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"𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲."

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.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

"What the fuck do ya mean they took her?!" Daryl yelled, the muscles in his neck tense as he looked at Rick, expecting something—anything—that would take the edge off the anger boiling in his veins.

Rick held his gaze, his own expression strained and grim. "Alden said she was unconscious when they took her. Saviors were desperate to get out, and...she got caught up in it."

Daryl clenched his fists, trying to steady himself, but the image of Sunny in the Saviors' hands made his blood burn hot. His fingers twitched towards his crossbow, and he was halfway to the door before Rick stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"No, Daryl. Where do you think you're goin'?" Rick asked, his voice edged with frustration. "I know what you're thinkin', but it ain't gonna work. We're not sending you out there right now."

Daryl's eyes narrowed, barely holding back his fury. "I'm not stayin' here, Rick. Not while they've got her."

"You are," Rick said firmly. "We need you here in Hilltop. If things go south, if they come back, we need everyone who can hold this place down."

Daryl scoffed, his voice dripping with bitterness. "So I'm supposed to just sit 'ere and wait while they do God knows what to her?"

Rick's eyes darkened. He knew that Daryl's bond with Sunny ran deeper than most people realized. But before Rick could respond, a voice spoke up from the back of the room.

"I don't see why it's a big deal," Lincoln muttered, barely lifting his head. "It's just Sunny."

The room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Daryl turned, his gaze locking onto the boy, anger flashing in his eyes. He stalked towards Lincoln, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "The hell is your problem?! Sunny ain't done shit to ya, an' you treat her like she's nothin'! You think she ain't strugglin' enough without you bein' a little prick?"

Lincoln took a step back, stunned by Daryl's outburst. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Rosita stepped in front of him, shaking her head firmly at Daryl, her expression warning him to back down.

Daryl scoffed, clenching his jaw and looking away, though his anger hadn't dimmed in the slightest. "Had enough of 'im makin' my kid feel like she ain't worth shit." He practically spat the words, his voice filled with frustration and pain.

The room remained tense, everyone silent as they absorbed Daryl's words. Even those who hadn't fully understood his connection to Sunny could feel the weight of his anger, the fear and desperation that lay beneath it. But it wasn't just Sunny's disappearance gnawing at the group—everyone was on edge.

Rick let out a tired sigh, glancing around the room, his gaze falling on Tara, a grim reminder of the Saviors' latest cruelty. Their weapons had been coated in walker blood, and every wound they'd inflicted came with the threat of infection. Tara had been holding on, longer than the others, but they all believed she was infected too.

The losses were stacking up. People were dying, and they couldn't catch a break. Henry was still missing, Sunny had been taken, and now the infection spreading seemed like one more reminder of how little control they had over any of this.

As Rick looked around, he could see the weight of it pressing down on everyone, wearing them thin. The people of Hilltop were tense, worn-out, scared, and he knew that every moment they spent in this state, their chances of survival got slimmer. But he also knew they needed to keep it together—for themselves, for each other.

"We'll get her back," Rick said, his voice low but determined as he glanced over at Daryl. "But we're gonna do it smart. Losing more people...we can't afford that."

Daryl's jaw tightened, his gaze distant as he looked out the window, picturing Sunny somewhere out there, alone and scared. He knew Rick was right, but that didn't make it any easier. Not when every instinct in him screamed to go after her, to tear through anyone who stood in his way until he brought her back.

Rosita looked around the room, her own expression dark with worry as she took in the defeated faces. "We don't have time for this infighting. They've been chipping away at us, but if we start chipping away at each other too, then we're already done."

Lincoln shifted uncomfortably, casting a wary glance toward Daryl. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but the words caught in his throat. The silence stretched on, thick and heavy, until finally, he looked away, an unspoken apology in his expression.

Rick ran a hand over his face, weariness etched into every line. "Everyone get some rest while you can. We'll get Sunny back. I'll get her back, me, alone. We'll get through this. But we have to stay smart, stay strong."

But for Daryl, there was no comfort in Rick's words. His kid was out there, and he wasn't even allowed to save her.

.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

A throbbing ache pulsed in Sunny's head, sharp and relentless, each heartbeat amplifying the pain until it felt like her skull might crack under the pressure. With a groan, she forced her eyes open, her vision blurred and doubled as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. 

The ground was moving beneath her, rhythmic steps sending jolts up her aching spine. Panic fluttered in her chest as she shifted slightly, only to feel her wrists bound tightly behind her back.

