Carl had been walking ahead of the Clark family, leading the way on their uneventful journey back to Alexandria. Carl didn't feel much like small talk, so he just blocked out the quiet mumblings of the conversations coming from behind him. He wasn't sure what to do when he reached the gates with new strangers in tow. He could hide them someplace outside the walls until he talked to his dad or he could try to convince Tara to let him bring them in and sneak them to his house without anyone seeing. The sun was getting low in the sky. He only hoped they would arrive before his dad.

He wondered how the Hilltop was doing. He'd make sure to ask his dad or Michonne about it. Carl knew they were lucky to have Maggie leading them. She was smart and kind and lived everyday with the memory of Glenn. Carl knew as long as they all kept Glenn's memory with them, they'd always have their humanity. That's all he wanted in the end; to make a world worthy of those who died helping them survive long enough to see it through.

The last time Carl had felt truly at peace had been his day with Enid. He knew it had probably been only weeks ago that they had rollerbladed down the street, but it felt like a whole different world now. It was the first time he had felt carefree like he imagined other teenagers had felt before the world had gone to shit.

Ultimately he was happy that Enid was with Maggie at the Hilltop, but he missed her. He still remembered how it felt to have her soft lips pressed against his. It had been his first real kiss. The kiss was warm and gentle and nothing like he imagined it to be. The thought of it made him nervous all over again.

His thoughts were cut short when he felt a tapping on his left shoulder. Alicia was there smiling at him.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked. "I called your name a few times…"

"Yeah. Sorry, I was thinking."

"About what?"

"Just...stuff." Carl blushed and averted his gaze ahead of him. Carl hoped the shadow his hat cast on his face was big enough for her not to notice. When he quickly glanced her way he noticed a smirk played on her face. Damn.

"I know that look." Alicia's tone was playful. "Who is she?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Carl, c'mon. All I've had to talk to for a long time now is my mom and my brother."

Carl felt the heat rise in his face. He never really got the talk before and didn't talk about girls with anyone really. It made him uncomfortable. When your daily focus is killing people who are supposed to be dead and trying to survive, other things seem to matter less.

As they walked, Alicia was silent and waiting patiently for him to decide if he wanted to talk or not. What could it hurt? Maybe after this war was over she could give him advice. It's not like he knew a damn thing about romancing girls. He'd assumed he could ask his dad how he did it, since Michonne was way cooler than he is, but he guessed his dad had gotten lucky with her.

"Her name is Enid," Carl said. "I was just thinking about the last time we hung out."

"Enid," Alicia pondered. "I like that name. It's different. So tell me about her. Is she your first?"

Carl seemed to choke on air. "Wha...no..I mean...uh, we haven't..." Carl rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Alicia laughed. "I mean your first girlfriend."

"Oh." Carl sighed in relief. "Yeah, I guess. I don't really know if we're going out."

Carl felt like a fool. He could feel Alicia's stare on his face. He really needed to learn to talk to girls. He remembered his crush on Beth, but he was comfortable around her. She was family.

"You like her, right?"

"Yeah."

"So ask her out next time you see her," Alicia said. "Life is short, especially now. Gotta enjoy the little things while we can." She nudged his shoulder and winked.

"I'll, uh, get right on that. But that might be a while from now."

Alicia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Isn't she back at your community?"

"She was. But not right now. She's with a friend of mine at a different community called the Hilltop."

"How many communities are there around here?"

"Five, no six, that I know about," Carl said. "There's Alexandria, the Hilltop, the Kingdom-"

"The Kingdom?" The corners of Alicia's lips raised slightly.

"Yeah, they're living in a fairytale or something. They call their leader King Ezekiel. He has a pet Tiger and-"

"A tiger?" Alicia exclaimed. "Are you fucking with me?"

"I swear I'm not! That tiger saved my life not long ago." Carl reflected on his life since arriving at Alexandria. This world was crazy, but his life had seemed unreal. If someone had told him he would be saved by a king's pet tiger moments before a lunatic, who named his bat, smashed his skull in, he'd think they were insane. It seemed like it would make a pretty cool comic book though.

Alicia shook her head seeming baffled. "If you didn't seem so serious all the time, I'd say you're lying."

Carl shrugged.

"So what are the other communities?"

"There's Oceanside - I don't know much about them, some garbage community, and Negan's compound called the Sanctuary."

"How did your group end up at Alexandria?"

"There used to be a scout," Carl explained. "He found us on the road on the way to DC. He saved us. We were starving and tired." Carl remembered how pointless life felt. He started to believe, for the first time, that death would be better. Carl shook his head. "Most of us were ready to give up but my dad kept pushing us."

Alicia noticed the way Carl's face changed every time he mentioned his dad. His face lit up, but there was an underlying hint of anger. It reminded her of how she felt with her mom. She was proud to be the daughter of such a tough woman, but she didn't always agree with the way she did things. She knew her mom would do anything for her, but it was like she didn't always see her for who she was. Alicia wanted to know more about their relationship, but she didn't want to pry and have Carl shut her out for being too personal.

"So what's your story?" Alicia asked. "What led you guys to DC?"

Carl couldn't remember talking about himself so much, ever. "Are you always so curious?"

Alicia rolled her eyes. "I told you, we haven't been around many people for a long time. You can ask me questions too, you know."

Carl knew better than to say everything they have done, but it felt nice to remember everything's that's happened, even if the memories hurt.

"My group was a lot different at the beginning," Carl remembered. "When it all happened, we were camped outside Atlanta before the bombs burned the city. My dad wanted to try for the CDC, but that ended up not working out in the end.

"We ended up on a farm owned by the Greene family, but that got overrun by a hoard. Then after being on the road for a long time, we found a prison and we took it. When another community wanted it for themselves, it ended up getting destroyed and some of us managed to escape.

"We all found each other again at a community called Terminus. Turns out they were crazy cannibals."

"Oh my god!" Alicia scrunched her face in disgust. "That's gross."

"Yeah, it was sick. They locked us in a train car and would take a few people at a time to eat, I guess."

"What the hell is wrong with people?" Alicia mumbled to herself.

"After that," Carl continued, "we met up with someone who said he was a scientist and needed to get to DC to fix this mess." Alicia gasped. Carl shook his head. "He was lying. But we tried for DC anyway and that's when Aaron found us."

Alicia smiled, thankful to be going someplace with new people and new stories to hear. The thought excited her. It's strange how lonely you can feel around the people closest to you.

"That's quite a story, Carl."

"I guess we've all got crazy stories now," he replied. "How about you guys?"

Alicia sighed, turning her head over her shoulder to look at her mom and Nick. She didn't really like thinking about the past, but she owed it to Carl.

"Well, we're from L.A. originally," Alicia began. "When everything happened, we were put in a safe zone by the government, but those assholes just left us all to die. My brother met a man who had a yacht and we traveled with him for a while.

"We wound up in Mexico and eventually in a hotel, but some things happened and we had to leave. Then we were taken to this ranch owned by some white supremacists, and eventually by the border at a dam. Nick blew it up, but somehow we all survived and found each other again.

"Since then, we've just been traveling, never staying in one place too long. We just wanted to escape everything that's happened, I guess, so we decided to go east. We were ready to move on again when you found Nick."

Carl had never been to L.A. Before the world had gone to hell, he would see it on T.V. and always wanted to visit a big city. There always seemed like so much to see and do. There was so much of the world he'd never get to experience. Maybe Alicia would tell him about the city sometime if they decided to stay.

"I know why your mom doesn't trust me," Carl said. "I wouldn't trust me either. It seems like almost every time you let your guard down, someone dies."

Alicia nodded her head. She saw Carl glance at her, his eye piercing through her.

"I don't know if I trust you either, but if we don't have hope then we might as well give up, right?" She said.

Carl smiled. He felt validated that his hope for something better wasn't foolish or childish. When he lost that hope was when he lost who he was. Who he wanted to be. It's what made him fight for something better for Judy. It's what made him come back to help Nick. His dad's words rang in his head. First we survive then we get to live.

A quiet hum from the distance pulled Carl from his thoughts. It had to be a car engine. Either it was his dad or it was the Saviors. Carl wasn't sure which would be worse right now given the circumstances. He held out his hand in silence and placed a finger over his lips to hear better. He looked around him in every direction, but there wasn't much around to hide in.

The trees were sparse in this area, most of the land they were on was just a dead street, but the trees were their best bet for cover. The hum of the engine was getting louder, so he made a dash for the trees and heard the others follow after him. They ducked down behind him and he peaked his head from behind the tree to get a clear view of a truck coming down the road they were just on.

Tires squeaked to a stop about a yard away from them. Two disgruntled men tossed themselves out of the car doors and slammed them shut. Carl recognized them from the night that Glenn and Abraham died. The blonde head of hair was definitely Dwight and the other was Simon. Carl grimaced. He hated Simon and his stupid mustache.

"Piece of shit!" He heard Simon shout. He leaned against the side of the door as Dwight pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "Pop the hood and check it out. We gotta get going."

Dwight took a long drag from his cigarette and faced away from Simon, seeming to ignore him. After a few more moments Dwight popped the hood of the truck and Carl saw his hands get to work on the truck. "Get me that wrench," he said.

Simon opened the back seat of the truck and handed it to him. As Dwight tinkered with the engine, Simon looked around the area. When his sights came upon the trees Carl quickly ducked his head back.

"I'm gonna check it out down here," Simon said. He began walking in their direction.

"No need," Dwight shouted. "Start the truck. I think that did it."

Simon lingered for a moment before turning around and walking back towards the truck.

"We're only 10 minutes away. We should just check it out. See if we can take someone so that prick backs down," Simon said before he he opened the driver's side and turned the key. It clicked a few times before the engine roared back to life once again.

"We got our orders." Dwight shut the hood of the truck and tossed his cigarette to the ground.

"If we can get that kid and bring him back, this would be done already," Simon urged.

"They'll have lookouts," Dwight said. "If they're all still there we'll both be dead."

Simon ignored him. "Imagine if we got him and threatened to take his other eye out." He laughed. "Rick would come begging on his knees for that little shit."

Carl felt an anger pulse through him. Maybe all the saviors didn't have to die, but the world would be better without Simon in it. He instinctively reached for his gun, but he remembered he was out of bullets.

"You saying you know better than Negan?" Dwight asked.

Simon took a step closer to Dwight. "Negan has a soft spot for that kid. He should have killed him when he shot up the compound."

"We're scoping out the Hilltop and reporting back," Dwight said. "You got a problem with that, take it up with Negan."

Dwight and Simon hopped back into the truck and sped away. Carl and the other walked back onto the road scoping out the surroundings in case there might be any other unwelcome visitors. All seemed clear.

"So that's them?" Madison asked. "These Saviors you told us about."

"Yes." Carl glanced at the setting sun, feeling more nervous than before. "We gotta hurry."

"One of them wants to disobey this Negan. Do you think there's others who might feel the same way?"

Carl began walking once again towards Alexandria. "Probably. But Simon isn't the kind you want leading either. He's probably worse in some ways."

"How?" Carl could practically feel the gears in Madison's brain clicking.

"Negan lives by a code. It's messed up and he thinks he's a God or something, but he has one."

"Is that what you saw at his compound?"

Carl thought back to his visit. There were workers and families just trying to survive like his group. It was based on some sort of point system. Their methods were brutal and how they got all their supplies to distribute to their people was even worse, but everyone contributed. Their security and tactics seemed nearly impossible to breach. Some of those people probably hated Negan's methods as much as he did, but at least they felt safe.

"I saw families and workers who are scared and Negan makes them feel safe, so they ignore how he does it," Carl said.

Madison was silent for a moment. "Does your dad know about that?"

Carl shrugged. "My dad does things his own way, too."

"Are you the only one in your group to see inside the place?"

"Just one other person, I think. He was taken there for a while, but he escaped."

The walls of Alexandria came into view from afar. He hoped no one else was back yet so he could have a while to think. Madison was tough. He knew she wouldn't make it easy for his dad to agree to let them in, but maybe he would look toward the bigger picture, too. The more strong people helping them against Negan, the better.

Carl led them closer, just hidden from view from the guards on the wall. As long as they weren't looking through their sights, they should be hidden. When they reached the old clock tower building, Carl rushed them in and shut the door.

"I need you guys to stay here until I come back to get you."

"Is your dad back yet?" Alicia asked.

"I don't think he is. Not yet. But he should be soon."

"What's your plan?" Nick crossed his arms over his chest. He looked amused. "Are you going to sneak us in."

Carl smirked but ignored his questions. "I should be back in a few minutes."

When Carl shut the door behind him Madison immediately turned around to face her daughter.

"What were you and Carl talking about back there?"

Alicia scoffed and slid down the wall onto the floor. "I just didn't think it wouldn't hurt to get to know him a little is all."

"Good," Madison said. She smiled and Alicia saw that familiar glint in her eyes. "He is the leader's son."

"All the more reason then."

Madison sat down next to Alicia and bumped her shoulder. "He's probably only a few years younger than you."

Alicia scoffed. "Mom. It's not like last time. Like you said, he's the leader's son and I wanted to get to know him a little bit."

"In that order?"

"Why does there have to be an order?" Alicia snapped. She let out a long breath. "It's always just both."

Nick crossed his fingers and placed them on top of his hair, shaking his head at them. "You two are ridiculous."

"We still don't know them. Any of them or this whole situation," Madison said. "We have to keep our guards up. I don't want to be stuck on the wrong side again."

Nick frowned. "Can we just meet them first before you two start jumping to conclusions?"

"We're not, Nick." Madison said defensively. "But he clearly idolizes his dad. He may not see things the way we will."

"I wouldn't underestimate Carl." Nick turned away from his mom.

"Or his group," Alicia said. "From what he said, they've survived everything. They're stronger than other groups we've met before."

"What did he tell you about his group?" Madison asked.

"Not enough," she said. "He's smart."

**88**

The gate was slid open by Tara and Carl had barely walked through when he was pulled into a tight hug. She released him and immediately pushed his shoulder, which caused him to stumble backwards.

"Don't scare me again!" She said. "I almost left to go find you like three times."

"I'm sorry," Carl said sheepishly. "Look, I need to talk to you. Is my dad back yet?"

Tara eyed him suspiciously. "I guess he didn't send you out there to stock supplies?"

Carl glanced up the wall where Tobin was looking down at them curiously. He must have switched watch duty with the other guy. He had been gone a long time. Carl looked at Tara in front of him suddenly feeling a little guilty. She must have been up there all day waiting for him.

"Let's go up there," Carl said. "I'm going to tell Tobin I'm taking over his watch."

Carl climbed up the latter with Tara following behind him. He pulled himself onto the platform and walked over to him.

"Hey Carl." Tobin looked him up and down. "What were you doing out there? Why are you covered in blood?"

Carl looked down his shirt. He had forgotten how bad he must look right now. "I was just clearing the area of a few walkers."

Tobin glanced at Tara and back at Carl. He really needed to get better at lying.

"Look, go get some rest." Carl continued. He tried his best to give Tobin a convincing smile. "Tara said you've been doing great around here lately. I'll take over your watch for you. You've earned it."

"Are you sure?" Tobin asked. "I'm scheduled another two hours. Rick assigned me and-"

"Yeah, Tobin," Tara cut in. "He's just anxious to see his dad. You get it, right?"

"Uh, yes. Of course. Thanks, Carl."

Tobin slid the gun strap off his shoulder and rested it against the fence wall. He nodded his head at each of them and climbed down the latter. When he was out of earshot Tara looked Carl over. He noticed how worried she looked and her eyes were glossy. Carl hoped she wasn't going to cry.

"Carl, what's going on?" She said. "You weren't bit, right?"

"No!" Carl patted her shoulder awkwardly. "I'm okay. I promise. Where are the guards patrolling the wall?"

"I sent them to check out the southside of the fence."

"Okay, good. Do you know where everyone else is?"

Tara furrowed her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side. "I don't know. I think everyone here is probably inside right now…"

Carl sighed in relief. "I have a few people that I found out there. I'm going to bring them inside, but I need you to make sure no one sees anything."

"People you found? Not gonna happen, dude. What if Rick finds out? We can't trust random people!"

"Shhh." Carl looked behind them to make sure no one was around. "Just trust me, okay. I'll deal with my dad. I won't tell him you knew anything about it."

Tara put her hand on her hip and shook her head. Carl groaned.

"Please, Tara?" Carl was met with silence. "We both know what it's like to be out there. They need help."

Tara sighed and mumbled something under her breath. "Okay, fine. But get yourself cleaned up before your dad gets back."

**88**

When Carl returned to the gate with the Clark family, Tara reluctantly opened it just enough for them to squeeze through. When Tara locked the gate and turned around, she found herself face to face with Alicia.

Alicia smiled. "Thank you for helping us."

"This is Tara," Carl said.

Madison offered her hand to Tara and gave a firm squeeze. "I'm Madison. This is my daughter, Alicia." Alicia waved her hand. "And my son, Nick."

They heard the sound of car engines closing in on the gate and Tara waved them off and motioned for Carl to leave.

"Follow me," Carl whispered.

Carl led them behind a few houses and dug into his pocket for the set of keys his dad left him with. He opened the door and rushed Madison, Alicia, and Nick inside. Blocking the only exit from the room, Carl stood in front of the door.

"What the hell is this?" Madison asked.

She turned around from the jail cell that Morgan had built and glared at Carl.

"I need you guys to get inside it." Carl looked down at his feet.

Alicia stepped forward until she was directly in front of Carl. "Are we prisoners now?"

Carl cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "It's just a precaution. If you do this, it will really help when I explain this to my group."

Nick walked inside the cell and made himself at home. Madison waved him out but he just shrugged his shoulders. "If they're going to trust us, we have to show a little trust back."

"It won't be long. I'll be back with my dad. I'll bring food and water." Carl indicated Madison and Alicia to follow Nick. He was running out of time. He still had to get back home and clean change his clothes. He hoped his dad or Michonne would pick up Judy from Erik.

When they were all inside Carl slammed the door shut and locked it. He ran out the door and made his way to his house. After climbing up the stairs two at a time, he reached his room, breathing heavily, and grabbed any shirt he thought was clean. He snuck into the bathroom when he heard the front door shut from downstairs and the voices of his dad and Michonne quietly talking.

Author's Note

I'm trying to make each chapter longer so that they are worth the wait. I'll try to update at least once a week.

Any comments, questions, concerns? Let me know. As always, thanks for reading!