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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
- 86
- 87
- 88
Chapter 88 Out of War Comes Wedlock

Daryl and Aaron had been gifted with a few precious moments alone, in which they spent in each other’s arms making love. Now they stood in the main lobby of the great house, taking in the state of urgency after it was announced that the horde was closing in on Hilltop.

Daryl looked to his right and saw Ezekiel off to the side. “Hey, I need to speak with the King,” he said to Aaron.

“Yeah, I need to go touch base,” Aaron said in return. They gazed at each other, knowing that from here on out they had jobs to do and people to command. They wouldn’t see much of each other until this was over. Knowing it could very well be their last moments together, and praying it wasn’t, Aaron took Daryl’s hand and brought it to his chest, covering his heart. “I love you,” he declared.

“I love you too,” Daryl replied, bringing Aaron’s hand to his lips and kissing his knuckles. One last shared smile, and they went their separate ways to finish preparing.

Daryl caught Ezekiel before he left the great house. He approached him cautiously. They had never really seen eye to eye. Ezekiel had always been jealous of his close friendship with Carol, and that was something Daryl was never willing to back away from, not until recently.

When Ezekiel saw Daryl, his spine stiffened as he stood straight, readying for an exchange of words. Daryl spoke first. “I know we’ve had our differences, and I apologize if I ever did you wrong. You’ve had to make some difficult decisions, and I know you’ve lost a lot in a short amount of time. I know what that’s like. I just want to say I think you’re a great leader, and I respect you, man.”

Ezekiel seemed surprised by Daryl’s kind words. He dared a grin and took a step closer. “Thank you, Daryl. You’ve grown into an amazing leader yourself. You’re not the same man I met back at the Kingdom. You’ve matured. You’ve found your place amongst your people, and I’m proud to fight at your side.”

They shook hands, and finally made amends. Then Daryl got serious. “Listen, I’ve given this a lot of thought, and if things start to go south, one of us needs to get the kids out. So, if something happens to one of us, the other has to do it. It’s the main priority.”

“Absolutely,” Ezekiel agreed without hesitation.

“There’s an abandoned house about two miles south of here. I’ve checked it and cleared it. That’s the rendezvous point when this is over, and that’s where we’ll meet up. Got it?”

“Good. And Daryl? Stay safe. There’s a lot of people depending on you to make it out of this in one piece.”

“I’ll do my best,” Daryl told him.

Ezekiel left the room, but when Daryl turned around, he found Gracie and Judith sitting on a Victorian style couch in the lobby. Judith had Rick’s gun at her waist, and her child-sized, though no less deadly katana on her back. In her hand was the radio that Michonne gave her so they could keep in touch.

“You talk to your mom lately?” Daryl asked her.

“I’ve tried but she’s not answering.” Judith sounded worried.

“Maybe she’s out of range. Wherever she is, I know she’s thinking of you,” said Daryl trying to comfort her.

Judith stood from the couch, taking Gracie’s hand and making her stand too. “We want to stay and fight,” Judith declared.

Daryl looked back and forth between the two girls. Judith seemed determined, but Gracie looked like she was being forced to stay by her friend’s side. “Is this about what you girls saw earlier today? I’m sorry you had to witness that.” He was talking about the two guards, turned walkers, hanging in the trees at the road block.

“They’re just walkers,” Judith claimed without emotion. Gracie still seemed disturbed by what she saw.

“They were more than that. They were people we knew,” Daryl said to them.

“Are there going to be people we know in the herd too?” Gracie asked.

Before Daryl could answer, Judith spoke up. “I’m not afraid to fight.”

“I can see that,” said Daryl. “Maybe I am, just a little.”

When he confessed this, Gracie came forward and took his hand. “I’m scared too,” she admitted, looking up at him with doe eyes that reminded him of Beth.

Judith’s stance relaxed just a bit as she watched the exchange. “Well, if I was scared, it would be for R.J. because he’s little. Or I’d be scared that you’d get hurt and I’d lose you,” she said to Daryl.

“I don’t want to lose you or Daddy,” Gracie added.

Daryl got down on one knee, careful not to open his stitches as he did, and spoke to both girls on their level. “There’s no shame in being scared, especially for the safety of others. It doesn’t make you weak. As a matter of fact, one day you will learn to use that fear to power your strength. But today, you girls are going to help watch out for the other children. Now, listen. If Ezekiel comes to you and tells you it’s time to go, you go with him. Okay?”

“But what about Daddy?” Gracie said worriedly.

Daryl shook his head. “You have to go with Ezekiel. He’ll take you somewhere safe, and when this is over, we will come find you.” Both girls crashed into him and hugged him. He held them for as long as they needed to feel his protection.

Judith broke away first and ran back to the couch. She moved a couple pillows and picked something up. Then she came back to Daryl and handed it to him. “We made this for you,” she said.

It was Daryl’s winged vest, and in place of one of the missing wings was a new one. This one was blue with white stars on the tips of the wing feathers. Seeing it brought a tear to his eye.

“I helped sew on the stars,” Gracie smiled. “Judith did the rest. She designed it too.”

“It’s for luck,” Judith told him.

“What gave you the idea to do this?” he asked, feeling a lump in his throat.

Judith pointed at Gracie’s pretend metal arm. “Gracie made that to make her daddy feel better. I thought that giving you your wing back would do the same for you.”

“Well, it worked,” Daryl smiled. “I feel … empowered.” He slipped the vest on and turned around so the girls could see their handy work. “How’s it look?”

“It looks good,” the girls said in unison, giggling. They ran to him, and he bent down to give them another hug.

Gracie whispered in his ear. “Daddy will think you look so handsome.”

Daryl gave her a wink. “Alright, I have to go. Just remember what I told you. I love you both very much.”

“We love you too,” the girls answered.

He patted each one on the head, and went to the front door. Daryl paused just before he left, glancing back at the girls. He prayed this wouldn’t be the last time he saw them.

