Chapter 9

February 27, 2014

Dwight made sure that he retrieved all of his things from his closet and started placing them inside the duffel bag on his bed. He had a suitcase already full of the CD's and vinyl albums that he collected for nearly a year. Knowing he should travel light, he justified that they would be in Alexandria for a very long time. Why shouldn't he be comfortable in his new home?

Home, Dwight thought to himself. Alexandria already felt like his home since they went there often to get away from the stress of Sanctuary. Daryl's couch was a familiar resting place for him. His first item of business was finding a house in the newly developed area of Alexandria that he could call his own. That would make his permanent stay even better.

As he picked up some shoes from the closet floor, the action pushed something down as it fell to the ground in plain sight. Dwight took a sharp breath as he nearly forgot that he stashed Lucille behind his belongings in the first place. But there she was laying in the middle of his closet.

Dwight didn't necessarily believe that objects could carry some power to them whether they be good or evil. However, Lucille made him second guess that several times. She was powerful and able to strike fear into the hearts of hundreds if not thousands before they met their demise. The wire was rusted while the wood began to rot. Indeed, her glory days were in the past where he hoped they would stay.

Just leave the stupid bat here, Dwight thought as he absentmindedly grabbed the bat and walked out of the closet. Like Sanctuary, it should have been abandoned while left tainted because of Negan. The people he affected were able to have a second shot at life; with the exception of the exiled Saviors who were too far gone. Sanctuary and Lucille needed to die along with Negan's legacy.

At least that's what he thought before he stuffed it into his large weapons bag.

…

Standing underneath the willow tree beside Sherry's old house within Sanctuary, she stood next to Ashlyn and Megan as their group of Negan's ex-wives circled around the lone cross in the middle of the unkempt lawn.

There was only one reason why Ashlyn wanted to revisit Sanctuary and upon the knowledge that it would be abandoned save for the walkers that would stumble on it, she insisted on saying a last goodbye to her sister. It was bittersweet to know that any other visits to Amanda's final resting place would be near impossible. However, knowing it was their last time lamenting by the willow, they also knew it was another step towards a more hopeful future.

Sherry glanced towards their destroyed house and sighed knowing it was the last time she had to step foot in Sanctuary. Staring at all the dear faces around her, they had endured hell together. It seemed like ages ago. She didn't miss those days one bit.

Ashlyn held Noelle and stood over Amanda's grave in silence. With a deep breath, she held her daughter closer then looked to everyone with a light smile. "Can you believe it's been almost three years since we last saw her?"

"Feels like a decade has passed and like only yesterday all at once," Christy recalled fondly, "Her heart was just too bright for this world."

"That's a good way to word it," Ashlyn admired but sighed, "If only she waited to see the potential that the world still offered."

"I wish I could have known her," Amber stated and brought Ashlyn into a side hug.

"You would've gotten along," Megan expressed warmly.

"Sherry, you're being a little quiet," Ashlyn commented towards Sherry who stepped away from the others with arms folded.

"I'm just thinking of how different our lives would have been if she had been with us," Sherry whispered. Amanda's death was something she mulled over and over again in her mind. Even speaking to Kevin about it still made her confused on why it happened and why she shouldn't take the blame for it in some way.

"No use dwelling on how she died or why she isn't with us anymore," Ashlyn encouraged, "We came to say our goodbyes and that we miss her."

Sherry nodded in agreement as they all took a couple steps forward and gave one last look at Amanda's grave. Christy and Amber stepped up first and said their quick goodbyes then left as Sherry assumed Amber wished to be close to Mark in case he needed anything.

Megan then walked slowly towards the grave and patted the makeshift cross gently. "We love and miss you, sister. I hope you finally found peace."

Before leaving Sherry and Ashlyn alone, Megan patted Ashlyn in the same way that she touched the delicate tombstone then walked towards the entrance where people were congregating to leave for the other communities.

The wind blew as the branches of the willow tree made a soft whistling noise. Ashlyn began to cry but then laughed in spite of herself, "God, it's never going to get any easier, is it?"

"It's okay if it doesn't," Sherry comforted distantly, "She was your sister."

"She was yours too," Ashlyn said warmly and gazed at Sherry, "You protected us so much in those years. It's odd to not think about you any other way."

"The feeling is mutual," Sherry agreed softly, "Weird circumstances seem to bring people together, don't they?"

"Yes, they do," Ashlyn said with another cry and kissed Sherry on the cheek before walking towards the grave and kneeling before it. Noelle slept on Ashlyn's shoulder without any sign of waking as Ashlyn just stared at the cross made from branches of a nearby tree other than the willow.

