Safe Haven in the Chaos | By : IdrilsSecret Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 6520 -:- 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 67 Broken Trust
Morning was upon them, as Aaron and Paul rose from their slumber. Paul's arm slinked around Aaron’s waist to keep him there, and he smiled against his neck.
“Good morning,” Paul said lazily. He kissed the warm skin before him.
Aaron stretched and smiled too. “Mmm, good morning indeed.”
“That’s an encouraging response. I guess you didn’t mind spending the night with me,” Paul said in a teasing tone.
“Best sleep I’ve had in ages. Well, what sleep I got,” Aaron teased. This was all fine and sweet, and Aaron was the first to revel in sated morning talk, but there was something else he needed to discuss, and he’d put it off long enough. He sat up, struggling with his one arm, and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. He sat there a moment, unmoving, and sighed deep.
“Uh oh,” Paul said, recognizing Aaron’s change. “What is it?”
“I need to go back to Alexandria,” Aaron said, getting right to the point.
Paul got up and sat beside him on the bed. “I knew this was coming.”
“I’ve been here for six months, and I know it was necessary, but … it’s time I got back.”
“I agree,” Paul said, surprising Aaron. It almost felt like he was glad Aaron was going. The whiny one-armed kid was finally getting out of his hair.
“Ready to see me go already?” Aaron said defensively.
“Absolutely not.” Paul stood and strode across the room to retrieve their clothes. Aaron admired Paul's naked form, the way his muscles moved, the curve of his ass, and the dimples at each hip. When he came back towards Aaron, Paul was smiling sweetly. “I’m coming with you.”
“What?” Aaron’s tone switched to confusion.
“I’m going to Alexandria with you,” Paul said. He handed Aaron his clothes, and then started dressing.
Aaron laid his shirt in his lap and started his special way of putting it on. It wasn’t too difficult. Pants were a little harder, but socks and shoes were the most difficult, and he was still learning how to do it without getting frustrated.
“But what about Hilltop and the council? You play a major role here.”
Paul, who was completely dressed now, leaned down and kissed Aaron’s cheek. “I’ve already talked to Maggie, and she agrees that I should go … temporarily, of course.”
“How long is temporarily?” Aarons wondered, struggling to get into his pants.
Paul knelt on the floor and put a hand over Aaron’s to stop him. “Don’t you want me going?”
“I do,” Aaron said quickly. “I’m glad. I just don’t understand how you’re able to.”
“Maggie says it’s good for the communities to be involved with each other, and sending someone to help out a little gives all of us the opportunity to see how the others live, see what we’re in need of, and figure out how we can all help each other. If we’re going to make this new world work, we all have to be successful. And with Rick gone, Maggie’s worried about Michonne’s well-being, and stepping into a leadership role,” Paul explained. “And how she’s handling pregnancy,” he smiled.
Aaron palmed his forehead. “I forgot all about that. She’d just made the announcement days before I got hurt. Have you heard anything? Is she doing all right?”
“They send correspondence regularly. Michonne and baby are doing fine.” Paul helped Aaron step into his pants. Aaron stood, and Paul helped him pull them up. He zipped them, buttoned them and did the buckle. He frowned when he was done. “I should be helping you out of these, not into them.” When Aaron said nothing, Paul looked up into this eyes questioningly. “Do you want me there? Or did I just overstep my bounds again?”
“I want you there,” Aaron said, but he seemed a little hesitant. “It’s just, we were discussing living arrangements before . . .” He glanced down at his arm. “And we never finished the conversation.”
“I know, and I felt bad about that. When I thought about it, I thought that maybe I pushed you a little hard. But you’ve been here for six months and it wasn’t terrible. Was it?”
Aaron shook his head. “It was an adjustment, but that was more because of me. You were great.”
Paul kissed him, his reward for the compliment. “So, I thought that I’d go to Alexandria, stay a couple months, see how that works out for us, and if everyone’s on board . . .” He paused to kiss Aaron again, but this time with more passion.
Paul released him and Aaron seemed caught off guard. “You would leave Hilltop for me?”
“For you. For me. For our future.” Paul's hand cupped the back of Aaron’s neck, pulling him in until their foreheads rested against each other. “Hilltop has been my home since the beginning, but since we started this, you and I, I’ve realized that home is more than the place where you live. It’s where you’re heart lies, where it’s most comfortable, and for me that’s with you. I want to be with you, Aaron … if you’ll have me.”
A smile slowly formed on Aaron’s face, and he started to nod. “I want that too.”
“Good,” Paul said, taking Aaron’s face in his hands and kissing him.
They finished dressing, and Paul helped Aaron get his prosthetic on. It was time to start the day. The first thing they did was to tell Sarah and Gracie the good news that they were going home. They were even more excited when Aaron told them that Paul was going with them. Paul needed to get a few things squared away, but in the next day or two, they would be on their way to Alexandria, and Aaron had never been more excited.
“Maggie doesn’t know you’re planning on staying, does she?” Aaron asked after they left Sarah.
Paul shook his head. “She thinks I’m going as part of this outreach program, not that I’m staying for a couple months.”
“Are you going to talk to her before you leave?” Aaron asked.
