C H A P T E R   1 8

❛ smoke signals ❜

QUINN

     THE WIND TOYED WITH HER HAIR and drowned out the noise of the motorcycle engine. Her arms were wrapped around Daryl's waist, her head leaning on his shoulder. The world passed them by in blurred colors of green and brown. She couldn't believe she'd never done this before, not even a simple joy ride to end a stressful day. If she closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the moment, she could pretend they were heading out on that holiday they discussed weeks ago. Instead they were heading towards a war...

Reluctantly she opened her eyes again, watching as they rounded the corner. Parked on the highway in front of them was a black van. It was filled to the brink with the explosives they'd gathered from the Savior's walker trap on the highway. Now it was a trap of a whole other kind.

Waiting besides the van were Tara, Carol and Morgan. The latter had barely uttered a word since the all out war started. Quinn could see the duality of the situation eating him alive, but she didn't have any words to console him, not when this war was what she'd been waiting for from the start. Though, she made a quick note to ask Milo to check in on him. He'd always been better with words anyway.

Daryl slowed down and came to a stop near Tara. She was chewing on some candy while staring at her watch. Quinn managed to get off the back of the motorcycle, ignoring Daryl's raised brow at her ineptitude. With her head held high she walked over to Tara, deciding to pretend she didn't notice the amused look shared between Carol and Daryl.

"Almost ready?" Quinn asked.

Tara nodded. "You're right on time."

"And we're sure this will work?"

Tara took off her glasses, as if she could convey her message more seriously that way. "If there's one of us who knows their way around explosives, it's Rosita."

"No argument there," Quinn agreed. She would never again doubt the woman after their trip to the Sanctuary together. And apparently that trust was mutual, since it was Rosita who suggested it should be her to set off the bombs.

"Here we go," Tara said.

Quinn inhaled sharply, eyes focused on the highway in front of them. If they made a wrong calculation, the plan would fall apart here and now. And failure was not an option...

Tara started counting down from 10, her voice only adding to Quinn's nerves about the importance of the moment. Her eyes drifted to Morgan, every muscle in his body looked tense. She clearly wasn't the only one who was nervous.

"3, 2, 1..."

The highway remained empty.

"Shit," Tara sighed.

The wind picked up, as if cheering on their failure. But carried along with the sound, came the smell, announcing that the first part of the plan would be arriving soon. Death.

"There!" Daryl said, pointing in the distance.

Stumbling around the corner came a herd of countless walkers, their haunting growls grew louder as they moved towards them. Quinn couldn't recall ever being relieved to see so many walkers before.

Tara shrugged. "Okay, close enough."

"All right, let's go," Daryl said, already walking back to his bike.

Quinn headed after him, waiting until he was seated before getting back on. The engine roared to life and they left the van behind. The other three got into a car and drove after them. When they were all a safe enough distance away, Quinn pushed the black button Rosita had entrusted her with.

The blow echoed like a lightning strike through the sky and set the entire van on fire. The door blew off and fell to the ground. Smoke rose in thick black clouds up into the sky. A fire so hot it would burn long enough for the entire herd to be directed the right way.

The trap was set.

Though they had to hurry and make sure the second part of the trap would work out equally well. Negan would make sure to send out a crew to check out the explosion. It was too close to the Sanctuary for them not to notice. It was their job to make sure they would never reach the highway and radio back to the Sanctuary in any way.

They pulled over in a small parking lot along the route the crew would take. A piece of knowledge they had acquired thanks to Dwight. Working together with the man still left a bad taste in her mouth. The only reason she'd agreed at all was because she knew he wouldn't outlive this fight. They would use him, for even she wasn't blind enough to realize they needed someone on the inside, but they would get rid of him just as easily when this was all over. After what he did to Beth, he didn't deserve to have a future. Pushing those thoughts aside for now, Quinn walked over to Morgan to help him with securing the steel cable they'd stretched over the length of the street. Attached to the cable were even more explosives, meaning they had to be very careful when making sure it was still fully functional.

Her eyes drifted to Morgan once again as he inspected the cable and suddenly she was unable to keep quiet. "So you're okay with this now?"

He froze, turning to face her with a small sigh. "No."

She raised a brow, silently asking him to explain his presence if he disagreed with it all.

Morgan hung his head, as if a thousand sins were weighing him down. "But I can't stand around and watch more innocent people die either."

She nodded, understanding his reason perfectly. "I heard about Benjamin. I'm sorry."

