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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
- 54
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Chapter 55 A Very Long Day

Aaron woke up to find it was still dark outside. They were to meet Rick and the others at the gate. Today they were going to a place called Oceanside to acquire weapons, but it would be a dangerous mission. Every mission from here on out was guaranteed to be dangerous, and there was no end to them. Not until Negan and the Saviors were destroyed could they rest easy.

There was a heavy weight on his chest, and he found Daryl snuggled against him. This was very unusual. Normally, Aaron was the one curled into Daryl. But lately, Daryl was gone by the time he awoke. For the first time in a very long time, it felt like they were on the right course again. Daryl had finally made a major breakthrough. He was here sleeping soundly, curled into Aaron’s side for comfort. He wasn’t convulsing from nightmares or running out of the room. At a closer look, he appeared very content, his facial features relaxed and his body relieved of tension.

As Aaron tried to adjust his position, Daryl awoke and smiled, eyes still shut. “Good morning,” he said, his voice groggy with sleep.

“Hey,” Aaron greeted with a smile. “How’d you sleep?”

“Amazingly well. Best sleep I’ve had in months,” Daryl said stretching. “Is it time to get up?”

“I think we still have a little time before we absolutely have to.” Aaron looked up at the window. There wasn’t even a hint of light in the sky yet.

“Good because I’m totally spent.” Daryl brushed the back of his fingers across Aaron’s bearded jaw. “I think I like you like this. You should keep it.” His leg came up and crossed Aaron’s thighs.

Daryl’s body pressed against his hip, and began to stiffen. Aaron felt himself twitch to life too. “I think I like you like this,” he said, referring to the way Daryl was showing affection, needing to be close and together. “I thought you said you were spent.”

“Apparently my cock has other ideas,” Daryl moaned in Aaron’s ear.

“I like the way it thinks.”

“We got time. I want you,” Daryl growled low and sultry as he took Aaron’s earlobe between his teeth and gently bit down. He climbed onto Aaron’s body and continued ravishing him before he entered him. Daryl sat back on his knees, and brought Aaron with him, lifting his lower body from the makeshift bed. Aaron’s heels dug into Daryl’s back as he let his body be filled and pounded into. Daryl took him fast and hard and deep, and Aaron cried out his pleasure. Daryl’s body stiffened, back arching as he pushed inside and held himself there. His head threw back, face contorted with ultimate pleasure, and he released a guttural cry as he came. Aaron watched the primal display of the man he loved ride out his passion. There was nothing sexier than the look on Daryl’s face as he released, and Aaron spilled his own pleasure across his stomach. Daryl looked down at him, mouth agape and breathing heavily. He was still pulsating inside Aaron’s body, as he watched his lover, cock hard and throbbing. He lowered Aaron’s body to the bed and laid on top of him. Daryl softened inside while Aaron softened between their bodies.

When they looked up, they could see the sky just beginning to lighten. “Shit,” Daryl complained. “I wish we didn’t have to go. I want to stay in bed all day and fuck.” Daryl kissed Aaron before he rolled onto his back so Aaron could get up if he needed to. “Big day ahead of us though.”

“No doubt it will be,” Aaron agreed.

“What do you think we’ll find at this new place?” Daryl wondered.

“I don’t know. Tara said they shoot first and ask questions later. That’s why we’re doing things a little different this time. She says they’re just scared, but they are good people, and they could become good allies too,” Aaron said.

“Not after we force them to give over all their weapons,” Daryl commented. “But I get it. We need them more than they do right now.”

“We might be making more enemies. That’s not something we need right now. People who don’t fight with us could join Negan’s side, make his numbers even bigger,” Aaron pointed out.

“It’s a risk, but one we have to take if we want these garbage people fighting with us. Alexandria needs numbers if we want to defeat the Saviors.” Daryl paused and sighed heavily. “And I want to see every last one of them dead,” he spoke with venom.

Aaron knew Daryl wanted nothing more than to take vengeance against the Saviors. He had a score to settle, but it might mean becoming overwhelmed by his own hate for these people and the things done to him. “You have to stay focused, especially if you come up against anyone you seek revenge towards.”

Daryl huffed. “What? Are you afraid I’ll go berserk or something?”

“I don’t know what you’ll do, especially if you see the man that–”

“I won’t see him anywhere but in my nightmares,” Daryl said as he looked away from Aaron. “He’s already dead.”

Aaron hadn’t known about this. He sat up on his elbow and gazed at Daryl with inquiry. “How do you know this?”

Daryl was quiet a moment before answering, as though the scene played out in front of him again. “Negan … he … he killed him. Said there were rules, and rape wasn’t tolerated in the Sanctuary. Pfft, this fucker can beat the shit out of someone with a baseball bat, but he’s against rape of any kind, man or woman.”

“So you saw him die?” Aaron asked.

“I saw him on the fence, a walker missing his cock,” Daryl said, tone so low Aaron almost couldn’t hear him. “I only wish I’d done it.”

The mood had turned dark, which was unfortunate after the very loving coupling. There were still things Daryl needed to deal with. Aaron took Daryl’s chin and turned his head to face him. “We’ll kill them all if that’s what it takes, and I’ll be right beside you.”

Aaron’s words brought Daryl back to the present, but instead of bliss he showed concern. “You need to be very careful out there. I don’t want anything happening to you,” Daryl warned. He took Aaron’s hand in his.

Aaron kissed him gently to try and ease his concerns. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. First, we concentrate on getting these weapons. Then we see who the hell these dumpster divers are. And when we’re ready, we take on the Saviors.”

Daryl looked him hard in the eyes and nodded. “All right,” he whispered.

The sun was rising quickly. They got up and dressed, grabbed their weapons and any supplies they needed, and went to the gate to meet with the rest. When they got there, Rick was ready with the RV and the van.

“It’s a long way there,” Rick announced. “We need the RV to carry everyone, and the van for the weapons. Aaron, you take the van.”

“Sure thing,” Aaron answered, and he looked to Daryl. “You want to drive, or do you want me to?”

“I think I’m gonna take the bike,” Daryl said after some careful consideration.

“Is it because of the dynamite in the back?” Aaron said, half joking.

Daryl slightly smiled. “In case I need to ride out ahead. Just being cautious. I ain’t never been out this way before.”

Aaron kissed him. “Be careful,” he said before he went to the van. Father Gabriel was waiting for him, and when he saw that Daryl wasn’t riding with him, he asked to ride in the van with Aaron.

Daryl put his crossbow on the back of his bike, watched Aaron get in the driver’s seat, gave him a nod, and it was time to go.

>>------->

It was a very long way to get to where they were going, about a three hour drive. Oceanside was near an inlet that lead out to the sea. It was decided that they would stop before they got too close to the women’s camp and walk the rest of the way. Tara led them, and they stopped when they were close enough. Places were picked out where they would lay dynamite, far enough away from the camp that it wouldn’t compromise their houses, but close enough to make a statement.

Daryl and Jesus were in charge of laying out the dynamite in the woods. They organized some of the others and had three places where they would wire up the explosives. Daryl and Jesus took one of the spots, and Aaron stood guard, watching for potential threats.

There was tension surrounding them as they worked, but Daryl ignored it. There was a job to do, and they didn’t have much time. Tara had already made her way to the camp to try and talk to their leader and convince her to help in their plans. They had no way to communicate with Tara, so Rick gave her a time limit. If she didn’t come back by a certain time, the plan went forward without Oceanside’s consent.

As Daryl and Jesus laid out wire across the leaf-strewn ground, Daryl continuously glanced at Aaron. Jesus noticed how he seemed very concerned about his partner’s safety.

“This is the easy part, you know,” Jesus commented.

“It’s what happens when we get back home that worries me the most,” Daryl said. He shook his head and glanced at Jesus. “We could be compromised and all of this is for nothing.”

Jesus knew he was referring to Sasha and Rosita, and their decision to go rogue. “I know and I feel kind of responsible for that. I should have kept a better eye on them. Maybe I should have gone after them or gone with them. I could have done something more.”

“You didn’t know what they were planning. Wasn’t your fault. Besides, you could have ended up getting yourself killed, and we need you in this fight,” Daryl admitted.

Jesus stopped what he was doing to look at Daryl, who had gone back to work. “You mean that, don’t you?”

“Wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t,” Daryl answered. He stopped what he was doing, too, but continued to look at the ground. “Listen here. I apologize for the other night. It was stupid, and I wasn’t thinking straight. Almost cost me the only thing I care about in this world. I promise you that it won’t happen again, but . . .” Daryl paused and glanced over to where Aaron stood watch. Father Gabriel had joined him and the two were in conversation. Then he turned to Jesus once more. “What I said before that night … that thing I asked you to do if something were to happen to me … it still stands. If I don’t make it, I need you to be there for Aaron. He trusts you and considers you a good friend.”

Jesus moved a little closer to Daryl so that they wouldn’t be over heard by Aaron or Father Gabriel. “You’re right. Aaron and I are good friends, but that little stunt of yours could have cost me something also. Luckily, Aaron was forgiving because he knew I didn’t have anything to do with what happened. You played on my vulnerabilities, and I don’t appreciate it. Now, here you are asking something very personal of me again, but as I said, Aaron and I are friends. I will be there for him if ever he needs me. That’s not something you have to ask of me. My question to you is, are you all right with it?”

“If I’m dead that won’t matter,” Daryl answered.

Jesus furrowed his brows. “What do you mean by that?”

“We’re getting ready to go to war with another group that outnumbers us. The odds that something might happen to me are–”

“No,” Jesus interrupted. “That’s not you. You’re never worried about dying in a fight. You’ve got more confidence than anyone I know. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re planning something that might mean your life in order to carry it out. If that’s the case then . . .”

“You want to know what concerns me? Negan isn’t the type to give up on something or someone that goes missing, especially when he’s invested time into it. When he took me that night in the woods, when we lost Abraham and … and Glenn … when he had me thrown into the back of that truck and locked me in a cell, naked, starving, and thirsty, he never had any intention of letting me go home. He had a lot of time invested in me. He tried everything to break me, and I came really fucking close. When that asshole, Brady, attacked me … no … when he raped me, Negan apologized because it was against the rules, but I know he wasn’t that upset about it because it was another way to break me down. Now, I’m going to go up against him in battle. He’s going to see me and want me back because he considers me his property. If I get captured, I could beg for death, and I know he won’t give it to me. He still wants to destroy my soul and everything that makes me who I am. He had me, and I almost went there … and that scared the fucking hell out of me.” Daryl stopped and checked on Aaron again, but he was still preoccupied with Father Gabriel. He wasn’t hearing any of this, and that was good. “If I get captured I will kill myself before I let them take me away again. So yeah, I guess you could say I’m planning something … an escape route. And don’t you say a fucking word to Aaron about this.”

“Then don’t get captured,” Jesus said.

“I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen. This is just a last resort.”

They got back to work, but something was bothering Jesus. Daryl had confessed something that happened to him at the Sanctuary. Jesus had been there to see Daryl’s rage when he found him beating that kid with a pipe. “When I got to you at the Sanctuary, was that … was that the guy?”

Daryl kept working and didn’t look up as he answered. “No, but he was the one who could have kept it from happening.”

It made more sense why Daryl set him up with Aaron in the watchtower back at Hilltop. If Daryl had been assaulted, he was probably having a difficult time with it, and with him and Aaron’s personal life as well. His concern for Aaron’s wellbeing was justified. “You don’t have to worry about Aaron. I’ll keep my promise to you, but I don’t think I’ll have to cash in on it. You’ll be here when it’s all over.”

Daryl stopped and glanced up at Jesus. “Thanks man,” he said with genuine gratitude. No more was said on the subject. They finished their job and got ready to carry out the plan.

>>------->

As it turned out, Tara didn’t make it back before time ran out. The explosives went off, and that sent Oceanside residents running. The group rounded them up at gunpoint. Tara had told Rick where the guns were stored, so Jesus, Daryl and Aaron were already watching the area. When a couple women came to get their guns, the three men stopped them and took them to join the rest of their group being held captive. Once everyone was there, Rick told them what was happening, how his people were going up against the Saviors, and that there were other communities working with them. He asked Oceanside to join the fight, but told them that if they didn’t, he was still taking their weapons. The group seemed divided. Half were scared, but the other half thought it was time to stop hiding and do something to destroy the Saviors. At least they were discussing it, but that came to an abrupt halt when the leader of Oceanside, Natania, approached with Tara held at gunpoint. She threatened to shoot Tara if Rick didn’t give up and leave. As they argued, walkers sauntered into the area. At that point, both groups came together to fight off the walkers. It was an easy job for Daryl and Aaron. They’d done this so many times they didn’t have to think about it anymore. Rick shouted out commands for the Oceanside people to follow, and within only minutes, the threat was taken out. Daryl nodded to Aaron for a job well done. It felt good fighting side by side again, but this was easy. The real challenge lie ahead when Negan came for a fight.

In the end, Oceanside was forced to give the Alexandrians all of their weapons leaving the women with nothing but knives to fight with. “It feels wrong,” Aaron said to Daryl as they carried crates of guns to the van. “They’re only women and children.”

“They’re tougher than you’re giving them credit for. Look at them. They’ve survived out here on their own without their men to protect them. We fought with them today, no deaths, no bites. Shame they won’t join us. They’re good soldiers.

“I guess you’re right. Maybe they’ll change their minds,” Aaron said.

“It’s up to them. We’ve got a bigger problem waiting for us in the near future.” As Daryl spoke, Jesus passed them. They glanced at each other and nodded, their unspoken agreement their new bond, a bond Daryl never thought he would have with the man he’d been jealous of.

>>------->

It was late afternoon when they got back to Alexandria. The first part of their plan was a success. They still had dynamite left, and a van full of guns and ammo. It was a good day, despite robbing an entire community of their firepower. Tomorrow began the second part of the plan, when Jadis and her garbage crew arrived. They expected Negan and his Saviors to show soon, maybe as early as tomorrow. They would be ready.

As the vehicles approached the gate, it slid open to let them in. When they drove inside, they noticed that it was Rosita who opened the gate.

“They’re back,” Aaron said after parking and going to Daryl. “Thank God for that.”

Everyone gathered around Rosita to welcome her home, but before they could ask any questions, she told them someone was here, and he wanted to speak with Rick. She marched off toward the newly built holding cell in the basement of one of the uncompleted townhomes.

This was a matter for only a few, so Rick, Michonne, Daryl, Aaron, Tara and Jesus went with Rosita. The rest began organizing people to unload the van.

“I don’t like this,” Aaron whispered to Daryl as they walked along the road.

“You and me both,” Daryl answered. Nothing else was said.

Rosita opened the jail cell and stepped aside. The others crowded around the door to see who it was. Inside was none other than Dwight.

Rage instantly washed over Daryl at the sight of the man responsible for his misery. He shoved Rick and Aaron to the side and lunged at Dwight. It happened so fast that Aaron hadn’t a chance to stop him. Rick managed to grab him at the last possible moment to keep Daryl from killing the man.

“Daryl! Stop!” Aaron called out, but his pleas feel upon deaf ears.

“Give him a chance to speak first,” Rick insisted, holding on with all his strength to keep Daryl at bay. Once he felt Daryl backing off, he handed him over to Aaron. Aaron took Daryl’s arms in a death grip and held him back.

“What are you doing here?” Rick scowled.

“I want to help,” Dwight claimed.

Everyone was quiet and wondering what this was about. Rick took out his gun, and aimed it at Dwight. “Get on your knees.” Dwight did as he was told. “Help how?”

“I want to help you stop Negan,” Dwight said.

“Why now?” Rick asked, head cocked to the side as he looked down the barrel of his gun.

“At one time, I thought I was doing the right thing. I realize I was wrong. I made a mistake,” Dwight confessed.

Daryl’s hands balled into fists, and Aaron reaffirmed his grip. But to his surprise, it was Tara that attacked with her words. She pushed into the room and confronted Dwight. “A mistake? Is that what you call it? It was murder. That girl you killed, she was my girlfriend and our doctor.”

“I wasn’t aiming for her,” Dwight said. He kept his eyes down to the ground.

In a flash, Daryl broke free of Aaron’s grasp. Dwight jumped to his feet when he saw Daryl lunge at him, ignoring the gun pointed at him. In the same swift movement, Daryl produced his knife and shoved Dwight against the cell wall. He brought the blade to the man’s head, his other hand at his throat. His fingers squeezed, but he controlled himself, at least for the moment. He was determining which way he would rather kill Dwight, a quick jab through the skull or a slow strangle. No one was stopping him.

“I should have killed you when I had the chance,” Daryl seethed.

“Maybe you should have,” Dwight agreed. This didn’t make Daryl feel any better. He’d rather have the man begging for his life. He pushed the point of the knife closer to Dwight’s head, hoping to make him plead, but he didn’t. “Go ahead. Do it,” Dwight agreed. “But it won’t change anything.”

“It will make me feel a whole hell of a lot better,” Daryl said in a low growl. He could see sweat beginning to draw from Dwight’s brow. He was winning this standoff after all.

“Look, I admit, what I did at the Sanctuary … what I did for Negan … I was doing it for someone else, but … she … got away from there. I’m here … because of her. And you? You’re here because of her, too,” Dwight confessed with Daryl’s hand squeezing his throat.

Daryl had a memory of a woman speaking to him several times at the Sanctuary. Sherry, Dwight’s wife. He remembered the look of concern and surprise when she first saw Daryl at the infirmary when he first arrived. She tried to speak to him, to ask if he was okay, but Dwight shut her up.

She came to his cell once, talking through the door. Sherry told him he was right and that she was sorry, a past conversation they’d had when they first met in the burnt out woods, right before Dwight and Sherry stole Daryl’s belongs and fled. At the time, it was Daryl’s threat when he told them they’d be sorry. He never imagined she would actually be apologetic and realize her mistake.

She intercepted Daryl again when he thought he was escaping the first time, which turned out to be a test and a trap set by Negan. She knew then what was happening, and tried to tell Daryl to turn back and go to his cell. At the time, he thought she was just scared for him, telling him if he was caught, there would be worse punishment. She had been right. It was much worse than anything Daryl could have imagined, when he was beaten close to death and then raped when he was most vulnerable.

The last time he encountered Sherry, he’d had no idea it was her. A piece of paper slid beneath his cell door, and the door unlocked. The note told him to go, and held a key to a getaway vehicle. He had always wondered who helped him, and it had crossed his mind that it might have been Sherry. It didn’t really matter. All he cared about was escaping, and he was successful. She had risked everything to help him.

“Where’s she at?” Daryl asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

“I don’t know. Negan sent me out to find her and bring her back, but … she’s just … gone.” Dwight looked Daryl straight in the eyes. “I lied to Negan … told him I killed her … and he believed me.”

“I suppose you want us to believe you too,” Daryl said. It was getting more difficult not to stick his knife in him.

“He’s lying,” Tara said. “Kill him, Daryl. We don’t need him.”

All Daryl heard was someone giving him permission to take Dwight out. He tightened his grip on the man’s neck, and forced his blade closer to breaking the skin at his temple. His breathing was rapid and his hands started to shake.

“Daryl,” Aaron pleaded quietly, hoping the sound of his voice would keep Daryl from killing Dwight.

“Look, I want out, and I know I can just run away, and hope they don’t find me and kill me. Or, I can stay and be your mole. I can help you take Negan out from the inside. He trusts me,” Dwight said to try and regain Daryl’s trust.

“Kill him!” Tara demanded again.

Dwight briefly glanced at Tara, but he brought his attention back to Daryl. “I’m telling the truth. I want to work with you. Remember when we first met? You knew me then, and you know me now.”

“Just kill him!” Tara yelled once more.

The internal conflict Daryl was being put through was more difficult than he thought. He’d always told himself that when he finally came face to face with Dwight again, he would not hesitate to kill him. Here he was trying to decide the man’s fate. It was completely up to him. Aaron knew what horrors he’d faced, and he knew it all started with Dwight. Rick knew, everyone knew how personal Daryl took Denise’s death. No one would stand in his way if he wanted to get revenge and settle the score. But something Dwight said made him remember the chance he was willing to take when he met the man in the woods. He’d risked his life to get his wife and her sister to safety. Daryl had seen the good in him at one time. It was something Daryl himself would have done for those he loved and cared about. That’s why he offered to take Dwight back to Alexandria. Dwight was right … he did know the man. In certain ways they were very similar. He trusted him once and got screwed. Normally, Daryl would never trust again, but he’d changed, especially after meeting Aaron. Daryl could easily put himself in Dwight’s place, risking his life to make sure Aaron stayed safe. This was what Dwight did for Sherry, and here he was asking for trust once more.

After what seemed like a century, Daryl made the decision to go against his better judgement to kill Dwight and lowered his knife. He took a step back, and Aaron went to him, pulling him further away.

“We can’t trust him,” Tara said.

“He could still be working for the Saviors,” Jesus said after.

Rick took a couple steps toward Dwight. “Maybe Negan sent you here, told you to say all this to gain our trust. We let you in and you screw us over.” He aimed his gun at Dwight again.

Rosita had been silent this entire time, but now she spoke up. “There’s only one reason why I brought him here. Negan has Sasha and Dwight said he can help us get her back.”

Everyone in the room turned to her. “Sasha?” Michonne repeated after some of the others whispered her name. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“This changes things. Whether he’s lying or not, Dwight might be our only chance of getting her back,” Jesus pointed out.

“Tell us what you know,” Rick demanded.

“Negan is coming tomorrow. He’s bringing three trucks and, my guess, about twenty men. You let me go now, and I’ll make a roadblock that will slow them down. They stop to clear the road, you and your people ambush them, and take out Negan. I’ll radio back to the Sanctuary and tell them everything’s good. Then you all take the trucks filled with your fighters and weapons, drive into the compound yard, and start taking out the rest of Negan’s men. I know where they’re keeping Sasha. I’ll get her out. Once you have control over the Sanctuary, I’ll talk to the workers and try to convince them to join your army. There’s a lot of people that are just scared and only live there because they got nowhere else to go. Eventually, we can go from outpost to outpost and take out the rest, putting an end to the Saviors once and for all.”

“Sounds like you’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Michonne said to Dwight.

“Or he’s telling us what Negan told him to say,” Tara commented.

“Why?” Aaron asked. He stepped in front of Daryl to keep him from view. He wanted an honest answer from Dwight. “Why now? Daryl offered you a way out, and you didn’t take it. What’s changed your mind?”

“I thought I was doing the right thing when I brought my family to the Sanctuary. When I saw it for what it was, I kept going along.” He looked at Daryl. “I tried to get away, but I only put my family in more danger, and lost one along the way. Like a lot of the others at the Sanctuary, I was scared. I folded and went back because, again, I thought it was the right thing to do.” He lowered his eyes as he finished speaking. “I lost my wife to that asshole because it was the only choice I had, but now I’ve lost her because of my own stupid and cowardly decisions. She was brave enough and smart enough to do what I couldn’t. But now I see my opportunity to make a difference, and I’m asking you all to give me a chance.”

The group started talking amongst themselves. No one seemed eager to take Dwight at his word. Most said they didn’t trust him, and thought it was another trap. Rosita took it upon herself to move things along. “I don’t trust him either, but I trust Daryl, and Dwight is still alive.”

Rick went to Daryl. “Rosita’s right, I trust Daryl too.” He slowly turned to Dwight, eyes narrowed with skepticism. “All right. We’re giving you one chance, but screw with us, and you’ll wish you only had Negan to worry about.”

Dwight looked only slightly relieved as he stood straight and nodded to Rick, but Rick wasn’t done with his conditions. “Do as you said and make a roadblock.”

“And then?” Dwight asked.

“That’s all for now,” Rick said. “Now go before I change my mind. Rosita, take him to the gate.”

Rosita escorted Dwight at gunpoint. Aaron stayed behind with Michonne, Jesus and Tara. Rick and Daryl followed Rosita at a distance, and stopped and stood side by side before reaching the gate.

“You know we’ve just started the war,” Rick said as he watched Dwight drive away.

Daryl nervously chewed on his bottom lip. “I’ll always regret not killing him when I first found him. And now I’ve let him get away again.”

“We’re taking a chance,” Rick said.

“When this is all over, I don’t care if he’s sorry or not. I’m still gonna kill him,” Daryl promised aloud. “And if he’s lying, I’m gonna kill him real slow.”

Rick sighed and stared into the distance. “If he’s lying, it’s already over.”

>>------->

Rick arranged for Jesus and Enid to take Judith to Hilltop with a message for Maggie about their latest activities, and a request for her to stay put until she heard from Rick again.

People worked into the night preparing the town for tomorrow. They built platforms along the wall to stand on, positioned guns and ammo at their stations, and made sure all areas had a clear view on the wall as well as the ground. Daryl parked the box van outside the gate along the road that led into the town. In the morning, they would rig it with the remaining dynamite.

They had done as much as they could do, and it was very late. Rick told everyone to go home and get some rest so they’d be ready for the morning. Daryl and Aaron didn’t hesitate and made their way back to their house. They cleaned up and got a bite to eat, but neither one felt like going to bed. Their minds were too geared up for what was to come. Now they sat on the couch, the only piece of furniture left behind by the Saviors. A couple candles flickered from the hearth, giving the room a comfortable glow. Aaron sat at one end of the couch, legs stretched over Daryl’s lap. Daryl rubbed his feet, and Aaron smiled and closed his eyes.

“God, that feels good,” he moaned. It had been a long day and his feet were tired. “You should let me return the favor when you’re finished.”

“You’ll have to find another way to pay me back,” Daryl said.

“Don’t you like to have your feet rubbed?” Aaron wondered. It wasn’t something they’d ever discussed before. They usually had more important things on their minds.

“No,” Daryl said tersely.

“You just haven’t had a good massage before.” Aaron gave a sly smile. “You know, I’ve been told that I have magical fingers, and that my foot rubs are some of the best.”

“No one touches my feet,” Daryl growled. “As for your hands, I’ve got somewhere else you can put those.”

“Is that so?” Aaron moved one of his feet so that it rubbed Daryl’s crotch. “I didn’t think you were the ticklish type.”

“I’m not. It’s just my feet. I don’t like them being touched.”

Aaron pulled his feet away and sat up. He crawled to Daryl and got onto his lap so they were face to face. “I’m glad it’s just your feet.” He kissed Daryl wantonly. Daryl’s hands went to his ass and squeezed. “Your cock, on the other hand–”

“My cock wants inside you … right now,” Daryl demanded.

Aaron kissed him hard, demandingly. Daryl’s words set him aflame. “I want you, too. I always do.” He reached down to release Daryl from his confines, but Daryl stopped him.

“Wait, not here. Not like this,” Daryl said. Aaron looked confused and worried he was falling back into his depression. But his eyes turned upward to their bedroom upstairs. His arms snaked around Aaron’s waist, and he pulled him close. When Daryl kissed him, it was passionate and deliberate. It was seducing and promised a night of slow and meaningful coupling.

“You know neither one of us is sleeping tonight, so let’s make the most of it,” Daryl said.

Aaron got up, took Daryl by the hand, and pulled him from the couch. His hand cupped the side of Daryl’s face, and they kissed again. Aaron led him upstairs, unhurriedly, and they went to their bedroom. They kissed and undressed one another, laid down on their makeshift bed and continued their slow foreplay. Daryl prepared them and came to rest on top of Aaron. They took their time as they made love, making it last, making it meaningful. It felt as though they wanted to remember this night for the rest of their lives. Aaron only hoped that meant many years and many more nights like this one.

The sun was coming up when Daryl awoke. The bed next to him was empty, but still warm. He looked across the room and found Aaron standing naked, looking out of the curtains. The light illuminated his silhouette, accentuating the lines of his neck and shoulders. Daryl studied his brow and temple set in a serious pose, and his bearded jawline which made him look rugged and battle ready. His wavy hair had gotten longer and unruly, but it matched the rest of his features. Aaron was so much different from the man he first met. He was stronger, braver, and a hell of a fighter. He was Daryl’s equal now, not someone who had to be taught what to do and how to do it. And Daryl’s love for him did not waiver.

Daryl turned onto his side, and the rustling of the sheets drew Aaron’s attention. “Time to get dressed and head out,” Aaron said, still looking out of the window.

Daryl got up and strolled across the room. He stood behind Aaron and kissed him on the shoulder he’d just been admiring. Aaron smiled, closed his eyes and drew the curtain closed.

“We got a long day ahead of us. Are you ready for it?” Aaron asked him.

“As … I’ll ever … be,” Daryl said between kisses.

“We do it together,” Aaron stated.

“We do it … together,” Daryl answered.

>>------->

Jadis and her people, Scavengers some called them, showed just as they said. They were an odd ragtag group, and the fact that they came in garbage trucks and on bicycles added to the group’s character. First thing Daryl and Aaron noticed about them was their strange use of language. They didn’t speak in full sentences, only scattered words. Most didn’t speak at all, and communicated with a nod or a shake of a head.

“I don’t know about this,” Daryl whispered to Aaron, who was standing beside him as they watched the parade of newcomers.

“Rick has dealt with them. Says he thinks they’re on the up and up,” Aaron said. “And I trust Rick, but like you said, I don’t know about this either.”

“Aaron, Daryl,” Rick called out to them. “I want you with Rosita rigging the truck.”

They nodded and went to help Rosita lay out wiring and dynamite inside the box van. They could hear Rick barking out orders to Alexandrians and Scavengers. Everyone got guns and had a place to be and a job to do. Aaron, Daryl and Rosita worked carefully, but quickly to set up the van.

Satisfied with it, Rosita gave a nod and left the van to join the rest. Aaron started to follow, but Daryl grabbed his arm to stop him. When Aaron turned to see what he wanted, Daryl kissed him hard and powerful. Aaron could feel the desperation and the hope that this wouldn’t be their last.

“We stay close for this,” Daryl commanded. “Nothing can happen to you.”

“Or you,” Aaron added, noticing that Daryl was more worried about Aaron than himself.

They hopped down and went inside. Rick was already on the wall and called down to tell them where they were stationed. Daryl was on the ground with Rosita, and Aaron was on the wall, a little further down from Rick. Once they were in position, they glanced at each other and were satisfied that they could see one another. They’d have each other’s back in this fight, so it was good that they were placed where they were. Now it was just a waiting game.

They didn’t have to wait long. Soon, the sound of engines roared up the road to Alexandria. It was silent in the town. No one spoke, no one breathed. The tension was thick and the anticipation was electric. This was just the beginning, and depending on whether Negan and the Saviors died today, it could be the end.

A flatbed truck was the first to approach, and it parked parallel to the wall, directly in front of the rigged box van. A few more large trucks pulled up, located beside the van. This was good. All of their vehicles were surrounding their dynamite loaded bomb. There was a slight hitch in the plan, though. Eugene, who’d been taken by the Saviors, was on the back of the flatbed truck, talking through a bullhorn. He was trying to convince Alexandria to comply with Negan’s demands so that no lives would be lost today. He assured them that Negan would have his way no matter what.

“Where’s Negan?” Rick replied, ignoring everything Eugene said.

“I’m Negan,” Eugene replied.

“Fuck,” Daryl said under his breath. Eugene was lost to them, brainwashed by the Saviors. Daryl knew all about it. He’s been strong enough not to cave in, but he almost did. Eugene was weak because he was scared, so naturally, he bent to Negan’s rules in order to stay alive. Daryl would rather die than give up who he was, and that was the difference between the two.

He looked at Rosita to find her watching Rick for his signal. If she detonated the dynamite, Eugene would be directly in the blast zone with nothing between him and the van. He would probably be blown off of the flatbed and cut up with shrapnel. But his was only one life compared to the hundreds of lives within Alexandria.

Daryl watched Rick give a nod. This was it. He looked up at Aaron, who was intensely glaring at the Saviors below. The battle was about to start. He heard Rosita give a quick sigh, and then she pressed the button. Everyone ducked down no matter where they were located. They were ready for the massive explosion to take out half of the Saviors, and then they’d run in to finish them off. But nothing happened. Daryl was stunned. Rosita pushed the button again, and still nothing. There was a pause where no one moved, and everyone was considering what to do next. Like a single entity, every Alexandrian turned around to face their Scavenger partners, but it was too late. Their guns were already aimed at each Alexandrian. It was all a trap.

Daryl noticed several Scavengers aiming weapons at him. He turned multiple ways looking for an opportunity to fight, but there was none. He looked to the wall, to Aaron, and saw him in the same position, guns pointed at his head.

One of Jadis’ people opened the gate, and everyone watched as Negan exited one of the trucks. He smiled arrogantly, and Daryl’s hatred filled his whole being. Negan jumped onto the flatbed as Eugene got down. Simon and Dwight joined him, uncovered a casket and set it upright in the center of the truck bed. Daryl glared at Dwight, but the man wouldn’t make eye contact. All he could think about was not killing Dwight when he had the chance, both times. “I should have known better,” Daryl thought to himself. As a matter of fact, he did know better, but his conscience took control in the final decision making seconds he had to kill that asshole. And here they were once again, screwed over by Dwight.

Negan was talking to Rick, trying to make a deal. He had Sasha in the casket, alive for now, as long as Rick agreed to the trade. He wanted all of their food and other supplies. He wanted all of the guns and other weapons. He told Rick he’d need to pick out one of his people to be used as punishment, as he swung Lucille in front of him. And then his sight turned to Daryl, as his eyes bore down on him.

“I want Daryl back, too. I see you over there. I figured you’d run back home. I kept your room just the way it was when you left,” Negan said.

Daryl flashed back in his mind to the smell of the cell, and the feel of the cold hard concrete on his back. He remembered the beating he got on Negan’s orders. He heard Negan try to convince him to join the Saviors, to forget everything he knew and everyone he loved, even to discard his identity and become Negan himself. Daryl would die before he’d let them take him.

Negan tore his attention away from Daryl, and searched the crowd until he saw Aaron on the wall. “There he is, the man of your dreams. I don’t expect he’s going to make it through this day. Guess it won’t matter anyway since Daryl’s coming home with me. But not in a sexual kind of way,” he added before he was through making his threats. “You give me everything I want,” he said to Rick, “and you can have Sasha back.”

Rick remained silent and Negan’s patience grew thin. Eventually, after a few more threats, Rick spoke. “I want to see Sasha first, before I agree to your terms.”

“Give me a moment. I need to catch her up on all of this,” Negan said smiling. “Hey Sasha,” he called. He opened the casket lid like opening the door of a refrigerator. To everyone’s horror and surprise, Sasha lunged from the casket as a walker and attacked Negan.

Once more, everyone was stunned. No one moved as they tried to figure out what had just happened. Fortunately, Rick’s people were just a slight bit faster than the Scavengers, and they turned their weapons on their captors. Battle erupted with guns firing and knives plunging into flesh. People scattered everywhere. It was like a scene out of a book about the Wild West. Everyone was a gun slinger in that moment. It was kill or be killed at close range until everyone spread out some.

Daryl took charge of the people around him. Some he sent to help others, some he directed to use trucks and cars as cover. Once he had everyone doing something, he looked back to the wall. Aaron was gone. “Shit,” he berated himself. He swore not to take his eye off of Aaron. His sight went to the ground by the wall where Aaron had been, but there was no sign of a body. It seemed Aaron was alive, but he moved elsewhere.

“Daryl!” Aaron shouted from across the way. He was close to the gate, too close to danger. He saw Daryl and started to run to him, but bullets were flying back and forth between their paths.

“Get behind those cars!” Daryl called out to him. Aaron nodded and took off at a sprint, hunched over and dodging bullets. Once he was safe, Daryl took out in the opposite direction. He only had one person on his mind … Dwight. “I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch once and for all,” he seethed.

>>------->

Aaron took cover with Francine and Scott, two other Alexandrians. They took turns shooting at the enemy that passed by their hiding spot, but it wasn’t safe. “We gotta keep moving,” Aaron told them. He looked around. “There! We make a move for the houses!” If they could get between the two closest houses, they could shoot anyone trying to move deeper into the town. “We need to keep them all close to the exit.”

The people with him nodded and followed him as they made their way across the street. Aaron looked down and saw bullets ricocheting off the asphalt, leaving small divots on the road. This was too close, he thought to himself. Any second, a bullet would find its way through him. He just had to pray it wouldn’t kill him. Somehow he managed to make it to his post without injury. He was lucky this time.

He took a moment to examine his surroundings. Most of the fighting took place on the road just inside the town. Not many had made it further in. That was good. Now Aaron and the others would do their best to keep it that way. “Take out anyone moving past this point,” he commanded.

They held their own for a while, but then Aaron saw Daryl across the way. He was running and shooting, but he was moving with a mission, and he was heading right into the thick of things. “What are you doing?” he said to himself. Then it dawned on him. Daryl was going after Dwight. “Of course you are,” he said. “Dammit.” He lowered his gun and turned to Francine and Scott. “I’m going back to the other side. You stay here. If it gets too heavy under fire, then move to another location. You know what to do.”

“You need someone to cover you,” Francine insisted, glancing at Scott. “We’re coming too.”

Without arguing, Aaron nodded and they made their way to the other side, back into heavy fire, until they were safely hidden between two garbage trucks. Aaron looked around for Daryl, but couldn’t see him anywhere. Then he spotted him in a fight with a very large Savior. The man looked like a wrestler, and he was overpowering Daryl.

“Stay here this time,” Aaron commanded to the others. “I’m going after Daryl.”

It wasn’t going to be easy to get to him. Daryl was not close and there were a lot of people shooting between where Aaron was and where he needed to be. He kept an eye on Daryl, watched him get punched, watched him punch back. Aaron wondered where their weapons were. They were close to the wall where the van and the camper were parked. Aaron might could get a shot off, but the problem was, they kept disappearing behind a vehicle. Aaron was slow making his way across, using anything he could find to hide behind. He couldn’t be in the open for too long or he’d get shot.

Daryl appeared between the cars, fists up in a defensive stance. He swung and his fist met the man’s jaw, but it barely made any impact. The man shook it off and grabbed Daryl by the throat, slamming him into the wall. The man was so large and wide, he blocked out Daryl like the moon blocking the sun in an eclipse. Aaron went as far as he could go before he heard bullets hitting the ground at his feet. He had to stop again and take cover. At this angle, he lost sight of Daryl and the Savior he was fighting. He decided to come around from a different way, and made tracks to the back of the RV. He threw his back against the camper, and scooted to the edge. He peeked around the corner and could see the man and Daryl easily. The man’s left meaty hand was around Daryl’s neck, pinning him to the wall, and his right hand was punching Daryl in the stomach.

“You’re coming with me. Negan wants you, and he’s got a nice reward for the one who brings him,” the man was saying.

“I ain’t going nowhere with you, bitch,” Daryl argued in a strangled voice.

“Doesn’t look like you have much choice,” the man said in return.

Daryl’s hair hung in his eyes, and his chest heaved rapidly as he glared at the large man. “I ain’t never going back to that place. I’d kill myself before I’d let you take me to Negan, or I’d make you kill me. Either way, I’m not going back there alive.”

Aaron heard the conversation as he waited for a clean shot. He was a little taken aback to hear Daryl talk that way. He’d never talked about killing himself before. As a matter of fact, when Daryl asked Aaron about the scars on his wrists, and Aaron told him about his self-inflected wounds from his teenage years, Daryl seemed disgusted by the idea of suicide.

He saw his shot, lifted his gun and took out the man holding Daryl hostage. The big man collapsed to the ground. Daryl slid down the wall in a heap, coughing and rubbing his neck. Aaron went to him and checked him over. “You all right?” he asked, and Daryl nodded. “What was that all about?”

“The guy jumped me, knocked my gun free. I think it’s back there some–”

“No, I mean, what was all that talk about killing yourself?” Aaron said. “Since when have you–”

“What have we here?” someone said.

Daryl and Aaron looked up to find a Savior woman and a Scavenger man, both armed and aiming their guns at Aaron and Daryl. Aaron started to reach for his weapon, but he was stopped.

“Why don’t you toss that over here for me? Good,” she said.

“This one,” said the Scavenger man, pointing. He was dressed in a dark-colored coat, ragged dirty boots, black pants and a black cap on his head. “The one named Daryl.”

“Ah, thanks for the info. Looks like I won the lottery,” said the Savior woman with a foul smile. “Get up.”

Aaron and Daryl stood, hands up and palms out. She looked Aaron up and down. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m the guy who’s gonna kill you,” Aaron seethed through clenched teeth.

“Ha! So dramatic,” she laughed. “Anyway, I don’t need you, just Daryl, so if you don’t mind . . .”

Aaron waited to see what she wanted, but she didn’t say anything else to him, only to the Scavenger man. “Kill him,” she instructed.

“Wait! No, no, no,” Aaron pleaded desperately.

“I’m taking Daryl to the truck. You take care of this one,” said the Savior woman. She put her gun at Daryl’s head. “Walk. Now.”

“I’m not going,” Daryl told her.

“Don’t be difficult. You had to know this was eventually going to happen. Negan doesn’t like losing his things. I’ve seen him send a guy out to retrieve a nail file. Now, get moving,” she demanded.

“You’re gonna have to kill me,” Daryl told her.

“Daryl, please, just do as she says,” Aaron begged, fearing for his life.

Daryl was cornered and desperate, and he was determined not to take another step closer to being captured again. Just as the woman was about to come back with another smartass comment, Daryl head-butted her, and she stumbled backwards. Aaron tried to do something to help aid him, but the Scavenger man put a knife to his throat. Aaron watched in horror as more Saviors saw the confrontation and came to help. Before they knew it, they were surrounded.

“Son of a bitch,” the Savior woman complained as she wiped her nose and found blood on her hand. “I’d kill you right here if Negan didn’t want you. Take him to the van,” she told them, and two Savior men stepped forward, grabbing Daryl by his arms, and locking them behind his back. Daryl struggled to get away, but it didn’t help. The more he fought, the tighter their hold became.

“That’s it. Nothing to see here,” the Savior woman said to the others. She looked over at Aaron and the Scavenger man. “I thought I told you to kill him.”

“No, please,” Aaron begged.

“As you can see, the fight is over,” she said. She gestured with her hand for Aaron to take a look around. He saw Alexandrians everywhere, on their knees or sitting on the ground with either a Savior or a Scavenger holding them at gunpoint. There had been too many to fight against. Alexandria couldn’t take on the Saviors and the Scavengers.

Aaron watched Daryl being taken toward the gate. He was still struggling to get free, but it was no use. They had him. He would be taken back to the Sanctuary, and Negan would have his prize. Suddenly, Daryl got loose. How, Aaron had no idea, but he went to the closest person with a gun, knocked them down and took their weapon. Many more Saviors surrounded him. It would do him no good to start shooting them. He had one gun and there were about six to eight captors.

“Wait!” the Savior woman said as she went to where Daryl was. “Don’t kill him. Negan wants this one.”

“I’m not going back. I already told you that. So if you won’t kill me, I’ll do it myself,” Daryl threatened.

No one moved. All eyes were on Daryl. Aaron watched from where he was, still held captive by the Scavenger man and a knife at his throat. He’d been ordered to kill Aaron, but for some reason, the man hadn’t followed orders.

“You’re not doing a damn thing but getting in that truck,” said the Savior woman.

Daryl glared at her. “Fuck you,” he said, and he raised the gun to his temple.

“Daryl! No!” Aaron shouted.

Daryl glanced at him. “Don’t look,” he said, voice cracking with emotion.

Aaron was stunned. What was Daryl doing? Was it a trick? Certainly he wasn’t going through with his threat.

“I said don’t look!” Daryl yelled at him. He sounded like a man at his breaking point with nothing left to live for.

Aaron couldn’t turn away. He was in disbelief that Daryl was about to do this.

“You know what?” said the Savior woman. “I don’t care anymore. I was looking forward to the big prize for bringing you in, but now … I don’t think it’s worth the hassle.

“Let him go then,” Aaron demanded.

“See, I can’t do that either,” she said. “Either he comes with me and gets in that truck, or he blasts his brains out. Of course it would be a real shame if he did that. Then no one gets the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”

Aaron heard the gun cock, ready to fire. Daryl was actually going through with his threat.

“Suit yourself,” said the Savior woman. “But before you proceed, you’ll want to see this.” She looked toward the Scavenger man holding Aaron hostage. “Slit his throat.”

The edge of the knife pressed into the delicate skin of Aaron’s throat. He was shaking and sweating, and closed his eyes as he prepared to die. Just when he thought this was his end, he heard a gunshot go off. It was too close. It could only mean one thing. He forced himself to look, expecting to see Daryl collapsed on the ground, blood flowing from a hole in his head. Instead, he saw the Savior woman on the ground, choking as blood spewed from her mouth, a bullet wound in her neck. And then there was yelling, like that of an army charging into battle. People were coming from all directions, some with spears or knives, others with guns. They were killing Saviors and Scavengers alike. Where did they come from, Aaron wondered? Some people started to look familiar. They were Hilltop residents. And with them came men and women wearing protective gear. The Kingdom had come too.

Aaron’s attention went to Daryl, and he seemed in shock too. It dawned on him that he was no longer being held prisoner, and he turned the gun from himself to their enemies closest to him. It was then that Aaron realized he was no longer being held captive either. He glanced around for the Scavenger man, but he was gone. Aaron got up from the ground. This battle was not over yet, not by a long shot.

“Aaron!” Daryl called to him.

Aaron rushed to his side. He didn’t have his gun. It was taken when he was captured. Daryl waved him over to help protect him and get them both to a safe place. “Did you see that?” Aaron said.

“Hilltop and the Kingdom. Yeah, I saw. Come on. We gotta find Rick,” Daryl said. It was as though nothing ever happened, and he hadn’t been about to kill himself. Daryl reached down and picked up a gun from a dead Savior, and handed it to Aaron. “Let’s go.”

They fell in with the others and ran through the streets of Alexandria. They never found Rick, but they were taking down a lot of enemies. The fighting was at full force again. And then it seemed that there were fewer and fewer bullets flying through the air. Aaron took a moment to check his surroundings, and realized that the Scavengers weren’t fighting anymore. They were retreating, some escaping through the gate, some climbing the walls. They were leaving the Saviors to fend for themselves. That made their numbers decline, making it more of an equal fight, Alexandria against the Sanctuary. But it didn’t take long for the Saviors to figure out their dilemma, before they started to fall back and leave the town. Daryl and Aaron ran along with a group of people, all of them trying to take out the enemy instead of letting them escape. Smoke filled the air, making it difficult to see. The sound of the gate closing brought everyone’s attention in that direction.

The fighting seemed to go on forever, but before too long, it was over. Alexandria’s shots were met with silence. Daryl wasn’t done yet. “We gotta follow them. Kill them. Kill them all,” Daryl commanded. They made their way to the gate, only to find it closed. “Open it,” Daryl said.

“Let’s go,” Aaron said to the two closest men. They ran to the gate and tried sliding it to the side, but it wouldn’t budge. Aaron looked up and saw a red rag tied around a couple of the gate posts. They couldn’t get out.

Meanwhile, Daryl climbed a garbage truck left by the Scavengers. Once on top, he could see over the wall. “They’re getting away,” he called down. “Get that gate open.”

“We can’t. It’s tied shut,” Aaron called back.

Daryl made his way over and found the rag. He cut it with his knife, and Aaron and the others opened the gate. The street outside was empty. Saviors and Scavengers were gone. “They got away,” Aaron said as Daryl climbed back to the ground.

“Yeah … well … they didn’t all get away,” he said, looking around the yard. The street was littered with the dead, and quite a few were the enemy.

“We did it,” someone shouted. Aaron and Daryl turned to find Maggie coming towards them. From another direction, King Ezekiel approached with his tiger at his side. And not far from him was Carol.

She approached Aaron and Daryl, giving each one a solid hug. “Thank God you’re all right.”

“I didn’t expect to see you here, or the Kingdom, but I’m damn glad for it,” Aaron said.

“Have you seen Rick?” Carol asked.

“Heading to the town homes. Michonne was stationed there as a sniper. She had one of Jadis’ people with her,” Daryl told her.

“I heard a woman scream earlier,” Aaron said to Daryl with real concern.

“Whatever he finds, he’ll handle it,” Daryl said.

“We need to check the dead,” Carol said. They couldn’t afford anyone reanimating and attacking them.

Aaron and Daryl agreed, and as they were about to get to work, they saw Jesus across the way. He seemed glad to see both men had made it through the fight. He smiled at Aaron, who smiled in return. And then his sight fell onto Daryl. Jesus gave a nod, and Daryl answered the same, as though they had some kind of wordless understanding between them. Aaron glanced at Daryl, and thought about how close he’d come to being one of those whose grave was waiting to be filled. What bothered him most was that it would have been Daryl’s own hand that put him there. This was something Aaron couldn’t conceive at the moment. It angered him to think of how willing Daryl was to die today. Those words, ‘look away’ kept chiming in Aaron’s head. Daryl wasn’t bluffing, at least it seemed that way. Hurt and anger fueled him to get through the rest of the day, but he and Daryl needed to talk. This wasn’t done, not by a long shot. He wanted an explanation for Daryl’s actions and thoughts today.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos