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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
- 84
- 85
- 86
Chapter 86 Out of Time

Aaron made the long walk back to Alexandria alone. He thought about all that had happened, and how it all started, and couldn’t help but feel guilty. Had he never approached and befriended Mary, he wouldn’t have known about the location of Alpha’s horde. They never would have been at the edge of the forest looking down at an empty valley. Carol never would have chased Alpha in that cave in the first place, and Magna and Connie would still be . . .

He prayed they made it out, but he knew there was a very slim chance they even survived the explosion. Was it fair that the others blamed Carol for any of this? Even Aaron, at the height of confusion and anger, blamed her. Back at the cave in, Daryl couldn’t even bring himself to speak to her. They had been friends since the beginning of the fall of civilization. Daryl always made time for Carol. Even when they didn’t see eye to eye, their friendship never faltered. Now, Aaron wondered if he would ever speak to her again. Would he get the chance? Carol was still out there somewhere. Would she come back to Alexandria ever again?

“I should have stood up for her,” Aaron told himself. She could have pointed out that it was because of Aaron that they were in Whisperer territory to begin with, but she didn’t. She took all the blame. And Aaron had ignored her when she was begging and pleading for someone to forgive her. Maybe he should have stayed behind too. But he couldn’t. He had to get home. He had to get back to his daughter. He needed to tell the council what had happened, and that it was time to prepare for war. Alpha’s horde was coming, and it would be the biggest fight of their lives.

And now, Daryl was still back there, still trying to find a way in so he could look for Connie and Magna. More guilt piled on. “I should have insisted on staying with him. Why did I let him go alone?” Any number of things could go wrong. He could be killed by Whisperers or walkers. He could get captured, and Alpha would most definitely use him in some way. What would Aaron do if Daryl didn’t survive? Of course, he would go on. He had Gracie to think of, but it would be a terrible existence without the love of his life by his side. No, he couldn’t think like that. Daryl was strong. He was the toughest man on earth. Daryl would come back to him. He just had to.

After a long walk home, Aaron was finally approaching the gates of Alexandria. He was greeted with concerned but happy faces. People noticed that he was by himself, and asked about Carol and Daryl, but he told them he needed to speak with Gabriel first. Someone told him Gabriel was at the cemetary, and Aaron was afraid to ask why. Who was being buried now? It was all getting to be too much.

Gabriel was with Scott at the cemetary, looking at a disturbed gravesite. Scott looked up and saw Aaron approaching. He went to him and embraced him. Aaron was glad to see him too. They had been friends for a very long time, practically since the beginning of Alexandria Safe Zone.

“Aaron, thank God you made it home,” Scott said as he released him.

Gabriel hugged Aaron next. “Are you all right? You look like you’ve been through hell.”

“Just about,” Aaron agreed. “We, um, we . . .” Aaron’s words trailed off.

“What happened?” Scott asked.

Gabriel grabbed his attention. “Mary arrived yesterday. She told us about the missing horde and the cave. We tried to send a group to find you, but we had some misfortune. No doubt, it was a diversion to keep us away,” Gabriel informed him. “Aaron, where are the others?”

Aaron’s mind conjured up all of the recent events that took place. He looked distraught and distracted as he remembered how it happened. “We, uh, we got separated. Most of us got out.”

“Most of you?” Scott questioned.

“Not everyone,” Aaron said as he bowed his head.

“Daryl?” Gabriel asked cautiously, his voice barely a whisper.

Aaron realized he wasn’t giving much information. “No. No, he’s okay … I think. He, uh, he stayed behind to look for the others.” Gabriel was still looking at him with confusion. Aaron shook his head, trying to force himself out of his dreamlike state. “Sorry, I’m kind of . . .” Aaron tapped on his head. “Overwhelmed. Let me start over, and … wait. You said Mary came here. Is she still here?”

“Yes. She told us she gave you the location of the horde, but it wasn’t there. And then she told us that you all got stuck underground. We didn’t believe her at first, but after the interrogation–"

“She was telling the truth,” Aaron interrupted. “Alpha moved the horde into the caves. We … fell and got trapped.” Aaron decided they didn’t need to know about Carol’s involvement right now. Instead, he told Gabriel the rest of the story, and about Connie and Magna being trapped and left behind. “We couldn’t stay there, not after that explosion. So, Daryl insisted we all go home, but he stayed behind to look for a way back in to find the women.”

“And what about Carol?” Scott mentioned. “Is she here?”

“She, um,” Aaron started, clasping a hand to the back of his neck. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t lie for her. “She’s not right. You’ve seen her. All she cares about it getting Alpha. We had to let her go. Carol didn’t come with me, and I’m not sure where she went.” Aaron needed to get off the subject. He pointed to the upturned grave. “What happened here?”

“Beta happened,” Gabriel said. “Seems the Whisperers were a lot busier than we first thought. He got in through a tunnel system. Came in the middle of the night and killed some of our people. He was looking for Mary, and found her. He took her, but we intercepted them. Beta got away and we brought Mary back here.”

“Where is she? I’d like to speak with her,” Aaron said.

“She’s in the jail,” Gabriel told him. Aaron didn’t look happy about it. “It was for her own safety,” he justified.

“We need to start preparing for war. There’s no doubt in my mind that Alpha and her horde are coming here. She’ll know we escaped the cave, and that we went home. It’s time to call the troops,” Aaron warned.

“Then the first thing we need to do is get the children and the injured out. Tomorrow morning we’ll send a couple wagons and some guards, and get them to Hilltop,” Gabriel said.

“I agree. If you want, I’ll visit all the families and get them ready for the move,” Aaron offered.

Gabriel grasped his shoulder. “You just got home, Aaron. Take some time for yourself. Go see Gracie. I’ll notify the families.”

Aaron nodded in agreement. He was exhausted in mind and body. He needed to recharge, and he wanted to see his daughter. But first, he went to the jail to see Mary.

She was sitting on the cot inside the cell, and when Aaron came down the steps, she jumped up and went to him. “Aaron!” she exclaimed, glad to see him. “What happened?”

Aaron proceeded to tell her the news. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

“Me too. I just wish Beta didn’t get away. He’s going to tell Alpha everything. She’ll know I’m here, and she’ll likely come for me,” Mary told him.

“Yeah, that’s why we’re getting ready. In the morning, we’re sending the children and injured to Hilltop. I think you need to go with them.”

Mary shook her head. “No, I want to stay and fight.”

“You’ve helped us more than you know. Besides, we had a deal. You help us and we let you see your nephew. You do want that, don’t you?”

Mary seemed to think about it a moment, and then she slowly nodded. “Yes.”

“It’s settled then.” Aaron looked around the jail. “I’m sorry we had to put you here.”

Mary smiled. “It’s fine. It’s actually the most comfortable place I’ve had to rest my head in a very long time.”

Aaron returned the smile. “Get some sleep. I’ll come for you in the morning.”

>>------->

As soon as Daryl left the group at the explosion sight, he found a trail and followed it. He made his way through the woods, killing a few straggler walkers here and there. Then, he spotted a Whisperer leading a few more strays back to what he hoped was another way into the cave. Quickly, he jumped into a trench and hid from sight. He waited a moment, and then slowly poked his head up so that he could take a better look.

It seemed that there was only one Whisperer. Daryl knew it would be easy to take this one down. They were distracted by the walkers they led toward an opening. He needed to take out the Whisperer and the walkers, and start navigating his way inside. He still held out hope of finding Magna and Connie. He was determined not to leave without them.

Without a sound, Daryl climbed up the side of the trench and with expert stealth, snuck up behind his targets. Then, he was distracted by some dead walkers laying in the trail. He had noticed the Whisperer observing them too. These weren’t ones that Daryl killed. They had been killed by arrow, and Daryl didn’t have his crossbow. Carol came to mind, but she was in the opposite direction from where he was. As he tried to figure out the mystery, another Whisperer came out of the cave. Lucky for Daryl, he had just enough time to disappear back into the trench. He waited a few seconds, and when it didn’t seem they were coming any closer to where he was, he snuck a look. The Whisperers were curiously looking over the dead walkers when none other than Alpha herself emerged from the cave. She was leading a group of the dead out of the mouth of the cave. At first Daryl thought it was the beginning of the giant herd coming out into the open, but soon he learned that it was only a small group. He wondered what she was up to, and thought that she might be using them for cover to allow her people to follow Daryl’s group after they escaped. Patiently, Daryl waited in the ditch, and when it was safe, he followed at a distance.

