As the group walked down the downstairs hallway, they passed family photos on the wall – Mr. Harrison with his wife and elementary-aged son. He'd gone to join them now, Carol thought.

Through the open door of the master bedroom, Daryl tossed his pack. It landed with a thud on the four-poster, king-size bed. "Me and Carol claim this one."

"Well, I suppose I'll take the queen bed in the guest bedroom then," Dianne said.

"Living room couch!" called Dixon, who was already in the living room. "There's a full bookcase out here! Looks like he's got everything John Ringo ever wrote, too!"

Jerry grinned at Gavin. "Guess that leaves you and me in the bunk bed in the boys' room upstairs."

Carol noticed Gavin glancing at Dianne, as if expecting her to say something, but she just walked on to the guest bedroom. "I guess so," Gavin replied, his tone tinged with a hint of disappointment. But when Dianne came back out of the room without her pack, she leaned in and whispered something to Gavin that made him smile.

Once everyone had claimed their beds for the night, the group settled into the kitchen for a late dinner. They pillaged Mr. Harrison's pantry for food. "Man was well stocked," Daryl said, "Must have been a bit of a prepper."

Carol whipped up a chicken salad, using canned chicken, mustard, sliced almonds, olive oil, and a can of water chestnuts. They washed it down with cans of seltzer water they'd taken from a refrigerator that wasn't running but was almost entirely full of canned drinks, neatly layered and stacked on the shelves and in the crisper bin. The freezer, also half full, held more canned drinks. Dixon found two bottles of wine in a high cabinet above the refrigerator, and they cracked both open after pulling down six dust-free wine glasses. Mr. Harrison had kept a clean house for a widower.

Dianne popped both bottles open with a flourish and poured for them, turning the bottle as she did so. "You're a pro at this," Gavin said.

"I used to tend bar. It's how I put myself through college. I couldn't even legally drink the first three years I did it, but I could make a mean martini."

"I went straight to work," Gavin said. "Constructions apprenticeship. I was always going to get an online degree someday, just to check that box so I get promoted from foreman to management."

"I thought you would hate being behind a desk," Dianne told him.

"I figured I wasn't getting any younger," Gavin replied.

Jerry took a small sip. "I'm getting hints of blackberry," he said.

Daryl slurped his. "Tastes like wine."

Dianne chuckled. "Decent wine, though. This stuff ran $26 a bottle in the old world."

"I wonder whose doing better with Tina over at the Johnsons?" Dixon mused as he set his wine glass down. "I guess Noah gets the pity vote. Poor guy. To find and lose his brother in the course of a single day. At least he has his mother again." Dixon looked gloomily into his glass, to a big sip, and swallowed hard.

"You miss yours," Carol said quietly.

"What I wouldn't give to see her alive again." Dixon smiled weakly at Carol. "But hey, I found an uncle. And an aunt."

Carol smiled softly at him.

"And a cousin! I hope Sophia's not too worried."

"We'll get you to that radio tomorrow," Gavin assured them. "Just be careful what you say and how you say it. If this new crew of Negan wannabees is somehow listening in, we don't want them to have any indication that we know about Shirewilt or that we'll be waiting for them."

"You should have executed him," Dianne said. "That Savior you banished."

Gavin looked at her over his wine glass as he sipped. He set it down with a clink and said, "What he did wouldn't have earned the death penalty in the old world. You want me to rule like Negan?"

"No," Dianne conceded with a sigh. "It just would be nice not to have to fight another battle."

"We don't even know he organized this crew. Maybe he just joined it," Gavin said.

"But they're using the same modus operandi as the Saviors," Dianne insisted. "Raid, kill a person to instill terror, take the guns, and then demand regular tribute going forward."

"I never killed anyone in the Kingdom."

"You were the exception," Dianne assured him. "And if the man you banished didn't organize that crew, he certainly gave them the idea."

"Pillagin' is an idea as old as time," Daryl muttered. "Doubt anyone had to give it to them."

"So you blame me?" Gavin asked.

"Of course I don't blame you," Dianne replied. "We're all muddling through this. Let's talk about the lists."

"The lists?" Carol asked.

Gavin pulled out some folded papers from his pants pocket. "One of my men went around to do a census of the communities," Gavin said, "all of them. We have five in our alliance—Hilltop, Alexandria, the Kingdom, Oceanside, and the Sanctuary."

"Six," Dianne corrected him. "Don't forget the Highwaymen."

"Are they really part of it now?" Gavin asked doubtfully.

"Well, we have a treaty anyway."

Gavin smoothed out the sheets of notebook paper before himself. "This stays with me when you're done looking at it. We don't want it falling in the wrong hands. But we took down names. And we asked everyone if they had any relatives in or near Georgia when it all started, so those names are on here, too, in parentheses after the names of our alliance's people. That's why there are so many pages." He pushed the pile of papers over to Carol. "I figure you know the people in your camp best."

"What?" Daryl asked. "Don't think I'm a people person?"

