Beauty and Her Beast (Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

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We all clapped as Ezekiel walked out onto the balcony that displayed a statue of Shiva. "I stand before you today at the start of a new tomorrow. A tomorrow made possible by the sacrifices of many over the years. Among them...was a man whose mission was to build community and strengthen the bonds between us. A man who had to destroy the very thing that connected us in order to save us. It took us far too long to fulfill the promise of what Rick Grimes and his son Carl envisioned, the same promise Paul Rovia, better known to most as "Jesus," believed in when he brought us all together those many years ago. We've always been bound to each other. We always will be. We fought our way back to each other. We have grown. The crossing over the river may be gone. But we have rebuilt a bridge, nonetheless."

We clapped again. "Today is proof that we can unite, not against a common enemy, but for the common good. So eat, drink, trade, and be merry...'cause we got a lotta lost time to make up for."

Jerry walked up, standing on a small stand. "Let the First Annual Inter-Community Reunification Faith begin!"

"Jerry. We changed that." Ezekiel spoke to him.

"For reals? F.A.I.R. Fair?"

"It's too many-nevermind. Let the Fair of New Beginnings begin!"

Jerry's son opened the birdcage, releasing the doves as the crowd broke out in cheers. I slipped away, walking towards the gate, where the others were getting ready to go look for Daryl, Connie, and Henry. I planned on joining them. Ezekiel somehow beat me there and as I was approaching, the gates opened. There they were, in a carriage with Michonne and Judith. Daryl walked alongside, calling Dog inside. Dog ran up to me and I crouched down to pet him. "Hey." Daryl greeted.

I stood, bringing him in for a tight hug. He held me close, burying his face in my neck and picking me up of the ground momentarily. "Whoa, what happened?" I asked when I noticed his face.

"Got Henry, has a scuffle with some skins, no big deal. Everyone's fine."

"Thank god." Carol came over, hugging Daryl as a thank you.

"The plan was to bring Henry." Our attention was brought to Tara, who was staring at Lydia. I hadn't noticed her before. "Just Henry."

"Gather up all the leaders. We have a lot to talk about."

~*~

"I know I haven't always seen eye to eye with everyone in this room. But I never stopped caring about any of you. I was just trying to protect my family and do right by my people. Alexandrias future is here. Together, with you. And we lost sight of that for a while. But...I'm here now. We're here now." I grabbed Daryl's hand, reminded of the day our children were taken, along with the others in Alexandria, what Jocelyn's children did to him and Michonne, and what Michonne had to do to save ours.

"I've taken an informal vote with the other council members at the Fair, and we all agree. Alexandria is willing to grant asylum to Lydia. She's one of us now. We hope the rest of you can join us in doing the same."

"Thank you." Lydia spoke from her spot beside Henry. "I'll do whatever I can to earn my keep and pay you back."

"If her mother retaliates, it's gonna be against Hilltop, not Alexandria. I have to do right by my people. I thought we were on the same page." Tara spoke, arms crossed.

"We were. And, look, when she came to my gates,  I asked her to run away. And when she didn't, I was angry."

"Then you know why I'm not okay with this."

"I do. I also know why Rick didn't trust me when I showed up at the gates of the prison. And how people didn't trust you after seeing you on the other side of the Governors firing line."