New Beginnings *6 years later* (December)

Sounds like a plan to me. Let's get you home.

Mikko put her weapon away and placed her jacket on Abby who had left without hers. Then headed back t Treetop with the two of them.

I'm sure Dwight will be happy to have you back home.

" You good to walk?" Gabe asked, hoping Abby wasn't too banged up. It looked like they would be causing a little chaos later...hopefully they made it before Laz bled out..

Abby nodded her head and walked with them. Kai wanted to talk to Negan, and dragged me along. I told him to just play it cool but now Laz and him are going to be killed.

No one is going to be killed. Mikko told her. Did you see Anton there?

No. He wasn't mentioned.

Kai managed to dodge Negan, but was outnumbered by the Saviors and was snatched up by Simon. He struggled and kicked and tried to bite, but the man always seemed to be one step ahead of him...


"Let go of me!!" He screamed angrily, still fighting, threatening to kick anyone that tried to come close...

Negan was handed a long switch and walked up to the boy.

Now I hate to do this to you. But you have to be taught to listen if you're going to be staying here. and you will be staying here. Abby was taught the same way and she learned damn fast.

Laz was being held down and his blood loss made it impossible for him to do anything about what was going to happen.

Negan tore off Kai's shirt leaving him bare to the elements.

Take some deep breaths. He instructed before coming down over the child's back with the whip.

Daryl and Lexi both watched and listened as Stitch explained things, Daryl paying the most attention. This could be useful if things got bad and he had to know how to operate the vehicle..

The guards opened the gates to allow them out, then quickly closed them once they were clear....

It was obvious that Stitch knew the way, so Daryl didn't gave ti give directions...he hoped this was easy, and that every were not too late, a d if they were....he really wished Lexi had stayed with the others...

Judith moved out of the way when she heard the vehicle coming... then Lilo knealt in front of her, expressing her grief, so open with her tear and her heartache...


The little warrior felt her own brewing, the pain and grief she had swallowed down, needing to be strong for her brother, knowing he would need it...


The gates opened once more, and a brown horse was led inside by one of the guards, his own emotions clearly on his face. A body draped over the animal's back, a sheet concealing the person's identity, but Judith knew....it was Beth. The guards had recovered her remains...


There seemed to be grief even in the animal's steps, head hung low as it made the trek toward the infirmary, the back of the building doubled as a morgue...


It made this even more real, and at this very moment, she did not have to be strong for her brother...

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she wrapped her little arms around Lilo's neck, hugging her tightly.

The switch hit its mark, tearing open the child's soft skin. Still fighting, the sudden sharp pain momentarily stunned him, but he muffled his scream, hot tears burning at the backs of his eyes ..but he was not giving up, he continued to fight even as blood poured down his back...

His new position put him in the perfect spot and his knee struck Simon hard in the crotch, causing the Savior to lose his grip, but he was quickly restrained by another...

You need to calm the fuck down. You're only making things worse for yourself. You got 19 more to go.

Negan waited for Kai to be held tightly before bringing down the whip again and again. Laz attempted to get up and stop the man but the other saviors kicked him back down

When we're done here we'll clean you up and put you back to bed.

The group had brought enough blankets and sleeping bags to make sure everyone was comfortable. Glenn took a seat close to Maggie, not ready to put Logan down just yet. Holding his son, feeling his heartbeat against his own chest, and his breaths was soothing. They had came so close to losing him.

The fatigue was really starting to wear on him, and he couldn't imagine how his wife was feeling...their son seriously injured, and she had just lost her baby sister. Freeing up one of his arms, he pulled Maggie closer to him..

"You okay?"

Maggie leaned into Glenn enjoying the comfort that he gave her.

Yeah I'm ok. I just feel I should be doing something. Maybe I should have went with Mikko to patrol. Or with Eugene to wet down the buildings. Just sitting here is driving me crazy. She confessed as she tried to cover up a yawn.

I should go out there and stand guard outside the door. Because someone needed to keep a watch out. And she was happy to do it.

Despite all the struggling and fighting, Kai's back was now a mangled, bloody mess. He had fought back the tears until impossible, but had not cried out...

By the time the ordeal was over, he felt nauseous, crumpling to his knees when the men released him. His blood staining the snow around him. He fought to catch his breath, the pain overwhelming. He wanted his mom...wanted to go home, but was growing doubtful that he would see either again....

Negan knelt down in front of Kai and lifted his head up to make eye contact with the child.

This could have been avoided. I'm not the bad guy here. I'm just keeping order. You'll understand one day.

He stood up and got the woman to take Kai inside to get cleaned up then ordered him to be locked up in the playhouse with the dogs.

With Kai gone Negan returned his attention to Laz. Now to deal with you...

Gabe knew that Abby was the standoffish type, but she was still a kid, so he offered her his hand as they walked...


It didn't take long to reach the gates a d the guard let them inside...

Abby had hesitated to take Gabe's hand at first but soon gave in and held his hand all the way to TreeTop. As soon as they walked through the gate she ran home and rushed through the door then burst in her pares's bedroom and leaped in bed with them.

Mikko grinned at Gabe.

A job well done I say. I'm going to find Michonne and let her know about the deer. Wanna join me, or are you ready for bed. I know I can tire a guy out.

Stitch grins at his human companions - pointing at the remaining body armour of the roadblade ad the glass bubble around them all, " armour good, tough... no air wheels no pop... much fuel..." the only actual weight the vehicle had was the fuel.


He cycles through the weapons again pointing at the windshield where little colored icons showed what was loaded, " Rockets, make all go boom... Mini gun, half ammo left tear apart human and zombies and bites deep into armor... flame thrower..." to Daryl and Lexi.

Cycling back to rockets as Negans community begins to loom ahead... evil little cackle... been some time since he could and wanted to wantonly destroy anything he wanted to! And he intended to enjoy it.

Lilo reciprocates the hug slipping arms about the little form and rubbing her small back, encouraging Judith to feel the way Lilo's breath shook too and gasped, just allowing the tears and grief for the moment. Soon she might be all serious playing doctor again. Or fighting.


But for now she is just a gal whose friend was lost and another, an almost niece was grieving with her.


And she didn't try to make promises she couldn't keep, or lay on the 'you still have your brother and us..' no she just wanted to be there for Judith, for Carl. So just holds the small warrior until Judith is ready to let go.

Negan's guards saw the roadblade approaching the gates and alerted Negan. It was perfect timing too as Negan was about to finish Laz off. Instead he decided to post Laz, still alive, up on a cross in front of the gate before the company got there.

Negan and the men dragged Laz and outside the gates and tied him up tightley to the post then stood him up before running off to prepare to defend Sanctuary.

Laz didn't have the energy to fight back. He was tied to the cross and hung there in the snow watching with tired eyes as the roadblade drove closer. He was trying to hold on till rescue could get him. There was a bit of hope now. Though he was more worried about Kai. As long as they could get Kai out of there he would die happy. And hopefully Lexi wasn't in that car.

Unlike Daryl, Lexi was finding it difficult to listen....she could only think about her husband, and her son.... worrying they would be too late, but...that couldn't be an option, because there was no way the world could continue spinning without those two in it...


Her heart beat wildly within the confines of her chest as they drew closer. The snow was coming down hard, but she could make out something off in the distance. A cross...a figure fixated like some twisted crucifix...


Daryl, who had been listening intently as Stitch explained the vehicle's functions a d how to operate it, was able to make out the figure before Lexi due to his position...he turned to Lexi with urgency, and that look in his panicked gaze told her all that she needed to know...


"Don't look...let me handle it..." Because it was impossible to tell if Laz was still breathing...

Hearing those words confirmed her fears.. it was Laz hanging on that cross...

A bloodcurling 'Noooo' reverberated throughout the small vehicle as she fought to get out, and Daryl knew there was no stopping her...

"Cover us..." He told Stitch once the vehicle came to a stop. Lexi quickly stumbled out with Daryl close behind, his crossbow ready in case he had to dispatch a reanimated Laz, or shoot an attacker...

"Laz!" Lexi called his name as she rushed to him, noticing his right arm had been severed...but his chest was still moving... he was still alive...

"Please don't leave me..." She sobbed, struggling to untie him. Daryl, knowing that Stitch had them covered lowered his weapon and helped remove him, quickly shedding out of his coat and draping it over him...

"Need to get a tourniquet on that arm..."

Laz was thankful to be off that cross and in Lexi's arms tho he wanted her to get back in the safety of the car. Get back...In the car... He panted out trying to stand on his own.

Negan stepped out to greet the two.

Lexi! You came back. Knew you would. Why don't you come inside.

Dwight knew that he would be putting anyone that hid with him in danger. It wasn't an option, but he couldn't tell her that. No need causing her to worry. "I'll figure somethin' out...I'll be okay..."


Just then, Abby appeared out of nowhere, jumping onto bed with them. Dwight'd eyes went wide, and he quickly sat up, wrapping his arms around her. The IV and oxygen line would make it impossible to keep tbe truth from her now, but that was the last thing on his mind....

"You had me worried sick....where did you go?" His tone was not angry, but relieved. She was home, and safe...that's all that mattered.

Abby hugged Dwight and sherry back. She did notice the IVs and would be asking about that. But her dad had asked a question first.

Kai wanted to talk to Negan and brought me along because I don't know why and then Laz came to save us but he lost an arm and Kai was in trouble and I took the truck but crashed it! She said all in one breath.

I killed one of them though! All by myself. She added proudly.

Then Mikko and gabe saved me from the others and brought me home because I got lost. Are you sick?

Stitch gave thumbs up.... and watches - making it obvious he had weapons... and was ready to use them, the gun on the road blade aiming at Negan but at others on his defences.


He waits for an order to cause destruction and mayhem... oh pleeeeaaaase!

But Laz wouldn't have to stand alone. Daryl was quick to loop his good arm across his shoulder as Lexi tightened her belt around his bleeding stump...

When Negan appeared, Daryl began moving Laz back toward the vehicle and settled him into the back, hoping Lexi would follow....

She was edging closer to the vehicle, her tearfilled but angered gaze fixated on her Ex.

"You have one minute to bring me my son, or my friend inside this vehicle if going to blow you, and this shitty community away..."

Laz let Dary sit him down in the roadblade grateful to be out of there but still worried about Kai and now Lexi!

Negan wasn't worried about Lexi's threats. He just grinned and motioned for her to come in. The gates opened enough for her to walk through.

Come in and get him. He just got cleaned up. He had a rough night though so I think we should just let him sleep.