Better Days

Chapter 361

Author's Note: I have been working on this story for two years today. I want to thank everyone who have read from the beginning or finding it later or taking the massive step to start reading just recently. It means a lot! Please review, especially since it's the two year anniversary! It'll make the author feel loved.

Members of team family:

Carol turned as Rick and Jewel walked in. "What happened at the pantry? Eugene said that a gun was held in his and Mika's face," she said.

"Carter," Jewel answered.

"Eugene said that you would explain it all to us, what in the world would possess Carter to point a gun to a ten year old's face?" Mar asked.

"He was talking about taking over the town back from us," Rick said.

"He was trying to convince some of the other's, including Spenser," Jewel added.

Jes straightened herself from the counter she was leaning on. "I think I need to go have a talk with Carter."

Michonne looked at Jes. "Jes, hold on for a minute. Is he still alive?" she asked.

"It's a valid question," Carol asked.

"He's still alive, but he may or may not have a broken nose," Jewel admitted.

"I was expecting a knife to the head, but that's good. We need all the people we can to help with that herd out there. Especially if it means someone that can be pushed in front of our people," Mar said.

"I still think I need to go talk to him," Jes said.

Rick shook his head. "No, Jes, he's never going to try that again."

"We don't need anyone else killed right now," Carol said. "I know that we all want to hang him by the neck and tar and feather him for even thinking about holding a gun to our people, especially one of our children, but we have to be smart."

"Tar and feather?" Glenn asked as he came in with Maggie and Beth. "I'm really glad that you're on our side," he told Glenn.

"Who are we tar and feathering and why?" Beth asked.

Mar gave a small laugh. "We're not tar and feathering anyone. Carter held a gun on Mika and Eugene," she told her.

"He was trying to convince people to take back the town from us," Rick explained.

"Who was he trying to convince?" Maggie asked.

"Tobin, Jill, her husband Brad, Emily, Olivia, Francine and Spenser," Rick told them.

"Spenser? He was really going to try to go against his mother's decision?" Beth asked. "He may act strong, but he's a coward, I can't even comprehend how he thought that would be a good idea," she told them.

"Carter was the only one who was really making a big deal out of it. The other's were trying to talk some sense into him," Jewel said.

"I should talk to Deanna about it, she needs to know," Maggie told them.

"Deanna is not working with a full bag of marbles right now," Jes pointed out.

"She's grieving, Jes," Michonne reminded her.

Jes looked at her. "Tell me one person in this room that's not mourning someone? Hershel, Ty, Noah, that girl Riley from Grady who saved Beth's life, Bob and Merle, not to mention all the people that the Governor killed at the prision. We lost all of them, but we couldn't stop and mourn. Yeah, I feel bad about Reg, he seemed like one of the smarter people in here, but that doesn't give her the monopoly on grief. She's not thinking clearly, she shouldn't be making any big decisions right now. That should be left to Rick."

"Maggie's right, she does have a right to know," Jewel told her as she held up her hand. "Listen before you say anything alright?"

Jes gave one quick nod. "Fine."

"She's listening to our suggestions now," Jewel said. "We're allowed to carry guns, she's listening to Rick on that. We can't afford to ailenate her because we kept something from her, no matter how small."

"Plus if we tell her, then he can't twist it his own way," Carol pointed out.

Glenn took a breath. "I thought this place would be different."

"What do you mean?" Jewel asked.

"That we wouldn't have to stand around and make plans on how to deal with other people," Glenn answered.

Rick looked at him. "I think that's just how the world is now, how it has to be. These people aren't battle tested, we are. Carter's already proved he's a reckless idiot."

"Rick's got a point, Glenn. I mean anyone holding a gun on Mika isn't thinking clearly. He should have known by now that he was taking his life in his own hands by threatening any of the kids in this group," Beth told him.

"Maggie you talk with her and Quinn. Jewel hit him in the nose, make her realize he got lucky for his stupidity," Rick told her.

"Right," Maggie said.

"We're going to have a family meeting tonight, including the kids," Rick said.

"More like a family dinner, Carol and I've been cooking up a storm. We need this, we can't forget who we are, what we are to each other," Mar said.

"Add two more plates," Jewel told her.

Glenn looked at her. "Morgan and Jenny?" he asked.

Jewel nodded as Jes and Carol looked at each other. "Is that really wise? I mean we all know where Morgan stands on killing," Jes pointed out.

"If it wasn't for Morgan, then Rick would have never found the Atlanta camp, this family right here wouldn't have been possible had it not been for him. If Glenn hadn't done what he did in Atlanta, saving Rick, this wouldn't have been possible. I was the one who suggested that Morgan and Jenny move in here, or in one of the other houses," Jewel said.

"So everyone be here tonight," Rick said as he went to go check on Judith and Hope. He turned back when he saw Jewel wasn't following him. "Jewel."

"I'll be right up," Jewel responded as she saw Jes heading for the door. "Jes, wait."

Jes turned and looked at her. "What?"

"You aren't going to go talk to Carter," Jewel stated rather then asking.

Jes looked at her. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Jewel. I understand that you've taken care of it."

Jewel smirked and shook her head. "Don't bull shit me, Jes. I had Merle as a brother, remember? You've got the same look he got when he was going to do something that we told him not to. You and him are alike that you want to take care of the people you care about and I know that this is new for you. I need you to trust me, to trust Rick."

"I do, but that doesn't mean I don't want to tell that little prick what a worthless piece of crap he really is," Jes told her.

"I get it, I do, really," Jewel said as she squeezed her arm. "You want to do all you can, every single time, and no matter what you do, it never seems enough to you. You try and try but you need to do more, because you don't want to fail people. But the thing is, you aren't failing them, you are doing everything you can possibly do. You and I, we're used to taking care of ourselves, taking care of others, but letting others handle it, we're not good at that," she told the other woman.

Jes looked at her. "Rick has me staying behind."

"I know, he has me staying behind too," Jewel told her.

"You have a reason too, you're nursing Hope. I'd be better out there," Jes told her.

"If I can't have Rick and Daryl here, you're the one I want next to me to fight with me if things get bad," Jewel told her.

Jes looked at her. "Thanks..." she said as she started to walking away then turned around and hugged her. "Don't tell anyone I did that," she told her.

Jewel laughed. "Never," she assured her.

Rick and Jewel's POV:

Jewel walked upstairs to see Judith sitting on the floor with Rick changing Hope's diaper. "Jes wants to be out there with you."

"I told her I needed her in here," Rick said as he kissed her.

"I know, I told her if you and Daryl weren't there, I'd want her by my side. She dropped it," Jewel told her as she picked Judith up. "I think I saw Morgan downstairs, on the front porch with Jenny playing."

"We should go talk to him, I'm sure Jenny wouldn't object seeing these two," Rick said as he picked Hope up. "That feel better baby girl? Yeah, I'm sure it does," he said as they walked down the stairs.

"Mika's outside playing with Jenny," Michonne told them.

"Thank you," both Jewel and Rick answered as they went outside.

Morgan looked up from his staff. "Hope you don't mind, I wanted to enjoy the evening a little, let Jenny play for a bit, and we don't have a porch over there, so," he said.

"Get your stuff, you should stay over here with us," Rick said.

Morgan looked at him then at Jewel. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"Morgan, it was my idea, if that's what you're worried about. I may not like the way you are deciding to live your life by not killing those who need to be killing, but that doesn't mean that I am always in your debt for saving Rick," Jewel answered.

"You got the room?" Morgan asked.

"We'll make it. We don't need to do that anymore. I know you Morgan, even it's the first time," Rick told him. He saw Morgan looking at Judith who Jewel was holding. "Do you want to hold her?"

Morgan nodded. "OK."

Jewel kissed the top of her head. "This is Morgan, Judith. He saved daddy's life a long time ago. If he hadn't, Hope wouldn't be here, and this family we've built wouldn't be here. Him and Uncle Glenn are responsible for that."

Morgan took her. "Hey, hi, okay. Let me look at you," he said as Judith babbled. He sat down on the porch. "I don't think I've been properly introduced to that little one either."

"This is Hope," Rick said as he handed her to Jewel.

Morgan smiled. "It's a good name. You with that man Carter, in the armory, that's you. You're still the man I met in Kings County. The one that came back and told me it wasn't over. That was you, same you that's right in front of me right now," he told him. He looked at Jewel. "I don't blame you for hitting him, I know you probably wanted to do more then that."

"I did," Jewel responded.

"I wanted to kill him, we wanted to kill him, so it would be easier, so we wouldn't have to worry about how he could screw up or what stupid thing he'd do next because that's who he is. Just somebody who shouldn't be alive now. I wanted to kill him. But all that hit me and I realized I didn't have to do it, he doesn't get it and someone like that, they're gonna die no matter what," Rick said.

"Maybe he'll surprise you, both of you," Morgan said.

Jewel had to laugh. "Yeah, for some reason, I don't think that's possible. As long as he dies without killing anyone else, then I don't have a problem with it. We're having a family dinner tonight, you and Jenny are welcome."

Morgan nodded. "Thank you," he said.