Carol chuckled. She began reading through the names, recalling Michonne said she had a brother named Jamar Hawthorne and T-Dog said he had a sister named Shantelle Douglas. She didn't see either of those names listed among the relatives, but her eyes fell on one particular set of names in parentheses: (Sandra Moore, Tom Moore, Karen Raleigh Samuels, Elizabeth Samuels, Mika Samuels). Her head shot up. "Who is Aaron Moore?"

Gavin caught Dianne's eye with surprise and then looked back at Carol. "You recognize the name?"

"No. I recognize one of the names he put in parentheses. Mika Samuels."

"She's on there?" Dixon sat forward in his chair. "She's a little girl in our camp. I look out for her. Well, along with them, now." He nodded to Carol and Daryl. "But I found her."

"Aaron is on the council that rules Alexandria," Dianne told them. "He helped us overthrow Negan."

"Mika mentioned a relative when we were checking Woodbury for relatives awhile ago," Carol said, "but not Aaron. She mentioned an Uncle Eric."

"Eric Raleigh," Dianne said. "That was name of Aaron's husband. He died in the war with the Saviors."

"This Karen Raleigh Samuels must have been Eric's sister and Mika's and Lizzie's mother then," Carol reasoned. "Aaron knew them, too?"

Dianne shook her head. "I don't know. I would assume so, if he put them on the list. But maybe he was just looking in honor of Eric, because Eric talked about his sister and nieces."

"Kind of man is he?" Daryl asked cautiously.

"Aaron?" Dianne asked. "Let's just say I'd trust him to have my back."

"Can you take us to meet him?" Carol asked.

"We need to recruit soldiers from Alexandria to face these raiders when they come anyway," Gavin said. "Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Sanctuary. You can use the radio to contact your people. I'll get DJ and Alden to arm up and come with us onto Alexandria, and we'll pick up a couple of soldiers there, too. You can talk to Aaron then. Maybe you can even convince him to join us in the fight."

"And I'll go see the Highwaymen, talk to Ozzy, see if he wants to play mercenary. If not, maybe I can at least get them to step up patrols. After I meet with them, I'll go onto the Hilltop and see if I can get Jesus and Eduardo to fight with us."

"Jesus?" Daryl asked.

"His real name's Paul," Dianne said. "But you'll know why everyone calls him Jesus when you see him."

"Who goes to Oceanside?" Gavin asked.

"I wouldn't bother with Oceanside," Dianne answered. "You know they keep to themselves ever since they pulled up stakes at Hallowbrant and went into near hiding."

"But they may give us extra ammunition," Gavin suggested. "If we're eliminating a potential mutual threat they should contribute somehow."

"They should take in the non-fighters from Shirewilt," Jerry chimed in. "Just until it's over. That place is hard to find. It'll be a safe place to hide out. I could take the non-fighters there, drop them off, and then go on to the Kingdom to recruit a knight or two and then meet you guys back at Shirewilt."

Dianne nodded. "Then we've got our bases covered. We split tomorrow and regroup here in Shirewilt in, let's say, no more than four days. That'll give us at least three days to prepare or defenses before they come back."

When the wine was finished, the group settled into their rooms for the night. Carol had just finished shutting the door of the master and was setting the battery-operated lantern down on the nightstand when Daryl threw himself down roughly, back-first, onto the bed, with a bounce of the box springs. "Ahhh…." he said and patted the empty space beside him. "It's comfy, Miss Murphy. Check it out."

"You couldn't take your muddy boots off first, Pookie?"

Daryl sat up, swiveled his legs off the bed, and began tugging off his boots. Carol brushed the dirt off the comforter, sat down beside him, and began removing her boots and socks as well. "Did you really have to insist on the master bedroom?" she asked. "We're trying to make friends."

"Hey, only the best for my woman."

Carol smiled. "You were thinking of me?"

"Always thinking of you." He leaned over and nipped at her neck. "Been thinking of you all damn day." He raked his teeth over her earlobe. "And what I wanna do to you."

She turned her face toward him. "To me, or with me?"

"Either or. Both. Lady's choice."

Carol laughed. "How many glasses of that wine did you have?"

"Don't need no wine to see how goddamn beautiful you are." He tickled her side suddenly and she squealed, laughed and fell to her back in her attempt to squirm away. He was soon on top of her, peppering her neck with kisses and sliding his hand beneath her shirt.

The lovemaking that followed was playful and a little bit hungry, and Carol needed it after the horrific scene they'd returned to, needed the distraction and the reminder that there could still be joy in this world.

They were naked under the sheets now, Carol with her head on Daryl's chest, and the lantern still glowing on the end table. Daryl was nodding off when there was a creak on the stairwell leading down from the loft and boy's bedroom upstairs to this hallway of two rooms. Daryl jerked to attention, leapt naked out of bed, and grabbed his crossbow from where it was leaned against the closet door.

"Relax," Carol told him. "It's just Gavin sneaking downstairs into Dianne's room." But Daryl ignored her, cocked his bow, and prowled toward the door of the bedroom.

Carol sat up in bed so she could get a good look at his ass while he inched the door open slightly and peered out. He clicked it shut again. "You were right."

"Of course I was right."

He leaned his crossbow back against the closet and then turned off the flashlight lantern before crawling back into bed with her under the cover of darkness.

She settled back into her cuddle position.

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"Women's intuition," she said, but it had more to do with the exchange she'd seen between the two when rooms were being claimed. "I guess she doesn't want the world to know they're having sex."

"Hell not? Who the fuck cares who's fucking who?"

"Not me," Carol said. "I mean, I care that you're only fucking me."

"Wouldn't have the energy to fuck no one else."

She chuckled. "Maybe they just like the excitement of sneaking around." She kissed his cheek. "Remember when I used to sneak in your room at night to help you?"

"Mhmmm…" He trailed his fingertips over her spine. "You were a damn good helper."

"Were?"

"Are. Hey! Is that what the Bible means when it calls Eve a helpmate?"

"No. And it's helpmeet. Not mate. Meet as in suited for. Eve was suited for Adam."

"Yer suited for me."

Carol draped her leg over both of his and shifted her head to his shoulder. "You're suited for me, too, Pookie. Very well suited."

"'Specially when I'm in my birthday suit."

Carol snorted.

Daryl let out a self-satisfied chuckle.

"Oh Lord," Carol said. "I think we both had one too many glasses of wine." She was quiet for a moment and then asked, "Is it terrible for me to think, after the loss of life to these poor people today, and battling that herd, and all that's happened….that's it's nice to get away with you?"

"Nah. Ain't terrible to think on the good things. Terrible to only think on the bad."

"Maybe I feel guilty about my good luck. I have everything I want. Everyone I love is still alive. I have you and Sophia. Mika. Luke. Friends back home. I have more than I ever had before the world ended." She raised her head toward him and kissed his lips softly.

"Know what you mean," he said when she pulled away. "Keep thinking I've been too damn lucky. Keep waiting for the other shoe to fall. 'S why I just wanna go home. Not fight for these strangers."

"I don't think they'll be strangers for long. And Noah's not a stranger. And we aren't just fighting for them. We're fighting a snowball that could pick up size as it rolls its way down to us at Fun Kingdom. We're smashing it here and now before it does."

In the darkness, Daryl nodded. He kissed her again. "Should get some sleep."

"Goodnight, Pookie."

"Nite, Miss Murphy."

[In the room next door…]

Dianne pressed her naked body tightly against Gavin's, curling around and into him. "I never took your for a cuddler," he said.

"Only after sex," she assured him. "Otherwise I like my bubble of space. So don't try to do any handholding in public."

"Apparently I shouldn't try to do anything in public."

Dianne raised her head. "What's that tone mean?"

"You don't seem to want anyone to know we're together. But we are together, aren't we?"

"We were definitely together a couple of minutes ago."

He sighed.

Dianne rolled off of him and propped herself up on one elbow to face him. "Listen…I'm a private sort of person. And the reality is…you did use to extort the Kingdom. You were the face of the enemy. You aren't exactly popular with some of the knights back home. Not everyone was keen on taking your people in. But the women got a pass, because they were seen as victims, and Dwight got a pass because of Sherry. You don't get quite the same pass from them."

"So you're ashamed to be with me?"

"I didn't say that. I didn't imply it. But I don't like unnecessary drama."

"Maybe they'd accept me more if they knew you accepted me," Gavin suggested.

"They know I accept you. They just don't know I accept you."

"Ezekiel doesn't think I did him a favor?"

"As king, Ezekiel had a lot of explaining to do after the battle. People were killed, and their mourners were angry, and he kept your extortion secret from most of the Kingdom. Only the knights knew at first, but now everyone knows. He's not exactly fond of you given the position you forced him into, but he does respect that you changed horses and worked to overthrow Negan. Still, it would probably be more convenient for him if you disappeared into the woodwork. You remind people of the secret deal he made, and some of them are little bitter about that. Ezekiel was glad that you didn't end up staying in the Kingdom."

"So there it is." He sighed. "I guess I had a lot more reason not to stay than just the fact that I had to hold the Sanctuary together. I would have always been an outsider there."

"Well…I suspect you're a little bit of an outsider everywhere." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "But not with me. I think I understand you. And I think you understand me."

"Oh, I don't know about that. From my perspective, you're a bit of an enigma wrapped in a riddle."

She chuckled lowly. "Well, at least the sex is good anyway, right?"

"The sex is great. But I thought maybe this was going to be a bit more than sex."

"You're a traditionalist, aren't you?" she asked. "When it comes to relationships?"

"You're the one who said you understand me, so if you think so, I must be."

She smiled slightly. "You said you wanted to see where this road goes, right?"

"I did say that."

"Then have patience, and let's see where it goes. Can you do that?"

Gavin nodded.

Dianne rolled on her side. "Spoon with me."

"I never took your for a spooner," he murmured as he slung an arm around her and she settled back into the curve of his body. "Am I'm staying all night?"

"If you want to."

"What if Jerry sees me coming out of your bedroom in the morning? Aren't you worried about the drama?"

"I can handle Jerry." Dianne put a hand over his and laced her fingers through them. "Let's rest up. We've got another war to fight in a week."

Gavin closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.