RULE THE WORLD | D.DIXON

124

A woman from Hilltop stayed with Cassidy, leaving Max, Daryl, and Kelly in the office with everyone else. The blonde boy stood with his arms across his chest between his father and Rosita.

Lydia was leaning against the deck before pushing off and stood into front of the group. "You heard them out there. We have to go. Even if you took out half the herd in that cave, she's got thousands left. You can't stay here."

"The skins could march straight to Alexandria for all we know." Earl says from where he was sitting on the couch.

"Yeah, we're right in their way." Max's father stated.

Earl glanced at the redneck. "Maybe she goes around us."

Max titled his mouth, knowing full well Alpha wouldn't go around them. Lydia wrapped her arms around herself, trying to get some comfort as she spoke.

"She doesn't need to go around you. She'll just ran through you."

"I'm not running again." Jerry says, looking determined. "Hell no."

Diane sighs, throwing up a hand. "Lydia's right. We can rebuild anywhere."

Earl scoffed as he looks at Aaron. "Come on. We can't. How many scouting missions you been on, son? Hundreds? Have you ever seen a place like Hilltop?"

Aaron pressed his lips, scoffing quietly. "No."

"We have a few dozen able-bodies fighters here." Yumiko chimes in. "Maybe. You like those odds? Cause I don't."

"Neither I do." Aaron says. "Now, we don't have to die here."

Earl leant forwards, his old face hard
"We're going to have to fight, and if we die, we die fighting for a place that means something. Can you think of a better way to go?"

Max's eyes looked down at the floor, sadness weaving in them. That was something his mother said during the war with the saviors. To her brother before he died.

Aaron chuckled dryly. "Yeah. We go with my daughter's life intact. And Judith's, and Cassie's, Carl's, and Ezra's and Adam's. You want me to keep going?"

A hand pressed against his shoulder causing Max to look up to see Rosita looking at him. She gave him a knowing smile, squeezing his shoulder before dropping it.

"Alright, let's get the kids out first. Everybody, pack up. We're going to Oceanside. Grab weapons, food, whatever you can. We'll regroup there." His father said before he walked out of the house.

Max squeezed Rosita's arm befofe following after his father out of the house. He watched as his baby brother ran up to their father, his face light up with a large grin.

"Daddy!" Carl shouted, running towards his father with his arms in the air.

Daryl's natural grumpy expression immediately light up, his lips stretched out in a rare smile that nobody really expect for his kids, Jude, and RJ.

The oldest Dixon picked his youngest son, hugging him tightly before setting him on his hip. "Hey, buddy."

"I missed you, daddy." The five year old, almost six year old boy confessed, his small hand reaching out and tangled in his father's hair.