digging his fingers into his pocket, Daryl took out his keys. "Here," Daryl said, handing them to me. He never lets anyone ride his bike.

Taking the keys to the bike, I held onto them tightly and smiled up at him. Heading over to the bike, I sat ontop of it and felt the beast rumble under me once I turned the key. "You're gone too long, I'm gonna come lookin' for you," Daryl warned me.

Feeling a smile grow on my lips, I knew Daryl would say something along those lines before I left. Michonne and Carl were the ones to help open the gates for me to leave. "I know," I told him, accepting his terms to me going out there.

As we gazed at one another, there was a glimmer of pride in Daryl's eyes that I could see. When I rode off, I could feel the power the bike had and felt a slight thrill for it. It's time to get shit done.


MPOV

Once I had written a note to Carl and given it to Tobin for him to give it to, I had been tired of hanging back, of healing. Of doing nothing. A whole day had past, and a half and I still hadn't done anything.

I hadn't left the walls since I got beat up. And Rick, Kat, they had gone out there to risk their lives for us. They were the ones who took down the Sanctuary but I need to see it. I need to know if it is true.

Getting my sword and a car, I had placed my sword in the back and shut the door tightly. "Rick said stay put," Rosita called out to me, as she rushed over to me, to the car.

"Just gonna look," I replied to her as I climbed into the driver's seat.

But Rosita appeared to be not be having any of this. "You're still healing," Rosita said once she stopped by the passenger window. Sighing, I was getting tired of people thinking I couldn't handle myself out there. "Get some rest. Get ready for the next fight," Rosita suggested I stay.

I can't. I'm tired of resting. "I'll be back soon," I reassured her it wouldn't be too long before I was back. Turning the key, in the ignition, the engine stuttered to life and Rosita climbed into the passenger side.

Letting out a long sigh, seeing her beside me, was not one I wanted. The girl got shot, and she wants to go with me? "You're still healing," I told her now, my head rolling back to rest it upon the headrest of my chair. "You were shot. I was just beat up," I compared how our injuries were different.

"I've been shot worse than this," Rosita cut me off from saying anything else as her eyes focused ahead. "Drive," Rosita ordered only seconds after she spoke. Not deciding to argue with her, I could hear Kat's words in my head.

I wouldn't go out there if I wasn't sure I could handle it.


DPOV

As I waited outside the infirmary, my back against the pillar, I heard a door open and close. This noise, pulled me from my thoughts and back to the moment. "Hey," Tara's voice called to me. "You just get back?" Tara asked me.

Once Kat had disappeared, all I could think about, was her words and what we needed to do next. 95% of the time, Kat's gut is right. Maybe, she's got a bad feeling, because the Saviors are coming up with a way to get out.

"Yeah," I answered as I leaned off the pillar and began my way over to her. "I was looking for you," I explained why I was here.

Tara looked to be pleased with this response. "I was looking for you, too," Tara told me. "I wanted to tell you that you were right when you didn't kill Dwight. We wouldn't have gotten this far without him," Tara was thankful I hadn't killed Dwight when I could have.

He did save Kat and he was keeping us as up to date as possible. "The thing is, I know what you said," Tara revealed to me. "But after this, I'm gonna kill him," Tara quoted my words from the night Dwight told us he would help us.

Keeping my eyes on her, it looked like Tara was upset and sincere just by the look in her eyes. "I want it to be me," Tara spoke, like this was a decision she could make.

But I understood why she wanted to do it. Why she wanted to kill Dwight. He deserves it. For what he did to Denise. But I want to do it too, because of Denise and everything that happened between us because of him.

"Maybe it could be you and me both," I offered her a compromise. "And maybe we don't got to wait so long," I suggested that we could do this, together. From there, we discussed a plan and decided we'd do it, early in the morning, once we were refreshed and ready.

And hopefully, Kat will be back in time with Rick and they'll help us too.


MPOV

Checking that my gun was well kept, functional and fully loaded, I had glanced out the window. Half way through the drive, Rosita ordered me to stop, to switch seats. That with her having a bullet wound, she could drive better and safer than me.

