AN: For those of you wondering about my fic written for the Hobbit: I lost inspiration. My father was diagnosed with cancer and all of my drive to finish that story vanished. I am sad to see it go because I was very excited for it. As of now, I am willing to let someone else have it, but if not, I hope one day I can finish it. For now, I find solace and inspiration in the Walking Dead fandom and hope everyone can forgive me for not finishing what I started. I cannot promise I will finish this story, but I so would like to.

Thank you for your patience.

With love,

Dagmaris

P.S. My twitter is WayMayLay. DM me questions or scream at me for not finishing my stories. Maybe it will keep me motivated!

Chapter 1

They're safe. They're safe. They're safe.

The words tumbled through Rick's mind as he headed towards the cars. Maggie and Glenn were already in the back of one, heads together and eyes closed. They're hands were entwined over Maggie's still flat stomach and they seemed at peace. Rick was glad of it. If anyone deserved it, it was them.

Carol was being hugged enthusiastically by Tara and Rosita, a stern Daryl as her shadow. Carol accepted the greetings, but Rick could tell something was off. Daryl was hovering and Carol was letting him. Rick hadn't seen them do that since the first months at the prison. It didn't worry him much, though, because they were safe.

Before, Rick had been willing to risk the lives of his team, his family, but now he wasn't so sure. On paper, it sounded easy: we fight, die if we have to, we win, we trade. Simple. Until it wasn't.

Hearing Carol and Maggie's voice over that radio had awoken something in Rick that he had thought long buried.

Fear.

Rick was afraid for them. He was afraid of losing people. He was tired of losing people. He no longer accepted loss, something he thought was necessary to accept to live in this world; but no more.

Maggie needed to live to see her baby born. Carol needed to live to see the day when she would be happy with Daryl. Sasha needed to live to find hope. Abraham, Tara, Glenn, Rosita, Carl, everyone needed to live.

Yes, people would still die. Yes, sometimes they would lose, but gone were the days of being willing to lose.

Rick was done fighting these battles in which no one gained. Seeing the gut wrenching heartbreak in Glenn and Daryl's eyes when they realized what had happened had hit Rick like a truck. What if it had been Michonne? Or Carl, or Judith?

It was never going to come to this again. Not if Rick had any say about it.

"Jesus!," he called as he passed the reunions, his thoughts running wild, "Jesus!"

"Yes?," the mysterious man answered inquisitively. He had been watching the reunions with a sad smile.

"You said you trade with other groups, is that right?", Rick asked him seriously. Jesus looked bewildered for a moment.

"Uh, yes. Two others. Smaller than ours, but good at scavenging. Why do you ask?", the long haired man questioned.

"There has to be another way for us. I said I was willing to fight, but after today, we can't. We can't dismantle Negan's group, not at this cost," Rick said forcefully low. Jesus stared into stern blue eyes and frowned at the southern leader.

"I would understand your concern more, Rick, if you hadn't killed Negan already." Rick closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before waving off the statement.

"That wasn't Negan," he stated, and Jesus thought suddenly that he had never heard a voice so tired, "I heard it over the radio. His name was Primo. He probably told me he was Negan because he thought I would let him live longer, but I knew he wasn't the whole time."

Jesus felt his disappointment rise as he realized that tyrant still lived, but slowly pieces began falling together; he was beginning to understand Rick's fear, now.

"So you're telling me that you are no longer willing to fight Negan for Hilltop?", Jesus asked. Rick sighed.

"No. No, I am saying that we won't be fighting alone. Those others that you trade with, the two smaller groups, could they help us?," Rick looked directly into Jesus' eyes as he spoke. He would not be lied to again, today.

Jesus opened his mouth to protest, but Rick cut him off.

"Could. They. Help. Us?," he asked again, his voice hard as stone. Jesus closed his eyes in frustration.

"No," he answered truthfully and Rick seethed.

"Then I think we're done here," the southerner stated as he walked off, hand on his gun, to gather his group.

Jesus wracked his brain for something, anything, to change his mind. Hilltop needed this trade, as did Alexandria. He couldn't let it just pass them by. Then, suddenly…

"Wait!," Jesus called out to Rick's retreating figure, "Wait!"

Rick froze, but didn't turn around. Jesus caught up.

"There is something," the desperate man stated.

"I'm listening," Rick said, and he was.

"I've been going on scouts for Hilltop since this whole mess started, so least three years," Jesus said quickly, but truthfully.

"In my first or second year, I met one of the largest groups I had ever encountered, until Negan's, of course. They lived in this underground compound, which was genius really, but dangerous. We didn't establish trade because they were just scavenging at the time and we knew they couldn't keep that up for so long because of their size. You can't have a group that large and sustain it by scavenging, so we left it alone."

"Why is this important?," Rick asked annoyed.

"I'm getting to that part. While we didn't establish trade, I was on good terms with their leader. He said anytime we changed our minds, they would be happy to trade with us," Jesus went on.

"And you're thinking of changing your mind?", Rick asked skeptically.

"I'm thinking that it is worth a shot to see if they are still there. I haven't been back in maybe two years, so I don't even know if they still exist, but…," Jesus trailed off, eyes spacing for a moment.

"But?," Rick urged him, hands at his hips in frustration.

"But if they are still there, if they haven't died off, they will be a force to be reckoned with for Negan", Jesus said seriously.

"How do you figure that?', Rick asked, somewhat intrigued. Jesus considered that for a moment.

"I'm sorry, but I won't say any more until you agree to try it. If not, then the relationship between Hilltop and Alexandria will be severed and you can wait for the day when Negan finds you. Your choice," Jesus stated, backing away with his arms spread as if to emphasize that Rick was left with a choice. Rick glared.

"I'll talk to my people," he said roughly, "we'll make a decision before we leave today."

"You better," Jesus smiled coldly as he walked away. Rick just shook his head and walked back to his group.

"Everybody listen up!," he called out. Curious faces turned toward him. He surveyed each and every one of them before he spoke. "There is something we need to discuss."