The next morning in Alexandria began with purpose.

Michonne said goodbye to the kids, kissed Negan goodbye and got on the helicopter Rick had returned in, with Carol, who offered up very little resistance. Eugene was going to fly them to Red River Creek Prison to give Carol over for Dexter. Almost every resident in Alexandria stood around to watch them take off. For many, it had been years since they had seen anything fly. For the kids in their community, they had never seen such an event.

Once they were gone, Father Gabriel made his way over to Negan.

"We will be holding Rick's hearing in the church. Michonne told me you are to be her proxy. How will we proceed?" he asked Negan patiently.

"Proceed? Oh, well if Rick doesn't tell us anything, then we throw him out of here."

"Errrr, yes, Negan, I understand that part. What I am not clear about is how things will proceed in the church. Where will Rick be?"

"In the church."

"I mean where in the church? And will he be be tied up?"

"Hell yeah! And we're going to stand him up in the front, where he can look everyone in the eye. I'll be next to him." Negan told Father Gabriel. Father Gabriel nodded and walked off, just as he noticed Deb walking down the steps to Rick's prison. He was about to follow after her when Maggie suddenly appeared before him.

"Well, well. Does the widow have something to say to me?" Negan asked, not in the mood for any shit from her.

Maggie folded her arms.

"Your time here is almost over. There will be no use for you after today. And I suggest you find some hole or swamp to live in for the rest of your life—however long that is."

Negan grinned!

"Because you won't be able to find me in one of those places to kill me, right?"

Now Maggie grinned!

"When Michonne and Rick find their way back to one another, you'll probably need a place to kill yourself." she said and walked off. Negan rolled his eyes and moved towards Rick's basement prison. What the hell could Deb be saying to this bastard so close to his hearing?

The answer to that became obvious, as Negan moved down the stairs and towards the door. He stopped and put an ear up to it before grinning! Well..well…well…

Negan slowly and quietly opened the door to the basement prison. He then leaned against the wall and grinned as Deb and Rick continued to screw like rabbits, within his jail cell! Why the fuck would Deb go inside the cell to screw Rick, Negan would never know. But they certainly were creative…

Deb and Rick were butt naked and Rick's arms encased Deb's raised ones as she clung and shook against the bars in response to Rick's furious penetrations. One of her small, pert breasts, bounced wildly through a jail bar and she bucked her hips wildly in response to Rick's thrusting. It was as Negan watched this show, that he suddenly had a very unpleasant image of Michonne being in Deb's position and he decided to make his presence known.

"Well Good Morning, lovebirds!" Negan drawled, just as Deb squeaked and Rick gave Negan a death glare. They pulled apart and Deb began quickly putting her clothes on. Rick was not so quick about it.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Negan?!" Deb snapped, embarrassed.

"Ricky boy there has some explaining to do in front of the whole town. I wanted to take his breakfast order." Negan said, grinning again.

"I get a breakfast order?" Rick asked in a frustrated and raspy sounding voice as he put on his pants.

"Nope!" Negan replied and watched as Deb opened up the cell door, slid out and closed it quickly before Rick could do anything. She then shook out her hair and walked to the outside basement door. Negan smirked at Rick before following after Deb. He closed the door behind him and met her at the top of the steps outside.

"I would applaud but I don't want people asking me why I'm clapping. Didn't I suggest you fuck him before and you gave me attitude?" Negan asked her.

"That was nothing. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it to anyone." Deb huffed, straightening her hair.

"By anyone you mean Chonnie? I won't be able to do that."

"Oh come on, Negan! We don't need that kind of trouble around here!" Deb sighed with frustration.

"Well I need for Chonnie to hate Rick's guts. And I'm not quite satisfied that she does. So I'll mention it when she gets back and if she asks, you won't call me a liar." Negan told her. "Besides, I believe in owning up to fucking. Lying about it never does any good."

"Says who? I don't want to get thrown out of here!"

"I wouldn't let that happen, okay?" Negan told her, just as Darryl walked towards them with some kind of picnic basket.

"Hey, Darryl." Deb said. Negan raised a brow.