That she didn't need a car accident to be added to her list of injuries right now. Having to oblige, that is how I was now looking out the window of the passenger side. "Why did you need to come out here?" Rosita asked me.

"The second they rolled out to the Sanctuary and I wasn't with them...it's like this...siren's been going off in my head," I tried to explain how this felt for me. "I can't turn it off," I further explained what was happening to me.

The more I talked, the more nervous I got as I looked away from Rosita. The image of Kat, of Rick rolling out without me, it was a sight I didn't enjoy seeing. I should have gone with them. "I helped get this started. It's been a day and a half. And I have felt every second," I stated this to Rosita.

It wasn't just something that I could sit back and watch happen. It was something I knew I should have been there to do, to help. "So I just need to see it. Turn that alarm off in my head and turn around and go back home," I said to Rosita what my plan was.

Rosita had been looking at me from the corner of my eye. "Okay," Rosita accepted the plan I had in mind.

Something in me, knew she was just going, because she felt the need to protect me. Because she knew Kat wasn't here to help me. "Okay," I said back but there was a strange noise in the distance.

My head turned to the sound of what appeared to be music. "Stop the car," I ordered and eventually, Rosita slowed down and came to a stop. "Listen," I encouraged Rosita as we both listened to what sounded like music playing in the distance.

As we got out, the music only sounded louder. "I don't think that sound could reach the Sanctuary," Rosita predicted.

"I don't, either," I predicted too as I took out my sword from the back seat and shut the door. "But we don't know," I reminded Rosita that we didn't know how far walkers could hear and if this music, was only going to draw them away from Sanctuary.

Going into the woods, it was our job to look for where the sound was coming from. From what it looked like, the music came from a storage warehouse, or a shop. As myself and Rosita walked on, I was ready for a fight and felt in my gut, that this was what it was going to be.


CPOV

Going into the woods, close to where I had last seen the guy escape, I'd hoped he was still around, that he was safe out here and that he took the food and water. Taking my chances, I had a feeling in my gut that this guy wasn't a member of the Saviors.

For he looked too dirty, tired and weak to be one of them. As I journeyed into the woods, I came across a walker, impaled by a sharp branch and reaching for a plastic bag. What I saw next, was the guy from the other day, taking the walker out. "Hey," I called to him as I saw him move closer to the walker.

Food and water in a plastic bag, were in my grasp. Keeping my arms out in front of me, his eyes were wide as they looked at me. I tried my best to show him I meant no harm to him. "It was my dad. There-There were warning shots above your head," I explained what happened the day we met.

"He wasn't shooting at you," I reassured him. The guy moved away from the walker and stared right at me. "I'm Carl," I introduced myself to him.

Slowly, he approached me, a knife in his hand and his eyes looked terrified to see me. His steps cautious towards me. "Siddiq," he finally introduced himself to me. Siddiq, that's a cool name.

Each slow step I took, made my heart pound. Please don't try and kill me. "Food and water," I offered him the bag with the contents I had told him inside.

"Why?" Siddiq asked me, curious to know why I was offering him this small act of kindness, of good faith.

"I guess you-you were talking about something your mom said... about helping people," I brought up what we'd discussed a few days ago. "And my mom told me that you got to do what's right," I said as I finally lowered the bag to my side.

Thinking of my mom, I wanted to honour her, in any way I could and doing this, feeding him, talking to him, thinking about bringing him into our community, it felt right. "It's hard to know what that is sometimes, but sometimes it's not," and for me, this wasn't hard to do.

Tossing the bag, Siddiq gradually approached it, quick were his steps and when he got to his knees, he began drinking all the contents of water greedily. Panting as he looked up at me, I could tell he'd been dying for a drink.

"Thanks," Siddiq appreciated my supply of food and water that he desperately needed.

Seeing him, thankful for what I did, I knew this was the start of something good. "Glad I found you," I told him.

This news, only seemed to surprise Siddiq. "You were looking for me?" Siddiq asked, stunned to hear that I was out here, for this purpose only.

