Just a little look at how I think the mid season finale could have been better with Beth!
Walking Dead One Shots #23
Beth sat inside and rocked Judith, praying for Maggie and her baby, for everyone to make it back from their respective missions. She had insisted that she be allowed to go, only to have the baby placed in her arms and a gun and knife added to her belt with the instructions to keep safe and run if she had to from Rick. She'd been forced to watch the RV make its way through the gates; they had even let Eugene go along.
"They've been gone too long Judy." Beth said softly, smoothing back her hair and kissing her on the forehead. She carefully lifted the baby and placed her into her crib before making her way down the stairs and out to the porch to sit and wait for either Daryl, Glenn and Michonne to make it back or for the RV to come back. She hoped the RV would make it back first, only so she'd be able to tell Glenn that Maggie was fine. She knew Maggie had to be fine. She jumped to her feet when she heard the gates open and tried to peer down the street. "No, no, no." She said running up the stairs and grabbing the sleeping baby. She ran to the area they parked the vehicles, past Rick, Michonne, Carl and easily avoided being grabbed by Eugene, making her way into the RV to look for Maggie, Glenn and Daryl.
"Beth they aren't on the RV." Rick said coming in after her. She stared at the body under a tablecloth. "They ambushed us. They had already caught Glenn, Michonne and Daryl."
"Where are they?" Beth asked shifting the baby and sitting at the table. Rosita came in with Eugene and a few men from the community and lifted the body out.
"Maggie is at The Hilltop. We dropped her and Sasha off so the doctor can take care of her. We buried Glenn there." Rick said dropping his head into his hands. "Maggie wanted him close by, she'd going to stay there for the baby. I can take you there."
"Where's Daryl." Beth asked. Rick remained silent with a pained look. "Where is he? Why didn't he come back?" Rick looked straight ahead and explained what Negan had done. How he had frustrated them with roadblocks and how they had been waiting in the woods, knowing they'd try to get Maggie there on foot. He told her about Lucille and Abraham. He told her about how Negan had taunted Rosita, how Daryl, even though he looked injured, and he wasn't sure how injured, had jumped up and slugged him. Beth started sobbing quietly.
"You left him out there? How could you not bring him back for me?" Beth interrupted.
"He didn't kill Daryl. For his outburst he turned and killed Glenn the way he had killed Abe. He took Daryl, and if we don't do as he says, if I try anything, he'll send him back to me in pieces." Rick went on telling her about what he had tried to make him do to Carl. "We have to go out and work for them now. We can't fight; we're just too out numbered. Even with The Hilltop people."
"Well you take me to Daryl." Beth said. "I'll go and I'll stay with Daryl and he won't be alone. I'll work for Negan there. I'll farm or clean or…."
"I can't." Rick said trying to calm her down. "For one I have no idea where their base is. I couldn't take you there even if we had the numbers." Olivia made her way to the RV, mumbling that Michonne had told her to come get Judith and watch her till Beth and Rick came to get her. Michonne sat beside Beth and listened as Rick again told her what they had to do.
"We're not going to let him know where Maggie is though. I got people working on empty graves, Gabriel's idea. We need her to have peace. We'll head out to one day, after their first pick up and I'll take you to see your sister."
"You are going to have to think of a way to stop him Rick." Beth pleaded, encouraged by the look in Michonne's face. "We always fight, we stopped the Governor."
"This is not like Woodbury." Rick said. "I have to keep all of the rest of us alive. I can't lose anyone else." He said getting up and leaving.
"You need to get him back! I have lost everything! I lost my entire family! All I had was Daryl, he never gave up on me!" Beth screamed as Aaron grabbed her and hugged her.
"We can't do anything without a plan." He said to her. "We don't have anything and if we fail we all die."
"We have a plan, we work for Negan now." Rick said to everyone gathering to burry Abe. "That's how we survive." Beth let Aaron led her to the house and into the room she shared with Daryl.
"Try and get some sleep." Aaron said pressing on her shoulders. Beth turned into the pillows and sobbed softly. "We will get Daryl back we just have to be sure and safe. Beth you weren't there. He's a nutcase, unstable, if we make him mad, he'll kill someone. If we don't have enough to give them in a week he'll kill someone in front of us."
"Try and sleep? Daryl is all alone with that terrible man." Beth said turning back into her pillow. Aaron patted her on the back and left her to sob. Beth walked through the next few days in a fog. She went through her things; she had nothing that she wouldn't part with if the Saviors asked for it. She knew others were trying to hide things they thought they wouldn't want to part with, Rick was worried that if hiding places were found Negan would snap. He was going to try and keep the baby hidden, he didn't want to give Negan and his crew any more ammo to use against him. Beth was surprised when she heard people walking down the streets to the gate.
"Little Pig, Little Pig, let me in." Beth looked to Rick, knowing without having to be told that was the voice of the man that had killed Glenn. Eugene was already trembling and Rosita looked like she wanted to kill. "Here hold this." A man in a leather jacket said handing off a barbwire bat to Rick.
"Daryl—" Rick started to say only to be cut off. Beth's eyes snapped open and she gazed around the men behind Negan and saw Daryl in a grimy sweat suit, covered in filth and bruises. He gave a slight, almost unnoticeable shake of his head, letting Beth know not to react.
"No. You don't talk to Daryl." Negan said.
"I thought we had a week." Rick said as Negan's men started working their ways through the houses and garages.
"I got to keep my workers on their toes." Negan said looking around. "And who are you?" He asked looking at Beth. "You weren't out on their little adventure to the woods. Rick how many more sweet pieces of ass do you have here? Where is the brunette?" Negan said walking up to Beth and smiling at her. "I know what you're thinking, I just beat the actual brains clear out of her husband. She won't want to see me or have anything to do with me, but you'd be surprised." He said turning to look at Rick. "Well?" Rick started to walk over to the gate, Negan followed stopping in front of the fresh graves. Beth followed, unnerved by the looks she was getting from the men holding guns on the people herded out of their houses for the searches.
"Where did you come from? You are one creepy little fucker." Negan said to a smiling Father Gabriel. He shut him down when he started to preach. Beth jumped when a gun went off. Negan gave Rick a look that made Beth start to shake. "What the fuck was that?" Negan grabbed Beth by the front of the shirt and started dragging her towards the direction the gunshot had come from, with Rick quickly following. Dwight held a gun on Daryl as Negan dragged Beth along.
"They're taking all our medication!" Carl said holding a handgun on Negan's men. "That is not half." He stated.
"Oh no. No I will not let that shit fly." Negan said pulling his knife out and placing Beth in front of him. He noticed Daryl through the window trying to see what was going on, storing that bit of info for later. "I decide what's half. Drop the gun." He said to Carl holding the knife to Beth's throat. Carl reluctantly handed over the gun. "I guess I have to take all of your guns away too." He said pressing his face into the side of Beth's hair. "I got to admit, the fact that you aren't turning into a crying mess right now Darling, well that's a turn on. Take me to where you store your guns." Negan said pushing Beth gently out and letting Rick take him to the armory.
"You are supposed to be away with your sister." Beth whispered fiercely at Carl. "Where is she?"
"Sleeping in her crib." Carl said as they made their way out of the medical center.
"They are going through the houses." Beth spat at him as she quickly, but calmly made her way across the street and down to Rick's place; that the Saviors thankfully had not made it to yet. She made her way into Judith's room and lifted the sleeping baby to her chest and looked out the windows. Everyone seemed to be distracted by something going on at the armory. She made her way quickly through the backyards, back to the medical center. Surely they wouldn't come back. She sat on the ground and rocked the baby slowly back and forth and waited from them to leave. Rick made his way in some time later and started tearing the place apart.
"Two guns are missing. Negan is going to kill Olivia if we can't turn them up." He explained as he looked through everything.
