Beauty and Her Beast (Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

78

We stood in Gregory's office, watching the man pace behind the desk. "No! No way in hell. That was not the deal. You people swore you could take the Saviors out, and you failed." I rolled my eyes, tucking myself under Daryl's arm. "So any arrangement we had is now done-null and void. We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met. Hmm? We don't know each other." He sat in his chair. "I owe you nothing. In fact, you owe me for taking in the refugees, at great personal risk."

"Oh, you were very brave staying in here while Maggie and Sasha saved this place. Your courage was inspiring." Jesus shook his head.

"Hey, don't you work for me? Aren't we friends?"

"Gregory, we already started this." Rick walked up to the desk.

"You started it."

"We did. And we're gonna win."

"These are killers."

"Is this how you wanna live? Under their thumb, killing your people?" I was shocked that a man could be such a coward.

"Sometimes we don't get to choose what our life looks like. Sometimes, Ricky, you have to count the blessings you have."

"How many people can we spare?" Maggie asked. "How many people here can fight?"

"We?" Gregory scoffed. "I don't even know how many people we have, Margaret. And does it even matter? I mean...w-w-what are you gonna do? Start a platoon of sorghum farmers? 'Cause that's what we got. They grow things. They're not gonna want to fight."

"You're wrong." Tara spoke. "When people have the chance to do the right thing, they usually step up. I mean people just-"

"Let me stop you before you break into song, okay?" Gregory cut her off. "And, by the way, who would train all this cannon fodder?"

"I will."

"Give me a week."

"Rhetorical, okay?" He said in a singsong voice. "I don't want to know. I never want to hear another word about any of it, ever."

"Would we be better off without the Saviors, yes or no?" Rick was getting agitated.

"Yeah, sure, okay."

Michonne stepped in front of Rick, making him cool down. "So what will you do to fix the problem?"

"I didn't say we had a problem. You did. And what happens outside my purview is outside my purview."

I sighed and Daryl stood, stepping forward. "What the hell, man? You're either with us or you ain't. You're sitting over there talking out of both sides of your mouth."

Gregory stood. "I-I think I've made my position very clear, and I want to thank all of you for not being here today and not having this meeting with me or-or being seen on your way out. In other words, go out the back."

When everyone left, I walked up to his desk, resting my hands on his desk. "Can I help you, Charlie?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "First of all, you do not call me that. My name is Charlotte. You will address me as such. Second of all, no, you can't help me, or any of us, for that matter. You are a bigger coward than my teenage son. Who, by the way, is missing a leg, and even he wants to fight Negan." I forced a smile. "Just so you know how much of a disappointment you are."

"Come outside." I heard Enid as I left the office.

We followed her out the front door. A group of people had gathered outside. "What's going on?" Maggie asked.

A woman stepped forward. "So, if you don't remember, I'm Bertie. And I owe my life to you all, twice over."

"A bunch of us do."

"Enid said that you want Gregory to get us to fight the Saviors with you. Is that true?"

"Yes." Maggie nodded.

"Do you think we can win, that we really could beat them? Us?"

"I do."

The woman took a breath. "Enid said you could show us the way. I'm ready." Everyone else voiced their agreement.

Once the group left, we started towards the gates. "It's a start."

"We'll get more. It still won't be enough."

"No, it won't."

"Well, we find the right stuff, then maybe we don't need the numbers. Blow 'em up, burn 'em to the ground."

"You said there weren't just soldiers with the Saviors, that there were workers there. People that didn't have a choice."

"We gotta win."

"We need more hands, another group. Negan has outposts. The geography, the distance works against us. We gotta get back. If they come looking for Daryl, we need to be there."

"You don't have to get back." Jesus said, all of us turning around as we reached the gates. "Not yet." He pulled a walkie out of his pocket. "It's one of theirs, long range. We can listen in, keep track of them."

"So, if we're not going back, what are we doing, then?" Michonne asked.

Jesus smiled. "I think it's time I introduce you to Ezekiel. King Ezekiel."

"King?"

~*~

"Hey, uh, Jesus?" I leaned against the car they were loading.

He looked at me. "What is it?"

"How long until we're ready to go?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, ten minutes. Why?"

I sighed. "I need to talk to Daryl. Alone. He's acting like he's okay, but he's not."

Jesus nodded. "Take your time. I'll stall."

I thanked him and walked to Daryl. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"

He looked confused, but agreed, following me behind Barrington House. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He scoffed. "Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

I put a hand on his arm. "D...come on. I know you. You're not okay."

"Charlie, I'm not doing this right now. We need to go."

He turned to leave and I grabbed his arm. "Jesus said he'd stall. We have time."

Daryl sighed, leaning against the wall. "They put...they put a picture on the wall in the room I was held in. It was a picture of Glenn after...what he did."

"Daryl...that wasn't your fault. Negan had that bat in his hands. Not you. You were angry, understandably so." I set a hand on his arm.

He sighed, grabbing my waist and pulling me to him. "Don't go back to Alexandria. Stay here."

I smiled sadly at him. "If the Saviors come and I'm not there, they'll know we know you escaped. That we know where you are."

"Not if Faith is still there. Rick can tell them you went on a run, searching for stuff for them. That you'll be gone a few days."

I rest my hands on his cheeks, brushing his hair out of his face to look at his still bruised eyes. He looked so tired... "I'll ask Rick. We'll see."

He picked me up suddenly and kissed me, turning around to press me against the brick wall. It turned into an intense make-out session quickly. As Daryl's hands slid under my shirt, someone cleared their throat. Daryl dropped me quickly, walking briskly past Jesus.

He smirked at me as we walked back around the house. "Just a talk, huh?"

I blushed furiously, wiping the corners of my mouth. "He missed me."