Chapter 20-It begins

Simon's P.O.V

Simon woke up when he heard someone knocking on his door. "What do you want?" Simon asks.

"There is a man here for you," Jared says from outside.

"It can wait till morning," Simon growls.

"He says he wants to talk about Negan," Jared says, making Simon's eyes snap open. He stands up and walks to the door.

"Where is he?" Simon growls as he follows Jared to the meeting room where Spencer is waiting. "Leave us," Simon tells Jared, who leaves, and Simon shuts the door. "Negan, you know him? He alive?"

"Yeah, he's alive, I know him, and I know where he is," Spencer says. "I wanna help you kill him."

Simon grins. "Is this going to take a while?" Simon asks Spencer, who nods. "Tell me the story," Simon says as he sits down.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl was woken up by pounding at his door. He looks at Rosita as she gets out of bed. "Who the hell is that?" Daryl asks as he walks downstairs with Rosita and Merle behind him. He opens the door and looks at Eugene. "What?"

"Spencer's gone," Eugene tells Daryl.

"Shit," He says as he runs back upstairs and grabs his crossbow and vest. He runs outside and towards the gate as Rick speaks with Gabriel. "What happened?"

"Spencer, he hit me from behind, I woke up, and he was gone, and so was the car."

"Rick, you need to radio Ezekiel and Carol right now. They need to come right now."

"Why?" Rick asks.

"Because he went to make a deal with the saviors," Deanna says from behind them.

"What?" Rick growls.

"He brought it up earlier. I told Daryl. I didn't think he would go through with it."

"Okay, Eugene, radio Carol and Ezekiel. They need to be here by noon. Go!" Rick shouts at Eugene, who nods as he runs away with T-dog following.

"Get everybody ready!" Daryl shouts. "Guns on the walls. Everybody needs to be in position. The saviors could be here at any moment."

Everybody nods as they start to move.

Simon's P.O.V

Simon stares at Spencer as he speeds. "So Negan is at your community, alive and well?" Simon asks.

"Yeah. Negan, Alden, D.J, Paula, Laura, Dwight, Sherry, Tina, Gavin, and Merle," Spencer says.

"Merle Dixon?" Simon asks Spencer, who nods.

"His brother lives there, Daryl."

"His brother is alive. I gotta say, I'm amazed."

"They plan on attacking tomorrow with Hilltop and the Kingdom," Spencer says.

"Damn, all of them betrayed me, even that bitch, Carol. I liked her," Simon says. "Okay, Spencer, are you prepared to watch your friends die."

"Wait," Spencer says. "Only Rick's group needs to die, and the saviors. But my Mom will listen to you. We can work for you," Spencer says.

"If your Mom gives your friends up, we can make a deal," Simon says. "After we take Alexandria, we'll go to Hilltop, kill that bitch, and put Gregory back in charge. Then we'll head to the Kingdom with those two blond boys that you guys are holding. I'll kill them, and then Ezekiel will fall back in line. Today you get your community back," Simon says with a grin.

Deanna's P.O.V

Deanna looks at Rick and Daryl as they walk into her house. "What happens to him after we're done?" Deanna asks.

"We lock him up," Daryl says. "Deanna, what he did-"

"I know, there have to be consequences," Deanna says as she turns and looks at them. "But we do not kill him."

"We won't kill him," Daryl says. "Promise."

"Deanna, you have to prepare for something," Rick says, making her look at him. "Spencer might already be dead. Simon, he's crazy. If the stories are true, he may have killed him, and if he didn't, he might kill him when he gets here to make a point."

"I know, Rick," Deanna says. "I know."

Rick nods as they leave the house.

Rick's P.O.V

Rick walks up to Jessie's house and looks at her. "So the fight might happen today," Jessie says.

"Yeah," Rick says with a sigh. "When they come, you need to lock Sam in that closet. Tell him not to come out unless it's you or me. Ron will go in there with him."

"No, I won't," Ron says from the door, making both of them look at him. "Carl and Enid are going to be out there, aren't they?" Rick nods. "Then I should be too. I can shoot, Rick. I can fight. Let me help defend this place."

"Your choice," Rick says as he looks at Jessie.

"I'm gonna be out there too, okay, you can help, but you listen to everything, Rick, Daryl, Carl, and I say, understood?" Jessie asks Ron, who nods.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan sat on his steps, looking at the bat as Michonne walked up to him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Some of these people are going to die today," Negan says. "They're gonna die because Simon is coming here to kill me."

"Simon would have come for us regardless," Michonne says. "These people could still die. You being here might save some lives because you know what we are facing, and we know that they are coming."

"Yeah," Negan says with a sigh. "Doesn't make any of this any easier."

