Eventually, the 218 got him to a place called Owens and a lot more walkers started to show up. He followed the road going over the state highway where he could see more walkers to the east from the bridge. Not going that way, and besides, the Potomac seemed to turn south here, so south was his new direction. After a couple of miles and crossroad junctions, still in the countryside, he got to the Virginia State Route 3. It turned east again and there were very few walkers in sight, so east again it was. He only got a mile or so through the forest before he saw a left turn sign that said George Washington Birthplace National Monument. So that guy was born here, huh? He let off the gas and rolled the bike to a stop. There was a small straight road going into the forest. Must end up at the Potomac, he thought. Why not? I'm fucking sightseeing.

He passed a couple of farms on the way through the thick woods before the landscape opened up again in pastures and fields and ahead he saw a goddamn obelisk. Like the big one in Washington, but this was way smaller. But he also saw that is was encapsulated by a man-made wooden fence, a high fence and in the same moment he noticed that the fields on both sides of the road had been harvested. This place was occupied. He slowed down and tried to see any activity but the only thing he could see was a gate and a watchtower next to the obelisk and the end of rifle sticking out of it. Wrong move, taking this side trip, but something about the place had him curious. Someone had harvested the fields, that didn't speak gang of criminals to him. As he got closer he saw a man stand up in the watch tower. He shut off the engine and glided on idle the last meters.

"Stay right there, visitor. State your name and business," the man in the watchtower spoke. He had long blonde dreads and flannel cheered shirt, he looked like the scarecrow in Oz.

"Daryl, no business. Just looking around. I can leave," he answered and began to turn the bike around.

"No stop, you don't have to!" the man yelled. "We haven't seen anyone new for several weeks. I'm Aaron. Where'd you come from?"

"DC area," Daryl said reluctantly. This Aaron guy was suspiciously cheerful. Why were guys named Aaron so overtly friendly?

"Yeah, me too. Originally. I used to work summers here while I was getting my agriculture degree at UMCP. Figured it would be a good place to hole up for a while, and yeah, I was right. We're a bit crowded now, but the farm is doing great," Aaron babbled. "You need anything?"

Daryl eyed him warily. Aaron was smiling and looked like he was no older than 25. He seemed very harmless.

"I could use some gas," Daryl admitted slowly.

"We're kinda low on that, but I guess you don't need much for that," Aaron said and pointed at the bike's gas tank.

"Nah, maybe three quarter of a gallon."

"I think we could arrange that. You have something to trade?"

Daryl shook his head, before eyeing him again. "Not really, but I've got information."

"Well, I'd love me some gossip. Come on in."

"Ya just gonna let me in like that?" Daryl was surprised. This guy was just too trusting, Daryl thought. But on the other hand, he had a good feeling about this place.

"There's a reason I work the gate a lot. The other's say I have a good gut feeling when it comes to reading people, and my gut says you're pretty harmless despite all that mean biker thing you got going on. No offense, but yeah." Aaron did a sweeping gesture around Daryl's exterior persona.

Daryl cracked a half smile. His gut told him that the guy in dreads was right. He probably was a good judge of character.

So Daryl brought his bike in through the gates and told Aaron about Alexandria and especially the Saviors while walking into the community. Aaron said that thank God, they'd only had a few trouble makers come by and that the Saviors definitely sounded like some real criminals. He also told Daryl how he and some college friends of him had come down the river. First at a raft they'd built and then on a sailing boat they'd snitched in a DC dock. They had several boats now and were mostly traveling on the river because it was so much safer. Daryl felt that these were really smart people, even though kinda hippie-like but hey, Ezekiel had dreads too and a tiger so…

The Birthplace really did have a big farm going on. He saw goats, pigs and cows, chickens and even some bison in enclosed pastures. Aaron told him about the ecological reservation work the national monument had done before the outbreak and this was the reason to why they had so many landrace breeds, which was a good thing since they were more resistant than modern cattle. Daryl told him about the Hilltop Community which he thought resembled this one, and Aaron got really interested.

"Do they have any bulls?"

"I think so, they have milking cows."

"That's awesome, because we're getting a bit worried about inbreeding. Where they at? We could trade cattle."

Daryl told him and as they got up to some of the main buildings, other young people working in the gardens looked up and watched Daryl with curiosity. Aaron spoke up.

"Hey everyone, this is Daryl. He just stopped by. He told me a lot of good stuff, and bad stuff but I'll fill you in later. Hey Steve, could you get a can of gas? It's for his bike," Aaron shouted to a tall guy outside a building which looked like some kind garage. Steve nodded and went inside the garage.

"You hungry?" Aaron asked him. What a stupid question for such a smart guy, Daryl thought.

"I could eat."

"Come on then."

And Daryl was served the most delicious sandwich he had maybe all his life, with cottage cheese and ham on fresh wheat bread. He also got a glass of milk that was pasteurized. Aaron kept talking while they sat in the old 18th century kitchen of the memorial house.

"That's what so awesome with this place. It's like it was made for the Zombie apocalypse, dude. Except it wasn't, this was just how people lived before."

Daryl only listened with half an ear while Aaron kept on babbling how the apocalypse actually was a good thing for the environment. He was too busy savoring the sandwich, but he had to admit, he had never met such an enthusiastic guy as Aaron after the world gone to shit. It was like he was almost grateful for what had happen.

