Between the Thorns

Epilogue

Some years later…

Daryl woke with a groan. He could feel his body being shook more roughly than necessary as the culprit hollered dad dad dad dad over and over again in very close vicinity to his ear. Blinking his eyes open, he focused on the object that was being shoved directly into his face. Gripped carefully in his daughter's hand was a very tiny and very frightened baby chick.

"DAD!," the girl squealed. "Alfredo's eggs hatched!"

Daryl cringed back away from the tiny animal, feeling Jean's body shaking with laughter beside him under the covers. He gripped the blanket as he moved, trying not to scar his daughter for life when she realized her parents were naked under the covers together.

"Yer supposed ta knock before ya come barging in here," Daryl groused. The bedroom knocking rule was never an issue with the older two girls. But no matter how many times Gracie was reminded, she simply had no respect for their privacy. "...And there's no chickens allowed in the house."

It was a given that whenever Daryl laid eyes on his youngest daughter, she'd be breaking at least one of the house rules. He didn't bother to look. But it was a certainty that in addition to bringing the chick inside that she'd also tracked across the clean floors in her muddy chicken shit wellie boots. And that was in addition to whatever other assorted nonsense she was probably up to.

"Gracie," Jean chirped, pointing towards the door. "Put that poor little chickie back in the coop under its mother right now! Before you scare the poor thing to death!"

"...And shut our door," Daryl added, shaking his head since the girl was already thundering through the place in her shit boots with his bedroom door hanging wide open. Daryl launched himself out of bed and slammed the bedroom door shut, making Jean squeal when he dove back under the covers next to her. He pulled her against him, enjoying the soft hum of pleasure that escaped her when his lips found hers. She slid her hand between them, tugging at the base of his morning erection.

"How long do ya think we've got before she barges the fuck back in here?," Daryl asked, cupping her breast in his hand and gently squeezing.

"I'd say less than a minute," Jean guessed with a giggle.

Right on que, the sound of thundering footsteps could be heard outside their bedroom. The door was once again flung open, the knob burying itself into the hole in the wall that was already there from the last hundred or so times she'd slammed it against the wall. Daryl groaned, releasing his grip on his wife's breast. He thought about reminding Gracie yet again that she wasn't supposed to come into their room without knocking. But he knew it was a lost cause at this point.

"Can I eat breakfast at Hershel's house?," Gracie hollered. Daryl and Jean both answered her in unison, laughing because they both yelled yes at the same time.

"Shut the fuckin' door," Daryl hollered at the girl's already receding form. This time Jean rose from the bed to shut their bedroom door. But unlike Daryl, she didn't hurry back to bed. She paused at the foot of the bed, lifting her arms and placing her hands on the back of her head. The position lifted her breasts, pointing her pink nipples upwards. Daryl was staring up at her, his hooded eyes already dark with desire. Her tongue flicked out, wetting her lips as she moved her hands down. Cupping her own breasts, she began to massage them gently as she watched Daryl's reaction to the little show she was putting on.

"Get in this bed right now," he ordered, tossing the covers back to reveal his naked body. Jean flashed him a wicked grin, ignoring him as she tugged her nipples into hard little points. She moved her hands down over her belly, heading further south. Daryl was off the bed pulling her into his arms before she reached her core. Their tongues swirled together as he lifted her into his arms, carrying her around the end of the bed. He laid her down, climbing on top of her and settling immediately down between her thighs. It didn't take either of them long to find their release. Which in this instance was a blessing. Because as Daryl was rolling off her there was another loud knock on their bedroom door. Daryl yanked the blankets back up, hollering at whoever it was to come in.

"Sorry," Rose said, covering her eyes with her hands and trying not to laugh. "I know it's supposed to be your day off but Carl's dad is at the gates. And he's asking for you."

Daryl groaned again, scrubbing his face with his hands as he realized the relaxing day he planned to have with his wife was already swirling its way down the drain.

"It's always fuckin' somethin'," he groused. He swung his legs off the bed, thinking with some small consolation that at least Rose closed the bedroom door on her way back out. "You should stay in bed," Daryl suggested, eyeing Jean's body as she tugged her jeans on.

"I'd end up waiting all day for you to get back," she countered, crossing the room and wrapping her arms around him. Both their top halves were still bare. And he pulled her close, enjoying the feel of her skin against his for just a moment before he released her so they could finish getting dressed.

They stopped at Maggie's trailer. Lily and Sherry poked their heads out to tell Daryl good morning. And Jean headed inside to help them finish making the kids breakfast so Maggie could come out and go with Daryl.

Maggie slid her gun into the holster on her hip, adjusting it slightly as they headed towards the gate. Daryl noticed that a small group of armed guards had already arrived at the gates. Their casual conversations paused as Daryl approached. He stopped the practice of kneeling years ago. But that didn't stop the men from ticking their heads at him as a sign of respect. Rose had already taken Dwight's place next to Gavin on the left platform, her long range rifle held threateningly in front of her body.

"I've got your six," Dwight said, taking up position on Daryl's left. Maggie was to his right, both of them falling into step slightly behind him.

The tall gates of what used to be the Hilltop Community were swung open and left that way. So that Rick could see the large assembly of armed men gathered just inside the entrance. Daryl didn't think the man was stupid enough to start any further trouble with them. But it never hurt to remind him of the reason why.

"What can we do for you Rick?," Maggie asked, her tone sharp and clipped as she spoke to their former friend.

Rick shifted uncomfortably on the wagon bench. Michonne was next to him. And there were a few more people in the back of the wagon. People Daryl didn't recognize. Rick glanced back at them before he spoke.

"Judith brought in some outsiders. We don't have a place for them in Alexandria. We told them you might be willing to take them in," Rick explained.

