sorry its been so long been working and going to classes and lets be honest here doing a lot of other righting so I haven't had time to post i'm alive and inspired with my tests this week this chapter just needed to happen- calliope67
At the church...
The people of the community where filed in and awaiting news as to what was really going on. They heard the howl true fear in their hearts knowing it was human and whoever it was, was in bone chilling pain. They saw the car in front of the infirmary they had seen Morgan and carol around suspicions where getting high and the gossip was increasing with every passing minute but the one thing that was certain something everyone agreed on and was confirmed by Eric and Tobin, daryl was back. Everyone was worried about what that meant for them.
They hadn't heard anything about daryl since the saviors first supply pick-up when they all saw him dragged around like a dog who'd been physically and mentally whipped by the leader. the rumors where all different like; he was tore apart by walkers, or found half dead, or that he actually submitted and was now a lieutenant in the army against them and was here to get info, or that it was an act and he was a traitor and had been a spy in the camp the whole time he'd been there and was back to take his family to sanctuary and kill everyone else. Each story more ridiculous then the last and all so far from true it was laughable.
Rick walked in and all sound ceased everyone staring at him and the smile he wore was one that they thought was never gonna be seen again it was good news for everyone. That smile was always good. Rick reached the front of the room and cleared his throat and explained what happened everything in detail from the last time they all saw daryl seemingly powerless.
When rick got around to daryl going to kingdom and training with the archers the man in question came in. He was led by a girl nobody recognized and carol followed closely behind him nudging him softly every so often to keep him moving past all the eyes on him. The eyes that he took with his cast down and when he swiped the hair from his face everyone catching the fresh stitches on his face they saw just how much he bore for them the man they all believed to be a traitor, an outcast, a killer was the one that gave them a chance to live.
Daryl smiled looking up at rick shooting him a wink so it was gonna be like that "we're here I know what ya said but..." he said softly looking back at the floor fading into silence.
rick in turn scoffed softly at daryls fake obedience the fake submission sickening "you where supposed to go home and rest brother you've been through hell and back both of you." ricks eyes landed on Shelby who waved him off carelessly.
Daryl huffed a half laugh persona gone hearing a snort from the crowd "tobin." daryl thought angrily knowing all about the incident on the porch he lifted his head glancing over to where the sound came from then back to rick voice raising enough for everyone to hear the anger, none of it for rick, who knew it instantly "you really think that we wouldn't be here rick, me and Shel, we got every right to be we fucking killed for these people and bled for 'em and I'll be damned if they don't get that through their thick heads right now they coulda been dead just as easy as Glenn is..." he paused and glanced around checking for Maggie, not there good, "because they were coming and they had the numbers even with us here wasn't like the wolves wasn't that simple they woulda died." he turned around looking at all the people sitting around staring "not that it matters like even half you would believe me anyway but I'm not a traitor or a spy but not gonna lie i'm a killer and i'm damn good at it but know this I don't fight because I want to. I fight, because it was the only option left to me its keepin' us alive." he glanced down at Shelby and felt carol at his shoulder "I care about everyone here its why I chose to do what I did and I don't regret it because I kept my fighters safe and the communities too. the hunters I took they may have been injured hell we all where but they were able to go home to their families even those of us who didn't have any blood family left we made it back for the people who matter..." he glanced back to carol voice softening a bit "the ones we love."
carol smiles at him and cups his cheek running her finger down his cheek near the stitches not so much as twitch from him "and she couldn't be happier that you did, the both of you." she grabs Shelby's hand and squeezes it her eyes never leaving daryls she felt the heat of a dozen or more gazes on her but the gaze that mattered was the one looking down at her the blue eyed one she loved like no other she heard someone stand in the seats behind her and knew it was tobin so when daryl let loose a growl that could rival that of Shiva she turned grabbing daryls hand as tobin stepped forward
"how can we trust any of the shit you say you go off on your little murder spree and got Glenn killed, got Abraham killed how do we know you aren't one of them, you and your little bitch. Same goes for you carol I mean you just up and leave how do we know your not a spy for them." He grumbles
carol snorts and daryl smirked grabbing hold of Shelby around her stomach holding her back he knew what kind of kid he trained a killer and he was damn proud he felt her relax enough to control herself then he smiled and let her go. she crossed the small space he created between them and knocked tobin on his ass punching him square in the face.
they all heard a sharp crack as his nose snapped under her hand and she smirked holding his shirt collar "i told you I'd fuck you up if you called me names again but you just don't fuckin' listen do ya and daryl knows what you are you pussy." She shook him roughly by the collar then let go his head bouncing off the floor.
