-Chapter seventy six; Something They Need-
———
DARYL
DARYL KEPT MAKING QUICK
glances down at Taylor, seeing her looking solemnly at the ground, her arms folded as she stared off at the gate of Hilltop.
"Somethin' wrong?" He asked, "You ain't feelin' good?".
Sighing, she perked her head up, "No, it's not that.".
"Well then what is it?" He replied, cocking a brow.
"...I'm glong back to Alexandria early with Jordyn." She answered.
"Then I'm goin' wih y'all." He stated, but she argued.
"No, Daryl. Rick and the others need you here for Oceanside. We need those guns. Me and Jordyn...we talked about it. We just need some time to think before we fight the Saviors.".
"...Okay..." He nodded, taking off his crossbow and handing it to her, "Take it wit' you.".
She furrowed her eyebrows, "What? No, Daryl, I can't. You might need it. I have my gun and knife.".
He pressed on, "An' you might need it. Jus' take it...please. It'll make me feel a lot better.".
She reluctantly took his crossbow, holstering it over her shoulder, "...Okay...".
He hugged her, "I love you, babygirl.".
She hugged him back, "I love you too, dad.".
She then pulled away from him, "I'll see you tomorrow. Be safe, alright?".
He nodded, "Same goes for you.".
That's when Jordyn walked up, "You ready?".
"Yeah." Taylor said softly, waving goodbye to Daryl one last time as she followed Jordyn to the Jeep they'd be taking back to Alexandria.
As the two hopped in, Jordyn cranked up the car, "You sure you wanna do this?".
"We talked it over." Taylor replied, turning to face the older woman.
"I know we did." Jordyn nodded acknowledgingly, "I just wanna make sure this is really what you wanna do. Back home...it's not pretty. I saw it when Negan went for his first visit...".
"...I don't care how ugly it may be," Taylor said, "I have to go back.".
Sighing, Jordyn then stepped on the gas, driving the Jeep up to the gate of Hilltop as it opened, and then they were off towards Alexandria.
———
STARING AT THE PASSING TREES
of the treeline, Taylor watched as she and Jordyn neared closer and closer to Alexandria.
"...You and Daryl...haven't been the same since...your relationship feels strained..." Jordyn said.
"...Me, you, and Daryl...we've changed..." Taylor replied, "...You lost your brother and was tortured, Daryl lost Glenn and was tortured, I lost Abraham and Glenn, Negan killed my dad, and we have no idea where Kenny is. Believe me, I wish every second of every day we could go back to before all that shit happened...but we can't.".
Jordyn nodded, "Things were simpler back at the prison.".
They drove up to the get and Aaron opened it, letting Jordyn pull the Jeep inside the walls before she and Taylor hopped out.
"What are you two doing back here?" He asked.
"...We just need time to get ready for the fight against the Saviors." Taylor replied.
He nodded acknowledgingly, "Alright. Just um...fair warning...the houses are trashed. The Saviors trashed them and took most of our stuff.".
"...I'm gonna go check on my place. I'll meet back up with you later, Taylor." Jordyn said.
"Alright. See you, Jordyn." Taylor waved as she walked off, and Taylor turned back to Aaron, "...Can you go with me to me and Daryl's place? I...I don't know if I'm ready to see it by myself.".
He nodded, "Of course. I'm right here with you.".
She smiled, walking down the street with him, "Thanks, Aaron.".
They made it up to the house, and Aaron placed his hand on the doorknob as he looked back at Taylor, "You sure you wanna do this?".
She nodded, folding her arms as she sighed, "...I have to. It's the only way I'll be able to move on.".
He then opened the door and the two stepped inside, and just like he said, the place was completely trashed.
"Oh god..." She gasped, looking around the open living room and kitchen.
The decor had been tossed to the floor, the TV was gone, Taylor's paintings had been ripped and snapped, contents from the fridge had been raided, and trash laid about on the floor.
On the wall above where the couch used to be, the words 'YOUR DAD WAS AN ASSHOLE' were written in red spray paint.
"Dad..." She mumbled, tears filling her eyes as they stayed locked on the bold words.
Aaron rested his hand on her shoulder, "Don't listen to them. Your dad was not an asshole. He was a good man.".
She nodded, "I-I know. It's just...he never deserved this. I can't believe he's gone...".
"Why don't we go to your room and try to find anything the Saviors left." He suggested.
"Yeah..." She agreed, following him up the stairs.
The door to Daryl's bedroom was completely off it's hinges, but hers seemed to be intact as Aaron opened it, revealing her trashed bedroom.
Her posters had been completely ripped off her walls and stolen, and her bed was nowhere in sight.
The drawers to her dresser lay scattered and empty on the floor, every piece of clothing she owned gone.
Her closet had been raided to, but two boxes that sat in the left corner caught her eye.
Walking over to her closet, she grabbed the first box, it being black and heavy and made of metal.
Opening it, there was a handgun along with a note inside.
"This is my father's gun.." She said, her fingers tracing over the metal.
"It is? I wonder who put it there." Aaron replied.
She opened the note and read it aloud, "We may be on opposing sides, and you probably hate me, but I still care about your safety. Take care of it. Negan.".
"Wait, he gave you that gun? Why would he do that. He knows you're going to use it to kill Saviors." Aaron pointed out.
"That's the thing." She replied, folding the note and slipping it in her pocket, "Negan cares for me. He cares for me so much so that he'd risk the lives his of people for me.".
"...Why does he care so much for you?" Aaron asked.
"It's a long story." She sighed, turning to the other box in her closet.
Taking it out, she sat in on the floor as she sat down, opening the lid and revealing an assortment of photographs.
"...My polaroids..." She smiled sadly, taking out her photos.
She picked up one, it being the photograph Lori had took of Taylor, Merle, and Daryl back at the quarry in the early days of the apocalypse.
"Is that..." Aaron began, sitting down next to her as he looked at the photograph.
She giggled, "Daryl? Yeah. If you could believe it, he was a loud-mouth asshole at the beginning of it all.".
He chuckled, "Oh, I believe it.".
She pointed to Merle, "That's Merle, Daryl's brother: Merle. He was a racist homophobic asshole who flirted with women a lot and did stupid shit, but...I still cared for him deep down; I don't know why. He was like an uncle to me, and...and when I lost him...I felt lost...like a piece of my life had been ripped away from me...".
Aaron nodded, "When I lost my mom and dad, I felt exactly the same.".
She grabbrd the next photograph, seeing her with Sophia and Carol, "That's Carol's daughter: Sophia. She was a sweet, quiet girl. It breaks my heart everyday to know she didn't make it.".
"Because of this virus, the world has lost too many kids." He agreed.
Grabbing another one, it was her with Glenn, "...Maggie'll like this.".
She slipped it into her back pocket, revealing the next and grabbed the final face up photograph, revealing her with Dale, Andrea, and Amy, "...These were some of my close friends from back in the beginning. The guy Dale, he was this really cool old guy with that damn stupid fishing hat. That guy cared a lot about us. He um...got ripped open by a walker. Daryl had to put him down...next is Amy. She was Andrea's sister. Andrea's the other girl in the photo. Amy got bit on the arm by a walker and then on the neck. Andrea stayed right beside her until the end...when she had to put her down. I-I couldn't save her. I couldn't save Andrea either. This guy, The Governor, got her killed. Locked her in a room with a walker. She got bit on the neck...so...yeah...".
Taylor put all the photos away in the box before putting the box into her backpack.
"Taylor," Aaron began, resting his hand on her shoulder, "It's not your fault. There's only so much a fourteen year old girl can do. Their deaths aren't your fault.".
"...Me and Jordyn need to head to Jackson." She replied, changing the subject as she got up.
"What? You two just got here." He pointed out.
"I know. But, we need the people of Jackson for tomorrow. We're stronger in numbers; we need them." She explained.
He sighed, "Alright, but you two please be careful. The Saviors are out there.".
She smiled, "I always am.".
———
"WHAT IF THEY REFUSE TO LEND
us their manpower? It'll just be us, Hilltop, and those junkyard people Rick and the others found." Jordyn asked.
"They won't refuse. Not if I talk to Tommy and Joel. Not to mention, though, Oceansides hopefully gonna lend us their guns." Taylor explained.
Jordyn scoffed, "We hope.".
Sighing, she looked up at the older woman, "Jordyn, what the fuck happened in Alexandria? You were fine before but now you're fucking pissed off.".
"...I just miss Abe is all. I grabbed what was left of his stuff...packed it up..." Jordyn replied.
"...Admit it..." Taylor mumbled, "...You blame me...".
"What? Of course not." Jordyn protested.
"But you do, and you should. It's my fault that Abraham, Glenn, and my dad are dead! I should be the one dead right now, but I'm not! Madison was always right about me...I'm a selfish bitch that deserves to die..." Taylor said.
Without a word, Jordyn cut the engine to the Jeep before saying, "We're here.".
Taylor hopped out with her and the two girls walked up to the front gate of Jackson.
Jesse and Dina were on watch, and the two teens opened the gate for them.
"Hey, guys. How have you been?" She asked with a bright smile on her face as she walked up to the two with Jesse.
"Abraham, Glenn, and Taylor's dad are dead. We neec to talk to Joel, Tommy, and Maria." Jordyn replied.
Gasping, Dina quickly nodded, pulling out her radio, "Alright, let me radio them.".
Taylor walked up to Jesse, "You know where Ellie and Lee are?".
"Lee's back home and Ellie's with Joel. Why?" He asked.
"I need to talk to them. It's about...it's about what happened." She replied.
He nodded, pulling out his rado, "I'll radio them over.".
———
JORDYN AND TAYLOR SAT IN JOEL
and Ellie's dining room with them, Maria, Tommy, Jesse, Dina, and Lee as they discussed their plan on taking out the Saviors and Negan.
"...Chris is dead...huh?" Joel muttered.
Taylor nodded, "Yeah...".
"With you guys and your men there's no way we'll lose against them. We need to avenge Abraham, Glenn, and Chris, and break ourselves free from the Saviors grip." Jordyn explained.
"No. No way." Maria refused, "As soon aswe show ourselves there, Negan'll track us down.".
"Maria, please." Taylor pleaded.
"I'm sorry about your friends and your dad, Taylor. But I can't think about revenge. I have to think about this community." She then walked out.
"...He killed Chris, me an' Joel are in. Negan's gotta pay." Tommy spoke up, and Joel nodded in agreement.
"I'm not letting my friend go alone. I'm with her through this." Ellie smiled over at Taylor.
"Same with me and Jesse. You guys will need our help." Dina said.
Lee chuckled, "Don't think I can let my girlfriend get revenge with just her friends.".
Taylor sighed with relief, "Thank you guys so much. Even with just you guys, are chances of beating the Saviors is looking better and better.".
Tommy nodded, "I'll talk to Maria 'bout gettin' you an' Jordyn a house for tonight. We'll all head out together for Alexandria bright an' earlier tomorrow.".
He then walked out, Jesse and Dina leaving too after saying their goodbyes.
That night, Taylor laid awake in bed that night, hopeful she'd finally be able to avenge her friends and father...
To Be Continued...
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(A/n: Hello guys! I'm so sorry this chapter took over a week to come out. I've been very sick for the last week, so updating has been a challenge. I just wanted to let you all know that this book has not been forgotten, and updates will return to their normal schedule. Thank you all so much for reading, and I'll see you all in the next one! ^^)