Maggie rolled her eyes at the way Rick phrased his request. He knew well and good that they would take in anyone that was willing to pitch in and earn their keep. Daryl glanced at her, giving her a quick nod to confirm that they were on the same page. Maggie turned around and gestured to the group of armed men behind them. A few of them moved forward and began to encourage the small group of outsiders down from Rick's wagon. They looked nervous. New people always did. But they still climbed down from the wagon and allowed the soldiers to lead them through the tall gates. The group of men just inside the gates parted just long enough to allow them through. Once they were safely inside, Daryl turned his attention back to Rick.

"Ya got what ya came for," Daryl announced. "Time for ya to be on yer way."

"We want to talk to Carl," Michonne said, speaking up for the first time since they arrived.

Daryl heard Maggie sigh behind him. She knew as well as he did that Rick didn't come here personally just to drop off a few stragglers. And Daryl had long since used up his patience with Rick's continued attempts to start trouble over Carl's decision to leave Alexandria. Carl was nineteen. Which, even before the outbreak, was old enough for him to make his own choices.

Carl got Rose pregnant. And he chose to move here and marry her. A responsible decision, in Daryl's opinion. And one he was certainly willing to back the boy on. Carl's refusal to speak to his father after whatever Rick said to him about it was Carl's business. Daryl was sure Carl would make up with his dad eventually. But he wasn't going to force the issue.

"Carl doesn't want to talk to you!," Rose hollered down from the platform, accompanying her words with her middle finger. "FUCKER!"

"I'm not leaving until I see him," Rick argued. Daryl and Maggie exchanged looks. She shrugged. They didn't really want Rick sitting in front of their gates all day. But it wasn't hurting anything either. The thick cornfields extended far enough out that Rick's presence in front of the gate was unlikely to attract the dead.

"Suit yerself," Daryl huffed. He turned on his heel and headed back inside the gates with Maggie and Dwight shadowing him until the gates were shut behind them. He shook his head when he saw Carl rushing in their direction. He had traded out Rick's old hat for a baseball cap. And it was obvious that he'd come straight in from checking his traps. There was still a bundle of rabbits hanging over his shoulder.

"Is my dad out there again?," he asked. Daryl nodded.
"Ya don't hafta talk to 'im if ya don't want," Daryl assured the young man. Though he secretly hoped Carl would just go out there. The longer Rick sat outside their gates the more likely it was that he was going to cause some kind of goddamn problem.

Ever since Rick refused to join the alliance between the communities, he'd been causing problems. Mostly, he just ran his mouth to the other leaders about how Daryl was taking advantage of them. Even though that wasn't the case at all. Everything Daryl got from the Kingdom and Oceanside, he paid for in trade. And he more than earned the ten percent tribute they gave him off the top of their harvests and supply runs. When the plumbing in the Kingdom was falling apart, Daryl sent his best men there to fix it. He helped Oceanside clear out all their ghost ships. He ran three different groups of raiders away from The Kingdom. And when the winter weather got bad, he put up Oceanside's entire population inside his walls until it was safe for them to return home. Cyndie and Ezekiel were both more than happy with the deal they struck with him for the protection of his much larger and more militant group. And if they decided they no longer wanted to do business with him, they knew they were more than welcome to walk away from the arrangement at any time. Daryl wasn't Negan. He would never take from people by force or threaten them. Rick just didn't like it because he wasn't in charge. And he was too proud to admit that Alexandria might benefit from the protection of a larger group.

"Carl!," Maggie said, cupping her hands around her mouth when she hollered up to him. "Yer gonna attract a whole mess of groaners!" Carl glanced back before he turned and continued screaming full force at his father from the top of the platform. Daryl didn't blame the boy for being angry. The situation between Carl and Rick had been coming to a head for years. And the top finally blew off when Rick objected to Carl's relationship with Rose. He said a few things to the boy that even Daryl was pissed off about. Like that her baby might not even be Carl's. Just because most of Rose's friends were other soldiers, and therefore men, didn't mean she was sleeping around with them behind Carl's back. Most of them thought of her like a little sister. And even if they were interested, they were too afraid of Daryl to even think about trying anything with her. Carl was the one that knocked her up. And everyone knew it. Including Carl.

Having heard enough of the argument between her husband and his father, Rose hopped down from the bottom rung of the ladder and headed in Daryl's direction. He tossed an arm around her shoulders, hugging her into his side.

"They'll work it out eventually," Daryl said, shaking his head at all the angry yelling. "Wanna help me out with the newcomers? I'd like ta get back home and have some breakfast with her ma and sisters before it's gone." Rose nodded, giving him one more squeeze before she headed towards the small group of people that were watching Carl holler over the wall at his dad with open mouths.

Rose took a moment to assess the group. There were more women than men. Which was unusual. And two of the women were speaking to each other in sign language. Which Rose assumed meant that at least one of them was deaf. That impressed her a little. To survive despite such an obvious disadvantage meant they must be stronger than they looked. The two more athletic looking women both had longbows on their backs. Which meant they would be welcome additions to the group. Anyone that was skilled with something other than a gun was always much appreciated. They could either pitch in by helping with the hunting. Or join the militia if they preferred to fight rather than hunt.

"Hi," Rose said, hoping to draw their attention away from her angry cursing husband. The asian woman with the long dark hair was the one that responded to her. She must be their leader, Rose thought. This wasn't her first welcome wagon. Rose was good at reading people.

"I'm Yumiko," the woman said. She gestured to the other archer first. "Magna." And the other three she introduced as Kelly, Connie, and Luke. Rose knew she had what her mother described as a resting bitch face. Because of this, she always made sure to smile a lot at new people so that they wouldn't assume she was pissed off at them for something.

"I'm Rose Grimes," she said, giving them another smile. "Welcome to The Sanctuary."