Beth had been asleep for a little while when she woke up, and for a moment she wasn't sure what had woken her. She laid in her bed for a moment, listening, knowing something had roused her but unsure of what.

Then she heard a knock on the trailer door. She pushed herself up and listened; there was movement outside, a door opening.

She climbed out of the bed and went to her own door, stepping out into the main room.

Maggie had just left her bedroom, and she looked to Beth as she crossed the room to the door. The knock had been firm, urgent. Beth could see the sky outside was still dark; it was still very much the middle of the night. She looked at her sister, noticing she had brought her hunting knife with her.

Marie sat up on the sofa, her blanket thrown off to the side of her, and she was watching Maggie with worried, wired eyes.

Maggie opened the door and Beth felt the cool air rush in; Jesus stood outside.

'Maggie.' He said, wasting no time. 'Alexandria has been attacked.'

Beth felt the air rush from her lungs as nausea pooled in her throat.

Jesus stepped into the trailer as Maggie stood, seemingly unable to respond.

'What do you mean?' Beth asked, her throat raw.

'Negan and his men made it out of The Sanctuary. They attacked Alexandria once it was dark.' Jesus said.

'How do you know?' Maggie demanded, leaving the door open as she turned to listen to him.

'Our scouts saw the flames.' He said.

Beth looked to her sister, seeing the fear in her eyes. Alexandria was on fire. Again.

'We have to go.' Maggie said. 'We need to get there.'

'You can't -' Jesus said. 'It's not safe.'

'Our family – everyone – everyone there -' Maggie stammered. 'We have to help them.'

'Right.' Jesus said. 'But we can't go rushing in.'

Maggie took several breaths as she thought it all over; Beth wrapped her arms around herself as she stood aside, listening. Beneath her folded arms, she was very aware of her bump, and very aware of how useless she was. She thought of her friends and family back home – of Jessie and Ron, trapped in there with the flames and Negan's men. Carl and Judith, too. She couldn't help but put blame on herself – sure, the war would come either way, but she had instigated this. She had given Daryl the plan. They had thrown the first dice.

Maggie and Jesus were talking. They were trying to hash out a plan, a back and forth of ideas in hushed, fearful tones, none of which sounded good.

Marie was watching from where she still sat on the sofa, her face a picture of fright. She knew no one in Alexandria, but she knew Negan. Better than any of them, Beth would wager.

'There are enough people there.' Jesus said. 'Carol. Michonne. Hell, even Carl. They will handle it.'

To Beth's relief, Maggie was nodding.

'Okay. But we listen out. We send your scouts.' She said. 'If it looks like we can help, we help.'

Jesus nodded.

He left the three women after that, heading back out to find out what he could. It was still late, still dark outside, but none of them wanted to go back to bed.

Maggie drew out a chair at the table and sat down heavy with a sigh.

She looked at her sister, her face drawn and tired.

Maggie ran a hand over her face, her dark hair falling forward as she moved.

'He'll want Rick.' Beth said quietly. 'Maybe Daryl, too.'

'Yeah.' Maggie agreed. 'Neither of them are there.'

'He wont like that.' Beth said.

Maggie shook her head slowly; Beth couldn't say for sure what that would mean for everyone else at Alexandria. Would Negan leave them, come back when Rick was home? Would he wait? From what Jesus had said, he had already attacked. That didn't sound like a man willing to sit around and wait. It didn't sound good for everyone else inside, either.

'There's nothing we can do here, is there?' Beth said.

'No.' Maggie said. 'We can drive over to Alexandria but we'll only be stopped on the road.'

'So we wait, too.' Beth said.

'We wait.' Maggie said, wringing her hands in her lap.

It was easy enough to say, not so easy to do.

–

The sky had lightened and the sun had almost risen by the time Jesus returned. He knocked on the door with the same level of urgency, and this time Beth answered.

'Good, you're still up.' He said, stepping up and over the threshold.

