Glenn looked around his and Maggie's apartment. What Silk said really stuck with him. If they wanted to work hard no one was stopping him, so he'd decided he'd spend most of his free time on their house. Daryl and the rest had done the same.
He was tired of staying in the dorm. With the house done they could spread out and still be together. Sinjin and Marquis had them helped them learn to plumb for the bathrooms and kitchens. It was good. They were nice guys. Tina and Jack had helped Michonne, Maggie and Sasha learn to wire for electricity. Most of the people here were nice. They had a few dickheads, but what community didn't?
He took a step back and admired his painting skills in his and Maggie's living room. The communal one, Michonne wanted to have Rob come over and paint a mural on one of their walls. They were deciding what to get. Daryl didn't care. None of the guys cared. The women, it seemed like it was all they talked about. And the wood flooring samples they'd ended up putting in. He laughed. They were becoming part of the community. Like when they were at the prison. It felt good.
"Sinjin," Daryl looked up when he heard the man's name come from the radio.
"He's in the can, Silk," Daryl picked it up and replied.
"Daryl, when he gets done taking a dump tell him to suit up. We've got a stampede of about two hundred. Going for the west side of the Place. They'll clog the traps."
"What?"
"Two hundred plus biters heading for the west side of the Place. They'll clog the traps."
Sinjin came out of the bathroom. "Here he is," Daryl gave him the radio.
"Two hundred plus heading for the west side, Sin."
"Copy that. Who's dancing with us?"
"Teresa, Jack, Rob, Jane and Armin."
"Could use a few more, copy,"
"Danika if you can find her. Marquis. How does that sound?"
Sinjin put his head back. "Sounds good, copy." He put the radio back on the shelf and looked at Daryl. "You got this for a few mintues?"
"What the hell you doin'?" Daryl frowned.
"Killing the stampede on the way. They'll clog the traps," he threw over his shoulder before he closed the door.
"What in the hell?"
Daryl shook his head and followed the dumbass.
"Why in the hell are all of you here?" Teresa yelled as she looked at everyone standing outside near the west side of the Place.
Fred, the old bastard, just shrugged. "Miss it sometimes, Teresa."
"We can't afford to get rusty," Jane added.
"What in the hell are we doing here?" Michonne whispered to Daryl.
"Got a herd on the way. Crazy ass people are gonna kill 'em."
Michonne nodded and pulled her katana.
"We're seriously going to talk after this. Who's in the towers?" she shouted.
"Hiro, Todd, Tina said next time. Same with Ray and Austin," Silk told her.
Daryl saw Sasha and Abraham smile. "Assholes. Why you here?" he asked them.
"You heard her. Can't afford to get rusty," Abraham pointed his machete at the older woman.
Sasha pulled out her knife. "Nope."
"Alright people, give me room or you'll lose your head," Silk warned as he pulled the sword from his back.
Daryl hoped the Island people weren't full a shit and they really had to go out and kill walkers or this was gonna get bad fast. Fifteen minutes later he looked at his people. Sasha was staring at Armin and Jane with a funny look in her eye. 'Chonne was glaring at Silk.
"I told you to give me room, Michonne," he raised his voice. "You're lucky I'm good. I could have taken your head."
"How many can you take off at once?" Maggie coughed out.
"Enough not to get dead," Silk retorted. "Damn dumb question, Greene. You take off as many as you need to live. Get your asses back inside. We'll burn in the morning."
"We need some sort of policy," Teresa growled as she stomped back in the garage.
Abraham smiled as they sat around their dining room table eating dinner for the first time. They'd been at the Place two months and finally out of the damn dorm room. And they'd taken out at least two hundred walkers.
"Good people," he said before he ate some of the steak him, Daryl and Glenn had cooked to celebrate. On the grill they had on the patio out back.
"That Armin. She's fast. Tiny. How in the hell did she get more than me?" Sasha pouted as she ate.
"Guess they really did go out and kill walkers," Maggie noted as she ate. "Silk? I saw him take off four heads at a time."
"Huh. Fucker almost got me," Michonne retorted.
"You know that was damn dumbest thing we've ever done. We could have died. They could have been lying," Glenn pointed out.
Abraham shook his head. "Nah. When I heard the call and Jack and Rob started out of the garage, Rob was almost dancing, she was so excited."
"Can't believe that old fucker, Fred. Got more 'n me. Fucker must have twenty years on me," Daryl complained. "Armin? Like some little elf walker killer."
Mags laughed. "Elf walker killer?"
"Shit, Mags, was worried she'd be stepped on and bit. She ain't but five foot, if that. Every time I thought I saw her go down I saw some walker fall in front of her and wham!" Daryl slammed his hand on the table. "Right in the eye. Think she was cuttin' 'em at the knees or some shit."
Glenn sipped his wine. "Pretty impressive actually. I almost got bit watching her."
"Different killing them when you're not running for your life," Sasha commented.
"Yes," Michonne ate some of her green beans. "Good people, like Abraham said."
"I'll say," Maggie raised her eyebrows. "Didn't think anyone except us coulda done it."
"We've never done it before, Mags," Abraham shook his head.
"We could," she insisted.
"I always knew we could take out a lot. These people can, too. And better than us."
"Still, Glenn's right. That must have been the damn dumbest thing we've ever done," Sasha echoed. "It's a good place."
"They sure as shit can kill walkers," Abraham grinned. "Good steak."
"Yeah. Silk said we need to learn to butcher, the next time," Glenn told them.
"Already know how," Daryl said before he ate.
"Then you can teach us," Glenn pointed his fork at him.
Abraham was still smiling when he got in his new king size bed after dinner. They'd spent the rest of it talking about the Place.
He'd had a hard time, too, when they got here. Mostly wishing he'd found the BMF before Eugene had found him. Today? Good place. He'd like to send Daniels, that fuck, a thank you card. He had a good community that knew what the fuck and a good family.
Sasha laid on her back in her new bed, smiling. She didn't know why. What they'd done had been dumb. When she'd seen Abraham, Glenn and Maggie heading for the garage she'd followed them. They'd all stopped when they'd seen everyone, with pointy objects. When she'd asked Randy what was going on he'd frowned. "Stampede."
"What?"
"Stampede," he repeated before Teresa started yelling about everyone being outside. Fred said he missed it. Jane said they couldn't get rusty. Teresa shouted about the towers. She didn't hear what Silk said to her, but she did hear Abraham tell Daryl they couldn't afford to get rusty. She'd been tempted to go back and get a gun, but Armin didn't have one. Jane either and she looked to be about Carol's age, if not older.
Those BMF people were the shit, she'd decided. Then she frowned again. Jane and Armin were better than her at killing walkers. She laughed to herself. She wouldn't get soft living here. It surprised her to find out her and the others did the least around the Place. She'd been shocked no one said anything to them, good or bad. Weird. She'd been so pissed the Alexandrians didn't do anything until Daniels.
Here? She didn't think she or the rest were lazy. She knew they weren't. Maybe they should have asked. Still, it was a good place. She couldn't imagine Deanna doing half what Armin did. She looked around her bare room. Maybe she should get more things.
She rolled over onto her side. She kind of missed sleeping with Abraham, which was weird in itself. After Spicer and the hotel, feeling safe in a man's arms was the last thing she'd thought she'd feel. She got out of bed and turned out the light. Good place, she thought again, when she got back in bed. She needed a lamp and a night table.
"Was dumb, Chonne, what we did today. Coulda been killed," Daryl told her in bed that night.
He could feel her smile against his chest. "It was," she agreed.
"Huh. Don't know why the fuck I followed Sinjin. Goin' out there was stupid."
"Very."
He rolled his eyes. "Gonna agree with me all night?"
She laughed then and kissed him on the mouth. "It was stupid. We could have been killed." She curled into him and he held her tighter. "But good. This is our home now, Daryl. We'll protect our home."
"Never did it at the prison," he reminded her.
"They were always at the fences. Easier." She paused. "Sash was afraid she'd turn out like the Alexandrians."
Daryl snorted. "Not fuckin' likely."
"She was worried after we got the furniture. She was going outside and shooting walkers in Alexandria."
"What in the hell?" he pulled away.
"She felt that place was making us weak." He felt her shrug. "I did, too. Rosita and I, when we found her, helped."
"Fuck, 'Chonne. Are you crazy?" he sat up and turned on the bedside light.
She closed her eyes when the light came on. "I think we were all a little crazy," she finally opened her eyes and sat up. "That place? It wasn't real, not with what we'd seen and been through. This place? Better protected than Alexandria."
"No shit," he cut her off.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "With everything we have here, the furniture, scared her. The people in Alexandria have nice things. We have nice things and can get more nice things. She didn't want to be out of touch like the Alexandrians. I don't either. You don't or you wouldn't have gone. None of us do. It was good. This is our home. We protect our home. Turn off the light and lay down. I have watch tomorrow morning," she told him.
He did what she said and pulled her to him again. "You know I'm right," she whispered.
He shrugged this time. "Yeah." He paused. "I haven't left yet. Since we got here. Big fuckin' place, can get away from everyone. Coulda just told everyone in Alexandria to fuck off. Couldn't breathe there, 'Chonne. Can breathe here. Nice seein' we ain't the only ones that can kill walkers."
Michonne laughed again. "Elf walker killer?"
"Stop," he laughed, too, before he kissed her.
"I don't want to do that again, Glenn," Maggie said.
Glenn pulled her close. "I'm sure we won't. I think Teresa was pissed."
Maggie gave a little laugh. "Yeah. Pretty sure we're gonna have a new policy after today."
"Armin? I can't believe that woman. Jane? Her, too."
"Carol could kill walkers, Glenn."
"I know. I've seen her. Jane has to be older than Carol. She was just mowing them down. Armin? I still have a hard time with her."
"Mmm. It was nice. Finding out, in a good way, they can kill walkers."
"Yeah. We shouldn't have been worried. The whole damn place was out there. Sensible people would have stayed inside and waited for them go away."
"No one used a gun. I would have been too embarrassed to go get one," she admitted.
"Yeah. Silk? I really thought he was going to kill Michonne."
Maggie laughed again. "It's not funny. He told her."
"Yeah. I never want to be near that guy killing walkers. She should have figured he'd have a long reach. Those arms."
"We're never doing it again."
Glenn paused. "Do you think they thought the same thing about us that we thought about them?" he asked her quietly.
Maggie sighed. "Maybe. Probably."
"Yeah. You know the people here thought we were lazy? Not lazy, but didn't do more than what was asked of us?"
"Yeah," she frowned. "Sash told me."
Glenn laughed a little. "Sash. She was kind of mad."
"I know. I can see their point. Flip it around. We haven't really been tryin' here, Glenn."
She could feel him move his head in the dark. "We haven't. This place? Fools you."
"We were still in Alexandria."
"We were. It's time we really left that place, Maggie."
"Why?" Daryl asked Maggie the next mornin' in the kitchen. He'd started coffee and Sash had made eggs for everyone that was there. 'Chonne and Abraham had watch and they'd been gone for a few hours.
"Glenn and I were talking last night. We haven't been trying here, Daryl, and you know it. We didn't get the house done until we asked for help. We'd still be living in the dorm if we hadn't," she pointed at him.
He could admit Mags had a point. They were a little shy after the shitshow in Alexandria. "A party? Didn't go to none of them in Alexandria."
"You'll have to now. I'm putting my foot down. And it won't be like Deanna's. We're having a housewarming. We'll make some food, put it out, if people come by? They come by. If they don't? They don't. You seem to get along with Sinjin."
"He's okay. Don't talk a lot."
"Shocker," Glenn snorted.
Daryl narrowed his eyes at Glenn. "Can appreciate it, Glenn." He turned back to Mags. "They won't go in our apartments or nothin' like that, will they?"
"If anyone comes by, yeah, they'll want to see the whole place, Daryl," Sasha told him. "Just pick up your dirty underwear."
"Dumbest fuckin' thing. Alright. What do ya need me to do for this shit?" he glowered at Mags.
She smiled. "Just be you, Daryl. And grill."
He grunted as he finished his coffee.
"Why?" Teresa looked at Maggie Greene, seated on the other side of the desk in her and Silk's office. "It's not mandatory you mix and mingle with us, Greene."
The woman rolled her eyes. "We know. We've." She stopped talking, took a breath and let it out. "Our last place, Alexandria, was a clusterfuck."
Teresa sat back in the chair. "Everyone's lived in a clusterfuck. Nothing new."
"We haven't been trying. Here. I figured if you and Silk stopped by everyone else would."
Teresa raised her eyebrows. Her and Silk didn't really give a shit if they tried to get along with everyone here or not. They just needed to do their jobs, protect the place and not be assholes. "Okay. You can have Armin put it out on the network. Invite everyone. Let us know when it is and I'll make sure Silk and I stop by."
"Thanks," Maggie smiled as she left the office.
Michonne stood with Rob in their living room and the party, such as it was, was in full swing. She was surprised a lot of the residents showed up. Maggie wasn't wrong. They hadn't been trying here. Alexandria had almost ruined them.
"Sure. I'm flattered you asked," Rob responded.
"We've been wanting to see this place ever since it was done," Jack interjected.
Michonne took note. "You should have asked."
Jack laughed. "Right. We know what it's like when you get to a new place. You wonder if the people know what the hell they're doing. If they won't be there the next day because assholes or biters made their way inside. Or someone inside was an asshole."
Rob frowned. "It was worse on the Island. So many people. You felt like you were choking to death when you first got there."
"Yeah. Nothing like stampedes and being attacked to bring people together."
"They have a lot of people there?" Michonne asked.
"A lot. Ang and Reap and the rest of the BMF have been collecting people since this shit started," Jack huffed. "Good people. Told us when we were found we had to help. It was only going to get worse. If we didn't want to?" she shrugged. "They wished people good luck, gave them food, water and waved as they left."
"Not waved but you get the idea," Rob amended. "It was hard being around all of those people. At first."
"It was. Good place. Ang ain't no dummy," Jack added.
"You didn't want to go out anymore?" Michonne questioned.
Rob sighed. "No. I get why we had to. I do. You can lose sight of what it's like out there if you're behind walls. Actively killing biters?" She shook her head. "We were done. We'd killed our share. Here? We're still killing them, but it's like, occasionally. Like the stampede."
"We can live here. We'd like to have kids," Jack admitted. "And cleaning the ground traps can be a bitch."
"So, what were you thinking of?" Rob pointed to the walls.
"Dixon," Sinjin gave him a head nod and watched as he grilled chicken.
"Sinjin," Daryl did the same.
"Who talked you into this?"
Abraham laughed. "Maggie."
He nodded again. "You know, you guys weren't bad out there the other day."
"Thanks," Abraham accepted.
Sinjin watched as Michonne was deep in discussion with Rob. "Michonne won't do that shit again. Didn't you notice none of us got close to that guy? Between his arms and that fucking sword she is lucky he's good."
"How often that kinda thing happen?" Daryl asked.
"First one here. We only had a few at the Island. Really cut down after the walls were finally finished. The BMF put in the ground traps."
"But you still went out?" Daryl frowned.
"Yep. The BMF wanted us to remember why the fuck we had walls to begin with. Skineaters are easy. Assholes not so much." He sipped the whiskey he was holding. "They can be but sometimes shit happens. Even Ang isn't omnipotent." He shrugged. "Good guy. Good people. All of the BMF."
"Hey," Sasha came over with an empty platter. "Fred is a dickhead," she hissed.
Sinjin laughed. "He's just here for the food. And to check you out. You weren't bad out there the other day."
"Thanks. You weren't either," she returned the compliment.
He nodded. "We know."
Sasha's mouth fell open and Abraham laughed again.
"This is a very nice house, Maggie," Jane smiled at her as they left Sasha's apartment. "You and your people did a good job."
"Thanks," Maggie smiled. "Michonne's having Rob paint a mural on one of the walls in the living room."
"She's talented. I thought of it. A nice white beach, blue water and palm trees swaying in the breeze," Jane confided. "I think I'll have her start on it, when she's finished here. Thank you."
Maggie wrinkled her nose. "Why?"
"For pushing me into doing it."
"Nice place, Rhee," Silk complimented him as he ate the chicken kebobs Daryl had bitched about cooking on the grill.
"Thanks. Sinjin, Jack, Tina and Marquis were very helpful."
Silk nodded. "They helped most of us with our places. Fred, dickhead, isn't bad either. He did the wiring in mine and Teresa's place. Crazy ass woman wanted embedded lights in the walls." Then Silk smiled. "Nice mood lighting."
Glenn almost spit his out drink. Then he cocked his head to the side. "Really?"
Silk wiggled his eyebrows up and down. Glenn flushed when Teresa came over with two drinks and passed one to Silk. "Nice place, Rhee."
"Thanks. It's Glenn."
"Nice place, Glenn," she finally smiled. "I'd like to take plates for the people doing watch, if that's okay."
"Sure. We didn't know how to do this for everyone."
"This is good. We've done enough watch to know not everyone can be included. Unless the BMF shows up," Silk told him.
