Glenn would have thought Mags was a two year old on a sugar high if he didn't know better. She wouldn't shut up about the party. She'd said the same things five times now. "Ow," he yelped and held his nipple.

"You weren't paying attention, Glenn," she snarled.

"I was, Mags. The party was great. The food. The people. Our family," he recited.

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't believe they had a surprise baby shower for us," she said again.

Glenn kissed her. When she finally responded he nipped her lip. "We have a great family. A great place to live. We're going to have a healthy baby. The baby is going to have cousins to watch their back."

She started crying and Glenn rocked her. "We do," she cried softly. "Is it bad I still want to send Daniels a 'thank you' card in hell?"

Glenn laughed a little. "No. It's not bad. I'm glad he," Glenn cleared his throat. "It would been better if he'd just booted our asses out of there."

Maggie sighed through her tears. "Yeah. Sometimes I want to send Rick and Carol 'thank you' cards for being dickheads."

Glenn laughed a little louder. "We can get behind that." He paused. "Sometimes I feel bad for him. And Carol. I know everyone's lost. Everyone. I couldn't imagine how I'd be if we lost the baby like she lost Sophia or Michonne lost Andre. Or if I lost you like Rick lost Lori or Abraham lost his Ellen and kids."

"I thought about it. When I first got pregnant. I'd probably lose it a little, too. Michonne lost her son and she went a little crazy, but she didn't pull the bullshit those two did," Maggie sniffed. "She saved Andrea. Abraham carted Eugene's lying ass to DC."

That had been a shock, when they'd found out Michonne had had a son. She'd told them the night she announced her and Daryl were expecting a baby. Maggie had squealed in delight they'd be first time mom's together. Abraham had looked at his plate. Daryl closed his eyes. Sash moved her food around. Maggie knew she'd said something wrong. Glenn did, too. She'd apologized and cried. Michonne told them about Andre and the camp. The women had been in tears by the time she was finished.

Glenn stared at Abraham. He knew he'd had kids then. Daryl watched Abraham, too. The next night they'd gone to his apartment, Sash was stocking stores, and drank. They didn't get any details but that wasn't the point. Mags didn't ask any questions.

"I love you, Maggie Greene," he told her.

"I love you, Glenn Rhee," she responded.

"We have the best family."

Enid smiled as she answered the door to their apartment. She knew Jesus invited Aaron over for dinner.

"Hi, Aaron," she stepped aside to let him in.

"Enid," he smiled at her and walked by her into the living room.

"Jesus is finishing it up now. It's not much."

"Thank you, Enid," Jesus drawled as he came from their kitchen. "It's just spaghetti," he smiled at the man.

"Spaghetti's good. I brought juice," he held up the glass bottle. "I wasn't sure what we were having and Enid's too young so," he shrugged.

"I'm not staying. I'm going to Daryl's house. Homework with Carl." She turned wide eyed to Jesus. "I forgot to tell you."

"Right," he shook his head. "Go on. I expect you to be here at nine."

"Bye," she grabbed her laptop and winked at Jesus before she left.

"Is she trying to set us up?" Aaron laughed as he followed Jesus to his kitchen. "Nice," he commented as he looked around. "I haven't been in here since you finished it."

Jesus nodded. "Thanks. I don't cook a lot. Enid doesn't either. I need to learn. You're the guinea pig. I guess Michonne's cooking is good."

"It is. I had dinner with them when we first got here."

"I remember," he poured out the water and put the noodles on plates before he stirred the sauce. "How was it?"

"Good," Aaron poured juice for both of them. "We liked Daryl, Eric and I. He was going to recruit with us. Him and Michonne. It didn't happen."

"Daniels?"

"Yeah. Daniels. We should have left then."

"I've been hearing that a lot. It's too bad the man died. He would have dealt with Negan."

"He would have," Aaron agreed. "I think the guy was crazy, actually."

"Tim said he was losing it."

"You see him? Tim?"

Jesus shrugged. "On watch. Sometimes on the farms. You?" he poured sauce on the noodles and put the plates on his and Enid's dining room table.

"Same," Aaron said as he sat down and twirled his fork through the noodles. "He said he wanted to move on, whatever that means."

"Aren't you? Not living with Rick?" Jesus asked as he ate. "Good. I can surprise myself."

Aaron laughed and tried it. He nodded. "It is good."

"Thanks."

"I never lived with Rick. We had our own homes," Aaron reminded him.

"Better than the trailers," Jesus countered.

"Better than the trailers." Aaron paused and ate more. "You miss them? The people at Hilltop?"

Jesus shrugged his shoulders. "Some of them. Not Gregory. I think about going back, before you ask. I'm not. I have a," he coughed. "A daughter and I don't know how the hell that happened."

Aaron smiled and ate. "Enid's a good person."

"She is," he agreed. "I'm gay. What the hell do I know about raising kids?"

"Enough. You got through Teresa," he grinned.

Jesus nodded. "Yeah. She's. She acts like she doesn't care. She'd scare the shit out of Gregory. They wouldn't have rolled over."

"No. Maybe," Aaron mused. "They weren't in our situation."

Jesus looked up. "You agree with that piece of shit?"

"No, but." Aaron let out a breath. "He's interested in saving his own ass."

"Right. Interested in saving his own ass. I would like to go back. Get some of the people there." He looked around his apartment. "I think they'd like it."

"Who the hell wouldn't?"

"Hey, Daryl. Wait up," he heard someone yell. He turned and saw Carl running over.

"Carl."

"Where are you going?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Why you wanna know?"

He shrugged and dragged his foot in the grass. "Are you coming back?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Yeah. I'm comin' back."

"Can I go with you? You're going outside, right?"

"Yeah and what would Rick say?"

Carl shrugged again. "I'm going with you. He'll be fine," Carl assured him.

"Huh," Daryl knew he was lyin'. Maybe. "Sure," he headed out of the garage and waited while Carl shut the door.

"That's cool," he grinned.

He started walkin' down the road lookin'. He'd made 'Chonne jumpy, talkin' about the prison and how he'da left there. She didn't say nothin', but he could tell. She wasn't smilin' or talkin' as much. He rolled his eyes. He was outside, like a dumbass, tryin' to find flowers for his woman.

"Are we hunting?" Carl whispered.

"Nah," he mumbled. When he saw some flowers, pretty ones, he stopped, looked around and picked them.

Carl laughed. "Are you picking flowers?"

Daryl whirled on him, makin' him jump back. "Yeah. Got somethin' to say?"

Carl smiled. "For Michonne?"

"Yeah," he stood up, pitiful lookin' things in his hand. He kept at it. Flowers might work.

"What did you do?" Carl questioned.

"Said somethin' stupid."

"You should get her chocolate. She likes it. A lot."

"Know. Spends most of her time in that damn greenhouse. Need somethin' different."

They walked a while in silence.

"Daryl?"

"Carl."

"Do you think you could spend more time with my dad?"

Daryl stopped. "What?"

"I asked if you could spend more time with my dad." Carl looked around, like he was nervous, before he looked at him. "My dad? He was really sad when we thought you died. You and Michonne. Glenn and Maggie. Sasha. I know he was going to take over, now, but. He does, did, he was doing it for us. For his people, Daryl. Those people? They didn't, they weren't made for this," Carl waved his hands around.

Daryl looked down at the kid. Not that much. He was growin' up. "Know why, Carl. We was there for a while. They mighta been if Deanna hadn't been a dumbass." He bit his thumbnail. "None of us was made for this. Shit just happened."

Carl pushed his hat back on his head. "Please. He's. He's happy we're here, but you were friends. Before you and the others left us."

Daryl frowned. "Didn't wanna leave, Carl. We had to make a decision." He stopped talking because Carl was frowning.

"My dad? He has me and Judith. He's happy about it. He doesn't have any friends. Carol? She lives with Ezekiel. Aaron? Tim? They live on their own. Enid lives with Jesus. They weren't really like you. Or Michonne. He works and comes home. He was smiling at Maggie's shower. He spent time with you and Glenn. He's really sorry." Carl sounded like he was pleading. "Please. Can't you just have a barbeque or something and invite him over?"

"This important?"

Carl smiled. "Yes."

"Fine. What's his watch schedule?"

"He works days and afternoons this week."

Daryl reviewed everyone's watch schedule in his head. Him and 'Chonne had afternoons and nights this week. That meant Rick had afternoons and nights next week. He hummed to himself. "Fine. Can do it on Saturday. We're on afternoons, switchin' to nights. Sash and Abraham? They'll be on nights. Might not be there the whole time."

"Thanks," Carl slumped in relief. "I'll help you pick them."

Daryl frowned. "I can do it. Gotta be me anyways," he grumbled.

When they went back to the Place, Carl was bouncing. Damn kid.

Daryl cleaned the flowers and tracked 'Chonne down in their bedroom. She was sleeping. She had watch at seven and he was on at eight. He put them in a glass on her side of the bed, stripped and slid in next to her. He gave a sigh of relief when she snuggled up next to him. He kissed her hair, whispered he loved her before falling asleep himself.

Carol froze for a minute when Michonne came in the tower. She had been on watch with Alice for a bit. The schedules here were weird. She didn't want to ask anyone why. She didn't want to seem stupid. Sometimes there would be two people, sometimes one when she went on watch. She admitted Silk did it kind of nice. People would work mornings, then afternoons and segue into nights. In the five months she'd been here this was the first time she'd had watch with Michonne, Sasha or Maggie.

She'd had watch with Daryl and Glenn. Nothing with Abraham. After seeing the ground traps she wanted him to cool down more.

"Michonne," she greeted. Then frowned. The woman had a big smile on her face. Carol had never seen her smile before. Except with Carl. And never like this.

"Carol," she nodded before picking up the binoculars and looking in the direction of the woods.

"I'm sorry," Carol blurted out a while later.

Michonne looked at her. Not a mean look. "We know. Daryl told us." She shrugged. "It happened. We were sorry to hear about Alexandria."

It was Carol's turn to shrug. "I left. Shortly after."

"Still," Michonne continued. "It must have been hard. Leaving."

She let out a harsh laugh. "No. Not really. King Ezekiel," she paused at the raised eyebrows. "Ezekiel," she corrected. "He was nice and offered me sanctuary. He's a good man."

"Never said he wasn't, Carol." Michonne sat down. "I've not spoken to the man much."

Carol nodded. "Congratulations. I heard. About the baby."

Now Michonne smiled wide again. "Thank you. We're excited."

She laughed. "I know. I don't think Daryl's feet touch the ground."

"He'll be a good father."

"I don't doubt that, Michonne. You weren't there when Judith was born. He loved that little girl."

"He still does." Michonne leaned forward. "We understand, Carol, why. What pissed us off was the secrecy. Like you or Rick couldn't trust us. Probably with good reason. We wouldn't have helped. We should have saved up food and left. It's over now. We survived it. We're all here."

"What happened, in Fredericksburg."

Michonne shook her head. "The BMF were there, not that we knew it at the time. Reap and Xan took care of it. It was scary." She let out a breath. "I wasn't taking any chances. Not with Carl."

"You shouldn't have. Like we shouldn't have tried to take over," Carol retorted bitterly. She was mad at herself. "I was the one that suggested Rick not tell you."

"He obviously thought it was a good idea to listen to your advice," Michonne commented. "It's over, Carol. You seem…happier here. With Ezekiel. We're happier here. Rick, Carl and Judith are happier here."

"This place? It's a good place. We wouldn't try and take over."

Michonne laughed. "You couldn't, even if you did try."

"Teresa doesn't seem like the forgiving sort."

"She's not. She shot a man in the head. He was part of the Humvee attack," Michonne explained. "They will kill you here. If you tried."

"I don't want to be pushed in one of the ground traps," she shuddered.

Michonne gave another little grin. "Impressive. The BMF are impressive."

Carol widened her eyes. "They are. How," she cleared her throat. "How did they get all of this?"

"You didn't ask?"

She shook her head 'no'.

"They stripped most of this state."

Carol's mouth fell open, then she closed it. "I shouldn't be surprised. Stores."

"Stores." Michonne picked up the night vision goggles and looked around. "On the way here we stopped in a town off of sixty-four. We stopped for the night. A little gas station right off the ramp. It was stripped. Of everything. They must have worked on cars, too. The lifts were gone."

"What?"

"Everything was gone. They left the building. Some of the cars from the freeway were parked up and down the street."

"Shit."

"Shit is right. Why we say they're shit your pants scary." Michonne put the goggles down and looked at her. "According to Jack and Rob they stripped most of this state. Teresa says they'll finish it. If they haven't already."

"How did you get used to this?" Carol asked after a few hours of silence.

Michonne knew what Carol was asking. She didn't socialize. Not that anyone really socialized but everyone got along well enough with each other. She knew Mags and Armin used to have coffee together. Sinjin and Daryl had gone hunting a few times. Sash was still friends with Toby. Todd and Glenn. Her and Tina.

"We had a party. When our house was finished."

"Rick told me. At Maggie's baby shower. He grilled kebobs," she let out a little laugh making Michonne smile.

"Mags put her foot down."

"I've thought of it. After Rick mentioned he was going to have one."

"Really? You should. Ezekiel seems like a nice man."

"We're not together. That way," she demurred.

"What way is that, Carol? You can be with him how you like."

She turned and looked at the inside of the Place while Carol tried not to fidget. Michonne remembered what Mags told Sash about needing someone. She was lucky. She had Daryl and the rest of her family. She knew from Daryl Carol's husband had been a piece of shit. She'd lost her daughter and Rick put her down. Michonne knew that pain. She'd gone in a different direction. Carol had poured her heart and soul into the prison family. Michonne had closed herself off. They'd never been friends, even before they'd reached Alexandria.

After Terminus she had more respect for Carol as a fighter, but killing Karen and David had put her off the woman. After being here, not fighting, she seemed to calm down. Give her some peace. Like the rest of her family. Michonne ran her hand over her stomach.

"What do you want? A boy or a girl?" Carol asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"We don't care. A healthy baby."

"Have Maggie and Glenn picked out names?"

Michonne chuckled. "Silk."

Carol huffed out a surprised laugh. "Really?"

"No, not really. If it's a boy they're naming him Hershel. If it's a girl? Beth Gwendolyn."

"Those are good names," Carol smiled a little. "You and Daryl?"

"If we have a boy? Allen. A girl? We're still deciding."

"Sasha and Abraham?"

"I'm not sure. Tage, I think."

"Those are nice names," she sighed. "I'm happy for you. All of you."

"Thank you."

"You and Daryl are good together," Carol uttered later.

"I think so, too." Michonne considered her. "You cared for him, didn't you?"

"Was it that obvious?" Carol scoffed. "That man. I still do. Not like you do. Not anymore." Michonne saw her take a deep breath. "He was the only one that looked for Sophia after she disappeared. He did more for her than her own father." She cleared her throat.

"He's a good man."

"He is. You're lucky."

"I know."

Carol let out another little laugh. "Maybe I need a good man."

"Or a good fuck," Michonne suggested.

"Or a good fuck. Shit. I haven't had sex in years."

"Like riding a bike."

"Did you ever think you and Rick?" Carol gave her a mischievous look.

"No. Maybe if things had been different? Who knows?" She shrugged. "I like to think I have more selfworth than that."

"What? Why?" Carol sounded outraged on Rick's behalf. "Rick's a good man."

"He is. He was also going to turn me over to the Governor. And he didn't think twice about putting my ass out there with the takeover plan, Carol. It could have gone really wrong. Deanna? She may have had rose colored glasses, but she wasn't a politician for nothing. Rick and you may have won short term, but not long term. The rest of us would have suffered. Including Carl and Judith."

Carol opened her mouth before she closed it again. "She wouldn't have done anything."

"No? We were outsiders. From out there. Those people respected her. She could have whipped them up into a frenzy and anything could have happened. When people are scared things can go bad really fast."

Carol frowned. "I. You might be right," she conceded after a few minutes.

Rick looked at the boxes of tile that were in one of the empty dorms. The only empty dorm left. The tac team, and that still burned his ass, had dropped it off. It had been there for a few days, but he didn't know how to lay tile and he'd been on watch. He turned, hand on his gun, when he heard a sound behind him. Lara, a pretty blond, was standing there.

"Need help?"

"Yeah. Never laid tile before," he accepted.

"Me either. Until I got here. Hiro and Juanita helped me." She looked at the boxes. "We should get a wheelbarrow or something and wheel the boxes where they need to go. You took over one of the old storage areas, right?"

He frowned. "It's a large small place, Rick," she laughed at him. "We're not in your business but we have a good idea where everyone lives."

"Yeah. Daryl, Glenn, Abraham, Sinjin, Tina, Marquis and Jack,"

"Helped you learn to plumb and run wire. I guess Fred taught them."

Rick grunted. He couldn't imagine Fred teaching anyone anything. "He's a dickhead."

"He is. Let's get something," she turned and left him standing there.

He followed her quickly as she made her way to the farms. Rick took one of the wheelbarrows and she took another one, telling Nadair they'd bring them back. Aseem asked if they needed any help and Rick wasn't about to turn it down. After the boxes had been moved Lara showed him, along with Corey, who showed up out of nowhere, how to lay tile. They worked at it until he had watch. They promised to come over and help him again, if he needed it.

He was surprised to be on watch with Teresa when he showed up for his shift. She just gave him a head nod and went back to watching outside the walls. Rick shook his head and got another set of binoculars and stood with her. He'd done his share of watch before. Usually with two, before here. Here, the schedules were weird. Daryl told him why and he was impressed.

"You." He stopped talking when she turned to face him. "Uh, just smart. Staggering the watch."

She snorted. "The BMF are smart." She shrugged before she turned back to watch the woods. "Of course, they did shit like watch before the turn."

Rick shifted. "Good place. Here."

"Thank you. We like it," she responded.

Rick never considered himself a talker. At the prison, he'd have two in the towers, then the towers they had left, after the first attack. He'd talk, sometimes, with whoever he was with. He didn't know how to take her. Or Silk. Silk was a big guy. "How'd you meet them? The BMF?"

Teresa turned with a raised eyebrow. "You really want to know?"

"Why I asked," he countered.