"You still going out with Rick tomorrow?" Michonne asks, drinking from a red mug as she leans an elbow against Rachel's kitchen counter.

"Yeah, especially with it being the Saviors."

"Simon still making him uncomfortable?" Michonne smiles.

"Yeah, can't say i blame him though, Simon does it on purpose."

Michonne laughs, taking a sip of her tea. "God i wish this was coffee."

"I thought you couldn't stand the smell anymore?"

"Well now i can, and i want some. Not good for the baby though," Michonne rubs her growing belly.

"You want me to keep an eye out for some decaf?"

Michonne shakes her head. "No, i'd rather drink this than decaf."

"So how is the little one?"

"Growing nicely, she was kicking up a storm yesterday though, playing drums on my bladder, i swear i nearly peed myself," Michonne laughs.

"Has Rick set up the nursery yet?"

"I did it myself. He tried, but he just made a mess."

"I'll bet," Rachel smiles.

"So how are you?" Michonne asks.

"I'm good."

Michonne raises an eyebrow. "Rachel."

Rachel drops her shoulders. "I.. i didn't think you'd want to talk about the elephant in the room."

"Hey," Michonne places her hand against Rachel's. "We're family. You can talk to me about anything, even him."

Rachel shrugs her shoulders. "Nothing's changed, he's in there and i'm out here, and everybody still whispers behind my back."

Michonne shakes her head. "Not everybody. I don't."

"No, you just tell me right to my face," Rachel smiles.

"Well someone has to," Michonne laughs. "I'm not gonna pretend that i'm okay with you still visiting him. And i'm not gonna pretend that i understand why or how you can love him. But i'm here, always."

"Thanks."

"You're one of us, you belong here," Michonne assures her.

"Anyway, let's focus on what matters, like your little one," Rachel smiles. "You and Rick picked out a name yet?"

"Well, i'm thinking if it's a girl, Andrea."

"Andrea would have liked that. And if it's a boy?"

"Urgh, Rick came up with a bunch of names, but i don't like any of them," Michonne says.

"Well i'm sure you'll come up with something that sounds right."


Rachel steps through the door of the prison, Eugene eating a sandwich as he keeps watch over Negan.

"Hey, Eugene."

"You know the drill," Eugene says between mouthfuls of food.

Rachel takes off her bow and arrow, placing it down on the table in front of Eugene. Then she takes off her belt and removes the knife from her boot.

"Let me check those," he nods towards her boots.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Again?"

"Doesn't hurt to be thorough and considering your relationship with said occu-"

"Alright, Eugene, no need to read me the rule book," she says as she takes off her boots. "And it wouldn't kill you to take a breath once in a while."

"That has been said and duly noted." he nods, handing her boots back over. "What's that?" He asks, pointing to a cloth bag in her hand.

"Cake."

Eugene shakes his head. "You know the rules, i can't allow said item past here else-"

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Here," she says, taking a piece of cake out of the bag and offering it to him. "Now can i take it in with me?"

Eugene reaches for the cake. "Is it chocolate?"

"Yeah."

He nods. "Alright, i think i can allow it this once."

"Thanks, can i go now?"

Eugene steps to one side. "Yeah, we're good here."

Rachel heads down the stairs, turning to her left to Negan's cell.

He's sitting on his bed, his nose buried deep in the book he supposedly hated. "Thought you didn't like that?"

Negan looks up with a smirk, placing the book down on his mattress. "Like i said yesterday, it passes the time. And i have to read each page three fucking times before it makes any damn sense," he smiles. "What's that you got there?" He asks, licking his lips as he walks over to her.

"Cake, thought you might like some? I had to bribe Eugene with a piece as usual," she smiles.

"Did you make it?"

"No."

"Gimme then," he teases.

"Shut up," she smiles, handing it through the bars.

Negan takes it from her, showing no etiquette whatsoever as he crams it in his mouth. "Hmm, that's good," he says, his cheeks puffed up like a hamster as he spits crumbs at her.

"Watch what you're doing," she frowns, wiping at her vest.

"Sorry," he smiles.

Rachel sits on the floor outside his cell, Negan following suit.

"I won't be able to come tomorrow, i've got to go to the drop off," she says.

"Saviors?" Rachel nods. Negan laughs, running a hand over his face. "Rick is such a fucking pussy."

"Stop it," she smiles.

"I can't believe Simon and Dwight are in charge over there, surprised the place hasn't gone to shit."

"Well it hasn't."

"I always thought you'd take over the Sanctuary," Negan says.

Rachel shakes her head. "No, i haven't been to the Sanctuary since..," she looks down at the ground.

Negan clears his throat. "Well you would've made a damn good leader. Especially with Simon being right up your ass. Hey, while we're on the subject of Simon, has he tried getting in your panties since i've been locked up?"

"No," she frowns.

"Well that's a fucking surprise, he was always sweet on you. Only reason he never made a move was cos i was around cock blocking his ass."

Rachel smiles, pushing her hand through the bars and stroking his fingers. Negan pulls his hand away with a frown.

"Don't," he says, shaking his head. "What happened yesterday, we can't do that again."

"Why not? Seems like you liked it," she teases.

"Of course i fucking liked it, i'm a guy, and i haven't gotten fucking laid in two years. But it can't happen again, okay?" Rachel drops her head. "Hey, look at me."

She looks up at him reluctantly. "What?"

"Don't be like that. You deserve more than a quick fucking grope through the bars, it's not happening again, and if you can't get on board with that, then i'm just gonna start fucking ignoring you every time you come here, okay?"

"Okay," she mumbles.

"Good," he nods.

"Negan."

"What?"

"Do you remember when i ran off, after that first fight with Alexandria?"

"Yes, i do."

"If you could go back to that moment, would you have left with me, like i asked?"

"In a heartbeat. But we can't go back, this is how it is now," Negan says.


Rachel sits beside Rick, her eyes scanning the road ahead as they ride along on a two horse cart. She glances behind her at the other two carts. "What are we trading?"

"Sorghum, we've got way more than we need. Guess we'll have to see what they have. See if it's worth trading?"

"Most likely eggs, they've got plenty of chickens up at the Sanctuary apparently," she says.

"Well i'll go for that, we're running low on eggs," Rick says. He looks out at the road with a frown. "What the hell is that?"

Rachel looks ahead. "Walkers from the looks of it."

"Christ! They're supposed to have lookouts keeping this road clear at all times," he says.

"Chill, Rick, there's only three. Stop the cart, i'll take care of them, don't want them spooking the horses."

"It's not the point, the Kingdom are supposed to have men on this stretch of the road, obviously they're not doing their job," he says as he pulls on the reins.

Rachel hops off the cart, taking her bow from her shoulders. Gabriel comes up behind her, taking out his knife. "I've got this, Gabe," she smiles. "You can help me drag them off the road though."

Rachel takes them out in quick succession, not missing a shot.

"Surprised to see you out here," she says, grabbing the walker's feet as Gabriel grabs it's shoulders.

"Why? Do you think i never leave the church?" Gabriel smiles.

"I was starting to think that, though i've seen you in action plenty enough, you're good with that.. for a man of the cloth," she nods towards the rifle on his shoulder.

He laughs. "I am when i need to be."

They finish moving the bodies to the side of the road, heading back to their carts.

"I'm gonna have to speak with Ezekiel about this," Rick says, clearly still annoyed.

"They probably found a small herd in the woods, keeping them busy. Rick, it doesn't really matter how many people you have on this road, walkers are going to slip through every so often," she reasons.

"What if it were Carl on this road? This is the main road leading to all the communities, it needs to be kept clear."

"Well, i'm thinking if Carl were on this road there wouldn't be a problem. He knows how to handle walkers, Rick. Are you still angry about him moving to Hilltop?"

"I was never angry, just.. worried, he's my son," Rick says.

"I know. Come on, we should keep going, take us another hour at the most," she smiles.


They ride through the gates of a large open area, otherwise known as the drop off. Rick and the other communities had decided it made sense to set up somewhere in the middle where they could meet safely and do trade with one another. There's a few warehouses dotted around, but they only used those during bad weather.

It looks very much like a market place, some people stood behind stalls, others trading straight from their carts or trucks. People from all four communities stand bartering with one another.

One man from the Hilltop tries to trade half a bushel of apples for six bars of chocolate with a Savior. The Savior isn't having it, refusing to give more than four. They agree on five, the man from Hilltop shaking his head as he walks away. "Goddamn, Saviors. Ain't never met an honest one yet," he mumbles.

"Rachel!" Simon smiles, his eyes wide as she heads over to his truck. "Good to see you."

"You too," she smiles. "What have you got?"

"Well we seem to have an abundance of eggs, amongst other things, why don't you take a look. Mark set up a stall over there," he points towards a few flip out tables.

"I will. Is Dwight around?"

"Yeah, somewhere, oh! Wait there for just one minute," he says, heading into the back of his truck. He comes back out with a CD in his hand, Rachel's eyes widening.

"Holy crap! Where did you get that?"

"Out on a run. I thought of you soon as i saw it," he smiles.

"We're not trading our stuff for a CD," Rick says from behind her.

"Rick!" Simon smiles. "I didn't see you there, what with you hiding behind Rachel. How you doing?"

Rick shifts his feet uncomfortably. "I'm good thanks, but we're not trading sorghum for a CD, what is it anyway? Arctic Monkeys," he squints his eyes as he reads the cover.

Rachel turns to him with a frown. "Rick, i don't need your stupid sorghum, i brought my own stuff," she says as she takes her rucksack from her shoulders. "Will this do it?" Rachel asks Simon as she pulls out a bottle of gin.

"Ohh," he reaches out his hand and takes the bottle, holding it almost lovingly. "This, is more than payment, take it, it's yours," Simon nods at the CD. "I was gonna give you that by the way, so why don't you go see if there's something you like on Mark's stall."

"Thanks, Simon," Rachel smiles. "Rick, why don't you see how many eggs you can get us?" She says before walking off.

Rick watches her leave, a lost puppy look on his face.

Rachel grabs a red plaid shirt and shoves it into her rucksack before browsing the other stalls around the drop off. She ends up trading a few batteries for a bottle of whiskey, and a large knife for a new pair of black boots.

She sees Dwight talking with a woman near a fruit stand.

"Hey, Dwight," Rachel nods.

"Hey," he nods. "You find anything good?"

"Got these boots, and Simon gave me a CD."

"Yeah, he wouldn't shut up about that," Dwight says.

"So how's things at the Sanctuary?" Rachel asks.

"They're good," he nods, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Sherry okay?"

Dwight clears his throat, glancing briefly at the ground. "Alright i guess. We don't really see much of each other. She started seeing some guy."

"I'm sorry," Rachel says sincerely.

"Don't be, can't say i blame her. I have a hard enough time looking at myself, must be even harder for everyone else."

"Hey," Rachel places a hand against his shoulder. "That's bloody bullshit. I know we've not always seen eye to eye, but it's bullshit all the same."

Dwight smiles shyly. "Thanks."


As the afternoon gets late, everyone packs up, no one wanting to travel after dark.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you," Rick whispers.

"Did what?" Rachel frowns.

"Left me to deal with Simon."

Rachel smiles. "Maybe. You managed it though, got rid of most of the sorghum. Though i don't think you'll be eating any of those eggs in your house."

"Why not?"

"Michonne can't stand the smell," Rachel laughs.

"Shit! I forgot about that," Rick frowns.

"Well, maybe if you're nice to me i'll let you use my kitchen," Rachel says.

They head out, all four communities going in different directions. The sun is fading fast before Rachel gets back to Alexandria with Rick and the others.

"I'm gonna go out hunting tomorrow," Rachel says.

"First light?" He asks.

"Maybe, i might even go tonight if i can't sleep, i love a good night hunt."

"Alright, well just be careful," Rick says, patting her shoulder gently.

"Always," she smiles.