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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 List
- 85
- 86
- 87
Chapter 87 Road Closed

Aaron was just finishing up with a few things. Gracie was waiting for him by the front door with her purple backpack. They were leaving for Hilltop this morning. He grabbed his bag with his mace and a few other things. He had lost his metal hand back in the cave, and was using the original prosthetic. It wasn’t as comfortable, and it felt a little awkward to use. He would ask Earl about making him another detachable hand once he got there.

“Ready Daddy?” Gracie called to him.

“Just about,” he called back from the garage. Aaron picked up his sword and his knife, and then threw his pack over his shoulder.

Today they were taking the children, the elderly, and a few injured to Hilltop, as they expected Alpha to target Alexandria in the coming days. Mary was coming with them, completing the deal Aaron made with her to see her nephew. She had done a lot to help, and even tried to predict Alpha’s next moves. She could have run when Beta invaded the community. She could have been lying and helped him kill people. The truth was, Mary had risked her life and defected from the Whisperers, and Aaron trusted her more now than before.

At the wagons, Aaron found Mary already there. She had nothing with her, only the clothes she wore as a Whisperer. They were ragged and filthy, and Aaron berated himself for not giving her new clothes to wear.

“Good morning,” he greeted her.

“Hey Aaron,” she smiled protectively.

Rosita passed them, and gave Mary a skeptical glare. Aaron moved between them just in case Rosita had words. “Are you going with us?” Aaron asked, surprised.

“Just to have Alex look at my arm,” she said, climbing into the cart.

“Aren’t you taking Coco with you? All the children are going.”

Rosita shook her head. “Gabriel has her. We’re coming back today, right?”

“Yes, after the children are settled,” said Aaron.

“She’ll be fine for a few hours. Besides, I don’t trust her with anyone but me or Gabriel. If war is coming to Alexandria, then I need to protect her. Don’t worry. Gabriel and I have a plan in place if that happens.”

Rosita was of strong mind, and Aaron knew better than to argue with her. “Okay,” he agreed easily. Then he helped Mary into the cart, and lifted Gracie up.

“Daddy,” Gracie complained. “I can climb up myself.”

“I know, honey. Sometimes I forget you’re not little anymore.” But to him she would always be little.

Aaron made sure everyone was accounted for. The wagons were packed. The people were ready. Guards were assigned to each cart in case they ran into trouble along the way. The gate opened, and the caravan headed out.

After a little while, Mary spoke to Aaron. “Where’s Daryl?”

“He stayed back to look for the women who were left behind. I really wish he would have been back by now. I don’t know if I should take that as a good sign or as bad.”

“Well, if he found them alive but injured, it would take him longer to get home, right?” Mary pointed out.

“Yes. I guess so,” he agreed halfheartedly.

“Daryl’s tough. I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” said Mary to try and comfort him. She watched him fidget and felt his tension. “So, how did you two meet?”

He never talked to her about Daryl, never mentioned that they were in a relationship, but it must have been obvious. “We were … rabbit hunting,” he smiled to himself.

“It’s been a long time since I thought about real life. Alpha has a way of making you believe nothing else exists in the world.”

“Well, I know it might not seem like it yet, but you’re a part of this now,” he told her.

“That’s nice of you to say, but I know no one trusts me. I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t either, but I appreciate you saying it.”

“I used to be a recruiter years ago. I was responsible for bringing people into Alexandria. I think I know a thing or two about people, and I know I would have brought you into our community,” he said to make her feel more connected. It brought out a small smile on her face.

“Thanks,” she said. Not long after, the caravan started on their way.

>>------->

The heavy wooden gate opened, and the Alexandrian visitors entered Hilltop. Aaron observed the yard, and found everything to be calm, business as usual. When the wagon stopped, he jumped down and helped the others out of the cart. He noticed Earl and Alden watching, but mostly, their attention was focused on Mary. They didn’t know her, and they were suspicious. “Wait here a moment,” he told her.

Aaron went to Earl, and he did not look at all happy to see the visitors. “Who the hell is that?” he asked right away.

Aaron moved close so he could speak to Earl without others overhearing. “That’s Mary. She defected from Alpha’s camp, and she’s been helping us.”

“What’s she doing here then?” Earl asked with suspicion.

Aaron glanced back at Mary to make sure she was still out of hearing range. This wasn’t going to be an easy conversation to have. Earl was very stubborn and set in his ways. “She came to see her nephew … Adam.”

“No,” Earl declared without hesitation.

“Can we talk about it first?” Aaron asked.

“I was told you were bringing people to see Alex, not an enemy that wants to see my son,” said Earl angrily.

“She’s not an enemy. She helped us to–"

“The answer’s no. She’s not welcomed here, and she’s not allowed anywhere near Adam.” Earl marched away, and Alden, who was close by, followed him.

Aaron stayed where he was, but he overheard their conversation.