"You think it's possible it was a miscount?" Beth asked. Rick shook his head.
"Some food and alcohol is gone too. Saviors aren't taking that. Someone is stocking up." Rick said walking towards the door. "Try and keep out of sight, I don't like the way he looked at you." Beth nodded and opened a juice box from the baby to have once she woke up knowing a treat would help keep her quiet.
"Baba." Judith mumbled as she woke up in Beth's arms. Beth smiled at her and handed her the drink, trying to keep a smile on her face and not let the baby feel the tension she felt affect her. More commotion was heard and the gates were being opened. Beth peered out the window and watched as Spencer and Rosita made their way back with what turned out to be Daryl's bike. The man that seemed to like pushing Daryl around looked happy, and Beth could see that he said something taunting to Daryl. Rick finally came down the street and Olivia went sobbing towards her house. Beth watched while Rick handed over two handguns. Rick then was talking and Negan smirked and turned to look at Daryl who remained silent. Negan made a few motions and Daryl was loaded into the back of a truck and Negan turned back to Rick and said something else before taking back his bat and killing a lurking walker before hopping into the front seat and leaving. As soon as the gates closed Beth ran down.
"What did he say?" She asked.
"He said Daryl couldn't come back." Rick said. Beth noticed Michonne was almost shaking.
"Rick made me give him a gun he didn't even know we had." Michonne said. "He took the deer I managed to shoot and everything else I had found." Rick walked off with Michonne and Beth walked over to the wall and gazed through one of the peepholes at the dust. She could no longer see the Saviors trucks, but the dust had not settled yet. She leaned down and snuggled Judith into her.
"We'll see him again next week." Beth whispered.
"So Daryl." Negan said as he followed as Dwight escorted Daryl back to his cell. "Was it a good visit for you?" Negan taunted, knowing Daryl wouldn't answer. "I mean we didn't have to kill anyone. You looked a little worried when I grabbed that hot little blonde and dragged her off. Thankfully the future serial killer didn't get her killed. I mean I would have been justified in making an example out of her, but I decided to be merciful."
"Give me your clothes." Dwight said once they had shoved Daryl in the cell. Daryl started to pull off his clothes.
"Tell me Daryl, do you think she'd want to come here be one of my wives? I mean life is going to hard for her in Alexandria now, she might want a break." Daryl just stared at him. "What? She got somebody? I told you that don't matter. Right Dwight?" Negan said.
"Might be safer for her here. I mean they don't got the weapons to defend if another group comes in."
"Thought we worked for you and you kept us safe." Daryl spat out.
"Daryl you know you are only allowed to speak if the words are what I want to hear." Negan said tossing a bottle of water at him and an apple. "I think you need another time out." He added sliding the door shut and locking it. Daryl opened the bottle and drank deeply, flinching once the music started blaring.
"D why didn't you tell me about Daryl's girl?" Dwight turned to Negan and stared. "You didn't pick up the terror on his face when I grabbed her?"
"Same look they all had." Dwight said leaning against the railing and looking down on everyone working on supper. "Well everyone that was there in the woods. I don't think the rest of them really know what we are about."
"They know." Negan said. "Who are we hitting up tomorrow?" Negan asked.
"Hilltop." Dwight said forcing himself not to make eye contact with his wife when she made her way into the common area. Negan picked up on it right away.
"I think I am going to go enjoy some quality time with my pants off." Negan said slapping Dwight on the back and walking away. He whistled and pointed and his wife hung her head for a minute before following to his apartments. Dwight wiped at his face and made his way back to Daryl's cell.
"Negan knows you got a girl. I'd get inline if I were you."
"I told you I ain't never going to kneel. She wouldn't want me to. And she won't ever take the deal you did."
"You ready to watch her die? Is she ready to watch you die?" Dwight asked. Daryl just looked at him.