Maggie turned from where she had been sitting at the table to look at him.

'What's happened?' She asked.

All three women were tired, having only gotten a few hours of sleep before Jesus had woken them, but no matter how bleary or heavy their eyes were, sleep had no longer been on the cards.

'I have word that people have gotten out. I can't be sure who or how many, but it looks like a lot.' Jesus said.

'Out?' Beth asked. 'How?'

'Negan and his men have the whole place surrounded.' Jesus said. 'He was talking to Carl up at the gate. But when he and his men finally stormed, they had gotten out.'

Beth and Maggie looked at each other.

'The tunnels.' Maggie said breathlessly. 'There are tunnels that lead out under Alexandria and into the woods.'

'Tunnels?' Beth said surprised. 'I never heard of no tunnels.'

'Old sewage tunnels.' Maggie said. 'Already there when the community was built. I used them once when Glenn didn't come back.'

'Someone showed you them?' Beth frowned.

Maggie nodded.

'Aaron.' She said. 'And they're on the blue prints for the town.'

Beth understood then; Maggie had worked closely with Deanna on plans for the town.

'You know where they come out?' Beth asked.

'More or less.' Maggie said. She looked to Jesus, who was watching the two of them. 'We should go to them and help. At least lead them back here. They won't know the way.'

Jesus shot her a grin.

'Gregory will love that.'

Maggie rolled her eyes.

'Oh, fuck Gregory.' She said, and Beth found her own eyebrows raising, but Jesus just grinned some more.

'Alright.' He said. 'We're unarmed but we have knives, for hunting and for the allotments. I'll go grab some. Meet you outside in five.'

Maggie gave him a firm nod. She turned to Beth then and Beth steadied herself for what she was sure to hear - but instead Maggie just fixed her with a steely look.

'You come, you stay back.' She said, surprising her younger sister. 'No running into danger. It's a good twenty minute walk, maybe more. Can you keep up?'

Beth nodded firmly, surprise giving way to relief. She had fully expected a fight.

As she turned to grab her boots from her bedroom, she spotted Marie, who was still sitting on the sofa, the blanket discarded next to her, watching them all with a pale, nervous face, squinted slightly.

'You stay here.' Beth said to her.

'I've never really fought but I can come and -' Marie began, but Beth just shook her head with a smile.

'I know.' She said. 'But you don't need to put your life on the line for people you've never met. Stay here, you'll be safe.'

Marie exhaled. Beth could tell from her face that she had not wanted to join them.

Beth pulled on her old reliable boots and joined her sister outside; it was cooler under the cover of night, but she felt hot, clammy. The sun would rise in a couple of hours and the darkness was already beginning to ebb. Negan has made his move in the dark like a coward, but at least it would help them navigate to their family under cover, too.

Jesus joined them again, passing them each a knife.

'Ready?' He said.

'Let's go.' Maggie nodded.

They headed across the grass, through the steadily sleeping town, and over to the gates. The guards, who had undoubtedly let Jesus in and out tonight already, began to draw the gates as they approached.

Jesus waved his thanks to them as they passed, their boots crunching loudly on the gravel path in the night time silence.

Maggie led them off of the path and into the trees after a while, and their boots were muffled by the fallen leaves and debris. The woods were always so quiet at night, and whilst once it had soothed Beth, now it unnerved her. Scuffles in the hedgerow were more likely to be a walker than a badger or a hedgehog these days.

The trees rustled lightly as a breeze blew through them, and no one spoke. Maggie knew where she wanted to head towards, but she was coming from a different angle, one she was unfamiliar with, so both Beth and Jesus allowed her silence to think.

Beth's back was beginning to ache by the time Maggie slowed, her dark eyes sweeping the horizon. Jesus paused too, absently twirling his knife in his hand.

'Do you hear voices?' Maggie said under her breath, so quiet her voice was almost swept away with the wind.

Jesus was nodding, looking out past to where the trees thinned. Beth had hoped it was good news, but as she too stopped to listen, she realised the voices were only coming from a single source. Footsteps too, she heard, walking slowly and carefully. Not walkers, but also not Alexandrian's - unless some had gotten separated and lost.

Maggie gestured for them to get down, which they did, moving from sight.

A little way over, a man and a woman walked slowly and with a purpose Beth recognised - they were hunting.

They're looking for the Alexandrian's that got out, Beth thought, and a glance to the others told her they were thinking the same thing.

Although no one spoke, all three of them were thinking the same thing - risk their selves and take these two out, or hide and let them pass. One would eliminate the threat from re-emerging later on, but give rise to the potential of noise, drawing more. The other would leave them to carry on without drawing any extra attention, but would have them looking over their shoulders constantly.

Neither was ideal, and both would have to see them becoming especially silent after.

'He should have just taken the boy.' The woman said, loud enough for them to hear as they drew nearer. 'Rick would have come out of hiding then.'

'Take the boy and kill the baby.' The man said, and despite the distance, Beth could hear the malice in his voice. 'That would really put a rocket up his ass. Get him back for what he did to our men at the outpost, too.' He sounded like he was grinding his teeth.

Whilst such talk made Beth feel sick, a strange sense of glee rose up her spine at the pain in his voice.

'He'll know now.' The woman said bitterly. 'When he wakes up and comes home to nothing but ash and bones. They didn't all get out.'

'I know.' The man said. 'I saw the bodies.'

Beth felt saliva pool beneath her tongue, felt Maggie stiffen beside her.

'The ones that got out are out manned and out gunned, anyway.' The woman said. 'What are they going to do out here? They can't hide forever. Bunch of stupid pricks. We pick them off one by one, like shooting fish in a barrel.'

Beth looked at Maggie, who glanced at Jesus. These unknown saviours had made up their minds for them.

They waited until they were a little nearer, then moved.

Beth hung back, letting Maggie and Jesus take the brunt- she needn't have worried, they were both skilled fighters, and they had the advantage of surprise on their side.

The woman tried to run, grabbing the man's arm to force her body behind him; the man stumbled, and Jesus was able to take him down with ease. He pounced, swinging himself around the man and out of the way of his arms, and swiftly slit his throat. Maggie chased the woman, but she fought her, and the woman broke free. Stupidly, she ran to where Beth was waiting, and Beth was able to step out and drive her own knife into the woman's chest; she felt the blade graze her collar bone as it sunk in. The woman's eyes widened as she saw Beth, her mouth gasping to form a small 'Oh' as she went to clutch at her chest.

Then Maggie was there; as the woman floundered, she grabbed her hair, pulled her head back, and drove her knife into her temple with a shout.

The three of them stepped back, wiping warm blood from their hands and faces, looking down at the now still bodies of the two saviours as their blood seeped out and soaked into the mud beneath them. Beth looked at the body of the woman who had so flippantly talked of killing Judith, and found she did not feel bad.

Maggie bent down to take the guns from the bodies, quickly searching their pockets for any ammo or supplies.

'Come on.' She said, standing up. She held out one of the guns to Beth. 'We need to get going. We made too much noise already.'

Beth wiped her knife on the thigh of her leggings and followed; she did not look back at the bodies.

–

Maggie was pretty certain she knew where the tunnels ended up, but the prolonged silence as they drew near was starting to sow seeds of doubt.

Amongst the trees was a built up structure of stone; it rose up out of the ground, and as they got closer, they could see the grate that had covered the entrance on the floor. Maggie went to it, kicked it gently with the tip of her boot.

'Is this it?' Beth asked.

'I think so.' Maggie said. 'Looks like this grate has been down for a while, though.'

Beth looked at it, seeing the grass and the weeds growing up and over it, winding through the rusted bars. She looked closer at the ground, seeing the way the grass looked trodden down around it.