“What did he expect me to say?” Earl continued arguing. “They left a baby laying in a field for walkers to . . .” It was such a horrible memory, he couldn’t even finish the sentence.

“I’ll handle it, Earl,” said Alden to calm him. “Just because they want something doesn’t mean they’ll get it. They can see Alex, and then they have to go.”

Aaron was worried they weren’t even going to let the children stay. Didn’t they know the dangers heading to Alexandria? They needed to hold a meeting so that it was clear why they were here to begin with.

“What’s going on?” asked Mary when she came up next to Aaron.

“Earl is Adam’s father. Him and his wife Tammy took him in after he was abandoned. Tammy … she was one of Alpha’s victims at the border. Earl has been raising the baby on his own ever since. Needless to say, he’s not too keen on having you here.”

“I can see that, but you promised me–"

“I know. Just … keep your distance for now, at least until I can talk to Earl and set something up. A deal is a deal, and I promised I’d hold up my end of the bargain,” he said. Mary didn’t seem very pleased with the decision, but she gave a nod and leaned against one of the wagons. “I’ll be back. Stay here.” He made his way to the great house.

There was a lot to deal with. He needed to gather everyone for a meeting, see about letting the children and others stay, warn them about the potential dangers, make sure Alex knew he had patients to see, and he needed to radio Alexandria and hope Daryl was home by now.

As he approached the house, he overheard Kelly, Yumiko and Luke having a heated discussion. When Kelly saw him, she rushed up and gave him a hug. “Have you seen or heard from Daryl yet?”

Aaron shook his head. “I was just about to go see if Eugene would hook me up with the radio so I can find out if there’s been any news. I’m sorry.” Kelly gave a nod and let him go. As he entered the house, he heard her tell Yumiko she was going to go back and look for her sister. It was a bad idea, and apparently, Luke thought so too. There was nothing Aaron could do about that for the moment. There were too many other things to take care of, but first, the radio.

After the satellite crash, Eugene salvaged a bunch of parts from it. The small room he used for the radio wasn’t efficient enough, so he turned the lookout tower into his new radio room. That used to be the place where Aaron could escape with Daryl, and for a time, him and Paul used it too. Now, the comfortable beanbags had been replaced by a bench and the many parts Eugene needed to boost the signal. It was kind of sad to know it wasn’t there for his enjoyment anymore, but at least it had a more practical use now.

He took a couple steps toward the kitchen, where the secret stairs were that led to the tower, when he heard a very familiar sound. Daryl’s motorcycle roared outside in the yard. Aaron’s heartbeat quickened, and he turned back toward the front door. He threw it opened just in time to see Daryl park and switch the motor off. To his surprise, Lydia was with him. Aaron smiled and went to Daryl. Their eyes locked, and despite the people standing around watching, they embraced in a tight hug.

“Oh my God, Daryl, I was so worried about you,” Aaron said in his ear.

Daryl released him and looked at him questioningly. “What are you doing here?”

“We brought the children and elderly here for safety’s sake,” Aaron told him, but Daryl looked worried.

Yumiko stepped forward. “Any sign of Magna and Connie?” she asked. Kelly was next to her anxiously awaiting an answer.

Daryl shook his head. “We didn’t get that far. Sorry.”

“What do you mean,” Aaron asked. “Why? What happened?”

“We gotta talk,” said Daryl. He didn’t give any other information.

Kelly looked upset. “You all can talk. I gotta find my sister.” She started to walk away.

“No,” Lydia spoke up, and Kelly stopped to hear what she had to say. “You can’t go out there. My mother is coming.”

“Here? To Hilltop?” Luke said nervously.

“I’ll explain once we gather everyone,” Daryl said. He turned to Yumiko. “Get some guards out there to keep watch for the horde. I suspect they will be here by nightfall, but we need eyes out there along the watch points.”

Yumiko nodded and took off to find people for the job. Luke and Kelly notified the council members, and everyone gathered in the office for the meeting. Meanwhile, Daryl and Aaron took a moment for themselves. They went inside, and finding the house empty for the moment, they briefly kissed and hugged again.

Aaron was more worried than ever. “All the children are here, Gracie, Judith, R.J., and others who are more vulnerable. A few of the injured came, too, including Rosita. They wanted Alex to check their injuries. Had I’d known that Alpha . . .” He couldn’t finish. He was scared to death and feeling guilty about bringing the kids. Now they were in harm’s way. It wasn’t until he paid closer attention to Daryl that he saw the blood-stained clothes. “My God, what happened? Daryl, you’re hurt.”

“Alpha stabbed me in the leg. I gotta see Alex first. You know where he is?” Daryl said.

“Probably in the medical trailer.” Aaron gave him a closer look. “You look pale,” he said worriedly. It could have been a sign of blood loss, infection or . . . “Daryl, please tell me you didn’t get–"

“I’m not bit.” Daryl cupped Aaron’s face, kissed him, and rested their foreheads against one another. “It’s all right. I’m not bit,” he said again to put Aaron’s mind at ease. “I got in a tight situation with a few walkers, and I had to use the knife that Alpha stabbed me with. I lost a lot of blood when I pulled it out, but I’ll be okay.”

Aaron needed room to breathe, and he backed away. He lifted his hands and they were shaking. That was a scare he never wanted to experience again.

“You alright?” Daryl asked.

Aaron nodded. “Fine,” he answered tersely. “It’s you who needs the doctor. Come on, I’ll take you to see Alex.”

Daryl shook his head. “We need to have this meeting first. There’s not a lot of time left, and everyone’s waiting.”

“What happened out there?” Aaron inquired. Daryl looked weak, and Aaron rushed to his side so Daryl could use him to lean on.

“I found another way into the cave, but Alpha’s people were hovering around. And then she appeared, leading a group of walkers out. I should have stuck to my original plan, but I couldn’t just let her go. So, I followed them, killed a couple of her people and got into a fight with her.”

Aaron moved Daryl’s hair from his face when he saw dried blood by his hairline. Then he saw the cut. Daryl continued to tell him what happened with the fight at the river, running into the abandoned gas station and everything that happened there.

“How did you find Lydia?” Aaron asked.

“I didn’t. She found me, and thank God she did. Alpha was pretty bad off, and while we had a chance, Lydia helped me get out of there. She got me somewhere safe, tied up my leg and helped me find my bike.” Daryl stopped and looked deep into Aaron’s eyes. “Alpha knows everything now. She knows Lydia has chosen a side. We’ve got no more leverage. She’s coming to Hilltop, and she’s bringing her horde.”

The front door opened, and more people came in. They entered the office, which was filled with everyone who had any authority to make decisions for the community. Once everyone was assembled, Daryl began with his story that he just told to Aaron. It turned into a discussion on whether to stay or go, and they seemed divided. Kelly mentioned the explosives that set off at the cave, and that it probably took out some of the horde. She was hoping that would be enough to shrink the size of the threat.

Lydia paced the room. “Even if you took out half the horde, she’s still got thousands left. You can’t stay here.” She made this point several times throughout the meeting.

“How sure are you that your mother’s coming to Hilltop?” Earl asked Lydia. “She might pass us up and go straight to Alexandria.”

“Even so, Hilltop in right in the path,” Daryl pointed out. “She’s coming here no matter what.”

“She could go around us,” Earl argued. It was obvious he was in favor of staying.

“But she won’t,” Lydia spoke up. “She’ll go right through here.”

Jerry stepped forward after listening to the conversation. “Well, I’m not running again. I’ve already lost one home. I’m not losing another.”

Dianne, who was in charge of Hilltop’s soldiers, made her stand next. “I agree with Lydia on this one. We can rebuild anywhere, but we can’t replace lives.”

Earl seemed irritated. “Come on people. We can’t abandon our home.” He pointed at Aaron. “How many scouting missions have you been on? And how many places like Hilltop have you come across.”

Aaron looked down and shook his head. “None,” he whispered.

Yumiko felt it was her turn to add. “We have what, a few dozen able-bodied fighters here? If even that much. Personally, I don’t like those odds.”

“We don’t have to die here,” Aaron added with frustration.

Earl stood from the couch, and looked around at each and every person. “We’re going to have to fight, and if we die, we die for a place that means something. Can you think of a better way to go?”

Aaron took a step forward and replied angrily. “Yeah, we go with my daughter’s life intact. And Judith’s, and Adam’s. Should I keep going?”

Daryl could see Aaron’s anger and concern. It was time to break things up. There wasn’t any more time to waste. “Alright. Let’s get the kids out first. Oceanside is out of the way. We’ll take them there, and then we come back here and prepare. Anyone doesn’t want to or can’t stay can follow along with the children. Let’s pack it up. Grab weapons, food, whatever you can.”

Finally, everyone agreed with the plan, and they went their separate ways to start preparing. Aaron went to Daryl and put his arm around his waist when he saw how badly he was limping. “Time to get you to the doctor,” Aaron insisted, and he helped Daryl out to the yard and across to the medical trailer.

Alex was already there with Rosita. He was just putting a clean bandage on her arm as he gave her instructions for how to care for it. When she was done, she jumped down from the exam table and considered Aaron and Daryl. She grimaced when she saw the dried blood on Daryl’s pants. “You look like hell.”

“Yeah well, I could say the same about you,” he said, tipping his head in gesture to her arm.

“Courtesy of Beta,” she said dryly.

“I fought him once. That’s no small feat.”

She gave him a smirk. “What can I say? Never mess with a Latina mama,” she said in a heave accent. “I just wish I had killed him.”

“We’re going to bring them down. All of them,” said Daryl reassuringly.

“I know,” Rosita said giving him a wink. Then, she left the trailer.

