Paul's Plan

It has been a month since Paul went missing; he then reappears as Negan's negotiator. Whose side is Paul really on?

Fandom: The Walking Dead

Rating: T

Square Filled: Betrayal [1], bedside vigil [2]

Tags: badthingshappenbingo, Betrayal, Bedside Vigil, AU, Glenn and Abraham live, Daryl has feelings for Paul, badass Paul, Negan is his own warning, hurt Paul, hurt/comfort,

Created for badthingshappenbingo

Chapter 2 – Bedside Vigil

The faint sounds of explosions woke the sleeping community of Alexandria. Daryl jolted upright from where he was laying on the Grimes couch, not wanting to be alone and not being able to sleep with his mind going a million miles an hour. His hand curling around his crossbow on reflex as he lurched up from the couch and hurried out the front door, Rick mere moments behind.

"What the hell was that?" Daryl asked as he twisted his head around before he stared at the faint glow of flames and billowing smoke rising into the dark sky.

"That's the direction of Sanctuary," Rick said slowly as realization clicked in.

"Paul did something, no way that wasn't him," Daryl said, knowing full well what the scout was capable of.

"One way to find out, first light we head out and find out what the hell is going on," Rick said loud enough for the other Alexandrian residents who had tumbled out of bed could hear their leader's decision.

"I know you want to go now Daryl, but we have to trust that Paul can handle himself," Rick said setting his hand calming on Daryl's shoulder seeing the tension and urge to move in his brother's eyes.

"Yeah, it's not safe at night," Daryl grumbled, hating that Rick was right. Hating that he had to wait till morning to see if Paul was okay, to see if everything was okay or not.

~~/~~

The RV and a few cars roared down the road leading into Sanctuary. The flames had died down in the night but the air was still thick with smoke, clearly marking their path to the compound. As the pulled to a stop they saw people on foot and horseback were milling around the company and there was a giant bonfire going. The closer they got Daryl could make out that they were burning bodies. Daryl just hoped Paul's wasn't already in there as he eased his motorcycle to a stop and cut the engine.

"You must be from Alexandria! Welcome to Sanctuary! I am King Ezekiel from the Kingdom and a friend of Jesus!" Ezekiel moved forward to greet the newcomers like he had been expecting them.

"Paul told me about the Kingdom, they are legit," Maggie whispered to Rick before the man smiled and shook Ezekiel's offered hand.

"I'm Rick, the leader of Alexandria. What happened here? Is Jesus alright?" Rick asked curiously and Maggie rocked on her feet, clutching Glenn's arm as she waited for an answer looking just as anxious as Daryl felt.

"Negan and his crazed followers were taken down and their bodies are burning. The Saviour's are no longer a problem from any community... As for Jesus, he's alive but... Well, it is easier to show you then tell you," Ezekiel's face went grave and his tone of voice dropped sending a stone plummeting into Daryl's stomach. He clutched the strap of his crossbow tighter, needing to do something to stop himself from tearing through the compound to find Paul himself.

"Go, we'll keep an eye on things here, see if we can help," Michonne squeezed Rick's arm in reassurance.

"Lead the way King Ezekiel," Rick said, feeling silly using the title but he wasn't going to pick a fight with a potential ally and trade partner. Daryl and Maggie fell into step beside Rick, as he knew they would.

"Jesus had this insane plan, he would bait the man who led Hilltop until Gregory would offer him up to the Saviors to get rid of him." Ezekiel began to explain as they entered the compound, walking the dirty and sometimes bloodstained halls easily.

"He knew his skills wouldn't keep him truly safe once in Negan's clutches. He knew of Negan's harem of wives and affection for pretty things. Well, Jesus is very pretty and charming so he managed to gain a spot at Negan's side as his first husband. I'm unsure how Jesus got Negan to agree to many things and frankly, I do not want to know the horrid things Jesus endure to make sure no one else he cared about died." Ezekiel shuddered as he spoke and Maggie leaned against Daryl as she paled as Daryl bit his lower lip harshly while Rick's eyes narrowed as horrific ideas flew through their heads.

"He is good at making friends and has an incredible instinct about people. He got many on his side as Negan ruled them all with fear or promises of harming their loved ones. Jesus weeded out the truly insane ones and alongside Negan began to slip a certain root into their food. It took a month for enough to build up in their systems for it to truly poison them. That happened last night and that was when we struck. Taking the compound was easy and Jesus ended Negan's life with the man's own bat." Ezekiel explained, pride slowly filling his voice as he spoke of Paul's plan and how it went off without a hitch. Daryl's heart pounded in his chest at the mental image of Paul ending Negan's life with the man's own precious bat while Maggie tightened her grip on him and Rick hummed under his breath, half impressed and half worried at the news.

The group came to a stop outside a door and Ezekiel placed his hand on the doorknob before sending them all a sad look.

"However not all went according to plan... Paul took a bullet in the side of his neck... He hasn't woken up yet. Our doctor got him stable but he just won't wake. He may never wake," Ezekiel suddenly looked old and weary. This set the trio's fear skyrocketing up as they took in the news as Ezekiel pushed open the door to what must be the infirmary.

"Oh God," Maggie gasped, one hand flying up to her mouth and the other one to her stomach on reflex at the sight that lay before them.

Paul was lying propped up on a bed, his arms tucked under white sheets and a thick wrapping of pink stained gauze was wrapped around his throat. His hair was limp and hanging loosely around his shoulders and his face was pale and gaunt in the lighting of the room. Dark circles were under his closed eyes and a giant tiger was snoozing at the foot of the bed.

The tiger opened its eyes and bared its fangs at the group before Ezekiel whistled lowly and the tiger yawned widely before settling back down.

"Oh Paul," Daryl was the first to move, Maggie on his heels as they entered the room.

"Did you get the guy who did this?" Rick asked Ezekiel, rage and concern warring inside of the man as he stared at the still, injured form of the scout. The scout who had risked everything to take Negan down, who gave up everything to make sure no one from Alexandria or Hilltop was harmed further.

"He's out there burning with the others," Ezekiel promised, his voice just as dark as Rick imagined his voice had been.

"Good, thank you for helping him." Rick held his hand out to the other leader and the two shook hands out of respect.

"He is a good friend, have faith. He will wake," Ezekiel said firmly and Rick nodded his agreement. He worked closely with Paul before he went missing and knew how strong the scout was.

"He has to," Rick murmured as he looked into the room to see Daryl clutching at Paul's limp hand with a look of pain and worry on his face while Maggie was stroking Paul's hair with a shaking hand.

"Aye," Ezekiel murmured as well before clapping Rick on the shoulder before he left with one last look at Paul's unconscious form.

"The idiot, he should have told us, should have asked for help." Maggie sniffed as Rick pulled over two chairs for her and Daryl, knowing full well that neither of them were going to be leaving Paul's side any time soon.

"You know that's now how he works, he still thinks he has to do everything alone." Daryl groused as he laced his fingers tightly with Paul's limp ones.

"I know I just hate it. When he wakes up he is moving to Alexandria so we can keep an eye on him." Maggie said firmly as she settled in the chair, folding her hands over her swelling stomach.

"When he wakes up I'm not letting him out of my sight for a good long while," Daryl agreed as he rubbed his thumb over Paul's hand, his eyes never leaving Paul's blank face.

"I'm going to go see the others, see what we can do to help and figure out what to do with the Saviour's who helped Paul. I trust you two have everything covered here?" Rick didn't want to leave, but he knew he had to go check on the others.

"We got it covered, if not I'm sure that Tiger will rip anyone to shreds." Maggie flicked her eyes to the resting tiger who looked peaceful but she had seen the nature channel back in the old world and knew how vicious they could be. That was the only reason Ezekiel must have left him in Paul's room.

"I'm sure… He's gonna pull through, he's strong." Rick placed his hand on Daryl's shoulder in a silent gesture of support and Daryl nodded jerkily at the other man, but he never looked away from Paul.

That conversation was hours ago and night had fallen on the compound. Visitors from Alexandria had cycled through the room, wincing or outright sobbing at the sight of Paul's unconscious form and the bandage around his throat.

Daryl hadn't moved from his place next to Paul for all those hours, uncaring that his hand was cramping up as he held Paul's hand. He didn't have it in him to let go, he knew it was irrational but he thought that if he let go then Paul would slip away from him.

"You're a moron Paul," Daryl whispered when he knew Maggie was asleep, curled up in the chair and looking peaceful in her sleep now that Paul was safe and the threat of Negan and the Saviour's finally gone from their lives.

"I wish ya had come to me, told me something…I get why ya didn't though, I know I'm hot-headed and lead with ma fists and not ma head." Daryl kept his voice low as not to wake Maggie but part of him wanted to shake Paul and shouted at him until he woke up and gave him that stupid smile of his that Daryl thought he would never see again.

"I love ya you idiot and if you don't wake up I'll never be able to tell you that, so I need you to wake up. Please, Paul, just wake up." Daryl lifted Paul's hand and pressed his lips to Paul's knuckles and closed his eyes to compose himself.

Daryl thought he had just closed his eyes for a moment but next thing he knew sunlight was filtering through the window and a crick was in his neck. Daryl sighed as he sat up from where he had fallen asleep on the side of the bed and rubbed at his eyes before looking back at Paul and let out a startled noise when he saw beautiful eyes looking at him and a hazy smile on his lips.

"Hi," Paul whispered and Daryl was lurching forward, cupping Paul's face between his hands and capturing Paul's lips with his own.

"Hi," Daryl breathed out when he broke the kiss and Paul smiled up at him.

"I missed you," Paul whispered as Daryl stared down at him with relief shining in his eyes.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again," Daryl swore and Paul smiled wider.

"I hope not," Paul smiled and Daryl basked in the warmth of it and everything was right with the world again. They would deal with the rest of it later, but right now it was just the two of them and that's all Daryl needed.