Chapter 126-Family matters

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl sat in his room rubbing his face. He looks at Alicia as she walks into the room. "Look, I know I left you," Daryl tried to explain. "Merle, Charlie and Ofelia."

"They need their father. I need my husband alive, not fighting some monster who Jesus said is bigger than fucking Negan." Alicia accused.

"He killed Dwight!" Daryl defended.

"Dwight wouldn't want you dying for him, and I wouldn't either! Yes, that makes me selfish but I don't care." Alicia tightened her jaw.

"That wasn't what it was about," Daryl says.

"Then tell me, make me understand, why did you do it?" Alicia asks.

"You know what Dwight did to me." Daryl sat on their bed in exhaustion over the last few days. "I wanted to kill him when I let him go, but I didn't, not because I gave a shit about him, but because...because I thought about what Glenn would do. Letting Dwight go was the first step in honoring Glenn. Bringing him back was a part of it too. I saw him die, and it felt like everything I did to honor Glenn. To build the new world was starting to fall apart. I went after him 'cause I would rather die than let them tear down what we've built."

"They won't," Alicia said, kneeling in front of him, clasping his hands.

"They might," Daryl says. "While I was fighting him, I finally understood what we are up against, what they are. They aren't human. They're monsters."

"I understand your fear, my love," Alicia says as she gripped his hand. "But you're family is more important."

"Everything I've done is for you and our children," Daryl says. "To honor not just Glenn, but the people we lost to get us here."

"You've honored them," Alicia says. "Maggie would say the same thing, you have honored him and the rest. He wouldn't want you to die. You need to let the others handle this."

"I can't, dammit!" Daryl says as he stands. "Okay, I just can't!"

"You can!" She shouts back pushing back. "You can. You can stay back here. Protect your family!"

"The people going out there are my family!" Daryl shouts.

"You're kids are your blood! You seem to care more about fighting than raising them!" Alicia yelled, her voice starting to raise.

"You know that ain't true!" Daryl shouts.

"Prove to me it isn't!"

"I am!" Daryl says loudly.

"You have gone out at every chance you have gotten! After Morgan and Rosita! After the girl! To fight Beta!" Alicia angrily pointed out every instant.

"I came back!"

"You didn't know if you would!" Alicia says as tears swell up in her eyes. "I can't lose you! I can't!" She says as tears start to go down her face. "You're my partner, my other half! I need you! I need you alive! Breathing, not fighting some fucking fight! I need you here! I need you!" Daryl stares at her. "I need you," She says softly. "I can't do this without you."

Daryl walks up to her and hugs her. "Okay," Daryl says softly.

"If you want to protect us, stay."

Daryl doesn't say anything, as he just holds her.

Lydia's P.O.V

Lydia sat in the garden staring at the fire. "Do you like it here?" Lydia jumped and looks at Ezekiel as he walks up to her, a caring smile on his face.

"I do, I'm sorry should I-" Lydia says.

Ezekiel chuckled and waved his hand "At peace madam, at peace. I assure you I am just here to talk, and your welcome to stay."

Looking around almost in awe, Lydia said to the King "It's beautiful."

"I had this garden made shortly after I formed the Kingdom. We lost it for a little while during the war, but after Negan was in that cell and Daryl and Morgan had left, I decided to have it rebuilt. It is my favorite place in the entire Kingdom." Ezekiel says.

"Arya brought it to me during my visit." Lydia says, touching one of the flowers.

"This is not a visit," Ezekiel says. "The Kingdom is your home for as long as you wish it to be your home. We will protect you, this I swear,"

"Thank you." Lydia gulped unused to such kindness.

"Have you seen the statue of the tiger?" Ezekiel asks Lydia, who nods. "That was my tiger once. Do you want to hear her story?"

"Yes, it's amazing," Lydia says.

"Her name was Shiva." Ezekiel started, showing the tiger as he explained her birth and her story.

Rick's P.O.V

Rick knocks on Daryl's door, and after a moment, he opens the door. "We're about to start the planning you coming?"

"Do it without me. Just have someone fill me in." Daryl tells Rick, his face drawn.

"Everything okay between you two?" Rick asks, looking inside and then back at Daryl, worry on his face.

"We're working on it," Daryl says.

"I'll let you know the plan," Rick says, and Daryl nods as Rick walks away. Rick walks outside to the courtyard and sees Carl, Madison, Shane, Negan, Reily Alden, Connie, Magna, Yumiko, Maggie, Carol, John, Morgan, and Rosita.

He paused, then looked around then at Carol "Where's Ezekiel?"

Carol said, "I think he's with Lydia right now."

Negan smirked "See? Told you she's a sweetheart!"

Rick tried to restrain a smirk at that but then started "Alright, with Beta dead, we have to kill Alpha, and then we'll worry about finding that herd and getting them as far away from the communities as possible."

"They move constantly," Magna says. "We can't track them, and even if we did, they would see us. They walk with the walkers and we still don't even know how big this horde even is."

"Will Alpha come after Lydia again?" Yumiko asks as well.

"I don't think so. She knows that we will come after her again. She has to know by now that Lydia is a lost cause." Carl shook his head, crossing his arms in thought.

"Doesn't that make her even more dangerous?" Maggie asked, clearly thinking about her wife and son. "Now she has no reason not to let that herd come after us."

"I don't think so." Shane says. "Lydia was convinced that her mother wouldn't come after her. She had never gone after anybody before. She broke her own rules, and she loves her daughter in her own twisted way. She won't put Lydia in harm's way. We have the advantage right now, we have Lydia, and her strongest soldier is dead."

"Then we should wait." Carol says, making everybody look at her.

Rosita blinked "Wait?"

"We should attack now. While they are weak." Alden argued.

Rick gave Alden a stern look, causing him to falter, knowing that while inside the Kingdom Carol and Ezekiel had the final say.

"No, we shouldn't. They'll be expecting us to attack, and they won't be afraid, but if we wait and keep them wondering, they will let their guard down. We wait until after the fair. Everybody will be here. Our numbers will be doubled, We will be able to attack them from all sides, and then we will find the herd wherever it is." Carol says. "This is how we win. We know Alpha won't send that herd after us if we have Lydia. But to do this, we have to protect the roads to the Kingdom. We need to make sure they are cleared. We can't have them attacking our people on the road."

John said. "Carol the fair-"

Carol gave him a cold look "Will continue, it'll also be a way to have us gather our strength."

"Carol's right. The fair is in a few days. We need to protect our people and start organizing." Rick says.

"Alright Carol, Rick, sounds like a plan." Shane nodded, seeming to accept the idea.. "We'll send some groups out."

"We'll send our best archers to guard our groups clearing the roads. We'll send our best marksman as well. They'll take out the walkers. Make sure that none of them get close to our groups," John says, clearly reluctant but not arguing. "Let's get these groups together."

At the side, Reiley said "I'll head back to the Sanctuary-"

"Wait wait, Reiley let me."

They turned and saw one of the guards at the door, Brandon come inside, saying pleadingly "Let me tell Arat and the Church, I have to make up for what happened to Mark."

Furrowing his brow, Reiley sighed then nodded "You don't have anything to be sorry about Brandon. But...alright, get back and go straight to Arat. Tell her to send a squad back here asap."

Lydia's P.O.V

Arya walked up to Negan's door and knocked on the door. Lydia opened it and looked at her, eyes widening confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on you while Uncle Negan's at the meeting Grandpa set up." Arya says, and Lydia lets her in. Arya looked around then and back at Kate, eyebrow raised. "Where's Kate?"

"She's with Laura." Lydia says. "The blond woman. Troy's wife."

"This is a nice place." Arya started to say.

"Thank you." Lydia says, making Arya look at her, confused.

"For what?" Arya unsure what she meant.

"For defending me, back on the road, after Dwight died." Lydia rubbed her arm in guilt of the man who died trying to help her.

"I had to." Arya says as she sits down, and Lydia sits down beside her. Arya took a breath, wringing her hands and looked up at her. "Back at the start, after I lost my parents, a woman found me. Her name was Jocelyn, and she took me, and she made me believe that she loved me, she raised me taught me how to kill and fight. When we found Alexandria, she tried to take Judith and Gracie. Clementine killed her and some of the kids, leaving me and a few others alive. Dad and Mom took me in after, and they showed me what it was like to truly be loved, but Jocelyn she didn't. She abused me. I know what it's like, and I know these people can be the same thing for you that they are to me. They can be your family."

"You're the first person besides my Dad to be nice to me since the start of all this." Lydia whispered.

"I just wanted you to have a better life," Arya says, and Lydia nods with a smile as Arya lays her hand on Lydia's leg. Lydia looks at her, and Arya leans over and kisses her. Lydia smiles as they hear the door in the living room open. They pull apart as they hear a knock on Lydia's door.

"Lydia!" Negan called in.

"I'm in here," Lydia says, but saw Arya waving her hands frantically stopping as Negan walks in the door stopping at the sight. He looked between the two as Lydia felt her cheeks grow red. "We were just talking."

"Yeah, I bet you were." Negan slyly smirked, batting away a thrown pillow by an annoyed Arya. "Your Dad is looking for you," Negan tells Arya, who nods as she stands up and leaves with haste, cheeks glowing red.

"Next time hang a sock!" Negan called after her.

"Shut the fuck up!" Arya slammed the door behind her.

Turning, Lydia shifted on the bed as Negan just turned to her, raising a brow.

"What? We were just...talking." Lydia asks, not meeting his gaze.

"Uh-huh." Negan says with a smirk. "I could feel the tension in the meeting room. Just know that you picked the wildest person I have ever met, good luck, and stay on your toes, or she'll tear you apart. Get ready. We're going to eat soon."

"Yes sir." She just mumbled, hastily running past him.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl sat on his bed with Alicia, who had his head on her shoulder. He looks at their bedroom door as they hear a knock. "Come in," Daryl says, and the bedroom door opens, and Ofelia, Merle, and Charlie walk in.

"How long have you been out there?" Alicia asks softly.

"Since you came in here," Merle says.

"That is still eavesdropping," Daryl says.

"Are you going to keep fighting?" Ofelia asks.

"No, not unless I need to," Daryl tells them. "I'm sorry I've worried you all so much. I just wanted to keep the rest of our family safe. But I know you guys need your Dad, but regardless of if I fight. Nothing is going to kill me, not Alpha, not that herd, no one. I'm not going to die until I'm good and ready."

"You're starting to sound like Uncle Negan," Merle says with a grin causing Alicia to cover her mouth to hide a laugh. Daryl stares at his son with a frown.

"I should ground you just for saying that. I think I would rather fight Beta again," Daryl says, making Merle and Ofelia laugh. "I'm not going anywhere."

They nod, and Daryl looks at Charlie was is staring at the ground. "Come here," Daryl tells Merle and Ofelia, who run up to him and hug him. "I love you guys so much."

"Love you, Daddy," They both say.

"Dad?" Merle says. "Why did you have to make something up to Uncle Glenn?"

Daryl and Alicia stay silent for a moment, looking at each other as Charlie looked at the twins with a furrowed brow. "When the war is over, I'll tell you." Daryl says. "Promise." Alicia doesn't say anything but nodded, knowing this is not the best time for this conversation. "Why don't you take 'em outside?" Daryl says to Alicia. "I need to talk to Charlie."

"Yeah, come on, let's go see if they need help with the fair." Alicia says as she leads her son and daughter out of the room.

"Charlie?" Charlie looked up at him, and he could see the tears in her eyes.

"Come here," Daryl says as she hugs him.

"Don't say that." Charlie mumbled into his chest.

"Say what?" Daryl asks.

"That you'll come back, but you don't know if you will." Charlie says.

"I'll always do my best to come back." Daryl says as he kisses her head. "I'll always do my best to come back."

Thanks for reading, we are getting closer and closer to the fair, and we all know what happens at the fair. I am very scared to write that chapter, but it must be done. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.