The Fallen Queen || Negan || The Walking Dead

XXXVI

Hellen hadn't left Daryl's side for a second while at Hilltop. She could feel the wandering eyes on her. She had been here before with Negan and Simon both and the few times they had come there was always an unease in the air with the way Negan would hold Hellen to such high hopes.

Everyone knew her connection with Negan.

"Hellen?"

Daryl turned around before Hellen even had the chance to find Alden standing behind her looking cautious. Daryl eyed the man down which only caused him to become more skittish than before.

"Alden. It's good to see you again."

"I thought you were dead."

He said ignoring her words. She felt awkward. She didn't hold any ground and the way that Daryl was looking at Alden over her shoulder while he watched the man was unsettling.

"Nope. Taking care of Negan -- "

"I heard he was alive still. Locked up in Alexandria."

"Come on Hellen."

Daryl pushed wanting her away from Alden. Hellen looked at Daryl with a strange expression.

"Wait, please, I just wanna talk -- "

"No. Now come on."

Daryl pushed grabbing Hellen's arm and dragging her away from Alden. Daryl and her had went to go get a plate of food each right when Alden had walked up to them to talk. After having their plates Daryl pulled Hellen back toward the wall and the entry to the cells.

"Daryl why can't I talk to him? I knew him back at the Sanctuary, he was one of the workers that was under my care -- "

"I don't want people getting the wrong idea about you."

"The wrong -- what? Daryl what?"

Hellen couldn't believe her ears. She stood there with a plate of bread and potatoes looking straight at Daryl. He lowered himself down to a sitting position against the side of the building.

"Nothin."

He muttered causing Hellen to lower herself beside him. She frowned sitting there with her food and confusion clear on her face.

"You're afraid they'll think I'm plotting something? Talking with another ex-Savior?"

Daryl didn't say anything as he chewed on a mouth full of bread. Closing her eyes Hellen leaned her head back against the wall.

"Hellen?"

Oh no. Opening her eyes she seen Alden standing there at the corner of the building. Daryl was quick to his feet as he had put his plate on the ground beside Hellen as he rose. His finger outstretched toward Alden.

"I told you no."

"Daryl!"

Hellen snapped rising to her feet as well. Alden held up his hands to show Daryl he meant no harm.

"I just wanna talk to her. That's all."

Alden pleaded, but Daryl wasn't having it. Walking forward he shoved Alden back a bit for measure something that Hellen didn't approve of in the slightest.

"Well you ain't talkin to her!"

"Alden, just go."

Hellen said after Daryl's snap. She feared that the two thick headed men would trash each other trying to both get their way. When Alden heard Hellen's words he looked at her dead in the eyes. He stood there for a moment before he opened his mouth.

"What happened to you?"

"Alden."

"You're not the woman you once were."

"That's enough, she said go. Now go."

Daryl said walking toward Alden again only to cause the man to back away. Alden gave one final look toward Hellen before he turned his back to them and left. Daryl waited for a moment to make sure he was really gone before turning back and going to sit down to finish his meal.

Glancing up at Hellen, Daryl looked at her from his spot on the ground, she was looking in the direction of Alden.

"Come on. Sit."

"I'm not a damn dog Daryl."

Her words were harsh Daryl knew he upset her. He scoffed softly.

"Didn't mean it like that."

He heard her sigh.

"I know."

She dropped back down to the ground beside him. Picking back up her plate she looked at the contents of it before looking back over at him.

"Why are you so good to me?"

He looked at her for a long second as if trying to figure out a reply to her question.

"Everyone else either doesn't trust me or treats me like shit. But not you. Why?"

"Because I know you were the one."

She arched a brow.

"You helped me escape."

Hellen's eyes widened for a second her mouth went dry. But it was true. Hellen had behind the scenes made sure that Daryl was able to escape. She knew that Sherry was going to leave and run away. She had asked her to stop by Daryl's cell if Hellen could manage to get Negan's key to Daryl's cell.

But she never would have expected that Daryl would have known or could have known.

"How did you?"

"Know? A piece of paper with the key said "from a friend" and I knew the only person that had shown she even cared about me had been you."

Hellen sighed and closed her eyes to lean back her head against the wall.

"It all makes sense now. Why Rick was so determined to get me away from my group. You told him didn't you? That I helped you escape?"

Daryl nodded. Hellen smirked and snorted. Course he had told Rick that she had helped him to escape. That's why the man knew she was good and always tried to get her to leave Negan.

"If you hadn't done it who knows what woulda happened."

Daryl stated matter of factly. She looked at him as she turned her head to the side. His gaze met hers as they both sat there so close to one another behind the building away from prying eyes. Hellen blinked slowly looking at Daryl and he at her.

Something inside her turned and caused her to rethink her entire stay here at Hilltop. Because she wasn't just with Daryl anymore, but it seemed to be that maybe, just maybe, she was here with a friend.