They were here. Maggie talked with who I assumed was Negan for a few minutes, then the fighting started. Daryl came back with his bike, taking out as many as he could. We let him in and then blocked the Saviors path with the bus. They crashed into it. "Now!"
We shot up from behind cars and barricades, killing them as they got out of the vehicles. We took them down as the rest ran through the gates, but some got to cover. I looked up with I heard someone scream from the balcony, realizing they were firing arrows, hitting one of their own. They fired arrows at us, one narrowly missing my shoulder. "Lookouts, fall back! Front lines give 'em cover!" Maggie yelled.
We kept shooting as they ran in, but eventually it started getting quiet. "Daryl." I whispered as I came up behind him.
He glared at me. "I thought I said stay inside."
I shrugged. "Don't you know who you're talking to?"
He scoffed, looking around. We both spotted Simon and Dwight sneaking up on Tara. ""Tara!" He yelled. A man popped up with an axe and Daryl shot him. We watched Simon get ready to throw his axe when Dwight fires an arrow at her. She fell, firing her gun. They took off. We fired at them as they snuck away, but missed. The light on the balcony went out. The signal. Enid got Tara. "Daryl, Charlotte, it's time. Maggie gave the signal. We gotta go." Michonne rushed.
I turned to follow her, but Daryl was still watching Tara. "Daryl!" He finally turned, running with us. People shot out all the lights outside and we ran inside, waiting in silence. They came out from behind the bus, moving slowly. I couldn't make out what Simon was saying, but people split off into groups.
He started whistling like they did in the woods as they got to the house. "Now." Headlights turned on and we fired from the windows, sending them in the other direction, right where we wanted. Rick and the others took them down as they ran out the gates. When a few managed to get in their vans and trucks, Maggie and Rick ran after them, firing at them as they drove off. They got away.
~*~
The next day we buried our dead and took care of our wounded. Maggie wanted us to be ready to leave in case of another attack. We wouldn't survive another one. Luke was injured. He was out there fighting even though I told him not to. There was a deep cut across his stomach. "That guy with the mustache, Simon I think. He got me with his axe. Siddiq shot at him, he ran. Siddiq saved me, mom. He's a great doctor."
I smiled at Siddiq, who was finishing up bandaging him. "Thank you. I don't know what I would do if he..."
He smiled and tossed Luke a shirt. "It's not a problem. I'm glad I could help."
I sighed, glaring at Luke as he laid down. "If you ever do something like that again, I'm locking you away, understand?"
He sighed and chuckled. "Yes, mom, I understand."
"Good."
~*~
We all slept in the house that night, those that weren't seriously injured. I slept in the kids room next to Faith, too afraid to leave her alone after last night. The screaming woke me up. Faith woke up crying. I picked her up, hushing her as I walked out of the room. People had turned, they came in the house and started eating people. It was chaos. I covered Faiths head as people rushed past me with Judith, Gracie and the other kids. "Daryl!" I yelled.
He looked up. "Hold on!"
I shoved a walker with my foot, running past him. Daryl ran up the steps to me, putting an arm around my shoulders and keeping his knife in front of us. He stabbed walkers in our way, getting me out the front door. "Go! Go! Don't come back until I say so!"
I ran, jumping when I felt a hand on my back. Liz. "Come on!" We ran together, getting into a car. "Oh my god...oh god..." I caught my breath, Faith still crying. "Luke is still out there! I have to-"
"No!" Liz grabbed my arm. "For once, listen to Daryl! You are pregnant! Your child is crying! Luke will be fine on his own. Daryl will come get us once it's over."
I tried to quiet Faith, but the walker suddenly pounding at the window made her cry harder. I jumped when it was pulled away and killed. Daryl opened the door. "Come on."
He took my hand, helping me out of the car. He hugged me tight. "Luke, where's Luke?"
He swallowed. "Come with me. Both of you. Enid can take Faith."
"O-ok." I handed Faith to Enid, taking Daryl's hand. "Daryl, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry." It was dark, but I could see the tears in his eyes.
We walked into Barington house, where Rick stood, hands on his hips. He looked down when I walked in. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I looked at his feet, the air leaving my chest and my knees giving out. I grabbed Luke's cold face, letting out a choked sob. "Oh, god! No, no, no!" I cried into his chest. I could hear Liz crying behind me but I didn't care. My son was dead. The son I worked so hard to protect. The son I took beatings for. The son that saved my life. I couldn't breathe, it felt like a boulder was dropped onto my chest. I pulled back to look at him, holding his cheeks. His eyes were fogged over, skin pale, teeth red with blood. I closed his eyes with a shaky hand. I stood up, tears still cascading down my face. "W-What happened? How-How did he..."
Rick sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The Saviors....they soaked their weapons in walker blood. All they needed to do was cut our people, let the infection do the rest."
~*~
I sat on the front steps of Barrington House with Daryl, in a haze as he cleaned my sons blood off my hands. "You know I....I never asked him how he ended up with his father. I...I lost him in the woods, how would he...."
Daryl wrung our the washcloth, turning the water in the bucket pink, then continued cleaning my hands. "He told me. At Hershels, not long after you killed Zach. He said he went back home. That was the only place he knew how to get to. Zach was waiting there."
I looked at Daryl, gasping. "I'm sorry, oh god, I'm sorry!"
"You ain't got nothing to be sorry for."
I put my hands on his cheeks, picking his head up so I could see his face in the light. His cheeks were damp, and there were streaks down his face from tears, through the dirt. "Yes, I do. I was so caught up in my grief, I forgot you just lost a son, too. I'm sorry."
His eyes glossed over and his lip quivered, finally he gave way, putting his forehead against my chest, his shoulders shaking. "It'll be okay, baby. It has to be."