A/N I apologize for the length of this thing! I had two stopping points, but apparently it wasn't finished! So after almost 9,000 words I finally found the actual end. I think you'll like it, I did. Thank you again for all the love! Reading, reviewing, favoriting, following.. it makes me happy to know my readers are happy! You guys are awesome!
It's morning. There's sunlight, barely. And Beth's shivering. Everyone is standing around her and it feels like they're frozen and she's the only one who can move, but it's like moving through jello. Pink jello because the sunrise is tinting the world in a pink hue, even the world here inside Carol's little house on the outskirts of the Kingdom in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Everything is softly pink. Morgan's eyes are on her. He isn't frozen. It's a tentative gaze that frightens her.
"Where Morgan, where.." She hears Carol sigh and someone is shuffling behind her. The panic is threatening to come back, she feels it and she tries her best to will it away. "Where is he?" This is just a whisper and her eyes are glued to Morgan. When he lowers his gaze to his lap she hears a whimper and it sounds so much like her, was that her?
"He's hurt.. He's-" Morgan starts to stand and Rick comes up beside her, he was the one shuffling behind her and then the whimper turns to sobs and she looks frantically around the room at all of them. Later she'll realize that this all happened within seconds, but right now it feels like time has suddenly slowed down to a snail's pace.
"Where is he?" She isn't whispering anymore, she isn't necessarily being loud either, but if someone doesn't fix this quick she's going to get louder. She's thinking all this coherently while at the same time falling apart because no one seems to have an answer for her. But they know, she knows they know and they're keeping it from her and she doesn't understand why. Unless it's bad, but even so she deserves to know what's going on.
"Hey." Rick's hand's on her shoulder and she shrugs it away, wipes the tears that are blurring her vision and takes a step forward choking on another sob. It's ridiculous that she's crying and she is annoyed at herself, but she can't seem to stop now. The little house seems to have shrunk on on her, on all of them.
"Where's Daryl, if he's hurt I want to see him, I want.." There's a loud crash and a door opens down a dark hallway that is directly in front of where Beth is standing.
"Beth?!" He's limping a little and there's a gauze bandage wrapped around his head and blood down the front of his shirt, but he's alive and he looks pissed as he makes his way towards her glaring at everyone as he gathers her in his arms and she leans against his chest sobbing, but she's relieved, she's so relieved, she runs her hands gently over him, checking, feeling for what's there.
"Daryl you shouldn't be up, your injured." Carol reprimands him like a child and that just pisses him off more because Beth can feel him stiffen beneath her hands and she also hears the catch in his breath. He's hurting.
"Why the hell she out here crying?" He's yelling now and Beth calms herself down and rests a hand on his cheek. They all seem to realize that nothing they say is going to calm Daryl down because they remain quiet.
"it's ok now Daryl, it's ok. I was scared, couldn't find you. I thought, I.. Come on go back and lay down." It's insane, and she doesn't think about this yet either, but with him here, touching him, knowing he's alive she's back in control and she steers him towards the bedroom.
"Why didn' they tell ya? Dammit Beth!" He's whining and she wants to laugh. She won't though because he's hurt and scared now too. But she'll take grumpy, whiny Daryl over no Daryl any day. There's a bed and bandages on a small table next to a bowl of water tinted pink again, like the sunrise, but the sun didn't do that, it's blood, Daryl's blood. Beth looks away from that and helps him ease back on the bed. Carol is at the table picking things up and Daryl glances in her direction.
"Coulda tol' her I was here." Carol didn't turn around. But she stills at the accusation in his words. Beth settles in beside him, let's her fingers slide through his hair that's curling up around the gauze on his head.
"You don't think we were trying." Carol gathers everything up in her arms and turns to face them. Beth can see the hurt in her eyes. And she doesn't blame Carol. She really doesn't blame any of them.
"I'm sorry I was kinda out of it, just scared, my mind was on one thing, wasn't listening." Beth smiled sheepishly at Carol.
"Don't you 'pologize! Ain't yer fault.. jesus this fuckin' hurts!" Daryl grunts as he tries to sit up, but gives up and lays back down, his hand on his head. Carol just shakes her head and nods at Beth as she leaves the room. Ricks been watching, lingering just inside the doorway.
"Nothing life threatening?" he asks moving into the little room. A candle burns in a jar on the nightstand.
"Nah. I went after Dwight. He tol' me though.." Daryl grits his teeth and Beth can see him balling the sheet in his fist. "Saviors did this, they came after Dwight and got me too." Daryl's eyes are closed and he's taking small shallow breaths. "Got me in the head with a gun, kicked me around a little. Ain't nothin.."
