They returned to Alexandria with a plan. And that plan was to lay low.

They would acknowledge King Ezekiel's death and even tell about his being beheaded. But nothing was said about finding Angel's headless body on horseback. Dexter thought it would be better to let everyone think, for now, that Angel was the likely culprit. That way, Carol would relax, thinking she had gotten away with her deed.

Night began to fall and Negan but up a sign that read 'CLOSED FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE SOME BASTARD OR BITCH BURNED TRIED TO BURN DOWN THE BAR'(that actually took up two pieces of paper), packed some stuff and moved in with Michonne, Judith and RJ. Only he didn't really tell Michonne he was moving in…

He had told Michonne he would watch the kids and as far as he knew, she was asleep in her room, shocked, angry and horrified by Ezekiel's death and Carol's betrayal. He told the kids a little about what had happened, and that with the fire and that killing, he would be staying with them.

Negan had cooked a dinner coming from some meal kit supplies, that he kept over at his place. How and why he came upon this small treasure trove, he was not about to talk about, but it wasn't something all Alexandrians had. Just him, as far as he knew. But tonight's meal consisted of beef ravioli, along with some bread that he had baked in the oven. Judith was helping him by making a pitcher of lemonade. It was then that RJ presented a cake, seemingly out of nowhere for desert. It had lemon frosting on it…

"Where'd that come from?" Negan asked, eyeing it. It looked good.

"It was over at Maggie's house in a window." RJ said.

"And?" Negan asked. But he knew…

"I took it. I heard Herschel and Harrison talking about how Carol had made it for them. But Carol stole food from us. So…"

Judith raised a brow!

"RJ! Did anyone see you? And I thought you were up in your room?"

"I did it when everyone was helping Aunt Carol go and see Siddiq," RJ confided, "Uncle Negan, can we eat it?"

Negan didn't want to eat anything that had come from Carol! But, he reasoned that Carol wasn't mad at Maggie and Dexter. That meant the cake wasn't poisoned or anything.

"Yeah. Sure. Carol did steal from us. It is only right." Negan said, taking the cake from RJ and setting it on the table.

Judith tasted the lemonade, then brought the pitcher over to the table.

"What happened to her? Is Uncle Ezekiel really dead?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Negan said. "Did you both wash your hands?"

"No," RJ said, "because I washed them yesterday."

"Yeah, well why don't you do it again…today." Negan said, eyeing him. RJ slid out of his chair and went to the kitchen sink. He used a step stool and Judith watched him, to make sure he actually did it. Negan began filling their plates with food. This felt right. His being here. With the kids. And Michonne. If only she would come downstairs and stop feeling sorry for herself over that sorry assed Ezekiel! What happened to him, is what happened to men that didn't handle their shit right. Ezekiel had two women and even during an apocalypse, one of them found out they were being fooled and put him down.

Suddenly, Michonne appeared in the doorway. It was almost as if Negan's wish had somehow come to life in that moment. If she looked surprised by the family scene, she showed no sign of it. She also showed no sign of wanting to join them.

"I need to take care of something. Save me a plate, okay? Judith, RJ, do what your Uncle Negan says." she said and walked towards the front door. Negan stood up and looked down at Judith.

"You're in charge. Your Momma and I will just be gone for a few minutes. Then we're having a nice, relaxing dinner. We're all going to watch a movie tonight too."

"The Exorcist?" Judith asked. RJ rolled his eyes!

"I don't want to watch that again. It was boring." he sniffed.

"Yeah well we'll find something. Fix your Momma a plate while we're gone." Negan told them and hurried after Michonne, closing the door behind him. He saw her up ahead, going towards the infirmary. Negan caught up with her and grabbed her arm!

"Chonnie, I know what you're thinking! We agreed to let Dexter handle this!"

Michonne yanked her arm from his and looked around. A few people eyed them before going about their business.

"Negan," Michonne said in a low tone, "I can't just let Dexter 'take care of this' without knowing that Carol is really behind it. Seriously, for all we know someone else is out there and Carol just managed to escape them."

"Okay." Negan conceded. "Maybe the murders aren't her. But the fire sure as fuck is! And there is someone in the infirmary because of her. She tried to kill you that night, Chonnie and when she couldn't get you she got King Zeke! That other guy…"

"Angel." Michonne said.

"Yeah, Angel. He was there to protect Zeke. He got in Carol's way. Look, can we not talk about this out in the street? Let's go to the bar." Negan suggested urgently. He glanced towards the infirmary. The sun was going down and there was no telling what Crazy Assed Carol would do under the cover of darkness!

"I need to know that she did this. I need to look at her and know she did this." Michonne said.

"And you need to think of Judith and RJ! Hell, Chonnie, one visit from you tonight, could make her decide to swing back around here and do God knows what to you! Then where would the kids be?" Negan countered, just as Deb approached them.

"I hope the two of you know you look suspicious as fuck out here!" Deb hissed as her eyes darted around. Darryl was sitting on his porch watching them. Negan noticed and gave him the finger! Darryl started to get up and Debra cursed!

"Damnit! This is the last thing we need!" she snapped. Michonne walked over to Darryl and met him halfway, just as he was approaching them to confront Negan!

"Darryl, we don't need this now! Please!"

Darryl dragged his eyes off of Negan and looked at Michonne.

"Is this about stopping me or protecting him?" he asked her.

"Why would you say that? Look, can we not do this in the middle of the street?"

"Carol told me about the two of you. How long has it been going on?" Darryl asked gruffly.

"Darryl," Michonne said coolly, "can we at least discuss this on your porch? And I'm not asking!"

Darryl turned and walked back towards his porch. Michonne followed and Negan was about to follow when Deb grabbed his arm!

"Where are YOU going? Leave them alone and let's go talk in your bar." Deb suggested. Negan showed no signs of moving at first. Then he reluctantly followed Deb's lead and headed towards the bar. Meanwhile, Dexter slipped into the infirmary and looked at Carol. She was asleep. Or she appeared to be.

Siddiq, who was checking Earl's vitals, noticed him and set down his clipboard.

"Dexter? You didn't have to come back. Heath is asleep, Earl is doing about the same and Carol is resting comfortably."

Dexter glanced at Earl, the most severe injury from the fire at Negan's. Poor Earl had no idea that he was sleeping in the same room as the woman who had caused some of his burns.

"I thought Earl's wife was coming to see him?" Dexter asked casually.

"I think Carol and King Ezekiel were going to stop at the Hilltop and pick her up when what happened…well, when whatever happened, happened." Siddiq said, suddenly looking at Dexter questioningly. "You went out with Michonne to find out what happened, right?"

"Yes. And it wasn't good." Dexter said, glancing over at Carol. Siddiq noticed and they moved out of her possible hearing, in case she awakened.

"What did you see?" Siddiq asked.

"King Ezekiel's head. Being eaten."

"Really? Did the walker look healthy?"

"Do they ever?"

"Well what I mean is that you rarely see them these days, full bodied." Siddiq clarified.

"Oh. Yeah. No this one was full bodied. I get what you mean though. You usually find them without legs or just their torso's or something. Maybe it was someone that had been recently turned." Dexter speculated.

"What about the other man? The one that was with them?" Siddiq asked.

"No sign of him." Dexter lied. "Did Carol say anything about who her attacker was?"

"No. She hasn't spoken much about it. Darryl and Maggie were here, sitting with her, but they didn't speak of what happened. Oddly, they seemed to be talking about Michonne."

Dexter raised a brow.

"Michonne? Were they worried because she was out looking for the killer?" he asked.

"I didn't get that impression. I think they are concerned about her and Negan. I personally wish he was still locked up myself, with all the damage his liquor did to Heath. But they seemed to believe that he has more sinister motives."

"Hmmm." was all Dexter said to that.

"Negan was out with you all as well, wasn't he?" Siddiq asked.

"Yes but he was concerned about finding the killer. My sister was there as well. You know, whoever did this, beheaded Ezekiel and wounded Carol. They didn't kill her, they wounded her. It would help if we knew what we were dealing with here." Dexter said.

"I don't follow you?"