Outside, things were looking very orderly. Everyone was taking these last few moments for themselves and their families. Daryl had a few things to take care of too. He thought of what Aaron told him about seeing Carol, but he didn’t know if he was ready for that. Deep down, he knew it was the right thing to do. And if something happened to her tonight, he would never forgive himself. He was afraid that seeing her would lead to him yelling at her or berating her again for what she’d done. Magna and Connie were still missing because of that. The thought of Carol seeking revenge without a thought for anyone’s safety made him angry, and he didn’t want to take it out on her, especially not now.

Instead, Daryl made his way through the yard, and around back to the graveyard, coming to a halt at Glenn and Abraham’s graves. He decided now was a good time to reflect and ask his long-lost friends to watch out for them. They needed all the help they could get.

Daryl stood in silence and glanced down at the graves. His friends had died at the hands of another enemy, one that he had fought against and won so that those who perished didn’t do so in vain. It cost Daryl a lot after the Savior war. He lost friends and family alike. Glenn, Abraham and Caleb were all victims in Negan’s war. And then Daryl had lost himself, which cost him years of happiness with Aaron. Now, as he stared across the graveyard, he wondered what he would lose this time. There was always a lot to lose, but now it felt like there was even more at stake. Daryl missed everyone that were no longer here, but those that were left were the most important in his lifetime.

“Hey,” said Aaron softly from behind.

“Aaron, I didn’t hear you come out. Everything okay?”

“Fine. We’re in good shape. Eugene and Rosita finished with the electric wire a little while ago. Earl said the catapults are ready to go, and they have enough shrapnel to launch several times. My troops are ready to go on my orders. They’re spending time with their families right now. I saw Gracie. She told me about the plan to go with Ezekiel if things got too dangerous. She also told me about the new and improved vest, which I must say is looking rather spectacular,” said Aaron, as he moved up for a closer look. “You look like a superhero,” he jested.

“Stop,” said Daryl with a tinge of embarrassment.

Aaron moved beside him, and took Daryl’s hand in his. Both men spent a silent minute looking out over the graves. “Everyone here fought for the same reason we fight today,” said Daryl, ending the solitude. “They are the real heroes.” He turned to face Aaron. “I just hope we’re not making a mistake by staying here.”

“There was no way out, not with the roads blocked,” Aaron pointed out.

“No, but we could have gone on foot. We could have left the hot zone, gone to Alexandria, joined forces there,” Daryl mentioned.

“It wasn’t your decision to make alone. The people of Hilltop made the decision to stand up for their community.” Aaron moved in front of Daryl to gain his full attention. “This is all part of being a leader. You’re going to second guess yourself constantly. But you know what? You stepped up in ways I’ve never seen you do before. You are the best leader Hilltop could wish for, and I’m so proud of you. You’ve come a long way from hunting rabbits in the woods alone.” Aaron smiled at Daryl because of the reference.

“You’re the one who taught me not to run from my problems, but to face them head on,” said Daryl. “I might not be here if I’d never met you.”

“Me either,” Aaron told him. And then he saw Carol appear from around the corner of the house. She looked like she was going to leave, but Aaron held his hand up to stop her. “Hey,” he whispered to Daryl. “Carol’s here.”

Daryl sighed deep, and bowed his head. Aaron cupped the side of his face gently, and gave a comforting smile. Then he left the area to give Daryl and Carol some time alone. As he passed by Carol, she looked at him guardedly. Carol didn’t have many friends at the moment, but Aaron stopped briefly and laid his hand on her shoulder to let her know she was forgiven.

After Aaron left, Carol took only a couple steps and stopped far enough behind Daryl so that she wasn’t in his personal space. He still faced the graves laid out before him, and never turned to acknowledge she was there. He remained silent, unsure how to start a conversation, and still not sure he wanted to.

“Please, don’t hate me,” Carol said in a mousy voice that hit Daryl right in the heart.

He closed his eyes, and tried not to let himself get emotional. This felt like tough love, ignoring the one person who had always been there for him … until recently. Maybe that’s why he was so hurt by Carol’s latest decisions. “I’m never gonna hate you,” he finally returned. It was the truth. He might be disappointed or angry with her, but he could never hate her.

She inhaled sharply, like someone trying not to cry, and Daryl did everything in his power not to give in. He couldn’t stay there any longer, and he eventually turned, finding Carol’s face streaked with tears. Their eyes met momentarily before he broke away. Daryl walked past Carol without another word, and left the graveyard and her behind. It was the best he could give her for now. He felt he owed it to Magna and Connie to keep Carol at a distance for a while longer.

>>------->

After Aaron left Daryl at the gravesite, he walked over to a table loaded with all kinds of weapons. Earl was there, still putting out knives, spears, swords, and a few other medieval looking weapons. Earl looked up and saw Aaron. “I’m just putting these out for anyone who needs them. We’ve got plenty extra.”

“Don’t suppose you’d have an extra metal hand laying around,” Aaron mentioned. “I lost mine in the caves. I’ve been switching back and forth between prosthetics, which isn’t very convenient.”

“Actually, I was working on designing you a new hand, one that wasn’t so clunky looking. It was supposed to have a hidden contraption in it, so when you activated it, a blade would protrude from the side, in case you got in a tight spot and didn’t have another weapon. I didn’t get that far with it, but the hand itself is complete.” Earl pointed at his smithy shop. “It’s in that file cabinet in the back corner.”

“Thanks Earl,” Aaron said with a smile. “When this is all over, you can finish it up. Sounds like James Bond spy stuff.”

Earl gave a chuckle, which was something he rarely did these days. Aaron saw a spear in a rack of weapons, and picked it up. “Do you mind?” Aaron asked politely.

“It’s yours for the taking,” said Earl.

Aaron gave him a nod and took the spear to the great house. He caught Mary just as she was passing by the front door. “Hey Mary,” he called to her.

“Aaron,” she smiled. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him. Aaron was her one, and probably only friend right now.

“I got you something.” He handed her the spear. “Are you ready for this?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be. It will feel good to kill these things instead of leading them around,” she said as she looked over the spear and held it in her grasp.