"You want to give me more of a reason to keep saying no? Keep threatening my family." Daryl said placing his head on his folded forearms and trying to block out the music. Dwight knew he'd get nothing out of Daryl so he shut the door and locked it. He had another busy day in the morning. Daryl closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to his time with Beth in the woods, to meeting up with her after Morgan had rescued him and Aaron from that trap, to her running into his arms and to the four months he had with her in his arms every chance they had gotten. His thoughts allowed him to block out the music and get a bit of a recharge mentally and physically. He knew they'd be off doing something horrible in the morning, he just hoped it wasn't a trip to any more groups.
Beth walked along the perimeter of the gate, pointing out different flowers and the few birds that flew by to Judith. She watched as Rosita and Eugene made their way to the gate with Spencer, arguing about something, she wasn't sure what. She was pretty sure they were going out in the opposite direction that Rick and Aaron had gone to scavenge. Not only did they need to have things to give to Negan, but also they were running dangerously low on supplies for themselves. She had managed to make lots of very broth based soup and put some up in bottle and freeze the rest, but they needed rice, pasta or barely to add to it. Their veggies were growing but they knew that Negan would start taking from the gardens soon, they needed more. She also knew they needed more weapons, guns if they could find a spot to hide them, even bow and arrows. She knew the little bit Daryl had taught her, Rick had used one before too, they could learn.
"Someone is stinky isn't she?" Beth said making her way back to the house. "Thank goodness they didn't find your formula. You need that to grow strong." Beth had been relieved when their supply of formula and powdered milk hadn't been discovered. She had placed cases of it under the front steps and thankfully no one thought to look there. She had one on then counter and she kept just replacing it one at time in the middle of the night. As far as she knew, besides Rick, no one knew they were there. "Hi Olivia." Beth said as she handed Judith over to the poor woman. Her nerves were shot after what had happened with the missing guns and Negan.
"Thank you for letting me hang out with you guys. I just can't be alone. I was glad Eugene agreed to move in with me."
"It's not problem." Beth said handing her a bottle. "Where are Carl and Michonne?"
"Michonne said she was going to try and trap with what you told her. Carl said he needed air." Olivia added as she bounced Judith on her knee. "Has she eaten?"
"Yeah I gave her the last of the applesauce we had and I made some of those quick biscuits. She really liked them." Beth said as she lifted a towel off the rest of them. "Leftovers to go with whatever we're rationed out today."
"There's not a lot left. It'll depend on what the scavengers bring back. We still have some canned beans though, and we froze a lot of that wild hog Daryl brought in. Without him here, well we're struggling." Olivia said.
"A lot of people counted on him." Beth said quietly. "You all were afraid of him at first. I was too, but only for about two hours into the first day I met him." Beth said with a smile. "He's all bark unless you cross him. Well he was." Beth said thinking back to what Daryl had told her about Dwight and Sherry. How could they have just taken everything after he had come back to save them? Beth looked up when she heard commotion at the gates. "Put Judith down in her room. He's back." Beth said walking out. She glared at Carl as Negan escorted him out of the vehicle they had came in and their goons took over the gates once he found out Rick wasn't there.
"Well then I guess I will wait for my shit in Rick's house. Carl can give me a tour." Negan said throwing his arm around Carl's shoulders. "Led the way." Beth followed them. "Well I guess I am going to have more than just Carl for company. Does someone have a crush?" Negan asked as Beth walked up the stairs ahead of him. She was glad that Olivia was alone in the living room and she didn't have to think of a reason to stall him.
"Why was Carl with you? Did you pick him up on the way here?" Beth asked pulling Carl back and behind her.
"Is she your new mom? Did I get it wrong? Are you not Daryl's girl? Are you Rick's?" Negan asked. Carl just glared at him and Beth turned away from Negan and stared at Carl.
"What happened to staying inside the walls?"