"Yeah, I-I scavenged the sardines, other stuff," I told him, pointing at the bag as he got to his feet and adjusted himself a little. "Me and my dad, we're in a community," I revealed to him.

Where I should of felt fear, I felt calmness. Siddiq's head rose, his eyes looked shocked to hear the fact there were communities out here. Just like us when we heard of Alexandria. "I'm gonna ask you a few questions," I warned him. "I need you to answer honestly, okay?" I hoped he'd listen.

Approaching him slowly, Siddiq still appeared to be a little cautious. "Okay," Siddiq answered quickly. It's like he has nothing else to lose.

"How many walkers have you killed?" I asked him the first question. "I know it's hard to keep track-" I understood that to survive, killing walkers was all we could do in this life.

It was almost as easy as breathing killing them sometimes. It's now in our instincts. "237," Siddiq answered the total and it sounded honest to me.

The fact he kept track, was incredible to me. "Really?" I asked him, shocked to actually have a number for once. Normally, no one remembers the exact amount but he does.

Siddiq glanced to the walker beside him. "Give or take a couple," Siddiq told me. Feeling a smile creep onto my face, it was incredible to hear the exact total from someone and was very rare these days for anyone to remember the total they killed.

The next one, was the heavy one. "How many people have you killed?" I asked him.

"One," Siddiq answered me truthfully, his eyes glued to mine.

He must remember this for a definite. "Why?" I questioned the reason behind it.

Siddiq shook his head a little as his eyes looked at me but weren't looking at me. It was like he was taken back to that moment. "The dead tried to kill him, but...they didn't," Siddiq answered truthfully.

He killed him out of mercy. Subconsciously, I nodded at the thought and understood it instantly. "You're making walker traps," I pointed to the walker that was impaled. "Is that how you killed so many?" I asked him.

"It's-It's only part of it," Siddiq had answered me with only a slight stutter. "My mom thought or hoped that killing them would...free their souls," Siddiq explained why he did this. As to why he killed so many.

Nodding slightly, him talking about his mom, made me think about mine. "You know? Maybe-Maybe she was right," Siddiq had hope that she was right in the way he spoke of her.

He really cared about his mom to be living like this. "Doing that, doesn't that just make things harder for you while you're trying to survive?" I wondered, because to me, it seemed like he went looking for walkers, just to honour his mother.

This question really seemed to hit Siddiq hard. "I-I don't know. I..." Siddiq was at a loss for words. "But you gotta-you gotta honor your parents, right?" Siddiq asked me if this was what I was doing too.

Yeah. Yeah, I was. But if it was my dad..."If I was honoring my dad, we wouldn't be talking right now," I said after a small chuckle left my lips. My dad would tell me to kill him.

"And definitely wouldn't bring you back to my community," I revealed to him that I was willing to bring him back. Siddiq's eyes widened with hope, with a wonder in them. He seems like a good guy and we need good guys to live.


KPOV

Riding out after my dad, I had memorised the route he was going, where it landed on the map and the direction in which he was heading. The quicker I got there, the quicker I could help him and possibly, stop the Scavengers from doing something to him.

What I dreaded, was that they'd kill him. They already tried to. But my father was convinced that they weren't going to do anything to him, that they'd listen and once he'd show them the pictures, they'd listen to him.

Myself, I had my doubts and that was what made me go a little faster, but not too fast, as I didn't wish to have an accident on the bike. Especially, not Daryl's bike because if the bike didn't kill me, I could be sure Daryl would once he found me.


CPOV

Walking us back the way to Alexandria, I could hear walkers growling in the distance. But, as long as we avoided them as much as we could, the better. But hearing them, we sneaked over and saw a small group of walkers chewing away at what looked to be a doe.

Crouching down, with Siddiq beside me, I knew the right decision, was to dispatch them, as there was only a few and it was a sign of trust to Siddiq. "Okay," I showed Siddiq my knife. "For your mom," I told him why we were going to do this, together.

As I was the first to sneak up, I left my backpack to one side and the walkers were quick to spot us. As they got to their feet and approached us, I pushed one back but it kept trying to get to me. Siddiq had killed one but couldn't keep the next one approaching away.

