Stray // Daryl Dixon

These Sins of Mine

The only sound I could hear was Maggie's crying coming from within Gabriel's office. Glenn consoled her after Lincoln sat her down and broke the news about Beth. Our good spirits were short-lived for the night, but the conversation needed to happen. The rest of us sat quietly on the pews, no one saying a word about it. Everyone was heartbroken. They were all experiencing the loss of another one of us right now.

My head sprung up at the noise of Carol leaving the church abruptly, the sound of the chapel door slamming on her way out. There was something different about Carol once she came back. She was still the same old Carol I remembered, but something changed inside her. Her eyes were kind and her smile sweet, but there was that split second in between expressions where you could see she was struggling.

Daryl didn't say a word when he got up to go after her. I didn't question it. Daryl and I both held the same relationship with Carol, him maybe even closer to her than I. After we found Sophia in that barn, she really did transform into a motherly figure for both of us. One that Daryl never had and one that I lost.

Lincoln then emerged from the room, rubbing the tears from his eyes as he attempted to collect himself. I stood from the pew, watching as he was the next to leave. I contemplated going after him, to see if he was okay, but instead, I walked up to Gabriel's office. I lightly knocked on the ajar door, making my presence known.

"Glenn," I spoke softly, "Do you mind if I talk to Maggie?" I asked. He looked up at me, his cheeks stained with tears as he held onto Maggie. He nodded his head and stood up from the couch. I grabbed his hand, squeezing it on his way out of the room, leaving me alone with Maggie. This moment brought me back to the very first day I met her. They were different circumstances, but I still remembered looking up at her consoling smile as she handed me the cup of tea as I waited to hear the news about Carl. "I know this is the last thing you want to hear right now, and I know that nothing I can say will help with what you are feeling," I said, my voice low and gentle, "But I do know exactly what you are going through."

There was silence in the air. Maggie hadn't responded, she didn't even look my way. Her arms rested on her knees and her head held low. I just wanted her to know that she had someone in her corner that understands what it's like to lose a sibling. When the silence lasted too long, I made my peace with it and decided to leave her be.

"How did you get through it?" she asked, her voice meek. The question surprised me. "There was a time before you found Lincoln when you thought you were alone," she sniffled, aggressively wiping the tears from her face, "How did you get through it?"

"I was never alone," I answered. "I'm not going to lie, I went through it. I asked myself if this was all even worth it anymore. But I had Glenn, I had Carol, Rick, Daryl, you. I had this family and you still have all of us."

Maggie finally looked at me, her eyes bloodshot, but she nodded. Then she did something she has never done before. She wrapped her arms around me and I embraced her. Feeling her body sinking into mine as I hugged her tighter.

"Thank you," she shakily breathed out.

"It's only the truth--"

A commotion coming from outside caused us to jerk our heads towards the door.

"Stop! Don't!" Rosita yelled.

"Sasha put it down!" Tyreese boomed.

Maggie and I both walked out to the front room. Sasha stood in front of Gabriel, her knife held out towards him as he backed up against the railing.

"You show up, we're being watched, and now four of us are gone," she spoke, her voice low and tempered.

"I-- I don't..." Gabriel stuttered.