"Well this little psycho hopped on one of our trucks somewhere, hid out in the back with a machine gun and waited till it was brought back to my place and opened fire, killing two of my men!" Beth eyes widen and she fought the urge to slap Carl. "Now thankfully I had Daryl around to shield myself. Don't worry Daryl's fine, Carl didn't shoot him. I mean I had to give Daryl a time out again, but he's fine. Negan said pushing both of them towards the living room to join Olivia.
"I'll just leave. Rick will be back soon, I think. He had to go out for supplies. We're practically starving and trying to get together things for you." Olivia explained, stopping once Negan began to laugh.
"You're practically starving?" Negan said laughing. Olivia sniffled and then sobbed quietly. "Oh come on now. What do you say me and you go up to Rick's room and screw each our brains out to kill some time." Olivia hauled back and slapped Negan; the crack of her palm hitting his face finally drawing Beth's intense gaze away from Carl. "I am like 50% even more into you." Negan said. "Take me on a tour boy." He said letting Carl show him around.
"Are you crazy?" Beth said softly. Olivia shook her head and mumbled apologies. "You got to control yourself. Ignore him and his taunts. He gets off on punishing us." Olivia nodded and gasped as Negan made his way back.
"Olivia be a dear and head on out and make us some lemonade. I know we left some of the finest powdered shit in your little pantry."
"I-I-I'm supposed to…."
"Do it. Now." Negan said making his way over to the sink and smiling as he turned the water of and off. "What's your name?" He said turning back to Beth who stood back looking out the window.
"Beth." She said softly looking back.
"You know I have an arrangement you might be interested in." Negan said smirking at her.
"She's not." Carl said. "Come on I'll finish showing you around." Carl said leading him through the down stairs. Beth quickly tried to make her way upstairs.
"Whoa where do you think you're going?" Negan asked.
"I was just going to go to the bathroom." Beth said. "It's upstairs."
"Well I guess we are taking the tour upstairs." Negan said.
"Nothing but bedrooms and bathrooms." Beth said calmly.
"Well we don't have fancy bathrooms back where I live. Kinda thinking about a vacation home here." Beth started up the stairs and tried to think about what to do.
"Well, I'll just use the bathroom here, Carl show him the bathroom in your dad's room." Beth said raising her eyes and placing her hand on her stomach. She waited till they were in the bathroom in Rick's room and flipped the switch and closed the door, hoping Negan would think she was in there. She quickly checked on Judith who was sound asleep. She covered her and placed a few toys in for when she woke up, knowing she'd wait quietly till someone came for her. She looked out the window and saw Olivia going from door to door. She was obviously asking about lemonade. She noticed that Eugene and Rosita were back too. She prayed Rick would be back soon. She quickly made her way out of the room and back to the bathroom, flushing and running the water to make sure Negan heard it.
"So what's in this room?" Negan asked pointing to Carl's room. Beth followed them in and watched while Negan went through everything. "I could take this off your hands, you know since I don't want you wrapping up anymore."
"He needs to until it stops seeping." Beth said. "I mean it's good that he airs it out too, but he has to protect against infection." Carl looked at her gratefully.
"Well I guess he's airing it out till I leave then." Negan said walking from Carl's room. Beth followed and watched while he went into the bathroom she had been in. "Nice towels." Negan said coming out with one of the sets. "Wife 3 loves lavender, favorite color. Beth why don't you wash the set you soiled so I can take her a gift?" Beth went into the bathroom and grabbed the towels. "What's in here."
"Oh nothing, water heater's in that room, some storage." Carl said trying to lead him back to the stairs. Beth shot in front of him and stood in front of the door.
"Well I know something special is in there now." He said leaning right into Beth and reaching beside her and turning the knob. He walked Beth into the room. "Oh my God, who is this?" He asked instantly turning into a guy who loved babies. If Beth hadn't known what he was capable of he'd have reminded her of Tyreese and his reaction to Judith.
"That's my baby." Beth said quickly flinching when Negan picked her up. Judith woke up and looked at Negan and made a face like she was going to cry until he started rocking her and bouncing. She noticed Beth and calmed against his, sticking her fingers in her mouth.