“Okay, what do we have here?” Alex said when Rosita was gone. He looked over Daryl, but when his eyes fell on Aaron, he looked away awkwardly. Alex and Aaron had never really settled their differences. Long ago, when Aaron first met Paul, Alex saw him as a threat. Of course, Aaron was with Daryl and didn’t view Paul as anything more than a friend. And then, through hardship and heartbreak, Aaron and Paul found more than friendship with each other. Alex never approved, even though Paul had left him long before that time. Alex and Aaron never talked about Paul’s death. Aaron wondered if Alex blamed him in some small way.

“Stab wound to the thigh,” Daryl said as he took a seat on the exam table.

Alex ignored the fact that Aaron was in the room, and concentrated on Daryl. He peeled back the ripped material of Daryl’s pants and gave it a quick look. Then he sucked in air between his teeth. “I’d say you had quite a bit of blood loss too. How are you still functioning,” he said after taking a better look at Daryl’s face.

“Takes a lot to keep this redneck down. Besides, I’ve got a war to fight. I don’t have time to sit around and wait to heal. Can you patch me up, doc?”

“It’s going to take a little more than a patch. I need to clean the wound first, get out any dirt and debris. The last thing you need is an infection. And then I’ll stitch you up. What you really need to do is keep off your feet for a few days and let it heal or you’ll just open it back up,” Alex advised.

“In a perfect world,” Daryl responded. “Stitch me up and tie it off in case it starts bleeding again. A horde is coming. No time for anything else.”

Surprisingly, Alex looked to Aaron after Daryl’s stubborn refusal to listen to any advice. Aaron shrugged. “Better just do as he says.”

Alex shook his head and started gathering supplies he would need to clean and close the wound. “I need you to take off your pants,” he said while his back was still turned. When he spun around, he was met with a narrowed glare from Daryl. “I need your leg exposed in order to do this properly. I thought you already knew how this worked,” Alex challenged.

Aaron felt a little odd being there. He wasn’t sure why, but he thought that seeing Daryl without pants in the same room as Alex might have something to do with it. “I’m going to go see if I can find you a clean pair of pants,” he blurted out.

“Don’t bother. They’ll just get ruined too,” Daryl told him as he undid his buckle. Before Aaron could bat an eye, Daryl dropped his trousers to his ankles and hopped back onto the table.

Aaron smiled nervously when Alex looked at him for a reaction. “Lucky for you he didn’t go commando today,” he joked poorly.

“Yes, lucky me,” Alex responded dryly. He was a doctor and unphased by seeing a man in his briefs. “You might want to lay down for this,” he told Daryl.

Daryl brought his legs up onto the exam table, and laid back with his head on a fluffy white pillow. He stared up at the yellowed ceiling tiles and the fluorescent light hurt his eyes. When Alex started flushing out the wound with a saline solution, his entire body went ridged. “Fuck,” he complained. It hurt like a bitch.

Aaron went to him and stood on the opposite side of the table. He glanced down at the wound, now that it was cleaned out, and took notice of the red, swollen skin. The slice was about an inch or so, the width of a knife’s blade. He could just imagine what Daryl had to do to pull a knife from his leg, and then plunge it into a walker skull.

“You’re lucky it didn’t hit bone,” Alex told him. “That could’ve been an entire set of more serious problems.” Alex packed gauze into the wound, and Daryl squirmed anxiously. When he was satisfied that it was clean, Alex picked up a needle and surgical thread. “I wish I had something to numb the area.”

“Don’t worry about it. This ain’t my first time, and it won’t be my last,” said Daryl, and Alex got to work.

Aaron hated needles and he couldn’t watch. Instead, he offered Daryl his hand. Daryl stared at it, reluctant to show any sign of weakness, but when the needle went in his already tender skin, he grabbed Aaron’s hand and squeezed. Aaron made a face. “I should have given you my fake hand.”

“Sorry,” Daryl said with a smirk.

“No, that’s okay. I’ll just headbutt the walkers as they approach,” Aaron joked.

Alex tried not to pay attention, but he couldn’t help it. “You two are cute together,” he mentioned lightly. He seemed to regret it right away.

Daryl looked slightly embarrassed, but Aaron used the opportunity to open a line of communication with the doctor. “So, how’s things been around here lately.”

“Until today it’s been good. We had a hearty crop this year so we’re set for the winter. One of our runners came across some medical supplies that were hidden in boxes marked tax documents.” Alex paused to give a chuckle. “Not even the dead disturbed them. It was smart thinking for whoever thought to hide them in there.” With his hands busy stitching up Daryl’s leg, he pointed with his chin to the thread sitting on the table. “Lucky for you, that was in there. I thought I was going to have to start making surgical thread the old-fashioned way, with catgut.”

“Really?” Daryl complained. “You’d kill cats just for that? I once stitched up Merle with some heavy-duty thread like they use to sew canvas together. Worked just fine.”

Alex and Aaron glanced at each other over the exam table, both men trying not to laugh. Aaron couldn’t hold it in any longer, but he contained himself and just smiled. “Catgut isn’t made from cats. It’s sheep intestines.”

