C H A P T E R  1 0

❛ hearts still beating ❜

QUINN

     IN THE FEW HOURS THAT HAD PASSED the entire community seemed to have transformed. Where at first the women had been peacefully doing their tasks, going about their day, they were now assembling an army. Cyndie had taken charge and was arranging everything that was needed, together with Beatrice. Her grandmother still wasn't on board but at least she wasn't actively trying to shoot anyone anymore.

Since Quinn had no idea what was happening back home, they'd decided Cyndie and Beatrice would travel to Alexandria with her and Nick. By now the Saviors probably searched the entire community for her. She had to trust it was safe enough to go back again. But the Saviors weren't even her biggest worry. Quinn could only hope Rick and the others had thought of a plan to fight back in the time she'd been gone. She was terrified she'd come home and find their spirits broken. She wasn't sure she'd be able to deal with that. If that was indeed the case, she was going to have to pull a plan out of them. The time of sitting still and doing nothing was over. She was going to make a stand, no matter the cost.

It couldn't be any worse than the price they'd already paid...

She was seated at the water's edge, watching as the sea crawled right up to her feet before retreating again. They were leaving soon, after Cyndie had made the last preparations. Until then Quinn had withdrawn to the beach, wanting to have one last look at the deep blue water before she'd leave. The rhythm of the waves was calming and made her feel more peaceful than she had in days...If she closed her eyes the feeling almost reminded her of waking up in Daryl's arms. The sunlight peeking through the curtains, teasing her awake. If she could pick a moment in time to return to, that would be it. Far away from all the pain she'd come to know after getting out of that bed.

Thinking of Daryl felt as though Negan was beating her with that damned bat. Her heart couldn't take the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to wreck her whenever his face appeared in her mind.

Subconsciously her hand went to the wound in her side. If someone had told her the moment she met Daryl that one day she'd jump in front of a bullet for him, she would have laughed. But now...now there wasn't a single part of her that would've done it any differently. He had become a part of her. Losing him would be like losing a limb. She would forever be scarred...

Which was exactly why she had to fight. To get him out of that hellhole, to make sure something like that would never happen to anyone else she cared about. It was simple, she didn't have another option. She was going back to the Sanctuary and raise hell.

With one last deep breath, inhaling the salty sea wind, Quinn got to her feet. She turned and walked back towards the community. The urge to pause and look back at the ocean one last time was strong but she refused. Looking back wasn't going to get her forward. And so she kept moving until she reached the main square of the community.

Cyndie, Nick and Beatrice were already waiting there for her. Behind them stood the car she and her father had arrived in. She suppressed a relieved sigh, she wouldn't have been able to walk all the way to Alexandria with her wound still healing. But she never would've admitted it either and so she was thankful Cyndie had understood her silent struggle and came with an alternative to walking. Now the only obstacle that remained would be finding their way to Alexandria from here, since Quinn had only a vague idea of where exactly Oceanside was located.

"Ready to leave?" She questioned once she reached them.

Beatrice nodded. "We're good to go."

Though, as they made their way inside the car, Quinn couldn't help but notice the way Beatrice glared at Natania. Clearly they didn't completely trust the woman not to make her own plan. But she also noticed several women standing close to their previous leader, all armed and all seemingly ready to stop her if she decided to do something stupid. After everything they'd been through, this community was more than capable of defending themselves. Quinn wasn't one bit worried about leaving. She knew there would be an army waiting for them once the plans were finalised.

Cyndie got behind the wheel and Quinn took a seat beside her. Slowly they drove over the small sandy road, leaving Oceanside behind them.

"There's a map in the glove compartment," Cyndie said. "Do you think you can pinpoint Alexandria on it?"

"Shouldn't be a problem," she replied, reaching for the map and folding it open in her lap. Her eyes searched for DC Washington and the highway running through it. If she could manage to find the route Aaron had them take the very first time they arrived in Alexandria, she could easily find her way home from there.

Her finger followed the many lines as she tried to get as accurate a location as possible. She was glad for the distraction because every bump in the road made her side burn like hell. Biting her tongue she mapped out a route before finally showing it to Cyndie.

"If we follow this highway and take route 16 near Washington, we should be good," she said.

They drove in silence and Quinn was glad for it. Her mind was racing with ideas on how they could get a fight organised against the Saviors. Even with Oceanside on their side, they were still outnumbered, by far. Which meant they had to play it smart, draw the Saviors out from behind their walls. Set a trap for them the same way they had trapped them and drawn them into the woods.

Which definitely wasn't going to be easy. She'd experienced first hand that Negan was far less stupid than he appeared. He knew how to manipulate people, hell he'd managed to brainwash an entire community into calling themselves by his name. Going against a man like that could cost them way too many lives, more than she was willing to part with...

Her eyes found her father in the rearview mirror. He was staring out of the window, seemingly lost in thought. A sudden idea struck her but she knew no one would ever agree with such a plan. The more she thought about it though, the more she became convinced it was the only way to win, with the least lives lost. Her father had lived in the Sanctuary, probably knowing the compound inside out. They'd be insane if they wouldn't use that knowledge. She could sneak inside with him and kill Negan herself, in and out, done within seconds. But she refused to go alone with her father. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, she still doubted his loyalties. She had to take someone with her to watch her back. But who would possibly be insane enough to go along with such a plan?

She leaned her head back against the headrest. The idea had taken root inside her mind, clinging to her until it was the only thing she could think of anymore. But she also knew her family wouldn't be eager to agree. There was no way Milo would let her go back and Rick wouldn't want to take such a big gamble with someone's life. If she was going to share this plan with anybody, she had to make sure it was someone willing to go to the same lengths, even with the possible risk of not making it out alive...

"What's your community like?" Cyndie suddenly said, startling Quinn out of her thoughts.

She took a deep breath, feeling a sudden stab of homesickness. "We're fighters. Fighting is pretty much all we've done since the outbreak." It was the truth, they were hardened and broken by the world. But they had become so much more than that. "We're a family and we're trying to build for the future, no matter what it takes."

A small smile played on Cyndie's lips and Quinn realised the description might've hit a little close to home. "You've got anyone waiting on you back home?" She asked.

Her breath caught in her throat and she turned her head away from Cyndie, desperately trying to force down her tears. "My brother," she finally managed to speak, realising that wasn't the answer Cyndie had been hoping for. But Daryl wasn't waiting for her back home...

She noticed the way her father shifted uncomfortably in the backseat when she mentioned Milo and she realised he hadn't been alone with his son for years. He'd seen him in the line up but hadn't been able to talk to him. If she was honest, she had no idea how Milo would react if he saw Nick again. Though, she knew for sure it wouldn't be with a warm hug.

They didn't speak much more after that, only to discuss the route. Clearly Cyndie had noticed the way her question had upsetted Quinn, because she seemed careful with her words. It was understandable of course, her wanting to know more about Alexandria. Quinn would too if she were to go to a completely strange community. Which only made her appreciate Cyndie's silence all the more.

By the time Quinn started to recognise her surroundings, darkness had fallen. She didn't need the map anymore to give Cyndie the last few directions. Her heart started beating faster when in the distance Alexandria's walls stood proud in the moonlight. Slowly they drove up towards the gate until Quinn told them to come to a halt.

"Let me go first," she said, waiting until Cyndie nodded in agreement before making her way out of the car. She knew everyone inside the walls would be on their guard, so it would be wise to show her face before anyone else's. She didn't want Cyndie's death on her conscience.

With her hands in the air she walked up to the gate, making sure her hair was out of her face so that whoever was standing guard would be able to see her face clearly.

"Stop right there!" A familiar stern voice called out.

Quinn came to a halt and looked up at the guard tower, smiling at the form of Rosita standing there with a gun aimed right at her. "Good to see you too."

Slowly Rosita lowered the gun, a confused but also slightly awed expression on her face. "What the hell," she muttered. Then she looked down. "Open the gate!"

Quinn turned around and gestured for Cyndie, Beatrice and Nick to get out of the car. They did, but carefully. She couldn't blame them, still remembering very clearly how nervous she'd been when she first arrived at Alexandria. She could only hope nobody would remember Nick from his time with the Saviors, she wanted to postpone that conversation for as long as possible.

The gate was opened and they walked inside the community and for the first time in days she felt like she could breathe again, freely and without worries.

It was Aaron who'd opened the gate and closed it again behind their back. With wide eyes he watched her, as though he was looking at a ghost. Then, slowly but surely, a smile broke through on his face and he walked forward, wrapping her in a hug.

She winced when he touched her wound, but her heart was warmed by the welcome. He noticed her flinch and let go of her immediately, worry written all over his features. "What happened?" He questioned, then his eyes flickered to her companions. "And who are they?"

She took a deep breath. "It's a long story. It might be best to tell everyone at once."

He nodded, understanding as always.

"Quinn?"

She turned around, a smile breaking through on her face when she saw Carl, Michonne and Rick walking up to her, hand in hand. A teary laugh escaped her lips and for once, she didn't care if anyone saw her tears. She was home again.