"Meaning was this personal? Is this someone who was just angry with Ezekiel and Angel? I knew Angel before the world went to hell, he didn't do this." Dexter said. Siddiq sighed.

"None of Carol's wounds were close to fatal. But she was stabbed numerous times. I guess we won't know anything until she wakes up." Siddiq said and walked away. Dexter watched him walk off to another room, before looking at Carol, who still appeared to be asleep. He then eyed Earl before picking up a clipboard and heading to a supply cabinet. He pretended to inventory their drug supply, before surreptitiously, palming a small vial of a tranquilizer. One that he knew would immobilize the patient.

Carol awoke, or pretended to, and looked over at Dexter.

"Dexter?"

"Carol." Dexter said, moving towards her.

"Maggie and Darryl told me you went out to look for Angel."

"Angel is the one that attacked you?" Dexter asked, not really surprised that she was blaming him.

"I don't know. Everything happened so fast. Did you find him?"

"No." Dexter lied. "We didn't really know what we were looking for, Carol. You were unconscious when you were brought in. Then Siddiq told me you spent a lot of time talking to Maggie and Darryl about Michonne and Negan…who went out to find the killer. We did find what was left of Ezekiel. I'm sorry for your loss." Dexter said calmly.

For the first time since meeting Dexter, Carol began to get an uneasy vibe about him. The kind of vibe that made her think that Maggie and Herschel could be in danger.

"Thank you." she said calmly.

"So when you were talking about Michonne and Negan, could you remember anything about your husband's murderer? Michonne is panicked that there could be a serial killer loose around here."

"I'm tired. My husband was murdered right in front of me and I just need to rest."

"We can't 'rest', Carol. Not in the world we live in now. Angel is my friend. He could be out there somewhere at the mercy of this bastard. Your husband was beheaded in front of you…"

"I didn't say that."

"You just said that he was murdered right in front of you. So since you saw it, then you saw his killer, right?"

"I'm tired, Dexter." Carol said loudly, just as Siddiq returned, "I don't remember much about it."

Siddiq frowned, sensing something was not quite right with what he had walked in on.

"Carol? How are you feeling?"

"Alive. I can't stay here and lay around. I need to go out and find my husband's killer."

You mean you need to escape Alexandria before everyone realizes you're the killer, Dexter thought.

"Michonne and Dexter went out and didn't see any signs of anyone. It's getting dark. We have guards. Just rest tonight." Siddiq said and he and Dexter moved to another room.

"She looked upset." Siddiq noticed.

Dexter decided to use that to his advantage.

"I was trying to tell her the same thing you did. That going out tonight isn't going to do any good. But she's determined to go out and find Ezekiel's killer."

"Does she even know who it is? Was it this 'Angel'? The man who was your friend?"

"She doesn't know. No one knows. Look, I'm going to stay here tonight on watch. Just to make sure that Carol doesn't up and walk out of here to do God knows what."

"I could stay." Siddiq offered but Dexter shook his head.

"You've been here around the clock. I'll watch over Carol and Earl. Besides, I saw what this killer did to Ezekiel. I feel responsible for Carol. Maggie loves her so."

Siddiq nodded his understanding.

"I get it. Alright, well I'll be at my house if anything comes up." he said and gathered up his things to leave. Dexter gave him a reassuring glance before looking over at Carol, who was staring at him. Tonight, Carol would go missing. Dexter tried to stop her but was 'injected' with something from behind.

By morning, Carol would no longer be on the premises. No one would ever know what happened to her for sure. Maybe Angel killed her. Or maybe an unknown, faceless serial killer got to her. The same one that supposedly killed Ezekiel.

"Okay. We're on my porch. Say what you have to say." Darryl told Michonne.

"Okay," Michonne said slowly, "I'll say that people that live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones." Michonne said firmly, looking at him intently.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"I think you know. How long until Dexter finds out?" Michonne asked quietly. Darryl looked away for a moment before talking.

"It just happened. You know…one of the things I regretted most…almost as much as what happened to Rick, was that I didn't step up and look after Maggie after Glenn…"

Michonne touched his arm.

"Don't think about that night." she said softly. Darryl turned to face her.

"Is that what you do? Not think about it when you're in bed with him?"

Michonne slowly removed her hand from his arm. What was she supposed to say? That what Carol saw was fake to cover her affair with Ezekiel, but that it had actually happened for real?

"I can't explain him. All I can say is that Rick thought he was worth not killing. Carl had a dream of some kind of 'Utopia' where Negan was a part of this community. I can't just spit on all that they wanted."

"That utopia didn't include your sleeping with him."

Michonne folded her arms.

"I don't have anything to say, Darryl. I don't. Just like you can't really offer an excuse for what's going on with Maggie and you. Negan is a problem. I have always understood that. But you've added to the trouble here with what you're doing. We know nothing about Dexter and what he could be capable of. So I don't need your judging me right now, okay? Can we just concentrate on this killer that we can't find?"

And with those words, Michonne walked off of Darryl's porch and looked towards the infirmary. She then turned and walked towards Negan's bar. She walked up as Deb was leaving.

"I talked him down from going over to Darryl's with his bat. This is almost over."

"Is it?" Michonne asked. "Yes, Carol set the fire but what if what happened out there, is what Carol said it was?"

"Dexter will find out if it's what she said it was." Deb said and began to walk off, but Michonne moved in front of her.

"He's done this before, hasn't he?"

"Done what, Michonne?" Deb asked. Michonne didn't answer so Deb walked off. Negan had a drink poured for Michonne as she walked in. She shook her head and sat at the bar.

"A drink is the last thing I need right now." she said, feeling restless. Negan reached out and touched her hand.

"Let's go back to your house and eat dinner with the kids. Though they've probably wolfed down everything."

"I can't."

"You have to. Because when this goes down, we have to look like we didn't know shit about it." he reminded her. Michonne nodded and got off of the barstool. Negan cleaned off the bar then followed Michonne out of the bar, re-hanging his harshly worded sign on the door before walking back to Michonne's house with her. Once inside, Michonne saw the lights dimmed low in the TV room. The kids were watching some movie or something. She headed towards the dining room and saw the table had been cleared. Negan joined her in the kitchen and found that two plates had been put into the refrigerator for them.

"What do you say we join the kids and see what they're watching?" he asked, his eyes probing hers. Michonne couldn't break on this. When people began searching for Carol, they had to be where they said they were. Michonne said nothing but walked around him through the living room and into the TV room…

Linda Blair's demon just vomited on a priest! Michonne turned on the lights and then walked over to the DVD player to snatch the movie out! Negan grinned and joined the kids on the couch.

"Come on, Chonnie! How are you going to just stop the movie like that? If you're afraid we can all sit huddled up on the couch here, together." he said, winking at her. Michonne scowled at him briefly, before looking at Judith and RJ.

"I'm not even going to ask WHY this movie? I want you to watch something else. Anything else!" she huffed and left the room again. She walked over to the living room windows and parted the curtains to look out. Deke was climbing up into the guard tower with Deb. With all that was going on, maybe it was better to have two guards on duty tonight. She turned back around and saw the lights were out in the TV room again. Michonne casually walked over until she stood in the doorway.

There was a guy onscreen wearing a hockey mask and chasing people with a machete! Michonne threw up her hands! She gave up! Negan was in there with them so she guessed it would be alright. She stared at the three of them on the couch, seemingly entranced by the horror movie, before heading upstairs herself. She needed alone time to think. To think about what was going to be done tonight and their part in this. Her part in this.

Michonne tried not to think of Ezekiel's head, as she entered her bedroom. Her eyes fell upon the Rick and Negan action figures for a brief moment, before she began removing her clothing to shower. She would take a nice hot shower and go to bed early. By morning, she would be prepared to pretend like she didn't know why Carol was not on the premises or what happened to her. She might even be ready to join a search party for her.

Her instincts told her that the way they were handling this was wrong. But then again, her affair with Ezekiel had been wrong as well. And Carol was trying to make her pay for that. Michonne's eyes fell on the Negan action figure once more, before going into the bathroom and turning on the water.

