The following morning, Alexandria was preparing for war. Jadis and her group from the landfill arrived and started spreading themselves out around the town. There were snipers stationed on every street, and everyone had their own roles to play.
Everyone was very aware that the odds were, it would come down to a big gun fight. But the main goal was to protect Alexandria and its people, whilst taking out as many Saviors as possible. Killing Negan was also an end goal, but if it didn't happen that day, it was okay. They knew that this day was only the first day of what could lead to weeks of fighting for their lives. But they were all ready.
Daryl, Rosita and Aaron were setting up explosive devises in a truck outside of the walls. CJ was up of the watch post near the gate with Carl, and once Daryl and the others were back inside, she was to climb down and be on the frontline, ready for when the Saviors arrived.
"So, you've been practicing with this while I was away?" CJ asked Carl, referring to the bow she was holding.
"A little," he replied. "Took a few goes, but I managed to get a few bullseyes."
"No kidding," she smiled. "You wanna show me?"
"Right now?" Carl raised an eyebrow keenly.
"Sure, why not?" CJ shrugged. "We got time. Here, have a go."
"Okay," Carl chuckled. He put his rifle strap over his shoulder and let the gun hang by his hip before taking the bow and an arrow from CJ. "What's my target?"
"Hmm," CJ looked around before her eyes fell on where Daryl was moving some crates by the truck over the wall. "That box."
"The one by his leg?" Carl questioned.
"Yeah," CJ replied. "It'll make him jump. Go on."
"Alright," he laughed.
Carl raised the bow and pulled back the arrow. He took a deep breath in and fired the arrow as he breathed out. The arrow embedded itself into the cardboard box Daryl was stood next to, and they watched him flinch and turn around.
"Nice," CJ beamed proudly.
"Thanks," Carl smiled, looking down at Daryl. "Oh no. I think he saw us."
CJ looked down at Daryl to see him holding the arrow and scowling at her and Carl. "Do you mind?" he called up to them.
"Sorry, Daryl," Carl replied. "She told me to do it."
"Wha- you little... ugh," CJ frowned. "Hey, could you bring that there arrow back in when you're done, please?"
"I hate you," he rolled his eyes as he picked up the rest of the boxes and headed back to the gate with the arrow in his hand.
"Thank you!" CJ called out to him before turning to Carl. "Come on, we should head back down. Can you go find Tobin? He's taking over."
Carl was quick to agree and head off to find Tobin. CJ waited until they got back and gave Tobin the sniper rifle before she climbed down. She went around to the front gate where people were gathered, ready and waiting for the Saviors to show up. Rick walked past her and handed her a rifle and a spare magazine.
Daryl spotted CJ heading over, and he gave her the arrow. "Thank you," she smiled, taking the arrow and tucking it into the quiver on her back. She started walking to the armoury to put away her bow, as a rifle would be much easier to shoot with during the fight.
"You good?" Daryl asked, walking beside her.
"Yeah," CJ replied. "I think it's gonna go okay. You worried?"
Daryl watched her as they walked into the armoury and she put her bow and quiver down on the shelf. "Nah. You're right. It's gonna be okay."
"Good," she smiled. She stood in front of him and hooked her fingers around his belt loops, pulling him close and pecking his lips. "We'll win."
"Yeah. We will," Daryl nodded with a hint of a smile as he leant down to kiss her again.
They headed back out to the gate with their guns in their arms, ready to face the Saviors head-on. As per Rick's request, the two of them were stationed right by the gate on the front line. Neither of them objected to that request; they wanted to be there. They had suffered their own demons because of Negan when held I his dungeons. They needed to show they weren't afraid of being seen anymore.
So far, it seemed that Dwight had been telling the truth about taking down a tree on the road, because no Saviors had arrived yet. People were up on the watch platforms, lined up and ducked down behind the wall. Rick stood up straight, ready to be the first one the Saviors saw when they did eventually arrive.
They had been ready and waiting for several minutes when they started to hear vehicles approaching. It was several big trucks like they were expecting, only when they saw who it was on the front vehicle with the megaphone, Eugene Porter, all of them felt a mixture of confusion, betrayal, and anger. Rosita more than any of them.
"All points are covered," Eugene said as the trucks approached the gate. "Every contingency is already met. I come armed with two barrels of the truth. A test is upon you and I'm givin' out the cheat-sheet."
The breaks of the trucks squeaked as they came to a halt in front of the gate. Eugene was stood on the back of the truck, which had pulled up sideways in front of the wall where Rick was stood glaring at the man that betrayed Alexandria to save his own life.
"H-Hello," Eugene greeted, seeming a lot less confident now he could see the look of distain on Rick's face. "I come salved with the hope that is my dropped knowledge that you heed. Options are zero-to-none. Compliance and fealty are your only escape. Bottom lining' it, you may thrive, or you may die. I sincerely wish for the former, for everyone's sake. The jig is up and in full affect. Will you comply, Rick?" he finished his pathetic speech.
Looking around, CJ saw that Rosita had tears in her eyes, along with a look of pure hatred for what Eugene was doing and saying. CJ was angry too. She put herself into a cell for weeks, because she'd rather have done that than betray the people who cared about her. And here Eugene was, thriving on the power that Negan had gifted him like it was no big deal.
Everyone was looking up at Rick, wondering how he was going to respond. There was a long moment of silence before he spoke.
"Where's Negan?" he asked.
Eugene lowered the megaphone and sighed before answering. "I'm Negan."
"Oh my god," CJ mumbled under her breath.
Looking up at Rick, she saw how angry and wound up he was from this whole thing. He looked down at Rosita, who's thumb was hovering over the button that would detonate the explosives. He thought for a moment, glancing around at everyone before nodding his head to her and ducking down.
Rosita pressed the button and they all prepared for the explosion, but it never came. It didn't take more than a second for the Alexandrians to realise what had happened, and it seemed the garbage people were onto them too.
In a flash, they all had guns aimed at them. The garbage people had gone back on the deal Rick made with them. None of the Alexandrians even had time to move, all of them clutching their guns but not raising them to avoid bein shot on the spot. In the corner of her eye, CJ could see two women with guns pointed right at her head.
One of the men from the landfill opened the front gate, and they saw Negan finally show his face. He climbed out of one of the trucks with Dwight right behind him. The rest of the Saviors came out of their own vehicles, all with their own weapons half raised.
Negan had his bat over his shoulder, and a smug grin on his face like he always did. He pulled Eugene along with him, like a human shield should anyone open fire and try to kill him.
"You ever hear the one about the stupid little prick named Rick, who thought he knew shit but didn't know shit, and got everyone he gave a shit about killed?" Negan mocked, pointing up at Rick and smiling. "It's about you. Ya'll are gonna wanna put your guns down now."
"No one drops anything," Rick said firmly. "We had a deal," he mumbled to Jadis, who had a gun pointed at Rick's head.
"Made a better deal," she shrugged. Rick bit his tongue and shook his head in disbelief.
"You push me, and you push me. And you push me, Rick!" Negan shouted. "You just tried to blow us up, right? I mean, I get me. My people... But Eugene? He's one a' yours. And after what he did? He stepped up! You people? Are animals. Universe gives you a sign and you just shove your finger right up its ass!" he laughed. "Dwight, Josh. Chop-chop."
CJ watched as the two men climbed up onto the back of the truck and unveiled a coffin from under a sheet. Her breathing hitched as her mind went through every possibility of what it was for.
She locked eyes with Josh as he and Dwight lifted the coffin to stand upright, and she saw a nervous, yet determined look on his face. It took every bit of strength she had to not raise her rifle and shoot him in the head there and then. If she did that, she would be dead within seconds, along with many others. She'd have to wait.
She saw his face turn from stern to almost smug, and without moving too suddenly, she looked beside her to see Daryl staring daggers at the man. Daryl felt her eyes on him, and he glanced her way. She subtly shook her head, silently pleading with him to ignore Josh. At least for now. Daryl complied, but after what CJ had told him Josh had done to her, he was planning on killing that monster the first chance he got. And it would be painful.
Negan sighed as he jumped up onto the truck and Dwight and Josh hopped down, going back to their positions.
"So, you don't like Eugene anymore," Negan shrugged. "You guys gotta like Sasha. I do too." He knocked on the coffin twice with his bat. "Got her right here, packaged for your convenience. Alive and well. Now, I brought her so I wouldn't have to kill all of you. And not killing all of you, could get complicated."
"See, I know there's a lot of firepower left in there, Rick. So, I'll make this simple. I want all the guns you've managed to scrape up. Yup. I know about those too. I want every last grain of lemonade you've got left," he demanded. "I want a person of your own choosing... for Lucille."
His gaze moved from Rick down to CJ and Daryl. "CJ... Daryl..." he sighed with a smile. "I gotta get me my romance novel characters back. What's it like having your girl back from the dead, Daryl? I bet the two of you have really gotten reacquainted by now, if you know what I mean, huh?" he smirked and chuckled. "I see you."
CJ's glare was firm on Negan. No way was she letting herself or Daryl be taken back to the Sanctuary. Daryl's heart was pounding in his chest, and his fist tightened around his gun. He lost CJ once; he would not do it again.
"And the pool table. And all the pool cues and chalk, and I want it now!" Negan yelled. "Or Sasha dies... and then all a' you. Probably," he grinned.
Rick was barely blinking as he tensed up at Negan's words. He couldn't lose any more people.
"C'mon, Rick. Just 'cause I brought her in a casket, doesn't mean she has to leave in it," Negan continued. When Rick didn't answer, he let out a sigh. "You know what? You suck ass, Rick. You really do! I don't wanna have to kill her, but that's exactly what you're gonna make me do!"
"Let me see her," Rick finally spoke up, stepping forwards
"Oh," Negan chuckled. "Alright. Just gimme a second, I might have to get her up to speed. Can't hear shit inside this thing." He knocked on the side of the casket with his bat. "Sash, you're not gonna believe this crap!"
Only, when he opened the casket, Sasha came stumbling out, dead behind the eyes and growling as she reached for him.
She was dead.
There was no time to be shocked, as with the distraction of Negan being shoved off the truck, the Alexandrians opened fire.
CJ spun and began shooting at the garbage people around her, killing the two who previously had guns on her before focussing on the Saviors, shooting to kill. Chaos ensued immediately, both sides firing at the other. The Saviors began advancing beyond the gate, and the rest all started to head further into the town to create distance.
As CJ ran, she could feel bullets flying past her, and she ducked behind a solar panel to avoid being hit. The second the Savior's gunfire paused, she came out and fired at him, sending a bullet into his head. Her rifle was empty, so she dumped hers and took the one the Savior had been carrying before running off again.
There was no regard for saving any lives except those of her people. The Saviors would die, and her family would live. Sasha was gone, and they would mourn her later. For now, it was time to fight.
Time to win.
She didn't know where anyone was, and later, she was sure she'd be scolded for running off alone even though there wasn't much choice by this point. She continued running through the town, ducking behind walls and shooting at all Scavengers and Saviors she saw. She went around a corner and saw three Saviors running in the same direction, with their backs too her.
Too easy.
Within two seconds, she had shot all three of them and watched them all flop to the ground lifelessly. She sprinted over to the bodies, blinding stabbing her knife through their heads to stop them from turning and creating even more problems. She run for it once again in the hopes of finding someone she could stick with.
She was a good fighter and a keen shot, but even she knew she shouldn't be running around by herself during a fight like this where its every man for himself.
She managed to duck behind the porch of one of the houses and knelt down just to catch her breath for a second. There was still gunfire happening all over the place, but no one could see her from where she was unless they went around the back of the house. Breathing heavily, she checked what ammo she had left in her guns: six in her pistol, and less than half a full mag in her rifle.
There wasn't much choice but to make a run for it and find someone. Daryl, Rosita, anybody. As she took a step, she was grabbed from behind and a hand came over her mouth and nose. She dropped her gun and tried to yell and fight the person off with no avail.
"You lose," the woman who grabbed her whispered.
CJ flung her head back, headbutting the Scavenger in the nose and forcing her to let go. She didn't even have time to gather herself as she spun around and threw her leg out, kicking the woman in the stomach and making her stumble.
"Shut up, trash bitch," CJ grunted.
The woman let out a growl and ran at CJ, punching her in the face before CJ could block it. CJ's head flung to the side as a metallic taste filled her mouth. She spat out the blood and returned the punch to the woman's already broken nose. The Scavenger cried out, but her anger only grew as she lunged at CJ again.
This time, CJ was quicker, and she had time to hold her arms up before the woman got to her. She kicked the woman's ankle, taking her legs out from beneath her and grabbing her hair. With no remorse on her face. CJ pulled out her knife and sliced the Scavenger's throat. Her eye's widened as she choked on the blood that was now pouring from the slash and down her front.
CJ threw the woman to the ground, and went to grab her pistol off the floor, standing over the Scavenger's body and shooting her in the head, putting her out of her misery for good.
Within a second, she heard more footsteps coming from behind her, and she spun on her heel with her gun raised at the approaching figure, her eyes widening when she saw who it was.
"Daryl," she gasped, lowing her gun immediately.
"Who did that?" he asked when he saw the red bruise forming on her jaw.
She glanced down at the Scavenger woman's body and shrugged. "I've been busy."
"They got Rick and Carl," Daryl said.
"What?!" CJ shouted. "Where?"
"C'mon," Daryl nodded. CJ was quick to grab her rifle off the ground and follow Daryl back out onto the street.
They ducked behind a solar panel, seeing Rick and Carl on their knees, surrounded by Saviors. Negan was knelt down in front of and injured-looking Rick. The Savior leader suddenly got up and went behind Carl, taking his hat of and raising his bat. CJ's heart pounded as she and Daryl ducked out of hiding, ready to shoot when they heard a loud roar.
The King's tiger, Shiva, jumped at one of the Saviors, tearing him apart whilst he screamed. CJ's eyes widened when she saw the Kingdom soldiers appear on horses, taking down the Saviors.
"End the Saviors and their accomplices!" King Ezekiel yelled as he held up a sword. "Alexandria will not fall! Not on this day!"
As Rick made a grab for a weapon, a Savior aimed a gun at him, but was immediately gunned down by someone else. CJ rushed over, Daryl hot on her tail and she saw Maggie leading the forces of Hilltop into the battle.
"Phalanx out, third group, now!" Maggie ordered.
"Move up, now!" Daryl shouted to Rick and Carl. "We got your back!"
The three communities were fighting together, taking down each and every Savior and Scavenger they could see. They ran through the town, splitting into groups to see around every corner, the gunfire never seizing to echo in the air.
As she ran and shot, CJ spotted one familiar person... Josh.
Filled with rage at the sight of him as he made a run for a car, CJ raised her rifle and started shooting in her abuser's direction. He scrambled to hide behind a car, but she kept approaching him. He ducked his head up once to try and shoot back, but he was a terrible shot. She kept shooting, and she heard a cry of pain come from his direction.
She kept going that way, blinded by revenge, when a gunshot rang out behind her, and she spun around to see a body on the floor. Looking up, she saw Carol stood with a rifle half raised, wearing the same armour as the Kingdom soldiers, having killed the man that had tried to sneak up on her.
"Come on!" Carol shouted. "This way!"
CJ didn't hesitate to follow her, continuing to shoot every Savior they went past. She wished she could have gotten to Josh, but that would have to wait. This fight wasn't about her. A flare was shot up from near the edge of Alexandria, and smoke soon began to fill the town. Carol and CJ ran over to where Rick, Maggie and many others were gathered.
The gunfire began to slow down, and the group all went around to the other side of the RV.
"They're falling back," Rick noticed as Maggie took Jesus, Daryl and more of her people around to cover the gate.
"Where did Negan go?" CJ asked, slightly out of breath.
As she spoke, they all heard the hum of a loud truck engine coming to life.
"Now, we finish this!" Ezekiel roared, pointing his sword up in the air.
The group all ran down the road and around to the gate where they saw Negan's truck making its way out of the town. People began shooting at the vehicle, doing anything they could to try and stop it, but it was futile. The bullets were ricocheting of the side of the truck, and Negan stuck his middle finger out the window as he drove away with the few men that had made it out alive.
Negan had got away, and the fight was far from over.
CJ let her rifle drop to her side, and she looked to her left to see Ezekiel smiling at her. "Your majesty," she greeted.
"Miss Jefferson," he replied with a nod.
"You came," she said.
"Yeah," he chuckled. "Someone told me something about building a future. How could I say no?"
The next hour or so was spent making sure everyone was alright. There were some that were injured, including Michonne and Rosita. But everyone was okay. They were alive.
Now, CJ was sat on the porch steps of her home that she had spent the day fighting to protect, looking around the street with an unreadable look on her face. She spotted Carol walking over to her with a frown, and she sat down beside her.
"The guy you were shooting at..." Carol began, and CJ looked down at the ground. "That was Josh, wasn't it?"
CJ picked at her nails as she lightly nodded her head. "How did you know? Daryl tell you?"
"No," Carol replied. "I saw the look on your face. We want all the Saviors dead but that was... personal. I know. Because I was the same once."
"Then why'd you stop me?" CJ asked.
"Because a man like that isn't worth dying for," Carol mumbled softly. "And you're better than him, CJ. Better than all of them."
CJ glanced at Carol, a small smile on her face. "It's good to see you," she whispered. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Carol smiled, looking over CJ's shoulder. "I'll give you guys a minute."
CJ followed Carol's gaze to see Carl walking up to them. He smiled faintly at Carol as they walked past each other, and he sat down beside CJ on the step.
"You alright?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah," she nodded, a genuine smile on her face. "Are you?"
"I think so, yeah," Carl nodded.
"You think so?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I just..."he sighed and shook his head. "I'm not sure. I mean, I know we can do it. But if what's to come looks like what happened today, it just makes me wonder what comes next."
"Carl," CJ sighed. "C'mere." She put her arm around him, and he rested his head on her shoulder, putting his arm around her middle. "We're gonna win, you know," CJ whispered.
"What makes you so sure?" he asked when he lifted his head to look up at her.
"Because I know we can do it," she replied brushing some of Carl's fringe away from his face and kissing his forehead. "It's not gonna be easy. And there are gonna be some days that'll be a lot harder to get through than others, but we'll work it out. On the hard days, we just remind ourselves of what we're fighting for."
"Are you afraid?" Carl asked. "Are you afraid going into this that things are gonna get too tough for everyone?"
CJ paused for a moment, thinking about her answer. She was worried about the fight, about what she might lose. But she wasn't scared. She had a family to protect; as long as she had them, she couldn't let herself be scared.
"No," she finally said with a smile. "Baby, before the world ended I had no one to protect. Now, I got you. I got Daryl, and your dad, and your sister, and all these people here. We still have a future after this, Carl. There has to be something after. Otherwise, there's no point in fighting at all..."
"...So long as we remember that, we can beat them... We can beat all of them."
*****
A/N: end of act 7!! Let me know what you thought of this chapter:)
I know it's pretty short compared to most chapters, but I wanted to focus on the fight 🤺
The fight with the Saviors is well underway!
What are your predictions for Act 8???