#thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || From a Friend

Previous

The sun was beating down hard, the group had no water and they were struggling to find any.

The last bit of water Natalia had, she poured it into her palm so that her dog could drink it.

They were weak, slow and dehydrated.

The van had eventually ran out of gas.

"We're out, just like the other one." Abraham sighed.

"So we walk."

The group climbed out the vehicle.

Sully jumped off the van, as soon as he landed on the concrete ground, he whined, lifting his front left paw as he looked at his owner.

Natalia bent down, feeling the burning hot tarmac on her hand.

"Come here, baby." She muttered, lifting her dog into her arms, deciding that she'd have to carry him until the temperature decided to cool down.

The further they walked, the slower she was getting, and the heavier the dog was in her arms.

"Here." Daryl said in a quiet voice, taking the dog out of her arms.

"You don't have to." She shook her head, going to take him back.

He nodded, squinting in the sunlight as he looked down at her.

"I got him, you can barely keep yer self up."

They walked a bit more, Daryl looked over his shoulder, Sully panting in his hold, a group of walkers were beginning to build up behind them.

"We're not at our strongest." Rick said, looking over as well, Judith was in his arms. "We'll get 'em when it's best. High ground, something like that. They're not going anywhere."

No one answered him.

"It's been three weeks since Atlanta." He changed the subject. "I know you lost something back there, you both did." He looked past Daryl, at Natalia, who stared at the searing road.

"She's hungry." Daryl said, looking down at a fussing Judith.

"She's okay." Rick replied. "She's going to be okay."

"We need to find water, food." Daryl told him.

"We'll hit something in the road. It's gonna rain sooner or later."

"I'm gonna head out. See what I can find, let the dog get some shade in the trees." Daryl suggested.

"Don't be too long." Rick told him.

"Come on." Daryl tapped Natalia's arm with his spare hand, heading for the trees, setting Sully down.

"I'll come with you." Carol said.

"We got it." He refused.

"You're gonna stop me?" She teased.

"Course you can come." Natalia smiled at her, but she didn't sound too convincing.

They had headed through the trees finding some long grass.

Sully ran through it, glad to be on something soft that wasn't burning his paws.

At least he was happy about something.

"Anything?" Carol asked the tracker.

"No, it's too dry. There ain't nothing here."

"Maybe we should start back." She suggested. "Nat?" She called to the woman who had walked further along, watching her dog like a hawk.

"You go." Daryl told Carol, Natalia didn't even bother to acknowledge the woman calling her name.

"I think she saved my life." Carol admitted, catching both of their attention. "She saved your lives, too, right?"

Natalia put all her focus back into watching the dog, not wanting to let memories cloud her mind.

Carol walked towards Daryl, passing him a sheath.

"It was hers. We're not dead. That's what you said. You're not dead, neither is she." She whispered to him, nudging her head at the other woman, who's back was to them. I know you. We're different. I can't let myself... But you, I know you. You have to let yourself feel it. You will." She brushed his hair out of his face, kissing his head. "I know her as well, she needs to know that not everything is doomed, even when it feels like it."

Carol then walked away, back to the group.

Daryl whistled, catching the dog's attention, Sully ran towards him, past his owner.

"Nat." He called. "Lets go."

Natalia breathed heavily, turning around and heading towards the trees.

"You made it out of Georgia." She said, through their walk in the woods.

"Then you gotta learn how to ride a bike." He cottoned on. "I'll teach ya, soon as we find one."

"I'm glad you helped her, she got to complete hers." Natalia whispered. "I wish I told her more about Winnie, when she asked, instead of brushing her off."

This was the first time he had heard her say that name since she first told him about her daughter.

He didn't have anything to say, instead he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"No point thinking about that, now." He sighed.

When they had got back to the group, they were fighting off the walkers that had been walking behind them, beside a broken bridge.

Daryl ran to help Rick from having a walker bite into his arm.

Natalia picked up her dog, running towards the other side of the bridge, where some of the others were, until the walkers were no more.

"Dad, look." Carl pointed ahead when they had walked some more.

Three cars were idle in the middle of the road.

"I'm gonna head into the woods, circle back." Daryl declared.

"May I come with?" Carol asked.

"Nah." He said far too quickly. "Just me, and the dog." He looked at Natalia, taking Sully out of her arms once again and letting him jump to the ground, letting out a whistle to follow as he headed for the trees once again.

The group checked the cars, seeing if they worked, or had any supplies.

Maggie and Natalia checked the furthest car in silence.

The keys were still in the ignition.

Maggie took them out, and the pair headed for the trunk.

She slotted the keys in, opening the door as they peered down at a walker, female, she was tied up and gagged. She was blonde.

Natalia thought about the time she, Beth and Daryl spent the night in that trunk, during the storm, how scared the girl was, how they held hands throughout the whole night, as Natalia whispered to her.

She was brought out of the memory, when Maggie slammed the door shut, leaving the keys in it.

The walker began thumping and hitting against the space, inside.

Natalia didn't bother to intervene when Maggie walked back, trying to turn the key, but it was stuck. She pulled out her gun, aiming it at the metal.

Natalia waited for the familiar sound, but it never came.

"Maggie." Glenn whispered.

"There's one..." Maggie trailed.

"Keys are stuck." Natalia finished, walking away from the couple.

The group had found a small bit of shade to sit in, as they waited for Daryl to return.

Daryl had shown up, empty handed.

Natalia gently ran her fingers across Sully's fur, sitting alone beside the group.

Abraham pulled out a bottle of orange liquid, unscrewing the lid and taking a sip.

"So, all we found was booze?" Tara asked.

"Yeah." Rosita answered.

"It's not gonna help."

"He knows that."

"It's gonna make it worse." Tara continued.

"Yes, it is."

"He's a grown man." Eugene weighed in. "And I truly do not know if things can get worse."

"They can."

Sully suddenly rolled over, standing up as he began growling across the road.

"Sully, stop." Natalia told him.

He didn't listen barking louder, as the group looked at where he was pointing out.

"Sully!" Natalia gritted through her teeth, holding on to the dogs collar to stop him from running off.

Other growls had started, from the other side.

Four dogs had emerged.

They had stalked towards the dog, and the group, snarling at the people.

Sully's barks were only getting worse, as Natalia struggled to pull him away.

Silenced gunshots ran out, Sasha had put all the dogs down, except their own.

Natalia loosened her grip on the collar, as he moved towards the still dogs, sniffing them.

Rick got up, picking up a stick, he then began breaking it.

"Don't" Natalia told him.

"We gotta eat." Abraham hummed.

"Have fun with that." She shook her head, pulling her dog away, away from what the group were about to do, she wasn't gonna turn him into a damn cannibal, either. "Sully, come on."

"Nat." Michonne called after her as she headed for the trees.

"He ain't a member of Terminus, cause we killed them all, remember?" She commented before disappearing behind the leaves.

She didn't return until nightfall, when they were just finishing their meal.

The next day, they carried on walking.

The little bit of water that was handed to her, was given to her dog, letting him lap it up in her hand and sprinkling it along his head.

Daryl had disappeared again, but he didn't take Sully with him.

They were stood around jugs of water when he came back, a note layed on top of them.

From A Friend.

Rick passed it towards the other man, letting him read it.

Natalia averted her eyes from his left hand.

"What else are we going to do?" Tara asked.

"Not this. We don't know who left it." Rick replied.

"If that's a trap, we already happen to be in it." Eugene said. "But I for one, would like to think it is indeed from a friend."

"What if it isn't? They put something in it?" Carol asked.

Eugene stepped forward, picking up a bottle of water.

"Eugene." Rosita called.

"What are you doing, dude?" Tara asked.

"Quality assurance." He said, before bringing the bottle to his lips, he didn't get a chance to take a sip though, because Abraham smacked it out of his hands.

"We can't." Rick told him as water dripped from his face.

Thunder rumbled in the sky.

Then the rain came, pouring down on them.

Sully had started howling at the claps of thunder, Michonne let out a laugh as she soaked up the water, others joined in.

Rosita and Tara layed down on the ground together, laughing and grinning wide.

"Oh, god." Tara sighed.

"I'm sorry, my lord." Gabriel sobbed to himself.

Natalia copied the other women, laying on her back as she hugged her dog to her, covering his ears as he shook the rain off of him.

"Everybody get the bags. Anything you can find." Rick commanded as him and Abraham snapped to attention.

The thunder got louder, Judith cried as Sully got more frantic.

A tornado was forming.

"It's alright." Natalia hushed, standing up, her dog in her arms as she tried to keep him calm.

Carl used his hat to cover his sister.

"Let's keep moving." Rick told the people.

"There's a barn." Daryl shouted over the noise.

"Where?"

Daryl led them to the barn past the woods.

Rick was the first to enter, a few others followed behind, searching it.

Natalia waited in the rain, rocking the overwhelmed dog, shielding him from the noise of the storm.

When it was clear, She let the dog go, letting him run in the barn as she followed.

He went straight for the hay, the place that was only enough to be for Judith.

He rolled around in it, soaking it, as strands of hay stuck to his fur.

She let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Come on, buddy, it's gonna take me forever to pluck all that out."

The dog listened, getting out, going in search of someone else.

She took off her jacket, the one she got from the foodbank, and placed it down on the hay her dog had just destroyed.

"Made her bed." Natalia told Carl, who was stood beside her, Judith in his arms.

Natalia had found Sully by Abraham of all people, he was sniffing through the blue bag the man had been carrying, before pulling his face out, his rabbit in his jaws, so that's where it went.

He then trailed back to the hay, laying beside it as Carl got comfortable, laying Judith down.

"Guess he's staying with you for the night, you mind?" Natalia asked the kid.

"Nah, he's alright." He gave her a soft smile.

"Thanks, Carl." She ruffled his hair.

Daryl had started a fire, Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Carol and her sat around it.

"He's gonna be okay." Carol told Rick, who was watching his kids. "He bounces back. More than any of us do."

"I used to feel sorry for kids that have to grow up now. In this. But I think I got it wrong." Rick said.

Natalia stared at the fire.

"Growing up is getting used to the world. This is easier for them."

"This isn't the world." Michonne told him. "This isn't it."

"I'm going to take watch." Natalia stood up.

"We're okay." Glenn said.

"Nah, not taking that chance." She muttered, walking away and heading to sit in front of the doors, she let them finish their conversation without her.

She sat with her elbows on her knees, her head in her hands as she listened to the sound of thunder clapping and rain pouring.

After a while, a figure had begun pacing in front of her.

She looked up, already knowing who it was.

"I said I would take watch." Natalia muttered.

"When was the last time you slept, or even ate anything?"

Natalia couldn't find an answer for that question.

"Haven't had many options to choose from, as you can see." She replied, after a moment.

"I don't need ya passing out on watch, go get some rest."

"I got it." She sighed, kicking some stray hay on the floor.

"You don't" He shook his head. "You ain't got shit, haven't for a while."

Natalia looked up at him, her brows furrowed.

"Yeah, 'cause you do, right?" She mocked, standing up.

"You're killing yourself, by not bothering to take care of yourself. Just go get some sleep, Nat." He looked away from her, continuing his pacing. "I ain't arguing with you."

"We're not arguing, I just wanna know where you think you get the audacity to talk about me, when you been dealing with things in your own special way." She grabbed his left hand, raising it to show what she meant.

He yanked his hand out of hers.

"Stop." He warned.

"No, you have no right to tell me what to do, to always come in and rescuing the day, when you're barely hanging on, yourself."

"I ain't the one who's got a wall so high that she's willing to shoot anything that isn't part of the group." He snapped, swinging his arm around.

"And look where that got us, the fucking claimers, who I wanted to leave, they were going to beat you to death, no matter what, it was inevitable it was gonna happen, no matter that I tried to prevent it, I didn't fight back, or defend myself, cause if I did, they'd kill you." With every point she made, she hit his chest. "Terminus, they were gonna kill you, Rick and Glenn, they got a hold of Bob, if it weren't for Carol, we'd all be dead, but you were closer, Grady, we stuck with Tyreese's plan, because of you, and now they're both gone. Back at Woodbury, I wanted to go back there, I could of done it, but we were too busy saving your ass, cause you ditched us, then we lost the prison, too." She hissed, even through her anger, she wanted to keep the conversation private. "So, don't you dare tell me what to do, acting like you're trying to help me, if it wasn't for me, you'd have been dead long ago."

Daryl's shoulders dropped as he stood still, listening to her.

"And guess what, they're dead, it didn't even matter, cause they're dead anyway, people who needed to die, did, and people who didn't, shouldn't of, did as well." She stopped hitting him, stepping away as she ran a hand through her hair, tugging on the roots. "Maybe if I wasn't so harsh to her, if I was just nicer... if I didn't tell her to go."

"Stop." Daryl reached for her, but she hit his hand away.

"Back at the morgue, I should've checked the door, I threw it open like a careless idiot, over some dog, then maybe we wouldn't of got split up, they wouldn't of taken her, then - then she wouldn't be..."

"It ain't your fault." He took the step closer, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Nothing was your fault. I shouldn't of been mad at ya."

Natalia accepted his touch, she moved, reaching tall to wrap her arms around him, hugging the man.

He froze, not understanding what she was doing, before he came to his senses, an arm coming round to hold her back, his other one held her head to his chest.

Natalia breathed out through her nose, opening her eyes.

She caught the flash of lightning outside, through the chained doors that were swinging open.

"Fuck!" She pulled away, rushing to the doors, pushing them closed, shutting out the large herd of walkers heading for it.

Daryl rushed to her side, fiddling with the lock, before pushing against the wood, himself.

The pair struggled to keep it closed as the herd pounded on the door, with the help from the wind.

Maggie sat up from her spot on the floor, looking over at the two. 

She saw what happened, rushing past the gate and helping them, throwing herself against the wood, as well.

Then Sasha looked over, sprinting over to help.

Then the rest came.

Their shoes slid in the mud as they scrambled to fight against the doors.

Carl layed Judith down, she began to cry as he joined the people.

Sully went over to the fussing baby, sniffing her, attempting to comfort the baby as he licked at her face.

Eventually, something gave, mother nature had stopped the herd, and they were no longer against the door.

The group settled down in front of the door, falling asleep.

Natalia sat down beside Daryl, who was watching the door carefully, making sure it wouldn't give again.

"I'm sorry." She started.

"S'fine." He grunted.

"It's not." She shook her head. "I was out of order, I shouldn't of taken it out on you. I shouldn't of blamed you." She reached for his hand, linking their fingers. "I'm just sick of losing. I'm really sorry, Daryl."

He nodded.

"I know."

They stayed like that for a while, not talking anymore, but in a shared understanding.

Sometime through the night, Natalia had fallen asleep, leaning her head against him as she rested.

"So much for being on watch." He muttered under his breath, but didn't move a muscle.

In the morning, Maggie had come over, sitting down beside the pair.

She didn't miss how his eyes wandered down to the woman by his side, making sure she was still asleep as his thumb ran over the back of her hand, then he looked up at the other woman.

"You should get some sleep." She said, quietly.

"Yeah." He replied, it barely being audible.

"It's okay to rest now."

The pair looked over at Sasha, who was asleep, away from the others.

"He was tough." Daryl commented.

"He was." She agreed.

"So was she." He whispered. "She didn't know it, but she was. Nat was always chasing after her, worried. But she handled herself."

He picked up the yellow jewellery box, passing it to her with his spare hand.

"Gearbox had some grit in it." He managed to do it one handed, it wasn't that difficult.

"Thank you." Maggie smiled, accepting it. "Get some sleep, you both deserve it." She looked between the man and the sleeping woman, offering a kind smile, then she got up and headed over to Sasha.

Daryl carefully let go of Natalia's hand, setting her down so that he could take off his jacket, gently placing it down under her head then layed down beside her.

"Hm?" Natalia stirred, prying her eyes open, then realised he was still there, closing them again and drifting back to her dream, turning around as she moved closer to his body.

Sully had woken her up, pawing at her as he whined.

"Stop." She hummed, gently pushing him away.

He didn't.

Something dropped on her.

His treasured rabbit, the one Daryl had picked up at the Big Spot.

Natalia let out a sigh, she looked behind her, typical. He was already up.

She got up, picking up the leather winged vest he had let her use a pillow, heading over to where he was fixing his crossbow, by the looks of it, she had slept in the latest.

Natalia threw the rabbit across the barn, feeding into what the dog wanted, as he chased after it.

"Here." She announced her presence, passing the vest with the wings back to it's rightful owner.

"Thanks." He looked over, for only a second to grab it, going back to what he was doing almost instantly.

"Hey." The voice of Maggie sounded through the barn as she peeked through the doors. "Everyone..."

A man was behind her, looking well dressed and clean.

"This is Aaron." She introduced the man.

Natalia instantly pulled out her hand gun, taking it off safety as she took aim.

The others did the same.

Daryl stomped outside, checking the area, before coming in to frisk the man for weapons.

"We met him outside. He's by himself. We took his weapons and we took his gear." She continued.

Tara closed the door then Daryl finished, locking the barn doors, the group circled the man, their weapons in hand.

"What's he want?" Natalia asked, when everyone else stared at him in silence.

"Hi." Aaron spoke.

Judith began crying loudly, was that a sign?

Rick nodded for Carl to take his sister, which he did.

"Its nice to meet you." He offered his hand, walking towards the leader, but Daryl went to stop him.

"You said he had a weapon." Rick spoke for the first time.

Maggie walked towards him, handing it over.

It was a small gun. 

Rick pocketed it as he continued to stare.

"There something you need?" He asked.

"He has a camp nearby." Sasha answered. "He wants us to audition for membership."

"I wish there was another word. Audition makes it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe. That's only on Friday nights." He attempted to make a joke, no one laughed. "Uhm, and it's not a camp. It's a community. I think you would all make valuable additions, even you." He looked at the dog, that had stood by his owners legs, ready for attack if there seemed to be a threat. "But it's not my call. My job is to convince you all to follow me back home." He continued when the woman of the dog glared at him.

They didn't stop their staring, but there was no weapons pointed at him anymore.

"I know. If I were you, I wouldn't go either. Not until I knew exactly what I was getting into. Sasha, can you hand Rick my pack?" He asked, still keeping his hands up and visible.

She thought on it a moment before doing as said.

"Front pocket, there's an envelope." He told Rick.

Rick took the bag, setting it down as he opened it.

"There's no way I could convince you to come with me just by talking about our community. That's why I brought those."

Rick pulled out an yellow envelope, just like the man said. I apologise in advance for the picture quality. We just found an old camera store last..."

"Nobody gives a shit." Daryl cut him off.

"You're absolutely 100% right." Aaron agreed with him. "That's the first picture I wanted to show you because nothing I say about our community will matter unless you know you'll be safe." He said Natalia's least favourite word. "If you join us, you will be. Each panel in that wall is a 15-foot-high, 12-foot-wide slab of solid steel framed by cold-rolled steal beams and square tubing." Rick stood up. "Nothing alive or dead gets through that without our say-so. Like I said, security is obviously important. In fact, there's only one resource more critical to our community's survival. The people."

Rick looked towards Natalia, who looked back at him, before back at the man, then he looked at Michonne.

"Together we're strong. You can make us even stronger. The next picture, you'll see inside the gates."

Rick walked towards the man,

"Our community was first contruc-" He never finished his sentence, because Ricks fist went flying to his face, knocking the man clean out.

Daryl and Maggie went to check him over.

People put their weapons away as others went over to help the unconscious man.

"So we're clear, that look wasn't a "lets attack this man" Look." Michonne told him when he walked back over. "It was a "He seems like an okay guy to me." Look."

"Yeah, he's way too dorky looking to be an actual threat." Natalia weighed in, looking at the man on the floor as he was tied up.

"We got to secure him, dump his pack Let's see what this guy really is." Rick ordered.

"Rick." Michonne tried, but was ignored.

"Everybody else, we need eyes in every direction. They're coming for us. We might not know how or when, but they are."

"I don't think they are." Natalia sighed, looking at the leader.

"Me and Sasha, we didn't see him. If he wanted to hurt us, he could've." Maggie defended.

"Anybody see anything?" Rick asked, ignoring the other women who spoke.

"Just a lot of places to hide." Glenn answered.

"Alright. Keep looking."

Natalia stood with Carl as they emptied the pack, looking at the contents inside.

"I've never seen a gun like this before." Carl told Natalia, picking up the orange gun.

"Oh, Rick." Natalia waved him over. "The guy has a flare gun." She took it off the kid, offering it to the man.  

Rick took it, checking the chamber before walking towards Aaron.

Maggie and Michonne comforted and cooled Aaron, who was still tied up and passed out on the floor.

Eventually, he came to.

"That's a hell of a right cross there, Rick." Aaron said, smiling.

"Sit him up."

"I think its better if..." Maggie tried.

"It's okay." Aaron told her.

"He's fine, sit him up." Rick repeated.

Michonne did just that, pulling the man to sit up straight.

"You're being cautious, I completely understand."

"How many of your people are out there?" Rick asked him. "You have a flare gun. You have it to signal your people." He showed off the flare gun. "How many of them are there?"

Aaron sighed before answering.

Natalia got the feeling he regretted on approaching Maggie and Sasha.

"Does it matter?" He asked.

"Yes." Rick told him. "Yes, yes it does."

"I mean, of course. It matters how many people are actually out there. But does it matter how many people I tell you are out there? Because I'm pretty sure no matter what number I say... Eight, 32, 444, zero, no matter what I say, you're not going to trust me."

"Well its hard to trust anyone who smiles after getting punched in the face." Rick replied.

"How about a guy who leaves bottles of water for you in the road?"

"How long you people been following us?" Daryl stepped forward.

"Long enough to see you practically ignore a pack of roamers on your trail. Long enough to see that despite a lack of food and water, you never turned on each other. Or, when you broke away from your group to walk around in the dark, in the woods with your dog, because you deemed it unethical to eat what they were." He looked at Natalia. "You weren't even phased by the herd as you led them away from your group."

"What?" Rick looked at her.

"Nothing, it was nothing." Natalia shook her head, looking away. "Was barely even a herd."

"Okay, bottom line is, you're survivors and you're people. Like I said, and I hope you won't punch me for saying it again, that is the most important resource in the world."

Rick stepped forward, his voice was low as he repeated his question.

"How many others are out there?"

"One." Aaron answered, confidently. "I knew you wouldn't believe me. If its not words, if its not pictures, what would it take to convince you that this is for real?"

Maggie got up from the floor, nobody answered the man.

"What if I drove you to the community? All of you? We leave now, we'll get there by lunch."

"I'm not sure how the sixteen of us and a dog are gonna fit in the car you and your one friend drove down here in." Rick told him.

"We drove separately. If we found a group, we wanted to be able to bring them all home. There's enough room for all of us." Aaron said.

"And you're parked just a couple of miles away, right?" Carol asked.

"East on Ridge Road, just after you hit Route 16. We wanted to get them closer, but then the storm came, blocked the road. We couldn't clear it."

"Yeah, you've really thought this through."

"Rick, if I wanted to ambush you, I'd do it here. You know, light the barn on fire while you slept, pick you off as you ran out the only exit. You can trust me."

It was silent for a moment.

"I'll check out the cars." Michonne offered.

"I'll go with you." Natalia told her, moving to stand with the woman.

"There aren't any cars." Rick said.

"There's only one way to find out."

"We don't need to find out."

"We do." Michonne pushed. "You know what you know, and you're sure of it, but I'm not."

"The guy's harmless, he couldn't do anything even if he tried, at least not with all of us." Natalia vouched, gesturing to the man on the floor. "He's clean, so are his clothes, he looks pretty safe."

"She's right." Maggie agreed.

"Your way is dangerous, mine isn't." Rick shrugged.

"Passing up someplace where we can live?" Where Judith can live? That's pretty dangerous." Michonne threw his words back in his face. "We need to find out what this is. We can handle ourselves. So that's what we're gonna do."

"Then I will, too." Glenn stepped up. "I'll go."

"Abraham." Rick turned to the large redhead.

"Yeah. I'll walk with them." He nodded.

"Rosita?"

"Okay."

"If there's trouble, you got enough firepower?" Rick asked Glenn.

"We got what we got."

Daryl picked up Aaron, leading him away from the doors as the group got ready to leave it.

"The walkies are out of juice. If you're not back in 60 minutes, we'll come. Which might be just what they want." Rick sighed. "If we're all in here, we're a target." He started saying to the others as the vehicle group left the barn.

"I've got the area covered." Daryl headed out as well.

"Hey, take Sul with you?" Natalia asked Daryl as she headed the opposite way with the others. "If we're about to go on a road trip, I wanna tire him out."

Daryl whistled and the dog came running towards him from inside.

He nodded at her as she turned back, walking with Michonne.

"Ain't you got him on a tight leesh." Abraham commented.

"What?" Natalia asked, confused by the man's remark.

He chuckled not delving anymore, and neither did anybody else.

Next

Tags: @fallenkitten

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixion imagine #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone #daryl x you #daryl x y/n #sasha williams #aaron raleigh

[duranduratulsa]

Now showing...The Walking Dead: Alone #tv #television #thewalkingdead #alone #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Cabins and Cobbler

Previous

A group of Kingdom people; including King Ezekiel, Morgan, Benjamin, Richard and Diane had gone out, Daryl and Natalia were waiting for them when they got back.

"Hey, uh, do you want to head to the infirmary?" Benjamin, the teenager who was stood with Jerry in the auditorium, asked Morgan, who kept touching his left ear.

"No. I'm okay." He replied.

"Hey." Daryl called out to them. "Where'd you go in them trucks?"

"I need to speak to Daryl and Natalia alone." Morgan told Benjamin. "That okay?"

"Yeah, I'll get you something for that cut." Benjamin said, walking away.

"The Saviours, right?" Natalia asked, when they met. "You went to do a trade, huh?"

"Yeah." Morgan confirmed.

"Part of your deal?" Daryl asked.

He didn't answer.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Daryl stepped toward him. "You're bleeding."

He touched his ear.

"They did that to you. You know what they are."

"I do."

"I thought you would've learned after the wolves, after what they did." Natalia told him.

"You know, if Carol were here, she saw all that... if she knew about Abraham... and Glenn... she'd be leading us right to them, ready to kill them all." Daryl said.

"She would." Morgan agreed. "And that's why she left, man."

Daryl stared him down.

"Come on, its a waste of time trying to talk to him." Natalia decided, tugging the man away.

He scoffed, before following.

They headed to the archery area, finding Richard there.

"I'm practicing." He told the pair. "Gonna have to start using these more. The Saviours are smart enough to know I shouldn't have a gun around them."

If Natalia was being honest, he was pretty shit.

"Morgan said you're a bowman." He looked at Daryl.

He picked up a crossbow, handing it to him.

"He says thank you." Natalia said, taking it, because Daryl was too busy staring, trying to figure him out.

"Why?" He finally answered, taking it off her hands.

"'Cause we want the same things. I need your help, both of yours, actually." He looked at Natalia. "Morgan also tells me you are highly skilled in combat and a quick thinker."

"I'm not doing anything until I get my own weapons." She told him.

"That'll be arranged." He nodded.

Richard had got a hold of some knifes and sheathes as well as a hand gun and holster. Natalia would of preferred her own, but considering she couldn't just waltz into the Sanctuary and retrieve them, it would have to do.

He had led the pair to an secret place, it was small, hidden behind a no camping sign.

In a wardrobe, there were guns.

"We need something to move Ezekiel." He had explained. "This is it. Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom hitting first, hitting hard, and then we wipe the Saviours from the Earth. Dozens and dozens and dozens of good people... keeping them safe."

Once they had finished at the place, they left walking towards two large lorries.

"They ride this road. If we see cars, its the Saviours." He told them. "They've been coming in packs of two or three lately. That's why I need the two of you. I can't take them alone. We're gonna hit them with the guns first and then the Molotovs. Then back to the guns until they're dead."

Natalia thought this was a ridiculous idea and could not believe she had let herself get dragged into it, for once, she wished she listened to Rick and Michonne.

"Why the fire?" Daryl asked.

"Needs to look bad. The Saviours who discover what's left... we want them to be angry." He answered. "I left a trail from here to the weapons cache I planted to the cabin of that someone Ezekiel cares about."

"Who?" Natalia asked him.

"Its just some loner he met. Sometimes he brings food."

"Why don't they live in the Kingdom, with you guys?" She dug further.

"I don't know. She lives out there, she'll die out there."

Natalia got a sour taste in her mouth.

"Its a woman?" Daryl asked.

"What does that matter? She's got more balls than you and me. She's gonna die either way. When the Saviours come and find their buddies dead, if they know their elbow from their asshole and can follow an obvious spoor, they're gonna go to the weapons cache and then to the cabin, and they're gonna attack this woman."

"You sick fuck." Natalia scowled.

Natalia felt bile rise up in her throat, she pulled out a knife, but Daryl clamped a hand around her wrist before the other man could realise.

"What's her name?" He asked.

"Maybe they kill her, maybe they don't, but it's gonna show Ezekiel what he needs to do."

"Her name. What is it?" Daryl repeated.

"She's tough. Maybe she'll live."

"Say her damn name!" Daryl raised his voice.

He sighed, looking away before answering.

"Carol. I hoped you didn't know her, but I didn't think you'd care, 'cause you know what needs to happen."

"No." Daryl walked forward still holding on to the woman.

"Maybe she'll live. Look, this, this is how... this is how this could happen. This is how we can get rid of the Saviours how we all can have a future."

Daryl picked up the weapons, ignoring him.

"She's living out there on her own just waiting to die."

"No!"

"If we don't do anything a hell of a lot more people are gonna die people who want to live!"

"Go to hell!" Natalia told him, she was sick to her teeth of women being a pawn in every bastards tactics, what he was saying was barbaric, she was growing real tired of men in this world, was it not enough that they were existing along with dead people trying to rip them to pieces.

"This is what needs to happen." He tried reasoning with them.

Daryl dropped his hold on Natalia, stepping up to the man.

"You stay the hell away from Carol, you hear me?" He said.

The sound of cars approaching, caught their attention.

Richard went to the edge of the lorry, checking it.

"Its them." He turned to the pair. "Look, we can wait for things to go bad, we lose people... or we can do the hard thing... and choose our fate for ourselves."

"No." Natalia told him. "We ain't cowards like you."

"Sorry." He shrugged, carrying on to initiate his plan.

Natalia nodded at Daryl, he listened, walking ahead and grabbing the man, tackling him to the floor.

The cars drove by as they fought, Daryl landing punches across his face.

Natalia kept a lookout, making sure no one had spotted them.

Richard managed to grab a hold of something, hitting Daryl across the head with it, sending him to the ground.

Natalia pulled out her gun, aiming it at the man as they grabbed their weapons, pointing it at each other.

"There'll be more." Richard said, his mouth was bleeding profusely.

Daryl's eyebrow had also begun bleeding from where he hit him, Natalia wanted to shoot the man for that alone.

"Or those. They're gonna ride back this way later. We'll have another chance."

"No, we won't." Natalia told him.

"We're running out of time." He tried reasoning with Daryl. "If you and your people want to move against the Saviours... you need to do it soon, and you need the Kingdom. What we have to do requires sacrifice one way or another. Guys like us... we've already lost so much."

"You don't know me." Daryl told him.

"I know... that Carol, living on her own like that... she might as well be dead right now."

Natalia stepped towards him, putting all her strength into hitting the man over the head with the back of her gun, causing him to drop to the ground.

Daryl looked at her before crouching down, checking he was still alive.

"Prick." She grumbled.

"Still breathing." He told her, standing up.

"Then lets get out of here before he wakes up, he's lucky I didn't kill him." She told him, walking away from the lorry.

Daryl picked up the backpack, following her.

They had tracked their way to the cabin, to Carol, it was in a graveyard.

They had to sneak past the Kingdom people as they had just been talking to her, dropping off a cobbler.

Daryl knocked on the door, they waited silently for her to open it.

When she did, her shock and surprise was made obvious on her face as she looked at the pair.

Natalia was ecstatic to see her friend, who she hadn't seen since they got back from dealing with Dwight on the train tracks.

Carol walked away from the door, hugging them tightly as she teared up.

"Jesus took us to the Kingdom." Daryl explained when she pulled away. "Morgan said you just left. We were out here, and we saw you."

Natalia didn't understand why Daryl was lying to her, but she kept her cool, going along with it.

"Why'd you leave?" Natalia asked.

"I had to." She whispered.

Carol invited them in to her home, setting a fire as it was starting to get dark.

"I couldn't lose anyone." Carol said. "I couldn't lose any of them. I couldn't lose the two of you. I couldn't kill them. I could. I would. If they hurt any of our people, any more of them, that's what I would do. And there wouldn't be anything left of me after that."

"You're wrong." Natalia told her. "You're still who you are, if we didn't do what we had to do, we wouldn't be here at all, for ourselves, or to help other people, even if it feels shitty, it's mandatory, now. I'm a better person than what I was before this, because I'm able to be here and save my family."

"Why are you out here?" Carol asked Natalia.

"'Cause Jesus took us here." She continued the lie Daryl started.

"Why aren't you at home with Evie?"

"She's safe, right now, I'm here, because here's where I should be."

"The Saviours, did they come?" Carol moved on.

"Yeah." Daryl answered.

Carol turned around, facing them as she began tearing up, waiting to hear the inevitable news.

Natalia chewed her nail, not wanting to be the one to tell her friend in her obvious delicate state right now.

"Did anyone get hurt?" She asked. "Is everybody okay? Did the Saviours... Is everybody back home okay?"

Neither of them answered her.

"Nat... Daryl..." She tried.

"They came." Daryl started. "We got them all."

Natalia looked up at him, from where she was sat in front of the couch, she hid her confused expression quickly before Carol could notice and realise he just lied to her.

"Made a deal with the rest of them, like Ezekiel." He continued as Carol let out a sob of relief. "Everyone's alright. Everyone's alright."

He then tapped the table.

"We gonna eat or... or I got to be a king or something to get food around here?"

Carol laughed, getting up from the floor.

"Shut up." She brought over the pan she was heating up. "Natalia, come on, come eat."

She listened, taking a seat at the table as Carol dished up the food.

"Ezekiel... is he okay?" Daryl asked.

Natalia didn't want to join in on the conversation, she was tired, she was missing home, her bed, Evie, and Sully, she also just wanted to leave the cabin, a lump was forming in her throat at their previous conversation.

"Yeah, I think he is."

When Carol handed her a bowl, she accepted it, quietly thanking the woman, who gasped suddenly.

"What?" She asked.

Carol grabbed a hold of her hand.

"Are you..." She looked between the pair, then back down at Natalia's left hand. "Did you guys... get married?"

Natalia pulled away, smiling shortly as she hid her hand under the table, spinning the ring around her finger.

"Yeah, two days ago." She answered.

"Forgot to mention it" Daryl added, digging into the food, taking notice of Natalia's weird behaviour.

"Congratulations, the both of you, I'm happy for you guys." Carol smiled widely, she had known of Daryl's crush on Natalia for a long while, she had been the one encouraging him to go for it, obviously, he had never listened to her.

After they had eaten, Daryl and Natalia decided to leave, bidding goodbye to Carol, leaving her to live alone in peace.

Daryl had gone back for one last hug, terrified for his best friend, her being on her own, after what Richard had tried pulling.

"Watch out for yourself, all right?" He told her.

The couple then left.

Natalia walked ahead of him.

"Going to bed." She said, when they reached the Kingdom.

"You alright?" He asked her, lifting her chin since she was refusing to look at him.

"Why'd you lie to her?"

He was thrown off by her question.

"Cause, Nat, she don't wanna be apart of this, so she ain't gonna."

"But it's not alright, none of this is alright, no ones safe, we're never really safe. She deserved to know what happened, that..." Her voice broke, she couldn't say it. "That they're gone."

"Nat." He shook his head, "We're gonna get out of this, I promised you, we're gonna kill him, he's gonna pay, for all of it, but she doesn't need to be apart of that. She wasn't in the first place."

"I'm just so tired, I'm so sick of fighting, I just want all this to be over, I wanna go home. Not be terrified I'm gonna see more graves."

"I know, C'mere." He pulled her in, kissing her head as she wept silently, wrapping her arms around him.

Eventually, she had stopped crying, continuing to their room to get some rest, whilst Daryl decided to look around, ending up sat in front of Shiva's cage until Morgan walked in on him.

Natalia was asleep by the time he had got into bed beside her, he wondered if she regretted their decision to get married, after the way she acted when Carol found out, even if it didn't seem like such a big thing, but to him, It was everything, she was everything.

The next morning, the two departed, starting their journey to the Hilltop, Richard was stood on a watch post.

So he managed to get back after all, Natalia thought to herself.

"I'm sorry." Natalia started, during their walk, she linked her fingers with Daryl's.

"What for?" He asked, looking at her.

"Last night, I was being a bitch. I don't know, I'm just really stressed at the moment, I shouldn't of got shitty with you."

"Nah, you're good." He shook his head. "I get it."

"I love you." She stopped him from walking, cupping his face.

"Love you." He replied, leaning in to give her a quick kiss. "When this is all over, gonna take you on a trip, find a place, somewhere quiet, just me an' you, catch up on all the time we don't get to spend together, show you how much I missed ya, an' your perfect body." He trailed his hand down her back, reaching her ass. "It'll be our honeymoon."

"Then lets hurry up and train those farmers so we can kill those Saviours and their fuckhead of a boss." Natalia smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck, reaching on her tip toes to kiss him again. "I want you all to myself, ASAP."

"Yes, Ma'am." He agreed, stepping back, taking a hold of her hand so they could continue their way to Hilltop.

When they had gotten back to the Hilltop, Jesus was confused to see them, considering Rick had told the pair to stay put, and that they would come back for them.

Daryl had explained that they would be more useful here, and so he took it, not like there was anything he could do about it anyway, he was equally threatened by the both of them.

Natalia didn't even know they were going to the Hilltop until he told her the same morning, she was just glad to be far away from the tiger, the last thing she thought she'd ever have to worry about in the apocalypse.

She clued in quicky that Sasha was hiding something, she was making a plan, but every time Natalia asked her about it, or even Jesus, they told her it was nothing and not to worry, Enid wasn't as good of a liar as them, but she had refused to go into detail, telling the woman that she made an oath and that it'd be in her best interest to mind her business.

At night, Maggie had started a barbecue outside of Jesus's home, where they shared their meals.

Natalia decided that she wanted to have some alone time, it always took her a while to process things, considering she preferred to push it away and force herself into something else, but due to the fact that Maggie refused to let either "prisoner" leave Hilltop for their own safety, there wasn't much else to do.

She had found herself at the graves of her two friends, the two friends that Negan had said were brutally murdered because of her actions.

She felt she had been relatively close to each of them, they were family to her, like the annoying brothers she never had.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, she doubted they could hear her, but in case they could in the after life, she wanted to apologise. "I'm sorry for all of it, I thought it was going to be me, I thought he was going to kill me. I wish he did, and not either of you, I'm so sorry, for everything. It's all my fault. If I knew, if I knew he was going to take you guys... I would've never... I wanted him to pick me, if he did, you guys would still be here, the baby... it would.... the baby would have a father, and it doesn't, because of me. I- just... nothing I do is ever going to make up for what happened, I'm so sorry, Glenn, Abraham, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure he's put down, I swear, I have to, it's what's right, I want to make sure that baby's born in a world where he doesn't exist, I promise. You were both so beautiful, and strong fighters, I never thought I'd be living in a world where neither of you were in it." She thumbed the two darts that were placed on their graves, she could still remember what Abraham had told her when she passed them out.

"Sweetheart, now's not really the time for a game of darts."

The darts from the country club Beth had led them to, on her mission for alcohol, Natalia still felt an ache in her chest every time she thought about the girl, who she had also believed to be dead because of her. Natalia could be reminded a million times by her friends about the times she had saved their lives without thought, yet, that meant nothing to her when she remembered the people that were also gone because of her.

She could feel a presence behind her, it was Maggie.

Natalia went to get up, to leave the woman in peace to be with her husband, but instead, she layed a hand on her shoulder, gesturing for her to sit back down whilst she got comfortable beside her.

"He loved you a lot." Maggie said. "Respected you, as well, even when he was terrified you were gonna kill us all in our sleep."

The corner of Natalia's lip lifted at that.

"He was a good person, one of the best." She replied.

"He was." Maggie nodded, taking a hold of her hand, she had made sure to scrub her hands thoroughly, with her current craving being peanut butter and apples, Daryl had even tested her when she left the trailer, if anyone was on top of Natalia's deadly allergy, it was Daryl.

"Y'know, before Jesus took us here for the first time, Glenn, he... he walked in on me and Daryl by accident." Natalia winced at the memory. "Before we were together, together."

Maggie laughed to herself, it was quiet and short, but it was something.

"I am well aware, he practically begged for my forgiveness at seeing you half naked, before I even knew what happened, claiming that he didn't mean to, he just ran in, didn't realise you'd even be awake." Maggie rolled her eyes with a smile.

"How'd he know Daryl was at my house, then?" Natalia wondered.

Maggie raised a brow as she looked at her.

"Come on, I think you were the last person to know that you and Daryl were gonna end up together, well, 'Cept Rick. We were all waiting on it, everyone knew he had a thing for ya, going back to since Judith was still in Lori, I don't think he realised it till the prison though. Then, of course, it took you ages to wake up and look at him as anything but a friend, I'm surprised you guys tied the knot so quickly." She poked the rings on Natalia's left hand. "Abraham always said he was like a lost puppy without ya, and when you were around, he never let you out of his sight."

Natalia chuckled at this.

"It took me a while, but I'm glad I finally let myself open my eyes, I think he's the best thing that happened to me since this whole shitshow happened, and meeting you, Rick, Glenn, Carol, Carl... and the others, I'm glad I decided to let you people in, you brought me back, all of you, from where I was."

"He told us what happened, when Negan took you to Alexandria, about Sully, I'm sorry."

"Maggie, you're the last person who should be saying that to me, he was my dog, the last remaining thing I had before walkers and war and fighting, and I loved him with every fibre of my being, but he was just a dog, after what I did, what I caused you, it's not even comparable."

"Natalia, it wasn't your fault, none of that was your fault, any of it." Maggie turned the woman to face her. "I heard what you said, if Glenn was here, hell, if even Abraham was here, and heard you say what you said, lets just say it's a good thing they're not. I don't blame you, nobody does, that was all Negan, him and the Saviours, you suffered as well, what he did to you, taking you to the Sanctuary, I don't even want to imagine what you've been through, but anything he said, it was all bullshit, okay, you had nothing to do with his actions, please don't put it all on yourself."

Natalia hugged her tightly, wiping at her eyes, she hadn't even realised she started crying.

"It was Arat. She was the one who shot Sully, right in front of me, even if I'm not the one to kill Negan, I wanna make sure she suffers, she's going to go down with the rest of them, because we're going to win this."

"We will, we have to." Maggie assured. "We're getting stronger everyday, he and the rest of the Saviours are going to burn in hell."

The next morning, Natalia was sat at one of the benches, cleaning the gun Richard had given her, whilst Daryl sat on top of it, whittling.

Cal was on guard duty, when he began hitting metal poles together, causing a loud clanging sound, the pair looked up as Enid ran towards them.

"The Saviours are coming!" He shouted to them. "The Saviours are coming!"

"We have to get Maggie." Enid said when they both got up.

"Where is she?" Daryl asked, as Natalia tucked the gun in her belt, hiding it under her shirt.

"Come on!" She then ran off in the other direction, as they followed.

If the Saviours found them, they were royally fucked, or worse, dead.

They found Maggie as she attempted to lead them into hiding.

"We'll never make it in time." She said.

"Come on!" Enid ran ahead again.

They ran behind a building as the cars entered the gates.

Enid lifted the doors to an underground bunker

"Just stay down there. I'll keep them away." She told the three adults.

"No way!" Natalia told her, as Daryl and Maggie entered. "Not by yourself."

"I'll be fine. They aren't the same ones who came to Alexandria. If they find you, they'll kill you."

"Enid, no!"

"You haven't got time, go." She pressed, closing one of the doors.

Daryl grabbed a hold of Natalia, pulling her into the bunker, when he had spotted them.

Enid locked the door from above.

"She's gonna be fine, she can handle herself well." Maggie assured.

"Yeah, she's also just a kid."

Maggie had moved to the back of the bunker, it's where they kept a lot of their food, moving the shelves out of the way as Daryl kept an eye on the doors, Natalia began pacing, a knife, borrowed from the Kingdom, in her hand in case anyone came down and she had to deal with them.

"Daryl." Maggie whispered. "Nat." She waved them to the back, both followed as Daryl moved the shelf to hide them from view.

The three listened closely for sounds outside, the loud sounds of footsteps catching their attention.

"Hi" The voice of Enid said, in a sickly sweet tone. "Uh, I've got fresh veggies."

"Stop." A man told her. "They're vegetables. Use the whole word. We have time."

Bile rose in Natalia's throat at the way the man was speaking to the teenager.

She hadn't realised she'd moved forward when Daryl looped his fingers in her belt, holding her still, whilst Maggie clamped her hand on the her wrist, of the hand that was holding the knife.

"Uh, okay. I have these vegetables they told me to bring over, uh, and the basket's pretty heavy. For me, I mean. Probably not you. Uh, here. Load them in the truck, and, uh, If you meet me by the garden, I can get you the rest..."

"Stop." He cut her off again. "I don't know who you think I am or who we are. Load them yourself. I'm busy." Then followed the sound of something clattering to the floor.

"Oh. Sorry. I'm sorry." She apologised profusely.

"Girl, pick that shit up right now and scram." His voice then got lower, they could barely hear it. "Don't make me cut it off you, girl."

The door then creaked before light poked in to the dark area.

Daryl moved Natalia to stand behind him, as well as Maggie, ready in case the man found them, which she slightly hoped he did, just so she could kill him for the way he spoke to Enid.

Footsteps came down the steps.

The man walked around, looking at the food before picking up an apple, sniffing it then placing it back in the basket, picking the whole thing up.

He then looked around again, his hand on his gun, Enid's sheath was attached to his belt.

The man approached where they were hiding, taking another box off the shelves.

Daryl went to move out of the hiding place, to go after the man, Natalia grabbed a hold of him, so had Maggie, shaking her head, he was by the door, if Daryl did anything, he could easily catch another Saviours attention.

Eventually, the man grabbed the things he had taken, leaving the bunker and closing the doors again.

Daryl was the first to leave the spot, checking he had actually gone through the slits in the door.

"You were gonna kill that guy." Maggie sighed.

"Too right." Natalia said. "If he wasn't gonna get caught, I wouldn't of stopped him."

"He was gonna find us." Daryl answered for himself.

"He wasn't, and he didn't." Maggie replied.

"He deserved to die." Daryl still hadn't faced either of them, still staring at the door.

Natalia hadn't bothered telling him the conversation she had with Maggie last night, she wanted to keep it just between them.

"Ever since you got here, you haven't said a word to me, Nat has, but you won't." She looked at the other woman, who busied herself with rearranging the stuff the man had touched, wanting to escape from the beginning of their private conversation.

Daryl had barely spoken about his feelings, the line up or even his time at the Sanctuary, it seemed like the only thing he was interested in talking about, was her, she was worried about him, but she was also very aware of his temper, and she had backed up evidence of his frequent habit of disappearing, from her own knowledge and what the others had told her before they met.

"Would you look at me?" Maggie asked him. "Please."

When she heard the familiar sounds of his sniffles, that he was crying, her stomach lurched, she wanted to comfort him, but knew they needed to have this conversation without her interrupting, just like she needed it last night.

"Daryl..." Maggie stepped towards him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry."

Natalia chewed her lips as she tried to disappear, she wanted to be anywhere but there.

"It wasn't your fault." Maggie felt like a broken record, with the newly formed Dixons.

"It was."

"No." She said forcefully. "It wasn't. You're one of the good things in this world. That's what Glenn thought. And he would know, 'cause he was one of the good things, too."

Natalia looked at her, and she glanced back, wanting her to hear as well.

"And, uh... I wanted to kill that guy too. I wanted to string them all up and watch them die. But we have to win."

She then approached the man, bringing him into a hug.

"Help me win, both of you." She glanced at Natalia again, who nodded, so had Daryl.

They'd both do anything for Maggie Rhee.

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixon x reader #daryl x y/n #daryldixonalonetwd #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Karma Catches Up

Previous

"You drop 'em now!" A mans voice shouted.

Natalia looked up, a blond man, who's half of his face was burnt, with Daryl's crossbow, had a hold of Eugene, forcing the man to his knees.

"Natalia. Get up." Daryl told her in a low voice as they gathered around on the tracks.

Natalia followed his order standing up and away from the woman.

"Well, hell." The man breathed. "You got something to say to me?" He looked at Daryl "You gonna clear the air? Step up on that high horse?" Daryl didn't answer him. "No." He smiled. "You don't talk much."

"Who the fuck are you?" Natalia asked him, her jaw clenched.

"Oh, sweetheart, me and this guy go way back. Hurt that you don't know." He looked at her, eying her up, before nodding at his men, who walked towards them, frisking the three, taking their weapons.

"Still getting the hang of her." The man said, gesturing at the crossbow in his hands. "Kicks like a bitch, but..."

"I should've done it." Daryl spoke up.

"Oh, what's that?" The man taunted. "Seriously, I didn't catch what you said."

"I should've killed you." Daryl told him.

"Yeah, you probably should've. So, here we are. Kind of begs the question, right? Who brought this on who? I mean, I get that you'll just have to take my word for this, but... she wasn't even the one I was aiming for. Like I said, kicks like a bitch." He laughed. "It's nothing personal."

"You sick son of a bitch!" Natalia stepped towards him, but one of his men knocked her down on the tracks.

Daryl, without thinking, went to grab the man, But the blond aimed his crossbow at the woman.

"I wouldn't, or she'll be next." He threatened. "And that would be a damn shame for everyone, wouldn't it sweetheart." He repeated the pet name, staring down at her, fuelling Daryl's anger.

Daryl clenched his fists, breathing deeply as he stared hatred at him.

"Look, this isn't how we like to start new business arrangements, but, well, you pricks kind of set the tone, didn't you?"

"What do you want?" Rosita asked him.

"I'm sorry, darlin', I didn't catch your name. I'm D, or Dwight. You can call me either. So? What's your name?"

"Rosita. What do you want?"

"Well, Rosita... It's not what I want. It's what you and Daryl and, her?" He nodded at one of his men to pick the woman up from the ground. She smacked his hand away, standing up by herself.

"Natalia." She gritted through her teeth.

"It's what you, Daryl and Natalia are going to do." Dwight continued. "You're going to let us into your little complex. It looks like it's just beautiful in there. And then you're going to let us take whatever and whoever we want..." His eyes trailed back to Natalia. "Or we blow Eugene's brains out. And then yours. And then hers. And then his. I hope it doesn't come to that, really. Nobody else has to die. We just try and start with one. You know... maximum impact to get our point across. So what's it gonna be? You tell me."

"You wanna kill someone, you start with our companion hiding over there behind the oil barrels." Eugene told him. "He's a first-class a-hole and he deserves it so much more than us four."

They looked over at the oil barrels, but no one was there.

Dwight pulled out his gun

"Go check it out." He ordered one of the men.

The man listened, heading over.

They watched in anticipation as he grew nearer.

Eugene reached over, biting Dwight right in the dick, causing him to let out a scream.

At the distraction, Natalia bent down, picking up her gun and shooting one of the men down.

More shots fired from the tree, more of Dwight's men dropping to the ground.

Daryl grabbed his knife, slitting one of their throats, grabbing his gun and shooting.

Walkers were starting to gather at the noise.

Dwight threw Eugene off of him as they both fell on the tracks.

"Fall back! Fall back!" Dwight shouted.

Natalia aimed at the man, shooting him in the shoulder, before aiming at a walker who headed for Eugene.

His arm started streaming in blood as he held it, running for the trees with the last few members of his team.

They fled the scene.

Daryl jumped from behind the car, grabbing his crossbow and heading after them.

"Daryl, stop!" Natalia shouted at him. Rosita followed.

Denise was gone, and they had to bury her.

Eugene had ended up getting shot in the side during the crossfire, Abraham, who had been the one hiding, joined their side.

"You alright, they hurt you?" Daryl asked Natalia, holding her face as he scanned her.

"No, I'm fine." She assured, pulling his hands off, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I love you, I love you so much." She told him as she brushed her fingers through his hair, hiding her face in his shoulder.

Natalia had only said it once before, the night they had slept together for the first time, she had to tell him again after what Denise had said, before she was killed.

"Mhm. I love you." He replied, in that raspy voice, his arms were tight around her. "I ain't gonna let anything happen to you, ever."

Natalia pulled away, cupping his face, forcing him to look at her.

"We're going to kill him, okay, we will, I don't know when or where or how, but we will, the both of us, together, but not now, we can't now, we need to get home and we need to get Eugene safe, but I promise you, we will, but they need us." She told him. "What he did, that was nothing to do with you, it's not your fault either, none of it is your fault, but we are going to end him."

Daryl nodded, closing his eyes.

"A lil help over here!" Abraham called, as him and Rosita tried to get Eugene up.

The couple separated, running towards the three, Daryl grabbed Eugene's other arm, helping him up as Rosita and Natalia grabbed his legs.

Getting back to Alexandria, they rushed Eugene to the infirmary, patching him up.

"Ricks coming." Abraham announced when he walked back in. "How is he?"

Eugene was asleep as the other three stood around the room.

"Bullet just grazed him." Rosita said. "But it's a good thing we got him back when we did. Antibiotics we picked up could save him from an infection. Could save his life. That's what Denise did."

"I gotta go get Evie, take her home, try and explain how she's lost another person under my watch." Natalia walked towards the door. "Keep me updated."

"Nat, wait." Rosita called after her, but she ignored it, leaving the infirmary, slamming the door behind herself.

Evie had taken it better than Natalia could assume a six year old would.

She had asked what had happened, Natalia told her that some bad guys had done it and that they were gone, cried, then asked if she could sleep in her bed for the night, Natalia had said yes.

Daryl had gone out to bring Denise's body back, him and Carol burying her.

"I'm sad that Denise is gone." Evie started, it was dark as they layed under the covers, Evie was playing with Natalia's hair. "But I'm glad you're still here."

"I know, sweet girl." Natalia kissed her head, hugging the girl tightly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I get scared when you leave, that you won't come back, like Daddy, and now Denise, but your tougher than the monsters, you always come back."

"They were tough as well, and so are you."

"I love you, Natty."

"I love you, too, so, so, so much."

"I'm glad you took me in, that you're my mom now." Evie admitted, before yawning, it was late.

That was the second time she said it, Natalia didn't know what to do about it, she loved the little girl unconditionally and she was so young, but she knew Evie had her mother in her life, and she didn't want to take that spot from her, but if that's what Evie wanted, if she wanted her to take on that role, who was she to tell her not to.

"I'm glad you chose me."

Evie was asleep when Daryl came home, he saw the two in the bed, walked towards Natalia's bedside table, placing something on it before leaving again, not bothering to acknowledge her.

Natalia looked over her shoulder, grabbing the thing he had put down, looking at it in the dark.

It was the keychain Denise had picked up, with Evie's name on it, the one Natalia had told her to hang on to, to give the girl herself, and now she couldn't.

When news of the incident at the train tracks was spread, Maggie had made plans and schedules for the people of Alexandria, setting up more watch points and guard patrols.

Enid and Carl had offered to watch Evie as well as Judith whilst Natalia went with Michonne and Glenn, to talk to Maggie.

She hadn't even mentioned her birthday was tomorrow since the morning before.

The four were stood around a gun bin as they conversed about what to do to protect Alexandria.

"We'll have these, but we should hide a few. That way, we can find them, but strangers can't." Maggie said as they checked the magazines. "In case anyone gets in."

"They won't." Glenn assured her.

A motorcycle engine revving caught their attention.

Daryl was on his bike, ready to drive out the gates.

"Fuck sake" Natalia cursed as Michonne muttered "Oh no."

Natalia jogged after him.

"Daryl." Natalia called after him as the others gathered round, he was opening the gate for himself when Rosita hadn't. "I told you, not now."

"Don't care." He told her. "You ain't coming. Don't follow me." He then got on his bike, riding off before anyone could stop him.

Natalia chewed her lip as she walked towards the van, Michonne and Glenn followed her as she got in the drivers seat, turning on the engine.

"I told him we'd fucking do it together." She fumed.

"We're gonna find him." Glenn assured.

"Woah!" Abraham jumped in front of the van as she began to drive out the gates, braking harshly in order to not hit the large man. "Make room for my freckled ass." He hit the hood.

"No." Rosita said, walking over. "Cover my watch. You stay."

"Hey, we should keep numbers here." Glenn said from the back, leaning over the seats to talk out the window.

"I know where Daryl's going." Rosita told him.

"Rosita, just hurry up and get in." Natalia breathed, revving the engine.

"Maybe I should drive." Michonne told her.

Natalia turned and stared at her.

"I got it." She then drove out the gates, after her boyfriend.

"You should of stayed back." Michonne told her.

"I'm not letting him go out by himself." Natalia answered, her grip tightened on the steering wheel. "If it was Rick, you'd be out here looking for him."

That was the end of the conversation.

They had got to the train tracks, Natalia parked the van and they got out, a walker was feasting on Dwight's men, who they had killed the day before.

Denise's blood was still wet along the tracks.

"That's where she died." Rosita told Glenn.

"Alright, so he had to start from here." Glenn nodded, looking around.

Natalia walked in the direction the men had ran the day before, a trail of blood led her, she hoped it was Dwight's from where she had shot him.

Michonne pulled back some leaves, revealing Daryl's bike.

"He did." Michonne confirmed.

"Let's go." Glenn nodded at where Natalia was walking off to. "Nat, wait up."

Rosita was still staring at the blood.

"Rosita?" Glenn grabbed her attention.

"We should let him do this." Rosita said.

Natalia stared at her, pausing from where she was stood by the tree's.

"But he doesn't know what he's doing." Glenn disagreed. "We don't. Maybe him trying this makes you feel better about it right now. Maybe they keep knowing more about us than we know about them. Or maybe Daryl's gonna get himself killed."

"So, lets hurry up and go after him." Natalia said. "I'm not losing him too, I can't" Her voice broke as she practically begged them to go. "I won't. With or without you guys."

She headed for the trees, they followed after her.

They had caught up with him, he heard them approach, shooting an arrow in the tree beside Rosita.

She ripped it out as Natalia marched towards him.

"Watch the hell out, asshole." Rosita said.

"I did. You shouldn't have come."

"No. You shouldn't have left, we had a deal, and you ran off without me." Natalia hit him in the chest. "You had no right to do that. Not even thinking to tell me, I would have gone with you."

"When I split off from Sasha and Abraham, he was out there in the woods, in that burned-out forest with them girls, put a gun to my head, tied me up." He turned on her, glancing at the others before shoving her hand off of him, walking away. "I even tried to help him."

"So, you think it's your fault?" Glenn asked.

"Yeah, I know it is." He turned back, replying to Glenn. "I'm gonna go do what I should have done before."

"Daryl, wait!" Natalia told him.

He didn't listen.

"What, for her?" Glenn shouted after him, catching his attention. "She's gone, man. You're doing this for you."

"Man, I don't give a shit." He continued on.

"Daryl..." Glenn walked in front of him. "We need to get back there and figure this out from home. Our home. We need you, and everyone back there needs us right now. It's... it's gonna go wrong out here."

"I told you we would do it, yesterday, I told you we're going to kill him, together, with a plan that ends up with us both making it through the end, don't do this, we can't right now. Please, just come home, I'm not letting you get yourself killed, I need you back home, we all do." Natalia pleaded with him, grabbing his hand, squeezing it. "Please."

"I can't." He shook his head, pulling away from her.

"Daryl." Glenn called him, again.

"Man, I can't!" He raised his voice, marching off.

Rosita followed him. "I can't either."

Natalia didn't know what to do, she wanted to follow him, but she couldn't, he had walked away from her, he didn't want her there, he had chose to ignore her and go off on his own.

"Come on." Michonne said gently, taking a hold of her arm, steering her back where they came from.

Natalia wiped at her eyes as she followed her friend, she had to get home, protect Evie.

"Thing is, those men could be back in Alexandria right now." Glenn said, as they walked through the woods.

"If they are, they're dead." Michonne said.

"I hope not." Glenn countered. "We need them alive. We need to find out more."

"No, we don't. If more are out there, we'll find out either way, they don't get to live." Natalia told him.

They had reached some water, Glenn turned back, looking in the direction the two had went.

"We just got stuck with each other." He said. "We were lucky. We figured it all out together. It felt like we did. After everything, we did. The worlds not what we thought it was. Hilltop, the Saviours, it's bigger."

A whistle sounded from the trees.

Glenn and Natalia raised their guns as they looked in the direction.

A man came out from behind a tree.

Natalia shot him on sight.

But he wasn't the only one.

More had come, aiming their guns at the woman who just shot their friend.

Dwight came out from behind a tree.

"Don't shoot her just yet." He said, when they all cocked their guns. "She'll get what's coming to her, they all will."

"Nat, put it down." Glenn told her, putting his own gun down, there was too many to take on.

"Should listen to your friend, Natalia." Dwight agreed, when she hadn't, stepping closer to them.

"Natalia, just do it." Michonne told her.

She inhaled, as she threw the gun on the ground.

Three men had stepped forward, frisking them before roughly tying each one up, gagging them as well.

"You're gonna get what's coming to you, bitch." One of the men told her, throwing her on the ground by a tree, the others had pushed Glenn and Michonne down beside her.

They had set up camp, starting a fire as the three sat and waited for what was going to happen to them, why didn't they just kill them?

Through the trees, they could spot Daryl and Rosita hiding.

Daryl put his finger to his lips, telling them to keep quiet.

But what he couldn't see, was Dwight sneaking up on him.

Glenn tried warning him, so had Natalia as they fought to shout at him through their gags, but it was useless.

Dwight aimed his gun at Daryl's head, making his presence known to the other man.

Another came up behind Rosita.

When he had turned, Dwight shot him, causing his body to fall to the ground.

Natalia screamed, trying to get to him, but was pushed to the ground, the man held her there as she thrashed around, trying to reach him as her eyes welled up, tears rolling down her cheeks at the sight of her worst fear coming true.

He'll live, for now." Dwight told her, as he dragged Daryl's unconscious body towards them. He walked towards Michonne, grabbing a piece of her hair and cutting it off, as she tried to pull her head away, he handed it to one of his people, who walked away with it. "Get them in the back."

The man who was pinning Natalia to the floor, picked her up, the others doing the same with her family, as they dragged the five to a truck, shoving them in the back, cutting the three's ties.

When Natalia's hands were free, she grabbed the Swiss army knife from her boot, spinning around and lodging it in the skull of the person who freed her, killing him.

She knew it was reckless, that it was going to get her killed, she didn't care, they hurt him.

"Nat!" Michonne cried.

Another man knocked her down, his fist flying into her cheek, he kicked her in the ribs as she hit the ground, making her let out a pained groan.

He placed a boot on her stomach, putting weight on her so she couldn't get up, aiming a gun in her face.

"Do it, asshole." She spat at him.

"No, please, don't!" Glenn begged as guns were aimed at them if they tried to fight as well.

"Wait." Dwight called, pulling out his radio. "Don't shoot her, just yet."

He walked a distance away as he radio'd to whoever, most likely his boss, of course the slimy prick wasn't in charge.

When he got his orders he went back.

"Boss is gonna deal with our friend Natalia, want's to meet her, alive." Dwight told his men. "Throw her in the back with the others."

The man took the weight off of her, lifting her off the ground by her arm, tossing the small woman in the back Michonne grabbed her instantly as they were submerged in darkness.

"What the hell was that?" Rosita hissed. "Are you trying to die?"

Natalia ignored her, shrugging Michonne off of her as she crawled towards Daryl, blood was spewing out from where he was shot, it wasn't fatal, he'd make it through, but it still filled her veins with rage.

She brushed his hair away from his face, placing his head in her lap, kissing his forehead.

"You're an idiot, Daryl Dixon." She mumbled into his skin, wrapping the blanket they had thrown at the man, tighter around him.

She could hear the people talking outside, before the vehicle started moving.

They didn't know how much time had passed when Daryl gained conciseness again.

"Easy, baby, easy." She told him as he went to get up, the others gathering around.

"Daryl, you were shot, take it slow." Glenn said.

"You alright?" He looked at Natalia, cupping her face, noticing the bruise forming on her beautiful face, in the dark, she'd been hit, hard. The only light coming from bullet holes in the interior.

"I'm okay, I'm fine." She whimpered, kissing his palm, as she placed her hand over his.

"Natalia, this isn't going to end well, especially not for you." Michonne spoke, seriously, as Daryl looked at her, his brows furrowing.

"We're gonna be alright." She replied, not taking her eyes off Daryl. "We're gonna get through this."

"You killed two of their men, their boss wants you alive, because he wants to meet you, personally." Rosita said pointedly, she was pissed off at the woman, letting her anger seep through her voice. "And you think you're gonna make it out of this, you fucked up, royally, Moore.

Daryl looked back at his girlfriend.

"What the fuck did you do?" He asked her.

"What I had to, my only regret is that it wasn't Dwight." She told him.

He was mad at her, but they might all be dead in the next hour or so, he pulled her into a hug, she hugged him back tightly, breathing in his scent.

"I love you, Natalia Moore, my stupid woman." He grumbled into her shoulder.

Some more time had passed, the truck had pulled to stopped.

More voices sounded before a loud chorus of whistles went on, the truck had filtered out a lot of the noises, they couldn't even make out what was going on.

Then, the truck door was opened.

Big fog lights blocked their vision, stopping them from seeing what was happening, where they were.

"Come on." The voice of Dwight said. "You got people to meet."

Men came, grabbing them, yanking them out.

Rick and the others were kneeled in front of the men with guns, all in a line, Eugene was covered in bruises and cuts, like he had been beat, Maggie looked like she should be on her death bed.

"Maggie?" Glenn had asked, when he set his eyes on her, but he was pulled back from running to her.

"On your knees!" Dwight told them.

"All right!" Another man, cheered. He was tall with a moustache. "We got a full boat. Which one of you is Natalia?" He asked, looking over the new additional women.

"This one." Dwight pointed at her.

The man walked towards her, eying her carefully, Daryl went to move towards her, but was stopped.

"You?" He asked. "You're Natalia?" He glanced up at Dwight, who nodded, she had only stared up at him, her chest rising and falling. "Goodness gracious" he laughed, "Guessing your bite is much worse than your bark. Oh ho, he's gonna love this."

He then stood up, walking towards the Alexandrian's RV.

"Let's meet the man." He knocked on the door.

It creaked open, another man walked out of it.

He was sporting a leather jacket, a red scarf around his neck, tucked under, his hair was jelled back and stubble covered the lower half of his face, he carried a bat on his shoulder, it was wrapped in barbed wire.

"Pissing our pants yet?" He asked, a grin on his face. "Boy, do I have a feeling we're getting close."

He walked along the line of people on their knees, checking them all over, assessing them.

"It's gonna be pee-pee pants city here real soon. Which one of you pricks is the leader?"

"Its this one." The man with the moustache pointed at Rick. "He's the guy."

The man with the bat sighed, as he looked at Rick.

"Hi." He greeted Rick. "You're Rick, right? I'm Negan. And I do not appreciate you killing my men. Also, when I sent my people to kill your people for killing my people, you killed more of my people. Not cool. Not cool. You have no idea how not cool that shit is. But I think you're gonna be up to speed shortly. Yeah. You are so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes." He grinned widely. "Yes, you are, but before I get to that, which one of you little bitches, is Natalia?" He stepped away from Rick, assessing the women. "It ain't you, is it?" He looked at Maggie.

"Me." Natalia voiced, sitting tall as she glared at the man.

"Holy shit, you ain't lying to me, are ya?" Negan asked as he strutted down the line towards her.

"That's her." The man with the moustache confirmed.

"Really?" He let out a belly laugh he crouched down in front of her. "Hi, Natalia, my word, I gotta say, this is surprising. Ain't you a damn sight. Got me thinking about things I don't wanna think about at a moment like this, Negan and Natalia, got a nice ring to it, don't you think? Though, you did kill my men, two, only today, that's gonna be tough to get over, looking at ya, though, got me thinking it was their own fault if you managed that."

She didn't reply, just stared at him harshly, as the others watched, fear seeping into them.

Rick, Glenn, Daryl, Carl and Maggie had been very aware of the woman's temper, and her lack of care for herself or remorse for others she didn't deem important to her, they had known her the longest out of anyone there.

"Come on, you ain't even a little scared, look how many men are here, pointing guns at you and your friends, even Rick over there, is tearing up." He pointed at their leader.

Daryl had gone still at the sight, praying she didn't do anything rash, just sat there and listened, he was terrified, more than he had ever been in his life.

"All it looks like to me, is a bunch of pussies, who's scared, hiding behind their big boy tous." She told Negan as his men oohed and hissed. "Got more theatre production going on then an high school play."

"Ooh, words hurt, darlin'" Negan touched his heart, reaching towards her, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, which she leaned away from, her face pulled in disgust. "Don't worry, who ever damaged that pretty face of yours will not go unpunished, ruining it for the rest of us. Don't get me wrong, still hot as shit."

Daryl wanted to kill him.

"I like you, Natalia. You got bigger balls than any of us, here. Think Imma get back to you. Haven't fully decided what to do with you, just yet." He then stood up. "Gotta finish my conversation with your pal, here." He winked at her.

He then walked back, towards Rick.

"You see, Rick, whatever you do, no matter what, you don't mess with the new world order." He went back, acting as if he hadn't even paused the conversation. "And the new world order is this, and it's really very simple. So, even if you're stupid, which you very may well be, you can understand it. You ready?" He asked the man. "Here goes. Pay attention." He took his bat off his shoulder, pointing it at Rick. "Give me your shit... or I will kill you. Today was career day." He began walking down the line. "We invested a lot so you would know who I am and what I can do. You work for me now. You have shit, you give it to me. That's your job. Now, I know that is a mighty big, nasty pill to swallow, but swallow it... you most certainly will. You ruled the roost. You... built something. You thought you were safe. I get it. But the word is out. You are not safe. Not even close. In fact, you are pegged, more pegged if you don't do what I want. And what I want is half your shit. And if that's too much, you can make, find, or steal more, and it'll even out sooner or later. This is your way of life now. The more you fight back, the harder it will be. So, if someone knocks on your door... you let us in. We own that door. You try to stop us and we will knock it down. You understand?"

When Rick hadn't answered, he cupped his hand to his ear, bending towards him.

"What, no answer?" He stood back, wiping his mouth. "You don't really think that you were gonna get through this without being punished, now, did you? I don't want to kill you people. Some more than others" He winked at Natalia again, who stared at the RV, blocking him out completely. "Just want to make that clear from the get-go. I want you to work for me. You can't do that if you're dead, now, can you? I'm not growing a garden. But you killed my people, a whole damn lot of them. More than I'm comfortable with." He touched his chest. "And for that-- for that you're gonna pay. So, now...  I'm gonna beat the holy hell outta one of you. This-- this is Lucille, and she is awesome." He was talking about the bat. "All this, all this is just so we can pick out which one of you gets the honour." He walked the line again, stopping at Abraham, who was still standing tall, even on his knees, staring at Negan.

"Huh." He wiped his mouth again. "Ugh, I gotta shave this shit." He then walked towards Carl. "You got one of our guns." He knelt in front of the kid.

Natalia's heart was starting to race, Jesus had shared how he killed a sixteen year old before, Carl wasn't far from that.

"Whoa. Yeah. You got a lot of our guns. Shit, kid, lighten up. At least cry a little." He laughed before standing up, tucking the gun in the front of his pants, he walked the line again, his next victim was Maggie.

"Jesus." He winced at the sight of her. "You look shitty. I should just put you out of your misery right now." He raised his bat.

"No!" Glenn shouted, going after Negan. "No!" He cried when Dwight pushed him to the ground, kicking him.

"Stop it!" Maggie screamed.

God--." He fought against the man, who aimed Daryl's crossbow at him.

"Nope." Negan dismissed. "Nope, get him back in line."

"No." Dwight dragged him to his spot as he sobbed. "No. No. Don't. Don't" Glenn begged.

Negan laughed at him.

"All right, listen. Don't any of you do that again. I will shut that shit down, no exceptions. First one's free. It's an emotional moment, I get it." He pointed at Glenn. "Sucks, don't it?" He turned back to Rick.  "The moment you realise you don't know shit." He looked at them again, his eyes settling back on Carl, he pointed his bat at him, looking back at Rick. "This is your kid, right?" letting out a laugh. "This is definitely your kid."

"Just stop this!" Rick shouted.

"Hey!" He turned back on the man. "Do not make me kill the little future serial killer. Don't make it easy on me. I gotta pick somebody. Everybody's at the table waiting for me to order." He walked down the line, whistling a tune.

"I simply cannot decide." Negan turned his back on them, rubbing his head, before turning back. "I got an idea. He laughed, walking towards Rick, pointing his bat at the mans head."Eenie" He went down the line. "Meenie miney mo..." He reached Natalia, staring down at her, she didn't pay attention to him. "Catch..." he used his bat to push her chin up, making sure not to nick her perfect skin, then moved down the line, towards Daryl. "A tiger... by... his toe. If... he hollers let him go. My mother told me... to pick the very best one... and you... are... it. Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father. And then we'll start. You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."

Then he swung his bat down.

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryldixonalonetwd #daryl x y/n #daryl dixion x reader #daryl x you #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Get Free

Previous

Natalia tried to break out his hold, but it was no use.

Rick went to go towards her, but Negan stopped him.

"Uh uh." He shook his head. "You leave her be."

"We put away half of the supplies." Rick told Negan, trying his best to keep the man out of Alexandria.

"No, Rick." Negan turned to him. "No. You don't decide what we take. I do. Arat."

He called the woman that had shot Sully, forward.

"You heard the man." She said. "Move out!"

Negan let go of Natalia, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they moved into Alexandria.

"They're just gonna search the houses a bit, keep the process movin'." Negan explained.

Natalia tried to search for Evie, praying she was with someone, safe, she had no idea what could happen to the girl if he found out about their connection, but she missed the little girl terribly much.

"You gonna show me around or not?" Negan asked, walking forward with Natalia, looking at Rick. "I wanna find out where this one lives." He grinned at the woman, "See if we can make the Sanctuary feel a little bit more like home, cause that's what a good man does."

She looked away, trying to create as much distance as possible.

"Well?"

Rick walked ahead shaking his head.

Natalia looked behind her, as Negan pulled her along, at Daryl, her stomach dropped, all she wanted to do, was run to him, get out of here, far away and just be together, never have to think or worry about the people around them again.

He had met her eyes, something was there as he blinked, morse code.

Daryl had taught her morse code so long ago, something he did when they were holed up by passing herds, when they went out on runs back at the prison.

We. Are. Going. To. Get. Free.

The Saviours were going into the homes of Alexandria, stripping it bare as they took anything and everything they wanted, creating a large pile of mattresses.

"You see this?" Negan asked. "This is the kind of thing that just tickles my balls. A little cooperation and everything is pleasant as punch. You see, we really are reasonable people once you get to know us. Honest."

He opened up a cooler, pulling out the can of orange soda that Denise risked her life for.

"No. Don't" Natalia said, not able to stop herself.

Negan looked at her, raising a brow as he popped the tab.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? This your favourite flavour or something?" He took a long gulp, then offered it to her. "What? You don't wanna share? I ain't got germs."

She still didn't take it.

"Suit yourself." He shrugged, throwing the can to the ground. "Damn, I love this place!" Negan exclaimed as Natalia stared at the crumpled can, how much it had meant to the doctor.

"Negan." A man walked towards them with a camera in his hands. "Somethin' you might wanna see." Passing it to the man.

It was the camera Deanna had used to interview them.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Negan asked, taking a look, glancing up at Rick. "I got my fingers crossed for a little freaky-deaky. Huh." He nudged Natalia.

He pressed play.

It was the video of Rick, from when they first arrived, how different he looked.

"Know me... I've killed people." His voice came from the device. "I don't even know how many by now."

"Jee-hee-sus!" Negan stepped away from the woman, and towards the man. "Is that you, Rick, underneath all the man-bush? Sheeot. I would not have messed with that guy." He pressed play on the camera, recording Rick. "But that's not you anymore... Is it?" He panned the camera to himself. "Nope. I really gotta shave this shit." He passed the camera back. "I'm gonna keep that, y'know, for a project I'm thinking about." He looked at Natalia, wiggling his brows.

She turned away from him.

"Whatever happened to that sick girl?" He moved on. "That seemed like a hell of a stressful night for her. The way she was carrying on, she was married to number two, right?"

Her chest tightened at the way he had dubbed Glenn, that's all he was to the man, not the kind, brave, funny man she was friends with, who was a part of her family.

"Careful." He told Rick, who looked up at him. "Careful how you're lookin' at me, Rick. Widows, especially ones that look like that... They are special. I love 'em. Right after their husbands go, they are just... empty inside. But usually not for long. Aah, where is she? I would love to see her."

"Do you care to pay your respects?" Gabriel had appeared.

"Holy crap!" Negan spun around. "You are creepy as shit, sneaking up on me, wearin' that collar with that freaky-ass smile."

"My apologies." Gabriel told him. "I'm Father Gabriel."

"She didn't make it?" He looked at Rick.

Natalia looked up as well, Maggie was dead? Another person they had lost in such little time.

Rick didn't answer.

Father Gabriel had led them to the graveyard.

Maggie had one.

Natalia wanted to mourn her friend, but she couldn't.

"Damn tragedy. That's what this is." Negan sighed at the sight. "Well, this must really suck for you guys. Number one. That was on me. No choice there. Lessons had to be learned. But number two? That didn't need to happen. But, Natalia we already discussed that on our little date, didn't we? Oops!" He covered his mouth with his hand. "Damn, cats out the bag, sorry, Natty, didn't mean to bring that up in front of your boy and friends here. Boy, I just can not keep my damn mouth shut around beautiful women. You know, I've asked her to marry me, she's still thinking about it, which is fair enough, I killed your friends, keeping you locked up, you know, I get it. You don't mind, do ya, Daryl?" He looked to the man who was staring at him, his eyes full of hatred. "Its why she's got the white dress on. Also just wanted to display her super hot rack."

Negan then mimicked wedding bells.

"Stop." Natalia whispered.

"Now what did I tell you about speaking up, I'd love to hear Moore of that pretty Georgia accent, get it, Moore, cause your last names Moore, not for long."

"Listen to me carefully, asshole. I pray that you drop dead, painfully, so I can laugh as the life disappears from your eyes, cause the funny thing is, not a single person on this earth would even be slightly disappointed if you weren't here. If I'm lucky enough, I'll be the one who gets to do it, just like I did to your men."

Rick was looking at the pair nervously, ready to beg for his friends life after her outburst.

"Ooh, you are so adorable" He booped her nose. "I'm going to forgive you for that, on account that Arat killed your dog, I understand your emotions are out of whack, I get it. Women, am I right?" He wiggled his brows at the three other men stood around them.

A gunshot went off, somewhere back at the houses, glass shattering after.

Negan stared at Rick before walking off, Natalia turned to him, reaching for the gun in his holster, but Rick pulled away, grabbing her hands as he stopped her, preventing her from getting herself killed, they silently argued over it before Negan turned around, as they pulled away from each other.

"Well, come on, then." He told the four, Daryl and Gabriel had watched the pair, not able to get involved, but Daryl's heart started beating again when Rick had stopped Natalia from doing what he knew she was up to.

They ended up at the Infirmary.

"You die." Carl told one of the Saviours, aiming a gun at him.

"Carl, Carl, put it down." Rick tried reasoning with him.

"No. He's taking all of our medicine. They said only half our stuff." Carl pressed.

"Of course. Oh-ho. Really, kid?" Negan spoke to him.

"And you should go." Carl threatened. "Before you find out how dangerous we all are."

"Well, pardon me, young man. Excuse the shit out of my goddamn French, but... Did you just threaten me? Look, I get threatening Davey here, but I can't have it. Not him, not me."

"Carl, just put it down." Rick tried, again.

"Don't be rude, Rick. We are having a conversation here. Now, boy, where were we? Oh, yeah. Your giant, man-sized balls. No threatening us. Listen, I like you, so I don't want to go hard proving a point here. You don't want that. I said half your shit, and half is what I say it is. I'm serious. Do you want me to prove how serious? Again?"

Carl admitted defeat, lowering the gun, passing it to his father, Negan took it off him.

"You know, Rick, this whole thing reminds me that you have a lot of guns. There's all the guns you took from my outpost when you wasted all my people with a shit-ton of your own guns, and I'm bettin' there's even more, which adds up to an absolute... ass-load of guns, and as this little emotional outburst just made crystal, clear... I can't allow that." Negan stated. "They're all mine now. So tell me, Rick. Where are my guns?"

Rick led him and the others to Olivia's.

They waited as the garage door raised, opening the inventory up.

"I... figured you were coming." Olivia greeted them.

"Show him where the guns are, Olivia." Rick told her.

"The armoury's inside." She headed in.

"You run the show in here?" Negan asked her.

"I... I just keep track of it all, the rations, the guns."

"Good. Smart. Don't let me stop you. Take her out, boys. Show 'em the goods. Natalia, go wait over there, I wanna have a private word with Rick here." He pointed to a spot on the curb." She folded her arms, listening as she marched towards it, taking a seat.

Her nails dug into her palms as she sat there, plotting how they were going to get out of this, Negan was going to die, even if she had to go down with him.

Eventually they came outside, loading up one of the trucks with all the guns.

Natalia went to get up from the curb, but Negan stopped her.

"Hold on, sweetheart, I didn't tell you to move, you're gonna stay there till we're ready to leave." He told her, she sat back down as she stared holes into the ground. "There's a good girl." He then turned back to Rick. "You know what today is, Rick? Today is a banner day. Yes, it is. I think this little arrangement we have is gonna work out just fine."

Daryl walked up the steps, his hands full of guns.

"Hold up." Negan told him, picking up one of the weapons. "Lets see if you've been taking care of my guns." The gun clicked as he aimed it at Daryl, Natalia watched, her eyes shooting wide, her brows furrowing as her heartbeat picked up. Daryl ignored him, going back to his job.

Negan than shot a whole in one of the windows of Olivia's house, letting out a laugh.

"Feels good." He told him. "Sounds good! Oh, I do believe Lucille's gettin' a little jealous."

A man walked up with one of the RPG's Daryl had found when they moved the quarry herd.

"Well, ho-ly smokes!" The man passed it to Negan. "Look at this! It was you guys that took out little Timmy and the Dick Brigade? Wow, Rick. Gettin' in your last licks. Ooh, man, I'm gonna have some fun with this."

"Mom?!" Natalia turned at the small voice.

Evie was stood in the road, staring at her.

"Evie!" Natalia said in a hushed voice, standing up, as the little girl ran to her.

"Mom?" Negan asked. Watching the two. "Who is this?"

Natalia grabbed a hold of the girl, hugging her towards her as Negan approached.

"Leave her alone." Natalia told him.

"You have a kid, and you didn't tell me? I'm hurt Natalia, I thought we had something special." He crouched down in front of Evie. "Hi, I'm Negan. What, your mom never taught you manners?"

"I'm Evie." She answered nervously.

"Evie, don't talk to him." Natalia told her.

"Oh don't be like that, Natalia, me and your mom are real good friends, Evie. Come here." He waved her over.

Natalia didn't let her go.

"Natalia, let the kid go." Negan said, slowly.

She reluctantly listened, and Evie hesitantly walked towards him.

"Please, don't hurt her." Natalia croaked.

Rick was watching on carefully, not risking anything that could of got either of them hurt, his knuckles were white around the bat.

He and Michonne had been taking care of her since Negan had taken Natalia, Michonne had made sure to explain to Evie the situation as delicately as possible, and pressed that they were going to get Natalia home, they hadn't celebrated her birthday, she had told them that she wanted to wait for Natalia to get back home, and they understood, though Michonne had passed on the necklace she had found.

"I'm not a monster, Natalia." Negan told her. "Hi, Evie." He smiled at her again. "How old are you?"

"Seven. You took my mom and she missed my birthday." She furrowed her brows at him, pouting.

"Well, I'm sorry about that, Evie, she never even mentioned you to me." He said, picking the girl up, carrying her. "Guessing Daryl ain't her dad, what, were you in college when you had her?"

"I'm not her biological mom" Natalia said, her jaw was clenched, her blood was boiling.

"My real mommy and daddy were ate by walkers." Evie explained, bluntly.

"Wow, tough break kid, it happens." He shrugged.

Arat shoved Olivia up the stairs, gaining their attention.

"Please I- I don't know..."

"Arat, we don't do that unless they do somethin' to deserve it." He told the woman, Evie was still in his arms.

"Yeah, we went through the inventory. Guns in the armoury, guns they had around the walls, they're short. Glock 9 and a. 22 Bobcat." Arat explained, handing Olivia's notebook to Negan, which he took in his free hand.

"Is that true?" Negan asked Rick.

"We had some people leave town. Those guns probably went with them." Rick suggested.

"So Olivia sucks at her job. Is that what you're saying'?" Negan asked.

"No. No, I'm not sayin' that."

"There should be a full accounting here, right? Top to bottom. Am I right?"

"No." Olivia answered. "I mean, yes. The inventory is correct."

"Good." Negan nodded. "But not so good, too. You see, and listen up Evie, this is a valuable lesson, here. What's in here... isn't in there. You're two handguns short. Do you know where they are?"

"No. I.."

Negan let out a sigh.

"That's disappointing, Rick. I thought that we had an understanding. But this, well, this shows that someone's not on board, and I can't have that." He covered Evie's ears as he turned to Olivia. "I don't enjoy killing women. Men, I can waste them all the live long. But at the end of the day, Olivia, my dear, this was your responsibility."

"Look, we can work this out." Rick stepped in.

"Oh, yes, we can." Negan agreed. "And I'm going to right now." He set Evie down, back on the ground. "Here kid, soak up all the time with your mom, I got business to attend to." He pushed her towards Natalia, who grabbed the girl quickly, hugging her to her body,  hiding her face in the crook of her neck as she watched Negan step towards Olivia, who had begun crying. "This was your job, and you screwed up. Keeping track of guns? That shit... is life and death."

Rick had held a meeting with all the Alexandrians, Natalia and Daryl had to stay at the truck in front of the house.

"Are you and Daryl gonna come home?" Evie whispered, as Natalia sat on the curb with her, being watched by the Saviours.

"We will, okay, soon. I promise, I love you so much. Everything's gonna be alright, okay?" She whispered back, resting her forehead against the girls, lifting it so she could kiss her hair.

"Natalia, don't make me cut your tongue out, you keep talking, I will take her away, then she's gonna lose her fake parents too." Negan walked towards them with Olivia.

"Don't touch either of 'em." Surprisingly, Daryl had stepped forward, but Dwight dragged him back.

"You're tempting me, Daryl, gotta say, neither of you know how to help your case." Negan laughed pointing at him.

Eventually Rick had found the two guns in Spencer's house.

"What you got for me, Rick?" Negan asked, when Rick handed them over. "Well, would you look at that? They were here after all. Funny how a little, "Holy shit! Somebody's gonna die!" lights a fire under everybody's ass!"

Olivia whimpered loudly.

"So, tell me, Rick... which one of your fine folks almost cost Olivia the rest of her days?"

"It doesn't matter anymore." Rick told him.

"No, it matters." Negan corrected. "See, you need to get everybody on board. Everybody. Or... we just go right back to square one." He put the two guns in the back of the truck, Dwight shut it, that was the end of the stay.

"Sorry to break up this family reunion, say goodbye to your mom, kid, we're out of here." Negan told Evie.

"No! Please don't, I don't want you to go!" Evie told Natalia.

"I know baby, I'm sorry." Natalia kissed her head again, squeezing the girl tightly as she began crying.

"Come here." Rick muttered, taking the girl, as Natalia got up.

"Chop, chop!" Negan clapped his hands, leading her to the gates as the others followed.

Evie began crying louder as Rick tried to console her, eventually Olivia took over as he followed them out.

Sully's body was still layed on the ground.

Natalia avoided to look at him as her body shook with exhaustion, pain, anger and sadness.

Rosita drove through the gates in the van she had drove to find Daryl, when he went out to find Dwight and kill him, Spencer was in the other car.

"Hell of a place you got here, Rick." Negan said.

"Give me a second."

Natalia looked at where Negan turned his head.

Michonne was walking away from the window of the burnt house.

"No." He answered.

"Please, can you just... give me a second?"

Negan nodded, a smirk on his face, allowing Rick to go to Michonne.

"She your friend?" He asked Natalia, who looked up, glaring at him. "You two gal pals?"

She didn't entertain him with a response.

"Alright, give me the silent treatment, it only makes me want you more, that's what you want, though, isn't it?"

"Do you ever just shut up?" She snapped, she heard the cock of guns, guessing the Saviours aimed them at her.

Negan put his hand up, telling them to back down.

"Guess who just lost her visiting privileges." He smiled at her. "Which sucks too, gonna miss out on seeing that adorable kid of yours."

Natalia swallowed thickly, looking away.

Eventually Michonne showed up, a deer on her shoulders, as she stared evils at the man, Rick walked behind her.

"Look at this!" Negan said, ecstatically, as Michonne walked past him, her face softened when she glanced at Daryl to Natalia, the sight of them both still alive and breathing.

"I thought she was scavenging." Rick shared. "She was hunting. This one never came inside. We kept it near the line." Rick handed him a rifle.

"Look at this." He repeated. "This is something to build a relationship on. Good for you, Rick. This is readin' the room and gettin' the message. I've said it before, I'm gonna say it again. You, sir... are special."

"Now that you know we can follow your rules..."

"Yes?"

"...I'd like to ask you if Daryl and Natalia can stay." Rick asked him.

"Not happening." Negan answered. "You just missed it Rick, Natalia here just got herself permanently grounded, she ain't coming round here for a loooong time. As for Daryl, well you know what? I don't know. Maybe Daryl can plead his case. Maybe Daryl can sway me." He walked towards the man, who kept his head down. "Daryl?"

He didn't answer him, making Natalia want to kick him, he had his chance, she unknowingly lost hers, but at least he'd be home with their family.

Negan laughed.

"Well, you tried. Now what you got to do is get over that tall wall of yours and try harder out there. Earn for me. Because we're coming back soon, and when we do, You better have something interesting for us, or Lucille, she's gonna have her way. I want you to hear that again. If you don't have something interesting for us.... somebody's gonna die. And no more magic guns. Arat, grab that deer. It's getting late. Let's go home."

Michonne dropped the deer on the ground, walking away.

"Man, I love a gal that buys me dinner and doesn't expect me to put out." Negan chuckled.

Rosita and Spencer had ended up finding Daryl's bike, which Dwight took from them, in exchange for her hat.

He revved it loudly, turning it around, then stopped in front of Daryl.

"You can have it back. Just say the word. You and your girl don't have to live like this, it's your choice." Dwight told him, waiting for Daryl to reply, but he didn't say anything.

Dwight shrugged, revving the engine again, driving off.

"So, nobody died." Negan grinned. "And you know what I think? I think you and I, we've refined our understanding. Let me ask you something, Rick. Do you want me to go?"

"I think that'd be good." Rick answered.

"Then just say those two magical words." Negan told him.

"Thank you." Rick struggled to say.

Negan laughed at this.

"Don't be ridiculous. Thank you."

A walker wandered towards them.

"Another one." Negan looked at it. "You need our help. Davey, hand me that candlestick over there."

He did as he was told.

"Hey, honeypie, watch this, you missed it the first time." Negan winked at Natalia.

He took out the walker, bringing the stick down on its head, breaking its skull in half.

"Yep. Win-win." He tossed the candlestick to the ground. "You should clean that up for me for next time." He told Rick. "Let's move out."

Arat grabbed a hold of Natalia, shoving her towards the truck she had been in when they got to Alexandria.

"Oh, wait." She heard Negan say. "How careless of me."

She couldn't hear the rest of the conversation, the doors shutting, cutting it off.

When they had got back to the Sanctuary, she was shoved back into her cell, the stored pancakes were gone.

She took the time to cry for Maggie and Sully, she was never going to see either of them again, and she never got to say

goodbye, she never got to apologise for Glenn.

The next day, Laura had dragged her out of her cell and outside, passing her a tray full of cups of water.

"You're gonna walk around, let the guys grab them, keep 'em hydrated in the sun." Laura told her,

Natalia looked over, seeing Daryl in what she called "the walker maze"

"So basically I'm putting myself on display for sickos." Natalia muttered.

"Yeah, sorta, keep your mouth shut and look pretty, can't be too hard for you, the looking pretty part. Go on." Laura gestured for her to start walking.

Her fingers clenched the tray, her knuckles turned white.

The Saviours were quick to let her come to them, taking a cup of water and making a comment as they eyed her, she bit her tongue, blocking them out.

Until one of the Saviours, she wasn't sure of his name, knocked the tray out of her hands, and onto the floor, splashing the water all over her.

She looked up at him, as the others watched.

"Oops" He tilted his head, taking a step closer to her. "Pick it up."

She didn't move."

"I said, get on your knees and pick it up, bitch." He said, resting his hand on his gun, looking over at the walker maze, she knew who he was looking at.

She slowly bent down, gathering the tray and the now empty cups.

When Natalia stood back up, she felt a hard slap on her ass, almost knocking her over.

Filled with rage, she sent her knee up, kicking hard into the assaulters crotch.

He groaned in pain as he doubled over, she snatched the gun out of his holster, sending another kick to his chin, causing him to fall onto his back.

Saviours gathered around as she stomped on his chest, holding him there as she cocked the gun, aiming it at his head.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She shouted at him.

"Sweetheart, you even know how to use that thing?" Another Saviour asked, approaching her with his hands in the air, the others had aimed their guns at the small woman.

She looked up at him, aiming the gun at the walker maze, specifically, the one who was trying to reach her boyfriend, as he watched from the fence, wanting to get to her, but not able to. She shot the walker dead, before turning the gun back to the man.

"Wahoah, what the hell is going on here?" Negan had walked towards them, taking in the sight of one of his prisoners taking down a scary looking Saviour.

Natalia didn't answer him, she didn't think he was talking to her, she kept her eyes trained on the man on the floor.

"Jamie got handsy with her, didn't realise what she's capable of." Laura answered, stepping forward, folding her arms across her chest, but she was ready to put the woman down if asked to. 

"That true Jamie, did you get taken down by this tiny creature of beauty?" Negan asked him, getting closer.

"Took me by surprise." He gulped.

"Was the other way round, you decided to disturb her job, couldn't keep your hands to yourself." Laura corrected.

Negan tilted his head, reaching towards Natalia, snatching the gun out of her hand before she had time to react, she was blinded by rage.

"You touched Natalia, Jamie?" He asked him.

The man didn't answer, looking away as he got up from the ground, Laura grabbed Natalia, yanking her back. 

"Jamie, answer the question."

"Uh huh." Jamie nodded, knowing he couldn't lie his way out of this.

"Now, here at the Sanctuary, we respect women, you know this, I have a strict no touching against their consent rule, you know this, right?" He looked around at the other Saviours. "Right?"

"Yes." They all chanted.

"Right. You broke that rule, and above all, you did it to Natalia, who is very special to me indeed, then, you decide to do this, in front of her man." He pointed at Daryl, who was staring daggers. "You should be more embarrassed, that the man with the gun, then, was taken down by the tiny weapon less woman, making yourself out to be an even bigger pussy. Anything to say for yourself?"

The man stuttered, shaking his head.

"What do you say to the lady?" Negan stepped towards him, Natalia could see him discreetly take out his knife.

"She's a prisoner." Jamie sputtered.

"That your final verdict? Well alright, then." He turned away. "You left me no choice." He then turned, stabbing his knife into the mans chest, taking it out then stabbing him in the lungs.

He dropped the mans body to the floor, wiping his knife on his shirt.

"I am well and truly sorry about that, Natalia, we do not except behaviour like that at all." He snapped his fingers, pointing at the body. "Put him up on the fence." He ordered, two men stepped forward, taking care of the body. "Laura, take her back to her cell, get her some food. I'll swing back and talk to you later, Natalia."

"Will do, Negan." Laura said, pulling Natalia back towards the doors to inside.

Natalia took one last look at Daryl, whilst she could, she was all to familiar with how overprotective he was, before they were even together, how he was holding himself back from getting them both killed.

As they entered the building, a truck pulled up.

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #twd daryl x y/n #daryl dixion x reader #daryldixonalonetwd #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Rescue Mission

Previous

"Are you going to take the cross too?" Gabriel asked.

After Daryl had introduced Noah, and explained about Grady Memorial hospital, the group devised a plan to protect the church whilst the others went into Atlanta to rescue Beth and Carol.

"What's the problem, I thought God was all around us?" Natalia asked, whilst her and Daryl planted the orchestra pipes around the stairs. "You don't need silly little symbols."

"The cross represents-"

"Talking to the wrong person, buddy." She cut him off. "My faith in God died a very, very long time ago, before the dead started walking around."

He bowed his head, walking away from the pair.

Daryl and Natalia were left alone.

"I'm glad you're back." Natalia muttered, hoping he hadn't actually heard her, but knew she was busted when he looked up at the woman, meeting her eyes. "Sully was missing you a bit, I think. But I wish Carol and Beth were here as well."

He made a gruff noise in agreement.

"We're gonna get them both back, we will, no matter what, we're not losing anybody else." She continued.

Daryl had been caught up about what he had missed whilst he was gone, Bob and the attack.

"I am glad though, that she wasn't there during- when we met... if anything happened to her because I... " Her voice broke off, but he knew where she was heading with that conversation, feeling a heavy weight drop in his stomach.

"We'll get them back." He repeated, nodding at her in some sort of understanding.

Michonne, Carl, Gabriel, Judith and Sully were staying at the church.

The rescue group were bringing Noah along, though Natalia had a bad feeling about him going with, she didn't voice it though, Rick had made the decision for a reason.

Daryl, Natalia and Rick were sat in the cab of the truck Daryl and Noah drove back from the city, Tyreese and Sasha were watching the teenager in the back.

"I've never been in the city after it fell." Natalia sighed, kicking her legs up onto the dash.

"Get your feet down." Rick pushed her legs off, as he drove. "Never?"

"Nope, stayed far from it, heard they were bombing the place, knew nothing good would come out of it, so steered clear." Though she side eyed him.

"We've been in there a few times." Rick told her. "It's dangerous, as long as you stay high and know what you're doing, you'll be fine."

"First time I met Rick, we went into the city cause he handcuffed Merle to a roof." Daryl told her.

Natalia looked towards her friend, stifling a laugh of shock at the revelation.

"Did he deserve it?" She asked.

Rick shook his head around, leaning towards a nod.

"He had to cut his own hand off."

"And you slapped that kid around the face with it."

Natalia looked between the pair as if it were a tennis match.

"Okay, why has neither of you ever told me anything about any of this, that is the funniest and grossest thing I've ever heard."

"They kidnapped Glenn, deserved it..."

"They what? Who?" Natalia asked.

"It was a group surviving in the city, called the Vato's and they were our friends."

"But they kidnapped Glenn?" Natalia repeated, confused.

"We made a deal with them, realised they were good people."

"What happened to them, are they still around?"

"No." Daryl put it bluntly. "They were taken out by another group."

"Oh. I fell off a roof once." Natalia said, not knowing what to say.

"That happened to someone else we knew, he impaled himself, Hershel had to fix him up." Rick told her.

"Oh, what happened to him?"

"Murdered." Daryl answered.

"Yep, course he was, duh." Natalia blinked. "Was it Shane, did he do it?"

Rick snapped his head at Natalia, looking at her with surprise before turning back to the road.

"How do you know about Shane?"

"I have my sources. Carl, he used to accompany me on my watches sometimes, if he was having trouble sleeping. Promised not to tell you, sorry." Natalia caved.

"It's alright, I'm glad he trusts you, and I'm glad you look out for him."

"Course, he's a good kid." She shrugged. "Beth and Carol used to gossip outside my room- cell as well, when I tried to take naps, I used to find it irritating, but now..."

"We're getting them back." Rick breathed, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

"So how'd you fall off the roof?" Daryl asked, his arm was resting on the door, his left boot was on the dashboard, Rick hadn't told him to take it down.

"Doesn't matter." She shook her head, "I didn't die, though, which has been a recurring incident in your stories."

"You had dead people sitting outside your house when we met you." Rick looked at her.

"I didn't know them personally." She shrugged.

"At sundown we fire a shot into the air." Rick had begun explaining the plan drawing the map of what Noah explained on the floor, when they had got into the city, finding a place to hold up in. "Get two of them out on patrol. Then once it's dark enough that the rooftop spotter won't see us, we go. We cut the locks on one of the stairways, take it to the fifth floor. I open the door, Nat will take the guard out."

"How?" Tyreese asked.

"How do you think?" Natalia asked him. "Slit his throat."

"This is all about us doing this quietly, keeping the upper hand. They're not expecting us. From there we fan out. Knives and silenced weapons. We need to be fast. Tyreese, Sasha, take them. Daryl, you take care of whoever is in the kitchen. I got Dawn. If they're smart, the rest of them will give up. Then It'll be 6 on 3. 7 on 3 when we get a weapon to Beth."

"13 on three. The wards will help." Noah weighed in.

"That's best case. What's worst case?" Tyreese asked. "All it takes is 1 of those cops going down the hall at the wrong time. Then it's not quiet. All hands on deck. We're talking about a lot of bullets flying around."

"If that's what it takes." Sasha said.

"It's not. If we get a couple of her cops alive out here, we do an even trade. Theirs for ours. Everybody goes home."

"Yeah, I get it." Rick stood up. "And it might work. This will work."

"Nah, that'll work too." Daryl intervened. "You say this Dawn, she's just trying to keep it together, right?" He asked Noah.

"Trying and doing are two different things." Noah replied.

"You take two of her cops away, what choices does she have? Everybody goes home. Like he says."

"If even a hair is out of place on Beths head, I don't care who's going home." Natalia gave her opinion.

Rick decided to evaluate both plans, before siding with Tyreese and Daryl, assuring that if It failed, they were shooting the place up anyway.

Noah was their bait, he got in the position and fired the shots, gaining the cops attention.

Noah ran into the alley, letting the car chase him to the allocated spot.

They drove in front of him, hitting the kid with the car before hopping out raising their own guns at him.

"Put the gun down, Noah" The female cop told him.

"Put it down." The male cop repeated.

Noah did as they said, placing the gun on the ground.

"Hands up. Turn around."

The male cop walked towards him, pulling out a zip tie, and pulling his arms behind his back.

"I thought you were smart, Noah. Think we wouldn't hear you?" The female cop asked.

The group snuck towards the two cops, aiming their guns at the two's heads.

"Where are those rotters you were shooting at?" The man asked him.

Rick whistled, catching their attention.

"Hands." He said, when the cops turned around, aiming their guns at the five.

"What do you want?" The woman asked.

"Whatever this is, we can help." The man added.

"You do what we say, we don't hurt you." Rick said.

"Okay." The man put his hands up in surrender, no longer aiming his gun, the woman soon copied.

"Good. Now turn around. Put your guns on the floor and kneel."

They did as told, Natalia dealt with the woman, collecting her weapons and pulling two zip ties out, passing one to Daryl, who was dealing with the man, Tyreese helped Noah whilst Rick and Sasha continued to aim their weapons at the cops heads.

"We need to talk." Rick told them. "There's water if you need some and food"

"Mind if I ask you something?" The male cop asked, as their captors pulled them up.

Rick backtracked, looking at the man, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"The way you talk, the way you carry yourself, were you a cop? Believe it or not, I was, too." He smiled.

"Really? I thought that was just dress up." Natalia deadpanned.

"That's Lamson." Noah told Rick. "He'll be down for this. He's one of the good ones."

A car raced towards them, it's tyres squealing as it drove down the alley towards them.

The group jumped out the way, leaving the cops as they began shooting at the car. Tyreese shot one of the windows, revealing another cop shooting at them.

The cops got in the car, driving off.

Natalia shot one of the tyres, Sasha shooting the other one, air hissed out of it.

They ran after the car.

The car had stopped, Rick halted, telling the others to wait as they looked around at the burnt buildings, and the fried skeletons, that were still moving, but were melted into the tarmac.

They saw the cops running away from the car.

"Two, on me." Rick said following.

"I only saw the two." Natalia muttered to Daryl, as she looked around for the driver.

He nodded, in the direction of the RV, putting a finger to his lips.

Natalia opened the door slowly, whilst Daryl aimed his gun ahead, ready for attack.

No one was present.

Before either could realise, the cop flew out, tackling Daryl to the ground.

They wrestled each other on the ground, fighting as a burnt walker inched towards them.

The cop got his hands around Daryl's throat, forcing his head towards the jaws of the walker.

Natalia raised her hand gun, whacking it across the cops temple, knocking him off of Daryl.

Rick appeared, helping Daryl up.

"Nat." He said, as the woman took the gun off safety, aiming it at the cop, her boot on his chest, stopping him from getting up.

"You win, asshole." The cop grunted.

"We only need two, for Ty's plan." She said.

"No, three's better than two." Daryl disagreed.

"Nat, put it down." Rick told the woman.

"He tried to kill Daryl. We don't need him."

"Nat." Daryl said. "Three's better." He repeated.

She let out a sigh, putting her gun back on safety.

"You try anything again, I'll put a bullet through your skull before you even get a chance to run, I promise." She stood off of him, backing up to let Daryl make him stand, using a zip tie to restrain him.

They had gotten back to the spot, all three cops, under their watch.

"Your friend, what's his name?" The female cop asked. "I need to talk to him. Your plan is going to get me and my friends killed."

"We're going to make it work." Sasha said.

"It would work if you had different cops to trade."

This caught their attention.

"Dawns running Grady into the ground. A bunch of us want her out and she knows it. Pretty sure she knows we want Lamson to replace her, too." She continued.

"Dawn doesn't know that." The third cop said.

"She might. And she's smart. So there's a good chance you can't make this deal work and that'll leave us all dead. But if you let us go, we'll take care of Dawn ourselves and we'll let your friends go and this is over."

"No, we're not gonna do that." Lamson said.

"Do you want to die?" The woman asked him.

"No. I just need you to shut up right now." He told her. "You can make this work. But you've got to be able to talk to her."

"Noah told us all about her." Sasha answered.

"I've known her for 8 years, ma'am. I know this woman. And my only interest is peaceful resolution, not dying, and sleeping in my bed tonight. So, please, let me help you. Please."

"And I want my friends, but your people kidnapped them." Natalia shrugged. "I don't care about your wish for world peace or your bed."

Daryl pat her shoulder, turning around to look at Rick and Noah.

"Hey, Rick. You're gonna want to hear this." He said.

They made the cops sit against the poles, separating Lamson from the other two so that he could talk to Rick.

Tyreese and Sasha raided the car with the white cross, seeing what they could use.

Daryl, Natalia and Noah watched Shepard and the other man.

"You know, we could treat that, give you some ointment, clean the cuts on your face." Shepard said, looking at Natalia's back as she paced.

She stopped, looking at the woman.

"I don't need or want anything from your people, shut up and sit still."

"She's just trying to help." Daryl muttered to her, their faces were close as he talked, not letting the three other people in on their private conversation.

"And I don't need it, we're here for Beth and Carol, not trying to make friends, besides, they don't even hurt anymore."

"You still ain't a good liar." He shook his head, stepping away, starting his own pacing.

She looked over to Sasha and Lamson, they were heading out of the room.

"Sasha!" She called after the other woman. "What are you doing?"

"Just gotta take care of something, we'll be back soon." She said, walking out of the room.

A few minutes had passed, and Sasha hadn't returned with the cop.

Natalia was getting antsy, she had a bad feeling.

"I'm gonna go see what they're doing." She said.

"Alright." Daryl nodded at her.

Natalia walked out the room, heading in the way they had went, her gun was in her hand, the safety off, just in case.

She headed into the south side of the building, not hearing or seeing anything strange.

That's when she saw her.

Sasha was on the floor, knocked out cold.

"Rick!" Natalia shouted as she raced towards the other woman. "Rick! Sasha, Sasha, hello can you hear me?" She asked her, checking her over for injurys or blood.

Rick ran into the room, Tyreese followed.

"Sasha!" Tyreese gasped, running towards his sister, who was slowly waking up.

"What happened?" Rick asked her.

"Lamson, he's gone, he must've done this." Natalia said, helping Sasha sit up as she held her head.

"Alright, I'll find him."

"I'll help." Natalia went to follow but he put his hand up, stopping her.

"No, I need you here, keep an eye on the other two, make sure they weren't in on this."

"Rick." Natalia called after. "We only need two for the plan to work."

"Only if we're forced to." He looked at her, before leaving.

Tyreese and Natalia helped Sasha stand, walking her back into the other room.

Tyreese helped his sister to sit down, giving her some water.

Natalia headed over to the cops, pulling her knife out.

"Y'know he was gonna run?" She asked.

"No, we had no idea." Shepard told her. "We didn't know what they were doing when they left."

"And we're just supposed to believe that, right?" Natalia shrugged. "I told you that if you tried anything, I'd kill you." She looked at the male cop.

"And we didn't." He answered, not seeming threatened by the woman.

"Nat." Daryl called towards her, she looked over her shoulder, at him. He was shaking his head. "They didn't know."

She turned back, assessing the pair, trying to catch their bluff, before standing up, putting her knife back in the sheath.

"We need them for the plan." Noah reminded.

"Yeah, it's cracking up to be a great one, if we did it the other way, we would of had our people back by now, not chasing cops down streets."

Tyreese and Noah had moved the cops to sit in chairs by the time Rick had got back by himself.

Daryl and Natalia headed over to talk to him.

"He wouldn't stop."

"This change things?" Daryl asked.

"It has to."

"Maybe not." He thought.

"Well, she said the plan won't work. The guy who did is dead. Maybe we gotta rethink this."

"They also said the cop in charge didn't have any love for him. Maybe you did her a favour."

"I don't know if they'll play ball."

"So we don't give them a choice. They do what we say, or they die." Natalia said.

They walked over to the others.

"He was a good man." Shepard greeted them. "He was attacked by rotters. Saw it go down."

"Huh. You're a damn good liar." Rick replied.

"We're hanging by a thread here. He was attacked by rotters. That's the story."

"You said the trade was a bad idea." Daryl brought up. "What changed."

"Lamson was our shot. So its this or you go in guns blazing, right?"

"Pretty much." Natalia nodded.

"You don't want that."

"If this is some bullshit you're spinning and things go south..."

"I know. I know the good ones from the bad. Let us help you."

"What about you?" Rick asked the male cop. "You wanna live? How much?"

"Dawn's afraid she'll look weak in front of us. Thinks it'll tip things against her. Hell, it will. She'll see this trade as a rip-off if she thinks you took out one of our guys. So its a good thing Lamson got aced by rotters."

They were on board.

The plan was simple; Natalia, Sasha, Daryl, Tyreese, Noah and the cops would wait on top of the roof, Sasha and Daryl were going to keep lookout whilst Rick went to the agreed vantage point, waiting for the two officers to show up.

Daryl snapped his fingers when he spotted the cop car.

"Rick, they're heading towards you." Natalia spoke into the radio.

They waited in silence as Rick made the offer.

They had accepted it.

The two officers had led them into the hospital, Daryl and Rick led the still restrained cops.

They reached the 5th floor, heading down a hallway, behind the door, 4 cops were stood, their weapons in their hands.

Carol, who was being pushed in a wheelchair by Beth, were behind them, with a doctor.

When they saw the group, they put their guns in the holsters.

"Holster your weapons." The voice of Dawn came through one of the cops radios.

"You too." Rick told his group.

Natalia wasn't a fan of this idea, but done as told.

One of the cops opened the door, walking towards their side.

Dawn nodded at Beth, signalling to stand forward.

Natalia reached for her gun when she saw the two stiches alone Beth's cheek and forehead, and the cast on her arm, but a hand stopped her, Daryl's.

"They haven't been harmed." Rick told Dawn.

"Where's Lamson?" She asked.

"Rotters got him." Shepard answered.

"We saw it go down."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. He was one of the good guys. One of yours for one of mine."

"Alright." Rick nodded with his head, for Daryl's captee to walk forward.

"Move." He grunted, pushing the man forward.

Another cop pushed Carols wheelchair forward, letting Daryl take her bag and push her to their side.

Dawn then grabbed a hold of Beth's arm, pulling her forward as Rick did the same to Shepard.

Rick hugged her when she reached him, before letting her walk towards Daryl and Natalia.

"You alright?" He asked her, placing an arm on her shoulder, she offered a small smile nodding.

Natalia hugged the girl.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, kissing her hair, "I should of been out there with you."

"It's alright." She whispered back "What happened to your face?"

"What happened to yours?" Natalia copied, running a gentle finger just under the stitching on her cheek.

"Glad we could work things out." Dawn said.

"Yeah." Rick nodded, as his group started to walk back the way they came.

"Now I just need Noah." She said, making Rick stop. "And then you can leave."

"That wasn't part of the deal." Rick walked towards her.

"Noah was my ward. Beth took his place and I'm losing her, so I need him back."

"What is your problem, lady? They're kids." Natalia snapped, not able to bite her tongue.

"Ma'am, please-"

"Shepard!" Dawn hissed. "My officers put their lives on the line to find him. One of them died."

Noah went to walk forward but Daryl stopped him, joining Rick's side.

Beth intwined her fingers with Natalia as they waited to see how this turned out.

"He's one of mine. You have no claim on him."

"The boy wants to go home, so you have no claim on him." Rick replied.

"Well, then we don't have a deal."

"The deal is done."

"It's okay." Noah stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation.

"No. No." Rick put his hand out to stop him.

"I got to do it." Noah assured him.

Beth let go of Natalia walking towards her new friend.

"It's not okay." She said, when Noah handed his gun back to Rick.

"It's settled." Dawn replied.

"Wait!" Beth ran forward, towards Noah, hugging him tightly.

"It's okay." He assured her, hugging her back.

"I knew you'd be back." Dawn said.

This seemed to spark something inside of Beth, as she let go of the boy, walking towards the woman.

Natalia took a few slow steps forward, seeing what the girl was about to do.

"I get it now." She said.

She then stabbed something into the woman's shoulder, than a shot ran out, blood sprayed out of Beth's head as she fell to the ground, a gun was in Dawn's hand.

"Beth!" Natalia screamed, running forward, falling to the ground as she held the dead girl, her friend.

Dawn cried out that she didn't mean to, but Daryl didn't give her the chance to finish her sentence, firing his own gun, into her head, her body fell backwards as her own blood sprayed out, splattering the crying woman as she shielded the lifeless teen.

Everyone else in the hallway pulled out their guns, aiming at the opposing sides

"No! Hold your fire!" Shepard shouted. "It's over. It was just about her. Stand down."

"Beth." Natalia's voice broke, her hands shook as she ran her fingers down the girls face. "I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, either."

The cops put their guns away, but Daryl didn't still keeping his eye as he held back cries.

Carol walked towards him, sniffling as she patted his shoulder.

He bent down besides the woman, as they both cried.

"You can stay." Shepard offered

"We're surviving here." Another spoke up. "It's better than out there."

"No." Rick said, tears pooled in his own eyes. "And I'm taking anyone back there who want's to leave. If you want to come with us just step forward now."

Noah was the only person to walk back.

Daryl picked up Beth, holding her in his arms, as Rick helped Natalia to stand, as soon as she did, she went straight back to the girl, petting her hair, her whole body shook with her tears, following Daryl as they left the hospital.

To Natalia, it felt like the same pain as the night she lost her family, Beth was like the sister she never had, sure they had lost people before, but Natalia never felt close to them as she did with the teenager.

When they walked through the door, outside, Maggie dropped to the floor, sobbing loudly at the sight of her younger sisters lifeless, bloody body.

A funeral was held for the girl in the first field they had found outside the city.

Daryl and Natalia stood next to each other, their fingers were linked, just like they had done when Beth mourned her father at the morgue, the same place they had lost her.

When her body was buried, the group let Maggie have some space with her sisters grave, Noah had shared that him and Beth were planning on going to his old community, where his family were, in Richmond, Virginia.

They had taken separate vehicles, Rick, Michonne, Tyreese, Glenn and Noah rode in one car, the others in the rest.

Carol had a radio, Rick had the other one, that's how they were going to keep in touch with each other whilst Rick and his group headed towards Noah's home, perhaps their new home.

It had taken two weeks to get to Virginia.

It wasn't.

Another funeral was held, for Tyreese.

They had each taken turns of shovelling dirt onto his grave whilst Father Gabriel gave the sermon.

His beloved hat rested on the cross, just like how he had worn it everyday.

Rick had decided that they would carry onto Washington, Eugene had lied about the cure for a reason, and they were going to find out why, even as they dealt with their grief and regrets.

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixon x reader #darylxnatalia #daryl x y/n #daryl x you #thewalkingdeadalone #beth greene #tyreese williams #sasha williams

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Make up, Don’t Break Up

Previous

Natalia had hid away in the nursey for the rest of the day, it had been set up a couple of months ago, Rosita had taken over helping, Aaron helped where he could, but he was still managing taking care of Gracie as well as the loss of his arm.

She had pulled out all their clothes, deciding to reorganise it by colour, for each twin, to be put away in their separate drawers

This was probably her fifth time doing this, but she couldn't help it, when Natalia was bored with herself, had quiet time, or couldn't sleep, she found herself in here doing random chores, anything for a distraction, reminding herself that the twins were alive, and would be here any day, she'd managed to keep them alive, unlike the same nightmare that resurfaced every time she went to sleep, by herself.

The reason Natalia had become so attached to sleeping beside Daryl, when they were friends, was because she found that he had stopped her bad dreams, he didn't make her afraid, even in her sleep.

They were back in his absence and with the pregnancy, they had become even more vivid, even more real, like she was back in that house, back with them, killing them on repeat, killing her family over and over, like a horror version of groundhog day.

She paused her humming of eyes without a face, when she heard the front door open, it must be Evie coming home for bed, it was dark out.

No other sounds came except for the door, which was unusual, because even though Evie claimed to no longer be a child, because she had responsibilities and she was nine, now, she still bounded up the stairs rather loudly, every single time.

"Eves?" Natalia called.

She looked over her shoulder at the slightly open door, Daryl was stood there, leaning against the doorframe.

"Jude asked if they could have a sleepover, said it was fine, even though she didn't wanna leave you." He told her. "Can go get her if my word ain't good enough."

He was still pissed.

"No, it's fine." She turned back around, finishing up her task.

Daryl took a slow step into the room, he'd barely come in here, just let Natalia get on with it, considering she berated him the last time he put something in the wrong place.

"Looks nice." He commented, looking at the small frame on a shelf, containing a picture of Carl, Natalia, Judith and Sully, which was took on the porch steps of the Grimes house, Rick had forced them into smiling for a "Family photo" as he claimed that sometimes Natalia felt like his own kid.

"Mhm." She hummed, putting all her focus into the clothes, so far she'd been given outfits all the way up until they were six, when she shared the gender, the communities were quick to pass over hand me downs so she'd never have to worry about finding clothes to fit them, the collection seemed to grow after every drop off trade.

"Nat." He walked further into the room.

"Hm?"

"Bought the Mac n Cheese." He said, after a moment of thought.

She looked up at him, seeing the contents in a tub that looked like it could feed a family of four.

He watched her debate whether to accept it or not, but then finally caved, taking the tub and yanking the lid off, he handed her a fork before she dove in with her hands.

"'Anks" She murmured between a mouthful of cheesy pasta, topped with bacon bites, just how she liked it.

He sat down beside her, bringing his knees to his chest as he looked at the piles of clothes.

"I'm gonna stay around a bit." Daryl told her.

She paused, before swallowing, nodding slightly.

"Don't have to, if you don't want to be here, I can't force you." She went back to eating. "I'll manage."

"Nah, I want to. I gotta." He said. "They're my kids, I wanna be here for everything, for them. M'sorry for missing all of it. I wanna be a good dad for them."

"You will be." She told him, piling up a forkful of pasta. "I know you will. But, I was thinking, when the girls are a little older, not y'know, new borns" They weren't even born yet. "We'll go out again, start looking for him, and Evie will be older, she's already expecting the best big sister award."

He nodded, looking down, she knew he was disappointed, didn't like the idea of Rick being out there by himself in who knew what state, and what it meant to him to bring his brother back for Michonne. It hurt her to put him through it, she regretted getting pregnant for the countless time, even though she loved her babies unconditionally already.

"Here" she leaned towards him and he followed, kissing her sweetly before accepting the fork of pasta she held out for him, letting her feed him.

"I love ya." He rasped.

"I love you, too, I'm sorry for what I said, I was being a major bitch."

"You ain't gotta do that all the time, I know why ya say shit, I deserve it, when I'm being an asshole." He knew why she always apologised after their arguments, he caught on pretty early on throughout their friendship turned relationship, she didn't know that she was the only one who'd ever apologised to him for the way they treated him, he could handle her angry spouts, it made him feel warm when she took the time to try and make it up to him, no matter if he wasn't even affected by what she said. "What's all this?" Daryl asked, deciding to change the conversation, he wanted to learn about the girls, more, catch up after his time away.

"I'm separating their clothes for each girl, blue and anything in this pile is for B, green and anything in this pile is for A." Natalia explained, pairing up socks. "If we keep them colour coordinated, it'll help tell them apart as well, in case they're y'know, identical. Rick picked the colours, actually"

"A and B, that gonna be their names forever?"

"Well, I've been waiting to ask you about it, but..." She raised her eyebrows, as she paused the organising to have another forkful of mac and cheese.

Daryl let out a huff of air.

"What you wanna call them?" He asked.

"Evie's been pushing two names, that she's adamant on." Natalia shared.

He grunted in reply.

"I know she aint stopped with the Bambi idea, had Judith chanting it when they got back."

"Is it bad that It's kinda grown on me?" Natalia asked, unsure of herself.

"Aint that the movie about the deer who's mom gets shot and he's pals with a skunk?"

"You've seen Bambi?" Natalia grinned, looking up at him.

"Yeah, one of Merle's dealers kids was watching it, had nothing better to do." He shrugged.

Natalia began giggling, holding her bump as her body shook.

"Oh god, I'm gonna pee." She wheezed, covering her face as she attempted to gain composure.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"Nothing, nothing, just thinking about you and Merle watching Bambi, did you cry when the mom died, oh please tell me you cried." She cackled.

"Reminded me of my own ma dying, a little, yeah." He took offense, cutting Natalia's laugh short.

"Oh, right... sorry." She looked away.

"Think we should call B, Bambi. Fits. I like it." He continued the conversation of naming their children.

"You do?"

"Yeah. 'Sides, Evie picked it."

"Okay, so Bambi for B, uh, I kinda like the other name, Daisy."

"Daisy, the flower?"

"Yeah, she picked it cause of the necklace you gave her, a purple daisy. And D like her Daddy."

"Daisy and Bambi, alrigh'" He nodded.

"Now what about middle names?"

"They need them?"

"Yes, Daryl, they need middle names, Evie has a middle name, too."

"She does?"

"Y'know her name is Evelyn Ruth Baker, right?" She squinted at him.

"Oh, always thought of her as just Evie, course "Milo" gave her some oldass name."

"Daryl, Milo was a very good friend of mine who I had to leave in the woods to die."

"Don't change anything." He shrugged.

"And that's why I kissed him before you."

"You what!?" He demanded. "You ain't never told me this before!"

"I wasn't going to deny a man of his dying wish, and it was before I realised I was madly in love with you." She scoffed with an eye roll. "Anyway, what name goes with Bambi?" She moved on, before he got a chance to make her more mad or press the other issue further.

"You tell me." He shrugged again. "I'll like whatever you pick, even though you named yer first kid after a witch." He had to kick some sand back in her own face, Daryl Dixon was not above snarky comments, even at his big age.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She asked him, he seemed to be on something today.

"You laughed about my mom."

Natalia thought on it for a moment, before it hit her.

"I have one."

"Mhm."

"Elizabeth." She said. "After Beth."

"Bambi Elizabeth Dixon, yeah." He nodded. "What about Daisy?"

"I picked Elizabeth, so you can pick Daisy's." She told him.

He leaned back on his hands as he thought hard about it, Daryl didn't even see the point in having middle names, they only needed their first anyway.

"What about Caroline? Like, for Carol?" He asked.

"You wanna name Daisy after Carol?"

He shrugged.

"She's my best friend."

"Then what am I?" She sounded sort of jealous.

"My wife." He answered.

"Oh, that's it?" She looked down.

"What, that ain't good enough?" He was confused by her sudden change of emotion.

"Nothing... just I thought that I..." She cut herself off covering her face with her hands.

"Are you crying?" Daryl asked, concerned at her stifled sobs that came out of nowhere.

Michonne had warned him about her emotional breakdowns, who had yet to witness them first hand, when she had screamed, cried and broke a plate, because Eugene pointed out the obvious growth of the twins inside of her, lets just say, he was banned from making comments on Natalia's pregnancy until Rosita checked the said comment.

Natalia wiped at her face, getting rid of the tears that were down her face, he'd seen her cry before, but never to this extent, and only because her loved one was dead, not over...random things.

"N-no." She lied. "Just that, clearly I'm not as important to you as you are to me." She looked away as more tears came.

"Nat." He muttered, sitting closer to her. "You're my wife, which means you're the most important person in my entire life. You're at the top of every list, okay, Carol, she's just my friend, same as Michonne, Aaron, Jesus, Rosita, an' the others." He'd be sure to remind them that they did matter to him at some point "But you, you're my whole world, baby, nothing matters if you ain't in it."

"Awe, baby." She squealed, reaching out to hug him, the babies not making it easy for her, but he made it easier by inching closer and hugging her tightly. "Daisy Caroline sounds beautiful."

"You sure?" You sure you ain't gonna cry again? Was his actual question, as he lifted his head from leaning it on hers to look at her.

"Yeah, Bambi Elizabeth and Daisy Caroline. You like them, right?" She asked Daryl.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sounds good, whatever you want." He assured, he didn't really care what their names were, as long as Natalia liked them, it was good enough for him. "Think we should get you to bed."

"And you, right?" She didn't know if she could bare another sleepless night without him.

"'Course and me." He told her, standing up from the carpeted floor, letting out a low groan as his knees cracked.

"Alright, Grandpa." Natalia joked, waiting for him to help her up.

"Watch it." Daryl said, pointedly, taking hold of her hands to hoist the pregnant woman up. "Ma baby girls ain't even here yet, an' Evie's not even ten, ain't no dating until she's twenty-one."

"Twenty-one?" She laughed.

"You think that's funny? You old enough to drink, legally, you old enough to make your own decisions."

"Says the man who led an eighteen year old to a moonshine cabin so she could have her first sip of alcohol."

"Her dad just died, I ain't going nowhere. Different times."

"Okay, officer daddy Daryl." Natalia saluted with one hand, the other supported her large tummy as she waddled out of the room.

"I like the sound of that." He smirked at her.

"Don't give me that look, you had your chance months ago, I'm scared anything now will send me into Labour."

"Ain't that a good thing?" His wolfish expression dropped, an annoyed one taking place.

"No." She looked over her shoulder at him, his hands were on her hips, guiding her into the direction of their room, the one he hadn't slept in, in a long time. "I'm letting them come on their own time, whenever they want, best chance of not needing a C-Section."

"You'd make it through though, right?" Daryl asked, concern written all over his face as he opened their door. "Siddiq's prepared for that?"

"Daryl, hey, yeah, of course he is" She comforted him, taking his hands and sitting on the bed. "It's just... y'know, a personal preference of not being cut open. But it's handled and everything's gonna be fine, he's prepped for everything that could and might happen, you ain't the only one who's hard to kill." She pulled him down to sit down beside her. "Here, she's a kicker." She placed his hand on the right side of her belly, where it was moving around.

"Which one's this?" He asked, feeling the tiny attack on his palm, his voice was low, full of wonderment and intrigue.

"That's Daisy, she's always active, this one here, she's a little sleeper, I get worried sometimes by how still she is." Natalia prodded around on her left side, trying to get Bambi to move. "You can talk to them if you want, they can hear you."

"Nah, that looks stupid." He grumbled, though he was trying to keep his voice gentle, just in case, as he rubbed her belly.

"Daryl, you're their father, they're gonna want to learn their dad's voice. I talk to them all the time."

"About what?" He looked up at her.

"Anything" she shrugged "What I'm doing, how I'm feeling, I talk to them about Alexandria, and The Hilltop, and The Kingdom, about Rick and Michonne, Glenn and Maggie, Beth, Carl, everyone. I talk to them about the prison, and the road, and my life before this, and their sisters, both of them... and I talk about you a lot, when you're not here, and I'm by myself, when I'm missing you, but how you're out there and what you're doing, and I'm proud, and also that I'm glad that you're trying."

Daryl bowed his head, ashamed that he hadn't made progress in his hunt for any signs of Rick, but also that he had abandoned Natalia, and the girls.

"I'm sorry." He rasped, his eyes were becoming blurry as he thought about how bad of a father he was being, not only to the twins but to Evie, and then how he was a horrible husband to Natalia. "I'm sorry for being shit to ya, you don't deserve that."

"Hey, look at me." She lifted his head, her hands on his cheeks, she was always good at reading him. "Don't, okay, I know I was mad earlier, I shouldn't of said that stuff, I was annoyed and in the wrong, but I didn't mean it. You're the best husband in the world, and you're already an amazing father to Evie, she loves you, and I know the girls will, too. You're too good for this world, and I can't put into words enough how much I love you, I've waited my whole life for a person like you to come into it, and clearly I know words aren't enough to convince you, because I've been trying for two years, been tryna convince you you're important to me for four, and yet it feels like I've known you an entire lifetime. I was mad because I miss you so much, it's like my whole world stops when you're not in it."

"I ain't gonna leave ya, not again, I swear to ya." He sniffled, dropping his head on her shoulder as his fingers tangled in her hair. "Love ya, so fucking much."

"Hey, Evie might not be lurking around as the language police, but Daisy and Bambi can still hear ya." Natalia teased,  earning a scoff from the man.

"Sorry." He grumbled to the two babies. "Daddy didn' mean tha', S'bad word."

Natalia smiled widely as he spoke to her stomach, playing with his hair, feeling warm at the blush creeping up his neck, embarrassed he was actually doing it.

"Hey, you woke Bambi up." She cheered, feeling the baby move around on her side of the womb, "Keep talking, she must like the sound of your voice."

"Really?" He looked up at her.

"Yes, c'mon."

"Alright." He sighed, trying to think about what to say. "You said you told 'em stories about everything, right?"

"If you're thinking about telling them stories about you and your brother before all this, don't even think about it." She warned, having heard a bunch of the illegal activities they used to get up to.

"Nah, time I fell off a horse, almost died, back at the farm."

Natalia raised her brows, she didn't think she'd heard this one before.

"Go on." She urged. "Girls, just so you know, this was before I met your dad, so anything dumb he did, was out of my hands from preventing."

"Alright." He cleared his throat as Natalia moved back on the bed, laying her head on the pillows as he followed, laying in between her legs, resting his head on his hand whilst the other one rubbed the large bump,  her hand returned to entwine in his messy hair. "When I was out looking for Aunt Carols daughter, her name was Sophia." He told his daughters "Took a horse out, didn't bother asking Hershel, Aunt Maggie's dad, that's when I didn't really like him, though, I shoulda asked, then I woulda known her name was "Nervous Nelly." That's important to the story. So I'm riding this horse around the woods, an' I found her doll in a riverbed, first clue that she was alive, spoiler alert, she weren't. Then, the horse, Nervous Nelly, gets spooked, knocks your dad off, I go flying down this cliff, tumble so hard, I get a damn arrow stuck in my side, head was cut up, the water was stained with ma blood, was looking bad for yer old man." He looked up at Natalia, see if she was listening as well, which she was, though she was trying to work out what actually happened or if he was being dramatic, for the sake of the story, with it being Daryl, there was honestly no telling, with the amount of shit he's been through and surprisingly made it out. "So I drag myself out, and I gotta patch up, using the sleeves of my shirt to tie around the arrow, couldn't just pull it out, that's dangerous, if it were yer momma, bet she woulda, though." She smacked his head in protest. "Wait till I tell ya about the time she got shot, and I hadda save her life."

"So you were at the bottom of this cliff with an arrow in your side?" Natalia pulled him away from his distraction.

"Yeah, right, so I'm thinking about how I'm gonna get back up, track down that horse so I can skin it and- give it a good telling off... but then I hear rustling in the tree's, coulda been an animal, coulda been walkers, anything, so I comb through the river, finding my crossbow before making my way towards climbing the cliff, got nothing but a stick, a crossbow, and a damn doll tucked into my belt."

"Damn, sure sad I missed seeing that." Natalia scoffed. "I'm pregnant, with your kids." She warned, before he could pinch her in retaliation. "Continue with your story."

"Stop interrupting me, lady. Anyway, I manage to get half way through, giving myself a pep talk to get the rest of the way up, then I fall all the way back down, fell so hard, I damn passed out. When I woke up, saw my jackass of a brother, yer uncle Merle, who I thought was dead at the time, cause of yer Uncle Rick, 'Nother story though. Turned out, he was never there in the first place, y'know who were there, walkers, and when I got to my senses, took 'em out, even had to pull the arrow outta my own side to do it, then, patched myself up, gutted a squirrel, got some food in my system, made myself a neat lil necklace and I climbed the damn cliff, all by maself, ain't a single person's help, I got myself back to the farm, they all came running fer me, thought I was a walkers, when they got to me, realised I was still breathing, yer Uncle Rick, he put his gun down, then this woman I used to be friends with, Andrea, son of a bitch shot me in the head, bullet whizzed right past my head." He did the motion. "Grazed me."

"Andrea shot you?" Natalia asked, her brows furrowed. "Knew I was justified in not liking her, bitch."

"Thought we couldn't swear around 'em?" He reminded.

"Daryl, they're babies, they don't know what that means, why did she shoot you?" She interrogated.

"Said it in my story, she stayed at the RV, thought I was a walker and tried to shoot me from the distance, had something to prove, but she missed."

"Too right, she missed. Why'd you never tell me this before?"

"I haven't?"

"Uh, no! I think I'd remember if you did!"

"Geez, must've slipped my mind, ain't that big of a deal." He shrugged, moving away from out of the hold from between her legs and settling his head on his pillows, beside her.

"Daryl, you got shot, how is that not a big deal?"

"I didn't die, right c'mon, bed time, you gotta get as much sleep as ya can, those bags are huge."

He earned a punch in the arm.

"If I knew this would make you way more feisty than usual, I woulda pulled out." Daryl commented, rubbing his bicep.

"Well, you best start practising, cause I ain't going through it again."

"You mean now?" He looked at her, raising his brows.

"No." She shot him down. "I meant what I said earlier, give me two-to-three months."

"Huh?" His voice rose, the usual hoarseness dropping.

"You try pushing at least one thing outta your dick and we'll see how you get on." She told him, turning on her side, nestling her head into the pillow, she had made a small line of pillows to make it more comfortable in bed, for her bump. "What got us in this trouble anyway."

"That's what your body's made ta do." He told her, blowing out the candles that were lit on the bedside tables.

"Go back to sleeping in the woods, asshole."

"C'mon, I was kidding, grateful of ya for popping these two out, but you're way more than that." He spooned her, rubbing her protruding stomach whilst he kissed from her shoulder all the way up to her cheek. "I love ya."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She rolled her eyes, but snuggled into his touch.

Quite a few moments had passed when she listened for his breathing, working out whether he was asleep or not.

"Hey, baby?" She whispered.

"Hm?" He mumbled, his eyes were closed and his chin was balanced on the top of her head.

"You awake?"

"Uh huh."

"I left the mac and cheese in the nursery." She confessed. "Don't wanna attract ants, but if I get up, it's so much harder."

He exhaled sharply, throwing his head back on his own pillows.

"I got it." Daryl told her, getting up from the bed.

"Oh, whilst you're up, we got some cobbler downstairs, Jerry sent it over with a pack of chips, I'm his guinea pig, he's experimenting, oh and grab a stick of cucumber."

"What, you want some slices?"

"No, that's okay, you can just get the whole stick." Natalia smiled up at him. "Thanks baby."

"Yeah, yeah." He shook his head, leaving the bedroom.

When he returned with her requested items, Daryl watched in wonderment how she devoured the food, before munching on the stick of cucumber, not even bothering to cut it up.

"What?" She asked, her mouth full of the vegetable, meeting his gaze.

"Nothing." He shook his head. "I don't like the way you're eating that, making me nervous."

He was already holding a pillow over his crotch, something he did subconsciously.

"I only bit it once, and it was an accident." Natalia glared at him, "I heard someone walk past and I got spooked."

"Was your idea, anyway." He looked away.

"You saying that if I offered to go down on you now, you wouldn't want it?" She asked, her hand on his thigh as she batted her eyelashes.

Daryl swallowed thickly, forcing himself to think straight.

"You for real?" He asked her.

"Of course not." She slapped her hand off, running it through her long dark hair. "I'm nine months pregnant, with twins, pig."

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixion imagine #daryl x you #twd daryl x y/n #daryldixonalonetwd #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Garbage Trucks And Trash People

Previous

It turned out that the Saviours had come for Dr Carson, Maggie's doctor, and Gregory had just let them take him.

In other news, Rosita and Sasha had also disappeared.

Natalia was heavily pissed at the both of them.

She was even more angry at the fact they had kept it from her, not letting her help, cause of course she knew what they were up to.

Rick and the others had come by the Hilltop, to pick up Daryl, Natalia, Jesus and Enid.

Tara had shared with Rick about a community she had found, Oceanside, full of only women, they also had a whole bunch of guns, it had turned out that the Saviours murdered all their men, all boys over the age of ten, they weren't keen on strangers.

The plan was that Tara was going to politely ask Oceanside for their part in helping take down Negan, and if not that, then just to borrow their armoury, if she failed, Rick would take over.

Michonne and Natalia were to sit in tall trees, act as lookouts, snipers, considering Natalia was a great shot, and Michonne had been improving.

She also speculated it was because her husband wanted her away from gunfire as much as possible, she found it cute that he still worried about her getting hurt, even after the amount of risky things she had done, and how many times she had saved his ass.

Daryl helped her up the tree as Rick helped Michonne, she had noticed the pair had grown even closer with one another since she'd been away.

"You gonna be alright?" Daryl asked her, hoisting her small frame up.

"Baby, I'm gonna be in a tree, you're the one who I should be worried about." Natalia smiled. "But I don't need to be, we got this, we always do. Gonna be watching you like a hawk." She winked.

"You focus on the mission." He slapped her ass, gesturing for her to climb as well.

"Hey, watch it!" She threatened, "Remember when I got shot, and you had to save my life, with Rick and Merle?"

"One of the worst days of my life, you mean?" He asked.

"The one time you actually recused me, not the other way round." She teased, obviously lying.

"Climb the damn tree, woman."

"Alright, watch this, I used to win the tree climbing competitions as a kid." She kissed him briefly, before going up the tree, reaching the high branches so she could sit in them.

"That cause you were the size of a squirrel?" He asked, watching her go up.

Natalia broke off a small branch, throwing it at him.

"Guess what you just lost privileges to, I'll give you a hint, it's got three letters."

"That's more of a punishment for you than me." He scoffed, before walking away to set the dynamite wire with Jesus. "Love ya!"

Natalia caught the stare of her friend, who was also sat in a tree not so far away from her.

"Happy in paradise?" Michonne called out.

"Just grand." She rolled her eyes. "What about you?"

"Amazing." Michonne had that toothy smile that Natalia loved seeing on her.

"Go us!" She threw her fist in the air, before catching herself from plummeting to the ground, Michonne stifled a laugh at the scene.

Tara had gone in, it seemed like her chat wasn't working out well, considering time had ran out and one of the explosives went off.

The women of Oceanside vacated the area, running for the woods and for safety.

Natalia and Michonne started shooting at the two women, who ran to the Armoury's, feet, a trick they picked up from Terminus.

"On the ground. Now" Daryl stepped out, aiming his crossbow at them as Jesus, Eric and Aaron followed. "Those hands, put them on your head."

"Please." Jesus told them.

Eric and Aaron restrained the two women as Daryl waved his bandana in the air, signalling that it was okay, and to not shoot.

More explosives went off as the people were rallied by the others.

The two snipers switched around in the trees, facing the group as Daryl and Jesus led the two women with the rest, Rick following.

"Now, we made a lot of noise. We want to wrap this up quick so you can send people to redirect anything coming this way." Rick started. "Tara said your forests are relatively clear, so we won't take any chances. No one needs to get hurt. This is just about what you have, what we need."

"Nobody's taking anything." A woman appeared, she was leading Tara towards them, a gun held to the back of her head, Natalia set her sights on the woman with her gun, she assumed Michonne would do the same.

Natalia didn't approve of killing women without a reason, they weren't necessarily the enemy, but if she did anything to Tara, she wouldn't hesitate to shoot the bitch in front of the kids, not her problem if they're scarred for life.

"You need to let everyone go and leave right now." She said. "Just walk away or this one dies."

"Yeah, we'll leave you alone." Rick agreed. "But we're taking your weapons with us. That's not gonna change. It's Natania, right?"

Natalia scoffed at her name.

"Like mine." She mouthed to herself.

"Put the gun down, and let's talk about what we can change."

"No. Leave right now." Natania pushed.

"Natalia! Don't!" Tara shouted at the more trigger happy one of the two. "You either, Michonne."

She just blew their cover, so much for element of surprise.

"We just wanna be left alone." Natania pushed.

"Yeah, we'll leave you alone." Rick repeated. "Just let go of her. Now. Or we'll kill you. None of us want that."

Natalia got a better grip on her gun, as she checked the area, keeping the gun still in case she had to take the shot.

"They want us to fight The Saviours." The young woman beside Natania said, she looked a few years older than Carl and Enid.

"We tried that. We lost. Too much." Natania said. "We're not gonna lose anymore. Not our guns, not our safety, not after everything we've done to get here."

"We're gonna win" Tara spoke up. "With your guns, with or without your help."

"Natania, put the gun down." Rick said.

"You kill me, and you die. And my people take the guns and nothing changes."

"Maybe we should try." The woman Daryl had led, said.

"Its not over!" Natania shouted when the girl had tried talking to her. "They've forgotten. You've all forgotten. Some of you actually want to fight them? After everything? We can lose our guns, but us leaving this place to fight? After everything? I have to remind you. Yes. I am gonna do this, and then I'm gonna die. But it's that important."

Natalia looked through the scope again, at her threat, ready to take the shot.

"This is your life, all of you." Natania continued. "Remember what it looked like. Remember what they did to us!"

Natalia looked around the woods again, seeing a lone walker, she took her shot.

Then another appeared, and then more, it seemed that Michonne had caught this too.

"Rick! Walkers!" She cried.

The girl punched the old lady, knocking her out cold, taking the gun.

A herd of walkers appeared between the trees, coming for the people.

"Everybody up!" Rick ordered. "Get the children behind us! They're coming."

Oceanside and Alexandria, as well as Jesus, did as he said.

"First shift, join them on the line." The woman who had spoke up about fighting, said, as Rick cut her ties. "Knives out. Dead only. Dead only!"

"Everyone, shots within 10 feet of the line. That's it." Rick instructed as they got ready.

Natalia watched the herd, keeping her eye for any sneaks or ones that got messy, taking them out before they could take out hers.

On Ricks order, the two groups fought in harmony.

She had watched as a young girl was able to take down a walker, killing it, she thought about Evie, how she'd been debating with herself about training the girl, Natalia didn't even like the thought of her being anywhere near them, but she knew the time was approaching, she was only gonna get older.

The girl had shot the last one, helping Tara.

When Natania woke up, she had still decided Oceanside would not take part, but had given her blessing for them to take the guns, she didn't really have a choice.

"Alright, just come down, I got ya." Daryl clapped his hands together, gesturing for Natalia to let go and he'd catch her, whilst the oceanside people watched, the others were loading up the guns.

"No way, you're gonna drop me." She shook her head.

"I ain't gonna drop ya!" He claimed. "It ain't even that high."

"No, get someone else to help, in case you don't catch me." She pointed at Aaron or Rick.

"I'm gonna catch you! Trust me!"

"I do trust you, I just don't really wanna cost any broken bones over it, alright, fine. You drop me, I want a divorce." She let out a deep breath, before letting go of the branch she was clinging onto, falling through the sky.

Daryl reached forward, catching her in his arms, nearly knocking himself on his ass as she fell.

The few oceanside women and kids clapped for him, as their friends watched, amused.

"Told ya I wouldn't let you fall." He grumbled. "Aint getting rid of me that easily."

"My hero." She put the back of her hand to her forehead, leaning her head back in his hold.

"Shut up." He snorted, setting her down on the ground.

Tara was talking to Cyndie as they joined their people, Michonne, who had gotten down earlier, was talking to Rick, before walking over to the couple.

"That reminds me, you have no idea what we had to go through to get this signed." Michonne handed Natalia a very familiar bit of paper. "Congratulations, its official in the name of Father Gabriel, the priest."

Natalia unfolded it, seeing his signature.

"Still a bunch of bullshit." Daryl stated, but he looked over her shoulder at it anyway, sliding a hand across her back, settling it on her waist.

"Merle told Daryl that weddings and religion is just capitalism and doesn't actually mean anything." Natalia told Michonne.

"Merle told you that?" Michonne looked at him, seeming unimpressed.

"Yeah." He nodded, as his wife folded the paper back up, placing it in her pocket. "He's right."

Michonne and Natalia shared a look, before shaking their heads, letting the subject drop.

"You're not leaving us any?" The girl who had fought the walker, asked as they headed back to their vehicles.

"Nope! See ya later, Rachel!" Tara replied, flipping the young girl off.

"I was thinking, we should train Evie" Natalia looked up at Daryl, walking side by side.

"Hm?" He looked at her, his brows raising.

"Walkers, I think we should start training her to fight them, she's only getting older, and It'd be better to start her off young, then when she gets older and y'know, I gave a brief when they were in Alexandria and obviously she carries her knife everywhere, just, that girl, she was real good about it, just got me thinking."

"What d'you mean we" He put into quotation marks.

"Me and you, you and I, us." She explained. "The both of us can teach her, after all, we're the best partners this group has." She grinned, putting her hand out for him to high five, which he did. "Besides, she looks up to you a lot, y'know, I found notes from when you've let her help with your bike, kid loves to learn, writes everything down you say, too bad she doesn't like learning with people her own age."

"Alright, after all this, after we win, we'll teach her." He nodded. "Turn her into the next best walker fighter Alexandria has seen."

"Hell yeah, a mini us" Her smile grew at the hopefulness for the future, she was also excited to be going back to Alexandria, to see Evie.

"Hey, you wanna ride back with me?" He asked her, offering for her to go back to Alexandria on the back of his bike.

"Sure, baby, I can't wait to get home, to sleep in our bed."

When they had got to the gates, Rosita was the one to open it, setting alarm bells off for everyone.

"Hey, are you okay?" Enid asked her.

"Where's Sasha?" Jesus pried.

"There's someone here." She replied.

Rosita had led; Rick, Jesus, Michonne, Tara, Daryl and Natalia to the cell, opening the gate and letting them see inside.

Natalia's jaw dropped as she saw who it was.

No one was quick enough to stop her as she lunged forward, throwing her fist into the blond mans nose.

He fell flat on his back as she got on top of him, throwing another hit at his burnt side, purposely picking that side.

"You asshole, I'm gonna kill you!" Natalia shouted, Michonne grabbed at her waist, trying to pull the small woman off of him, Rosita helping, as Jesus and Rick attempted to restrain Daryl, who was just as livid at the sight of him.

She scratched at Dwight as Michonne carried her away, Rosita standing in front of him.

"Woah, woah, woah, Nat! Get away from him, Daryl, stop!" Rick shouted, pushing Daryl out of the cell, as Michonne dragged Natalia to the corner, trying to calm her down.

"I'm gonna kill you, you're gonna rot in hell, prick!"

"Stop!" Michonne pointed her finger in her friends face. "Knock it off!"

"He says he wants to help us." Rosita said.

"That true?" Rick turned to him, still holding Daryl back, as he got up from the ground, his nose was bleeding. "You want to help?"

"I do." Dwight answered, even the sound of his slimy voice grated against her ears.

Rick let go of Daryl, stepping towards the man.

"Okay." He then pulled his gun out, cocking it as he aimed it at the Saviours head. "Get on your knees."

He did as he was told, wiping at the blood that was seeping into his moustache.

He glanced at Daryl, then at Natalia, Michonne still had an arm around her, but trusted her to not attack him again.

Natalia wanted to carve his eyeballs out and force them down his throat.

"Look at me." Rick told him. "Why?"

"'Cause I want it stopped." He answered. "I want Negan dead."

"So why don't you kill him?" Rick asked.

"Can't just be me. They're all Negan."

Tara stepped forward.

"That girl you murdered." She bent down to look at him in the eye. "She had a name. Her name was Denise, and she was a doctor. And she helped people."

"I wasn't aiming for her." He whispered, glancing at Natalia.

Daryl pushed through Rick and Tara, grabbing Dwight by the collar and throwing him at the wall, his knife in line with the mans eye.

"Look at her again, I'll kill ya." Daryl rasped.

"Do it." Tara told him. "Do it."

"You wanna end it this way... you go ahead." Dwight told him. "I'm sorry. I am. I know you want to."

"He could just be here to see if the two of you were here." Rick said.

"We can't trust him." Michonne agreed, letting go of Natalia.

"He owned me." Dwight spoke up.

"Bullshit!" Natalia called. "Seemed pretty smitten when you were treating my husband like an animal!"

"He did. He owned me" Dwight repeated. "But not anymore. What I did, I was doing it for someone else. She just got away. So now I'm here. So are you because of her, and so is Natalia."

"Don't say her name." Daryl growled, the knife still in his hand, not moving from Dwight's face.

"Do it!" Tara repeated.

"There's another choice."

"Daryl." Tara was pleading with him. "Daryl, you knew her, she loved Evie, Evie adored her, he took that away."

"Negan trusts me." Dwight continued. "We work together, we can stop him. You knew me then, and you know me now. You know I'm not lying. I'm not."

"Do it." Tara continued. "Do it!"

Daryl pulled the knife away, loosening his grip on the mans throat.

"They have Sasha, if she's even alive." Rosita revealed.

"Why didn't you say something?" Jesus asked. "He could be our only chance to get her back."

"Because I don't trust him." She said. "But I trust Daryl."

"Negan's coming soon." Dwight told Rick. "Tomorrow. Three trucks probably. 20 Saviours and him. I can slow them down, bring some trees down in the road, buy a little time for you guys to get ready."

Rick looked at Daryl.

"If you can take them out, that's where we start. You kill them, I'll radio back to the Sanctuary."

"The Sanctuary?"

"That's the place they held us." Natalia scowled. "As prisoners."

"Where Negan lives." Dwight added. "That's what they call it. I can radio back to them and say everything's okay. You drive the trucks back, and I can lead you right inside, and, with the right plan, we can wipe out the rest. Check to see if your friend's still alive. Then, we get the workers on our side, build our numbers up, and go from outpost to outpost and end this."

"Keep talking." Rick said.

When they had gotten all the information he was willing to share, Dwight set off to head back to the Sanctuary.

"We just started it, the whole thing." Rick said, him, Daryl, Natalia, Jesus and Michonne were watching Rosita let him out.

"If he's lyin', I'm gonna kill him real slow." Daryl shared. "When this is done, I don't give a damn if he's sorry. I will kill that son of a bitch."

"If he's lying, this is already over." Rick replied, walking towards his house.

"Come on." Daryl grabbed Natalia's hand. "Let's get Evie and go home, get you bandaged up." He kissed her bruised and grazed knuckles, Natalia didn't care about her punching technique, as long as it caused the other person pain.

It was a tearful reunion with the seven year old.

Carl had woken her up, from where she had temporarily been sleeping in Judith's room, then Daryl carried her back to their house, as she wiped her eyes, fighting sleep.

"I missed you, so, so, so, so, so much!" She declared to the pair, when he set her on the floor.

"Missed you, too, a million times more, sweet girl." Natalia told her, kissing her head as she stroked her blonde locks.

"You're wearing your necklace." Daryl pointed out, crouching down to face her, looking at the purple flower that was resting against her pyjama top.

"Michonne gave it to me, on my birthday." She said, her smile slipping. "You guys weren't there."

"I know, Eves, I'm so sorry." She crouched down as well, taking a hold of her hand. "Gonna make It up to you, okay? That necklace, Daryl found that, we were gonna wrap it up and give it to you for your birthday, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I know why, Carl told me you guys were coming back, that I just had to wait, and be good, to stay out of trouble."

"You're perfect, okay, and we're home now, you're so strong, alright." Natalia stroked her cheek with her thumb.

Daryl had set his sights on the keychain attached to her belt, with her fathers knife, in the flowery fabric he had found so they could make her sheath, the one Denise had on her when Dwight killed her.

"Is it over, are the bad guys gone, can you stay?"

"Nearly, it's almost over baby." Natalia nodded. "We're gonna stay here, we're gonna fight."

"And you're gonna kill Negan?" Natalia was surprised a sentence like that had even come out of her mouth.

She looked at Daryl, who had raised his brows at her statement.

"Yeah, yes, we're gonna, okay, because there are people that you need to kill, so that you can be alive, bad people, though, the bad people don't get to live."

"I know. He's a really, really bad person, he took you guys." She wrapped her arms around the both again, Daryl enveloped the two girls into a hug, he felt like he had a family, his own little family, after so long, never thinking he'd ever have this, he hadn't even known he'd wanted it, until recently.

His mind wandered back to that conversation on the porch, the first night Natalia had dinner with Milo and Evie, he'd been waiting for her, wanting to know if anything had happened, if the son of a bitch had tried anything with her, Carol had told him he was jealous, but he pushed it off to just being wary for his friend, looking back, he was aggressively jealous of the man, just didn't want to admit it.

"I'm glad Aaron found you both, I got a second chance at having a mom and dad." Evie said through a yawn.

Daryl's eyes had widened, Natalia lifted her head so she could look at him, with the same expression.

"What did you just say?" Natalia asked.

"I said I got my second chance at having a mom and dad?" She repeated. "You guys."

"What, Daryl?" She pointed at him, being sure of what she just said.

"Was I not supposed to say that?" She covered her mouth, scared she just said the equivalent to a bad word. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, kid, what about yer dad?" Daryl asked.

"I'm going to love my daddy for ever, but he's not here anymore, and you're like... my backup, other dad, like Natty's my other mom, I love you."

"Sure kid, what ever you want." He hugged her, as she layed her head on his shoulder, letting out a yawn.

"Alright, time for bed, got a big day tomorrow." Natalia clapped her hands together.

"I got it." Daryl said, lifting the girl in his arms as they made their way upstairs.

Natalia scooted past him, so she could open Evie's door, pulling the covers back to her bed, they hadn't seemed to touch anything in her room, it looked like.

On her beside table, sat Sully's bejewelled collar.

"Rosita and Michonne helped me bury him." Evie confessed. "He's with the others now."

Natalia nodded, a weepy smile on her face.

Daryl layed her down as Natalia put the covers back over, tucking her in.

"Night, sweet girl." She said, brushing her blonde locks back, kissing her head. "I love you."

"I love you, too. I'm so happy you're both home, but I'm really sleepy so it doesn't look like it, but I am." Evie admitted, causing the pair to chuckle.

"We get it, kid. Go to sleep." Daryl told her, waving good night, she waved back tiredly, her hand flopping as she closed her eyes. "Love you." He muttered as they walked out the room, closing the door.

Daryl and Natalia walked towards their room, opening the door for the first time since they had left the day Daryl left to hunt down Dwight, and she had left to hunt down him.

As predicted, their mattress was gone, most of Natalia's clothes were missing, including her underwear, perverts, a bunch of their belongings that remained, were broken or on the floor.

"Assholes." Natalia cursed, looking around at the mess.

"Son's of bitches." Daryl grumbled.

The next day, Alexandria had gone on full lock down mode, preparing for the upcoming fight, Jesus had taken Evie to Hilltop with him, to keep her safe, Judith had been there since Rick had come for their help with Oceanside.

Daryl, Natalia, Rosita and Aaron were in the back of a "moving" van, setting up a bomb whilst Rick and Michonne greeted the people they had met when Daryl and Natalia were in Hilltop, the Scavengers, they called themselves.

It turned out, that when Michonne said they had no idea what she had to go through to get their "Marriage Certificate" signed, it meant that the Scavengers had kidnapped Gabriel, as well as all their food, holding the man hostage, and in order to get him back, Rick had to fight some Viking armour spike walker, with his bare hands, one of which had gone straight through one of the spikes.

Rick had explained their mission, and Jadis, their leader, had agreed to help, her and her people had turned up to Alexandria on bikes and in garbage trucks, they were trash people, as in they literally lived in trash at the dump.

"Nat, one of those trash collectors get shot down, we got ourselves a bike." Daryl said, as the four of them fiddled with the bomb, setting it up perfectly.

"Yay." Natalia answered, sarcastically.

"Why do you need a bicycle?" Rosita asked.

"So I can learn how to ride one." She replied.

"You don't know how to ride a bike." Aaron laughed.

"Something funny about that?" She looked at him accusingly, wrapping the cord around a stick of dynamite.

"No, no, not at all." He cleared his throat.

"My dad, he, uh, he always told my mom that he wanted to teach me stuff like that, he always wanted a little girl, but he died when I was real young." She confessed. "When, me, Daryl and Beth, Maggie's sister, when it was just us, out there, when we got split up, the same time you found Glenn, Tara, Maggie, Sasha and Bob." She looked at Rosita "We played this drinking game, never have I ever."

"Yeah, I know that one." Rosita nodded.

"Yeah, hers was that she never shot a crossbow, so Daryl taught her how." She smiled up at him, he looked down at his boots, thinking about that day. "Daryl's was that he never left Georgia, here we are. Mine was that I never rode a bike, like, by myself, so Daryl said he'd teach me whenever we got a hold of one."

"That's sweet." Aaron smiled.

"Yeah." She said, wistfully.

When the time had come, everyone was waiting.

Rick stood on the perch, looking out for the Saviours.

One of the Scavengers blew a green tube, it sounded like a turkey.

It was time.

"Rosita." Rick called to the woman beside Natalia, Daryl and Tara were also stood with them, as well as six Scavengers, all with guns in their hands. "Get into position. I'll signal you. And the wall's gonna hold?"

"It'll hold." Rosita confirmed.

"You got this." Natalia told her. "Piece of cake."

"All points are covered." The voice of Eugene came from a megaphone, from outside the walls. "Every contingency is already met. I come armed with two barrels of the truth."

Rosita and Natalia moved closer to the gate, seeing the man dressed in all black, on the top of a blue cab truck.

"What the fuck?" Natalia whispered.

"A test is upon you, and I'm giving out cheat sheets." He continued.

The truck stopped, Eugene was stood in front of a box that had a yellow blanket draped over it, he looked up to Rick, talking to him as the leader of Alexandria.

"H-Hello. I come salved with the hope that it is my dropped knowledge that you heed. Options are zero to none. Compliance and fealty are your only escape. Bottom-lining it, you may thrive, or you may die. I sincerely wish for the former for everyone's sake. The jig is up and in full effect. Will you comply, Rick?"

Everyone looked to him, to see what he'd do.

"Where's Negan?" He asked.

"I'm Negan." He announced.

Natalia felt a wave of anger over her.

She always knew Eugene was a coward, hell, he was the reason they had ended up in Virginia, but after he saved Tara, becoming a fighter, she really thought he was becoming an valued member of their family, he was smart and resourceful, too.

Natalia glanced at Rosita, her thumb hovered over the button, its like she had chose in that moment that his life was no longer valuable to them, she watched Rick, waiting for his signal.

After accepting the betrayal, he nodded.

Rosita pressed the button and everyone at the walls ducked for cover, waiting for the explosion, but it never came.

She looked shocked and defeated.

Rick went to grab his gun, but then the Scavengers turned on the Alexandrians, aiming their weapons at them.

Jadis held a gun to Rick's head.

The others had done the same.

One of the Scavengers walked forward, opening the gate so that the Saviours could enter.

They had double-crossed them.

Negan jumped out of one of the trucks, Dwight by his side.

"You ever hear the one about the stupid little prick named Rick who thought he knew shit but didn't know shit and got everyone that he gave a shit about killed?" Negan pointed at Rick. "Its about you. You're all gonna wanna put your guns down now."

"No one drops anything." Rick spoke up, turning to talk to Jadis.

"You push me, and you push me. And you push me, Rick. You just tried to blow us up, right? I mean, I get me, my people. But Eugene? He's one of yours. And after what he did... He stepped up. You people are animals. Universe gives you a sign, and you just shove your finger right up its ass."

He laughed, though everyone else remained silent.

"Dwight, Simon, chop-chop."

The two men walked towards the big box, unlinking it from the truck bed, revealing that it was a coffin.

Why the hell would they have a coffin?

Negan got up, standing beside the coffin.

"So you don't like Eugene anymore. You guys gotta like Sasha. I do, too."

He hit the metal box with Lucille.

"Got her right here packaged for your convenience, alive and well."

Natalia stared frozen, not believing what was actually going on, Rosita had told them that Sasha had left Rosita, to go on her own to kill Negan, then she turns up in a coffin?

"Now, I brought her so I wouldn't have to kill all of you, and not killing all of you... could get complicated. See, I know there's a lot of firepower left in there, Rick. So I'm gonna make this simple. I want all the guns you've managed to scrape up. Yep, I know about those, too. I want every last grain of lemonade you got left. I want a person of your own choosing... For Lucille." Negan stated. "Natalia, where you been, baby, had me searching all around for ya, had me worried sick, no fear, I've come to take you home." He grinned at her. "Daryl, ooh, I gotta get me my Daryl back." He pointed at the both of them, then to his eyes. "I see you. And the pool table and all the pool cues and chalk. And I want it now or Sasha dies, and then all of you. Probably. C'mon, Rick. Just because I brought her in a casket doesn't mean she has to leave in it."

Rick had continued to stare at him.

Negan sighed, wiping his brow.

"You know what? You suck ass, Rick. You really do. I don't want to have to kill her but that's exactly what you're gonna make me do."

Rick took a step forward.

"Let me see her." He requested.

"All right. Just give me a second. I might have to get her up to speed. You can't hear shit inside this thing."

He knocked Lucille against the coffin, causing a clanging sound.

"Sash. You're not gonna believe this crap." Negan opened the coffin.

Sasha had come jumping out at him, except, she was dead, Sasha was a walker, trying to eat Negan.

"Holy goddamn!" He yelled, falling backwards as she jumped on him, onto the ground.

Carl took this distraction, turning around and shooting the Scavengers, the others followed suit.

Natalia lifted her gun, shooting at anyone that wasn't Rosita, Daryl or Tara.

Then aimed ahead at the Saviours, wanting to get the bitch that killed her dog.

Gunfire rained, until, Rosita yelped in pain, getting shot in the chest.

Natalia reached for her, helping to keep her up.

"I got you." She told the woman. "You're gonna be alright."

"I'll get her to the infirmary." Tara ran over.

"You sure, you need help?" Natalia asked her, keeping an eye out for anyone looking their way.

"No, I got it, you got this." Tara assured, taking over supporting Rosita.

"Alright, go" Natalia waved her off, going back to shooting at the Saviours.

She heard an gunshot from above, then Ricks body falling from the perch.

Jadis had shot then kicked him down.

"Rick!"

Natalia ran to his aid, putting pressure on the wound as it started spouting blood, she hoped this was a good enough reason to explain to Michonne and Daryl, why she was gripping his waist.

"Uh uh" Jadis approached them, shaking her head. "He's mine." She aimed her gun at her head.

"Crazy bitch, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Natalia asked looking up at her.

"Move." She raised a brow.

"Do it, Nat." Rick shook his head.

She growled as she stood up, stepping away from her friend.

Jadis helped Rick up, leading him through the crossfire, her arm in the air.

"Come on, little birdie" She looked at her. "You're coming with us." She had no choice but to follow the pair, in case Jadis shot her or Rick.

Bodies of Alexandrians were splayed out on the road, as well as a pool of blood with each body.

Carl was knelt on the grass, the Saviours and Scavengers surrounded him, including Simon and Dwight.

Rick had froze at the sight.

Jadis hit his gunshot wound.

"Move." She ordered, pushing him forward, grabbing a hold of Natalia as so that she couldn't sneak away or anything.

"I'm gonna kill you." Natalia said.

"I doubt that very much."

Negan walked on to the scene, a smirk on his face, Sasha hadn't got the chance to devour him.

"Hello again."

He took his bat out of Dwight's hand, Natalia couldn't even feel giddy about the bruises and scratches that dotted around his face.

Jadis dragged Rick to stand beside Carl.

Negan snapped his fingers, a gun was trained on Natalia.

"Hey, gorgeous, d'ya miss me?" He asked, waving at her.

"Go to Hell." She told him.

"Got a way with words, don't she."

Jadis had pushed Rick to the ground.

"Well, shit, Rick." Negan turned to the man. "You just couldn't stick with us, huh? You had to go with these filthy garbage people?"

Jadis looked at him in offensive.

"No offense." He told her.

"Deal is for 12, yes?" She asked him.

"Ten. People are a resource." He bargained.

"12" Jadis whispered.

He didn't answer her.

"Ten." She settled.

"You dumb bitch, really gotta hand it to you." Natalia scoffed, clapping her hands together. "Can't even be mad, the double crosser got double crossed, well isn't that something."

Jadis glared at her as she walked away.

Negan chuckled.

"See, Ms Moore does have a sense of humour, that was for you, darling."

Natalia's face changed stoic, as she looked away, scratching her brow with her left hand.

"Oh, you little shit." He looked at her. "I am mistaken, Ms not any Moore. You've crushed my heart, now I'm gonna take it out on these two, you back stabber, I mean, seriously, after everything I've done for you."

He turned to Rick and Carl.

"Rick." He sighed. "This is gonna make you as sad as me right now. Broken. You're gonna wish you were dead." He walked around the Grimes. "I like having fun. I do. But maybe you think that the guy that did what he did to your friends wasn't me, like that was some sort of a put-on, like I'm not the guy with the bat. I'm just the guy that makes your kid spaghetti, your kids." He looked back at Natalia, who seemed to be confused about this information, when the hell was he with Evie. "Oh, shit, I'll catch you up after I ruin your friends life. I guess I gotta start all over again. I gotta tell you, Rick, if I had a kid, I'd want him to be just like your kid, which makes this so much harder."

"You're not gonna win." Carl told him.

"Carl. It is over. Why don't you point your one ball up the street there and take it all in?" Negan suggested.

A woman's voice screamed out, coming from the place Michonne was supposed to be.

Natalia's stomach lurched.

Not Michonne, she was so much stronger than anyone, it couldn't be.

"Ohh." Negan laughed, looking at their expressions. "Oh. Wow. You just lost somebody important to you right now, like, just now. Jesus. That is timing. Well, Rick... you chose this. I truly don't know what more I could've done to warn you. And this isn't a warning. This is punishment. I'm gonna kill Carl now. I'm gonna make it one nice, hard swing, try to do it in one because I like him. I just want you to put that in your brain and roll it around for a minute. I'm gonna kill Carl, and then Lucille here, she's gonna take your hands."

Natalia teared up, her lip quivering, first Sasha, then Michonne, now Carl.

All hope gets you, is killed.

"You can do it right in front of me. You can take my hands." Rick told him. "I told you already, I'm gonna kill you. All of you. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow... but nothing is gonna change that. Nothing."

He then whispered something to him, that no one else could hear.

Negan stared at him, before he began to chuckle.

"Damn. Wow, Rick. Okay." He then stood up from the ground, taking Carls hat off. "You said I could do it."

Natalia watched as Shiva had seemingly came out of nowhere, pouncing on one of the Saviours, taking him down as everyone scattered at the sight of a tiger ripping a man apart.

Natalia spun around, shooting at the people who looked away, their guns no longer aimed at her, taking them down

The people of the kingdom followed, riding horses and shooting guns.

Natalia had even spotted Carol, as well as Jerry, who had a large axe strapped to his back.

"End these Saviours and their accomplices!" King Ezekiel's voice rang. "Alexandria will not fall, not on this day!"

"Come on, lets get out of here!" Natalia told the two Grimes, grabbing their shirts and dragging them out of the line of fire. "Holy shit, I knew I had a valid reason to be shit scared of tigers."

They looked over, spotting the people of Hilltop coming to their aid as well, being led by Maggie Rhee.

"Phalanx out, third group, now!" She told her people.

Natalia felt a wave of relief when she saw Daryl running ahead with them

She got to her senses, shooting at the enemies, along with the rest.

The remaining Saviours ran for cover, attempting to leave as they were shot at, ran out of Alexandria.

Thick fog started to set around, the Scavengers had set off bombs as they made their escape.

"They're falling back." Rick told the people as they gathered behind the RV.

"Eduardo, Bertie, between the houses. Cover the gate!" Maggie instructed two members of Hilltop.

"Now, we finish this!" Ezekiel rallied his people.

Natalia split off, running with Maggie, looking for any stragglers.

She watched in confusion but also worry as her husband climbed on top of one of the garbage trucks, what the hell is he doing?

When Alexandria had been fully combed through, and no more bastard Saviours or Scavengers were left, she looked for Daryl who had got down from the truck.

She ran to him, jumping in his arms as he squeezed her tight, spinning them around.

"We did it!" She squealed. "We're gonna win! We're gonna win this"

"I know, baby. We're gonna win." He rasped, brushing her hair down.

She pulled away, cupping his face, kissing him hard, not really giving a flying fuck if it were out in the open, surrounded by strangers.

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #twd daryl x y/n #daryl dixion imagine #daryldixonalonetwd #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Double Date

Previous

Eventually, the three had emerged from the tree's, getting to another overgrown field.

Buttons was running around a small herd of walkers.

"Gotta move quick. He's pinned in with them." Daryl instructed the pair.

Natalia brought her knife out again.

"I got the far ones." Daryl told them, heading off.

Aaron had ran the other direction, Natalia trailed behind, instructing Sully to keep back, he sat obediently away from the field, listening out for sounds.

Natalia watched Aaron fall down flat, a walker was heading for him, she could only see the other walker on the ground, who had hold of his ankle, when she was close enough, because of the grass.

She threw her knife at the one behind him, it falling down, she then stamped on the walker who just had its hand cut off by Aaron.

Daryl had come over to check they were okay, Natalia pulled the knife out of the walkers head, throwing it at the one behind Daryl.

The two men looked behind, seeing it fall down, before looking back at the woman who had just saved both of them.

"Thanks." They said at the same time.

"The horse, go." Natalia told them, running for her knife, as they jogged towards the animal.

They were too late.

Buttons whined loudly as walkers gathered around him, taking the poor boy down, there was nothing they could do as he was pulled apart.

Daryl pulled an arrow out of its hold, ready to load the crossbow.

"I got the ones on the right." He told them.

They soon took the walkers out, but Buttons was torn apart, breathing shallowly, as he lifted his head to look at the three.

"Go ahead." Daryl told Aaron, who was looking at Buttons with pain in his eyes.

Aaron took his shot, putting the horse out of his misery.

"He always ran." Aaron sighed.

"You were trying to help him." Daryl told him.

"Not everyone can be helped, though." Natalia said, turning back towards her dog.

When they had got back to Alexandria, Aaron had parted ways before reminding them about the party that everyone was already at, once again.

When they had got to the house, Carol had left a note on the side, along with an black and white polka dot dress, that was folded alongside it.

"All at the party, make sure you come, we're trying to fit in here, Nat, picked out this dress for you, you'll look great - Carol." Natalia read out loud, before looking up and meeting Daryl's gaze.

"We don't have to go." She told him, he didn't respond. "Fine, I'll go change." She caved, picking up the dress, tossing it over her arm and heading for the stairs. "Don't leave without me."

"Won't." He called up to her.

Natalia got into the dress, the hem came to her mid thigh, it was tight fitting, showing off cleavage, but not too much.

She slipped on the large brown jacket she had got from the food bank as well as her boots.

She fluffed out her long hair, brushing it with her fingers, then applied lip gloss.

Natalia took a moment to inspect herself in the mirror, she had lost a considerable amount of weight, she didn't know how to feel about it.

In the mirror, she could see Daryl leaning against the doorframe, it didn't look like he was stood there for long.

"Thought you were waiting downstairs" She said, pulling the dress down a little, smoothing the fabric.

"You were taking too long." He said, his eyes trained on her reflection, his head tilted to the side.

"I feel stupid." She announced, turning around and facing him. "I look stupid."

"Nah, you don't." Was all he voiced, then he turned around, heading back downstairs as she followed behind him.

She noticed how he changed his shirt, now wearing a long sleeve, under his winged vest.

She thought he looked quite nice.

They headed out, leaving Sully to nap on the couch after the long day, walking the streets in silence towards the Monroe's house.

Through the window, they could see their friends, laughing, drinking and conversing with the Alexandrians.

Natalia didn't like it, she didn't like how these people were tucked away behind these giant walls, partying of all things to do, as if they've never had to struggle, to fight for their life, gone through the things her and her family did, it felt like a big fuck you to everyone who wasn't here today.

"Lets go." She told him, her arms were crossed, her brows were furrowed. "I don't wanna end up bumping into anyone I can't walk away from."

He nodded, and they both turned away from the house, back to theirs.

When they passed Aarons and Erics house, the porch lights turned on, the door opening.

"Natalia. Daryl." Aaron called to them. "Hey."

"Thought you were going to that party over there." Daryl said.

"Oh, I was never going to go 'cause of Erics ankle, thank God."

"Why the hell were you pushing us to go, then?" Natalia asked him, she didn't mean to pout, it was natural for her.

"I said try. You did. Its a thoughts that counts thing." He smiled at the pair.

"Alright." Daryl drawled, going to walk away, Natalia went to follow.

"Hey, come in. Have some dinner." They didn't reply. "Come on. It's some pretty serious Spaghetti. In a nut free area." He made a point, when he watched Natalia glance at Daryl wearily. "We're not gonna poison the person who keeps saving us."

He headed in the house.

"Carol did tell us to make friends." She shrugged, heading for the porch steps.

They walked into the kitchen, Aaron was putting two more plates down, opposite where Eric was sat, dishing up spaghetti. Eric turned in his chair to look at them.

"Natalia, you look lovely, that dress is amazing on you." He told her.

"Oh... thank you." She blushed at the compliment, she wasn't used to such nice ones from the male audience these days. "Carol picked it out for me."

"It suits you." Aaron looked over. "Take a seat, both of you."

They did as they were told, Natalia slid her jacket off, placing it on the back of her chair.

"Where'd you get that scar?" Eric asked, pointing at the scar on her arm with his fork. "If you don't mind me asking, it looks interesting."

"No, not at all." She smiled at him, picking up her own cutlery "I was shot."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." He apologised, his curious smile dropping.

"It's fine, who hasn't been shot these days. Apparently, I was this close to my whole bone shattering, cool, right?" She laughed as she pinched her fingers together, no one joined in, though, she cleared her throat, taking a bite of spaghetti.

Daryl was forking his down, as per usual for his eating habits, slurping in the silence.

The couple watched him in amusement.

Natalia tapped his thigh, gaining his attention, he froze at her touch.

"Eat like a normal person." She muttered under her breath, hiding her mouth behind a forkful of spaghetti, demonstrating how to eat without slurping and slapping her lips, then proceed to dab her mouth with the napkin.

He grunted in response, but didn't ease up in the slightest.

"Y'know, I've always told Aaron how I think it'd be sweet to go on a double date." Eric smiled, not seeming to care about the pairs standoffishness and lack of table manners.

"Eric." Aaron sighed.

"We're not... we're just..." Natalia couldn't find the right word as she pointed at the man beside her, looking terrified at Erics sentence.

"My apologies for assuming, you just look good together, I'm sorry."

"Relationships don't work in this world, there's no point, they won't last. My ex boyfriend, he actually decided to give up, whilst I was asleep, didn't even get a goodbye, could of just broke up with me if he didn't like me that much, didn't have to try and take me down with him." She attempted to joke again, stabbing her food. "Relationships either cause regret, or maybe even death." She looked up at the pair. "I'm sure you guys are different, though."

Eric and Aaron shared a look with each other.

"Thank you." Aaron nodded. "I'm sure it's not all doomed, I'm sorry for your loss."

Daryl had finished his food, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Thanks." He grunted.

"Mhmm, when you're out there." Eric covered his mouth as he chewed. "If you happen to be in a store or something, Mrs Neudermyer is really looking for a pasta maker. And we're all really trying to get her to shut up about it. I mean we have crates of dried pasta, in here, but she wants to make her own or something. I really thinks she just wants something to talk about, so if you see one, out on your travels, it would go a long way to..." Erics sentence trailed as he met his boyfriends gaze.

"Are you kicking us out?" Natalia asked as Daryl sipped his wine. "What travels?"

"I thought it was done." Eric pushed his food around with his fork. "You didn't ask them already?"

Aaron shook his head.

"Sorry, am I missing something, what's going on?" Natalia looked between the couple, feeling anxious at the lack of understanding in the conversation.

"Ask us what?" Daryl added.

"We're not kicking you out, actually, it's quite the opposite." Aaron explained.

"Then what?" Daryl prodded.

"I think it's best if I show you, then try to explain." He got up from his chair. "If you'll follow me."

Daryl and Natalia got out of their chairs, following Aaron to his garage.

He flicked on the lights when the three entered, and they set their eyes on a bunch of tools and scrap parts, Natalia had no idea what she was looking at, but she knew Daryl might, under a sheet, what looked like a motor-bike, sat in front of them.

"When I got the place, there was that frame and some parts and equipment. Whoever lived here built them." Aaron explained, whilst Daryl walked closer to the desk, picking stuff up and looking at it.

"Its a lot of parts for one bike." Daryl said.

Natalia stood there awkwardly as she watched the archer, she didn't know why she was needed for this discussion.

Aaron scoffed before answering.

"Whenever I came across any parts out there, I brought them back. I didn't know what I'd need. I always thought I'd learn how to do it, but I got the feeling you already know what to do with it." He told Daryl as he walked around the garage. "And the thing is, you're going to need a bike.

They both looked at the man, seeming unsettled by this.

"Why?" Daryl voiced for the both of them.

"I told Deanna that I had a job for you." He turned to Natalia. "And I also told Deanna not to give you a job, for the same reason. I'd like for you both to be Alexandria's other recruiters. I don't want Eric risking his life anymore."

Natalia folded her arms.

"You want us risking ours, right?" Daryl gestured towards the woman.

"Yeah, because you know what you're doing. You're good out there. But, you don't belong out there. I know its hard getting used to people getting used to you. And I understand right now you need to be out there sometimes. So do I." Daryl lifted up the sheet, looking at the bike as Aaron talked. "Natalia, Deanna gave me a brief description of what you said in your interview, and what you said to me back at that barn, you've only vouched for one person ever, apart from me, that was Michonne, and she's now our constable, you trusted me, and now we're here, I know you've met bad people out there, most likely worse experiences than we have, I understand that, and you still know the difference, you could have shot me first and not thought about it, and you could have done the same to Daryl, when you met him and Rick, but you didn't, and for that I am grateful, and with Eric, you jumped in to fight that herd without any hesitation, not even waiting for your the others, he told me, he saw it."

"I thought he could have been one of my friends." Natalia admitted.

"Never the less, you still did it." Aaron pressed. "Daryl, the same with you, you do know the difference between a good person and a bad person."

They were quiet for a small moment, mulling it over.

Daryl looked towards Natalia, who gave a gentle nod.

"We got nothing else to do." He gave their answer. "Thanks. I'll get you some rabbits."

"You can call me Nat." Natalia answered.

"Great." Aaron smiled at them.

"This calls for a celebratory glass of wine, you got the good shit." Natalia decided, walking out of the garage and back to the kitchen.

Natalia was slightly drunk by the time they had left Aarons and Erics, Daryl guided her back to their house, a tub of spaghetti was in his other hand.

Natalia dug through the pockets of her jacket, pulling out her carton of Marlboros, she only had a few left, she reached up, placing one in between Daryl's lips, he looked down at her as she did this, trying to remain in control, calm.

She then placed one between her own, as she smiled up at him.

When Natalia struggled to light it, her fingers not able to ignite the lighter, Daryl tucked the tub between his arm and side, taking the light out of her hands.

"Here." He muttered, pushing his thumb down and lighting her cigarette, he kept his eyes on the stick, watching the flames crumble the filter, whilst he could feel her eyes on him.

He had pocketed the lighter after using it for his own.

When they had returned to the house, Rick and Michonne were sat on the couch, still in their outfits from the party.

"Hello." Natalia greeted them, sitting down on the arm of the couch, wrapping her arms around Michonne, lazily hugging her.

"How much has she had to drink?" Michonne asked Daryl, smoothing down the woman's hair.

"Only a few." Daryl grumbled. "Didn't realise how much of a lightweight she is."

"We didn't see either of you at the party." Rick mentioned.

"We had spaghetti." Natalia told him, leaning forward to look at her friend. "At Aarons, guess what?"

"What?" Michonne laughed at her friend, not seeing this side of her before.

"We have jobs." She smiled widely, at least remembering to keep her voice down because of the kids.

"Aaron wants us to help recruit." Daryl explained.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Rick furrowed his brows.

Natalia blew a raspberry at him.

"Rick, come on, you know us, we're not idiots." She said. "We know the difference between a bad person and a good person. I'm a pro" She smiled smugly. "We meet a bad person, I'll shoot them, we meet a good person, we bring them home, duh. Easy peazy lemon.... lemon sneezy! No, what is it?" She snapped her fingers looking for the word.

"Squeezy?" Michonne offered, patting Natalia's bare thigh, from where her dress had ridden up by the way she was sitting.

"Yes! Lemon squeezy. We've done bad things, really, really, really bad things, but we're still good people, so that means, there's other people out there who are good, that have done bad things, and I don't mean the overlords, or the rapey kind, personally, I hate them, or the cannibals, but people like us. If anyone's gonna find them, it's gonna be us, you gotta have faith."

There wasn't chance for the others to reply, because Natalia ended up leaning back too far, knocking herself off the couch.

She grunted as she fell to the floor, a series of giggles following, the other three was looking down at her just as quick.

"Are you okay?" Michonne snorted.

"I haven't felt this good in a long time." She grinned widely, from the floor.

"Let's get your boots off, and into bed." Michonne told her, moving from the couch and towards the other woman.

Natalia didn't bother trying to stand, reaching for her shoelaces and failing.

"I can't." She sighed, admitting defeat.

Rick and Daryl shared a look with each other at her odd behaviour.

"Give it here." Michonne continued to laugh at her, patting her thigh, as Natalia raised her leg, placing her boot where told, letting her friend untie her lace and take her shoe off.

"I'm gonna head up, make sure she gets to bed safely." Rick told the mostly sober pair, pointing at Natalia, who was still on the floor.

"Yes, sir Richard." Natalia saluted him as Michonne pulled off her other boot.

"Right, okay." Rick looked ahead, walking up the stairs.

"You wanna get her some water." Michonne told Daryl, helping Natalia up.

"Yeah." Daryl nodded, awkwardly, moving towards the kitchen.

"Mich, can I tell you a secret." Natalia said.

"What?"

"It's my birthday." She giggled again, cupping her hand around Michonne's ear, whispering to her.

"What? Really?" Michonne looked serious now.

"Yeah, I'm Twenty-Seven, Aaron has a calendar in his house, and its just after midnight, today's the day." She smiled widely.

"What you two whispering about?" Daryl walked back into the living room, a glass of water in his hand.

"Nothing." Natalia told him. "Time for bed, right, Michonne?"

"Uh, yes, uh huh." She shrugged at Daryl, heading for the stairs as well.

"Thank you for the water." Natalia thanked the man, leaning up and kissing the spot just beside his nose. "Goodnight."

He was frozen as she pulled away, following Michonne, who was biting her finger to not laugh.

"Yeah" Daryl cleared his throat, scratching his head. "Night."

Later in the night, Natalia had sobered up, mostly, tossing and turning around in her new bed, not able to fall asleep, though she was exhausted.

The woman lifted the covers, walking towards her door, opening it slowly in order of it not squeaking and waking anybody up.

Natalia tiptoed down the stairs, listening out for any noise.

When she reached her destination, she knocked against the door, opening it before the person got a chance to.

Daryl was sat on his bed messing around with a weapon, of course he was.

"What are you doing out of bed?" He asked her, prepared to take her back.

"Couldn't sleep." She answered, walking towards the empty side of the bed,

climbing in on the other side. "Told you, got used to you being there."

She got comfortable under the duvet, her back to him.

He grunted in reply, but he didn't tell her to leave, continuing whatever he was doing a lot quietly, in order not to disturb her as she slept.

The next morning, Rick, Carol, Daryl and Natalia met back outside the house.

"Take your pick." Carol offered out the guns she had stolen.

Natalia was quick to snatch the pretty looking one up.

"Look, I've been thinking." Daryl started, holding onto the strap of his crossbow. "Do we really need these?"

"Mhm, yeah." Natalia told him.

"I mean, things go bad, yeah, sure. We do what we gotta do, but it's like you said. We don't need these for that. Right now we don't. You wanted me to try, right? I'm good." He turned down the weapon.

Natalia sighed, handing the gun back.

"If he's gonna try, we should as well." She pouted, not liking it though.

Rick had taken a gun, Daryl's speech seemed to not be that influential.

When they had gotten back, the gate was opened for them and they headed in.

A little girl, around the age of six, with blonde braids, was sat on the curb.

She was wearing a denim skirt,

a purple hoodie and purple sneakers.

She jumped up when she saw the four, but only looking at one person in particular.

The little girl walked towards Natalia, tugging at her hand as the other three watched.

"Hello." The girl said to her, as she bent down to reach her height.

"Hi, what's your name?" Natalia asked her, looking around for any adults looking for their child. "I'm Natalia."

"Evie, short for Evelyn." She answered.

"Hello Evie, where's your mommy or daddy?"

"Mommy's gone, Daddy's at home, he said I could give you my picture."

Natalia looked up at the other three, not knowing what to do.

"Picture? Would you like to show Natty your picture?" Carol encouraged, as the woman's eyes shot wide, side eying the older woman.

The girl brought her hand forward, showing off the piece of paper with colourful crayon drawings all along it.

"Oh, wow! This is really good!" Natalia boasted, as she looked at the drawing.

"I drew you and your dog." The girl said. "I saw you when you got here."

"I can see that, you did a good job!" She high fived the little girl. "Can you tell me what this is?"

"That." She pointed at Daryl, or better yet, what he was holding.

"Oh, it's his crossbow." She nodded enthusiastically, gesturing for Daryl to come over so Evie could show him, which he did with hesitance.

"We'll leave you to it." Rick told the pair and the girl, as him and Carol walked in opposite directions.

"It's for your house." She showed it to Daryl, proudly. "I like drawing."

"Thank you." He nodded, trying to make out the blobs, he had no idea what Natalia was seeing.

"You're very talented." She smiled at Evie, folding up the drawing and pocketing it.

"I'll draw you more, in school." She promised.

"I hope so."

"Yeah." Daryl nodded.

"I'll tell you what, how about we go find your daddy, and make sure you get home safely?" Natalia told her, standing up. "And why on earth he'd let his child wander around by herself." She muttered lowly, so that the girl couldn't hear.

"I'm gonna go work on the bike with Aaron." Daryl told her, as Evie reached up to hold her hand.

"Alright, have fun." She smiled at him, being pulled away by the little girl.

He grunted in reply, heading for the direction of Aaron and Erics house.

Evie had led her to a house.

"Is this one yours?" She asked the girl, who nodded.

Natalia walked them both up the door, knocking on it.

It look a moment before it was opened, a tall man, looking around his mid 30's, he had short sandy hair, and a shaven face, he wasn't bad looking at all, though he was frowning.

"Hello?" He asked, sounding irritated by the woman's appearance.

"I'm returning something of yours." Natalia replied, swinging her and Evie's hands.

"Evie!" He raised his voice, bending down as he hugged the girl. "What were you doing out the house?"

"I gave Natty my picture." She answered nonchalantly, pointing at the woman.

"I told you we would do it later, not by yourself, go inside and go play." He told the girl, standing up and guiding her into the house by the back of her head, before shutting the door.

"Thank you, she has a tendency for running off." He told her.

"I can see that, she waited on the curb for me." She told him. "I was outside the gates."

"Milo." He offered his hand to her.

"Natalia." She shook it. "You should keep a closer eye on her."

"I know, it's kinda hard, y'know, my wife, she uhm... she passed before we got here, at the start, so it's just been me and her."

"I understand." Natalia's face was blank, seemed like some excuse to keep up for a whole year.

"You're part of the new group, right?" Milo asked her.

"Yeah."

"How're you liking Alexandria so far, I hear you've been given jobs already." He was scraping through crumbs for a conversation. "I'm on the construction team, with your friend, Abraham, he's a real hard worker."

"It's been good, nice to sleep in a bed. Aaron actually offered a recruiter job for me, I think we're heading off in the next few days." The voice of Carol floated into her mind, about being nice and fitting in, as she conversed with the man.

"Oh, that's a shame, Evie has been obsessed with you, I'm not entirely sure why, the day we saw you come in, she started drawing pictures and describing you, and the guy with the opossum."

"Daryl." Natalia said.

"Right, Daryl." He noted, but she doubted he actually cared. "She's been wanting to go up to you since you arrived, but I had to keep telling her to wait and let you settle, guess today was her limit."

"Right." She folded her arms.

"You should come for dinner, if you'd like, I'm sure she'd go crazy for it, before you go recruiting and all that."

"I'm not sure-"

"Please, it would mean a lot to her, she hasn't really had any female presence since her mom, and I think it'd do her some good, and I'm not a bad cook either."

"I'll see what I can do, how about tomorrow, maybe?"

"That'd be great, thanks, and for bringing her back." He smiled at her, seeming to warm up very quickly, as he went to go back inside.

"Yeah, sure." She walked down the porch steps

Natalia didn't know what to do with the rest of her day, so she opted to see how the bike was doing.

When she arrived at Aaron and Erics garage, she was startled to see Daryl was already covered in grease, working on the side of the bike, whilst Aaron stood back and watched.

"Hey, Nat."

"Hi, Aaron, how's it going?" She asked, looking at the bike, and not at Daryl, who looked over his shoulder at her.

"Its going good, I think, I'm pretty sure." Aaron told her.

"Right." She smiled at him.

Daryl sat back from the bike, wiping his hands on the red cloth he carried in his pocket, looking up at her.

"How'd it go with the kid."

"which kid was it?" Aaron asked.

"Evie, I met her dad, Miles." She said, unsure of herself.

"Oh, yeah, I found them not too far from here, her Mom had recently passed, she hasn't really opened up to people around here, that's big news to know she talks to you."

"Milo invited me to theirs for dinner, before we go." She revealed, leaning against the bike slightly, considering Daryl had stopped fiddling with it to hear what she had to say.

"You should go." Aaron encouraged.

"You think so?"

"Yeah, from what Daryl was saying before you got here, she seems to be pretty in love with you, and so does he, Milos a great guy, you should give it a shot."

"Looks like he's looking for a replacement to watch his kid." Daryl grumbled bitterly.

Natalia shoved his shoulder as she kept her eyes on Aaron.

"I don't think it's anything like that, he said she has no womanly figure around, thinks that's what she needs, when my dad died, my mom was pretty worried I would grow up unhinged with no male presence in my life, married the first guy who was actually nice and wanted to support us." Natalia told him. "There was a lot of trial and error with that, though."

"I ain't never needed an equal balance." Daryl said, Natalia knew his mom died when he as a few years older than she was when her dad did, but his dad wasn't winning any parenting awards.

"Maybe, or maybe not, it won't hurt to try and open yourself up again, I know with everything that happened before... that it can be scary, heck, when me and Eric met, I was scared, rejected him for months, then I realised something, there's no point waiting in this world, you don't get to do that, all it will bring is disappointment and regret. I'm sure something is there, don't mind me saying, you're a beautiful woman Nat, any guy would be lucky just to have you look back at them."

"Ha, okay." She fake laughed. "More like looking for a cheap dinner and a spare two minutes."

"If I didn't bat for the other team, I'd be taking you to all the five star restaurants with hours ahead of us." He teased.

Natalia laughed at him, Daryl didn't find it that funny.

"Sure you don't wanna give us girls a try?" She joked. "I don't know if I'm ready to move on, me and my ex were pretty serious, when it happened, I thought my life was over, I was foolishly head over heels, it'd feel like betrayal to move on, y'know? I'm scared to open myself up again, what if the same thing just happened, I don't know if I could be bothered to go through that again." She admitted. "I think that if I did get a goodbye, though, I probably would've went with him." She shocked herself when the sentence left her mouth, it was something she thought about a lot, but never said out loud. After losing her family, the first week, when it was just her and Sully, she had attempted to commit, luckily for her, it was bust, and she tried her damned hardest to survive, to fight for a life, after that.

"I understand, the time will come when you're ready again." Aaron assured her. "But don't throw it away when it does, try, for yourself, you deserve to be happy."

Daryl had gone pretty quiet, more than usual as he heard her talk, feeling defeated all of a sudden, he brushed it off though, patting her leg to get off the bike so he could get back to work.

"Alright, I'm gonna go look for my dog, have fun with the bike, make sure you have a shower after this, you desperately need it." She cupped Daryl's head, bending down to sniff his greasy hair, gently kissing the top of his head.

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied, picking up a wrench.

He wasn't sure why she had gotten so touchy feely and affectionate with her loved ones, recently, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it either.

He shrugged off the knowing look from Aaron as she walked away from the garage.

Next

Tags: @fallenkitten

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #darylxnatalia #daryl dixion x reader #daryldixonalonetwd #thewalkingdeadalone #twd daryl x y/n #daryl imagines

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Claimed

Previous

Trigger Warning For This Chapter: Sexual Assult.

Daryl and Natalia eventually went back into the house, to find Beth sat in front of the piano, singing.

They stood in the doorway listening for a bit, but then Daryl seemed to have enough, clearing his throat and scaring the teenager, who whipped around to see the pair.

"The place is nailed up tight." He said. "The only way in is through the front door."

Daryl walked towards the now empty coffin, whilst Natalia sat down on the posh looking couch.

He lifted himself up, climbing in the coffin whilst they gave him confused looks.

"What are you doing?" Beth was brave enough to ask.

"This is the comfiest bed I've had in years." Daryl remarked, laying down.

"Really?"

"I ain't kidding."

Natalia refused the temptation of closing the lid.

"Why don't you go ahead and play some more?" Daryl said, once he was comfortable. "Keep singing."

"I thought my singing annoyed you."

"Daryl needs a lullaby so he can go to sleep." Natalia teased.

When he didn't argue, Beth turned around and began to play again.

The two adults sat in silence and enjoyed the music.

"So what happens if you eat it?" Beth had asked at breakfast the next morning.

"Well, I start to get itchy, then red and puffy, then my tongue, it'll swell, eventually my throat will close up and I can't breath, and cause there's no EpiPen, I'll die." Natalia stated.

"Just from nuts?" Beth asked.

"Yeah, it's how my dad died, when I was four, someone gave him something at work, didn't think to check the ingredient's or something, I don't know, I barely remember him, my mom didn't like to discuss it."

"Alright." Daryl nodded, screwing the lid of peanut butter tightly shut and tossing it into the sink.

Outside, the cans rattled.

All three jumped at the sound, but Daryl was the first to stand up, grabbing his crossbow.

"Stay." He ordered, before walking out the kitchen and towards the front door.

Obviously, Natalia didn't listen, going to follow, but then so did Beth.

Daryl checked the gaps in the door before opening it, finding a one eyed dog.

"It's just a damn dog." He called out, he bent down, letting the dog sniff him "Come here, boy."

The dog yelped before running away.

Admitting betrayal and defeat, Daryl stood back up, closing the door.

"He wouldn't come in?" Beth asked.

"I told you to stay back."

"Yeah, but Daryl, you said there was a dog." Beth smiled.

"Maybe he'll come back around. Come on." He led the two back to the kitchen.

"Maybe he belongs to the owner, and Daryl scared him off." Natalia thought out loud.

"Brave thing for someone who's scared of a nut, to say." Daryl grumbled.

"I'm not scared, dumbass, I could die."

"Sounds like scared to me."

Later that night, they were sat around the table once again.

"I'm gonna leave a thank you note." Beth shared as they ate.

"Why?" Daryl asked, spooning out jelly to eat.

"For when they come back. If they come back."

"It's been a day, It feels kinda unlikely." Natalia sighed, taking a sip of diet soda.

"Even if they're not coming back, I still want to say thanks."

"Maybe you don't have to leave that." Daryl decided, catching Beth and Natalia's attention. "Maybe we stick around here for a while. They come back, we'll just make it work. They may be nuts, but maybe it'll be alright."

"So you do think there's still good people around." Daryl shrugged. "What changed your mind?"

"You know." He smiled at her.

"What?" Beth continued.

"Maybe it has something to do with a girl writing thank you notes after eating someone's stash." Natalia answered with a small smile.

"Oh." Beth said quietly, her cheeks warming up slightly as she fiddled with the pen.

The cans outside rattled, and a dog barked before drastically changing into a whine.

"I'm gonna give that mutt one more chance." Daryl said, grabbing the jar of pigs feet.

"Nah, I got it, dogs actually like me." Natalia stood up, "You'll just scare him off again."

Daryl grumbled as she left the room, heading for the door.

She opened it with a smile on her face, but instead of being met with the one eyed dog, a herd of walkers reached out as they snarled.

She pushed against the door to shut it, but struggled against the weight.

"Daryl!" She screamed out, who ran to the hallway in a matter of seconds. "Get Beth out of here!"

"Beth! Beth!" He called, running to help push the door closed.

The teenager came out the kitchen, holding his crossbow and Natalia's gun, quickly tossing the weapons to the pair.

"Go, run!" He ordered, pushing Natalia to go.

"What? No! I'm not leaving you!" Natalia argued.

"We ain't got time for this, help her, I'll be right behind you!"

Natalia groaned in frustration, bolting down the hallway, pushing Beth ahead of her as Daryl moved away from the door, shooting a walker as he followed.

"Pry open a window, Get your shit!" Daryl shouted, heading a separate way, the walkers following him.

"We're not gonna leave you!" Beth cried out, being led by Natalia, who was focused on getting the girl out of the house, just like he had told her to do.

"Go out. Go up the road, I'll meet you both there."

"Go, go, he'll meet us." Natalia encouraged. "Swear to god Dixon, if he gets himself killed, I'll kill him myself." She muttered with clenched teeth.

Whilst Daryl was leading the herd downstairs, Natalia shoved Beth into a room, shutting the door and barricading it with her body, the stragglers had found them.

"Beth, the window, I'll be right behind you, go!" She told her.

"But-"

"Now! Go!" Natalia ordered.

Beth hesitated but then ran to the window, lifting it up and crawling out.

Once she was out of shot, Natalia prepared herself before throwing herself off the door, using the gun, to knock the first walker that fought through the threshold backwards into the other, causing a small domino effect to give her enough time to wiggle out the window and on to the ground.

She jumped up just as a walker was about to fall on her, moving out the way and kicking it away, before sprinting towards the road.

"Beth! Beth?" She called out. "Shit! Beth!"

The blonde teenager was nowhere in sight.

The only evidence of her presence was the black bag she had been carrying.

Daryl came rushing around the corner.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"I - I don't know, she got out before me, I told her I'd be right behind her!" Natalia stammered, her voice was full of panic.

A black car with a white cross on the rear windshield, sped off down the road in front of them.

"Beth! Beth!" They repeatedly called out as the pair began to chase the car. "Beth!"

They followed the road way into the day, not able to catch up to the vehicle but refused to give up.

Natalia was drenched in sweat and her lungs were burning, as she slowed down, holding her side as a painful stitch tore at her, Daryl was the same.

"She could be anywhere!" Natalia said in an almost whimpering voice, doubling over as she tried to catch her breath.

Daryl sat down on the ground, admitting defeat as he stared at the road crisscrossed.

Natalia dropped down beside him, laying on her back as she tried to calm her racing heart.

The sound of someone approaching caught their attention after a while.

"Well, lookit here." A mans voice said.

Natalia opened her eyes, noticing that six middle aged men, who looked no way friendly, had circled around the pair.

Natalia sat up suddenly, clutching her gun as she looked around at them.

Daryl on the other hand, had stayed still, barely lifting his head.

What looked to be the leader, approached, reaching down, but Daryl was quick to snap to attention, punching the guy, knocking him on his back so that he could aim his crossbow at the mans face.

Natalia stood up as well, aiming her gun at the first person to aim at Daryl.

"Damn it, hold up!" The man shouted.

"I'm claiming the vest" A man with an bow and arrow said. "I like them wings."

"Shut the fuck up." Natalia told him in an icy tone.

"I'm claiming the little spitfire." Another man looked the woman up and down with a sickly grin.

"Hold up." The man on the floor repeated. Wiping his nose and smiling at the trail of blood, before he burst into laughter.

He then got to his feet as he continued to smile.

"A bowman." The man said. "I respect that. See, a man with a rifle, he could be some kinda photographer or soccer coach back in the day. But, a bowman's a bowman through and through. What you got there, 150-pound draw weight? I'll be donkey-licked if that don't fire at least 300 feet per second. I've been looking for a weapon like that. Of course, I'd want one with a bit more ammo and, uh, minus the oblongata stains."

The man with the bow laughed.

"Get yourself in some trouble, partner?" He asked.

"You pull that trigger, these boys are gonna drop you seven times over, then no doubt, your lady friend is gonna start shooting, then we'll deal with her soon after and you don't want to make us waste a pretty face like that, do ya? Is that what you want?"

Daryl didn't let up.

"Come on, fella, suicide is stupid. Why hurt yourself and your lil missy when you can hurt other people?" He smiled. "Name's Joe."

Daryl lowered his crossbow, but Natalia kept a tight grip on gun.

"Daryl." He rasped.

"And the lady?" Joe didn't even bother to spare a look, continuing to speak to the man.

"Natalia." She answered for herself.

"You can put the weapon down, sweetie, we ain't a threat." Another man said. "You even know how to use that?"

"Want me to prove it?" She snapped.

"Daryl, why don't you tell your girl to put the gun down, we're all friends here." Joe said.

Daryl stared at the man for a minute, seemed to be thinking. Eventually, he raised his arm, pushing the gun, Natalia was holding, down.

"Daryl?" She looked at him.

He shook his head, not giving her a response.

"Right then, lets get going." Joe clapped his hands together, turning around and continuing down the road.

"Daryl." Natalia tried again, when some of the others followed the leader, two of them trailed back to watch the pair

"Come on." He told her, gently pushing her back so that she would walk.

She couldn't believe he had actually surrendered like that, even after how they were all treating her like a piece of meat, that she was the one who had to back down, If she wasn't sure that they wouldn't just shoot her in the back of the head if she marched away, she would have left him there, quicker than he could reload his crossbow.

She was still seething when they decided to set up camp in the middle of the woods.

Natalia tried to fight sleep as much as she could, she didn't trust that she'd be safe if she closed her eyes for even a second, if not from walkers, but their new acquaintances.

She was quick to throw on her sweatshirt when she just about had enough of the lingering or blatantly obvious stares from members of the party, she was more mad about how it seemed that Daryl couldn't even pick up on anything, Natalia felt slightly betrayed by him.

She hadn't even realised she'd dozed off until she was startled awake, Daryl was gone, but his stuff was still beside her, so he hadn't completely ditched her.

Natalia stood up quietly, making sure she had her weapons on her, and they hadn't fallen out of place and onto the ground, in her short lived slumber, she checked once again that the men hadn't woken up, then ducked under the barbed wired perimeters.

It was still dark, but the sun was about to rise, she could only just see in front of her, as she set out to find Daryl, and maybe beat some sense into him.

Natalia had been walking for only a little while, when someone approached behind her.

She whipped around to met with who she believed to be Harley, the one who had made a "claim" on her.

She stared at him, her knife clenched in her hand as she waited for him to give her a reason to stab him.

"Whatcha doing out here all by yourself?" He asked.

"None of your damn business." Her brows were furrowed as she stared at him through her lashes.

"No need to be so hostile, I ain't hurt ya." He put his hands up in surrender.

Natalia didn't let up.

"Surprised yer boyfriend left ya alone, see, if it were me, I wouldn't let a girl like you outta my sights, not around a group of people like that."

"He's not my boyfriend, and I don't belong to anybody." She let out through clenched teeth.

"That so?" He took a few steps further.

A twig snapped a few metres behind her, distracting her for only a moment, she looked over her shoulder but nothing was there, must've been a small animal running by, but it was enough noise to let her guard down for the other enemy to advance.

Harley grabbed her arm with the knife, tugging her towards him.

"Hey! Get off of me" She demanded, trying to pull away, but he was stronger.

"Easy now, been a while since I've seen something so perdy." He trailed a finger down her cheek as he pushed her against a tree, she flinched away from him. "You think of screaming, ya just gonna make things a lot harder for yourself."

"Please, don't-"

"You don't wanna do that" He laughed cruelly, squeezing her wrist tightly, causing her to drop her knife to the floor. "That's just gonna make things even more fun."

He forced his knee between her legs, using both hands to push her arms behind her back, so he'd have a hand free without threat of her trying to escape, she gave him a hard time as she tried to wriggle away, but it only made his disgusting grin wider.

His free hand trailed around her neck, before sliding down, slipping under her sweatshirt, his fingers danced around the fabric of her bra, his nails digging into the flesh as he sniffed her hair.

Natalia bit her lip as she tried to hide away from him as much as possible, it wasn't enough. Her eyes pooled as his hand trailed back down her body, playing with the button of her cargo's.

She felt hopeless as he flicked it open, pulling the zipper down, she knew there was no chance she could fight him off, and she couldn't even grab a weapon either, if she tried to scream, she would only bring more trouble, whether it'd be his friends or the undead, there'd be no chance he wouldn't leave her for dead and defenceless, It made her feel worse to know that she had no idea where Daryl was, that he just abandoned her.

"You try to tell your boy, it's gonna cost him, lying is one of our rules, you don't wanna get him dead now, do ya?" He asked as he slipped his hand down, causing her to let out a squeak of fear and unwantedness, that he clearly took the wrong way, or maybe he didn't at all. "See, you want this really, don't you, pretty thing, no need to cry." He teased her as he felt her up.

A tear rolled down her cheek as he inserted two digits at once, she could feel the metallic taste as she continued to bite down on her lip, to prevent noise or bile.

"Missed this. You're so tight." He groaned.

Once he seemed to be satisfied, he pulled his hand out, winking at her as he not so discreetly sniffed his fingers before placing them in his mouth, sucking them clean. "Don't bother tryna run off either, we'll find ya, I ain't done just yet." His smile was cruel as he let go of her, backing away without taking his eyes off the woman. "Heads up." He nodded behind her.

Natalia, who had mentally shut off during half of the torture, snapped awake, looking around the tree and spotting a blurry walker heading for her, through her tear filled eyes.

She shakingly bent down, sweeping up the knife on the floor, mustering back all her strength to stab the blade into the walkers skull, imagining it to be Harley as she let herself cry for the first time that she could even remember.

She felt humiliated and weak about what had just happened, crumbling even more when she did the button of her cargos back up, herself, causing her stomach to empty on her recent walker kill. Natalia thought she had no choice but to put herself back together and walk back to the group, her self-esteem and worth had plummeted making her think she truly wouldn't be able to survive and get away on her own, she truly considered going back and shooting the man in the face before he even got a chance to realise, not caring that they'd take her down in a matter of seconds, but they'd take Daryl down as well, the voice of Harley came back to her, reminding her that if she squealed, they'd kill him, and then what, she'd be worser off.

Natalia would just have to make sure she didn't let the redneck leave her side again, she could prevent the sick bastard from getting another chance.

"There you are, was beginning to make us think we'd have to go and hunt you down." Another man, Billy jeered, when Natalia got back to the camp, except it was all packed up and they were ready to leave.

Daryl was distanced from them, she felt his heavy stare but she couldn't bring herself to meet it.

The group of 8 walked along the train tracks, She watched Harley, Billy and Dan as they were chatting and joking together, she had a slight idea of what, when the two latter's would occasionally look back and give her a smirk.

Len and Tony walked behind them, Daryl and Joe were further back.

Natalia walked at the end, keeping a wide distance as she willed herself to just run off into the woods and never look back, but every time Daryl looked over his shoulder and made sure she was there, her legs would stay on route.

"So, what's the plan, Daryl?" Joe had asked.

"How so?"

"You're with us now, but you ain't soon?"

Natalia's ears had perked up, she had made it obvious to him that she never wanted to stick around, and unbeknownst to him, her exact reasonings came true.

"Yep."

"So what's the plan?"

Daryl looked over his shoulder once again, making sure she was still there, before answering him.

"Just looking for the right place is all."

"Oh, we ain't good enough for you and your lady, huh?"

"Some of you ain't exactly friendly, or the gentlemanly type." He pointed out.

"You aint so friendly yourself. And as for her" Joe gave Natalia a nod. "They're gonna stare all they want, you don't get much women out here no more, no offence, Natalia" He over pronounced her name. "Can't blame them for that, just human nature, no disrespect by it. Should be proud."

"Yeah, a real badge of honour" She couldn't hold her tongue as she spat the words at him.

"They can keep their eyes to themselves." Daryl muttered, a threating tone in his voice.

"You know you need a group out here." Joe changed the topic of conversation.

"Maybe we don't" He shook his head.

"No, you do. You should be with us."

A walker was straggling towards the train tracks, snarling at them.

"People don't have to be friendly. We don't have to be nice. We don't have to be brothers in arms." Joe continued.

Tony walked off the tracks, catching the walkers attention as she barrelled for him.

He pushed her with his gun into Dan, who pushed against her weight and let Billy plunge a crowbar into her skull.

"We just gotta follow the rules. You claim. If you steal, you keel. I know that sounds a little funny, but nobody laughs when something goes missing. And you don't lie. 'Cause that's a slippery slop indeed."

"What happens if you break 'em?" Daryl asked.

"Oh, you catch a beatin'. The severity of which depends upon the offence and the general attitude of the day. But that don't happen much, 'cause when men like us follow rules and cooperate a little bit, well, the world becomes ours."

After his little speech, Joe whistled to the rest of the group.

"Right there. It's our abode for the evening." Joe told them, pointing at the rusty metal garages.

"Hey." Daryl caught Joe's attention. "There ain't no us."

"You leaving right now?" Joe asked, his eyes moving to glance at Natalia then going back to the man.

Natalia begged him to say yes and start walking, but instead he said nothing at all.

"No? Then it sure seems like there's an us." Joe walked ahead but stopped once again. "You a cat person, Daryl?" He didn't give him a chance to answer. "I am. Loved 'em since I was three years old. Vicious creatures, bit like this one here" He nodded at Natalia, who scowled back. "Anyway, I'll tell you, and this is true, ain't nothing sadder than an outdoor cat that thinks he's an indoor cat."

As the group headed towards the garages, Natalia stared ahead at the train tracks, fighting with her own brain to make her legs move, to forget about Daryl and to just run until she couldn't move.

"You alright?" Daryl hit the back of her hand with his own, pulling her out of her own mind.

"What?"

"You alright?" He repeated.

"Don't leave me again." She practically pleaded, she wanted to kick herself for feeling like a scared little girl, having to rely on him.

"Something happen?" He asked, stepping closer as he inspected her.

Natalia shook her head, looking back at the train tracks, begging the images in her mind to go away.

"Nat, if something happened-"

"No, just, don't, okay?"

"Fine, I won't." He backed off, nodding his head.

"Good, you had me looking all around the woods for you, I was worried."

"Hey, come on." Joe called over to them, as he stood with the rest of the claimers.

Daryl and Natalia were the last to enter, the place, him pulling the door shut behind her.

About 5 cars were spread around the garage, they didn't look like they could start, much to Natalia's annoyance.

"They ain't here." Tony told the others as Daryl was pulling a sheet of one of the cars. "Nobody's been here for a while. Whoever was, they got all the gas."

"That don't matter." Joe replied. "We're getting closer, I can feel it."

"Claimed." Billy kicked Daryl's stuff away from the car him and Natalia were stood by.

"Hey, you can't-"

"Come on." Daryl pulled her away, grabbing his stuff.

The men went around claiming the cars, leaving the pair stuck with the floor.

"Assholes." Natalia muttered to herself, taking off her sweatshirt so that she could use it as a pillow.

"What happened to your wrist?"

"Huh?" She looked at Daryl, confused about what he had just said.

"Your wrist." He said, taking hold of her arm and getting a better look at the bruising around it, Natalia didn't realise a mark was left, the other pain was a lot worse.

"Oh, nothing." She tugged her arm out of his grasp.

"That don't look like nothing."

"It's nothing, so just go to sleep or something, I don't care." Natalia rolled over, her back facing him as she stared at the tiny gap between the door, waiting for it to turn dark.

Once night had come, and she was sure the others were asleep, she snuck up, grabbing her sweatshirt and slowly sliding the door open, in order for it to not squeak.

Natalia sat outside the garage, a cigarette in hand as she thought about the past few days, from going to the college to save their people, to losing the prison as well as her friends and family and Sully, to Beth going missing, to this morning.

She had little faith in the thought of her friends being alive, but that stupid voice nagged at her that they were strong, they weren't quitters, especially Rick and Michonne, the grim reaper was running from them, but she pushed it down, hope can get you killed.

"Hypocrite." That familiar raspy voice appeared from beside her.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Natalia asked Daryl.

He only shrugged before taking a seat beside her, taking out his own box of cigarettes, placing one between his lips and lighting it.

"Thought you bailed on me, did a runner."

"Can't say I wasn't tempted." She drawled, staring up at the sky full of stars.

"I know they ain't great, but-"

"They're fucking pricks." Natalia interrupted.

"But we ain't gonna be sticking around for long."

"Lets just go now, grab our stuff and head off, continue looking for Beth, we don't need these people."

"We have no idea where to even start, Beth could be anywhere." He shook his head, staring at the dirt by his shoes.

"Anywhere away from here is a start."

"We'll leave when the time is right, when I find somewhere that you can actually stay safe."

"Where I can stay safe? Daryl that isn't your problem or concern, you don't need to look for somewhere to keep me safe, I'm not your responsibility."

He didn't respond, his hands slightly shook as he took a drag.

"Wait, is that why we're with these people, cause you think it'll help protect me? Look around, that's further from the truth." She raised her voice only slightly.

"That's why ya being so secretive about something, I already failed Beth, I ain't gonna let anything happen to you either."

"Daryl, listen to me." Natalia pressed. "Beth was not your responsibility, okay? If anything, it's my fault she's gone, I'm the one who told her to run, I took too long for god knows who to snatch her up, okay? But I am not your responsibility either, you don't need to keep me safe or protect me or look over me, I'm a big girl, I've been surviving on my own for a long time. We're a team, we're equal, if you're looking out for me, I'm doing the exact same, but don't feel like you owe me your services of protection, anything that happens to me is my own fault, don't you dare blame yourself if that ever happens, got it?"

Daryl shook his head, still not answering.

Natalia sighed, scooting closer to him, she raised her hand, sliding her palm down his arm and lacing her fingers in his, she was surprised when he squeezed back, she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know you blame yourself for everyone, for Hershel, Beth, the others, but it's not your fault, it was never your fault, you've done so much for the group, you're a good person, don't think I just forgot how you defended me when Bob was gonna shoot at the college." She teased. "But you need to stop acting like a burden, like you always have to prove to people why you're around, you ain't the best conversationalist, but believe it or not, some people actually like your company." She teased, earning a scoff and a shove. "Myself included. So, lets just go, okay, if we leave now, by the time the sun comes up, these fuckheads will be in the dust."

"We will, just not yet. Can't."

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixon x reader #darylxnatalia #twd daryl x y/n #thewalkingdeadalone #daryldixonalonetwd

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || The New World

Previous

"Alright, say night to Dad" Natalia told Evie, after she had finished telling him about her day.

"Night Dad, I love and miss you." The eight year old said into the radio.

"Night, sweetheart, I'm gonna see ya soon, alright, promise." His voice came through. "I love ya."

A year and a half had passed since the fall of the Saviours, all the communities had been rebuilt.

Rick had asked Daryl to be the new leader of the Sanctuary, telling him that he was the best person for the job, he had even said about Natalia and Evie moving there as well, when Natalia had a few choice words for him, still pissed at the man, and then to have the audacity to even request what he did.

Daryl had accepted, even though she knew he didn't want to go back there, to leave his family, who he had said were to stay in Alexandria, he wasn't gonna have Evie nowhere near the place.

Of course Natalia had to stay with her, though she hated the idea of him leaving without her, they had got long range radios, to stay in touch every night

Eugene and Rosita had gone with him, much to Tara's disappointment, who had formed a relationship with the latter, and a budding friendship with the former. Natalia would be lying if she said she hadn't been sensing something brewing between the two women, she was happy for them.

Natalia visited the Sanctuary when she could, though it was sparsely that she could find the time, when she did stay at the Sanctuary, the married couple only had one thing on their mind, and It wasn't sleeping.

Daryl had become an expert in taking care of Natalia's body, he was a fast learner, even though she claimed that his first time was the best she'd had with anybody.

"You still there, baby?" Daryl asked, when Natalia made her way to her own room.

"Yeah, was just closing Eves door." She said. "I miss you."

"Miss you, too. But we're gonna see each other tomorrow, you still coming to DC?"

"Hell yeah, babe, it's a fucking museum, you know how cool that is? Me and my mom went for my sixteenth, they have this well cool floor that's completely made of glass, you can stand right above it and look down at the cool shit."

"God, you're such a nerd." He sighed as she got into bed.

"Hey, says the person who's probably flicking through a manual about bike parts, right as we speak."

"Ain't doing that." She could hear the pages folding shut and the sound of him tossing it."

"Mhm yeah, I'm sure." She rolled her eyes. "I think I'm gonna see Siddiq before I head off though."

"You still not feeling alright?" He asked. "You sure you should come?"

"Yeah, I don't know, just wanna make sure I get it checked out, it's nothing major, Evie hasn't caught it so it's not like contagious or anything."

Natalia had been feeling rough for a few weeks now, she didn't know what it was, but she'd start to feel nauseous, and wondered if it was because of her lack of appetite recently, she didn't know what kind of cold was developing, or maybe it was a new allergy.

"I think I'm gonna talk to Rick about coming home, maybe let Rosita take over, I wanna be with you and Eves, I'm missing too much."

"I agree, I hate going to sleep and waking up without you, and Evie's growing up too fast, I can't believe she's going to be nine in a few months."

"I know, I hate it too, I needa be with my girls."

"I love you." She said, clicking the radio as she got settled under the covers,

"I love you so much, baby." He responded, she could hear the raspiness in his voice. "Get some sleep, I'll see ya tomorrow, pretty girl."

She laughed at the nickname, making a mwah sound into the radio before setting it on the bedside table beside her, hugging the pillow tightly as she thought about her husband.

"Hey, Nat. You alright?" Siddiq asked, when she walked into the infirmary, Evie was at Rick and Michonne's having breakfast with Judith.

"Yeah, was wondering if I could have a quick check up before we head out." She told him.

"Yeah, of course, is there any reason in particular you think you may need one?" He asked as he washed his hands.

"Uh, not really, I think I'm developing a new allergy or something, I don't know what to, it's like not as severe as the nut one, though." She said, sitting on a bed to be examined.

"Can you tell me a few of the symptoms? Any rashes, uncomfortableness?" Siddiq picked up a clipboard and a pen, so he could write it all down.

"Uh, no physical stuff, nah, but like, shortness of breath, nausea, been told I've been acting like a bitch a lot more." She laughed. "Uhm, stomach cramps, swelling... or bloating?"

"Stomach cramps, swelling and nausea?" Siddiq looked up at her. "Natalia, are you-"

"Pregnant, hell no" She shook her head. "Trust me, I'm not, no chance I could be." Natalia assured. "Me and Daryl haven't exactly had a lot of time together, we haven't... been intimate for a while." She admitted, feeling awkward talking about her sex life with her husband, even though Siddiq was a doctor, and probably knew full well that they most likely slept together, when given the chance. "Trust me, we do not want any babies as it is, Evie is enough, and it's not exactly like we can coparent a new born between here and the Sanctuary."

"Well, if you're 100% certain." He wasn't. "I'll do a check up, but if you think it's allergies, I wanna do a blood test, see if it's anything else, anything that could cause the swelling, could be endometriosis, cysts, y'know. if something's up, it'll come up in that."

"Ugh, I hate blood tests." Natalia groaned, laying out her arm.

When he had done the test, Siddiq had given her a lollypop, which she accepted.

"I'll radio when I get the results."

"Alright, thank you, I'll be on channel 6, use that one." Natalia said, changing the channel as he taped up her vein with a cotton swab. "It's nothing, right?"

"Yeah, shouldn't be anything life threating, but if it is, I'll let you know as soon as I do, hey, be safe out there."

"I will, I always do."

When Daryl had turned his bike off, Natalia was running for him, embracing the man as she jumped into his arms.

"Hey, baby!" She squealed into his shoulder.

"Missed ya" He told her, holding the woman tightly.

They were in the middle of DC, Rick and Michonne had already taken care of any walkers that were around as everyone got ready to head into the museum or reuniting with their loved ones.

"Did ya see Siddiq?" He asked, sliding a finger into her belt loop, holding her to him.

"Yeah, did a blood test, though he thinks it's all fine, but he's gonna let me know what's up." She answered, waving her radio before tucking it back onto her belt.

Rick opened the door of the large building, and Michonne dealt with the walker that came out.

"We're good for now." She whispered to the group of people, checking through the gap between the door. "Sweep protocol when we get in."

Rick opened the door wider, letting Michonne enter as the others followed.

They silently took out any walkers that they might find.

It looked like they had set up camp before they turned.

"Y'all got your lists." Rick said, lowly, "Circle back here when you're done. Be safe."

They had got to the place Natalia was talking about on the radio the night before.

"This is gonna work." Maggie smiled, her, Michonne, Cyndi, Carol, Ezekiel, Natalia and Daryl stood around the glass, looking around the old building.

"Ain't as cool as you made out." Daryl said to Natalia, looking down at the herd of walkers below them.

"Used to be." She muttered, heading for the stairs.

"Heads up!" Cyndi called, as Maggie and Michonne walked across, heading for the stairs, bits of the banister from above crumbled, falling below as they raced for the stone steps.

A walker had fallen down as well, being impaled by a large metal rod.

The glass hadn't shattered but the walker was still alive, until Daryl shot at it with his crossbow.

"Onward." Ezekiel said. "We'll figure it out."

They continued up the steps.

They got to the second floor, instead of doing what she was meant to, like the rest, Natalia gazed upon the exhibits, reminding herself of her childhood with her mom.

She looked up, a wide grin on her face as she met Daryl's eyes from across the place, who was helping Cyndi with a boat.

A small smile tugged on his lips as he looked at her, reminding himself to talk to Rick later about going back to Alexandria.

"Hey, Nat, you gonna help us out or prepare yourself for a pop quiz?" Michonne called.

"But-" She let out a groan, pulling herself away from a pirate exhibit and following after Michonne, Maggie and Carol, "Fine." Natalia let out a grumble.

"So, he called for a election?" Michonne asked Maggie, when she had explained what was going on at The Hilltop.

"The one great idea Gregory's had." Maggie said.

"So he could just watch himself lose, again?" Natalia raised a brow. "Can't believe he'd actually think people was gonna vote for him."

"He still sore about the results?" Carol wondered.

"I don't know. He's being friendly. It's weird, honestly." She answered.

"The rebirth of democracy... by that guy." Michonne teased. "Who'd have thought?"

"Meanwhile, I live with a King." Carol joked, Michonne and Natalia laughed at her.

"But it works, right?" Maggie asked.

"People seem to like it."

"That make you Queen Carol?" Natalia wiggled her brows.

"Don't" She pointed at her, though she had a smirk on her face.

Michonne had stopped, staring up at a large poster.

A MORE PERFECT UNION was in large red letters.

"My mom had to drag me away from reading the whole thing." Natalia sighed, standing with her. "Maybe we should take it."

"How the hell would we get that off the wall and all the way home?"

"Here we go." Maggie said when they had reached what they were looking for. "Our blacksmith can use those as a model to make more. And we can send one to the Sanctuary, try to fix things there."

"I'm glad you won your election." Michonne commented as they looked at the old plow.

"I'm glad I grew up on a farm."

It had taken everyone's help to attempt to get a large wagon down the steps of the Museum, and over the glass floor.

"Last step. Easy." Rick called as they tightened their grip on the rope.

A metal thing on the bottom was dragging, hitting the glass.

"All right, hold, hold, hold." He said.

"What do you think we're doing?" Natalia groaned, straining in order to not fall down the steps.

"So far so good, we're almost there." He said.

Rick took the first step onto the glass, a rope tied around his waist as he tested his weight, it was stable enough. He walked along the metal frames, just in case.

"Let's go." He said, when he was sure it was stable.

They inched down the steps carefully, making sure not to let go of the rope.

"Woah."

"Easy, woah woah woah." Rick called as it started to wobble.

"Woah, woah, woah." Carol repeated.

"Okay. All right."

"Watch your fingers." Michonne reminded.

"Last step." Rick said.

"One more."

"Hold. Hold." He said, as the wagon thudded to the ground.

The glass was starting to crack under the weight as they turned the wagon towards the exit.

They managed to get it over though.

Maggie tied the rope around her as she prepared to join them, picking up the metal frame with Cyndi, carrying it across.

Daryl whistled for Rick to make his way back over with him and Natalia, to help carry the canoe, he joined and they carried it backwards whilst she waited on the steps.

"Be careful." She said, her heart felt like it was beating a hundred miles a minute.

"No sudden moves. Just keep going nice and slow." Rick instructed.

Carol and Ezekiel managed to grab the last thing, bringing it over.

"Alright, Nat, it's just you now, you got this." Rick said, gesturing for her to walk over the glass.

"This definitely isn't as cool as the first time I was here." She muttered, tightening the rope around her waist a she took slow steps across the glass, which was a lot more fragile and cracked after all the weight transported over it.

"You got it, baby, just look at me, you got it." Daryl clapped his hands together.

Natalia took deep breathes as she walked, as though it were a tight rope.

"Woah, woah hold on." Rick called, as it started to crack around her.

She froze, staring down.

"Nat." The radio on her hip crackled, the voice of Siddiq came through.

"Not a good time." She whispered in a high pitch voice.

"You gotta keep coming, quick." Michonne told her. "Come on, not that far."

"Natalia. You're pregnant." Siddiq's voice came through again.

The glass broke, sending her falling through.

She screamed as she fell through the air, walkers reaching up, trying to grab her as she swung, still attached by the rope.

"Nat!" Daryl shouted, going to dive for her, but Rick stopped him as they attempted to pull her up as she kicked and flung away from the hungry walkers.

The walkers grabbed a hold of her, trying to yank the woman down, but wasn't able, as the others tugged on the rope, trying to pull her out.

An arrow flew into the head of the walker that had a hold of her leg, about to chomp into her skin.

They had managed to get her out, she clung to the glass as she pulled herself up, falling on a soft cushion.

Daryl yanked her up and away, checking her over.

"Fuck." She let out a shaky breath. "That was a close one."

"You okay?" Daryl asked, his eyes full of worry as he held her.

She didn't answer, instead leaned away from him, doubling over as she emptied her stomach, the smell was unbearable and seemed to be stuck in her nose.

Daryl held her ponytail, rubbing her back as she gagged.

When Natalia stood up again, he wiped her mouth with his rag, his thumb wiping away the tears.

"Natalia." Enid breathed, the others had been staring at her since they knew she was safe.

"Did I just hear Siddiq say you were pregnant?" Carol asked, before Enid got the chance to say it.

"What?!" Her eyes bulged, she had missed that when she fell to her near fatal death.

"You're- You're... pre-"

Natalia pulled away from Daryl, grabbing her walkie talkie

"Siddiq?!" She called through it, as Daryl stared after her, his jaw dropped.

Michonne and Maggie followed her after she marched outside.

"Siddiq, fucking answer." She cursed.

"Nat." Michonne called.

"Hey, you had me worried when you didn't answer." Siddiq's voice came through the rectangle box.

"Sorry, was a little busy falling to my death." She replied, crouching down against the side of the building.

Rick had ordered everyone to get sorted so they could leave, whilst he and Carol attempted to snap Daryl out of his freeze.

Michonne and Maggie had sat on either side of Natalia, ready in case she broke down or something, this definitely was not on the cards for her.

"You what?" Siddiq asked after a moment.

"Don't worry about it, what did you say?" She was urgent.

"Nat." He sighed, he knew she wasn't going to be happy. "You're pregnant.... with twins."

She felt sick again.

Natalia dropped the radio as she heaved once more, this time, Maggie rubbed her back as she gathered her hair.

"Huh?" Michonne said, speaking into the radio as she caught it before it could hit the floor. "How do you know?"

"It came up in her blood, you can tell how many there are. How is she?"

"Not taking it well." Michonne replied.

"I'm gonna die, it's gonna kill me." Natalia muttered. "I'm dead."

"You're not gonna die." Maggie told her. "Hey, I had Hershel, and he's perfectly healthy, we got good doctors, we're better than we were before."

"Yeah, it's gonna be okay." Michonne joined in.

"You only had one baby, Maggie, he said... he said.... two, no, I- my life is over, he's gonna hate me, we didn't want this, this is, gimme the radio."

She snatched it out of Michonne's hands.

"Are you hundred percent sure?" She asked into the radio.

"Natalia, yes." He answered.

"Get ready to do another blood test, for when I get back." She told him.

"There's no point, it'll come up with the same result."

"I don't care, you're gonna do another."

"Nat. It's going to be okay." Michonne forced, taking the walkie back.

"No, we didn't want this, he didn't want this, I've ruined my life as well as his, it's over, I don't have time for a baby, let alone two!"

"Who? Daryl? He's not gonna hate you." Michonne told her.

"Not even possible." Maggie agreed. "I don't think he's actually able to, even if he did want to."

"It's a setback, but you guys are gonna be okay, everything's gonna be fine."

"How, Michonne, we don't even have time to be together!" Natalia said.

Carol had given Daryl advise on how to be supportive for Natalia, when she came back to the front, he was freaking out himself, but knew she was gonna be way worse, she had to get through nine months before he even had to deal with a baby.

They had briefly spoke about it only a few times, they were both happily together, and on the same page that Judith and Hershel were enough kids around, as well as their own daughter, Evie even if she had only been in their care for nearly two years.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay." He was sorry for getting her knocked up.

"Uhm..." She swallowed, feeling uncomfortable with the much larger group of people that had gathered around, Jesus and Tara included, and the word had spread quickly. "Its not your fault, I didn't think It was still capable, I'm sorry, actually."

"It's gonna be alright." He assured her. "We can take care of a baby, you done it before, we can handle it."

"Daryl" She leaned up on her tip toes, whispering in his ear as her hands shook. "It's twins."

She was scared he was going to pass out when all the colour drained from his face.

He gulped.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Twuh- twins? Are you sure?"

She nodded, a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry." She told him.

"Nah, no. Uh, we're, we're gonna talk about this later, alright, we gotta get you back, safe." He held her, kissing her head as a million thoughts raced through his own head.

"A congratulations is in order." Ezekiel came bounding towards them, patting Daryl on the back, even though Carol had tried pulling her boyfriend away. "To the young Dixon!"

The couple stared at him, neither one looked happy about the recent news.

Eventually they had made their way back, Natalia hadn't said a word as she sat beside Maggie, lost in thought, thinking about how they shouldn't of helped her out of the broken glass.

Daryl had rode ahead, finding Rosita, and they had both come back, her riding on her quad bike.

"Two other herds merged in "Silvia", so now it's even bigger. One of them came through here and the back end took down the bridge." She explained, as they all looked at the damage. "Took the walkie repeater with it."

"What about Route A?" Daryl asked. "Is that clear yet?"

"It's still too close to the herd."

"We can get to Alexandria from this side, stay there till it passes." Michonne suggested.

"No." Maggie answered. "Route A has taken days to clear before. I need to get home to Hershel."

"We could take Route D. It's early enough in the day." Carol said.

"Keep an eye on the trade road." Rick instructed. "In case anyone tries to move through. Gabriel, y'all can head back to Alexandria from here. The rest of us, we can go to the Sanctuary or Hilltop, stay the night, and head off from there. Take care. Get home safe."

"You should go with him." Daryl told Natalia.

"No." She shook her head. "Evie will be fine for the night, I'm staying with you."

"But-" He was looking at her stomach.

"Don't, I'm not arguing about it, I'm staying with you, so we can sort this mess out."

They had continued on.

"Rick, the horses can't pull the wagon out of the mud." Michonne said.

"Maggie, I think they need a break." Ken told his leader, the horses were getting anxious, jumpy.

"Maybe we should leave the supplies, send a group back in a day or two." Maggie suggested.

"It's risky." Michonne replied. "We've seen herds run through bigger things than this."

"We can swap out the horses, split up, take 'em out in the clear, give 'em a rest while we see what we can do about the trailers." Rick said.

"One, two, three."

They were attempting the pull the wagon out of the mud, they had also suggested Natalia should sit out, they'd only known for less than half a day and already treating her like she was fine china.

"Nothing is gonna change in a few hours, was doing this earlier." She had told them, before grabbing the rope.

"Rick." Michonne called.

Walkers were headed for them.

"We're almost there." Ezekiel said, he was the one pushing the wagon.

"One more time. One, two, three." Rick counted down.

They had managed to do it.

"Phew, I shoulda taken the opportunity." Natalia sighed, wiping her brow.

"You okay?" Daryl was quick to assess her.

"Yeah, fine." She looked at him, couldn't even joke around anymore, apparently.

"Good. Let's get out of here." Rick said, as the walkers were drawing nearer.

He ran ahead to help Ezekiel load up the wagon.

"Daryl, Michonne." He nodded at the few walkers reaching them

"On it." She answered, drawing her sword as Daryl flipped his knife, walking towards the closest ones.

Natalia pulled out her knife to help as well.

Walkers were approaching from the tree's as well, heading for the horses, Marco and Ken were occupied setting them free, when one was, he ran away.

"We gotta go." Rick told them. "Leave the wagon!" He said to Ken, who was still helping a horse get free.

Daryl pulled him away.

"No!" He turned back. "I gotta free her!"

"Ken, wait!" Rick called after him.

He cut the ties of the horse, setting her free, but before he could run back, a walker had grabbed a hold of him, chomping into the boys arm, then the horse kicked him down.

Natalia ran ahead, stabbing her knife into the walkers head, pulling it away from the unconscious Ken.

"Come on!" Rick said, they had got him with the others, Siddiq meeting up with them.

"They're gonna fix it. You're gonna be all alright." Marco told Ken as he started waking up.

Siddiq had amputated his arm and it was bleeding profusely.

"We'll keep the walkers away." Rick told the doctor.

"Okay. Enid, get the quick clot and a and a tourniquet." He instructed as the others got up to take out the gathering walkers.

It was no use, he hadn't made it, Maggie looked up as she cried for one of her people.

Ken was dead, and Maggie put him down.

Maggie had returned back to the Hilltop with Ken's body and her people, whilst the others left for the Sanctuary.

"Rick Grimes is here!" Mel called, as they entered, all the people of the Sanctuary stood at their stations, candles were lit along the place.

"That's the man that ended the war. Is Negan suffering? I hope he damn well is." Another asked Rick.

"Hello." Eugene greeted Daryl, Natalia was walking beside him. "All was well in your absence, other than a certain cabal of Saviours slingin' me some serious stink-eye, but I've compiled a list of items that need your semi-immediate attention."

"Not now, man." Daryl told him.

"I checked out the supplies." Laura joined them, since the fall of Negan, she had tried hard to get on the good side of her leaders wife, Natalia still didn't like her, but had noticed how she looked up to the both of them, she'd grown a lot kinder as well, not just in her personality, but in her looks as well. "It's a pretty good haul. You should let everybody know."

"I ain't getting up on a stage and giving a damn speech like him." He told her "It's bad timing. We just lost someone out there. I got other stuff I gotta figure out as well."

"Daryl." Michonne called, noticing something. "Does this happen often?"

Someone had graffitied the wall.

SAVIOURS SAVE US! WE ARE STILL NEGAN Was wrote on it.

"More an' more since the crops been dying." He told her. "Eugene, Jerry! You know who did that?"

"Don't know, man." Jerry answered.

"That would be a negative."

"Justin, clean that up." He told one of the Saviours, who had been a pain in the ass for the man, he was an idiot and he was obnoxious, Natalia strongly hated him.

"How?" He asked.

"How do you think, dumbass? Get some soap and water, scrub it., Paint over it, if you have to" Natalia told him, she was having an extremely bad day.

"We just used up all the paint." He shrugged.

"Figure it out." Daryl chimed in.

He sighed, putting down the book as he got up from his seat, walking away, his posture was lazy.

Rick had started a meet and greet with the people, shaking their hands.

"You see our crops, Rick?" The same man from earlier, asked.

"I did." He answered.

"The spring storms will be here in a few weeks, help us out, but we need a boost in the meantime."

"And you'll have it." He turned to speak to everyone. "We came back with farming tools, heirloom seeds. We're looking to the past to help us with the present. We're all gonna pitch in and make sure that Sanctuary has what it needs so you all can get back on your feet."

"Bless you, Rick Grimes. Thank you."

They applauded him.

"Guys such a martyr, why don't he take over the place" Natalia scowled, muttering to Daryl, away from everyone else.

He looked over to them, heading over.

"I'm gonna talk to him." He kissed her temple. "Then we're gonna talk."

"Guessing it ain't about my normal visits." She scoffed.

"Your visits is the reason we gotta talk." He told her, walking away

Natalia had waited for him outside, staring at the spot where Fat Joey had been killed all that time ago, she really did hate being here, and she knew he felt the same.

Eventually he came out, sitting down beside her and she instantly leaned her head on his arm.

"What he say?"

"That if I wanna come home, someone's gotta take my place, Eugene an' Rosita going Oceanside, so they're out."

"But, what about..." She looked down.

"Told him that, don't make a difference."

"I really am sorry, Daryl, I know we didn't want this, I didn't exactly mean to."

"Don't be stupid, it was a group effort, how'd you know there's two in there anyway?" He still had not wrapped his head around the word twins, neither of them had, and they were both feeling glum about it, compared to everyone else, who reminded them of how happy they were for the couple, any chance they had that day, acting like it was a rainbow on a stormy day.

"Siddiq said you can tell by the blood or whatever, I don't know, I thought I was just eating good. When was the last time we even had sex?"

Daryl thought for a moment.

"...A while." He looked at her as they swallowed thickly.

"I'd say over two months." She stared ahead, dropping her head into her hands.

Daryl rifled through his pocket, pulling out a cigarette, placing it between his lips as he lit it, he had no intention of sharing with Natalia, even though she needed it just as much as he did.

"It'll be alright, we'll figure it all out, we have to."

"Easy for you to say, Daryl, two babies, inside me, growing, then eventually, they're gonna come out." She groaned, though it was muffled.

Carol had joined them outside.

Daryl offered her the cigarette, which she took, before dropping it to the floor and stomping on it.

"The babies." She said, as Natalia still had her face in her hands. "Those things'll kill all of you."

She then sat down beside him.

"Why aren't you in bed?" He asked her.

"Wanted to see how the both of you were doing, by the looks of it, not great. " She looked at the woman.

Natalia let out another muffled groan of frustration.

"I'm happy for the both of you, even if you're not, this is a gift."

"Easy for you to say" Natalia looked up. "I'll trade with you, you and Ezekiel will do great, have them."

"Nah, I can't wait to be their favourite aunt, they can be little princes or princesses in the Kingdom, how's Evie going to take this?"

"I don't know, why?" Daryl asked her.

"She might feel left out." Carol said. "She's getting older, and, maybe the idea of you having your own kids might scare her, make her feel like she's being kicked out."

"Then we'll have to remind her that these were accidents and that we were perfectly happy with just her." Natalia dropped her face back into her hands, falling to lay on her back, the thing that had caused her current dilemma.

"Daryl." Carol said.

"Hmm?"

"I want to take over here for awhile, for you, and don't argue."

Natalia used her elbows to prop herself up.

"So you and Natalia can figure things out, for the babies, god knows I wanted Ed around when were having Sophia, a little help would've been nice."

"You gonna bring Henry and the King with you?" Daryl asked her.

"I haven't told him yet." She answered. "He asked me to marry him." Carol sighed

"What?" Natalia gasped, fully invested in her statement.

"Yeah. And part of me wanted to just say "yes" right then."

"Why didn't you?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know. I want to help out, take my time, you know?"

"You want me to stay here with you?" Daryl offered.

"No. The both of you need to be together, for these two. You showing yet?"

"Carol, I found out the same time you did." She lifted her shirt, still propped up by her elbows, "I thought I was just bloated, allergies or something."

There was no bump, just yet, but it was starting to form, if she hadn't done some investigation she sure would've found out soon enough.

"Oh God, I am pregnant." She whined, dropping all the way back, her arms covering her face.

"You're already glowing." Carol teased as Daryl looked at her stomach, gulping, he was gonna be a dad, to new born's, one's he actually had to raise from birth, until Evie chose him, he'd never even thought about having kids, his own father scared him from that idea a very long time ago.

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixion x reader #twd daryl x y/n #daryl dixion imagine #darylxnatalia #daryldixonalonetwd #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Better Than Revenge

Previous

When they had gotten back, Daryl went right back to dragging her around.

"What are we doing?" She asked.

"Finding Tara." He said.

"Why?"

"She wants what we want." He stated.

Natalia knocked on her door, going to stand with Daryl by a post on Tara's porch.

She lifted his hand, checking his knuckles.

They were already scarred from years before, but she still felt the need to check for new damage.

"You mad at me?" He rasped, looking at the street.

She scoffed.

"No, I was the one agreeing with you. Though, if you got yourself blown up, I'd have been real mad."

"That's fair." Daryl snorted. "You do want this, right?"

"Yes. I need it. What they did... it has to happen, he just doesn't get that, not like us, not like Rosita, or Maggie or Tara... or Sasha. I'm gonna feel bad if innocent people get hurt because of it, but it's not gonna keep me up at night. He took too much from us, that I'm done giving a shit about anyone but in these gates, or the Hilltop and the Kingdom, sorta."

"It's gonna happen, with him on board or not, we're gonna end it, I promised yer that."

The door opened and Tara walked out.

"Hey. You guys just get back?"

"Yeah." Daryl leaned off the post. "We were looking for you."

"I was looking for you guys, too." She admitted. "I wanted to tell you that you were right when you didn't kill Dwight." She spoke to Daryl. "We wouldn't have gotten this far without him."

Natalia doubted that, she still believed he should of done it, they would of figured it out.

"The thing is, I know what you said. But after this, I'm gonna kill him. I want it to be me."

"Maybe it could be you and me both." Daryl offered. "And maybe we don't got to wait so long."

"Have you seen Mich and Rosita around?" Natalia asked looking around the streets. "I haven't seen them yet, would've at least thought they'd say hi. Or Carl."

"Uh, I don't know, I think I saw Carl earlier, not since." Tara told her, when they were getting ready to leave. "But no, I haven't seen Michonne or Rosita all day."

"Oh, okay..."

"Come on, let's go." Daryl told them, getting in one of the garbage trucks the Scavengers left, it was big enough to get the job done.

They got to one outpost in particular, a truck full of speakers playing loud music was driving out.

"Found them." Tara said, spotting Michonne and Rosita running after the truck.

"Hang on." Daryl grunted, putting his foot down, crashing into the truck, knocking the speakers off and breaking them.

Tara jumped out and so had Natalia, shooting the people driving.

"Truck full of speakers, huh?" Daryl stated the obvious as the two woman walked over to them. "That was a Saviour."

"Yeah, it was." Michonne confirmed. "They were scavenging when you guys attacked the Sanctuary. They saw all the walkers around it. It's a cache. They were gonna try and drive the walkers away. That's why they were out here." Michonne looked exhausted.

"Okay, so why are you guys out here? You look like shit, both of you." Natalia told them, slightly pissed off that they went out when they were supposed to be resting, but also didn't bother to wait for her.

"I need to see the Sanctuary." Michonne said.

"We both do." Rosita agreed. "Why are you out here?"

"We got a lot more work to do." Daryl answered. "All of us."

It was a tight fit for all five of them to fit in the cab, but they managed.

Daryl parked, giving a view of the Sanctuary, though it was still far away.

"Here you go. You wanted to see it." Daryl handed Michonne the scope of a rifle, using it as a binocular.

"So what do you need us for?" Rosita asked.

"We're gonna end it. Right now." Natalia told them.

Daryl started the truck again.

"Our people are gonna be at the Sanctuary soon, asking for their surrender." Tara reminded. They were all out the truck, Daryl was still assessing the place.

"We're almost there." Rosita told her.

"That's why we do it. We make it happen." Daryl said.

"So we cover you with crossfire from the upper windows, you crash the truck into the walkers and through to the building." Michonne clarified.

After hearing the plan, Natalia was very much against it.

"Yep, crack it open, Saviour buffet." Tara said.

"You know the workers will make it away, up the stairs?" Rosita asked.

"They're on the other side of the building. They should make it." Daryl told her, the same thing he told Rick.

"You sure?"

"After we do this, their only choice is to give up."

"It's risky. They could see the truck comin'."

"There weren't any more weapons at the Saviours' warehouse, right?" Tara asked. "No more rockets for the RPGs. We work with what we got."

"You got me." Morgan walked over to them, coming out of nowhere. "Other snipers, too. Saviours see you comin', we got you covered, whatever it takes. I want it done. I want them done."

"Good. So we doing this or not?" Daryl asked.

"Why don't we just wait it out, like we planned?" Rosita said. "Nat, what do you think?"

She looked up from chewing her nail, all eyes on her.

"Bad play." She said, shaking her head. "It's not thought through."

"Like hell it ain't." Daryl told her.

"I don't like it, and I don't want you to go through with it either, something bad is going to happen, I'm not gonna let it."

"The truck with the speakers almost took all those walkers away." Tara said. "It almost did go bad. Something else could."

"Even if it don't, we don't got the Kingdom fighters no more. I mean, if the Saviours want to put up a fight, we don't got the numbers to make 'em surrender."

"That's why Ricks talking to the Scavengers." Rosita told Daryl.

"You got shot. They lied to us. You believe 'em now?" Tara instigated.

"I believe in Rick Grimes." Rosita stated.

"I could've done something... sooner, to end this. I knew about those weapons at Oceanside, and I waited. I didn't do shit about it." Tara stepped forward. "With or without you, I'm not letting that happen again."

"Then its without me." Rosita opted out. "I'm out."

"We got some cars parked near the east-side lookout. You can take one and go home." Morgan told her.

She looked to Michonne.

"You staying?" She asked. "You good with all this?"

"I helped get this started. Got to see it through."

"You think it's easier to come out here and risk than to stay back there and wait. And I get it, I used to believe that too. Thing is, sometimes you just have to wait. Sometimes you don't get to know. I just wish it didn't take seeing Sasha walk out of that coffin to realise it." Rosita then walked away.

"Come on. Let's go." Daryl said.

"No." Natalia told him, shutting the door when he opened it. "Don't do this."

"Nat, you can either come with us, or you can leave with her, without me, we both want this, I'm making that happen." Daryl said.

"You're going to get yourself killed. I'm not allowing that."

"Then walk away." He gestured to where Rosita left.

"How could you say that?" She looked at him with offense. "Why would you even say that?"

"Told ya, doing this with or without ya, so either get in the cab or leave, we're wasting time."

"Daryl." She tried.

"I ain't giving up on this. I want you here with me. I ain't dying neither, this is gonna work." He told her, his harsh tone dropping only slightly. "It will."

Natalia thought on it for a second.

The last time they had split up, Dwight happened, and they vowed to never leave each others side after being separated for a week, one of the worst weeks in both their lives, since then, they hadn't been apart, not since the day before, when they started this war.

"Okay," She nodded. "Okay, yeah, fine."

Daryl sighed a breath of relief.

"It's gonna work, Swear it." He reassured her, cupping his wife's face, kissing her hairline. "Alright, come on."

He opened the cab door again, helping her up before getting in himself.

Tara and Michonne were seated, giving the couple space to discuss in private.

Daryl started the truck, driving forward.

"Hey, cut that engine." Morgans voice rang through the radio after a while, Natalia was holding it, beside Daryl. "Any closer, you'll draw walkers from the yard.

Daryl listened, shutting the large truck off.

"Here." He said, passing the scope over so that they could take a look, Tara accepted it, Michonne and Natalia still doubted the plan, both not wanting to be there, but having their own reasons.

"You take fire from the windows, we fire back." Morgan's voice came through, again.

"Come on." Tara coaxed them. "There's a spot for cover by the chutes."

"You up for this?" Daryl asked, when Michonne hadn't moved.

"I came here 'cause I wanted to see things for myself. I wanted to know that things were gonna work. But you know what? I don't get to know that. None of us do. What I do know is that things are working now. So maybe... we just need to trust that things are gonna keep working. Because this... what we're about to do... It's not worth risking us."

"It is for me." Daryl said. "Just is."

Natalia felt her heart shatter all over again, he was willing to die for this, even if it didn't even work out, he was willing to leave her alone, when they could do it another way.

Natalia couldn't watch that happen, not for a second time.

"I'm going." Natalia said, climbing over the seats so she could leave the truck. "I hope this is worth it, I really do. I'm done. I- I can't." She shook her head, leaving, walking away from the truck.

She hadn't even heard him try to stop her, or say goodbye, nothing.

She heard footsteps following her, Michonne's.

She wiped at her cheeks, brushing away the tears she hadn't meant to let fall.

"I believe they can do it. I think so. I just can't go through with it." Michonne said.

Natalia didn't answer.

"Hey." Michonne grabbed her shoulder, stopping her from walking. "He's gonna pull this off, and get back. He will, he always does."

"You heard him." Natalia said. "I can't. I set myself up."

"What do you mean?" Michonne asked.

"When I was working things out, realising some stuff. Basically doing a pros and cons list. Well, my very first con was this, throwing himself into danger because for some reason he doesn't value his life... no matter the people who care about him." She sighed. "And I did it anyway, I fell in love with him, because I don't learn from my lessons."

"Nat. He's gonna do it, and he's gonna come home, okay, this is Daryl we're talking about, this is the least scariest thing he's done. He's not gonna die."

"You don't know that. I thought that about other people too. They survive until they don't. I just- I can't watch that, I can't put myself through it, I tried to stop him and he refused, because he doesn't care about what happens to him. He's the most selfish selfless person ever, and I hate it, but its always a reason why I love him, 'cause I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot." Michonne sighed.

"No, I am. Because it doesn't matter how many times he does this, I'm still going to love him, and wait for him to get back, just so I can try and fail to stop him the next time."

"No, that just makes you normal. If you're an idiot, then I guess I am too, because I did the same exact thing, our advantage though, is that they don't die, no matter how hard they seem to try." Michonne told her.

Eventually the five had all managed to get back, Daryl and Tara had completed their mission, though Natalia was avoiding the man, instead, sat with Evie, Judith and Michonne as the two children painted, whilst everyone else prepared for the next stage of war.

"We'll be back soon. I'll bring your daddy, too, okay?" Michonne told Judith. "Can you say bye-bye?"

"Bye-bye." Judith copied.

Causing a giggle out of the two women.

"I'll look after her." Evie said. "We're making tigers, right Jude?" Evie cooed.

"Great..." Natalia said through her teeth.

"Well, thank you Evie, she's gonna learn from the best." Michonne told the little girl, brushing Judith's hair.

"Yeah, we can put one in a picture frame, and Daryl can hang it up, right mom?"

Michonne stifled a laugh at Natalia's uncomfortableness.

"Y'know what, I'm sure Ezekiel would just love a picture of Shiva, maybe you could give it to him, as a thank you for his help?" Natalia told her.

"Oh! Okay, yeah, we're gonna make thank you cards, for Maggie and Jesus as well, huh, Judy, you wanna do that?"

"Yeh." She answered, though they wondered if she knew what she just signed herself up for.

"That's very kind, thank you, girls." Michonne kissed Evie's hair, whilst Natalia did the same to Judith.

"Bye, Eves, I love you." Natalia told her, brushing her blonde hair away from her face.

"Love you, mom." Evie kissed her cheek. "Can you tell Daryl as well, that I love him, too?"

"If I see him, babe, but you can tell him yourself, if you see him. I know he's really busy at the moment."

"Okay, I will."

After their conversation when Daryl and Natalia had got back, they had established that they were a family now, but she had yet to call Daryl the d word, he was fine with that, but if she wanted to call him it, he wasn't going to stop her, they'd made it clear to Evie that everything was on her terms, and they'd both go along with what she wanted.

"He's walking towards us." Michonne muttered as they climbed up the bank from the wide pond.

"Have I got time to run?"

"Nope, he's looking right at us."

"Hey." Daryl greeted them.

"Hi." Michonne replied, nudging Natalia. "I'm glad you came back, it's better if we go out there together."

"It worked." He said, glancing between the two, Natalia was looking everywhere but at him. "We'll roll in, tell them to give up. They're gonna give up."

"I'm sorry." Michonne told him. "I couldn't."

"Don't be. It worked." He said, pointedly, watching Natalia now.

"Alright then." Michonne nodded, walking away.

Natalia was going to follow her, but Daryl grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.

"Hey."

She looked up at him.

"What?"

"You're not gonna say hi to me?" He asked.

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"What's wrong? Somethin' happen?" He assessed her, checking for injuries, holding her face in his hand.

"No, nothing's wrong." She sighed. "I'm glad you came home."

"I always do." He told her. "Y'know that, don't get why you'd be worried."

"In case you don't." She looked back at him, holding his wrist, his thumb was rubbing circles against her cheek. "Wish you'd value your life a little bit more, least for the people who love you, for me."

"Nat, I'm gonna always come back to you, no matter what's holding me back, I'm doing this for you, for Evie, to make this a better place to live in, I knew what I was doing, an' it worked."

"I know." She whispered. "Just, if I lost you... I don't think I'd ever be able to get back from that, I can't lose you, I- I can't." Her voice broke.

"Hey, hey, hey." He soothed, bringing her into his arms, hugging the woman. "I ain't going nowhere, I ain't leaving you anytime soon, I just got ya, I ain't giving you up for anything, I'd kill the grim reaper if it means being with you forever."

Natalia's arms tightened around him.

"Ain't nothing gonna happen to me, to you, Evie, any of us, ain't gonna ever let that happen." He told her.

Natalia pulled away, brushing his hair away from his face, from the cut above his brow.

"I love you." She said, "With every part of me, I love you so much, I'd live through a thousand walker outbreaks, as long as it meant I got to be with you every time."

Daryl kissed her, hard, as if it were their last.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, in ma whole life." He leaned his head against hers. "Greatest thing that's ever happened. I love you."

Natalia kissed him, at his confession. For someone who claimed to be bad with his words, he always had the right things to say.

"I'm gonna go see if anything else needs prepping, Evie was looking for you." She said, looking at him, in his beautiful blue eyes. "She's down there with Jude, they're making thank you cards for all the leaders."

"Who's idea was that?" He asked, raising his brows.

"Hers, after I told her she could give her tiger painting to Ezekiel, so we didn't have to frame it in our house..." She looked away, wincing, scratching her brow.

Daryl let out a chuckle, kissing her head.

"I'll go talk to her." He said, walking away from his wife, their fingers entwined until they were too far away from each other.

When it was dark, Michonne and Natalia went in search of Carl, neither of them had seen him for the whole day, apart from when they got back and he was planting a tree, they were missing their other best friend.

They had found him lifting a manhole, leading to the sewers.

"Carl?" Natalia called.

He looked up at them, a bag was beside his feet.

"We've been looking for you." Michonne said. "We're about ready to head out."

"What are you doing?" Natalia asked.

"I'm helping someone." He confessed. "A traveller."

"In the sewer?" Michonne raised a brow at him.

"Are they some type of crocodile person, or something?" Natalia asked, wondering who the hell would be in a sewer willingly.

A clanging sound came from the gates.

"You may be wondering why the hell your lookouts didn't sound the alarm." The voice of Negan came through a speaker.

He was alive, and at Alexandria, how was that possible?

"See, we are polite. I mean, I don't know when they're gonna wake up from that kind of shock, but they should wake up. So lets just cut through the cow shit... You lose. It's over. So you're gonna line up in front of your little houses and you're gonna work up some apologies, and then the person with the lamest one is gonna get killed. Then I kill Rick in front of everybody, and we move on. You have three... count 'em... three minutes to open this gate, or we start bombing the shit out of you!"

Natalia looked behind her, everyone was gathering around, Daryl was carrying Evie in his arms as he met her gaze.

"They got out." Michonne whispered.

"How?" Natalia hissed.

"Come on." Carl walked to the entrance of the sewer as the two women stared in horror.

"Nat." Carl called. "Michonne. Come on!"

They followed him as they ran to evacuate.

"You need to make it look like we're escaping out back. Get to the woods, halfway to the quarry, and cut the lights." Carl ordered as he handed bagged up supplies. "Get enough of a lead on them, hit them, and get away on foot. You know where we'll be. Just have to get guns, get everyone else here, and we'll meet you there."

"Two minutes, people!" Negan called. "Dig deep. I want these apologies to be memorable. Bonus points for creativity. Work up a poem, sing a song. I love that shit. Natalia, honey, hope you're gonna set an example, we've all seen how you can beg, I wanna see that."

"Get going. There's gonna be people in the infirmary." Carl told a few Alexandrians as they ran.

"Look, we got guns. We can fight them." Tara said.

"We will, but not now." Rosita told her.

"There's children and sick people, they're our priority." Natalia said, walking past Daryl, Evie was hiding her face in the crook of his neck, she stroked the girls head.

"Carl, we can't just let them have this place." Michonne said, she was angry.

"We can." He told her. "All we need to do is survive tonight. This is my show. You said it."

"He's right, we're gonna do Carls plan." Natalia backed him up.

"Let's go!" He ordered.

"One minute! One minute!" Negan called.

They didn't have a lot of time so they had to move fast.

"Okeydokey!" Negan's voice boomed, when time was up. "Brought this on yourself, Rick. See, I was willing to work with you. All you had to do was follow a few very simple rules. Now. Well, I see that you got to go! Scorched earth, you dick!"

Carl climbed on top of the perch as everyone else continued with the plan.

"He's not home." He told Negan, the guns trained on his presence.

"Oh-ho-holy shit! Everybody hold your fire. It's Carl. Look at you. Answering the door like a big boy." His voice was still coming through the speakers. "I am so proud. Daddy's not home, huh? Well, I guess he's gonna get back to a big old smoky surprise."

"There's families in here." Carl said. "Kids. My little sister. My friends daughter."

"Well, that shit just breaks my heart." Negan replied. "There's kids at the Sanctuary. You must've seen 'em. Even had a little baby at one of the outposts. I wonder what happened to her. None of this shit's fair, kid. Hell, you know that. You had to kill your own mom. That is screwed up. Ergo, we need someone in charge who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that shit doesn't happen. Oh. Wait. That's me"

"Bad stuff does happen, but we can figure this out." Carl said. "We can stop this."

"Oh, now you want to talk?" Negan asked. "See, your dad had it that I died, no matter what. He gave my people a choice. Not me. Now we're gonna need a new understanding. Apologies, punishm..."

"Kill me." Carl cut him off.

"What did you say?" Negan asked.

"If you have to kill someone... if there has to be punishment, then kill me. I'm serious."

"You want to die?"

"No, I don't. But I will. It's gonna happen. And if... if me dying could stop this... If it can make things different... for us, for you, for all those other kids... it'd be worth it. I mean, was this the plan? Was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?"

All the cars were ready, Evie was with Judith, they were being taken care of, whilst Natalia and Daryl sat in the large truck, the others following.

"Ready?" He asked her, as he had his hand out the window, to signal when to go.

"As ever." She sighed.

Daryl started the engine, putting his arm down then drove forward, taking out the gate, driving straight through two cars that had been parked in front, an attempt to block them.

They had reached their destination, where Carl had told them to go, ready to take down any Saviours they saw.

Alexandria was being destroyed, everything was up in flames, their home was gone.

"They didn't get out because of what we did with the truck." Tara told Daryl as they crouched in the low grass.

"Even if they did, it was just a mistake." Rosita said. "And I made one too. If I hadn't gone to the Sanctuary to kill Negan, maybe Sasha would still be alive. Maybe she would've gone herself. Maybe everything would've ended up exactly the same way. I didn't want you guys to do it, but maybe you needed to. Maybe you needed to play things out to figure shit out."

"We've all made mistakes, there's stuff I could've done, and there's stuff I shouldn't of done, either way, maybe more people would've died, or there'd be people still alive. Nothing we can do about it now." Natalia sighed.

"Where the hell are they?" Michonne asked.

A car appeared, catching their attention.

Daryl pulled the tab of an bomb, chucking it into the road.

"That's Laura and Dwight" Natalia squinted, seeing the two people in the car. "The pricks who were in charge of us at the Sanctuary. How perfect."

All the vehicles had appeared.

"Now!" Daryl ordered.

Everyone fired their guns, as the cars slowed to a stop.

Bodies dropped, and soon enough, none of the Saviours were left standing.

"It's over." The voice of Dwight shouted.

They ran out, finding him hiding behind a car, Tara kicked away his gun. "I made sure you guys could get out the back. I drove the convoy right up to the roadblock. I knew what it was."

Daryl lowered his gun.

"I can't go back. One of 'em got away. She's gonna tell them."

"Who?" Natalia asked.

He shook his head not answering.

Natalia reached for him, pressing on the gunshot wound, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Who was it?" She demanded.

"Laura." He admitted in defeat. "She ran."

"Which direction?" Natalia looked up past the car. "Tell me!"

"I- I don't know."

"Nat." Rosita reached for her.

"No" She shrugged her off.

"Nat, come on, we'll find her, not now." Rosita pulled her up, away from him.

"How'd they get out?" Daryl continued to interrogate. "Was it what I did?"

"Eugene." Dwight replied. "I can still help you. I know how they work, how Negan thinks. I want you to win. I want Negan to die. And we can settle up after."

Daryl grabbed a hold of him, ripping his beloved vest off the man, walking away.

"We need to get back... now." Michonne appeared, from gathering all the guns from the dead Saviours.

Rosita took care of Dwight.

"I'm gonna go find her." Natalia said, checking her bullet count.

"No." Michonne told her, "We need to go to the others."

"And I'm going to kill her, you guys can go without me."

"Nah." Daryl said. "You ain't."

"What?"

"Nat, we need to leave." Tara tried.

"No. I need to do this."

"You're coming with us, no debating about it." Daryl said, taking her gun out of her hands.

"You don't get to tell me that, after what you've done, and you" She pointed at Tara. "You have your guy, as soon as he drains himself of anything useful, you guys get what you want. She's out there, alone, that's my chance to end it, I want this."

"You ain't!" He snapped. "You ain't running off on your own, I'll help you find her, after we get back and make sure everyone's okay, but you're coming with us, so drop it."

"Natalia, I know you're angry, okay, everyone understands that, after what she did to you, but now isn't the time." Michonne tried. "We all want that for you, but not right now, just come with us."

"I'll even go with you." Rosita offered. "If you just leave with us."

Next

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixion imagine #daryl dixion x reader #darylxnatalia #daryldixonalonetwd #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Home Invasion

Previous

When they had made it back, passed the burnt and collapsed buildings, a large truck was sat outside the gates, that was where the horn was coming from.

In Alexandria, it was an even worse sight, bodies were layed across the streets, blood caked the roads and pavements, and surviving people cried and wept.

Heath rushed Scott to the infirmary as Natalia and Michonne took in what had happened to their home.

Tobin and some of his old crew helped gather the people, laying them in a pile to be buried.

"Natty!" A voice cried out.

Evie was running towards her, she looked terrified and obviously was crying.

Natalia's eyes welled up as she bent down, accepting the hug as the little girl rushed into her arms, sobbing into the woman's shoulder.

Natalia held her up, petting her blonde hair as they both cried.

She felt a sense of relief that the girl was okay, she was alive, but she dreaded for what she had to tell her.

Michonne let them be, walking towards Maggie and Rosita who the girl had been with, they knew she was important to Natalia, and they understood she was part of their family now, as well.

"What happened, sweet girl?" Natalia asked her.

"Bad people, they came in and they... they...they killed them." She sobbed as she retold what had happened. "Daddy wasn't here, and you weren't here, I was so scared, but Carl took me inside, him and Enid said I had to help them protect the baby, I did, I tried my hardest." She threw her head back on Natalia's shoulder, as she rubbed her back.

"I know, I know. I'm so sorry." Natalia gently lifted her head, her palm cupped the girls small face, wiping away her tears. "But I need to tell you something, okay?"

"Where's Daddy?" She looked past the woman, not taking in what she said as she searched for her father, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Evie, listen, I'm so sorry, I'm so, sorry." She held the girls waist as she reached into her pocket, bringing out the chain.

Evie's eyes widened at the sight, she hadn't seen her dad without it since her mom had passed.

"He's gone...?" Her voice cracked. "He's with Mommy, isn't he?" She began sobbing again.

"I'm so sorry, Evie." Natalia confirmed, hugging the girl tighter. "He wanted you to know he loved you so, so, so, so much, and you're beautiful and kind, and sweet and talented, okay, and that he was so proud of you, incredibly proud of you."

"He's gone, he's gone, he's gone." She cried, wiping at her eyes, as her face puffed up, turning red. "He's dead!"

The people around them stared at the sight, feeling for the little girl.

"He loved you so much, I'm so sorry, he wanted me to take care of you, and I will, I promise."

"Open the gate!" Ricks voice boomed from outside the walls. "Open the gate! Open the gate, now!"

Natalia held on to Evie, tightly as Michonne and Maggie ripped the gate open, Rick was running towards them, the herd that he was supposed to be steering away, was following his trail.

As he ran in, the gate was quickly closed, walkers reached him, grabbing at air as they set their sights on the people inside.

Evie screamed as she watched, Natalia tried to shield her from it.

Tobin and his crew placed support beams along the walls, making sure that it would hold, especially with the herd outside.

Alexandrians watched as they accepted their lives were over.

"You can hear it." Rick said, pacing towards the fence. "Some of you saw it. They got back here, half of them. Still enough to surround us 20 deep. Look, I know you're scared. You haven't seen anything like this. You haven't been through anything like this. But we're safe for now." He looked around at the scared people.

Natalia listened to Rick, Evie was stood in front of her, her face blotchy from all the crying, she sniffled as she thought about her parents, scared about the wall, too, Natalia was holding onto her shoulders tightly, she didn't tell the woman she was hurting her.

"The panel the truck hit seems intact. We reinforced it just in case. Either way, the wall's gonna hold together. Can you?" He asked the people. "The others, they're gonna be back."

"They're gonna be back." Rosita repeated.

Natalia bent back down, letting the girl hide In the part between her neck and shoulder, as she began to sob, they weren't all coming back.

"Daryl, Abraham, Sasha, they have vehicles. They're gonna lead 'em away, just like the others. And Glenn, and Nicholas are gonna walk back through the gate after. They know what they're doing. And we know what to do." Rick said. "We keep noise to a minimum. Pull our blinds at night. Even better, keep the lights out. We'll try to make this place as quiet as a graveyard, see if they move on."

"This place is a graveyard." Francine spoke up.

Natalia glared at her, as she rubbed the small girls back.

"The quarry broke open and those walkers were heading this way." Aaron walked forward. "All of them. The plan that Rick put into place stopped that from happening. He got half of them away. I was out there, recruiting with Daryl and Natalia." He gestured to the woman. "I wanted to try to get into a cannery and scavenge, and they wanted to keep looking for people." Natalia looked down, feeling eyes on her. "We did what I wanted... and we wound up in a trap set by those people. And I lost my pack. They must've followed our tracks. Those people who attacked us... they found their way back here because of me."

Deanna walked away, shaking her head.

"There'll be more to talk about." Rick told the people.

"Deanna?" Tobin asked the woman. "Deanna."

She ignored him as she continued to walk.

People soon enough went back to their homes, or whatever they were doing before Rick showed up.

"Would you like to write your dads name on the wall?" Natalia asked the girl, pulling hair away from her face.

They had lost too many people, there was no bodies to burry, one of the ladies had begun painting the names on a wall panel.

She nodded weakly, stifling a yawn, all the emotions and crying had drained the young girl.

Natalia picked her up, carrying her towards the memorial.

"Hey, is it okay if Evie writes her dads name?" Natalia asked the woman.

"Yes, of course, here." She handed the brush to her.

Natalia accepted it, nudging Evie to sit up, she'd guide her hand to make the big letters.

After they wrote his name, and more tears streamed down the girls cheeks, Natalia looked up at the wall, seeing all the names.

Glenn's was also there, she didn't believe he was gone, or maybe she just didn't want to.

Seeing as she was stuck in Alexandria, and couldn't go and find him, like she said she would, Natalia would have to put all her focus into making sure Evie was okay.

"I think its time for bed." She murmured. "Yeah?"

Evie nodded, her face in a constant pout as she wiped at her tired eyes, again.

"Can I stay with you?" She asked, her voice was quiet.

"Of course, we'll have a sleepover, with Sully."

"Okay." She couldn't even manage a smile at something that would normally have her over the moon.

Natalia walked in the direction of her house, Rick was stood by, outside, watching the people, he had just been helping move bodies.

"Rick, do you need anything, or jobs need doing, Evie needs to be put to bed, but I don't wanna leave her right now." She told the man, as Evie was falling asleep in her arms, her fathers necklace was intwined in her little fingers.

"No, you go ahead." He told her, cupping the woman's head. "I'm sorry, truly, about what happened, we're all gonna be here for her, she's family now."

"I know." Natalia nodded. "It's not your fault, if it weren't for you we would of all been dead a long time ago, I would've probably died in that house." She scoffed. "Thank you." She smiled at the man, leaning in slightly as she pecked his cheek. "Anyone has anything different to say, you send them my way."

"Got it." He grimaced, patting her shoulder.

Natalia left, walking up the porch steps and heading inside her shared home.

Sully was waiting for her at the door, stepping back as she entered.

He was cautious of the little girl, following as he sniffed the pair as she headed up the stairs, towards her bedroom. 

Only when they were tucked under the covers, Evie was out like a light, snuggled up against the girl, hugging the rabbit that Sully had dropped beside her, as he layed on the bottom of the bed, did Natalia let her mind wander to this morning, and what had happened at the quarry, between her and Daryl.

She didn't know what she was feeling, something had changed a while ago, but she refused to give it attention.

She was up for the whole night, dwelling on her feelings for the man, seeming to notice him in a different light as she thought about their memories together, and their friendship.

She knew he was protective of her, sometimes she thought it was overkill, but that was just Daryl, he was like that with everyone, right?

But what about Harry? She couldn't let him go, he ruined her life, but she still loved him, the father of her children, the children she had lost because of him. She felt as though she were cheating, as she thought about the archer, but Harry had been dead for nearly 17 months, maybe it was time to move on, but what if she couldn't?

Daryl had a tendency to put everyone before himself, if someone had to die, he'd choose himself in a heartbeat, she'd just be setting herself up, once again. Natalia couldn't go through that again, she barely survived the first time, almost losing herself beyond no return, until she met Rick and his people, they saved her, brought her back to who she was, only as a better version, a stronger version.

Her head hurt by the morning, his name felt fake to her, she wasn't entirely sure if she had imagined him this whole time, but she felt a whole lot of confusion, and something else... the most she understood was that she missed him, and imagined every scenario he could be going through as time ticked by whilst he was out there.

The next day, Rick wanted to hold a talk with Morgan, her, Carol and Michonne.

Evie sat on the couch in their living room, still, staring ahead and waiting for Natalia to get back.

"What's going on?" Morgan asked, looking around the table, smiling gently.

"When I was coming back..." Rick cleared his throat, before continuing. "I tried to cut off the herd with the RV. Lead the walkers away. But five of those people with the W's in their foreheads, they stopped me. They tried to kill me, shot up the RV. Now Carol says she saw you. That you wouldn't kill those people."

"Did you let any of them go?" Carol asked.

"Yes, I did." Morgan answered.

Natalia looked up from the table at the man, her fist clenching.

"I didn't want to kill five people I didn't have to kill."

"They burned people alive." Carol gritted through her teeth, she was seething at the man. "That little girl in there, on the couch, they killed her only living parent, those people you didn't have to kill did that.."

"Yeah." He nodded at Carols point. He hesitated before asking his own question. "Why didn't you kill me Rick, back in King County? Pulled a knife on you. I stabbed you. So why didn't you kill me? Was it 'cause I saved you after the hospital?"

"'Cause I knew you who you were." Rick told him.

"Back there, I would have killed you as soon as I took a look at you. And I tried. But you, you let me live, and then I was there to help, Aaron, Natalia and Daryl." He pointed at her. She wished, right now, that he hadn't. "See, If I wasn't there... if they died, if you died" He looked at her now, she met his gaze, staring at him with a blank expression, but anger was swimming in her own eyes. "Maybe those wolves wouldn't have been able to come back here. I don't know what's right anymore. 'Cause I did want to kill those men. I seen what they did, what they would've keep doing. I knew I could end it. But I also know people can change."

"Not them." Natalia sniffed.

"They can, because everyone sitting here, has. All life is precious. And that idea, that idea changed me.  it brought me back, and it keeps me living."

"I just don't think it can be that easy." Michonne shook her head.

"Its not easy." He told her.

"I wasn't saying..."

"I know." Morgan cut her off. "And I've thought about letting that idea go. But I don't want to."

"You may have to. Things aren't as simple as four words. I don't think they ever were."

"Do you think I don't belong here?" He asked Rick.

"Making it now, do you really think you can do that without getting blood on your hands?" Rick responded.

"I don't know."

"You have a lot of nerve to preach your little spiritual journey after what happened yesterday, after the amount of names that were wrote on that wall, all because of those people who you deem as precious." Natalia told him. "All life is precious, but those people weren't living. When we were out there, me, Aaron and Daryl, before we reached the cannery, we found a body in the woods, except it wasn't just a dead body, it was everything but his torso and head, they had taken it with them, then we found a naked girl, tied to a tree, her body had been ripped apart, eaten, whilst she was mostly likely still alive, not being able to even fight against it, that's what your precious people did." She hit the table, standing up so abruptly, almost knocking her chair back, before leaving out the back door, standing on the porch.

Rick and Michonne had followed her out a moment after.

"What are we going to do about the herd, we have no idea if they're even going to come back." Natalia asked, hoping to distract them so that they would forget about her temper tantrum just now.

Rick sighed, copying Michonne as she stood beside Natalia leaning on the banister.

"They're coming back." Michonne told her, no room in her tone for argument.

"If we can somehow get outside the walls" Rick started. "Get back to our cars at the quarry. We could use them to draw them away."

"We'll set up more watch points." Michonne said. "Coordinate the shooting of guns and flares so we could pull them out in even directions."

"We need to get all our people on it." Rick agreed. "Carl, Tara, Rosita, Carol."

"What about everyone else?" Michonne asked.

"A lot still blame Rick, Aarons speech only worked on some, but they like him more than they like us." Natalia sniffed, staring ahead.

"Nat's right, lets just keep this to our own for now."

"Really?"

"Look, if we had the time to bring the people along, sure. But we haven't had a chance to catch our breath."

"Really?" Michonne stared at him. "We're in here, together. We're catching our breath right now. Anything else is just excuses."

The three were silent, before footsteps could be heard behind them.

"Deanna?" Rick asked the older woman.

"Rick." She smiled as she approached them.

"What's that?" He asked, nodding at the large rolled up paper in her hand. 

"Plans for the expansion."

Natalia furrowed her brows, expansion? They couldn't even leave the walls.

"We got a few other things on our plate right now." He told her, Natalia jutted her lip, he spoke her exact thoughts.

"I know." She said in an obvious tone, Michonne held her hand out, as Deanna placed it in her palm. "These are for what Alexandria can be after this. Because one way or another, there's gonna be an after this."

Carol was making lunch, she had practically forced Evie to help her, in the nicest way possible, Natalia had decided to go to Milo's and Evie's house, picking up a few things for the girl, to help her for the meantime, and follow what Milo had told her about learning about the young girl from the documents her mother had made him keep safe, Natalia had shared with Carol that she didn't want to bring Evie for the moment, thinking it best if she wasn't around it so soon, this was before confiding in her that she had no idea how to raise a kid, Carol knew she was good with babies and small toddlers, but she never had a kid to care for, especially a six year old, a difficult age range to parent, it was a lot to throw on someone with no experience, especially someone under 30. She was willing to support and help out the woman in any way she could.

Michonne had helped Natalia at the house.

"Mich." Natalia started, as the pair packed up some things in Evie's room, including a teddy and a small throw blanket that looked like it had been around as long as the little girl had, that layed on the princess quilted bedspread.

"Yeah?" She responded

"Have you ever thought about dating, now?"

"Why?" Michonne looked at her suspiciously. "Have you."

Natalia shrugged.

"Nat?"

"Sort of, but every time I find myself thinking about, I get this guilty feeling, like I'm emotionally cheating or something."

"On who?"

They had talked before about their boyfriends, neither revealed about the children they had lost, so far, the only people who knew, were a person each, the two other people Natalia had shared her secret with, were dead, she was beginning to think it was a curse.

"Harry?" Michonne guessed.

Natalia didn't answer, flicking through the pages of The Lion, The witch and the wardrobe, By C.S. Lewis, there was a bookmark in between the pages, only a quarter of the book remained to be read, Milo must've read it to her for bed time. She found the page with the bookmark, it was one of those photobooth strips, of Evie and a woman she guessed was her mom, in the first picture, they smiled nicely at the camera, the next, they were pulling faces at the camera, the third, her mom was kissing her cheek, and the last one, Evie was kissing her mom's cheek.

Evie looked about four or five in the photo's, It must've been just before the outbreak.

"Nat, it's not cheating to think about moving on." Michonne interrupted her thumbing at the strip.

Natalia placed it back in, closing the book and placing it in the bag.

"Then why do I feel bad about it?"

"It's a tough situation. But you can't go your whole life staying loyal to a man who's not here, what he did, it was horrible, and I'm sorry he did that to you, the way he did, without giving you a goodbye or just talking to you, ending it after an argument, is the lowest blow." It meant a lot to hear that from her friend, if anyone knew what it was like to feel betrayed by their partner, it was Michonne. "Is there any reason in particular you're asking? Or person."

"No..." Natalia avoided her gaze like the plague, or the virus.

"Natalia, is this about Da-"

"Do you like Rick?" Natalia asked her, before she got to finish the name.

"What?" Michonne laughed.

"If you tell me, I'll tell you." Natalia didn't care if she sounded like a middle schooler.

Michonne thought about it for a second.

"No." She decided to her ultimatum.

"Good, I was just wondering because I was thinking about Harry a bit" Lie. "Because of Milo and his wife, was just thinking about it, and he confessed to me y'know..."

"Do you still love him?"

"Of course I do, yeah, I think so." Natalia furrowed her brows as she thought about her answer.

"But are you still in love with him."

Natalia pondered this for a moment, thinking hard, was she? She didn't really take notice when she had stopped, she hadn't mulled it over before, it never occurred to her if she was in love with him since or if she could even fall out of love with him... she sort of forgot what it felt like to be in love in the first place.

Gunshots came from outside, breaking her out of her train of thought.

The two women dropped the belongings, grabbing their weapons and heading outside.

Rick and Tobin were stood on one of the watch posts, trying to pull a rope up from outside the wall, both struggling, then they turned their heads to see Tara was hanging onto the wall, shooting at walkers.

Michonne and Natalia ran for the post Tara was hanging from, as Eugene ran down the road, sounding like he was hyperventilating.

Tara was still shooting when they reached her, but she had ran out of bullets.

Getting on top of the watch post, Natalia was able to see Spencer hanging onto the rope, struggling to climb up it as walkers grabbed at him from below, he was also missing a shoe.

"Grab on!" Michonne told Tara, as her and Natalia helped the woman up and over the wall.

Morgan had joined Rick and Tobin, finally helping him up and over, onto the watch point where they were stood.

"Tara!" Rick shouted. "You almost died once for these people."

"What?" She leaned forward, confused why he was mad at her.

"What the hell were you doing?!"

Tara responded in flipping him off.

He then turned on Spencer, interrogating him.

"You alright?" Natalia asked Tara.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She looked away from Rick, her frown disappearing as she met the eyes of Natalia, offering a kind smile.

When they had got back down to the ground, Michonne and Natalia went back to the house, Natalia had found the paperwork.

The pair sat on the porch steps as Natalia read through everything about Evie, learning about her, just like her dad asked, so she could get a better understanding and raise her.

Michonne had a hold of Deanna's plans still, opening it up and taking a look, beside her friend.

"Evelyn Ruth Baker. Born fourteenth of April, 2005." Natalia read out loud to Michonne. "Blood type; A+"

"We have a birthdate, that's a month a half from now, give or take." Michonne told her.

"I can't do this." Natalia sighed, looking down as she dropped the birth certificate back in the small box. "Why me, why would he ask me, she's been here since the start, there's so many people he could've asked, I don't know what I'm doing, I can't take care of her."

"Hey." Michonne stopped her spiral. "Stop, right now. He trusted you, yeah, you didn't know each other that long, but you didn't need to, that kid loves you, and you're the best person for her, so you're gonna have to accept that, but doubting yourself and freaking out isn't going to help her or yourself. You've saved so many lives, mine, Carl's, Ricks, Daryl's, without even thinking about it, if she's safe in the hands of anyone, it's you."

A large groaning sound came from above, the two women looked away from each other, at the tall white building, half of it burnt down.

They watched as if it was a slow-mo, as it fell forward, towards them.

Michonne and Natalia jumped up from the steps, away from the house as the building hit the ground, knocking out the wall it was against.

A thick cloud of dust fell over Alexandria, and that's when the familiar violent snarls and groans of what the wall was keeping out, trailed in.

The pair brought out their weapons, ready for attack.

"Carl!" Natalia called to the boy, who was with another his age, she assumed was the son of the woman Rick was friends with, Pete's wife, she didn't really talk to many of the Alexandrians unless there was reason to. 

Michonne and her ran towards them.

"Come on, let's go! I see Rick." Michonne spotted him, as he ran with Deanna.

Gabriel soon joined them as well.

"Rick!" Michonne called as the growing group caught up to the man and injured woman.

"Good, you're safe. Come on." Rick looked back, seeing his family, they fought off walkers as they ran, Natalia shot down any getting too close, even though she was against guns on walkers, wanting to safe her bullets for the real problem, but she didn't have a choice.

"There." Deanna pointed as Michonne slashed a walker down, Natalia shot at a walker that got too close to Carl, for comfort, before twisting and stabbing her knife into the one who lunged at her from behind.

A line of walkers blocked them off from the houses, Deanna continued to cry out.

Shots from behind them sounded, taking down walkers, creating a path, Pete's wife was stood with a gun, in front of her house.

"Come on, I have Judith and Evie!" She screamed. Why the hell did this random woman have her kid? Natalia thought to herself as they ran up the porch.

Michonne was the last in, shutting the door and locking it.

"Put her on the couch." Rick said, getting a better hold on Deanna, carrying her as she cried in pain.

"Evie?" Natalia called. "Where's Evie?!" She turned to the woman.

"Upstairs first one on the left!" The blonde woman answered Rick, seeming to not hear Natalia in the chaos. "Come on."

They all ran upstairs.

"Where?" Rick asked her.

"This one on the right."

"Which room?"

"Go in there!" She pointed at a door down the hallway.

Michonne and Natalia helped Rick carry Deanna to the room, laying her on the bed.

They helped her get comfortable as Pete's wife talked to her younger son.

Evie ran out the room she was in with Judith.

"Natty!" She cried.

"Oh, god!" Natalia stood up, jogging towards the girl.

Judith was hysterically crying in Carls arms.

"Are you okay, are you hurt?" She asked Evie, who stared at Deanna as Michonne helped her.

"What's happening, is she going to die?" She looked back up at Natalia, wide eyed as they pooled.

The door they were stood in front of, closed, the blond boy hiding away.

"No, no,  it's okay, she's going to be fine, okay, it's alright" Natalia told her, hurriedly. "Let's go with Carl okay, and we'll play with the baby, it's gonna be all okay, you're safe." She followed the way Carl had gone.

"Carl, can you watch her, I need to check on Deanna. Help Michonne if she needs it."

Carl and the other boy were in the room with Judith, they were boarding up the windows.

"Yeah, sure." He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Hey, Evie, you're gonna play with Carl and..." Natalia looked up at the boy.

"Ron." He muttered.

"Yeah, you're gonna play with Carl, Ron and Judith okay, they're turning the room into a fort, I'm going to be just down the hall, okay, me and Michonne are going to be helping Deanna, make her better, I need you to stay in here and help the boys, can you do that?"

She nodded sadly, before hugging Natalia.

"You're brave okay, you are so brave, and you're going to be safe, I pinkie promise." She pulled away, cupping the girls face, putting out her pinkie, which the little girl entwined her own with, as they kissed  their fists. "Stay here." She kissed the girls head. "Thanks, Carl" Then she went back to the room Michonne and Deanna were in, Rick was with Ron's mom.

Michonne was sat beside Deanna's side when she entered.

"All patched up?" Natalia asked, entering the room, trying to catch her breath from all the rushing around.

Michonne looked at her, discreetly shaking her head before looking down.

"Shit." Natalia muttered, eying the patch of blood on her blue shirt, before looking at the older woman.

"Shit, indeed." Deanna grimaced. "Take a seat." She nodded to beside where she was laying, Natalia did as told.

A moment of awkward silence passed between the three women.

"The plans you gave Rick." Michonne started. "I, we've been looking them over." She included Natalia only because she had been right beside her, even if she was looking at her own thing.

Though Natalia still looked at her, confused, she hadn't seen the plans, she hoped Deanna wasn't going to ask what she was most excited about.

But when Deanna looked over at her, she smiled and nodded.

"I get it." Michonne continued. "They could work."

"Even now?" Deanna asked.

"Even now."

"We're gonna get through this" Natalia told her. "Everyone here has worked too hard for this place to let it go now, we'll get it back."

Deanna smiled at her, patting her hand.

"The Latin in the margins, what was that?" Michonne asked.

Deanna chuckled.

"It was something Reg used to say when things went really, really, really badly. I'm lucky." she told them. "Working with my family towards a better future is... it's all I've ever wanted. That's what I got. I got to do what I wanted... right up to the end. What do you want?"

"Cheese." Natalia mumbled, the second thing she wanted.

Deanna laughed at her answer.

"I want this place to work." Michonne told Deanna, a response Natalia wished she had picked when Michonne side eyed her.

"Yes, but what does that mean for you?" Deanna asked the woman. "What do you want for you?"

Natalia looked at her friend, wondering what she would say.

"I don't know." Michonne said.

"You better. Natalia does." She nodded at the brunette.

Next

Tags : @fallenkitten

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixion imagine #daryldixonalonetwd #darylxnatalia #thewalkingdeadalone #daryl x y/n

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Sitting Ducks

Previous

"Tobin, it's not stopping. Light it up, you hear me?" Rick shouted through the radio.

They had been running through the woods, towards Alexandria, and the horn was still blaring.

Glenn had shared that it had caused the back end of the herd to break off, following the loud noise.

The radio crackled, but there was no response from the man.

"Tobin?"

A walker was approaching them.

"Michonne."

"Got it." She replied to Rick, walking forward and slicing the walker up.

The Alexandrians were following behind; Rick, Michonne, Natalia and Glenn, Morgan had gone home.

Natalia was worried about Milo, since they realised where the horn was coming from, he had begun panicking about Evie, losing his cool, becoming reckless in hopes of getting home and to her.

"Shit! Shit!" The Alexandrian with the hat cried as they ran up through the trees. "It was half. Jesus, it was more than half."

"We just gotta stay ahead of them." Annie told him. "They walk, we run."

"Rick!" Daryl's voice came through the radio.

"I'm here." He responded.

"What's going on back there?"

"Half of them broke off. They're going toward Alexandria."

"Towards you?" Abrahams voice rang through.

"We ran ahead, there's a horn or something. Loud, coming from the east. It's not stopping." Rick explained.

"I'm gonna gas it up, turn back." Daryl told him.

"No, he needs to stay on track!" Natalia told Rick.

He nodded at her, agreeing.

"We have it. You keep going." Rick spoke into the radio.

"They're gonna need our help." He replied.

Natalia snatched the radio out of Ricks hand as they continued to run.

"Daryl, just stay straight, we have it handled, the last thing we need is them all coming at us, keep the herd moving." She said, handing it back.

"Daryl?" Rick checked if he was going to listen to the woman.

"Yeah, I heard her." He sighed.

As they ran, Annie tripped over a tree root, falling to the ground, letting out a yelp.

"You okay?" Glenn asked her as he helped her up.

"Its my ankle." She told him.

"Alright, come on, grab on." He said, putting her arm over his shoulder. "Lets go."

"Its coming from back home." Heath said. "It has to be."

"Hey, we need to keep going, come on." Natalia told him and the few other Alexandrians who had stopped.

"He did this." One of them said. "He brought us all out here to die. He killed Carter."

"Carter was already dead." Michonne told him.

"And he didn't end his suffering, I did." Natalia corrected.

"Now they're in trouble back there and we're done. We're good as dead."

"Man, shut up." Milo told him.

"You think so, too." He pointed at him.

"Hey, calm down." Michonne told him.

"What the hell are you talking about? We are done, and it's because of him."

"Shut up, and move, now." Natalia stepped forward, her hand hovered over the handle of her knife.

"Come on." Michonne backed her up.

He listened, jogging ahead.

"Alright, listen up. Here's the new plan." Rick told them as they caught up. "I go back, get the RV, circle around the woods on Redding. I'll get in front of them before they get there. I can lead them away again."

"RV's a mile back, I can go with you." David offered.

"I'll handle it, just get home. They might need you there." Rick told him. "Glenn, Nat, Michonne." He nodded ahead, and they followed. "If somethings in front of you, you kill it. No hiding, no waiting. You keep going."

"I'm going with you. You can't do this on your own." Glenn told Rick.

"Glenn, I can do this." Rick assured him.

"You need to help us." Michonne said. "We've got to get these people back."

"They're already breaking ranks, they're scared." Natalia added.

"Yeah, thing is, they aren't all gonna make it."

"Rick."

"You try to save them, you try, but they can't keep up, you keep going. You have to. You make sure you get back." Rick told the three, lowly.

A mans scream alerted them.

Walkers had caught up.

They ran back to the people, who were being attacked.

The man who had questioned Rick, his throat was being mauled.

"Oh, god!" He cried.

Rick and Glenn pulled the walker away, trying to help the man.

Michonne stabbed the walker, then she put the struggling man down, in front of the scared people.

The horn stopped.

"The horn stopped. Good." Rick said, he then bent down, looting the freshly dead man. "Get back safe."

Glenn, Michonne and Natalia led the people through the woods, back home.

"We're ahead of it. 10 minutes." Glenn estimated. "20 minutes, maybe."

"Lets not lose that advantage." Natalia said, walking ahead.

"We all keep up the pace, we all get back home." Michonne told the group.

"So if we don't, that's it, huh?" Heath questioned.

"Then lets make sure we do." Natalia replied.

"We don't even know what's waiting for us." Sturgess sighed.

"Shut up." Milo snapped at him, bitterly.

"It's gonna be okay, we have walls for a reason."

"That sound, maybe someone ploughed through, Maybe we're walking back to nothing."

"Shh, my wife's back there." David told him.

"Mine, too." Glenn added.

"And my kid." Milo grumbled.

Natalia hadn't really seen this side of him, she got a glimpse of it the first time she met him, when she dropped Evie off after she ran away to meet her at the gate.

"Look, don't worry about what's going wrong." Glenn took the gentle approach, as he always did. "Figure out how to make this go right."

"We're moving in the same direction everything else is. We're gonna catch up to something."

"And when we do, we'll be ready." Natalia said.

"We have no choice." Michonne added. "We gotta keep going forward."

As they continued to walk, they had come across walkers.

Glenn let go of Annie, handing her the bag he was carrying.

"Stay here." He said. "Don't shoot unless you have to."

Glenn, Michonne, Natalia and Heath unsheathed their weapons, creeping forward, before sprinting towards the walkers, fighting and taking them down.

Eventually, Scott, Milo and David joined them.

Nicholas kept a hold of Annie.

Sturgess began shooting, before being tripped by a walker, shooting Scott in the leg, sending him down, too.

Natalia took out the walker that lunged on him, whilst Milo fell back to help Sturgess.

Nicholas began shooting as well, then Annie.

Sturgess jumped up, knocking Milo into a walker as he sprinted into the woods.

Natalia watched in horror as the walker Milo was pushed into, chomped down on his neck as he screamed out.

"No!" She cried out, running from Scott, stabbing her knife into the walker.

The others had taken out the walkers.

"Oh my god, Oh my god, I don't know what to do, what do I do?" Natalia panicked, as she held down on the bite as it gushed with blood, coating her hand, he had another on his arm, where he tried fighting against another.

"It's over." Milo whimpered in pain.

Heath and David helped Scott as Michonne joined Natalia.

"What do I do?" She asked her friend.

"Hey, listen to me." Milo told her. "I'm not going to make it, there's nothing we can do, it's over." He said.

"No, no it's not!"

"Natalia." Michonne murmured quietly.

"You need to take care of her, make sure she knows I love her, even when I'm gone, protect her."

"Milo, no." He grabbed her hand.

"You have to, you promised. Make sure Evie's safe, raise her like your own, please." He told her. "Like she's your own kid, you need to, please. All her information is in a folder in our house, her mom made me keep it, just in case she was alone, her birth certificate, blood type, all of it."

"Okay, yes, okay." Her eyes pooled. "I promise."

"Tell her I love her everyday, make sure she knows how beautiful and amazing and gifted she is, Evelyns the best thing I ever did in the world, please."

"I will, I swear."

David let out a scream, they looked over their shoulders, a walker had snuck up on them as everyone was busy, he then took it out, but he was already bit.

"Go, go." She told Michonne, pushing her to stand up and go help David.

"Here." Milo passed her his weapons. "Protect her, okay?"

"I will, I swear." She nodded.

"Y'know, I was gaining the courage to finally ask you on a date, without Evie." He laughed, taking a chain off around his neck, making Natalia's heart hurt even more. "I regret not doing it sooner, as you can see."

"I know." She closed her eyes.

"Here, I want you to give this to Evie." He took his wedding ring off, sliding it onto the chain with two other rings. "It was her moms."

"I will." She took it, holding the chain as if it were made out of fragile glass, then put it in her pocket for safe keeping.

"Is it too much to ask for a goodbye kiss, to take with me after?" He teased, but there was some honesty in his sentence.

"Nat, we gotta go." Glenn told her, David was bit, but he could keep going for the meantime, unlike Milo, he had to help get Scott and Annie to safety.

"I'm sorry we didn't have enough time." She told Milo, stroking his cheek, before placing a kiss on his lips. "I'm so sorry." She then got up, walking ahead and not looking back, knowing the man was going to die there.

Natalia hadn't felt the same way, and his confession came as a shock to her, seeing as she only thought it was platonic, but it never hurt to lie to a dying man.

The group of now eight, reached the road, walking along it.

"Nat." Michonne attempted to check in with her.

"Lets just keep focused on ahead." She told her. "We gotta get home."

She nodded, and they kept going.

David then adjusted his shirt.

"Can I take a look?" Michonne asked.

"Please." He responded.

She pulled the shirt down, revealing the bite.

"Is it bad?" He asked.

Michonne and Natalia shared a look before looking ahead.

"Its about what you'd expect." She told him.

"Huh, didn't expect this." He was so calm, a lot more than people who weren't bit, and didn't have a ticking time bomb on them, he then began fiddling with the silver band on his forth finger, on his left hand.

"How long you been married?" Michonne asked him.

"Three months." He answered.

"You know her before?" Natalia asked.

"No. We met early on. Aaron found me. I was alone, lost everything. Everyone. Myself, I- I wasn't crazy. I just gave up on being someone, an actual person. Know what I mean?"

Both women knew exactly what he meant.

"I do." Michonne responded.

"Yeah." Natalia whispered.

"We found Betsy on the way back to the community. She still saw me. After I thought I was dead and gone, she was my first friend. Then she was more. She made me more. Even better than how I used to be. But if I could make it back, I'd want to say good-bye. Tell her... finding her in all this, that was everything." He smiled.

Natalia thought back to three months in, in that old house, how she went to sleep angry at her boyfriend, all those hurtful things she had said, the last thing she said to him, enough for him to take his own life, as well as unknowingly take their baby's, too. She blamed herself for their deaths, still to this day, if she had just apologised, made up with him, they'd still be here, together, Winnie would've loved Alexandria, she could've grown up with Judith, and she'd be alive and happy behind the walls.

"We need to stop and bandage him up." Annie said, looking at Scott.

"No, we keep moving, I'm okay." Scott told her.

"You won't be if we don't stop your bleeding."

"We'll find a place." Glenn decided. "Can't stop out in the open too long. Come on."

They had reached a deserted town.

"Let's check if these cars work first." Michonne said. "See if they can get us back."

"I'll stay with them." David said, offering to stay with the injured people whilst Michonne, Natalia, Glenn, Heath and Nicholas moved forward.

They reached the first few cars, checking them out.

"Listen, I need to get home" Glenn told Michonne and Natalia. "But I'm not leaving them behind. We patch Scott up, we get going."

"Rick knows what he knows." Michonne said. "We're ahead of the herd. Maybe half an hour now. We can stop. We can make it."

"I've got to figure out how I'm supposed to tell an six year old her dad isn't coming home and she's now an orphan." Natalia sighed, wiping the sweat off her head. "I can't take care of a kid all by myself, I've known her for like a week."

"You're not alone in this." Glenn told her.

"Yeah, we're here, all of us, and we'll be there for Evie as well." Michonne rubbed her arm.

"This is halfway home, right?" Heath asked.

"Yeah." Nicholas nodded.

The pair walked off to search as Glenn, Michonne and Natalia continued on.

"No luck." Glenn sighed, all the cars were useless.

"We have to stay on foot." Heath announced. "Nicholas was here last. He can show us the way."

"Are we sure that's a good idea?" Natalia pried, she didn't trust the slimy coward as far as she could throw him.

"We don't have much choice." Glenn muttered, looking at Nicholas.

"Uh, okay." Nicholas said.

"Alright." Glenn turned around, him and Heath walked back to the three left behind. "There's no cars." He told them.

Michonne and Natalia hung back with Nicholas.

"Oh, Jesus." Nicholas let out, picking up Sturgess's hat from the ground.

"Sturgess?" Scott asked.

"He left us behind." Annie pointed out.

"Got Milo killed." there was a bitter taste in Natalia's mouth as she reminded them of that fact.

The group followed Nicholas's lead as he led them down an alleyway, they froze when they stumbled apon a herd of walkers eating the body of Sturgess.

Glenn pulled the man back as he seemed to freeze at the sight, and they left the way they came before the walkers even caught on.

"Herd's that way." He said, being the first to spot the walkers beginning to turn up in the town. "Shit." He cursed.

The other way was the same, they were trapped.

"Nicholas." Glenn whispered, his jaw was clenched.

"Uh..."

"We gotta think fast, or we're all going to die." Natalia pressed.

He finally came to his senses, leading them to a pet store.

The group gathered in.

David shut the door behind them, locking it.

They moved in silence around the store, in case any walkers were hiding inside.

It was clear.

"We stay quiet, patch Scott and Annie up, get out of here." Michonne told Heath and Natalia.

"Those walkers in the alley and down the street, they're blocking the way out of town." Heath said.

"We can't take 'em on, not in the shape that we're in." Michonne said.

"We have to do something." Natalia racked her brain for an idea. "Cause a distraction, or lead them away, just something."

"Because that's been working well lately."

"We're trying here." Michonne told the man. "Neither of us are giving up."

"Yeah, not yet."

"Hey, I was thinking, if we can find a way to distract the herd coming in, then they won't make it back to the community." Glenn told the three, Nicholas trailing behind him.

"How?" Heath asked.

"Burn one of the buildings. Hopefully more. They'll get drawn to it and they'll stop here."

"It's gonna take some time."

"I'll do it. You stay with them." She told Glenn.

"We'll do it." Natalia brushed her hand against her friends.

"It's my plan. It's on me."

"You have a wife, Glenn. And you have a kid, now." She looked at Natalia.

Natalia looked away.

"That's why I'm doing this." Glenn told her. "You've got to get everybody back. You two can." He glanced at both women. "If I take too long, you just go."

"Glenn, no way." Natalia shook her head.

"We're not leaving without you." Michonne agreed. "That is not how this works."

"I will meet you there. If I get stuck out here, I'll find some way to show you guys I'm okay. We all have a job to do."

"If you're not back by tomorrow, I'll come looking." Natalia told him.

"You need to get home and take care of Evie."

"She'll be fine, you're not home, I'll go." She assured him, not taking any disagreements.

"There's a feed store." Nicholas mentioned. "It's old. A lot of dry stuff inside. It should go up easy. I'll go with you. I can... I can draw a map." He sighed, admitting defeat, knowing his place.

"No." Glenn decided. "You lead the way. Just gotta do one thing first." He then walked away, most likely to radio back to Rick.

They then went to patching up Scott and Annie once the two had left the store.

"That'll keep you going until we get you back to the infirmary." Heath said, as Michonne wrapped up Scott's leg. "Annie, I'm gonna figure out a crutch for you."

"Just leave me." She told him.

"No. Not happening." Natalia shut her down.

"I'm slowing you down. We're gonna hit more roamers. It's that simple. Leave me."

"Leave us." Scott joined in.

"No." Heath repeated Natalie's words .

"Its stupid for you guys to wait on me. We'll all go down. Come on, Man. Wake up." Scott said to Heath, who looked distraught at his friends. "You don't want to do it, now, you do it out there. We get into trouble again, you run. And you don't look back."

"No, if we go, we go together." Heath told him. "We got each others backs just like always. Okay, we don't leave people behind. Not us."

"No one is leaving anyone behind." Michonne confirmed.

"It's not what we do." Natalia said.

"I'm gonna find something for you, Annie." Heath told her.

Natalia and Michonne looked at each other, glancing in the direction Heath had went, coming to an silent agreement as they both stood up, following him.

They were good at having conversations without saying a word, it was good practise.

"Hey." Michonne was the first to confront Heath, Natalia leaned against the wall. "Do you have a problem with us?"

"I'm just looking out for my people." He said, avoiding both of their heavy stares.

"And you think that we're not?" Michonne continued, as they both continued to trail behind him.

"Cause we are, we're trying the best we can with what we have." Natalia added.

"Look, I heard what Rick said."

"Which part?"

"How they wouldn't all make it. They meaning us, and not you. How you should leave us behind if we can't keep up."

"He was right, about the people he was talking about." Natalia said.

"Glenn is out there risking his life for you and for everyone else and we're still here, so I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Michonne pressed.

"Things are going to get worse and then we'll see." He told the two women.

"Yeah, we will." Natalia told him.

"Rick said what he said because sometimes you don't have a choice." Michonne included.

"That is not how we do it."

"Because you've never had to do it any other way." Heath scoffed at Michonne. "You haven't been through it, not really."

"Not even a little." Natalia commented.

"Hey-"

"Not like Rick." Michonne continued. "Rick was out there. I was out there. Natalia was out there. We know, you don't. But if you don't learn, you will die, we will."

"And that's why your people did."

"I've been doing runs from the start, okay? I know what its like." Heath interjected.

"Have you ever had to kill people because they already killed your friends and were coming for you next?"

"Have you ever had to kill people because they wanted to do things to you worse than death?" Natalia asked him, of course he hadn't.

"Have you ever done things that made you feel afraid of yourself afterward? Have you ever been covered in so much blood that you didn't know if it was yours or walkers or your friends? Huh?" He didn't answer. "Then you don't know."

"You haven't had to deal with the things we've gone through, none of you have, that's why you're weak." Natalia said, as they both walked away from him, letting it sink in.

After a moment, Heath had deemed them ready.

"We gotta go, now." He told them all.

Gunfire had started to rain from a distant.

"The ones from down the street and in the alley" Michonne told them, as walkers started passing by the doors. "They're getting drawn by the gunfire. "Soon as they clear, we head for the feed store. Till then, we sit tight, keep quiet."

They did as Michonne said.

Natalia looked beside her, to find David writing on a notepad.

He then passed it towards her.

She took it from him, opening it up and reading it, nudging Michonne so she could as well.

Betsy, my love. If you are reading this its because I didn't make it. The note said.

Michonne took his pen, writing on her own arm.

"You're getting home." She wrote.

Natalia took the pen from her, writing on hers too.

"Yeah, we all are." She also showed it to him. She then passed the note back, letting him put it in his pocket.

A banging had started, sounding like it was coming from the back room of the store.

David loaded his shotgun as Natalia took out her knife, Michonne held the handle of her sword, as they approached the door with the dog tapestry covering it, a ST Bernard.

"Don't shoot." Natalia whispered under her breath, to David, placing her finger on her lips, nodding towards the front of the store.

Michonne ripped the tapestry down.

Then slid the door open, a lone female walker jumped out.

Natalia stabbed her as she reached for the woman, causing her to take down animal crates with her fall.

"They heard that." Heath hissed.

So much for being quiet.

Michonne took out the walker that was on the floor, slicing at him with her Katana.

"They know we're in here now. We can't wait them out." Heath rushed, helping Scott and Annie. "The herd, it's gonna be here any minute."

Michonne stared out the window, Natalia approached her side, looking through the slits.

The town was now flooded with walkers.

"What?" Heath asked.

"Too late." Natalia answered.

They had come up with a plan to just go for it, Michonne and Natalia would open up both doors, Heath and David would shoot at them.

Michonne jumped forward, slashing a few down, creating a gap.

"Go!" She shouted. "Come on!"

Heath helped Scott, as Michonne, Natalia and David led the way, taking down walkers that got too close, Annie struggled with her crutch.

"Where's the feed store?" Michonne screamed, her and Natalia had the disadvantage of being the only ones from Georgia.

"Go! The other end of town. We can try..."

"We can't" Heath told David. "Glenn said we got to go. We go now."

"We can't leave him!" Natalia declared.

Annie had fallen behind, dropping the crutch as she landed on the floor, in front of the herd.

Natalia went to run and help her.

"Just run!" She told the group of people. "Go!"

She began shooting at walkers, but it was too late, they joined her on the ground, carving out her insides.

They had no choice but to leave her as she screamed in agony.

They had ran down another alley, reaching a steel iron fence.

"You go over first, then we'll help Scott." Michonne said, as her, David and Natalia set up a table for them to jump on.

"No, they're coming, just go." Scott told her.

"We're doing this." She replied, as Heath climbed over.

They then helped Scott, he struggled with the bullet wound.

"Nat, you next. Michonne told her.

"No-"

"Don't argue with me, now!" Michonne enforced.

Natalia listened, climbing over the fence as the walkers were nearing on them.

Michonne was right behind her, David following.

The walkers had reached them, pulling at the pairs legs, attempting to yank them down.

Natalia hit at the arms of the walker who had a hold of Michonne, as Heath helped her.

They both started shooting at them.

David fell backwards, off the gate and into the pile.

They ate at him as he was pressed against the metal.

Natalia continued to shoot as Heath stared at his friend, Michonne was soon able to make it over.

They watched in horror at the torture David was going through, that's when Natalia's gaze fell on the note, the note to his wife, that they told him he wouldn't need.

"We gotta go. We gotta keep going." Heath told the other three, pulling them away as they stared at the scene. "We don't have a choice."

Natalia snatched the sword out of Michonne's hand, reaching towards the gate and stabbing at the ground, picking up the note as if it were litter duty, before any walkers could trample over it.

"What are you doing?!" Michonne asked her.

"We have to." She told her friend, folding up the note, stuffing it into her pocket, handing the katana back to its rightful owner.

"Come on, lets go!" Heath repeated, grabbing a hold of Natalia, pulling her back before helping Scott.

The four had made it to the woods, Michonne and Heath supported Scott as Natalia walking ahead, keeping her eyes peeled for walkers, her pockets were full of promises she couldn't keep, reminders of the people they had lost.

They were all covered in blood and exhausted.

Scott fell to the ground.

"Come on. Come on." Heath said, as they helped him up.

They had reached a stream.

"There's no smoke." Heath said, he was right, they looked into the sky, and it was clear. "It doesn't mean they didn't make it."

"I'm going back." Natalia decided.

"You can't." Michonne gripped her arm. "You won't survive."

"Maggie needs him home." She stared at her friend, attempting to pull her arm away.

"And there are people who need you home." She said. "The herds still coming but this creek should slow them down some."

She turned around, catching the inside of her arm in her view, Natalia felt the same way.

The only thing hope gets you, is killed.

The four trudged through the water, and to the other side, towards home.

Next

Tags: @fallenkitten

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixion imagine #darylxnatalia #daryldixonalonetwd #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || The Quarry

Previous

When the community had resided back to their own homes, Abraham dealt with Regs body, giving him a burial.

Daryl, Natalia and Morgan sat around the island in their home, sharing a meal.

"You were right." Morgan said to Rick, as he looked through his belongs. "It wasn't over."

"We should talk more tomorrow." Rick said. "Listen. I don't take chances anymore."

"And you shouldn't." Morgan agreed.

Michonne and Carol caught Daryl and Natalia up on what they had missed, a better version of what Spencer had given them at the gate, whilst Natalia held Judith, before her bedtime.

"So Noah, he...." Natalia trailed, bouncing Judith on her hip.

"Glenn watched the whole thing happen, there was nothing he could do, we almost lost Tara as well, if it wasn't for Eugene." Michonne added.

"Man stepped up, finally." Daryl commented.

"What happened when you were out there?" Carol asked.

Natalia looked up at Daryl, who met her gaze.

"Uh oh." Michonne said.

"Did you find anyone?" Carol pushed.

"Sort of." Natalia started. "But we lost him, he just disappeared."

"No where in sight, we looked." Daryl continued. "Then got ourselves caught in a trap."

"Oh, god!" Carol gasped, as she covered her mouth.

"That's when Morgan came out of nowhere, saved our asses." He left out the part where they argued over who was going to get to sacrifice themselves.

"Just a pretty standard day." Natalia finished.

In the morning, Daryl was out the front, working on his bike, Natalia sat on the steps, boredly watching him, just for something to do, Sully was next to her, also watching the man as she scratched his fur.

Rick then walked out the house, heading down the steps.

"So, is he okay with it?" Daryl asked, nodding off to Rick putting Morgan in one of the makeshift cells, until they knew he wasn't still crazy, Michonne had told Natalia what had happened back in Kentucky.

"It was pretty much his idea. He gets it." Rick said.

"It's got a bed and a bath, but it's still a cage, you know?"

"He gets it. He told me what happened out there with the trucks." Rick looked at the pair.

"He tell you about those guys he met? The Ws." Daryl gestured to his forehead.

"Like that walker we saw, yeah."

"They're everywhere." Natalia squinted up at the two men, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"We need more watch points. And I'm gonna tell Deanna we don't need to go looking for people anymore."

"What? Rick." Natalia stood up from the steps. "That's our job."

"Look what happened when you were out there."

Daryl just nodded, bending down to work on his bike again.

"You feel different about it?" He asked the man, already hearing what Natalia thought.

"Yeah, I do." Daryl admitted.

"Well, people out there, they got to take care of themselves, just like us, I'm gonna get him out. Shouldn't leave him in there any longer than we have to."

When he had walked away, another person appeared.

"Natty!" Natalia turned around, before seeing Evie running towards her, by herself, once again.

She bent down, catching the little girl as she ran into her arms, wrapping her own arms around the woman's neck.

"You're back." She cheered.

"I told you I would." Natalia said, hugging the girl back, as Sully excitedly sniffed her, before receiving scratches from her.

"Hi, Daryl." She looked at the archer, who had sat down, from kneeling, watching the pairs embrace.

"Hi, Evie." He replied.

"What are you doing here?" Natalia asked, speaking with an authoritive tone. "Where's your dad?"

"At work." She replied.

"And where does he think you are?" She looked at the girl suspiciously.

Daryl was slightly amused at this side of Natalia, he'd been told off by the woman many of times, and so had others, but it was never like this, he thought she was very... motherly, but he wouldn't dare to ever tell her that, scared she might burst into tears or even shoot him.

"School..." The little girl looked down, kicking the ground, scuffing her purple trainer.

"Evie. Why aren't you there? Learning is important."

"I wanted to see you, you said we could hang out when you got back." She perked up, arguing with the twenty-seven year old.

"If your dad finds us together when you should be in school, who do you think he's going to blame, its not gonna be you, it'll be me."

"He won't get mad, he said it's okay."

"Evelyn, are you lying to me?"

"No... Yes." She sighed. "You're my best friend, Natty." She battered her lashes, where the hell did she get that from. "And my mommy's gone." She pretended to wipe at her eyes, as if she were crying.

"Nice try, I'm taking you back." She stood up, taking a hold of the girls hand.

"Natty, I don't wanna."

"I'm not arguing with you, you're going."

"No!" She shouted in Natalia's face.

"Evie!" Natalia raised her voice. "You have to."

"She can stay." Daryl interrupted. "It won't hurt to just miss one day."

"See." The young girl gestured to the man in front of the bike. "Daryl agrees."

"Daryl doesn't get to make decisions on your education." Natalia told her.

"Neither do you."

"When you're ditching, I do."

"Nuh uh." She put her hand on her hip, popping it.

"Yuh hu- what am I doing, fine! You ditch again, it's your dads fault, got it?" She pointed at the girl.

"Deal." She rolled her eyes. "What are you doing?" She asked Daryl, moving to sit next to him on the floor, looking at the bike.

"Fixing it up."

"Can I help?" She asked him.

Daryl looked up at Natalia, who shrugged.

"You said she could stay with us."

"Fine."

Daryl spent the rest of the afternoon messing about with the bike, making sure to explain to the little girl from time to time what he was doing, and explaining the tools to her, even a few times getting Evie to hold something for him.

Natalia watched them interact, quite liking this other side of the man.

When Rick and Morgan had returned from burying Pete, on Deanna's orders, with Ron, he called a meeting.

Carl had offered to watch Evie, as well as Judith and Sully, whilst her and Daryl left for Deanna's house, Milo was also there, which she had a brief conversation with before Rick had explained about the Quarry full of walkers.

"My team, we saw it early on." Heath, who had been on a run with Annie and Scott, since before the group arrived, told the full house. "Back when we were on one of those first scouts, finding out what was around here. There was a camp at the bottom. The people, they must have blocked the exits with one of those trucks back when everything started to go bad. They didn't make it. They were all roamers. Maybe a dozen of them."

"And no one's been back since?" Maggie asked.

"DC, every town worth scavenging are all in the other direction. And I never really felt like having a picnic next to the camp that ate itself." Heath replied.

"So all the while the walkers have been drawn by the sound and they're making more sound and they're drawing more in." Michonne explained.

"And here we are." Rick started. "Now what I'm proposing, I know it sounds risky, but walkers are already slipping through the exits. One of the trucks keeping the walkers in could go off the edge any day now. Maybe after one more hard rain. That exit sends them east. All of them, right at us. This isn't about if it gives, it's when. It's gonna happen. That's why we have to do this soon."

"This is uh... I don't even have another word for it. This is terrifying. All of it. But it doesn't sound like there's any other way." Carol said, meekly.

"Maybe there is." Carter spoke up.

"There's not." Natalia put him down.

"There could be. Couldn't we just build up the weak spots?" He pressed. "I could draw up plans. I worked on the wall with Reg. Construction crew, we could try and make it safe."

Natalia looked at Milo, who was listening to Carter, but even he sounded doubtful, catching Natalia's gaze for only a moment, before they both looked at Rick.

"Even if we could, the sound of those walkers is drawing more and more every day. Building up the exits won't change that." He told him.

"We're gonna do what Rick says." Deanna decided. "The plan he's laid out."

"I told you all, we're gonna have Daryl leading them away." He pointed at the man who was sat in the windowsill, Natalia was leaned on the wall beside him.

"Me, too." Sasha volunteered. "I'll take a car, ride next to him. Can't just be him. I'll keep them coming. Daryl keeps them from getting sloppy."

"I'll go with her." Abraham declared. "It's a long way to white-knuckle it solo."

"Alright, we'll have two teams. One on each side of the forest. helping manage this thing. We're gonna have a few people on watch from now on. Rosita, Spencer and Holly. So they're out. So who's in?"

"Me." Michonne was the first.

"And me." Natalia raised her hand. "Piece of cake, right, long as everyone sticks to the plan." She shrugged.

"I will, Nat's right." Milo offered, causing a small smile out of her.

"What about Evie?" Natalia muttered to him, he wasn't too far away from her and Daryl.

"She'll be safe here, I wanna make sure it stays that way."

People began conversing with each other as they discussed what to do.

"I'm in." Glenn told Rick.

"I'd like to help as well." Gabriel raised his hand.

"No, who else?" Rick shot him down. "We need more."

"There's gotta be another play." Carter continued to ramble. "We can't just control that many."

"I said it before, walkers herd up. They'll follow a path if somethings drawing them. That's how we get them all at once."

"So, what? We're supposed to just take your word for it? We're all supposed to just fall in line behind you after..."

"After what?" Rick challenged him.

"After you wave a gun around, screaming, pointing it at people. After you shoot a man in the face. After you-"

"Enough!" Deanna shut him up.

"I'll do it." Heath brought them back to the actual conversation.

"Me, too." Francine joined in.

"Whatever you need, I'm in." Tobin told Rick.

"Now, who else?" Deanna asked.

"I'll go." Nicholas raised his hand high, even though Natalia could see Glenn clearly shaking his head no. "We have to do this. I need to help."

"You sure you can handle it?" Rick asked him, knowing what had happened with Noah and Aiden, and then getting an idea what had happened between the pair in the woods the night before, even if they had said it was walkers.

"You need people." He shrugged.

"We'll make this work. We'll keep this place safe." Rick assured the people of Alexandria.

"The plan, go through it again." Carter said.

"Man, he just said it." Daryl rasped.

"Every part, again. The exact plan."

"Do you want us to make step by step instructions whilst we're at it?" Natalia asked. "Or should we get this done so you can get back to cowering inside the walls?"

Outside the house, Rick pulled out a map, the people joining in, gathered around it, as he devised the layout of the plan.

"Marshal and Redding, we force them west, here." Rick said, pointing at it on the map.

"How?" Deanna asked.

"We block it off so they can only go one way, west, away from the community."

"Block it off with what?" Carter enquired.

"Cars. We'll use the RVs, some of the bigger trucks, park them end to end."

"We'll be drawing them away." Michonne added. "They're gonna keep moving."

"Yeah, but that many? Just bouncing off some sedans? And then when they start slipping through, and the ones that walk away start distracting the rest and you stop drawing them away?" Carter stood up.

"Mans got a point." Heath agreed.

"We got plates." Eugene said. "The big-ass metal ones from the construction site. We can use them to fortify the whip wall. It'd help disperse the force of impact and direct the walkers clean. Like a pool table, Eight ball, corner pocket."

"That's an army out there." Carter pointed ahead.

"And Eugene's right, it'd work." Natalia spoke up.

"But what happens when this doesn't hold. And they push on through. The curve on this hillside is gonna send them right back east. Right back here." Carter pointed on the map. "You seriously want to risk that?"

"No." Rick told him. "So you need to help us to make it hold."

"These walls, you built them." Morgan said. "So you've already done the impossible."

"Carter. Please." Deanna spoke to the man.

Once Carter was on board, Rick told the people of Alexandria, that they would start the building process the next day.

"Hey." Milo approached her side as people were beginning to disappear to their own homes, she was heading over to walk home with Daryl, before he caught her attention.

"Hi, Milo, I'm glad you volunteered to help out."

"Course, like you said, "Piece of cake" right? I meant it when I said I gotta make sure Evie's safe in here, no matter what. She's all I got, and I'm all she's got... well, biologically anyway."

"What do you mean?" Natalia asked him, frowning slightly.

"Y'know, my kid adores you, sometimes I think she might even like you more than she likes me, I know I can be harsh and impatient with her, with everything going on-"

"Its easy to forget she's just a kid. I get it." Natalia finished, folding her arms.

"I- just, I'm glad she has you now, as well, if anything were to happen to me, out there, I know it sounds like a lot, but, I'm just hoping you'll take care of her, I don't think she's given me much choice of trusting anyone else with her, Evie doesn't talk to anyone like she does you, hell, she doesn't even talk to the other kids at school."

"Milo, nothing is going to happen to you, you won't-"

"Okay, but if it does, I just want you to promise me you'll look after her, take care of her for me."

Natalia thought about it for a while, before sighing.

"Fine, but I won't, okay, because you're going to be fine, nothing will happen."

"Deal." He smiled at her. "Anyways, on a lighter note, did you want to have dinner with us again, a welcome back from your recruiting mission."

"Yeah, I'd like that, thank you." She smiled, though she still felt a heavy weight from the conversation.

For the next two days, they got to work on construction, so they could corral the herd without it backfiring and them getting off track.

Milo had been showing Natalia a lot about the building, sometimes jokingly helping her with heavy slabs of sheet metal, making it known that there was something he was better at than her, when she had more of a skillset in this world, than most people.

"You two seem awfully chummy." Michonne said, as he walked away to help someone else.

"What?" Natalia asked.

"Don't act all confused now, you and him." She nodded at Milo, who was patting Daryl on the back as they talked about something, wheelbarrowing dirt across the place, he was smiling at the archer, but Daryl still hadn't warmed up to the man.

"Mich, we're just friends, okay." Natalia told her.

"And what about Daryl?" She wiggled her brows.

"Huh? The same as you and I, what else?" Natalia seemed thrown off by that comment, she heard it a lot, and she knew people had been making their assumptions for a long time, since back at the prison, but for some reason, it felt a lot different now than it did before, and she didn't want to explore why. "Can I actually tell you something."

"What?" Michonne asked, bending to pick up a sheet of metal.

"Milo, he uh... after the meeting, he just kinda said something weird."

"Details?"

"About, if he, y'know, out here, what he wanted to happen with Evie."

"What, that he wants you to take care of her in case he couldn't?" It didn't sound insane to the woman.

"Yeah, exactly! That's strange, right?"

"No. Evie has made it loud and clear that you're her best friend, not like I'm jealous or anything, I'm not."

"Yeah, okay." Natalia scoffed.

"But, you two seem close, like real close, the kid cherishes you, it's not surprising he'd wanna leave the care of his daughter in the hands of someone he knows will take care of her, you have dinner at their house like every night now, and you're shocked? I was actually waiting for you to tell us you're moving out and in with them."

"You really think that?" Natalia asked "Maybe I should sit back a little, I'm not her mom or anything."

"Yeah, cause her mom is gone, but you're doing a lot of good, she needs you, don't hurt her feelings by pushing her away cause you're scared."

"I'm not scared."

"Then act like it. Besides, You don't have to freak out just yet, he's gonna be fine, Milo's getting good at handling himself."

"Yeah, you're right." Natalia looked over her shoulder at Rick talking with Deanna. "Enough about my love life, what about yours." She grinned at her friend.

"I don't know what you mean." Michonne rolled her eyes, acting nonchalant.

"Oh, really, so you don't think he's attractive, not even a little?"

"I didn't say that."

"I know, your face gives it away too much." She teased.

"Shut up." Michonne shoved her.

A scream sounded.

Natalia and Michonne looked over, Rick and Deanna were staring ahead, and that's when they saw walkers were approaching the construction site.

The pair ran over with their weapons in hand, so did the others in their group, ready to take the walkers on.

"Hey." Rick told Daryl, who was getting ready to shoot, whilst stopping the group from going ahead.

"Rick." Natalia told him.

"Use your shovels. The guns will draw more." Rick told the people of Alexandria, not letting his people take over.

"Help us." Carter cried.

"You can do this. You need to, all of you."

A man in a hat was kicking them away, until he fell over, they were scared and had no idea what they were doing.

Morgan then ran forward, kicking Natalia and Michonne into action as they jumped in to fight the walkers.

"Morgan, don't!" Rick called after him.

Natalia pulled a walker off one of the men, dragging him backwards before plunging her knife into it's eye, throwing it away to move onto the next, as her family did the same.

She continued until they were all gone.

Natalia wiped blood off her cheek, flicking it off her finger and on the ground as the Alexandrians stared in scared silence.

"You said you don't take chances anymore." Morgan spoke to Rick.

"You okay?" Natalia asked Milo.

"I'm, I'm fine." She felt sort of proud that he was the only who had at least tried to fight a walker and succeeding.

The construction was done, and the day had finally come for the rehearsal, where Rick would explain the plan and they would run it through, find anything that could cause a problem for the day.

"Its an insane world, we have to come for them, before they come for us. It's that simple." Rick told the group of people, stood in front of the Quarry full of walkers. "This is where it all starts, tomorrow. Tobin gets in the truck. Opens the exit, and we're off. He hops out. Catches up with his team at red staying on the west side of the road. Daryl gets on his bike..."

A rumbling from behind him caught their attention.

"You see that?" Sasha asked, pointing at one of the trucks.

The cab of the truck groaned loudly, then the bit of land it was on collapsed, causing the truck to fall to the ground.

The group watched in horror at what was happening.

"It's open! We gotta do this now! We're doing this now!" Rick told them.

"But we're not ready!" Milo cursed.

"Yes we are, you gotta work with what we got, you can do this!" Natalia told him, running back towards her team, which consisted of Rick, Michonne and Morgan.

Tobin's group, get moving, go!" Rick instructed.

"No, Rick. We're not ready!" Carter copied Milo.

"Sasha, Abraham!"

"Damn straight, we'll do it live!" Abraham called, him and Sasha getting in the car.

"You meet Daryl at red. Let him take them through the gauntlet."

"Yeah, we meet at Red!"

"Go!"

Daryl was stood across the opening between the two trucks, watching it with his crossbow in hand.

"Are you good to go on your own, I can come with you, it's gonna be a lot." Natalia told him as she checked the magazine of her gun.

"No, I got it, you make sure everything else goes smooth, I ain't wasting my fuel just for the plan to fail."

"Alright, be safe, or I'll kill you, Dixon." Natalia told him.

"Always am, you too."

"Make sure you come back home."

"Rick, I'll hit the tractor place." Glenn told him.

"Okay, who else?"

"We got to take them out, or they'll distract the horde." He explained to Heath, then Nicholas began arguing about going with, Glenn was against it but then finally caved.

Milo ended up joining Glenn's team.

"Rick, this was supposed to be a dry run." Carter continued.

"Daryl, get ready." Rick told him.

"They're coming." He shouted. As a walker squeezed through, scraping the skin on his back off.

"Rick, we haven't even gone through the whole plan."

"You want to go back, go back. We're finishing this." He told the man. "Tobin, you hit it on my signal. They're heading for home, we don't have a choice."

"Be safe." Natalia reminded Daryl, going in to kiss his cheek, her hand on his stomach as she leaned in, but he turned his head at the last second wanting to say something before he didn't get the chance, grazing their lips together.

Natalia stared at him wide eyed, before running backwards, with Michonne and Morgan.

He was frozen for a second before getting a hold of himself, staring back at the walker that was heading for him.

"Get ready to hit the flares." Rick told them. "Now."

On his say so, they shot the flares into the sky, a beacon for the walkers to follow.

"Tobin, hit the truck!" Rick told him.

The man did as he said, opening the gap, as Daryl shot at the walker.

Daryl then revved his bike loudly, waiting for them to move towards him.

"You all have your assignments." Rick spoke into the radio as his team neared their destination. "You know where to rendezvous. Daryl leads them out. Sasha and Abraham join him at the bottom of the hill. Glenn, you hit us when you take care of the walkers at the tractor place. That's the one thing we gotta get ahead of. Everybody, keep your heads. Just keep up."

The four ran through the trees' hitting their mark at the yellow balloons.

"Glenn, you there, yet?" Rick asked through the radio.

"Almost, We'll have it handled before they get here." His voice came from the radio. "And we'll meet you at yellow."

"Copy that."

They caught their breath as they stood in front of the RV, wating for the call.

"It'll hold." Rick assured his friends.

Well, that's good." Michonne replied. "You know, considering where we're standing."

Natalia didn't join in with the remarks, which was off for her, Michonne paid attention to that.

"So much for him being a friend." She hit the back of the woman's hand, this sparked interest in Rick as he looked at them.

"It was an accident." Natalia mumbled, staring ahead.

"I gathered that from the way you both acted like you'd been hit by lightning." She teased.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." She chewed her nail.

Michonne let it go.

"Michonne." Morgan said.

"Yeah?" She replied.

"Back when you were in that place, where I lived, did you take one of my protein bars?" He asked.

Rick and Natalia side eyed the pair, wondering why he'd bring that up right now.

"No." She told him confidently.

"See, I could have sworn there was one more peanut butter left."

"That's how it is, isn't it?" She sighed. "You always think there's one more peanut butter left."

"I've had recurring nightmares about that happening to me." Natalia mused.

"Glenn, you have to hurry." Rick spoke into the radio after a while, as he stood on top of the RV. "The noise could distract the herd right off the road. Talk to me."

"We're here." He confirmed.

"It'll be alright, they got this." Natalia looked around, squinting in the sun.

"You not worried about Milo going with them?" Michonne asked her.

"No, he's been getting better, he can do it." She assured.

Eventually, they heard the loud sounds of Daryl revving his bike as he rode towards them, the harsh snarls and growls of walkers following.

"Here comes your man." Michonne said.

"Stop." She swatted at her friend.

They then shot flares into the sky.

They continued doing this until the metal began rattling as the walkers pressed themselves against it, it was working, just like an eight ball pocket, like Eugene had said.

Michonne and Natalia stepped closer, watching carefully through the gaps of the walkers.

A few had caught them, snarling as they continued walking, causing the two women to shy away from being spotted.

Rick had seen this, shooting another flare above to keep them on track.

They then moved on, back into the trees to find Glenn's group and Tobin's.

Milo was still there, unharmed.

"Hey, you made it." She smiled at him, leaning in for a quick hug.

"You said I would." He grinned back.

"It's working." Carter said, as they watched the walkers stroll along the road. "You were right."

He put out his hand, to shake Ricks, who accepted it, calling a truce.

"Everyone, we need to finish this." He looked around at the people. "We have to keep moving and fan out down that thing front to back. Like we said, cops at a parade. Glenn, you take the back. You got the other walkie."

"Got it."

"If it gets sloppy, we fire our weapons, pull them back on track." Rick told them.

"I'll hit the front." Carter offered, jogging off.

"Okay, one after the other."

The group then spread out.

Natalia followed the members of her team, whilst Milo went with his.

As they ran, a mans scream caught their attention, it was Carters, it had caught some of the walkers as well, as they followed from the road, and towards the noise.

"Tobin, they're breaking off." Rick spoke into the radio.

"What do you want us to do?"

"Fire your guns and draw them back."

Rick was the first to reach Carter, Natalia wasn't too far behind.

Rick yanked the wailing man off the walker that was chewing his face off, whilst Natalia plunged her knife into the walkers head.

Carter continued to wail and scream frantically.

"Oh, I'm dead."

"Shut him up!" Natalia hissed, looking ahead at the walkers moving towards them.

"Carter, take a breath." Rick told him, he didn't listen. "Carter."

"Oh, god!" He cried.

"Be quiet. Shh Shh." He tried to smother Carters mouth.

"Rick." Natalia groaned, looking at the road.

"Carter, you got to be quiet." He kept trying.

Natalia had enough, dropping her knife into his skull before Rick got the chance.

The man was silent, and dead.

Gunfire then rained from a distance.

"It's working." Tobin cheered into the walkie. "The gunfire is bringing them back on the road."

Rick and Natalia looked up, Morgan and Michonne was stood by them.

"You got them, Tobin." Rick replied.

"Copy that. What was that screaming?"

"That was Carter, he got bit right in the face. Nat stopped him, there was nothing else we could do." Rick admitted.

Rick got up, grabbing his gun, Natalia wiped her hands, as she used Carters shirt to wipe her knife clean from his blood.

"We have a good hour until we have them to green. When we hand them off to Daryl, Sasha and Abraham. Why don't you head back, tell everyone what happened?" Rick asked Morgan. "They should know."

"Okay, Rick, I just-"

"Will you do that for me?" He cut the man off. "I'll take care of that one." He pointed ahead at the lone walker. "Michonne, you take point with Nat." He said.

"I know it's how it is." Morgan started. "I do."

"Yeah. I do, too." Michonne sighed.

"He was bit, nothing we could do for him, no point getting ourselves killed as well." Natalia told them both, walking ahead.

As they walked through the woods, a horn blared loudly in the other direction.

"What now?" Natalia cursed as they ran back, through the trees.

"Whatever that is, it's far." Michonne said.

"It sounds like it's coming from-" Natalia was cut off.

"Home." Rick finished.

Next

Tags: @fallenkitten

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon smut #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #carl grimes #carol peletier #daryl fanfiction #glenn rhee #michonne #rick grimes #daryl x y/n #daryl dixion imagine #daryldixonalonetwd #darylxnatalia #daryl dixion x reader #thewalkingdeadalone

[mydarllinglover]

Alone || Allocated Jobs

Previous

"They're still your guns." A woman with oval glasses and dark hair, named Olivia, said, a trolley was in front of her, so that they could place their weapons on it.

Olivia was in charge of inventory.

"You can check them out whenever you go beyond the wall." Deanna explained. "But inside here, we store them for safety."

Natalia placed down the big gun she had been carrying since the prison, also the magazines, then the gun in the holster on her hip, that she had found on the road, as well as the gun in her waistband, also the box of ammo.

"Is it just guns you're taking in?" She asked, placing her guns down on the already full trolley.

"Yes, just the guns." Deanna smiled.

She nodded, stepping back.

Carol stepped forward, smiling meekly as she set down the hand gun, then struggled with the strap of the other gun she was carrying.

They watched In silence at her awkwardness, her acting not herself.

"Should have brought another bin." Olivia joked as she wheeled it out.

Aaron had told Rick and Carl that the group had two house's between them.

Natalia didn't know where she stood with anyone, she didn't know how they were gonna house.

The one thing she was excited about, was the shower.

She peeled off the clothes, that felt like another skin, all the things that had happened, as she worn it, came to mind.

She blinked the memories away, emptying the pockets of the cargos.

Three darts, the group had never returned theirs, she wondered if they even still had them, the carton of cigarettes, the lip gloss she had taken from the meeting with the Governor all those months ago.

When she got in the shower, the water ran dark and red, all sorts washed off her body, with the lack of food, she hadn't had to deal with a period, though she knew the other women had, after the loss, she never really got it back, until the prison, then it went again.

She had washed her hair about three times, until she was finally satisfied that it was clean and shiny and smelled good, unlike the prison, it was the first time she was showering with hot water, in a very long time.

She was even given a razor, to shave, something she didn't think to care about either, now she did.

After getting out the shower, she wrapped her hair up in a second towel, drying it off as she brushed her teeth with a new toothbrush.

Natalia looked in the mirror, her skin was tight, she had bags that were dark and loud, freckles danced along her cheeks and nose, from being out in the sun for so long, a small thin, white, scar traced along her right cheek, from when she got punched in the face by the man who was now dead, because of her.

She had gotten dressed into clean clothes, a clean, black tank top, and a pair of pyjama bottoms, red and black, the opposite of her beloved ones.

Natalia applied the lip gloss, attempting to smile at her self as she took a breath in, brushing her drying her hair with her fingers.

Eventually she tore herself away from the bathroom, heading back outside the house, there was already blood on the steps of the porch, and a gutted Opossum.

"Well, ain't you looking nice and pretty." Carol smiled at her as she walked out the other house.

"I had a shower." She winced at the compliment.

Daryl and Rick were stood between the two houses, both taking in Natalia's new image.

"For your new friend?" Daryl scowled as the two women reached them.

"No."

"New friend? Who?" Rick asked.

"No one."

"Spencer, Deanna's son." Carol said at the same time as Natalia. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to get to know him, learn a bit abou-"

"House's are nice." Natalia steered the conversation away, looking at the buildings.

"Yeah, they're right next to each other, but..." Carol followed.

"They took our weapons and now they're splitting us up." Rick said.

Natalia didn't necessarily agree with him.

"Yeah." Daryl nodded.

"Yeah."

"We'll all be staying in the same house tonight."

"Then after?" Natalia asked.

"We'll figure that out when we get to it." Rick told her.

When night had come, the group got settled in the living room, all finding a place to rest for the night.

"How long was I in there for?" Michonne asked, coming out of the bathroom, Rick was setting Judith down in an actual crib, Daryl was sat by the window sill, Natalia was sat by his legs, smiling at the baby as she settled down for sleep.

"Twenty minutes." Rick told her.

"God, I could not stop brushing." Michonne wiped her face, her toothbrush still in hand.

"Thank god for the rest of us" Natalia teased.

"Watch it." Michonne aimed her toothbrush at her, Rick walked towards the woman, leaving the pair to watch over the baby.

"Huh, I've never seen your face like that." Michonne said, taking a look at Ricks freshly shaven face.

"That's what I felt, before and after." He said, him and her walking further into the kitchen, away from the group.

Natalia smiled at Judith, gently swiping her hair to the side as she stared up at her.

She couldn't feel the blue pair of eyes on her.

A knock at the door caught their attention.

Rick opened it, letting Deanna in.

"Rick, I..." She paused, staring at him. "Wow."

Rick groaned.

"I didn't know what was under there. Listen, I- I don't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were all settling." She looked around the room full of people. "Oh, my. Staying together. Smart."

Natalia felt like she was in a museum exhibit, she didn't like it.

"No one said we couldn't" Rick told Deanna.

"You said you're a family. That's what you said. Absolutely amazing to me how people with completely different backgrounds and nothing in common can become that. Don't you think?"

"Everybody said you gave them jobs." Rick said.

She looked around, meeting Daryl's eyes, she didn't get a job.

He slightly shook his head, looking back at the pair at the door, so did she.

"Mm-hmm. Yeah. Part of this place. Looks like the communists won after all." She laughed.

"Well, you didn't give me one." Rick said.

"I have." She nodded. "I just haven't told you yet. Same with Michonne. I'm closing in on something for Sasha. All will be revealed to Natalia soon, I hope. And I'm just trying to figure Mr Dixon out, but I will."

Natalia scoffed at this, receiving a gentle kick in the back from the man himself.

"Oh, speaking of Ms Moore, you have an appointment tomorrow, at the infirmary with Pete, Aaron arranged it."

"I- I don't-" She shook her head.

"He will be expecting your arrival." She said, pointedly, a smile still on her face, she then turned back to Rick. "You look good."

Rick shut the door behind her.

"Appointment?" He looked at Natalia.

"You had another conversation with Spencer already?" Glenn asked, making her face flush.

"Somebody's been pouring the bisquick." Abraham muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"It's for allergies!" Natalia put a stop to the conversation quickly.

"Allergies, since when?" Michonne asked.

"Birth." She said, then turned to Daryl, "This is all your fault." She hit his leg. "And your stupid big mouth."

She had woken up before the sun had risen, everyone else was still asleep.

Daryl was asleep beside her, which was normal for the pair, she had actually started the pattern of struggling to sleep without him.

"Where ya going?" He grunted, looking around, when she had got up from the floor.

"Didn't mean to wake you, sorry" She whispered, "Going for a smoke."

"Alright" He got up, grabbing his crossbow and went to follow her. "Well, lets go then." He whispered to her, moving her along.

She shook her head, with a sigh, walking towards the door and sneaking out to sit on the porch, offering the man who sat next to her the carton.

He had used his lighter to ignite both of the sticks.

"So this-"

"Don't" She cut him off, breathing out a small cloud of smoke. "I'm never talking to another man again, if this is what happens." She said, staring ahead, though she was surprised that he of all people would even bother to converse about something like.

"Fine by me." He shrugged, inhaling on the cigarette.

A few hours later, the sun had rose and the group left the house, exploring the rest of Alexandria, Natalia and Daryl stayed on the porch, she sat still as he fixed up his crossbow.

"They said explore." Rick told them.

"Nah, I'll stay" Daryl told him.

"Ain't you got somewhere to be?" Rick asked Natalia.

"Nope." She continued to stare ahead.

"Alright." Rick caved, staring ahead, watching a woman walk a dog on a leesh, Sully, who was sat in between the archer and the woman, also watched. "Lori and me, we used to drive through neighbourhoods like this. Thinking, "One day..."

"Well, here we are." Daryl sat on the ground, his knees to his chest and his arms around his legs, looking around the porch.

"We'll be back." Rick told the pair, walking off the steps and into the street.

They had spent most of the day on the porch, they didn't have jobs or people they wanted to talk to.

Carl had come back at some time.

"Hey, Carl, you alright?" Natalia asked him, Daryl also looked up.

"Yeah, was just playing video games with some other kids." He said, he seemed a little uncomfortable, thrown off by his own words.

"Video games? Shut up!" Natalia gasped, sitting up.

"Yeah." Carl laughed. "Maybe you should join us next time, instead of sitting here the whole day, meet people."

"We ain't got jobs." Daryl told him.

"Then you could try being sociable, you know I probably have to go to school, now?"

"A 14 year old in school, how shocking, there must be something wrong with these people." Natalia fake expressed.

"Ain't you deathly scared of fruit?" Carl asked her.

"Are you threatening me Carl Grimes?" Natalia stood up, looking at the kid. "For your information, Im allergic to nuts, which is perfectly normal and more common than most people think. There are dead people walking around eating the living, but an normal thing from before is what's got everyone asking questions?" She wondered out loud, walking down the porch steps.

"Where you going?" Daryl asked her.

"Got an doctors appointment, remember?"

"You're in your pyjamas." Carl called after her.

"I'm not getting dressed up to tell some doctor that I can handle my own." She told him, turning around only to let out a squeal of surprise. "Spencer."

Spencer had snuck up beside her, again.

"Hey, didn't mean to scare you." He smiled, patting her shoulder.

She looked at his hand on her arm until he took it off.

"No touching, got it." He nodded.

"The last person who touched me when I didn't want it, I slit his throat." She said, bluntly, making eye contact with the man.

Spencer's face paled as he cleared his throat, his eyes moved to glance at the man sat on the porch, who was observing carefully, so was the teenager beside him, his hand on the handle of the knife in the sheath.

"Right... Well, I was just wondering if you wanted a guide to the infirmary, being new and all, probably don't know where anything is." He tried to reign back some charm, but it was obvious he was nervous.

"That's not needed, I know my way, thanks." She told him, walking past and down the street, without anymore acknowledgement, not even a look back.

"She's a tough one to crack." Spencer pointed his thumb at the woman's back, looking back at the porch, as he tried to joke with the two people.

"Leave her alone then. Take the hint, man." Carl told him, walking into the house.

The archer didn't speak, but his stare carried a thousand words, or threats.

Spencer nodded, looking at his shoes, before turning around heading back to where ever he had come from.

The next day, Natalia had woken up before the sun, heading to the porch for a smoke, Daryl had yet again followed her.

"You like it here?" She asked him.

"Mhm." He grunted.

"Yeah, I don't know if I should feel like I'm living in a dream or a nightmare, a place like this can't stay safe forever, their people are useless, they haven't experienced real problems."

"Anything happens, we'll deal with it, like we always do." He told her.

"Cheers on that." She held the cigarette out, gesturing for him to tap the side of his against hers, which he did, then they both inhaled the sticks.

Just like the day before, they were still out there when everyone left for their new jobs.

"Ow." Daryl grumbled, cutting his finger on his crossbow as he played about with it, Natalia was watching him from the floor.

Carol walked out the door, dressed in a shirt and a blue cardigan.

"Don't you look nice." Natalia complimented her.

"Time to punch the clock and make the casseroles." She replied.

"What?" Daryl asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Make dinner for the older people, moms who need a break, people who can't cook. Get to meet a lot of the neighbours that way, Natalia, you could help me, seeing as your job hasn't been revealed yet."

"Sorry, Carol. I'm on vacation, and rest, got a blood test yesterday." She held out her arm, showing off the tape with a cotton ball tucked under it on the inside of her elbow. "Besides, I'm in that bracket of people who can't cook."

"How'd the appointment with Pete go?" Carol asked.

"Normal, just took my name, details, what I'm allergic to, emergency people, for some reason, got me to do a check up. Oh, and he wants everyone trained on how to use an Epi-Pen, to y'know, potentially save my life, which would be useless if we're out there, considering there's not much you can do after a rush of adrenaline." She shrugged.

"It would still do a great deal of use to know, just in case." Carol told her. "Who did you put down as your emergency people?"

"Y'know... it supposed to be family members, went for the next best thing... Rick, you, Michonne, Daryl" She jabbed her thumb at the man. "Hope you don't mind."

"I'm honoured." She smiled at her. "Daryl, Have you taken a shower, yet?"

"Mhm-hmm." He lied, concentrating on the weapon.

Carol saw right through him.

"Take a shower. I'm gonna wash that vest. Natalia, did you want me to wash your old clothes?"

"No, it's okay, I'm gonna burn them."

"Oh, okay." She nodded. "Remember, we need to keep up appearances, even the both of you." She said, walking down the steps.

"Hey, I ain't starting now." Daryl told her.

"I'm gonna hose you down in your sleep." She threatened, walking down the pavement.

"You look ridiculous." He called after her.

"Real mature." Natalia goaded.

"Shut up." He grumbled, going back to fiddling about.

Later on in the day, Glenn and the rest of the supply group came back, things seemed pretty heated between him and the leader, the other Monroe son. 

Natalia got up, leaning over the porch, before running down.

"Where you going?" Daryl called after her, but got up and followed anyway.

They both slowed down as they approached.

Aiden stepped towards Glenn.

"Say that again." He told him.

"No, back off, Aiden." Tara told him. 

Aiden pushed Glenn away.

"Come on." Aiden egged on.

"Come on, man. Just take a step back." Noah told him, taking a step towards them.

Aiden pushed him again.

"Come on, tough guy." Aiden ignored Noah and Tara.

"No ones impressed, man." Glenn told him. "Walk away."

"Aiden!" Deanna called, heading over. "What is going on?"

"This guys got a problem with the way we do things." Aiden told his mother. "Why did you let these people in?"

"Because we actually know what we're doing out there." Glenn answered.

Aiden swung for him, but Glenn ducked it, landing a punch, sending him to the ground.

"Aiden, No! That's enough!" Deanna ordered.

Nicolas ran forward, but Daryl met him half way, tackling him to the ground.

"I said that's enough!"

"Daryl!" Natalia went over, But Rick got to him first, attempting to pull him off.

"Lets not do this now." Rick told him.

"Lets go." Aiden said, getting up from the ground.

Michonne stepped up to him.

"You wanna end up on your ass again?"

"Cool, alright." Aiden backed off.

"Daryl." Rick said, pulling Daryl away from Nicolas, who rolled over, coughing.

"Daryl, stop." Natalia hissed, grabbing his arm, yanking him back as Rick held a hand to his chest.

"I want everyone to hear me, okay?" Deanna grabbed the attention of Alexandrians and the group. "Rick and his people are apart of this community now in all ways as equals. Understood?" She looked to her son.

"Understood." Aiden answered.

"All of you. Turn in your weapons. Then you two, come talk to me."

Everybody walked away, Rick stepped away from Daryl, but Natalia still held on to his wrist, as his eyes followed the pair.

"Stop." She glared at him, her jaw was clenched.

"I told you I had a job for you." Deanna told Rick. "I'd like you to be our constable. That's what you were. That's what you are. And you, too." She looked at Michonne. "Will you accept?"

"Okay." Rick accepted.

"Yeah, I'm in." Michonne nodded.

Natalia let go of Daryl, smiling at her friend, he scoffed, walking away.

Natalia rolled her eyes, going after the man, making sure he didn't wind up in a fight with anyone else.

That night, the group continued to stay in the living room of the first house, Daryl and Natalia were out on the porch, this time, he had offered her a cigarette from his stash. 

Rick walked out the house, wearing his new uniform.

"We good?" He asked.

"Yeah." Daryl replied in a quiet voice. "You a cop again?"

Carol came out of another door, joining the three

"Trying it on for size." Rick answered.

"You look good." Natalia told him.

"Thanks, Nat."

"So we're staying?" Carol asked.

"I think we can start sleeping in our own homes." Rick said. "Settle in."

"If we get comfortable here, let our guard down, this place is gonna make us weak."

"Fuck no." Natalia disagreed, blowing out smoke.

"Carl said that." Rick revealed. "But its not gonna happen." He walked towards the Bannister, looking over the street. "We won't get weak. That's not in us anymore. We'll make it work. And if they can't make it..."

"We'll just have to take care of it." Natalia finished.

"Right." Rick nodded at her.

The next day, Rick had led them back to the old house him and Natalia talked at, when he hid the gun in the blender, under the guise of them teaching Carol how to shoot.

"There's just one of them." Daryl spotted the lone walker. "I don't see it, but it's close. There's just one of 'em."

"We won't be here long." Rick said. "So what do you think?"

"We can go in when it's empty." Carol said, the gun had disappeared, they didn't know who took it, but they were scheming on getting more from the Amory.

"How is that? It's locked up at night."

"The window. There's just a latch. I can leave it open."

"A latch?" He asked the woman.

"Yeah."

"What if one of those pricks shuts it?" Daryl asked.

"Wait a couple days, leave it open again."

"It's getting closer." Daryl told them, hearing the walker snarling.

"We need to do it sooner than later. Right now, they're not watching us. Not worrying about meetings like this."

"Because they're stupid, comfortable." Natalia mused.

"We may need the guns. We may not."

"We will, whatever way it goes."

"They're the luckiest damn people I ever met." Rick said. "And they just keep getting luckier."

"How's that?" Daryl asked.

"We're here now."

"And Deanna seems to trust us, a lot. Look what happened with Glenn and Aiden yesterday." Natalia pointed out.

"They've got a couple of footlockers, just full of 9 millimetre autos, Rugers. Kal-Tecs. Just tossed in there. They don't know how use them. They're never gonna know they're gone."

"Someone's got one now, right?" Daryl looked at the empty blender.

"Listen, the others, we want them to try." Rick said.

"You too." Carol looked between Daryl and Natalia.

"I let them stick needles in me." Natalia defended herself, she was better than the archer. "They got me on their database."

"So we keep it quiet. Just us." Rick said.

The walker snarl got louder.

"Here it comes." He nodded ahead.

"I got it." Natalia unsheathed her knife, walking backwards.

"Hey, wait." Carol stopped her.

Natalia paused, turning around to look at the walker.

Carol aimed her gun, firing, shooting at its body a few times before finally taking him out.

"What was that?" Natalia asked her.

"We said we were taking me out shooting. I couldn't go back with a full mag." Carol explained.

"Lucky he came by." Daryl said.

"We should get back." Rick told them. "You'll pull the latch, we'll pick our moment. Us, we don't need to be lucky."

"The hell's that?" Daryl asked, looking at the walker. "Is that a W?"

On it's forehead, a W was carved into it's flesh.

"Yeah."

When they got back, Natalia was sat on Michonne's bed, in her room, as the woman checked herself out in the mirror, wearing a matching uniform, like Ricks.

"You look nice?" She told her friend.

"Shouldn't you be sorting out your own room?" Michonne asked, cutting the two laces that were tying her jacket together.

"I haven't got one." Natalia said.

"Why not, there's one across the hall, Daryl took the basement, Carl's in the one next door, so is Rick, the others are in the other house, it's all yours." Michonne explained.

"I don't know." Natalia sighed, picking at her fingers, "Didn't wanna assume anything, take a room from someone, ending up waking up and not being here at all."

"Nat, this is real, we all are, here in Alexandria. go sort out the room."

"You don't wanna share? Can have sleepovers." Natalia teased.

"I'm not sharing a room with you and your smelly dog, the only person worse is Daryl.

"Excuse me! He is not smelly. Come on, Sully, let's go somewhere, where we're actually appreciated."

She got off the bed, Sully, who was on the floor, Michonne didn't let him on her bed, woofed in reply.

Natalia bent down, kissing his head.

"Oh God, you do stink." She commented, standing up.

"See." Michonne told her, a grin on her face.

"Hmph" She looked the opposite way, passing Rick as she walked out the room, Sully following behind her.

She walked downstairs, the others had picked up their stuff, getting sorted in the next house.

Daryl was in the living room, looking around it.

Sully ran to the front door, spinning around, jumping at the door, then barking at his owner, a few times.

"What's up with him?" Daryl asked her.

"Think he wants to go on a walk." Natalia said, walking towards her dog, bending down to see what was up.

"Around the neighbourhood? Think he's gonna need a leash, like the other dogs." He scoffed.

"No, outside, outside the walls, he was only a puppy when all this kicked off, probably not used to it. I'm gonna head out." Natalia decided, standing up and grabbing her jacket, that had been hung up on a hook by Carol.

"I'll join ya, we can hunt." Daryl offered, grabbing his crossbow.

"Alright." She shrugged, opening the front door, holding it for him to walk out.

Sully walked ahead, excitedly, heading for the gates.

"Bingo." She said, proving her theory to be correct.

The gate was opened for them, and they left Alexandria, heading into the real world.

"Michonne says you're moving into the basement."  Natalia said, making conversation as they walked towards the woods.

"Yeah, there ain't much option, it's away from everyone else." He shrugged, checking their surroundings. "You got a spot yet?"

"Mich was actually convincing me to move into the room across from her, I don't know, though."

"Whys that?"

"'Cause, just feels weird still, I don't want to get used to this. Being behind walls, knowing that people who should be here, aren't. That I am, when I shouldn't."

"You're wrong." He shook his head, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"I'm not." She looked at him.

"You deserve this, more than a lot of people. More than most of us."

"Whatever you say, Daryl." She sighed. "Though, I don't know If I'll even be able to sleep without you."

She looked forward, walking ahead, not taking notice of him freezing as he watched her.

He cleared his throat, making his legs move again.

"Thought you liked being by yourself."

"Guess I just got used to you being there." She looked over her shoulder at him. "You might actually be my favourite person in this world."

"Michonne an' Carls your best friends." He said, she had turned forward, talking as if her words didn't mean anything, when actually they meant everything to the archer. He kept his eyes on her, letting his guard down for only a moment.

"Yeah. But-"

He grabbed her arm, his hand covering her mouth as he shushed her.

She looked at him with offence, until noticing that he had his eyes trained on the trees.

Daryl let go of Natalia, raising his crossbow, aiming at the figure who was lurking around.

"Come out, now!" Daryl told the person.

Aaron appeared, his hands up in surrender, like at the barn.

"You can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound?" Aaron asked when Daryl lowered the crossbow.

"Could you tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy? Rick doesn't seem to be an expert at that."

"There ain't much of a difference no more." Daryl answered.

"That how you feel about your people?"

"Were you spying on us?" Natalia asked, eyeing the man carefully.

"No. God no, I didn't mean to. I came out to hunt rabbits."

By that word, Sully came bounding over, dropping the hand that was in his mouth, letting out a woof at the man.

"Is that a hand?" Aaron asked, pointing at it.

"Sully! No!" She hissed, grabbing the walker hand and throwing it far away past the trees. "You do not pick up dead limbs." She told the dog off.

"That why you both are out here, taking the dog on a walk?" Neither of them answered him. "Mind if I join?"

Natalia looked to Daryl, he glanced at her then back at the man, turning around, whistling for the dog to follow. "Keep up. And keep quiet." He said.

"Natalia, I just wanted to-"

"If you thank me again, I'll kill Eric." She told Aaron.

"Right, sorry." He nodded. "I am very appreciative, though."

"Yeah, well, the dead boyfriend club isn't taking any more members at the moment, so you're in luck."

"Dead boyfriend club?" Aaron said to himself. "What's the dead boyfriend club?"

"The name." Daryl grumbled, walking ahead.

"Wait, did you have a-"

"Yeah, lost him about three months in." Natalia confessed, cutting him off.

"Oh, oh my god, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, was a long time ago."

A horse neighed, catching their attention.

A brown horse stood in a field of long grass, ahead of them.

Daryl held up a finger to the other two before moving towards it.

Natalia quickly bent down, picking up Sully so that he wouldn't spook the horse in someway.

"I've been trying to catch him for months." Aaron revealed. "Bring him inside. His name is buttons. One  of the kids saw him run by the gate a while back. Thought he looked like a buttons."

"Cute." Natalia commented.

"Haven't seen him for a while. I was afraid it was too late." He took off his pack, digging through it and pulling out a rope. "Every time Eric or I get close, he gets spooked."

Daryl passed his crossbow to Natalia, taking the rope out of Aarons hands.

"Have you done this before?" Aaron asked him. 

"Our group did." He responded. "But they weren't out there that long. The longer they're out there, the more they become what they really are."

He got the rope ready, inching towards the horse slowly and quietly, whilst Natalia, still holding Sully, and Aaron waited by the trees.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya." Daryl told the horse. "Alright? Come on, boy. Yeah. Just keep on eating. Yeah. Good boy."

"He's really skill-"

"Shut up." Natalia whispered to the man beside her, watching the archer with the horse.

He got closer, still talking to the horse, almost close enough to put the rope around the horses neck, but then a twig snapped, alerting the presence of walkers moving towards them. 

This set the horse off, as it raised on its hind legs, letting out a shrill neigh, before galloping off.

"Come on, they're coming!" Daryl shouted, clapping his hands as Natalia ran to him, tossing the crossbow as she kept a hold of her dog, who was barking profusely. 

Aaron had started shooting at the walkers, hitting a couple down, then him and Daryl both switched to their knifes.

Natalia pulled out a knife from her belt, but there wasn't much she could do, except to step back and watch behind her.

The two were fine without her help though, as they put all the walkers down.

"Come on, we can track him down." Daryl decided, going in the direction the horse had fled to. "He alright?" He nodded at the dog, patting his head.

"Yeah, Fine." Natalia looked around, before bending down, letting the dog jump out of her arms, but he kept close to her as they continued on.

"You ride horses?" Aaron had asked Daryl after a moment of quiet.

"I ride bikes." He answered.

"I take it you don't mean 10-speeds."

"What's a 10-speed?" Natalia whispered to Daryl.

"Bicycle."

"Oh."

"I know you're feeling like outsiders." Aaron carried on, not hearing the whispers. "Its not your fault, y'know. Eric and I, we're still looked at as outsiders in a lot of ways. We've heard our fair share of well meaning, but hilariously offensive things from some otherwise really nice men and women. People are people."

"The kindest people are assholes to someone." Natalia told him.

"The more afraid they get, the more stupid they get. Fear shrinks the brain. They're scared of you and me for different reasons. They're less scared of me because they know me. It's less and less everyday. So let them get to know you."

Daryl had still said nothing.

"You should go to Deanna's party tonight."

"I got nothing to prove." Daryl finally spoke up. "We met a lot of bad people out here, doing a lot of bad shit. They weren't afraid of nothing."

Natalia thought back to the group they had met after Beth disappeared.

"Yeah, they were."

"I doubt that very much, but it doesn't matter now." Natalia scoffed, bypassing the pair and walking ahead, her arms wrapped around her body as she tried to shake the thoughts and memories.

Next

Tags: @fallenkitten

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