Chapter 174- Meeting A Governor

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl stares at the woman in shock, stepping back for a moment as Lance looked wide-eyed as well. "Scout?"

"I can't believe it's you," Scout says as she hugs the redneck who slowly returns the hug.

"You two know each other?" Lance asks as he looks at them, surprise written on his face.

"We met back at the beginning. The first couple of days at least, Daryl helped me and I traveled with him for a little while and I left to go with my Dad." Scout answered and then looked around. "Is Merle here?"

Daryl shakes his head. "He didn't make it, died about a year after the Fall."

"I'm sorry," Scout says. "I know how much he meant to you."

"Well, it seems like I won't be needed." Lance clapped his hands, causing both to look at him "Scout, his group is staying in the south apartments, top floor. Take him there when you are done." Lance tells Scout who nods as he leaves. Scout motions for Daryl to sit down as he sits across from her, picking up another arrow.

"I don't even know what to say. I never thought I would see you again, but I figured you were alive. You were built for this world, but I never thought I'd see you again. Do you have a family?"

Daryl nods. "A wife, a daughter, and a son and another on the way."

"You got married and had kids during all of this?" Scout asks, surprised.

"Yes. I did. Your Dad?" Daryl asks.

"He died about two years ago." Scout looked down. "He got bit."

"I'm sorry," Daryl mumbled, briefly knowing the sheriff who helped him out. "I'm glad you made it though. Do you have any family here?"

"No, I never settled down like you." Scout paused then looked up, curious "Do you..."

Daryl nods as he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a red handkerchief, causing Scout to beam. "It's been useful," Daryl says. "How long have you been here?"

"A decade," Scout says. "I've been here a long time. But I never lost my edge, I didn't want to be one of those people who sat in the walls all the time, so I got this job. Which it looks like you'll be taking over."

"I can say no." Already wary of being a leader yet again after being done, too many decisions and dead friends.

"You should say yes, you're a better hunter than me, Daryl," Scout says. "Also it would be nice to have someone out there I know can handle themselves."

Daryl stared a long moment, then sighed, rubbing his head. "I'll tell Lance yes then."

"Good, now let's get you to those apartments. You're going to need some sleep."

Rick's P.O.V

Rick looked out of the window of the apartment he was allowed to stay at and looked at the Commonwealth. "It reminds me of Alexandria," Carl says as he walks up beside him.

"How do you mean?" Shane asks nearby, sipping a bottle of water.

"When we first got to Alexandria, they didn't know what they were doing. It was a miracle that they were still alive. They had gotten lucky, we had to teach them how to survive." Rick says. "These people are holding onto the old world and just like Alexandria, they'll have to face the new world someday" But he gave his son and oldest friend a stern look "But that isn't our problem. We need their help rebuilding our homes."

The group nods as the door opens and Daryl walks in with Scout. "I assume it went well?" Alicia says as she walks up to her husband, giving the other woman a curious expression.

Daryl nods. "This is Scout, real name Anna, she's...a old friend."

"Isn't she the woman you met at the beginning, the one with the cop, Dad?" Morgan asks, taken aback as everyone looks at her in shock, as Daryl nods.

"He's told stories about me?" Scout grinned at the now sheepish Daryl "Aww you're sweet you damn redneck."

"Shut up." Daryl looked away.

"We spend a lot of time together on the road," Morgan answered with a chuckle.

"That's Morgan, this is Alicia, my wife, and that's Rick and Carl, and That's Shane and Madison. Where are the others?"

"Getting settled in. Kate has Merle and Ofelia." Alicia answered for him then grinned "Also to calm someone Else down."

Carl sighed "Yeah, he fucking complained the whole way up here."

"It's nice to meet you guys. I'll see you, tomorrow." Scout grinned at Daryl who nodded as she left.

"She's nice." Alicia looked at her husband. "What did you think?"

"I'll probably take it," Daryl tells her.

"Let's get some sleep, guys. We have a long day ahead of us, tomorrow," Rick then said and they nodded as they started to head to their rooms

Lance's P.O.V

Lance walked into Pamela's office early the next morning and looked at her as she sat at her desk. "You wanted to see me?"

"We lost over a dozen men." Pamela glared as Lance stopped, realizing he was in a delicate situation "Part of the reason I agreed to this was because of the leadership these people have. But I find out that Mr. Dixon has given that up and now his wife leads with this...Rick Grimes."

"It was unexpected," Lance said, mentally gonna have a talk with Mercer and Regina about letting that tidbit slide. "The woman that died…Carol, she and Daryl were very close, it seems her death…has removed his will to lead, even fight it seems."

"That is a problem. What about Rick?" Pamela looked curious at that.

"He is willing to cooperate fully, this can still work Pamela, I am telling you, this is going to be better than either of us could have ever imagined. And also think about it, they have a way into Washington DC." Lance says with a smile.

Pamela's head shot up quickly at that, Lance continuing "Think about it. Taking back the capital of the United States. Where your family resided, tell me that wouldn't be a major win next year for Founder's Day."

For a long moment, Pamela looked thoughtful then pointed "Go get Mrs. Dixon, I want to talk to her and Rick alone before I talk to them together," Pamela told Lance who nodded but stopped as she gave him a stern warning. "If they don't prove to me that working with them is in the best interests of the Commonwealth. This is over."

Smiling wide and bowing his head, he said to her "Oh of course Pamela. The Commonwealth always comes first. You know that."

Alicia's P.O.V

Alicia followed Lance into Pamela's office. "Mrs. Alicia Dixon. Welcome please." Pamela says as she stands, walks up to Alicia, and shakes her hand. "Let the ladies talk, Lance," Pamela says as she motions for him to leave, causing him to nod and shut the door behind him. "Please sit," Pamela says as she sits at her desk and Alicia sits across from her...Pamela folded her hands in front of her, giving a sharp look "You have quite an interesting story, Alicia."

"Eugene told you my story?" Alicia asked, eyeing her.

"Bits and pieces." Pamela shrugged. "Some I heard from Mercer's interrogation. He told me about your arm, how you lost it. Risking your life for a friend—"

"Negan isn't a friend, he's my brother/" Alicia cut her off.

For a moment, Pamela stared, a flash of annoyance in her eyes...clearly she was not one to be interrupted. "Your group, your communities, they interest me, Alicia. You all come from different backgrounds, I mean look at you and Daryl for instance. You two come from two completely different sides of society before the world ended, you wouldn't have even looked at him. But this world, it brought you together, it brought all of you together and regardless of your pasts, you all see and love each other like family, like you've known each other your whole lives."

Alicia stayed silent for a moment then started. "The girl I was when all of this started. She would do exactly what you just said, I would have looked at Daryl and thought the worst. That girl she was an idiot, she was a bitch. She judged people before she got to know them. The thing is, when your people see my husband, they're going to think the same thing that stupid girl would have. That's the difference between my people and yours, we don't look at each other and judge or blame for who we were. We've all done the worst kind of things to stay alive. I don't even know how many people I have killed." She stared a moment and started softly "Negan killed Maggie's husband...brutally...and even though she can't forgive him, she does trust him, that is because we don't stay in the past, we fight for the future. That's why every person who has tried to kill us is dead. Anybody who is stupid enough to try and destroy what we have will die, that's a promise. Being a part of the New World, that's something your people want."

"It sounds like it," Pamela says as she stares at the one-armed woman. "Thank you, Alicia. This was very helpful, can you ask Rick to come and see me?"

Alicia nods as she stands and leaves, promising herself to be on guard with this woman.

Rick's P.O.V

Rick walked into Pamela's office, looking around feeling for a moment this was Deanna's office again. "I have heard a lot about you, Rick Grimes. The Man who founded and brought them all together."

"Daryl deserves credit. I started it, he finished it, and we all had a lot of help. Together." Rick says as he sits down, looking at her intently. "I was about to look around while Alicia was talking to you."

"Did you like what you see?" Pamela smiled proudly.

"How many people are here?" Rick asks first.

"Fifty thousand." Pamela's smile dropped as if unsure that was his question.

Rick froze for a moment...awed for a moment at the sheer size equivalent to a country in this world, but kept his composure "How many of them have ever been outside these walls?"

Pamela just gave him a stern stare.

"Yeah, I figured." Rick snorted. "What you have built, it's amazing. I believe we can help each other."

"From what I heard, you need my help more than we need yours." Pamela retorted.

"Have walkers ever breached these walls?" Rick asks Pamela who shakes her head. "They once got into Alexandria. A herd, a couple hundred walkers. They had us surrounded, we didn't have guns, we had each other and the weapons on our hips, and we won, because we fought together. Like I said, what you have here, it's amazing, it's impressive, but someday, it could be a month, a year, ten years, walkers or people will get in here. You've held onto the Old World, while we have built a world inside of the dead one. Think about all that we could accomplish together. It's true, we need your help, but you need ours. Even if you don't want to admit it. That's why you let Lance come and save us."

For a long minute, Pamela stared at him then chuckled. "I like you, Rick. You're smart. And yes...I think we can help each other."

"I agree." Rick stood nodding at her. "Would you like me to get Alicia?"

"No," Pamela says. "I would like to speak with Mr. Dixon."

Rick paused, unsure he heard right, then narrowed his eyes at her, knowing Daryl wasn't going to like that "Daryl isn't leading anymore."

"I know." Pamela curtly waved her hand. "I would still like to speak with him."

Rick slowly nods as he stands up and leaves.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl walks into Pamela's office and sits down, arms crossed with a scowl. "Lance told me that everything went well with you and Anna."

It admittedly took him a moment to realize she was talking about Scout then started "You should be talking with Rick and Alicia. Not me."

"I don't believe that. From what Eugene said, you led that alliance for over a decade, who knows more about what it has to offer than you? Your wife is an interesting person by the way," Pamela says as she sits. "Your friend, Carol? Her death is the reason you stopped."

"I was going to step down anyways." Daryl scowled at her. "I ain't here to talk about Carol, so ask me what you want to ask me, and let me leave."

"Straight to the point, I like that. I want you to tell me, Daryl. Why should I consider an alliance with your...'New World' as you call it?"

"Because you built this place to be like the old world." Daryl answers. "Because ninety percent of the people in here wouldn't last a day outside of those walls. You want to remake the world or some shit, but most of your soldiers would die on there if they didn't have that armor. You don't care about helping us, you want to make sure helping us will benefit you. But if you don't help us, we go home and we'll fix our homes ourselves and we will keep building while you people stay here, and someday that dream you have. We'll make it a reality while you're here still dreaming."

Pamela stared at this blankly, then started icily. "I have some people I wish to talk to before I speak with Rick and Alicia. Thank you for your time, Mr. Dixon."

Daryl nods as he stands and leaves and Pamela stands there watching him, feeling her burn a hole in his head.

Thanks for reading. Next chapter, Rick, Alicia, and Pamela work out a deal, the group explores the Commonwealth and Daryl's group starts to settle in. As always suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.