Alpha led the group of walkers to a nearby river where there a sandbank spilled halfway across the water. She stopped and looked around with suspicion. Daryl had a feeling she knew she was being watched. He had to act fast, and he threw one of his knives at a Whisperer. The man screamed and fell to the ground. As the walkers around him attacked, Alpha and two more of her people gave up and ran across the shallow water to the nearest bank. They were close to Daryl’s hiding spot. He eyed Alpha from the trees, but she was the furthest away from him. It was better to take out her people first, and so Daryl left the safety of the trees and lunged into chaos. He stabbed one Whisperer in the head just as Alpha raised her shotgun. He kicked his leg out and knocked the gun from her hands. Then he spun and slashed out at her face, but missed. Someone grabbed him from behind, the other Whisperer, but Daryl had just enough time to slash his throat. Unfortunately, Alpha took that time to come at him again, and when Daryl turned to see where she was, she was already upon him. She swung her knife out at him, cutting him just above the eye. Instantly, Daryl was blinded by blood running down his face. He tried wiping it away, but she must had hit a vein because the flow of blood wouldn’t slow. In the midst of the confusion, he dropped his knife. Daryl was unarmed and in danger as he was blinded by blood. He knew he had to work with whatever was closest to him. All he could see was what was at his feet, one thing being a tree branch. It wasn’t as deadly as his knife, but it was better than nothing. Daryl picked up the hefty branch and swung it at Alpha, hitting her in the face. She went down into the sand, and Daryl seized the opportunity to shove the end of the branch into Alpha’s shoulder. He pushed with all his might and felt bones pop. Alpha was screaming at the top of her lungs, and he never felt so good. Blood pooled around his stick and he pushed even harder.

“Where are they?” Daryl demanded, but she didn’t answer him. He continued to shove the stick into her shoulder, but the group of walkers she brought from the cave was beginning to cross over from the sandbank. He kept an eye on them for now. “Where are my people?” he demanded again, but still received no answer.

The walkers were closing in. With no one else to help Daryl fight, he would have no choice but to retreat. That would mean having to let Alpha go, and he really didn’t want to do that. He continued to interrogate her, but that got him nowhere. Daryl waited until the last possible moment to act, and finally had to let her go. Now his attention went to the fight instead of Alpha. He caught a glimpse of her standing just outside of the place where he fought. With blood in his eyes, he was still having trouble seeing. Daryl used all his senses to keep track of the walkers around him. He was taking them down one at a time when suddenly he felt a hot searing pain, and looked down to see blood seeping through his shirt. That’s when he saw Alpha with a knife in her hand. She was taking shots at him while he was trying to keep from being bit.

For a split second, he regretted not letting Aaron come with him, but it might have meant Aaron’s death had he come along. Daryl knew it was better that he sent Aaron home. Someone had to warn the others.

Aaron, he thought. He had to fight harder than he ever had in order to come home. This wouldn’t be his end. Not yet, and not to this bitch.

Another walker went down, and then Daryl felt something hit his leg. Before he had time to register what had happened, he fell to his knees. Through blood-stained eyes, he looked down and saw a knife protruding from his thigh. Still, he needed to know where Alpha was, and when he glanced around, he saw her across the way. He could tell by the way she carried herself that she was badly wounded. She bent down and retrieved her gun. Daryl had to get out of there. He had no more weapons except for the knife in his leg, and he knew he couldn’t remove it. The blade would have severed veins, and he was in no condition to deal with that situation. While Alpha was busy finding her gun, he found the strength to get up and get away. He dashed into the woods, and practically dragged himself away. He’d seen an old gas station not far from where he was. Hopefully he could get there and hide from Alpha. It was the only thing he knew to do for the moment.

The pain was too much for Daryl, and by the time he found the station, he could hardly keep on his feet. He hadn’t noticed the bloody handprint he left on the gas pump. It didn’t much matter at this point. The blood dripping from his leg had made a visible trail for Alpha to follow.

Once inside, he realized that there was nowhere to hide. The roof had collapsed in several places, leaving large holes for the sun to come in. There were cars still inside, but that wouldn’t help him to hide. His energy was spent, and he did the only thing he could do. Daryl dropped to the floor behind a workbench and kept an eye on the door.

