Staying Alive//TWDFanFic

Forty Two

**WARNING: Child Death in this part, not in detail but it is part of this one.**

Everyone rushes into Maggie's office at Hilltop house to come up with a game plan on how to win against Alpha. I stood the side and faded out as I thought about Beth, I feel bad for never being with her. I feel like I'm always going from one fight to the next since I reunited with Daryl, I wonder if she's going to grow to hate me because of how much I'm away, it makes me sad to think about the possibility of her ever actually hating me. I decide to make a pact with myself that after we defeat the whisperers, I won't leave Beth's side until she's old enough to tell me to go the fuck away and mean it. "We need to get the children out of here and take them to Oceanside." I come back to reality when I hear Daryl say this. Everyone nods before rushing out of the room and rounding up the children, we put them into the back of a covered carriage.

I'm on the back of his bike as he drives in front of the carriage and leads us to a blocked road. I notice Daryl looking up into the trees as he gets off of the bike, I follow his gaze and see one of our guards is hanging from the tree, now a walker. I was saddened by the sight but I kept myself together. Daryl looks back at me, "All the roads are gonna look like this. It's Negan, he's with her now." My heart drops into my ass and I gulp as he gets back on the bike and we head back to Hilltop.

After Daryl explains to the rest of the group what's going on, everyone goes into a panic so I decide since I'm the only sane one, I should probably go get the arsenal ready. I head into Hilltop house and go straight into the weapons area, I grab a few guns and begin loading them. I notice as the time starts flying by, a lot of Hilltop are sitting around in the main area of the house, I begin sharpening the knives and zone out a bit as I begin thinking about Beth again, she's in Alexandria without Daryl and I to protect her, what if something happens? I'll never forgive myself. My mind wanders to Negan and the stress is eased a bit when I remember the soft spot he has for Beth and I, I know he wouldn't hurt her. He'd kill Daryl and I before even looking in her direction, which I know probably isn't saying a lot but I'd rather die than her. I sigh deeply to take myself out of my head and go back to focusing on readying the weapons. A little longer goes by before Daryl approaches me, I immediately noticed that he cleaned himself up, I smiled, "You look handsome, baby." He smiles back as he takes the weapons from my hands, setting them on the table in front of me before grabbing my hand and leading me toward an empty bedroom nearby.

He closes the door behind him, locking it nonchalantly, I smirk, "I take it you didn't want to be alone to talk?" He shook his head as he got close to me, "Uh uh." He kissed me passionately as he started taking my clothes off. Once he got me naked, he shoved me onto the bed and I watched as he quickly took his clothes off in front of me before climbing on top of me, kissing me softly before stopping to look at me, "I love you, Jo." I smile, "I love you, Daryl. Are you okay?" He nods, "Yeah, I just couldn't risk not doing this one last time, you never know what could happen." I chuckle, "Let's get on with it then, shall we."

I'm sitting beside Daryl on the bed, getting dressed when Aaron yells from the other side of the door, "The horde is coming!" We get dressed in a hurry before making our way out of the room, Daryl stays at the top of the steps overlooking everything as I made my down the stairs and grabbed my bow, I stopped in the doorway and looked up at Daryl, he was watching me from the top of the stairs with that look of terror on his face once again, I watch as he starts limping his way down the stairs before finally heading outside. I'm stopped by Carol on my way down the stairs, "You forgot something." She puts on my vest and smiles. "Thanks." I say as I move along with her to get it on. She chuckles, "If you're going to be Mrs. Dixon, you gotta dress like it. Acting like it isn't enough." She grabs my hand and squeezes it gently, "I know there's always been weird tension between us but I just want you to know that I love you and I appreciate you taking care of him all these years." I smile and nod as she hugs me, I watch her walk away before making my way toward everyone else.