The sun was close to going down, when Negan and Michonne returned to Alexandria. And needless to say, the sight of them on the same horse, made quite the interesting picture to the townspeople that witnessed it.
Carol was one of those people. And she was still pondering it, as she helped Michonne cook dinner that night for the four of them. Judith was setting the table, while RJ was in another room, looking through the DVD's and books Michonne and Negan had returned with.
"RJ," Judith called out, "go wash your hands! It's almost time for supper!"
Her little brother did not answer her. Judith finished setting the table and walked out of the dining room. She found the DVD's and books scattered on the floor and RJ peering from behind a curtain at the window. Judith saw one DVD with a note on it and scooped down to pick it up.
Don't let your mother see you with this! Love, Uncle Negan
The movie was called 'The Exorcist'. Judith glanced at the back of the DVD then looked over at her brother.
"How many are outside the gate?" she asked casually. She knew RJ was watching the front gate to see how many customers, Uncle Negan would have coming in to the bar tonight. Two people usually let customers in, slowly, making sure that they could pay with something. Many of the people were carrying things in their hands, while waiting to come in. Larger stables had to be built to accommodate the customers horses.
"A lot!" RJ answered. "But someone out there doesn't have anything!"
Judith set the DVD down and walked over to the window. She noticed who RJ was talking about. Judith shook her head.
"That's Earl. He lives over at the Hilltop. Uncle Negan said he has a drinking problem."
"But does he have stuff to trade so he can drink?" RJ asked.
"Usually. I think he's been stealing it from the Hilltop. But last time he brought us a bunch of tools. I think he thinks the tools still count for a drink tonight."
"They don't?"
"I don't think Uncle Negan is going to go for that." Judith said matter-of-factly. Meanwhile, Carol decided now was the best time to ask Michonne what was going on with her…
"So…when you returned here with Negan, you said that you had needed some time to yourself, and kind of ran into Negan while you were doing that. But you told everyone you were coming to see me. I don't get why you lied about that."
Michonne had prepared some roast beef from a cow that was slaughtered and was ladling gravy onto it. She glanced at Carol.
"I didn't want anyone looking for me. I told Negan the same thing when he found me. I'm sorry for putting you in the middle of this."
"Hey, you didn't put me in the middle. I'm just worried."
"Worried about what?" Michonne asked.
"Michonne! Judith and RJ have way too much contact with him! And everyone has noticed the way he looks at you."
"Who is 'everyone'? Or are we only talking about Maggie and Darryl?" Michonne asked, walking out of the kitchen and setting the roast beef platter on to the table. Carol followed her with a bowl of potatoes.
"Maggie and Darryl care. You know that."
Michonne said nothing to that. Carol peered at her.
"What's going on? Did something happen with Negan out there?"
Michonne looked around and could hear the kids in another room. She then looked at Carol.
"Negan said something. He said one of his Saviors claimed that Rick didn't die. That he ran off with that garbage woman."
"What? What garbage woman?"
"You know! The one who lived in the junkyard with her people. Morgan stayed there for awhile."
"Ahhh." Carol said nodding. "Okay, I do remember her. Her name was Janet. Or Jacy or something like that."
"It was Anne. Jadis before that." Michonne said quietly. "And this 'someone' that Negan knows, is claiming that Rick was seen running off with her."
Carol gave her a skeptical look!
"Oh come on, Michonne! 'Running off' how? Huh? Rick was in an explosion!"
"I don't know, Carol! It's one thing to say that Rick ran off with another woman," Michonne said urgently, "but to name that woman? And where is she? I haven't seen her in years!"
"Wasn't she close with Gabriel? Maybe he knows something about what happened to her? But Michonne, whatever happened to her, didn't involve Rick! And Negan is a troublemaker that's trying to get into your pants! No one told him anything of the kind! I'm surprised you didn't trample him with your horse and come back here alone!"
"He lost his horse." Michonne said absently.
"Lost it how?"
Michonne suddenly realized she needed to tread carefully.
"He claimed some men stole it."
"Some men, where? No one from any of the communities would steal a horse."
"They might from Negan." Michonne answered. "I didn't really question it. I just gave him a ride back here. We found a library, we picked some things up for the kids and that's when he told me that story."
"What is there about the story that sounds believable, Michonne? Nothing!"
"Jadis, Anne, or whatever she was called, hit on Rick! Right in front of me! What if she has had him someplace this whole time?"
"You really think there could be something to any of this? From the man that murdered our friends?"
Michonne was quiet for a moment before shaking her head. Carol smiled wanly and touched her shoulder.
"Good. But this is proof that something has to be done about him. If he's saying this kind of crap to you, what is he telling the kids?"
Michonne didn't even want to get into the hellacious lie Negan had told Judith and RJ. She shrugged.
"You know what? Let's not talk about Negan anymore. It will just spoil dinner. Tell me about King Zeke. How are things going?" Michonne asked lightly.
Carol's face darkened some and Michonne was sorry she had asked. She felt her stomach muscles tighten and she steeled herself for Carol's answer. And answer that she hoped would not reveal that she knew Ezekiel was having an affair.
"What is it?" Michonne found herself asking.
Carol sighed.
"Ezekiel has given up on The Kingdom. OUR Kingdom. The place where we met and fell in love."
"What do you mean he's 'given up?" Michonne asked.
"Henry is at the Hilltop apprenticing! His goal is to fix some things around there so they will work again! But it's like Ezekiel is disregarding all of that. He's ready to pack everyone up and leave for the unknown."
"He said that?"
"No. What he's doing is taking some men and 'scouting' for some new place for us to live. I don't think we should take the chance." Carol said simply.
"Okay," Michonne said carefully, "but what if he found someplace better? What then?"
"I don't know," Carol said, sounding dismissive, "my real problem here is that wherever it is, will probably be further away from the other communities than I would like. I mean it would almost have to be, wouldn't it? I've seen nothing around here that would house all of us. Have you?"
Michonne rubbed the back of her neck nervously and lied.
"No."
"Okay then! He's wasting his time! And yet I don't want to look unsupportive. He wants to do this thing instead of working with what we have…"
Michonne could not stand Carol's negativity a second longer!
"Carol, the night Negan tore through here and burned up this place…the same night Carl died, I didn't think any of us would be able to come back here. But we made it work. And that was possible because Deanna meant for this place to be for an emergency situation. The school you all live in, isn't meant for living day in and day out. If Ezekiel thinks he can find a place that is, let him and support the decision."
Before Carol could respond, Judith and RJ came into the dining room.
"Uncle Negan's bar is getting ready to open up. When I finish supper, can I go over and help?" Judith asked, sitting down. Carol gaped at Judith, then looked over at Michonne.
"I don't think he really needs any help, Judith." Michonne answered.
"Deke doesn't water down the drinks enough on the customers that bring useless things for us. He needs watching." Judith said solemnly.
"Oh my God. Tell me she didn't just say that!" Carol exclaimed.
"It's true," RJ said, backing up his sister, "one night, I saw a guy at the gate bring in a box of cookies. I think they could have been stale."
"Cookies for a drink, Mama?" Judith asked, indignant. "I just think that if people want to drink here and they bring us useless stuff, they shouldn't get a good amount."
"Yeah!" RJ sniffed.
"Okay," Michonne said, feeling Carol's disapproval coming in waves, "the answer is 'no'. But you can watch one of the DVD's your Uncle…that Negan brought back for you. After dinner."
Judith didn't look happy but she nodded. She would sneak out later like she usually did. RJ was happy about the DVD's. He saw a movie called 'A Bug's Life' that looked good!
Negan leaned back in his office chair. Lucille was on his desk. On the other side of it were Eugene and Rosita.
The bar had opened for the night and Deke, who was formerly a Savior and now lived here in Alexandria, had checked the merchandise at the gate and then opened up. He was bartending tonight as well.
But back to Eugene and Rosita…they had bad news for him, and Rosita had attitude about it.
"Your telling me that our special 'ingredient' can't be found anywhere? You asked Siddiq?" Negan asked, eyeing Rosita.
Rosita leaned forward.
"Someone stole it out of Eugene's lab. And I think it was either you or a former Savior that's willing to kiss your ass." she said coolly.
"Whoa! Why the fuck would I fuck up my own invention? And just so you know 'Miss Smart Ass', the three of us are the only ones that know that the dead walker ashes, mixed with Viagra, are what gives the cocktail that special kick!" Negan huffed. "Now for all I fucking know, you two ran your goddamned mouths and now we have competition!"
"Don't be stupid!" Rosita snapped. "No one else knows how to use the chemicals or equipment to copy us!"
Negan gave her a dirty look.
"Don't you ever refer to me as 'stupid' again, 'Rosie', you got that? Eugene, do you have a pair or are you going to explain how a whole supply of Viagra went missing?"