He looked at the knife in his leg. He needed that knife more than ever, though he wasn’t sure what good that would do him against Alpha’s gun. Unless she was out of bullets, he thought. It was a possibility, but one he couldn’t count on. Looking up, he saw wires hanging over the edge of the bench. He could use them to make a tourniquet, and close off the flow of blood. It was the only way he would be able to release the knife from his leg. Daryl reached up, wincing as he did, and managed to grab some of the wires. He pulled, expecting them to come down easily, but they got hung up on something and they wouldn’t budge. He searched blindly with his hand, hoping to move whatever was keeping the wires from his reach, but instead he felt the cold heaviness of iron … a crowbar. Daryl wrapped his fingers around it and took it down from the workbench. It would have to do for now. At least he had some form of protection. It would have been best to get up and keep moving, but Daryl’s injured leg and his lack of strength stopped him from doing that. All he could do now was to stand his ground.

Daryl heard movement, and he stopped breathing to focus on the sounds. He hoped for a walker, and thought how odd that was. But Alpha was more of a danger to him right now.

“I know you’re in here,” Alpha sang.

Daryl closed his eyes, partly because of the pain and partly because he wished for her to leave. Listening intently, he didn’t hear any more shuffling. He dared to peek around the side of the workbench, and spotted Alpha next to the open door. She collapsed into a sitting position. It seemed she was in just as bad of shape as Daryl. He knew he’d messed her up good with that tree branch. As he waited for her to say something else, he heard metal hitting metal. Another look revealed Alpha tapping her shotgun against the metal doorframe, attracting some nearby walkers like a dinner bell, in which Daryl was the main course.

Frantically, as he heard the growls getting closer, he searched the area around him for anything he could use to protect himself. The crowbar was good for one stabbing, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to pull it free. Across from him there’s another workbench, and he spotted a red fire extinguisher laying on top. He kept checking to see how far away the walkers were. They were just entering the building, passing Alpha like she was just another walker. Three dead approached, and instantly saw Daryl on the floor. He needed that extinguisher.

It would have taken too long to stand, and he wasn’t sure he could in the first place. Instead, Daryl scooted forward just enough until his good leg reached the bench across from him. He started kicking and pushing it, trying to make the fire extinguisher fall. The walkers were almost upon him, when he finally got the red canister to come down.

The first walker fell to its knees, ready to begin devouring Daryl. He took up the extinguisher and caved its head in. As he did, the canister flew from his hands, out of his reach. Daryl picked up the crowbar and stabbed the second walker in the head. Two down and one to go. Just as he predicted, the crowbar wouldn’t come loose. He needed one more weapon, but he was out of choices.

The third walker fell onto him, and Daryl wrestled with it, trying to hold it off long enough, while he still desperately searched for another weapon. He knew there was only one choice left, one he didn’t want to make, one that could and probably would end his life. He held the walker back with one hand, and with the other, he grabbed the handle of the knife protruding from his leg. All he could do was hope that the blade somehow missed the important veins, but he was sure it hadn’t. The knife was the only thing keeping him from bleeding out.

Daryl and Aaron had made a pact long ago that they would fight until the end, and they would never give up trying. Now, Daryl saw that he had two choices. Die by walker or die from blood loss. The choice was easy, though it was deadly either way. Daryl pulled the knife from his leg, and in one movement, stabbed the last walker in the skull. He screamed in pain as he made his move, and afterwards, watched as blood sprayed from his wound. He pressed as best he could with his hand, but that wasn’t enough to slow the bleeding. The wires, he thought. They were his last shard of hope. Again, he stretched, but now he was further away, and the three dead walkers kept him from moving any closer to the bench behind him. He could feel himself getting light headed. There had to be something he could do … anything … but he was out of options. And so, drained of his last ounce of energy, Daryl laid back down on the ground, and tried to concentrate on staying awake.

He didn’t know where Alpha was or what she was doing, but he hadn’t heard anything from her since the walkers came inside. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she passed out. Perhaps she was gone and left him there to die. She was the least of his current worries. He couldn’t fall asleep. He needed to rest and try again in a minute, try to get up and find something to stop the bleeding. Just another minute, he told himself. It was the last thing he remembered.