"This is your niece," Ashlyn started, "I'm sure you already know about her...she's two months old. She reminds me of how our younger brothers looked when they were babies. It makes me happy that Noelle got our side of the family's looks." She stopped and took a shaky breath before continuing. "I miss you every day. I keep thinking that I'll always just see you again. Maybe I will. I hope I will. If that happens, I can't wait to tell you all about what happens in the next fifty years. You would be happy knowing that we are trying to make the world a good one. Despite it being better… it still won't be as bright as it could have been if you were here."

Breathing slowly, Ashlyn got on her feet and looked to Sherry with a smile. "I'll see you at the front gate?"

"I'll be there in a second," Sherry assured as she stood all by herself with Ashlyn clearing the area.

For a while she said and did nothing. Sherry only looked at the grave that had been made for her friend after an event that ripped her heart out. It nearly killed her to relive it. The wind continued to blow as she thought about what to say. A comfort settled over her as she started to think of all the ways she screwed up. It was like a warmth that overcame her and embraced with open arms. It was something that couldn't be explained but it happened immediately when she felt guilty for not locking the bathroom door to keep a loaded weapon from a traumatized teenager. As if Amanda - wherever she was - offered forgiveness in her own way.

A sob broke through as Sherry held her middle while letting herself breakdown. "I'm sorry that you aren't here to see the better days," Sherry cried, "I wish you could have seen what it's like to live now."

The only response back was the continuous breeze that gave Sanctuary some semblance of life before they all left.

…

Dwight lit a cigarette despite the doctor telling him to lay off after the many cough attacks he endured from the night before. Ignoring the wisdom of Harlan Carson, he inhaled a drag before blowing smoke into the front entrance of Negan's house which stood unscathed from the flames of the attack.

It seemed wrong that one of the only homes left standing was Negan's. In a sudden care for fairness, Dwight simply wanted the final word on something and wished for such a home with terrible memories to burn to the ground.

Looking at the place, he scoffed and took the cigarette away from his mouth and put it on a cushioned seat in the middle of the front entrance before turning around and leaving it to burn away in its own time.

…

Mark laid in the RV with several blankets up to his chin. He was stitched and cared for with what Harlan said to be nothing short of a miracle.

His mobility was severely hindered and he was on a lot of pain medicine to relieve any excruciating soreness that was expected with his condition of being shot and stabbed in the chest.

The door to the RV opened and closed as Amber stepped into the small room that Mark was situated in for the trip to the Kingdom. Harlan had been getting impressive with his skills but still insisted that Doctor Edwards was the better man for the job and would help Mark get back to normal.

"How are you feeling?" Amber asked tenderly.

"I'm alright," Mark whispered, "You ready to leave?"

"I've been ready for a long time," Amber answered then fell to silence as she sat on the side of his bed. He heard people converse from outside before they embarked on their trip as he and Amber kept quiet in an almost awkward silence.

"Mark, I…" Amber started but stopped, "I don't know where you stand and you could let me know if what I say is out of line but I want to give each other an honest shot. I'm sorry that I proved myself otherwise before."

He scoffed but then entered a coughing fit from doing so. "You don't have to take pity on me."

"It's not pity," Amber confirmed, "I want to take care of you but I also want you to feel loved. And I haven't been doing that lately. I'm sorry. I really hope you find a way to forgive me."

Mark watched without any emotion showing as Amber waited for a response. The longer that he went silent, the more nervous she became and her eyes left his and fell to the ground while worrying that her effort had been shot down.

Just as she made a move to leave, Mark weakly reached for her by only moving his hand. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by Amber who immediately interlaced her fingers with his and began to cry while kneeling beside his bed. Mark understood the last interaction to be some of reconciliation. Whether it lasted ten years or ten minutes, he was just satisfied with the time he had where he wasn't fighting with her.

…

Sherry didn't turn around to look at her place of residence one more time. Not one ounce of her felt nostalgic for the prison that was Sanctuary. She only kept her eyes forward to focus on the present and the future. The only difficult goodbye was Amanda's grave. But even then the person had already been long gone and free of the wretched chains that was their former life.

The first crossroad was for New Haven as Peter and his family bid their goodbyes to have a fresh start in one of their smallest communities. Peter seemed enthusiastic to help Hank build the town up to be just as resilient as the three main strongholds. Sherry didn't doubt his ability to do so and knew Peter to be a fighter.

The second crossroad was for Hilltop. Many of their leaders were present and had already helped the night before as they led the way for several people to follow. Carson carried Lydia for Valerie after Sherry embraced someone who she considered a friend. Amber and Sherry said their farewells to Megan and Ashlyn then were on their way.

