Shambles- The Walking Dead [Alden x Maggie] [1/2]

29- Careful

Years passed and relationships watered. It had been years since they had any contact with Alexandria. They had cut themselves off and shut themselves in their walls. They knew something bad had happened, Aaron had told Jesus so on one of their meet-ups in the woods. They knew about the woman that had kidnapped almost all of Alexandria's children and the hell Michonne and Daryl had gone through to get them back. Jesus had said that they should feel lucky that they hadn't taken Gracie because Aaron would kill any and every person that even attempted to harm her. When it came to protecting his daughter he was more protective than he usually was.

Beside Aaron, who maybe came by once every two months, they only saw Carl. Much like Aaron he didn't agree with the fact that Alexandria had cut all forms of communication with the other communities in favor of them growing stronger. He knew it made them weaker, working together is what had made them stronger.

He came by to visit Enid at least once every month and no one ever pressed him or Enid with questions about Alexandria. They never pressed Aaron for any information either, it wouldn't be right to put him on the spot and have him turn on the people he lived with.

It was the middle of the afternoon and Alden was working by the forge like always. He'd grown used to the smoldering heat of the fire that made it difficult to breathe over the years. Beats of sweat lined his forehead and rolled down ever once in a while when he wasn't fast enough to wipe them away with his sleeve.

His life in the apocalypse was better than he'd ever expected his life to be in the first place. He was just some guy that used to have big dreams of going to college only to stick to a summer job in construction with a deadbeat father. He was one of many and nothing special.

He used to be one of those people that could be dead for weeks before anyone would notice he was dead, and he knew it. But here people needed him, counted on him. He wasn't just flailing around like a fish out of water because he was looking out for a kid when he barely understood how he was supposed to keep himself safe in this mad world. No, he was actually needed now.

He brought the hammer down on the spearhead he was working on. He was completely focussed on his work and didn't hear a thing of what was happening around him.

"Alden, school's out." Hershel spoke up. He stayed ten paces away from the forge. It was a rule set up for his safety around the fire.

Alden had never been able to get used to the idea of Hershel calling him dad. Glenn was, not him. It wouldn't be right to take that title from him. Everyone that had stories about Glenn had shared them with Hershel. That was the only way the boy could feel connected to his father. Despite not being the boy's father Alden was still the only fatherly figure the boy had ever known. And he would do anything to keep him safe.

"Hey, bud, did I forget the time again?" Alden asked as he took his heat resistant gloves off.

"Yeah." He pulled the vizor of his cap down a little.

"Sorry, kiddo." He stepped forward and tapped the visor of his cap. "How about we get you something to eat?"

As one of the younger children he only went to school in the morning. The end of his school day usually lined up perfectly with lunch time, which made it the perfect time for Alden and Maggie to take a little break too. Only now did he notice the sheathed knife Hershel clutched in his hand.

"Where'd you get that?" He asked as he nodded at it.

"Sasha gave it to me; said she found it on the run." He told him honestly. "Promised to teach me how to throw them."

She and Tara had gotten back form their latest supply run late last night, and like usual they'd brought some small gifts along for the Hilltop children. Tara had moved to Hilltop after a falling out with Michonne and she'd quickly become a part of the unofficial council that ran Hilltop along with Maggie. That council existed out of Jesus, Alden, Tara and Sasha. None of them had chosen to co-lead Hilltop, but people kept on coming to them with problems and over time they just accepted it. Just as everyone had accepted that Jesus would disappear sometimes.