Daryl had a lot on his mind when he was lying awake on the floor in a small bedroom. Lydia was sleeping in a bed which was only big enough for one person, so they decided she should take it. Daryl and Connie took the floor on the left side of the bed, while Dog was sleeping and snoring on the right side. Daryl was holding Connie in his arms and he couldn't tell, if she was sleeping or not, because it was too dark and she didn't move. He didn't dare to move either, afraid to wake her, so he was just lying there, staring into the darkness. He tried to think about the next day and what route they should take. If they would come across the Whispers, it would end very badly for them, but now, since they knew their territory, they could at least avoid going through it.
No matter how much Daryl tried to focus on the route, his thoughts always went back to the moment with Connie in the bathroom earlier that day. Was it rushed? Should they have waited? Should it have been more romantic? Connie didn't strike him as someone who wanted it to be like in a romantic movie, but what if she did? And it was definitely over too soon, he should put more effort in making it last longer the next time. If he could. If there would be a next time.
Connie moved a little bit and he held his breath. He still didn't knew, if she was awake, but she was there, lying in his arms and he asked himself why he had so many doubts… Of course there would be a next time… Even if it would probably take some time to get some privacy. They had a long travel before them and as soon as they arrived in Oceanside they would have to get used to the new community. But the journey was the main concern now.

So back to the route again… think! He tried to encourage himself, but the fatigue overpowered him and he finally fell asleep.

In the next morning Daryl stood up early, trying not to wake Lydia and Connie. He found a map and sat down at a table outside, studying the map and trying to find the best route. After some time passed, Connie came out of the house. She brought some things, she had packed for their trip and sat down at the other side of the table.

They greeted each other with a smile.

Daryl showed her the route he thought was the safest.

"It's much longer than the direct one, but it would be safer like that."

Connie nodded in agreement.

"You're really up for this?" He asked.

He could see in her face, that she was surprised, how he could even ask her that and then she nodded firmly.
It wasn't that he didn't want her to come along, he was just afraid that something could happen to her and he didn't know how much she new about Alpha.

"It's just dangerous, you know. Alpha said she'll kill anyone she sees with her daughter," he told her. But he could see in Connie's face that this didn't scare her much.

We stay together no matter what, Connie wrote on her notepad then.

Daryl was still concerned and she noticed that.

I always wanted to go to the beach anyway.

This made Daryl smile a little bit and he could see, that Connie was happy about that.

A chance for a second date when we get there? She wrote and showed him the note with a defiant look on her face. Daryl thought about how much he loved that look.

"Sure," he answered. Then his thoughts from last night came back into his mind again.

"Maybe we should have waited," he said then quietly. Connie gave him a questioning look.

"With… you know… maybe it was rushed?" Daryl asked, not looking at her.

Life is short and we should enjoy every moment. And I enjoyed it a lot, she wrote.

When Daryl saw her note he blushed. Unlike him, she certainly had no problem to talk about it.

"Wished I could've made you enjoy it a bit longer," Daryl murmured turning completely red. He was even a little bit afraid to look at the next note, but when he did it, he read:

There's always a next time.

Daryl's heart was racing when he looked at her and she was smiling. It was one of those happy smiles, he had missed so much.

They were interrupted by Lydia, who came out with her things packed and Henry by her side, holding her hand. Carol and Ezekiel and all their friends came too, to say goodbye.

They all gathered together by the gate.

"I wished I could go with you, but my dad really needs me right now," Henry told Lydia, who was crying.

"I know," she said and kissed him.

"We see each other again, I promise!" Henry told her then.

Dog was with them too and he was seemingly feeling better, running around in excitement.

"Hey, take it easy, boy," Daryl told him, still worried about his injury.

While everybody was telling their goodbyes, Cyndie made a sign to Connie, who understood it instantly and answered with a sign too. They both smiled and Rachel also said something in sign language.

Daryl was surprised to see that.

"You guys know sign language?"

"Yeah, there's a deaf woman living in Oceanside. Her name is Martha. She told us a couple of signs."

Connie smiled at Daryl, who was smiling back.

He wished he had learned more signs, so he could communicate with her like that too and he decided to ask her to teach him more soon.

Carol came to him to say goodbye.

"You're smiling so often recently. I think I never saw you smiling that often in all these years," she said, when she hugged him.

"I do?" He asked automatically, not being aware of that he did it so often.

Carol nodded.

"Yes. It seems like you finally found somebody who makes you happy." She glanced at Connie.

Daryl also looked in Connie's direction and said:

"I guess you're right."

"I'm glad for you both! You deserve that!" She hugged him again. "Please take care."

"I will."

The little group got into the carriage and they left the Kingdom.

Daryl was sitting in the front with Cyndie and Rachel while Connie, Lydia and Dog were sitting in the back. Daryl was glancing now and then at them, wishing he could sit next to Connie. He already missed being close to her, but at least he could see that little smile on her face. He could also still see grief there, but she definitely started to heal. Being with him and Lydia seemed to help her.

Daryl was showing Cyndie and Rachel the way, hoping he picked the safest route.

When they drove in silence for a while, he asked Cyndie:

"So there are still no men in Oceanside?"

"Well, it's not that we're hostile towards men particularly, it's just that we have still a problem with letting people in. But we trust you, so it should be okay."

"Let's hope your people don't shoot me on sight then," he joked and all of them smiled.

But their smiles instantly disappeared when they saw a couple of walkers in the distance. Cyndie, who was driving the carriage, made the horses stop.

They watched the walkers for a while and Daryl was frantically thinking about what to do. The walkers were in their path. Should they take another route? But if the walkers turned out to be Whisperers, then they had probably seen them already. It would be safer to take them out. And since there weren't many of them, it shouldn't be a problem.

"Stay back," Daryl told the others and got off the carriage. But Connie was by his side in the next moment with her slingshot ready and a decisive look on her face.

"I'll come with you too," Rachel said, joining them.

"Okay, but watch out. It could be Whisperers," Daryl told them.

The three of them slowly approached the walkers. When the walkers saw them, they started coming towards them. Daryl was worried and the adrenaline was rushing through his veins once again. But the group easily took the walkers out and they also took care of two more, who came out of the woods. Daryl was watching them carefully and he was relieved it weren't Whisperers. It was unnerving to know every walker they encountered could be a Whisperer and Daryl knew he would never be able look at the walkers the same way again.

When they turned around to walk back, they suddenly saw a walker approaching Lydia.