Her brow furrowed, trying to pull her hands free, but the rope bit into her skin, rough and unyielding. The more she blinked, the clearer things became: an arm wrapped around her, holding her in place as she was carried over someone's shoulder. Men walked on either side, all unfamiliar faces, and dread settled in her stomach as she realized she had no idea where she was or who these people were.

She twisted her head, looking up at the figure carrying her—a stocky, overweight man who grunted each time his boots hit the ground, his grip on her tight enough that her ribs ached. That's when she noticed these were the same men from the pen in Hilltop.

The Saviors.

It all came flooding back—the ambush, Henry, the fight. Her breath quickened, and panic spurred her to move, wriggling and kicking against the man's hold.

"Hey! Get the fuck off'a me!" She yelled, thrashing as hard as her tied arms would allow. Her voice was rough, panicked, her limbs heavy and sore. She tried to jerk free, her head spinning as the man stumbled, barely holding onto her as she struggled.

The man carrying her looked uncertain, glancing toward the front of the group. "Jared, what do I do?" He asked, voice tinged with desperation.

Up ahead, the man she now recognized as Jared—a scruffy-looking guy with a cocky sneer plastered on his face—rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by the interruption. He turned around, his gaze settling on her with a look of mild amusement.

"Make the brat walk," he snapped, smirking as he watched her struggle.

With a rough shove, the man holding her shifted his grip, dropping her feet to the ground so abruptly that her knees buckled, forcing her to catch herself awkwardly. She wobbled, fighting to stay upright, her head spinning from the sudden movement and her vision still hazy. But she planted her feet firmly, staring daggers at Jared, who looked down at her with an expression that made her stomach twist.

"Let's go, kid," he said with a sneer. "Try anything funny, and you'll regret it."

Ignoring his warning, Sunny pulled against the ropes around her wrists, the rough fibers digging into her skin. Her heart pounded in her chest, her gaze flicking around, searching for an escape, anything that might get her out of here.

But there was nowhere to run.

Sunny tried to stand her ground, but the men behind her kept shoving her forward, forcing her into step with them. She clenched her fists, her fingers digging into the rough bindings around her wrists. 

Her head throbbed, the pain from where she'd hit the rock radiating with each step, but she pushed through it, scanning the group of men around her. Two of them looked badly injured, their clothes bloodied, moving with painful limps as if they'd barely escaped the walkers in the pen.

Why had they taken her? Her mind raced, desperate to make sense of it. She glared at the man leading them, the same one who'd tackled Henry and shoved her to the ground with that twisted smirk.

"Why am I here?" She demanded, her voice sharp despite the tremor beneath it. She tried to mask the fear tightening her chest, but she knew she was outmatched, and the pounding in her head wasn't helping.

Jared, fiddling with a walkie-talkie, glanced over at her with that same irritating smirk. He seemed to savor her confusion, the fear she was trying so hard to hide.

"Leverage, kid," he said with a shrug, barely looking at her. "You're Negan's little treasure—a mighty fine prize. You're gonna be our ticket back inside." He raised his eyebrows, clearly entertained by her stunned expression.

Sunny frowned, her gaze hardening. "I'm not part of your group," she said firmly, her voice cold. "I don't want anythin' to do with you or the Sanctuary."

Jared laughed, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter," he sneered. "Negan wants his kid back, and that's enough for me. Besides, you're useful to us—whether you like it or not."

Ignoring her glare, he returned his attention to the walkie-talkie, flipping through channels with practiced impatience. After a moment, he found one that seemed to work. Holding the device close to his mouth, he spoke into it, his tone arrogant and casual.

"Hey, we need Negan. It's Jared. Got a little surprise for him."

There was a static-filled pause, and Sunny's stomach twisted. But instead of her dad's familiar voice, a different one came through—gruffer, colder. It was Simon.

"Negan here," came the voice, dripping with mock authority. "Well, it's Simon, really, but you get it. Bossman is... unavailable."

Jared rolled his eyes, ignoring the slight and pressing on. "We got Negan's girl, Simon. Kid was just sittin' there at the Hilltop, so we figured we'd do the boss a solid and snatch her."

A scoff echoed through the static, dripping with Simon's signature disdain. "Hilltop's problem, huh? Thought you'd be dead by now." He paused, and Sunny could almost feel his irritation crackling through the airwaves. "Well, hell, can't say I'd call that a bright move, but here we are."

"We're loyal, Simon," Jared insisted, his tone a bit desperate, as if he feared Simon might throw them under the bus. "Risked our necks to get her back for him."

"Loyal, huh? Well, if it was up to me, that kid would've been dead by now," Simon sneered. "She shot me, you know that? Little brat got a bullet right in my foot. But hey, the boss wouldn't be too thrilled if she ended up as walker chow, so you did your part... sort of."

Sunny couldn't hold back the smirk about hearing how annoyed he was that she had shot him. One point for Sunny, zero for Simon.

Jared's grip on Sunny's shoulder tightened, making her wince, but she held his gaze, defiant. Simon's voice dropped a notch, his instructions cold and calculated. "Hide out in that old warehouse off Braierd Road. I'll get someone sent your way. Don't gotta keep the little shit in perfect shape, neither. Bossman might have a few words once he finds out what you've done... if he's in the mood."

Sunny's stomach twisted as Simon's words echoed in her mind: They don't care if I get hurt...

The men urged her forward roughly, and she stumbled a little, feeling the ropes cutting into her wrists as they marched toward the warehouse. She noticed two of the men in the group were limping, each with blood seeping down their arms or legs, their faces pale and drenched in sweat. They were both trying to hide it, but the signs were unmistakable—they'd been bit.

When they stopped a few yards from the entrance, the men gathered around the two injured ones. The tension was thick as Jared stepped forward, his face tight with impatience.

"Time to deal with this," he muttered, pulling out a hunting knife with a grim look. He didn't give the bitten men much of a choice. Before Sunny could fully comprehend what was happening, the knife came down, hacking off limbs in desperate attempts to stop the infection from spreading. The air filled with cries of pain and the sickening sound of flesh and bone being severed.

Sunny turned away, clenching her eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds. Her wrists burned where the rope dug in as she instinctively pulled against it, but the bonds held tight.

The men were in rough shape by the time they finally led her into the building. The warehouse was dimly lit and smelled stale, with crumbling concrete and rusted metal everywhere. Jared roughly guided her to a metal railing in the center of the room, where he tied her rope securely, ensuring she couldn't move more than a few inches in any direction.

Once she was bound, Jared glanced at her with a smirk. "Get comfortable. Could be a while."

Desperation clawed at her chest. She swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady, and looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "Ya don't have to do this," she said, hoping he'd see reason. "If you let me go, the people at Hilltop—they'll take you in. You'll have food, protection. You'd have a place with us."

Her words were genuine, she didn't think this had to end with every single savior dying. They're could be something after the fight, they could make peace. She knew it was stupid to believe such, but hope was all that she had left.

Jared laughed, his amusement cutting through the room as the others joined in. He crouched down, meeting her eye level with a mocking grin. "Place at Hilltop? With Maggie and her merry band of 'do-gooders'?" He shook his head, smirking. "Nah, we don't need charity from the people who'd rather see us dead. And we sure don't need some kid's help to get there."

Another Savior chimed in from across the room, "Especially Negan's little girl. Boss wants you back, whether you want to go or not."

Sunny's hope dwindled as she slumped against the railing, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She was completely at their mercy, and she wasn't sure how long she could hold onto the small shred of defiance she'd shown.

One of the Saviors on lookout burst into the warehouse, his voice brimming with excitement. "We got Rick and some other guy!" he shouted, a grin stretching across his face.

A few paces behind him, several more Saviors hauled in two familiar figures—an unconscious Rick and Morgan, both battered and lifelessly slumped in their captors' arms.

Sunny's eyes went wide, her heart pounding with a mix of disbelief and dread. No. No, no, no. This was all wrong. Why are they here?

.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

Rick and Morgan had been tied to the same railing as the girl, both of them were unconscious, forcing Sunny to endure listening to the men ramble all on her own.

They were all antsy about the injured men, worrying about if they had managed to stop the infection in time. Sunny was pretty sure they hadn't, when Hershel had been bit, Rick had cut off his leg soon after, these men had waited for way too long.

Rick suddenly started waking beside the girl, as he came to his senses, he looked down at the girl. "Sunny," he breathed out, relieved that she was okay. Although, his relief fell as he noticed the dried up blood on the side of her head. 

"Hi, Rick." Sunny said quietly, a small, smile on her face that she hoped told him she was alright. It seemed that whenever the two were in a shitty situation, all Sunny could manage was a small greeting to the man, only this time, she couldn't wave since her hands were bound.

As the men continued to have heated conversations about leaving the injured men for dead, Rick spoke quietly to Morgan, who must have also woken up. "How long was I out?" He asked.

"Just long enough to end up here," Morgan replied.

"Say we make it, then what, huh?" One of the men spoke up to Jared. "Simon comes, what's to say he doesn't take Rick an the girl and kill all of us?"

"He's right, Jared." Another Savior spoke up. "What we got back there for us anyway?"

"Maybe we go our own way, be done with the saviors."

"We pooched it. Simon wasn't gonna carry none of us." A savior spoke, referring to how Simon had gladly left them behind during the attack on Hilltop.

"That's right. Because we lost." Jared replied, throwing his hands out. "But things have changed. Delivering the girl and Rick the prick to Negan is a win. We wiped our own asses with this one, and the big man is gonna recognize."

"Hey, he's awake." One of the men said, pointing to Rick.

Jared quickly walked over, bending down in front of Rick. "Rise and shine, Curly. You ready to get picked up?" Jared asked, but there was no response, making him grin cruelly. "Yeah. Of course you are."

"Pack up, boys! Scouts gonna be here any minute. We're ditchin' the dead weight and moving on. It's gonna be better for you, better for us," Jared spoke, picking up some sort of pole, raising it in the air as he prepared to swing it at one of the injured.

"Wait!" Rick interrupted, making the man freeze mid swing. "My trucks not far. We can get 'em to the Hilltop's doctor. They could come back with us. You all could. You didn't want this. You cut us loose, you cooperate, we'll give you a fresh start. I'm giving you my word."

Sunny searched Rick's face, trying to figure out if he was being genuine. By the looks of it, he was. Weirdly, it made a small smile spread across the girls face. After years of trying to hold onto the hope of trying to see the good in people, to try and give second chances, it seemed that it had finally rubbed off on others. After all, that's what Carl had wanted.

The majority of the men were looking around, it seemed as if they had quickly been swayed by Rick's words, knowing that their way of life was better than the saviors.

Jared looked around at them, releasing a scoff. "You asshats aren't dumb enough to believe that."

"We could hear him out. We could talk things out," one of the men quickly spoke.

"Thing is, there isn't time for that. There's a herd out there, close, probably headed this way. You're all gonna need to make a choice, and it's gonna have to be now."

Jared's face scrunched up as he banged his fist against some metal, making it rumble. "Wake up everybody! There isn't any herd. There isn't any 'deal' waiting at Hilltop. You think these asswipes came here to save us? They came here to get the kid and for blood. All Rick is saying here is a steaming pile of bullshit."

"You know, you're right." Morgan spoke up, Sunny quickly looked over at the man, her eyebrows furrowed. What was he doing? "I came here to do what I was supposed to," he shrugged. "Kill every last one of you."

"Morgan," Sunny whispered, trying to get him to stop.

Jared then marched over, aiming his gun in Morgan's face. But Morgan just laughed, a huge smile on his face. "You should save your bullets, 'cause you're gonna need 'em. That herd, it is coming. And then after, after when you're just torn up skin... when you're nothing but the stuff they didn't eat. Well, that'll be a damn shame. Because there won't be a single one left of you for me to kill."

Oh. It seemed that the time Sunny had spent in the sanctuary, she had missed out on a ton of shit. The last time she saw Morgan, he was chanting his belief about 'all life is precious.' What the hell happened?

"We're done. Let's dump 'em and leave. I want a sandwich," Jared groaned. 

"See, it doesn't change. And it never changes." Morgan spoke, then, he began to yell. "And I don't die. I don't. Nobody dies! 'cause everybody turns! Hey! Everybody turns!" He screamed.

Jared marched over, once again putting the gun back in Morgan's face. But a man quickly stepped forward, lowering the gun. "Hey. What are you doing? You'll ruin our chances of getting back to hilltop."

Jared sighed, pushing the man away then walking off. But, then the sound of walkers began to infiltrate the building. Through the shattered window, Sunny could see dozens of them making their way towards them.

"Walkers! We're surrounded!" One of the men yelled.

Sunny's eyes were wide as she desperately tried to undo the rope that bound her hands, but it did nothing but make her wrists raw. The men began shooting at the walkers, everything becoming too chaotic for Sunny to even breathe.

"You're too weak to take on this herd alone! Cut us loose, give us our weapons!" Rick yelled.

"No! Nobody's cutting them loose! I'm killing these pricks right now!" Jared yelled, raising his gun to shoot at him. But one of the men tackled him to the ground and as Jared shoved him off, the walkers got to him, killing the man that had just saved them. 

Some of the men came up behind them, quickly cutting their ropes and tossing weapons into their hands. Sunny scrambled to her feet, ignoring the throbbing ache in her head as she clutched Carl's knife tightly. The cool, familiar weight of it brought her a little steadiness, a small reminder of Carl's presence even in the midst of the chaos.

Together, they fought their way toward the exit. Sunny moved forward, plunging her knife into the skulls of walkers, her movements automatic, fueled by sheer survival instinct. Beside her, Rick fired shot after shot, his focus razor-sharp. When he glanced back at the remaining Saviors, there was a hard look in his eyes. "I'm almost out," he said, his voice edged with finality. "You go on ahead."

They all stepped back, edging toward the door. One of the Saviors pulled Sunny behind him protectively, shielding her from the oncoming dead. But through the man's frame, she caught a glimpse of Rick and Morgan exchanging a silent nod. It was a signal she didn't understand, a silent decision that sent an uneasy chill down her spine.

In an instant, Rick raised his hatchet and buried it in the neck of the man who had just saved him from a walker, the blade biting deep as blood sprayed out. A sickening sound filled the room, the dull thud of metal against flesh. Beside him, Morgan drove his staff into the throats of the remaining men, striking without hesitation or mercy. Sunny watched in horror as the Savior who had stood protectively in front of her collapsed to the ground, dead.

She was frozen, wide-eyed and unable to process what she had just witnessed. Rick and Morgan had cut down the men they had fought alongside only moments ago—men who had put themselves at risk to help them, despite their allegiance to Negan. It felt like a betrayal, a violation of some unspoken code. These men had shown them mercy, had trusted Rick's word that they would be spared. And now... now they were dead.

A nauseating twist of disbelief gripped her. How could he do that? These men had captured her, yes, but they'd also defended her against the walkers, had tried to survive just like everyone else. But Rick and Morgan had killed them without a second thought, as if their lives meant nothing.

Her heart pounded, and the weight of Carl's knife in her hand grew heavier. She could still hear Carl's voice, could still feel the hope he had carried for something better, something beyond the endless bloodshed. He had believed there was still good in the world, that they could build something different, something kinder. But watching Rick and Morgan now, it felt like that hope was slipping away, becoming a distant memory.

A quiet sense of betrayal crept into her chest. Was this the cost of survival? Were they all becoming like the very people they fought against, ruthless and unforgiving? She wanted to scream, to beg Rick to stop, to remind him of Carl's kindness. 

But the words were trapped in her throat, tangled up with her own fear. All she could do, was slowly step back, her legs shaking beneath her.

This wasn't what Carl would have wanted. He had wanted them to hold onto their humanity, to be more than just people clawing their way through the ruins of the world. But now, seeing Rick so cold, so ruthless, it was as if Carl's dream had died along with him.

Time seemed to pass quickly, but Sunny had stayed frozen, her eyes wide as she looked at the corpses that littered the ground. The walkers had now been taken out or had moved on, there was no more threats, just silence.

But that silence was broken as a man coughed up blood, still alive even after Rick's hatchet had been buried into his neck. He was sputtering on the ground, covered in blood. Sunny watched as Rick crouched down beside the man.

Through the pain, the man managed to speak, his voice broken, a silent whisper. "You said... you said..."

"I lied," Rick interrupted, his voice harsh.

"We could've..." the man began, desperately trying to get the words out. "We could've lived... after. After this..."

Without hesitation, Rick pulled the trigger on the gun, killing the man instantly. Sunny couldn't help it, a small, strangled sob tore from her throat.

Sunny wasn't a stranger to violence, it was impossible to be in this world. But this? This wasn't like what had happened in the church, when they had massacred Gareth and his people. This was just sick.

It was like something had struck in her, an understanding of a sort. Carl was the true embodiment of kindness, he had envisioned a world were peace was possible, he had been hellbent on saving Siddiq because he knew it was the right thing to do.

However, what Rick and Morgan had just done... that was far from right.

Rick turned at the sound of the girl, he was shaking, blood coating every inch of him. Finally realizing the girl had been there, the girl had seen all of it. Her eyes were wide, filled with fear as she stared at him.

"Sunny-" Rick began, stepping forward, but he instantly stopped as Sunny flinched away. 

The girl took a deep breath, trying to control herself, but the child-like part of her that still dared to see that there was still goodness left in the world, had taken over.

"He... he was right," she choked out. "This isn't what Carl would've wanted." Her voice cracked, barely more than a whisper, but each word struck like a blow.

And with that, the girl walked out of the building, tears clouding her vision. Her mind was a mess, but one thing that she knew for sure, she needed to read Carl's letter. She needed to remember the goodness left in the world.

.・. .・゜✭・.・✫・゜・. .

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞

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This seems extremely rush, apologies.

ALTHOUGH A FEW MORE CHAPTERS AND WE'RE OFFICIALLY AT THE END OF S8!

MY HEART IS BREAKING FOR THE FINAL FIGHT ALREADY