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Forever Rising Phoenix	By : ImagineLayla131 Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 7147 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH THE WALKING DEAD FRANCHISE. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY FRANK DARABONT, AMC, ROBERT KIRKMAN AND TONY MOORE. NO MONEY/PROFIT IS BEING MADE OFF OF THIS FANFICTION!

Chapter List
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Hi everybody! I promised a longer chapter, and here it is! Today is the one year anniversary of Forever Rising Phoenix! I can't believe it's been a whole year, it feels like just yesterday I was coming up with the idea! Thank you so much for all the follows, favorites, and reviews over this past year, I have loved writing this story and there is still more to come.
Please, please, PRETTY PLEASE check out Stubborn Love, my new Walking Dead story! It's a modern/AU love story revolving around Gareth, my original character Melody, Rick, and Lori. It needs some love, so read and review and follow and spread the word! Love you all! :)
Chapter Sixty Three: More Than One Side
Although she knew she got what she deserved, Delilah needed solace, to know that she was still cared about. While she didn't know where she'd get it from, she knew that she'd stop at nothing to get it.
1:00 AM
Delilah lightly knocked on the door, a little apprehensive because she was unsure about her decision. While a part of her knew that this was the absolute wrong thing she should be doing right now, another part of her was saying that this was what she needed to do, what she needed to keep her sanity. Delilah's heart fluttered and skipped a beat when the door opened.
"Delilah? What are you doing here? It's one in the morning."
Acting on pure impulse, Delilah practically flew into Billy's arms and heatedly pressed her lips against his as tears streamed down her cheeks. Although stiff at first, Billy found himself wrapping his arms around her, pulling his true love in closer. When Delilah stepped back, she saw concern and confusion in his gaze.
"Billy, I know you're probably mad at me for what I said earlier, as you should be, but please hear me out. I'm a complete and total mess, my mind is filled with chaos to the point where I can't even think straight. Can I please stay with you? I don't want to be alone tonight." While she had taken a shower, changed her clothes, and covered up the larger than life hickey on her neck, Delilah's heart was still visible on her sleeve. What happened with Rick earlier, it wasn't making love, it was clearly a revenge fuck, full of angry passion. She didn't want sex, she wanted comfort, and the person in front of her seemed to be the only one that could provide exactly that.
Billy could see the pain and despair that was so evident in her gaze, in her voice, and it tugged at the strings of his very soul. He should be angry at her, but he couldn't. Delilah had done what was natural, what was expected. She had moved on and fallen in love with another, and his unexpected return had only turned her world upside down. For Delilah's own sake, Billy thought that maybe he should let her go, but why else would they have been brought back together after everything that had transpired? Was it just a cruel coincidence of sorts or were they truly meant to be?
"Yeah, you can." He led her by the hand inside and closed the door before joining her as they sat on the bed. Delilah glanced over to see the twins soundly sleeping, angelic looks on their innocent little faces. Seeing them made her think of the discussion she had earlier with Carol, about weighing out the pros and cons, but also about getting both sides of the story.
"Billy, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, darlin'."
She looked into his eyes. "What exactly did you say to Rick that got him so upset? What started the fight?"
Billy heavily sighed as he fully faced Delilah, feeling his heart sink a little at having to reiterate what was meant to be a civilized discussion that turned into a physical blowout. "I told him that I knew how you guys broke up, that it's hitting the three of us pretty hard, but especially the kids and how he has great children. After that, I told him that we both know how much we love you and that it's your decision, but whomever you choose that I hoped there would be no hard feelings between us because I have a lot of respect and admiration for him, and that's when he hauled back and socked me straight in the face." After the fight, Billy was unsure if he still held the aforementioned respect and admiration for Rick, he had completely flipped a switch.
"And you didn't tell him we slept together?"
He shook his head. "No, absolutely not. I didn't even tell Carol last night. Why would I say anything? How Rick figured it out, I haven't a clue, but it should have stayed between us."
It might have been due to the desolate vibe in the room, but Delilah actually believed him. Billy seemed pretty serious about her, so why would he want to risk his chance by boasting about their night together? "What happened next?"
"Rick came charging at me and I had had enough, I had no choice but to fight back. He told me that if this were the real world Christine and I would get twenty five to life for trying to kill you and that he wouldn't hesitate to give me the death penalty. Then he called me a little pill popping prick, told me to fuck off and take care of the bastard twins."
Delilah was in shock that Rick would ever speak such horrible things, especially about innocent children, and that he didn't say anything to her when they were together earlier. He must have really snapped to have gone that far, but was he too far gone already? "I can't believe he said those things. This is so shocking, Billy."
"Hey, I said some choice things myself, Delilah. In no way, shape, or form am I a saint in any of this except the fact that I really wasn't looking for a fight, I just wanted to talk. I told him that judging by what I've heard of his past record of mental instability that he had no place to say anything to me, that I'm not hallucinating of my dead wife or killing my best friend, and how he doesn't even know if Judith is his but I know that the twins are mine."
"Why did you say that?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Once again, Delilah was ticked off with both of them. Perhaps it was a good thing that had both been equally cruel, but it made it that much harder to side with one over the other.
"I had just gotten punched in the face after being a crash dummy all week long. Yeah, I deserve it, but getting it from Rick was my breaking point. I had had enough. What happened was beyond my control and you know I regret not trying hard enough to stop it. You should be the only one retaliating against me. Not your new boyfriend, not your new friends, just you, because you're the one it happened to, not them."
She nodded. "I know, Billy, I know. They're just protective and probably getting their ya-yas out. Do you think had I not broken things up that one of you would have been dead?"
He hesitated before replying. "I don't know. From what I've heard, the damage to Rick is the same as mine." Then again, Billy knew that if he wanted to, he really could have killed Rick, but that would have resulted in Delilah banishing him. "I should have tried harder to get him to stop, calm down and talk things over, but he wasn't having any of it. He looked almost demonic, Tiger Lily. All Rick wanted was blood, and I just couldn't think straight anymore."
"This was the last thing I needed, but nothing in my life can ever be normal, can it? What do I expect? We're in the middle of a damn zombie apocalypse." Delilah heavily sighed and looked down, wishing that there was a simple way to resolve this but knowing there wasn't. All she wanted was peace again, but how would Rick ever forgive her for sleeping with Billy, despite that they were broken up? Did she even forgive herself? "Just know that you both measure up in how deep of shit you are with me. It'll take a long time for me to forgive you two, but I think after this fight all the tension has been let out and things can calm down. At least I hope so."
"Delilah." Billy grabbed her hand, causing her to look up into his green-blue eyes, seeing that one of them was bruised in shades of red and purple. "No matter what Rick thinks or feels or what I think or feel, you can't base your decision on that. You have to base it on what you want and feel and who you think is the best suitor. I love you, darlin', for the rest of my life, but at the end of the day, I want you to be happy. You deserve it after all that's been inflicted on you. I don't want you to ever forget how strong you are, that you're a Phoenix." He rubbed the charm of her necklace. "You always rise up from the ashes, and this too shall pass. Even if you go back to Rick, I'll still be happy for you." It killed him to think that, let alone say it, because he did want Delilah back, but there was only so much that could be done. It had to be left in the hands of fate, except Billy stood by his word, he genuinely wanted Delilah to be happy.
Although she knew he was right, it was easier to say that something will pass or get better rather than specifying when it will pass or get better. At this point in her life, it seemed like Delilah was trapped in her own woes, how was she ever going to get out? "I know, Billy. I know that I have to pick whose best for me, but I don't want to lose you again. I don't want to lose Rick either. Promise me you'll never leave my side again if I choose him over you?" She put her hand on his face, caressing his cheek, staring up at him with tears in her eyes. After all this, she couldn't lose him a second time. No matter what, he would always remain a part of her life, even if she hadn't wanted him to be.
Billy nodded, holding onto her hand and giving it a kiss. "I promise, Delilah. I'm not going anywhere again." He pulled Delilah in, holding her close to his chest, not knowing what the future held for them, but knowing that more than likely he would forever remain a broken man without her…
7:00 am
Delilah had left Billy's room at around six in the morning. After the fight and the discussion they had, she decided to let him rest. In addition to once again avoid further gossip, she needed some time to figure things out. Delilah sat cross-legged Indian style on her bed, a pencil bag sat in front of her between two large blank memo pads. The front page of the pink memo pad was titled "BILLY" with columns for pros and cons underneath, while the blue memo pad was titled "RICK" with the same pros and cons columns underneath. She was about to start writing when a knock came from the door. Having no idea who it was, Delilah was surprised at who she saw on the other side.
"Rick… hi."
Rick was wearing the same clothes from earlier, and she could see he was exhausted, but he looked generally worn down with his bruises. "Can we talk? Please?" The sincerity in his eyes showed that for now, Dark Rick was gone, but could she trust him?
Delilah nodded, hoping she wouldn't regret it. "Yes. Come in."
She waited until he walked in her room to close the door, hoping nobody else was watching in the hallway. "What do you want to discuss?"
He heavily sighed as he turned around, knowing that all of this had taken a toll on her. Her eyes were puffy and swollen from crying, with dark circles underneath them, she looked pale, and the hickey he had branded her with last night looked like she had been hit in the neck with a paintball pellet. Delilah flinched at the initial touch on her neck, but soon found her cheek leaning into his hand, like old times.
"I was out of line yesterday with how I retaliated against Billy. and I'm sorry I was so rough with you last night, but I'm not sorry for what we did. I love you, Delilah, and I want to be with you. Whether it's feelings of love towards you or feelings of rage towards Billy, I'm not going to apologize for them. You're the first person I've gotten involved with, that I've opened up to and fallen in love with, since Lori died. When they first got here, the look on your face when you heard Billy's side of the story, I knew that things were going to be rocky for us from there on in. It's in your eyes, Delilah, that you still love him, but I can see you love me, too. Only you can decide who you want to be with, but I do love you. We helped each other move on from the heartache, we were the second chance the other needed, you mean the world to me. Not just to me, but Carl and Judith, too. They both love you as much as I do, you're the one that's brought us back together as a family, and you're our family now, too. Whatever decision you make, I hope it's from the heart and not out of obligations to me or Billy."
While he was angry over the circumstances, at the end of the day there was no denying that he loved Delilah and how much she truly meant to him. All he could do was voice his feelings and hope that she would make the right decision in the end.
Delilah watched him, knowing that he was truly remorseful, but how truthful was he being?
"Did you really call Billy a pill popping prick and say that the twins were bastards?"
He hesitated, knowing that she must have talked to Billy, but decided to come clean. "I did, and it was terrible of me. They didn't do anything wrong, I was lashing out in pure anger. It doesn't excuse it, but my words should have only involved Billy."
Now that he had admitted to that, she wondered what else he was willing to reveal.
"Why did you let Christine in? Did you really want to sleep with her? Was it out anger to hurt me?"
Rick shook his head. "Of course I didn't. I wasn't thinking straight, Delilah, it was stupid of me to let her in and I regret doing it. She doesn't mean anything to me at all, and it was mostly her doing. Although, when I rejected her, she finally broke some of her walls down and opened up. As a cop, I can read people very well, and I know that she was genuine. Well, as genuine as Christine could be, anyway. I know that this is the last thing you'd be expecting, and that you're still a little tentative on whether or not you can fully trust my word, but I think maybe you should talk to her."
"I love you and I never wanted to hurt you. It wasn't really fair how this all came about, it wasn't how it should have been, but we have to deal with it. Again, I blame myself for all of this, and I should have used better judgment. I was the right person for you to take it out on, but I'm glad that you've come around, it means a lot to me. As far as Christine goes, she never was a great actress, maybe she does mean it. I'll talk to her, but will you still wait until Friday? No matter what, the decision will be made by then."
"I'm glad you're going to talk to her, I don't know what can come of it, but I know you're going in with your radar on."
"Will you still love me tomorrow?" She was quoting a song, but what she meant was would he still love her for as long as possible. The more the love was mutual, whether it be between her and Rick or her and Billy, it really made things more complicated.
He nodded. "Yes, I will. I think I'm pretty sure where you'll be going with this."
"Thank you, and so will I." Delilah walked forward and wrapped her arms around Rick's neck as he wrapped his around her waist. It felt so good to be in his arms once again, she really could stay there forever. "Thank you." She looked up at him, tears of both confusion and happiness in her eyes, and allowed them to fall as she smiled and stood on her tiptoes, her lips meeting his. Surprisingly, Rick didn't flinch away, only pulling her in closer. Delilah couldn't remember when the last time was that things had been this seemingly peaceful for them, but she wanted to hold onto it forever.
AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER
Delilah found herself in front of Christine's door, indecisive on whether or not she should go through with this. What if it was nothing more than a rouse? Somebody like Christine could never learn their lesson. Delilah forced herself to remember that, to not go in naïve and foolish as she rapped on the door.
Christine opened the door, her eyes rimmed with red from crying and lack of sleep, shocked to see her baby sister on the other side of the door. "Delilah? What are you doing here?"
All the younger Daltrey did was nod her head to the side. "Follow me. No questions asked. Let's go." Without even waiting for Christine's confirmation, she turned around and walked off, knowing that she was following behind.
Christine hadn't questioned Delilah at all, she kept quiet and followed her, unsure if she was about to meet her maker. Delilah stopped in front of the side entrance of the factory, turning around and giving her sister a cold stare as she folded her arms across her chest.
"You said you wanted to talk. Speak."