Both of us were pushing against the walkers that were holding onto us, guiding the walker to his knees, as I dodged it, as it fell, I dug my knife into the base of his skull. "Just go!" Siddiq yelled at me to leave. "You don't have to do this!" Siddiq was convinced this was his job and his only.

Going up to help him, Siddiq lost his footing a little and bumped the walker into me that he was fighting against. Grunting at the collision, I was then grabbed by another walker, I tried to keep it at bay but I tumbled to the ground with it.

Landing on the deer, I struggled to keep it off me as I fought hard against it, grunting as I worked my hardest to keep it off of me. Then, I spotted a second walker approach, making my eyes widen because I still didn't get this walker off of me.

Once I got the upper hand, I tossed the walker to the side and prepared myself for the next walker that got to her knees and grabbed hold of me. As I pushed her hard, I could see more walkers approaching.

But what I hadn't seen, was the walker that rolled back to get me, a sharp incision was felt in my stomach, to the side and when I looked down, I had seen a walker chewing into me. The same walker, I had tossed off of me a moment ago.

No. Everything stopped for a second. My jaw dropped as I felt the sudden pain in my side. As my heart slowed, my ears rang and my mind forced myself to get out of this mess. Kneeing the walker back, it rolled off of me and it gave me a chance to fight back. Going for my gun, I took it out and shot at the one walker that was hovering over me's head, sending it to fall away from me.

Then, as the next one went to roll onto me, stopping its digging of his teeth into my stomach, he went to attack me from in front. Shooting it, I grunted and tried to catch my breath. My eyes slowly blinking as I tried to slow my heart rate.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. This can't be happening...no. I. I got bit. I know what this means but...My mind was on overload as I already felt the pain of what this was going to do to my family once they found out.

I can't cut it off, I can't just remove it like we did Hershel. I failed. I didn't beat this world like mom said I would. I lost. But I knew, this couldn't stop me from what I had set out to do in the first place. I have to bring Siddiq home.

Siddiq was panting, having handled a few walkers on his own, he sat on the ground and panted. Slowly getting to my feet, I was covered in blood, from the doe's corpse, the walkers, my own. I tried my best to keep myself composed.

"You okay?" Siddiq asked, concern evident in his voice.

Panting, I knew I had a choice. Do I tell him? Or do I lie? "Yeah," I lied because I didn't know how else to deal with this. And I didn't want him feeling guilty, or like he had to run away now that I was running out of time.

If I tell him the truth, he won't ever come back because it will be my dad who decides and he won't be as accepting as me. Or hopefully, Kat. "You could've left," Siddiq said once he got to his feet.

Gazing at the pile of walkers, my mind was blank. I got bit, while trying to do a good thing. How twisted is that, when Negan could be alive right now? "Carl," Siddiq softly called to me when I didn't respond.

Too lost in my thoughts, I wasn't looking at him but when I heard my name leave his lips, I was even more determined to hold on, at least, until my dad got back. "I'm responsible for you now. That's how it works," I said as I turned to meet his gaze.

Siddiq looked exhausted, like he was concerned for the both of us. He's a good guy, he deserves to live, with them. "I don't want to make any trouble," Siddiq stated. "Your dad didn't want anything to do with me," Siddiq voiced his concerns.

Thinking to my father, it lead me to Kat, to her child, to what she did for us. She gave us the chance to fight, she encouraged my father to see things the way they should have been. And that's the lesson I'm going to take with me.

"He didn't, but..." I paused as I was slowly regaining my breath. "Sometimes kids have to find their own way, to show their parents the way," I said, as I thought to Kat and to what I was going to try and do now.

Getting my backpack, I tugged the straps to rest on my shoulders and waited for Siddiq. Eventually, he stopped leaning against the tree and followed after me as we carried on walking out of the woods. I know what I have to do now...


MPOV

Quietly, we had entered the building and sneaked past rows of shelves. Full of things, like tools, coats and random things that I didn't know what the half of it was. When we heard voices, we slowly approached.