The third crossroad was for the Kingdom as Sherry became more emotional than she thought when saying goodbye to Amber. The RV rolled towards the second largest community in their province while Sherry wiped at tears overflowing.

Physically exhausted from spending the night and day tending to others, Sherry dozed off on the last stretch as her head rested on Dwight's shoulder. The weather went back to being colder as he rubbed her arm back and forth to keep her warm.

With what felt like only minutes after saying goodbye to Amber, Dwight patted her twice to indicate that their trip was over. Her eyes opened slowly from her sleepy state but she glanced up to see the walls of Alexandria in the near distance.

Sherry had been to Alexandria many times. It had never been a mundane trip but something felt different as they approached the scene slowly. It was a tender feeling knowing that they didn't have to leave and return to Sanctuary several days later. Alexandria was her home now. The knowledge of that alone was an enormous comfort.

Sherry glimpsed toward Dwight at the same time he glanced at her with a smile. It was the beginning of a new chapter in their personal life and they could both feel it. She didn't think it as daunting to embark on something so different and normal. Rather she found it welcoming to find a comfortable groove for once. She hoped that she would adjust well to new surroundings.

It was the future they both wanted. They had to fight to maintain the lifestyle that would have been theirs had an apocalypse not occurred. It was within their reach. Sherry hoped for her sake that she would reach out and take advantage of it.

…

"We have started a few crops here in there such as pruning and maintaining the soil," Rick elucidated as he and Sherry walked around the man-made reservoir. He periodically picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it into the water to see if it would skip along the surface but Sherry quickly learned the pastime wasn't much of his forte. Squinting in disappointment after every failed attempt, he then gave up and grinned at Sherry who wrote down every piece of information that she needed to stay on top of her job as Deanna's replacement.

A secretary of sorts, Deanna had a lot of control and information for the community. With Carol being incapacitated from her injury almost a year ago, her health deteriorated and she could no longer have as many responsibilities as she had before. Rick relied a lot on Sherry to fill in Deanna's shoes even if she lived in a different community until now. Being reluctant, Sherry did so anyways knowing that Rick's workload didn't afford more time to devote to the "bigger picture" as he usually phrased it.

Now that Sherry lived in Alexandria, she could do her job full-time with no distractions from Sanctuary. It gave her a purpose and was the perfect distraction.

"I can organize where people from Sanctuary stay as well," Sherry responded, "See to it that they are accommodated before they are assigned to certain homes."

"Sounds great," Rick replied happily, "Thank you for being so willing to help."

"Thank you for always insisting to the point where I'm not sure I had a choice," Sherry teased while thinking of when they first met. After several hours of persuading her that he was a good person, she knew she would have to trust him in exchange for the freedom that she craved.

Rick scoffed at her retort but chuckled anyways. They looked around Alexandria while very pleased at their surroundings and where their life currently stood.

"We did it," Rick breathed, "After all the fighting, the pain, and the suffering. We did it. We made this happen."

"Yes, we did," Sherry agreed while admiring the view, "Think this is all going to last?"

"I can't bring myself to think otherwise," Rick admitted then patted her back. "Thanks for being my right hand man with this."

Sherry smirked at his unbeatable sense of gratitude and enthusiasm. Nodding with her agreement they watched as Alexandrians walked around while talking or laughing with friends and family. They went about their business as Sherry admired the scene. She hoped that the peaceful feeling would stay and that perhaps they were stronger than any enemy that would dare face them. That was her hope at least.

…

The amount of peace Dwight felt within Alexandria was immeasurable. Rick gave previous members of Sanctuary an entire week to evaluate and get their bearings before they began to contribute. All besides Sherry who had already conducted most of Alexandria's businesses well before moving in. But even then Rick suggested that she limit her work to interviews and task scheduling until she felt ready to take on what she could.

Taking a seat on Daryl's couch, Dwight took a deep breath and sighed. For once he didn't have to worry about someone wanting to kill him or conspiring against the entire community. It was nice to have no responsibilities rather than feeling as if he was taking on the world.

In the week he knew he would probably help Sherry with her job as he felt it unfair that she never got a break even though she was someone who worked the hardest. He didn't mind and would give him more time to be with her.

He almost beamed from ear to ear by thinking about her. That woman was the love of his life and he finally completed his obligation to keep Sanctuary so they could move on the way they had wanted to for years.

Unsure of what the future held, Dwight contemplated the next step in their life. Should we get married? Dwight thought and was surprised at how immediate his mind jumped to that being a possibility and something that could be in the plans.

He mulled over it but then brushed it aside. Dwight loved Sherry but didn't wish to pressure her into something that she wasn't ready for. There had to be a few conversations that they needed to have before he even thought she or he were ready for that kind of relationship.