Daryl chuckled at everyones surprise his influence on the kid obvious, she was a weapon, a ball of fury "alright kid! Enough! Shelby!" he commanded in a low voice she knew it a false reprimand but an order she would follow anyway she popped up turning to them seeing daryls smile and carol held her hand out to her and she moved back over to them.
daryl nodded at her "good job." he whispered as he moves slowly toward tobin grunting as he pulled the man up by his shirt grasping at his own ribs eyes clouded by pain. pushing tobin up and into the wall tobins feet grazing the floor pure fear flashed in his eyes as daryl dropped his voice to a growl Shelby knew the reason for that fear now it was power daryl had it he didn't nobody stopped daryl here "thought I told ya you dick we killed for you people. don't fuck with my girl ever, carol n'either.." he pushed him hard into the wall Sheet rock snapping under the force then stepped away dropping tobin to a crumpled heap on the floor a hole in the wall where tobin's back broke through.
He walked up next to rick on the platform who moved down a step looking at the surprise on everyones faces at how strong daryl was even hurt "you son of a bitches really think if we were part of that group we'd hesitate to kill each one of you huh could have taken you all out without you even knowing it I mean really we took out at least a hundred or more guys with a handful of hunters. you think just the three of us alone couldn't take you all on those men where trained killers they were insane and carol took out an entire compound with a bottle rocket and two rifles by herself to save me, rick and our people, Jesus fuck all of you, you don't know shit." his hand did the dismissive flutter that rick, Carl and carol all knew the one from the quarry, from the farm stressed and tired is what it showed them it showed pissed off and sad but to everyone else it was anger and malice.
Rick climbed back up to his side and rested a hand on his shoulder squeezing softly lowering his voice and head to look Daryl in the eye "Daryl your tired and upset and they are scared they'll come around just give it time brother go home alright."
Daryl dropped his head in a nod "a'ight a'ight." his hand coming up to pat ricks chest in understanding and apology and walked back down to carol and Shelby.
They walked to the door Shelby turned back around glancing over the people and when daryl and carol stepped through the door she whispered out to them "I'll be right out just wanna say somethin' to 'em." she closed it and locked it behind them. she turned to rick with a nod and walked back toward him and up the platform and glanced over them eyes falling on Carl and the man Eric and next to him the man she assumed was Aaron from what daryl had told her and how they all watched the door eye's sad. They knew daryl how his anger was sadness over the whole group not believing in him.
She swept the room eyes landing on Tobin a smirk on her face then she looked away face emotionless "you guys don't get it no one here or anyone who's been behind walls like this for as long as you guys have can understand how much it means, to be able to risk your life for something important to fight for it with all you have left even if its just a rag tag group of hunters thrown together out in the middle of hell but daryl he does."
she pointed to the door "he saved me, he saved us all but one thing he wants more than anything is for you guys to see him, not that anger I know you all saw but the pain beneath that, daryls a good man and he loves all of you but the way he grew up, how I grew up and how carol lived, it was hard. You think what negan, did any torture he put him under was bad imagine living that before this world not knowing what a gentle touch was what love was and double what you feel thats him and with the family he had it was weak to express anything like caring he's learning but this your "gossiping" doesn't help so grow up won't you."
she glanced over at Carl then Eric and Aaron "some of ya are good people I can see that but the rest of ya need to get this he killed so ya wouldn't have ta, so just roll that around in your head a bit he saved ya from that and it almost killed 'im but of course none of ya would see it in him now cause ya weren't there and he wouldn't let you see it." a soft drawl slipping into her voice she motioned to rick and whispered about Aaron pointing to him and rick nodded she smiles and walks down to Eric and Aaron pulling them both to their feet. Pulling Aaron into a hug smiling at how he froze in her grasp she pulled back looking up at him "he told me that ya where the first to make him feel welcome here I just wanted ta thank you for that for reachin' out to him because ya know he never will."
Aaron smiled softly pulling her back into a hug and whispered in her ear "thank you for that I didn't realize I needed it." he pulled back and she smiled giving him a small nod then walked to the door unlocking it and daryl was there opening the door like they could hear each others thoughts and pulled her to him wrapping an arm around her shoulders glancing toward Aaron and Eric nodding to them everyone saw the gesture identical to the one Shelby just gave Aaron a more open version of it. they finally started understanding of how little things make a big difference in this world like how a gruff archer could save a tortured little girl and train her to be more than what people saw on the surface. like he was more than just skin deep.
Everyone turned back to rick who sat on the edge of the platform chuckling softly "dad." Carl called out softly.
rick looked up "i'm good son just thinking about somethin daryl said when I went to get him earlier the way they are together he wont believe it but he adopted that girl he rubbed off on her I mean that language thats him but she rubbed off on him too he's more open happy its good," rick shoots a look at tobin who was moaning against the wall "and I'll be damned if anyone fucks with that. He deserves this went through all kinds of hell and he's here more alive than I've seen him in along time." he said with a under lying edge to his voice and he stood and finished explaining what daryl did how he took the kingdoms archers trained them and how they attacked negans compound and actually won.