The pair were discussing what was going on, mentioning Negan, I knew they had to be Saviors. There was mention of a fat lady, the closer we got and the deeper we sneaked inside, we crouched down and saw a man and woman discussing what was going on. Looking to Rosita, we both knew what we had to do.

We were going to take them out, before they were going to use the music to draw the walkers away from the Sanctuary.

As tools were noisily clanging and I made my approach, I knocked into a ball and saw it roll across to them. Shit. I knew, they were going to know someone was in here. They were bound to. When the guy declared that it was ready, they both stayed deadly silent and the woman raised her gun.

Taking a few steps back, I hid behind a different shelf and hoped she wouldn't find me. But the machine-gun fired and shots were fired. I had realised they must have spotted Rosita. "Check the perimeter! Make sure no one else is here," the female Savior ordered.

"Yeah," the male Savior complied with her order as he walked off. I had hope Rosita escaped and as the sound of whistles were sounded, I knew they were on the hunt. Seeing a figure approaching, I held my gun up but the figure had duped me and knocked my gun out of my hands.

Kicking her gun hand away, I took out my sword as she stumbled back and went to slice her in half. But she dodged it. Raising my hand to knock her back with the butt of my sword, I knocked her back but felt a strain in my arm.

Clutching my arm, the woman stood tall over my crouched frame. A pipe in her hand, as I tried to catch my breath. "You don't look so good, girl," the female Savior commented on the way I looked.

Weak, in pain and out of breath. "Somebody tune you up?" the female Savior asked me before she went to hit me with the pipe. Blocking it with my sword, she lunged again but I dodged it and backed off.

"Leo!" the Savior I was fighting shouted as I began backing up. "Get your ass to the Sanctuary! Leave 'em to me!" the female Savior must have been ordering of the male Savior.

When she screamed, she went to hit me with the pipe again but I had blocked it with my sword once more. Each attempt to whack me, to hit me, I dodged or blocked it with my sword. But a kick to my gut, sent me flying back and knocked me into a huge cardboard box.

"Rosita, stop him!" I shouted to Rosita before I ducked to the ground and around her when she lunged to slam the pipe across my face.

"Drop it," Rosita's voice echoed through the building.

"Baby girl, you're not gonna use that thing-" was all I heard of the male Savior before I heard what sounded like a blast and fire off in the distance. As her pipe was trapped between the boxes and shelves, I was ducked down on the ground, trying to catch my breath.

My eyes wide, with shock, but I was sure, in my gut, that Rosita stopped him, blown him up to puddles and pieces. When I looked back at the female Savior, she was gone, but her pipe was still with me.

Seeing the one I had been fighting, climbing into the truck full of speakers, I knew if she left, it was all over. "Rosita!" I shouted as I went to chase after her. Both myself and Rosita left at the same time as we watched the female Savior drive off quickly.

Music blaring loudly, as the fat woman sang and myself and Rosita knew there was nothing else we could do. But, like an angel, sent from above, a huge truck crashed right into the speakers.

Climbing out of the driver's seat, was none other than Daryl and then Tara. Daryl raised his gun and began shooting at the female Savior I had been fighting. Panting, as we saw them finish what we started. "Jesus, that was too close," Rosita was the first to admit this.

Walking off, to meet with them, I grasped my side and felt my bones ache a little from the impact of the kick. "Yeah. It was," I said, out of breath as I too went to meet with Daryl and Tara, with Rosita leading the way.


DPOV

Making sure the area was clear, I then inspected the woman and the scene. "Truck full of speakers, huh?" I asked them, noticing that these speakers were making a great deal of noise and was heading straight to the Sanctuary, no less.

"That was a Savior," I stated the obvious as I rejoined Michonne, Rosita and Tara. Brushing hair away from my eyes as a light breeze blocked my vision of them slightly.

Michonne looked like she was out of shape, winded and something told me she'd suffered another beating in there. "Yeah, it was," Michonne confirmed it. "They were scavenging when you guys attacked the Sanctuary," Michonne told us what she knew.

"They saw all the walkers around it. It's a cache," Michonne explained what this place was. "They were gonna try and drive the walkers away. That's why they were out here," Michonne gave us the full picture of what these Saviors were planning to do with said speakers.

