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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
- 68
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Chapter 70 Dead Not Dead

Daryl and Michonne stood over the dead body, the walker that had somehow attacked and killed Jesus. Daryl walked around to the other side, looking it over carefully. The face, though it looked like a walker, seemed a little off somehow. The eyes, he remembered, weren’t those of a normal walker. They were too clear, too bright … too alive. He crouched down for a closer look, and saw something odd at the back of the head. When he turned it to get a better look, he was astonished to fine what looked like laces going up from the base of then neck to about halfway up the back of the head. He glanced up at Michonne.

“You seeing this?” he asked.

“What is that?” Michonne leaned down for a better view.

Daryl took his knife and sliced away at the stitching. The dead face went slack, as though it wasn’t attached to the body. “I think it’s a mask.” He took hold of the hair and pulled. The walker face came away to reveal a human underneath. The man was dead, but he hadn’t been before. Daryl stared at the mask in his hand. It was indeed a walker’s face, but it had been dried or cured, and lacing added to the back. It actually was a mask. “What the hell?”

“Let me see that,” Michonne said, taking the mask from him to examine it closer.

The rest of the group came back into the cemetary to see what was going on. Everyone took turns looking at the fleshy mask, and they were all flabbergasted.

“Who would do such a thing?” Magna asked, disgust imprinted upon her face.

As the group discussed their findings, Daryl glanced over his shoulder from time to time to check on Aaron. He’d seen him take care of Jesus to make sure he didn’t come back, but now he just sat there, still cradling the body, rocking back and forth. Daryl knew the feeling. He’d seen Beth, his dearest friend die, and he’d had to take care of his brother after he turned. Watching a loved one die and having to put a blade in their skull was one of the most difficult things anyone had to do.

He walked over to Aaron and stood next to him. “You all right?” he asked. It was a stupid question. Of course he wasn’t all right.

“What is that?” said Aaron gesturing to everyone gathered and pondering over something.

“It was a man who attacked Jesus, not a walker. He was wearing walker skin like a mask,” Daryl informed.

Lightening flashed all around, and the sound of the thunder was very strange, muffled by the thick fog. Everyone looked around them, hoping for a better view of their surrounding when it lit up. The next time lightening flashed, it revealed walkers surrounding them. Everyone stopped what they were doing and picked up their weapons, everyone but Aaron. He still sat on the ground with Paul.

“Aaron, get up and take out your knife,” Daryl warned, keeping his eyes on the area. “This ain’t over.”

Aaron got to his feet, and pulled his knife from his belt. It still had traces of Paul's blood on it, but he tried to ignore that fact.

Every time the cemetary lit up, the walkers were closer. They all looked real stumbling over rocks and tree branches, or running into tombstones, but now they knew there might actually be living people mixed in among the dead. They would have weapons hidden on them, but they wouldn’t reveal them until the last second, keeping their identity a mystery. And then the whispers came. They were surrounded by the dead and their human imposters. The voices called for their deaths, for revenge, threats against their very existence. The whispers became louder, coming from every direction, confusing the group in the cemetary. Daryl, Michonne and the others gathered in a circle, backs to each other, and prepared to fight a new enemy they didn’t yet understand.

The whispering walkers charged the group, weapons drawn. Michonne gave the command to fight, and again, they were in battle. The soup-like fog and the lightening helped and hindered the group, and they had to quickly adapt to their environment. No one could tell who was human and who was walker, and they ended up killing both. In the end, Michonne’s group won, and the remaining imposters fled the area. The whispers ceased, and everything went quiet, thunder being the only sound. No one trusted the lull in the action. Whoever these people were, they still had the advantage, and everyone feared they would come back.

Daryl had been so tuned into fighting, he hadn’t noticed that Aaron stood next to him. “We need to leave,” Daryl said.

“I’m not leaving him here,” Aaron insisted about Paul.

Daryl would not argue. Instead, he went to Paul, and gestured for Aaron to do the same. They lifted his lifeless body from the ground and got him through the gate. Daryl pushed a bar in place, locking the gate. He hoped it would buy them some time. In the distance was the sound of the herd approaching again, and he could just make out the shadowy figures approaching the gate. The group left the cemetary, and followed Michonne out of that horrid place, hoping to find their way back to their horses.

They traveled all night, resting from time to time. Daryl helped Aaron carry Jesus for most of the night, but when they stopped for their first break, he asked Magna to take over for him. His shoulder was in pain, and his arm muscles were sore. Magna didn’t hesitate to help out. As she got ready to move again, she told Aaron that Yumiko would take his spot to give him a rest also.

“No,” Aaron said firmly. “I won’t leave him.”

“You’re not leaving him,” said Magna to convince him otherwise. “You can walk with us, but you need a break.”

“He’s my responsibility. I’ll see him to Hilltop.” His voice was cold and stern, very unlike himself. He realized his tone was out of character, but these women didn’t know him either. They would think he was always like this. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be–”

“It’s all right,” Magna said. “He was your friend. I understand.”

Aaron nodded, and together they lifted Paul and started walking again. They were at the back of the group. Daryl, he noticed, moved up to the front to walk beside Michonne. Aaron took a moment to think about earlier, the softness and concern in Daryl’s voice, the careful way he spoke to Aaron, and he took comfort in that. Now, he felt like he needed to explain himself to Magna, who must have thought he was always so aloof.