"Well I think you, me and Carl should go have some family time on the patio and I am going to cook us a nice family dinner. So you and Rick huh?"
"No I moved here after you took Daryl." Beth lied. "I gave her the room to herself, I sleep on the couch. You were right about Daryl and me." Beth said figuring admitting one truth would make him believe her lies, knowing Negan trying to use Daryl's "daughter" against him wouldn't work and it would spare Rick.
"Well if Daryl can behave himself for a full week, I might let the 3 of you have some family time." Negan said. "Olivia!" He bellowed once they got outside. Judith let out a wail and Beth quickly took her back inside to put on the laundry. "Where is my lemonade I am parched woman!" Negan said settling down. "Beth you join us back out her with my best girl." Negan said placing Lucille across his knee and turning to grin at Carl. "Hi Neighbors." He called to a few people who had come out to stare at them. "Come on over later we might grill something." Negan held his arms out when Beth came back.
"No she'll hurt herself on that." She said pointing to his back. "You can keep it by your feet." Negan looked at her.
"Well Lucille loves kids too." He said.
"Great but I bet she loves keeping them safe and puncture free." Beth said standing her ground. Negan smiled and lower Lucille to his side and laid her down. "You can leave the gun and knife, she's not strong enough to pull them out yet, just please keep the snap done up." Beth said settling on her knees beside his chair after placing Judith in his lap.
"I do like the looks of you on your knees." Negan said smiling.
"Not in front of her." Beth said. "Do not speak like that in front of her." Negan continued to smile and make faces at Judith. Carl stared straight ahead.
"You know Carl told me if I was smart I would kill him and his dad. He never said anything about you though. You want to tell me who did that to your pretty face?" He asked motioning to her scars. "Looks like you've been taking care of them but I know they ain't that old."
"I ran into some bad people on the road." Beth said turning her head away and watching as Spencer approached.
"Is that for me?" Negan asked with a smile. Beth rolled her eyes and fought the urge to throw up as Spencer sucked up to Negan. "I tell you what come on by after dinner you and I will talk. I got to help the misses feed the kids." Negan said taking the booze and placing it between the chairs. He slapped Beth on the ass as they turned to the front door. "Be a dear and bring out some glasses for later." Beth glared at him but when about getting some tumblers. She held Judith while Negan should the kids how to simmer beans with some pork. She rolled her eyes when he made them watch him shave. Olivia finally made it back and made the pitcher of lemonade, only to be forced to join them for their meal. "Beth be a lamb and join me and Spencer on the porch. I want to spend some more time with you and Judy." Negan said after they had finished. "Olivia and Carl can clean up." Beth put down the dishes she had started to clear and picked Judith up.
"Let me just get her cleaned up and in her pajamas." Beth said walking towards the stairs.
"Yellow if she has them!" Negan called sitting back with his feet up, waiting for Spencer. Beth hands shook slightly as she laid Judy down on the change table in her room and quickly wiped her down with a wipe. She changed her into a disposable diaper and put her in a pink and yellow-stripped sleeper.
"God knows how long he's going to make us sit out there." Beth said as she grabbed a blanket. She went to the kitchen and mixed up a bottle and joined Negan and Spencer on the patio.
"Guy across the street has a table in his garage." Spencer said clinking glasses with Negan and laughing.
"Well it's too nice to sit inside. You let me help Beth get her baby down, and I'll get my men to bring it on out here, so we can play and enjoy the weather." Spencer smiled, but shut up once Negan shushed him as Beth sat with Judith on the railing. "You're really going to make her sit there to feed the baby?" Negan said. Spencer immediately shot up offering Beth the more comfortable chair and moving to the bannister. "Go tell my men I want to play pool." Negan said. Spencer scurried off and Negan turned to Beth with a smile and raised his glass. "I'd offer you some but I don't know if you're old enough to drink." Negan said.
"I'm not." Beth admitted. "Already had my first drink. Was afraid I was going to die without ever tasting alcohol." She said softly. "I'd pass even if you offered."
