Chapter 8-Old friends

Ezekiel's P.O.V

Ezekiel walks into the infirmary of the Kingdom and looks at one of his most trusted men as he talks with the doctor. They both turn and look at him. "How is he doing?" Ezekiel asks.

"He's awake," The doctor tells Ezekiel. "He is preparing to go talk with him."

Ezekiel nods as he looks at the man. "Are you sure about this, T-dog?" Ezekiel asks as he stares at the man, who nods. T-dog's head was still bald, but now he had a black beard growing on his face. His left hand was metal.

"Yeah, I knew him at the beginning, Ezekiel. He was an ass, but he's here because of something I did, and maybe he knows what happens to the rest of my group," T-dog tells the man, who nods as he follows him into the room. The man turns and looks at them. His eyes widen when he sees T-dog. "Hi, Merle."

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl drives his bike into Alexandria, and Abraham drives in behind him. He stops the bike and climbs off as Michonne walks up to them. "Rick needs you," Michonne tells him.

"Good, I gotta talk to him," Daryl says. "Go rest," Daryl tells Rosita, Sasha, and Abraham, who nods as he follows Michonne through Alexandria. He walks into Deanna's house and looks at Negan, Rick, and Deanna. "What's going on?" Daryl asks the two of them.

Rick nods to the camera. "Watch it," Rick tells Daryl, who nods as he grabs the camera and sits down. The only sound in the room was the voices from the camera as Daryl watched it. When finished, he set the camera down and looked at Negan.

"I just blew a group of your guys up," Daryl growls, making everybody look at him.

"What?" Negan asks.

"A group of bikers stopped us on the road, trying to take our shit, would have killed Sasha and Abraham if Abraham didn't find that RPG," Daryl says. "Some of 'em attacked us after we dropped the herd off."

"That means they are still looking," Negan says with a sigh. "Fuck."

"We'll talk more about that in a minute. We need to decide what we're going to do with them," Rick says to Daryl, who nods.

"The way I see it. Nothing's changed from what we knew before to what we know now. He's an asshole. We know that. Sounds like Simon even's worse than he is," Daryl says. "We're gonna have to fight them, Rick. It's not an if. It's when. How long will it take them to find Alexandria?" Daryl asks.

"So you suggest we do nothing?" Deanna asks him.

"No, I suggest we prepare, gather as many supplies as possible, and find as many people willing to fight. And I think Negan and his group want a crack at Simon, right?" Daryl asks Negan, who nods. "He's the greater of two evils, Rick. Simon's our enemy, not Negan, Alden, D.J, Laura, Paula, Gavin, Dwight, Sherry, or Tina," Daryl says. "I vote they stay. Nothing changes. We're gonna need them. They know everything about the Saviors."

Rick looks at Deanna, who nods. "Okay, what about the other communities Simon controls, Hilltop and The Kingdom?"

"Hilltop's leader is a spinless piece of shit. We go after him. He'll tell Simon about us. Most of them don't even know how to fight. Only one worth a damn is named Paul Rovia. They call him Jesus. The Kingdom would have the numbers, but their leader will be hard to convince," Negan says. "He wouldn't join us as we are."

"But if we build up our supplies and numbers?" Deanna asks.

"He might. You may be able to convince two of his guys to convince him, some asshole named Richard and another one. Has a metal hand. What the fuck was his name?" Negan stays silent for a moment before he speaks again. "T-dog."

Daryl and Rick tense up for a moment before they look at him. "Big black guy, bald?" Daryl asks Negan, who nods.

"How do you know that?" Negan asks him.

"Because he was a part of our group once," Daryl says. "We're going to the Kingdom."

"I just said."

"I know what you said. I'll go with Rosita," Daryl says. "Get me a map."

Deanna leaves the room and comes back with a map. "Michonne, go get Rosita ready," Rick tells Michonne, who nods as she quickly leaves. Deanna lays the map down in front of Negan.

"Mark it," Daryl orders Negan, who nods. Daryl grabs the map. "Don't tell anybody until I get back," Daryl tells Rick. "Especially not Carl, Carol, Maggie, or Glenn."

"Got it," Rick says as Daryl leaves.

Merle's P.O.V

Merle stared at T-dog with shock evident on his face before it quickly turned to anger. "YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Merle shouts in anger as he tries to get the handcuffs off.

"I got this," T-dog tells Ezekiel, who nods as he leaves and T-dog sits down.

"I'M GOING TO TEAR YOUR OTHER HAND OFF!" Merle shouts. T-dog sits in silence as he listens to Merle scream, and after a minute, the older Dixon brother stops and takes a deep breath. "Where the hell is my brother?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen Daryl in a long time. After Atlanta, we left the quarry after it got attacked. We just Jim and Amy. We went to a farm, and it got overrun as well. I got separated by the herd," T-dog says as he shows Merle his metal hand. "Lost my hand, had to cut it off, just like you did. But you came here and fell in with the saviors."

Merle nods with a chuckle. "Karma's a bitch, T-dog. Tell me, was Officer Friendly still alive?"

"Yeah, he was," T-dog answers. "We saved you. My guys found you bleeding out on the road, they knew who you were, but they still saved you. What happened?"

"Simon betrayed Negan, and I fought and almost died. I don't know what happened to Negan," Merle answers.

"Simon said he killed him, and then he killed Jerry," T-dog says as the door opens. "What?" T-dog growls at the guard.