“I probably should, but I’m afraid she’s going to change her mind about letting me go in the first place.”
“Don’t you think you owe it to her to be honest? We could both talk to her. If we do it now, it will give her time to find your replacement on the council. Don’t burn your bridges, Paul, and you know what bad luck we’ve had with those.”
Paul gave it some thought as they descended the stairs in the great house. He stopped halfway and nodded in agreement. “All right, we’ll talk to her.”
>>------->
As it turned out, Maggie, though disappointed, agreed to let Paul stay in Alexandria longer than she expected, and a day later, Aaron, Paul, Sarah and Gracie were on their way back home. They borrowed the wagon that Paul and Aaron had used previously, and someone would come at a later time to retrieve it and take it back to Hilltop. There were no incidents on the road, and soon they were walking through the gates of Alexandria.
Aaron was amazed at the amount of growth over the past six months. Projects that were just getting underway when he was here last were now finished and thriving. There were new buildings, new inventions, and the windmill was working perfectly.
“I’m in awe every time I come here,” Paul said as they walked the streets and noticed all the new changes.
“Hilltop has come a long way too,” Aaron pointed out. He held Gracie in his arm as they headed toward Aaron’s townhome.
“Yeah, but there’s so much more here. You’ve got the land and the security. Who wouldn’t want to live here?” Paul said.
Aaron could think of one person who refused to step foot in Alexandria. He felt a slight pain in his chest at the thought of Daryl and their last conversation.
“There’s my two favorite recruiters,” Michonne called out. She was just coming out of her house, which was next to Aaron’s. They lived in the same townhouse building. Judith trailed along behind her, and smiled when she recognized him.
“Aaron,” Judith sang as she ran toward him. Michonne smiled at the sight.
“Well look at you,” Aaron said to her. “And look how much you’ve grown.”
Judith ignored him and grabbed the fingers of his prosthetic. She turned the arm one way and then the other, and Aaron had to twist his shoulder to keep up with her.
“Judith,” Michonne called. “Be careful.”
“It’s all right,” Aaron said. It was a better reaction than Gracie gave him when she first saw his new arm.
“You’re like a robot,” Judith said. She abandoned the arm to look up at Gracie. “Hi Gracie,” she said waving a hand. Gracie stared down from her father’s hold. She started to wiggle, wanting down. It had been a long time since Gracie had other children to play with. Aaron put her down, to let the girls get reacquainted.
“You look well, Aaron,” Michonne commented. “Hilltop took good care of you it seems.”
“You could say that,” Aaron replied, glancing to Paul with a smile.
Michonne’s eyes went from Aaron to Paul and back. She gave a slight smile and cocked a brow. “How long are you staying?” she asked, turning to Paul.
“A while, if that’s all right with you. And before you ask, yes, I talked to Maggie, and she was fine with it,” Paul said.
“We’re glad to have you. And we’re really glad to have Aaron back.”
Aaron stepped forward and gave Michonne a hug, surprised by the bump between them. He stood back and admired her. “Wow, you’ve really grown since I saw you last. How is everything? The baby?”
“The baby is good. Getting bigger every day. Kicking like a son of a bitch.” As she spoke, she rubbed her hand over her belly. Michonne seemed happy, but Aaron couldn’t help notice the sadness in her eyes. She still missed Rick very much, and that was understandable. They all missed him. “I have a surprise for you,” she said to Aaron. “Feel like going for a walk? Bring Gracie and Jesus with you if you like.”
He couldn’t imagine what it was. He hadn’t been home in a long while. “Okay,” he responded, drawing the word out. They walked down the street, back toward his old neighborhood. Before he knew it, they were standing in front of his old house. It still looked pretty much the same, but it had a new front door. The other had been destroyed from the Savior’s war. The porch had been redone, but it still looked pretty much the same, though it was a natural wood color instead of painted grey as before.
“What are we doing here?” he asked.
“When everyone heard you were coming home, the families that lived here decided they wanted you to have your house back,” Michonne said with a smile.
“What? But why? This is a lot of house for me and Gracie.”
Paul bumped his shoulder. “Me too. I hope.”
“Of course you too,” Aaron said, bumping him back.
“Well,” Michonne started to explain. “They know you’re a father now, and Gracie is getting bigger. She’ll need room to grow, and a yard to run around and play in, and a swing set in the back yard.”
“A swing set? Really?” Aaron was amazed by their generosity.
“There were two families living here, both of which have children who have outgrown such things. They’re teenagers now.” Michonne stopped to shake her head. “I don’t know where the time goes. Anyway, there is a lot of new construction, as you can see for yourself, and that’s left them with other choices for living arrangements. One family would like to move into your current place, if that’s okay with you.”
Aaron would love to move out of the townhouse. He never really like the layout, and it would be much easier to live in a normal house again where everything was within easy reach. And, though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, he actually missed his house. There were a lot of good memories made there. “I say it would be just fine, as long as everyone else is happy.”
“Excellent. You can start moving back in whenever you’re ready. There’s plenty of hands ready to help out, and you’ll be back home in no time.” Michonne hugged Aaron again, then turned to Paul.
“And I trust you’ll take good care of our Aaron,” she said with a raised brow.
