Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Safe Haven in the Chaos	By : IdrilsSecret Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 6517 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead or any of the characters. No money is being made from the writing of these stories

Chapter List
- 37
- 38
- 39
Chapter 38 Last Chance for Redemption

Aaron slowly woke up with a long stretch and a smile. “Daryl, I’m so glad you–” He cut his words short when he opened his eyes and found the opposite side of the bed empty and cold. He immediately sat up, the smile now gone, and searched the bedroom. Daryl’s clothes were gone. He was gone. “I should have known better,” Aaron said to himself. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat on the edge a moment. He rubbed his eyes and then his face, noticing that he needed to shave. Did last night even happen or was the whole thing just a dream? Did Daryl actually come to their bed in the middle of the night, and make love to him in the most complete and satisfying way they had ever experienced?

He stood and searched for his clothes, finding himself naked, not how he usually slept. More proof that last night was real. Aaron wondered if Daryl had gone back to Morgan’s house. They needed to talk. He hated it when they fought. Last night, though, was something that never happened before. Why, after their huge blow up, did Daryl come to him and sleep with him? The situation was confusing enough as it was, and when Daryl stormed away like he did, the last thing Aaron ever expected was to be awoken by Daryl and made love to in silence. Now he was alone again, and needing an explanation. Did Daryl accept his apology? Was he feeling guilty for accusing Aaron of sleeping with Paul? Maybe the late night visit was Daryl’s way of apologizing.

Aaron went to the dresser to grab a pair of pants, and noticed the keychain laying there. Daryl had it yesterday at Denise’s grave, a small treasure that he knew Daryl would keep as a memento to her. Aaron knew of a few other small items like this, but Daryl always kept them with him. For some reason, he had left this one behind. There was one thing he knew for sure Daryl wouldn’t leave without, and he sprinted, shirtless, down the stairs and to the door that led to the garage. He thrust the door open and his heart sank. Daryl’s bike was gone. Their garage was the only place he would keep it since he got it back, and it wasn’t there now.

“Shit,” he complained to himself, and went to the laundry room to grab a shirt and his shoes. Maybe, if he hurried . . . Suddenly he heard Daryl’s bike roar in the distance. Aaron flew out the front door and down the steps. He ran down the street and turned the corner, just catching a glimpse of Daryl heading out the gate. He called out to him, but of course, Daryl was too far to hear. He could see Glenn, Rosita and Michonne standing at the gate, as they watched Daryl leave. They were yelling at him to stop. Aaron ran to them to see what happened.

Glenn saw Aaron approaching. “Do you know what happened? Do you know where he’s going?”

Aaron started to speak, but Rosita interrupted him. “He’s going after Dwight.”

“How do you know?” Aaron asked.

“Because I stopped him the other day. He was going to follow him after they bailed from the fight. I told him he needed to help us get Eugene home,” she told him.

Aaron paced back and forth a couple times. “This is my fault. I wasn’t here when he got back the other day, and then we had a huge fight and … I’ve got to go after him.”

“You don’t know exactly where he’s going,” Michonne said. “How are you going to find him?”

Rosita stepped forward. “I know where he went.” She looked at Aaron with sympathy. “I’ll find him and bring him home.”

“I’m going with you,” Aaron demanded. “Just give me a minute to get my weapons and–”

“Michonne and I will go with Rosita,” Glenn said.

Aaron shook his head, his brows creased. “No, I’m going. It’s Daryl. I have to go.”

Glenn stepped up to Aaron and grasped his shoulder. “I know how you feel, but I’d feel better if you stayed here with Maggie. Tell her where I went and that I’ll be back soon. She’ll worry when she finds out I’ve gone out, but she trusts you, and she’s comfortable with you.”

“Please, Glenn. I need to find him. I have to–” Aaron pleaded.

Glenn stopped him by looking him straight in the eyes with a promise. “I’ll find him, Aaron.”

Aaron was reluctant to agree to stay, but Glenn was right that someone needed to stay with Maggie. He looked past Glenn to the open gate and the road that led somewhere to Daryl, and slowly nodded. “Alright. I’ll stay.”

Glenn smiled sympathetically and patted Aaron’s shoulder. Michonne nodded and Rosita gently touched his arm. They jumped in one of the cars and headed out to find Daryl. He couldn’t have gotten too far. He had just left. Aaron trusted that Glenn would find him, and Rosita knew where to look. Hopefully they would all be back soon.

Sasha came down from the wall to join Abraham. They had watched the whole scene play out, and they felt bad for Aaron. Abraham approached him first. “If Rosita says she knows where Daryl went, you can be assured they’ll find him.”

“If it will make you feel any better,” Sasha suggested, “you can pull gate duty for me. I’ve been out here since midnight. Abraham was taking over, but I’m sure he won’t mind starting a little later.” She smiled at Abraham and he smiled back. Aaron couldn’t remember ever seeing either one of them look so content since he first met them. They really were in love, it seemed.

“First, I need to go tell Maggie that Glenn left, but I can watch the gate when I get back,” Aaron agreed. It definitely would help him if he could keep an eye on the road while he waited for the others to return with Daryl. He wanted to be the first person Daryl saw when he came through that gate, unlike the other day. He thought it might help to put things right between them again.

Aaron turned to head over to Maggie and Glenn’s house, and he saw Rick, Morgan and Tobin coming towards the gate. Rick didn’t know what had happened. He would need to let him know who all was outside the town, and Rick probably wouldn’t be too happy about it either. He didn’t like people leaving without telling him first, but this was kind of an emergency.

Rick saw the open gate and the missing van. His brow furrowed as he tilted his head to the gate. “What’s going on here?”

“Daryl’s gone,” Aaron told him. No use holding anything back. Straight and to the point was how Rick liked information. Aaron had found that out the hard way when they first met and Rick knocked him out.

“What do you mean he’s gone? Gone where?”

“He went after Dwight. Glenn, Rosita and Michonne went after him. He just left not long ago. They shouldn’t be far behind.”

Rick’s hands were on his hips and he looked to the ground as he shook his head. “What the hell is happening around here? First Carol and now this. We can’t just have people leaving whenever they feel like it,” Rick complained with frustration.

“Carol?” Aaron asked, unaware she was gone. “Where did she go?”

Tobin lifted a piece of paper and waved it in the air. “I got up this morning and found this on the nightstand. I was with her last night. She must have left after I fell asleep, but I have no idea when or how long ago that was.”

Aaron took Carol’s note and skimmed over it quickly. It said something about caring about everyone so much that she had to go, and she didn’t want anyone looking for her. As he read the letter, Rick and Morgan discussed going after her, and tried to figure out which way she might have gone. Morgan was an excellent tracker, and he used that to convince Rick to let him go after Carol.

“Didn’t you see her leave?” Rick asked Sasha, but she hadn’t seen anything.

Tobin scanned the area, and noticed a car missing from the rest parked outside the gate. Sasha figured Carol must have slipped away around midnight when the gate guards changed shifts. Meanwhile, Rick and Morgan agreed to go together and search for her. Aaron felt bad because he meant to stop by and check on Carol yesterday, but he went to help Maggie instead. He never did go back to Carol’s house. If he had, maybe he would have noticed something wrong. Maybe he could have talked with her. Then again, Carol was like a chameleon. She was a master of disguise, and that included her emotions. One minute, she’s baking cookies and casseroles, and the next she’s gone without hardly a trace.

Rick quickly came up with jobs for everyone to do since they were missing some key people. “Aaron, I need you to find Gabriel. Tell him what’s happened here, and make sure he’s got enough people pulling guard duty around the perimeter. Sasha, I know you just finished your shift, but if you could stay on a little longer, I’d appreciate that. Abraham, you’re with her. Morgan and I will come back as soon as we can, so the rest of you hold the fort down.”

“We got this,” Sasha said.

“Just bring our people back, Rick,” Abraham added.

Rick nodded. “I’ll sure try.”

>>------->

Aaron found Gabriel and relayed Rick’s message. All posts were covered. Alexandria was in good shape. Now he needed to tell Maggie about Glenn. She was at her house, and he was glad to see her taking it easy. She looked a little more energetic than she did in the past few days, but she still wasn’t all the way back to her old self. Aaron had never known anyone pregnant before, and he didn’t have anything to go by, but he couldn’t deny that he was worried about her. It was still so early in the pregnancy, and he was sure that women didn’t feel like this until their late trimester. This made him wonder exactly what happened to her when Maggie and Carol were kidnapped by the Saviors.

“Hey Aaron,” she smiled as she invited him in.

“Hi,” he said tersely, unable to hid the anguish from his countenance.

“What is it?” she asked as soon as she saw him.

“It’s Glenn,” he started to tell her, and her face fell with fear. Aaron shook his head and waved her off. “It’s Daryl too. And … Carol.” He was bad at giving bad news to people he really cared about.

“Aaron,” Maggie said with a complaining tone in her voice.

“Daryl left … alone … first thing this morning. Glenn, Rosita and Michonne have gone to bring him back. They left not long after him, so they should catch up quickly. And as for Carol, Tobin found a note. She left sometime during the night.”

Maggie looked dumbfounded. She shook her head in confusion. “W-what the hell?”

“That was my same reaction. I don’t know why Carol left, but Rick and Morgan went out to find her. She’s not been herself lately. I’m afraid for her,” Aaron explained.

“And you said Glenn is out there too?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry. He sent me to tell you not to worry. He shouldn’t be long. Rosita knows where Daryl went.”

Maggie plopped down on the couch. “This is not the time for everyone to start splitting up.”

Aaron sensed her anxiety, and he didn’t want her to be upset. “Everything is going to be fine, and once Daryl and Carol are back–”

“I almost forgot about Daryl and you. Shit, did something happen with you two yesterday? Is that why he left? I thought I was giving you some good advice. I hope I didn’t help screw anything up,” she said worriedly.

Aaron smiled and sat down next to her. “I tried to talk to Daryl, but it ended in another argument and he stormed off. He stayed at Morgan’s house last night.”

“I’m sorry, Aaron,” she said with sympathy, her eyes softening as she looked him over. “Are you alright?”

“I’m so confused,” he admitted. “We had a terrible fight and he left. And then last night, he . . .” Aaron paused, not sure he should share something so private, but he trusted Maggie.

“It’s okay if you need to talk about it. I don’t mind,” she told him.

“Last night, while I was sleeping, he came home … to our bed … and he … we . . .” Aaron smiled and blushed as he thought about it. “It was incredible. And then I woke up to an empty bed, the sound of Daryl’s bike revving as he left. I don’t know if he’s still mad at me or if last night was make up sex.”

“What did he say to you?” she asked.

Aaron shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing. He wouldn’t let me speak, and he didn’t say a word. He just … came home and we … you know … and he was gone again. Nothing like that has ever happened before. I just don’t know what to make of it.”

“Why aren’t you out looking for him too,” Maggie wondered.

“I told Glenn I wanted to go after Daryl, but he insisted I stay here with you. But, they literally are right behind him, and Rosita knows where he’s going.”

“And where is that?” she asked as she slid to the edge of the couch.

Aaron didn’t want to keep worrying her, but she had to know. “I think Daryl’s gone after Dwight, the man who killed Denise.”

“Damn it,” Maggie whispered to herself, as she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. She gave a deep sigh, and when she opened her eyes, she managed to put on a smile. “Well,” she said, and didn’t know what else to say that wouldn’t come out as a curse to her noble husband.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Glenn is good at talking sense into people. They’ll find Daryl and bring him back. And then . . .” Aaron’s words faded because he had no solution for what was happening with him and Daryl.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out with Daryl, but I’m sure, after he takes some time to sort it all out, he’ll realize his mistake.”

Aaron took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t know, Maggie. Nothing like this has ever happened before, and we’ve been through a lot of shit. I didn’t tell you the whole story. I was kind of … embarrassed to, but … well … Daryl wasn’t just mad at me for leaving while he was away. It was the fact that I went with Jesus, and I think Daryl is jealous of our friendship.” Aaron used Paul’s nickname when he was speaking of him with other members of the group. That was what everyone else called him. “Daryl accused me of sleeping with him, you know, because I stayed at Hilltop overnight. But, of course, I did no such thing. I love Daryl and I’d never do that to him.”

“Then that’s what you both need to discuss when he gets back. And, just for the record, I think Daryl knows you’d never do that to him either, otherwise he wouldn’t have come home,” she smiled and patted Aaron’s knee.

Talking about it made Aaron feel better, but he knew Daryl was who he really needed to clear the air with. “Thanks Maggie. You always manage to shine a light on any situation.”

The conversation turned to uneventful things that were happening around town, gardens and livestock, food rations and other important daily routines and chores. Somehow, they took it around and started talking about Hilltop. Now that Aaron had seen it, he knew what Maggie was talking about.

“What do you think of Gregory?” Aaron asked during a lull in the conversation.

“He’s a prick, ego hungry, immature, and he’s a scared little rat,” she answered without stopping to think about it.

Aaron huffed with a laugh. “Now tell me what you really think.”

“You met him, didn’t you? How can that man be leader of such a well-organized community, and all he cares about is what his personal cook will be preparing for dinner?”

“That’s because he’s not actually running it. If you ask me, Jesus is more in charge than Gregory. He just does it in a way that makes Gregory think he’s boss.”

Maggie squint her eyes as she considered this. “What do you think about Jesus?” she asked, throwing a curve ball question at him.

“He’s smart. He knows how not to get caught. He’s an excellent fighter and definitely someone you’d want in your corner,” Aaron explained. There was more, but he didn’t want to sound to enthusiastic.

“But do you trust him?” Maggie asked curiously.

“I do trust him,” Aaron admitted. “Don’t you?”

“I don’t know yet. Sometimes I feel like he’s holding back information, as though he only tells us what we need to know, just enough to convince us,” she answered honestly.

“He hasn’t done anything to make us not trust him,” Aaron argued.

“Hilltop needs us for protection. Without Alexandria, they might not be sitting in their community right now. I don’t know. I just find it odd that roughly twenty people were able to bully a place as big as Hilltop, to the point that they are frightened.”

“You know for yourself that they don’t have any fire power. They have no way to fight. That’s where we came in,” Aaron justified. “And don’t forget, Jesus said they’d seen the Saviors group and that’s about how many people we found in their bunker.”

“That can’t be all of them,” Maggie said unconvinced.

“No, but I think we put a big dent in their numbers. The rest will either leave Hilltop and us alone, or they’ll find themselves face to face with a well-armed force to deal with.” Aaron was confident with his statement, and not just because he was trying to make Maggie feel better about the situation.

“Rick seems to feel the same way,” Maggie told him, but there was doubt in her words.

“Rick’s been doing this a long time. He knows what’s going on,” Aaron said. “Now, we just need to reel our people back in and regroup.”

“Yeah,” Maggie whispered, her thoughts far off.

“They’re going to be fine. Glenn, Daryl and the rest … they’ll be home soon. They have to be.” Aaron stood from the couch. Maggie followed him.

“In the meantime, we need to keep preparing Alexandria for whatever happens. We need to be ready,” Maggie stated. She reached up and started to put her long hair into a ponytail, but she stopped. “If you see Enid, will you send her here? I’ve got something I need her to help me with.”

“Sure Maggie.” He hugged her and kissed her forehead before heading out. Aaron thought he better finish up what Glenn and Maggie were doing earlier, hiding cachets of weapons around town. He went off to find Caleb to help him with this. Aaron didn’t want Maggie worrying any more than she already was. Besides, she needed to take it easy right now.

>>------->

Daryl had tunnel vision out in the woods where he was tracking Dwight. He had some excellent clues that were leading him to the man he considered his bane. In his mind, he kept berating himself for not killing Dwight when he first encountered him. Denise would still be alive. That much he knew for sure because it was Daryl’s stolen crossbow that killed her.

Everything was a mess right now, especially his relationship with Aaron. He fucked that up pretty bad when he accused Aaron of cheating on him with Jesus. Daryl got so angry every time Aaron spoke of him or called him by his real name as though they were best friends or something. He felt threatened by Jesus, but in a different way. Jesus was Daryl’s equal. He could fight, he could track, and Daryl had seen evidence of his quiet pining for Aaron. That part alone made Daryl stew in his own hate for the man. It wasn’t as dominant as his hate for Dwight, though, and that was where his focus was right now. He’d deal with Jesus later, but first he needed to put things right again, and he couldn’t do that until Dwight was dead.

Lost in thought, Daryl almost didn’t hear the sound of footsteps. He came to and saw movement through the thick leaves, raised his bow and fired. The arrow his a tree just as he saw Rosita come out of the foliage. Glenn and Michonne stepped out behind her.

“What the fuck are you all doing here,” Daryl growled.

“We’re looking for you,” Rosita said with anger as she looked at the arrow that had only missed her head by inches. “What the fuck are you doing shooting at me?” she replied, her Hispanic accent thick with anger.

“Daryl, you need to come home,” Glenn told him.

“Naw man, I got something I need to take care of first.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed out here. This is not the way to go about it,” Glenn argued.

“It’s the only way,” Daryl said, and he started walking again.

Michonne and Rosita started to go after him, but Glenn held his hand out to them, making them stop. Then he went after Daryl, and stopped him so they could talk in private. Daryl was not the least bit happy about it. “Go back to town,” he told Glenn.

“Not without you,” Glenn countered. “Listen, I know how you feel. You’re pissed. You’re seeing red, and all you want to do is hunt down and kill the guy that screwed with you.”

“Then you understand why I gotta get going. I appreciate your concern, but I need to finish this.”

Glenn jumped in front of Daryl so he wouldn’t leave. “And what about Alexandria? What about Rick or Carol or Maggie? What about Aaron?” He put emphasis on Aaron’s name, and Daryl narrowed his eyes. Glenn knew he touched on something. “So, you’re gonna risk your life without giving a shit about the people who love you? What do you think that would do to Aaron if you didn’t come back?”

“You don’t know nothing about it,” Daryl said angrily.

“I know that he cares about you … a lot, and he’s back there right now, worried as hell.”

Daryl looked past Glenn to Michonne and Rosita. “Oh, he’s worried alright. So worried he didn’t come with you.”

“I wouldn’t let him come,” Glenn corrected him. “He was going to go by himself. He was ready to leave just as soon as he heard you tear out of the gate, but I stopped him because having one of you out here is enough. Now, I don’t know what all went down between the two of you, but Aaron is beside himself. He feels bad, really bad. He’s blaming himself for the reason you left, and all he wants is to make it right again. Imagine if you don’t come home and what that will do to him. If you don’t come back for any other reason, come back for Aaron.” Glenn could see that Daryl was actually considering his words. He was sure he had Daryl convinced to give up on this hunt and come home. Daryl’s facial features softened for just a moment, and then they hardened up again.

Daryl wanted to listen to Glenn. He knew going back and working it out with Aaron was the best thing to do, but if he let Dwight go, how was he protecting anyone? Denise was dead, and nothing he did would change that, but what if this asshole decided to come back? What if he tried to get Aaron or anyone else in Alexandria? If anything else happened to Daryl’s people, it would be on himself for not stopping Dwight and putting an end to the threat. He couldn’t let it happen again. “I can’t. I gotta go,” he told Glenn and he went back to tracking his enemy.

Glenn watched him leave. He called out to Daryl a couple times, but he was gone. Michonne and Rosita came up next to Glenn. “Damn it,” he muttered.

The three stood and watched Daryl head off into the woods determined to find Dwight. Glenn shook his head in frustration and sighed deep. “We better get home.”

“So that’s it? You’re just going to let him go off by himself?” Rosita said with anger.

“I tried to stop him,” Glenn defended himself. “He wouldn’t listen.”

“By being out here, we’re leaving Alexandria vulnerable,” Michonne said, being the voice of reason.

Rosita looked at them in disbelief and scowled at them. “Go home then, but I’m staying with Daryl.” She pushed Glenn out of her way and trotted off to catch up.

Glenn and Michonne watched her. “This is not good,” Glenn said. “Nothing good can come of this.”

“We could follow him,” Michonne suggested.

“No, I can’t. I need to be there for Maggie and the baby. That’s my first priority,” Glenn told her. They turned and started back the way they came. “I thought Daryl would realize that too.”

“What?” Michonne asked.

“I thought Aaron was more important to him than this. I tried to get him to see that, but he still left,” Glenn said disappointedly.

“I think he’s doing this for Aaron … for all of us.”

“He’s doing it for himself,” Glenn said quietly. “And that’s never a good thing.”

>>------->

Aaron was pulling gate duty when Rick returned … alone. He opened the gate and let Rick in. “Where’s Morgan and Carol?”

“We found her trail. Looks like she came across some of the Saviors. They were all dead. We think Carol is alive but injured. Morgan talked me into coming back. He’s going after Carol. He’ll bring her home,” Rick told him.

“And you left him out there alone?” Aaron asked, confused by Rick’s decision.

“Morgan is a better tracker than me. He was out there a long time on his own. He’ll be alright. I’m confident he’s going to bring Carol back. And besides, with the others gone, we need the firepower.” Rick stopped and looked around. “Speaking of which, is Michonne back yet?”

Aaron shook his head. “No. There’s been no sign of them. I thought for sure they’d be back by now. Daryl couldn’t have gotten far.”

Rick palmed the back of his neck, as he thought of his next move. “Alright, we’ll give them a couple more hours, and if they aren’t back, Abraham and I will go looking for them.”

Aaron noticed Rick didn’t include him in the search. He let Glenn talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t let Rick make decisions for him. Hopefully, Daryl and the others would be back before time was up, and he wouldn’t have to argue with Rick. “Well, just in case, I’m going to go ahead and gather up some weapons, and have a car ready.”

“Good,” Rick said, grasping Aaron’s shoulder. “I’m sure everything is fine, and they’ll be home soon.”

“I hope so,” Aaron said, forcing a smile. He left Rick and went towards the armory, making a mental list of what they would need. When he got there, Olivia helped him get weapons and ammo together. He had just packed them into a duffle bag when he heard someone yelling outside. Aaron went to a window and looked out. Enid was running up the street in distress. Aaron dropped the bag and ran out to meet her.

“Help, Aaron. Please help her,” Enid called, tears streaming down her face.

Aaron caught her by the shoulders and held her. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Maggie. She’s in severe pain. I don’t know what it is, but I think it’s the baby.”

“Shit … okay … uh … alright. Where is she right now?” he asked.

“She’s at her house. I don’t know what happened,” Enid cried.

“Okay. I need you to get Rick and tell him to go there. Tell him I’m with her. And then … then . . .” he stammered, about to tell Enid to get Denise. It was an instant reaction, one he didn’t think twice about in his frazzled state. But now he realized that they didn’t have a doctor, and Maggie was in serious trouble. “Just go get Rick, alright? Can you do that?”

“Yes,” she agreed and she took off running to find their leader.

Aaron ran up the street until he reached Glenn and Maggie’s house. He burst through the door, already calling out to her. He found her on the dining room floor, holding onto one of the chairs with one arm, the other holding her mid-section. She looked up at him, tears falling over her cheeks.

“Help me, Aaron,” she asked with desperation.

Aaron went to her and knelt down next to her. “My God, what happened, Maggie? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. Sharpe pains. Hurts bad.” She couldn’t speak in complete sentences. She doubled over and started yelling in pain. Aaron took her in his arms and held her, watching the door as he waited for help to arrive. Soon, Rick came in and went straight to them. Enid stood in the threshold and watched from a distance. It wasn’t long and Sasha and Abraham came inside too. No one had a clue what was wrong, but everyone suspected something wrong with the baby.

Working together, they finally got Maggie to the couch, and covered her with blankets. She was running a fever and was shaking by this time. Rick gathered Aaron, Sasha and Abe in the kitchen.

“Hilltop has a doctor. Maggie’s already met with him. He’s the one who performed the sonogram so he knows her condition. I don’t see any other choice here. We’ve got to get her to Hilltop,” Rick said and everyone agreed.

“I can get a car and bring it here. We’ll lay her in the backseat,” Aaron suggested.

“I think we should take the RV. We need to make her as comfortable as possible and there’s a bed in there,” Rick said.

“I’m on it,” Abraham said, and he left to bring the camper up to the house. The rest stayed with Maggie and kept her calm.

It didn’t take long. Abe was back with the RV. Rick, Aaron and Sasha carefully carried Maggie out of the house and into the camper. They laid her on the bed in the back, covered her, and gave her pillows to keep her comfortable. Rick jumped in the driver’s seat and drove to Olivia’s house where he would load up on supplies and weapons. Once they got there, most of the townspeople were following, all of them worried for Maggie and wondering what was happening.

Rick made the announcement. “Maggie is sick. We’re not sure what’s wrong, so we are taking her to Hilltop.”

“Who’s we?” Olivia asked.

Rick looked around at the faces in the crowd. “It’s just going to be me and Abraham.”

There was instant chatter in the crowd, worried people wondering who would be left to patrol the city, especially with a handful of people already gone. Rick was about to calm their fears, but Sasha came up to him first. “If Abraham is going, so am I.”

Rick looked at Abraham to see if he would disagree, but he shrugged his shoulders. “Package deal, man.” Abe and Sasha climbed into the RV.

Eugene was following on Sasha’s heels, as though trying to sneak on board, but Rick stopped him. Eugene held up a map in his defense. “You don’t have Jesus telling you how to get there this time. You’re going to need someone to navigate the quickest route. I’ve got a lot of experience in that department.” When Rick didn’t seem convinced, Eugene put on his most pleading face. “Besides, I’m part of that package deal that Abraham spoke of.” Rick bowed his head, and Eugene took it as a sign of defeat, climbing into the camper.

Carl came out of the garage carrying the last of the supplies. Since he lost his eye, he didn’t participate much outside of Alexandria. He had lost a lot of his confidence. He stopped next to Rick as though considering what to do.

“You going too?” Rick asked.

Carl glanced back at the townspeople and then to his father. “Yeah, I feel like I need to this time.”

Rick nodded and patted his son on the shoulder. Carl gave a brief smile and took the supply box inside.

Aaron came out of Olivia’s house with the bag of weapons he put together earlier. Rick reached out for the bag, and Aaron handed it to him, but as Aaron started to step into the RV, Rick took hold of his arm. “You’re not going,” Rick told him.

“What? Why?” Aaron said, disappointed.

“Because I need people here. Just about all of our main people are gone. You’re all that’s left. I need you in Alexandria,” Rick explained, hoping Aaron understood.

“Look, I was already told to stay behind when Glenn and the others went after Daryl. I should have gone after him too, and I regret letting Glenn talk me out of it. But I’ll be damned if I’m not going this time,” Aaron said pugnaciously.

“Aaron, I–”

“No,” Aaron interrupted. “The only way you’re going to stop me is to punch me in the face and knock me unconscious again,” Aaron said, referring to the first time he met Rick and their group.

Rick narrowed his eyes as a last resort to try and antagonize Aaron, but he failed to do so. “Yeah, I might do it, but it didn’t work to keep you away the last time,” Rick joked. He let go of Aaron’s arm. “Alright, let’s go.”

As Aaron got onto the RV, he saw Father Gabriel approach Rick. Aaron thought he was going to try and get a seat to Hilltop too, but he was reassuring Rick that everything was taken care of, and that there were guards at every post. Aaron hoped that would ease Rick’s mind.

>>------->

Daryl awoke to darkness with just shards of light penetrating something covering his head. He was in severe pain, and the smell of blood was strong. His hands and ankles were tied, mouth gagged, and he was sitting on the floor. The sound of muffled voices barely reached his ears, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. He closed his eyes and tried to remember what happened and how he ended up like this.

Glenn, Michonne and Rosita caught up to him, and tried to get him to come back to Alexandria. In the end, he refused and marched off into the woods. Moments later, Rosita was at his side, and ready to help him complete his mission of finding and killing the man who murdered Denise. Daryl started tracking again. It took him a while, but he picked up the trail once more, only now it seemed there might be more people. Something didn’t feel right about the whole Saviors thing, and he started to wonder if their community was larger than Jesus originally led him to believe. Jesus said he’d spotted a group of about twenty, but now Daryl thought that might be just one piece of the community. What they were dealing with might very well be hundreds of members, not just a small group like the ones they killed at the satellite compound. Daryl quietly worried that they might be outnumbered. If that was true, maybe Glenn was right and he needed to go back to Alexandria, warn Rick of the impending danger, and start to reinforce their army.

“Daryl, look!” Rosita warned, pointing to a few threads snagged on a branch.

Daryl looked at it closely. “Glenn,” he said tersely.

“Shit,” Rosita complained. Their hunt for a killer was now a rescue mission. “Must have been caught while they were heading back.”

“Alright, let’s do this,” Daryl said, and they followed the trail.

After a little while, Daryl and Rosita stopped when they heard voices in the distance. They took immediate cover and scoped the area. There was movement not far, but they couldn’t see anything specific. They moved closer, using the trees and the underbrush as cover. Sure enough, there was Glenn and Michonne, tied up and their mouths gagged. Daryl needed Glenn to see him so he would know they were there. Glenn could cause some kind of distraction, leaving Daryl and Rosita free to silently take out any Saviors. Daryl hoped Dwight was one of them so he could have the pleasure of killing him.

Daryl made eye contact with Glenn, but something was wrong. Glenn looked panicked, and he was trying to yell through his gag. And then Daryl and Rosita heard guns being cocked, and the feel of cold metal being shoved into their backs. Daryl’s mind instantly started trying to figure a way out of their predicament when he heard a familiar voice in his ear.

“Hi Daryl,” Dwight said.

Daryl tensed and readied himself for a fight, but before he could turn to see his captor, Dwight’s gun fired. Daryl was shot, white heat sending pain shooting down his arm and through his shoulder. He crumbled to the ground, the pain and the shock of being shot too much for him. Everything started to fade around him, turning to darkness.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be alright,” Dwight said, the last thing Daryl remembered before waking up wherever he was now.

But he didn’t feel alright. He was in pain, and he could hardly move. He was dehydrated, seeing double, short of breath, and angry. He knew Dwight shot him, but for some reason he didn’t kill him. Daryl made a promise that Dwight would regret that decision just before passing out again.

Daryl lost consciousness several times, and each time he recovered he was weaker. His shirt was soaked in blood, which told him he was still bleeding. That would explain his debilitated state. How much blood had he lost since being shot? How long had it been? Where the hell was he? He had a sense that the others were here. He heard quiet moans, and he moaned himself, but they were gagged and tied up, unable to communicate. Daryl didn’t have the strength to try anything.

As his situation deteriorated, Daryl started thinking about something Glenn said when he was trying to convince him to go home. He said something would go wrong because of Daryl’s rash decision to hunt down Dwight. Things couldn’t have gone any worse, he told himself. Once again, his stubbornness led nowhere good. Should have known that, asshole, he thought to himself. Something else Glenn said pierced his heart like a blunt knife. What would Aaron do when Daryl didn’t come home? And the way he left things between them was tearing him apart. Some of the last things he told Aaron were horrible. He accused Aaron of cheating on him, of sleeping with Jesus. The look on Aaron’s face haunted him, the disbelief that Daryl would ever think such a thing. At the time, he was just pissed off. He wanted to hurt Aaron in return for the hurt of not having him there after suffering the loss of Denise. How selfish a thing that was, he thought. Aaron had always been there for him in the past. Sooner or later, it was bound to happen … a time when Aaron wouldn’t be available. It didn’t mean he didn’t care, but Daryl always took things much too personally. And now, he wasn’t sure he would make it out of this situation alive. More than likely, he wouldn’t, and Aaron’s last memory of them was going to be their argument. How did everything get so damn fucked up? “Stupid … so stupid,” Daryl thought.

He became tired, so tired that he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Maybe he would just fall asleep and die, never knowing when he took his last breath. There probably wasn’t much blood left in him by now. It was going to happen sooner or later. Actually, Daryl was surprised he lasted as long as he did since the outbreak. He knew Aaron played a big part in that. “I’m sorry, Aaron,” Daryl thought, a single tear escaping, mingling with the blood and dirt on his face. “I tried. I really did. I always tried for you, and I know I said I would die fighting, but I’ve fucked everything up lately. I put my trust in someone and ended up here. And I abandoned the one person who always believed in me, the one who deserved all of my trust. I don’t know what happened. Somewhere along the way, I guess I forgot. I got cocky. Maybe I took advantage of what we had or I became too demanding. Whatever it was, I screwed everything up and I lost people. What I regret most of all is losing you. I’m sorry, Aaron.” As the last thought passed through his mind, Daryl closed his eyes and his world went dark.

>>------->

Aaron and the group had been trying to reach Hilltop for what felt like hours, but at every turn it seemed they were blocked by the Saviors. The original route they took was blocked, and each new route they were met with larger numbers. At one point, the road was cut off by a stack of logs, something that could only be managed by multiple people and some heavy equipment. A man they didn’t know was tossed from an overpass and was hung right before their eyes. They didn’t have the man power or ammo to try and save him. All they could do was stand there and watch the man die swinging at the end of a rope. One thing they realized from all of this was that the Saviors had the numbers, much more than Alexandria had ever imagined.

Right now, though, they were playing a cat and mouse game, heading off the camper, forcing the group to go a certain direction. Too late Rick and the rest figured that it was a trap, and they fell right into it. But they were desperate to get to Hilltop. Maggie was really sick by now, and she was burning up with fever. If they didn’t get there soon, they were going to lose her.

While Abraham drove, Rick and Eugene looked over a map, trying to find a road that the Saviors might not know about. Unfortunately, they were out of options. There was only one left, and they were sure it would be blocked too. Aaron listened as they came up with an idea. They knew the Saviors were looking for the RV. They didn’t know how many people were inside. They had only seen a few of the group. What they needed was a diversion. According to the map, they were close to Hilltop, and they could probably make it the rest of the way on foot if they stuck to the forest. Eugene would drive the RV, taking the last route option. While the Saviors stopped the camper, the rest could continue to Hilltop, carrying Maggie on a litter. They had guns and knives to fight off any walkers, unless they came upon a ridiculously large herd. It would be slow going because they had to carry Maggie, but at least they would be moving towards their destination, and right now, every minute counted. So they stopped the camper and organized their plans.

Aaron hugged Eugene when they were saying their goodbyes. It felt like he was never going to see him again, and there was a really good chance of that happening. Aaron was taken aback by the man Eugene turned out to be, no longer the terrified and timid victim. It was amazing how much he’d changed. They all had, now that he thought about it. Everyone who joined Rick and his original group were better off now.

“If I make it out of here and back to Alexandria, I’ll tell Daryl where you are. I’m sure he’s back with the others by now,” Eugene assured Aaron.

“Thanks. I really appreciate it,” Aaron said, shaking Eugene’s hand as they parted. Then he went to Maggie while Rick spoke to Eugene.

“How are you doing?” he asked her, kneeling on the ground next to the stretcher she laid on.

“Not so good,” she croaked in a weak voice.

“We’re just waiting on Rick, and then we’ll be on our way. We’re gonna get you to Hilltop to see the doctor. You’re going to be just fine,” Aaron smiled.

Finally they were on their way. Aaron made sure he was one of the people to help carry Maggie. He kept a close eye on her the whole time. He felt he owed her that much for all the advice and support she had given him. Maggie was the first person from Rick’s group that he approached, as she and Sasha were sitting at the edge of a glade after surviving yet another night in the open. Maggie had also been the one who introduced him to Rick, and convinced him to listen to what Aaron had to say. And when Glenn got separated from the group during the attack on Alexandria, Aaron was there for Maggie, keeping her thoughts positive. That’s when she told him she was pregnant. Before that, Glenn was the only one who knew. He felt a special bond with Maggie, one in which they always lifted each other up during difficult times. Now was one of those times, and Aaron would make sure she didn’t lose hope.

“We’re close, Maggie. You just got to hang in there a little bit longer, okay? We’ll be there soon, and that doctor they got is going to treat you right away,” Aaron encouraged.

“What if it’s the baby,” Maggie asked with a weakened voice. “What if something’s wrong?”

“You have to keep positive thoughts,” Aaron told her.

“And what happens when Glenn gets back, and someone tells him about us going to Hilltop. You know he will follow us, and with all the roads blocked by the Saviors . . .” she said worriedly.

“It will all work out. One way or another, it has to,” Aaron said. ‘You’ll see. As soon as we–” His words were cut off by the sound of whistling. People were whistling in the woods. The group stopped and aimed their weapons, but the sound was coming from every direction. It was as if . . .

“We’re surrounded,” Aaron whispered with fear.

>>------->

The darkness and silence was more peaceful than Daryl would have thought it could be. There was no pain, no sadness, no anger, just quiet for a change. He could keep slipping further and further into the abyss. He liked it here.

“Daryl,” someone whispered. “You have to wake up.”

“I don’t want to. I like it like this. I’ve got no more worries,” he refused.

“It’s not time yet,” the voice said. It was a soft feminine tone and it was familiar, but he didn’t care about that.

“It was going to be my time sooner or later. I had a good run, but I’m tired.”

“Everyone’s tired, Daryl, but it doesn’t mean you get to check out.”

He felt his eyes open, but he still couldn’t see anything. He didn’t know if it was the bag over his head or if it was the dream he was in that kept his vision blank. “Who’s talking?”

“That’s not important.”

“Then you’re just a figment of my imagination, my subconscious trying to keep me alive,” he argued. “Leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that. You need to listen to me.”

Daryl was becoming annoyed. “Tell me who you are if you want me to pay attention to you. Otherwise, get the hell out of my mind.”

The dark was split by a pure white light. It felt like shards of glass in his eyes. For a moment, he thought someone had taken off his blindfold. He lifted his hand to shade his eyes and realized he wasn’t bound anymore. His feet were untied too, and he jumped up, unstable after hours of being cramped. He started to fall, but the light surrounded him, steadying him so he could stand.

“What is this?” he wondered aloud. “Who are you?”

The light dimmed just enough so that he could see a face. She was absolutely beautiful, more so than he ever remembered. “Beth?”

“It’s me, Daryl,” she smiled.

“Are you here to take me with you? Please say you are,” he said with desperation in his tone. “I want to go. I can’t do it anymore.”

“I’m here to give you a message. You have to stay strong.”

His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’ve tried. I really have, but I don’t have anything left. Let me go with you. Please.”

“I can’t,” she said softly.

“Then why the fuck are you here? Can’t you see I’ve ruined everything? I’ve tried time and time again to be a better man and to make the right choices, and every time it goes wrong. Look at you. I was supposed to protect you. And Denise, she gone because of me. Glenn, Rosita, Michonne … that’s my fault too. Anyone who has ever put their trust in me suffers.”

“What about Aaron?” she asked.

“I’ve been the most hurtful to him,” he said solemnly.

“And yet he loves you more now than ever. And I know you love him too, although you won’t tell me you do.”

“It’s over between us. I screwed it up. He’ll never take me back, not after how I treated him,” Daryl admitted.

“And you would let it end that way? Is that how much you care for him?”

“I care enough to let him go. He’ll be better off without me. I can’t come back from this, Beth. So much has happened. I’ve changed. The world has changed me. I’ve lost my way again. No matter how much I try, I always end up back to how I used to be.”

Beth watched him a moment, and then she smiled, but the sadness didn’t leave her eyes. “I’m not here to make you see things differently. I’m not here to convince you of anything except to tell you to not lose hope. You will see Aaron again, and what you decide to do with that time is up to you. It could be your moment of redemption. I know you are questioning yourself right now, but there are those who draw their strength from you, and none more than Aaron. You’ll find your way back, but you have to get there first.” She moved close so that all Daryl saw was her glowing face. “Now … Wake up!”

Daryl awoke, and inhaled a deep breath, as though he had stopped and his lungs ached for air. Nothing had changed. He was still trapped, hurt and bleeding, but he felt new strength within him. Beth didn’t have to tell him anything else but that he was going to see Aaron again, and it would be enough to find his will once more. Whether or not this was his last chance to make things right between them, that didn’t matter. All he cared about was meeting Aaron’s eyes and telling him he was sorry … to tell him they never lost their trust in one another because Aaron was really and truly the only person he cared about. It was not enough to whisper apologies alone in the dark. He would tell Aaron face to face, even if it meant he would succumb to his wound right after. Beth told him it wasn’t his time, but she didn’t say how much time was left. Maybe that’s why he saw her vision. Maybe he was just hallucinating from blood loss. Whatever it was, he knew what he had to do, and he wouldn’t hesitate.

Suddenly, the muffled voices got louder. A door opened, the screech of metal hurting his ears. There was a bright light filtering through the weaving of the bag over his head. Someone grabbed his injured arm and made him stand. He cried out in pain through the gag. And then a familiar voice spoke in his ear.

“I’m taking the ropes off, but I suggest you not try anything or you’ll be shot dead. I’m also going to take off your blindfold and the gag, and again, I suggest you not say anything. As a matter of fact, don’t make a fucking sound or you’ll get a bullet in the head. Am I clear?” Dwight informed him.

Daryl nodded, but he wanted nothing more than to kill his captor. However, he heeded Beth’s words and stayed strong, pushing his hatred aside. The bag was removed, and the light blinded him. It wasn’t the sun. This was like a spot light. It was purposefully aimed at him to keep him confused and disoriented. It was doing a good job of that. When he heard the shuffle of feet behind him, he glanced backwards and saw Glenn, Michonne and Rosita being let go too. They looked at each other, but no one said a word. Obviously, they had all been given the same warning.

“Alright, up and out,” Dwight told them, and one by one they were shoved out of a truck and onto the ground. Just before Dwight pushed Daryl out, he draped a blanket over his shoulders. “Don’t want everyone seeing you bleeding all over the place. Trust me, these guys can smell blood and fear.” It was almost as though Dwight was trying to help him, but he doubted that very much.

Each captive had a Savior to lead them to their place and to make sure they didn’t try anything. Dwight kicked Daryl’s feet out from under him, and he was on his knees in the dirt. The light was so blinding, he didn’t see anything else around him at first. The smell of pine was strong, and he knew he was in a forest, but why?

“Daryl!”

His heart dropped at the sound of his name, but more so because of who said it. He shaded his sensitive eyes to the light and saw them. Rick, Carl, Maggie, Abraham, Sasha, Eugene and . . .

“Aaron,” Daryl responded. He tried not to speak, but he just couldn’t.

Dwight kicked him pretty hard. “What did I tell you? Keep quiet unless spoken to or you’re sure as shit dead.”

“No. Stop,” Aaron called out, and he tried to stand and go to Daryl, but he was hit with the butt of a shotgun. Aaron was about to fight back, but Daryl held his hand up to gain his attention.

“Don’t,” Daryl warned Aaron. “Please.” He feared for Aaron’s life. These people weren’t joking around. Aaron calmed immediately and continued to kneel on the ground, but he never took his eyes from Daryl.

Dwight leaned down and whispered in Daryl’s ear. “What was that all about? You some kind of faggot or something?” Daryl didn’t protest nor did he deny the question. Dwight gave a huff. “Well, well, well. Didn’t see that one coming. You’re smart to tell your boyfriend to calm down. You don’t want to put a marker on you, and you especially don’t want the big guy finding something like that out.”

“Why?” Daryl dared to ask.

“It’s kind of like those reality shows that used to be on TV. You know, the ones where they voted somebody off. There was always someone who went after the power couples, and something tells me you and him are like one of those couples. Just keep your mouth shut, and you might get to go home with your boy over there.”

Everyone was on their knees, surrounded by a hundred or more men with weapons, everything from sticks to guns. All eyes were on the group of Alexandrians. They were all terrified. It was on their faces. Daryl glanced around at everyone. Even Rick seemed lost. There was nothing anyone could do. They were at the mercy of the Saviors. The big mystery for Daryl was why were they all here? What were they doing out this way? Why was the RV here? Most importantly, why was Aaron here? He shouldn’t be. Aaron should have been home where it was safe, but he was thrown into the mix with everyone else.

Once the crowd settled, it was announced that they were finally going to meet Negan, and out of the RV stepped a man who looked like he meant business. Daryl was instantly reminded of the people he grew up around, the arrogant pricks who he had to pretend to like, and this guy seemed like the prick of pricks. He smiled and it made Daryl sick to his stomach. He introduced them to his weapon, Lucille, a bat wrapped in barbwire. He made jokes. He tried to comfort them in a demented way. Negan was almost likeable, if you weren’t the one kneeling on the ground. He had charisma and charm that bordered insanity. Now Daryl understood Dwight’s warning.

Aaron listened to Negan’s speech, but he kept his sights on Daryl. How had he ended up here? He should be back in Alexandria, but instead, he was doubled over, sitting on the ground, wrapped in a blanket. Aaron could see the great amount of blood. Daryl was hurt, possibly shot, and he had a good idea that it was the man that stood behind him, Dwight. Aaron wanted to jump up and try to strike a bargain with Negan. This was something Aaron had experience in. Way back when he was an NGO worker he often came across hostiles who he had to negotiate with in order to get out of sticky situations.

After a long speech and unending threats to the group, Negan was ready to play his game, one in which someone would have to die. Negan said it was a fair trade, considering how many Saviors died at the hands of Alexandrians. It turned into child’s play as he chanted a nursery rhyme, going around to each person, pointing the bat at them, and making them squirm. Daryl’s heart broke whenever Negan stopped in front of Aaron and pointed the bat at him. He wanted to jump up and tell Negan to take him instead, and leave all the rest of them alone, especially Aaron. The fear in his face was enough to move Daryl to forget about Dwight’s advice and take Lucille’s wrath. It was too late. Negan was about to decide someone’s fate.

“And … you … are … it,” Negan sang, stopping at his victim.

Neither Daryl nor Aaron looked at Negan. Their eyes locked upon one another, speaking to each other with all they had left. The intensity of the moment proved to be too much, as tears streaked down Aaron’s face. Daryl’s lip quivered as he tried to keep it together. Stay strong, he remembered from his dream of Beth. They will need you, she reminded him. She had also promised that he would see Aaron again, though this was far from how he imagined it. Could this be the last time they would lay eyes upon each other? Was this Daryl’s last chance for redemption?

Tears threatened to fall from Daryl’s misty eyes. He forced a partial smile as he looked at Aaron. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed the words from across the forest floor.

“It’s okay,” Aaron smiled back. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Daryl answered soundlessly.

As Negan raised his bat to begin the bludgeoning both Daryl and Aaron closed their eyes. Their connection was lost, but they said what needed to be said. They made their amends. It brought them peace, and it was enough to know that they found haven within each other’s eyes. Everything was as it should be between them, and if this was to be the end, they knew their love for each other was stronger than ever. But that didn’t change the fact that someone was about to die.
- 37
- 38
- 39
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Safe Haven in the Chaos