All Nightmare Long

Chapter 465

Author's Note: I am skipping the whole Abraham and Eugene trip, so hopefully episode 14 goes quicker, but of course I'm adding things to it as usual. But first I'm doing the family breakfast, and Summer's reflecting on things. I need Summer to be in a certain spot, like everyone else, so I'm hoping to set up her future actions by her thoughts and observations. And we need a team family (minus Tara) moment before all hell breaks lose. I love my babies and am dreading the upcoming Negan thing. Good thing is I decided Joey wasn't going to be added to the victim list, I have another plan for him one that won't devastate Summer more than she already is going to be. And I have to decide what to do with Beth. Review please.

Team family POV:

Mar took the casserole out of the oven sitting it on top of the stove.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mitch asked as he went over to the stove.

"Cooking, what does it look like?" Mar questioned with a rise of the eyebrow.

"I think he's asking why you are up and not resting," Beth said, as she set the table.

"You were kidnapped, and bumped your head, in case you forgot," Mitch told her.

"I haven't forgotten, but thank you for the reminder," Mar said.

The front door opened as Daryl walked in. "Sit down, you know what Denise said."

"Told you mom," Mitch said.

"Enid and I can help Beth cook," Lexi told her.

"And, I'm cleaned up now, so I can help too," Carol said as she came in. "Now sit down," she said.

"I thought you'd be with Tobin, catching up," Mar teased as she sat down.

"Still have a family to feed," Carol said as she looked over to the door. "Maggie, what did Denise say?" she asked as Maggie and Glenn came in.

"The cut didn't penetrate skin," Maggie said. "It smells good, Carol," she said.

"I can't take the credit for the start of the meal," Carol told her.

"Mar started it," Lexi explained.

"Until I was benched," Mar said as she grabbed Mitch and tickled him.

"Hey," Mitch said as he pulled away laughing.

"You have a bandage on your head, you were injured, so that means you need to take it easy," Rick said as he came down the stairs with Carl and Judith.

"At least it's only temporary," Carl said.

"Hey, you're doing good," Lexi said.

"A lot better than most would have," Sasha said as put food on the table. "Are you going to try some eggs with those teeth?" Sasha asked as she took Judith.

"She's getting so big, won't be long until we are chasing her around Alexandria," Mar said.

"Hope will be right behind her," Carol said. "And little Rhee won't be to far behind," she said.

"And I think we need a dog to chase them all around," Michonne said with a grin.

"An animal can be very dangerous," Eugene informed them.

"They can also be very useful, we could train it to be use against walkers. I mean it could be used to warn us of danger, especially with the little ones," Beth said.

"I'm not sure that I would want a dog as a pet, not anymore," Mika said.

"A pet may be a long way off,"Rick said. "Whose on guard?"

"Joey, Jes and Noel," Daryl answered.

"Did I hear someone mention a dog as a pet?" Summer asked as she came down the stairs with Jewel and Hope.

"We aren't," Beth said. "Though I wouldn't be opposed to it, later on."

"If we build up Alexandria, we could have horses and everything," Maggie said.

"it's a good dream," Rosita said.

"Breakfast is ready," Carol said as she handed plates of food to Lexi and Beth.

"I'll take food to Joey and Jes after I eat," Summer said. "Take some to Noel too," she said as she sat down.

"I can help you, leave you alone with Joey," Lexi teased.

"Hey that's enough of that," Daryl said as the family started passing the food around.

"You want to try some eggs Judy? Yeah, give those new teeth a workout," Lexi said as she sat beside her.

"She's going to eat us out of house and home soon," Carl teased.

Jewel laughed. "Says the human eating machine," she said as she sat down.

"I'm a growing boy," Carl protested.

"We're all growing boys, then," Abraham said with a laugh.

"Well, Carl can stop growing up, he's already talker than Summer," Glenn teased.

"We always knew she was a short stuff," Daryl teased. "Won't be to long til Mitch is taller than you."

"You are quickly losing your spot of as my favorite Uncle," Summer said as she playfully glared at him.

Jewel laughed as she kissed Rick, the family continuing to eat and talk.

Summer's POV:

Summer glanced around the table and the kitchen at her family. Negan was still out there, a danger to these people, her family. Gregory was responsible for this, he was responsible for sending them out to take out Negan and his people. Jesus had said they had seen twenty to thirty men at a time. They had taken out over sixty men, plus what she had taken out, and the men that Daryl had taken out. Over eighty people and Negan was still out there. She closed her eyes, momentarily seeing the barbwired bat come down on the faces of the family members, and Negan's grinning face smiling at her while he was doing it.

"Hey Summer, are you with us?" Glenn questioned as he shook her arm.

Summer turned and looked at him. "What?"

"Mitch was asking for you to pass the potatoes, you kind of zoned out," Mika answered.

Summer nodded as she passed the potatoes. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I'm not really all that hungry, I'll take Joey his food," she said as she stood up.

"You don't need to, we can do it," Sasha said.

"She's right, you need to rest," Rick said.

"I can take Joey's his and you can handle to Jes and Noelle's," Summer told them as she started making a plate.

Rick started to say something before Jewel put her hand on his arm. "Don't be to long and if you are going to be over at Joey's, let us know."

"One of us will let us know," Abraham said.

Summer nodded as she put a cover on the plate and slung her bow over her shoulder. "I'll let you know if I stay out," she said as she went out the door. Summer stopped on the porch and looked around, nodding at people who passed her. With each person who passed her she saw the bat come down on there face. She shuddered and took a breath as she closed her eyes again and then opened them. She walked over to guard rail and looked up. "Breakfast?"

Joey smiled as he took the plate so she could walk up. "You ate already?"

"A bit, I wasn't that hungry, more tired then anything," Summer said.

"Why don't you go and get some rest, my shift is going to be over in a couple hours. I'll come join you when I'm done," Joey told her as he kissed her.

"I don't think I could sleep even if I tried," Summer said.

"You have to try. I know that what you did, what we did, it's bothering you. It's bothering me too, it's bothering Rick. You may not think so but it is," Joey said. "But we took out a lot of his men, even if we didn't take him out, we must have made a dent."

Summer nodded as she looked out on the street. She knew she would have to try to make her way to the Hilltop, talk to Gregory, find out what he was hiding. It would be a solo trip because no one would agree with it. "You mind if I sit up here with you until your shift is over?"

"I'd never mind that," Joey said as he kissed her.