Paul smiled. “Absolutely.”
Gracie moved between Paul and Aaron, and took one of each of their hands. She looked up at Aaron and then to Paul with a smile and started to tug on them, as she looked at the house with its pretty flowerboxes and green grass. This was good, Aaron thought. He caught Paul looking at him with the sweetest of smiles, and smiled back. They both looked down at Gracie and their hands connected with hers. They were like a real family, and Aaron’s heart started to melt at the thought of a normal life, even with everything that had happened over the years. This felt very natural to him, and he hoped Paul felt the same. By the smile on his face and the gleam in his eye, it seemed he did.
>>------->
Within a week, Aaron was moved back into his house, and he felt so relaxed and happy to be there. All of the furnishings were the same, the antiques on the mantle and the wall of books in the office. No one claimed furniture and other objects as theirs. These things came with the houses when they first moved into Alexandria, so people only took personal items with them when they changed homes. The only piece of furniture he moved was Gracie’s toddler bed.
Aaron plopped down on the couch next to Paul, tired after spending the day decorating Gracie’s room. Paul had a cold glass of water waiting for him, and Aaron drank half of it all at once.
“What did you do today?” Aaron asked. He hadn’t see Paul since the morning.
“I helped out at the pantry labeling the canned goods and dating the perishable items. The shelves are pretty well stocked, thanks to Hilltop. They came with a shipment today, and took the wagon we borrowed back with them. Then I helped out the construction crew with one of the new buildings going up in the back by the solar panels.”
“Construction worker, huh? I would like to have seen that,” Aaron said, lifting his legs and laying them across Paul's lap. Paul started rubbing his feet.
“You should have come by. I could have made cat calls and inappropriate innuendos as you walked past,” Paul joked.
Aaron laughed and reached out to twirl a strand of Paul's hair between his fingers. As he did, he glanced over to the wall of license plates, the ones he had collected with Eric. “I should take those down,” he said.
“Why? I think they go great with the rest of the décor.”
“It feels like I’m living in the past sometimes. But you’re here now, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable,” Aaron said.
“I don’t. I actually like seeing things from your past. It’s part of what make you who you are. I kind of wish I had something to add. I never hung onto anything.”
“You have your books. Did you see? I added them to the shelf in the office,” Aaron pointed out. Paul was doing a good job of manipulating the muscles in his feet. It was very relaxing.
“I noticed them when I got home. And I saw Gracie’s room. Nice job. You have a knack for interior design.”
“In another life, I must have been a decorator,” Aaron joked, and sunk further into the couch.
Gracie ran into the living room with a ball, and handed it to Paul. “What have you got there?” he asked, smiling at her.
“I got a ball. Play with me?” she asked in her cute little voice.
Aaron swung his legs down from the couch so Paul could play. Paul slid from the couch and sat on the floor. Gracie sat across from him and they rolled the ball back and forth. Aaron watched with amazement. This felt so real, he thought to himself. He didn’t know why it struck him so profoundly. Of course it was real. Maybe it was because he’d never imagined this life. Adopting Gracie, being with Paul, everything that led to this very moment had fallen into his lap unexpectedly, but it felt so natural. He couldn’t help wonder where he’d be if he was still with Daryl. He was sure he wouldn’t be a father or living a comfortable life in Alexandria. He’d probably be out there with Daryl, wherever he was, looking for Rick.
Aaron had seen Michonne earlier in the day, and as they talked, Daryl came up in their conversation. Aaron hesitated to ask, but finally got the courage to inquire about him. Michonne said she’d gone back to the river where Rick disappeared. She found his gun buried in the mud. And then Daryl appeared. He said he wasn’t giving up on the chance that Rick was still out there somewhere. He’d searched the river, peering into the face of every walker he came across, looking for one particular face. He was on his way to follow the river to the sea. It would be a long trip on foot, but it was something he had to do. Knowing Michonne had been to the river several times, he asked her if she wanted to come with him. She would have gone but for the baby she carried and Alexandria. So Daryl left on his own, not knowing when he’d be back. She asked him to come back to Alexandria when he returned, but he said he couldn’t, and that he wouldn’t stop looking for Rick. But Aaron knew the real reason why Daryl wouldn’t come back, partly because of Negan and partly because of himself. That was his choice to make, though. Aaron wouldn’t try to persuade him even if he did come back. Their time was over.
>>------->
Two peaceful months passed in Alexandria. The community was booming. They had new residents, people who were lost and looking for a home. Aaron and Paul had settled in together rather well. Gracie was growing by leaps and bounds. Aaron was glad to be there to watch it happen. Up until now, he had only been home in spurts. It was nice to be stable for once. But it had been two months that were coming to an end. Paul would have to return to Hilltop before too long. They hadn’t talked about it, avoiding the conversation as best they could. Aaron could tell Paul didn’t want to go. Responsibilities awaited his return, and that was something Paul hadn’t really had before. He was good on his own, coming in and out as he pleased, but never staying in one place for very long. He was fine staying with Aaron in Alexandria because he wasn’t tied down politically like he was in Hilltop. He helped out when help was needed and then moved on to another project. In Hilltop, he was on the council. People depended on him to make decisions that affected the entire community.