"He gets all of that?" he asked.

Darryl ignored both of them and went down the stairs towards the prison. Deb turned and walked back towards the house she now shared with Negan, Michonne and the kids, while Negan backed back down the stairs and opened the prison door.

Darryl looked over as Negan entered. Rick was in his cell, a napkin in his lap, eating food he didn't deserve and acting as if he hadn't just fucked someone in his cell.

"What are you doing down here?" Darryl asked, eyeing him.

Negan looked from Darryl and over to Rick.

"You didn't tell him?" Negan asked Rick, who was eating a piece of toast. Darryl looked from Negan to Rick, who chewed slowly but kept his eyes on Negan. Negan smirked again and looked at Darryl.

"I need some alone time with Rick. I'm not going to try and kill him.. But I do need to let him know how things are going to go down around here today. In private."

Rick nodded to Darryl. Darryl slowly left. Or made it seem that way. He listened by the basement window into Rick's cell…

"So, you're going to give your explanation and then get the fuck out of here—on foot. We can't spare any horses. Sorry." Negan said, not sounding a bit sorry. Rick wiped his hands on a towel he had been given and walked over to the bars.

"I suppose you plan on running to Michonne with what you saw between Deb and I?"

"Let me think, Ricky…uh…YES! But that's not really important now, is it? You're going to go into that church, tell your shit story, spend a little time with the kids….actually just Judith. Your son is totally creeped out by just the thought of you, and then you're getting the fuck out of here. Capiche?"

Rick grinned!

"You think you're holding all the cards, don't you?" Rick asked.

"I think the fuck I am, yes."

Rick said nothing to that as two guards entered and Negan nodded to them, before addressing Rick.

"Finish up your breakfast and let's get a move on. It's time for you to tell your shit story to the whole town." Negan said.

Eugene did not want to land. Not with the carnage that was visible below.

"What happened?!" Carol snapped. She was in the backseat of the helicopter. Michonne's jaw clenched as she saw the billowy wisps of smoke and more than a few dead bodies. How had this happened? The 'when' was clear, since the whole attack still looked fresh.

"Land in the woods outside of the prison. We'll walk there." she told him.

"I should stay with the said helicopter, to keep it from being procured by the enemy."

"Fine." Michonne said shortly, not really surprised by Eugene's cowardice and at the same time, feeling as if his cowardice actually made sense. The last thing they needed was to have the helicopter stolen.

Eugene landed in a field outside of a patch of woods near the prison. Michonne and Carol got out, armed themselves and headed on foot towards the prison. Carol looked around wildly!

"Who the hell did this?" she asked more of herself than of Michonne. But Michonne had an answer.

"Probably the people connected with Rick."

Carol stopped walking and gaped at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, Carol! Do you think this attack on the prison AND Rick's coming back from out of nowhere, are a coincidence?"

"You're saying Rick master minded this attack?"

"I don't know. I just think if he wasn't back, we wouldn't be walking into a disaster here." Michonne said and began to walk again. Carol hurried to catch up with her!

"You're not planning on giving Rick a chance, are you? You're actually going to stay with that piece of filth that murdered Glenn and Abraham? Then again, why shouldn't I be surprised? You got over Rick really quick with my husband…"

Michonne stopped walking and turned back to face her.

"Shut up, Carol. Just shut up. I can't even look at you and say that I'm sorry it happened. You didn't believe in Ezekiel and…"

"And you just took advantage of that?" Carol countered. "You shut up! You are sending me back to a death sentence and you damned well know it! The Kingdom people think I killed my husband! And Dexter is psychotic! But you knew that when you sicced him on me, didn't you?"

Before Michonne could think to answer, a gunshot rang out and Michonne watched the hole that suddenly appeared in Carol's forehead, before she slumped to the ground—dead. Michonne looked around wildly, unable to believe what had happened, had actually happened, before Morgan Jones appeared before her, holding the gun that killed Carol. He holstered it and motioned for Michonne to come with him.

Michonne pointed her gun on him instead.

"What are you doing here after all of this time? Are you responsible for what happened at the prison?" she asked, feeling uneasy and confused by his appearance.

