Chapter 95: Hopeful


CPOV

~A few days ago~

Sat up on the gazebo, enjoying the stars, as this was the closest thing I had to being close to Enid and to a similar spot to when I was a child. Our rooms didn't have the same roof that we used to have when we were kids.

So as I sat on the gazebo, gazing at the stars, like I used to as a kid, needing to relax and feel a little more connected within the world. To forget everything that happened today. I could have died today but...I'm here.

The sound of someone climbing up, made me look as to who the culprit of disrupting my peace was. When I noticed it was Kat's head appearing, then her arms hoisting herself up onto the roof to sit with me, I let out a faint chuckle. "Did you just climb up here?" I asked her, both stunned and amused.

Once Kat was atop the roof with me, her steps were slow, cautious, as she slowly sank down to sit beside me. "When you're pregnant?" I wondered how she could do this, seeing as she was pregnant and it was dangerous for her to do such stunts. She's not supposed to be doing things like that.

Kat let out a laugh and nudged my side. "I'm pregnant. Not sick," Kat stated the difference between what I assumed being pregnant was like and what it actually is like. "Pregnant ninjas still go out and work, you know," Kat teased me.

Her words forced a smile to crack across my features. "Maybe, but..." I began agreeing with her, but there was something to add to it. "You're not a ninja, Kat," I informed her while I glanced to her, a huge smile growing on my face, one of playful cheekiness.

"Wow!" Kat was laughing softly. "What happened to the boy who called me a superhero?" Kat quizzed me, reminding me of a conversation we had a long time ago. She's still a superhero to me.

Truthfully, none of it changed when it came to what I believed about my sister. "He's still here," I reassured her, nodding my head as I gazed up at the stars, at the moon over our crowns. "He's just older, wiser, different," I shrugged my shoulders whilst I spoke.

Kat let out a soft sigh, from the corner of my eye, I saw her bow her head. "My, have things changed," Kat agreed with me. Too much has changed...

"You said it, change always happens," I reminded her of her words, turning my head to look at her. "Even when we least expect it," these were just facts I was pointing out to her, facts that she had pointed out many years ago.

Thoughts of everything, of Kat, of Daryl, of their baby, of what happened since the world became what it is today, it was constantly changing. Our relationships kept changing, people kept coming, going and nothing was the same anymore.

I'm not the same anymore. "I knew you'd settle down one day but...I had no idea it would be so soon," I admitted to her, still in slight shock to think my sister was going to have her own child.

"Or that we would find out about it, while you were still stuck in the Sanctuary," I stated another piece of the puzzle that made me feel a little strange. I had wished we found this out when she was here, but we also knew that if found out earlier, she would of never left with Negan in the first place. Our dad would of never allowed it.

Kat sat with me, gazing at the stars high above us, as her legs swung off the edge of the gazebo, just as mine had. "Hmm..." Kat hummed. "I know, I didn't expect it either and some changes, it was completely out of my control," Kat tried to say that she had no control over some things, when in fact, I knew she did. We both knew she had more control than she believed when it came to some changes that happened, due to the choices that had been made.

My head turned to look at her, my expression blank as it still hurt a little to remember that my sister handed herself over to Negan the way she'd done. "Going to the Sanctuary was in your control," I spoke in a slightly dark and irritated tone.

Maybe that was a little harsh on her...I had thought to myself. "I'm sorry I left, but I had to," Kat tried apologising the only way she knew how. Did she not learn when she handed herself over to the Governor?

I didn't say anything, due to not wanting to start an argument and remind her of what happened with the Governor. I knew that at least, this time, she stayed alive but she was tortured all the same, the Governor was mostly physically abusive, while Negan abused her in all kinds of ways. "I know you did," I tried hard to let it go, for her sake and my own. At the end of the day, I respected her decisions and knew she did a good thing, even though it did do its worst to her.

"You got us all those plans, those numbers, those floor plans," I pointed out all the great things she'd done for us while she was there. But far too much was clouding my mind, clouding my better judgement.

Letting out a soft sigh, I bowed my head before glancing down at the town. It was quiet, still and no one was in sight, other than those who were taking late night walks or keeping watch. The world was still, there was peace, at least for another night.

"It's just...I miss the days when the biggest problem we had, was teaching these people how to fight the dead..." not the living. I thought to myself, finishing my sentence in my head. I tried to explain as I let myself be vulnerable for a moment with Kat, letting her into my mind.

Sitting with Kat, it always brought me back to the moments when we were just kids, living a normal life. But this was nowhere near normal anymore. And when I looked to Kat, I could tell she thought it too.

"I miss it too," Kat agreed with me, a deep sigh left the confines of her chest just before she spoke. "But you know what never changes, no matter what? No matter how old, how wise or how far away from each other we are?" Kat quizzed me as our eyes met, her words made me feel curious as to what the answer was going to be to this.

My eyebrows subconsciously furrowed at the sound of her question and the content of its words. "What?" I asked her.

A small smile began to grow on her features. "Us," Kat answered bluntly. "You and me," Kat's finger poked my chest, then it poked her own. "That. That will never change," Kat's head leaned in a little closer to me as my eye gazed at her face.

Feeling Kat wrap her arm around my shoulders, we both shuffled a little closer and left any gap between us to become none-existent. "I promise," Kat whispered to me as we looked away from one another and gazed up towards the stars silently.

My heart warmed at the sound of her promise, believing her words completely. "I promise too, Kat," I promised her back. "We'll never change. Never," I spoke with honesty as my hand gently went to hold her stomach, wanting to be close to both my sister and my niece or nephew this way.

Life is changing, for the better and no matter what happens, we're never going to change. Not ever. This, was all the facts that I was sure would stay as it was. As a fact. As a promise. No matter where we are, our bond, it will never break.


PRESENT DAY...RPOV

Witnessing the horror before me, it was as close to seeing my worst nightmare coming to life. The walkers were all gone, a path had been cleared, like a sea that was parted. They got out...I can feel it. My breath shook as my mind went in circles with the thoughts that invaded it.

Bringing the walkie-talkie back to my lips, I had to hold onto hope. I needed to try. "North, West, South, report," I ordered through the walkie-talkie, but nothing was said back to me. It was only radio silence. I've got a really bad feeling about this.

After giving it a third attempt, I went back down the ladder and did my best to get down carefully, but as quickly as I could. A few stragglers had been taken down by Kat when I got down there, we were clear of any threat that was walker based for the time being.

Trembling as I held onto my hips, Kat's eyes were startled as she glanced at me, concern flooding through them and onto my visage. "What happened?" Kat instantly could tell something went terribly wrong. "You look like you've seen a ghost," Kat sounded concerned by how I must have looked.

That's because I have. The Sanctuary looks like a ghost fortress. Gently, I took her arm and guided her away from Jadis and the others, trying to keep my voice down as I wanted to discuss what happened with her in privately. "The walkers, they're not there..." I told her, my voice shaking a little as I spoke softly.

"They were drawn away?" Kat asked me, hoping this was the least of our problems. But it was far worse.

Shaking my head, I looked to my feet briefly and then back up at her after clenching my jaw. I was trying my best to compose myself for her. She needs strength, she needs a hero and I have to be that for her. I won't fail her again, even if this fate was sealed without my intention.

Needing a second to compose myself, her eyes were expectant as she gazed at me and waited on my words. It was like she was hanging onto them tighter than a thread. "The walkers, they're dead...it's like they created a path to get out..." I explained to her what I saw.

Kat's eyes widened. "What?!" Kat couldn't believe this. Neither could I. What happened? "Let me have a look," Kat gestured for me to hand over the gun but I wasn't going to let her go up there and there was no point looking, because I had a feeling, everyone was dead.

"No," I said, grabbing her shoulders, trying to stop her from going up there without it, seeing as I was taking too long to let her go.

Her hands came up to hold my wrists, her eyes glued to mine. "Dad...if they're out and if Negan's alive...they'll be heading back home. Back to Carl, to Judith, to the others!" Kat's voice proved what I feared too. "We need to get there before they do," Kat's voice all but begged me to hurry to save them. It was going to take more than just me and Kat to save them.

We need a miracle. "Maybe Negan died, maybe the others escaped..." I tried to have some hope that maybe the rest escaped and ran away without their leader. That perhaps, that they knew the war was over and they could leave. I needed to at least a shred of hope left in this situation. "We need a closer look," I announced what next step we needed to do in that moment.

Kat glanced over to Jadis quickly, silently, before she looked back at me. We both knew, things could go south if Jadis had no hope in us. Nodding, it was like Kat was trying to calm her worry when her eyes finally met mine. "Let's go," Kat nodded briefly in agreement as we returned to Jadis and the rest of the Scavengers.


KPOV

Standing to my father's right as he lead the way, Jadis stayed close to my father's left as we approached the Sanctuary. Keeping an eye out for any Saviors that were still alive, I felt fear, felt worry. If what dad said is true, Negan could be knocking on our gates, right now.

As the three of us lead the way, I had my hand gun out, ready to shoot anyone that crossed our path, aiming it to anything that moved. Dad took the lead and I was close beside him, all the rest of the Scavengers were starting to fall further and further behind us.

The sight, was as we feared it would be, stepping towards the scene of the Sanctuary, it was a sight that struck fear to my heart. Walkers made a perfect parted sea at leading towards the door. Some were still alive, but they were piled up against each other, regardless, the scene was something I hoped I'd never witness. They must have escaped.

The place, looked empty and my gut feeling, knew it wasn't as quiet as we hoped it might be. Something doesn't feel right. "Different from picture," Jadis spoke bluntly, disappointed with the scene in front of her, all whilst she glanced between me and my father.

Suddenly, shots were being fired and we all rushed to get behind cover. Anything that would stop the spray of bullets from hitting us. Hopping over a small wall, I hid behind the concrete, my father took the same idea and hid with me. Both of us panting from the rush of both fear and adrenaline, doing our best to stay hidden. "Jadis!" dad yelled.

"It's coming from the window! We hit it and fall-" dad was yelling out instructions but when I looked over to locate the Scavengers, I saw Jadis and her group flee for their lives.

Moving to give dad space to see the group, I knew we were now on our own here. There was no one who could save us, but ourselves. "Dad!" I yelled to get his attention. How the hell are we going to get ourselves out of this mess now? Now that they left us to die here.

When dad saw they were running away from the scene, his voice slowed. "Back," dad said mostly to himself as the shots were still being fired at us. But suddenly, the sound of a vehicle fast approaching and stopping right in front of us, I feared the worst. But I was relieved once I saw it approach closer, it was Carol and Jerry. At that moment, I knew we were saved.

"Get in! I'll cover you!" dad ordered. Listening to him, I ran out from behind the small wall, opened the door and jumped into the back seat. Dad was shooting up at the people firing at us, strolling his way to the car quickly. A bullet hit the glass beside me as he got in.

Naturally, dad grabbed me, shielded me and helped me dodge the bullet before it could hit me. "Go!" dad encouraged Carol to get us out of there. Dad continued to shield me, keeping my head down and back covered, so that no bullets could harm me.

Carol began to back up and eventually drove us out of there. "They got out. It hasn't been long. We have to warn everyone," dad told her once we were finally in the clear.

"They're gonna hit back," I was certain this was what was going to happen, now that this war was started, this was how the Saviors would want it to end. We didn't finish it, so this means, we're in deep trouble.

Trying to come up with a plan quickly, I clutched the headrest of Jerry's, in order to keep myself steady whilst we spoke of a plan. "We can get the cars near the East lookout and split up," I spoke up once I devised our next approach. Remembering the layout and the plans we had. If dad thinks the lookouts are dead, then the cars will be available for us to take, no problem.

Jerry glanced before staring out the window. "Might have to find other rides," Jerry said, going against me, thinking this likely wasn't the best plan. "The snipers probably used theirs to get away," Jerry thought this was what happened in this scenario.

But I don't think they did. I think the only one that thinks this happened, is Jerry. "I don't think they got away," dad took the words right out of my head. Those snipers, didn't make it out alive. The Saviors took them down the second they had the chance.


RPOV

Trying to focus my breathing, my heart, it was like I couldn't compose myself. I felt worry, I feared what was going to come of this. Of what happened. I feared that Negan was at our gates this very moment and I wasn't there to defend it. We need to get there. I need to be there, for Carl, for Judith. For all of them.

Having Kat with me, all that we had prevailed these past few days, together, was something that gave me courage, gave me strength. And I needed to keep it if I was going to face Negan now. If he does anything, to anyone...anyone...I'll give him a fate, worser than death. He will wish he was dead.

Trying not to think about what we'd find once we got to Alexandria, I had hope that maybe, just maybe, Daryl helped everyone escape. That maybe, Michonne took Judith and Carl somewhere safe. I have to have hope. But like Carl said, I have to do something about this. I need to make this right.


CPOV

As I wrote out my letters, the fever was getting to me, making me sweat more than I ever have in my life. Feeling the heat, the infection running through my veins, slowly taking over my body as it made me weaker and weaker by the minute. I had told hold on.

I need to hold on, I need to wait for Kat. For dad. I need to wait for the both of them. I have to. I need to. As I focused on my breathing, the letters had given me many thoughts, a lot of stress and the more thoughts, the more stress I got, the more sweat was building over my body from the inconvenience of my body fighting against me in more ways than one.

I can hold on. A little longer. I need to. For them. I wasn't ready to die, but now that I was going to, there was no preventing it. I just have to hold on. Just until they get here. That's all I can do.


KPOV

As Carol drove, I could sense my father beside me was as stressed as I felt at the thought of Negan at our gates. Of Negan ready to kill anyone that came into his line of sight in Alexandria. I feared what his wrath would be, especially had he survived it all.

He was pinned, surrounded, the last time I saw him. He should be dead. I had hope he was dead but I couldn't predict any of it. I couldn't picture what could be happening, as I feared for my brother, for my baby sister and for whatever Negan was on the warpath for.

I knew Negan. I knew how he acted. How he thought. If he's going to Alexandria, it's to be for him to kill my father, those in Alexandria that would rebel against him and to finish it off, he'd take me back to the Sanctuary. All because he thinks this baby is really his. I was thankful it wasn't but I feared when he knew the truth, there was no stopping him in his attempts to kill me.

If he finds out the truth, he'll want me dead. Just like the rest of them...


MPOV

Looking for Judith, for Carl, I couldn't find Carl anywhere but when I found Judith, I went to kneel beside her. She was playing with her teddy bear, close to the pond. It was a sweet moment, seeing her innocently playing with her teddy bear.

"We'll be back soon," I reassured her I wasn't going to be away for too long. "I'll bring your daddy, and sister, too, okay?" I promised her that her family were going to return safely to her. "Can you say bye-bye?" I asked her.

Her sweet little eyes gazed up at me. "Bye-bye," we whispered to each other as she leaned her head up to give me a peck on the lips, a sweet way to say goodbye.

Stroking the back of her head, I smiled down at her and got up, onto my feet. Returning to the others, it didn't take Daryl and Tara long to get back. Daryl was strolling around, getting ready to meet with Rick and the others with me. "Hey," I greeted him.

Daryl slowed his pace and stopped to speak with me. "Hi," Daryl greeted me back with a look I never saw in his eyes before. It's like he appreciates me...or at least, it's how I feel right now as he looks at me.

"I'm glad you came back," I felt pleased, knowing he got back safely, which made Daryl nod a little. "It's better we go out there together," I felt sure of this. Doing this, together, this feels right.

Daryl's eyes held my gaze softly. "It worked," Daryl informed me. "We'll roll in, tell them to give up," Daryl repeated the plan Rick had all along. "They're gonna give up," Daryl sounded sure this was going to happen. Let's hope they do.

Hearing the news that it worked, was a good thing but it made me feel a little uneasy. He's going to have a lot of explaining to do when he talks to Rick and Kat. But at the time, I couldn't do it. Maybe I should have. "I'm sorry," I apologised to him. "I couldn't," I repeated again, my thoughts getting the best of me as I was slowly feeling the guilt creep up on me.

Hearing this, I don't know where I should have been but I'm happy I got back when I did. The way Daryl stared at me, a small smile appeared on his lips whilst he looked to his feet only to then return his gaze back into my eyes. "Don't be," Daryl encouraged me to stop feeling guilty about not being there with him to finish it.

"It worked," Daryl reassured me, repeating the same words as before. This was the last thing he said, before he walked away and left me alone. He looks...peaceful.


CPOV

Finishing the last of my letters, I added them to the pile and as I gazed at the stack, all the words I'd written, were nothing compared to the ones I wish I could say. To all the conversations I had in my head, these letters were nothing compared to my mind. I wish I had more time. I wish...I could tell them everything.

But time, isn't on my side anymore. I got bit. And now, I have to learn to say goodbye again, but this time...it's me who's going to leave them behind. The thought alone, it scared me. I don't want to die. Looking away, I felt my tears slowly begin to roll down from my eye.

I don't want them to fight. To lose more people. To lose themselves, even with my passing. This, me dying...it's going to break them. I knew it would break Kat and my dad the most, because they were the ones who knew me before everything happened. Before the world went to shit. They got to see me grow.

They shared far too many fond memories with me, because we were blood and because we were together since before the world turned upside down. I don't want to die. But now, there's no going back.

Seeing a piece of paper underneath the blanks I had put to one side, I saw the words. Perfectly written in Enid's delicate hand writing. Just survive somehow. The words had said. Seeing the words, it gave me a bit of an inspiration boost. I have to survive as long as I can, until they get here.

Picking up Kat's letter, I quickly wrote a few more lines down and when I was done with it, I proudly nodded to it and placed it back atop the pile. I hope she understands and grows with this loss...it won't be easy, but she has to try.


MPOV

Looking for Carl, I found him outside, in the dark, with a brown paper bag by his feet. "Carl," I called to him as he stood by one of our manholes, it was completely open. "I've been lookin' for you," I told him. "We're about ready to head out," I informed him as I slowly approached.

When I looked down, I saw the brown bag closer, saw the manhole was open and that Carl had a look of being caught red handed. "What are you doing?" I asked the first thing that came to my head. Perplexed as to what he was doing with a brown paper bag, along with the manhole being completely open. Is he planning to escape?

Carl was panting, he looked as exhausted as I felt emotionally. "I'm helping someone," Carl shared his secret with me. "A traveller," Carl explained what and who it was, briefly and vaguely. What?

The whole thing was unexpected to me. In a time where helping someone is dangerous, he still wants to do a good thing? My eyes stared down at the manhole, before I gazed back at Carl, questioning the whole thing through my eyes. "In the sewer?" I questioned his choice in leaving them down there.

Suddenly, we heard thuds against our gate. Turning towards the sound, I knew that familiar noise and it had to be a very unexpected someone at the door. "You may be wondering why the hell your lookouts didn't sound the alarm," Negan's voice rang out through multiple speakers.

He got out. "See, we are polite. I mean, I don't know when they're gonna wake up from that kinda shot, but they should wake up," Negan reassured us, my eyes wide as I felt Carl slowly approach me, to stand beside me and eventually walk ahead of me.

Our lookouts are going to come back...as walkers. As Carl got closer to the sound of the voice of Negan's voice, I felt my heart pound with fear. Daryl said it worked. It didn't. It failed. "So let's just cut through the cow shit...you lose. It's over," Negan announced to us, sharp and blunt in how he spoke.

Suddenly, Carl looked behind him to the sounds of our people coming out of their houses to hear what Negan had to say. "So you're gonna line up in front of your little houses, and you're gonna work up some apologies, and then the person with the lamest one is gonna get killed," Negan gave instructions on what we'd have to do, an expectation he had of us and what we could then expect from him.

He is always about the theatrics. Fear struck me harder than it ever had before. He's still alive...how can he be? "Then I kill Rick in front of everybody, take back my pregnant wife, and we move on," Negan listed everything he'd do after everything he had listed previously.

"You have three, count 'em, three minutes to open this gate, or we start bombing the shit out of you!" Negan warned us as I felt the whole of my body tremble. He wants to kill Rick and take Kat back, just like we predicted should something like this happened.

Hating the thought they were alive, that they got out after what Daryl had told me hours ago, it was a nightmare. "They got out," I whispered as I quivered like a leaf. Suddenly, Negan's whistling echoed around our walls.

"Come on," Carl encouraged as he turned around and returned to his manhole, shutting it behind me, but I gazed on. I couldn't move. I couldn't even look at him. I was ready to fight but I didn't know how.

If he gets in, it's over. "Michonne," Carl tried to call out to me, but I wasn't moving. I couldn't move. I was frozen on the spot, trying to regain myself. My fight or flight instinct were at war with each other. I was paralysed where I stood. "Come on!" Carl yelled at me to get back into gear.

The whistling continued but I held onto my sword tightly, turning back, myself and Carl raced towards the others. Now, we needed to come up with a plan and quickly. Time, wasn't on our side. We don't have long, so we need to think fast.


RPOV

Finally, getting to the East lookout, we took what cars were available and went our separate ways. Kat slid into the car with me, as I didn't trust her going alone. Fearing, that maybe, something could happen to her and I wasn't there to protect her. To save her.

Unable to forgive myself if something had happened to her, both of us agreed to stick together if we were going to head back home, to Alexandria. Carol got into one car, Jerry took another and as we all drove out, I felt my fingers grip the wheel tighter the closer we got back home.

We need to get there, before Negan does. We need to protect Carl and Judith. Neither myself or Kat spoke as I raced down endless roads, my eyes focused solely on what lay ahead. Except, from the corner of my eyes, I could see that Kat too, was focused only on the journey we had ahead of us.

Her eyes were ice cold, her lips tightly pressed together forming a hard line, her jaw clenched whilst she gazed ahead. She's angry, determined. As it got darker, the harder my heart pounded and the more I wanted to get back home. I need to get back home.

My breathing was erratic but Kat's was calm, collected, too cool for even me to comprehend how she wasn't panicking. She has confidence in those back home. But we need to make it back. We need to save our home and the others. We have to.


MPOV

Carl had requested for the smoke grenades to be given to him, as he found a bag, he returned promptly to meet with us, Carl began stuffing his bag with smoke bombs. Placing in his bag as many as he could physically carry. "You need to make it look like we're escaping out back," Carl began giving us instructions of what he needed of us to do.

"Get to the woods, halfway to the quarry, and cut the lights. Get enough of a lead on them, hit them, and get away on foot," Carl's plan was telling us to practically leave, to let this place get overrun by these monsters.

We can't let that happen. This is our home. "You know where we'll be," Carl assured us this plan was fool proof as he continued stuffing his bag with smoke grenades. "Just have to get the guns, get everyone else here, and we'll meet you there," Carl reassured me that him and his friend would be with us soon enough.

Rosita, Scott, Tara, Tobin, myself and Daryl were all listening to this plan. "Two minutes, people!" Negan warned us that we were running out of time. "Dig deep. I want these apologies to be memorable," Negan encouraged the theatrics, all of us falling silent to his evil words.

He wants a show before he kills us. Listening, I felt my heart pounding and part of me, couldn't let our home go. If they have this place, they'll destroy it. "Bonus points for creativity. Work up a poem, sing a song," Negan was trying to give us ideas of what he wanted from us. Treating us like his entertainment monkeys. "I love that shit," Negan was enthusiastic in how he spoke.

But this wasn't Negan's show, at least, not to Carl. Carl just got more and more focused the more Negan spoke. When Carl acts like this, he looks just like Kat and Rick. "Get going," Carl ordered of Tobin and a few others. "There's gonna be people in the infirmary. They're gonna need your help," Carl instructed them on what their focus was going to be.

Negan's whistling only made my heart thud against my chest, the pounding echo loud within my ears. Watching on as Tobin and the others ran off to do as Carl bid of them. "Look, we got guns. We can fight them," Tara spoke up, trying to give Carl another option, rather than hand over our home to the Saviors.

But there's too many of them compared to us. "We will, but not now," Rosita reassured Tara there would be another time for fighting. Rosita's plan was survive tonight, fight tomorrow. "Carl's right," Rosita was siding with Carl as he went to also stand beside him. She has a lot of faith in all the Grimes family members.

"Carl, we can't just let them have this place," I pleaded with Carl as I felt my throat tense up. My anger was boiling underneath my skin. This is our home. If they have it, they'll destroy everything we have left of it.

Carl's gaze met mine as he stepped forward, towards me. "We can," Carl corrected me, confident in his decision. "All you need to do is survive tonight," Carl's main focus, was this and I had sensed it from the start. If we stay, we die. "This is my show. You said it," Carl took my words from days ago to apply it to this moment, now.

The fact he was using it against me now, kind of hurt. He's got a point. Stubborn, just like his sister and father. "This is my plan, and you're gonna do it," Carl was forcing me to comply with his decision.

"You're all gonna do it," Carl encouraged everyone around him to do as he asked. That included Rosita, Tara and Daryl. "So let's go!" Carl demanded as we all began running to the spots we were assigned to be. To wait for the signal. Daryl stayed close beside me, while Carl sped off in the opposite direction.

My heart pounding, from the fear and the adrenaline rush. The confidence found in Carl's tone, proved he was just like his sister and father. He is a Grimes after all. He's a capable leader. "One minute! One minute!" Negan's voice echoed, warning us of what was about to happen. But Carl, he was going to buy us some time and give us the chance to survive tonight.