Christine took a couple deep breaths, feeling very nervous, but finally found the courage to bare her soul. "Well, there is no apology bigger than "I'm sorry", nor is there any apology that will actually make what I did better. The things I've done have been plain despicable and wrong, it took losing everything and truly being at rock bottom to realize that. Although, and I hate to say this, I should perhaps get a little benefit of the doubt. You had no idea what it was like growing up in your shadow, how you batted your pretty little eyes and got everything you ever desired. Naturally, I was jealous, but I let it take over who I was as a person."
Delilah scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Boo freaking hoo. Cry me a river, Christine. Don't act like you grew up with some hard knock life bullshit, that you were Annie and Mom was Miss Hannigan. I'll remind you again that you were afforded every opportunity that I was, you deliberately chose to decline. Stop blaming your jealousy for not making your own way and not moving on from Billy. You were obviously too weak to rise above, and that's not my fault or Mom's. I don't believe you still. It's bad enough you stole my fiancé and had his babies, you had to go after Rick, too? I swear, if we weren't sisters I'd think you were in love with me or something. Your obsession over me is deadly, and that's what it is, you're obsessed." So far, Christine wasn't winning the sympathy vote at all, although Delilah could tell she was trying her hardest to be sincere.
Christine nodded, having prepared herself ahead of time for Delilah's wrath. "I deserve that. I don't know, I saw you taking Billy into your room and I just felt for Rick. My efforts to comfort him were honest, but I've been feeling something since we've met. I figured if I could get a good guy like Rick, that I'd be fine, but even after you fucked Billy, Rick would come crawling back to you. If you're so angry, why am I still living? I mean, an eye for an eye, right? I tried to kill you, I turned your life upside down, so why not put a bullet in my head and get it over with? We all know I deserve it, I've been walking around with a target on my head for almost two years, first by karma and now by you. Is it so you can watch me suffer? Everybody hates me, I don't have anybody."
"As much as I hate to say this, I want to feel sorry for you, I really do, but this is all your doing. Had you been a better mother, Billy wouldn't have asked for you to be relinquished of the twins. It's only been ten days and I've interacted with them more than you have in a year. I think you and I both know that if I wanted to kill you, I would have. Except I'm not like you, Christine. I'd never deliberately take somebody out because I was jealous or insecure. Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to live with myself, to live with the fact that I murdered the mother of my niece and nephew. I sparred you, and what do you do? You make a pass at my boyfriend. How can I ever trust you again after everything?" A part of Delilah wanted to break and crumble, but like she had confessed a week ago, she had cried enough for the three of them. Christine didn't deserve her tears.
"It was wrong of me, I know that now. I also know you won't believe how sorry I am. It was deplorable, really. I let you down, Delilah. I promised Mom I wouldn't let anything happen to you, and because of me you almost died. The way I've been going about things over the years, being selfish and manipulative and outright callous, it hasn't gotten me anywhere and I know that. The more I kept thinking it would work, the more it didn't, and I should have let up. I probably would have been a lot happier. Elle, I know that I've done so much damage that asking for forgiveness isn't ever going to happen, except we've come this far. Don't you think we owe it to ourselves to have a fresh start? Why else would we be brought back together if things weren't meant to change? Let's take it slow, I have a lot to make up for, I just want to prove myself. Please, Delilah?"
Christine was putting her feelings on the line, something she had never done before, at least not without having an ulterior motive. This time, she really didn't. She wanted nothing more than to turn over a new leaf with Delilah, whatever it took. The loneliness had become too much to handle, as well as living a lie without accepting love. She finally let her emotions shine through as her eyes filled with tears.
Delilah watched her sister, knowing that Rick had been correct by saying some of her walls had come down. She could see Christine was in pain, but was she worthy of a second chance after the countless chances she had been given over the years? While Delilah could see that her guilt was authentic, she really could give a shit less. She was tired of everything to the point that she had stopped caring. If Christine dared to attempt double crossing her, Delilah knew that she had enough people behind her to put that slut in her place for good.
"Sure, whatever, Christine. You want a clean slate, you've got it."
Christine smiled and wiped her tears. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you so much, Delilah! I promise with everything I have that I won't let you down. We're going to have the relationship you've always wanted."
"Uh huh. Just do me a huge favor, ok, big sister?"
She nodded. "Anything you want, you've got it. What can I do for you?"
"Stay the fuck away from me, k? Thanks a lot." With that, Delilah walked off for some much needed alone time, leaving Christine stunned into silence.
WHAT DID WE THINK OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED? IS CHRISTINE TELLING THE TRUTH? CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR WILL BE COMING SOON! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW AND SPREAD THE WORD! NO FLAMES AND CHECK OUT STUBBORN LOVE ASAP!
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