"So what's your story, morning glory?" Regina asked as she adjusted the rear view mirror for her Amazonian height.

"Didn't you get my story from Michelle?" Daphne raised an eyebrow, reclining her seat a bit. She spread the map out on her lap, to double check their route. She'd swapped with Simon to make sure she had Mel's house. She hoped she could find what the woman was looking for, so she'd decide to stay to raise her baby.

"I got that you ditched a community to ride off with Simon because you wanted Negan's kickass crew to run amok with." Regina put a finger to her chin for a thoughtful effect. "What I'm having a hard time reconciling is that the same girl that stone cold sold out Dwight and Sherry is also a social justice warrior for a bunch of rape victims. Who are you?"

Daphne blinked, more than a little surprised. She could ask the same thing. The bubbly woman that had been poking fun at her all morning was a far cry from someone who wanted to have this serious conversation about motivations.

She took a deep breath. "I don't really know how to answer that."

"It's not that I think you've done wrong," Regina continued. "It's just a little unsettling how integrated you've become in such a short time. These people are my family, you understand?"

"I do." Daphne nodded. "I guess it's just hard to explain. I spent a lot of time not wanting to deal with people that couldn't protect themselves. I've been alone mostly, because I was just looking out for myself. I took a chance with Simon because it felt like the Sanctuary could offer me a place amongst strong people that weren't just surviving, but thriving. And I was right. The Saviors are a badass bunch and Negan has built the closest thing to society than I've seen so far." She licked her lips and took a deep breath. "I wanted to be a part of that. I didn't want to just be some worker, letting others protect me. I wanted to be a part of the elite. And I lucked out, finding my way in and taking out betrayers in the process. At first I did it to secure myself a cushy position, but after meeting Negan...

"After getting to know people, Saviors and workers alike, and seeing the way the Sanctuary really works... I've realized that the people that live here are just as strong as the rest of us, because they've chosen this life for themselves. They've chosen to live under Negan and have a life, trusting us to keep them safe and fed. Having that kind of responsibility... seeing how it affects people... I understand now that it's just as important to take care of people as it is myself." Daphne let out a whoosh of breath, surprised at herself. She hadn't really reconciled any of that in her own head, and she couldn't deny it felt good.

"And fucking the boss, of course," Regina added with a devious glint in her eye, and just like that, the tension in the car melted away.

Daphne couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, that's an unexpected perk."

"So, now that I know you're loyal to the cause, I need your opinion on something," the mohawked lieutenant pulled a small box from the side pocket of her khakis. "Arat likes it, but she's not like a girly girl, so..."

Daphne took the box and opened it, jaw dropping at the glittering ring inside.

"Well?" Regina pressed, sounding nervous.

The blonde held it up to the sunlight. "Jesus, it's beautiful." It was a rose gold band with five diamonds delicately set into it.

"Isn't it?" Regina blurted excitedly. "I've been tearing apart jewellery stores for months! Gavin had a good haul of stuff for me to pick through when I picked up his load yesterday, and I knew this was the one as soon as I saw it."

Daphne closed the box and slipped it back into her companion's pocket. "It's perfect. Michelle is going to love it. When are you proposing?"

"I was going to wait until the end of the month when my crew goes back to the outpost but I don't think I can." Regina was practically vibrating with excitement. "Though we can't have the wedding until their month is done. Negan's got a security team to watch the outpost for a week so we can all be here for it."

Daphne grinned. "You get to have a wedding?"

"Oh yes." The mohawked woman winked. "And Simon tells me you have access to some really pretty white satin and lace."

"Assholes, all of you," the blonde retorted, but she wasn't angry. She'd never thought she'd have this kind of camaraderie with anyone in her life, even pre-apocalypse. Having these people regarded as family made so much sense to her, and she couldn't help but feel her heart swell a bit that they'd taken her into the fold.

Static crackled through both radios and Daphne held hers up, turning up the volume. There was a click and then silence.

She furrowed her brow. "Do we have some kind of code?"

"Not really." Regina shrugged. "Sometime soon you should probably take a look at the outpost list, but unless you're travelling within radio range of them you won't be chatting anyway."

"Who could reach us from here?" Daphne studied the map. "Just Gavin and Paula?"

"Probably, they can reach each other with in-house radios in case of emergency but the handhelds don't go as far." Regina shrugged. "Might have just been one of our other run rats sitting on the button."

Arat and Simon had each been paired with a Savior, making three recon teams. Daphne had supposed she got a lieutenant partner because she was new, but she suspected the woman had specifically requested this so that they could have their talk.

"-fuck, anyone?" A female voice broke through on the radio, still a bit crackly.

"That's Paula," Regina slammed on the brakes as Daphne hit the talk button.

"It's Daphne, what's up? Over?" She wasn't sure if they used normal radio etiquette, but it seemed like the thing to do.

"Who's with you? We have a serious fucking situation here, over," Paula replied.

Regina immediately punched the gas, tires squealing their protest against the pavement.

Daphne's heart pounded in her chest. They'd just gotten there the day before, what could have possibly happened in 24 hours? "Regina's with me, Arat and Simon are out too but I don't know if they're within range, over."

"Fucking pussies came in at night and killed everyone in their sleep." Paula's voice was getting clearer. "I've got Chell, Molly, and Donnie, and two hostages, but one of them shot Donnie and I don't know if he'll make it." Her voice cracked and Regina swerved around a corner so fast that Daphne had to brace herself to avoid smacking her head into the window. "The fuckers have Primo. They want to trade, but I think they're tracking us."

Regina paled, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Where are you?" Daphne fought hard to keep her voice steady. "Over."

"We're at the slaughterhouse," Paula replied. "We've got an old bitch and a pregnant chick, significant leverage but I don't think these assholes mean to do this honourably. Over."

"We're on our way," Daphne promised. "Tend to Donnie, keep us posted, we're on our way, over." She let go of the button and furiously stared down at the map. "We need to send somebody home for backup."

Regina focused on the road with murderous eyes. "Unless you want to tuck and roll right now and run home, that's not going to happen."

"Are there any other channels that we use?" Daphne asked.

"Gavin's crew uses 5 when they're out on runs," the murderous woman suggested, and pulled out her own radio as her passenger switched channels.

Daphne started blurting emergency broadcasts across channel 5, breaking just long enough in between to listen for a reply.

"Chell?" Regina choked out into her own walkie talkie. "Baby? Over?"

"Hey, Gina, watch your driving, huh? Over." Michelle's good-naturedness sounded forced, and the lieutenant swallowed a lump in her throat.

"You know me, babe, I got this," Regina replied with her own forced chuckle. "You lay low, okay? We're coming. Over."

"I know," came the reply, with a pause. "I love you. Over."

At this, tears started pouring from the hard set woman's eyes. "You're such a sap."

Daphne stopped her distress calling in shock.

"I love you baby, see you soon, over." Regina threw the radio on the dashboard and screamed, a sound so full of agony that it broke her passenger's heart.

"This is Gavin, on long range, one of my guys relayed back to me that Paula's outpost has been compromised, repeat, Paula's outpost has been compromised, sending backup to the slaughterhouse, repeat, Paula's outpost has been compromised..." Gavin's voice came over the main channel and both women let out a sigh of relief.

"That'll reach home and everyone out and about," Regina said, skidding around another corner. "Just hold on, hold on..." She whispered her words like a prayer.

Daphne took in a deep shuddering breath, trying not to panic. Adrenaline thrummed through her veins like wildfire and she clutched the radio like it was her only lifeline.

In a way, it was.