“Paul,” he started, and realized she probably didn’t know him by that name. “Jesus,” he corrected. “He was more than my friend. We were … together.”

“You’re boyfriend,” she said.

“Yes. Maybe more than that. He, um … he proposed … not long ago.”

“Oh,” she said quietly.

A few minutes went by without conversation. Then, Magna cleared her throat. “Um, yeah, Yumiko and I, we’re together too. It’s new, but it doesn’t feel that way.”

Aaron glanced at Daryl at the front of the group. “I had that once, too.”

“I’m sure he was a great guy,” Magna said, not knowing Aaron had meant Daryl. “I’m really sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks,” Aaron said, and they didn’t speak again for the rest of their time together.

>>------->

As the sun came up, it burned off the fog, and before long there wasn’t a trace left of the earie night. There were no walkers, no herd … no whispers. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. They found Michonne, Magna and Yumiko’s horses. Magna and Yumiko shared one of theirs, giving up the other to carry Jesus. Michonne gave hers to Eugene, who was done walking a long time ago. Daryl helped Aaron get Jesus’ body draped across the horse. They used rope to secure him. When they were done, Daryl put a sympathetic hand on Aaron’s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. Aaron gave him the slightest smile in thanks and took up the reins to lead the horse. Daryl went to the front, coming up even with Michonne. Aaron watched him glance over his shoulder to check once more. It was nice knowing Daryl cared and was watching out for him.

After a while, Magna and Yumiko rode up even with Aaron. “You doing okay?” Magna asked.

“I’m good,” Aaron replied.

“I never got the chance to meet him,” Yumiko said. “We weren’t at Hilltop for long, but the people there had nothing but good things to say about him. I wish Magna and I could have met him. Sounds like he was a good man.”

“He is,” Aaron said. “Was,” he corrected himself.

Eugene had fallen back some and heard the others talking. “It was my fault this happened,” he started to say.

Aaron spoke up quickly. “No, it wasn’t. Jesus made his own decisions. He was out here by choice. So was I. It was the only time we had together, since we came from different communities. I wish I had made different choices. Then maybe we wouldn’t have been out here.”

Daryl could just make out what Aaron was saying. So it seemed they were quite serious about each other. When he learned that Jesus proposed, he didn’t take the time to register what exactly that meant. Aaron had told him he didn’t give an answer, which made Daryl feel relieved, and for a split second, he selfishly wondered if Aaron hesitated because he still held onto feelings for him. He didn’t want to think about that. It wasn’t the right time. He didn’t want to hear any more about Aaron and Jesus either, so he moved further ahead and came up next to Michonne. Daryl glanced back once more, saw the grief in Aaron’s eyes, and felt his heart break for him.

Michonne looked back too, and when she faced forward again, she gave a deep sigh. “It’s good that we’re bring Jesus home. The people of Hilltop need to grieve properly. This will help them heal better … faster.”

Daryl looked at Michonne next to him and understood what she meant, but he also felt guilty. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do the same for you,” he said. He had spent the past six years looking everywhere for Rick, whether he was dead or alive, anything that would give Michonne closure. He never found a single clue as to what happened to him or where his body might have gone, not even a piece of him. That fact didn’t sit well with Daryl. Like Michonne, he needed something, any bit of proof that would make it okay to let him go. Without it, he would always wonder if Rick was still out there, needing help, lost and wandering, or maybe shuffling along in a herd. None of it sat well with him.

“You tried. For a long time you tried, and I thank you for that. It means the world to me knowing what you did back then … and for what came after too.” Michonne’s reference to after was the incident with Jocelyn. Daryl had gone with her to find Judith and the other kidnapped children and bring them home. Michonne and Daryl faced a new horror together, and Michonne had to do things that she hoped she’d never have to do again. “But now, I think you need to be there for Aaron, and help see him through this.”

“I will if that’s what he wants. It’s not like it once was,” Daryl admitted.

“No, it’s not, but there’s always a road open that can lead to friendship, and that’s what Aaron needs right now. You’re the only one who can give that to him. You know him better than any of us,” she said, and Daryl took her advice to heart.

“Hey, we’ve got company,” Magna called to the front of the group.

The road they walked along paralleled a forest on one side, and they could just make out a small group of walkers. Michonne’s group had been spotted, and the dead were slowly making their way towards them. Michonne gave the signal to hurry on, and they picked up their pace. Not far ahead, they could see a covered bridge, and Michonne got an idea.

“We can use the bridge to trap them inside, and find out who we’re dealing with. I don’t trust that those are just walkers,” Michonne said.

Daryl walked back to where Aaron was. “You should take Eugene and the horses and get out of sight. Stay there until I come back for you.”

“But I can help,” Aaron countered.

“Eugene’s injured. You’ll be helping him. The rest of us will deal with this. Okay?” said Daryl, looking Aaron in the eyes to get his point across.

“Okay,” Aaron agreed. He hopped on Magna’s horse and led the way further down the road, away from the bridge.

Daryl went back to Michonne and she told them her plan. Carefully they led the walkers to the bridge. He counted six all together, and wondered how many were actually breathers. They would find out soon enough.

Michonne hid outside the bridge while the others passed through, and then they disappeared. Everyone waited until the walkers were well inside the bridge. Daryl appeared at the exit, stood tall and straight and raised his bow. He took his time loading an arrow and choosing who he would shoot first. He fired into the leg of the closest walker. There was no reaction and it continued forward. Walker, he thought to himself and aimed for another one. This time, when the arrow sunk into flesh, the walker, a man from the sound of it, cried out in agony and fell to the bridge floor. Immediately, the two closest walkers went to the fallen man and attacked, ripping flesh from his body, and consuming him alive. The man in the mask screamed until his throat was torn out.

Michonne appeared at the entrance and observed the other three walkers. One of them slowly turned toward her, but not because it saw her. The movements were of one who was looking for an escape. They paused briefly when they saw Michonne, giving away their secret. This one was alive. Producing a knife from their side, the imposter charged at Michonne, but she swung her sword and stabbed them straight through. Two more remained, but only one behaved normal for the dead, as it continued the slow shuffle toward her. She took its head with her katana, and focused on the last one. This one was smaller than the others, and behaved in a frantic manner, like an animal that had been cornered. Michonne and Daryl rushed them, heard a feminine cry, and threatened her with their weapons. The masked figure looked from Michonne to Daryl, obviously frightened, and started to beg for her life. Daryl ripped the mask of and kneeling before them was a girl, maybe eighteen, give or take a year.

“Please, don’t kill me,” she begged.

“How many others are there?” Michonne interrogated, but the girl was too frightened to answer.

Daryl lunged at her and brought his knife to her throat. “Answer the question.”

The girl shook and stammered, but didn’t produce an answer. As Daryl was about to push the sharp edge into the delicate skin of her neck, Yumiko and Magna joined them. “We’ve got company,” they informed, and Daryl heard the groans of more walkers approaching the bridge. There were too many, and no way of telling how many were a fraud.

“We’ve got to go,” Michonne advised.

“What about her?” Magna asked.

“We’ll take her with us,” Daryl said. Michonne glared at him, but didn’t argue with his decision as they rushed out of the bridge.

Daryl left the girl with Michonne and the others, and went to find Aaron and Eugene. “There’s more coming. We need to get far from here,” he told Aaron, and they hurried to catch up with the others.

With the sun up and the fog burned away, they finally found Aaron and Paul's horses, along with Daryl’s bike. Michonne blindfolded the girl and tied her hands together. She put her captive on her horse and walked alongside. Daryl rode ahead a little with his dog leading out front. Aaron still walked, leading the horse that carried Paul's body. He tried not to think too deeply about it. There would be a time to grieve once he got back to Hilltop. For now, there were too many dangers, especially with their new enemy. There was no way to tell if they were being followed, or how many more fake walkers were out there. So, he went numb, hiding his emotions from everyone, even himself, and followed the rest back to Hilltop.

>>------->

Aaron’s most difficult moment was when they passed through the gates. People came out of their homes and businesses, ready to greet their beloved leader. What they were met with was a different sight, and when they realized who was lifelessly draped over his horse, their faces fell with sorrow and despair. Jesus was dead. Another Hilltop leader was gone, and they were reminded of just how unpredictable the outside world really was. Even the indestructible weren’t immune to the dangers beyond their walls.

The silence of the yard was deafening, and Aaron felt all eyes on him as he led the horse up to the front of Barrington House. Tara and Enid ran out and stopped when they saw Jesus. Tara went to him, looking over the body before her, and placed a hand upon his back. Enid ran to Aaron and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. She knew just how special Paul was to him, and she shared his pain.

“I’m so sorry, Aaron. What happened?” Enid asked through her tears.

“We’ve discovered a new enemy,” he said. A few people nearby over heard him and moved closer. Aaron saw their interest and spoke to the growing crowd. “They walk with the herds, disguised like them, wearing their skin as a mask. Jesus fought hard, but no one knew until it was too late that these murders were mixed amongst the walkers.”

“Is she the one who killed Jesus?” Tammy Rose, one of the residents, called out in question.

“No,” Michonne answered. “But they are her people.” She dragged the girl from the horse.

Enid looked worriedly at Aaron. “Alden and Luke went out to look for you when you didn’t come back.”

“Where are they now?” Aaron asked with concern.

“They’re still out there.” Her arms tightened around his waist. “Aaron, I’m worried.”

“We’ll figure this out, okay?” he said to comfort her, but he knew it would have little affect at this time. “Let’s see what the girl has to say first.”

As Michonne led the blindfolded girl through the yard, some of the residents started closing in on them. Daryl intercepted them, and took the girl by the other arm. He looked at Michonne and spoke. “We need to get her down in the cells before a mob forms.” Michonne nodded in agreement. People all around them scowled at the girl. Some formed a line to get a better look at her. Michonne and Daryl kept a tight hold on her and stayed close until they disappeared into the cellar, with Tara following behind.

The first thing Daryl noticed was that Henry was in one of the cells. He wondered what the kid did to get himself locked up. There was no time to deal with him at the moment. First, they had to deal with the girl.

“Daryl, what’s going on?” Henry asked.

Daryl turned to the boy, narrowed eyes glaring at him. “Jesus is dead,” he said bluntly.

Henry looked shocked and had nothing else to say, as he watched Michonne and Tara shove the girl toward the other cell. Now all Henry could do was listen. There was no direct line of sight between the two cells.

Daryl stood back as he watched Michonne and Tara interrogate the girl. He couldn’t tell if she was really scared or if it was all just an act. Michonne demanded the girl tell them about her people, who they were, how many were in her group and where their camp was. The girl played stupid at first, and then told Michonne that all her people were dead, killed by Michonne’s people. Michonne called her a liar several times. No one believed her at that point. Seeing that they weren’t going to get any information from her, they left and rejoined above ground.

Daryl saw a group of residents gathered around, waiting for someone to tell them what was going on. Tara left to deal with her people, and Michonne turned to Daryl.

“I need to get back to Alexandria and warn them about this. There could be others out there, and we need to be prepared in case they find our community. I have to go now, and I’m taking my people with me,” Michonne informed.

Aaron was nearby, and overheard Michonne talking to Daryl. He went to them and spoke to Michonne. “I won’t leave, not until after the funeral.”

“Our people need us,” she said.

Aaron shook his head in defiance. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to go without me. I’ll come home when Paul is at rest and not before.”

“It’s all right,” Daryl said to Michonne. “I’ll see that he gets home safe. Let him do what he needs to do.”

Michonne clasped Aaron’s shoulder and nodded in agreement. After the exchange, Aaron walked away to see if anyone needed his help in preparing for the funeral. He stopped short when he heard Michonne give Daryl one more warning.

“Try to get something out of the girl, but if she won’t talk, you know what you have to do. Tara’s going to need help if it comes to that,” Michonne advised.

Daryl nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’ll try to get her to talk.”

Aaron’s mind flashed back to the scene at the Savior’s outpost, when Daryl killed that boy just for siding with the Saviors. He hadn’t bothered to ask questions then. He had just aimed and shot the boy dead. It was the moment that changed everything between them, and what led to their breakup. Now, he feared for a repeat in history. He thought Daryl had changed. He thought Daryl might have learned something from that time, but with Paul's death, two more people missing, and the threat of an unknown enemy, perhaps Daryl would go back to his old ways.

This time, Aaron felt a different struggle within himself. He wasn’t as quick to speak with Daryl or convince him not to do anything rash. This girl, though she hadn’t been the one who killed Paul, was a part of the group responsible for his death. He found himself not as opposed to her punishment. He had never experienced anything like this before, and was ashamed for his thoughts. Everyone’s life was important, even ones like the girl’s. He should stand up for her, insist that she was better to them alive than dead, but he couldn’t find the will to do so. Aaron was ashamed of his thoughts. This wasn’t who he was. But then again, Paul was laying on a table in the infirmary, a coffin being prepared for him, a life cut short because of the evil that still existed in the world. This girl was one of them, and Aaron needed retribution.

After Michonne left, Daryl went back and let Henry out of the jail. They were sitting in the small cemetary behind the great house, watching two residents prepare a grave for Jesus. He found out Henry was locked up for going outside of the walls without permission, and for being intoxicated. Henry explained how he’d made friends with some of the other Hilltop kids, and they invited him to come along.

“I’m new here, and I just wanted them to like me. It’s not like I have many options for making friends around here,” Henry explained.

“You’re here to learn a trade, learn it well, and take that knowledge back to the Kingdom,” Daryl told him. “What were you thinking?”

“Come on, Daryl. You can’t tell me you didn’t do something like that when you were a kid,” Henry reasoned.

“I didn’t have to find my way home with the threat of walkers around every corner either.”

“Point taken,” Henry agreed. “I’m sorry, Daryl. I let you down. I made a mistake and I was wrong. I won’t do it again. Besides, I don’t think I like alcohol. Makes my head hurt,” he said rubbing his temples.”

“Serves you right,” Daryl mumbled.

“All I want to do is go to my room, get in my bed and forget about this night.” Henry raised his arms and stretched.

“Not so fast, kid. You still got one more night in the cell.”

“What? But I thought–”

“Those are the rules,” Daryl said. “Let’s go.” He stood and Henry followed him, head hung in disappointment. “But first,” Daryl added. “You’ll pay your respects to Jesus.”

“Yes sir,” Henry agreed.

>>------->

At the funeral, Hilltop residents took turns hammering nails into Jesus’ coffin. Aaron took his turn, hesitated, and put a hand on the coffin. He bent down and whispered softly into the wood. “I love you, and I’ll miss you so much.” He couldn’t say anything more for fear of crying and making a fool out of himself. As he left to let someone else have a turn, Siddiq approached him. He had something hiding in his hand, and hesitated to give it to Aaron.

“I … found this in his jacket. I thought you would want to have it.” Siddiq handed it to Aaron, and walked away to give him privacy.

Aaron looked down at his hand, and recognized the wooden hand-carved box, the one that Paul gave him. Aaron closed his eyes when he took it, and didn’t open them until he opened the box. Inside was the simple silver ring that Paul had given him when he proposed, the one Aaron had given back to him without looking at it closer or even trying it on. ‘Let me think about it,’ he had said. What kind of answer was that? All he had to do was say yes. Why had he hesitated? ‘I’ll have an answer when we return to Hilltop’, he remembered telling Paul as he watched the disappointment settle in his eyes. Now he was at Hilltop burying the man who could have made him happy if he had just let him completely into his heart.

Across the way, Daryl stood next to Henry, and watched Aaron take his turn hammering a nail. He’d seen Siddiq talk to him, hand him something and then leave. Daryl’s heart sank as he watched the sadness in Aaron’s eyes, felt his pain as he opened a small box, and give a tired sigh. “Stay here,” Daryl told Henry, and he made his way over to Aaron.

“That’s a nice ring,” Daryl said, getting the slightest glance at it right before Aaron closed the lid again.

Aaron simply nodded, keeping his eyes fastened on the box in his hand, and then tucked it inside his jacket.

Daryl looked up and saw Michonne and the other Alexandrians just exiting the gate. “You should go with Michonne,” he said.

Aaron kept his eyes straight ahead on Paul's coffin. He shook his head. “I need to be here a little longer. I’m not ready to leave yet.”

They grew silent, both men watching the funeral advance. The last few people were taking their turn with the hammer, and then the coffin would be taken to the gravesite. Then, Aaron leaned toward Daryl. “Are you going to kill that girl?” he asked abruptly.

Daryl hesitated before he answered. He knew his answer might cause a new riff between them, but he could only be honest with Aaron. It’s all he would accept. “I might have to … if she won’t talk.” He expected Aaron to put up an argument, some kind of return, but Aaron simply walked away. Daryl thought he was leaving, but realized it was time for the coffin to be moved. Aaron was naturally one of the pallbearers, and he took his spot at the head of the procession, picked up the front right side of the coffin, and walked with the five other men and women, one of them being Tara. Daryl watched and went back to join Henry, walking together to the cemetary. As they went, he thought about how he would interrogate the girl. She probably wouldn’t cooperate with him, but an idea formed. He didn’t want to kill her. First, he didn’t think she deserved it, and second, he didn’t want to cause more pain between him and Aaron. He wanted to be there for Aaron during this rough time.

>>------->

Later that day, Aaron was sitting by Paul's grave, flipping the ring over and over in his fingers. He continued to wonder why he hadn’t said yes, why he couldn’t have made Paul's last memory of their relationship a joyous one. What happened to Paul was going to happen whether Aaron said yes or not, but at least Paul would have died knowing Aaron wanted to marry him. It was eating away at him, and he didn’t feel good about it.

He had cried earlier, and his eyes were red and swollen. It had gotten to the point where he’d used up all his tears, but the despair in his heart was still there making him miserable. Everything happened so fast, and he felt as though he never got a chance to say goodbye. Paul had said something to Daryl as he lay dying, and Aaron desperately wanted to know what he had said. Daryl claimed he couldn’t understand his words, but Aaron called bullshit.

From somewhere further back along the side of the house, Aaron heard raised voices. He strained to hear what was going on, and recognized one of the voices as that of Daryl. Then he remembered about the interrogation. Daryl must have been in the jail. Part of him wanted to stay where he was, and let Daryl do whatever he needed to do. It happened to be the same part of him who wouldn’t care if Daryl killed the girl, the part that thought it would help him feel better knowing she suffered in return for Paul's death. But this girl hadn’t been responsible for his death. Killing her wouldn’t bring Paul back. It wouldn’t make things right. He knew it would still hurt, and that he would still grieve for his lost love whether the girl lived or died. So then, why take another life? What was the point? Maybe her people were dead. Maybe they had abandoned her, in which case she was about to face a very lonely existence. Perhaps that would be a better punishment for her.

The yelling got louder, and Aaron decided to go see what was happening. He approached the set of Bilco doors that led to the cellar and went down. There he found Daryl inside the cell with the girl. She was sitting on a chair in the center of the cell. She looked like a frightened puppy, eyes wide, mouth hung agape, tense and shaking. Aaron had seen Daryl when he was angry, and he knew she must have been terrified.

“How many people you got in your group?” he asked her, voice raised. It wasn’t the first time he’d asked this question, and it seemed he was about at the end of his patience.

“I don’t know. Ten. Yeah, ten,” the girl answered. It was clearly a lie.

“Where are they?” Daryl insisted.

“You’re people killed them. I’m all that’s left,” she said with a shaky voice. Her eyes darted around the room before they caught Aaron standing in the background. She strained to see who he was.

Daryl saw her looking past him and glanced over his shoulder to see who it was. Aaron knew you should never take your eyes off of your captive, not even for a split second, so he announced himself. “It’s me. I was just checking on things.”

Daryl immediately turned his attention back to the girl. “We’re fine. Just having a little talk.”

“H-hey mister,” the girl called out to Aaron, but Daryl shut her down.

“You don’t talk to anyone but me. Understand?” he threatened. “Why did your people kill my people?”

“You came after us first. We were just defending ourselves.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. You travel with the herds. You look like the dead. How do you expect anyone to know the difference?”

“We’ve adapted because there’s nowhere that’s safe,” she admitted.

“This place is safe,” Aaron said from behind.

“If you believe that then you all are dumber than you look,” she mocked.

Daryl didn’t take kindly to being called dumb. He lurched for the girl and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her up from her chair. His motions were so quick and unexpected that Aaron stumbled backwards until he felt a step behind his heel. When he looked at Daryl again, he had his knife out and to the girl’s throat.

“Woah, woah,” Aaron called out. At the same time, Henry was yelling for Daryl to stop too.

Daryl didn’t pay any attention to them. He was focused on the girl. “I ain’t playing games. Up there, they’re putting a man in the ground, a good man that your people killed. Is this what you want? You want to die? All I have to do is drag your ass up those stairs, and let the mob come for you. They’ll string you up without a second thought.”

The girl was begging. “I don’t want to die. Please Daryl. Don’t kill me. Don’t let them kill me. I’ll tell you the truth. I will. I swear.”

“Let her go!” Henry cried from his cell. “She’s just a girl.”

“Daryl, put the knife down,” Aaron said along with Henry’s pleading.

“Both of you stay the hell out of it,” Daryl demanded.

“Killing her won’t bring Paul back. You know this,” Aaron said.

“No, but it will send a clear signal to her people not to mess with us.” Daryl tightened his grip on the knife, and the girl whimpered.

“You don’t want to do this. If you kill me, you’ll have to deal with my mom, and believe me, you don’t want to bring that on yourselves,” the girl warned.

“I thought you said your mom was dead,” Daryl pointed out. “Or is this another lie?”

“It’s true. I’m telling the truth. My mom is our leader. If you don’t let me go, she’s going to come here. She’ll find me and bring me back, and there will be nothing left of this place or its people.”

Daryl stayed where he was for another moment, pressing the sharp blade into the girl’s throat as he weighed his options. Finally, he let her go, shoving her back into her cell, and slamming the door shut. He locked the door, and the girl scrambled on hands and knees to the far corner of the room, curling into a ball on the floor. Daryl turned to Henry and pointed at him. “You’re staying down here until you wizen up and learn to listen.” He then turned to Aaron, and got in his face. “And you just stay the hell out of it.” Daryl marched up the steps, leaving Aaron behind.

Aaron looked at the girl and then to Henry. The girl was still cowering in the corner. Henry looked worried and watched Aaron with concern. “I’ll talk to him,” he told the boy.

Aaron would talk to him, but he wasn’t sure it would do any good. Daryl tended not to hear anything Aaron had to say, and it usually ended with them not speaking to each other. The last time he’d seen Daryl in this state was at the Savior’s outpost. It ended with a dead teenager who hadn’t done anything but to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Aaron and Daryl not talking to each other for six years. If that’s how this ended again, then let it be, he thought. At least he’d have his opinion heard before Daryl disappeared again. He left the cells and stepped out into the fresh air. Daryl was still there, his back turned, and trying to calm himself. Aaron marched right up to him.

“What the hell was that about?”

“I told you to stay out of it.”

“I will not. You know what this is. It’s the same thing that happened during the war. I stood by and watched you kill that boy. I won’t let you do that again.”

“It doesn’t concern you,” Daryl said, keeping his voice low.

“Listen, I’m not going to stand by and–”

Daryl grabbed Aaron’s arm and dragged him away from the building.

“Hey!” Aaron complained. He didn’t appreciate being manhandled. “What the hell?”

Daryl checked to make sure no one was near, and that they were far enough away from the building before he spoke. Aaron violently pulled his arm from Daryl’s grip and glared at him. Daryl sighed and bent his head to look at the ground. He stood close to Aaron, the closest they’d been to each other since they broke up years ago.

“I’m not going to kill the girl,” he said barely above a whisper.

“Really,” Aaron said with asperity. “It sure the hell seemed that way to me. You threatened to hand her over to a mob for God’s sake. Did you think that was going to make her tell the truth? She’s in there curled up in a fetal position, shaking like a leaf.”

“I knew she wasn’t going to tell me anything. That was never the point. But there is one person she might open up to, and he’s in there with her.”

Aaron was confused at first. The only other person in the jail was . . .

“Henry?” Aaron questioned more to himself than to Daryl.

“I heard them talking earlier. He’s sympathetic toward her. She just might tell him what we want to know,” Daryl said. “It’s worth a shot anyway.” Daryl paused to look Aaron in the eyes. He needed to make it clear. “I don’t want to kill her. I never did, but Michonne … she told me I might have to if I couldn’t get the girl to talk. I’m grabbing at straws here, but I think it will work.”

Aaron was surprised to hear Daryl speak this way. It wasn’t the Daryl he’d left six years ago, the one who spoke with a growl, ready to kill anyone who disagreed with him. There was compassion, even desperation in his voice, and Aaron believed him when he said he didn’t want to hurt the girl.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Aaron offered.

Daryl lifted his eyes to meet Aaron’s. “I wouldn’t think you’d want to be involved. After all, it was her people who killed Jesus. This could all be an act. She’d probably slit our throats the first chance she got.”

“If she’s acting right now, curled up in the corner the way she is, then give that girl an Oscar. I know people. She’s really scared.”

“And I want to use that to our advantage. Trust me on this. She’ll talk to Henry.”

They began walking back toward the building. Aaron walked alongside Daryl, and thought about how much different he seemed now. He was trying to solve a problem without violence. He really had changed since their separation. It was nice to know.

“If you want to help, you can go tell Tara what I’m doing here. And see if she can recruit some people to take shifts. I got a feeling it’s gonna be a long night,” Daryl said.

“I can do that,” Aaron said. “And I’ll take one of those shifts.”

Daryl have him a small smile. “Cool. Thanks.”

Daryl stopped by the cellar doors. Just to the side was a small window. No one below could see the window, but sound floated up from the cells. Aaron saw the plan coming together. He heard Henry introducing himself, and the girl giving him her name, Lydia. He glanced at Daryl and received a wink in return. Aaron huffed and nodded.

“Your dad’s an asshole,” Lydia said.

Two things made Aaron laugh to himself, the fact that she thought Daryl was Henry’s father, and hearing her call him an asshole. He smiled and wagged a finger at him. “See you later, Dad.” Daryl shrugged and rolled his eyes.

>>------->

Not much happened throughout the night. Aaron took over for Daryl. Tara relieved Aaron. Someone else relieved Tara, and by morning’s light, Daryl was back on duty again. It seemed the two kids slept most of the night, but with the sun coming up, they rose with it. Lydia started by asking Henry why he was locked up. Henry answered her questions, but he wasn’t asking her much. Daryl kept a close ear on their conversation. He could tell the girl was fishing for information, doing it subtly so Henry wouldn’t become suspicious and shut down. Lydia started asking about Daryl, and who he was to Henry. He told her that Daryl was a friend of his mom’s. Daryl let his heart warm a moment as he thought of Carol and her new family. While Carol was at the Hilltop, they talked and did a lot of catching up. She seemed happy. Ezekiel was a good man, and good to her. And she’d taken Henry in like her own. And now, to hear Henry refer to Carol as his mother, that was all he could have hope for her.

Concentrating again on the conversation below, Daryl heard Henry talk about what he called his second mom and dad, referring to Carol and Ezekiel. Henry mentioned that they were leaders of another community, the one where Henry was from. Daryl tensed, not liking where Lydia was leading the conversation. When she asked Henry how far his community was and what it was called, Daryl got to his feet. He could hear Henry name the Kingdom and admit it was about a day’s ride from Hilltop. It was more than Daryl wanted her to know. He violently threw open the doors to the cellar and marched down the stairs. The conversation stopped immediately, and Daryl went straight to Henry, unlocking his cell and pulling him out.

“What’s going on?” Henry asked.

“Shut up,” Daryl growled low. “You’re getting out.” He gave Lydia a sideways glance and noticed the terrified look on her face. He didn’t think it was an act, and that she was actually afraid of him. That’s how he wanted it.

They left the cells, and Daryl led Henry across the yard to the front wall near the gate. He shoved the boy to grab his attention, and then he proceeded to berate him, jumping down his throat to make him understand. “What the hell were you doing telling her about the Kingdom?”

“I-I don’t know. I was just being friendly toward her. She was only asking me about my parents and where I came from,” Henry said. He was confused and a little stunned.

“You could have just jeopardized everything. What if there’s more of her people out there? You’ve got people at the Kingdom, and now, because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut, they might be in danger.”

“I’m sorry, Daryl,” Henry pleaded. “I didn’t think–”

“Exactly. You didn’t think,” Daryl said glaring at the boy.

“Hey, wait a minute,” said Henry, furrowing his brow. “Were you listening?”

“Damn right I was listening. It was working too. Me and Aaron, Tara and a couple others took shifts all night, just trying to see what she would say.”

“So you used me,” said Henry angrily. “You could have just asked.”

“And then you would have blurted out our plans.” Daryl moved closer, chest to chest to intimidate Henry. “You think you’re the first boy I’ve had to deal with? Well, you’re not. You young kids think nothing can happen to you.”

“You had a son?” Henry asked.

Daryl glared at him a moment, not sure if he wanted to continue down this path. He hadn’t spoken about his past to anyone in a very long time, and especially not about Caleb. But he felt like he needed to make an example. “Not a son, but someone I took in, someone I tried to teach about the ways of the world. He was smart like you, but he was somewhere he shouldn’t have been because he wouldn’t listen, and now he’s dead.”

Henry considered Daryl’s story with sympathy, but he turned the conversation back to the girl. “I know the risks, but Lydia is a good person who just ended up in a shitty life. It’s not her fault. I know if we gave her a chance–”

“There it is, the know-it-all who’s going to save the world, but ends up getting everyone killed,” Daryl seethed.

“Kind of like what happened to your kid … friend … student, whatever you call him. Is he dead because he was trying to help someone? Or is he dead because of you?” Henry was pushing the limits, and he knew it, but it felt like the right call to make. “You know what? Lydia was right about one thing. You are an asshole.” With that said, Henry stormed off.

Aaron was walking along when Henry rushed past him, tense and red in the face. He started to say something to see if he was all right, but decided not to. Obviously, the boy was upset about something. And when Aaron looked across the yard, he saw who might have been the reason for the trouble. Daryl was looking just as frustrated. Aaron had seen that look many times, enough to know that now was not a good time to ask about it. Instead, Aaron casually walked up to Daryl, and pretended nothing was going on.

“How’s it going?” he asked as if by chance.

“That kid . . .” Daryl started, and he stopped to shake his head. “What is it about teenagers?”

“I wouldn’t know. Mine’s only six,” Aaron smiled. “I assume you’re talking about Henry.”

“Who else. Damn Carol for getting me involved in this shit.”

“Oh come on,” Aaron said. “It can’t be that bad.”

“He called me an asshole right to my face. Last person that did that got an arrow in his chest,” Daryl complained.

“You eat yet?” Aaron asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah. No. I don’t know,” Daryl answered, pacing the ground and still scattered by the exchange with Henry.

“You never were good with your eating habits. How’d you make it out there for the past six years?” Aaron started walking toward the house, but he stopped when he saw Daryl was still in the same place. “Well, come on.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Then come with me and you can watch me eat. Besides, it looks like you need to cool down some. Let’s go.” Aaron continued walking without looking to see if Daryl followed. He knew he would just as sure as he knew the sun would rise tomorrow.

They went to the kitchen and Aaron found some fruit in a basket. He grabbed a couple apples and polished one on his pant leg. Then he walked over to a table where Daryl was already sitting, staring out of a nearby window. He still looked quite upset. Aaron could always tell before he even talked to Daryl. There was a crease between his brows that went deep when he was peeved over something. This time, Henry was the cause.

Aaron took a bite of the apple. It crunched as his teeth sunk into it, and juice ran down his chin. He caught it before it dripped onto his shirt, but now his hands were sticky. When he looked around for something to wipe his hands on, he noticed Daryl’s attention was no longer on the window. He was watching Aaron, a hidden longing set deep into his eyes that only Aaron could decipher. Aaron felt his heart lurch in his chest, but he hid any awareness. It wasn’t right for either of them to think that way, not so soon. Aaron was still heartbroken for Paul. And to be honest, he was still heartbroken for Daryl too. The memories of how and why they split apart in the first place still hurt after all these years. That was something Aaron wouldn’t forget.

“So, what happened with Henry?” Aaron asked, pulling them back to the present.

Daryl shook his head and chewed on his bottom lip, another gesture Aaron was all too familiar with. “I heard him and Lydia talking this morning. She started asking him some personal questions, like where he was from, how far it was and what it is called. Damn kid just told her like it was nothing. He told her his parents ran the Kingdom. What am I supposed to do with her now? Henry all but gave her the keys to the front gate with the information he told her. So I dragged his ass out of there, and told him what he did wrong. In return I got called an asshole.”

“He doesn’t know any better. Henry’s been at the Kingdom this entire time. He’s been safe, trusting because he knows everyone there,” said Aaron.

“And the first girl he comes across, he opens his mouth and puts his home in danger.” Daryl was not at all happy with the situation.

Aaron was a little worried. “You’re not going to do anything … drastic are you?”

“I’ll do what I have to do,” he said, and saw the disappointment on Aaron’s face. “I’m trying to avoid doing that.” Aaron looked relieved and Daryl’s heart hurt. “You must think I’m some heartless monster.”

Aaron sat up straight and stared at him. “Why would you say that?”

“Because everything I do, every decision I make, you seem worried that I’m going to do something you disapprove of.” Daryl hung his head. “I mean, I get it. I didn’t leave in the best frame of mind way back when. The last memories you have of us aren’t very good ones.”

“No, I guess they aren’t are they? But I think you’re trying,” Aaron admitted.

“Mmm hmm,” said Daryl, chewing his lip again. “I thought I was protecting us back then. I thought I was protecting our people. And then Caleb was killed. That set me back, threw me into autopilot. I was done talking and taking chances. In my mind, if I didn’t know a face they were the enemy, and I got to them before they got to us. I didn’t care what anyone thought of me, even you. I blocked everything out except the kill. By the time I started to come to my senses, you were gone, and I realized what I sacrificed in order to win that war.”

“Why didn’t you come back?” Aaron asked. “I wanted you to come back to me in the worst way.”

“By then, I was a sinking man. I had to keep you at a distance because I knew I’d pull you down with me. But way down in the most hidden part of my soul, I wanted to come back to you.” Daryl turned sideways in his chair so he didn’t have to see Aaron’s expression. It had been so long, and Aaron had loved another during that time. There was probably no hope for them at this point. That was the face Daryl feared to look upon, rejection. He got up from the table, and kept his eyes downturned.

“Where are you going?” Aaron asked softly, with concern.

“I’m, uh, gonna give Lydia another shot at being honest. Thought I’d bring her something to eat. And I think she’s got an ear infection. I saw her pulling at it like it hurt. I’ll see if Siddiq has any medicine for it.”

“Hey,” Aaron called out. Daryl turned just in time to catch an apple thrown at him. “Eat that, okay?”

Daryl gave a nod and went to the kitchen. He had to get away from Aaron right now. This wasn’t a good time for sentimental talks. Aaron was healing from loss. The last thing he needed was some fool looking for sympathy.

Aaron watched Daryl leave and seemed calm, but on the inside his heart was racing like it hadn’t in a very long time. The guilt spread immediately. How could he feel this way so soon after losing Paul? What kind of a selfish prick was he? That was one reason why he didn’t say anything more to Daryl on the subject, or why he didn’t go after him. It truly wasn’t the right time, and he didn’t want to act on impulse. What might he have done if he hadn’t come to his senses? He wasn’t sure, but he would have regretted it and ruined any future chance at becoming anything meaningful to Daryl again.

At that same moment, he felt something in his pocket, something he’d put out of his mind. He stood from the table and reached inside his jacket, retrieving the little wooden box. He flipped the lid open and stared at the ring inside. He took it out and laid it in his palm, stroking the edge with his other finger. “I never even put it on for you,” he whispered to himself. At the bottom of his subconscious, he knew he probably would never have put it on. The rest of him said he would have said yes to Paul when they returned to Hilltop. It was that tiny voice in the back of his head, the one that made him feel great joy or ruinous guilt that told him he’d been lying to himself all this time. Although he didn’t regret a single moment he’d spent with Paul, and he had loved him to a certain extent, it never would have been enough. That’s why he hesitated. That’s why he said he needed to think about it. And that’s why he didn’t put the ring on when Paul gave it to him. Aaron had moved on, and it was good. It was happy and wonderful, but … it just wasn’t the same as what he’d found with Daryl.

“Just because he admitted that he had wished he could have come back doesn’t mean he wants to now. It’s been a really long time, and minds are easily changed,” he told himself, putting the ring back into its box. There was too much happening right now. Daryl had Lydia to deal with. Aaron had to find a way to say goodbye to Paul and get back home to Alexandria. It was for the best for now, at least. Aaron decided that he would leave in the morning. He needed to get away from Daryl. He needed to grieve properly. He needed time, though he didn’t know how much. He needed to go home.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos