Newly Revised
"Thank ya for makin' stew last night," Ani told Daryl as they laid in bed early the next morning before the sun had even rose. "Didn' think Phia would come back by 'erself and drag Merle out ta bring a deer back, let alone bring in a couple rabbits."
"Told 'er I'd make stew if she brought 'em in."
"Went ova well with Maggie, too, and Jesus. I jus' wish the othas were back."
"I know, baby girl, I know," Daryl said as he held her close.
"Ya think they're okay?" Ani asked.
"Rosita's smart. She knows what she's doin'. And Beth ain't no pushover. She can take care of herself out there," Daryl assured her, though he doubted it almost as much as Ani did herself.
"I know," Ani sighed. "But what if..."
"Hey, stop," he told her, rolling onto his side to face her. "Ain't nothin' any of us coulda done to stop 'em. Ain't nothin' we can do to help 'em right now, either. Just gotta wait for them to get back."
Ani sighed again before leaning in and gently capturing his lips, "I jus' wish people would stop runnin' off. We're in an 'all hands on deck' situation. We don' need splinta cells splittin' off and tryin' ta do things on their own. Don' even know what they got planned, if they even had a plan and didn' run off on a suicide mission. I hate not knowin', D."
"I know."
"And the Saviors takin' Carson! The fuck we goin' ta do now? Maggie, the babies...he was an obstetrician! His whole field is takin' care a pregnant women! What happens if...what happens...if somethin'...somethin'...We need 'im 'ere!" she said petulantly, worrying over the babies and the fact that they were now without a doctor.
"We'll get him back," he assured her. "Nothin's gonna happen. You and Maggie will be fine. Our baby, hers, they'll born healthy. Don't you doubt that."
"I'm jus' worried. 'Tween Carson, Beth, and Rosita...ugh...my hip," Ani sighed as she tried to move.
"Gonna have to switch sides with me," Daryl said, moving his hand down to her hip and kneading it with his palm as she rolled to her back. "Can't keep sleepin' on your right side if the baby's gonna be sittin' on your hip."
"Stupid pregnancy. If ya eva knock me up again, I swear I'm goin' ta chop ya nuts off. 'Tween fuckin' pukin' every night and this stupid shite that's happenin' with my hips. I mean, seriously? Why call it 'mornin' sickness' when it ain' eva happened in the mornin' 'cept afta a nightmare? I'm hatin' this," she admitted.
"You regret it?" he asked, looking down at her stomach and wondering if she had changed her mind.
"Look at me, Daryl," Ani said seriously, forcing his eyes to meet her. "I might hate bein' pregnant, but I absolutely love and want this child. Pregnancy jus' ain' my happy place. Maggie's all fuckin' glowin' and doin' jus' fine and I'm sittin' 'ere sufferin'. Ain' fair," she pouted, tucking herself under his chin before sighing as his hand splayed across her belly. "Mmm, then again...has its perks."
"Oh? What's that?" he asked.
"Always nice when ya hands are on me."
"You're startin' to show," he commented, moving to hover over her, one hand propping his head up as his other stayed on her stomach, as she moved back onto her back and sighed.
"Well, I am growin' a mini Dixon in my belly," she chuckled as he moved his hand from side to side, rubbing the protrusion. "And ya been feedin' me constantly, so, I mean..."
"Started while we were there, didn't it?" he asked.
"Don' think 'bout it. Jus' know ya goin' ta be there for the rest a it," she told him, running her hand through his hair as he moved down the bed to kiss her lower stomach.
Daryl didn't answer her, just kissed the little hard bump once again before helping her sit up in bed as a knock on the door sounded and Maggie's voice rang out, "Ani? Daryl? Rick's here. He's says Tara's got somethin' she needs to talk to us about."
"Uhnngh," Ani groaned as she rolled forward and to the left, allowing her hip to pop and her to be free of the pain there. " Hold ya horses! We're comin'."
"Yeah, I bet you are."
"Maggie!" Ani shouted towards the door, heat flaring on her face as Daryl smirked at her.
All she was met with was a chuckle from the other side of the door as Daryl threw her shirt at her and grabbed his own, both throwing the garments on. They hadn't done anything but cuddle and kiss since they'd gotten out of the Sanctuary, but Ani loved feeling Daryl's skin on hers and they both took comfort in the feel of the other. As it was, she really needed the reassurance and the intimacy of just holding each other really was helping them heal whatever wounds that place had given them. Ani walked over to Daryl and hugged him from behind before he managed to get his shirt all the way on. He brought his own hands up to her arms for a moment and then stepped away to finish dressing, grabbing her hand and heading downstairs afterwards. Rick, Michonne, Carl, and several of the others from Alexandria were standing in Gregory's office, even though the man himself was missing. Tara was looking guilty as all hell in the middle of the room when they finally got down to the bottom.
"Tara, you said you had somethin' to tell us," Rick said, looking at the woman who was fidgeting.
"Look, I made a promise. And, I realize that I'm breaking that promise by telling you, but we need the guns," she poured out in one breath before continuing. "When Heath and I were out there, the reason I survived and he didn't? The reason I was able to make it back? The reason I made it out of the inlet and back home was because I found a group living out there."
"What do ya mean, 'found a group.' Ya think they'll fight with us?" Ani asked.
"I don't know," Tara admitted. "It's a group of all women, and children, living out in the woods by the ocean. It's pretty well defended and they've got these little bells they use as walker diversions. But...they-they've got guns. A lot of them. I saw it."
"What?" Daryl asked confounded.
"That group," Tara clarified. "The women I met. They have an armory. They have guns."
"Why didn't you tell us this before now?" Rick asked accusingly.
"I made a promise, Rick," she told him. "I didn't want to break it."
"I can get that," Ani defended her. "Promises are s'pposed ta be kept and guarded, but ya doin' the right thing, Tara. A promise is only as good as the people it protects. Jus' 'cause ya protectin' them by not tellin' doesn' mean ya protectin' ya own. And right now, our own is what mattas the most."
"Alright, so we go in," Rick said. "We'll go back to Alexandria and gather a few things. Take it by force if we have to."
"You won't," Tara said.
"We might," he argued.
