A couple days later.

Ezekiel, Yumiko and Eugene had come across with some girl that called herself "Princess" she's a little crazy. Everyone was now in an abandoned hospital we called "the Tower".

Daryl and i were out in the woods scouting. He was still mad at me for not telling him about the Negan situation but....i mean, Alpha's dead. That's what counts.

He was on the radio trying to reach Michonne "Don't go home. They'll only find us if you answer me. We got a plan to end this. One I think you'd like. Man, being on the run like this, barely scraping by...reminds me of the old gang. "

I smiled a little.

Daryl "Seems like ages now. "

I nodded.

Daryl " Michonne? Can you hear me? Michonne? "

static was heard.

Me "you gonna talk to me?"

Daryl kept walking "nope"

Me "Daryl"

Daryl "you wanna do this now?"

Me "Daryl, i am serious. Damn it!"

He turned to me without saying anything.

Me "you haven't lost a word about what i did with Negan"

Daryl "that you fucked him?"

I rolled my eyes "you know damn well what i mean"

Daryl shrugged "What do you want me to say? you want me to yell at you? want me to lecture you for trusting that son of a bitch?"

I nodded "anything. Anything but the silent treatment"

Daryl shook his head "i'm not punishing you with silence"

I nodded "You are"

Daryl shook his head "nah, i'm not"

I nodded, yelling "you are, Daryl!"

Daryl nodded, yelling "Fine! okay! you had a plan and you went through with it!"

i asked confused "you're mad that i had a plan that included Negan?"

Daryl yelled "I'm mad that you didn't tell me, Kendall! You should have told me! You can't do shit like that on your fucking own!"

I asked irritated "and why not?"

Daryl "Because shit changed. Because you and i are in a relationship, for fucks sake! now, i know i'm not the best at relationships but even i know you don't do that. "

I crossed my arms over my chest "but you can go do your own shit without telling me, right? how many times did you pull shit behind my back? huh?"

Daryl sighed "Kendall-"

Me "i am sorry, Daryl. But i saw a chance and i took it"

Daryl "you should've told me"

I shook my head "i couldn't. not this time. Negan escaping and joining Alpha had to look real. You had to believe he switched sides. "

Daryl shook his head.

Then i took my ring off and put it in Daryl's hand.

Daryl rolled his eyes "what ya doing now?"

I shook my head "i thought we could take off were we left things years ago. But too much has happened. We both have changed too much. And i love you. i can understand that you don't want to put up with my shit anymore. i am not the Kendall that got shit faced drunk with you at the CDC and ended up having sex with. I'm scared of losing the people i love that it has come to point were i get reckless trying to protect those people"

He shook his head.

Me "and i know you. The kind of person you are. You don't do shit like that - you don't put up with shit like that. So, if you're sick of it - or sick of me then say it. And it'll end."

Daryl didn't look bothered at all "do you want me to end it?"

I shook my head "no. of course not. i love you, Daryl-"

Daryl "well, i love you, princess"

Me "but this hasn't anything to with love - this has to do with the fact-"

Daryl "do you want me to end it?"

Me "Daryl, you aren't listen-"

Daryl nodded "i hear what you're saying. Now answer me. do you want me to end it?"

I shook my head "no"

Daryl "then why the hell are we having this conversation?"

I looked down "i don't know. "

Daryl "you think i expected this to be easy? you are what i want. of course i'll get mad when you do stupid shit like that - but only because you are putting yourself in danger without me knowing about it- without giving a chance to keep you safe. Because that's all i want. you're my priority. You have changed over years, i see that, but i can't blame you for that. Look at everything you've lost over the years - i would never blame you for letting it affect you."

I nodded.

Daryl "Shit is getting hard at the moment but..for you to think i wouldn't want you anymore is bullshit. I'll always want you, Ken. even though you made me question myself if you will always want me because you basically called me old"

I shook my head, grimacing "i didn't -"

Daryl nodded "you did. now, get that stupid thought of me not wanting you anymore out of that pretty stubborn head of yours and think about that i love you. "

I nodded "i will"

Daryl nodded "okay. good"

I nodded "okay"

Then i turned around to walk away again.

Daryl "Ken"

I turned to him "yeah?"

He held the ring up "the hell where you thinking i was gonna do with that?"

I shrugged and held my hand out "don't know. wear it?"

Daryl "i shrunk it for you. It doesn't even fit me anymore"

Then he put the ring on my finger.

I nodded "okay, good"

Then i turned around to leave again.

Daryl said annoyed "princess"

I turned to him "what?"

Daryl "am i not even getting a fucking kiss now? after the speech a gave you? you don't think i deserve a kiss?"

I shook my head "nope"

Daryl growled, grabbed me and pulled me in for a kiss.

I kissed him back, smirking.

Daryl broke the kiss "mhmm, that's my girl"

I smiled "i love you"

Daryl nodded "mhm, now you can keep walking"

Me "you just wanna check out my ass"

Daryl shook my head, pretending to be offended "me? i'd never"

I laughed and kissed him again.

---

Daryl and i came across Judith who was killing a walker.

Me "Judith. What're you doing? "

Judith "I'm fine."

Daryl " Who you with?"

Judith shook her head " No one. "

Me "Come on. We're going back. Let's go. "

Judith " Please, I wanna stay."

I shook my head "no way. "

Judith " I left Father Gabriel a note. I swear, it's fine. "

Me "No, that wasn't a question. Let's go. "

Judith "No. I hate it up there. Smells like cat pee. "

I sighed.

Judith "I wanna learn what you do, how to keep us safe. In case something happens. "

Daryl looked at me.

I nodded, shrugging.

Daryl looked at Judith "I walk the perimeter. I look for anything that looks wrong. If I find something, I go somewhere safe, and I radio it in. There's no room for mistakes, not right now. "

Judith nodded "I know. All right. "

Daryl "If you do this with us, you're gonna do everything we say, you're gonna stay right next to us. All right? "

Judith nodded "Promise. "

Daryl nodded "All right. Come on."

--

We were waling through the woods.

Daryl stopped Judith a little " A hunter moves, everything else moves around it. Try to spot things that don't belong, things that just don't feel right. Now take a look. Tell me what you see. "

Judith looked around and walked over to a piece of skin that was on the tree.

Daryl "Living or dead? "

Judith nodded "Walker. "

Daryl nodded, proudly "They could be roundin' more up. Stay behind me."

We hid behind bushes when we saw walkers.

Daryl aimed his crossbow at a Whisperer and shit.

The Whisperer gasped and ran away.

Judith and i killed the walkers while Daryl ran after her.

Then we ran after Daryl.

--

Daryl was aiming the crossbow at the Whisperer who was on the ground half dead.

She had taken her mask off and took her knife out.

Daryl "Throw it over there. Now. "

Whisperer "I will if you pull this outta me. I can't die like this. It ain't natural. "

Daryl "You drop the knife, I'll think about it."

she dropped the knife.

Daryl "Where're your people? "

Whisperer "A few miles east. Headed to the ocean"

Daryl ". Are they with the horde? You a scout? "

Whisperer "I was... going off on my own. "

Daryl "Why? "

Whisperer "I had no choice. I love those people, but he's... I couldn't stay there."

Daryl "He's what? "

Whisperer "Lost it. After what you did to her. Will you take this out?"

Daryl " Does he know where we are?"

Whisperer " I don't know. But he's gonna keep coming for you. You took too much. No, please. Please. I want to walk... after. "

Daryl "Does he know where we are? "

Whisperer "I don't know. I mean it. "

Daryl shot her in the head.

Judith looked at her with wide eyes"You didn't have to do that. "

Daryl walked to the body and took his arrows out "She didn't have any information for us, anyway. She was gonna die. Better to be quick. "

Judith "We're gonna leave her? "

Daryl "Come on."

Judith " Maybe she has a family."

I sighed.

Daryl " Look, if they're only a few miles away, maybe we can spot something from the top of the tower. "

I grabbed her hand and followed Daryl.

---

Judith stopped walking.

I sighed and put a hand on Daryl's arm to stop him.

Daryl turned to me "huh?"

I nodded to Judith.

Daryl looked at her "What is it? "

Judith "I can't believe we just left her. In a ditch. What if you were lost... and no one could find you? Or Ken was. Or RJ was. Or Mom. "

Daryl "You gotta tell me where this is coming from."

Judith " I just want us to be back together again. At home. That's all. "

Daryl "I radioed your mom so she knows not to go home, so she's safe. And that way, she can find us."

Judith asked hopefully " You talked to her? "

Daryl shook his head "No. But I'm gonna keep trying. "

Judith lost some tears " It doesn't matter. I talked to her after the fire. And I'm worried... maybe she won't come home."

Me " What'd she say?"

Judith " She went to go help some people she met. Who needed her. I didn't wanna tell you. "

Daryl "Why's that? "

Judith looked at us with tears rolling down her eyes "'Cause maybe you'd leave, too. "

Daryl " I won't. "

Judith "You promise?"

Daryl shook his head " I can't. "

Judith asked heartbroken "Why? you promised Kenny"

I looked down.

Daryl "I promised her that'll always come back. That i can promise you too. But i can't promise you to never leave. Because I can't lie to you. I don't know what's gonna happen. And there ain't no one that can tell you that they do. And there's one thing I know. There's a whole bunch of people back there that'd do anything for you. And one day, when you're older, they're gonna need you to do anything for them. You got a whole lot of family. "

He bent down to her "Nothing can take the place of someone you love being gone. But that doesn't mean that everything that follows is gonna break your heart. "

She hugged Daryl and Daryl hugged her back.

I smiled and let a tear roll down my cheek.

Daryl let go of her "Hey. We gotta go, kiddo, all right? Come on. "

Judith smiled and wiped her tears away.

Daryl looked at my tears and rolled his eyes "now i've got two of my girls crying. Great"

I smiled and shoved him a little "asshole"

Judith asked hopefully "so you two aren't fighting anymore?"

I nodded "uncle Daryl and i are back on the good side again"

she smiled.

Daryl took his phone out and radioed Gabriel " Gabriel? "

Gabriel "Daryl... where are you? "

Daryl "You're breaking up. I can't hear you. "

Gabriel "Come back... they've... surrounded the... "

Daryl "Gabriel? "

Gabriel "We need... wagon... "

Daryl "Gabriel! "

Static was heard.

Daryl turned to us.

Judith hugged my side as i clenched my jaw.