Morgan said nothing and Michonne thought he looked different. Still crazy, but calmly crazy.

"Everyone is dead at the prison. Except for your prisoner. Dexter." Morgan said coolly. Michonne still stared at him, trying to figure out what was wrong here, besides the obvious.

"Morgan, you killed Carol here. She was your friend, remember?"

"She was never my friend. Now let's go. I want to tell your prisoner some things." Morgan said and was about to say more, when the sound of a helicopter taking off, got his attention. Michonne realized Eugene had heard the gunshot and decided to get help. Morgan ran a bit and fired twice towards the airborne copter, but didn't make a dent. Michonne suspected that was on purpose. Morgan turned back to her.

"Let's go." he said again and Michonne slowly began walking along side of him. There was nothing said between the two of them, as Michonne realized what was different about Morgan.

He now had a British accent.

The church was full as Father Gabriel began the proceedings.

"Everyone knows why we are here. We are here to decide if we will allow our brother, Rick Grimes, one of the founders of this community, back into this threshold. Unfortunately, there is much confusion as to where he has been the last six years. People that love him here, want to know, along with his children."

Rick was staring at Judith, who was staring back at him with little emotion. She looked so much like Lorie, Rick's heart hurt. He did not see any other children that could possibly be his son. Maybe Negan had been telling the truth about that. Maybe Rick Jr. was scared of him.

"Rick." Father Gabriel said softly, "please begin. Please tell us what happened to you after the bridge exploded."

Negan, who was next to Rick, knew he would bomb out on that question. But his eyes scanned the audience. He didn't know if they would necessarily care though. And that alone was dangerous to Chonnie's leadership around here.

Rick cleared his throat.

"I don't remember that. I don't remember even coming here. There are a few in my group: Darryl, Maggie, Carol and Michonne, who knew me back when we were living in a prison in Georgia. The next thing I know, I'm in a town called Waldorf Spruce. I was told I was in an accident and that everyone at the prison had been killed except for me. After I adjusted to my life there, I found out from someone that that wasn't true. I made my way back here to try and set things right. Thank you." Rick said and moved to sit down.

Negan looked around at everyone before speaking.

"I don't know about you all, but that isn't going to quite cut if for me. Can I see a show of hands of the people that aren't buying that lame ass explanation?"

Most of the room raised their hands. Maggie did not but Negan could tell from her eyes that she had more questions.

"Look," Rick said, standing up, "all I can say is that this place doesn't have undead people running around in it."

Rosita stood up.

"Why, Rick? Because this town killed them all? Are you behind a barrier or something?"

"Yes, Rick," Deke said, "it seems unlikely that there would be no one undead around, in anyone's neck of the woods."

"If that's really where you were." Laura said. Deb clamped her mouth shut. She liked Rick but his story reeked. What was he hiding and why was he hiding anything? Did this Waldorf Spruce town have supplies he didn't want to share?

"Where did the helicopter come from?" Darryl asked suddenly. He didn't like what he had overheard between Negan and Rick earlier. Rick had had sex with Deb. There was no way Michonne would ever overlook that and give him another chance.

"From Waldorf Spruce." was Rick's answer.

Judith stood up.

"Daddy," she said, startling the room, "you're holding back about something. And Rick Jr. and I aren't going anywhere with you until you start telling the truth."

Rick stared down at Judith for a silent moment before talking again.

"I think it would be better if I showed you where this place was, instead of talking about it. Because you'd never believe me if I told you. And I think it would be better if we went by helicopter. We can wait until Michonne and Carol return to go."

Negan nodded.

"That sounds reasonable. As long as you understand that it won't be your children going with you to this 'magical place' that doesn't have walkers." he said.

Rick nodded but he was not okay with any of this. He knew he needed to get back to the other side, otherwise more of the undead would infect Waldorf Spruce. And he knew that in all likelihood, Jadis was not the only one looking for him. But he would be goddamned if he was going to leave his kids in this shit world, when there was a normal, functioning one, on the other side of a portal. He just had to figure out how to get them out of here without anyone knowing. Michonne's not being here was a plus but he didn't know how long he would be gone.