"More than nothin'.. You're hurting Daryl." Beth glances up at Rick and he squats down by where she's sitting on the bed with Daryl.
"We'll talk more later. Figure this out. Rest now. That's what we're gonna do," Rick says as he lays his hand on top of Daryl's. Beth sees his jaw tense and the moisture in his eyes. "I'm glad your still here, I'm.. yeah." He voice is soft and Daryl opens his eyes and watches as he stands up.
"We're going in. Tonight. Finish this," Daryl says as Rick's walking away.
"You sure you're up for it? We can manage.." Rick will go in alone, won't expect anything of Daryl if he's hurt. But Daryl, it's gonna take more than a bump on the head and some bruised ribs to keep him down. Beth could ask him not to go, to just lay low, but she won't put that on him, not right now.
"Course. Ain't lettin' ya go without me though."
"Alright brother. Get some rest then." His eyes flick to Beth's and he smiles at her. "You too." The door clicks as he pulls it shut behind him.
Her attention is back on Daryl and he's looking at her with those beautiful blue eyes that she doesn't think she will ever get tired of looking into. She feels so much right then. A sob escapes her lips and she lays her hand the scruff of his cheek. Since she came back she's been seeing more of Daryl's vulnerable side. The side she had a glimpse into when they were out there together after the prison. He had started letting her in then and he's been slowly letting her in ever since she came back.
" 'M sorry Beth, I saw 'em an I jus'..." Daryl cups his hand over hers and turns his mouth into her palm and presses a kiss into it. "I left ya, fuck.. I left ya and I swore I wouldn'."
She wants to say it's okay, but her throat is tight and she can't even catch her breath. Her sobs have turned into hiccups and she's embarrassed at the way she's acting. And maybe, to be honest, it's not completely okay. She gets it, but he disappeared and she couldn't find him and he should've stayed, he just should've.
"Why did you Daryl-" she chokes out. It's probably not fair, he's hurt and what's done is done, there's since putting guilt on him. But if she says it, let's it go, it'll leave her alone. "You were just gone."
"C'me're." He stretches his arm out inviting her to lay with him. She hesitates for a second before she gently crawls up beside him and settles with her head on his chest.
"It's alway gonna be hard isn't it?" she says softly. Because it is. She hopes it never gets easier, at least the feelings part. They could definitely do with the world getting a little safer. That would be a good thing. But she always wants to feel this deep aching love for him.
"Mmhmm..." He tightens his arms around her and his breath hitches. She sighs and runs a hand up his chest, taking comfort in his heart beating strong under his ribs.
"You do that again Dixon and I'm just gonna follow you, don't ask me not to." Her voice is quiet, but firm. Because she means this.
"Next time I ain' gonna let go." Ok. That's something.
How he's able to sleep he doesn't know. Not with the enormity of what they are going to attempt again tonight weighing heavy on his mind. Maybe it's because Beth is curled up beside him, as close as she can get. One leg twined around his. A hand slid up underneath his shirt resting warm over his heart. His body aches from the beating the night before. Although It really wasn't much of a beating, Morgan was there and when it got bad, or what the other man thought was bad, he ended it and by that time they were so far out into the woods, away from the fighting and the others, blood covering Daryl's face, that they just kept going and Morgan had brought him to Carol'
Carol took him in, cleaned him up, but he saw the look in her eyes. That look people get when the past comes home and they had hoped they wouldn't be found. Daryl knows she doesn't want to have to do this anymore. She left the letter and then Alexandria. She told him the last time he was here in this little house that she can't do it anymore. And maybe she can't. Maybe people have a breaking point regardless of what that means.
He'd apologized, told her he didn't mean to intrude and she'd waved him off, said she'd open her doors to her family and help them if she could, how she could. She'd cleaned him up, bandaged his wound and made him rest after Morgan swore he'd go back out and find Beth and bring her back.
Turned out there was no need for Morgan to look. Beth had found her way to him.
A knock on the door roused her blonde head and she looks at him first, touches his lips with a finger, traces the curve of his cheek bone and eases herself up off the bed leaving him with an ache and something like fire where her finger had traced his face.
Rick and Michonne come in, followed by Glenn and Morgan. The small room is suddenly too small and Daryl sits up, rests his feet on the floor and looks around for his boots. They're in Beth's hands though and she sets them at his feet next to her own She slips her feet in them and starts lacing them up.
"We got a plan?" Daryl asks glancing up from tying his boots. They all look exactly how he feels, tired, dark smudges under their eyes from lack of sleep and too much worrying. Bruises and bandages, but nothing serious. It's kind of disconcerting that they made it out with so little damage. Daryl wants to believe that maybe they gave Negan too much credit. Maybe he has a breaking point.
"We're going into the Kingdom, find Jesus and see where we stand with numbers," Rick says. "Then we go right to him, and end it." He's eating an apple and he holds one out to Daryl. And Daryl can't remember the last time he saw an apple. They might have had them at Hilltop, but he doesn't remember. He nods as he takes a bite and then holds it out to Beth. She smiles and takes it from him and he's pleased with himself. He knew she'd smile, that was the whole reason he handed it to her. To see her smile.
"A'right." The sooner the better is what he's thinking. Awake and doing nothing isn't gonna work for any of them. "You comin' with?" This is directed at Morgan and he can hear the gruffness in his tone. He doesn't mean for it to come out that way, the man might have saved his life last night. He just needs to be sure because up until last night he thought Morgan was done with killing. Done, like Carol seemed to be.
"I'm gonna see this through to the end. So yes, I going with you." Morgan is a good guy. He really is. Just like with Carol, he can't fault them for their choices. They just aren't choices he thinks he could ever make. There are things worth fighting for, things you have to kill for. People you would kill for. Beth hands the apple back to him half eaten and he smirks at her, raising an eyebrow as he holds what's left of the apple out in front of him.
"Sorry.. it was good." She smiles again and that's a good thing. She's a distraction of the best kind, but they need to get up and go. The others are standing around the room and they don't seem in too big a hurry to leave either. Rick is holding Michonne's hand and he has this look on his face as he listens to whatever it is she's saying to him, softly so no one else hears. Daryl wonders what he looks like when he's looking at Beth and watching his brother he hopes with everything he's got that they make it out of this. Cause they have so much to live for, so much to build on. All of them. He rubs his face and stands up. They're ready as they'll ever be.
"Let's get outta here."
Leaving is hard. Walking away. They were supposed to be done with this now, done and moving forward. But they're not and Carol is here and she's staying and not coming with them and even though everyone else seems to have accepted this, Beth is having a hard time with it. There are hugs and Carol says come back if they need a place or first aid. Really? That's all. Beth isn't paying attention as they walk down the path and out the gate, following Morgan into the Kingdom to find the rest of their people. Her knife in it's sheath is tapping her leg softly with each step she takes. When they are a little ways down the road she stops and turns around to look one more time. Carol isn't standing on the porch or by the door or even in a window. She sent them on their way and that's it. It's quiet, no walkers, the sun is shining and there are even birds calling to one another in the distance. If she closed her eyes she could pretend. Pretend nothing changed. Pretend the world is what it was or that Carol is on her porch watching them go and feeling something like guilt. She sighs when she hears boots scraping in gravel and she knows he's coming back to her. Making noise on purpose.
"Beth?"
"She isn't watching us go. We're walking away and it's possible this could be the last time.. I went through hell and back to get to you, to all of you, because you're my family. It's all I wanted- I just can't, she's giving up on us cause it's hard? Cause it hurts too much?" Beth hears the tremor in her voice and when Daryl takes her hand and makes her walk with him she goes. There's no reason to continue looking for someone who made their choice.
The Kingdom through Beth's eyes isn't as ridiculous as it had been Daryl's first time. Because Beth is like a child and everything she sees delights her and watching her just makes him feel good.
"They're singing over there Daryl! They have an actual choir!" She's tugging on his hand.
"Ain't got nothin' to sing 'bout." Daryl pulls her along. They have things to do and as much as he'd like to just wander around with her and pretend nothing else matters but this moment, he can't do that, they can't. He watches as the others disappear into the theater. That's where they'd met with Ezekiel before.
"Do ya gotta have a reason? Can't they sing just to sing? And there's gardens?" She looks longingly as they pass, at the community members watering and weeding gardens that seem to be flourishing. Daryl had to admit that apple earlier had been good. And they grew it here. That should be a little miracle right there.
"Alexandria's got gardens girl," Daryl growls, but he's smiling a little too. "Wait'll ya see the tiger." Ok so he's going to feed into her excitement just a little. Good things need to be grabbed ahold of an relished for what they are when you can get them.
"Oh god I forgot about the tiger! I admit this place is a little over the top, I mean, the knights and a King, but it's not a bad place Daryl." No it's not so bad with her here. Still they can't waste time, they have to go.
"Com'on." He tugs on her hand again, gently, and she moves in beside him. Right where he wants her to be.
Beth is trying to concentrate on the discussion, but it's impossible. There is a tiger lounging on the stage where Ezekiel, King Ezekiel sits. Shiva. She's flicking her tail lazily and her eyes keep closing and then snapping open when she hears something none of the rest of them can hear and Beth is completely fascinated.
" I see the lady is enchanted by my Shiva." Beth feels the heat in her cheeks and she steps over next to Daryl. This King Ezekiel person is looking at her with a smile on his face.
"I'm sorry. I've just, I've never seen a tiger anywhere, but in a zoo." She glances back over at the beast and smiles.
"I hear you were at the factory, with Negan. But you left?" It's like being pushed from behind when you least expect it and for a minute Beth feels like she just might fall, but Daryl's hand at the small of her back steadies her.
"I was," Beth says quietly.
"Ain't nothin' gonna come of knowing that." Daryl's voice is low and he moves closer to Beth glaring up at this man, the King on his throne on the stage. The facade he has created slips a little and suddenly Beth starts to see the Kingdom for what it really is. It's just people trying to hold onto something, something like what they had before or maybe even something more. And in order to do that they have to pretend. Pretend that things are better than they are and that they will continue to be. Until they aren't.
"I was taken, I didn't choose to go there. And I escaped. You don't get to choose to leave." Beth stares at the King. "You don't know how bad it can be there. You have-" But she's cut off by his voice as it echoes through the room only it's not so Kingly now.
"They came, the Savior's, last night, while you were out there fighting, and they took two of our women with them. Negan's orders they said. We've always gotten on quite well in our arrangement with Negan. Lately though things haven't been so copacetic."
Beth feels a surge of anxiety rush through as she remembers what it felt when she first got there, the factory, and realizing that she had just been delivered to the closest place to hell she'd ever been. Daryl leans in close to her, watching her face.
"Ya okay?" He's keep his voice down, this is just for her to hear and the intimacy of his closeness and the warmth of his breath on her cheek calms her and she nods firmly. Because she is okay. She really is.
"You thought it was always going to work?" Rick asked. This is his first time in the Kingdom too and the expression on his face is easy to read. He isn't sold on this place. He may not think it's a joke like Daryl, but it's obvious he has his concerns, they all do. But they did send some of their people to help fight last night and that counts for something.
"I had hoped. But no I did not believe that it would last forever, the arrangement we have with them." King Ezekiel looks down to where Shiva lay beside him and then back up at Rick.
"So what are your plans Rick Grimes? And what more can I do?" The King has a small, sad, smile on his face and Beth looks over at Daryl, he's watching the interaction between Rick and the King intently.
"We're going right to him, tonight. Anything you can spare, weapons, more people willing to fight, possibly die…" Rick rubs his face and looks over at Beth. "Maybe there's a chance you can get your women back. Maybe." Beth nods at him. This is something.
"I'll go too. I won't send my people into a battle again without fighting beside them." Beth can see the fear plain on his face, but she sees something else, she sees courage in the face of the impossible. Because right now Ezekiel is just a man and he isn't sure, but he's willing to try.
"Okay." Rick smiles. "Okay. Then it's time to talk strategy. Let's find Jesus."
Jesus and the Hilltop people have joined them, a few were lost last night in the woods, but not many. And no one from Alexandria was lost. Sasha, Carl, Rosita, Aaron, Eugene, they're all accounted for.
The strategy is simple. And it's one that Daryl likes and can relate to, wrap his head around. They have explosives, they have hand grenades and RPGs, they have two trucks filled with walkers and they have a plan that sounds absolutely fucking crazy, but it might work. If anything it will cause a whole hell of a lot of trouble for Negan and his factory.
"So we're taking out walls and doors on one side and another group is going in on the other side? Is that going to work?" Michonne voices what everyone is probably thinking. Daryl thinks it could work. It's the best plan they've come up with yet because it is so far fetched.
" 'S gonna distract a whole lotta them Saviors and we can get in the back." They will be that group. Daryl plans on finding Negan and making sure he's good and dead. He doesn't expect it to easy. There will probably still be people they'll have to deal with once they're inside, but with all the other going on it shouldn't be too many. He's confident. He just wants in there and at this guy.
"What happened to Dwight?" This comes from Beth and leave it to her to be worried about this man. Daryl doesn't care either way. At least he doesn't think he does.
"He's here. In the infirmary and they are doing what they can for him. He shared a lot of information with me about how this can work tonight." Jesus seems pleased with whatever Dwight has told him. "I have a group going directly for weapons. A stash that Negan kept hidden and trusted Dwight with it's location. The people in charge of the trucks and walkers know what to do also." Jesus smiles. "It's a good plan."
"Alright. So everyone knows where they are going to be." He looks over the group that has gathered there. "It might go smoothly or might all fall apart. Just do what you can and if you're in a situation where falling back will save your life, then do that. Your lives are important, more important than dying if you don't have too." Rick makes eye contact with Daryl and it's done. Now they just wait.
It took forever and it came to quickly and Beth can tell she isn't the only one who is nervous and scared. They are at the point in the plan where the groups slowly split off one by one and the last one to go is the small group of their family, the other half of them. Glenn, Rosita, Eugene, Aaron, Tara and Heath. She won't think to hard about this. They have a plan. ANd part of that plan is to survive.
"Stay safe. And make it out of there. That's not a request, it's a command." Rick tries to smile at the others, but it's half hearted.
"You too, all of you." Glenn says looking at Beth. And then they take off, into the darkness towards the unknown.
They are standing in a forested area just outside the factory. There is a fence with an opening in it. And the fact that no one fixed this opening after her escape is proof the decision to come in this way was a good one. So far. This is where Beth came out injured and scared, but free. This is where she'll go back in, but this time she isn't alone.
"Ready?" Daryl shoulders his crossbow and Beth moves in beside him. Rick takes the lead with Michonne and Carl is just a couple of steps behind his dad. Daryl and Beth follow, flanked by Sasha. They take their time. They are supposed to give the groups with the grenades a couple of minutes to unleash the first round of explosions and hopefully create some chaos that will benefit them. Beth feels the anticipation churning in her gut, waiting for that first grenade to go off is the worst kind of anticipation, but when it finally happens it's a relief because now they can go. And she can do instead of just think.
Going in is easy. The hard part is after. The grenades have caused the chaos they'd hoped they would, but they've also created dust and potential hazards like bodies and parts of building and debris that blocks their path.
"Eyes open." Daryl calls out. And he's still got a hold of Beth. He'll only have to let go if he has to use the bow. He leans in close to her as they move and lifts their clasped hands.
"If I gotta let go for somethin', you grab ahold of my belt okay?"
"I will and you do the same." She didn't have to remind him, he'll be holding on or she'll be right in his line of sight at all times.
Once they're inside the fence things abruptly change and the yard is filled with blown up walkers and Saviors stumbling all over themselves to get out. Most pay little attention to them or anyone around them for that matter but that doesn't last.
Daryl feels himself being pushed hard and he stumbles into Beth. Before he can regain his footing shots are fired and he sees Rick raise his gun from one body crumpled on the ground the point it in another grimy face.
"It's you assh-" What ever else he was gonna say is cut short and Rick moves ahead shooting whoever comes at him. Another explosion sends debris flying through the air and it rains down on them and he hears Beth's cry.
"What? What is it?" He's pulled her in and she's shaking her head hold her arm up.
"Nothing, a rock or something. I'm ok.. Daryl! Sasha!" He follows her gaze and sees the other woman locked in a battle for her gun. Daryl pulls the crossbow around and takes aim. As he does that Beth slips her hand into his belt, like she promised, and holds on as they move towards Sasha.
It goes on like this for a few more minutes. Daryl is coughing. The dust is enough to take them all out and a struggle with another errant Savior left him with a fist full of of bleeding knuckles. He follows Beth's lead because all of a sudden she's out front and headed toward the looming shadow of the factory in front of them.
Suddenly it's almost quiet. At least right in the general area they are standing. Further out there are still shouts and shots and the muted groans of walkers. She can hear all this. But right here it's quiet and clear and they can walk right in. She feels like running. Chasing through those cold, dimly lit hallways and searching, finding their intended target and- and she isn't sure anymore what she'll do then. She just knows that that is where she, no they need to be. They aren't unscathed. They've fought to get here. She can taste the blood on her lip from a cut given to her by the butt of a gun. The Saviors had started running low on ammo fairly quickly and resorted to lashing out physically.
"Hey? You okay? Beth?" Sasha has a hand on her shoulder and she's looking at Beth, really looking. Beth can see a dark purple bruise is beginning to blossom on her cheek bone. And then Daryl is there, reaching out a hand and running a finger across her cheek, her wet cheek. Wet with tears that she wasn't even aware she was crying. The bandage Carol used to wrap his head from the injuries the night before is gone and his hair is tangled in the blood that's dried there.
"Beth." Just her name. But she knows it's loaded with everything he wants to say but won't, not here. Mainly he is asking without words, what's wrong? Why the tears? Rick and Michonne are waiting, ready. She just shakes her head and gives him a small, firm smile. One that only shows in the line of her mouth, the tiniest of a curve at each end.
"It's hard.. But I'm good. Let's go. I, I know the-" The sound of footsteps has them all in defense mode, weapons raised. Rick and Daryl move ahead and around them, in front of where Michonne, Beth, Carl and Sasha all stand and Beth is tempted to take two steps forward and stand beside Daryl, because they are doing this together, but she'll give him this. For now.
"Rick." A voice. Quiet and calm. Glenn followed by the rest of them, her family, their family. Rosita, Eugene and Aaron. And then Tara and Heath, with Morgan bringing up the rear. All with their own battle scars. Torn shirts, scrapes and cuts, blood and bruises.
"You're in." Aaron says and Rick nods and Beth can see the hardness in his eyes, his own questions. Because they aren't supposed to be here. The less people on the inside, the less the chance to lose. But before he can voice these concerns Morgan steps forward a pistol in his hand.
"You think we're letting you go in there alone?" The tension that was just there swirling around them dissipates and they move in together as a group. Rick's eyes flick to the gun Morgan has in his hands and then to Daryl and finally to her and the other two women standing on either side of her.
"Wasting time, we gotta move." Daryl's voice is low and although his eyes are on her it carries with it a warning to all of them. He's right they need to move. They've been standing still for to long now.
"Come on, come.. Just follow me. I know where to go." Beth isn't sure exactly how she knows, but all of a sudden she just does. And everything comes back. All the memories she pushed to the darkest recesses of her mind come rushing back with stark clarity and she just follows them. The halls are empty, they always were before. No one ventured this way unless they were summoned or forced. Her vision is blurred and she wipes her eyes with the cuff of her jacket. She hears Daryl's strained sigh behind her and then he's there beside taking her hand in his, lacing their fingers together and holding on.
"Don't you let go." This is meant for her, but it carries in the silence and maybe it gives strength to all of them because their pace quickens and Beth feels their arrival before she sees the door. A big door. Wooden and painted black. It's closed and most likely locked. Rick approaches it and listens, reaches out and tests the knob which doesn't give under his hand. Locked.
There is a loud crack and Rick is standing there with his hatchet in his hand and the door is swinging open.
Negan is there. Lucille across his knees. A big grin on his face. Beth stops just inside the doorway. She can't go any further. It's hard to breathe and she just needs a minute. The others slip by and put a barrier between her and this place, this hell she had hoped she'd never see again, but knew it was inevitable. Daryl is beside her and he's looking around and the horror on his face is evident and the anger is there in the set of his shoulders and the harsh breaths that whistle softly between his clenched jaw. He's looking at the bed and remembering the things she said in Rick's living room the night they brought her home. And the nightmares later in her own room, in her own bed in the place she could now call home. But she had to say them, had to get out them out and he had stayed there with her then, held her through it all and now it's a reality, right in front of him. But he'll stay with her again. She knows that, doesn't even question it. She moves to stand in the circle of his arms, rubs his shaking hands with her own and takes a deep breath.
"It's over Negan." Rick's voice is loud and echoes around the room.
"So it is." Negan isn't afraid. There is no fear in his voice. But that cockiness, that surety that always came off as somewhat sinister isn't there either.
"I never underestimated you Rick, just hoped I could continue to out wit you- I knew eventually one of us would have to die." Beth can see him, still smiling, still sitting there like he's waiting and suddenly she's afraid. And that makes her angry.
"Go ahead, " Negan says. "You won." And he lowers his head in submission. Maybe, just maybe he's done too. Like Dwight and Sherri. Tired of the rules of this new world.
"Not me," Rick says although he keeps his gun trained on Negan's forehead. "Beth?"
Her name. She's cold and shivering, but she steps forward when the others open a path for her. Daryl follows behind her because there is no way he's gonna let her go this alone.
Negan lifts his head and the slight look of confusion on his face is replaced with recognition and something else she can't identify.
"Awe Princess.. my little fighter., you came back." He chuckles.
Beth faces him, her head held high. Daryl is behind her, his gun raised and pointing at Negan. Michonne and Sasha followed by Rosita flank her sides.
"Yeah I'm back." Beth is surprised at the strength in her voice. She feels anything but strong right now.
"Had her all the time?" This is directed at Rick. But he doesn't respond, just nods at Beth.
"I did what Sherri wanted- what she asked me to- and I lived." Beth takes a step forward as Rick grabs ahold of Negan's hair jerking his head back a little and his eyes meet hers and this time she nods.
The pistol is in her hands and she feels the weight of it as she raises her hands and aims. Right at his forehead, just like Rick was doing only seconds ago. She didn't fight back like she should have before, she can now. She can stop him once and for all. They can stop him because they did this together.
"You musta missed me baby girl.. you came back." He's smiling and it's whispered just for her. He's taunting her and looking into his eyes she questions whether or not he is just plain evil or if it's possible he wants out too.
'They always come back.' The words come back to haunt her.
"Go to hell." The blast from the gun makes her ears ring and she's covered in bits of bone and brain and blood. Rick's hands are red with it. He's lowering Negan's body back on the chair when the gun falls from her hands, hits the floor with and sharp metallic crash and the sob that's been nesting in her throat finally bursts free. There is no satisfaction in this. No retribution. It was simply something that had to be done. And now it is and she turns in circles searching for the one place she needs to be.
'Killing them isn't supposed to be fun.' Not the dead. Not the living.
Daryl backed off with the others after the gun fired to check the hallway, guard the door, but she finds him and then she's running. He raises his head, sees her coming and moves forward to meet her when a loud explosion shakes the ground under their feet and the air around them is filled with chunks of cement and dust and debris. He was there and now he's not. All she can see is gray.
"What the fuck?" Daryl moves forward even though he can't see anything because of all the dust, but he knows she's there, she was just right there. The fact that this explosion is coming so long after the others means that it was probably not one the people on their side are responsible for. "Beth? Rick? Where ya at?" He doesn't like the sound of desperation he hears in his voice, much less the panic he feels taking hold of his chest and squeezing like a vice.
"I'm here Daryl. Everyone move to the door. Let's get out of here." Rick's shadow and then his solid form is in front of Daryl.
"Those could be faulty sticks of dynamite goin' off late. A lot of Ezekiel's stock was damaged." This is from Rosita. She had taken charge of explosives. She'd been trained in the reserves before the turn.
"Beth?! Dammit girl where are ya?!" He's beyond caring what he sounds like, he just needs to hear her, touch her, have proof she's okay. Then he feels it, a hand at his side, curling into his belt and yanking hard. He slips his arm around her waist and pulls her tight against him. "Yer, okay, ya... Beth?!"
A sob, but she's nodding against his chest, trying to catch her breath. Still moving forward. So he takes her lead and they go. The others are calling out and moving in close and pretty soon they're all back within arms length of each other and doing their best to get out of the building through holes blasted in it by dynamite, grenades and whatever else their people got their hands on. Smoke and orange flames dot the area and Rick just keeps pushing forward to the fence and the hole and then they are out for real. The sky is still dark, but Daryl can see the stars and the tops of trees and he hears Beth breath a sigh of relief against him. How they managed to get out of there without falling all over each other is a miracle to him. They're walking like they're both drunk on moonshine and barely holding one another up. They stop just inside the cover of the trees and there's nervous laughter and concerns over cuts and bruises as everyone checks each other out.
"Beth?" He takes her face in his hands and even though it's dark, the moon affords him enough light to see her tear streaked face. "Girl, " he whispers and rests his forehead against hers. He takes the bandana from his back pocket and wipes the blood and gore from her neck and the front of her shirt. It's methodical and calming, doing this semi-normal thing and he keeps his eyes on her face while he does it. She holds out her hands and he wipes those too.
"You're okay?" She's touching his face, scanning his body, checking the cut in his head.
"I'm good if yer good." She's shaking a little, he notices that, but before he can question it she slides her hands into his hair and pulls his face to hers and kisses him long and hard. It takes his breath and he has to pull away for a second for oxygen. Then his arms are around her and one hand is tangled in her ponytail and she's laughing into his mouth as they kiss. He smiles against her and nips at her lip, but suddenly freezes when he hears whistles and clapping.
"Damn Dixon I didn't know you had it in ya!" Glenn is mimicking him in his redneck voice and Daryl is thankful for the cover of darkness cause he knows he's as red as a tomato. But he doesn't let her go, keeps her right up against him. He does let go of her ponytail, praying silently to himself that no one caught that.
"Okay, okay. We're good." Rick is weary and Michonne is practically wearing the coat he has on with him. The others have their arms draped around shoulders, resting on backs and everyone looks like a war victim, but they're smiling. "Let's go see where we stand."
"You did it. He's gone." Daryl whispers this against the shell of her ear.
"Yeah, yeah. He's gone." He can hear it, in her voice. She did it and she'd do it again and again, but she didn't enjoy it. Didn't get anything back by doing it.
"Killing 'em ain't fun. Ain't supposed to be. An it ain't easy. Did wha' ya had to. 'S gonna be ok Beth." His voice is trembling and that's okay. For her it's okay. She lets her hand slide down his side and she takes his hand and laces their fingers together.
"I love you Daryl." She's smiling up at him and he's right back there on that moonshine shack porch with her and all her hope and smiles and if he knew then what he knows now? Well he'd do it all again if he had to, to get to this right here.
Sometimes all it takes is getting rid of the poison to cure the wound. Or at least begin healing it. It's like Grady, in a way, all over again. Beth remembers how things had changed after she woke up. Dawn was gone and the people she controlled were no longer just an extension of her, they were able to be who and what they wanted. And they weren't all bad.