"Why are you guys out here?" Tara asked the question I didn't say.

Rosita glanced to Michonne but Michonne's eyes gazed at me. "I need to see the Sanctuary," Michonne told me why she was out here.

Rosita let out a very soft sigh. "We both do," Rosita included herself to whatever Michonne was doing out here. "Why are you out here?" Rosita asked me and Tara as she glanced to the both of us.

"We got a lot more work to do," I answered them straight away, with no hesitation. "All of us," I included them in this plan.

Breaking off from the group, I was the first one to jump into the truck and the others gradually joined me. Seeing as they were already here, they might as well help us. Screw what Rick wants, he can thank me later when this shit gets done.


CPOV

Once I had lead Siddiq to the outside of our wall, I had remembered that Maggie and Aaron had cleared our sewers of walkers. Deciding to hide Siddiq in the sewers, it was our best bet, our only option.

Pulling off the lid to the sewers, I had seen Siddiq from the corner of my eye, glancing at the walls. A look of hope, of need, a desire was evident in the way he looked at my home. "It's just 'til I can talk to my dad," I reassured Siddiq he wouldn't be uncomfortable and alone in the sewers for long.

Climbing down before him, I thought I might as well lead the way in. What's the worst that can happen? I get bit again? I'm already infected and there's no going back now.

Eventually, Siddiq had climbed down after me, sealing up the manhole as we made our way into the dark sewers. Handing Siddiq a flashlight, we walked down the tunnels and kept ourselves alert for walkers approaching. So far, it was clear.

Let's hope it stays clear...


MPOV

Pulling up in a small town close to it, we were perched up on a hill, Daryl had inspected the sight before he handed the sniper scope to me. "Here you go," Daryl said as he offered me the sniper scope.

"You wanted to see it," Daryl repeated my words, as I brought the scope up to my eye and squinted through to get a good view. Inspecting the place, it was like it said in Rick's letter. Walkers surrounded it, clawing at the walls and doors. Begging for entrance.

They did it. Nodding, I handed the scope back over to Tara. "So what do you need us for?" Rosita asked as she sat beside me. She could see it from where we were but I wanted the closer look at it.

"To end this thing. Right now," Daryl told us why we were included in whatever he had planned. Turning the engine back on, he drove us out of the spot we were in and got us to keep going down.


RPOV

Once I was robbed of my clothes, left in only my boxer shorts, I was tied up, naked, alone and in the dark. The only light I had, was through a hole. Jadis had walked past, scratching something against the door.

Hearing her walk off, I saw her stop and slowly, she turned back around again. Where the hell is she going? When is she going to let me out of this cell? I then sat back and hoped that whatever was going to happen next, that they would change their mind and join us.

Sat in the darkness, with my own sweat being my only company, my hands tied and nothing to do. I felt completely lost in my thoughts. Was this how Daryl felt when he was with Negan? I couldn't help but wonder.


KPOV

Stopping the bike slowly, I parked it by the woods and covered it up with branches I had snapped off of trees. Using fallen ones too, I did my best to cover it up, like Daryl always told me to, if I ever was permitted to do something like this.

Going the rest of the way on foot, I had killed a walker here and there and when I approached the huge compound of trash and walls, I followed the path I envisioned my father must have gone on.

Knocking on the door, they were quick to open the doors, as they swung open and we were left alone in darkness. They began to remove my weapons, patting me down before the doors opened and the two that were with me, took me to a clearing among the piles of trash.

A circle of people, around a circle of people, they parted a gap for me to pass with the two guards at either side of me. "Here. Reason?" I heard a woman say, when she broke the path and I was let go by the guards, I gazed around me.

No one was visibly armed but no one was left weaponless either. As a woman had walked through a gap her people made, she was stood with two of those, I could only imagine were her councillors, beside her.

"I want to know what happened to my father," I told her, noticing the woman in front of me, was the same woman who had held my father at gun point.

The same woman who was making a deal with Negan in front of us the day I got away. "Name," the woman demanded of me after her chin rose a little, to make her peer down at me.