They were lying in bed one evening, late into the night, and Aaron brought it up. It was time they talked.
“Will you be leaving soon?” he asked hesitantly.
“I probably should. I told Maggie two months.” He sighed and turn on his side to face Aaron. “But I don’t want to.”
“I don’t want you to either.” Aaron kissed him and pushed a strand of hair from his face. “I like having you here. And Gracie is so attached.” He stared oblivious at the ceiling, a smile on his face. “I never could have imagined my life would turn out like this, especially after the world turned. For so long it was about surviving one day to get to the next. But days turned to weeks, and then months. Next, years will pass without worry. At least I hope that’s how it turns out.”
“Even before the end of society, if you’d told me that one day I’d be living in a house like this with a man like you, and a child to raise, I would have laughed and called you crazy. I was a drifter back then, and that’s what I did with everything ended. But this,” he paused, rolled closer to Aaron and kissed him. “This just feels right. For once in my life, I have a place, and I don’t want to leave.”
“Then don’t,” Aaron said. “Stay here … with me and Gracie.”
“Yeah?” Paul responded.
“Absolutely.” Aaron rolled them over so that he was lying on Paul, and inched his way down, kissing him along the way.
“You make it hard to say no,” Paul said.
“Then say yes,” Aaron said before taking Paul's length in his mouth.
“Yes. Oh yes,” Paul responded, the sound of a smile in his voice.
The next day, as Paul was writing a letter to Maggie, explaining his decision to stay at Alexandria, there was a knock on the door. Aaron answered it, and was told that there was a new group brought in. They were in distress and needed help. Aaron told Paul to say, finish his letter, and keep an eye on Gracie while he went to see what was going on.
While out scavenging supplies, Scott and a few others came across a woman and some children. They were overcome by a herd and had to separate. She had to leave behind some of her children, and they were trapped in a warehouse. Aaron rushed to the gate to see what was happening, and was joined by Michonne. When they got there, Michonne stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the woman named Jocelyn. It turned out that they knew each other years ago when Michonne was in law school.
Aaron was amazed at the reunion. He hadn’t known anyone who came across someone they knew before, that they weren’t with at the time of the fall. It was as though fate stepped in and brought them back together. But the reunion was short lived. There was still the matter of the missing children, and she needed Alexandria’s help.
Michonne turned to her people, and Aaron was the first one to volunteer. Gabriel, Rosita and Eugene agreed to go with Michonne and Jocelyn, and bring the children back. Aaron asked Scott to tell Paul what happened, and that he’d be back soon.
The warehouse wasn’t very far, and when they got there, they cleared the walkers, entered the building, and found the children. Everyone was okay, and they were all brought back to Alexandria, safe and sound. It was one of their easier rescue missions, almost too easy, Aaron thought. It was just another sign of the way the times were changing. The world was finally giving back.
Later that evening, they celebrated with a bonfire for the children with games and treats. The Alexandria children were introduced to Jocelyn’s group, and Michonne offered them a home in the community. Aaron and Paul took Gracie to join in the festivities. She fit right in and played with the children. Paul wrapped an arm around Aaron’s waist and rest his head on his shoulder. They both smiled as they watched Gracie play pat-a-cake with Winnie, one of Jocelyn’s children.
“How did we get here?” Paul said.
“I was thinking the same thing earlier. Is it just me, or does it feel like the stars are aligning? Look at everything that’s happened lately. I’ve got my house back, and I’ve got you. Michonne’s reunited with someone she was very close to years ago, and during a time when she could use the support of a special friend. And look at all these children. Jocelyn took them all in and has taught them how to survive, only to get to this place. What we’re witnessing is the future of Alexandria,” Aaron said, amazed by everything he was watching unfold.
“I like the part where you said you’ve got me,” Paul whispered in his ear.
Aaron turned, kissed him and smiled as he searched his eyes. “We’ve got each other.” He looked over to his left and saw Michonne standing alone, watching Gabriel gather the children. She sent Judith along with the others to play and listen to Gabriel tell stories around the fire.
“I’ll get Gracie,” Paul said. She was too young to join in the fun this time, especially when they were near the fire. “You go talk to Michonne.” Paul nudged Aaron to get him to go.
Aaron walked up to Michonne and stood next to her, watching the fun. “This is something, isn’t it?”
Michonne smiled and nodded. “I wish he could have been here to see it,” she said, talking about Rick. She stroked her rather large belly. “I wish he could be here to see all of it.”
“He sees it, wherever he is,” Aaron said, and he regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m–”
“It’s okay,” Michonne interrupted. “I know what you mean.”
The group of children broke out in laughter while playing a game with Gabriel. “I’m putting Jocelyn and the rest in our old house,” Michonne said. “Jocelyn asked if some of our children could have a sleepover. It will be Judith’s first time.” She looked a little nervous, but that was a natural reaction for any mother to let her child go off on their own.
Aaron watched how Judith’s face lit up as she laughed. “I’m sure she’ll miss you terribly,” Aaron jested.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Michonne commented sarcastically.
While he had her to himself, and while Paul was not around, Aaron felt compelled to ask Michonne about Daryl. She was the only one who’d had contact with him since he left. “So, have you seen or heard anything about Daryl?” he asked.
