They arrived in Oceanside the next day, late at noon. When they passed the guards, Daryl noticed the suspicious looks on their faces and when his group finally entered the community, people standing near the gates suddenly stopped talking and everyone was looking at them.

"And you really think it was the best idea to come here?" Lydia asked Daryl.

"They'll get used to us," he answered, but started to feel insecure about their decision too.

Some of the people approached the carriage, welcoming Cyndie and Rachel back. They were looking at Daryl and the others with the same suspicious looks on their faces, like the guards did before. Cyndie told them all that she will explain everything later and they don't have to worry about it.

"Let's get something to eat first and then I will make an announcement to them all," Cyndie finally told the group, when they were alone again.

They all sat together in Rachel's and Cyndie's house, eating their first meal of the day.

"You sure, your people are okay with us being here?" Daryl asked Cyndie.

"Don't worry, I will explain it to them. It's going to be okay, they just have to get used to see new people around."

"You should tell 'em about the Whisperers too," Daryl said after a while with a thoughtful look on his face.

Cyndie nodded. "I will."

Connie was sitting next to Daryl and when they finished their meal, while the others were still eating, she touched his hand slightly and he took her hand in his.

After everyone was finished with eating, Rachel went outside to gather all the Oceanside inhabitants together.

Cyndie told her people about Daryl and his group and how she granted asylum to them. She also told them everything about the Whisperers and warned them to be extra careful when they encounter the undead the next time. They all also decided to put more guards on duty, just in case.

There was a big fuss when she finished talking. Daryl looked around and he could see people were far from being happy about everything. Most of them had concerned and even hostile looks on their faces.

"I don't know, those people don't seem to want us around much," Lydia said when everyone was gone. Daryl was thinking the same, but he knew they came a long way and at least they had to try.

"I know, but that's because we're strangers to 'em. Give it some time, maybe it'll change."

"And what if it doesn't? What are we going to do do then?" Lydia was seemingly worried.

"I dunno. What you think about all that?" He asked Connie who was watching them with a serious look on her face.

It's definitely worth a try, she wrote. We only arrived here.

Daryl nodded.

An elderly woman came to them. She had long white hair and a chubby, friendly face. Unlike other people they encountered in Oceanside, she was smiling at them and she made some signs. Connie understood them and answered her with some signs too.

This must be Martha, Daryl thought.

Connie and her talked in sign language for a while and then she left, waving at them.

"What did she say?" Daryl asked Connie.

She apologized for people here being hostile towards us. She said they are skeptical, but the will come around finally and Rick's friends are always welcome here.

Daryl smiled, but he could also feel sadness inside him, when he heard Rick's name.

"Who is Rick? I heard a lot of people talking about him," Lydia said.

Daryl looked at Connie, who laid her hand above his and nodded, encouraging him to tell the story.

"Rick was searching for his family when I first met him," Daryl began.

"I was a stranger to him, a jerk with an asshole brother, but he never treated me like that. He treated people with respect and he became our leader soon. We've been through hell together, all of us, fought a lot of battles, lost a lot of people. And Rick was always there, guiding us through all of this. He brought people and communities together. And in the end he sacrificed his life to protect us." There was admiration in Daryl's voice and he had to gulp a couple of times to keep the tears back. Connie must had noticed that, she squeezed his hand softly and he gave her a grateful look.

"He was like a brother to me. A great man," Daryl finished then.

"Sorry that he died," Lydia said and Daryl nodded.

Daryl's group was given a little house with two rooms and when night fell, they all went to sleep in the bedroom. There were two beds this time and while Connie and Daryl shared one bad, Lydia was sleeping in the other. Dog was sleeping on the floor. Daryl was holding Connie in his arms, enjoying to be close to her, but feeling a little bit disappointed that they still didn't have any privacy.

The next day, two women came to Daryl. They asked hesitantly, if Daryl could help them fixing the roof of the storage house and he gladly agreed. He was hoping it would be easier for them to accept him and the others, if they helped their community. Connie and Lydia were also busy working together with people from the Oceanside. It was almost evening already, when Connie and Daryl saw each other again.

"Sorry, would've taken you to the beach, but it was a tough day," Daryl told her.

Connie wrote: I know. But it's good we can help them. Maybe they will accept us after all.

Lydia came to them she didn't seem to be exhausted at all.

"Can I spend the evening at Vicky's place? She wanted to show me how to dry fish," she asked seemingly being excited about her new friend.

"Sure," Daryl told her and she went away. He was happy Lydia made some friends. Maybe everything would work out for them in Oceanside after all.

Connie came close to him and hugged him. He enjoyed the hug, but then he was suddenly aware of how dirty and sweaty he was. He moved little bit away from her.

"Maybe I should take a shower," he said then, but Connie shook her head. She just took his hand and lead him inside the house.

They spend a joyful time together and Daryl did everything he could to make her happy.

After that they were holding each other close and they had both content looks on their faces

Connie was tracing the scar on his face with her finger.

"You think they're disgusting?" He asked and Connie narrowed her eyebrows.

"The scars, I mean."

Connie firmly shook her head. Then she pointed to the scar on his face with a questioning look.

"How I got it?" He asked and she nodded.

"It happened when I was saving Dog. Poor boy was caught in a building, guess someone locked him in there. I tried to get in, through a broken window and almost ripped half of my face off on the broken glass. But it was worth it." Both of them smiled. Then Connie pointed to the scars on his back.

"Oh, that's a long story."

Connie gave him an encouraging look, meaning that she would like to hear it. But before he could start to tell her the story, they heard Lydia coming back, so they left the bed quickly and got dressed as fast as they could.

Lydia raised an eyebrow when she saw them hastily coming out of the bedroom.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you doing, um, whatever it was, you were doing," she said then and grinned.

"Do you want me gone?" She asked.

Daryl couldn't hide his embarrassment and the big smile on Connie's face was telling him, that she noticed it. It always seemed to amuse her when he was embarrassed.

Nevertheless he tried to stay cool and cleared his throat.

"No, actually I wanna tell Connie something and I think you should hear it too."