"So am I," he mumbled.

Silence lingered, both of their thoughts drifting towards the innocent lives already lost in this seemingly endless war against the world.

Quinn inhaled sharply, chasing away the ghosts from her mind. "I think we're good to go."

Morgan nodded in agreement and they made their way back to where the others had hidden themselves out of sight.

"How close are we?" Carol asked once Quinn reached them.

She threw a look over her shoulder, eyes narrowing when she caught sight of the factory in the distance, memories haunting her mind to this day.

"Close," Daryl mumbled, voice tense.

Quinn reached out and tangled her fingers through his. Slowly the tension seemed to leave his muscles and he relaxed, but only slightly. For the Sanctuary would not only haunt their nightmares from now on, but the dreams of their family as well.

The convoy would have almost reached the place by now...And for a moment she wished she could talk with Milo, hear his calming voice and his warm presence. But it was entirely possible she would not see or hear from him for the next few weeks.

The sound of approaching engines put them all on alert. Daryl squeezed her hand reassuringly before letting go, both of them taking a hold of their guns. The four of them knelt down behind the car, waiting with wild beating hearts.

The cars approached fast. Quinn had barely time to prepare herself before she could hear the steel cable rattle and the explosion shook the ground. A startled gasp escaped her lips as the deafening blow made her ears ring. Smoke consumed the sky as the flames greedily grasped for the surrounding cars and buildings. The car that had been riding in the front was thrown on its back, sliding across the asphalt and crashing into a wall.

For a moment they remained frozen in place, waiting. Daryl was the first one to move, cautiously making his way towards the wreckage. Quinn followed closely, hands gripping her gun tightly. Though it was more because of the nerves than because of any real danger. Seeming as even if there were survivors, they wouldn't be much of a threat. But when they approached, it quickly became clear the flames had left none alive. No one would radio the Sanctuary of their intentions and the smoke would be seen far and wide, signaling the others that the herd was approaching.

Though it sounded like the Sanctuary had been made aware as well. For in the distance the haunting echoes of gunshots resounded. The convoy had arrived at their destination.

"It's started," Carol said.

"Yeah," Daryl muttered as he leaned against his bike, "it was always gonna be that way."

"We've got company," Quinn said, pointing down the street. The herd was catching up with them, drawn to the noise of the explosion and the dancing flames still consuming the wreckage.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Tara said, nodding solemnly before heading towards the car.

"Beat 'em." Morgan said with a quick nod before heading after her.

"Say hi to Milo for me," Quinn shouted after him.

He put up his hand as confirmation of hearing her words.

Carol pulled Daryl into a hug. "Be careful."

"Shit, this is gonna be fun," Daryl said.

Carol frowned. "No it isn't."

"It's better than lettin' things be, though, right?"

"Yeah. It is." She turned to face Quinn. "Keep an eye on this one and on yourself."

Despite the circumstances, a small smile found its way onto her face. "I will," she promised.

Carol nodded, then took her leave, heading towards her meeting point with the other soldiers from the Kingdom.

Quinn inhaled deeply, watching the approaching herd. "Time to light some fires."

"Damn right." Daryl started the engine as they both settled on the motorcycle. "Hold on tight."

"No problem," Quinn grinned, planting a quick kiss on his cheek, her grin growing wider when the tips of his ears turned bright red. Even in the midst of a war, with literal death on their heels, Daryl Dixon still got embarrassed at any display of affection. It was strangely comforting to know some things never changed.

But the time to play games was over, there was a job to be done. The bike shot forward, not too fast or else they'd lose the herd, and slowly they drove in the direction of the factory.

Quinn held her gun tightly in her hand, eyes searching the route for the signature boxes they'd hidden the remaining explosives in. The first one would be at the crossing, making sure the herd wouldn't take an unexpected turn left. She spotted the box, took aim and fired. Flames exploded, sending black clouds into the sky.

She threw a look over her shoulder, a satisfied smile on her face when the herd followed the intended path. Their empty eyes focused only on one thing, the moving bike in front of them.

The next box stood besides a gray building. She held on tightly to Daryl, making sure to sit as still as possible on a moving bike and fired. Once again the bullet hit the target and the explosive was set aflame. She'd certainly come a long way. From barely being able to aim at a still target, to being perfectly able to hit a target while on a moving bike.

Slowly the Sanctuary got closer as they drove on. The sound of many car horns blared in the distance, the signal to retreat. Everyone had to be gone by the time the herd would arrive, or else they would be trapped along with the Saviors. But Quinn had no time to worry about that, having to stay focused on her task.

She spotted the third box and set it alight as well. All while the herd steadily walked along, their growls and hungry groans barely audible above the blasts from the explosions.

"Last one," Daryl shouted as they approached a crosspoint.

"I got it!"

She pulled the trigger, blowing up the last possible escape route the herd could take. The Sanctuary was right down the road. Now the only thing they had to do was make sure they wouldn't get caught between the herd and the building.

"Hold on!" Daryl warned.

Quinn tightened her grip around his waist, pressing her legs against the bike as Daryl pulled at the wheel, taking a sharp turn left into an alley between two houses. The mirror scraped against the wall, making her heart jump in her chest. But Daryl held the wheel in a tight grip and they managed to stay upright.

They exited the alley without any scratches and made their way back onto the road, right on to their next target. They did it, the first part of their insane, probably impossible, plan had succeeded. A laugh escaped her throat before she could hold it back, filled with relief but also with satisfaction at Negan finally being outplayed.

Daryl shook his head but she knew without having to see his face that he was smiling as well. She settled into him, resting her head against his back, enjoying the little respite of the insanity before they'd arrive at their next target.

A soft drizzle started to fall but even that wasn't enough to dampen her spirits. She simply enjoyed the soft drops of rain on her heated skin and closed her eyes, letting herself sink into that wonderful dream of heading out into the world, just the two of them...

Brutal reality set back in when the familiar noise of a firefight caught up with her.

"Sounds like we're late to the party," she sighed.

"Sounds like it," Daryl agreed.

They parked the bike behind a dumpster and made their way towards the meeting point. While at the front of the building the Saviors would be busy defending themselves against the Alexandrians and their own reanimated soldiers, she and Daryl would, along with Rick, infiltrate the building. Dwight had told them of a large storage of guns held back in reserve. It was vital they got a hold of them first before they would somehow find their way to the Sanctuary, giving the trapped Saviors inside a possible way out before the communities could take out all of the outposts.

Rick was waiting for them behind a shed, sheltered from view of the guards standing at the back entrance of the building. He looked tense, as they all did, but not entirely unsatisfied with how their day had been going so far.

"Glad to see you in one piece," Quinn greeted him, giving him a quick hug.

"You too," he smiled.

They turned their attention to the door and the mission waiting for them inside the building.

"I got it," Quinn said before either of the men could speak up. She raised her gun, aiming the barrel at the forehead of the guard on the right and pulled the trigger. And before his body had even hit the ground, she'd shot the other through his right eye.

They moved towards the door in single file, with Rick ahead, Quinn in the middle and Daryl in the back. With their guns at the ready, they reached the entrance. Quinn made sure to keep her gaze focused forward. She didn't regret killing those guards, but even the smallest glance at their corpses could very well change that.

Quickly they made their way inside, making sure to close the door behind them. Quinn almost sighed in annoyance at the sight of the many hallways stretching out around them. Finding a few guns in a huge building like this wouldn't be easy. Especially not when they didn't have much time. All three of them seemed to have come to that same conclusion as they picked up their pace without exchanging a word.

They moved from room to room and every single time it turned out to be empty, Quinn felt her muscles relax with relief. Most Saviors seemed to be occupied with the fight happening outside, not even bothering to consider the building might've been already infiltrated.

When they'd covered the entire first floor, Rick came to a halt. "We should split up, each of us covers a floor, meet in the middle. Find the M2's, we use 'em. Fire at the courtyard, end this quick."

Quinn could feel Daryl's gaze burning on her back but she ignored him. "Sounds like a plan."

Rick raised a questioning brow at the archer, waiting for his opinion.

For a moment Daryl seemed torn but he managed to swallow the unspoken words lingering on his tongue and finally nodded in agreement.

They moved up the stairs, exchanging silent looks of encouragement before getting off on separate floors. Quinn took the third floor. With her gun held at the ready, she moved from door to door. The gunshots outside and the wild drumming of her own heart were the only sounds audible. The entire building appeared to be empty, made ready to be haunted by the ghosts of the dead right on the doorstep.

She'd checked three rooms so far and still no sign of the guns. She was growing impatient and forced herself to take a few deep breaths. It was of no use to anyone if she were to get caught up in her emotions. Only when she had calmed slightly, did she allow herself to move on.

The fourth door opened with a protesting creak, making her wince. Slowly she made her way inside the room. It appeared to be used as housing, judging by the bed and clothes dumped on the chair in the corner. She was about to leave when she caught sight of a picture on the nightstand.

Her breath caught in her throat. The world seemed to slow down, all sounds muffled and colors blurred. As when she walked forward, it felt as though her body was moving through water. Carefully, as though the photo would fall apart upon her touch, she picked it up. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat but it was impossible to do so. Not when the faces of her aunt, uncle and their two children were smiling up at her.

How?

Memories threatened to overwhelm her and before she knew it, she was swept away in the current of her childhood. The few years she'd spent in happiness had been with uncle Javier and aunt Miranda, who'd taken her in when her father's addiction was at its worst. A warmth like she'd experienced in that household, wasn't one she'd soon forget.

But the happiness hadn't lasted. They'd gotten children of their own and couldn't take care of both her and their own children. And so another place of safety had crumbled. But Quinn had gladly traded her own safety if it meant Louis and Eliza grew up in a loving household. Besides, she had Milo to protect her.

A sudden thought cut through the memories like a knife. Why didn't Nick tell her about this? Or had he truly not known his brother was part of the same group?

A loud crash came from downstairs, making her jump. She cursed, quickly tucked the photo into her pocket, and sprinted out of the door. With her rifle at the ready, she ran down the hallway and back down the stairs. The building hadn't been as empty as she thought...

She followed the sounds of the fight, sprinting through the seemingly endless hallway. Out of breath, more from shock than anything else, she entered the room. Eyes wide when she saw Rick being held at gunpoint by a figure standing with his back to her. Daryl was behind him with his finger on the trigger.

"Don't!" She shouted, making all three men freeze in their tracks.

"What the hell you talkin' about?" Daryl asked through gritted teeth.

She ignored him, eyes focused on the figure still with his back turned to her. She swallowed, the photo in her pocket seeming to burn through her jeans. "Uncle Javier?"

Rick's eyes widened, while Daryl only tensed up more, still not lowering his gun.

Slowly the man turned around and the face finally meeting hers was that of a broken man. The warmth she'd known long gone, taken away by a cruel world. He seemed on the brink of tears, mouth opening, only to close again.

"Quinn?"

She stepped forward but Daryl moved to stand in front of her, gun still pointed at the man.

"It's okay," she said softly.

"Nah, it ain't," Daryl snapped. "He's with them."

Rick moved towards the man from her past, taking the gun from his hands. "Morales," he mumbled, shaking his head. "I could've known."

Quinn frowned. "What are you talking about?" Her eyes flickered between Rick and Javier, noticing a certain discomfort between the two men. "Do you two know each other?"

"He was with us in Atlanta," Rick said.

The mention of the city alone seemed enough to bring back unpleasant memories, as Javier closed his eyes for a moment to gather himself. "We left to find you and your brother," he admitted as he opened his eyes again.

A shaky breath escaped her lips. She didn't have to ask what the consequences of that choice had been. The look on his face said more than enough. He was alone.

"You're coming with us," she decided.

Daryl threw a look over his shoulder, his features drawn in a questioning frown.

"He could have useful information," Quinn argued, though that was only part of the reason and Daryl knew it too. "Like where those guns are."

Javier scoffed. "That's what you're here for? Then I'm afraid to tell you you've wasted your bullets for nothing."

"Fuck," Daryl cursed, finally lowering his gun. For a moment he seemed to consider their options, before finally crossing the room with a few large paces. He took a hold of Javier's arm and pushed him out in front of him. "Walk."

Quinn reached for the photo, clenching her fist around the piece of paper. It seemed there were many ghosts today who had made it their personal mission to haunt her...

A U T H O R 'S  N O T E

Hey guys, I'm back! I apologise for the lack of updates these past few weeks. My final deadlines of several school projects are approaching so I've been really busy.

Okay, okay, I gotta be honest. When I first started planning this story, I kinda forgot about Morales in season 1. But upon my rewatch of the show for this fic, I thought to myself how cool would it be if they were related? Which kind of started a running gag in my mind of how Quinn and Milo keep finding unexpected relatives in the apocalypse lol. His first name isn't ever mentioned, so I gave him one myself and made his role just a little bigger than it is in the show. Very excited to get into this plotline!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I would love to hear your thoughts so please don't hesitate to leave a comment!

Much love

xx Nelly