Eugene decided he wasn't going to even glance Rosita's way. Otherwise he'd give everything away. The 'everything' being how he and Rosita had met some people that lived in an unbelievably large and well run community called Lakeville, that they had sold Dead Walker Cocktail to in exchange for one of their nice houses to live in, in the community, among other things. They also had a large number of helicopters, fuel…the place made all of the communities around here look like…well…shitholes. They even found out that Maggie and Dexter used to live there. Rosita especially couldn't understand why Maggie would ever leave a place like that.
But the most interesting part of this new community that they had found, just by chance, was that most people there owned their own businesses. And Eugene and Rosita were getting ready to set up a bar, serving the dead walker cocktail and screw Negan in the process. Neither of them could take living in Alexandria with him on the loose. They went into business with him for the purpose of cheating him, then once Lakeville came along, they decided to go into business for themselves. Secretly.
The Viagra was not missing.
It was in Lakeville. And without a substitute, Negan's bar would go belly up. It would be a nice goodbye to the fucker that had slain so many people in his wake. What the hell was Michonne thinking by not putting him back in his goddamned cell after they had cleaned up after the flood? Eugene just didn't want to be unnerved everytime he saw the man. He couldn't help but think that if Rick were alive, none of this would be happening. He didn't want to live here anymore and neither did Rosita. And if Abraham were still alive, he'd be leaving with them.
Negan, for his part, was anything but stupid. He suspected the two of them were selling HIS liquor on the side someplace. But where, he couldn't fathom. Nor could he really prove it. Maybe some poor impotent fuck had stolen the stuff. But somehow, his senses didn't tell him that. His senses told him that these two were trying to make a fool out of him.
Meanwhile, in the bar, Debra Morgan walked in and sat at the bar. Deke eyed her. Personally, he'd like to fuck her but he was unsure of what was going on between her and Negan. And it wasn't as if things were the way they were before. Even if she was someone Negan was interested in, she wasn't a 'wife' or someone he couldn't get with. But still, he did wonder…
"Hey, Deb! What's going on?"
"Fix me anything but that Dead Walker shit. Bourbon if you have it." Deb sighed, looking around.
""You got it!" Deke said and poured her glass. He pushed it towards her and she downed it in one gulp.
"Another?" he asked but Deb shook her head.
"No. I mean it was nice of you to give me that one on the house. I know I should've brought something to trade."
"Well, I figured with your being with Negan, it was on the house." Deke asked carefully. Deb rolled her eyes!
"I am not with him! Jesus! Negan has a big, fucking mouth!"
"I didn't hear it from Negan! Dwight and Sherry were talking."
"Goddamnit! They don't have enough to do with those pissy smelling kids of theirs? Jesus!" Deb griped, looking around Deke. Negan's office door was partially open and he could see that he was having an argument with Eugene and Rosita. Deb wondered what that was all about?
The office door opened and Eugene came scurrying out! Rosita was a bit slower with her exit. Deliberately so. Negan pointed his bat at both of them!
"We're going to have a Council meeting about this shit! You're both stealing product here!"
Rosita folded her arms and laughed in a scoffing manner!
"Prove it, asshole! And even if you could, Eugene is the genius behind your shithole bar and drink! Without him, you're nothing!"
"Yeah, without him I am! You on the other fucking hand don't amount to shit in this equation!" Negan snapped.
"I think Eugene would disagree." Rosita replied, walking up to him and 'Lucille'. "Abraham would've disagreed as well."
"Oh Christ! I don't want to hear about it! Both of you get the hell out of my bar! I'm speaking to Michonne about this shit tonight!"
"What do you think 'Chonnie' is going to be able to do to help you? Huh, Negan?" Rosita jeered. The few customers in the bar were now staring at the two of them. Eugene noticed and realized that Rosita was close to revealing their secret.
"Come on, Rosita! Let's just get out of here." Eugene said urgently. Negan pointed his bat at her.
"I don't like your fucking tone. And if I go before the council and tell them that you're selling liquor on the side but keeping the profits, we'll see who's side they'll be on! What the fuck have you two been given for the shit you're not bringing in to Alexandria? Huh? I think the whole town will be VERY damned interested to know!" Negan half grinned.
Everyone was now looking at Eugene and Rosita curiously. Rosita could see that they were wondering if the two of them were indeed hiding things. Rosita grabbed Eugene's hand and hurried out of the bar! Negan looked at Deke.
"Cover me! I'm going to talk to Michonne."
Debra got off of her barstool and stood in front of Negan.
"Okay, first of all, you can't go over there like this. She and the kids are probably eating and…"
"Hey, Deb! What fucking business of this is yours? People are stealing from me and it's going to be corrected!"
"Why don't you let me find out if there is anything to this?" Deb asked quietly. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"
"I don't need a detective, Deb, no offense. I already know my shit has been stolen. I need to keep those two from starting a business with MY invention!" he snapped before moving around her and leaving the bar. Deb stared after him, then turned back to Deke. She took off a watch.
"My father gave this to me. Will it buy me another bourbon."
Deke took the offered watch and looked it over. He then poured a sliver of bourbon into a glass and pushed it towards her.
"Nothing personal, Deb. I'd give you more but I think the crystals are cubic zirconia."
Maggie watched Eugene and Rosita slam out of Negan's bar from her darkened porch.
Then she saw Negan leave and head towards Michonne's home.
Maggie turned from Negan's bar and looked in the other direction. Towards a storage garage. She knew Dexter was in there looking for supplies for his 'kill room'. Yes, she knew about him and what he did,
Deb had told her and swore her to secrecy, back in Lakeville, when she could see that Maggie and Dexter were getting close. Oddly, Maggie had not cared. Nor had she really healed from Glenn's death. Yes, she had thought she was okay with the broken man that Negan had appeared to be, the last time she saw him in his cell.
But it was Dexter that made her realize that it wasn't alright. It was nothing he ever said to her, nor did he know that she knew what he was. But Maggie was drawn to his firm belief that people that hurt people, needed to be punished. Deb became concerned that Dexter was killing people in Lakeville and Maggie had scoffed! Dexter didn't just kill on a whim! Nor would he have ever just 'framed' walkers for the deaths. Dexter had wanted to stay and punish the killer there. Maggie always felt like he might have known who it was. And she would have been fine with that too, except for Carol.
Carol had traveled a long way to tell her that Negan was out of his cell and living in Alexandria like he had done nothing wrong. And he seemed to be in good spirits. Glenn would have been in good spirits too, watching his son grow up. She convinced Dexter that she was frightened about what was going on in Lakeville and together, they took their sons and Deb out of there and back to Alexandria.
But something unexpected happened in the first few days of their arrival. Darryl was there. Darryl who had been off by himself, trying to come to terms with Rick's death. Darryl, who understood better than anyone, that Negan could not be allowed to live when Glenn wasn't.
Darryl, whom she began sleeping with, shortly after she, Dexter, their two sons and Deb, arrived here.
She felt his arms encircle her waist from behind in the darkness. Maggie glanced over at at the storage garage. She saw Dexter's pen light and knew he was too busy to be suspicious of what was going on. And oddly, she felt very little guilt. Dexter was a serial killer. She didn't know if he had the capacity to be jealous or even love all that much. Though she could see that he did care for Harrison and Deb.
"I don't like him." Darryl murmured, kissing the back of her neck. Maggie knew he was referring to Dexter. She turned in his arms and kissed him. They had known one another for years and she had never felt anything but friendship for him. She didn't know if it was like that for him, the confusion of the how and why they became lovers, but in this new world, there was no point in wondering 'why'.
Which brought Maggie back to Negan, as Darryl's lips branded her own with his response to her kisses. Maggie was not about to wonder anything about that piece of filth. She didn't want to know about his past or the how or why he came to be. She just wanted him gone. Dead or gone. Dead, preferably.
Darryl felt the same way and his mouth reluctantly left hers as he looked over at Negan's bar.
"I saw Rosita and Eugene leave. I think that 'Dead Walker Cocktail' shit is over."
Maggie frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I think they've been doing some business on the side. I ran in to Jesus, who said someone over at Oceanside, knows someone who drinks over at that place where you were living."
"Lakeville?"
"Yeah. That particular brand of liquor has been seen over that way."
"Darryl that's like near the state line!"
"Yeah and from what I can tell, Negan hasn't ventured out that far."
"But you think Rosita and Eugene have?"
Darryl nodded and he could tell that that news bothered her.
"What is it? I'm glad they're fucking Negan over."
"Darryl, I never told anyone this, but Dexter and I Ieft there because they have a serial killer problem!" she whispered fervently. Darryl didn't know about Dexter being one himself, otherwise she knew he'd want him thrown out of here. But if Maggie had ever thought Dexter had been the killer in Lakeville, she would've packed Herschel up and came back to Alexandria alone.
"A serial killer problem?" Darryl asked. "What the hell, Maggie?"
"We have to warn Eugene and Rosita." Maggie said. She looked over at the storage garage. The pen light could not be seen. That meant she didn't know where Dexter was now.
"You'd better go." Maggie whispered and Darryl stole another quick kiss, before easing off of the porch. He was going off to find Eugene and Rosita. Maggie clenched her jaw and went back inside the house. Dexter would join her inside. Eventually.
Michonne opened the door to Negan, who was holding his bat over his shoulder.
"Hey! Can I come in? We need to talk."
Michonne raised a brow.
"You know, I'm watching 'The Exorcist' with the kids. Somehow that movie, which I asked you not to bring back here, ended up here anyway. I figured there was no stopping them from wanting to see it, so I'm monitoring it. It is just as nasty and bad as I remembered!" Michonne huffed. "How could you?"
"Chonnie, I really need to talk to you. We need to have a council meeting in the morning. Some shit is up and I need to get my side in first."
Michonne could hear the urgency in his voice and stepped aside to let him in. RJ, who had gotten up to see who was at the door, ran and jumped into his arms!
"Uncle Negan! Thank you for the movie!"
"You're welcome!" he said, hugging him tight. Judith jumped up and came out into the hallway.
"That demon needs to blow it's nose!" she complained. "Do you need help at the bar tonight?"
"No, honey, but I need for you to watch RJ here while your mother and I talk over at the bar." Negan told her. Michonne said nothing during this exchange, since she didn't want to talk bar business inside the house anyway. She looked at Judith.
"Your Aunt Carol is upstairs asleep. If you need anything, get her. I'm not going to be long." Michonne said. Judith nodded and she and RJ went back into the TV room. Michonne turned and nodded to Negan. They left the house and headed back over to the bar in the darkness.
"Carol is sleeping over? In your house?" Negan asked knowingly.
"Just shut up with that."
"With what, Chonnie? I'm worried as fuck that the woman could kill you in the night! I think I should sleep over too."
"Nothing is going on and I'm tired of you saying that." Michonne huffed.
"I'm just saying this is some dangerous shit here tonight. Carol might even know."
Michonne stopped walking and faced him.
"Tell me who you heard that story about Rick from?"
Negan shrugged.
"Some half assed Savior that I never liked. I don't remember his name but I do remember his face. I'd know him if I saw him again."
"And he's not in the bar tonight, hey?"
Negan reached out and twirled one of her dreads with his fingers.
"You think I made it up? I care about you. I wouldn't make up some shit like that, knowing it would hurt you. Or the kids. I said it so you could let Rick go."
Michonne pulled away from him and headed into the bar. She said hello to Deke and eyed the other customers before heading to the office. Negan nodded to Deke, noticed Deb was nowhere around and followed Michonne into the office and closed the door.
"What's this all about?" Miichonne asked tiredly.
"Eugene and Rosita." Negan said, setting his bat on his desk. "They've been selling 'Dead Walker Cocktail' on the side and keeping the profits. Profits that belong to Alexandria here."
Michonne frowned.
"Can you prove that? I mean why would they pocket anything?"
"Because they're planning on leaving here. I think they have a set up some other place and have been using our resources to get to that point. Hell, Chonnie, they could be robbing us blind!"
"Whoa! They said this?"
"No. They denied it up to their asses, but I got word of it from someone."
"The same 'someone' that said Rick ran off with that garbage woman?"
Negan folded his arms.
"There is a secret ingredient that gives that drink it's kick. It's Viagra. And suddenly, all of it is fucking gone! Eugene and Rosita don't know where it is or where it's gone! But you can bet for every bottle they're selling, they are getting something for it! Something that Alexandria isn't getting!"
"You put Viagra in that drink? And Eugene and Rosita knew this the whole time?"
Negan nodded.
"Okay, we'll call a meeting and find out what's going on. If there is anything going on. Maybe they did indeed lose the drug."
Negan snorted!
"You know, I'm just trying to help you look after this place. I'm trying to keep you from being robbed blind…"
Suddenly, Deke burst into the office!
"Someone has set fire to the bar! There's flames around all four walls! We're trapped!" Deke yelled and Michonne could see smoke billowing in! The three of them ran out into the bar area, where someone had broken a window to get out and burned themselves. Another stupid person tried to put the fire out with liquor!
"Fucking Christ!" Negan yelled. Michonne looked around wildly! The broken window was their only way out! They would have to beat back the flames with something to get out of here! Her mind went to Judith and RJ. God, please don't force them to live as orphans!
Then, they got a lucky break.
It began to rain. Hard. The fire was extinguished almost immediately. Michonne stared as people started running towards the bar—now. Deke helped a few of the customers out of the window and Siddiq and Dexter hurried towards the burned customer.
"WE NEED HELP OVER HERE!" Siddiq yelled. Debra appeared and stared at Negan and Michonne.
"What the fuck happened? I was just in there!"
"Someone tried to kill me and didn't give two fucks if other people died too! Thank God for the goddamned rain!" Negan yelled. He looked over at Michonne. Her expression was one of anger and shock.
"Chonnie? Look, we're okay now!"
Michonne said nothing to that. It was one thing to try and kill Negan, but whoever this murdering fuck was, they knew she was inside and didn't give two damns whether she died too! Or the customers!
No. Whoever this was, was getting the hell up out of Alexandria! Debra approached her.
"Let me do some digging. I'll find out who did this." she said. Michonne was still speechless from anger and shock. Negan answered for her.
"Do it."
Debra turned and hurried off. She had a list of suspects in mind. She watched Dexter help another customer over to the infirmary to get checked out and mentally crossed her brother off of the list. Fire, and in such a cowardly fashion, was not his mode of murder.
Meanwhile, the rain continued to pummel down and Negan smiled at Michonne.
He actually grinned. Michonne noticed.
"What are you grinning about? Huh? We almost died in there! Judith and RJ would've been without us!"
"The Gods were smiling on us tonight, Chonnie! The rain that's coming down is proof of that! We have a cop living here who is chomping at the bit to find out who did this! This is the best night I've had in a LONG time!"
Michonne rolled her eyes as the rain began to let up and Negan walked back into the bar, via the actual door. Alexandrians began to come over, asking if they were alright and Michonne gritted her teeth and pretended not to be mad, that people were acting concerned after the fact! They had a firetruck stored here for God's sakes and no one went to go get it!
There was a serious apathy problem here. And Michonne didn't even know if getting rid of Negan would solve it. She turned and went inside the bar as well. Negan was pouring two drinks and Michonne shook her head.
"I'm not drinking anything with ashes and viagra." she said quietly, as she sat up on a bar stool.
"This isn't the cocktail. This is straight up bourbon. You need it. You have to go back home and make those kids believe that nothing that was any big deal, happened tonight." he told her, pushing the drink towards her. Michonne nodded, sipped and winced. She didn't like bourbon but she sipped some more anyway. As she drank, Negan reached out and entwined her other hand within in his own.
"You've got to get smart, Chonnie. You saved my life when you kept me from drowning in that cell. People are angry with you about it. Someone meant for me to die and didn't give a damn if you did too. You might have known that if…"
Michonne began to pull her hand from his, but Negan tightened his grip on it.
"That thing you have going with him, ends, Chonnie." he said and let go of her hand. Michonne said nothing as Deke returned and him and Negan began discussing the damage to the outside of the bar. Michonne slid off her barstool and made her way back home. Her thoughts were not on the fire.
They were on Rick. When Rick made the decision to not kill Negan, people that they loved and trusted, went around him. And Rick paid the price for it.
Michonne had no intention of going down like Rick did. She stopped and looked back at Negan's bar, before heading up the porch steps to her house. The damage didn't look too bad, but wisps of smoke were still visible. It could have been much worse.
That fire was meant to be much worse.
She opened the door quietly and found that the kids were so into 'The Exorcist', that they hadn't known anything was happening outside! Michonne smiled wanly. For that she was glad. She headed upstairs quietly to change, since she smelled of smoke.
Michonne looked in on Carol, who was asleep, with her back to the door. Michonne softly closed her door and headed to her own room. She opened the door, closed it and then went about the process of finding something else to put on, when her eyes fell upon her saddle bag.
The two action figures were still inside. Michonne walked over to the chair and removed the Rick action figure and placed him on the dresser, standing. She then set the bag back down and walked over to her closet. Her hand closed around the doorknob, before she let go of it, walked back over to the bag and pulled out the Negan action figure as well. She placed him on top of the dresser, only lying down. She then walked back over to the closet again, found a change of clothes and went back downstairs to see if that stupid movie had been a mistake to let the kids watch.
Tomorrow, she would deal with who tried to kill her.