That's what's happening at the factory. Negan is no longer inflicting his fear tactics on the people he ruled over and the majority of them don't want a community ran the way he ran theirs. Some were still not content with giving up power to the majority so they chose to leave. Whether or not they pose a problem in the future remains to be seen. But there will be a plan in place on how to deal with those problems because they've started to rebuild and this time the communities will work together for the greater good instead of trying to just take over.
Dwight went back to the factory, what there was left of it and decided to try and rebuild something there. Something better and he has the help of the Saviors who never agreed with Negan's rules, but had to survive somehow.
Morgan went back to the Kingdom with Ezekiel to keep doing the good he felt he was doing there. And they have plans to start a council that will include members from all the communities. They did find the two women who were taken and took them back with them.
Carol stayed in her little house on the edge of the Kingdom. At least for now. They went to her after everything and told her they were going back. Daryl asked her to come, told her that she was wanted, that he wanted her there, they all wanted her there, but she chose to stay where she was. For now. She mentioned in an offhand kind of way that maybe helping in the Kingdom would be something she could do. Daryl seemed to take this personally until Beth told him that she'd heard a few rumours of a 'thing' between Carol and the King. Daryl had laughed out loud, but after giving it a second thought he approved of it.
Tara and Heath decided to join Aaron and go out recruiting or rather mapping this new world. They will live in Alexandria when they aren't forging new territories. And sometimes they will hang out at the Hilltop. Supposedly Tara made a friend and Heath wants to keep his options open.
Jesus is now unofficially in charge at the Hilltop. Gregory died in the war at the factory which didn't cause anyone much heartache. And although Jesus isn't sure just being a 'big boss' is what he wants for now he will be there for his people.
Alexandria is still home for the rest of them, actually it's more home now than before. Rick and Michonne lead together, but they have a council and it's just like at the prison and it's working really well. Daryl is there to assist Rick, but he has his 'things' he does. He hunts for the community and trains others to hunt and track too. Most of the time Beth is right beside him assisting wherever necessary or just 'bein' a pain in tha' ass', according to Daryl. They have their own house which is something they are both still getting used to. Maggie had to remind them that they had rooms to use and that a mattress on the living room floor wasn't necessary anymore. Especially after the morning she walked in on Daryl sleeping completely naked. Beth had laughed so hard. She'd never seen a pregnant woman do a complete 180 and hop down a small flight of stairs like that. Maggie had confessed in secrecy to her sister later on that naked Daryl was definitely not scary, all those muscles upon muscles, no it was naked Daryl catching Maggie looking that was scary. Of course Beth had told him, she was still using it as a way to tease him. A least once in awhile because when she did he refused to sleep next to her, grabbed his crossbow and headed out. Usually just to the backyard until he couldn't stand it any longer and had to go back in, to her and their bed that they shared in their own house. Sleeping anywhere, but wrapped up in each other wasn't something either of them wanted to do. Sometimes she still dreams about standing on the edge of that meadow and seeing him with his crossbow and thinking he wasn't real.
But she always wakes up and he's real beside her, snoring or smothering her with a arm he's flung over her face in his sleep. He has to have a hand or leg or foot touching her when they're in bed. And usually if she moves he wakes up right away. Always afraid she'll disappear. Tonight she managed to turn over without waking him and she's watching him sleep. He looks so much younger without the weight of the world on his shoulders. The lines in his face smooth out and sometimes he smiles at the things he's seeing behind his eyelids. She can imagine the little boy he once was, she can imagine the little boy that could be right here nestled between them, a cross between his grumpy daddy and his beautiful mommy. Or it could even be a little girl. She isn't sure. But she's gonna have to tell him that she's late. Actually she's missed two periods. She's worried sure, and nervous, but they've come a long way and this world has come a long way and Maggie's baby is gonna need a partner in crime isn't it?
"Daddy.. Daddy Daryl.." She whispers trying it out and he mumbles something and pulls her closer to him.
"I tol' ya Beth I ain't in ta that shit." He rubs his prickly scruff against her face and she giggles.
"Oh, but you will be."
"Go ta sleep girl." It's only seconds and he's snoring so she settles in next to him, her hand on her tummy and sleeps too.
~fin
A funny thing.. I always know the ending of my stories before I even begin them, I'm working on an original novel and I wrote the epiloguefirst so anyway I knew that it would be Beth that would kill Negan at the end of this fic. And although a lot of other things changed in the writing of this that was the one constant. Get her to the factory and have Rick say her name... Ok! Night all and happy Bethyling!