Her light, his fire

18

Suggested Music:
(Live Like Legends - Ruelle)
"Faith falls hard on your shoulders"

NOW-
It had been about a week later since I had returned, That morning I woke up to an empty bed, I had forgot how it felt when he did that every morning, it left a empty feeling in my chest when my fingers searched for any slight touch of his skin. I lifted my body and ran a hand through my short blonde hair, I could hear the door creek as Daryl came holding a tray of food, breakfast to be specific. My eyes filled with joy as the food looked amazing, my mouth could already taste it. "Thank you!" I said smiling up at the man who laid the tray on the edge of my bed. "They just sent two of hilltops, to send ah 'message to Maggie, she should be here in the next couple days." He mumbled as he sat on the edge of the bed watching me eat the food he had brought me. "Beth.." He said grabbing my attention. "Yes?" I said mouth full of food. "Hilltop is askin' to elect a new leader." He started. "Alright.. Aaron would make a good one, or maybe Tara." I splat out as I continued to stuff my face. "Nah.. they are askin' for you." He said watching my face waiting for my reaction, I stopped stuffing my face and looked up at him chewing on the last pieces in my mouth. "Me? Why?" I asked. Daryl shrugged "The ones that remember yah' believe it's only right, tis' place was once Maggie's, it should be yours." Daryl was so serious, he agreed with what the hilltop was sayin'.. they wanted the next Greene to take over, and that was me. I shook my head. "I've been gone for awhile, Aaron deserves it." I said wiping my mouth with the napkin on the tray. "Aaron agreed with em', and with Maggie returnin' soon, she'll agree too." I looked at him again, hilltop wanted me to lead them.. after six years. I couldn't take that responsibility, not after everything they have been through, everything I've been through. "Just think 'bout it.. yah' hear me?" Daryl said. I nodded my head and continued to finish my plate, once I was down I wiped my face again and watched Daryl pick up the tray. "We will be discussin' a few things today, you should join us." He said to me before parting the room. I let out a sigh.. I had just returned and already everything was being thrown my way.. I couldn't complain. I couldn't. I was home, I was back with people I knew, family.. or what used to be a family. Now everyone seemed distant and tense towards each other.. ever since Rick.. they hadn't informed me of everything, just parts.. but I already knew.. I knew something happened long before they told me. I slowly slid off the bed putting on my pants and jacket I heard a knock on the door. "Come in." I mumbled. Sedic came in holding a first aid kit "Heard you were up, ready to get wrapped?" He politely asked. I nodded my head as I sat in the chair in the corner of my room by the window, Sedic propped my foot up in his leg as he began wrapping my foot. "Heard a couple rumors running around that hilltop has selected their new leader." Sedic said as he glanced up at me a couple times while working. I stared out the window watching the people work, and talk, and some children play. "Beth." He said. "Hm?" I mumbled looking down at him. "Are you ready for that?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders "I should be asking you that." I said. He let out a sigh and looked down at my foot "I think you'd as ready as you could ever be, I know you've just got back, but the people trust you, they know you." He said. "They knew me." I corrected him, they knew me, they don't know me. Honestly no one did anymore, not the people, not Maggie, not Michonne, and not Daryl. I wasn't the same girl from six years ago, I was out there on my own for so long.. it changed me. More then anything else has ever changed me. "Whatever you decide Beth, it'll be a good decision for you." He reassured. Once he was finished wrapping my foot he helped my slide on my boots, I stretched out my leg as much as I could as I stood up and walked back and forth. "All good, thank you." I said to him. He nodded his head, packed up all his stuff, and headed out the room. I glanced out the window again, I took a deep breath and allowed myself to relax before heading out the room and down that hall. I went into the office, Aaron, Michonne, Tara, Rosita, Eugene, Sedic, Daryl and the woman Magna and her girlfriend. The all looked at me when I walked into the room, Aaron scoffed over allowing me space to sit on the desk, I walked over and leaned against it as Michonne cleared her throat. "Thank you for coming." She started off. "As we all know.. we have one of theirs, we've tried questioning her as best as we could, but she's a child. No older then sixteen, her people will be coming after her. We need to be ready." Michonne said. "We need our communities to come together." Aaron said. "Alexandria will help as much as we can." Michonne said. "We need to send word to The Kingdom." Daryl mumbled. "What about hilltop?" Michonne looked up at me, as if I had the answer. "We elect a leader tonight.. our leader will decide what we do next." Aaron said looking over at me. I could feel everyone's eyes staring at me, my chest heavy, hands sweating. "Whatever is coming, we will defeat it, together." I said looking over their faces. The front door flew open as Enid rushed in. "Maggie, she's here." She said with a smile on my face, my heart completely stopped. I looked out the window to see two horses and a wagon riding in, I quickly headed out the door, down the stairs, if I could run I would but I knew I couldn't. Maggie dropped down as she put a hand over her mouth, her cried muffled as she opened up her arms wide to hug me. "Beth." She cried as she hugged me tightly. "Hi.." I whispered tears running down my face. She pulled back to look at my face "I couldn't believe it, when I got the message.. and here you are, god you are so beautiful little sister." She cried rubbing her thumb across my cheek. "Welcome home.." I whispered. Maggie shook her head "No, this is your home now. I heard about Jesus, You should take it Beth. You are capable of so many things, Hilltop needs you, Aaron by your side." She whispered, I stared into her big eyes. "Stay, Stay and lead them again." I whispered. "I can't Beth." She said as she let me go, she looked over the group of people who stood on the porch, i seen it again. The disconnection between them. Maggie gave a small smile at them. "I'll be staying a day or two, just until your ready." She said to me taking my hands into hers. "I wish you could meet him, he's gotten so big, so smart. I wanted to bring him but the road was too dangerous." I nodded my head agreeing with her choice, it was too dangerous to bring him back here, especially now. "I understand." I said to her. Aaron, Sedic and Daryl helped grab Maggie's stuff and carry it inside. I watched as people greeted her, telling her stories and complaining about a few things that has happened since she was gone. I looked over at Michonne who stayed a distance away from Maggie.

That night we had everyone gathered around the porch to elect the new leader of hilltop, Maggie sat beside me and Aaron as we listened to the people speak. "Maggie we have always respected you, we respected Jesus just as much and now he is gone because of those monsters out there. We need a leader who can save us all from what the hell ever is coming our way." A woman said. "Hilltop stands with Beth Greene!" A man said. "She's been gone too long!" Another man disagrees. "It should be Aaron." Another says. "We follow whoever Maggie chooses." A man says. Maggie stands up but before she can speak Aaron grabs her hand, he stands and takes center. "Hilltop will always have a place in my heart, you are my people, just as much as Alexandria is, and with my eyes being wide open, I know, that Beth Greene can build Hilltop even further then where we are now. She is well wounded, strong, independent, wise, and capable of so much. She came back to us after being stranded alone out in the world, she is the true definition of a fighter, of a survivor. With Beth Hilltop can withstand anything." Aaron flung his arm gesturing to me, all the people we silent, their eyes on me. I stood up and took center beside Aaron. "Together we will lead, I as her right hand man." Aaron said with a wide smile. "Hilltop stands with Beth!" Enid said in the crowd of people, the voices followed behind hers as they began to chant. "Hilltop stands with Beth." Daryl had his arms crossed as he stood in the middle of the crowd Michonne beside him, they looked up at me with warm eyes. I could see Rosita mouth 'I'm proud' as she clapped her hands. I turned my head and looked over at Maggie who was smiling back at me, I pinched my lips together giving her a slight smile.