INTERLUDE

"I believe we can trust him," Rick stated. "What do you think?"

Connor watched Dwight's back intensely, as the man left Alexandria, before answering: "Aye, I got a good feeling about him. He may have fucked up in the past, but he's ready to atone for his sins."

"And if he isn't, Paul is following him from afar. He'll warn us if there's anything shady," Murphy added, jumping on his feet and stretching his limbs as if they were going right now. He couldn't wait.

"It's the first break we've had since Sasha died…"

"What about your man inside? Eugene?" Murphy eagerly inquired then.

"We haven't received any words from him. I'm not so sure he's still on our side…"

"Fucking Christ… That'd be bad news for us…"

"And you've still got no sign from Aideen's brother, have you?"

"Nothing in months. It's like the fucker's disappeared into thin air…"

"We'll have to do without." Rick stated, but then he quickly changed the subject, wary to see the twins having second thoughts: "Is Ezekiel on the move?" he asked Connor.

"Aye. Don't worry about him. He's smart, he's trustworthy, and his people would give their lives for him. He won't let ye down."

"I know. Plus, Carol is with him."

"She is. They're getting chummy even…" Connor added with a rare twinkle his eyes. There wasn't much to rejoice about these days.

"And Oceanside?" Rick now turned to Murphy.

"Armed and ready! Th'ladies can't wait to kill them some Saviours. They wanted to stay out of this, so I did need to crank up the charm a notch, but no one can resist me."

That earned him a smack on the head from his brother, and the two began to row. Since the communities were finally managing to organise and prepare to strike back, the twins were starting to look a little more alive and a little less like walking ghosts.

"We're doing this then…" Glenn stepped in.

"Glenn! How's the baby doing?" Murphy exclaimed.

"He's doing great. And Maggie is incredible. She practically asked if she could be part of the attack tomorrow. Even though she can barely stand…"

"She's a tough one yer wife." Connor slapped the new father happily in the back. Although everyone present could discern the anguish behind his words.

"Okay," Rick said. "We won't get any more ready than this. We better get some rest because we're leaving at dawn."

"But…" A little voice rose from behind the men: "What about Ma?"

Both Connor and Murphy spun on their heels at once.

"Hey Sive!" – "Ye're not sleeping, babe?"

"I'm not a baby, Da. I know you're prepping the attack. But you used to say we couldn't do anything as long as Ma and Daryl were in there…"

"I know. But we can't wait any longer. It's not doing any good. We have to try something." Connor sounded almost pleading.

"And the opportunity is tomorrow. It's time." Murphy tried to be assertive, despite the faraway look on his face.

"Shouldn't we warn them at least?" the ten-year-old remarked. "If we did, they could prepare as well. Maybe they could hide or use the mess to run."

"Trust me, I wished we could…" Murphy replied, feeling so much distress he couldn't even spare his own child.

"But, if any of us got close to there now, it could ruin everything, and put them in even more danger," Connor added.

He laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder to try and reassure her, but even she could see it was trembling. The girl eyed both her fathers with a stern scowl that they recognised from their own da. She observed how fretful and queasy they looked. How unsure.

The famous Saints of Boston shouldn't be unsure, she thought.

"It'll be okay, hun," Murphy's shaky voice tried to convince her. Although he could barely convince himself.

"We'll bring her back, Sive, I promise," Connor concluded with a haunted look in his eyes that almost spelled: 'or die trying'.

So, she hugged them both, bidding them good luck, and she turned away. While a horrible feeling had settled in her stomach.