virago|c.g.|

xxxvi

The holding cell was dark and cold, Clary thought, as she sat on the bare concrete floor. The girl had yet to move from where she was seated, her back stiff against the stone wall. Everything about the situation should have told her to abandon all hope, yet she still held onto a sliver of it as she heard footsteps approaching through the half-opened window above her.

The owner of the footsteps was revealed as the door opened, revealing Daryl as he stopped by the door. "Can I come in?" Clary nodded softly, a laugh sounding. "Not like I have a choice." The man's face softened as he approached, standing opposite from her and leaning against the wall. As his eyes rested on her, the man sighed. "There's some bad shit going down, Jo." Clary clenched her jaw before nodding. "I know." Clary sighed, allowing the silence to fill the room for a moment before she saw his questioning gaze. "I never liked killing, I still don't. That's not why I did it." Daryl only stared at her as she continued. "The things I did, it started off as revenge— justice for what the Saviors had done to my sister and my people. And then it became about protecting people that weren't even my own. People that were too weak to protect themselves. Every Savior I killed became one less that could hurt anyone."

Daryl looked at the girl, knowing deeply that she did all that she did to protect her people. He knew in his heart that the kid did what she had to out of need, whether a need to protect her people or others. "I know, kid, I know." Clary watched as the man took a step forward. "I think Rick's wrong, putting you in here like some criminal. You ain't one. You went through some tough shit and had to do some bad shit, but you're also stronger and braver than anyone I've ever met. And I know that you'd do anything for the people you care about, like Glenn and Maggie. Like Enid and Carl." Clary shook her head. "Like you. Like Rick, even if he doesn't trust me right now. Like everyone in the group because, for some reason, you all took me in and watched out for me as if I had started with you. I'd do anything to protect you all."

Daryl moved away from the wall, Clary moving from her side as they stood before each other. She grew surprised as he reached out his hand and placed it on her shoulder comfortingly. "You ain't rotting down here, Jo. I ain't letting that happen. I'm fighting for you. Glenn and Maggie, Enid, Carl, we're all fighting for you. You even got Abraham questioning why you're down here because he knows you are a soldier, and he knows what war does to people, and he sees that you're a fighter. And Angel of Death or not, you're still one of us. Rick will see that, we'll make him." Clary allowed a small smile to fall upon her face. "That means a lot, Daryl—" his eyes looked at her in confusion as she pulled away, her eyes meeting his before she shook her head. "But I'm not letting you risk anything for me."

Clary took another step away from the man, taking a deep breath. "It's up to Rick if he decides to use me or not, or if he decides to kill me or send me away. Whatever it is, I'll accept—" Clary looked towards the door as it swung open, revealing Carl who held a surprising amount of anger in his eyes. "No, that's bullshit." Clary wondered how he had heard her until her eyes glanced to the small window in the cell, realizing he must have been there long enough to hear her and Daryl. "Carl—" the boy shook his head. "You're going to give up? Just like that?" Clary clenched her jaw, not allowing herself to meet his gaze in fear she'd break. Daryl looked between the two before he spoke. "Rick is gonna stop by soon. Make it quick kid." Clary didn't see how Carl responded as the door opened and shut, signifying Daryl's absence.

After a few moments, she found the strength to look at Carl, only to find his eye still locked on her. "You shouldn't be here, Carl. Your dad—" Carl shook his head. "Is being an idiot. He— he's being a hypocrite! He's acting out of fear and it— it got you here." Clary clenched her jaw. "Your father is right to be scared, Carl. I lied about who I was, what I've done—" Carl scoffed. "So? You've proven yourself more than enough times and you've never stopped trying to help people here. You protect people because thats who you are. That's why you did what you did."