My eyes were on hers and the way she spoke, was so cryptic, it would of hurt. But I didn't fear her. I didn't fear any of them. "Katherine," I stated. "Katherine Grimes," I revealed to them just who I was.

That, was the same moment she gazed to the side and made a gesture with her hand. Taking me by my arms, the two who lead me into their walls, lead me away from the circle of people. Where are they taking me?


CPOV

Once I'd finished finding a good, relatively clean and dry spot in the sewers for Siddiq, I went back home and was eager to have a shower. Avoiding questions, I decided to climb over the walls and went straight home as quickly as I could.

Once I was home, I rushed to the bathroom and I'd tugged off my flannel shirt, my hat and tugged the long sleeved shirt I had underneath off in front of the bathroom mirror. Inspecting the blood, the bite the rips of where the teeth had bit down on my side were, all of it, made my heart slow.

This is real...I really got bit. The evidence is here and on my skin. Feeling the tears starting to build in my eye, my breath shook because I knew what was coming next. My eye slowly rose to look at myself in the mirror. At my eyes, at my pale body getting paler from the fever that was slowly creeping up on me.

I'm running out of time. What is dad going to do? What's he going to say? How is Kat going to cope when she finds out? This is going to break them. I can't let this break them. But I know it will. Michonne...she's going to be devastated too but...she's the only one who can pull them through this. Michonne and Daryl, they both can.

Shutting my eye tightly, I tried hard not to think about it, because I didn't want to die. I want to live. To see Judith grow. To be there when Kat gets fat with my niece or nephew. To be an uncle for the first time, ever.

But I knew the truth. I won't get to do all of those things now. My ticket has been punched and now, I've got to get off because I was approaching my last stop. And they're going to have to figure this all out without me.

The thought alone, was hurting me more than the bite had. Forcing myself into the shower, I let the water hide my tears as I let it have its moment. But when I got out, dried myself off and got dressed, I knew there was no more time to waste.

I can't spend the rest of the time I have left, crying over it. I have to man up. I have to make the most of it...because it's already too late.

Once my clothes were on, along with my bandages, one to my eye and another was used to cover where my bite was, to stop the bleeding. The only thing I had left to put on, was my hat. Placing it on my head, I stared into my reflection and prepared myself for what was to come. I have to make the most of it. I have to show them the way...

With a nod to myself, for self encouragement, I left the bathroom and set out to do, what I knew, I needed to do.


A/N: Not going to lie...I hated writing the last few scenes with Carl in it. My poor boy. I know I was debating on skipping this, making it never happen but...it has to. It's going to make Kat weaker, for a time, but eventually, she'll be stronger because of this. All because Kat, will eventually live in his honour, or so she hopes.

It's going to be painful, heck, I'm crying as I write this right now. So good luck if you can even understand a single word I am writing. Carl, has been like a brother to all of us. Especially to those of you who have been reading this story since the very beginning and got to this point now.

Most of you fell in love with the relationship between Kat and Carl, as have I, it was one of my favourite relationships to write since day one. Kat was so protective, so caring and Carl was just so sweet and protective of her too. I always make them say it but to me, Carl and Kat, were soul mates.

I feel, most of you love Carl more because of how close he and Kat are. But get ready, because the next few chapters, are going to be pulling at our heartstrings intentionally because, I love these characters so much. But most of all, I loved writing the sibling relationship between Kat and Carl so much. That I hate to see it go.

It's only going to get worse, before it gets better. Remember this every time something like this happens to Kat or the rest of them.

YOU KNOW THE DEAL HERE. FOR OUR BROTHER CARL, LET'S GO FOR 10 REVIEWS. PLEASE. YOU COULD BE GETTING THE NEXT CHAPTER POSTED AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK WITH THESE 10 REVIEWS.

Questions you can answer in the reviews:

1) What did you think about this chapter?

2) Favourite scene in this chapter?

3) How do you feel about Kat going against her father's plans?

4) How do you feel about Daryl going against Rick's orders?

5) How do you feel about...Carl?

Until those 10 reviews are posted...

Much love,

HeroJustInTime90