"Or," Ani cut in, "we can do it Tara's way. Ya know the layout a the buildin's, right?"
"Yeah. It's really easy once you know what you're looking for. But we won't be able to use the bridge."
"We've got boats and canoes back at Alexandria," Rick told her. "We can use those to get across the water."
"We don't need to use lethal force. From what I saw, most of them aren't fighters, they're just women and children," Tara informed them. "All we need to do is lure them away from the armory."
"Goin' ta have ta be a coordinated effort," Ani suggested.
"We can pull it off," Rick said. "Get your gear, gather whatever supplies you need. We'll head back to Alexandria and head out in ten."
"Ya got a plan?"
"If all it is is about the guns, we cause a diversion. Lay some ground fire or somethin' out to make the people head the direction we want them to. You know the area, Tara. You help make the calls."
"Alright," the woman said.
Ani could tell Tara was a little apprehensive by the way her voice trembled and the look on her face, but she reassured the woman that she was doing the right thing. A few of the people from Hilltop deciding they wanted to join Rick's group on the outing and went to grab some stuff, Jesus included. Sophia and the Dixons all went back upstairs to their rooms to get their gear, as well. Daryl made two side-long glances at Ani, before telling her she should stay at Hilltop with Maggie. The crestfallen look on her face damn near broke his heart when she mentioned that she'd never seen the ocean and it might be her only real chance to safely. She pointed out that she'd have him, Merle, and Sophia looking out for her, plus the bobcats who had become increasingly protective of her since she'd returned. If they didn't climb trees and hunt like the bobcats they were, Ani joked they might as well be dogs with how they behaved, although, dogs didn't hiss and swipe at you if you got too close to their food during a meal. In the end, he conceded and made her promise to stay beside him at all times, a promise she sealed with a kiss. Daryl carefully helped her get the belt she used for her daggers in place, sliding the knew blades she had been given into their sheaths before sliding her vest into place. She returned the favor, taking his right hand in hers and turning it up, kissing the pulse point on his wrist right above where the bracelet he wore sat. Ani was still pissed that the Saviors took his ring, and when everything was over, she'd sworn that she was going to look through every single one of them to find it. Daryl told her it was just a ring even though he felt the loss of it on his finger significantly as they met up with Merle and Sophia in the hall before they all headed towards the stairs.
"You should stay," Rick told Ani as she came down to the foyer. "Maggie's stayin'."
"I should go," she countered with a smile. "Already had this talk with Daryl upstairs. Ain' havin' it with ya."
"Could be dangerous," he warned her.
"I doubt it'll be that dangarous. 'Sides, havin' me 'round might not be a bad idea. The women have been through the ringa and maybe havin' psychologist will be helpful. I don' got tafight. In fact, I really don' even plan on it. I mean, look at me. I ain' even carryin' a gun!" she chuckled.
Rick looked at her contemplatively before humming and saying, "Alright."
"Merle," Ani called out when they got outside.
"What's up, Ani?"
"Take my quad. I want ta ride with D."
"Don't gotta tell me twice. Come on, girly! No need to bother with that stuffy RV," Merle told Sophia, pulling the girl around back to where they'd parked the two vehicles.
"You sure?" Daryl asked her, having brought the bike out while she was talking to Rick.
"I only got so many more times 'fore I can' ride eitha safely," she admitted. "Might be the last for the bike. Ya don' mind, do ya?"
"Hell naw," he said as he mounted the bike after putting his bow on the mount. "Get on."
The sun had just risen over the horizon when they got back to Alexandria, loading up supplies and gathering a few more of the people there. Francine punched Merle for taking off like he had, only for the man to shrug and tell her he had to look after his girly before they got into a little spat. It didn't end until the woman punched him again and told him if he ever did anything like that again without warning her, she'd make him kiss his own ass. Everyone present had a bit of a chuckle before Rick gave a quick rundown of what was about to happen. Tara and he gave them all the bigger picture of what to do when they got to the Oceanside colony and where everyone was supposed to go and do. Daryl, Jesus, Merle, Ani, Aaron, and Eric were going to be laying explosives outside of the group's borders in an effort to herd the women and children to a specific location before securing the armory. Carl, Sophia, Gabriel, and a few others would then corral the people and keep them on their knees until Rick had a chance to talk to them. If all went well, they would not only have another group to fight the Saviors with, but they would have all the weapons they needed to go to war as well. Two more cars were added to the convoy along with the RV, Daryl's bike, and the ATV Merle and Sophia were on. Bobby ran alongside them while Catty rode on the quad like a queen. Daryl had to admit that it felt nice having Ani behind him on the bike again, though he knew it would only be a few more times she'd be able to now that she was starting to show.
When they got to the river that lead across to the inlet where Tara said they could set up the explosions with relative safety. The boat ride over with Jesus, Daryl, the explosives, Tara, and Sophia did not do Ani any favors as her face contorted and her stomach protested the rocking of the boat, making Daryl rub her back. He got out first before helping Ani out of the boat, reaching down to take the explosives from Jesus before the man took the boat back over to the other side to help get the others. When they were all heading to their assigned locations, Jesus and Daryl got to work wrapping and placing the explosives as Merle and Sophia stood watch on one end, Aaron and Eric on the other, taking to each other quietly. Ani could hear them as Aaron told Eric he was glad he came; the bittersweet portion of their conversation came from Eric telling the man that he made it tolerable to be terrified. She couldn't help but smile at the pair from where she was leaning against a tree before looking over to Daryl working on the ground. He was laying the detonating cord out so that the group only had to light one fuse and the explosions would continue on their own without the need for a timer. Merle had helped in the calculations for how much cord they needed and Rick and Michonne had gotten extremely lucky to stumble upon a carnival turned military base during their hunt for weapons. That cache had given them more dynamite and detonating cable than they needed, which was the only reason they were able to spare some for this endeavor. Jesus had finished up with his set of explosives and grabbed the box to head to the next destination still looking guilty as he passed by Ani who was watching Daryl work.
"I should've tried harder to stop Rosita and Beth. If they'd have just waited one more day," he told them.
"Beth's become a good shot, and Rosita knows how to take care of herself," Daryl said, paying close attention to making sure the cord wasn't tangled. "Probably back at Hilltop right now. Least I hope so. We're gonna need 'em. There's a whole lot of people still gotta die."
"If they ain' there, they're at Alexandria. Got ta be," Ani agreed, though for the first time since everything started, she wished cell phones were still in service and she could just call or text them to ask.
"You stay back when we move in, you hear me?" Daryl asked her, looking up at her while stilling his movements.
"I know, D, I know."
"You stay with me at all times. Don't take off on your own."
"Yes, dad. I know. Ya only told me a thousand times already."
"C'mon kids! We ain't got all day," Merle called out. "We got three more of these things we gotta set before Tara goes in and we get started."
"Yeah, yeah. Don' get ya panties in a bunch, Merle. We all know ya jus' itchin' ta get back ta Francine," Ani teased.
Even though she teased him, Daryl and Jesus both got back to work quickly, Ani taking over watch for Merle so he could help speed things along faster. Sophia had a sour look on her face, but stood resolute at each place they stopped. It didn't take a genius to guess that the little girl was thinking about how Enid had come as well and she and Carl were charged with keeping the people from Oceanside at the designated place. She'd been offered a chance to do that, too, both Merle and Ani telling her that they had more than enough people covering the armory, but she'd been adamant that she stand watch and help them instead. The girl really was just confused as to what she was feeling and Ani could definitely relate to that considering how often she, herself, had gotten smitten with someone only to be disappointed when finding out they were with someone else. She knew her own crushes weren't healthy because most of them had been older, usually already in a committed relationship, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt when she saw them. Sophia was much in the same situation she had been back then with the exception that Carl and Enid just had a bit of a crush on each other, and Carl still had a crush on Sophia, too. It might be different from what she had dealt with, but it didn't mean that one of the two girls was going to be hurt and one would end up with Carl. Sophia didn't want to be the one that got hurt in the process of Carl figuring his own feelings out and Ani would have thought it was all cute if it weren't for the teen's surly attitude as of late.
"Sooo...ya gonna talk 'bout it?" Ani asked her as they stood at the third spot, listening to the men behind them working.
"About what?" Sophia said rather tersely.
"'Bout why ya so pissed off."
"I'm not pissed off."
"And I'm not a woman," Ani quipped back. "Talk ta me, Phia. Is it 'cause Enid came, too? Do ya really think she's any kind a competition for ya? Poor thing can barely hold a gun propaly."
"She's pretty. And, well," Sophia made a point to look down before glancing at Ani's chest before Ani could put two and two together making her chuckle, the guys looking over for a moment before getting back to work.
"Hell, Phia, ya know ya barely fourteen, right? I was an early blooma, too, so don' go by what I got," she joked. "My friend, Jesse, she was always jealous 'cause she didn' start developin' 'til she was 'bout ya age."
"Enid's fourteen, too."
"She's fifteen, Phia. And ya got time for ya body ta fill out. Hell, ya ain' even propaly hit puberty yet. Neitha has Carl. Stop comparin' yaself ta otha people, especially when it comes ta ya body."
"I hate bein' a kid."
"All kids do. Ya at that age, too, where ya wanna start, for lack a a betta term, explorin' and findin' yaself and ya likes, dislikes, preferences, all that shite in a partna. Who knows? Ya might even find that ya don' like Carl like ya think ya like 'im. Maybe ya jus' think ya like 'im 'cause 'e's always 'round," Ani suggested, using a bit of reverse psychology to get the girl to open up.
"No, I...I know I like him," Sophia sighed. "I just...I get so angry when he's around Enid. It's stupid."
"It's not stupid. It's what happens when ya like someone, maybe even love 'em. Hell, I don' like when women hang 'round Daryl too much. That's why I bristle 'round ya momma, ta be honest. They're jus' friends, but I still get jealous. Jus' comes with the territory."
"Yeah, but Daryl's your husband."
"And Carl's been ya best friend, confidant, and shoulda ta cry on since the beginnin', right? A part a ya already claimed 'im, kid."
"What do I do?"
"Beats me," Ani said with a shrug of her shoulders while making a wild expression, causing Sophia to snort a chuckle. "Best guess? Eitha wait for ya moment ta pounce and tell 'im like it is or ya jus' grow a pair and go up and kiss 'im. Whicheva way it works, ya'll know one way or the otha if 'e likes ya."
"I'm not that brave."
"I think ya are."
"Were you that brave when it came to Daryl?" Sophia asked, knowing the truth behind what happened back at the quarry after pestering them about how they actually got together.
"That...That was completely different, you brat!" Ani chuckled, pushing her shoulder a bit. "Looks like they're done 'ere. Let's move ta the next spot."
It didn't take long for the three men to finish setting the wires, Merle and Sophia staying back to light them when Rick gave the signal. Daryl stood with Ani, Jesus, Aaron, and Eric in an area Tara said was close to the armory. They'd have to travel through some trees once the first explosion went off, under or around some camouflage netting, and between a couple buildings to reach the armory. Aside from that it would be relatively easy to take the weapon cache from the women with no problem at all. They received the signal from Rick, which was essentially just him coming by and informing them that Tara had gone inside. Ani began sipping from a flask of tea Carson had sanctioned was fine; chamomile and mint to help settle her stomach. The smell from the ocean combined with the scent of the woods was a little too much for her with how sensitive her nose had become; if she'd have known she was going to have problems, she'd have stayed back. She doubted the scent of smoke, fire, and explosives was going to help any, but hoped the tea would keep her from losing her breakfast in front of the women here. Soon enough, the first explosion went off, Ani waiting until both Jesus and Daryl were on the move before moving herself. Aaron and Eric took up the rear position as Merle and Sophia ran to catch up to the troupe after setting off the first detonation. The twins had managed to get out ahead of Daryl, charging at two women who were on the move towards the armory just as gunfire rang out and stopped them in their tracks. With a signal to the bobcats, Ani commanded them to guard the door to the armory, the twins standing on guard with their hackles up and haunched over to make themselves look bigger than they actually were as they yowled away at the women.
"On the ground, now!" Daryl growled out as their group came out of the woods behind the pair. "Those hands—put 'em on your head!"
"Please," Jesus told one woman with short hair who looked them all over.
The lady dropped to her knees and held her hands out for Jesus to tie them as Daryl gave Michonne the all clear with his handkerchief. Ani couldn't help but walk up to him and tease him quietly about how there hadn't been any danger at all with her coming. He just told her to shut up as she watched on and chuckled before they had to move again to get the two women to their meeting spot. The last explosion would be happening soon and they needed to get these two out with the rest of their group so that they only had to explain what they were planning once. Daryl grabbed the long haired woman while Jesus pulled the shorter haired one along following an obvious footpath. These women had to have lived in the woods by the beach for long enough to know the ins and outs of the woods. Ani had to give it to the women for surviving this long on their own, though their colony would eventually die out or become extremely vulnerable without any men. They didn't have any room to grow unless they they found other women that wanted to join their ranks. She could see that there weren't even that many fighters in the colony by how the women acted and especially with how many children there were as they met up with the group.
Ani could hear Gabriel explaining, "We want this to go as simply and as peacefully as possible. All of you can make it that way."
"Get down over there," Daryl told them, gently pushing the woman towards her group. "Keep quiet."
"Now, we made a lot of noise," Rick said as he came up behind them. "We want to wrap this up quick so you can send people to redirect anythin' comin' this way. Tara says your forests are relatively clear, so we won't take any chances," he informed the women and children who were looking at them all in fright; it made Ani's heart hurt to see them like that, though in that instance she knew it was hormones more than actual feelings. "No one needs to get hurt. This is just about what you have, what we need."
"Nobody's taking anything!" an older woman's voice sounded out, Ani grabbing Daryl's coat when she saw her holding Tara with a gun to her head. "You need to let everyone go and leave right now," she told them. "Just walk away or this one dies."
"Why?" Ani asked. "'Cause ya too afraid a ya own shadow ta hear us out? Kill anythin' that comes across ya, yeah? What happens when that person ya kill was comin' in good faith? Or ta offa terms a trade or somethin'? Ya goin' ta shut the world out and become a bunch a Amazons 'til ya can' fight nah more and there's nah one left 'cause there's nah men and nah way ta repopulate? Stay here in the woods 'til ya grow old and die?"
"We'll leave you alone," Rick told the old woman. "But we're takin' your weapons with us. That's not gonna change."
"Rick!" Ani chastised, not wanting to lose yet another friend in front of her. "Look, ya Natania, right? Ya lost a lot ta the Saviors, yeah? That's what's got ya so afraid, gave ya PTSD a sorts. Ya don' got ta live in fear, though."
"If you put the gun down, we can talk about what we can change," Rick offered, silently agreeing to take a back seat to Ani's sentimental argument.
"No. Leave. Right now," she shot down.
"Michonne, don't!" Tara called out.
"Please, Natania, talk ta us," Ani begged.
"We just wanna be left alone!"
"I get it, but ya know damn well that ain' goin' ta happen," Ani argued. "Let go a Tara. Now. She's the one who didn' want ya people ta get hurt. And we ain' the type ta go 'round threatenin' othas unless we absolutely got ta. Tara didn' want this. I don' want this. Ya don' want this, not really. Ya been through a lot, lost a lot, and we're askin' a lot a ya by askin' ya ta take up arms with us ta fight the people who made ya life a livin' nightmare and took all ya men. But see, I got ta fight the Saviors. I got ta fight 'em 'til my dyin' breath if need be, so my man, my baby boy, so they aren' at risk a goin' the same way ya men and boys went. Hell, we got child soldiers, Natania. Child soldiers we neva wanted ta make and neva asked for, yet both our groups got 'em. Whetha ya help us or not, we need the guns ta fight, and when we win, we'll have helped ya and ya'll have done nothin'. Is that really how ya want ta be rememba'd, Natania? All a ya? Do ya want ta be rememba'd as cowards who sat in the woods while othas fought for 'em? Or do ya want ta fight for yaselves?"
"They want us to fight the Saviors," the younger woman told the women, clarifying what Ani was saying.
"We tried that," Natania told Ani while jerking Tara about. "We lost. Too much. We're not gonna lose anymore—not our guns, not our safety. We've done too much to get here."
"We're gonna win," Tara called out, seemingly unphased by the fact that a gun was being held against her temple. "With your guns, with or without your help."
"Natania, put the gun down," Rick told the old lady.
"You kill me, and you die," Tara warned. "And my people take the guns and nothing changes."
"Maybe we should try," the short haired woman said, looking from Ani to Rick and back to the women around her.
"Grandma, stop," the younger woman whispered to the old lady. "It's over. Just talk to them, okay?"
"It's not over!" Natania insisted. "They've forgotten. You've all actually forgotten! Some of you actually want to fight them? After everything? We can lose our guns, but us leaving this place to fight?! And after everything? I have to remind you! Yes, I am gonna do this," she said, her voice sounding heartbroken as Ani pulled out one of her knives, "and then I'm gonna die. But it's that important. This is your life, all of you! Remember what it looks like! You need to take this seriously and open your eyes!"
"Rick! Walkers!" Michonne called out, the distraction being enough for the young lady to cold clock her grandmother against the temple, dropping the woman to the ground.
"Impressive," Ani told her with a thumbs up, making sure it was fine with Daryl with a glance before moving to hug Tara, who blew out a huff of relief as her arms closed around her.
"That didn't go so well."
"Nah, not at all," Ani chuckled before they parted.
"Get up," Rick called to the women on the ground as the group of survivors formed a line against the dead in front of the forest dwellers. "Get the children behind us! They're coming!"
"First shift, join them on the line!" the short haired woman called out, Rick going to her and cutting her bonds. "Knives out! Dead only. Dead. Only!"
"Don't go anywhere," Rick told her before handing her his own knife and getting into position himself. "Everyone, shots within 10 feet of the line. That's it."
Ani had her knives out and was completely ready to fight the dead until she saw the walkers coming through the forest and made her start feeling nauseous. She wasn't sure which bothered her more or had her immediately gagging, the look of them or the smell. If the scent of woods and ocean mixed together made her sick, adding decay, rot, and seaweed did nothing to help. And many of the walkers were decayed in a way that it was obvious they had spent some time in the water before making their way to land. Some had skin that had clearly been bogged down by the water, seaweed, ocean moss, and barnacles hanging on and around their appendages and some were leaking water out of their mouths when they groaned. And they all smelled in such a way that as the first one broke through the line and shots rang out she had no choice but to give up her spot to Sophia and turn around to puke.
"Get 'er back!" she heard Daryl shout. "Get behind the rest!"
She wasn't sure who grabbed her, only that there were a few women surrounding her now, one of which was rubbing her back as she dry heaved. She really didn't want to be touched, but she was gagging so hard she was partially dizzy and it seemed to take forever before the gunfire ended and the sounds of the dead stopped. Ani couldn't help the look on her face as it remained contorted in disgust at the smell surrounding the area now, but there seemed to be a truce between their group and the women of Oceanside. The short haired woman handed Rick back his knife before the two shook hands, a look of mutual respect on their faces. She could see their community becoming not only a part of the fight, but a part of their trading network and perhaps even another place for people to take refuge. Everyone would be able to benefit from that and with this many women, there had to be at least one that had some experience as a midwife. Ani almost forgot that that woman wasn't the one in charge until Natania sat up and saw what was happening, becoming irate as she walked away.
"No. We're not fighting them with you! So take your damn guns and go!" she told them.
"You okay, baby girl?" Daryl asked as he walked up to her, rubbing her back and looking at her pale face.
"I can admit, that was some grotesque shite I wasn' prepared for. And the smells are fuckin'...jus'...fuck!" she said while kicking dirt over her sick. "That was some bullshite. Absolute fuckin' bullshite!"
"Everythin' alright over here?" Rick asked as he walked over to them, the women beginning to disperse and head back towards their homes.
"Yeah, she just got sick," Merle informed him.
"Yeah, pregnancy will do that," was all Rick said before motioning with his head. "Come on, let's go. We gotta get this done and get home. We've only got the night."
"Whelp, no rest for the wicked," Ani quipped, taking a sip of her tea before following Rick's course.
While she wasn't allowed to help carry the weapons via Daryl and Merle's orders, Ani did create a registry of everything they took. Thousands of rounds of ammo, nearly forty rifles, fifty three pistols, another box of demolition sticks. Basket after basket of weapons and munitions left the armory the Oceanside kept and Ani had to admit that she was quite impressed with the cache. The bells going off in the background were irritating, though, and kept throwing off her concentration with how they they were both off key and off timing with each other. And then the stupid fog horn that would go off randomly; she understood it was a diversionary tactic against the walkers, but damn if it didn't fuck with her in a way that had her snapping at others before she was finally finished with the registry. When she was done making it, she went out to see how everything was going with the people, only to learn that the women weren't doing anything more than watching them take their guns. She could tell Jesus felt bad about it as the man studied the faces of every woman as he walked by with baskets in hand, but there was simply nothing to be done; they needed these weapons more than these women did. Unlike the women of Oceanside, Alexandria and Hilltop were actively fighting against the Saviors, and Ani had to believe they were going to win. She could hear Gabriel asking Rick if they really needed all the weapons from Oceanside as she tucked herself into Daryl's arms, the man watching the proceedings from near the clutch of women. He didn't seem to mind her reappearance in the slightest as he kept one hand on the strap to his bow while his other arm came down and around her middle.
"We're gonna bring them back when it's all over," she heard Tara tell the women.
"I-I want to go with you," the young woman, Cyndie, told her. "Some of us do, but not all of us, and it has to be all of us. My grandmother thinks you'll all be dead."
"Yeah, well, your grandmother's wrong about a lot of things," Tara informed her. "Where is she?"
"She didn't want to see this," Cyndie said. "She's lying down. I hit her pretty hard."
"Thanks for saving my life before," Tara told the woman, Ani looking up at Daryl with a little smile and a roll of the eyes at the woman's poor attempt to flirt. "And the other time. Oh, and then the other time. Maybe today. Eh, thanks."
"Hey," Cyndie called as Tara passed Ani and Daryl, the three of them turning to look at the woman. "Thanks. For what you're doing."
"Ya could still be a part a it," Ani said. "Ain' jus' ya guns we could use."
"It has to be all of us. We can't leave this place undefended," Cyndie sighed. "We want to fight, but we can't risk what we have here."
"Well, ya know where ta go if ya change ya mind."
They walked away after that, a little girl named Rachel following along behind Tara and asking questions. Unlike any attitude Ani had seen Tara take before, the woman answered quite flippantly before flipping the bird at the young girl. That caused Ani to laugh out loud as Rick talked to Tara about how she was feeling, Daryl pulling her under his arm as they walked along. She had to stifle a yawn when they got back to the vehicles, though Daryl saw it anyway and suggested she ride back in the RV. The look she gave him had even Merle giving her a wide berth as Daryl withered under her gaze. She wasn't in the mood to deal with his bullcrap just because she was tired and the fresh air in her face would keep her awake anyway. Ani knew he was just trying to look out for her considering she really did fall asleep a lot when in vehicles, but that was in vehicles. How in the world could anyone fall asleep on the back of a motorcycle with all that wind flying through their hair?
"Only way I'm ridin' in the RV is if ya ridin' in it with me, and ain' nah one touchin' ya bike, so nah, I'm ridin' with ya this last time," she told him, "and if ya don' like it, ya can bite me perky ass!"
"I'll bite somethin'," he quipped back with a smirk, which caused her to smirk right back as he got on his bike, gently tapping her fingers up his thigh.
"Careful, might start somethin' I won' let ya stop if ya talk like that," she warned before leaning in and giving him a kiss before Rick honked his horn and called for everyone to get moving.
Ani climbed on the back of the bike with Daryl watching her, both holding a small smile on their faces as they fell back into their flirtatious banter. She really missed it as she leaned her head against his back and hugged him tight around the middle. It took a lot longer than Ani would have liked and she was extremely tired by the time everything was said and done. The trip from the Hilltop to Alexandria and then to Oceanside had already taken the entire morning. Laying the bombs and trap for the women and toting and loading all the weaponry from there into their vehicles had taken well into the afternoon. One of the cars was heading back to Hilltop with a load of pistols and ammo, which meant it took even longer thanks to having to separate and divide, plus Ani's insistence on making separate registries as they did so. They didn't end up making it back to Alexandria until night had fallen, the motorcycle, ATV, RV, and a single car coming back with them. The gate to Alexandria opened as soon as they pulled up, making Ani look over Daryl's shoulder and gasp. There was literally only one person in the world that had bleach blonde locks, and Ani couldn't get off the motorcycle fast enough after before she flew to Beth and brought her in for a bone crushing hug.
"Ya eva run off like that again, I'm takin' ya damn feet! Where's Rosita?" she asked as the others came up to her too.
"Are you okay?" Enid asked, her and Jesus having stayed in the RV while the others went home; they were planning on heading back after Jesus was done talking to Rick about the next step.
"There's someone here," was all Beth said in response to either question, her voice as quiet and hard as the look on her face.
She led them to the house Morgan had built the cell in, opening the door to the basement before leading Rick, Michonne, Tara, Jesus, Daryl, and Ani down and opening the cell door. Ani was honestly curious as to who it was as she stopped behind Tara, everyone else looking into the cell to see who it was. When she saw the man sitting there, though, Ani froze, one hand coming up to guard her stomach while the other reached for her knife while she felt Daryl freeze behind her as the man stood up. Her breathing came out shallow as Daryl pushed Jesus hard in order to get through the group, barely making sure not to push Ani in the process. He barreled towards the open door only for everyone but Ani to try to stop him, and she didn't even try. She couldn't even if she wanted to because all she could remember was the man dragging her husband away, killing her best friend, almost killing her by trying to kill Daryl. The fear that she'd felt at the Hilltop when she thought the Saviors were trying to break into the attic came back tenfold. She and Daryl were of one mind when it came to Dwight, and his response to seeing the man who had tortured him for days on end, who threatened his wife, and made claims that still haunted Daryl's dreams, his response was well within reason. It took both Rick and Michonne to calm Daryl down, Jesus and Tara uncertain as to why his and Ani's reactions were so strong. Even then, it wasn't until Beth spoke that Daryl stopped trying to find a way to break through their ranks.
"He says he wants to help us," she informed them as Ani came up and grabbed his arm, Daryl reaching back as if to protect her when he felt her shaking.
"Is that true?" Rick asked Dwight, keeping a hand on Daryl's chest just in case he decided to attack again. "You want to help?"
"I do," Dwight said, making Ani scoff.
Rick had other plans, though, walking over in front of the man and pulling out his Python, loading and aiming it at his head, "Okay. Get on your knees."
~x~
Rosita was lying on the cold, hard concrete of the cell they'd put her in when she heard the locking mechanisms being disengaged and saw the light pour in from behind her closed eyes. Carefully sitting up and opening her eyes in a manner that said she was bored and sick of whatever games were being played, she maneuvered herself to sit with her knees in front of her on the floor. Her hands were tied behind her back and she'd long given up trying to either undo or loosen the knots, only her feet being free. The Saviors had managed to get the gun out of her hands faster than she had expected and in the end she had only managed to kill three. Even fighting with all her might, it had barely taken three minutes for them to capture and subdue her. The jackass that opened the door was one of the assholes that had managed to take her down and all she wanted to do was punch him in his beak-like nose. He had been a little too handsy and had managed to cop a pretty damn good feel when he'd tackled her. Rosita had a pretty good idea what the man was wanting as he walked into the small room, leaving the door open to let the light in.
"Hey, there. You okay?" he asked.
"Could I get any water, or is that too much to ask?" she replied cockily.
"I should introduce myself," he said, coming into the room and squatting in front of her, proving her thoughts to be true about his nature. "I'm David. I wonder if you remember me from last night. Do you?"
"Why should I?"
"Well, I can forgive you for that. Last night was kind of a total shit storm. I was the guy that gave the rope to the guys that tied you up," he informed her, looking down at her chest before playing with the hem of her shirt. "I always keep some close. There's just all kinds of fun and interesting things you can do with rope," he told her while trailing his hand up her arm and over her shoulder, squeezing it and rubbing his thumb along the top part of her breast. "God, you are pretty. If I give you some water," he said after looking back at the door, "which is something I am not supposed to do, will you do something for me? Something you're not supposed to do?" he whispered as he played with her shirt by her shoulder. "Will you?" he repeated before ripping the fabric and exposing part of her chest and bra while he leaned in close and whispered right in her ear, "Tell me how thirsty you are?"
"Go to hell, cabron," she said before headbutting him as hard as she could in the face, hopefully breaking his nose.
The man fell back before putting a hand over his face and chuckling, "Oh shit. Fighting's just gonna make it last long. Which, for the record, is fine by me," he said as he undid his belt.
Rosita was trying to figure out a way out of this situation when her hands were, quite literally, tied when a bang on the door brought a brief reprieve from the terror of almost getting raped. If her hands hadn't been tied, she would have broken his neck just like Abraham would, like Ani would. She thought that she was strong, thought that she would be able to do something about the Saviors by herself, and now she was in a situation that would take away the last bit of pride she had. Her legs were free, which would allow her to at least render his junk useless; it would cost her, but at least not that. The man was looking at her with a predatory gaze as she prepared herself to do whatever she could to fight him off. Rosita knew that she needed to make sure he didn't have a chance to pin her down or to the wall or else she was doomed. She was in the moment, focused on every movement of the man's muscles in an attempt to find the right moment to move when banging on the door rang out, both occupants jumping at the sound.
"Hey!" Negan called out as he came into the doorway. "What the hell are you doin' in here?" he asked.
"Negan, sir-" David began only to get cut off by a chuckling Negan.
"Do you really think I need you to answer that? I can see that you're tryin' to rape this woman. You were trying to rape this woman, weren't you?" David remained silent as Negan stared him down, stepping up closer to the man as he said in a quiet yet scathing voice, "This is some unacceptable behavior. Rape is against the rules here. I wouldn't want to be somewhere where it wasn't. Someone in charge who let somethin' like that fly...whew," he chuckled as he pulled a large hunting knife out and showed it to David. "David," he said. "You really crossed a line here."
"I'm sorry, sir," David said in a meek voice, so different from how he'd just been behaving.
Negan seemed to consider him for a moment before smoothly inserting the knife right into David's throat, "You know what? I do not accept your apology," he said before pulling the knife out while looking over at Rosita and whistling at another man. "Get, uh..." he motioned to her with the dirtied knife as an indication for her to introduce herself.
"Rosita," she said slowly.
"That is a beautiful name," he told her. "Get Rosita here a new t-shirt." He crouched down next to her and used the knife to cut her bonds. "Sorry you had to see that. Sorry 'bout the rope, too. Probably overkill, but you did cause one hell of a frackus last night. Oh, shit," he chuckled as he stood up. "I remember you. You're the one who put a bullet in Lucille. It's still in there, you know. Right there," he said as he shoved the bat in her face. "Oh, I gotta hand it to you. You've got some beach-ball sized lady nuts on you comin' in here all kamikaze like that. And after already failing once. That's some backbone you got. Now, I gotta ask, and I need the truth on this one—Did Rick put you up to this?"
"Your little punta? Why would I do anything for that pendejo?"
Negan chuckled, "Damn. Rick has himself surrounded by feisty women. Tell me, Ani showed back up yet?"
"Wouldn't know. I was too busy trying to kill you," Rosita snarled back.
"Yes you were," Negan laughed. "Either way, you must've thought it was gonna be the end, comin' in on your lonesome like that. That's not the way it's gotta go. Uhn-uhn. Just the opposite. See, this? This could be the beginning." He held the knife up in front of him as if making a show only to put it down next to her the next moment, "This knife is yours now. You could try to use it, take me out, but considering I am standing above you, holding a baseball bat, that doesn't seem real smart. Now, you can use it to slit your wrists, which would be a damn shame, but I'd get it. You're obviously not on the shiny side of the street, given the recent events. Now, you could sit there and do nothing and wait for ol' David to come back to life and eat your face, also a damn shame and kinda nuts, but hell, to each there own. Or, you can use that blade and stop ol' Rapey Davey from becoming dead-alive Rapey Davey, save yourself, join the cause. I know what I'd do."
"And what's that?"
"I'm a man short," Negan said as he smiled down at her. "Hell, I can't really call this piece of shit a man, but still, I'm short, and you've got those beach-ball sized lady nuts and I want to harvest the heat comin' off of 'em. You can help me run this place one day, all of us together, followin' the rules, workin' on the same side of things. That's all this was ever about. And it still can be for you. I know it's hard to picture it considering what I did. But Rosita, we've all got shit to get over." He crouched in front of her and smiled warmly before telling her, "Take some time, think about it. Whatever you decide, so it shall be. No pressure. And, again, I am sorry that you had to see that even though I know you have seen some things. I just want you to understand...we are not monsters."
Rosita was left alone in the darkness with the corpse that was David for quite some time before the lock was disengaged again and Eugene came in with an arm full of items. One look at the man and Rosita was somewhere between tears of gratitude that he had not yet been harmed and a look of disgust that he would turn on their friends so easily. He didn't look any worse for wear, at least, wearing a new peacoat over better pants than she had seen him wear in a long time. He honestly looked like he belonged at the Sanctuary now and like he had stepped up into his bullshit position alongside Negan. She wanted to be happy that he was safe, but she couldn't believe how low he would stoop just to stay alive. Eugene was doing what he could to survive and she knew it and yet it did not make her feel any better about the situation. It was made even worse by the fact that he didn't look like he had even been touched by the bastards considering the lack of bruises. She had bruises around her wrists from the ropes and a couple on her arms from how hard she'd fought. He had nothing, let alone showed any sign of remorse as he placed a couple blankets, a pillow, a small lamp, and a glass of water on the floor in front of her. If anything, the man looked more hopeful than he should have and seemed to be rather happy that she was there.
"What did they do to you?" she ground out after a tense moment of staring at each other.
"They're keepin' me safe," Eugene assured her. "I brought you some creature comforts," he said. "Full disclosure, the pillow is not hypoallergenic. There was some debate as to whether or not I should come in here. They said that in the event of a hostage situation with the pig sticker I would fully be on my own. I just wanted to share that. Negan relayed to me his offer to you. It is my opinion that you should accept said offer just as I did. I know it's a hold-your-nose situation, but takin' up with the management here was indeed the correct select. I still haven't sussed out why Ani and Daryl refused aside from sheer stubbornness and stupidity on their part.
"You know, I believed I could be brave," he told her. "That I could be a survivor like you and Abraham are and ridin' that RV into the sunset. That was the greatest thrity-seven minutes of my existence. But I know now that I was full-tilt delusional. I have never been as scared as I was that night in the woods, kit to the grit, fully believin' my number's about to be called, and then to see it done to someone so brave, to a survivor. The pants pissin' terror of watchin' that event and comin' here, I just, I couldn't. Being here means I'll never have to again. You won't have to either if you just say 'yes.' Please say 'yes,'" he begged, the emotion in his voice showing just how sincere he was being even if Rosita could only stare at him in shock. "We're still here. Things have changed. We can change 'em and we have to."
"Go," she whispered silently, both their eyes turning to the corpse on the floor as it began to rasp.
"He's startin' to, uh," Eugene said before Rosita cut him off.
"Eugene. Just go."
He banged on the door, someone on the other side opening it and letting him out, what little light allowing her to see the moment David's corpse opened it's eyes. She didn't have much time to make her choice as his fingers began to twitch and he began to sit up while she grasped the knife harder. Rosita was half tempted to just let it take her, let her turn to take on Negan and at least not have to see what happened next. She realized what she could change, what she could control, as the walker started coming towards her, making her slam the knife into its skull. One way or another, she was going to be used to hurt the people in Alexandria, maybe even the people from Hilltop, which meant Abraham and the two pregnant ladies. No matter their differences or the emotions she felt towards Ani and Sasha, she couldn't allow the man she loved and the women carrying the future to come to harm because of her choices. She knew Eugene would know of a way to help her and knew that she could get him to if she just asked and possibly played on his feelings for her. Rosita wasn't about to let her friends get hurt by Negan using her and her mind was completely made up by the time the door was opened again.
"You win," she told him in a stony voice.
"No," Negan said with that ever charming smile. "You win. Get some people in here," he told the man who was standing in the hall. "Clean this up." Walking in, he put his bat against the chest of the dead guy before pulling the knife Rosita had conveniently left in the head of the corpse out. He couldn't help but give a little chuckle at how her eyes kept flicking from it to the ground before teasing her, "What? You didn't actually think I was gonna let you keep this, did you? You've still got a ways to go before I'll believe you're fully on board here. Especially since you've tried to kill me twice now. Baby steps. It is absolutely not personal. If the situation were reversed, I'm sure you wouldn't believe me either. Still...the way you saved yourself, the way you surrendered to me just now? That is a damn good start. But we gotta work on some things, Rosita. But I promise you, I will try to make it fun. Cards on the table? A little birdie told me that Rick and the rest of your people are up to no good. And, well, that needs to change, and you're gonna help me change it," he informed her, watching as her eyes went wild and she began looking around. "You're gonna find us a win-win."
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" she asked. "What are you gonna-"
"Hey, I'm gonna get you some stuff to make you more comfortable, let you have a taste of what it is we have to offer," he cut her off. "Spend the night enjoyin' it, 'cause tomorrow...is gonna be a big day!" he said with a smile and a stomp of his foot before chuckling and leaving the room as two men walked in to take out the body.
She huddled on the floor near the door after they finished and locked her in the room again with nothing more than a couple blankets and a small lamp to keep her warm. If she was right, Eugene would eventually make his way to her, and then she would get him to help her. Rosita knew there was no way she could get out of whatever it was that Negan had planned for her when it was going to cost the others and not herself. She'd known what it had meant to come into the building by herself when she'd locked Beth out and told her to go live her life. But in order to make it to where she actually did die before she could be used to hurt the others, she needed Eugene's help. All she could think about was how she was going to get him to help and what he would actually be willing to do for her. He wouldn't deny her request if she made it seem like she was really distraught even though she was calmer than she'd been in a long time. She was completely content with her decision and knew she would have to put on an act if she was going to convince Eugene as footsteps came closer to her door. She breathed in deeply as they stopped, thinking about what she was about to do and hoping it would work out. Everyone back home was willing to die in the fight for freedom and Rosita felt that her being willing to die for them was only fair.
"Rosita? It's Eugene. Word in the halls is that you're all-in with things here. It may not seem like it now, but I assure you, you too made the correct select."
"I can't, Eugene. I was wrong," she said, allowing herself to actually feel the helplessness she felt at her situation as she spoke. "I won't. I've been trying to figure out how to make it work, how to make the same choice you did. But he's going to hurt my friends, our friends. He's going to hurt Abraham. I don't know how I could've ever thought I could make it work when one wrong move and Abraham is dead. Our friends are out there, fighting, being hurt, maybe even killed. Now I'm trapped like a damn rat with only one way out. One way where I won't be used to hurt Abraham, to hurt the others. You have to help me, Eugene."
"I will," his voice came back through, sounding concerned and frightened at the same time. "I'll help you get used to the idea and illustrate the equation and demonstrate why-"
"No, Eugene! It was a stupid mistake to agree with him! I was ready last night. I knew that if I didn't kill him, I was dead. And I didn't kill him, Eugene," Rosita argued. "It's over. It has to be over. You have to help me. Get me a knife, a gun, hell, even a razor blade. Anything."
"For Negan?"
"No!" she cried, adding 'you idiot' under her breath. "One way or another, I'm just fodder for the fire. Negan will use me somehow to hurt them. To hurt our friends, to hurt Abraham and Sasha, Maggie. Ani. Everyone you were trying to protect when you drove off with the RV. He's going to hurt them by using me and I can't let that happen. You have to help me, Eugene. There's only one way out of this where he can't do that. I am nothing but a pawn in his game if he has me."
"I don't...I can't..."
"I know you're too much of a coward to try and stop them. Always looking out for numero uno. It kept your ass alive from Dallas all the way here, and I'm not angry at you for it. I get it. You have to do what you have to to stay alive. I get it. But I have to do what I have to so our friends, the people who risked their lives to keep you safe, don't suffer. Please, Eugene, please, don't let them use me. You have to get me something to stop this! I don't care what it is! I have to die! Please, Eugene, help me!" Rosita begged, smiling at his reply.
"I...I will consider it."
"Thank you," she said, happy that at least one plan had gone right thus far.
Negan himself brought Rosita a plate of food for dinner and she had to admit, it did look and smell pretty good. The chicken breast had been grilled and cut, plated as if it had been made at a five star restaurant rather than in some dingy kitchenette. The asparagus looked to be cooked to perfection and the potatoes had some kind of sauce on them that smelled absolutely amazing and had her stomach rolling. Rosita couldn't be bothered enough to even touch the plate until she knew what Eugene would do, though, and only then would she eat. If he refused to help her, the only other thing she knew would do the trick was biting through her tongue. It would be a horrible way to die, bleeding out like that, but it would work, and that's all she had time to think about right now. She had no idea how long it had been since she'd talked to Eugene and she was growing more anxious the longer she waited. All she could do was pace the small space she had until a shadow fell on the floor in front of the door and someone knocked.
"Rosita?" Eugene called out.
"Eugene. I'm here, I'm here."
"I've given our last exchange a good hard pro/con think," he informed her through the door. "I've decided to grant your request. This will do it," he said as something slid under the door. Rosita quickly snatched the little baggie up and held it up to the lamp as Eugene explained, "It's poison, homemade by yours truly. It will bring about certain death approximately twenty to thirty minutes upon the moment of ingestion. I would like to believe that it's painless. I am not...I am not certain. I made it at the behest of others for similar reasons, only it came to pass that they were feedin' me the bum steer so I cut bait. The difference here is that you and I are long time travelin' companions and you have proven yourself to be honest, brave, and fully self-aware. I'm certain I owe you for many things. You asked for a way out and I had access to one. For the record, I absolutely do not want you to go. But it sounds to me like you happen to be already gone," he said as he left, leaving Rosita alone to sigh and give a small smile as she stared at the baggie in her hand.