“We’ve used goat or pig in the past when supplies ran short. We were already butchering them for food anyways. Nothing goes to waste,” Alex added.

“Oh,” Daryl grunted, his eyes darting between the two men hovering above, as though daring either one to make fun of him. Alex and Aaron were smart enough to know better than to continue on. Alex inserted the needle again, and Daryl winced. Alex used the distraction, and dared another glance at Aaron. They shared a quick smile with each other, before Daryl noticed.

>>------->

Daryl and Aaron finished helping load up the children and a few supplies, as a group prepared to leave for Oceanside. Aaron pulled Daryl to the side before it was time to go. “I’m going to stay here and help with the preparations. I need to go over some things with my troops too, and bring the others up to speed. Make sure Gracie’s okay once you get to Oceanside.”

“Of course, I will,” said Daryl softly. “I would never let anything happen to her.” Aaron looked worried, and Daryl cupped the side of his face. “Hey, it’s gonna be fine.”

Aaron met Daryl’s eyes. “I keep thinking, what if she comes back and I’m not here for her anymore.”

“That’s not going to happen. I won’t let it,” Daryl said with determination.

“You can’t say that for sure. Christ, you saw the size of that horde in the cave, and that wasn’t even all of it. How are we going to hold this place down against that?”

Daryl could hear the panic in Aaron’s voice. “We aren’t just fighting for Hilltop. This is for all the communities. This is for the kids on those wagons. Whatever happens, the world is going to be a better place because of what we do tonight. And you’re right, I can’t say for sure that we’ll come out of this with our lives, but I’m gonna fight like hell and so are you. No matter what happens, Gracie, Judith, R.J., and all the other children are going to remember what we did to keep them safe. One day, they’ll have their own families to keep safe, and they’ll be stronger because of what we do now. So, come on. Let’s get this shit going.” Daryl pulled Aaron into his arms. “I love you. I always will.”

“I love you too,” Aaron returned, holding Daryl tight.

Daryl opened his eyes and looked past Aaron’s shoulder, noticing Carol and Ezekiel coming in through the gate. It was the first he’d seen of her since the cave. She glanced around and saw him across the way with Aaron. He immediately shifted his eyes away from her. Anger simmered just below the surface. He still wasn’t ready to have any kind of exchange with her. Instead he released Aaron and gave him a smile. “You good?”

“Yeah. I’m good. Okay, time to get to work. Be safe and come back as soon as you can,” Aaron told him.

“You know I will.” Their eyes connected another moment before they went their separate ways. Daryl got his bike and wheeled it over to the wagons. He spoke with the guards that were traveling with them, and told them he was going to ride out front. The plans were all set, and the caravan left for Oceanside.

They were only about a half hour out when Daryl saw something up ahead in the road. He turned to the guards behind him and waved his hand, signaling to stay sharp. The guards brought their weapons up into a ready position, and they tightened their positions around the wagons. Daryl rode a little way ahead, and found that the object in the road was a large tree. He heard the wagons come up behind him, and lifted his fist to signal them to halt. Growls came from the trees on either side of the road, and they looked up to see the two guards that Yumiko sent out to keep watch hanging. “Shit,” he said to himself.

“We can find another route,” one of the guards informed him.

But Daryl shook his head. “Naw. All the roads are going to be like this one. We ain’t getting through. I’ve seen this before.” He turned back to the others. Some of the children were scared of the walkers hanging above, and he hated that they had to see it. “This is Negan’s work,” he said to the guards and those in the wagons. “He’s with her now. We have no choice but to go back.”

“Turn it around. We’re going back to the Hill,” one of the guards announced. Soon, they had the wagons turned, and made their way back to Hilltop.

>>------->

Aaron was inside the great house having a meeting with his troops that came from Alexandria. They had been going over plans for defending the community. Eugene had a great idea to install an electrified wire at a certain distance from the walls. It would help to slow the herd some. Behind that, they would construct a fence complete with spikes and such to continue to thin out the herd.

“Shields, you’re going to be on the front lines. Spears, you’ll come in from behind and take down everything trying to get in. Rotate in and out using the shields as protection. Shields, you’ll have to push back on the horde if they begin to compromise the fence. I’m hoping that if we kill enough of them, they’ll start to pile up, and we can use that to our advantage. Just stay alert and listen to my commands. If things start to take a turn for the–"

“Daddy!”

The sound came from outside. “Hold that thought,” said Aaron, and he rushed out of the house. Gracie came running up the steps, crashing into her father’s outstretched arms. He held her and looked to Daryl, who was approaching with the rest of the people who left for Oceanside. Aaron released Gracie. “Go on inside, honey. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Judith escorted R.J., and Gracie joined them. They went inside and Aaron went to Daryl. They hugged quickly. “What happened?” Aaron asked with concern.

“The roads are blocked. Guess who joined the skin freaks.”

“Negan,” Aaron guessed with a growl. “That son of a bitch.”

Others started to crowd around, waiting for Daryl to speak. “It looks like Negan has teamed up with the Whisperers. If one road is blocked, they’ll all be blocked. That’s how he operates. It looks like our window of opportunity has just closed.

Kelly stepped forward. She looked upset by the turn of events. “No, you said we couldn’t stay here.”

“We can call on Alexandria. They can send some people,” Luke suggested.

“Alexandria, Oceanside, neither one will be able to get through with the roads blocked,” Daryl told him.

Earl seemed the most frustrated, but not with the Whisperers. His attention was turned toward the remaining people of Hilltop. “We need to calm a minute and get our heads on straight. We’re not defenseless, people. We’ve got the catapults, and a damn fine militia at our disposal.” He gave a nod to Aaron. “We’ve got to come together, and we’re going to have to fight like we’ve never fought before.”

While Earl gave his pep talk, Daryl caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw Carol by the smithy. She had her bow in one hand, and a quiver of arrows on her back. She paused when she heard Earl talking, and saw Daryl looking back at her.

Aaron noticed the exchange too, and he watched as Carol darted away, alone. She hadn’t interacted with anyone since she came to Hilltop earlier. He had expected her to come and see him, but she didn’t. It made Aaron sad to think she would avoid him. They had been friends for a long time, and they had been there for each other through some very challenging times. When Daryl turned his back to her as she walked away, Aaron leaned into his shoulder. “You should talk to her.”

“I got nothing to say to her. I don’t even know her anymore,” Daryl argued.

“I get that. I do. She’s made some really bad decisions lately,” said Aaron.

“Bad decisions? She’s put herself and her agenda before the lives of her own people. Magna and Connie are missing, maybe even dead because of her.” Daryl’s anger was obvious.

“She’s your best friend,” said Aaron softly. “What happens if she doesn’t make it through tonight? Look, I know she hurt you. She’s hurt all of us lately, but it’s such an uncertain time right now. Don’t make choices out of anger. Carol might not be here tomorrow to make amends with.”

“Hey, Daryl,” Eugene impeded. Too late he realized he was disrupting their conversation. “Oh, sorry.”

“What is it?” Daryl asked, glad for the interruption.

“I’m gathering equipment, batteries and other essential items needed to power the wire. Rosita is coming with me unless you need her for something else,” Eugene explained.

“No, go ahead. I’ll send someone to start running the wire,” Daryl told him. Eugene left and Daryl turned back to Aaron. “Time to get to work.”

Aaron and Daryl went their separate ways. Daryl was organizing the traps outside the gate, gathering people and supplies. Everyone pitched in, and they worked fast to get things done before the horde arrived.

Aaron gathered his troops and ran through battle exercises. The soldiers he brought from Alexandria worked with the people from Hilltop, and soon they were moving like a well-oiled machine. They went over every possible scenario, as Aaron barked out orders like a drill sergeant. An hour or so must have passed by, and it was time for a break.

Aaron made his way to the great house, and entered just in time to hear Alden and Mary having an argument. “What’s going on here?” he asked, breaking up the disagreement.

“She’s not supposed to be here. You said you were bringing injured to see Alex. You said nothing about letting the enemy in,” Alden complained.

Aaron assessed the situation. A young woman was sitting on the stairs with some of the children, singing and playing games with them to get their minds off of the growing danger. She had Adam in her lap, bouncing him on her knee. It was apparent that Mary wandered into the house, and Alden caught her trying to see her nephew.

“She is not going to hurt the baby,” Aaron started to explain, but Alden wasn’t having any of it.

Alden turned to Mary, ignoring Aaron. “Earl has been a great father to that little boy. He’s been a better father than my own was to me. And then he lost Tammy because of your people. He’s been raising that child on his own for her and for him. You and your people left him lying in a field. You don’t care about him. That baby is not yours and he never will be.” Alden abandoned Mary and turned to Aaron. “And you think I’m picking a fight? You think I’m being unreasonable? If I die tonight, it will have been for everything we’ve been building here … for him,” he finished, pointing at Adam. He huffed in anger and walked to the stairs, picked up Adam and left the house, almost shoving Daryl out of the way as he came inside. Daryl moved to the side just in time, and watched Alden storm out. He saw Aaron and Mary standing together, and wondered what happened.

“Still think I’ve got a place here?” Mary said sarcastically.

“It’s going to take some time, but . . .” As he spoke, Mary raised her arms in the air and walked away. Aaron stood with his hands on his hips, and dropped his head in defeat.

“What was that all about?” Daryl asked.

“I guess she wanted to see Adam, and Alden wouldn’t let her. I was going to arrange something, if I could talk Earl and Alden into it, but I got busy. I shouldn’t have put Mary off like that. We had a deal.”

“Well, I need a rest so I was going upstairs. Jerry said there’s a vacant room on the third floor at the end of the hall. Wanna come with me or are you still busy?” Daryl asked.

“I’ll come with you. I could use a little down time myself. Gotta be fresh for tonight,” Aaron replied. Together they walked up the stairs. Daryl moved slower than normal because of his limp, and that concerned Aaron. It would affect his performance when the battle started. But he knew there was nothing that was going to keep Daryl from the fight. He was their leader, and everyone was looking to him for direction.

Finally, on the third floor, they opened the door to the vacant room and went inside. Daryl closed and locked the door behind him. It was a small room with nothing but a double bed, a nightstand and an empty wardrobe, but that was good enough for them. For the first time in hours, Daryl and Aaron could relax and just be themselves. They knew there wasn’t a lot of time for this, so they would enjoy it while it was available to them.

“I feel like we haven’t been alone in months,” Aaron mentioned.

Daryl collapsed onto the bed, groaning with relief as he did. “I just need an hour. Half an hour even. My leg is killing me.”

“Stop, you’re worrying me,” Aaron told him, taking a seat on the opposite side of the small bed. With Daryl laying on it, there was barely enough room for him to stretch out too. “Hey, why don’t I let you get some rest. I’ll come back for you in a little bit.”

Aaron started to stand up, but Daryl grabbed his metal arm and stopped him. “No, stay. Please.” It came out as a desperate plea.

“Okay,” Aaron replied without any resistance. He reached around with his good hand and started undoing his prosthesis. He moaned when it came off. The metal arm didn’t bother him, but he always noticed how good it felt to take it off. He carefully lowered it to the floor next to the bed, and looked at Daryl behind him. “Scoot over.”

Daryl moved closer to his side of the bed, and Aaron laid down next to him. Both men started at the ceiling above, each one deep in their own thoughts. It was so noticeably quiet, which made sense because everyone was outside getting ready for battle.

“I should feel guilty,” said Daryl. “There’s probably at least ten people wandering around looking for me right now.”

“Same,” Aaron said with a smile. “They’ll figure it out by the time we get back down there.”

“Oh God, Aaron,” Daryl said as he released a deep sigh. “What the fuck are we doing? There’s so few of us against thousands.”

“We’re doing what we always do, fighting for what’s ours,” Aaron answered. “But you’re right, the odds are not in our favor this time. And now they’ve got Negan.”

“If I see that piece of shit, he’s dead,” Daryl seethed.

“I should have killed him when I had the chance. I could have lied about it. Hell, I could have told the truth and no one would have cared.” Aaron remembered playing guard for Negan right before he disappeared. “How do you think he got out?”

Daryl shook his head. “I don’t know. Doesn’t matter anymore. He’s out, and he’s giving advice to Alpha. I don’t get it though. He was always about, ‘People are a commodity’ and ‘I don’t kill children’, and here he is working with a group that would rather see everyone dead. It goes against everything Negan used to stand for.”

“Used to are the key words here. I guess sitting in jail for all those years made him rethink the way he deals with his enemies. But knowing Negan, he’ll sit back and let everyone else do his dirty work.” Aaron stretched and rolled onto his side, facing Daryl. He put his arm across Daryl’s chest, unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt and snuck inside. Daryl’s hand massaged the part of Aaron’s arm that was still exposed. They were silent, and enjoyed these last few moments together.

Aaron’s touch was doing things to Daryl, and he could feel himself begin to swell. He tilted his head toward Aaron, and captured his eyes. “I want you,” he whispered.

Aaron stopped what he was doing and pulled away a bit so he could see Daryl better. “Right now? With everything going on?”

“You got a better time in mind?” Daryl returned.

“But … your leg. Aren’t you–"

“When I’m with you I don’t feel pain. All I feel is you.” Daryl’s fingers went behind Aaron’s head and pulled him in for a kiss. His tongue searched for entry, and was met by Aaron’s eagerness to oblige. Hands roamed, and Aaron undid the rest of Daryl’s shirt. They separated long enough to sit up and shed the rest of their clothes, each one helping the other since they were both at a disadvantage. Daryl’s leg was bandaged up well, but Aaron couldn’t help notice him wincing every now and then. It didn’t stop either man from continuing on.

Finally, naked and wanting, Aaron laid on his back and Daryl awkwardly lowered himself on top. “You sure you’re okay,” Aaron asked once more.

Daryl got into position and entered Aaron in one swift movement. “Does that answer your question?” Daryl asked as Aaron moaned in pleasure. He moved slowly at first, and then found his rhythm. Aaron writhed beneath him, biting his bottom lip to try and keep from spending too fast. It had been a while since they laid together, and without much time to spend like this, they would reach climax fast. Daryl slowed down some, finding the need to torture Aaron just a little bit while he played catch up. It was taking him a tad longer to reach his goal because of his leg, but he ignored the pain. Soon, all he focused on was the feel of Aaron’s tightness surround his cock, and how he pulsed with every thrust. Daryl leaned down and kissed Aaron hard, and then whispered in his ear. “Oh Aaron, you feel so good.”

Aaron answered by lifting his hips up to meet Daryl’s inward thrusts. Daryl anchored his hands on the bed and moved faster. He went deep, making Aaron cry out and smile up at him. “I love you, Daryl,” Aaron claimed just before he released and spilled between them, beads of pearled essence dotting his chest.

Daryl pushed inside and held himself there as he spilled into the taut warmth of Aaron’s body, pulsing with every surge until he had no more to give. He wanted nothing more than to collapse on top of Aaron and soften inside, but his leg was done cooperating. Instead, he reluctantly pulled away, and came to rest beside Aaron.

Not caring how messy they were, Aaron rolled onto his side and contoured against Daryl’s body. Both men needed the closeness of each other. There was no telling how long it would be until they could do this again, or if there would be a next time. Aaron, especially, kept thinking that way, and he nuzzled his face into the crook of Daryl’s neck.

“I don’t want to lose you,” Aaron whispered there.

“You’re not going to lose me. We’re going to make it through this,” Daryl reassured him.

“I know. That’s what we always tell each other. This time just feels different for some reason.”

“I’m gonna have my eye on you out there,” said Daryl.

“And if we get separated?”

“I would conquer the entire horde to get to you. We’re going to be all right,” Daryl insisted. He kissed Aaron again, this time with slow burning passion and love for the man at his side. “We have too much to live for, and that’s what will keep us going.”

They settled against each other again, and closed their eyes to try and get some rest. Neither one could sleep, but it was enough just to be together in silence and peace before the world caught up to them again.

The hour went much faster than either could have predicted. Aaron was up first, and he started to get dressed. He had on his underwear and pants, as he sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching back behind him, he nudged Daryl with his hand. “Hey, time to get up, sleeping beauty.”

“I’m up,” Daryl mumbled, coming out of his dream state. He started to sit up and cried out softly.

“Your leg?” Aaron asked, though he knew that’s what it was.

“Yeah, but it will feel better once I get up and start moving around.” He continued to moan and gripe as he tried to sit up.

Aaron went to Daryl’s side of the bed and helped him get his feet on the ground. He handed Daryl his shirt that was laying out of reach on the floor. Then he put his own shirt on and picked up his metal arm. Aaron walked over to the window and looked out. The yard was filled with people going here and there, each one on their own personal mission. While he watched, he put his arm on and started doing up the buckles.

Daryl got his shirt on and reached for his pants. As he sat on the edge of the bed, he watched Aaron, silhouetted in the light beaming in the window. His profile reminded Daryl of a Roman soldier, brimming with determination, distracted by thoughts of war and all that came with it. He was a beautiful man, both inside and out. He loved his family, and he loved Daryl. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to see them all safe and sound. But to achieve that level of peace, sometimes it required risking his life, and Aaron had always done so without hesitation.

Something Aaron told him a while back came to mind. Gracie had asked him why he and Daryl weren’t married. Daryl wondered why too, as he gazed upon Aaron’s handsome form before him. No, they didn’t need vows or a ceremony to know they were lifelong partners, but marriage still meant something, even in these unknowing times. He loved Aaron more than life itself, and Aaron knew that. It was always enough, but suddenly, Daryl thought it could be just a little more. The urge crashed against his heart like a violent wave, and now more than ever, he needed Aaron to know just what he meant to him.

“Hey,” Daryl called out quietly.

“Yeah?” Aaron answered, still looking out the window.

“Aaron,” Daryl called again.

Aaron turned, unaware of what Daryl was about to do. “I’m almost ready.”

“Come here,” said Daryl.

Aaron saw the serious look on Daryl’s face. “Everything okay?” He wasn’t sure what was wrong.

“Yeah. Fine. I just wanted to tell you something.” As Aaron came to him, Daryl took his arm and pulled him between his legs, bringing him as close as he could get.

Aaron put a hand on Daryl’s shoulder and smiled with a questioning gaze. “What’s going on?”

Daryl knew men who had spent weeks, months even, building up the courage to ask such an important question. Here he was getting ready to pop the question within moments of realizing he needed to do this. It was probably better that he didn’t take the time to think about it, or he might chicken out. Aaron was looking at him as though he had lost his mind, unsure of what was going on.

“Aaron, I … I just wanted to … to say . . . No, to tell you that–"

Someone knocked rapidly on the door, cutting off Daryl’s proposal, and bringing both their attention to the door.

“Yeah?” Daryl called out with some frustration and ire.

“We’ve got rats,” said someone unfamiliar from the other side of the door.

“Rats?” Aaron asked.

“A sea of them running out of the woods. The horde’s coming.”

Instantly, everything was forgotten about. The proposal would have to wait. Daryl jumped up from the bed and finished getting dressed. Then he helped Aaron with anything he hadn’t done yet because of his lack of a hand. They didn’t speak during their last few moments alone. They spent the time getting their minds ready for war. When they were finished, they descended the stairs side by side, just as they had always claimed … together.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos