ᗯᕼEᑎ TᕼE ᗪEᗩᗪ ᑕOᗰE ᗩᒪIᐯE [ ᴅᴀʀʏʟ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ]

- 13 -

Note: Most of this chapter is following the episode differently
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Time passed, and Maggie came out soon after being a badass who gets what she wants. The deal was on. Currently we were loading up half of HillTops supplies including food, medicine, and supplies per the deal Maggie struck with Gregory. I helped Daryl with loading the large majority of the stuff into the RV, and then we were back on our way to Alexandria.

It was a quiet ride back home, but the silence came in the form of comfort. Maggie and Glenn had received a picture of their baby from the ultrasound scan the received back at HillTop. They passed the image around around for everyone to look at bringing a smile to everyone's faces. Once Daryl handed it to me I grasped the image in my hand, running my thumb along the edge. I smiled as I looked at the small resemblance of a fetus in black and white. Daryl watched from beside me as I looked up and gave Glenn and Maggie a warm smile that carried the unspoken words of 'I'm happy for you'. They nodded in response as I returned the photo back to them.

.• *Time Skip* •.

Upon arriving back at Alexandria, we parked the RV up towards the houses to make the unloading and sorting process of our received goods easier. Sasha and other resident's were there to greet us. I had spotted Carol walking around as she handed out boxes of what seemed to be cookies on the way in. Rick announced that he wanted everyone to meet at the church tonight to discuss everything that happened today. As everyone arrived at the church and found a seat, Rick prepared himself to begin his speech.

"We can work with HillTop. Maggie hammered out a deal, we're getting food, butter, ham, fresh vegetables. . . but there not just giving it away" Rick spoke to everyone. He took a moment before continuing, "These saviors, they almost killed Sasha, Daryl, and Abraham on the road, now sooner or later they would have found us, just like those wolves did, like Jesus did" he said. I spaced out already having basic knowledge of the plan Rick was about to bring up to the people. I knew I would follow whatever plan Rick had in mind, it was the least I could do to contribute. After all, my fighting skills—although rusty—could be of relative use in our fight. As I sat in the back of the Church, I pulled my knees up and in towards my chest as I crossed my arms and lay them atop my knees. Resting my chin on top of my arms I started to tune back into Ricks speech.

". . we could loose, this is the only way we can be sure, as sure as we gonna get, that we win. And we have to win. . . we do this for the Hilltop, is how we keep this place, is how we feed this place" he paused, "We need to make this decision as a group, if anybody objects here's your chance to say your piece" Rick concluded as he looked around the room at everyone seated before him. The residents seated all looked around at each other. I avoided eye contact with people in the room until I caught a glance of Daryl turning around in his seat. Just then a male in one of the back rows stood up. He had a doubtful, worried tone in his voice as he spoke.

"You sure we can do it?" He asked. He took a moment to himself before he continued.

"We can beat them?" The male asked, looking directly at Rick who spoke slowly at first.

"What this group has done. . . what we've learned, what we've become, all of us—yes, I'm sure" Rick responded to the males doubts.

"Then all we have to do is just tell them that"

"They don't comprise"

"This isn't a compromise" the male quickly responded, "It's the choice you give them. It's a way out for them" he pleaded.

"We try and talk to the saviors, we give up our advantage, our safety—No we have to come for them before they come for us. . we can't leave them alive" Rick spoke. I was briefly aware that the two had known each other, however it seemed that the other male thought quite differently than Rick.

"Where there's life there's possibility"

"Of them hitting us?!"

"Ok we aren't trapped in this, none of you are trapped in this" the male said as he looked around at everyone.

"Morgan. . ." Rick said, "They always come back"

"Come back when there dead too" Morgan responded.

"And we'll stop them, we have before"

"I'm not talking about the walkers" Morgan said with a grim look as he faced Rick. Rick took Morgan's words into consideration as he consulted the people of Alexandria.

"Morgan wants to talk to them first, I think that would be a mistake but it's not up to me" Rick s started, "I'll talk to the people still at home, I'll discuss it with the people on guard now too, but who else wants to approach the Saviors, talk to them first?" He asked. While Rick waiting for any response, another male on the other side of the room stood up.

"What happened here, we won't let that happen again. . . I won't" the male said as he looked at Morgan to show he was serious. He then turned to Rick, and nodded before he returned to his seated position. Everyone was silent after his words.

"Looks like it's settled" Rick said, "we know exactly what this is, we don't shy from it, we live. . . we kill them all" he concluded. I observed that a few of the people in the room were visibly uncomfortable. Tara being one of them.

"We don't all have to kill. . but if people are gonna stay here. . ." he trailed off as he began to walk away "they do have to except it" and with that he walked out.

.• ______ •.

Later that night a small group of us gathered to discuss plans to infiltrate the Saviors hideout. That group consisted of Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, and the guy from HillTop who had a rough idea of the layout of the base. Originally I wasn't supposed to be apart of the meeting being a newer addition to the group, however, Daryl allowed me to tag along with him as they discussed everything. I hung back, hiding slightly behind Daryl's muscular build as I listened. From what it sounded like the guy had very little knowledge of the layout besides the location of food, and the direction in which they took their weapons.

"We don't know if they have an armory or where it even is" the male pointed out to Maggie and Glenn as they based their plan around locating the armory in order to take them out.

"Well we've got a lot of good guesses, we've done more with less" Daryl pointed out in his raspy voice. This whole plan was full of 50/50's, but it was a change they were willing to bet on.

"We go in at night while they're sleeping" Rick decided as he began to work out a plan of action. The male from HillTop was quick to point out a flaw.

"The Guards won't be sleeping" he informed as he explained there was only two ways into the building as far as he was aware, both being locked, so there was no way to get in without waking everyone up.

"We don't need to" Rick said "there going to open it for us, let us walk right in." He grinned. Everyone turned towards Rick to see what he was about to say.

"The want Gregory's head right?"Rick asked as he looked around at everyone.

"We're gonna give it to them" he said with confidence. Daryl turned around and looked at me, I stared back.

My mind was occupied that night as all I could do was think. . . .

What crazy idea does Rick have to be so confident we could pull it off. . . . ?

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Chapter 13: End