>>------->

It had been years since Daryl experienced one of his visions. The last time he saw Beth, he was in a similar situation, wounded, dehydrated, close to death. He’d been shot in the shoulder and held captive by Saviors, Dwight in particular, sitting inside a dark box waiting to die or be killed by Negan. Now, he was in an abandoned gas station, bleeding profusely from a stab wound, and another insane killer lingered just out of his sight. But that didn’t seem to matter anymore. The darkness gave way to a bright white light, as pure as anything heavenly. A calming spirit Daryl knew all too well emerged radiant, beautiful, soft spoken through the white beams. Beth was always there for him when he was in his darkest moments and alone. She came to him again, floating just above the ground, a warm, effervescent smile spread across her lips. He felt comforted by her appearance, and the world around him disappeared along with his pain and worry.

“Beth,” he whispered to the apparition.

“Daryl, how I’ve missed you,” she said in return. “It’s been years, hasn’t it?”

“Long difficult years,” he said.

“But not all bad,” she reminded him. “You’ve finally gotten the life you’ve always wanted.”

“More than I ever expected to have,” Daryl commented. “So, are you here to talk me into holding on, because I could sure use a pep talk right about now.”

“Actually, I’m here to tell you that the choice is up to you. Daryl, you’ve come so far and accomplished so much. You have found love and family. You’ve grown as a man, and you have always put others before yourself. But now, you have a choice before you. You can finally find peace or you can hang on a little longer. Should you leave this world, you can do so knowing you changed the lives of so many. Those you love will grieve, but they will look upon you with pride and love. They will hold you in highest regard. But if you choose to stay, you will have to fight like you’ve never fought before. There is a very thin veil between life and death. Just the slightest loss of hope or determination will cause a tear and allow you to cross over. Should you choose to do so, I’ll be there for you, but just know that I cannot help you back. I’m merely a guide. It is by your own will that you choose your path. Stay strong and know there is no wrong choice.” As she finished speaking, she slowly began fading away. All Daryl could do was watch and heed her words.

So, he really was at death’s door. It felt like it. He woke up and was so cold. He could barely lift his head, as he tried to see what happened to Alpha. Suddenly, he didn’t care anymore. If she was in any type of condition to kill him, she would have done so by now. All he could make out was her feet from across the room. It seemed she had succumbed to her wounds too. Whether she was alive or dead he couldn’t tell. Daryl closed his eyes again, and gave his thoughts over to Aaron.

He would be devastated, but he would go on without Daryl. Aaron was tough. He was stronger than Daryl in some ways. He had Gracie to live for. Daryl would miss him so much. He didn’t know what the afterlife held for him, but if he could, he would find a way to watch over Aaron. And whether it was tomorrow or many long years from now, Daryl would be in the light waiting for him.

These thoughts he was having were pushing him closer to the veil Beth spoke of. One tiny rip and . . . He couldn’t think about that. Was it really up to Daryl whether he lived or died? If he lost too much blood it would happen anyways, whether he wanted to live or not. Maybe that’s what Beth meant in the first place. A single drop of blood could determine his fate. But who would help him now? All Daryl could do was to lay on the floor and hope someone would find him in time. There was no one. He’d sent Aaron and Carol home. Jerry and Kelly too. Magna and Connie were trapped or dead. No one else knew where he was. He had no idea how far he traveled since the cave-in. He was completely on his own now … except for Alpha.

What a strange situation to be in, alone in a room with his enemy and no way to kill her. He thought of all the lives he could save if he could only find the strength to get up and stab her in the head. Daryl couldn’t even lift his hand, let alone his entire body. Besides, to move now would mean to lose more blood. Perhaps he should just let go. He was so tired and so cold. There didn’t seem to be much time left for him. He could lay here and struggle to stay alive, or he could just let go. How easy it would be. No more pain. No more cold. He could float up and into the light where he always found Beth. She seemed so happy there, and Daryl wanted more than anything to be happy and free from worry. It was such a sweet and tempting choice. He closed his eyes and saw Aaron. He was sitting on the couch in their living room, seated on the edge, elbows on his knees, and his face resting in his hands. When Aaron looked up, his eyes were red and swollen. Tears streaked down his handsome face. He looked worn, tired, devastated. Gracie came in and put her arms around him to comfort him, but he cried even harder. Daryl’s heart broke as he watched, and he thought to himself, ‘I did this because I made a choice to find peace’.

Finding himself slipping closer to the veil, Daryl gasped and opened his eyes. His lungs stretched and took in the oxygen, holding onto it as long as possible before he released his breath. Had he stopped breathing? He felt that he had. Daryl had almost let himself go. It was in that single breath that he realized he’d made a choice long before he had given it his first thought. Daryl wanted to live. He needed to live. He wasn’t ready to leave Aaron. It wasn’t his time, not yet.

As he came to, he heard movement from where Alpha was. She was awake, but she wasn’t up. His thoughts went back to his own predicament. Daryl thought of ways to help with the blood loss, and he could have punched himself for not already thinking of it. The workbench across from him was close enough. He needed to get his leg elevated above his heart. Easier said than done. He couldn’t move, but he had to will himself to do so with all his strength. Daryl tried repeatedly, but whatever he did, he couldn’t find the energy to lift his leg. The most he was able to do was to bend his knees. The wound was probably even with his heart, but that was better than nothing. It would help, but it still wasn’t enough. If blood loss didn’t kill him, infection would.

Out of the calm and quiet, Alpha spoke. “Can you see past the darkness into the light?”

It was odd that she asked, as though she had known about his ghostly visitor. But he had already been in the light, and he had come back. “No,” he answered with labored breath. It was no secret that his breathing had changed to short breaths. Alpha could probably hear the difficulty he was having. “Whether I live or die, I’m gonna kill you,” he struggled to say. “Either when I find the strength to get up or after I rise from the dead.”

God, he didn’t want to turn. He didn’t want to roam the earth as a walker and put the lives of the people he loved in danger. He couldn’t help but think of Merle. His brother had prayed it would never happen to him, but it did. Thankfully, Daryl had been there to put him down, eventually giving Merle the peace he wanted.

He was so deep in his own thoughts that he hadn’t realized Alpha was talking. She was rambling on about some nonsense, and Daryl blocked her out until he heard her speak to him. “Pain made me. It made you too. Pain made my Lydia,” Alpha said.

The mention of Lydia made Daryl come around quickly. Where was she? Where had she gone? “You lost her,” Daryl told himself aloud. He should have been there for her when things got out of control, but too many people needed him. Alexandria needed him, and he couldn’t focus all his attention on her.

“What?” Alpha asked, thinking that Daryl was talking to her.

Daryl thought about what he said, and realized how it wasn’t just him who let Lydia get away. “You lost her,” he said again, this time telling it to Alpha. “You drove her away because you didn’t love her.”

“What did you say to me? I can’t hear you,” Alpha seethed.

Daryl knew she heard him. He could tell by the anger tinging her words. It was enough to get her moving. He could hear her wheezing for breath and grasping onto objects as she made her way toward him. And then it sounded like she fell again. Daryl struggled to see where she was, and saw her crawling on her belly in his direction. He knew she still had her gun. All she had to do was get into firing range and she could shoot him. If only he could get up and get to her first, but that wasn’t an option. He was afraid to move anymore or lose what little blood he had left. And then, Alpha stopped moving. Daryl closed his eyes and prayed she blacked out again.

“Lydia. My Lydia,” Alpha sang. “Are you really here?”

Daryl thought she was hallucinating. Perhaps she was more injured that he originally thought. Perhaps she was dying.

“Yes Mama,” Lydia answered.

Daryl’s blood loss must have made him hallucinate too. He could have sworn he heard Lydia answer, but it couldn’t be. When Alpha started talking to her daughter again, Daryl listened, but he didn’t hear anyone but Alpha. He wondered if he spoke aloud when he had his vision of Beth.

She started singing her childhood song to her daughter. He remembered Lydia telling him about it when they first started to get to know each other better. Alpha was far gone at this point, as she sang to a ghost. But then, he heard quiet whimpering just beneath the words Alpha sang. Was he still dreaming? Daryl rolled to his side just far enough so that he could see past the workbench. He felt the warmth of blood immediately pour from his wound with just the slightest movement, but he had to know if he was hearing things or not. To his alarming surprise, Lydia was really there. She knelt beside her mother, crying as she listened to her speak.

“It’s your destiny, child,” Alpha said to her. “And I know that you are ready to lead our people.” As she spoke, she brought a knife up, and pointed it at her own chest. She took Lydia’s hands and made her hold the knife while she chanted, ‘push’, over and over. Lydia was crying and shaking her head.

This woman was truly insane, as she tried to make her own daughter kill her. Daryl wished he had been in her place. He would have had no problem killing Alpha, but to use her daughter in that way was disgusting, and the terror on Lydia’s face was something he wouldn’t soon forget. Even at the edge of death, Alpha was still finding ways to torture and abuse her daughter.

“I can’t,” Lydia cried, as Alpha continued to beg her to do it.

“You can do it, child. Your people are here, and they are waiting for you to lead them. It’s time,” Alpha said to her.

“I’m not here for them … or you,” Lydia told her. She fought to release her hands from Alpha’s and the knife. “You don’t see life clearly. Those … things, they’re aren’t family or followers. They’re dead. But Daryl, his people, all of them, they are human. We are human. And you know what. We aren’t perfect. No one is. But they cared enough about me to take me in. Daryl and Aaron, the man with the metal arm, they brought me into their family. It’s all I ever wanted. It’s what you never gave me,” Lydia said. She held it together until the end of her speech, and then she was crying. She took the knife away from her mother and stood.

“I need you,” Alpha whispered with what little strength she had left. “Stay.” Her last word was drawn out long on what Daryl hoped was her last breath.

Lydia went to Daryl and looked him over. She seemed shocked by all the blood pooled around his body. “Is she dead?” he asked.

Lydia looked back at her mother and shook her head. “She passed out. I need to get you out of here.”

“I need something to tie off my leg. I can’t lose any more blood. On the bench, there’s some wire,” he told her and Lydia retrieved them easily. She brought them to his leg and, knowing what to do, started wrapping them around his thigh. “Tie them tight,” he told her.

Lydia did as he said, and Daryl winced as she tightened her work. “We need to go. My people are looking for her. They’re not far from here,” she warned.

“You’re gonna have to help me up,” he said. Lydia knelt down and got his arm around her shoulder. She struggled to help him stand. He was in an extremely weakened state. Finally, on his feet, he looked at her beside him. “Hey,” he said to gain her attention. “They’re not your people. We are. I am.”

Lydia gave him a smile. “Yeah,” she said. They left the station.

When they were far enough away, Daryl stopped to get his bearings. “I gotta get back to my bike. It’s that way,” he said, pointing.

They traveled quite a way before Daryl told her he couldn’t continue. He tried, but it was too much. He feared his next step would be his last. “I just need to rest a moment.”

“We’ll stop here,” Lydia told him, and she helped him to sit. They were in a dense part of a forest, and there was a tiny stream trickling nearby.

Daryl sat on the ground and leaned against a tree as he looked up into the canopy. “What do you think this means?” he asked her.

“If she lives, she’ll be out for blood,” Lydia said dimly.

“That’s what I figured.” After a few minutes, Daryl tried to get up, but he could hardly sit forward away from the tree.

“Woah, where are you going?” Lydia said to stop him.

“I need to get home. Aaron will be worried, and I have to warn the others.”

Lydia brought him a canteen and made him drink. “You need to rest.”

“No. I have to–"

“She’s not going to Alexandria,” Lydia told him, and he looked at her with shock. “Hilltop is closest. Hilltop is everything she hates about society. That’s where she’ll go, but she’s in no shape to fight. I say it will be a couple days before she moves the horde out.”

Daryl considered her words. “Then we go to Hilltop. I can radio Aaron from there.”

“We’ll go as soon as you’ve rested,” she insisted.

“Five minutes and then we go,” he returned. Daryl closed his eyes as he relaxed against the tree. Five minutes was all he needed.

>>------->

Daryl awoke with a start and found Lydia sitting near him. He was confused as to where he was, and then he remembered. Five minutes he told her, but he could tell by the placement of the sun that it had been much longer. “How long was I out?” he asked.

“Most of the day, but you needed it so I let you sleep,” she justified when he glared at her through his narrowed eyes.

A few silent moments passed before he spoke to her. “So, after you disappeared you’ve just what … been out here this entire time?”

Lydia nodded. “I’ve been watching. Watching you. Watching them. Deciding.”

“Deciding what?” Daryl asked curiously. He watched her and waited for an answer but got none. “So, I’ve been out all day. Did you go back? Did you kill her?”

Lydia picked up a small stick and fumbled with it between her fingers. “If it was your father, could you?”

“Mmph, guess not,” he mumbled. He tried to get up, but stopped when his head started to spin. “We need to get to Hilltop. I need my bike,” he persisted.

“You need to take it easy. You’ve lost a lot of blood,” Lydia warned. “Besides, I found your bike.”

“Then it’s not far. Come on. Help me up. We need to go.” Daryl started forcing himself to stand, using the tree as leverage, but he was dizzy.

“You can’t even stand up yet. How are you going to ride your bike?”

“You can drive,” he said.

“Now I know you’re suffering from blood loss. Besides, I can’t. I’ve never driven one.”

“Just help me up. Please. I need to move and get the blood flowing. By the time I get to my bike, I bet I’ll be good enough to drive.” As he spoke, he stumbled, and Lydia caught him just in time, but he sat on the ground anyway.

“You’re not giving up, are you?” she berated.

“Would you?” he asked.

“Guess not,” she repeated his earlier answer. “But I know when it’s time to rest. Look, it’s going to be dark soon. Why don’t we try for the bike in the morning?” Lydia knelt beside him, and she checked his wound. “The bleeding has slowed way down, but you still need to see a doctor so it doesn’t get infected,” she said.

“Hilltop’s got one. Alex will fix me up.” He took her advice into consideration, and knew she was right. “I’m not sure driving at night is such a good idea anyway.”

“Yeah,” Lydia agreed. “And it will be dark before we get to the bike.”

Daryl glanced around the area. “All right. Let’s make camp,” he said with reluctance. “We’ll take turns taking watch. I think there’s a slight window of opportunity while Alpha licks her wounds. We’ll head for Hilltop in the morning.”

“Okay,” Lydia agreed.

They found a place where they could hunker down for the night. Lydia insisted on taking the first watch. She wanted Daryl to sleep as much as possible, and he did. They were lucky it was a quiet night. No Whisperers. No walkers.

In the morning, Daryl seemed stronger, though he was still exhausted. He was able to walk without much help from Lydia. They took a couple short breaks along the way, and soon they reached Daryl’s motorcycle. He got on and situated himself. As soon as his fingers wrapped around the hand grips, he felt more like himself, confident he would get Lydia and himself to Hilltop in one piece. All he could think about was radioing Aaron to let him know he was okay. It would have been better if he could see him, touch him, wrap his arms around him, but to hear his voice would bring him comfort too. After this, everything was going to speed up. Alpha wouldn’t wait forever. Soon she would arrive with her horde, and come crashing upon the walls of Hilltop. Daryl just hoped Lydia was right about that, but it seemed like the most logical place for war to come. Fighting that war was another thing to consider.

Hilltop wasn’t as strong as Alexandria military-wise. They would need help. He’d tell Aaron to send his militia, and hopefully they would arrive in time. Oceanside needed to be notified also. Daryl had been told that Michonne left by boat to help a man they found in their camp. He wished she didn’t go, but he knew they could do this without her. Still, the help of her sword would have been a great addition.

With Michonne gone, she had asked Daryl to watch over Judith and R.J. Right now, he was thankful they were in Alexandria, along with Gracie. Hilltop had very few children including Adam, the baby Earl and Tammy adopted, the one the Whisperers left to die in the field. That thought brought Mary to mind. Daryl still wasn’t sure about her. Aaron was dead set on trusting her, but she had been wrong about the position of the horde. She could have been lying, and that’s what Daryl believed at the moment.

There was so much to think about, and Daryl knew he was going to have to take charge once he arrived in Hilltop. Yumiko was temporarily in charge, and she was doing a good job, but war was something Daryl had been through many times already. Terminus, Woodbury, Negan, they had all been extreme challenges for him and his people. This was the first time an enemy used a horde as a weapon, and that was going to be a huge hurdle to deal with. He was already thinking about his options. Hilltop was lacking soldiers. They could flee, go to Oceanside or Alexandria, but if the horde came to the gates, Hilltop would surely fall. Some of those people had been there since the beginning. Some were refugees from the Kingdom, who already knew what it was like to lose your home. Alexandria was already pretty well filled, and Oceanside was like camping compared to the luxurious homes at the Safe Zone. Either way, the communities would need to expand to make room for the new residents. It could be done, but it would take time.

Or, Hilltop could stay and fight, risk losing their people, and perhaps still lose their home. The more Daryl thought about it, the more torn he became. He needed to have a meeting, and decide quickly what they would do. Once he got there, time would be of the essence. Alpha was coming. War was coming. They were almost out of time.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos