A few days later. Outside of Alexandria.

I walked over to Daryl, amused.

He was trying to get his bike going but it just wouldn't turn on.

Me "hello there, handsome"

He looked at me "hey"

Me "need help?"

Daryl shook his head "I got it. There's a fallen tree about yards out. We could use the scraps, maybe patch out the wall. "

Me "Done with my part for the day. Jerry's spearheading the rest. You know, he's taking charge a lot more lately. "

Daryl nodded "Yeah. So? "

I asked confused " So what?"

Daryl " You followed me out here. "

I shook my head, irritated "Nobody's following anybody, Daryl. "

Daryl eyed me "But you wanna come, right? "

I shook my head "no"

He shot me a look.

I rolled my eyes annoyed "i am bored, okay? "

Daryl sighed and got off the bike "princess, what's wrong?"

I shook my head "nothing"

He shook his head "don't bullshit me, Ken"

I looked down.

Daryl "now, what's wrong?"

Me "Things are starting to normalize again which means that we all can take deep breaths and calm down again. And i just - i thought that maybe we could do something we haven't done in a while now"

Daryl looked at me confused.

I rolled my eyes annoyed "I just want to spend a day with my man without having to be scared? "

Daryl got on the bike and managed to turn on the engine.

I got on the bike.

Daryl "Hey, I didn't say you could come. "

I put my arms around his middle and put a kiss on the back of his ear.

He breathed out annoyed "woman"

Me "don't act like you didn't miss spending time with me too"

He rolled his eyes and started to drive. Dog was running next to us.

In the woods.

Daryl hid the bike under some leaves.

I petted Dog and fed him something "Here you go. Here, Dog. Don't get greedy."

Daryl " Hey, come on. He don't need all that."

I flipped him off.

Daryl " Alright, we got five miles due southeast of the gate. "

Me "It's right near that, uh... Small fork in the road by the dying white oak. "

He nodded " Right. Stay close. That's all I'm saying. Just remember this spot in case we get split up, alright? "

I nodded "I'm not going anywhere. Promise. "

He nodded " Alright. "

We started to walk around.

Me " I could do venison tonight. "

Dog started to growl.

There was a dead deer on the ground.

I sighed "Well, any other deer are probably long gone by now. What if we try the, uh, big valley up north? "

Daryl "I was thinking about the river. "

Me "Yeah? "

Daryl "You good with that? "

I nodded "Yeah. Let's do it. Alright."

---

Daryl looked around "There's not much happening out here. Maybe you were right. Maybe we should've gone the other way. "

Me "Well, I think we should fish before moving on. "

Daryl "Doesn't look like they're running."

Me " Worth a shot. Haven't spear-fished in years. "

Daryl raised an eyebrow and handed me the spear "Be my guest. "

I walked to the water.

Daryl petted Dog " Watch this disaster right here. "

Me "Dog, do me a favor and piss on his leg"

Daryl "fuck you"

I looked into the water before ramming down the spear.

Then i showed Daryl the fish i had managed to catch.

Daryl "No way. That's beginner's luck."

I smirked "I'm gonna get another one. "

----

Daryl was gutting the fish while i was gutting mine.

He kept eying me.

I raised an eyebrow "Just say it. "

Daryl " What?"

Me " You don't think I'm doing this right. "

Daryl "Try cutting closer to the bone. Like that. "

I sighed "I've filleted a fish before, Daryl. "

He raised an eyebrow.

Me "Dad taught me"

He nodded before eying me fish.

I handed him my fish "Here. Why don't you just do this yourself? "

Daryl shook his head "It's fine, really. We should go. It's gonna get dark anyway. Need to find a place to stay. "

Me "D?"

Daryl "Yeah? "

Me "Think our luck's run out? "

Daryl asked confused "What do you mean?"

Me " Losing Hilltop was so hard for everyone to take. But at least we were there to fight for it. We tried to save it. But this? Losing... Losing Alexandria? "

Daryl "We didn't lose Alexandria."

I shook my head " Maybe not yet. It feels different. Like everything that's good in the world is not on our side anymore. "

Daryl "We rebuild. We start over. "

Me "Until it happens again. We've had a good, long run. Longer than most. But we know this world. The dead. It's gonna catch up to us eventually. Only if we let it. I ain't gonna let it. "

Me "Daryl. "

Daryl stood up "Let's go. "

Dog started to bark and ran off in one direction.

I looked after it confused " Another animal? "

Daryl shook his head "I don't know. Dog. Dog!"

We ran after the dog.

The dog ran to a cabin.

Daryl "Dog!"

He froze when he saw the cabin.

I raised an eyebrow but brushed it off "you coming?"

He nodded.

I walked inside with Dog.

Daryl followed me in.

Me "We could stay the night here. Seal up that door. "

--

Dog was sniffing the ground.

Me "you found something?"

I kneeled down next to Dog and lifted the plank "Yeah, good boy. Yeah. Oh, yeah, that's the spot. "

Then i took out something from the hole before looking at Daryl "She lived here?"

Daryl "It was a long time ago. "

Then he walked out and leaned against the wall.

I followed him.

Daryl "I already told you everything. "

I shook my head "you ain't told me shit"

Daryl looked down "Kendall-"

I snapped "Daryl"

---

Me "so you and her?"

Daryl "We were just friends"

Me " Is it possible that sh-she just left?"

Daryl raised an eyebrow " What?"

I shook my head " It's not an accusation. "

Daryl "Nah, I walked away. "

Me "You didn't walk away, Daryl. "

Daryl nodded "I did. I was down by that river. "

Me "Stop thinking that every time you lose someone it's because of you, something you did wrong."

Daryl " I made a mistake. "

Me "We all make mistakes. Losing Leah, that's not on you. Neither is dad. Or Connie. "

Daryl scoffed, shaking his head " No, that's on you. 'Cause you never know when to stop."

I froze "you said you know it wasn't my fault"

Daryl didn't say anything.

Me "i saw a chance to get rid of Alpha i took it. I will not apologize for making Alpha pay for killing our friends, 'cause I was right. "

Daryl "And that's all that matters, you being right, huh? "

I eyed him and shook my head "This isn't just about Leah. Or Connie. Or anyone else, is it? Why don't you just say what you wanna say?"

Daryl shook his head " You shouldn't have come. "

I looked at him confused "i wanted to spend the day with you"

Daryl shook his head "no. No, you wanted to run, so you ran. "

I shook my head "no"

Daryl snarled "stop bullshitting me"

I warned "Daryl"

Daryl "Alexandria. What the skins did. You couldn't deal with the guilt, so you made it my problem. "

I snapped "Your only problem is thinking you have to save everybody. I don't need a savior, Daryl, and I don't need a martyr. I just need my boyfriend. "

Daryl "couples don't have the same damn conversation over and over again."

I crossed my arms over my chest " Oh, is that what's happening here? 'Cause this is new to me. "

Daryl "It's what been happening. I'm sick of it."

I asked irritated "what the fuck is wrong with you, Daryl?"

He looked down.

I eyed him and froze when it hit me "how long?"

Daryl shook his head "Ken-"

My voice cracked "how long?"

Daryl "Kendall, listen-"

I shook my head "answer my fucking question!"

Daryl "around 10 months"

I shook my head, in tears "while i was drowning in alcohol- while i was losing myself and needing you - you were out here having something with another woman?"

Daryl looked down.

Me "i needed you, Daryl. "

He didn't say anything.

I shook my head, in tears "when i remember how you treated me when you found out i slept with Negan while you were doing the same with another woman this whole time! "

Daryl "that' was different, Ken-"

I asked hurt "how was that different?"

Daryl "she didn't mean anything-"

Me "then why didn't you come back home!? If she didn't mean anything then why didn't you just leave her and come back to me. Me- the one you say you love"

Daryl "why did you sleep with Negan when you say that i am the one you love"

I slapped him across the face.

He held his jaw.

Me " when i asked you if you wanted to end it you should have just said yes"

Daryl nodded "I should've. "

My heart broke.