"I got a bad feeling about this." Abraham said, hands firmly gripping his rifle as he, Rosita, Maggie, Sasha, Nye, Carol, and Daryl all rushed down the dark road towards the water tower in the distance. Everyone else was left to guard the RV.

After getting seperated from Rick, Michonne, Glenn, and Aaron, their luck didn't take a second to pile on more trouble. Once switching over onto the road Aaron originally wanted them to go down, they were met by yet another obstacle, that being a bright red flare going up in the distance. It was unknown if the flare was Aaron's partner, or the missing portion of the group.

"Oh good, so I'm not the only one." Nye grumbled, crossbow loaded and aimed upwards, ready in case of any problems.

"How do you think the others are doing?" Rosita looked back as she walked in front with Abraham. "You think they-"

"Help!"

"Shit." Carol snapped.

The group abandoned any conversation, running as fast as they could to reach where the urgent voice came from. Veering off from the road, they ducked into the forest for cover as they came up to the water tower, just in case this was really a setup. Abraham took lead, guiding them along through the bush, and he was the first to charge in when they finally reached the tower.

Almost a dozen Walkers all surrounded a seemingly normal car, clawing at the bottom and trying to wiggle their decayed bodies underneath. It became clear why, when they heard the voice call again, coming from under the car. With silenced shots, Abraham took out a few, catching the rest's attention.

Nye lifted the scope to eye level, closing her left and aiming steadily. She shot the crossbow, hoping to get the bolt straight through the Walker's eye, but missed and ended up piercing it through the squishy temple. Nye internally scolded herself, knowing that she was fruitlessly trying to impress the group's resident archer, but unable to help herself from trying to show off.

In the back of her head, she distantly remembered a conversation she had with Andrea, what felt like ages ago. About men, and feeling the need to show off.

Back then, she didn't get what Andrea was trying to imply, but now, she was more than aware of the reason behind both hers and Daryl's impulsive need to prove themselves to each other.

When the last Walker dropped, they watched as a shaky hand reached out, grappling with the side of the car as he tried to pull himself out.

"I-I'm a little stuck." He stammered, obviously struggling with freeing himself. "T-the uh, the car rolled o-onto my leg." The man explained, shakiness of his voice now clearly caused by pain.

Nye and Maggie rushed over to help, followed by the still skeptical rest of the team. While Daryl and Abraham used their combined strength to lift the back of the car as much as they could, Nye and Maggie didn't hesitate hooking their arms beneath the man's, pulling him out carefully, trying not to jostle his broken ankle.

The man sighed in relief, chuckling nervously as he held his left leg just above the ankle. "Thank you. I was starting to wonder if I'd ever get out, heh."

"What's your name?" Sasha asked curiously, looking him over and inspecting his nearly pristine clothes, all things considered.

"I'm Eric. And I'm guessing you guys are part of that group, huh?"

Nye blinked at the name, and after a beat, smiled kindly to the man. "Yeah, we are." She answered before anyone could try to deny it out of suspicion.

Eric nodded, glancing between them all edgily. "Great, that's uh…" He trailed off, shifting tensely as he couldn't spot someone specific in the group. "Where's Aaron?"

"Why?" Carol quickly asked back, arms crossed.

Eric opened his mouth, about to stumble over an explanation, when Nye saved him the trouble.

"He's fine, I promise. Our leader just wanted us to go different ways." She held out her hand to him. "C'mon, I can fix up that ankle back at the RV."

Eric accepted her answer, nodding and relaxing slightly. Taking her hand, he slowly got up, hopping awkwardly on his good leg. Slinging his arm over her shoulder, Nye smiled to him reassuringly as she took half of his weight to help him walk.

Behind her, the rest followed wordlessly. This time the trip was made in total silence as they trekked back to the RV. When back in eyeshot, they saw Tyreese keeping watch, who quickly peeked back inside the vehicle, telling the people inside that they were back.

It was plain to see that Eric was more so on edge towards them than Aaron had been, but that could have been chalked up to him having not seen his partner yet, confirming his safety.

While she reset his ankle into place, Eric hissed in pain, tensing and throwing his head back with a groan. Nye grimaced, letting go as soon as she was finished.

"Sorry."

Eric shook his head, giving a weak smile. "Don't be, you're way more gentle than the doc back home."

"You have a doctor?" Tara gasped quietly. "Like, a real doctor?"

"Hey." Nye glared at her half heartedly. "What's that supposed to mean?

"Nye, you're the one who's always clarifying that you aren't as equipped for injuries as a professional doctor is." Carol chided as she stood by the passenger seat, now taken by Eugene as Maggie drove.

Nye frowned, looking back down as she started to wrap his ankle. "I hate when you throw logic back in my face."

From where she and Eric sat, they didn't see a small head meekly peer over the cushioned bench next to them. But the timid voice easily caught their attention.

"Do you let in dogs?" Lydia quietly asked Eric, hand firmly curled around Samson's collar as the dog sat obediently by her side.

"Is he house broken?" Eric joked, and after getting a blank look in return, cleared his throat and nodded. "Uh, yeah, yes we do."

Lydia cracked a smile, and ducked back down.

"What now?" Tara worriedly asked, arms crossed as she edgily stared out the windshield into the night.

"There's this place me and Aaron go whenever we get seperated, we can wait for them there?" Eric proposed, glancing between the adults for their agreement.

"Any objections?" Carol asked the RV's occupants. When no one spoke up, she shrugged. "Alright then."

Daryl stood outside the door, intermittently whistling a signal into the night, hoping the missing group members would hear it. The rendezvous point wasn't far from the water tower, thankfully, so there was a good chance that if Rick and the others caught the flare, that they would find them eventually.

Leaning back against the brick wall, Daryl ducked his head down, absently reaching up and touching his bottom lip. Lost in thought, he missed the sound of someone stepping out, until the person came to stand right beside him.

Carol crossed her arms, side eyeing him with a restrained smirk. "You know, I can't tell if I made things better, or worse. But I'm willing to bank on it being better."

Daryl pursed his lips, muttering irritably to himself as he turned his head away from her, letting go of his chapped lip abashedly.

"So, did you…?" She let the question hang in the air, watching his reaction closely.

Daryl tensed, giving a minute shake of his head. "Nah, someone decided to drive like a damn animal." He shot her a pointed look.

Carol grimaced sheepishly. "Sorry."

He shrugged, brushing it off solemnly. "Not like things'd be any different anyway."

The redneck jerked as Carol unapologetically jabbed him in the side, rolling her eyes with a huff. As he glared at her, rubbing his side, she ran a hand down her face.

"You are the most stubborn and dense man I have ever met, and I have yet to understand where Nye gets her patience." With a tired sigh, she stared him down. "Let me guess, she tried to kiss you?"

Daryl opened his mouth, but fell silent under the woman's glare. He couldn't deny it, not without lying out his ass.

Carol nodded, cocking her hip as she raised her brows patronizingly. "I see, and you think she would just go and do something like that without motive?"

"I-"

"For fucks sake Daryl, drag your ass out of the denial you've put yourself in, and be with her. She has feelings for you, you have feelings for her, it's not that complicated."

Daryl grit his teeth, and felt a tiredness he was all too familiar with. "It ain't that simple."

"Then explain it to me."

Sighing through his nose, Daryl glanced over his shoulder, through the window, and into the building. Gathered around, the group were talking in hushed tones, their mouths forming words he couldn't make out. But his sole focus shifted and fixated onto the woman in question. He watched as she held Lydia in her arms, cradling the tired girl as she absentmindedly stroked the side of the girl's leg with her free hand.

"...she deserves better than I could ever give 'er."

Toby whispered something to her, to which Nye grinned, nudging her son playfully with her hip.

Daryl's fingers fell into his pocket, brushing fleetingly over the smooth surface of the photo tucked safely away inside. He looked away, back down to the damp pavement he and Carol stood on. "That's it. That's the reason. Always has been, always will be."

Carol frowned, staring at him sympathetically. "Daryl… that's not-"

A whistle caught their attention, both of them looking down the road to where Rick and the others were, running towards them. Daryl rushed to knock on the window, signaling to the rest that the small group had returned. The first out the door were Carl and Maggie, who dashed into Rick and Glenn's arms respectively. Slipping between Michonne and Glenn, Aaron looked around frantically.

"Your sister okay?" Rick huffed as he held Carl, eyes falling on and counting the members just to be sure.

"Yeah. Yeah, we're fine."

Unable to spot his partner, Aaron started to panic. "Eric? Eric? Eric!?"

Nye took the crook of his arm, nodding her head to the door as she pulled. "He's inside."

Aaron ran past her, disappearing through the door as he called for him again, this time in relief.

"Who's Eric?" Rick asked suspiciously, rubbing his beard as he trudged inside.

"No one to worry about." Nye stated firmly. "He has a broken ankle and no weapons. So you don't have to pull the scary leader card."

Everyone filed back into the building, murmuring to each other quietly. There was a thrumming energy in the air now, as they were one step closer to somewhere safe. Lydia tiredly rubbed her eyes with her left hand, as her right found its way into Daryl's. The hunter didn't give much of an outward reaction, but ended up scooping the girl up into his arms, giving her a chance to get a few extra minutes of rest. Mason and Toby shuffled on, flanking Nye on either side, the curly haired teen letting his head flop down, letting it rest on Nye's shoulder as they walked. Despite the excited atmosphere, everyone was still left exhausted after the tense night.

Eric's voice carried down the hall with a breathy chuckle, letting them catch the tail end of his and Aaron's conversation. "Maybe it's for the best. That monstrosity out front can run. It's so ugly, it'll scare the Roamers away." Both men laughed softly at that.

Aaron didn't notice the former sheriff, who came to a stop in the doorway, but Eric did. Nodding over his boyfriend's shoulder, Eric gave Rick a placating smile. "Hi. I'm Eric."

"Rick." The leader rasped, looking back and forth between the men, loosening up as he realized why Aaron had been so protective of his secret partner.

Aaron shared a silent look with Rick, and nodded slowly. Giving a pat to Eric's knee, he got up and followed Rick out of the room. Gathered around, the group waited as Aaron looked at them each individually, expression soft and genuine.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. Everyone. Thank you. You saved Eric. I owe you. All of you. And I will make sure that debt is paid in full when we get to our community." His mouth twitched into a faint smile. "When we get to Alexandria."

Relief at knowing the name of the community, added onto the relief of having a roof over their heads, even if temporary, had some of them (Tara, the kids, Rosita, Maggie, Noah, Tyreese, and Nye) beaming.

"Now, I'm not sure about you, but I'd rather not do any more driving tonight." Aaron chuckled, earning a few snickers from the group. "Maybe we can hit the road tomorrow morning." He offered hopefully, knowing the real decision wasn't up to him.

"That sounds fine." Rick bobbed his head once in agreement. "But if we're staying here for the night, you're sleeping over there." He gestured to a wall opposite from the room Eric was resting in.

"You really think we got to do that?" Maggie sighed.

"It's the safe play." Rick looked back at Aaron. "We don't know you."

For the first time in the harrowing day they had spent with him, Aaron glared their leader down, setting a single rule of his own. "The only way you're gonna stop me from being with him right now is by shooting me."

Squinting at the man across from him, Rick stiffened, standing taller. But before any moves could be made, Glenn appeared between them, putting a hand on Rick's chest, and applying a slight pressure to keep him back.

"Whoa. Rick, he told us where the camp is. And he really was only travelling with one other person." Glenn argued in a whisper, trying to keep the peace for the first time in weeks.

Maggie, getting misty eyes, positively beamed as her husband was starting to come around, finally.

"They're both unarmed. One of them's got a broken ankle. I want us to be safe, too. I-I can't give up everything else. I know what I said, but it does matter."

Rick looked his friend over, fighting down his own smile under his dirty beard. Nodding minutely, he relaxed. "All right."

Glenn seemed taken aback for half a second, before he too relaxed, and let himself be hopeful. The promise of safety was seemingly able to sway anyone, even the now wary Rick Grimes.

"Single file line, scooch." Nye ordered, lightly kicked Mason in the rear to move him along.

Mason shot her an unamused look over his shoulder, flipping her off and hopping into the RV. Toby rushed to get in after him, wishing to avoid the same treatment.

It was going to be a tight fit, just like before. The group heavily exceeded the vehicle's compactly, as eightteen of the men women and children were to be piled in, plus one lumbering Saint Bernard. Rick, Carl, Michonne and Judith were taking their own car. While most already sat inside, a few were trying to clean the front of the RV, mainly the windshield, free of Walker guts before heading off to Alexandria.

"Are you okay?" Glenn whispered to his wife, watching her in concern.

Nye glanced over, frowning when she saw how pale Maggie looked as she wiped away the blood and fleshy bits stuck to the vehicle.

Maggie swallowed, nodding shakily as she seemed to fight down a gag. "Yep, I just need to-" Her eyes widened, as she darted away from the the two, hiding behind the side of the RV. The telltale sound of stomach contents hitting the ground following.

Nye and Glenn traded a fearful glance, running around the RV and stopping a few feet away from Maggie and her mess. Glenn hurried to hold her hair out of the way, as a second bout hit her, this time only working up some bile.

Before either one could work themselves up too much in worry, Maggie wiped her mouth, hunched over as she grunted out a feeble "I'm fine." Brushing off Glenn's hands in her hair.

Nye and Glenn shared a look, and the suddenly fearful and shell shocked expression on his face was enough evidence for the brunette. Quietly telling him to get inside the vehicle and wait for them, Nye slowly approached the woman, rubbing gentle circles on her tense back.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Nye swallowed down the cotton-y feeling in her throat.

"When?"

Maggie sighed, closing her eyes, accepting that the brunette already had a theory and wasn't letting it go. "...Remember, when we found the, uh, the little rundown motel?"

Nye sucked in a breath, nodding bracingly as she recalled that lucky break they had what felt like not that long ago. "Yeah."

Maggie looked up, still hunched with her hands on her knees. "We… we got um… a little carried away… and…"

Nye clenched her teeth, feeling conflicted on whether she should reprimand the farmer's daughter, or congratulate her. "Hun, when was your last period?"

Maggie ducked her head.

Nodding, more to herself than to Maggie, Nye rocked back on her heels, whistling as she stressed her goggles. "Okay. O-kay…" Any excitement bubbling up was followed by the district memory of finding out Lori had died under the knife, gone before she could even hold Judith. "Fucking A, man."

All too late the shorter woman noticed how Maggie's eyes started to well up.

"O-oh, oh shit, no Mags I- fuck." Nye anxiously raked her hand through her hair, then reached and pulled Maggie up straight. "I'm happy for you- I- Oh my God I suck." Nye threw her arms around Maggie, swaying them, and carefully minding the woman's stomach, despite there being no sign yet whatsoever. "It's okay, I swear. Don't worry. Please don't worry."

"W-we don't know for sure." Maggie hiccupped, tightening her hold on Nye. "It could be nothing?"

"Yeah! Yeah it could just be a little bug." Nye too eagerly agreed, praying to whoever for Maggie to stop crying. "Everything's gonna be fine. A-and- And, Aaron said they have a doctor, and real medicine and shit, so I mean, if…"

She let it hang there, focusing on holding her friend together. But in her mind, Nye had no doubt about it.

Maggie was pregnant.