"How'd a good girl like you make this long without a group like mine protecting you?" Negan asked.
"A group like mine kept me alive, taught me to survive." Beth said taking control of the bottle once Judith started to drift off.
"You are feisty!" Negan said in a quiet baritone whisper of excitement. "I can't wait teach you to play pool later."
"How do you know I don't know how to play?" Beth said.
"Good girls that aren't old enough to drink haven't been to too many poll halls." Negan said standing and taking off his coat. He noticed Rosita glaring at him. "She wants it, I can tell." Beth rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to put her down." Beth said eyeing the woman that was guarding right in front of them, wondering how she could support what Negan was doing.
"How can you stay out there with him?" Olivia asked once Beth had the baby down. Beth shrugged and made her way back out. Negan and Spencer where already at the table shooting pool. Negan motioned her over, smiling.
"Beth did you know Spencer here thinks he'd be a better leader than Rick?" Negan asked as Beth made her way through the group that had formed watching Negan. Beth looked up in surprise. "Said he's his mother's son and Rick caused nothing but trouble showing up here."
"I guess he's forgetting about how Rick and his group saved them when the walls came down. About how his own mother believed in Rick and knew he was a leader. She worked with him." Beth said standing out of their way as they took their shots.
"You know what I think? I think he's a gutless coward." Negan said setting his cue down. "He has a problem with Rick so he comes to me to kill him instead of just grabbing control like a man." Negan said walking over to Spencer.
"Oh I didn't want you to kill him." Spencer started to say. Negan kept walking toward him.
"You have no guts." Negan said with a smile, turning to wink at Beth before taking his knife out and slashing Spencer across the stomach. "Oh will you look at that! I was wrong!" Negan said giving the residents that hadn't been there in the woods a glimpse of how he ruled. Beth saw Rosita reach for her belt and widened her eyes as she pulled out a gun and fired a shit right at Negan. She flinched and shook when she realized it just hit his bat. Negan's men were quickly on Rosita, throwing her to the ground and placing a knife to her throat.
"NO!" Negan shouted. "That shit does not fly here!" Negan shouted down. He picked up the shell of the bullet and looked at it. "Now this is interesting. Where did you get this?"
"I made it." Rosita said.
"I don't want to have to make an example today! Where did you get it! Who made it?"
"Me." Rosita repeated.
"Arat, kill one of them." Negan said. Beth let out a scream as the woman drew her gun and aimed towards Carl and Olivia. Olivia fell in a heap and Arat quickly placed her knife back at Rosita's throat. "I don't want to make her start cutting up that beautiful face. Who?" Negan roared.
"Me." Rosita said again leaning up into the blade.
"What a bad ass!" Negan said walking closer. Before he could give another command Tara jumped forward.
"It was me!" She screamed. Negan walked towards her and adjusted his grip on Lucille.
"You're lying." He said lifting the bat.
"Don't!" Eugene whimpered out from behind his balled up fists. "It was me, I made it. You just need a mold and powder and…" He shut up as Rick rushed up with Aaron who had clearly been beaten up. Rick looked over and saw Olivia laying lifeless with Carl looking down at her.
"We had a deal!" Rick said through clinched teeth. Negan walked over and glared at Rick.
"I am continually doing you favors and this is the thanks I get? Lucille will never be the same." Negan said. "You're son sneaks on to my turf and guns down my mean and I bring him home to you! You have a Judas in your flock and I take him out! What do I get? Shot at even though I took your guns. I'm going to do you another favor, I'm going to be taking your little bullet maker and you'll have one less mouth to feed."
Rick kept looking back at Carl then back to Negan. "What were you thinking?" Rick said. He turned once Spencer started to moan and quickly put him down. "Both of you?" He asked motioning to Rosie and Carl.
"We can't do nothing. We have to fight. He killed Glenn."