“It’s getting close to go time. Do you know your position once we start fighting?” he asked. He just wanted to make sure there was no confusion. Mary was new to all of this, but she wanted to take a position with the militia. He needed as many people on spears as possible, while the shield holders pushed back any walkers that got through the lines.

“I’ve got it,” she said. When Aaron started to walk away, she stopped him. “Aaron, I just wanted to say thanks for taking a chance on me. When you first found me out there, you didn’t have to help me. You could have killed me.”

“You’ve got your reasons for why you joined Alpha, but there’s one thing I know to be true. Just because people choose a group doesn’t mean they like being there or agree with how it’s lead. In the end, you can still make a choice,” Aaron told her. “Alright, it’s time to get into position. The horde will be here soon.”

He had met with everyone he needed to see before the fight, most importantly Daryl and Gracie. His troops were gathered in the yard awaiting his instructions. There wasn’t anything else for Aaron to do but get into position and wait. The house was quiet now. Everyone was at their stations or hidden away somewhere safe. Aaron took one more look around the house. He glanced up to the second-floor balcony, and imagined seeing Paul standing there, hands on the railing, looking down at Aaron. Paul had been the first victim of the Whisperers. It had been a horrific night as they ran through that graveyard in the fog. Paul had fought with style and grace. He had always been an amazing fighter, even as he thought he was just killing another walker, which turned out to be a Whisperer.

“Tonight, the first kill is for you,” Aaron stated quietly. Paul’s apparition faded as he gave Aaron a nod. “Now, let’s silence some Whisperers.”

>>------->

Daryl took one more look around. Everyone was where they were supposed to be. He was the last one to get into position. He descended the front steps of the great house and marched toward the gate. Along the way, he passed the weapons table. He saw it before he got to it, a morning star. Daryl wasn’t sure why, but it called to him upon first sight. Tonight, he abandoned his crossbow for this new piece of medieval weaponry. He grabbed the club, the metal links of the thick chain clinking together as he lifted it. At the end of the chain hung a heavy spiked ball. It felt good in his hand. He swung it around a few times to get familiar with the feel and balance. He was like a kid at Christmas that couldn’t wait to try out his new toy.

He walked up an aisle dividing the army that awaited outside the walls. The back row consisted of archers. The main part was made up of knife, sword and spear wielders. The front row was made up of what Aaron referred to simply as the shields. That’s where Daryl found Aaron, centered amongst his militia. For now, their shields sat on the ground before them, ready at a moment’s notice. Everyone gazed out across the field, and into the darkness. The sun had just finished setting, making it more difficult to see the advancing horde. It was just like Alpha to come in the dark of night.

Daryl came up next to Aaron, the two men peering into the dark with their battle faces ready. As he walked to the front of the line, Daryl noticed that not everyone looked ready. Some held themselves straight and stoic, no fear for what they were about to face. Others trembled with fear for the unknown dangers that laid ahead. People were going to die this night, and that was a fact that Daryl couldn’t change. He just had to hope and pray that the numbers would be small, and that no one he loved were amongst the victims.

He leaned toward Aaron inconspicuously. “We’re both coming out of this in one piece.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Aaron growled in a low tone, a soldier ready for whatever horrors he was about to face. “We fight … together.”

“Whether we make it or not, we do it … together,” said Daryl, finishing the speech.

“You remember,” said Aaron, turning his head to look at Daryl beside him. “Trapped in that damn car.”

“Of course. Del Arno Foods,” said Daryl.

“The guy in the red poncho that we never found,” Aaron added.

“That’s when I agreed to move in with you.”

“It was such a long time ago. We were still figuring things out,” said Aaron.

“Now look at us. Still fighting together, side by side,” Daryl whispered. “And we’ve got things figured out.”

“We have a family,” Aaron added. “We have each other.”

“There’s just one thing missing from all of this,” Daryl said as he looked out across the dark field.

Aaron’s stance relaxed and he turned toward Daryl, considering him with confusion. “What could be missing?”

Daryl slowly faced him, their eyes locking onto each other. He had tried to say this earlier in the room, but they were interrupted. It suddenly hit him hard and fast that he needed to do this. He didn’t want to go into this fight without Aaron knowing what he wanted to say. This was it. This was the time. Maybe this wasn’t how he pictured doing it, but it didn’t matter anymore. It had to be said now.

“Marry me,” said Daryl.

Aaron’s mouth hung agape, and slowly curved into a confused smile. “W-what?”

“You heard me,” Daryl responded. “When we get through this … together … I want to make it official. So, will you do me the honor and marry me?”

A gasp came from the person standing next to Daryl, who had overheard their conversation. Both Aaron and Daryl brought their attention to him, and his face turned pink. “Sorry, but I couldn’t help hear.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Daryl told him in a dangerous tone. But when he looked at Aaron again, he winked, and made him smile. “You know I’ve never been really good about expressing my thoughts or feelings,” Daryl explained.

“To put it mildly, yes,” Aaron teased.

“I tried to earlier, but–"

“Is that why you got all weird in the room?” Aaron asked. He had wondered why Daryl’s behavior changed.

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I can’t go into this war without you knowing my feelings. And I don’t want to go into it not knowing your answer.”

“And you won’t because my answer is yes,” said Aaron, his eyes shining with happiness.

“Really?” said Daryl, surprised. He was fairly sure Aaron would agree, but there had always been a small part of him that was afraid Aaron would say no. He assumed that was normal when you asked someone to spend the rest of their life with you.

“Infinitely, yes. I will marry you.” Aaron was smiling from behind his shield. He wanted nothing more than to throw everything down and hold Daryl in his arms. “Though, you picked a rather inconvenient time to ask.”

“Sorry,” said Daryl, but the slight smile on his face, and the way he held himself straight with pride and excitement said otherwise.

The man next to Daryl leaned in a little and whispered to the men. “You can’t propose and not kiss to seal the deal.” Then he elbowed Daryl, who regarded him with a narrow glare. “Sorry again,” the man said, and he turned back to face the front of the line.