'People have been here.' Beth said. 'Recently.'

She looked up to see Maggie disappear in amongst the bricks, the sound of her boots squelching in the mud echoing off of the stones. Beth went to the opening and peered in – the opening led down a steep slope, across which Beth could see more footprints, all over lapping and squelched into the surrounding mud, difficult to see. But there.

As she stepped back out to say this to Maggie, the sound of cars stilled her. She looked to her sister, who grabbed Jesus and pulled him in to the mouth of the rocks.

Peering out, Beth watched as three cars she recognised headed their way. She waited a moment until she was certain she recognised Rick up front, then stepped out and ran for the road. She had already run to the side of the trees before she realised Rick and Glenn now had three new people in the back of their car, and that there were way more than the three cars that had set out yesterday afternoon.

Rick passed her, but the car that had been following behind slammed on its breaks and drew to a halt.

Daryl threw open the passenger door and ran out around to Beth; he grabbed her arms and held her out to look at her.

'Wha' the hell are you doing out here?' He growled, his eyes wild.

Rick joined them, having stopped his car a little further way up.

'Beth. What's happening? He asked; he looked from her to Daryl, then into the woods behind her.

'Rick.' Maggie had joined them now, a little out of breath. 'Daryl.' She looked at the car behind, the one where her husband currently sat behind the wheel, looking at her with wide eyes. 'What's going on?' She asked.

'No. You first.' Daryl said, shaking Beth slightly.

'Alexandria has been attacked.' Jesus said.

Rick swore loudly.

'We have reason to believe people got out.' Maggie said. 'We're looking for them. Trying to find them before Negan does and get them back to The Hilltop.'

'Right. Okay.' Rick nodded.

'Rick.' Daryl said, letting go of Beth, who rubbed at her arms with a scowl. 'What do we do here?'

Rick began to pace as Glenn joined them on the road.

'Who are these people, Rick?' Maggie asked.

'Saviours.' Rick said absently. 'Workers.'

'You were taking them to Alexandria.' Jesus supplied. 'But if you carry on on this road you'll be ambushed, no doubt.'

'Right.' Rick said. 'We turn around. Get them back to Hilltop.'

'What about the Alexandrian's?' Glenn asked. 'Carl? Judith?'

Rick growled, running a hand over his beard, torn.

He went over to the car he had been sharing with Rosita and spoke to her through the window.

'Take these people back to Hilltop.' He said to her, just loud enough for the others to hear. 'The rest of us are going to stay to find our family.'

'Let me help you.' Rosita said.

'You are.' Rick said. 'We promised these people safety.'

Rosita closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded.

Rick slowly walked along the cars and relayed the message to Michonne and Tara, then he leant back so the first few cars behind them could see him. He signalled his hand high in the air. 'Turn around,' it said.

As the cars began to back up, he turned to look at the three of them that had been walking through the night.

'You think they used the tunnels?' He asked Maggie.

'Yeah.' Maggie said.

'There are foot prints.' Beth said.

'They'll likely try and get to The Hilltop.' Rick said. 'Some of them may know the way.'

'Y'didn't see them on your way?' Daryl asked them. Beth shook her head.

'Right.' Rick said, looking to Daryl.

He looked out for a moment, then nodded in a direction.

'That way?' Rick asked.

'Yeah.' He said. 'Makes sense they'd head in that general direction if not the one these guys came from.'

Rick was quiet for a moment as the last cars pulled away. Then he nodded.

'Alright.' He said.

Quietly, the six of them began their walk as the sky above them began to shift towards dawn.

–

Daryl and Rick took the helm, and Beth walked a little behind them; they were silent, only the soft sounds of their footsteps as they crunched lightly across the fallen leaves on the ground.

Behind her, Maggie and Glen spoke in soft whispers, their voices barely audible over the crunch of their boots. Beth did not hear everything they said, but she understood enough to know they were discussing the past events that had led them both here.

Beth glanced up at Daryl before her – she wanted to reach out and touch him, talk to him too. But his back to her was stiff with tension, his head low as he looked down steadily at the ground they traversed. Any attempt to speak would be shut down instantly. Her eyes flickered across to Rick, who looked equally as surly.

The sky was a pale blue when they heard the first whistle; dread poured into Beth, souring her stomach and surging up into her throat.

Rick paused; he glanced around them, unsure at first if he had really heard it.

He looked back at the others behind him, then nodded to continue.

They walked a little further, quieter now, when another whistle sounded.

There was no mistaking it this time – another whistle followed, then another.

Daryl turned around and grabbed Beth's hand, pulling her to him.

'Where are they?' Maggie asked Rick.

Rick shook his head, and Beth thought she saw genuine fear in his eyes. The hand not in Daryl's began to shake.

The whistles grew louder; as they stood trying to locate the sounds, figures began to move out from amongst the trees. Similar to how they had before, the figures began to move the small group of them in one direction; Beth felt herself stepping backwards with Daryl until the trees thinned.

In the early morning sun they stepped out into a large open field, where not only the Saviours waited, but also the rest of Alexandria. Beth was unsure whether they had been lured out here or if The Saviours had found them here – but either way, the two groups now faced one another. Perhaps not out-manned as the now dead Saviour had suggested, but definitely out-gunned.

'Well, well, well.' A cheery voice Beth had hoped to never hear again called out once the six of them were out in the clear, the remaining Saviours stepping out from where they had been hiding amongst the trees.

'Rick the Prick!' Negan called. 'We did call in on you, but seems you wasn't home!'

Rick ground his teeth, staying still as he faced the other man.

'You know you report to me now, Rick. You're not supposed to take any sudden excursions!' Negan called as he stepped away a little from his people. 'That shit pisses me off!'

He looked down at the Alexandrian's; some stood in solid defiance, their eyes hard as they stared Negan down, whilst other's cowered, holding their loved ones close. They looked bedraggled and frightened, some of their clothing clinging with ash, other's spotted here and there with blood.

'And as for the rest of you!' Negan said. 'Not opening the door to a guest is extremely bad practice! And leaving in the middle of a social call – damn! Now that is just rude!'

'Negan!' Rick shouted, finding his voice. 'I'm here now. Let's talk!'

'No.' Negan said. 'I'm done talking. I thought we had a deal. An arrangement. I thought I made myself clear, Prick. But you just had to act up. Act out.'

Beth swallowed, tightening her hold on Daryl's hand.

'You attacked my home. My people.' Negan said.

Suddenly the Saviours that had been in the trees moved forward and shoved Beth and her small group forward until they stood with the rest of Alexandria. They struggled a little, Rick tried to throw them off, but they were pulled into line.

'I'm done talking.' Negan said.

Beth felt time slow down as every Saviour within the clearing raised their guns. She looked up at them, all black and dark and hard eyed as they stood firm and inline with their leader. Each face Beth's eyes swept over was serious behind their raised guns – a contrast against Negan's grin. She felt her breathing stop as simultaneously they pulled their triggers – she squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the crowd of hard faces, a coward unable to look death in the eye in her final moment.

No shot came. No bullet hit. Negan swore loudly as a succession of loud bangs echoed out over the field – Beth's eyes flew open in time to see multiple Saviours curse or shout as their guns backfired. They dropped their weapons with cries, clutching at burnt, injured trigger hands.

Negan dropped his gun like it suddenly seared hot, shaking out his hand – he looked first at Rick, then spun his head around to seek out Eugene. Beth's own eyes sought him out, her brain suddenly making the connection.

The lull allowed the Alexandrian's their opening – they lunged.

Some used the discarded guns as blunt weapons, others relied on their fists, but shouts went up into the early morning sky from every angle. Daryl left Beth's side and ran across the space between the two armies, grabbing at any offending Saviour he could get to, his fists connecting with jaws and bones.

Beth kept back, her hands pressed fearfully against her bump.

She saw Maggie grappling with a female Saviour she recognised but could not name, watched as Daryl grounded another.

Amongst the ruckus, Negan had broken free; Beth spotted him step back from a body as it fell and look around the field, his eyes wild and fierce. Dark eyes swept over his people and those they fought, before landing on Beth.

Beth's breath stilled in her throat as their eyes connected; a grin spread over Negan's blood smeared face.

His boots thumped across the grass as he made his way to her, shoving one of his own men out of the way as he went.

'Firecracker!' He shouted, wiping the back of his hand across his bleeding lip. 'I wondered where you had gotten to!'

Beth didn't reply, just looked at the man as he trudged towards her.

'I thought we made a connection.' He spat. 'I thought we had something, you and I!'

Beth swallowed as she tried to find her tongue.

'I set you up! I gave you food! Do you know how disheartening it is for a man to come home and find one of his best features gone! You ran out on me, Beth. And now look!' He threw his arms out and barked out a harsh laugh. 'This wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it?'

He stopped, only feet away from her, and Beth could see the sweat covering his face.

Negan opened her mouth to speak when Negan lunged, covering the distance between them with barely a step. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him.

'I had such big plans for you, my little fire cracker.' He growled.

'Negan!' Rick yelled, storming across to them now, gun raised.

Negan grabbed Beth and twirled her, pulling her flush against his chest, one strong arm against her neck. She felt his breath against her ear as he spoke.

'Let's not make any sudden moves, Rick.' He growled.

Negan aimed his gun at Negan over Beth's shoulder; she could see the fire dancing in his eyes.

'Let her go.'

Beth recognised Michonne's voice as she spoke right beside her; the glint of her sword caught the attention of her peripherals.

Negan laughed, slowly letting Beth go. Once the pressure against her neck was gone, she ran to Rick, turning to see Michonne holding her swore against his throat.

With a smile that should have looked out of place, Negan raised his hands.

'You still want that talk, Rick?' He asked, his eyes flicking up from the shimmering blade of Michonne's sword into Rick's dark eyes.

'Get down.' Michonne growled.

Negan kept his eyes on Rick as he lowered himself to the ground, his knees hitting the dirt one by one.

Beth realised the sounds of fighting had died down – she looked around to see most people were looking over at their leaders alike.

'No.' Rick said. 'I'm done talking.'

With a swiftness Beth had likely never seen before, Rick drew a knife. The sun glinted off of the small blade as he swung it through the morning air, then sliced it through Negan's throat.

Blood pooled to the surface as Negan's hand flew to his throat, the smile dying on his face as dark red blood poured over his shaking fingers.

Rick stood back, then sought out a face Beth did not recognise.

'Siddiq.' Rick said. 'Save him.'

–

With Negan incapacitated – healing, but tied up – Rick and the rest of the family spent time rounding up the Saviours. Rick wanted to – needed to – make an example. Too much blood had already been shed, he said, wiping Negan's still fresh blood from his hands to his pants. Those who had fought against them would not be allowed to go freely, but they would also not be awarded a quick, merciless death.

'The new world needs a system.' Rick said as he looked down over his family. His people. 'We need justice. Fairness. No more spilled blood.'

Beth stayed back as the others tied the hands of the Saviours together, forcing them into a line of prisoners reminiscent of an old film scene.

She found Jessie amongst the crowd, who was pale and thinner than the last time Beth had seen her, but alive. Ron, too. Carl held Judith to his chest, his hair longer and scragglier beneath his hat.

The sun was bright and hot as they all began their journey back towards The Hilltop – Alexandria was burning, and until they could assess the damage, home was now in the other direction.

Daryl let the others guard the prisoners as they headed back, opting instead to walk beside Beth, her hand held firmly in his. A bruise was forming around his right eye, and his lips were tight and serious, but he seemed okay. It was a strange picture, she thought, as she glanced behind her to the Saviours all shuffling along one by one in a line. The Alexandrian's walked around them, some in front and others behind. All sides seemed to remain in a contemplative quiet as they walked away from the blood and the bodies left in the open field.

–

Gregory was seething when the gates to Hilldrop opened and revealed the mass of people on the hill side. He fought, raving about space, but was over ruled. Barely heard, in fact.

Rosita and Tara found them as they walked inside. Rosita especially appeared angry with Michonne, who had left them with The Sanctuary workers and returned to find Rick, but Tara just looked tired. They had put the workers up in the house, ignoring Gregory's protests.

'Michonne turned the tide for us.' Rick said to Rosita, laying one hand on her arm.

Rosita looked sour, but she nodded.

'What do we do with all these people, now?' She asked Rick, gesturing to the Saviours who stood awkwardly just inside the gates, still tied.

'We make a prison.' Rick said. 'For now.'

'We can do that.' Jesus said, crossing his arms over his chest. His lip was bleeding. 'We've got the people here.'

Rick nodded to him, grateful.

Slowly, with the deliberance of a man with a heavy duty on his shoulders, Rick walked up the steps to the old house. He turned once he stood on the veranda to face out across the sea of people, one hand up to cover his eyes from the midday sun. Captured Saviours, homeless Alexandrian's and curious Hilltop occupants alike.

'I'm going to need you to all work together now.' He said, addressing them all. 'We need to show that we are better. That we can do better.'

There were murmurs amongst the crowd, a mixture of unease and disquiet.

'We can be better.' He said. 'Hilltop, I am asking you to open your home to us for a while. Alexandrian's – my family – our home is burning. But it isn't the end. This is just the beginning. A new beginning. We will come back from this. We have come back from worse.'

Beth sighed; he was right. They were nothing if not resilient.

'Tomorrow we will assess the damage. Then we build. We rebuild.' He called. 'We carry on. We are the survivors here. The war is over. Negan's reign is over.'

The grounds were quiet for a moment before people began to clap, slowly at first until the mass joined, adding their cheers and shouts to the warm air. Beth looked around at the faces in the crowd, some she knew well, some she recognised, some she didn't think she had seen before. There were cuts, scars and ash on many, but their eyes shone.

She found herself clapping too.

–

Beth sat heavily on the twin bed she had left only hours before – although the ache in her back told her in had been days.

Daryl sat opposite her.

They looked to one another in the small, stuffy room.

Rick had left those willing to erect a make-shift space to house The Saviours for now, but Daryl had opted to rest. Rick had patted him on the back and told him to go.

The two looked at one another for a moment.

Slowly, Beth leant forward and took Daryl's hands in hers. They were quiet for a while, quiet and soft in the small room; the trailer around them was quiet too, and Beth assumed her sister and brother-in-law were doing their own damage assessment. She gently drew circles over the back of Daryl's hand.

'Is it over?' She asked after a while. Her voice was hoarse in the quiet. Broken.

Daryl's blue eyes moved up to hers, capturing them. He blinked slowly, painfully against the bruise forming around one. He sighed.

'Something is.' He said.

Beth sighed heavily. She felt a strange pit of despair well within her, swirling around her insides and coating her strained heart. Pressure built behind her eyes until tears forced their way out and down her cheeks. She sniffed, but made no attempt to quell them.

Daryl held her hands steadily, his eyes on hers. As her tears grew, her body began to shake, until she was sobbing. Gently, Daryl leant forward and pulled her to him, burying her face in his chest. As Beth cried out everything that had happened over the past few months, she felt Daryl's own body shudder against hers, his hands brushing her hair back. She buried her face into his shirt and let herself cry, her body desperately needing the release.

Daryl's own face was wet against her neck, his breath hitching in time with her own.

They may have won this one, but what they had lost had been insubstantial.