CPOV

Climbing up the ladder, I took my time, but didn't waste it either. "Okeydokey. Brought this on yourself, Rick," Negan began his little speech. "See, I was willing to work with you. All you had to do was follow a few very simple rules. Now-" Negan was talking so much, I had to really focus to get up the ladder and the way he would speak, put far too much meaning on words that just weren't important to me, or anyone listening.

No one cares, Negan. You think you've won but we'll keep fighting. We're going to be free of you one day. "Well, now I see that you got to go," Negan announced to my father, who wasn't home. "Scorched earth, you dick!" Negan yelled into the microphone.

As I got to the top, I took a few deep breaths, placing the bag to one side, I was ready for what was to come next. "He's not home," I spoke down to Negan, making my presence known to everyone. Announcing that my dad wasn't here for Negan to torment, mock, belittle or challenge.

Instantly, all the guns surrounding Negan cocked up at me, ready to fire. "Oh-ho-holy shit!" Negan was stunned to see me here. his hand raising to stop everyone from shooting. "Everybody hold your fire. It's Carl," Negan alerted everyone I wasn't someone Negan was willing to shoot.

Negan began addressing to me with a huge, mocking smile on his face. "Look at you. Answering the door like a big boy," Negan tried to mock me, possibly to make himself feel bigger and better than me. "I am so proud," Negan taunted, like he meant something to me on that level. Or that he was just teasing me for being so young but so in control in this moment.

I hate him. Hate what he did but somehow...I hope he finds a way forward. I hope my dad listens to me. That Kat, will listen to me too.

"Daddy's not home, huh?" Negan questioned how honest I was being but it was the truth. "Well, I guess he's gonna get back to a big old smoky surprise," Negan announced, like he was still encouraging my dad to come out of hiding. "Is Kat home?" Negan asked for the whereabouts of my sister next. Knowing she too, had it out for him.

"She's not here either," I answered him and honestly. I don't need to lie. I just need to keep him busy. "There's families in here. Kids. My little sister," I listed all those who were vulnerable in here to him and his men. In a sense, I wanted to pull on his humanity but a man like him, had little to none left in him.

All of those who were vulnerable to Negan and his wrath, I had hoped would of disappeared and were safe by now. "Well, that shit just breaks my heart," Negan spoke in a false sympathetic tone. "There's kids at the Sanctuary. You must've seen 'em," Negan reminded me of the time I broke in to try and save Kat. Now, I was trying to save Judith from him.

Negan proved to not care for those we had here. And I knew he wasn't going to see any sense, he was out for blood. Good thing I told everyone to leave. "Even had a little baby at one of the outposts. I wonder what happened to her," Negan wondered and as far as I knew, the baby had gone to the Hilltop, or so Tobin had told me.

Negan began to slowly walk closer to me. "None of this shit's fair, kid," Negan almost sounded remorseful once he lowered the mic away from his face and spoke one on one with me. "Hell, you know that. You had to kill your own mom," Negan then proceeded to remind me of a conversation I had with him when I was in the Sanctuary.

It was a conversation he probably thought was going to hurt me to remember, even if it did, I knew it was something that had to be done by someone that cared about her. It was something so long ago, that the kid now, was older, wiser and with more people he needed to protect.

Our small group, turned into a whole town and then, a whole community. "That is screwed up," Negan commented, as thoughts of my mom filled my mind. He thinks he can get through to me by using my mom. It won't work.

Thoughts of my mom flooded my mind and reminded me of the words she'd said as she laid there, dying beside me. I didn't beat this world but...I tried, mom. I hope you'll be proud of me. "Ergo, we need someone in charge who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that shit doesn't happen," Negan rose his voice, pulling me out of my thoughts.

He's so loud. How the hell did he survive this long? "Oh. Wait," Negan began to speak with his back to me and with such arrogant confidence. When he turned around again, to face me, his arms were splayed out and a smile was on his face. "That's me," Negan signed himself up to be the one to make sure bad shit no longer happened.

Even before the world went to shit, bad shit always happened and will continue to happen. Doesn't matter who's in charge and who's not. That's just how life goes. "Bad stuff does happen, but we can figure this out," I tried my best to reach out to him, hoping there was still a chance to change this course. "We can stop this," I encouraged him to work with me, instead of against me.

"Oh, now you want to talk?" this choice of words meant it only seemed to piss Negan off more than before. "See, your dad had it that I died, no matter what," Negan reminded me what my dad promised him since the start. "He gave my people a choice. Not me," Negan clarified as to what went down earlier.

When Negan gazed up to me, his expression appeared more relaxed now and cocky, like he was really the one in charge again. "Now we're gonna need a new understanding," Negan started explaining. "Apologies, punish-" Negan went about it the wrong way. This could go the right way but...he doesn't want it to.

"Kill me," I offered myself up, cutting him off as my voice was stern and loud.

There was no shake to it, the only quiver in it, was of anger and the despair was felt in my gut. I'm already dying, I may as well die by his hands for this all to end. Hopefully he leaves everyone alone if I just let him end it. But Negan, he was stunned by my offer to be sacrificed.

Staring up at me, Negan took a few steps closer and it was like he wished he could look me right in the eye. To see if I truly meant what I was offering. "What did you say?" Negan questioned me in a scolding way. The same way I would of expected my father to react had he heard the words that left my mouth.

Don't act like you care. You don't. You only pretend to. "If you have to kill someone, if there has to be punishment, then kill me," I was offering myself to him, if it made everything end, if it made this place safe, I was willing to die for it. I was already dying, just where I stood.

It might anger my father further but maybe, just maybe, he'd take my sacrifice for something good. That is, if Daryl and the others don't escape quick enough. I'm trying to buy time, not get myself killed yet. I have to say goodbye. "I'm serious," I was in part, serious.

It has to be less painful than the bite, right? Negan was still stunned by my offering. It was like he was still trying to process just what escaped my parted lips. "You wanna die?" Negan questioned me, questioned my motives and a small smile of confusion settled on Negan's features.

Thinking it over, the answer was simple. "No, I don't," I answered him truthfully. "But I will. It's gonna happen," I accepted my fate. Especially the moment I felt the bite already taking affect. This was the first time I could openly accept that I was going to die. Without anyone knowing or realizing I was speaking the truth all along.

I'm weak, I'm tired, my skin feels like its melting off and cold at the same time. I feel like I just want to go to sleep. But here I am. I just have to survive, somehow. "And i-if me dying could stop this, if it can make things different, for us, for you, for all those other kids...it'd be worth it," I was actually trying to reach out to him, hoping this would change his mind regardless, that maybe it would give him a change of heart.

Finally owning up to the fact I was going to die, made me feel a little relieved to finally accept what was inevitable. Not only did everything I say speak my truth, but it was getting through to Negan too. He looked pained at my words actually hitting his reality. "I mean, was this the plan? Was it supposed to be this way?" I questioned him, his intentions to everything, all whilst Negan had looked away, only to slowly gaze back up at me.

The way his eyes were, they were sad, like he didn't like this conversation at all. For a moment, it looked like it actually hurt him to hear me talk this way. "Is this who you wanted to be?" I tried to make him look into himself, to his life choices that lead him to this moment, to him being here, right this very second and with me. Did he want to become a monster?

The way he stared up at me, proved that this wasn't the case and that I was getting through to him. But little did he know, this distraction had worked on him like a charm and people were ready to escape. He shouldn't have hurt my sister. In the end, this was what he wanted.


DPOV

Once I got into my truck, I waited for everyone to be inside their vehicles, as I was to be the one to lead the group out. I stayed focused, I knew this was a tough choice, leaving our home behind. But I knew it was something that needed to be done.

As I glanced behind and saw Michonne was next in our line, then it was Rosita, then it was Tara and I was the one in charge of leading them out. I knew Michonne, hated the thought of leaving Carl to stall the Saviors, along with the decision to leave our home behind to be taken by them, but it was a hard call that only Carl could make. Kat would be proud.

When everyone was inside their cars and trucks, I signalled for us all to start our engines and escape. As we would move out together, the plan was to crash into one of the walls and rush them, in order to get away. To create a second diversion. Let's hope this works. The kid's got balls and brains, I'll give him that.


DWIGHT'S POV

Keeping watch of one of the far walls, we had used cars to keep the walls firm, so that the others couldn't escape around it once Negan blew their homes to kingdom come. But something told me, they had another move to play.

Now, all we had to do, was wait. "Cars aren't gonna be enough, D," Laura was voicing her worry. "We should've had the trucks," Laura was beginning to feel her faith crumble the more she spoke and looked to me.