"We need you at the wall," He tells T-dog, who nods.

"Watch him," T-dog says as he stands up and leaves. He walks through the Kingdom and gets to the gate where the gate was opened, and he stops when he sees who is standing there.

"T-dog," Daryl says as he stares at the man.

Daryl's P.O.V

T-dog stared at Daryl as he T-dog motioned for his men to lower their guns. He walks up to Daryl, who just stares at him, and then he hugs Daryl, who hugs him back. After a moment, he lets him go and looks at him. "I need to show you something," T-dog tells Daryl. "These two are with me. If Ezekiel has a problem, he knows where I'll be," T-dog says as he motions for Daryl and Rosita to follow him. They walk to the infirmary and stop outside of a door. "Go in there, just you," T-dog tells Daryl, who looks at him and nods as he walks into the room. He stops when he sees Merle as T-dog shuts the door.

Merle looks at his brother. "Daryl," Merle says. "What-" Merle is cut off by Daryl walking up to him and hugging him. Merle stays silent before he wraps one of his arms around Daryl. After a moment, Daryl pulls back and wipes the tears from his eyes. "Sit," Merle tells his brother, who nods as he sits down. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm part of a community, one of the people there met T-dog here, so I came to see him," Daryl answers after a moment. "What about you?"

"I was a part of a group called the saviors. They betrayed-"

"I know the story," Daryl says. "Negan's the one who told us about T-dog," Daryl says quietly.

"He's alive?" Merle asks his brother, who nods. "Let's talk for a minute, baby brother. T-dog told me that the last time he saw you, Officer Friendly was still alive. That still the case?"

"Yeah, Rick's alive," Daryl says.

"WHAT THE FUCK, BABY BROTHER! THAT ASSHOLE LOCKED ME UP ON A ROOF. I LOST MY HAND BECAUSE OF HIM!"

Daryl stands up, knocking the chair to the ground. "YOU LOST YOUR HAND BECAUSE YOU'RE A SIMPLE-MINDED PIECE OF SHIT!" Daryl shouts back. Merle looks at his brother in shock, as Daryl has never stood up to him. Daryl takes a deep breath. "You're my brother. But so is Rick, in all but blood. He's been a better brother than you've ever been. He's been there with me through all of this shit. No matter what, Rick was there, Don't make me pick between him and you, Merle. Cause I don't think you'd win," Daryl growls. "I've lost so many people, people I loved, people that were family to me. The people I fight for don't make me have to lose you again or Rick."

Merle stares at his brother in shock. "You care about them?"

"I'd die for every one of 'em. Happily, they are my family," Daryl answers. Merle nods as the door opens, and Ezekiel walks in.

"Let us speak," Ezekiel says to Daryl, who nods.

"I'll be back," Daryl says as he leaves with Ezekiel.

Ezekiel's P.O.V

Ezekiel sat in his chair with Shiva to his left and Richard to his right. Daryl, Rosita, and T-dog stood below him. "T-dog tells me Merle is your brother," Ezekiel says to Daryl, who nods. "Are you a savior as well?"

"Nah, just killed some of those assholes earlier," Daryl tells Ezekiel. "The Kingdom and Hilltop are both under the control of the Saviors of Simon. Not Alexandria, not yet, at least. We hope to make sure that doesn't happen."

"How?" Richard asks.

"We'll fight them," Rosita answers. "Simon lied to you."

"What do you mean?" Richard asks.

"Negan is alive," Daryl says, making all three of their eyes widen in shock. "He's a member of Alexandria now. Him, Laura, D.J, Paula, Gavin, and Alden. They fight with us, and they're gonna fight the saviors."

"Do you know what that man has done?!" Ezekiel exclaims.

"I do," Daryl answers. "That doesn't matter anymore. I care about what he is going to do," Daryl says. "I want the Kingdom to fight with us, not now, not anytime soon, give us time. Let us build up people, weapons, and supplies, then I'll come back, and you give me your decision."

"You have given me a lot to think about Daryl of Alexandria. I will think about your offer. We will give you a car so you may take your brother with you as well."

"My king," T-dog says, making Ezekiel look at him. "I ask your permission to join Daryl back to Alexandria. I would like to see my friends and help them in this fight."

Ezekiel stays silent for a moment before he nods. "You are not a prisoner here, T-Dog. If you wish to go, you may. Daryl, I would like to ask a favor of you."

"What is that?" Daryl asks.

"There are two boys here. Henry and Benjamin, it is my fear that Simon will use them against me as he did before. I ask that you shelter them in Alexandria until I have come to a decision?" Ezekiel asks.

"They can come," Daryl says.

"Thank you, let me speak with them, and we will meet you out by the gate in an hour."

Daryl and Rosita nod as they leave with T-dog.

An hour later

Daryl, T-dog, Merle, and Rosita stood by a truck and Daryl's bike as Ezekiel walked over with Benjamin and Henry. "I thank you for this. Please keep them safe."

"I will, I promise," Daryl says.

"You listen to him, do you understand?" Ezekiel asks the two boys, who nod, and Ezekiel hugs them. After Daryl and Rosita climb on the bike and Merle, T-dog, Benjamin, and Henry climb into the truck, and they leave.

Thanks for reading. Yes, Merle and T-dog are alive in this story. The next chapter will be focused on everybody and start to show other charchters stories as well. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.