"Abe would want us to fight." Rosita said sobbing as she watched them load Eugene into the truck, hating that he had been right. She hadn't thought of what if her plan failed. She should have. Daryl punched Negan and Glenn died for it. She attacked and Eugene was paying for it.
"Both of you get out of my sight." Rick said pacing. Beth watched while he ordered graves dug for Olivia and Spencer. She waited on the porch for him and explained about how Negan had forced himself in to wait, how she had lied so he wouldn't use Judith against him.
"She's is yours. Just as much as she's mine." Rick said. "You've loved and cared for her since her mother died. I've done it since her father has." Rick said explaining what he had already told Michonne. "We have to make it safe for her!" Beth nodded her head.
"I need Daryl back. We have to do something to get him back. I need Maggie and I even need Eugene." She said wiping her eyes.
"We need more people." Michonne said making her way silently to join them. She explained what she had found out. "We need help."
"You're right. Even playing by his rules there is no guarantee we're safe." Rick said. "Aaron and I brought a truck full of supplies back they left us with some empty water bottles and a few bags of pasta. First we need to go see the Sanctuary. We'll need them for battle." Rick said going into his house. Beth made her way down the road to Rosita and Tara's.
"You fired a gun at me." Beth said walking in.
"He needed to die."
"You didn't even hit him." Beth said.
"It started the spark to moving against him." Rosita said. "I didn't think he'd take Eugene."
"You sent him back to Daryl, who we know he is torturing, spitting mad." Beth said. "Pack your shit, we are heading to go see Maggie, to see if they have anyone willing to fight. Beth added going to tell Aaron where she'd be and what they were planning. "I need you to watch the baby." She said to Eric. "You tell them I went out for baby supplies and you are watching her if they ask." Beth said. "I need to see Maggie." Aaron and Eric quickly agreed and Beth said she'd be by later with the baby and her things.
"We promise to take care of her." Eric promised when Beth and Rick came by an hour or two later with a sleeping baby. Rick nodded and let Beth lean up and kiss Judith's head before he handed her off.
"Daryl would kill me for taking you from here." Rick said as they walked towards Rosita, Tara and Michonne who were waiting outside the truck.
"I'll kill you if I don't get to see Maggie." Beth answered walking right past the other women and into the front seat, past Carl. Rick shook his head and followed. He went over their plan before pulling up and through the gate. The others dozed in the back while Beth kept awake, but silent.
"What are you thinking?" Rick asked.
"What if I wasn't there and Maggie had to go through losing the baby after losing Glenn?" Beth asked.
"We can't always be there. You don't hold it against her for not being there at Grady do you?" Beth shook her head.
"I held her not believing I made it out of the prison against her." Rick turned to look at her and Beth explained about the signs she and Daryl had ran into, about Maggie only telling Glenn where she was heading. "I was so mad at her. So cold. We both know how easy it was to convince me to stay behind and take care of Judy while you tried to get her to the doctor. How distant and cold I've been."
"And she forgives you for that." Rick said. "Losing you, we never got over that. Even making it here, making more family. You were always missing, especially for Daryl and Maggie. Hell even Eugene and Tara who never met you felt the loss. When you came back, after Morgan brought you from the camp he had, we were all whole again."
"And he took that from us." Beth said quietly. Rick nodded and the drove in silence for the few hours it took to get them to the Hilltop. There was till a lot of soft ground so they parked the truck and proceeded on foot to the gates. Beth let out a sob when she saw Maggie smile at them and she looked well. They heard Maggie call for the gates to be open and saw her look over her shoulder and Beth smiled at Sasha and Enid as Rick hugged Maggie. She broke away from them into a run when she saw who made his way out of one of the buildings with Jesus.
"Daryl." She said weeping as she through herself at him. Daryl caught her and walked her back to the group, both of them being enveloped into a hug by Rick. Beth was passed off to Maggie and Daryl and Rick embraced.
"You were right Maggie. We have to fight and we need help."
"I think I know a few people that'll help out." Maggie said.