Chapter 121-Her daughter

Eugene's P.O.V.

Looking across the table, he nodded. "Thank you all for coming, especially at a time like this."

Eugene looked at Michonne and Aaron standing across from him, both nodding, although Aaron looked a bit tense with his husband out there.

Looking to the side, he saw Georgie standing with Arthur to her right, the silent fierce warrior just gazing around with the newcomer Elijah, a young handsome black man in his 20s on her left with a pleasant smile.

Behind them were the twins Georgie was always with, Hilda and Midge, gathering the massive map they had, while near them were two of the teens they had brought in. Eugene learned their names were Louis and Violet...Violet was a young blond-haired teen, pretty in face but with a standoffish expression, while Louis was more easygoing, an African American young man with a pleasant smile with a table leg as a weapon, dreadlocks falling around brown eyes.

Rolling it out, Midge started using thumbtacks across the enormous map of the North American Continent with blues and reds intermittently.

"Whoa, you guys traveled a lot," Aaron muttered.

Michonne tilted her head. "So...blue thumbtacks represent communities and red-"

Georgie sighed, rubbing her glasses "Fallen ones, yes. Or the remains of them."

Midge added as she kept adding thumbtacks, "First place we checked out was if that community Clementine heard about, Wellington was still active along the Canada border. No, go. The place was fallen and looked like a while ago."

Hilda took a sip of water, saying, "And New York? Yeesh, bridges are gone, and the place is a ruin. Found a few areas, even one-off Long Beach though, population about a hundred."

Georgie added, "But Boston...that place is extremely fortified."

"Boston Mass?" Aaron looked at her, curious.

"Very same. The city seems to be the last vestige of the Us Military and Fema. The whole city was cordoned off." Georgie nodded. "We weren't able to get inside, but they were polite about it."

Arthur knocked on the woods and signed, with Eugene translating easily, "Must have been thousands."

Aaron looked at the new arrivals. "And who are they?"

"Getting to that, Aaron, please." Georgie held a hand up. "We followed the path Alden took to get to Oregon, found several more, and even a community that was built in Wyoming. Settled in a dam of all places."

"Holy crap." Michonne muttered, then shook her head with a serious look "Vut is this the time for this?"

Eugene blinked. "Well, yes. Michonne, the various resources around Washington DC was always going to be a Finite Solution, and we need to start expanding outside of Virginia for it to work and develop." He looked at Georgie then seriously. "Any of them take the dishes?"

Georgie grinned. "Oh yes, they did. A few of them were skeptical, but for the most part, after some mercenary work, they were willing to set them up."

"Dishes?" Aaron asked.

Eugene turned, "For the past several months, I've been attempting to work on a radio that has strong enough frequency to expand outside the general area of the state. With Miss Georgie and her people's help, I've been hoping that maybe we can truly start bringing even the whole state together."

Eyes sparkling, Georgie said to Michonne eagerly, "Just imagine it, Mrs. Grimes! People by the thousands across the Continent working together as one!"

Michonne's eyebrows raised. "Big undertaking. Any luck?"

Eugene shifted, his cheeks reddening. "Not at the moment." But he hastily said, "but I've been getting bursts of static. Maybe if the dishes are able to get enough juice, I can get a signal."

Hilda added, "Now to these guys...Louis, Violet, don't be shy. Say hello."

Louis just waved at the duo across the table. "Hey, what's up?"

Violet stared, then just nodded curtly.

Georgie said softly, "We...were on our way back when we ran across a young man named Marlon. The boy was friendly enough to let us into their school, Erricson's, but we realized-"

Violet said angrily, "The asshole made a deal with these raiders who called themselves 'Delta' or some shit!"

"Ma'am." Elijah gave her a stern look as she grumbled but fell silent. "I was already captured by them, me and my sister Steph, but Arthur was able to sneak onto the boat where we were held prisoners and rescued us. But by then, one of them, this asshole named Abel, had set fire to the school out of sheer spite."

Arthur took out a piece of cloth, signing after placing it down, "They had this as their marking, said they were working for someone else.'

They all looked down, seeing three circles interlocking with each other.

Furrowing his brow, Aaron shrugged. "It doesn't mean anything to me."

Michonne shook her head as well, giving them a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Aaron looked at Eugene and Georgie, nodding at the map, which had many red spots but a fair amount of blue thumbtacks. "But seriously, nice work. I'm sorry you came in at a bad time like this, Georgie, but we have unknowns who apparently walk among the dead. We can use your help."

"Of course." Georgie nodded at once, starting to unprick the tacks. "The children know how to fight, and trust me, Elijah, here is one of the best fighters I've seen."

"Hey, tell them about the other thing." Elijah nudged to Arthur with a grim look.

Arthur gave him a firm look signing back to him, "Not now.'

Eugene looked at Arthur. "What is it? Something else you saw?"

Seeming resigned, Arthur signed, "A few weeks ago, me and Hilda were on patrol near the Ohio border and saw another group that's maybe 70-80 miles from here."

"Who?" Aaron tensed up. "We already have enough to deal with right now."

Hilda shrugged. "I don't know, they were far away that we used binoculars, but I shit you not, they looked like Stormtroopers."

After a pause, Violet asked hesitantly, "What?"

"Stormtroopers," Louis said. "You know, Star Wars? The White soldiers? I remember seeing a Marathon before The Fall."

"That's worrying, but right now? Georgie, we have enough people here, head to Hilltop and talk with Beth. And stay away from the dead for now, in case any of them are these skin wearers."

Nodding, getting the last thumbtack, Georgie rolled the map up and left the room, her people quickly following her.

Eugene bit his fingers, praying that this idea would work and someone would reach out.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan walks towards Lydia's cell and walks into the room, the girl looking at him, still huddled in the corner of the cell. "Hi, I'm Negan, and you're Lydia. I'm gonna ask you some questions. I'm gonna open this up. You're not gonna try to kill me, are you?"

"No." Lydia says, shaking her head frantically. Negan nods as he opens the cell and walks in, slowing down as she seemed to press herself into the corner. "May I?" He asks as he motions to sit down across from her. Lydia nods after a moment, still eyeing him warily, as he sits down across from her.

"The markings on your arm? How'd you get them?" Negan asks first. "I saw them while Shane was bringing you in."

"My mother gave them to me. She said I was too weak." Lydia answered matter of factly.

"That's a load of shit." Negan scoffed. "If you've survived this long, you're strong."

"I only survived because of her." Lydia says.

"Your mother, is she the leader of your pack of assholes?" Negan asks. Lydia stays silent, looking at the floor. "Kid, I am trying to help you, but I can't do that if you don't talk to me. Those people out there, they want justice, believe me I've seen that firsthand. Now we're going to kill her, regardless of if you help, but if you help us, I can convince them to let you join us, show you what a life looks like."

"She is." Lydia says after a couple of minutes looking up at Negan, whose eyebrows raised that of all the people it was the leader's Daughter they captured.

"How many do you got?"

"Of us, a couple of dozen, or at least all that I've seen." Lydia says. "The dead are our power, I've never seen the herd, but I've heard it. Hundreds, if not thousands, of them."

"And your mother can control them?" Negan asks Lydia with dread, who nods. "Shit, this is worse then I thought." He says. "Get up."

"What?" Lydia asks, looking at him confused.

"You gotta get washed up. You look like you just played in a mud pile for hours, or running through a fucking barn." Negan says. "Or do you wanna go back to your mother?"

Lydia shakes her head, seeing that she was just as scared of her mother as of them. Negan nods as he motions for her to stand up, which she does and slowly follows him out

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl watched as Negan led Lydia out of the cell from the balcony of the main Theater. "He must have gotten something out of her." Rick says coming up next to him.

"He's good with kids, that's something I'll admit." Daryl says, seeing Rick's inquisitive stare, he shook his head. "Rick, I don't like this. We should keep that girl in a cell."

"You know what that is like." Rick says, making Daryl look at him, confused. "You know what it is like to be beaten by a parent, to fear them, and yet at the same time want their respect and love. But This world has given you a better chance at life, it could be the same thing for her if that were you right now. Scared and alone, would you want us to leave you in that cell?"

Daryl stared then looked down and gestured for Leah and Boozer. "Someone needs to keep an eye on her."

The two nodded and followed the pair at a safe distance as Rick and Daryl headed back inside.

Laura's P.O.V

Laura stood in front of Troy's grave. "You know, when I met Troy back on his ranch, he was an asshole." Nick says as he walks up behind her.

"He was always an asshole." Laura responded, staring at the cross.

"That's true." Nick says with a laugh. "But, he became less of an asshole when he met you. You changed him, Laura. You made him the man I knew he could be, that Jake knew he could be."

"Maybe if he never became that man, he would still be alive," Laura says as she wipes the tears away from her face.

"He would have rather have my Mom kill him at the dam, then never meet you. He loved you, Laura. More than anybody else, more than himself," Nick says as he lays his hand on her shoulder. Nick reaches into his pocket and pulls out a necklace. "It was his brothers. He went back to the ranch after my Mom hit him over the head and grabbed it," Nick says as he holds it out to her. She smiles as she takes it.

"Thank you," She said weakly, clutching it as Nick nods, holding her tight.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan sat inside his apartment as he heard the shower turn off. He looked across the room at the small set up sofa at Kate just resting, holding her stomach "You sure it was a good idea bringing her out?"

Sighing, he turned "Kate she's not dangerous. She's a kid whose scared out of her mind."

"Relax not protesting it, but even scared people do dumb shit." Kate explained. Negan nodded, looking at her stomach for a moment and away as she gently asked "Still a bit jumpy?"

"Just...I was a shit fucking husband beautiful, I'm not exactly sure I'll be good Daddy material."

Kate chuckled "Oh for God's sake, you think I am? I used to smoke weed around Gabe and Marianna when I was married to David, cuss a storm around him, allowed them to see me and David fighting. I told him as I'm telling you. Don't change who you are, you'll screw up a few times but that's part of parenthood."

After another minute, the door opened, and Lydia walked out in new clothes. "You look good, kid!" Negan says. "Without all the dirt, the grime, and...well shit over you"

Lydia looked over and saw Kate there saying shyly "Oh uh...hi."

Kate gave her a warm smile "Hello sweetheart, I'm Kate and you already met my Asshole Boyfriend."

"Ignore her, I have charm coming out my ass."

Kate grinned "Same place shit comes out of." Causing Negan to just roll his eyes but stopped at Lydia's next question

"Yeah, can we go see Arya and Clementine?"

"How do you know their names?" Negan asks her, turning to her, eyes baffled.

"They came into my cell earlier," Lydia tells him, making him chuckle.

"That sounds about right, tell her something and usually the little Wolf does the opposite." Negan says. "Sure."

Lydia nods as they leave. "Arya said she had a Dad? Is Clementine alone? Like me?"

"Clementine's parents are dea. They died at the start, then she ran into a guy named Lee and now the closest thing she has to a parent is Daryl. The asshole from earlier, I promise you, he's a good guy. One of the best, he just lets his emotions get in the way sometimes."

"And Arya's parents?"

"Her Mom is Enid Grimes and her Father is named Carl Grimes. Trust me when I say, he has the biggest balls out of anybody alive. The biggest badass in the world has balls of steal. Your mother will have to be one dumb bitch to attack him and let's not even go into His Dad." Negan says with a grin.

Lydia looked at Negan skeptically causing him to raise his neck up to show a faded scar "Heck his own old man slit my throat."

Staring at it, Lydia's eyes widened "Why?"

"Long story, nowhere near drunk enough for." He just said "But look bottom line is that we've faced dangerous people before."

"You never met my Mom."

At the sheer matter of factness of this, Negan couldn't help but feel a knot in his stomach at that factualy tone.

Lydia's P.O.V

Lydia looked at Arya as she walked up to them. "I'm gonna go talk with Carol. She is right there, woman with the grey hair. Stay here please." Negan tells her as he walks away to the fierce looking older woman, likely to talk about what she told him.

"You look good." Arya grinned looking her up and down. "You told him?"

"I did, as much as I could" Lydia crossed her arms over her chest. "I told him what I could, what I know."

"Good." But Arya saw the look on her face and softly reached out to touch her shoulder. "You can have a life here, Lydia, away from her mother."

"If she doesn't destroy it, first."

"She won't. We've lived through worse," Arya said strongly.

"Nothing is worse than my Mom." Lydia says.

"You need to work on your conversation skills." Rolling her eyes, Arya began tugging her hand "Now Come on. Let me show you."

"I should stay close to Negan." Lydia protested, looking to see him still in deep discussion with this Carol woman.

"Negan can't yell at me," Arya says with a grin as she grabs Lydia's hand and pulls her away.

Arya leads her to the back of the Kingdom and into the garden. "We're planning on having a fair soon to celebrate everything we've built. The New World we've built. You're gonna get to see that, and when you do, you'll know that your Mom stands no chance of beating us."

"I hope you're right."

Lydia looked at her and for the first time she could remember she felt her lips tug up a bit.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl sat down on a bench and ran his hand through his hair, coming back from a long meeting inside. "I'm sorry about Troy," Daryl looks at Carl who must have followed him, sitting down next to him.

"Thanks kid" Daryl sighed, shaking his head "I haven't lost anybody from my group since Luciana. I wanted Troy to meet his child."

And unspoken was that it brought memories of That Night into his head.

"We all wanted that," Carl admitted, as he shook his head. "More people are going to die, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they are, people always die." Daryl says. "But Enid isn't gonna be one of them. You're gonna meet your kid, Carl."

"How do you know that?" Turning to him, the younger man was curious "Daryl we know what the world is like, if I die-"

"No. Your NOT." Daryl cut in fiercly. "Because I would rather die than let that girl die, man. I've had a great life. If I have to die to keep your future safe, I'll do it."

"You have kids too, Daryl."

"I'll be keeping their future safe too. You're the future, Carl. I know it. We all do. I've known it since that night in Alexandria. When Negan blew it up, I knew that I would rather die than watch you die."

Carl smiled at that but shook his head as he started to respond but were cut off. "Daryl! Rick!"

Hearing Tara shout the two look up as they saw Tara waving them over, panic stricken on their face

Daryl stands up and runs towards the gate with Rick behind him. They climb up the ladder and stare at the road as they saw it...

Skin wearers walking toward the gate with her people behind her, all calm as could be with no weapons on them. In the front was a smallish bald woman that Daryl immediately knew was dangerous.

Stopping a few feet away from it, she called out "I...am Alpha. And I only want one thing from you. My Daughter!"

Thanks for reading. Alpha is here, and she will do whatever it takes to get Lydia back. This will be the last chapter posted this year. I am going to take a week off to hang out with my Family. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. Be safe and have fun and I will see you all in 2023 Next chapter, Daryl and Rick try to make a deal with Alpha. Tara makes a risky decision, and Lydia makes a choice for people she just met.