After the snack they walked out of the house again and Aaron handed him a small metal gas tank and continued to talk while walking him back to his bike.

"You're welcome to stay overnight, if you want", Aaron offered.

"Nah, s'alright. I'm heading for the bay."

"Someplace you gotta be?"

"Not really, but you don't happen to have some directions for me? I wanna see the ocean."

Aaron raised his eyebrows at that but didn't comment on Daryl's wish.

"Head down to Windmill Point. It's pretty much deserted. All the rich folks got evacuated to DC early on. Didn't do them no good. Just follow SR-3 down to White Stone and then take the 695 east and you'll get there. But you might need to hurry if you want to get there before dark."

"Aight. Thanks for the gas, and the meal."

"No problem, dude. Thanks for the information. It was good to know. Feel free to come by anytime."

"Alright. … I have a friend named Aaron back home. I tell 'im you said hi." Daryl had no idea why he said that, but it was just a funny thing he met another friendly Aaron.

"I'm not the only Aaron left? Cool! Cool, cool, cool! You do that. Safe travels, man." And Aaron opened the gate while Daryl refueled and started the bike. He excitedly waved him off as Daryl rolled out of the compound. He shook his head and snickered. Such a strange guy.

Back on the SR 3 he realized this wasn't really a vacation anymore, it was a scouting mission, and a good one too. He didn't feel bad about being away anymore. This would benefit everyone. Daryl felt silly for thinking it, but maybe there was hope for mankind. The Saviors' way was the wrong way and he felt more and more sure that their psychotic way of life would fail in the end. How the fuck could a psychopath like Negan had gotten so far when a bunch of farming students had built something far better? It was all about coincidences. It was a coincidence he and Merle had stumbled upon the quarry camp. It was a coincidence Rick had met Glenn in Atlanta. Some of the deaths of his friends was pure coincidences. It could have been him. It could have been Carol. Some were not coincidences. Some still lingered heavy on his conscience. Sophia, Denise, Glenn…

But there was hope now. The people at the Birthplace had started over, for real. They weren't just trying to survive, they were living. He wondered how many other places like this there was out there. A happy feeling grew in his chest. He had to tell Carol and Rick about this.

Carol… They were supposed to start over too. It never happen. They never did start over in Alexandria. Daryl didn't really know why. They had drifted apart instead, with him going on runs with Aaron and Carol baking cookies or whatever the hell she was doing. Carol had acted so strange, like she didn't dare to be herself, but maybe that had been the smart moves. No one of the Alexandrians except Aaron and Eric liked him anyway. Carol had blended in, played the part. He could never do that. And now in the Kingdom she was playing another part. When they had been in Atlanta looking for Beth, she had said the different versions of herself just kept burning away. How could he get back the original version of Carol? Who was the original version of Carol? Maybe she was long gong and wouldn't ever come back. The thought of that hurt Daryl's inside something fierce. He had lost her. She had finally left and he didn't know how to get her back.

He thought back to last conversation they'd had at the Kingdom before he left. He wanted to try with her one more time, so he had sought her up in her room. She was sitting in the window sill looking out over the school yard, pensive. When she noticed him standing in the door way, she gave him a sad look. Daryl had dug deep for courage to face her.

Finally he asked her, "What happened in Alexandria? With you?" Carol gave him a sharp look. She knew why he was asking.

"A lot of things happened. You know that," she answered icily but Daryl wasn't gonna give up this easily.

"We never got to start over", he said and walked slowly into the room.

"It was too late." Carol was looking out the window again. She looked so frail and tired.

"I don't think so. I'm still tryin'", Daryl said honestly.

"And look how far it got you..." Carol snorted, her voice dripping with bitter irony.

Okay, that was just down right mean. He knew well enough what she was aiming at. Dammit, Carol. He was done being gentle with her. "What the fuck do ya really want? Huh, Carol?" He snarled.

"I just want to be left alone! I just want to not feel", she yelled at him and her whole body was shivering. Daryl took a step back. This was the first argument they'd had in a long time. It shook him more than he thought it would.

"You were the one tellin' me I needed to feel", he said more calmly.

"Yeah, well, I was delirious from dehydration. Feelings are shit." Carol snickered.

"You know that ain't true."

"Daryl, please, just go. I can't do this now. I need to rest." Carol looked at him with those big blue eyes of hers and how could he keep pushing her? There was so much sadness in her. He nodded and turned to walk out of the room. But when he got to the doorway he turned to her again. There was one thing he needed to know.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked carefully.

"Who?"

"Tobin."

"Tobin? No Daryl, he didn't." Carol gave him a small smile and he soaked it in like a dying man in the desert. "I just couldn't stay."

"Did you love him?" He said looking down on his feet. He had to know, he just had to.

"No."

"Then why?"

"I was trying."

So she had tried with Tobin, but not him. Well, of course not, if she was gonna play her housewife role, she couldn't be with the disgusting redneck, could she? Damn no. He got that part. It was clever, but it hurt. It hurt more than he had let on. He had been an outcast again, rejected by his best friend even and he had a hard time forgiving her for that. But seeing how miserable she was now, made him forget his broken heart. He just wanted the old Carol back, he wanted her to be happy and if she was in the Kingdom, if that place made her feel better, so be it. But he was going to tell her about what he had seen on this journey, whether she'd listen or not. He was going to give her hope of a better future. A future where no one had to kill anyone anymore.