I am well aware that Rick and Team Family will rise again. They are down but definitely not out, at all. That said I need some solace at the moment after witnessing so much pain and loss. The following is what should happen after that terrible encounter… At least for me.

_0_

Six months later….

The sun enters the bedroom window with unlimited welcome as many mornings have done before. Rick lies on his left side and stretches out his right arm to hold Michonne closer. Michonne smiles as she feels the warmth of his embrace. His hand ventures south until it rests on her swollen abdomen. Michonne places her own right hand over his. Her smile suddenly slips away as she hears Rick sigh deeply, knowing very well the thoughts that torment him.

"I know what you're gonna ask." Michonne says as Rick caresses her belly with his thumb.

"I know what your answer is…But I need you to stay far from them as possible." Rick replies. "Take Judy and stay with Gabriel. Those assholes never want to go in there nonetheless… Why would the devil want to go to a church anyway?"

"Rick, I need to be here with you." Michonne answers as she rubs his hand.

"Why… You don't trust me or something?" Rick inquires. He raises his head to look at Michonne who turns to look at him and she gives him a small smile.

"It's time we get up." Michonne places a soft kiss on his lips, removes the covers and walks towards the bathroom. Rick lays back and places both hands on his forehead and takes a deep breath. He removes his hands, turns his head and looks out the window.

_0_

The two hunks from the three waiting trucks signal for the gates to open. The three trucks park at the entrance of the community and the inhabitants of Alexandria begin to bring large boxes of supplies to the waiting truck drivers. Negan, Simon and four more men exit the trucks and open the back to receive their awaiting provisions.

"And to think these poor sorry sacks of shit took out so many of our people." Simon says as he looks at the Alexandrians.

"True… But the sad fuckers learned that the rules have changed… And here we are." Negan laughs. Negan suddenly stops laughing when he sees Michonne from far holding Judith's hand as they walk towards the church.

Simon looks at what is being brought to them and gives the providers intimidating looks and then laughs as they walk away shaking. "Negan, I think we should have brought another truck. What do you think?... Hey what do you…" Simon looks over at Negan and notices that his attention is on Michonne.

"Yeah… Next time we bring more." Negan answers without breaking his gaze.

Simon walks over to Negan and smiles as he shakes his head. "Fuck man, everything here belongs to you anyway… Just take the bitch if you want her so bad." Simon insists.

Negan finally breaks his concentration and turns to look at Simon. "Make sure they're giving us everything they're supposed to… No fuck ups!" Simon nods and Negan walks towards Michonne.

"Hey there!" Negan says loudly stopping Michonne and Judith. Michonne slowly turns around as she continues to hold Judith's hand.

"Yes?" Michonne answers with a stern glare.

" You're hard to find." Negan says with a smile but doesn't get one in return. He nods and looks down at Judith and lowers himself to speak to the child but Michonne gently pulls her behind her. Negan raises himself and stares at Michonne in the eyes.

"We gave you half." Michonne says without looking away or showing any fear.

"Daddy!" Judith yells and quickly lets go of Michonne's grip and runs towards Rick who is walking towards Michonne. Rick picks up Judith and continues to walk towards Michonne. Michonne gives Rick a glare and a nod and he stops and stands holding Judith.

Negan watches everything and laughs.

"You want us to work for you and we do… You want half and you have it. We are probably your best producers… All of us" Michonne says as she does not break her stance and her glare.

Negan smiles, nods and takes a few steps back as he continues to smile. He turns and walks away towards his truck. He passes Rick but doesn't even look his way. Once Negan reaches his truck Simon is inside ready to start the ignition. Simon turns to Negan.

"I don't get you… Half their shit means half their shit and I would take that bitch…."

Negan quickly turns to Simon and quiets him. "If they play, we play… But if they don't, we keep our dicks in our pants… Understand?" Negan looks Simon in the eye. Their faces are very close to each other.

"Yea…Yeah… Sure…Wha..What you see Negan." Simon nods multiple times nervously. Negan smiles and sits back in his seat and motions with his hand for Simon to leave. Simon turns on the ignition and begins to drive as he swallows hard.

_0_

Later that night Simon is drinking with his buddies as the Saviors feast and laugh about their recent conquests with the nearby communities.

"Yeah, those babes would do anything for food and some tools." Tim says. He's a twenty something year old Savior that enjoys tormenting and taking from other communities. He always volunteers.

"Anything?... I had two that did some things that I'm even ashamed to talk about." Arnold says. He's in his fifties and is also a happy collector for the Saviors.

"Well they damn well should! They are our property! We own those bitches!" Simon yells as he continues to chug from his bottle.

"I see what you mean man… But you know what the boss said… If they want to…" Simon throws his bottle shattering it on the ground and interrupting Tim.

"They are our property and they are here to serve us!" Simon shouts and stumps out leaving his companions shaking their heads.

_0_

"We have plenty to eat." Michonne says with a warm smile as she pours mash potatoes into a serving dish. She looks over at Rick who's helping her by cutting the carrots. He is doing it with more force than needed. "We're ok."

"Mich…" Rick puts the knife and carrots down and looks at Michonne. "He could have hurt you, the baby, Judith."

Michonne walks up to Rick and palms his face. "I'm ok… We're ok… We should not provoke him… We can't"

Rick looks at Michonne than nods and returns to what he was doing, but the knife is too dull. He angrily throws the knife in the sink. "It's not working… They took all of our good cooking tools."

"Well not all." Michonne says with a grin. "I'll go get some that I hid in the shed… Get Judy and Carl ready for dinner."

Michonne walks out of the house and heads to the back and opens the shed. She walks into the darkness and under some old rugs is a box is where she hides items that she doesn't want the Saviors to find and take. She picks up a small pink dress that belonged to Judith when she was smaller and near it is Carl's comic book collection. As she continues to look she sees the mints that Rick brought her many months ago. She never used them. She holds it in her hand and smiles.

"Well… Who do we have here?" The unfriendly voice startles her. She turns to see Simon standing at the entrance of the shed. Michonne quickly stands and her heart beat begins to quicken as Simon closes the door behind them leaving them in more darkness and no exit.

"What…What are you doing here?" Michonne ask between her quick breathing.

"I came to get what I want." Simon says as he walks towards Michonne.

"You shouldn't do this… You need to leave!" Michonne demands with tears filling her eyes. She slowly turns her head to either side to see if she can get a weapon to help her.

"Shut up you stupid bitch!... I said I came to get what's mine and I don't give two fucks if you're pregnant." Simon walks up to Michonne and is face to face to her. "And if you tell anyone, your bitch husband and kids will get theirs too." Simon swings his hand and back slaps Michonne sending her to the ground. Her right hand hits a box and she screams in pain.

Simon is over her unbuckling his belt. "You should thank me… Now, you'll know what a real man feels like."

"Hey." Simon turns to a voice behind him.

"Swack!" Simon feels the impact of metal against the side of his head. Before he can see who it is he receives two more blows to his head and face and his legs finally give out and he's on the ground. Michonne looks up and before she can get up Rick is already bending down helping her off the ground. Rick checks Michonne's bruised face and injured arm. He places a soft hand on her belly.

"Rick… What are we gonna do?" Michonne ask as she looks over at a bleeding disoriented Simon.

"You're…You're… dead…" Simon says as he spits out blood and teeth. Michonne looks at Rick with tears in her eyes.

"When Negan finds out?" Michonne inquires.

"And he….He will you stupid bitch!" Simon yells.

"Go inside." Rick says to Michonne with warm eyes.

"Rick…" Michonne looks at Rick's eyes and tears fall from her own. She nods and walks towards the door. Rick watches her leave and doesn't turn until she is out. Rick turns and looks at Simon. Simon is trying to sit up but is in too much pain. He looks at Rick and can see that he is holding a shovel tightly in his right hand. Rick begins to walk towards him. Simon begins to coward towards a corner and pleads as Rick raises the shovel.

"Rick….Listen…You don't want to do this… You can't…"

Rick stops and lowers the shovel. "Why?"

"Um…because…I'm Negan's right hand man… You know?" Simon says and gives Rick a bloody pleading smile.

Rick nods and sighs. "Yeah… You're right." Rick looks around and walks towards a box. He opens the lid and reaches in. He pulls out a machete with a red handle. He looks at Simon. "Let's fix that." He walks towards Simon.

Simon has his right hand up and extended shielding himself from Rick. "No!" With one swing and his hand falls to the ground and blood splashes everywhere.

"That's mine now." Rick says and continues to swing.

_0_

Rick walks out the shed covered in blood. He stops when he sees Aaron, Eric, Gabriel and Carl. "You all should go home… I don't want you to be part of this." Says Rick as he passes them by.

"Like it or not we are… What do you need us to do?" Aaron yells stopping Rick from taking any more steps.

Rick doesn't turn. "I need to get rid of him."

"Give him to the dead." Carl says, making Rick turn to look at him.

"The kid is right. There was a small herd about 15 miles from here. We can just throw him to them… Like he was never here." Gabriel adds.

Rick looks at each of their faces and sees their eagerness to help him. "Then that is what we'll do… Give him to the dead."

_0_

The hunk from the incoming trucks alerts the gate keepers to open. The trucks park and Saviors come out waiting for their bullied portion. Rick brings a basket over to the truck and hears Tim and Arnold speaking.

"It's a shame about Simon… He was a funny guy but the drinking got him at the end I guess." Tim says.

"Yeah… And you would think it be one of those walking mindless hungry fuckers." Says Arnold.

The Saviors load up the truck and they leave, none the wiser.

Rick watches as the gate closes behind them. Michonne walks and stands next to Rick. Carl, then Gabriel appears. Aaron and Eric along with others from the Alexandria community stand near Rick. Carl looks at his father. Rick looks around and sees all of Alexandria standing and starting at him. Rick looks at them and nods and receives the same gesture.

"One down…More to go." Rick says and takes a deep breath.

_0_

Thanks for reading