Chapter 73-Leaving Hilltop

Two and a half years ago

It was an average day on watch when suddenly a pair of horses were seen.

Seeing the three forms on them, Amanda lowered her binoculars "Huh? He was just here a few days ago."

Dwight, next to her, nodded. "I know and- who's that?"

Coming down, the two opened the gate as Carl and Enid came inside...a small waif of a girl with them.

Outside his cabin, Daryl stepped out. "Carl? Enid?" He stared at the girl, Enid gripping her arm, staring around almost angrily "Who the heck-"

"We need to talk," Carl said, almost hesitantly.

"Bout what?" Coming out of the kitchen, Shane saw his nephew in all, but blood there, then smiled. "Aw, whose this little lady?"

"...I think I'm a parent now."

Daryl Paused.

Shane paused.

John paused.

"...Start from the beginning," Daryl said, clearly not a suggestion.

*Main Cabin*

"That psychotic bitch was torturing and kidnapping kids?" Shane said in disbelief, "I know Daryl said that Clementine killed her, but you took one of them in?"

The small group gathered in the cabin looked at the nearby girl, who was sitting on the floor against the wall, arms around her legs, Morgan and Rosita nearby trying to coax her. But she just looked at them stonily, her teeth almost in a growl.

Enid looked pained. "I had to. She was alone now, and Rick wasn't going to just throw children out."

"What's her name?" Madison looked over softly.

"We...don't know," Carl said hesitantly, "It's been four days, and she hasn't said a word."

Morgan looked at him then at the girl, kneeling down to say gently, "Ma'am...we're not here to hurt you. We're friends of Carl and Enid. You can trust us."

The girl, almost tiny in height, just stared at him...then at Carl and Enid across the cabin...then back at him defiantly.

Alicia came in with a plate of food. The girl looked at it instantly and ran to it, hungrily eating it at one of the tables.

Shane grinned. "Has better manners than you did, Carl."

"Shut up," Carl grumbled.

Then barging inside, Negan was flipping through a few books, saying, "You guys, when you're dealing with a wild kid...just give them a small treat of what they like...hey lady," He came up to her, but as he reached up, she bit his hand.

"AH!?" He stumbled back and looked at his hand. "Did you just fucking bite me? Fuck!"

Daryl snorted as the rest stood, a bit guarded around the show of violence. "Trouble, Negan?"

Carl grinned. "I don't think she likes you."

"Why not? I'm damn charming. Now where is...ah, here ya go," Negan, shaking his other hand, took out a small comic and showed it to her.

"Why...do you have a Peanuts comic?" Enid said flatly.

Negan snorted, "Newsflash, sweetheart, everyone loves Peanuts."

"Don't call me sweetheart."

Raising his hand in surrender, he gave the other one to the girl who finished eating...she stared at it, then back at the towering man warily.

"...Hello. I'm Negan. I'm a very good friend of Carl's...what's your name?" He said softly.

"...Arya."

This drew a start from the onlookers as Negan beamed, "That is a very lovely name," He looked up, seeing the looks, and snorted, "What? I was a gym teacher, remember? Dealing with feral rowdy kids was my damn job!"

He looked back at the girl "Man, your just a fierce little Cub, ain't ya?"

Present

Carl's P.O.V

Carl grabbed his hat off the nightstand. He knew Enid was behind him. "You want to have this conversation again?" Carl asks her tiredly.

"No," Enid sighed in resignation "I know I can't change your mind. You're too stubborn. It's the thing I hate most about you."

"I'll be back," Carl promised.

"Don't say that. You can't say that for sure, and you know it," Enid shook her head at him.

"Then I'll do everything in my power to come back to you and Arya, how's that?" Carl says as he lays his hand on her shoulders.

"If you leave me as a single parent, I am going to kick the shit out of your corpse," Enid warned.

"Have fun digging it up," Carl says. Enid hits his shoulder and kisses him.

"Go see our daughter," Enid says after she pulls back. Carl nods as he leaves the room and walks into Arya's room...he saw her lying on the bed, hugging the pillow and facing away.

"You still not talking to me?" Carl asks as he sits on her bed.

"I don't want you to go," Arya tells him.

"Neither does your mother, or grandfather, or grandmother," Carl says. "You guys can start a club."

Arya grabs her pillow and throws it at him. "This is serious."

"I know," Carl says. "But as one of the leaders of Alexandria, I have duties. This is one of them, meeting new communities and setting up trade," Carl softly tells her. "You're Mom is going to need some help with running things."

"I'll help her," Arya says. Carl kisses her head. "Please come back."

"I'll try," Carl says. "I love you."

"Love you too," Arya says as she hugs him.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan walked outside of his cabin with his bag on his back. He walked towards the gate where Charlie, Tobias, Daniel, Laura, Cole, Strand, Luciana, and Alden were waiting for him. Daryl was hugging Charlie. He said something to her, and she nodded before she walked over to Rachel. "You take a nap?" Daniel asks Negan.

"I was making sure I had everything" Negan protested.

"The bag of supplies is in the back of the truck," Shane tells them. "It has a radio just in case you need any help."

Negan looked at it and back "did you just jinx us? If you just jinxed us by doing that, I'm gonna be pissed."

"Fuck you too," Shane just grinned.

"Jesus plans on leaving once you guys get there. Remember, he's in charge so listen to him. He plans on going on foot, so you don't give your position away," Daryl says. "Good luck," They nod as they get into the two cars and leave.

Hilltop

Negan climbs out of the truck and looks around Hilltop. "I can't say I missed this place," Negan says.

"You won't be here long," Jesus says as he walks down to them. "Once Al is out here, we'll leave," Jesus tells him. Negan stood by the car as everybody else walked away. He looked at Daniel as he stood by him.

"You think we'll all make it back?" Negan asks Daniel, who looks at him.

"No," Daniel answers flatly. "It's not as simple as making a treaty anymore. You know that."

"Well, let's make sure Charlie makes it back because if I do make it back, it would be a real shame for Daryl to kill me." Negan says to Daniel, who smiles. "Maybe this time will be different."

Daniel doesn't say anything as the two of them stand in silence.

"...Did you just jinx us now as well?" Daniel then asked.

"Fuck."

Al's P.O.V

Al sets her camera in her bag and looks at Maggie as she walks in with Hershel. "You have everything?" Maggie asks her.

"Yeah," Al says as she zips her bag up. She walks over to Hershel and bends down. "You gonna take care of your Mama while I'm gone?" Al asks Hershel, who nods. "Good," Al says as he hugs her. She kisses his head. "I'll be back, baby. I love yo," Al says.

"I love you," Hershel beamed and hugged her. Al kisses his head and stands up. She kisses Maggie.

"Stay safe," Maggie says.

"I will," Al says. "Love you,"

"Love you too," Maggie says. Al kisses her again before she grabs her bag and leaves Barrington house.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl walked into the house and saw Alicia sitting on the couch with Merle and Ofelia, who were panting. She looks at him and stands up. She walks over to him. "You wanna do me a favor?" She asks him.

"What is it?" Daryl asks her.

"Take Rachel fishing or hunting. She's just been lying in bed since Charlie left," Alicia explains. "She is your daughter's girlfriend."

"I'll take her fishing," Daryl sighed, rolling his eyes. Alicia nods with a smile as she walks back over to the couch. Daryl walks over to Charlie's room and pushes the door open. Rachel looks at him.

"Hey," She says as she throws a ball against the wall and catches it. "What's up?"

"You wanna go fishing?" Daryl asks her. "I need to do a perimeter check, but after, we can go over to the lake for a little bit,"

"Sure," Rachel sighed, still feeling a bit down, as she grabs her coat. Daryl nods as he leaves the cabin, and Rachel follows.

Carl's P.O.V

Carl walks up to the Earl and stands behind him. "I'm looking for an old man. I heard he's good at making weapons and complaining," Carl says.

"He's also good at using a hammer, so watch your young mouth boy," Earl says with a grin as he turns around. Carl smiles and bear-hugged him. "You didn't bring the kid?"

"No, I'm going on the run with Jesus," Carl tells him. Earl nods as he leads against the wood.

"What did Enid and Arya have to say about that?" Earl asks him.

"They weren't happy," Carl admitted to him. "But I think they understood."

"You better hope they understood, or you'll be sleeping on the couch when you get home," Earl says, causing Carl to smirk a bit, conceding the point. "That hatchet still in good condition?"

"Yeah, I've been making sure of it. We got a forge in Alexandria. I've been doing my best to show Arya what you taught me, but she isn't that interested," Carl tells him.

"Not everybody is," Earl says. "I made you something else," Earl says as he grabs a knife. "Your knife is shit and rusty. You could use a new one," Carl smiles as he pulls his knife out and sets it down. He grabs the knife and looks at it.

"Thanks," Carl says. "If you get the chance, would you mind checking in on Enid and Arya?"

"I'll check in on 'em, kid," Earl says as he sees everybody getting together at the gate. "Looks like it is time for you to go," Carl nods. He hugs Earl again before he walks towards the gate.

Jesus's P.O.V

Jesus stood by the gate with Negan, Charlie, Al, Daniel, Tobias, Nick, Sherry, Carol, DJ, Norris, Carl, Strand, Cole, Alden, Luciana, Carol, Laura, Clementine, and Kenny. "It will take us about a day to get there on foot. We'll try to stay in the woods until we have no choice," Jesus says. "Everybody should have a radio and a flare just in case we get superated," Jesus tells everybody, who nods. Jesus looks at Marco. "Open the gate."

The gate is pushed open, and they leave Hilltop.

Thanks for reading. The chapters will have scenes with the group going to the community and the people in the communities. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.