Carol arrives at the community pantry, to find Magna on duty, rearranging the mostly empty shelves in a desultory fashion. They canned their own vegetables now. Gone were the days of scavenged canned goods. Still, by this time of year, finding anything was hit or miss. Carol would be happy when the fresh vegetables started coming in .

Magna looked up, and seeing Carol nodded. Carol browsed the selection on the shelf. Magna cleared her throat softly. "Carol, there's something I've been wanting to say to you."

Carol paused. Was this another apology? Not that Magna had anything to apologize to her for. She had already told Magna how sorry she was about the cave. Should she say more? Carol wasn't sure she was ready for another apology right now. She wanted to move on, but she also realized that it was going to be necessary to face some things. If Magna wanted to talk, then she owed her that. She stopped what she was doing and looked at Magna.

Magna took a breath and then spoke, "Look, I'm sorry about what happened with Miko. I think she was really angry at me. She would have punched me if she could have done it. . She'd never be able to do that though. She was mad because she almost lost me, but it wasn't just that. We had had a fight. She found out about what I'd done. Before all this. She couldn't get over it. I wasn't the person she thought I was."

"We've all done things" Carol remarks.

Magna shakes her head," Nah, some of us more than others.I did what I had to. I had no choice. It doesn't matter now. But Miko couldn't get over it. I knew it was the end. It was just too much."

"I'm sorry," Carol replies.

"It's okay," Magna replies.. "It's better that she knew. Even if it was too much for her. I knew she'd be excited to go to the new place. It's good for her. It's what she needs. I'm glad I'm here. You took us in, and you didn't have to, but you did. I miss her sometimes, but I know she was ready to move on, and maybe someday..."

"Do you mean you might get back together?", Carol asked.

Magna, waved her hand. "Oh no, that's over. She couldn't accept what I did. I did what I had to. I wouldn't, couldn't have done any different, but she couldn't accept it. Even though it was the end of us, I couldn't go on without telling her."

"Carol looks thoughtful, "Yeah, I do understand," she says with a sigh, as she turns to leave with the jar she has picked up.

"It wasn't just her you know," Magna says quietly.

Carol turns to look back at her.

"It was me too." Magna continues, "I did love her, but it's over and I'm okay with that. I will be okay on my own. If I did find someone, she'd have to accept me as I am." She squares her shoulders and looks at Carol.

Carol smiles. "I'm glad to hear that, And thanks."

" ," Magna says breezily as she sits down to wait out the end of her shift.

The dinner party is a success. It's full of laughter, kids,and warm conversation. Carol enjoys the company and loves having people to cook for. The kids all love Jerry, and Nabilia is complimentary about Carol's new home. After Jerry and his family leave, RJ heps with dishes as Judith sets up the games. After a heavily contested game of Sorry, the kids take their baths (RJ had brought his bath toys in his overnight bag), and they settle in for storytime. After the kids finally asleep, Carol sneaks upstairs to her room. She sits on the bed and takes the note out of the drawer. She looks at the words written in Daryl's familiar scrawl.

Carol,

I don't want you to go. You always go.

Come back. The kids need you. I don't want to be alone.

-D

Carol folds the note puts it away decisively. Before returning to her sleeping bag in front of the fireplace, she walks around the rooms, touching her things. Thinking how though sparse right now, this is her house and she is happy to be here.

The next morning, after making the kids breakfast, not as good as Uncle Daryl's pancakes, RJ informs her as Judith shushes him, but still well-received, Carol walks with them over to drop off their clothes, leaving them at the door with a reminder to put their dirty clothes in the hamper for Daryl to wash. The kids have plans with their friends, so they don't stay.

Returning to her house, Carol sees Gabriel at her front door, holding a potted plant.

"Housewarming gift from Rosita and me", he offers, smiling.

"It's lovely, thank you." Carol opens the door and motions him inside telling him he can leave the plant on the table. Gabriel follows her into the kitchen, where she starts a kettle for some tea.

Gabriel accepts a cup noting mournfully that he still misses coffee.

"Oh same" Carol agrees. So many things, but it's the little things like that. We took so much for granted. Whoever thought we'd miss them. I was just trying to explain bananas to RJ. He was very intrigued. That was Sophia's first food. She used to love them." She smiles sadly.

Gabriel reaches over and covers her hand with his, in comfort.

Carol shakes herself a little and looks at him. "So how is Coco? Rosita said she had fallen and bumped her head. Is she ok?
"Oh she's fine thank you" Gabriel waves a hand. "Nothing serious. "

"Glad to hear it," Carol says smiling.

"So Carol," Gabriel begins,"How are you? Are you settling in here ok""

"Wonderful," Carol nods. Seeing Gabriel's questioning look, she adds. "Really. It's good. The kids were over for a sleepover last night. Jerry and Nabilia came for dinner with the kids. Speaking of which, I'd love to have you and Rosita over. How about your next day off. You could come for a "Sunday dinner" after your service." There had been calendars when they first arrived at ASZ and they had maintained the tradition of days of the week, though it really seemed meaningless nowadays.

"Of course, we'd love to," Gabriel answers, but he presses on. "Are you sure you're okay Carol? I'm so sorry, I never asked. You always seemed so...competent. I never questioned. Now I realize that I might have let you down-"

"You didn't." Carol interrupts.

"Look Carol," Gabriel continues, holding up a hand imploringly. "You've lost more than most of us. And you've given so much. We wouldn't be here without you. You were right. About the Whisperers. They would have destroyed us. You did the right thing trying to save us."

"Carol shakes her head. "I wanted her dead. After what she did to my boy."

"No Carol. You tried to save us too. You did. More than once. We never thought about the cost to you. What it must have cost you to do that. I'm really sorry. I hope you'll forgive me."

Carol sighs. "Really there is nothing to forgive."

Gabriel takes her hand between his and looks in her eyes. "Yes, there is Carol. I talked with Rosita. She told me about what happened with Morgan. I talked to Maggie. She told me about what happened when you were captured. Michonne too. Before she left. She knew what it's like to have to make those kind of decisions. She had regret because of what happened. I have my own guilt to live with. What I did. We have all done things. Made mistakes."

"But Connie…" Carol begins, looking down and her hands.

"That was an accident Carol."

Carol sighs. "I know there are some who will never forgive me, but I"m willing to try.

"Of course you are! You have always been willing to. But I want to know if you're okay."

" I am." Carol replies.

"And your new house. No longer living with Daryl and the kids?"

"The kids are welcome anytime. We have regular sleepovers. We take turns with watch so one of us is always with them. It's fine"

"And Daryl?"

Carol shrugs. "I don't know. He lives there, I live here and that's good for me. We're not fighting. I just needed to be own my own. I need this As long as you're ok with it. That there's room."

"It's fine Carol. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Thank you. And please do come to Sunday dinner."

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Carol gets up to see him to the door and then goes back to finish cleaning up. She can see Daryl from the kitchen window. He's working on his bike while Dog circles around him. Carol turns away. She has work to do. She plans to spend her day off doing a little hunting. The kids will be with Aaron tonight, as Daryl has taken over the first shift for watch and she's looking forward to a relaxing evening by herself. She has a good book and some bubble bath that Maggie gave her. Even some of Aaron's wine. She's not a big drinker, but a glass sounds lovely. She'll be ok.

.The streets of ASZ are silent, as Daryl heads back home after his shift. Gabriel had tried to engage him in conversation after arriving for his shift a few minutes, early, but Daryl had only grunted in reply. They often talked for a few minutes when they shared or exchanged watch shifts. Gabriel doesn't push for a response seeing that Daryl wasn't up for conversation and instead wished him "Good Night" with a friendly nod as Daryl leaves.

Returning home through the silent streets of Alexandria, Daryl looks up at Carol's house as he passes, He notices that she hadn't pulled her shades down in her room. (RJ had given an excited description of Carol's house, and Judith had pointedly mentioned the location of Carol's room and the fact that it was a very big room. Daryl hadn't commented. He knew the kids liked visiting Carol at her place and RJ had his postal service going, but he had only been there the once, and that hadn't worked out. Carol still was living in another house and he didn't know if they would ever be the same. He knew he'd messed up, but he didn't know how to fix it, and no one was giving him advice. He knew Carol had made it a point to tell everyone that she was doing what was best for her, and that she and Daryl were keeping things cordial and that there was no need to worry, so that seemed to keep everyone quiet for now. Aside from Negan needling him, he hadn't heard much. Lydia seemed to be pissed at him, but he wasn't sure if she was upset about Carol, or something else. She didn't confide in him as much, but he knew she talked to Carol and Negan too. He stops for a minute to watch her window. Not that he was some kind of Peeping Tom. He'd already seen a lot anyway. It was impossible not to over the years. He has always kept an eye on Carol, and a few times he'd gotten an eyeful as Merle would have said. He'd liked what he saw, and he had to admit, when he was alone at night, he'd thought of it. Finally deciding he wasn't going to see anything, and what the hell was he waiting for anyway. She wouldn't even talk about anything, he decides to go home and leave her to it.

Carol had seen him coming (she could recognize his walk from a distance), and she had drawn back from the window. She didn't know if he stood outside looking in (really, how ridiculous) but she wasn't going to put on a show for him. Let him stand there. She was going to bed. Getting in bed with her book, she resists the urge to take out the note he left to read again. She is not dealing with him right now.