𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Daryl Dixon

54 | TO THE SURVIVORS

"Right here," Daryl said, pointing to a tree that was random to Tori, but clearly meant something to Rick.

Upon reuniting with the group just outside the yards of Terminus, there were a lot of surprised faces when they saw Tori, expressions only growing more confused when they saw the baby in her arms. The reunions had to be quick, but there were a few side hugs from Maggie, Michonne, and Sasha. And huge hug from Carl that almost knocked Tori over, but she returned the embrace just as tightly, tears in her eyes and Carl's.

There was so much to talk about, so many questions from everyone about what they'd been through, how they got by after the prison battle. There would be time for proper hellos once they were far from the danger, which right now, they were not.

Rick crouched by the tree Daryl had pointed to and started digging in the dirt with a small shovel he'd uncovered from a pile of brown leaves. The bag of guns he'd buried before sneaking into Terminus – this is where it was.

"The hell we still around here for?" the man named Abraham asked loudly. He along with his people, Rosita and Eugene, had caused Tori to step back when she and Daryl first caught up to the group. But a small assuring nod from him told her that the trio, and another girl, Tara, were all okay with him. So, they were okay with Tori too.

"Guns. Some supplies," Rick replied as he dug. "Go along the fences, use the rifles, take out the rest of 'em."

"What?" Glenn asked with a look of worry, his short hair curly and damp with sweat from all the running.

Rick turned to him, looking up as he stayed crouched, "They don't get to live."

Tori was holding Halley close to her chest just to keep herself focussed and in the moment. But her mind was still replaying the sound of Mary's screams. As Tori and Daryl ran out of the candle hall, they left the door wide open. The older woman yelling and cursing Tori's name as the walkers were drawn in, and the angry yells soon became agonising cries of pain.

She could feel it creeping up her spine, that shiver of regret, or fear. The realisation that whilst she hadn't fired the killer shot, she had killed a person. Two people, if she was counting Dean. Two people who had wronged her, who had tried to take something from her. Dead, because of her.

Glenn sighed, "Rick, we got out. It's over."

"It's not over, until they're all dead," the cop mumbled, pulling the duffel bag from the ground.

"The hell it isn't," Rosita frowned, looking at Rick like he was insane. "That place is on fire. Full of walkers."

"I'm not dickin' around with this crap," Abraham commented bluntly. "We just made it out."

Maggie seemed to agree, catching her breath as she told Rick, "The fences are down. They'll run or die."

Just as Rick was looking around at the group, as if deciding whether or not they were going to go through with his plan, a shadow appeared on the ground far behind him, footsteps crunching the leaves.

Daryl was the first to look around, and his face went from stern to shocked. He was running before anyone else had moved, sprinting toward Carol Peletier, and wrapping his arms around her, lifting her off the ground.

He didn't care about the crossbow she'd managed to find, he didn't; he didn't care about the duffel bag that fell off her shoulder when she hugged him back. The duffel bag Tori recognised as hers, hoping it still contained her supplies and weapons. All Daryl cared about in that very seconds, was that his best friend was back in his life after she was gone without a goodbye weeks ago.

Tori's lips curled into a smile, shocked and happy to see one of her closest friends again. She took a few steps forwards, Rick walking ahead of her with his eyes wide, glossy with unshed tears.