Michonne let go of Rick's hand and sped up her pace, arms wide as she reached Quinn and pulled her into a hug. Quinn let herself melt in her embrace, eyes burning with unshed tears. She hadn't truly realised how much she missed her best friend until she was standing beside her again.

Slowly Michonne let go, shaking her head in disbelief as her eyes shone with tears she desperately tried to swallow. "How?" She asked.

A shaky laugh escaped her lips, though it sounded more like a sob. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

A small smirk appeared on her friend's face. Then she stepped aside to let Rick pass. His eyes were wide with disbelief and his hands were trembling when he wrapped them around her but she hardly cared, knowing she probably didn't look much better. She rested her head on his shoulder, her tears now freely crawling down her cheeks.

He let her go so she could wipe them away. He continued to stare at her with wide eyes, shaking his head all the while. "How did you get away?" He asked.

She looked over her shoulder at her father, who'd been awkwardly lingering in the distance. "With his help," she said. The words burned in her throat, she hated to admit it.

Rick narrowed his blue eyes at Nick and she recognised his cop face immediately. He clearly remembered the man but couldn't place him immediately, or maybe he didn't want to be the one to say it.

"Meet my father, Nick," she said, a little sheepishly.

Immediately the atmosphere changed. Michonne's body tensed, her hand going to the sword she carried on her back. Carl looked the man up and down, suspicion written all over his face. Rick, despite not knowing everything, was on guard immediately. Expression stone cold, all emotion of the teary reunion wiped away. Apparently he'd put enough pieces of the puzzle together to realise her bond with her father had been strained at best. A cop indeed.

Despite being thankful for their reactions, Quinn truly didn't have the energy to worry about this right now. She would deal with her father later. There were far more important matters at hand.

"And this is Cyndie and Beatrice," she quickly added, pointing at the two women. "They are from a community called Oceanside."

Rick and Michonne turned their eyes away from Nick and back to her, several unspoken questions written on their features. For a moment the expressions they wore looked so similar, Quinn felt like laughing. But the feeling faded when she remembered why she'd come back in the first place.

"Where are the others? Milo, Maggie, Sasha?" She asked, looking over their shoulders.

"They're at Hilltop," Rick explained. "Maggie still needed a doctor. Milo and Sasha refused to let her go alone. We were actually about to head over there. There is a lot to talk about."

Quinn nodded. It'd make perfect sense for Milo to help Maggie get to Hilltop but a part of her hated she'd have to wait a few more hours to see him.

Michonne took a step towards her, carefully placing her hand on Quinn's arm. "What happened?" She questioned softly.

For a moment she closed her eyes, the dark memories of the past few days too heavy to recall. But it was a necessary evil and so she started talking. She didn't tell them everything, being careful to leave out the details of the extent of her toture. She mentioned being held but didn't specify where. She also didn't go into detail about Daryl's treatment though she knew both of them would sense there was a lot more she wasn't saying. She just couldn't bring herself to say it out loud. She told them about her father getting her out, getting shot, the escape through the woods and finally being captured by the people of Oceanside. Who, in the end, turned into allies.

When she was done she was shaking with fatigue. She hadn't expected talking about it all would take up so much energy.

Rick put his hand on her shoulder before walking over to Cyndie, extending his hand to her. "Rick Grimes," he introduced himself, shaking her hand.

"Cyndie Moore," she replied. "We came to help."

Rick nodded. "And I'm thankful. For being here and for what you did for Quinn. There is another community, we're going to need their help. You're welcome to join us."

Cyndie shared a quick look with Beatrice before nodding in agreement.

Quinn smiled at the interaction but then her gaze found her father again and her smile faded. "Come on, I'll show you to your room," she said to him. Without waiting for a reaction she headed towards one of the houses. The walk over there seemed to take forever and during it, the past few days flew through her mind. Could she trust him? Had he done enough to win even a little bit of trust? She didn't know. Part of her didn't think she was the right person to judge him, since her view would always be tainted with memories of the past. But she wouldn't wait around for a knife in her back either.

She reached the house and opened the door, heading towards the basement. The very basement where Morgan had built the cell a few weeks ago. She opened the door and pointed inside.

Nick's expression didn't change. He simply nodded at her, as though he'd been expecting such a thing. Without so much as a sound he walked inside and watched as she closed and locked the door.

"Thank you for getting me out of there," she said and she meant it. "But I can't trust you. Maybe I never will."

He nodded as he took a seat on the chair in the corner. "I understand," he said and she knew he meant it too.

For a moment her eyes lingered on him but there was nothing more to say and so she turned around and walked back outside. She put the key in her pocket and made her way back up the stairs, holding her side while walking. She was exhausted, physically and mentally.

At the top of the stairs Michonne was waiting for her, arms crossed over her chest, a worried frown on her face. "Are you alright?" she asked as they headed back towards the gates.

Quinn offered her a sad smile, the best she could do right now. "Not by a long shot," she said honestly.

Michonne nodded. "Yeah, same."

"But we'll get there. We have to," she said, fire burning in her voice.

"We will," Michonne said, though it sounded more like a promise.

When they arrived at the gates again, there were two cars standing ready to leave. Rosita was seated behind the wheel in one, Beatrice in the other. Rick and Carl had joined Rosita, as well as Tara, who greeted Quinn with a bright smile and a fist bump. Quinn and Michonne joined Beatrice and Cyndie. And then they were off again.

She wished for nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. Her side was aching, her head heavy and before she knew it, her forehead touched the glass and she drifted off. Her sleep was restless and often disturbed by a bump in the road. Still, by the time Michonne woke her, she felt a lot better.

The sun had just risen, shining its golden rays upon the wooden walls of Hilltop. Early birds were singing their song and as she stepped outside the car, she stopped to breathe in the peaceful morning air. Her limbs were numb and stiff, her wound was aching like a bruise but as she looked at her friends, walking up to the gates, she felt more awake than she had in days.

They waited as the gates were slowly opened, revealing a tired, but healthy, Maggie. Sasha and Enid were standing on her right and on her left stood Milo, looking more tired than Quinn had ever seen him. But he was here and he was alive.

As soon as his eyes found hers, his mouth opened in disbelief and the little bit of color he'd left on his face disappeared. A laugh escaped her lips and she walked forwards, as fast as her wound would let her. Milo noticed the way she limped but didn't comment on it. Instead he gathered her in his arms with tears streaming down his cheeks. He lifted her off her feet, laughing all the while, utterly and completely relieved.

"I've missed you so fucking much," he muttered into her hair.

Slowly she untangled herself from his grasp, smiling through her tears. "I missed you too."

"Are you alright?" He asked, his eyes going to her side.

She nodded. "I am now." She was about to ask him how he was doing when his eyes went to something, or rather someone, behind her.

She turned around to see what he was looking at and the entire world seemed to disappear. Jesus came walking up to the gate and beside him was...She stumbled on her feet, all the air stolen from her lungs. "Oh my god," she breathed, feeling her eyes tear up all over again.

His eyes found hers and then they were both moving, in sync, like they always were. All the pain in her side was suddenly forgotten as she ran towards him. Daryl...

He reached her first, wrapping his arms around her with a strength that almost crushed her. She folded her arms around his neck, sobbing as she buried her face in his chest. He was shaking and then she realised he was crying too. He leaned his head on her shoulder, holding her so tightly she couldn't even worry about ever being parted from him again.

Slowly he untangled himself from her grip, his hands reaching for her face, wiping away her tears while trying to hold back his own. She reached up and brushed away his hair. His face was bruised, as though someone had stomped on it several times, which might actually have been the case. But it was still him. He was here, he was real.

She stood on her toes and pulled his face towards hers, their lips meeting in a messy, fumbling and desperate kiss. His fingers were knotted in her hair, her arms folded against his chest. Their noses bumping hard enough to bruise but she didn't care, how could she when Daryl was in her arms again.

Only when her lungs burned for air too brightly to ignore did she pull away, out of breath and with swollen lips, still crying. He raised his hand and wiped her tears away, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corner of his lips. His touch burned against her skin and left chills crawling down her spine. Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out something silver and thin.

With a frown on her face she watched as he held it in front of her face and she gasped. It was her necklace. The little swan pendant glittering in the sunlight, as bright as Beth's smile once had...

"How?" She whispered.

"Wasn't 'bout to leave without it," he said softly.

He pulled her hair aside and carefully hung the necklace around her neck. She reached for it, holding the pendant tightly in her hand. She couldn't help the stupid, brightly, almost idiotic smile that appeared on her face. But as she took a step back so Rick could pull Daryl into a hug and she let her eyes wander over the courtyard, her family. She didn't give a shit about how idiotically happy she looked.

She was home again.

A U T H O R 'S  N O T E

This scene is one of my absolute favorites of the entire show. It makes me tear up every single time. AND THE MUSIC GUYS. I couldn't stop myself and decided to add the soundtrack to this chapter so you can cry along with me. I'm really proud of how this chapter turned out so I really hope you all enjoyed it too! They're reunited again! Let the battle begin!

Also, sadly Collapsed didn't win a watty. But I still wanted to say thank you guys all so much for your endless support on my twd fics. You are the best readers I could ever ask for and I'm so grateful you embraced Quinn and Milo with such love.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!