But something was getting closer, I could hear it in the distance. "No, it'll hold," I spoke over the noise as I watched the walls. "Just get ready for clean-up," I ordered of her, turning to leave and when the sound of the panels of the walls being slammed was heard, I turned my head, only to witness many trucks drive out from the walls.

Members of the Saviors were shooting at the trucks and cars that rolled by, pushing the cars out of the way with ease as they drove past. "Well, I'll be damned," I feigned shock to their element of surprise, witnessing them escape. "Come on! Let's get 'em!" I ordered, trying to act enthusiastic about getting these guys, but I was just ready for them all to die on the chase after them.

Something in me knew, this was a set up. Climbing into one of the cars, I waited until Laura finished reporting back to Negan, for me to drive after them, leading the group towards their death. This is a trap. I feel it.


CPOV

Once Negan heard of what one of his people had to report to him, I knew the others had escaped and were safe. That part two of my plan was a-go. "Son of a bitch, Carl! Was that just a play?!" Negan yelled to me, but I was already grabbing my bag and scrambling my way down the ladder.

"I thought we were havin' a moment, you little asshole!" Negan shouted at me, clearly disappointed and angry at my betrayal. "Bombs away!" Negan ordered, encouraging his people bomb our place to the ground. I did what I had to do.

As I climbed down the ladder, I missed a step and felt my body fly. Grunting, as I landed, colliding with the solid ground beneath me, I sat up and gritted my teeth in pain from the sudden collision to the ground. I heard bombs going off close to me, forcing me to forget my own personal pain.

Crawling back onto my feet, I retrieved both my bag and hat, all before I began using some smoke bombs. Planting them everywhere, as I was rushing to escape the best I could, to meet with everyone where I told them to go.

Everything was engulfed in flames, from houses, to buildings, to even the church. As I went to approached the church, I felt the blast from where I had stood. Blocking it with my hands and arms as I felt the heat from the explosion. Taking in the sight of the place I once called home, I knew it wouldn't be long for Negan and his group to start finding their way in.

Tossing more smoke grenades, I got closer to a car and before I could react, it burst into flames, the impact tossed my body flying to the floor. Grunting as I fell, I did my best to protect what was left of my face, of my body and felt my body colliding to the ground from the impact of the explosion.


KPOV

Sat in silence, with dad driving, it was killing me, as all I could think about, was what would happen if Negan was still alive. At first, I thought I could handle the thought of Negan dying by my father's hands, killing him in the names of everyone Negan had wronged.

But now, knowing there was a chance the same asshole was still breathing the same air as us, something in me was ready to end this, for good. "Dad," I called out to my father softly, trying to get his attention for once. Not having spoken since the moment we got into the car.

Breaking the silence, it wasn't easy when we were both on edge, fearing what we'd find at the end of this journey. "I need to say something to you and I need you to listen very carefully..." I warned my father. "If Negan is alive, if he's in Alexandria right now...you don't get to kill him," I coldly informed him him. "I do," I clarified who would get the honour of ending that asshole's life.

Dad's eyes briefly met mine as I glanced to him. "Are you sure?" dad asked me, his gaze returning to the road but his attention was on me and my words. It was as though he was curious to see how genuine I was about this. I'm serious.

"That man, he took Daryl, hurt him, broke him..." I listed one of the many bad things Negan did to someone I cared about deeply. "Broke Daryl's trust in me," I bowed my head, recalling the memory of Daryl. It still played clear as day in my mind every single day. The moment Daryl left me behind while Jesus encouraged me to go with them.

He lost all faith in me, in us. But now, we're stronger than ever because of this baby. "Then...everything he did to me. From the abuse, to the mind games, to forcing me to submit and the paranoia. Watching my back at every moment, because god forbid I let my guard down for one moment and almost get stabbed in the back or caught in the act of sabotaging Negan's plans."

All the memories that flooded me, I spoke of it, never blinking as flashes of all the moments I had fought for my life and lied to save my skin, were all the things I had to do to stay alive in an environment that that. My words, were spoken through a glare while I looked on ahead. Not once blinking as I talked to my father of my reasons to kill Negan.

Those memories, they had kept me up some nights, as I felt like I was still trapped in the Sanctuary sometimes. Then I'd wake up and I was with Daryl once more, safe and sound. Although, the feeling, of being still stuck in those walls, feeling everyone having their backs to me, while their eyes watched my every move...it never left me.

More so, I feared it would never leave me. "He deserves to die, by my hand," I declared with confidence that I had what it took to kill him. "What he did to me dad, I can't forget it. I can't forgive him..." I shook my head, remembering a conversation we'd had with Carl before all of this happened.

Forgiving Negan, doing the hard thing, it's not going to help me move on. "Carl wants us to let him live," dad reminded me of the same thought that came to my head. Of the day we went to get gas and other supplies.

Feeling a little upset, still resenting myself for everything I allowed Negan to put me through, I lowered my gaze to my lap, to my hands I had resting on them. "Because Carl sees the good even monsters bring to this world," I explained what a great kid Carl turned out to be on his own. He didn't need me or dad to show him that.

As much as I wanted to appease Carl, I knew I couldn't let Negan get away with what he did. "But we can't let this one live. He's done too much. Letting him live, it's just giving others power, encouraging them to be like him, knowing he's alive," I encouraged for the best thing, to be killing Negan to prevent an up-rise from others.

If we let him live, he'll only keep holding power against everyone. It's what he craves. He'll give them hope that they can keep living the way they do. "I want to be the one to wipe him out of our history books and from our future," my voice was stern, dark almost, as I spoke of Negan with venom in my tone of voice. "Me, not you," I made this abundantly clear to my father.

Dad's hands shifted on the wheel but his eyes glanced briefly back to me. "He's all yours," dad reassured me that he wasn't planning on killing Negan himself anymore. He's going to let me do that now. After everything he's done to me, I deserve to kill him.


CPOV

Getting up and onto my feet, I saw Tobin, a few others and those that were sick or injured, being guided out of Alexandria, to where I told them to go. With a smile, I kept walking, getting to my hat, I retrieved it, clutching my side, I felt pain from the collision to the ground and kept going.

But the bite itself, felt worse. As I saw everyone leave safely, as they tossed smoke bombs to hide themselves, I was pleased to see we were safe and escaping this place we once called home. I did it. I got my people to safety. I saved the people of Alexandria.

As I kept walking, I clutched my side and rest my hat to my head. Approaching a house, I leaned against it, needing to catch my breath. Exhausted from all the running, exhausted from the collisions my body was taking and weak from the fever that was slowly taking over everything else. I was losing a battle with myself.

Pressing my back against the house, explosions could be heard, all I did, was try to focus on my breathing. Hold on. Just a little longer. I'm sure that Kat and dad will be here soon. You can say your goodbyes when they get here. You can.

As I leaned against the door, suddenly, the sound of something rolling inside alerted me that there was a bomb in here now. Rushing as quickly as I could down the steps, I watched as houses lit up, swallowed within the flames.

Scrambling to my feet after a small stumble, I tried to regain my breath and to focus on my escape. All this running, this fire, this heat and the fact I'm already dying of a fever, it's making me feel like the battle I'm really facing, is with myself. I can't fight it for much longer.

Catching sight of something off the side, I slowly turned my head and noticed the gazebo myself and Enid, or myself and Kat would sit on, was alight in the distance. I guess, too much does change. But me and Kat, we never will. I have to keep moving. I have to hold on until they get here.

As I pushed myself to keep moving forward, I felt the weight of it all on me, my feet dragging and my breathing was ragged. It's trying to beat me, but I need to fight it. I need to hold on, just a little longer. For Kat. For dad. They have to get back. I have to say goodbye. I have to beat this for as long as I can.


MPOV

As we waited, we set up some smoke bombs, went on foot, like Carl told us and waited in the woods. Guns in hands, ready for a fight. Daryl took the front, as he kept watch on anyone that was to approach. Daryl being with Rick's successor, makes him like a second in command while Kat would be the leader.

We have to listen to him, just as much as others have to listen to me, too. "They didn't get out because of what we did with the truck," Tara reassured Daryl this wasn't their doing. They said it worked, and I'm sure it did but now wasn't the time.

Rosita, Daryl, Tara and I kept watch of the roads whilst they shared this conversation. "Even if they did, it was just a mistake," Rosita did her best to assure them it wasn't a huge thing. "And I made one, too," Rosita reminded us all that none of us were perfect.

"If I hadn't gone to the Sanctuary to kill Negan, maybe Sasha would still be alive. Maybe she would've gone herself. Maybe everything would've ended up going exactly the same way," Rosita was musing for too long over Sasha and what could have been. All kinds of questions we ask ourselves when a decision was made.

I get it but we have a job to do. "I didn't want you guys to do it, but maybe you needed to. Maybe you needed to play things out to figure shit out," Rosita empathised with Tara and Daryl, reaching out to them to encourage them to not feel guilt over what could and couldn't have been.

We need to focus. They could be here any moment now. "Where the hell are they?" I was on edge, eager for them to arrive so we could end this and go back, to help Carl and meet him where he told us to go.


DWIGHT'S POV

Seeing smoke as I drove closer, I knew it was a trap and I was the one who was going to lead us all to it. This can finally be it. This can be the end. "Stop the car," Laura ordered me to stop but I kept driving. She isn't the boss of me.

"I just want to take a closer look," I tried to reassure her, as I tried to play it off like maybe it was a trap we could get the upper hand on. Or a diversion. Regardless, I was the one steering the car.

I know what I'm doing, Laura. It's time for there to be less soldiers for Negan. "D, stop the damn car! You're leading the trucks right into it! You're gonna get us killed!" Laura yelled at me, all but begging me to stop but as I briefly glanced at the trucks behind me, I was willing to lead them all to the trap I was heading towards.


DPOV

Hearing a group of cars approaching, like Carl predicted, we needed a small group to keep them off our backs and draw them away from our home. As we heard the trucks approaching, everyone got to their feet and were ready to fight. Taking out a smoke grenade, it hissed whilst I tossed it onto the road, giving us cover, preparing us to fight them.

The closer the cars and trucks got, the more on edge we were, itching to get this over and done with. My eyes squinting as I felt my finger resting on the trigger. Witnessing the trucks pull up, the cars coming to a halt into the smoke, this was the perfect time. "Now!" I yelled.

As we all began firing, I saw as the groups inside the cars, began climbing out and trying to find cover as they'd try and fight back. The only one who didn't fight back, was Dwight as we began taking down all of the soldiers that climbed out of the vehicles.


DWIGHT'S POV

As bullets were flying in our direction, I climbed out of the car and pressed up to the side of it. Doing my best to protect myself from the firefight bound to happen. Hearing the shots being fired, seeing the bodies hitting the floor one by one. I had my gun out, I was simply holding it, as I had no intention to kill the people of Alexandria. I wanted them to win.

Hearing all the bodies drop, I rose my gun and saw it was Daryl, with a small group of others. I wanted to shoot, to make it look like I was still a part of the Saviors, if any of them saw me or survived this fight. Although, my bets were that none of them would survive, not if I could help it.

But as I spotted Daryl's small group fighting against the Saviors and winning, I felt my head throb, my eyes clench shut as my thoughts began to take over. My heart was pounding but I knew there was a decision I had to make and stick to it. I have to help them. I need this to be over. As I rose my gun and pointed it at my group, I shot them down one by one and watched them all fall.

When it was done, only a few more shots were fired but it was possibly to kill the last few stragglers, all I knew was that person was close. As I caught my breath, I first saw feet, before I saw a familiar face come up to face me. When I finally looked up, it was Laura, her visage firm and a look of betrayal in her eyes, her gun pointed at me. They were shooting at her. She survived.

Seeing sparks fly, of where bullets were trying to get her, Laura took a few steps closer, an angry expression on her face whilst she aimed her gun at me. Attempting to attack her, Laura shot me in the arm, the graze felt like it was on fire the second the bullet tore my skin.

Falling to the floor, my back hitting before resting against the wheel. Grasping onto my wound, the pain was immense and I could barely focus on her words. All I knew, was she was enraged, betrayed and outplayed by me. "That's why you didn't want to block the gate with the trucks? That's why you drove right up to this!" Laura had finally figured it all out, her aim directed to the smoke around us.

"It was you! All of it!" Laura yelled, finally putting two and two together. That it was me, who was the traitor all along. "You tell them to stop!" Laura ordered me to convince the others to stop shooting. I can't and won't do that.

They won't listen to me like that. And I wouldn't tell them to either. "It doesn't work like that," I panted out as I kept my eyes open and my breathing calm. If I die here, I don't care. But a shot fired, had scared Laura, made her duck for cover.

Grabbing hold of one of the fallen soldier's gun, I raised it to shoot her. But by the time I raised the gun, she had disappeared. Dropping the gun, I clutched my arm and rest my back against the tire once more, hoping that I was finally safe. Doing my best to catch my breath, I had to ignore the pain and hope the others would fix me up. If she makes it back...she's going to tell Negan. And when Negan finds out, he'll make me wish I was dead.


CPOV

Stumbling around, I was so close to the sewers, I was ready to get inside, to be safe with Michonne and the others, to wait until the Saviors left, for us to find a way out and possibly make it to the Hilltop, with Maggie. That was, if I lived long enough to get there.

I don't know if I'll make it that long to say goodbye to Enid. I do hope I can. As I kept walking, trying to use what was left of my strength to get me to safety, I was close to the manhole and as I was just beside it, I saw a guy raise his gun at me. Negan's men had finally got inside our walls.

Dammit. A Savior. "On the ground, kid!" the guy yelled at me but I quickly pulled out a smoke grenade and dropped it near where I stood. Quickly as I could, I pulled the manhole cover up and off, climbing in, I could hear footsteps approaching.

Luckily enough, I had enough time to get in, close the manhole up and see a couple of guys approach. They had walked past me and lucky for me, didn't find me. "Dammit," the same guy that ordered me to get on the ground muttered when I was nowhere to be seen.

"Come on!" the other guy yelled. Witness to them leaving, I then began my slow climb down to the sewers. Luckily, I didn't fall this time, but I did trip up a little on the last step. Thankfully, Siddiq had helped me down and held onto me before I could hurt myself. Now, I needed his help to get to the others.


DWIGHT'S POV

Everyone was dead, no one else was coming out of their trucks because there was no one left to fight. "It's over!" I yelled over to Daryl and his group. Gradually, they approached me, guns in their hands, aimed down at me, I kicked my gun to them, hearing it rattle as it glided across the hard floor.

I'm not a threat. They should know that by now. "I made sure you guys could get out the back. I drove the convoy right up to the roadblock. I knew what it was," I admitted to them, proving to them, that I was on their side. What more do I need to do to earn their trust?

Daryl though, he looked angry, as did Tara, both of them glared down at me over their guns pointed directly at me. Although, Daryl, was eventually the first one to lower his gun and continued to loom over me. "I can't go back. One of 'em got away. She's gonna tell 'em," I explained the situation and how it had changed for me now.

"How'd they get out? Was it what I did?" Daryl asked me, like he feared that he was the one to blame for what happened. It was him who used the truck to bust open the doors and let the walkers in. He thinks this was his fault. It wasn't.

They needed to hear the truth, I owed them that much and it would hurt them. "Eugene," was the only answer they needed to hear. "I can still help you. I know how they work, how Negan thinks," I tried to convince them that I was still of use to them, that they could still keep me alive until Negan was dead.

But the more I talked, the more I saw Tara's lip twitch. "I want you to win. I want Negan to die," I pleaded with them to spare me, even if it was just for a few days longer. Until I got to see Negan die. "And we can settle up after," I tried to bargain them that if they wanted to kill me, they could do it after our work was done. After Negan was dead.

Daryl's eyes were cold, stern as he looked down at me. I hurt him the worst. I betrayed him, took all he had, left him for dead. I tried to kill him, he wants to kill me, I killed his friend, I tortured him at the Sanctuary. He wants me dead more than anyone I know.

When Daryl's face hardened, I expected him to beat me, at least bloody. When his hand reached for my back, he began tugging off the vest from my back and retrieved what was his. Forcing my hand to no longer cup my wound, I yelled from the pain and the fact he'd been so rough with me.

Once Daryl got back what he wanted, that was when he began to stroll off, while Michonne was the one to collect all the guns that they could now use. Michonne returned to the others, carrying all of the newly retrieved guns on one shoulder. "We need to get back. Now," Michonne ordered firmly, through just above a whisper. I could sense Michonne was desperate to get back home, back to the kid, possibly.

Tara had gone, with Daryl, leaving me behind and leaving me here to deal with my mess alone. Rosita, was the one to watch me, like a babysitter watching over a child. Only, a few moments longer, Rosita approached me slowly, to me, it seemed as though she was considering her options thoroughly. When Rosita finally made up her mind, she hooked her arm around mine and helped me to my feet. Rosita didn't leave me behind.


MPOV

Daryl had been the one to pull the manhole cover over, hearing it scrape as I stared at our home. Explosions sounded in the distance and walkers were slowly entering the break we'd made in the walls, the walkers were entering through the gates, noticing this on our way back. It was crushing to see.

Our home, it's being taken over by the Saviors, by fire and now by walkers. Now, it's truly is a graveyard. Hearing water splash at the bottom, Daryl was resting on his knees, dropping a rock inside, to make sure we knew what we were dealing with and how deep the hole went. This was to be sure what we would find there.

First, Daryl began to climb down, then Tara, but my eyes were glued to the walkers, to the smoke, to the sounds of everything we fought so hard to keep, get taken in the matter of minutes. Rosita climbed in next, the last one, was Dwight. Dwight had turned his head to glance at me after gazing off into the distance, same way I had.

"I'm sorry. I am," Dwight apologised to me, but as I stared on, I was drawn to it. I have to save it. I have to save our home. I knew it was impossible to take it back on my own, but to see it like this, it hurt more than anything a Savior or walker could do to me.

Rosita had helped Dwight climb down but she had been patiently waiting at the bottom, gazing up at me. Only for Rosita to find me staring off into the distance. "Michonne. Michonne," Rosita called to me softly. "Michonne!" Rosita spoke a little louder but I didn't listen.

I have to save this home. It's our home. I can't let them take it. Making up my mind, I dragged the manhole cover over them and went back, to save our home, to make sure everyone was really safe. If Kat and Rick come back, they could be in danger. I have to help them...


RPOV

As we got back, Alexandria, was up in smoke, Kat and I, had taken our guns out and parked close enough but far enough to make our way back on foot. With my head looking around, Kat stayed close as we raced towards our home. Taking walkers down that were in our way. As I stepped inside, I gestured I'd stay downstairs and Kat should go upstairs.

"Carl. Judith. Michonne. Daryl," I called to those I knew normally stayed in our home, but as Kat softly her way up the steps I proceeded to sneak up to the kitchen. Suddenly, I felt something heavy thing hit my arm, forcing me to drop my gun and drop it to the ground upon impact. A knee came to connect to my gut, winding me as a male grunt sounded with each of my pained groans.

Looking up, it was none other than Negan as he approached me. In my attempts to crawl away from him, I subconsciously was making my way back to Kat. "This shit isn't funny anymore," Negan commented before he whacked me on my arm, as I tried to reach for my gun, holstered to my hip.

Yelling from the pain, I had felt the slight incisions from the bat scrape my arm as I landed face first onto the floor, with my back to him. "Don't make me do this now, Rick. I got plans for you," Negan taunted me as he took my hatchet, my gun and tossed them far from me.

"Cut you up in little bitty pieces, feed you to the dead, and make you watch," Negan tried to strike fear into me with his plans before he went to swing at me. Rolling away from his swing, I hoped that Kat wouldn't show up and be smart, to find a way out and let me handle Negan.

Grunting with each of his swings, I was trying my best to get to my feet and had propped myself up by pressing my back to the wall. "Then, when you're some sort of screwed-up, creepy stump with a head..." Negan continued to talk as he went to swing the bat at my head but I had ducked down quickly. Kat, stay upstairs. Please.

My chest pressed against the dinning table, my head rotating to glance at Negan who stood close beside me, watching to see what he'd do next. "That's when I'm gonna kill you, in front of everybody," Negan was panting whilst he continued approaching me slowly.

This guy, he talks more than a nosy neighbours. "You ever shut the hell up?" I questioned him with all the taunting venom I had in my voice.

I was trying to elicit a reaction out of him and it worked. "Nope!" Negan answered me, swinging his bat down at me. Pushing myself off the table, I fell to the floor and scrambled back onto my feet. Negan chuckled at the sight as we both were panting from this very one sided fight.

Clutching a chair, I pushed myself back up to my feet. "You know your son volunteered to die?" Negan asked me. "What kind of boy you raise, Rick?" Negan questioned me and my parenting skills. "I'm gonna fix him. 'Cause I like him," Negan was trying to get a reaction out of me, he kept getting closer to me, stalking me slowly.

What he didn't know, was I saw Kat slowly round the corner, sneaking up behind him. "A few years, he's gonna be one of my top guys," Negan spoke proudly, but I saw the danger in his eyes. Little did he know, Kat was right behind him and ready to strike him down.

Raising her gun, I felt my heart pound harder now that I saw my daughter was mixed up in this fight. "Carl's not going anywhere, not with you," Kat announced to Negan, making her presence known, her gun cocked to his head and her thumb pulled the hammer back.

Negan heard her voice, heard the gun and knew what was going on. "Kat...welcome to the family reunion," Negan announced happily. "How is our lil' bean doing?" Negan asked her but as he turned a little to look between me and Kat, I could tell something was being planned by Negan, just by his eyes and how he looked at us.

"Go to hell," Kat growled as she went to take a shot, but Negan had swung in a way to hit both of us.

Ducking, I saw Kat done her best to duck too, but in the process, her gun fell to the floor with her. "Kat, stay back!" I warned her before I went to punch Negan in the face, now that the bat was far from me but closer to Kat.

Negan threw a punch at me back, Kat had moved to grab hold of Negan's bat arm, but I threw another punch back. All before he shoved Kat to one side, frozen, as I witnessed my daughter colliding into the wall and fall to the floor.

"No!" I yelled when I saw her collapse, Negan's rage was only encouraged when Kat went for the bat. Negan then rushed over to me, pushing me back, as he shoved me back, tackling me before I landed and broke a small table in the process of the struggle.

Rolling to get onto my knees, I tried to listen for my daughter, to hear anything. Please, let her be okay. Let the baby be okay. "When I am done with you, nobody will ever try to do what you did, not ever again!" Negan began telling me as I saw a bell on the ground.

If I hit this hard enough, it'll ring a bell as to what I got planned for him. As to what Kat has planned for him. "Not your friends, not your son-" Negan crouched down to snarl at me. But when he got closer, I turned my body enough to slam the bell to his head.

The impact had shut him up, for once, as he fell onto his back like a deadweight. Picking up his bat, I used the handle to hit him in the face. "Don't you touch her!" Negan growled before he threw a punch to my balls, then kicked me back with his foot.

Grunting as I fell back and dropped his bat, I saw Kat's gun on the ground. I could also see Kat moving, waking up from the fall she just went through. As Kat's gun was closest to me, I raced over to pick it up, Negan and I looked eye to eye. There was a look of confidence, of a challenge glazed over his darkness cloaked eyes.

As I ran to the gun, I picked it up and went to shoot him but at the same time, Negan charged over to me. Pulling the trigger, Negan pushed me through the window, forcing me to run away and hope that Kat got out with all of this commotion.


KPOV

As I scrambled back onto my feet, I had heard how my father was fighting with Negan, saw him get the upper hand until Negan tossed him out the window. Meanwhile, I had found my father's gun and that was when I took it.

"Shit," I heard Negan say. Finding him stood by the broken window, I figured my father must have ran away. He probably thinks I ran away too. Instead, I quietly creeped up behind Negan and aimed my father's Colt Python at him.

The feeling of it, was heavy, but it was something I was getting used to the longer I was holding onto it. This is my leader's gun. He wants me to be a leader, I have to get used to this kind of gun. When Negan turned around and laid eyes on me, my eyes were icy cold, glaring at him.

I knew what his plan was, he was going to try and take his bat. But I wouldn't let him. My foot ontop of it, I aimed the gun right at his head. "Stay right where you are," I ordered through almost gritted teeth.

Negan's eyes softened a little, the hit I had taken, was possibly leaving a small visible mark on my face as he stared up at me. "Shit," Negan whispered. "Kat, I'm sorry for hitting you...I-" Negan went to apologise.

"Shut up," I snarled down at him. My hold on the gun was firm, my eyes were glued to him darkly and I was ready to blow his brains out all over the wooden floor boards.

Negan straightened up a little, shuffling on his feet as he stayed quiet. "Do it. I know you want to," Negan encouraged me to shoot him. "After everything I did. To you...to your friends..." Negan drifted as I listened.

The more I stared at him, saw how willing he was to die, by my hands, it felt all too easy. He's lying. He doesn't want to die. I slowly approached him, but only once I kicked his bat away. "No," I refused, shaking my head. Knocking him out with the but of my father's gun, I raced out of the building and tried my best to find my father.

He's not mine to kill...I know that now.


MPOV

Seeing a walker, I sliced his head in half, as I walked deeper into Alexandria, I feared of what I'd come across. The deeper I marched down our streets, the more homes were on fire, the more walkers were filtering in.

Saviors still lingered but I hadn't crossed one yet. As I kept walking, I suddenly felt someone grab me from behind. My sword arm was trapped by theirs. "They're all dead," a male voice taunted me.

"And you missed it-all of you," the Savior continued to gain a reaction out of me as I struggled against his grasp. "This is your fault," the Savior blamed me for this. Which only pushed me to react in a way, he would not expect. If Carl is dead, because of me. If our people are dead, because I didn't stay...

This was what pushed me, as I ran backwards, shoving him hard against a wall, his back colliding to the wall, forcing him let me go. Elbowing him in the gut as he grunted, I dug the tip of my sword straight into his head, my back facing towards him.

Screaming, as I pulled my sword back out of his skull, I took a few steps away and heard his body fall, limp and lifeless. Slicing him, I let all my anger, my pain, out onto his corpse. They took my home. They took my love. They took my family. They took Carl. They took everything from me.

Every slice, every stab, I was leaving the guy in pieces for the walkers because of my rage. "Michonne!" A familiar voice pulled me back as I felt his hand come up to touch my arm. When the hand went to touch me I stepped away from it. Fearing it wasn't who I believed it to be.

Breathing heavily, the face I had turned to face, was none other than Rick's friendly gaze. "Hey," Rick whispered as I slowly backed away, hair covered my eyes, my breathing was as shaken as I was. And I was trying to bring myself back to this moment with him.

He's alive. He's alive. "Where are they?" Rick asked me. Suddenly, Kat raced over to us, there was a small red mark under her eye, on her cheek, which proved to me, that she too, was alive. Thank God. They're both alive.

Trying to catch my breath, this rage, had all been for almost nothing. I thought I lost them. "Oh...God," I whispered, clutching my sides as I turned my back to them. Kat was glancing between us, a little confused, a little shocked to see what she found.

Needing to re-gather my senses, once I was fully relaxed, that was when I began to lead the way back to the others. Taking Rick's hand, I glanced to Kat before she followed us towards the manhole. Back to Daryl. Back to Rosita. Back to Tara. To Judith. And hopefully, back to Carl.


KPOV

Letting dad climb down first, saying that he didn't want to fall on any of us, just in case, I then let Michonne go down and then, I followed down after them. Closing the manhole up, once I got to the bottom, I felt hands guide me to the ground.

It had been dad and Michonne who had helped me, dad lead the way, while Michonne lit the path. Following at the end, dad stumbled around a little, while the rest of us kept close behind. Eventually, we found all our people, hidden in the sewers.

All of them were safe. At the very end, was Daryl and Judith. Daryl had gently pulled Judith closer to him, as dad took the lead, then Michonne, then myself as people moved their feet for us to pass through. Except, all of them barely looked at us. It was like they were distraught over something more. We lost our home but, we're alive. We get to live to see another day.

Everyone had their heads bowed, no one would even look at us. What is wrong? Something in my gut told me something was wrong. Where's Carl? From the row of faces, I couldn't see my brother's face in the whole line.

As I kept walking after Michonne, I had seen faces like Rosita, Tara, who had appeared to have been crying and Dwight, who's back was to me as he stood up, his arm resting against the wall, keeping him up. Gently, I placed my hand on his shoulder. Despite all he did, he helped me during my time in the Sanctuary. I'm forever grateful to him for that.

Dwight, he didn't look at me, but I did feel him look over his shoulder at me once I passed him. Rosita, Tara, not even Daryl, had looked up at me. As dad passed Daryl, dad had touched Judith's little shoulder.

Walking up beside Daryl, his head was bowed, his hand clutching Judith close to his lap. I let my hand gently caress the side of Daryl's face, before I touched Judith's cheek with the back of my fingertips. The way Tara looked up at my father and Michonne but not to me, I could see the reflection of tear stains on her face. Something else must of happened while we were away.

What happened? As I passed Daryl, dad's eyes fell on someone to the side. Someone, I never met before. But by the looks of it, dad recognised him. Briefly, my eyes caught sight of Daryl handing Judith over to Tara.

My eyes quickly returned to the new guy, but a voice pulled my attention to the one person I was looking for. "I brought him here," Carl's voice explained through the darkness, as to how this new face was with the rest of our people.

When my eyes found Carl, he was laid out on the floor, dad had taken a step down, as did Michonne. When I lowered myself down, I gently held Michonne's shoulder as I dropped down with them. Wedging myself between them, so I was face to face with Carl.

The look on Carl's face...it was unlike him. Carl looked...tired, drenched in sweat and pale. So pale, he was actually whiter than a sheet of paper.

What happened to him? My eyebrows furrowed as my dad and Michonne stood over him, while I stood in the middle of them. Dad crouched down to one knee, but I felt Daryl slowly join us. Standing closely behind me.

"That's how it happened," Carl explained something, something that didn't make any sense to me. Raising his shirt, myself, Michonne and dad all looked to what he was doing. What happened? Carl slowly revealed a patch covered his stomach, there was blood faintly seeping through the bandage.

And when he peeled it back, to show us the wound...I felt my heart sink. My eyes glued to the incisions of what appeared to be...a bite. Bringing the cloth back to cover his wound, Carl didn't look at any of us, as Michonne fell to her knees. A shuddered breath left her, one she'd been holding the second she saw the bite too. Carl slowly pulled his shirt back over his stomach.

"No..." I whispered. Tears began to well up in my eyes, as I was frozen on the spot. It can't be. No. Not him. "No, no," I shook my head, taking a few steps back, but as I felt my legs grow weak, and the tears roll down my cheek, I felt a hand reach out to me.

Daryl then came to hold me, to pull me into an embrace, to keep me on my feet. To comfort me through this moment. "No!" I shouted into his shoulder, my eyes glued to my poor baby brother.

Dad's head turned, to glance at me, our eyes met, as I could hardly see his face. I could hardly see anything through my tears. My heart shattering at the thought of having to say goodbye to my baby brother.

Daryl's hold on me, was a comfort, but it broke me to see my brother over his shoulder. To see my father, to see Michonne break down too. "No," I cried into his shoulder, seeing Carl's little face, with a small, sad pursed lipped smile gazing up at me.

Dad held Carl's hand, then he held both Michonne's and Carl's joined hands. Not him. Not my baby brother. I can't. I can't...all I could do, was cry into Daryl's arms as he held me in his embrace. Our bodies slowly turning, as I wept for my brother. My heart breaking, as my head rested on my lover's chest. Our family, was breaking and Daryl was there to hold me through it.


A/N: So, that is it. The moment Carl had been waiting for. The next chapter, is going to be hard, on all of us, I think. Can I say, it has been a pleasure to write Kat and Carl's relationship all through these 8 seasons into this fanfiction. I feel, because of it, you've loved him as much as I did. Because of their connection, because of their bond.

We all know, it's going to be hell on earth for Kat to say goodbye to her brother. It's not going to be the same for her from now on. But Kat still has hope, because of her child, of her father, her friends, her boyfriend. Slowly, you're going to see Kat become the leader her father dreamed of her becoming.

It's going to take a while, but I hope you stick around for this. I hope you see this fanfiction through. The Walking Dead, isn't about happiness. It's about victories in the small things. It's about loss, it's about losing yourself too along the way. This, is what Kat is going to go through in the next few seasons/episodes.

Remember, Kat got through losing her mother, in losing Andrea. It's going to be a lot harder to let go of her brother and truthfully, I don't think she's ever going to let go of him but she will come to accept that he is no longer there with her in body, but he is always with her in spirit, in what they do and who they become.

Grab your tissues if you already haven't. The next chapter, we're all going to be saying goodbye to Carl. But, he will be coming back, possibly in flashbacks in the future. But he won't be there to be Kat's inspiration anymore, not in body. But he will still live on in all she does. You'll see.

Also, I apologise for the long wait. Life has been a little insane for me. And finally, I have found someone I can say I want to share my life with. I'm trying to make every moment count, thanks to you guys and to my own writing. Got to practice what I preach, right?


AS NORMAL, 10 REVIEWS. THAT'S ALL I ASK. PLEASE, FOR OUR BROTHER CARL. 10 REVIEWS.

Questions you can answer in the reviews:

1) What did you think about this chapter?

2) Favourite moment in this chapter?

3) How do you feel about Kat and Carl's talk in the car?

4) What do you feel about the fight with Negan towards the end? Between both Kat and Rick against him.

5) What do you think about Kat's and Dwight's relationship? How it's got to this point from season 6 to now.

6) How do you feel about the final scene?

Until those 10 reviews are gifted...

Much love,

HeroJustInTime90