But it could happen, Dwight thought again and reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve a golden wedding ring that he got for Sherry to wear eventually. When he felt they were both ready, he couldn't wait to give her something to commemorate such a symbol of love despite their continuous hardship.

It had three square diamonds with the middle one being the largest. It's prongs were larger than most rings as it secured each diamond. It wasn't like anything that Dwight had ever seen. Just like Sherry.

He wrapped his hand around the valuable piece and put it in his pocket once more.

…

Sherry walked the perimeter of Alexandria as the sun began to set. She was temporarily taking residence in Deanna's old house where she conducted business with new members anyways. She didn't know if it was going to be her permanent setting but felt better knowing Alexandria was most definitely going to stick.

She stopped before she came upon her house and looked to the bottom floor of the connected townhomes. There was one window which was barred as Sherry stared at it while the same familiar numbing overcame her. Just past those bars sat a man who would serve a life sentence for his trespasses against the communities. That was the one downside of Alexandria. Sherry couldn't pretend that her life wasn't affected by him. He took a personal part of her life then exploited it with tender kisses and imitated affection.

She physically stood fifty feet away from where he was but refused to take a step towards him. She knew that her friends stopped by to tell him of his trespasses against them and moved on. Not all but some of them did. Regardless, they walked away feeling better for it. Visiting Negan was something that Sherry couldn't stomach yet. She didn't think she would ever be able to.

It was a mixture of betrayal and heartache that kept her from seeing him. Even after all the times that he showed his dominance over her, she was the one who stabbed him in the gut to get away from him. She practically locked him in his cell that would be his home until the day he died. And she did love him; misguided of a love, she could admit. But the feelings still lingered despite their complicated history.

Gathering up the courage, she walked towards her house without a second thought. She was the one in control and she had to keep on reminding herself that Negan could no longer mess with her even if he would be in close proximity throughout her stay in the community. She refused to budge as she was fond of the people. Sweeping the emotions away that threatened to burst at the seams, she feigned indifference and went about her business.

Upon opening the door, she heard a couple of people in the living room from Sanctuary as they greeted her with a smile. Miguel was standing closest to her with his hands folded. Dwight stood by the fireplace on the opposite wall with his crossbow on his back almost as if preparing for a shift even if Rick suggested they all relax for a week before they started to work.

"Rick asked as all to be interviewed by you when it was time to start working again," Miguel greeted awkwardly, "We are ready to contribute to the community and don't want to take it easy when there is so much to do."

"Are you sure?" Sherry asked and looked to all of them, "Take the time to relax. We have all been through so much in the last several days."

"Because of that we can help fortify this place in case of future attacks from people or walkers," Dwight argued, "Starting with your interviews. You can read people like no one else. That's the best first step I can think of."

"You're sounding paranoid," Sherry teased but knew he had a fair point. His logic was backed up with the exiled Saviors living amongst them for so long. The tip of Sherry's ear was gone because of it.

"I sound smart," Dwight joked back and winked, "I'll let you admit it this time."

Rolling her eyes, she stepped to the side and gestured towards the door. "I'm not in charge in Alexandria but I'm sure Rick will agree with me when I say that our people need time to recoup. I will do the interviews now but I advise that everyone rests up before they get back on any kind of duty."

"Your advise will be taken into consideration," Dwight said and made eye contact with her, "We'll at least give it a couple of days before we start taking shifts at the wall. Fair compromise?"

"Fair enough," Sherry replied and nodded at the door, "One interview at a time and everyone waits their turn outside."

Everyone started exiting the townhome as Dwight stayed next to the fireplace. Sherry pointed at the lone arm chair in front of the bookcase as a gesture for him to take his seat.

"Surprised Rick requested that you get an interview," Sherry thought out loud, "I would have figured he would have already done that long ago."

"He didn't request that you interview me," Dwight admitted coyly, "I just wanted to stop by. He already gave me an interview over a year ago, by the way."

"Oh, you're trouble," Sherry muttered with a grin. His countenance appeared different to her. He seemed much more enthusiastic about life than he had been in the past three and a half years. The nightmares that were once his life were being lifted away. The change in Dwight was evident in his eyes that seemed vibrant and joyful. It was her same Dwight that asked her to dance in the mansion years before. The same one who convinced her to join in singing a Beatles song in the car. He was back. She missed him so much.

"Sanctuary is over," Dwight uttered quietly as if reading her mind and stared at Sherry with a smile. "We all get a chance to move on and be better."

Sherry's lips curled up slightly as she walked over to the camcorder and pressed the record button. "Welcome to Alexandria," she began.