He would need some help. Rick decided he was going to ask Darryl and Maggie to help him take his kids to the portal.

Michonne ended up in a cell with Dexter. They both watched Morgan as he stood before them both on the outside of the cell.

"I'm leaving for a bit. When I come back, you're going to tell me where Rick Grimes is. And I know one of you has seen him. Probably you, Michonne."

"Rick is dead." was all Michonne was going to say to this crazy fuck.

"You came here in the helicopter he stole. So you're already lying to me." was Morgan's reply. He then turned and walked out of the cell block, slamming the door behind him. Once Michonne was sure he was gone, she turned to Dexter!

"What the hell happened here?!"

"You tell me, Michonne! Where's Carol? I thought there was going to be an exchange!"

"Morgan killed her in the woods when we were on our way here. We could see the carnage from the air."

"The air?" Dexter asked.

"Rick is back," Michonne admitted, "and he came here by way of a helicopter. He won't say where he's been and he apparently has amnesia."

Dexter nodded suddenly and Michonne peered at him.

"What?"

"Everything is starting to make sense. Sort of. Morgan was here before. Apparently he and Jadis were married."

Michonne's eyes widened!

"What?! Married? So they've been off together married in the same place Rick was? Morgan and Rick were friends! Carol and Morgan were friends! Now suddenly Morgan is some assassin or something…where is Jadis? Don't tell me Morgan killed her too?"

"No," Dexter said in a funny tone, "not Morgan."

He didn't say anymore and Michonne frowned.

"Dexter? What happened here? There are a sea of dead bodies all over this prison and yet here you are—still alive!"

"You could sound a little more relieved." Dexter said wryly.

"Dexter, what the hell is going on around here? Rick is back and he has amnesia, and he wants to take the kids and leave for someplace he's been, but doesn't want to talk about. I come here to exchange you for Carol, and find all of her people dead and this prison looking like a war zone! What do you know that you're not telling?"

Dexter folded his arms.

"Alright, but you probably won't believe me. I saw a version of myself, and my late wife, Rita, standing out there. The version of me was ten times worse than I ever could be. Rita was awful but I found her more attractive that way…and she was a good woman. She didn't deserve what happened to her."

Michonne stared at him, seeing something in Dexter she had never seen before in the limited amount of time she had known him.

Feelings.

He had not seemed to care about what was happening between Maggie and Darryl, and there were times when Michonne wondered if that was because he genuinely did not love Maggie. But there was something in his tone just now. Something that made is clear to her that his wife that had been murdered, was someone had had cared deeply for. Harrison's mother.

"Angel told me a serial killer murdered her, right?" Michonne asked.

"I didn't realize you two had talked so much about me." Dexter said in the same wry tone.

"Look…I wasn't at a trusting point with you yet. I'm still not sure I'm there. But we are in an effed up situation here! If Morgan doesn't come back and we can get out of here someway…"

"Okay. They all talked about a portal. They came here through a portal. They were looking for Rick and the conversation seemed to concern his being here being a problem for their world. The longer he was here, the more of the undead came into their world. And apparently, they don't have an undead problem. My version got sick of Jadis not talking about where Rick was and he shot her dead. Morgan looked as if he could give a damn. So go ahead and call me crazy."

Michonne took a deep breath.

"You're not crazy. I was just telling Negan that Rick was acting like he was a clone or from another world or something! He's not Rick. Not the one I knew."

Dexter shook his head slightly.

"I get the feeling he is. Something's just happened to him."

Michonne didn't want to hear that. Because if Rick was her 'Rick', then there was little to no chance that he'd ever remember what they once had. She looked away for a moment, trying to keep their problems in perspective. She would deal with her feelings about that later.

"Morgan has a British accent now."

Dexter's eyes widened!

"Now? I thought he…well…I'd never seen him before so I had no way of knowing that that was strange."

Michonne nodded.

"That man is definitely not Morgan. Morgan would have just never shot Carol as if she were nothing. Eugene got away. He's probably back at Alexandria by now telling them what happened. But…"

"But what?" Dexter asked.

