When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 109 - Long as we're together

Looking at Judith in Daryl's arms shouldn't make her feel this way. It shouldn't make Louise scared or nervous. She'd had her and lost her child, she was a grieving mother; so why was looking at him with a baby making her so willing to want another?

After Hollie, she'd never thought twice about her feelings of having another family - of having one with him. But now? Now, she looked at him and it was all she saw.

It was scary as hell.

Even as the gates of the Hilltop appeared in front of her, as the thought dawned on her that they were going to inform their friends that their beloved Carl Grimes had been bitten and died, even then, she was still thinking of a small baby in Daryl's arms...of him teaching them how to use a crossbow and how to hunt. God, she needed to be rational. Safety first. As horrid of a thought it was, she'd hate nothing more than to be in Maggie's shoes; to have to raise her baby alone because somebody murdered their father in cold blood. She'd raised a baby alone before but now the world was different. She didn't even think it was plausible.

As the giant wooden gates opened, she took a deep breath and banished the thoughts to the back of her mind.

Safety first.

Daryl took the lead, making his way to Carol almost instantaneously as their rest of their group made their way towards Barrington House. His eyes were soft as he broke the news.

"Carl..." he looked to the ground and shook his head. "He got bit, he didn't make it"

Behind Carol, Enid's hand flew to her mouth and she dropped to her knees as heartbreaking sobs left her mouth. Nicole rushed forwards and wrapped her arms around her friend, both of them kneeling on the dirt. Lou cleared her throat, knowing that right now, she needed her friend too.

She turned to Carol, who had taken Judith from Daryl's arms. "Where's Aaron?"

Carol sighed. "He left to try and get Oceanside to help"

Her eyes widened. "He went alone?"

"Enid went with him...but he sent her back"

With a heavy sigh, she nodded her head, contemplating whether or not to go after him. Daryl watched her intently and as she turned to him, he shook his head slowly and mouthed 'he'll be fine' in her direction. Though she didn't entirely believe him, she knew that leaving her group right now could have detrimental effects; so, she pursed her lips and nodded back.

                                                                                  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Louise sat next to Glenn and Abraham's grave, once again picking at the loose dirt beside her that trailed into the short grass. Her mind was everywhere. It was on everyone they had lost...everything they'd lost. Loosing people was normal now, it was unpleasant daily occurrence but now, they've lost their home. It had been her only stability for the last year and as much as she knew it would come to an end, she hadn't expected it to be at the hands of a mad-man who had a thing for her. Negan may be a murderer...but he was one that at least some form of a heart otherwise he wouldn't have helped her escape the Sanctuary and she couldn't for the life of her, figure out what his end game was. If he wanted Alexandria he wouldn't have blown it to smithereens. She huffed. She was giving herself a headache.

"I feel like every time we talk, you're sat by a grave" a voice said from behind her. Jesus approached slowly and took a seat next to her, knowing by her demeanor alone that she was wrestling with something in her mind.

The smallest of smirks crept onto her face. "Depressin' aint it..."

"You put flowers on them" he stated, nodding towards the fresh yellow dandelions.

Louise nodded. "I feel like it's something we don't do much of anymore. Puttin' flowers on graves, I mean"

Jesus placed his hand on hers. "You alright?"

"I just..." she sighed. "I dunno"

"That's okay. We'll just sit here"

And that's what they did. They just sat there in silence. Mourning the people they lost until the sun went down. The air went cold, sending the tip of her nose and her fingers a bright red. Jesus attempted to convince her to go inside but she just shook her head and stayed facing the graves. Daryl even came to help but she refused at every turn. Instead, he placed his jacket around her shoulders and sat beside her. After a few hours, her head dropped to his shoulder and her hand slid into his own. He squeezed it comfortingly.

"We'll get it back" he said. "Promise"

"And what if we don't?"

He looked down at her and kissed the top of her head. "Then we find somewhere else, long as we're together"