New Beginnings *6 years later* (December)

"C'mon. You know yer not normal..." Gabriel teased, having to fight back the urge to kiss her once again. He had to remind himself that she was a married woman, and he had already overstepped his boundaries.

Instead, he reached over and ruffled her hair. "But neither am I."

Mikko smiled a little and reached over to pinch his cheek.

Awww yer fine.

They were almost back home and she hoped that whoever was in the roadblade wasn't too hurt. They must have went to get the kids, maybe they got Anton. She hoped so.

Stitch grinned briefly at Kai, " they get home now... good... maybe ohana too." He beeps the horn to let the guards know he wanted in and then three separate blasts for Lilo specifically. Two fast and one long to indicate there were injured and a passenger.


The RoadBlade had quickly left the truck behind but the larger vehicle should be easy enough to spot coming not far behind them


**


Lilo had retrieve a bit of water for Logan giving it to Glenn to help him with then heard the RoadBlade unique horn and the signal blasts. She checks her belt she had some equipment left and the blade should have more in the kit so she smiles and squeezes Glenns shoulder and then hurries out excusing herself past Carl and Maggie encase she had interrupted something and possible she did knowing what had happened and she didn't hide from Carl any mor ethan she had Judith her damp eyes.


Hey she had like Beth, a lot! a good friend and genuinely a sweet person! She was going to miss her terribly.


She moves towards the gate to meet the blade but to the side encase the fast small fighter vehicle needed to make room for more. Hoping no one was too badly hurt.

Ot was a huge relief when the gates came into view, then opened, granting access. Once the vehicle had stopped, Lexi was quick to climb out, relieved to see Lilo. The woman was far more experienced with major injuries, and the fact that Laz was her significant other and Kai her child....she certainly needed a more steady set of hands...


"Laz....Negan took his arm...he needs blood. Kai is injured...Daryl was shot..." She tried to brief the woman.

"I'm good. Taheri care of them." Daryl told the women as he climbed out of the vehicle, making a wince, ready to help transport Laz if needed. He could take care of himself. This woildn't be the first bullet that he would extract from his body, and most likely would not be the last.


Kai was sticking close to his dad. He would not leave the vehicle until he was out...


The truck was not far behind. Gabe was glad that Mikko had taken no offense, knowing she wasn't the overly sensitive type. Coming to a halt close to the other vehicle, he was quick to climb out. Seeing Daryl clutching his stomach, blood pouring down his vest and pants, something told him this wasn't the worst...the vehicle had sped past for a different reason....

"Need any help?"

Once the roadblade came to a stop in treetop Laz slipped out into the cold with Lexi's help. He held onto his injured arm, or what was left of it. Stand was hard though and he had to lean against the roadblade. He wasn't steady on his legs and he was worried about having to walk and distence.

When gabe pulled up Mikko quickly jumped out of the truck and hurried to the others.

Were you at Sanctuary? Did you get Anton?

Of course she would offer her help as well but first she needed to know if they had her kid with them.

It would be hard to hear the glass hitting aginst the tree houses at first, The moltov cocktails that were met to burn the trees down did nothing the first few throws due to Eugene's efforts of wetting the trees down, but a few soon caught fire. sending people into a panic.

THe men who were at the gates open the gates wide letting in the enemy who came in guns blazing.

Negan was at the front of the line, reveling in the panic that he was causing. This is what he wanted to see, tree top in total disorder. He ordered for everything to be burned down and left the group to go on the hunt.

The first person he spotted was Eugene. Rushing up to the frightened man and put a bullet in his chest. One down, many to go.

He spotted the Roadblade and the an injured Daryl. There was hesitation knowing that the roadblade had some power behind it, so he grabbed a few of his men and ordered them to take control of the vehicle. He then made his way to Daryl, bat at the ready. He wouldn't just kill this man like he did Eugene. No Daryl needed an ass kicking before his death.

Finally. There seemed to be an end in sight as the crew made it to the backstretch.. the last line of treehouses and structures that would require their attention. Everyone was exhausted, cold and hungry, but Eugene urged them on. Just a little longer, then they could return to the warmth of their homes, to the awaiting arms of their loving families....

But none of that would come.

Unbeknownst to the determined crew, the enemies were undoing all of their hard work at their starting point, too far away to alert them to the imposing dangers....


Eugene was alerted to their vehicles return, too much distance between them for him to call out to Mikko, relieved she had returned safely. Deep down, he knew that his worry was misplaced due to the fact that she could not die, but being a man of science, after all these years, that was something that still boggled his mind, making it impossible to accept. Anything that lived could know death....

In that moment, all of the jealousy and insecurities that had previously plagued him over her team up with Gabriel washed away, relieved that she was home, and he would return home to her...to Evelyn and the life they had made in a world full of death.

"That will do, team. Return to your families. Take pride in knowing your efforts will allow valuable time if this place should come under attack. " He told the crew, dismissing them after the bark of the last tree was thoroughly soaked.

His longing gaze still fixated in the direction of Mikko, so far away...

Everyone was oblivious to the intruders with weapons, shots muffled by silencers. He managed a step in the direction of the returned vehicles when the bullet ripped through his chest, missing his heart, but the damage was done. The arteries destroyed, giving just enough time to feel the pain, and the fear....and the cruel and unforgiving acknowledgement that he would soon be dead.

If he could just make it back to the others, even if words could not form, his state could serve as a warning to them.

Tears pooled in his eyes as he tried to make it, the thoughts of Mikko and his daughter and unspoken goodbyes that he knew would not be granted to him...

..another step, and his left leg buckled, his crew meeting a quicker end than he would experience. Their bodies strewn around him...dispatched with shots to the brain.

Too far.... but he tried to call Mikko's name, words drown out by the gurgle of blood in his throat....

..his right leg buckled, the world became fuzzy, but his gaze still looked to her. Hope dying as he finally collapsed, choking on his own blood as he tried to call her name...one last time...his life leaving him in streams of crimson.

Mikko's questions were interrupted by panic. There was screaming and fire. It seemed to all happen so suddenly. No one saw the first few trees catch fire, no one noticed the gates opening for the enemy. It was all peaceful and then suddenly an attack. An attack that they should have all been ready for.

As soon as Mikko's head wrapped around what was going on her first thoughts were to Eugene. SHe needed to find him. She knew that Evelyn was safe with the others for now, but Eugene was out there somewhere.

She abandon the others and looked for her husband.

It didn't take long to find him, lying on the ground bleeding. She screamed out his name and rushed to him, falling on her knees next to him. She took her jacket off in an attempt to use it to stop the blood flow.

Don't you leave me! You're not allowed to leave me! She cried at him as she held pressure on his chest knowing that it would do no good.

Some of the gunfire had been silenced, some had not. Despite his injuries, Daryl tried to assist Gabriel with getting Laz inside, instructing Lexi to go ahead and take care of her son, but things quickly changed courses when the dangers became too close...

Negan and his men came into sight. The unmistakable smell of burning trees....their homes...going up in flames...

"Get everyone out of there.. " Daryl ordered anyone standing nearby. Gabriel, Stitch, Lilo...redirecting Laz to the vehicle, knowing it was his best bet of surviving..and Lexi, with her little one. He managed to get them back into the vehicle, confident that Negan's men could not take it. Now, his full attention on the ring leader himself. The asshole with the baseball bat that seemed to have his sights fixated on him. He tried to lift his bow to take aim, but the motion caused a deep, almost crippling pain that cost him precious seconds...

And soon, Negan was on him. Daryl had just enough time to grab his buck knife as Negan closed the gap...

With an angered growl, Daryl rushed at him before Negan could draw back his bat, their bodies colliding, bringing them both down to engage in a death roll in the snow...

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Gabriel tried to call after Mikko, but it was no use. He wanted to go after her, but considering that she could not die, first he needed to do his part to get those that could die to safety.

Climbing up the ladder to the treehouse where the majority were bunkered, he saw that Carl was already on alert, readying his rifle, and instructing Maggie to return inside and protect the others..

...but no one was prepared for Simon and a few Saviors that had made it up the back of the structure, busting and entering through a window, guns at the ready...

Glenn reached for his pistol, but the barrel of a rifle pressed to the back of his skull, causing him to freeze.

"Well, that's just fucking ruuuude. I wouldn't do that if I were you. But then again, I'm not you. Thankfully. So do what you want! Personally, I don't mind blowing your pretty brains out all in front of your little ones, but it doesn't have to go down that way! I mean, the end goal is eeeeeverybody dies, but buy yourself a few more minutes...hmmm? We've been watching this place long enough to know this is that fucking traitor Dwighty Boi's place. So I'm here hunting me a waskuwy wabbit!" He taunted..."You all get a free front row ticket to his execution!! And let's not forget our Gabby boi!"

Finding himself on the ground with a very pissed off Daryl on top of him, it took all of Negan's strength to keep the knife away from himself. Holding Daryl's hand back he tried to get the upper hand by throwing some jabs into Daryl's wound and attempting to rolling the man onto his back.

Meanwhile more fires were spreading and back at the house with the kids Maggie walked in the house to see her husband being held up by gun point and her kids crying.

Michonne had a hold of her own gun but was afraid to make a move, not wanting to cause a shoot out around the children. Dwight has advance cancer, he's as good as dead anyway. Just leave him alone. Not that these monsters would care about that but she hoped that simon would at least leave to tell Negan the news giving them time to hide the children away.

Carl took aim at Negan, but with the man scuffling with Daryl, it was impossible to get a clear, safe shot at him. At the rate the two were going, someone was going to end up dead...

Then, a distraction presented itself in the form of his little sister. She had slipped past him and everyone, even past Negan's men. He wanted to call out to her, to call her back.. but to do so would put her in danger. He could hear the men inside the house and knew they were surrounded. Soon he was met with the same treatment that had befallen Glenn...the barrel of a rifle pressed against the back of his head....

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Judith sprinted as fast as her little legs would carry her, managing to dodge the attempts of the Saviors that tried to capture her. She averted their shots... obviously they were not above killing children. She disappeared into the heavy snow covered brush, returning the gunfire, the prison keys tucked safely within her coat's pocket. She had to free the prisoners before the entire community burned to the ground. Had to find backup....had to save the others...

Struggling to catch her breath, Mikko's cries caught her attention. She shifted her gaze in her direction... the coast seemed safe, for now. The Saviors were looking for her in all the wrong places. Idiots, she mused. But there was little time to take pride in her stealthiness.

Slowly heading in Mikko's direction, the scene began to unfold. Eugene's blood trail, indication that his death had not been instant. The bodies that had dropped before him. And Mikko, knelt beside his almost lifeless body, but she had made it before he took his last breath, giving him a small ounce of relief in his final moments. He tried to mumble one last 'I love you' before the hand that had taken hers went limp, and his eyes became hazy as he slipped away....

Judith's heart hurt. Another loved one....gone. The familiar sting of tears at the backs of her eyes, emotions she would not allow to fall no matter how much it hurt.

Adjusting her brother's hat, that had been her father's before his, she quietly approached and knelt on the opposite side of his now lifeless body. She holstered her pistol and gently reached over, sliding Eugene's eyes closed. She knew he would have to be dealt with, but he was Mikko's. Her brother once told her, when someone turned, those closest to that person should be the one to release them. If they were strong enough. The final act of love.

"I'm sorry." She told her, tone quiet and conveying a depth of sympathy that should have been foriegn to one so young.

Mikko held on to Eugene until his last breath. When Judith knelt beside them she looked up at the young girl and took a few deep breath and wiped at her tears.

Thank you.

She wouldn't put Eugene down though. Mikko knew that he would turn but she didn't have it in her to stop it, nor did she have it in her to let anyone else stop it. She laid her coat over his face and stood up.

No one touches him. If he turns he turns. Let nature take it's course. You shouldn't be out here. We have to get you some place safe.

The sharp, loud voices managed to penetrate Dwight's subconscious, slowly tugging him awake. One in particular sounded too familiar and at first, he considered it side effects of the debilitating drugs that should have been his mercy...

..a voice from his distant past...

Eyes fluttering open, he was met with the painful reminder of just how unwell he was. The still quietness of the bedroom making it easy to hear the voices...the taunting... Michonne trying to spare him...to buy them time...

Panic instantly took hold, but he tried to remain in control of his fear. Fear not for himself, but for Abby and Sherry and...these people he now considered family....

Quickly pulling on an old ragged pair of jeans and a hoodie and shoes, he carefully nudged Sherry awake as he pulled a pistol from the nightstand, handing it to Sherry before waking Abby, placing a finger to his lips to quietly signal them not to speak...

He mouthed the word 'hide!' before handing the pistol to Sherry, then grabbed another for himself. He knew it would be too risky to send them out the window, even if the house was on ground level. The place was likely surrounded, but he was hopeful that Sherry and Abby would go unnoticed if they took refuge under the bed, or in the closet... no one would get past him to search this room. Once they were hidden, he would go out and try to avert any attention from them....

Sherry finally fell into a restful sleep and not even the voices outside the bedroom could wake her. But the movement by Dwight did tug her out of her dreams and she opened her eyes to Dwight looking panicked and telling them to keep quiet.

SHe held a now awake Abby close and took the gun, now hearing Simon and Michonne outside the door.

With a nod she took Abby to the closet and hid among the cloths attempting to bury themselves benith the coats. She didn't want to leave Dwight by himself but knew this was the best plan of action to keep Abby safe.

She was worried about the others too. Especially the children. Thankfully the fires hadn't reached them yet.

Lilo cursed!


Damn Michonne and Damn Carl for backing her and NOT getting his people out of here!


Lilo grabs Gabriel, her own weapon coming out of her belt, the first she aimed at lost his head. The Blaster leaving a smoulder wreck where the head was. Next on she blaste3d off his leg, an arm on the next shoving Gabriel. " Stitch! get that truck and get as many as you can in! I'll get the blade and run interference... Laz... I'm sorry but if you want to live you will have to risk mutation."


Stitch is bullet proof. He is fire proof and proving even if he is only three foot tall he was more than dangerous, hearing Lilo in the middle of breaking an attackers legs he rushes under the body towards the truck.


Lilo is barely aware of much, pulling and shoving Laz back into the road blade with one hand with the help of Kai and Lexi? she doesn't know and she is firing, blasting at any one fool enough to make a bid for the Blade. Until who ever was getting in the blade is in and then she is getting in. Simply plowing over any fools left trying to get at the road blade. " whoever is in the back there give Laz a shot of the syring in the bottom on the survival kit. The whole lot, it'll be bright green." Her task now was to keep the truck Mikko and Gab game back in safe guarded enough to drive. For Stitch.



As long as it could drive they had a chance of getting some out.


Stitch reclaims the truck quiet easily gunning the motor and beeping the horn loudly. Lilo in the blade also doing so - a call to any near to get the heck in.


Lilo throwing the Blade into a drifting arc around the truck not firing yet in fear she might hit Carl's lot, using the blade to plow through attackers. Anyone she doesn't recognise. Whether she's killing or wounding she doesn't care pulling the UHF handset down to make an announcement over the speaker of the Road Blade. " Tree House People, get in the truck - Saviours... prepare to be RoadBladed."

the sudden chaos that was happening around them sobered Laz up real quick. Despite the pain and blood loss (which honesly there was no pain at this point) he grabbed Kai and ducked back into the roadblade also attempting to tug Lexi in with them. His first priority was to keep his family safe.

He barely heard Lilo talk to him about an injection but did register the mutation part.

Laz shook his head.

No. No mutation. I'll be fine. Just get my family out of here.

Simon's gaze shifted to Michonne as she spoke up, informing him of Dwight's illness. A smirk that quickly became mock amusement... "You think Negan is just going to leave him alive just because he has a touch of death? Now what kind of man would he be if he just let Dwight go after failing his end of a deal? And let's not forget, Dwight stole one of his wives! That shit don't slide!"

With Sherry and Abby well hidden, Dwight double checked his pistol. He took a deep breath to help steady his frayed nerves, hearing the taunting going on right outside his bedroom...

He finally stepped out, pistol aimed in Simon's direction, trying to hide the slight tremble of his hand.


The Saviors were quick to redirect their aim at their traitor, but Simon seemed unfazed by Dwight's threat and death glare. "Dwighty boi! Now, is that any way to treat an old friend?" He was quick to snag Noah as the child tried to get to his parents. Pulling the frightened boy against him, Simon pressed the barrel of his pistol against his temple. His gaze never leaving Dwight.

"You're gonna surrender yourself, or I'm gonna blow this one's head clean off his shoulders!"

Maggie wanted to grab her kids and pull them to safety. She wanted to run out of there with all the kids and get them away from these people. Things only got worse when Dwight stepped out of his room. Now Simon had a hold of her son! She wanted to takle the man to the ground but knew that only get her shot, it was important that no gun was fired around the kids.

While she was trying to come up with a plan in her head to save her kids. a light caught her attention. The light got bigger, hotter.

The house was on fire!

We all have to get out of here!

when the bad men came into the house Sandy held on to Noah. She signed to him best she could what was going on as not leave him out but she was scared and that made it hard. Unlike some of the kids she wasn't in tears, not because she was so brave, but she belived so much that the adults would protect them. With them around nothing bad would happen.

But then something bad did happen.

Noah was ripped from her and a gun held to his head. She tried to hold on to him but the bad man was too strong.

Panicking, and not thinking before acting. Sandy grabbed on to Simon's leg and sank her teeth into him hoping to save her friend.

The snow around them now stained in blood, the fight continued. Daryl's attempts to stab Negan were averted and he eventually lost his grip on the weapon. Now it was all fists. Both had done damage, both injured... but Daryl was still losing blood from the gunshot wound. The scuffling and rapid heartbeats only made his situation worse...giving Negan the upper hand...

Negan managed to pin Daryl beneath him, but Daryl fought with every once he had in him.... and when the opportunity presented itself, sunk his teeth into Negan's arm...

*~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~*

Lexi was frantic. All hell had broken loose, and they were being ushered back onto the vehicle. Fortunately Laz seemed more stable, and refusing the concoction that brought with it the threat of mutation. Kai was quiet, fearfully cuddling one of the puppies as he watched out the window of the vehicle, the fight between Negan and Daryl...all of the blood...the smoke from the burning houses....


Lexi's eyes grew in horror when she noticed the flames that began to envelop Dwight and Sherry's home....


"Oh no...Zoey!"

LAz was still refusing the mutagan when he heard Lexi. That was when he noticed the fire that had taken over Dwight's house. Why was no one leaving the house? What was going on in there? Maybe they needed help, and he had to get his child.

Not saying a word Laz left the roadblade and went as fast as he could to Dwight's house. He headed up the ladder was faced to face with Carl and one of Negan's men, rage took over and Laz kicked the man off the small porch.

He then took a deep breath before heading inside the house.

Once getting the upper hand Negan threw punch after punch at Daryl's face. When the bite came Negan pulled back and stood up pulling out his gun and aiming at Daryl's head.

Gabriel assisted Lilo with getting the others to the vehicle, then headed out to try and help others... but it seemed Daryl needed the most help right now. He was in a death match with Negan, and soon the enemy had the upper hand.


He waited for his moment, streaking up behind Negan and taking aim...

But the shot would never come. The weapon had jammed. Using the butt of the pistol, he smashed it into the back of Negan's head...

THe hit to the head came right before Negan pulled the trigger. It cased him to drop his gun on the ground and stumble forward grabbing his head in pain.

Negan turned around still holding on to his bleeding head and glared at Gabe.

You! You're a fucking dead man!

He rushed at Gabe aiming to knock him off his feet.

Simon screamed out when Sandy's teeth sunk in. He released his grip on Noah and reached to grab the culprit, pulling her off and tossing her aside. Before he could take aim at the child, Dwight made his move, taking the shot which struck him in the shoulder. Before he could take another shot, a bullet ripped through his chest, causing him to drop to his knees...


"Don't fuckin' kill 'im... Negan wants him alive!!" Simon reminded the saviors, clinching his wounded shoulder.

"Your aim is still fucking shitty. Something tells me that was meant to be a kill shot...fucking ruuuude!" He taunted. "Look at me when I fucking talk to you!!" He roughly grabbed Dwight's hair, forcing his gaze to meet his. Dwight spat a mouth full of blood into his tormentor's face, earning him a hard punch to the face.

Carl was soon free thanks to Laz, but the situation wouldn't stay that way. Saviors shoved their guns in Carl and Laz' face, ordering a few of their men to tie their hands behind their backs, and the same was being done to everyone else....

"He's hurt and can't walk." Glenn told the savior that tried to rip Logan from him. "Just...let his mom carry him....she won't try anything..." He told them, hoping to spare Maggie from being tired, and Logan from being rough housed by the Saviors. Giving a nod, the man handed Maggie the injured child, then began tying Glenn's wrists behind his back...

"Okay! This place is about to go up, so everyone file out. No funny business!!" He roughly grabbed Dwigbt by the blood soaked hoodie and attempted to yank him to his feet, but he was dead weight. Refusing to budge.

He was in a predicament...Sherry and Abby needed to get out now! If he didn't tell the Saviors...they would surely burn alive!! But exposing them could subject them to more cruelty from Negan....

"I'm...I'm not leavin' without my.. my family..." He finally told him, choking on his own blood. "They're..in the closet..."

A wicked grin crossed Simon's features and he gestured for one of the men to go retrieve them while the Saviors began leading everyone out into the cold... lining them up and forcing them onto their knees in the unforgiving cold, awaiting Negan to conduct his business. ..

The man searched through the closet until he found the two. "Cmon. No time to waste. This place is burnin' down."