Michonne shook her head slightly before answering.

"I watched Morgan, or whoever that man is, fire at the helicopter in a way that he knew would miss. He wanted Eugene to get away."

"And we don't know where this portal is." Dexter agreed. "Morgan could return with God knows who and be waiting for whoever returns to rescue us."

Michonne thought of Negan and tried not to. She didn't know if she was ready to face the idea of life without him, something she would not have said a month ago.

"We're just going to have to hope that whoever comes for us, comes ready." Michonne said firmly. Dexter nodded then looked at the glass cell. They needed to find a way out of there before Morgan Jones returned.

Morgan left the other universe and returned to his own, using the portal that was conveniently hidden behind a group of trees. All one had to do was part two branches, and they were someplace else. And unfortunately, a few of the undead had discovered that as well.

On the other side, the portal opened up into the Waldorf Spruce Town Square. He nodded to Shane Walsh, who was sheriff of the town. Shane did not nod back but watched him with suspicious eyes as he made his way to his car, which was parked near an expired meter. There were at least two tickets on it. Morgan would have Mayor Morgan or his Rita fix them.

Morgan threw the tickets off of the car, making eye contact with Shane, before getting in his car and driving off. He pulled up to his home, got out and walked up the porch steps. Morgan unlocked the door, opened it, closed it quickly and felt lust twist in his gut at the sight lying on his couch.

It was Michonne, sporting a very short afro. She was also totally naked.

Morgan's eyes covered her entirely and the blood rushed through his head as he began to remove his clothing, his only concern being the throbbing in his loins. Michonne, who's arms were propped behind her head, smiled at him.

"Tell me Rick is dead?"

Morgan found himself quickly covering her body with his own, like a carnal blanket. Michonne grabbed Morgan's face and pulled him into a hungry kiss! Their kisses were yearning and deep and Morgan moaned before spreading her legs with his hips and entering her with a lunging thrust! Michonne cried out but clung to his back as Morgan thrust into her hard and deep, three more times, before picking up the pace and slamming into her relentlessly with the speed of a woodpecker! The almost deafening sound of their bodies slapping together, was canceled out by Michonne's moaning cries mingled in with Morgan's lustful growls. Their passions erupted in a liquid fury and Michonne clung to her lover for a few more moments before repeating the question, this time a bit breathlessly.

"Is he dead, Morgan?"

Morgan disentangled himself from this Michonne and tried not to think about the other one he had met, in that foul smelling reality.

"No." he said and got up to walk over to his bar. He poured himself a drink while Michonne sat up and began to dress.

"Why not?" she asked in a brisk tone. "Carol was bitten today. One of those things was hiding in her house! She's not expected to live…"

Morgan set down his drink and walked over to her. He pulled her up and her dress fell to her waist. His hands splayed her middle.

"I know where he is. I just need to give it a few hours and then I'll have him. But Dexter and Rita want him alive. We have other problems. Jadis's body was brought back here. Shane looked at me as if he thought I killer her. It was Dexter."

"I figured that." Michonne said softly and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"But Shane is looking to get me for it. I could tell from the way he was looking at me. I think he knows about us. I want you to leave him." Morgan said in a no nonsense tone.

Michonne pulled out of his hold and finished dressing.

"We've talked about this. Shane and I have a child together. I can't just leave him and…and he can be very…"

"I don't give a good goddamn what he could be! If he was worth anything you wouldn't be here with me. After I get Rick back here, I want you to leave Shane!" Morgan said more forcefully. Michonne's mouth suddenly claimed his again and Morgan sat down on the couch, as Michonne straddled, then lowered herself on his pulsing root. For several, long moments, she slowly slid up and down his erect length to keep him quiet. She loved Shane Walsh. And she loved Morgan Jones. And she had no intentions of ending either relationship.

Rick Grimes could not come back here though. He needed to die in the other world. He was the only one that knew that she had been there herself. And when she had been there, she had been 'married' to a man named Angel, killed a few people in their community, before leaving in search of the portal. If only Angel had not found her that day. Angel and the very handsome man with the dread locks…