Daryl’s eyes met with Aaron’s and he smiled again. “He’s right.” Daryl moved so that the shield was in front of them both, and he kissed Aaron, not caring who saw it. All eyes were on the newly engaged couple, and when they broke apart, Daryl felt his subconscious wanting him to shrink and disappear. There was a time when he would never have showed such a display of affection in public. There was also a time when he would have told all those watching to mind their own damn business. Instead, Daryl glanced around him at all the inquiring faces and said proudly. “We’re gettin’ married.”

There were quiet words of congratulations, but that was all. It really wasn’t a good time for something like this, but to propose right before a war was to do it in true Daryl Dixon fashion. And it couldn’t hurt the morale of the people who were in earshot and had heard the proposal.

Aaron was proud of Daryl for ignoring the looks, stares and unwanted attention. He appreciated the fact that this was probably one of the most difficult things Daryl had to do so far. He could also feel Daryl’s abashment as everyone near them watched the couple to see what they would do next. Aaron was sure Daryl probably felt extremely uncomfortable, and took it upon himself to refocus their attention. “Okay, show’s over folks. Time to kick some ass and get this over with. We’ve got a wedding to plan.”

The happy moment faded quickly when the sound of walkers blew in on the slight breeze. They were finally here. Everyone stood frozen as they listened, and the growls got louder. The time was finally here.

Aaron picked up his shield, looked left and then right to see the line of men and women on either side of him, and gave his first command of the night. He called out in a loud booming voice that brought a chill to Daryl’s spine. “FORMATION!”

Every shield lifted from the ground and snapped into place in a single movement. The front line stood shield to shield. They were so tight, the spear wielders behind them weren’t even visible. Daryl was impressed by the power Aaron held with that one word. He was completely amazed, and any doubts he had about the battle faded a bit.

The first walkers hit the electrified wire. They kept going as the wire sparked and caught fire, splicing their decaying bodies in two. Some of the shorter ones decapitated themselves. But as the rest of the horde moved in, the wire became overloaded, and the power source failed. The weight of the horde pushing against the wire made it snap, and they continued forward.

As Aaron concentrated on the approaching horde, he started to notice them split into two groups. This meant there were Whisperers scattered amongst them, driving them to behave that way. They were making them split to cover more area, and make the Hilltop army break apart too. Aaron went into action once more. “They’re splitting in two. On my command, split ranks. READY … and … BREAK!”

The militia divided into two sections, opening up so that the archers could fire. Along the very back line, the archers stayed in place, nocked their arrows and fired into the air. Their arrow sailed high, arched and fell back down onto the horde. Daryl heard a few cries as Whisperers got hit, but the move didn’t take down many walkers. Unless an arrow hit them in the head, they were still advancing, though with arrows protruding from their bodies, unphased.

By now, the horde had reached the barrier. Aaron called for his troops to move forward. They went all the way to the fence, and held the line. “SPEARS … FORWARD!” Aaron ordered, and those with spears or swords moved up behind the shields. Those with shields were paired to move in unison, splitting momentarily so that the people behind them could thrust their weapons into the horde. Everyone moved as they were supposed to, taking turns and killing walkers. It took a while, but eventually, the fallen walkers were creating a barrier, and slowing down the rest of the herd. Everything was going as planned, until Luke shouted across the line. “The fence isn’t going to hold much longer.”

Aaron heard him and ran down the line to observe. One section of fence was beginning to push in. “Reinforcements!” Aaron commanded, and those whose job it was to come to his aid did so. That area of fence doubled with shields and spears, and continued to push back with success.

Aaron took the moment to search for Daryl. He wasn’t far, but he was out front, swinging his weapon and taking out multiple walkers with the heavy spiked ball and chain. He wished he could stop and watch Daryl fight. Aaron hadn’t seen him use a weapon like that before, but he seemed to be mastering it quite well. Nothing was getting close to him with the reach of the chain and the handle it was attached to. Daryl was always mesmerizing to watch, but now he looked invincible. With the thought of Daryl’s proposal so fresh on his mind, Aaron added to that vision before him. That was his soon-to-be husband fighting like a true warrior, protecting his people and his family. Aaron had never been prouder. He took his newfound confidence and applied it to himself, pushing and fighting against the horde with everything he had to give. This was how they would win, together.

The people of Hilltop were a force to be reckoned with, but they didn’t expect what happened next, and they were confused by it. Some kind of liquid rained down on them, covering everyone within the firing zone. People briefly stopped to see what they were being hit with.

“It smells like a Christmas tree,” Jerry called out. Others agreed.

From the sky came flaming arrows. Aaron saw them just in time to give an order. “Shields Up!” The shield wielders lifted them up so they could protect those around them from the falling flames. Someone down the way, unfortunately got swiped with an arrow, and they lit up like a torch. That’s when the people started to figure out what they were doused in.

“Whatever it is, it’s like gasoline,” Jerry warned.

Before people began to panic, Aaron took charge. “Get ready to fall back!” He knew they had to get out of range of the hailing arrows.

“The fence,” Luke yelled to remind him.

“We can’t hold it much longer anyway,” said Aaron.

Daryl moved away from the fence and commanded to the people within earshot. “Everyone, fall back. Back inside. Come on.”

Aaron followed his lead and ordered his soldiers to retreat too. He stayed at the fence with a couple other shields, and tried to hold the line while the others ran for the gate. He stayed as long as he could, ordering the men on either side of him to retreat as well. Stubbornly, Aaron held out, making sure everyone was away from the area. He was the last one to leave, but just before he turned, someone grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him away.

“Let’s go!” Daryl yelled, and together they ran for the gate.

They caught up with the others and were fast approaching the wooden gate when more flaming arrows launched above their heads, striking the wall and the gate. The entire area caught fire and burned rapidly. The group as a whole came to a stop, and watched as their way in became blocked by the inferno. At the same time, the part of the fence where Aaron had just been, collapsed and walkers filtered in. The Hilltop army was trapped between the horde and the flaming wall. There was nowhere to go from here, and not much space left in which to fight.

Daryl took in the sight around him, and glanced at Aaron at his side. This wouldn’t do. They weren’t going down like this, not without trying. An idea came to him. “Gather your shields. We’re going to bust through the gate and get everyone inside. Then, use your men to protect the others. Keep pushing back on the herd as it approaches the gate. Spears come in between, just like you did at the fence. We’ll use the dead walkers to slow down the rest of the horde.”

Aaron gave a nod and began barking orders. His people quickly came back in line. “We gotta get the gate open and get our people inside. We’ll use our shields to protect us from the fire. Line up and let’s go.”

They did as they were told, and lined up side by side. With their shields held high to protect themselves from the flames, the line marched forward and pushed until the gates opened up. Daryl, Aaron and a few others started directing everyone inside. As the last few people came into the yard, the shields closed in on the breeched gate, and met the first wave of walkers, pushing them back through the gate. But as more walkers approached, it became more difficult to hold them back.

“Spears! Forward!” Aaron called. They lined up behind the shields. “Same maneuver as before. We’ll channel up the breach by using the dead bodies to create a blockage. It might not stop them, but it will definitely slow them down and bide us some time.” Everyone did their part and walkers dropped one on top of another. Slowly, they formed the barrier Aaron spoke of, making a wall of dead corpses, a grim reminder of what they were up against.

Daryl took advantage of the break and assessed their situation. Flaming arrows were still flying, but now they were coming inside the yard. The Whisperers were advancing right behind the horde. More buildings caught fire and burned uncontrollably. There was nothing they could do about it, what was more important was keeping the people safe. He saw Aaron with his troops and rushed to him for a report.

“We dammed up the gate, but I don’t know how long it will hold,” Aaron told him.

“We need to get everyone out of here,” said Daryl.

“The horde is only coming from one direction. We could make a breech in the wall around the side or the back of the house, and get people out that way,” Aaron suggested.”

“Yeah, but where are they going to go?” Daryl tried to figure out.

Aaron shook his head. “At this point, everyone is going to have to go on their own, and hope they don’t get caught. We can regroup once the threat is demolished.” As Aaron finished speaking, an explosion made the men jump and duck. Things were taking a dangerous turn as the fires spread to the great house. More explosions went off, and they were unsure what was causing it, but there wasn’t time to find out.

“The wall’s coming down!” Jerry shouted from further down.

Aaron and Daryl went into action. Aaron called his army of shields ordered them to the compromised section of fence. The fire had weakened the wooden wall, and now it threatened to fall. Just as the shields arrived, the wall gave way. Aaron shouted in warning, and everyone got out of the way just in time. But the fall of that section of wall allowed a new influx of walkers to storm the yard. People began to panic, and they ran in different directions looking for a way out. Daryl flagged down Dianne and Rosita, and told them to start getting everyone around to the back. Aaron ordered some of his people to work on opening the wall in back so they could get everyone out.

Through the smoke and fire, Daryl caught a glimpse of Ezekiel with a group of children, and relief washed over him. He would lead them out of the secret passage on the east side of the yard, and get them to the safehouse. It was one less thing to worry about.

“Aaron!” Daryl called from across the way. “Get your troops to form a barrier. We gotta keep the people safe while we try to find a way out.

“Shields!” Aaron called without hesitation. “I need a group here and a group on the far side. Form a wall and push back. Spears! Keep bringing them down. We need time to get everyone out.”

The militia members followed orders and got into formation. Even with explosions all around, and the fire destroying more structures, they didn’t break ranks. By now, some of the first buildings to catch fire were beginning to collapse, causing more problems for them. They had to stay away from the buildings so they didn’t get caught by falling debris.

Daryl took his place amongst Aaron’s army, swinging his morning star at anything that looked dead. As one walker approached, it suddenly lunged for him. The Whisperer took a shot in the head and went to the ground, a pool of blood seeping across the dirt. Daryl shouted out a warning to anyone who could hear. “We got skins inside. Watch yourselves.”

“Retreat!” Aaron ordered. “Everyone out. Now!” He had seen two more areas of the wall come down. There were too many walkers to try to contain them anymore. To do so would mean more people dying. Some of the walkers were on fire, and anything they passed by caught fire because of the accelerant that the Whisperers used.

As the army fell back on Aaron’s orders, the organized militia fell apart. Now it really was everyone for themselves. Those trained for battle took to protecting the people around them, gathering them into small manageable groups.

Daryl made one last attempt, with some of the others, to contain an area of breached wall, but there were too many walkers pushing into the yard. With the horde in front, and Barrington house burning behind them, there was nothing left to do but run. During the confusion, Daryl lost track of Aaron. Until now, he had kept an eye on him and knew his position. There was no time to look for him. He just had to hope Aaron got out safely. Instead, he gathered the people around him and made sure they all got out safely.

>>------->

Aaron was making sure the last of his people were on their way out, when he saw Luke across the yard, standing too close to one of the burning structures. “Luke, get out of there!” Aaron yelled, but it was too late. Wooden beams came barreling down on top of him. Aaron rushed over and started digging him out. He could feel the heat from the flames singing the hair on his arms, and he thought he might burst into flame too. The metal of his prosthesis was heating up at an alarming rate, and he felt his arm inside begin to get much too warm for comfort. After all his efforts, Aaron got Luke out from under the beams. He was unconscious, and bleeding from his head. Aaron looked him over quickly. It seemed to be his only injury, so he grabbed the man by his ankles and pulled him as far away from the burning wreckage as possible. When he stopped to assess his situation, he noticed that they were the only ones left in this part of the yard.

“Luke. Hey, wake up. Please,” Aaron begged, as he shook the man, but there was no response. Luke was a large man, too much weight for Aaron to pick up and carry him. And he couldn’t just drag him on his back. He shouldn’t have moved him at all, for fear of making his injuries worse, but he had no choice. An idea came to Aaron, and he left Luke for a few minutes. Back by the smithy, he remembered seeing some sheets of corrugated metal. Aaron went there now, and grabbed some rope that was laying on Earl’s workbench. The fire hadn’t reached the shop yet, thank goodness, but walkers were closing in on the area. The file cabinet caught his attention, and he remembered Earl telling him about his metal hand. Aaron threw open a drawer and found it. He took it, along with the metal sheet and the rope, and headed back to help Luke.

Aaron threaded the rope through a couple holes on the short end of the metal, tied a knot, and laid the makeshift litter next to Luke. The man was still out cold. He rolled Luke onto the metal sheet, draped the rope over his head so that it lay crossed over his shoulder and chest. By the time he got all of that done, he looked around the yard, and found it full of walkers. They were too close to his position. He wouldn’t have time to drag Luke away, so he dropped the rope and took his sword out of its sheath. He stabbed them with his sword and punched them with his mace hand until there was a lull in the advancing walkers. Aaron rushed back to Luke, picked up the rope and trudged ahead as fast as he could go while pulling a man on a metal litter. Along the way, Aaron knocked over barrels and tables, anything that might slow the walkers down. After struggling through the obstacle course of debris along the side yard and to the back, he saw where his people made a hole in the wall, and hurried through. The horde arrived not long after he passed through, and though a few made it out, most got bottlenecked because of the small size of the exit. It was enough to give Aaron the time he needed to get him and Luke safely away.

They needed to get to the rendezvous point. Gracie would be there with the other children. Hopefully, Daryl would be there too. They had lost track of each other during the fighting, and Aaron was worried about him. He hoped that Alex was there also. Luke needed a doctor as soon as possible. He still hadn’t regained consciousness, and that was another worry on Aaron’s mind. Travel was slow, and Aaron was wearing down quickly. With no food or water, his body was tiring easily, but he had to trudge forward no matter what.

He came upon a rickety, hole-filled shed, and considered stopping for a moment, just so he could rest a few minutes, but Aaron talked himself out of it. There wasn’t any time to spare, especially not knowing how badly injured Luke was. Aaron was the only one who could get him help. Instead of stopping, Aaron slowed down, taking advantage of the cover the shed gave him. He had seen some walkers a while back, and as he made his way through the forest, he was afraid they would see him and follow. The shed blocked the view of anything tracking him, at least from one direction.

Aaron stopped and wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked down at Luke again, but there was no change. Then, he started walking again, head down, concentrating on moving forward and getting to the safehouse. Ahead was more forest, the trees less dense than the area he had just come from. Movement caused Aaron’s attention to snap forward, and there in front of him was none other than Negan. He was wearing his leather jacket, and he had a new barbed wire bat in his hand, but he was wearing a skin mask. So, it was true. Negan was a Whisperer.

There was nothing that could compare to the hatred and wrath that flooded every part of Aaron’s being. Seeing this man before him, dressed like one of the skin freaks, sent Aaron to a new level of anger. It was because of Negan that the roads were blocked, cutting Hilltop off from aide. It was because of Negan that they couldn’t get the children out in time. It was because of Negan that Hilltop burned, leaving survivors with nowhere to go, everyone scattered or missing, Daryl among them.

“Aaron,” Negan said with surprise, as though he’d just run into a buddy he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“You,” Aaron seethed through clenched teeth. He dropped the rope, took out his sword and slowly started advancing toward Negan.

Negan put his hands in the air, but stood his ground. “Hey, what are you doing, man. Hold on. Just one second.” He tried to keep the distance between them by backing away with every step forward that Aaron took. “Wait, Wait,” Negan said, but Aaron kept advancing. “Hold on damnit!” Negan yelled. “Don’t go doing something stupid.”

“The only stupid thing would be to not kill you,” said Aaron with agitation.

Negan stopped backing away and stood his ground. “Now look,” he said.

“Shut up,” Aaron growled low and dangerous.

“I can explain,” Negan tried again.

“I said shut up,” Aaron said a little louder. He was losing his self-discipline.

“Aaron, please. I am not–" Negan begged.

“Enough of your bullshit!” Aaron shouted. He had reached his boiling point, and brought his sword up into position to strike. He still wore his mace hand, and intended to use it if Negan got into range. Aaron was so focused on Negan that he hadn’t noticed the three walkers coming up behind him. Negan didn’t seem to notice either. Aaron watched in horror, anticipating the attack, but they ignored the man and continued to advance on Aaron and Luke. At the same time, Aaron heard growling coming from behind. Quickly, he glanced over his shoulder and saw another walker approaching. He looked down at Luke, and back to the advancing walkers. Once again, he set his glare on Negan. He was right there, and Aaron wanted nothing more than to kill him. He knew he could. He was deadlier than Negan was at the moment. He could kill the man and put him out of his and everyone else’s misery. The world would be a better place without this piece of shit. For one second, Aaron thought to abandon everything and go after Negan. His hate drove him to think this way. Then, his conscience cried out to him, to not leave Luke to die when Aaron was his only protection. He came out of his hazy tunnel vision, and took the walkers into account once more. They were closer now, and the one behind him was looking at Luke as his next meal.

Four walkers in close range against one man was a lot. Having to protect an unconscious man made it even more challenging. Aaron looked to Negan to see what he would do. Immune to the walkers as he was, he could have helped Aaron save Luke and himself. To his horror, he watched Negan back away, leaving Aaron to his own devices. There was no limit to the amount of hatred Aaron had for Negan in that moment. This man was a fucking waste of a human life. So many dead people who Aaron knew and loved deserved the chance to live, but the one man whose life wasn’t worth the shit on the bottom his shoe still existed. It just wasn’t fair.

Aaron took that hatred and seething, and transferred it to the walkers coming at him from all sides. He judged their distance, and took out the one approaching from the front first, using his mace. Then he looked back again, and figured he still had time before it was in close range. Aaron struck out the second walker by taking its head off with his sword. Next, he spun and leapt backwards just in time to punch the single walker moving in from behind. It fell to the ground next to Luke. Aaron watched it for a moment to make sure it was really dead before turning back to the final walker. This one tripped over the first two and fell onto Aaron. He hit the ground and landed on Luke’s legs. The walker on top of him snapped its jaws and pushed closer to his face. Aaron dodged its yellowed teeth just in time, but now it tried to take a bite out of Luke’s left leg. There was no more room for error, and not much room to move, as he was trapped by the attacking walker. Aaron’s sword was no use to him in these close quarters, and he couldn’t get up enough momentum to hit it with his mace. Instead, he held it off with his metal arm, and reached down to his side for his hunting knife. His fingers fumbled with the strap that held the knife in its sheath. Finally getting it loose, He wrapped his hand firmly around the handle, pulled it up from his side and stuck the blade through the walker’s head. The dead walker collapsed on top of him, as he laid on top of Luke. If the man woke up right then, he’d be confused by the scene, but Luke never moved a muscle.

Aaron laid there a few moments. He had used up all his energy in the fight, and hadn’t even the strength to push the walker from his body. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his rapid breathing until it became more even. He knew he couldn’t stay there long, afraid more walkers would come, drawn to his location by the sound of the struggle. He was also afraid that Whisperers might find him, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to protect himself or Luke from a fight with a living person. And so, he gathered himself and rolled the walker from his body, got up, dusted himself off, and picked up the rope. He lowered it across his shoulder and chest and started pulling Luke again. Aaron was still angry, and if he saw Negan again, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. He got his bearings straight and once more started moving in the direction of the safehouse. He had to get there as soon as possible. Gracie would be waiting for him.

He hated that he had to leave her so often to tackle such dangerous missions. Every time Aaron left Gracie, he wondered if he would return, especially now. Times had never been so treacherous. He always told her he would see her soon, and every time, he felt the guilt for not being able to actually mean it. He was a father, and the only parent of a young child, and by the old standards, he should have been exempt from putting his life in danger. Aaron knew he was an important part to the survival of the communities. He was a soldier, a strong fighter and a smart thinker. It was his duty to come to the call and rise to the occasion, even if it meant leaving Gracie without a parent. Of course, Daryl would take her if Aaron didn’t survive. And if something happened to Daryl, there were other people in the community that would raise Gracie, and see that she remained safe. But Aaron had unselfishly taken that role when he first took the infant home after finding her abandoned at the Savior’s outpost years ago. Ultimately, he was responsible for her, but coming out here and risking his life felt like a very irresponsible thing to do. He hated it most of all, and hoped the day would come when he could stay home and raise her as a normal father, with Daryl by his side.

Ah, Daryl, his soon to be husband. Just the memory of Daryl’s proposal calmed his frazzled nerves. He had to smile to himself as he remembered. Of course, he would pop the question during a war. Aaron couldn’t imagine Daryl doing it any other way. He tried to imagine Daryl dressed up in a suit, a romantic dinner for two, the soft lullaby of a song playing in the background. Daryl getting down on one knee, taking Aaron’s hand and asking the same question, marry me. The thought was ridiculous, and Aaron almost laughed out loud. But, standing side by side, dressed in armor, weapons at the ready, and the enemy marching on the horizon. That was exactly how Aaron could imagine it, and that’s exactly how it happened. Aaron hadn’t hesitated to say yes. Even though it was something he hadn’t given much thought to, he knew that if Daryl ever asked him, he would say yes. There was no reason not to. He would have said yes even if it had been the first time they had met years ago. Aaron always knew he loved Daryl, through the good times and the bad. Even when they split apart, and Aaron found comfort with Paul, Daryl was still the love of his life. They had been through everything that a couple could face, and they still managed to find their way back to each other. This time is was forever without a doubt. Now they would face the future as a married couple, and not until death would they be separated again. Hopefully, after they both faced the pearly gates, or whatever awaited them on the other side, they would find each other once more. But that day would have to wait. Daryl and Aaron weren’t ready to leave just yet. At least, that’s what he told himself. Anything could happen, but he would pray it wouldn’t, and not for many long years from now.

>>------->

It felt like he walked forever by the time he saw the safehouse in the distance. Aaron picked up speed and hurried the rest of the way. When he got there, he threw open the door and expected to see everyone there. What he found was a scattering of people. It took a second to realize they were the parents of the children, and Rosita, who was laying on the couch nursing her side. She had a huge bruise, and maybe some cracked ribs by the looks of it.

Aaron’s eyes quickly scanned the house, noticing the somber faces of those that were there. “Where are they? Where are the kids?” he asked with fearful inquiry.

Jerry’s wife, Nabila, went to him and put a soothing hand on his shoulder. “They aren’t here.”

“What?” Aaron said loudly in a panicked voice.

“Daryl and Jerry went to look for them,” Rosita notified him from the couch.

“Then I have to go too.” Aaron started for the door, but he turned back when he remembered Luke. “Is Alex here?”

Nabila shook her head again. “No one’s seen him or anyone else. I think they’re all scattered around out there somewhere.”

“Luke needs help.” Aaron rushed to the door and went outside.

Nabila and Dianne went with him, and together, they got Luke inside. They took him to a bedroom and laid him on a bed. Nabila had very little medical experience, only enough to take care of her children. She looked over the bump on Luke’s head. “How’d this happen?”

“Falling debris back at Hilltop. I pulled him out before he got burned. He’s been out ever since then,” Aaron informed.

“Probably a concussion,” Dianne mentioned.

“That’s what I thought too,” said Aaron. “Look, I have to go find–"

“Daryl said you should stay here if you came back. He said there’s too many of our people out there, lost for the moment, and he doesn’t want you to be one of them. Everyone that makes it here is advised to sit tight until we can all regroup and figure out our next move,” Nabila told him.

Aaron wanted nothing more than to leave. It took everything he had not to go. “It’s my daughter out there. She’s probably scared.”

“It’s all our children out there, but Ezekiel won’t let anything happen to them. We have to trust in that truth,” said one of the other fathers from the doorway.

Dianne moved to Aaron’s side. “And I could use your help keeping watch until they get back,” she added.

“How long have they been gone?” Aaron asked.

“A couple hours maybe? Long enough that we expect them back any second,” said Nabila, though she had a worried look on her face.

That’s when Luke started to come around. He moaned and tried to sit up, but Nabila rushed to him, and kept him from moving too much. Luke grabbed his head and felt the bump from his accident. “What the hell happened? Where am I?”

“You’re at the safehouse,” Nabila told him. “Aaron brought you. He said you got hit in the head back at Hilltop.”

Dianne stood on the opposite side of the bed. “You need to stay there and take it easy. You probably have a concussion, and we don’t know where Alex is at the moment.”

Aaron went to Luke next. “You’ll be okay, buddy,” he said. “Just lay there and hang tight while we wait for the others to show.”

“They’re not here?” Luke asked with concern.

“Everyone got separated trying to get out of Hilltop, but they know where to meet.” Aaron didn’t mention the missing children, or Luke’s missing friends, Yumiko and Kelly. Aaron moved away from the bedroom, and started pacing the living room. Dianne followed him. “I can’t just sit here,” he told her.

“I know, but–" Dianne was interrupted by a birdcall from outside.

Aaron recognized it right away. “Daryl,” he whispered, and he rushed out of the house. Nabila and the other parents followed, and they saw a wonderful sight.

Jerry, Daryl, and Ezekiel walked to the house with all of the children. The kids rushed to their parents, some crying, still looking scared. Judith and R.J. were among them, and they stayed close to Daryl. Gracie was with him too, but when she saw Aaron, she ran as fast as she could. Aaron dropped to his knees and he wrapped her with his arm. She buried her face in his shoulder.

“Daddy, where were you? I was so scared something happened to you,” she cried.

“I’m here now, honey. I’m here,” he comforted her.

Daryl approached them, and Gracie released her father. Aaron stood and hugged Daryl. “God, I was so worried about you.”

“I don’t know what happened,” Daryl told him. “I was helping everyone out, and when I turned, you weren’t there.”

“I stopped for Luke. He got injured. A beam fell on him and knocked him out. He just woke up, but he needs a doctor,” said Aaron. “What happened? Why didn’t Ezekiel bring the children here?”

“He was leading them out when he noticed Judith was missing. Earl came by, and Ezekiel asked him to get the children somewhere safe. Then, Ezekiel got trapped under some debris. Earl found Judith and took the children to a different place. He kept them safe, but … he got bit.”

“Oh shit,” said Aaron.

Daryl looked back to see where Judith was. She had gone into the house, and Nabila was checking her over. Daryl continued with his account of things. “Earl tried to off himself in a permanent way. He died, but he didn’t complete the job and … he came back. Judith had to take him down. She’s kind of disturbed. She’s never taken out someone she knows.”

“Poor kid.” Aaron shook his head. “I hate to hear about Earl. He was a good man. And poor Adam.”

“Earl and Alden made a pact before all this went down. Alden will take him now.”

“That’s good,” said Aaron. “And what about you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just need to figure out what we do from here. We can’t stay.”

“We need to get everyone to Alexandria,” said Aaron.

“Yeah, but what about the others that are still out there? Lydia is out there too.”

“Maybe we leave a message in the safehouse,” Aaron suggested.

“Yeah, maybe.” Daryl got a concerned look on his face, one that Aaron recognized all too well.

“What are you planning?” Aaron asked in an accusatory way.

“I gotta find Lydia. She’s not safe out there. Her mother will be looking for her.”

“Shit,” Aaron whispered, stepping away from Daryl.

“What is it?” Daryl questioned.

“I came across Negan,” Aaron admitted.

“Negan? Where?” Daryl seethed. “I’ll kill that son of a bitch.”

“I wanted to, and I would have, but walkers came along. Luke was unconscious and . . .” Aaron let his words trail off.

“What else?” Daryl asked, seeing something disturbing in Aaron’s eyes.

“He was wearing a mask. You were right about him being one of them. And he has a new bat.”

“That mother fu–" Daryl stopped himself when he saw some of the children come out of the house. “He’ll be looking for Lydia.” Daryl’s eyes latched onto Aaron’s. “She doesn’t know he’s on their side now.” Daryl remembered the connection Lydia and Negan were forming. It would be easy for him to snatch her up and take her to Alpha. “I need to find her before he does.”

“Want me to go with you?” Aaron offered.

“No, stay here with the others. Work on a plan for getting everyone to Alexandria. I’ll meet you there,” said Daryl to a worried Aaron. Daryl looked away to clear his current thoughts so he could be in the moment with Aaron. When they connected again, Daryl’s face had softened. “I know things have been crazy, and we’ve barely had time for each other, but I promise that soon, you and I will get to sit down in the same room, and do nothing … together.”

“I guess I don’t have to tell you to be careful again,” Aaron said to him while tucking a lock of long hair behind Daryl’s ear. “I’ll be waiting with a cold beer.” Aaron smiled and inched his finger. Daryl moved closer, and Aaron kissed him. He released him and whispered in his ear. “Thanks for watching over Gracie. I hate that I can’t always be there for her.”

“Once this is over with, we’ll all be together again in our big house with Gracie and Lydia. And until Michonne comes back, we’ll have Judith and R.J. too,” said Daryl to make him aware of the changes happening.

“Don’t forget Dog,” Aaron reminded him.

Daryl smiled. “Yes. Dog too, although, he’s really taken a liking to Lydia. I think he belongs to her now.” That made Aaron chuckle, and Daryl’s demeanor turned more serious. “And when we’re all together again … then … I’m going to marry you.”

“Marriage,” Aaron sighed. “I remember when you couldn’t say ‘I love you’.”

“Yeah, well, I was stupid back then. Whatever happened to that guy anyways?” Daryl jested.

“He’s still the same man I fell in love with,” Aaron took Daryl’s hand in his, and kissed him again, quickly. He knew Daryl wanted to get on his way. “Alright, go. Bring Lydia home. I’ll be waiting.”

Daryl backed away, but their hands remained connected, slipping away until only their fingertips touched. Finally, they broke apart, and Daryl took off, dashing into the woods. Aaron watched until he couldn’t see him anymore, and then he went back inside to start forming a plan.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos