Trust Me | Daryl Dixon

Part 67

I stepped out of the shower, drying myself off before throwing back on my clothes and heading to the stairs that lead to the main room of the large building, before my nosiness got the best of me, stopping as I heard a conversation going on from below.

"I don't know." Daryl mumbled.

"You ever think about it?" Abraham asked, "Settling down?"

"Ya think shits settled?" Daryl scoffed.

"Well, I mean, you and Liz get along real fine," Abraham shrugged, "You've got to be thinking about making that shit official."

"World ain't meant for that, ya here one day and gone the other." Daryl said lowly, shaking his head, "I can't do that to her."

"Shoot," Abraham sighed, "You're a stronger man than I've ever been."

I let out a shaky breath as the room below me went silent, only foot steps being heard before I noticed the tears on my skin; realizing now that they had escaped.
I was so in love with Daryl and even though I knew he cared about me, it still hurt being reminded that no matter what we felt for each other, in a world like this, it would never last-- we would never last. As time went on and my heart grew more and more attached to him, it just felt like we were waiting for the day to have everything we built be torn down right in front of us.
Daryl made me feel so safe and that's what I craved even before the dead started walking, but I know that if I ever had to be without him again, I'd revert back to my old ways-- to who I was before I knew what real love felt like.. if I'd even make it that long without him by my side.

***

"We want to generate trade-- Gregory does," Jesus began to explain as we all congregated together after Maggie's failed attempt as constructing a deal with Gregory, "But ammo isn't something we urgently need."

"Well, how's that?" Rick asked.

"The walls hold-- we just brought in more medicine." Jesus continued, "Gregory wants the best deal possible-"

"Yeah, well, we want things too." Daryl cut him off.

"We need food," Rick shrugged, "We came all this way, we're gonna get it."

"I will talk to him and we will work this out." Jesus said lowly, "Circumstances change; we're doing well now and you will next-- I will make him understand that. Can you give me a few days?"

The room went quiet before Michonne nodded, speaking up, "We can."

Rick let out a breath before agreeing, "Yeah."

Suddenly, the front door was opened as a new face appeared, Gregory emerging from his office as well.

"What's wrong?" Gregory asked the exhausted man who stood in front of us.

"They're back." He said breathlessly, causing Gregory to slightly nod, following behind him as the rest of us curiously did the same.

***

"Nathan, what happened to everybody else?" Gregory asked as we all stood outside, three more new faces coming our way, "Where's Tim and Marsha?"

"They're dead." The man, now known as Nathan, said bluntly.

Gregory furrowed his eyebrows, "Negan?" He asked, the name causing me to feel uneasy as it brought back unwanted memories.

"Yeah."

"We had a deal-" Gregory began before getting cut off by another man.

"He said it wasn't enough-- was the drop light?" He asked, his tone threatening.

"No." Gregory shook his head.

"They still have Craig." A woman said.

"They said they'd keep him alive-- return him to us, if I deliver a message to you." Nathan explained, coming closer to where Gregory stood.

"Okay," Gregory shrugged, "So, tell me."

The man nodded, placing a hand on Gregory's shoulder, "I'm sorry." He whispered before swiftly pulling a knife from his belt and jabbing it into Gregory's stomach.

"Shit.." I breathed before we all rushed to the scene; Rick and Michonne containing Nathan as the rest of us broke off.

"Get off of me!" Nathan yelled, "I had to!"

My eyes scanned the chaos before I saw one of the unfamiliar men on top of Abraham; their hands firmly around his throats and not showing any signs of letting up.
I quickly rushed over to them, grabbing the man's shoulder and pulling back, desperate to keep the violence to a minimum, but my small frame was no match for him. His arm forcefully swung in my direction, causing me to stumble, landing on my back.

As I glanced up, my vision blurry, I saw Daryl rush over, yanking the man up and snapping his wrist; his agonizing shrieks causing me to wince.

I focused my attention again on the men in front of me as I heard a hammer click amongst all the chaos.

"Daryl.." I breathed as I saw his dark stare lock heavily on the man who laid aching beneath him, "Please don't."

"Hey!" Glenn yelled as Nathan flipped on top of Rick, catching all of our attention.

"Stay back!" Nathan yelled, knife held flush to Rick's throat, "Anybody who tries to stop me is killing my brother!"

"Drop it." Michonne warned, her voice breaking the tense silence.

Just then, Nathan looked up, his mind unfocused enough for Rick to swiftly end it all as he slid his knife straight into the jugular of the man who kneeled above him; the blood quickly draining onto Rick.

The air went silent again before Rick stood up, looking around at the shocked faces of the Hilltop, "What?"

"Nathan!" The man who attacked Abraham yelled, Daryl's gun still pointed at him, "You killed him!"

"He tried to kill Gregory, then me." Rick explained, just before a woman came barreling towards him, her fist colliding with the side of Rick's jaw.

Instantly Michonne's hand met with the woman's chest, throwing her to the ground; the thud radiating off the earth.
"Don't." Michonne threatened bluntly.

"Drop it now!" One of the guards yelled as he inched towards our group, spear in hand.

"I don't think I will." Rick provoked, his gun pointed at the man causing Jesus to spring up, getting between the two of them.

"Everyone, this is over!" He yelled, "It's over." He continued breathlessly, "Ethan was our friend, but let's not pretend he was anything more than a coward who attacked us-- he did this, and these people stopped him."

Rick nodded slightly, glancing around at the people scattered around the town, "What can I do?"

"Put the gun away." Jesus said lowly, "You've done enough."

_____
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Not too much happened that we didn't see in the show, but I really like slowly delving into Liz's past, which I'm sure will be completely at some point, probably in the sequel to For The Ones I Love tbh.

Do you guys have any idea as to what may have gone on/happened in Liz's past? I'd love to hear how some of you are interpreting what you read.