Michonne glanced at him quickly. “He just recently came back. He was gone for months, but . . .” she shook her head.
There had been no sign of Rick from here to the ocean. That wouldn’t rest well for Michonne or Daryl. They were still looking for closure. Not knowing was worse than knowing the truth.
“He’s camping down by the river, next to the bridge,” she said, just in case Aaron wanted to know where to find him.
“How is he?” Aaron asked. He felt guilty for inquiring, especially when Michonne knew he was in a relationship with Paul.
“He’s … Daryl,” she said, and that’s all she had to say. Daryl was a survivor. He lived his own life. He was stubborn and persistent. He was fine. “He asked about you too,” she said.
Aaron’s heart skipped a beat. “He did?”
“I told him you were happy. He seemed glad to know.” Michonne knew that Daryl was aware of Aaron’s relationship with Paul. That’s why she said this to him. She was just being honest, and that’s what Daryl would want. “I suggested he go to Hilltop, since he won’t come back to Alexandria. I thought since Jesus is here now, maybe he’d be more comfortable going there. I don’t think he’ll go.”
“He won’t,” Aaron said looking out over the distance. “He’s already set his mind to something. He won’t change.” That’s why they weren’t together anymore.
“Well, at least he knows.” She patted Aaron’s shoulder, and turned to leave the children to play, and to take a few moments alone to contemplate.
Aaron went back home with Paul and Gracie, and was glad Gracie wasn’t old enough to want to leave his side just yet.
>>------->
It was morning, and there was yelling coming from outside the house. Aaron and Paul were sitting in the kitchen when they heard it. They rushed to the door and threw it open. Michonne was coming up the street on horseback. She was dressed to hunt, her sword securely attached to her back. As she rode past she had a worried and desperate look on her face.
“Talk to Scott. He’ll fill you in. I have to go,” she said quickly.
“What happened?” Paul said.
“The children are gone,” Michonne said as she continued to the gate.
Aaron and Paul looked at each other, and then toward the house where Jocelyn and the children slept last night. The parents of the children from the sleepover were running in and out, searching. They saw Scott, panic drawn on his face.
“I’ll go find out what happened,” Paul said. “You stay with Gracie.”
“Gracie,” Aaron said to himself. He knew she was in her room, still sleeping, but knowing something happened and children were missing, he ran back into the house, up the stairs and into her room. She was there of course, but he had to see with his own eyes. She stirred in her bed and he picked her up, holding her tight in the grip of his arm. She rubbed her eyes with tiny fists and smiled when she saw his face. Aaron kissed her forehead and carried her to the window. He looked down at the street below, and watched the parents. Some paced back and forth. Some held onto each other for support. All were upset.
“Aaron,” Paul called out.
“We’re up here,” he called back. Moments later, Paul rushed into the bedroom. He pet the top of Gracie’s head, glad she was where she was supposed to be.
“Jocelyn and the others are gone. They took the children from the sleepover, raided the infirmary, took weapons and most of the food,” Paul informed.
“What? But how? Why?” Aaron couldn’t understand why they did this after Michonne offered them a place to live.
“I don’t know.” Paul put an arm around Aaron. “They killed a man, whoever was on watch in the pantry,” he whispered. It was obvious Paul was disturbed by what happened too. And to think last night they allowed Gracie to play with these thieves and murders.
Aaron and Paul decided they needed to go and console the parents, make sure guards were on duty across the community, and keep everyone calm until Michonne returned. Aaron was scared for her. One of the missing children was Judith.
“I wish I could go and help her,” Aaron said after they made their rounds.
“Scott said she was going to get Daryl. He’s not far from here, and it’s on the way to the warehouse,” Paul told him.
Aaron nodded. It was good she would seek out Daryl. He would help her. Together they were unstoppable. Anyone with Daryl was unstoppable.
To help the children cope, Sarah set up some activities to keep them occupied while the pantry was cleared of the body and blood. The parents of the missing children were gathered in the church, where Gabriel kept a vigil going. Everyone was on edge, but they did their best not to upset the rest of the community’s children.
Hours passed, and morning turned to afternoon. The sun would be setting soon. Aaron worried that Michonne hadn’t returned yet.
“She shouldn’t have gone,” Aaron said to Paul. “She’s eight months pregnant, and in no shape to be out there.”
“No one could have stopped her. Judith’s out there somewhere.” Paul said.
“I keep thinking, what if it had been Gracie. If she’d been a little older, I probably would have let her go to the sleepover, and she’d be gone.”
“And you’d be out there like Michonne is now,” Paul said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. They were home, sitting on the couch while Gracie played with her toys on the rug at their feet.
“Why do we always forget about the threat?” Aaron said. “Everything was going so well. Everything was falling into place. What kind of a world is it when you can’t even trust children?”
“We all do what we think is right. We have to in order to keep our humanity and advance into the future. This time was different. Michonne knew Jocelyn. She had no reason not to trust her. They were best friends once upon a time,” Paul said. He laid his head on Aaron’s shoulder.
