Maya's pov
I sat on Mandy's front porch swinging back and forth on the chair watching the neighborhood go through their day. Today everyone was anxious having their loved ones out there despite it just being a dry run today. I would worry along with them, but I knew better. When Rick said it will be a dry run, then it surely would just be a dry run. Judith's giggles filled the air and I turned seeing Carl passing by the house strolling Judith along.
" Michonne told me she started walking." I called out surprised by myself that I had gotten his attention.
He turned stunned himself," Are you....are you talking to me ?"
" Of course." I laughed standing up and walking to the front porch stairs more easily now since I had gotten my boot taken off.
He noticed pointing to my foot." You feel better now ?"
" Little bruising, but that never stopped me before." I said seeing the shy smile on his face.
" You wanna go for a walk ?" He asked.
Deep down, my brain was telling me to not. To lie to him about some chores and ignore him once again, but my heart leaped at the idea of spending time with him.
" Don't have to ask me twice." I said walking down the porch stairs and walking by his side. I heard tiny claps and across the street I glanced seeing Finnick, Lucas, and Daisy clap at my new fond bravery.
" I heard you hopped the wall." Carl said eyeing me from the corner." You went after Ron."
" He would of died out there alone. I figured Jessie needs her son after losing a husband." I explained noticing he nodded, but it was a slightly nervous nod.
My eyes traveled to his eyes missing how blue his eyes were up close. They were always beautiful to me and now I was mad at myself for staying away for so long.
" Are you nervous about Daryl being out there ?" He asked looking up to meet my eyes this time.
I shook my head." Are you nervous about your Dad ?"
" A little." He admitted." Our group is mostly with him, but so are more Alexandrians. They hate him now."
" You're Dad can protect himself."
" Carl ?" A voice had called out and we both turned meeting Gabriel.
" What ?" I hissed hating the man and what he had said about our group. I felt Carl squeeze my arm and he moved more forward to speak to Gabriel.
" You heard what I told Deanna about your group ?"
" Carter pointed a gun at my face believing it." I spat noticing Carl tense next to me. I guess it was the one thing Rick didn't tell him.
" It was about me, not you, or your group. I know that now. I want to help." He declared." You tried to teach me back at the church, but I'm ready to learn now."
Carl nodded." I think you need to tell everybody." He advised.
Gabriel nodded his head too falling a bit in silence for a while before looking back to us," Yeah, I think you're right."
Carl turned around gripping the stroller in his hands," Come around 3:00. We'll start with a machete." He spoke over his shoulder before moving the stroller again.
" I guess it's good that you're helping him."
" Can we talk about us ?" He suddenly questioned and I now knew why my brain had warned me to not go on this walk with him.
I swallowed," Okay." I said curling my nails into my arm." What do you want to talk about ?"
" What made you run away from me ?" He asked." What made you say we're not friends anymore."
" I'm scared." I answered.
" Of what ?" He interrupted stopping from walking so he could turn and stare into my eyes." Maya, I understand if you don't love me back, but if you do say that, I'll know you're lying. There is no way you didn't feel anything when we kissed at the prison."
My eyes shot up at his words," You remember that ?"
" How could I forget ?" He said still staring into me." Maya, we live in a world where nothing is permanent. Look at how many homes we have been to and lost since the turn happened. I didn't want something to happen and for me to never tell you how I felt about you. If you're scared because of how your mother treated you, I need you to know that I would never hurt you. You mean to god damn much to me to ever hurt."
" I know you would never hurt me." I protested." But-"
" But what ?"
" I'm scared because you mean more to me than any other person. You are my best friend and I can't lose you to this world and I feel like everyone I get close to either leaves or dies. I don't want you to be one." I said realizing what I had just said had gotten some anger and fear off my chest.
He nodded slowly," Please." He begged." Just tell me I'm not a lost cause."
I opened my mouth ready to give him my answers when Alexandria erupted in screams. I gasped turning and watching multiple groups of people climb over the fences and run across the community slicing people away.
" Run !" I screamed unbuckling Judith from her stroller before running with Carl to his house.
The streets were a massacre. Body parts were lying around and it took Carl three shots just before we could enter into the house. I ran up the stairs placing Judith in her crib before locking all the near windows in case someone decided to climb the houses. Screams still echoed from outside and I ran out of Judith's room locking the door before racing back down seeing Carl had a rifle now in his hands.
" They're coming in from all over." He announced while I pulled my bow from my quiver and next an arrow.
" You have to stay here and keep Judith safe." I said going for the door when his hand had gripped my arm pulling me back.
" Woah. Woah. Woah. There is no way you can go out there." He elaborated." Those people are slaughtering our people in the streets."
" That's why I have to go." I jeered." Mandy, Finnick, Lucas, and Daisy are still out there. They could need my help and I can't let them get hurt."
He stared at me for what seemed like forever knowing I was right. If roles were reversed and he knew his family was out there, I know he would go to save them. He walked closer to me kissing my forehead and placing his hand on my cheek with worry evident in his eyes.
" Don't die." He ordered and I nodded running to the door and slamming it shut seeing the chaos in front of me.
I moved to the shadows with my arrow ready in case an attacker was ready before I was. Smoke was rising in the air and the houses closer to the walls were beginning to burn from the look of things. I moved to the corner of the block watching as a man hacked away at a women and used her blood to write a W. I pulled back on the string sending a arrow into his neck before running off again.
I noticed a man with a blue flannel run past me except when he got to the corner, a man had stabbed him with a spear before he ran off. I followed his direction pulling the string to shoot my arrow when a scream filled my ear and I was tackled to the ground. I rolled over only for her foot to press against my right wrist and her right knee to hold down my left wrist.
" Oh, I love when the young ones try to fight." She crackled pressing her machete to my neck." I will admit though. You put up a pretty good fight. Is mommy and daddy getting murdered too out here ?"
" Bitch !" I cursed feeling the blade being taken off my throat and stabbed my shoulder drawling blood. I screamed loudly feeling the blade come back out probably sliding more of my muscles.
The women laughed wiping her finger against my blood and writing a W on her forehead." Nice meeting you Sweetheart." She laughed swinging her arm back to stab me when I noticed something shining next to me.
I noticed it to be broken glass and grabbed it before freeing my left hand and sliding it across her throat feeling her warm blood spill onto my shirt. I cringed at the feeling before pushing the women off me seeing her body went limp.
" It was nice meeting you too, Darling." I spat rolling onto my knees and running once again.
My shoulder burned and I placed my hand over it noticing pools of blood spilling out rather quickly then usual. I whimpered at the pain before grabbing an arrow and shooting a man behind his back. Mandy's street came into full view and I began to sprint for my family when a man came from the side bolted from the trees with a butchers knife.
I quickly stopped jolting backwards in time to not get stabbed, but felt the blade tear into my side. I yelped at the pain abandoning my bow and grabbed my knife seeing this man wanted blood perhaps more then the previous women. He charged at me again swinging the butcher's knife, but I ducked and tackled him to the ground knocking his knife out his hand. I swung my arm back to stab when he brought his foot to my stomach sending me back several feet.
I rolled onto my side, curled in pain. My wound to my shoulder and side burned in protest for me to give up or at least run away. A layer of sweat covered my face and I desperately moved my hair seeing the man grab his butcher knife and charge at me once again. I quickly got to my feet backing up in fear and ready for the man to slice my chest.
" No !" Mandy screamed.
In horror I watched Mandy stand in front of me taking the shot to the stomach. A loud scream pierced the air and when I realized it was my own I reached for the knife on the ground and stabbed the man in the neck. His eyes rolled to the back of his head quickly and I pulled the knife back up seeing Mandy on the ground coughing up blood while her stomach profusely bled out.
" No. No. No." I repeated placing my shaky hands over her wound feeling the blood seep through my fingers." Please....please...please don't die. No...please."
" May....Maya." She choked.
" I'm here." I promised holding her hand and moving some hair from her face." I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."
" You....You....you need to."
" No !" I shouted feeling my lip quiver." I'm not leaving you. Not ever. You can't make me."
A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips and with weak hand she reached up wiping a tear from my cheek." You're just like your father."
My eyes grew wide at her words and I frowned," What did you just say ?"
She laughed again." You're....just like him. You have his eyes. His bravery and his....god damn attitude." She began to cough and I watched the blood coat her teeth and the side of her mouth. I stroked her tear-stained cheek. Her eyes met mine and I tried my hardest to keep calm.
" How do you know him ?"
" You....know him...too." She answered squeezing my hand." He saved....he saved you on that damn....highway."
My body had gone into shock and I stared at her realizing the pieces to slowly fall together. She knew Daryl. They had tension between each other. The secret talking. Daryl guilty looks lately.
" Daryl ?" I questioned and she nodded her head weakly." Y-You're lying."
She shook her head the best she could," He's...He's you're biological father. We....We wanted to tell you....we were scared."
" How is he ?" I cried feeling the anger slowly come out." How is he-"
" He'll explain....more....when he gets back." She explained squeezing my hand." I love you, Maya Isabelle."
And at that moment, I watched the life leave her beautiful eyes. Her hand soon lost grip and I panicked shaking her vigorously getting no response.
" Mandy." I called." Mandy no ! Please ! Come back to me ! Please !" I begged, but her lips did not smile or her eyes flutter with life.
And suddenly the sadness hit me. It felt as if all the air had been sucked from my chest and I lost my breath. I was drowning from within. I screamed loudly throwing my bow far from me and holding my head in pain from the lost. It shouldn't have been her. It should have been me. It always should have been me. The chaos around me began to get louder and when I came in touch with reality, I realized people were still dying and murdering others.
I glanced around, my eyes meeting Sam's wagon and slowly got up on my feet wheeling it over. I wasn't going to let them chop her up. I wasn't going to let them hurt her again. I picked up her body and placed it on the wagon before trodding through the streets. I noticed Carl's house was the closest and opened the garage sliding the wagon in and closed it back up this time thankful that the screams were being muffled.
She'll turn
I turned back to Mandy's body knowing my thoughts would be right. It was bad enough she died, she didn't need to be a walker and join the countless others roaming the earth. I pulled my knife from my holster before bending down and kissing Mandy's forehead realizing it would be the last time I would ever see her. A sob racked my body and I squeezed my eyes shut.
" I'm sorry." I sobbed driving the knife into the side of her head ending her misery.
I stood up feeling my legs give out under me if I didn't lean against the wall for support. I opened the back door stumbling into the back of the house and slowly making my way to the living room when a gun clicked.
" Maya ?" Carl questioned before he dropped the gun running over." Are you okay ? What happened ?"
My eyes began to water at the memory and I gripped his shirt." Mandy's dead." I cried looking back up to him." I couldn't...I couldn't save her."
" It's okay." He comforted caressing my cheek." It's okay."
" No, it's not." I cried coming into realization what Mandy said." She said Daryl is my father. My biological father."
Carl's eyes widen and he was speaking except I couldn't hear him. I frowned before realizing the black dots in my vision and gripped his arm.
" Catch me." Was the last thing I spoke before everything went dark.
I imagined myself to be dead or perhaps even a walker, but I felt the soft material of a blanket and opened my eyes realizing I was in Carl's bedroom. I sat up and hissed noticing bandages around my shoulder and torso where both wounds were sore. Carl couldn't have done this. He was no medical wizard and I had the feeling perhaps Carol or Denise came by. I slipped my feet in my boots not bothering to lace them up and slowly made my way outside hearing the shovels in the distance.
The dead
I slowly walked down the street before getting to the burial sight noticing Carl by himself patting his shovel against a newly found grave. On the cross, made out of wood, I read Amanda Rosewood.
" Thank you." I said out loud.
He turned surprised and nodded walking by my side." I'm sorry you lost her."
" She died doing what she loved. Protecting me." I stated noticing some roses on her grave." Who left flowers ?"
" I did." He replied." Mrs. Cruz had a rose bush, so I chopped some and placed it on. For Rosewood."
I looked over to Carl grateful to have him in this time. I was a strong person, but right now I needed a friend and for someone to be there for me. Another set of cries had caught my attention and I turned watching Finnick slowly walk over with a duffle small enough to be a child. Lucas was right behind him and when I waited for Daisy I realized she was the one in it.
" What....What happened ?" I asked feeling my tears start up again at the sight.
" They got her. They-" Finnick cried squeezing his eyes shut to get the memory out of his head.
Lucas placed his hand on Finnick's back and guided him to the empty grave besides Mandy's that Carl had dug up. Sobs left Finnick's body slowly lowering Daisy in before Carl began shoveling the near by dirt and placing it in. I grabbed Finnick's hands watching his body tremble at the sight of his little sister being buried six feet under. When Carl was done burying her, I turned on my heels heading back home with tears streaming down my face.
" Maya."
" I need to be alone, Carl !" I shouted behind my shoulder.
" You shouldn't be alone."
" Leave me alone !" I shouted quickening my pace.
I opened the door to Mandy's house and slammed it behind me taking a look at the empty house. It was once filled with so much love. It was once filled with the laughs of my dear Aunt. She expected a future with me and planned to always be there for me only to die at the hands of Wolves. She was suppose to be here with me and Dar.....my father.
I slowly sunk to the floor pulling my knees to my chest in shock. Daryl Dixon was my father. He was the parent missing from my life. The parent that abandoned me. The one who fell in love with Jane Pierce some how and made me. My mind went to Merle Dixon or who I should get familiar calling my Uncle.
" Because I know who you are Maya. You might not, Daryl might not, but I know who you are. You're one tough son of a bitch. Don't let anyone take that away."
I sob escaped my lip and I gripped my hair coming to realize everything. How was I so stupid to not realize, but Merle took one glance at me and knew. He knew I'm not Maya Rosewood.
I'm Maya Dixon