This Night

Chapter 237

Author's Note: Still thinking about the changes I need to make about what happens in Grady to keep Beth alive. But, I'm getting there. I don't know why but I so see Michonne giving Mika a nickname. And Sunshine fits Mika. So, please review.

Church group.

Mika glanced at the door where the priest went to lie down and then back to her book.

"Something up, sunshine?" Michonne asked as she laid Judith down.

"Shouldn't we check on him? I mean he said he wasn't feeling well and it's been a while. I mean, never mind," Mika told her.

"Mika, if you have something to say, say it," Lexi encouraged her as she rocked Hope as Jewel managed to sleep a little.

"I know what he did was wrong, leaving his congregation out there to die at the hands of Walkers'. But, what happened in here, it upset him and well maybe we should check on him because isn't that what we do?"

Mitch looked at them. "It's kind of what we do, right?"

Michonne handed Judith to Mika. "It's what we do," she told them as she went and knocked on the door.

Gabriel opened it and looked at her. "Yes?" he asked.

Michonne glanced back at Mika who was bouncing Judith on her hip. "You, uh... you said you weren't feeling good. You doing okay?" she asked turning her attention back to Gabriel.

"Yes, I was just resting," Gabriel answered.

"I know all this is new to you. All of it. I just wanted to tell you, for you to know... the things that we do... they're worth it," Michonne said. "It's kept them alive," she said as she looked back at Mika and the others.

"I already took the machete. What more do you want from me?" Gabriel asked.

"I don't want anything from you, I'm just trying to help," Michonne said.

"Thank you," Gabriel answered as he closed the door.

"Well, that went well," Jewel said as she sat up.

"But we tried, that's the important thing right?" Mika questioned.

"Yeah, it's the important thing sunshine," Michonne told her.

Grady Group POV:

Summer grabbed Shepard by the arm as the others walked in and yanked her up. "Come on," she told her.

"Hey I need to talk to your friend, he's going to get me and my friends killed," Shepard told Summer as she was brought to the other group.

"I'm her father," Rick told her. "Ronnie, can you take a look at this one's head?"

"Of course," Ronnie said. "What's your name?"

"Licari," the man with the bleeding wound on his head answered.

"Come on," Joey said as he grabbed his arm to take him over.

"What were you saying about needing to talk to me?" Rick asked.

"This plan of yours is going to get me and my friends killed," Shepard repeated.

"We'll make it work," Sasha told her.

"It would work if you had different cops to trade. Dawn's running Grady into the ground. A bunch of us want her out and she knows it. Pretty sure she knows we want Lamson to replace her, too," Shepard told them.

"Dawn doesn't know that," Lamson answered.

"So there's a good chance you can't make this deal work and that'll leave us all dead. But if you let us go, we'll take care of Dawn ourselves and then we'll let your friends go and this is over," Shepard said.

"Right, because you've been able to handle her so well up to this point," Summer told her.

"She's right. We're doing it this way," Rick responded.

"We can make this work," Lamson responded.

"Do you want to die?" Shepard asked.

"No. I just need you to shut up right now. You can make this work. But you've got to be able to talk to her," Lamson responded.

"Noah told us all about her," Sasha said.

"I've known her for eight years, ma'am. I know this woman. And my only interest is peaceful resolution, not dying, and sleeping in my bed tonight. So, please, let me help you. Please," Lamson begged.

Mar looked at Rick then at Lamson. "We just want our people back," she said. "And the girl," she said as she looked at Noah.

"Riley," Noah said.

"Why?" Shepard asked.

"Because she doesn't want to be there," Summer told them.

"She's a fifteen year old girl whose been at the hospital since the beginning. Her father was a good man. Hanson tried to keep us together for as long as he could, but Dawn decided he had to go, because he was getting people killed," Lamson explained. "Riley's safe here, she's like a daughter to all of us. We aren't going to let anything happen to her."

"I think you're missing the point," Mar told them. "If she wants to leave and not wind up as a slave, then she can. She'll be leaving with us."

"Dawn will never allow it," Shepard said.

"She won't have much of a choice, if the girl wants to leave, the girl will leave," Rick told them.

"Why do you care about a girl you never met?" Shepard asked.

"If you have to ask, then you don't get it," Daryl said.

Rick nodded. "We'll try it your way," he told them.

Ronnie and Joey's POV:

Ronnie nodded to the first aid kit. "Joey, I need some thread and a needle. This may hurt a little," she told the patient.

"Why are you doing this?" Licari asked.

Ronnie arched an eyebrow as she took the needle. "Why am I being a human being?"

"Yeah. What are you going to expect?" Licari asked.

Joey shook his head. "We just want our people back."

"That doesn't mean she needs to use your supplies on me. People don't do things now a days without expecting something, without a motive. It's not how it works now," Licari told them.

Ronnie glanced at Joey. "We do," Ronnie told him.

"But why? What do you get in return?" Licari questioned.

"We can live with ourselves," Joey responded as he shrugged.

"Simple as that?" Licari asked.

"Yes," both answered.

Ronnie looked over as Rick came over and sat the other male officer down. "When you get done with him, sit him over with Shepard," he instructed.

"Almost done," Ronnie answered as she finished. "Done," she reported.

"Joey," Rick instructed.

"Got it," Joey answered as he grabbed his arm and escorted him to the others.

Ronnie walked away as Summer walked over.

"She'll tell you she won't make a deal. She'll tell you she won't compromise. But she will. She always does. Just- just know who you're talking to," Lamson told Rick.

Summer looked at him. "She doesn't want to look weak in front of her people, is that it?"

"She's afraid of losing control, looking weak," Lamson told them then looked at Rick. "You know, you'd be a good leader for Grady. You can bring your people, we could make it work."

Rick arched an eyebrow. "No, it couldn't. Things may change for a minute, a month, but then something may happen to me, and then who ever took over would want to go back to the old ways, and where would that leave my people? My wife? My children?" he questioned. "I'd have to kill all of you to make that work, and I think you agree with me, that's not something you'd want."

"No, I wouldn't want that to happen," Lamson told him.

"Dad, we're about ready to head out," Summer told him.

Rick nodded. "Is there anything you need before we head out?" he asked Lamson.

"Water would be great," Lamson said.

Rick nodded at Sasha. "Thank you Sgt. Lamson."

Lamson looked at him. "My name is Bob."

Summer and Sasha exchanged glances as Rick looked at him. "You're still a cop."

"No, no the real ones are gone," Lamson told Rick.

"What you're doing now, wanting to make this work, you're still one of the good ones," Summer told him.

Rick nodded as he walked away with her. "Once again, are you sure I can't talk you out of going with me?"

"Once again, have we met Dad?" Summer asked with a smirk.

Daryl shook his head. "You know just because you're Uncle Merle died, doesn't mean that you get to take over being a smart ass," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

"It's part of the Dixon charm," Summer responded.

"Charm isn't the word I'd call it," Mar said.

"Hey," Daryl said as he bumped his shoulder against hers.

TBC

Author's Note: I know it's a short one, but I wanted to get it out before work. When I get home, I'll be crawling under the covers.