Negan had put Judith and RJ to bed, before helping himself to a guest room. Chonnie hadn't said he could stay but hell, if Dexter failed in someway, Carol would be bringing her murdering ass over here to do God knows what!

He had been sleeping pretty soundly, when something woke him up. Blinking, he sat up slightly as he saw Michonne, standing in the middle of his room, staring at him.

"Chonnie? What time is it? After midnight? Is it over?" he asked. Michonne's answer to that was to drop her robe and reveal her body to him. It gleamed in the moonlight that streamed through the window.

"I don't know. I don't know if Carol is dead, missing, gone or whatever. I don't know if it was a good idea to let you out of your cell. I don't know if what Ezekiel and I had would have ever turned into anything more. I don't know anything anymore. I do know that what happened between us today was wrong and right at the same time." she whispered as she slowly moved towards the bed. Her braids were draped over one shoulder and the ends touched one of her breasts.

"Wrong and right at the same time." he said, grinning, "I like the sound of that."

Michonne moved to sit down on the end of the bed.

"If we do this…"

"You mean 'try'?"

"If that's what you want to call it. Yes, 'try'. If we try to make a go of something here in Alexandria, then I have some rules that you have to follow."

Negan whipped off his blanket, revealed his nude body and his engorged organ.

"I don't follow rules."

Michonne stared at him, then slowly stood up, walked to the spot where she had dropped her robe, and began putting it back on. Negan slowly got up out of bed, not bothering to cover himself and blocked the door.

"You're actually going to just leave?"

"Negan, Alexandria works because of rules. If you want to be here…"

"Let me tell you something, Chonnie! This is how things are going to work! No more hiding! No more shrinking from my touch in public! Everyone is going to know we're together and if they don't like it, they can get the hell out of here! That includes Darryl and Maggie! And when I am disrespected by them, I want you to stand up for me!"

Michonne noted that he actually sounded hurt. She tightened the belt on her robe.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, plenty! I want you to sleep in here with me! That old room where you slept with Rick and Zeke, can be a guest room."

"And you." Michonne reminded him.

Negan walked up to her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"You are the first woman I've given two damns about since this whole world went to shit. I know you don't believe that but it's true. I want you and I want the kids and I want our family. And if Dexter Morgan has to kill someone that threatens that, then let him! And if he wasn't doing it, then I would be. Once Carol is taken care of, we aren't going to know shit about where she is, or what happened to her and we won't be wrong for feeling that way." he growled softly as his mouth suddenly covered hers, while his hands deftly untied her robe and let it drop to the floor. Michonne returned his kisses hungrily, putting all that was wrong with what was happening with him, from her mind.

Moments later, Michonne felt as if her world were quaking and shaking as she rode Negan's stiff and bloated length. Negan held one arm around her waist possessively, while his other hand cupped one of her breasts as she helplessly bobbed upon his throbbing bulk, that was deeply buried within her. The sound of their flesh meeting was loud and rhythmic and it was not long before Michonne felt herself surrendering to an intense pleasure she had not felt in a long while.

Like six years.

Negan's lust nearly overcame him at just the feel of her silky insides wrapping themselves around his organ. Their shared passion exploded fiercely and relentlessly until the world stopped spiraling, spiraling and spiraling…

Michonne had fallen into a deep sleep in the cocoon of his arms, when Negan slowly got out of bed, disentangling himself from her. He put on a robe and left the room to check on things. He paid a visit to RJ's room and almost broke his foot on some toys he had scattered on the floor! He bit his lip to keep from swearing, then put RJ's blanket more securely on him. Negan then limped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Judith was not in her room.

Negan made his way down the stairs and saw the light from the TV flickering. He looked in the TV room and saw that Judith had put in another Friday the 13th movie! Chonnie would have a fit about her watching another one of those! Negan limped over to the door to secure the lock and he peered out of one of the living room windows.

Someone was driving an RV out of Alexandria. Negan saw Deb climb down from the guard tower and pull back the gate. He had no doubt that Dexter was the driver and that Carol was his passenger. Negan grinned. Yep, tomorrow was another day indeed.