Better Days

Chapter 364

Author's Note: First, I had half of this wrote on Monday and my Kindle decided it wasn't going to save it. Grr. Secondly, Sunday nights episode gave me an idea and it just saved an OC from being killed in the next few chapters and will die in the line up. But we will be introduced to both the Saviors and Hilltop earlier then on the show. I've got ideas people. Our group is going to think two people are dead (no no one is going under the dumpster). We'll know where they are. Lastly, I hated how the writer's gave Nicholas a son, Mikey, and just forgot him when they killed Nicholas. Of course Jewel isn't putting up with that. Please review.

Jewel and Glenn's POV:

Jewel walked up to Glenn's porch where he was cleaning his weapon. "Got a minute?"

Glenn looked up. "Yeah. You going on the dry run with us today?"

"Much to Rick's chagrin, yes. Jes is going too, think she wants to scout out the places where everyone will be, get an idea what obstacles there may be," Jewel said.

"I'm glad she's on our side, she'd be dangerous working with someone else against us," Glenn said.

"She didn't help the Governor as much as she helps us," Jewel pointed out. "But we are her family, even if she rarley admits it."

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Glenn asked. "Not that I don't like your company or anything," he teased.

Jewel raised an eyebrow at him. "Very funny, Glenn. Nicholas," she simply answered.

Glenn sighed. "I don't want him coming with us anymore then you do," he told her.

"I know and I'm not here about that. Do you know if he's planning on having his son stay with anyone while you guys do the real thing tomorrow?" Jewel asked.

Glenn shook his head. "Believe it or not, Nicholas and I aren't close enough to be sharing tea and crackers and discussing our lives," he said sarcastically.

Jewel smirked. "You need to leave being sarcastic to the experts, Glenn. You may be my honorary brother, but you're to sweet to be sarcastic."

Glenn laughed. "Seriously, why are you asking? The kid is Carl's age, you'd leave him alone."

Jewel leaned against the porch post. "Carl's not a typical fifteen year old, hell he may be sixteen by now. Carl put Lori down so she wouldn't turn, he's shot and killed people, he's endured more then anyone at his age should have ever had to. Him and Lexi both, even Enid. Mikey and Ron, they've been behind these gates, would jump at there own shadows. I've been through, we've been through to much for me not to think about every scenario, good and bad. I know that you'll come back, to Maggie, to that baby," she said as she smirked at him.

"How did you know? We haven't told anyone, well except Beth," Glenn said.

Jewel laughed. "Did you forget who you're talking to Glenn? I watch, I listen. The only reason Maggie would ever let you do this alone is if she had something more precious to lose, and that would be a baby. Congratulations, and I won't tell a soul," she assured him. "Like I was saying, I know you'll come back, and I also know that you are a good guy, Glenn. You've managed to do something that the rest of us haven't, and that's keeping your humanity, all of your humanity. You haven't had to kill a person yet, and I envy you. It takes something out of you, it makes you lose something, something that you're never able to get back. But I don't regret it, any of it, because we're all still alive. Maybe more of us would still be alive if the Governor had been taken care, if we had taken care of the Terminus people. I hope you never have to take another life Glenn, but you might have to make a decision to leave Nicholas to save yourself. If it's the only way, Glenn, you promise me that you'll do it. I need to hear those words, Glenn. That if it comes down to it, you will not sacrifice yourself for that idiot. I've already lost one brother, and I swear to God, I can't lose another one. Promise me, that you'll do what has to be done, that if he puts you in danger, that you'll leave him."

Glenn looked at her. "It's not that easy."

"It has to be. I'm not asking you to kill him, even though if it was me, he wouldn't have came back after Noah," Jewel told him. "I'm not saying that you didn't do the right thing, you just did things different then I would have, then Rick would have, and that's alright. That's what makes us a good team, a family. But right now, I need to know that you are going to do everything in your power to come back to us, no matter what."

Glenn hugged her. "I will, Jewel. Don't worry," he told her. "So you're thinking about Mikey, if Nicholas doesn't come back."

Jewel nodded. "It's something that needs to be thought about and I'm pretty sure the idiot never thought about that once while he was going on patrol. Him and Aiden didn't think that they'd never make it back home. Cowards," she said.

"So let's go talk to him," Glenn told her.

"I can do it alone," Jewel told him.

"I don't have a death wish, at least not by Rick's hand," Glenn said as he walked with her. "Don't ever change alright? I like you just the way you are and there's nothing to be sorry for, nothing to regret. It's what you've done, what Rick has done, that made it possible for us to be here. And one day, when Maggie and I both have to be gone, we'll know our baby is in the best hands, yours," he told her.

Jewel shook her head as she smiled. "Thanks, Glenn," she told him as they approached Nicholases house.

Rick, Joey, Summer and David's POV:

Rick walked up to where Joey, David and Summer were working on weapons. "Where are the Alexandrians?"

"They were more slower then we expected," David answered.

"We were having to go back and do it again, so we told them we'd handle it this morning," Summer responded.

Rick sighed. "We can't keep doing things for them, Summer. They aren't going to learn that way."

"Dad, I know that and if it had been something else, I would agree with you. But this isn't anything else, this is weapons. This is something serious that could literally cause injury if not done correctly. I personally don't want someone to blow off there hand," Summer said.

"Since today is just a dry run, I'm going to stay back and finish cleaning the weapons," Joey said.

"You sure?" Rick asked.

Joey nodded. "Yeah, Summer will let me know exactly what the plan is tonight. Even though we probably won't need half of the weapons, it's better to be safe then sorry."

"We've got it covered dad," Summer assured him. "We going to be leaving soon?"

Rick nodded. "In about an hour. You gonna be ready?"

"Yeah, my gun is already cleaned," Summer answered.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from my daughter," Rick said as he kissed the top of her head. "David, expect you and Summer to be at the gate in an hour."

"We'll be there," both said without looking up from there assigned task.

"Joey, I'm going to send Jes in here to help you, you shouldn't have to do it by yourself," Rick told him.

"I don't mind," Joey assured him. "But Jes is a whole lot better than the Alexandrian's. I'm really surprised no one has blown off a hand yet," he said.

"They haven't been outside the gates enough to worry about it," Summer said. "Do we even know if they know how to use these guns? I don't want them to shoot me."

"Well hopefully today they won't need to use them," Rick said.

"What about tomorrow?" Joey asked. "The chances of them not having to use them is low, which means one of us have a better shot at getting, well shot," he said.

"Why are we saving these people anyway?" David asked.

Summer looked at him. "It's our people too, now it is. They won't survive without us."

"My family, my children, need to be here David. We're going to do what we can to make sure we all survive," Rick said as he glanced at Joey. "Summer, David, I'll see you two in an hour," he said as he walked away.

"What was that?" Summer asked.

"What was what?" David questioned defensevly.

"You questioning Rick about why we are helping them. That's who we are," Joey told him. "We finally have a place where we can live, where we don't have to be afraid, of course we're going to protect it."

"I don't mind defending Alexandria, it's the people in it. Even your mother said it, Summer. We could leave and come back and clear out the dead," David said. "Then we wouldn't have to worry about these idiots. They wouldn't try to protect us, so why are we doing it? Hell, Carter held a gun on Mika and Eugene. That's the kind of people we're trying to protect?" he questioned.

"It can't be a them and us situation anymore, David. I know you were on your own for a long time, but you are a part of something bigger now," Summer said. "This is what we do," Summer told him.

"It's who we are. We have to be the bigger people, the better people," Joey said. "That's how we survive."

David looked at them. "Yeah, guess you're right," he said. "I'm going to go find a smoke before we have to meet your dad, Summer," he said as he walked away leaving the two of them behind.

Glenn and Jewel's POV:

Jewel knocked on Nicholases door and glanced back at Glenn. "You ever been here before?"

Glenn shook his head. "Didn't have a reason too. We did all our fighting outside the house."

Jewel nodded as he opened the door. "Nicholas, do you have a minute?"

Nicholas looked at Glenn then at her. "if you are here to talk me out of going, it's not going to work Jewel. I'm going, I know I can do it."

"She's not here for that, Nicholas. Even though both of us think that you have no reason to be out there," Glenn said.

"He's right, I'm here to talk to you about another matter but since you brought it up, you walk through those gates tomorrow without Glenn, you will wish that you had let walkers' eat you," Jewel calmly told him. "And Dixon's don't make threats, it's a promise. No I'm here to talk to you about your son. Is he staying with anyone while you're out there? Have you thought about what will happen if you don't come back?"

Nicholas glanced at Glenn then at Jewel. "Don't you have confidence in Rick's plan?"

"I do, but things happen. And correct me if I'm wrong, weren't you on the supply run team for two years? What would have happened if something happened to you? What would your son have done? Hell's Bells, how in the world did you people survive? Mikey needs to stay with Jessie and Ron. He doesn't need to be in this house alone," Jewel told him. "He'll also need to carry a weapon, a knife will be good, we can work up from there. If something goes wrong and those walkers' get inside these gates, the last thing any of us need is someone unarmed."

"You might feel comfortable arming your children, Jewel, but I'm not. Mikey will be fine here, he's stayed here alone before when I've gone on a supply run," Nicholas told him.

Glenn shook his head. "Nicholas, just go with what Jewel says, she knows what's she's doing."

Jewel looked at Nicholas. "It's alright Glenn. I know you have nothing between your ears but rocks, but let me say this as clearly as I can so even someone as dumb as you can understand it," she said taking a breath. "This isn't a supply run, this isn't just a quick go get something and come back. We are trying to lead a big army of walkers' away. Even if 25% of them get away, and get through to that gate, that's a whole hell of a lot of walkers'. Your son needs to be armed, he's over twelve. He needs to be with other people. If you don't want to make sure he's safe and with people in case something happens, then I will. But if he isn't packed tonight with a bag, you aren't going to go out tomorrow. I will push you on your ass and tie you up, and drag you back here so you can take care of your son. It would probably be safer for my family, so they wouldn't have to watch after your worthless ass. I'll be by to see if he's going to Jessie's," Jewel said as she left.

"Who does she think she is?" Nicholas asked Glenn.

"The woman trying to keep your son safe," Glenn answered as he walked out of the house.