SAY YOU WON'T GO-108
As Cassidy was talking to Negan and gave him a tomato, Violet came over and said it was time for bed. Picking up the little girl, she made eye contact with the man who killed her Lee.
She quickly looked away and hurried up the stairs before freezing when Negan spoke.
"You're Lee's girlfriend, weren't you?" He asked, coming towards the window. "I didn't mean for him to die."
"You ordered the gun to his head," Violet replied, her voice strained.
"I did. But it was mostly to make Rick piss his pants a little. Lee wasn't supposed to die."
Violet whipped around, glaring at the man. "Keep his name out of your mouth. He's dead because of you. You were the one who ordered the gun to his head, your men's gun. He was only sixteen. Even if it was your men's gun, you pulled the trigger. Not the tiger, not your men, you. You get to live with the burden of killing him, not anyone else."
The raven-haired woman went to walk away but stopped again. A tear ran down her cheek.
"And stop talking to Cassidy. You don't deserve the happiness she wants to give you."
With that, Violet walked away, leaving the man alone. She loved Lee so much, and when he was killed, she lost a piece of herself. They knew each other since they were babies, due to her sister being friends with Matilda.
On the anniversary of his death, she would have a picnic with Cassie and Judith at his grave. She would tell the girls stories about their brother and uncle, Judith, and Cassie, and she would paint on his rocks, little messages, drawings, and his favorite song lyrics.
She would borrow a radio, and play Heart Of Glass by Blondie, which was his favorite song. The girls would sing at the top of their lungs, receiving a few looks for our people.
Climbing the stairs to the Grimes house, Violet let herself in and met with her oldest sister. Kelly was sitting in the kitchen on the bar stool, drinking some tea.
"She was with Negan again?" Kelly asked, glancing at her sister and her niece.
Violet nodded, a hand placed on the little girl's back. "Yep. I'm gonna put her in bed."
"Vi. What did he say to you?"
The younger woman stopped. "He didn't say anything."
Kelly stood up, put her cup in the sink, and walked toward her sister. "I see the look in your eyes. The pained look when someone mentions him. What did he say?"
"L-Lee wasn't supposed to die." Violet swallowed, harshly. "He only ordered the gun to his head to get Rick to piss himself a little. I told him to keep Lee's name out of his mouth, and that it was his fault my boyfriend was killed."
A pair of running footsteps from upstairs gained their attention. Kelly placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. "That must be RJ. And Violet, just ignore him. He's not worth your breath."
"Aunt Kelly, I want some food," RJ said as he came down the stairs. "Hi, aunt Vi!"
Kelly picked up the five-year-old as Violet gave him a smile. "Let's go get some food, R. And he isn't worth it, Violet."
***
Cassidy was helping RJ ride a bike with Judith, Gracie, and Edith when Michonne came out of the house. She told the two to stay with their brother while she went to talk with Aaron and Kelly. The six-year-old thought of Judith and RJ as her sister and brother, due to them growing up together so closely.
"C'mon, Jay, you can do it," she said, walking along beside the younger boy.
As they were playing, Edith pointed out a familiar dog. "Cassie, isn't that your daddy's dog?"
The youngest Dixon looked towards where her best friend was pointing and saw Dog running towards them. Cassie's face immediately lit up as she took off down the street, meeting Dog in the middle.
"Doggy!" she squealed, hugging Dog around the neck as his tail wagged wildly. "If you're here, that means Daddy's here. Can you say me where he is?"
Dog barked and took off the down street towards the infirmary, Cassidy ran as fast as she can with the biggest grin on her face. At the infirmary, she saw her father standing on the porch washing his hands with an unfamiliar woman and her brother.
"Daddy!"
Cassie shouted, causing the trio to look towards her. She climbed the stairs, dodging the woman, and barreled into her father's legs. She tilted her head back, looking up at him with a grin.
"Hi, daddy."
The little girl didn't see the pain that flashed in her father's eyes as he picked her up. Wrapping her little limbs around him, Cassidy hugged the life out of him, which he returned.
"Hey, baby," he murmured as they pulled away.
Cassie stayed in her father's arms, laying her head on his shoulder as she looked at the woman. "Who's that, daddy?"
The woman looked at her brother, motioning something towards her causing him to nod. "I'm Connie, what's your name, Sweetheart?"
"Cassidy. Are you friends with daddy and Max?" the little girl signed.
Connie glanced between her father and her brother. "Yeah, I am,"
"Will you be mine?"
"Of course," Connie smiled, reaching her hand towards the little girl to shake.
Cassie giggled, hiding her face in her father's neck as Max spoke. "I'll stay here with Henry and Lydia. Spend time with her, you both need it. See Judith and RJ, too."
As her father and she walked towards the docks hand in hand, Cassie rambled about random things to her father as she swung their hands back and forth. On the docks, they sat down with Judith who joined them.
Judith and Daryl started talking, while Cassie played with his fingers and leaned against him. When the ten year old left, Cassie climbed onto her father's lap and picked up his necklace.
"Do you miss mommy?" She asked, playing with the ring.
"Yeah, all the time." Daryl replied, running hand though her dark hair.
"I wish I could have met her. Maxie told me stories about her. How brave she was." Cassie says, glancing at her father. "Daddy, why didn't you come and see me the last few times? I missed you."
Daryl was silent for a moment as he stared into the bright blue eyes of his daughter. He could see his wife behind her eyes, she looks so much like her. Tears welled up in his eyes making Cassie cup his cheeks.
"Don't cry, daddy. It's okay." She says, "I know you were busy, I understand. But you won't leave me right? You'll come visit me?"
"I won't leave you, Cassie." Daryl sniffled.
Cassie held out her pinky. "Promise?"
"Promise." The redneck wrapped pinky around hers before hugging her.
For the rest of the day, Cassie spent time with her father before he had to leave. It was dark and she was sad that it was time for her father to leave.
At the gate of her home, Cassie hugged her father tightly not wanting to let go. As she pulled away, she planted a kiss on his cheek before she was handed to her brother, who was staying.
"I love you, daddy." She said, resting her head on Max's shoulder. Her eyes locked on her fathers.
"I love you, too, Cassie." Her father said before he and his small group walked out.
Cassie hid her face in her brother's shoulder, tears started to fall as she cried. Max rushed her back, comforting his sister as he walked back at the house.
Dinner was slightly awkward affair, Judith was mad at her mother, the tension between them was high, while Cassie was still upset about her daddy leaving.
"Can I have more tomatoes, please?" RJ asked his mother.
Michonne gave the boy more tomatoes before glancing at her daughter. "Of course you can, baby. There you go. Judith. Eat, don't poke. You too, Cassidy."
"Sorry mom, I'm not that hungry. I had a snack before, so...is it okay if I go to my room?" Judith asked.
"Sure." Michonne says as her daughter picked up her plate and went to her room. She looked over at Cassie. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
Cassie sniffled. "I want daddy."
Max and Michonne made eye contract before the woman looked at the little girl again. "You'll see him again, okay? He's welcome here anytime, you know that. Are you finished eating?" she received a nod. "Okay, leave it here and go get ready for bed."
Cassie slid off her chair and disappeared upstairs as Max murmured. "I'm gotta take her to the fair tomorrow. Thanks for dinner, Mich."
Max put his plate in the sink, hurrying up the stair and into his bedroom. He saw his baby sister, laying on his bed in her pajamas crying. Getting into his pajamas, he climbed into his bed, pulling his sister to him and rubbed her back.
She would cry every time their father had left after his visits, and Max would comfort her until she fall asleep.
In the morning, Max and Cassie headed towards the stables, he helped his sister on Satellite before pulling himself up.
"Ready, Cas?" He asked, wrapping an arm around her.
Cassie nodded. "Yes!"
The horse took off as Cassidy laughed as the brother and sister headed towards the Kingdom for the fair.