All Nightmare Long

Chapter 439

Author's Note: Thanks to the guest who told me about my spelling. I really appreciate it, I don't have a beta. To the guest that said they wished there was some sexy times with Rick sometimes, I don't write sex scenes. I've never been comfortable with it. But Rick and Jewel have plenty of time together and they are always together, and both were naked in bed when Jesus came in. Thank you for your comment, I hope the explanation helps. Please review.

Denise, Mitch and Daryl's POV:

Daryl gave Mitch a tool and a rag and Mitch started cleaning the tool as Denise came up. She held out a bag. "Here, homemade oak cake. Complex carbohydrates, omega 3," she explained.

Mitch arched an eyebrow and looked at the bag. "Somehow that doesn't sound appetizing, at all," he said.

"But it's good for you," Denise told him.

"Nah, I'm good. We're gonna make a pit stop, I'll pick up something then," Daryl told her.

"Like rabies?" Denise questioned.

Mitch tried to muffle a laugh as Daryl gave him a sideways glance. Is this cause I tried to get you that stuff?"

"Yeah and you remind me of someone I used to know,"Denise said. "Plus this one did put his life on the line for me," she said nodding toward Mitch.

"Then he should get whatever that shit is," Daryl said.

Mitch arched an eyebrow. "Way to throw me me under the bus," he said.

"There's enough for both of you," she informed Daryl.

"Don't," Daryl warned as he glanced at Mitch. "I hope it tastes better than it looks, cause it looks like shit," he said as he took it.

"Shit still better than road kill. OK, just eat it," Denise said as she left.

"We can dump it on the side of the road right?" Mitch asked after making sure Denise was out of earshot.

"Yeah that was my plan," Daryl said with a wink toward him.

Summer and Rick POV:

Summer was packing on the car that she took from Hilltop to return it. She glanced up as Rick came over. "What's up Dad?" she asked.

Rick bent down at the door. "I know you aren't 100% sure of this," he told her.

"Not even 5% sure of it, but everyone is right, we need to try this if they can trade with us," Summer said. "I just don't like what the consequences may be if we run into trouble," she told him.

"Look at me," Rick told her.

Summer looked at him. "What?" she questioned.

"Tell me about the leader of the Hilltop. Your take on him,"Rick said.

"Why don't you ask Jesus? He's spent more time with him than I have. I was only there a few days, plus I spent most of the time alone or with a couple of other people," Summer answered.

"I know you, I trust your instincts, and your judgement. I don't know him, I don't trust him. I know that you summed him up in less than five minutes because you are just like your mother. I don't want to go in there blind if I don't have too," Rick told her. "So, what is your take on him?" he asked again.

Summer sighed. "I don't know how he ever got chose as leader. He's self centered and a creep, and a coward. That's what I noticed the most, how much of a coward he is, how he would do whatever is in the best interest of him," she informed her father.

"What did he do when this Negan came?" Rick asked.

"Nothing, he didn't even speak up for his person. He tried to blame it on him. He didn't want me there from the beginning, he was more worried about what Negan would do if he found me there and what resources it was taking away from them. There was a guy at Hilltop that believes that Gregory traded his sister to Negan for safety. I don't know the whole story but there was some tension between some people and Gregory," Summer told him.

"What were your interactions with Gregory like?" Rick asked.

Summer laughed. "Not good. He has this real bad, irritating is more like it, habit of not remembering names, especially females. I think he does it on purpose, to try to intimidate us, at least that's what he was doing to me. He kept calling me Autumn or sweetheart, I called him Dick. It fits," she told him. "He thinks he's better than everyone else, and what he says should be good enough. He actually reminds me a bit of Nicholas when we first got here, his attitude. He shouldn't be alive, but he is. I'm sure he'll be as excited to see me return as I am about returning," she stated.

"You're not alone this time, you know that," Rick told her as he squeezed her shoulder.

"I can handle Gregory. Mom and Jes are going to love him," she told him as she shook her head.

You sure you want to come along?" he asked.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Summer assured him.

"What is your take on Jesus?" Rick asked.

"I think he wants what is best for the Hilltop. I think he knows Gregory isn't the leader they need, but it's who they have and he has to accept that," Summer informed him.

"Why do you think he isn't a leader?" Rick asked.

"Not every person wants to lead. Mom didn't, Uncle Daryl and Jes don't but people look up to them. I'm sure Jesus has his reason, but I don't know what it is, not exactly. I was worried about the town, the people here, and I didn't know about the Wolve's at the time. I didn't know if mom, Hope, Judith, Carl, Mika, you or anyone was alive. I didn't know if this place would still be standing, or if I would have anyone to come home too. I would have been home sooner, I wanted too," Summer started to ramble.

Rick put his hand on Summer's hand. "Hey, you were injured, and it's not your fault. It took us six days to be able to come to you. We'll always come, alright? You gave me enough information to start with, something more than I had a minute ago," he said, as he kissed the top of her head. "Joey riding with you?"

"Yeah, Mitch too. I know stay close behind, watch for signals, be prepared to stop, Joey and Mitch will both have there guns out and prepared," Summer said.

"Good, you haven't forgot those survival skills," Rick said with a grin.

"I had a good driving teacher," Summer responded with a grin.

Abe stood in front of the RV. "Let's chew up some asphalt," he yelled.

Rick shook his head. "I guess that's our sign. Joey, Mitch come on, your ride is ready," he called.

Both came over. "Want me to drive?" Joey asked Summer.

"No, I'm good," Summer answered.

"See you there," Rick said as he kissed the top of her head and went to the drivers seat, with Jewel sitting next to her.

"Is Summer alright?" Jewel questioned.

"She's alright, gave me her insight on Gregory," Rick answered as Jesus came in.

"And?" Summer asked.

"I'll tell you later," Rick said as he kissed her and squeezed her hand as he started the RV.

Abe, Glenn and Jes's POV:

Abe looked at Maggie who was asleep on Glenn's shoulder, Jes was sitting on the other side of him. "Hey can I ask you a question?" he asked.

"Sure," Glenn answered.

Abe motioned toward Glenn to move closer to him, glancing at Jes. "You too, there's not much room for you not to hear."

Jes arched an eyebrow as she looked at Glenn as both of them came closer. "This should be interesting," Jes said.

"Well it's for Glenn, really. When you were pouring the bisquik were you trying to make pancakes?" Abe asked.

Jes looked at Glenn and then at Abe. "I really wish you would have left me out of this conversation," she said as she shook her head.

Glenn looked at Jes than at Abe as he arched an eyebrow. "Ah, um yes?" he answered. He laughed. "OK, umm it's something we talked about yeah. Why?"

"I just, well given the precarious state of affairs on any given Sunday, I am damn near floored that you or anyone else would have the cajones to make a call like that," Abraham said.

"Um, well, we're trying to build something, me and her, all of us," Glenn said.

"If you haven't noticed, there was a newborn with us when you joined," Jes said. "Not to mention a toddler."

"Jewel and Rick weren't planning on Hope, but they wouldn't trade her for the world, none of us would, or Judith," Glenn said.

"For the record, I see rain coming, I'm wearing golashes , I'd double up," Abe said.

"Ok, I'm done with this conversation," Jes said as she moved next to Jesus. "I don't think we were properly introduced. I'm Jes," she said. "You are Jesus, which may I say that to call yourself after a religious figure is highly egotistical," she informed him.

"Friends started to call me Jesus, for the obvious reason," Jesus said.

"Well I don't give a damn about what you want to call yourself, what I do care about is the fact that we are going to be on your turf," Jes told him. "I do appreciate that you saved Summer, you didn't have to, but you did, so that gives you a bit of rope to hang yourself with. I would suggest that you don't use it to hang yourself with," she warned him.

TBC