CHAPTER ELEVEN
familiar faces and
conversations.

"A party?" Aiden rose her eyebrows at what Michonne just told her. The woman nodded. Aiden scoffed.

"I'm not going to some stupid welcome party, Mich," Aiden said.

"You don't have to stay long. You're one of their new constables. Let the people get to know you some." Michonne said.

Aiden rolled her eyes, "fine. I'll go. But you owe me."

Michonne laughed, "of course."

»

Aiden wore a pair of black jeans and a beige t-shirt to the party with one of Carl's flannels over her shirt. Her hair was curled, thank you Rosita.

It felt weird to be done up in some sort of way. With everything that was going on outside the walls, walkers, people. It didn't feel normal. 

She opened Deanna's front door and saw several people inside already. Rick and some of their other were already there.

"Ah, Aiden!" She heard Deanna. The older woman approached her, "welcome. Thank you for coming."

"I don't know about all this." Aiden looked around. Deanna looked at her questionably.

"Why?"

"Because I don't know these people." She replied and walked off. Before she knew it, more and more people arrived. She was informed that Daryl and Aaron had returned from going out. She didn't wait for Daryl to show up because she knew he wouldn't.

The moon had risen and Aiden was tired. She sat beside Glenn when a kid ran up to her. He had bangs and wide eyes.

"Hi." He said to her.

"Hello." Aiden replied.

"You're Aiden, right? My dad told me he met you." The kid rambled.

"What's your dads name?" Aiden asked him.

"Pete. My name's Sam." He said. This kid was the guys kid who approached her and Noah their second day here.

"Yeah, I met your dad. He told me to come get a checkup." Aiden replied. She watched as he nodded and pulled something out of his pocket.

"Do you want a stamp?" He asked her. She nodded in reply. The kid grabbed her wrist and stamped a red 'A' to the top of her hand.

"Thanks, kid." She smiled and he grinned in reply, "you're welcome!" Before he rushed off towards the cookies.

She stared at the red 'A'. It only brought back memories from Terminus. Glenn nudged her with his elbow, "you good?"

She nodded, "yeah. I think I'm going to head home. I'm gettin' tired." He nodded.

"You need me to walk you back to the house?" He asked and she shook her head.

"Nah, I'm good." She replied. She stood and started to leave the house after saying bye to Deanna and her husband, Reg, and her group.

She opened the door and ran into someone. The person grabbed her arms and steadied her. She looked up and her jaw dropped. The person she bumped into looked like they would pass out from shock.

He had brown hair and bright blue eyes. He was taller than she remembered, then again she hadn't seen him years.

"Holy shit." They said at the same time. They stared at each other for a moment before Aiden snapped out of it.

"Payton's alive." Was the first thing she could think to say to the younger boy. He looked down at the woman.

"You're alive." He whispered and hugged her. She hugged him back. Everyone at the party had went quiet and watched at Payton Reed stood up quickly and made his way to the two.

Aiden pulled away from the teen and watched as the two looked at each other. "Xavier," Payton breathed out.

"Payton." Aiden watched as Xavier Reed crashed into his big brother's arms. A laugh escaped her throat as her eyes welled with tears. People around them cheered and clapped at the two brothers pulled apart.

Aiden watched Carl and Rick approach them. Carl and Xavier shared a tight hug before Rick hugged the young man.

»

Aiden had made her way home and changed from her party clothes to a pair of shorts and a shirt. She crawled into the bed and after around fifteen minutes she heard the door open. She looked up and saw her husband.

He shrugged off his vest and sat his crossbow down. He laid down beside her. "How was your day?" She asked him and he looked over at her.

"Long," he breathed out, "we found this horse, Aaron said it's name was Buttons. But walkers took it down."

"That sucks, babe. I'm sorry," Aiden said and Daryl grunted. "Xavier is here."

Daryl's eyebrows shot up in the darkness, "Payton's brother?"

She nodded, "small word, right?"

"Small world. Aaron asked me to take Eric's place as recruiter."

"He wants you to go out and look for people?" She asked and Daryl hummed. "Do you want to?"

"Maybe." He replied.

"Do it." She said.

"We'll be gone for weeks at a time, Aiden. What if something happens while I'm gone? Or if you have the baby?" Daryl asked her.

"Nothing is going to happen while you're gone. And if the baby comes while you are gone, you know the people here will make sure I'm plenty safe and comfortable." She tried to reassure him. He sighed and laid his head on her chest.

"I wanna be 'ere when my kid is born, Aid." Daryl mumbled. She sighed, "I know, baby."

»

The next day Aiden and Xavier stood side-by-side. She was happy to have another face she knew before the apocalypse around. Another brother, another person she loved. She couldn't help but let her heart ache though. 

She desperately wished Shane Walsh and Lori Grimes could've been with them.

"Payton told you about Shane and Lori?" She asked the younger boy and he nodded.

"Yeah. Rick killed Shane and Lori died in childbirth." Xavier mumbled. "I'm sorry."

She's shook her head, "no. It's been a long time since it happened." She looked at her hands, "but a day doesn't go past without them being on my mind."

"That's how I was with Payton. Thinkin' what could've happened to him as soon as I woke up, when I went to be." Xavier said.

"He also told you about Dalton?"

He nodded, "that was a death waiting to happen." The boy replied.

"Hey, I gotta go. Daryl and Aaron are supposed to be heading out soon and I gotta see 'em off but catch me later, kiddo." She hit his arm and he grinned.

She stalked off to the gates where she saw Daryl and Aaron. She approached her husband and he pulled her into a hug. Her bump slightly getting in the way. He pulled away and kissed her. She rested her forehead against his. "Be careful, Dare."

"I will, babe. You stay here, 'ight? Don't leave unless you got to." He said and she nodded, "I won't."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

»

Shortly after seeing Daryl and Aaron off she saw off Glenn, Tara, Noah, Eugene, and Nathaniel. They were going to a warehouse to find something needed for the solar panels.

The woman had left back to the house she shared with the Grimes, Michonne, Carol, Payton, and Daryl.

She walked down the stairs and saw Pete leaving the house, "I don't like him." Aiden said.

"Yeah, me either." Rick replied. He turned around and looked at Aiden. "Do you forgive me?"

"For?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Killing him." Rick said plainly.

Aiden heaved in a deep breathe. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you, Rick. But I've grown used to the idea he's not here anymore and it's been a long time since it happened. It happened. You had your reasons and I understand that now."

She gripped his necklace that dangled over her heart, "Shane was outta control but you have to remember, Rick, he was still my big brother. I loved- I love him still. But I get it now. Protecti' your family. Lori, Carl, Jude. I'd do whatever for Daryl and this baby. Hell, our entire group."

"I understand," Rick nodded. He felt her small hand drop onto his shoulder and squeeze gently before she made her way into the house.

______________________________

word count: 1,366
episodes: forget & spend

and another edited chapter! you guys met xavier reed, i love him.

cole sprouse as xavier reed

THEY FOUND XAVIER!!!!! i'm so happy to introduce his character to everyone & to all of you.

but a lil darden scene never hurt anyone 🖤. i still adore them with all of my heart. i'm so excited because there's only a few chapters left of act one and then we get to season six.

but next chapter we sadly lose someone 😕.