It only takes a second to change your entire life. And I'm pretty sure I could pinpoint the exact second that mine did.

I'd taken the car along the most obvious route to Hilltop. And when I'd come across a spot most likely for problems to arise, organically or man-made, I'd get out and take a look around. Daryl hadn't finished training me in tracking, but I could still read the signs. Footprints. Scuff marks. Skid marks.

It took me until I got near the final place I'd marked on the map as a likely spot. And when I looked around, I knew I'd found it. Which was great, because darkness was settling in. I followed the marks I'd found, winding through trees, and seeing light up ahead to confirm my suspicions. I got as close as I could, without drawing attention to myself, seeing that the clearing where I'd seen the lights was ringed with strangers. They were dotted here and there, far enough a part that most wouldn't notice them, but close enough together to make me uneasy.

And kneeling in the middle of this scene was my family. Daryl, Glenn, Maggie, Rosita, Sasha, Eugene, Abraham, Carl, Dad, Michonne, and Aaron. I watched, holding my breath as the door to the RV nearby opened, and a tall man carrying a baseball bat walked out. I could only hear snippets of his speech. "New World Order". Threats of one of them dying. "Lucille". And then, while I watch, and hear enough to see that he's playing "Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe," with my family's lives.

His bat lands on Abraham, and I feel the tears burn down my cheeks in silence as this horrible man, with his terrible bat, beats him to death. I'm shocked, so shocked that I don't understand why Daryl's lunging at him. Why he's being forced to kneel again, but then, I see his eyes land on Glenn and I'm standing outside of the trees, the light landing on me and he stops.

"Well who the fuck do we have here?" His voice is deeper than I'd heard from my hiding spot. And he has dimples. I swallow down my fear and answer him, happy to hear how strong my voice sounds.

"Jessica Grimes." I can hear Daryl choking. Dad's voice screaming. But I can't make sense of any of it. Because this man, this murderer, had his full attention on me and I knew that I'd created enough distraction from what he'd been about to do to at least postpone it.

"Grimes?" He repeats, looking down to where I assume my dad's positioned. "Yours?" The question isn't for me. It's for Dad.

"I'm going to kill you." Dad bites out. More threats roll off his tongue, but the man's lost interest.

His attention is back on me. "Now, little Jessica Grimes," he's stepping toward me, studying me carefully. "Why would you be hiding all the way out here?"

I keep my chin up and return his stare. I would not show this man fear. Ever. "I wanted to know-" I swallowed. "I wanted to make sure that my family was safe."

He smirked at me, at my explanation. "That would explain how you got past my Saviors." Ah. Now I know. It was him. Negan. I'd heard the name tossed around enough since their first trip to the Hilltop. I'd assumed he was a myth they hid behind.

I didn't drop my gaze. I didn't lower my chin or relax my stance. "I suppose it would." I sounded unconcerned. As though I hadn't just watched him kill Abraham in the most brutal way. As though I couldn't hear his blood still dripping off the bat he was holding so casually.

"They're safe," he glanced back at my people. "Well, most of them are." He shrugged. Broken eggs, spilled milk. "Which brings me to my next question. Why are you here? Now?"

"A trade." I offered. Thinking fast. "I'm here to make a trade."

His eyebrow raised and his smile grew. "Really?" He looked down at my people again, gauging, I suppose what I could possibly offer him and what I was trading for.

"Take me instead," I swallowed again. "Instead of Glenn."

If he'd been curious before, now he was seriously shocked. "You? For him?" He used the bat to point at Glenn, making the drips louder, and I didn't follow its path to confirm. "You'd die in his place?"

I nodded. I would. I would die for Glenn to survive to see his and Maggie's baby born. To give him the chance to be a father. To give them the family they deserved. "Yes. I would." My voice was quieter, but still steady. I could hear Daryl and Dad fighting their own battles at this development, but I prayed they'd remain calm. For everyone else's sake.

His eyes are still on mine. A new look crossed his face. Was he impressed? "Done." And I sighed, resigned to my fate. "You for him." I closed my eyes and smiled. When I opened them, he was striding away. "Come on, Jessica, let's go."

What? I stood still. I was supposed to die. He agreed. So what the hell was going on?

He turned back and crooked a gloved finger. "Now." And not daring to look down at my family, terrified that I'd lose my nerve, I followed after him.

He was waiting at the door of the RV, holding open the door, and tilting his head to show me I was supposed to go first. As I walked inside, I heard him tell his people to wait until we were gone to release the others. They were free to leave, but he'd be visiting real soon.