"I will never be easy," Michonne tells him.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl runs up to the gate as it opens, and Carol and Jesus, and the rest of the Hilltop fighters walk through the gate. Daryl hugs Carol, who smiles as she hugs him back. "It's good to see you," Daryl says as he lets her go.

"You too," Carol says as she hugs Rick. "This is Jesus. He took me to Hilltop."

"Nice to meet you. Thank you, all of you," Rick says.

"Yeah," Negan says as he walks up to them, making them all look at him. "Bygones."

"You killed Rory," Jesus growls.

"Hilltop, it was at Hilltop?" Rick asks Negan, who nods.

"I made a mistake. I see that now," Negan says. "I'm trying to make up for it."

"Well, Simon is worse than you," Jesus says. "But just to make this clear, we are fighting to save Hilltop, Alexandria, and the Kingdom, not to save you, and if you try anything after, you'll die."

"After, the saviors will be disbanded," Negan says. Jesus nods.

"We'll get you all set up and tell you the plan," Rick says. "Noah, let me know when Ezekiel shows up."

Noah nods as they walk away.

Rosita's P.O.V

Rosita sat on her porch loading her gun when Carol walked up the steps. "You are a sight for sore eyes," Rosita says with a smile as she hugs her. "Ezekiel should be here soon, and we'll be ready."

"Good," Carol says as she motions for Rosita to sit down, and she sits down beside her. "I heard about you and Daryl."

"Are you here to give me the hurt him, and I'll make you regret it, talk?" Rosita asks with a smirk.

"No, because you already know what I'll do," Carol says with a smile. "I came here to ask you something else. I came here to ask you to make a promise."

"Promise what?" Rosita asks.

"People are going to die, Rosita. I might be one of them, but Daryl, he won't. He doesn't die. If I don't make it, if Merle or Rick doesn't make it, he's going to need someone. I need you to promise me that you'll take care of him."

"I promise," Rosita says. Carol nods as they hear the gate open. "The Kingdom is here."

Ezekiel's P.O.V

Ezekiel looked at Negan as he walked towards him after Rick had explained the plan. "What do you want?" Ezekiel asks.

"I heard about Jerry. Sorry, he was a good guy, funny."

"Simon killed him in front of all of us. He threatened Henry and Benjamin."

"He'll die for what he did to Jerry. I promise you that," Negan says before he walks away from him.

Jessie's P.O.V

Jessie looks at Carol as she walks up to her. "You gonna hit me again?" Carol asks Jessie, who shakes her head. "I'm sorry for what I said to Sam."

"You shouldn't have said that to him," Jessie says. "But you were right in the fact that he would have died if he didn't learn to survive. He's learning how to shoot. Ron is too. He'll be fighting when the saviors come."

"Good," Carol says. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you're here, Carol," Carol nods as she walks away.

Rick's P.O.V

Rick walks up to Daryl. "You ready for this?" Rick asks Daryl, who nods.

"We beat Terminus. We beat the Governor. We'll beat this prick, too," Daryl says.

"We lost people every time. Hershel, Beth, Bob," Rick says.

"We'll lose people this time, too," Daryl says. "We can't change that. We just gotta make sure as many of us as possible make it."

Rick nods. "Rick! Daryl! Negan! Deanna! Let's talk!" They hear Simon say into a microphone. Daryl and Rick look at each as they run towards the gate as Noah climbs down. They look at everybody as they are in position, and the four of them climb up the ladder and look at Simon.

"Hey, Negan," Simon says with a grin.

"Simon, how's life been as me?" Negan asks.

"Pretty damn good," Simon says. "You're Rick. You're Daryl. You're Deanna. I'm Simon."

"We know who you are," Daryl says.

"Carol, I thought we had something good, you too, Ezekiel," Simon says.

"We want a better future," Carol says.

"You won't get one," Simon says. "I'm going to offer you all a very simple deal. You give me Negan and all the saviors back there. Including your brother. You give me Rick and Daryl and the half of your shit, and nobody dies but them," Simon says.

"No deal," Deanna says. Simon nods as he motions to Jared, who brings Spencer forwards and kicks his leg, knocking him to his knees.

"This is your son, right?" Simon asks.

"Yes," Deanna says.

"Give us what we want, or your son dies," Simon says as he withdraws his gun and aims it at Spencer's head.

"Please, you don't have to do this," Deanna pleads.

"Give me Negan!" Simon shouts as he pulls the gag off Spencer's mouth.

"Mom, please! Don't let them kill me!" Spencer pleads.

"My son doesn't deserve to die."

"Your son betrayed all of you," Simon says. "But he's unless to me now, so you're gonna give me Negan by the count of the three, or I'm gonna shoot him!" Simon shouts. "One! Daryl whistles, and Simon fires his gun.

Thanks for reading. Next chapter, the war begins. Deanna grieves the loss of the rest of her family, and the group makes up a new plan to fight. Daryl comforts his new friend. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.