Aaron rest his hand on Paul's leg and gave a squeeze. “I guess some people change and can’t come back from who they’ve become.” As he said it, he thought of Daryl, living alone in the wild, searching for something he would never find. He was too far gone, and missing out on a life that could be much easier if he would just remember who he used to be, who he had been when they were together. But Daryl wasn’t evil like Jocelyn. He was misguided, confused, ruled by grief and a determination to find closure, but he wasn’t evil.
“They’re back!”
They heard the cries from inside the house and ran to the porch. Aaron watched as Michonne led the small group of missing children, Judith close to her side. She was bleeding from her pregnant belly, and Aaron’s stomach dropped. Siddiq ran to her and put an arm around her. She slumped into his hold as soon as he had her.
“Go,” Paul said, as he took Gracie from him.
Aaron kissed him and then Gracie, and ran down the steps and along the street to meet Michonne. As he approached, he saw Daryl coming in through the gate, following the children inside like a guardian. Siddiq looked over Michonne, seeing a deep slash along the side of her belly. She was saying something to him, and then pointed back at Daryl.
“Take her. I’ll be fine,” Daryl said, and Siddiq gave a nod before escorting Michonne to the infirmary.
The children were met by their parents, and the emotional reunion began. Everyone was crying and taking up their little ones in their loving arms. Daryl stood alone, and he winced in pain. Aaron started to move, but hesitated, unsure if it was the right thing to do. But Daryl had obviously been hurt, and he stood alone. Aaron sighed and decided to be the bigger man. He went to Daryl.
“You’ve been hurt?” he asked.
“I’ll be all right,” Daryl said without looking at him. “Michonne is the one I’m worried about.”
“Let me look at it,” Aaron insisted.
“Naw, I’m good,” Daryl refused, turning from him.
Aaron could tell by the way he was holding himself that he was hurt in the back. Aaron ignored him and reached for his shirt to lift it. Daryl jerked away, but Aaron wouldn’t give up. “Let me see,” he demanded. But he remembered that Daryl didn’t respond well to demands. He softened his voice. “Please?”
For a moment, Daryl didn’t move. He glared at Aaron to intimidate him, but he’d forgotten that Aaron didn’t respond well to intimidation. He gave in and turned, lifting his shirt.
There was a wound in the shape of an X, a burn like a brand. “What did Jocelyn do to you?” Aaron asked.
“It was at the warehouse. I don’t know, she just reached for the nearest weapon and stuck me with a hot iron. I’ll be all right.”
“It needs to be tended to so it doesn’t get infected. Come on. Let’s get you to the infirmary.” Aaron started to walk, but Daryl didn’t move. He stopped and looked back, rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Fine, do what you want. I’m going to check on Michonne.” He started walking again.
“Hold up,” Daryl said after a few moments, while Aaron was still within earshot. Aaron paused and waited for him to catch up. They went the rest of the way, but Daryl walked slightly behind instead of side by side.
At the infirmary, Siddiq was examining Michonne. She had a bandage on her back, and Siddiq was cleaning the slash on her belly. Aaron went to her.
“Are you okay?” he asked with concern, standing at her side.
“I’ll be all right,” she said, but he could see she was still shaken from the experience.
“And the kids?”
“They’re scared, but they weren’t hurt.” She glanced over her shoulder to Daryl. “I’m glad you were there,” she said to him. Daryl gave a nod. Aaron got the feeling more happened than they were leading on, but he wouldn’t push for answers.
“Thanks for your help,” Aaron said to Daryl.
Aaron waited until he was sure Michonne was fine. Siddiq had to put stitches to her wound, but he was sure the baby was fine. It wasn’t deep enough to affect the baby, but she needed to be monitored for a few days just to make sure. She’d been hit several times during a fight with Jocelyn. While Siddiq bandaged up Daryl’s burn, Aaron spoke to Michonne. He found out that Jocelyn had been training the children to fight and to kill when necessary. Alexandria wasn’t the first group they had come upon. But meeting Michonne, someone from Jocelyn’s past, hadn’t been planned. It was just by chance that they met again. Apparently, it didn’t make a difference. Jocelyn had turned against her humanity somewhere along the way, and she was permanently lost.
Michonne was beating herself up for trusting the woman from her past. She allowed her in without a second thought. She’d been tricked into believing that everything was fine, and in the process almost lost the one thing most precious to her … Judith.
“When I’m off bedrest, I want to have a meeting,” Michonne told Aaron. “We can’t let something like this happen again.”
“I agree. I’ll tell Gabriel and the others.”
“Thank you Aaron,” she said as he was leaving the infirmary.
Aaron walked out onto the porch, and was descending the steps when he heard the door open behind him. “Hey, wait up a minute,” Daryl called, and Aaron stopped. “How’s your little girl?” he asked.
Aaron was surprised to hear Daryl ask about anything that was a part of his life. For so long, Daryl didn’t seem to care. “She’s fine. She wasn’t involved in any way, and she’s too young to know what happened. We were lucky.” Aaron started to walk, not caring whether Daryl went with him or not. He just wanted to get home. For a moment, Aaron’s footsteps were the only ones he heard. Then he heard Daryl hurry to catch up again.
“He treating you right?” Daryl asked, meaning Paul.
“We’re very happy,” Aaron answered. It was awkward to talk about it, and Daryl has never asked before. The sudden curiousness threw him off.
“Good,” Daryl said in almost a whisper. Aaron could tell that he’d stopped walking. After a few steps, Aaron stopped, too, and turned. “You should take Michonne’s advice and go to Hilltop. They could use your leadership.”
“I ain’t no leader,” Daryl said, his head turned to look at the ground. “Besides, I got my own agenda.”
“Searching for Rick?” Aaron said. He sounded skeptical.
“Ain’t never found a body, walking or not,” Daryl said on the defensive.
“It doesn’t mean he’s still alive.”
“We should have found something,” Daryl argued. “I won’t stop looking.”
Aaron looked him in the eye and gave a half smile. “I know you won’t.” With that said, Aaron turned towards home and didn’t look back.
>>------->
A week later, Michonne called a meeting with the leaders of Alexandria. Gabriel, Aaron, Siddiq, Tara and Laura among them. They discussed what happened, how she had known Jocelyn years ago, and had been best friends for fifteen years. After school, they had lost touch, and then the end of days happened. Michonne told everyone how close they used to be, and seeing her at the gate, still alive and surviving had giving her new hope for the world. But Jocelyn had played on her weakness. Michonne had instantly trusted her. She had no reason not to, but she was going on the person she knew nearly twenty years ago, not taking into consideration how she might have changed. It was a new threat, people coming to the gates needing help, and Alexandria’s kindness went without question.
“So I propose that we close the gates to outsiders, and take care of us, of this place and everything within the walls. That’s what’s most precious, not the outside world,” Michonne finished.
The parents of the children who had been taken were sitting in on the meeting and agreed with Michonne. Laura was on Michonne’s side. Gabriel, Siddiq and Tara thought it was a safety precaution for now, until they could come up with some new rules about allowing new people in. Aaron sided with Gabriel and the others.
But Michonne wasn’t proposing new rules for strangers. She wanted to keep all outsiders out of Alexandria, and focus on what they had. And after going back and forth for a while, the council gave in and let Michonne have her way. She was, after all, head of security on the council.
After the meeting, Aaron left and found Paul waiting for him outside the doors. “Why didn’t you come in?” Aaron asked.
“I didn’t think it was a good idea. The meeting was reserved for the council leaders, and I’m not even a resident, not officially.”
“What? Of course you are. You’re with me. And you’ve agreed to move here,” Aaron argued. He wanted Paul to be involved.
“Not until the council takes a vote. Isn’t that the way it works now?” Paul seemed accusatory.
“Michonne is just scared right now. She’ll come around. Besides, she was talking about newcomers, not people she already knows.” At least that’s what Aaron thought. While they were talking, Michonne approached, and she looked like she meant business.
“Jesus, I understand you are looking to take up residence here,” Michonne said. “I just want to know how serious you are about that.”
“I’d say I’m pretty serious, although I will probably return to Hilltop from time to time, just to check in. Why? Is that going to be a problem?” Paul asked.
“It might be. I’m ready to boost security here, and that means setting boundaries. I can’t have people coming and going as they please. And when the scavenging crews go out, there are going to be limits to how far out they should go. If you are going to be running back and forth from here to Hilltop, it could put us at risk. Someone could follow you or capture you and use you to get inside,” Michonne explained.
“But that doesn’t make sense,” Aaron interrupted. “The whole point of this place is to give others the chance to start over.”
“You saw what happened, Aaron. I gave Jocelyn a chance and she killed one of our people along with kidnapping Judith and the other kids. I can’t risk that happening again.” When Michonne spoke, there was great fear in her voice.
“What happened out there to make you so frightened?” Aaron asked. “What did they do to you?”
“It’s not just what they did to me and Daryl. It’s what I did to . . .” She stopped before saying too much. “Look, it was a bad situation, and one that I don’t want to repeat. We’re shutting the gates for a while. We need to tighten up the ropes on this ship, and concentrate on taking care of our own. We have the resources to be self-sustaining.”
“What about Hilltop and the Kingdom?” Paul asked. “Are you going to shut them out too? Our own people?”
“If that’s what I have to do to keep Alexandria safe, then yes.” Michonne had her mind made up.
“Surely this isn’t the way it’s going to be from now on,” Aaron said, not believing that this was a permanent solution.
“As long as it takes to make us safe. Hilltop is doing fine on their own. And the Kingdom, when they need help, has always turned to Hilltop. Alexandria needs to know it can stand on its own. No one can protect this place better than us, and what we have to protect within the walls is very precious. It’s all that matters right now.” Michonne stared them down with determination and defiance. “Jesus, you can stay if you want, but you will be a resident of Alexandria, and that will mean adhering to the rules, just as soon as I have them in place.”
“I understand,” Paul said. He didn’t seem sure about what was going on. Like Aaron and some of the others, he didn’t think it was a good idea for Alexandria to isolate itself.
Aaron and Paul walked back home, went inside and to the kitchen. Paul had a seat on a stool at the island while Aaron busied himself making tea. He filled a kettle and put it on the stove. Paul looked deep in thought, and Aaron leaned on the counter across from him. “It doesn’t seem right, does it?”
Paul shook his head. “No. I think Michonne is making a mistake. Maggie won’t like this when she finds out. Cutting off supplies and people to the other communities is going to cause a riff.
“That’s what I was thinking too,” Aaron pondered. An idea came to him, but he knew Paul wouldn’t like it. Aaron didn’t much like it either, but it might be necessary until Michonne came around and opened the gates once more.
The kettle started to whistle, and Aaron lifted if from the burner. He took two mugs from the shelf by the sink and set them on the counter, along with a jar of fresh Alexandria honey, and small tin filled with herbs, spices, dried fruits and berries. It made more of a fruity hot drink than tea, since it had no tealeaves in it. Still, it was tasty, especially with honey.
“Getting out the good tea,” Paul commented. “Something’s on your mind. Want to tell me now or are you going to butter me up some more.”
Aaron filled the tea baskets and smiled, but he wouldn’t meet Paul's eyes. “You always could read me.”
“It’s not difficult. So what are you thinking?” Paul took one of the baskets from Aaron and dropped it into his cup. He bounced the round mesh ball and watched the water turn amber.
“I think you should go back to Hilltop,” Aaron said after hesitating a moment.
Paul's hand reached out and covered Aaron’s, making him stop dipping his basket. “You want me to go?” Paul sounded hurt.
Aaron finally looked up at him, and saw the disappointment in his eyes. “I don’t want you to go. No, that’s not what I’m saying.” Aaron covered Paul's hand with his other. “I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. I like having you here. These past few months have been wonderful. And Gracie adores you. But I’ve been thinking about Michonne’s decision to alienate Alexandria, and I’m worried she’s making the wrong decision.”
“So do I, but I’m hoping when the shock and fear wear off she’ll come to her senses,” Paul added.
“I’ve known Michonne for a while now, and she doesn’t change coarse very often or very easily. My concern is keeping a line of communication open between Hilltop and Alexandria. And since we are both recruiters and runners, we have the opportunity to keep in touch,” Aaron explained. “Once the borders are determined, we can set up a meeting place. As often as we need to, we can meet and exchange information. I’ll relay it back to Gabriel. You can relay back to Maggie. It might be the only way for us to communicate for a while.”
“So you’re saying you’re going behind Michonne’s back,” Paul said, just to make it clear.
“I think I have to. She’s serious about this, Paul, and this might be our only opportunity to do something.” Aaron took a sip of his tea, and then pushed the cup away. “I don’t want to do it this way.” He looked up into Paul's eyes. “I don’t want you to go, but . . .”
Paul came around the island and turned Aaron to face him. He wrapped his arms around Aaron’s waist, and Aaron buried his face in his chest. “I think maybe you’re right,” Paul said. “And I don’t want to go either. It might blow over sooner than later, and when Alexandria opens its gates again, I’ll come back. If that’s what you want.” The last part was spoken like an afterthought, as though he was testing Aaron.
“Of course I want you to come back,” Aaron said, and he kissed Paul, hard and with meaning. His hand came up to cup Paul's face, and when their lips separated, they rest their foreheads together.
Paul's hands clutched at the fabric of Aaron’s shirt and he pulled him close. “We’ll meet as often as we can.”
“And we’ll train. I don’t want to stop. I need to learn to fight better than ever before,” Aaron said, glancing down at his metal arm.
“And you’ll tell me all about how Gracie’s doing,” Paul added. Aaron hadn’t taken into account how he might miss Gracie.
“We’ll get through this.” Aaron kissed him again.
Caught up in the moment, they didn’t hear Gracie come into the kitchen. It wasn’t until they both felt a pant leg tugged that they realized she was there. Paul and Aaron looked down at her, smiling from ear to ear with her ball in her hands.
“Play?” she said, looking at Paul.
Paul picked her up and smiled, though Aaron could see the anguish he was hiding behind his striking blue eyes. “Yes, we’ll play.”
“Daddy play too?” she asked, reaching out his her small hand and petting the thick beard on Aaron’s face.
“Yes, let’s go play,” Aaron sang, and he hurried everyone outside into the backyard where they often played with her.
They spent the rest of the day with Gracie, playing ball, pushing her on the swing set, drawing with chalk on the back patio. Aaron realized how much he was going to miss having Paul around. They would still see each other, but it wouldn’t be the same. Gracie wouldn’t get to see him. She was still young, though. He hoped it wouldn’t faze her too much not having Paul around.
Later that evening, after Gracie was fast asleep and night had settled in, Aaron and Paul spent the evening in each other’s company, talking and laughing, making plans for when they were finally able to be together again. When it got late, they went upstairs and made love slow and easy, savoring every last moment they had together. Exhausted and thoroughly sated, they fell asleep in each other’s arms, a tangle of limbs and sheets, warm and comfortable on what would be their last night together. They kept positive thoughts that they would be together again, soon. Neither man was fond of sleeping alone anymore, especially Paul. He’d been alone for so long, but Aaron had changed that. Aaron got used to having Paul with him too, but he hoped this separation would be a short stint this time. Paul would be back soon. Aaron would have his family back before he knew it. At least, that’s what he told himself.
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