I stalk out of the Barrington house with little to no sleep and more questions than answers. Last night, Daryl had confessed to that we had briefly met the night I had ran into Shane and Carol. But why can't I, for the life of me, knock the memory loose? I'm pretty sure I had memorized the ceiling inside the room I've been staying in while I had attempted to recall what he spoke about. I was taken aback when he continued to admit that he had left some food when he'd find where I was hiding out, not wanting to make himself known. The gun I had when Sophia went missing was left in a house he thought I would hit at some point; he planted it in hopes it might someday find itself in my possession. Spoiler alert - it did! That same gun saved my ass more times than I could count before Rick had saved me. That was Daryl's when the world fell. Daryl saved me before he knew my name. He mentioned offhand about the look in my eyes; something that made his world stop spinning when our gazes locked. Daryl isn't a hopeless romantic, so how exactly could I have made such an impression on the redneck in a span of several seconds? I know I'd remember Merle if I saw or heard him that night; that man is next to impossible to forget. Daryl, too, is very unforgettable, so why can't I fucking recall that moment?
After Daryl's confession and listening to his memory, I had excused myself for the night. I needed a moment to wrap my head around it. I had crawled into bed, laying between the twins, unable to find the comfort I usually do when I cuddle with my tiny humans. I feel horrible that I haven't had a lot of time with them since returning to Hilltop, and now I'm about to extend that time a little bit more to warn The Kingdom. However, they've been seeking out Daryl more and more, beginning to grow more comfortable around their father. In the few times I set aside to spend time with the twins, they would gush over the conversations they would share him. My heart melts every time, happy they are able to mend the bridge between them. I never should have allowed Charlee to take them away from him; but I wasn't in the correct head space to argue with her. All I wanted was revenge. The lifetime award for shitty parenting goes to me.
I know I don't need to ask Tara for her blessing to leave, but I want to reassure her that I will return; she had asked me to bring justice for Jesus, and I will try like hell, but right now, The King needs warned before people start traveling to his domain.
I spot Tara standing on lookout with Yumiko at her side. Sighing, I walk over, taking the ladder up. They both glance over curiously at my sudden appearance. I lean against the gate, peering out into the open field, feeling awkward that I might've interrupted a discussion that they were sharing. Without peering back over at Tara, "I'm heading to The Kingdom early. Zeke needs warned about the skin walkers. I'll ask Charlee to come with me, so I won't be alone."
In the corner of my eye, I observe as she nods, "good idea. It's good to have you back, Ness."
I smirk, "it's good to be back." I turn my gaze to the brunette that had once attacked us under The Governors orders, but quickly changed sides, aiding Glenn in returning to him to his wife. As angry as I was when I found out, I forgave her. She didn't know that she had a wolf in sheep's clothing leading her small group. Some people just can't read people really well, while others are just too charming, that you just ignore all the red flags glaring at you. It finally clicks in my head - Lydia just might be as much of a victim as Tara, and we let her stay. "You know, about Lydia -"
"Open the gate," an urgent voice drags my attention back to the open field, interrupting my thoughts. With unease creeping along my spine, Yumiko grabs the binoculars while I shield the sun out of my eyes with my hand, ignoring Tara and Yumiko frantically talking amongst each other. I watch Connie and Kelly walk towards the gates, but goosebumps break out along my flesh, seeing walkers approaching Hilltop, Kelly. walks ahead of them unknowingly. I put my fingers between my pink lips, letting out a whistle. Kelly's gaze finds me before peering over her shoulder. She eyes grow wide at the sight behind her; she rushes towards the doors, quickly letting herself in. I let out a string of curses as the walkers begin to march in formation towards the gates. What the fuck?
"It's the fucking skin walkers," I breathe out, my fingers grip the gate, growing angry. "The fucking audacity of these animals."
"Hey Daryl!" Tara shouts, signaling for him to join us.
I narrow my eyes as a short, curvy, bald female stalks to the front of the group. The sight of her turns my stomach. Daryl stands next to me with Magna and James to his right while Yumiko and Tara are to my left. I share an uneasy look with James, then turning my gaze to my husband, a silent conversation - a silent promise - passing between us. We got each others back, and will follow the other's direction. It's like we fell back into the way things were before everything happened. Something's never change, even after six long years.
Swallowing hard, I return my attention to the unwelcome group at our door. "I am Alpha, and we only want one thing from you - my daughter." Daryl tenses; this is the woman that abused and manipulated that poor little girl. My face sours, seeing the evil woman in a new, darkened light. She's Lydia's Owen, and I will do what I can to keep her out of harms way.
Tara clears her throat, raising her chin, "our community is more than capable of defending itself!" She declares unflinchingly.
"I show you my face because we mean you no harm. I just want my daughter. I know you have her." Alpha offers calmly.
"Ya should turn around," Daryl warns. "Leave now and no one gets hurt."
"Wrong answer." Alpha raises her fist, signaling to something or someone unseen. A second wave of skin walkers, bigger than the first, stalks into view, marching until they join the first group; I smirk at the ridiculous sight of several humans wearing faces of the dead. I know I should be afraid, but I find myself being more amused and disgusted. I cock my head, beginning to recall memories of wolf packs from my years of reading fantasy novels. They are presenting as a pack; maybe I can use that to my advantage.
Daryl's quiet voice brings me back to the present. I listen, not taking my eyes off of their leader. This might be a very bad idea, or something that works in my favor. I don't break eye contact with the piece of shit; a way of challenging her authority in front of her followers. "That girl told us what her mom does to her." I feel his eyes bore into the side of my face; he's considering everything I just went through myself. "We ain't sendin' her back to that."
Tara shakes her head, "yeah, but what if she has Alden and Luke? Pissing her off can get them killed."
"Did you kill our friends? We found their horses." Magna questions to the stranger.
"No. Which one of you leads these people?" Alpha inquiries. I feel Tara stiffen beside me. I reach over, offering my strength.
Daryl growls, "what the hell does it matter?"
"Then I'll just address all of you," she announces, "your people crossed into our land. There will be no conflict. Your people killed our people. There will be no conflict. I'm done talkin'. Bring me my daughter, or there will be conflict."
Her people killed Jesus; red dances into my vision. I grip the fence, opening my mouth to speak when Daryl grabs my shoulder, gesturing for me to follow him. "No one touches the girl," he speaks offhandedly while we walk to the edge of the walkaway together.
James steps in front of me, eyes pleading with me to stay. I shake my head, "James, please. Daryl knows how I work, and I, him. He needs me to go with him, so that's what I'll do."
"She's done talkin', I'm not." Daryl calls over his shoulder, watching our interaction. "I need her with me. I understand ya don't like me, but right now, swallow it, and trust me. Like I trust her." James chews on his lip, considering the weight of our words. He sighs, removing himself from blocking my way.
"Dare, wait. They move like a wolf pack," I begin to hash out my thoughts and run the plan with him while I feel James carefully watching the two of interact. Ignoring him, Daryl nods, agreeing without any questions asked. I trust her, he openly admitted to my brother. He still trusts me after all this time, and allowing me lead me this while he lead the interrogation of Lydia. We scramble down the ladder; quickly approaching the door leading to the outside world. Charlee whistles, tossing my swords over. I kick open the door, raising my chin, in a show of protecting my partners neck, sheathing my blades while Daryl walks behind me. In a pack setting, the female protects her mate, not allowing any harm to come to them. My eyes lock on to the bald woman who only stands barely an inch taller than me, not breaking contact. She wants mind games, I'll give her mind games. I mean, I, unfortunately, learned from the best.
At our approach, Alpha whispers something to the person standing closest to her; whatever the order is, two people walk away from her, heading into the giant stalks. I don't allow my mask to fall, displaying worry for Connie who is hiding in there, and still remains to be undetected. I come to a stop in front of Alpha, an average human sized wooden, makeshift doorway still separating us. I step out of Daryl's way, returning to his side, not taking my eyes off of the woman. I force my face to remain calm, feigning disinterest and boredom.
In the corner of my eye, I detect movement behind me, near Tara on lookout. Daryl glances over his shoulder, spotting whatever made the noise; by the look on his face, our twins joined the party of worried onlookers. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not. They are our children through and through.
"Ya can't have her." Daryl begins, turning his focus on our uninvited guest. "Now if it's a fight you're lookin' for, we got enough firepower to light ya up. Right here and now." He tenses as the sound of a baby cooing dances on the air around us. "Ya brought a baby out here?"
Alpha smirks, "we're animals. Animals live out here. Animals have babies. So we have babies out here. Now, what were you sayin'? Lightin' us all up? You seem to want conflict. I don't. So I'm proposing a trade." The two skin walkers that disappeared moments ago, reappear with two masked hostages. I have a feeling I know who it is before they even drag the masks off - Luke and Alden. Though, I've never seen Luke, I'd bet anything that the shorter man with curly brown hair is him. Alpha's eyes flick between myself and Daryl, "I wanted to kill them, but I want my daughter more. One of mine, two of yours. It's a good trade, which is why you're gonna take it. Now... bring me my daughter."
Daryl scrutinizes the short, plump woman before shaking his head in frustration, turning to face me, "stay here, keep an eye on her." I nod, listening to his footfalls, stalking back inside the gates, leaving me alone with the skin walkers.
Alpha turns her full attention to me, opening her mouth to speak, but the sounds of the baby fussing fill the air once more, accompanied with the groans of the dead. Alpha peers over her shoulder, signaling to the mother of the child. My mouth falls open in horror as the mother sets the baby on the ground, stepping out of the way of the dead.
"Son of a bitch, you twisted fuck," I growl; she's really going to let this baby become walker chow. I can't sit back and watch this shitshow play out. Daryl will have to yell at me later. I'll ask for forgiveness later. I peer over my shoulder, locking gazes with my brother. James nods, yelling for someone to come to my aid. Seconds later, I throw open the door while I hear someone rush out of the walls. Without glancing back to see who has joined the party, I shoulder check Alpha on my way through, forcing the skin walkers to step out of my way. Sounds of the people on lookout smacking the gate and yelling bounces on the tense air around me, in attempt to distract the walkers while I race over to the innocent child.
"Mommy! Mommy! The baby!" I force myself to ignore Caroline and Kellin's frantic shouts. I barrel over, observing Connie running out of the stalks, quickly and carefully wrapping the baby inside of her arms. I open and close my mouth, a warning of the walkers near her die on my tongue when I remember she's deaf. Instead, I grip my throwing knifes, taking down the closest walkers to her. Her wide brown eyes find me, I gesture for her to follow me. Connie shakes her head, pointing to something behind me. I turn around, smiling as two of the dead wannabes advance towards me with knifes in their grasp. I grin, dragging my swords out, spinning them in my hands, daring them to come at me. Upon noticing the crazed, pissed off look inside my eyes, they stop their approach. With that threat dealt with, I glance around, realizing Connie went back into the stalks. Shit, I run in after her, cutting and dicing any of the walkers that fall into my path.
I find the darker woman with curly hair moments later, clearing a path in front of her while she attempts to bring the infant to safety. It's almost over as soon as it starts when Tammy Rose, Earl, Kelly, and Daryl join us a minute later, materializing almost out of no where. Daryl steps in front of me, as the others lead Connie away from the threat. "Go back, we got her from here. Enid is workin' on bringin' Lydia back."
"What do you mean, brining her back?" I question carefully, panting in between words. "She left?"
"I'll explain later, we gotta go." Daryl grunts.
I strut out of the stalks after watching Daryl trail off after the rescue team, heading towards the door that separated us from these feral humans, spotting Charlee, awaiting my return. Her pretty face twisted in disgust at something the bald woman just said to her. I shouldn't have left her alone with these animals, but as a mother and moderately decent human, I couldn't let an innocent baby die at the hands of the dead. As I start to walk past Alpha, she turns to me, "you're a mother. You understand why I have come for my daughter. Why I do what I do. You'd do the same for your children."
Without glancing at her, I chuckle, "nah, I don't have to worry about them running away because I don't abuse my children. Instead, they feel safe and loved with me." I turn my full attention to the bald woman, "plus, I've taught them to kill. They would cut you where you stand if you tried."
She smirks, "you better hope I don't find them outside these gates. I wouldn't want anything to happen to them. I wouldn't want to test that theory."
"Is that a threat, animal?" I narrow my eyes at her, words dripping with contempt.
Alpha cocks her head at me, surveying me curiously, when Daryl reappears with Lydia in tow, cutting off any retort she might've had. I return to Daryl's side while Luke and Alden rush by us, reuniting with Kelly and Enid. I hang my head, hating that these feral animals won. If it were up to me, I would've lit them all on fire, but Alden and Luke wouldn't deserve that kind of ending. They were hostages; not the problem - innocent bystanders. This woman is smart, I'll give her that. I assume she knew we would've killed her and everyone who stood by her, so she brought a bargaining chip, or two.
"Sorry, Mom. Thanks for comin' to get me." Lydia offers. Her mother smacks her across the face in greeting, before dragging her into an embrace. My fingers twitch to do the same to mentally unstable piece of shit. Daryl notices, intertwining his fingers with mine.
Alpha brings her lips to the teenagers ears, "you call me Alpha, like all the rest."
"Yes, Alpha." Lydia obeys, hanging her head in defeat.
"Abusive piece of shit," I spit at Alpha as I watch her and the skin walkers take their leave. I frown; maybe I'm wrong. Alpha deserves the award for worlds worst mother. I shake my head, stalking back inside the gates. I hope we didn't sign Lydia's death certificate. In a perfect world, she would remain with us where she is safe, but we live in barbaric times.
Daryl wraps his arms around my shoulders, leading me back inside, sensing the rage swirling under my fair flesh. I glance up on lookout, spotting James observing us for the umpteenth time today; something unreadable dancing behind his eyes.