"You've changed me forever, and I'll never forget you."
***
The birds were chirping, and people were laughing when I awoke the next morning.
Rick and a few others had headed back to their designated communities, but not before I noticed a ring on Carol's left ring finger. I smiled, knowing who it was from, but kept it to myself.
Later on that day, news came in that Justin—the saviour who fought Daryl—had been found dead in the forest. Murdered, to be exact.
The caused a riot in the saviours. They were surrounding us, saying that one of us had killed him. Enid and I stood beside Cyndie, knowing that she and her Oceanside group had a motive, but knew they weren't capable of murder, but Cyndie wasn't happy at the accusation.
The mob started drawing closer, our side equally as outraged. Others like Alden and Gabriel were trying to keep the peace. I wasn't much help, as I didn't know the full story.
"Stop it! We're gonna find out who did this, and we're gonna make sure it never happens to us again, all right?" Alden said to a saviour named Jed.
"Us? You're not one of us anymore," Jed fired back, Enid and I giving each other a look.
"Us' means all of us," Alden announced, turning to look at Enid and me. It didn't take with Jed, as he threw a punch and hit Alden in the face. I let out a gasp, Enid's grip tightening on my arm.
"Go shovel that horse shit to whoever killed Justin!" Jed yelled, ready to throw another punch. Carol stepped in, placing a hand on Jed's shoulder. I helped Alden up and looked to where Jed had looked as well. Carol's hand on her holster.
"I thought you were supposed to be our leader," he tested.
"Enough. Turn around, all of you," Carol ordered.
"No can do, Cee. Why don't you go ahead and yank that Roscoe, pop me right here? It's better than worrying about getting it in the back," Jed said, signalling some of us to unholster our guns. I didn't, knowing that it would accomplish nothing.
"We don't want this. Hey, we just need to protect ourselves," a female saviour named Laura stepped in.
"No guns!" A gruff voice yelled from behind us. It was Daryl standing on a box with his crossbow in hand.
"That 'cause you're the one took out Justin?" A bearded saviour asked my uncle, causing me to take a step forward, but Enid didn't let go of me.
"Nah. My money's on garbage lady," another Savior nodded to Anne, formerly known as Jadis. Not many people trusted her, somewhat including me. She had been helping us, but I wouldn't leave my life in her hands.
"Revenge for Simon's play, sure," said a female saviour named Regina.
"No. It's him. Finishing what he started," it went back to the bearded saviour who accused Daryl. He and another saviour left the crowd to pick up axes, now giving me a signal to take out my gun.
"Hey, stop. It's gonna go too far," Arat said to the axe-wielding men.
"Nah. It won't," Daryl pointed his crossbow at the menacing group.
"Maybe it's both of them," someone said.
"They didn't do anything!" I yelled over the silence, taking a step forward with Gabriel.
The pounding of hooves on dirt sounded throughout the camp as Enid pulled me out of the way.
"Everyone back off! Right now!" Rick roared with the colt in his hand, sitting on top of his horse.
"I'll talk to Rick. I'll try and find a way to make everybody feel safe, all right?" Alden told The Saviors as the crowd began to thin.
"Start the redirect. Pair off to work the grid," Rick ordered, and I looked to Daryl, who wouldn't make eye contact with me. Enid pulled me away from the crowd.
"You okay?" She asked me quietly. I nodded and stayed far away from the crowd.
***
"Call it out," Rick's voice sounded over the walkie Maggie was holding after walking for a while.
"Grid 1 Clear so far," Jerry answered first.
"Grid 2's clear," Daryl spoke.
"3 is clear," Rick said.
"Grid 4 is clear," Maggie confirmed.
"Grid 5 clear," Arat said.
"Piper 1, anything up top?" Rick asked Dianne.
"We're good. Nothing moving our way," She answered as we stumbled upon a couple of walkers trudging into the forest.
"Stay sharp, eyes open. We still got missing people out here," Rick said.
"Got activity nearby. Gonna go check it out," Maggie informed them, eyeing the walkers.
"We're headed your way. Grid 5, do the same," Rick ordered, and the walkie clicked off.
"There's a house up ahead, off the road. Could be coming from there. We used to live near here. Before Oceanside," Cyndie said, leading the way.
We came upon a beaten-up house where a piece of sheet metal was flapping in the wind, causing a metallic banging noise. Walkers were surrounding it, drawn to the sound.
"Okay. We got to take it out before they draw more. You good to follow my lead?" Maggie asked us.
"Yeah," I nodded
"Already there," Cyndie finished.
"You get the roof. Skylar and I will get them," Maggie instructed, handing Cyndie a pitchfork, us moving towards the walkers.
"Over here! Hey," Maggie called as I readied my knife. Cyndie took off slowly towards the house as we lured the walkers away.
We covered each other quickly, taking out most of the walkers. With the two of us working together, it wasn't a huge hassle.
Suddenly, walkers trapped inside of the house broke through the barrier, starting to surround Cyndie, who had fallen.
I ran, Maggie following close behind and began to take care of the walkers. Cyndie got up to run and was fending off a walker, but Maggie and I were too focused on the walkers in front of us.
They were all taken out, including the one attacking Cyndie, but Daryl had arrived just in time with Rosita and Rick, sending an arrow through the dead man's head.
"You all right?" He asked us both, pulling me into him.
"Yeah. Just opened it back up," Cyndie answered regarding her hand we had stitched.
"What happened to grid 5? Should've been here before us," Rosita asked.
"Grid 5, what's your status?"
We had walked in the woods for a while until we came upon someone I recognized from Oceanside. She had been knocked out.
"Bea. Bea, wake up," Cyndie woke her up.
"You okay?" Rick asked as Bea sat up.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think so," she nodded, rubbing her head.
"What happened?" I asked, looking at her.
"Arat called in the all-clear, and we headed towards the road, and then I don't know. Think something hit me from behind," she said, seeming dazed.
"And Arat?" Rick questioned.
"I don't know," Bea shook her head, getting up.
"Whoever did this took her," Maggie concluded, holding up Arat's walkie and knife.
***
Back at camp, I sat with Enid in my tent.
"And do the saviours know?" She asked, looking at me.
"Not yet. Rick and Carol are talking to some others. Trying to figure it out," I said, rubbing my eyes and regretting it since they were still slightly bruised. My nose had healed pretty well since the incident.
"Shit. Who do you think, did it?" She asked seriously.
"I don't know what to believe. I don't want it to be true, but it could very well be Daryl. The mark in Justin's chest fit his arrow, but he doesn't have a reason to go after Arat," I trailed off, feeling stressed.
"I'm sorry this is all happening," she sighed.
"Thank you. Before I came in here, Rick told me to pair up with someone I trust. Wanna be my buddy?" I gave a cheesy smile.
"Duh," she laughed.
Night had fallen, and Enid and I were still out looking for Arat. So far, we had found nothing. We were wandering around for any clues.
"Drop it!" I heard a man yell close by. We were around where I had been with Maggie and Cyndie earlier today.
"You took out Justin with that thing?" Spiked my attention. Justin was the name of the saviour who had been killed. This must be someone we know. After coming around a corner, I spotted Maggie and Daryl standing together, looking at Arat on her knees, a gun pointed at her head by Cyndie.
I opened my mouth to gasp, but Enid clasped her hand over my mouth. I removed it, nodding and pointed to the group.
"It's been them," I whispered, and she nodded, keeping us hidden.
"He killed my husband," Bea said, her weapon pointed at Daryl. It held an arrow, just like Daryl's.
"Daryl, please," Arat begged.
"They got a reason?" Daryl asked.
"We've all done things," Arat trailed off, and I could feel Enid leaving finger marks on my arm.
"People will find out," Maggie said, taking a step closer.
"She's the last one. After this, it's over," Cyndie calmly said.
It sounded like they had been planning this. They had a list.
"Maybe for you. But it won't be. With something like this, it keeps going," Maggie said, and I could see her point. If the saviours ever found out, it would be chaos.
"This was our home. My mother and my grandmother found this place for the group. There were so many of us then. Men and women kids. My mom and I built a garden. Me and my brother used to play right here. But then the Saviors came. And Simon wanted what we had. He gave us our final warning. Afterward, we ran. And we tried to forget. But, then, your people came and asked us to fight. We did because we couldn't forget. After Rick ended it, we went along because we didn't think we had a choice. Until you hung Gregory, that's when we knew. Rick's rules aren't the only rules. You showed us the way. It was time," Cyndie finished, and my stomach dropped. The look on Maggie's face mirrored mine.
"You did this because of me?" She had taken the words out of my mouth, and I felt heartbroken. Maggie did what she thought was right, and the majority of people agreed with her, including me. Neither of us knew it would spark this.
"They murdered my mother. She shot my brother right here. And they took everything because they could," I looked at Enid, and she had tears in her eyes. I couldn't imagine what Cyndie had gone through.
"Please. It's not like that anymore, okay? I'm one of you now," Arat cried, seeming drained now.
"Did you do it?" Maggie asked the question I had been thinking.
"Simon would've killed me, too!" She yelled.
"You asked me to beg for his life! He was crying, and you smiled! I told you I loved him. I needed him! He was only 11 years old. And what did you say?" Cyndie cried in anger. I was now leaning towards their reasoning.
"I-I, don't remember," Arat sighed.
"Say it!" Cyndie yelled.
"What did you say?" Maggie asked.
"No exceptions."
Tears were streaming down my face now. I hadn't heard those words since Glenn and Abraham.
"Daryl, Maggie! Daryl, you can't do this! I've changed!" Arat yelled but finally silenced, but I knew what had happened. Maggie and Daryl turned and walked away without a word. They killed Arat, and I didn't blame them.
***
Enid and I had arrived home and went to sleep without a word. I didn't know what to do.
The saviours had left the base camp, and I had felt slightly relieved. Enid and I woke up at the same time that morning. We looked at each other and made a silent agreement not to say anything for now.
"They said it was over," I sighed, and she nodded.
Not long after that, Rick had a brief conversation with Jerry and Daryl went over to talk to Rick. I hoped he was telling him what happened last night. I pulled Daryl aside for a moment as I noticed they were getting ready to leave.
"Did you tell him?" I asked, referring to last night.
"Tell him what?" Daryl seemed confused.
"About Oceanside. Arat," I deadpanned, looking at him thoughtfully. His face softened, about to question how I knew.
"I was there last night. I heard you yelling," I explained.
"Maggie is going to Alexandria. This Negan shit can't keep going on, and you know that. He killed Glenn. Abraham. How would you feel if that was Carl?" He spoke lowly, and I was stunned.
He knew I was about to argue back, that this was what Carl wanted, but he put it into perspective for me. Maggie has every right to do what she's about to do, and I don't have the heart to tell Rick.
I didn't say anything but just walked over to Rick, and Daryl started up his motorcycle.
"Please be safe, guys," I said, giving Rick one final hug before he left.
"Always am."
And I watched my uncle drive away with a man I could call my father. Rick Grimes.
A/N: heyyy. So I left out the final scene where the saviours came back with a gun or whatever, but I didn't think it was necessary. Also, I put the last two episodes into one chapter because this one didn't have a crazy amount of stuff I could work with.
Guys...this was the last chapter with Rick Grimes. I am so heartbroken, but I know the reason Andy is leaving the show is because he needs to go home and stay home with his family. He has been the best leader. I will miss him, and so will Skylar.
Thank you so much for 26k reads, and I hope you enjoyed it.
-Ellen Rose🦋