Martha stood still long after the sound of the caravan had faded. The merry sound of breakfasting rose up around them and she rocked Tulip and tried to think of anything she had to do. Nothing came to mind. The bricks and cement were just waiting to be uncovered and the day's building could begin. It would be slower without all the people that had just left, but even without the strongest backs, they had many hands. Her most valuable players were the architect and the two contractors, none of whom was agile or strong enough to have been taken on the rescue mission. Or rather, she thought, perhaps all of whom Rick had spared from the rescue mission. Rick. She wished he could prioritize the good of the group over this one girl, but even after the little time she'd had to get to know him, she knew he couldn't have left someone behind and she wouldn't have changed that about him. She glanced to the side, suddenly aware that another person was also still standing, looking out after the vanished rescue party. It was Glenn, the guy who led the provision runs. He looked miserable. She wondered whether he was in love with this girl they were going after or if maybe he was insulted not to have been asked to go looking for her. "Hey," she called over to him, "whatcha thinking?"

He kicked the dust and called over his shoulder as he walked back toward the breakfast area. "I'm wishing I had a picture of my wife."

Alexis was sitting in the middle of the bench seat of the truck with Rick and Daryl on either side of her. She'd only spent one night in the giant camp and she was already back on the road, leading them back to the origin of the hell she'd only just escaped. She knew that and she kept trying to feel sorry for herself, but she couldn't. In spite of everything, she felt safe. Rick Grimes, the apparent leader of the camp, Terminus, seemed fair and strong, and he smelled like masculinity without smelling bad. He smelled like work. Daryl, on the other side of her, was her savior. It had been him and Michonne together, truly, but to her in that moment when she hopped down out of her tree, she desperately needed to trust a man and be rewarded for it and he was more than she could have hoped for. Even in the berserker state he'd gone into when she said she knew where the blue cadillac took the girls they picked up in it, he had been gentle with her. He didn't smell as good as Grimes, not nearly, but she felt a thrill as the bumpy road jostled them and their arms touched. She found herself watching Daryl's hand and compelled to touch it. She wondered what he'd do. Her heart started beating faster and she shifted her weight slightly. Her fingers extended a few inches and she twisted her wrist forward so she was just a couple of inches from where his rough, strong looking hand lay, open on his lap.

"What do we do, here?" Rick's voice made her jump. She pulled her hand back and looked around. They were coming up on a junction.

"You have to get on the highway." Rick and Daryl looked concerned, a moment. She knew what they were thinking. "It's off at the next exit, but it's a left turn. It isn't even a mile further. Once we get off, it'll turn into gravel pretty quick and we'll be there right after that."

"If there ain't much more down that road, they might have someone watching it," Daryl offered. "Might be time."

Rick slowed the truck and stopped. The other vehicles followed suit. It was happening, Alexis knew. This was when they'd leave her behind. She felt her heart race, again. There was nothing pleasant about it, this time. Nothing exciting. She put her hand on Daryl's wrist. "I don't want to stay behind."

"You gotta." Rick told her, though Daryl was the one with whom she had eye contact. "Alexis, even if we could keep you safe, there ain't a bigger tip off we could give them than bringing one of their old hostages. You'll be safe with Michonne's team."

She knew this was true, but she couldn't break eye contact with Daryl. She was trying to communicate to him how important it was that they not be parted and she wondered whether he understood, because when his hand covered hers, it wasn't just to push it away. He squeezed it, tenderly. "Alexis, I'll be right back and then the guys that did this to you will be out of the picture, all right? We're getting rid of them for you." As he stepped out of the truck, he kept the look between them and used their joined hands to guide her down. "You're gonna be all right, you hear me?" She couldn't help herself. She barely came up to his collarbone, so she hugged his midsection. He laughed. "C'mon, now. Michonne will look after you." And she was there, taking Alexis by the hand and leading her toward the group that was stretching after the rare car ride and donning their gear in a more serious way. Alexis looked over her shoulder at him, but Daryl had already become engrossed in conversation with Rick, and the two of them got back in the truck before she ever even saw his face again.

The Michonne-led backup group spread quickly through the forest. It had been agreed that Rick and Daryl's team would give them half an hour before taking off for the house. They moved quickly and quietly through the trees with Alexis leading the way and Michonne directing everyone else with hand signals. Without the comforting presence Daryl mysteriously provided, Alexis found every step toward the house excruciating. She was sweating, though she wasn't over exerted and the day was not too hot. She kept clenching and unclenching her hands. The only thought that kept her going was the idea that Rick and Daryl were headed into that place and they might need help. She tried to care about the girls they were going to free and found that she couldn't. She had freed herself and it felt like enough. As she was staring at the ground, forcing herself to put one foot in front of the other, she was startled by the appearance of Michonne's hand on her shoulder, tighter than a vice. She couldn't help herself; she squealed, a little. Michonne glared at her then turned her face back in the direction they were headed. Alexis looked around to find that everyone else had stopped, still. There must have been some visual signal she missed. As she watched, Michonne gestured for everyone else to move out to the sides, and they did.

Now that it was silent and she was focused, Alexis could hear it, too. Somewhere ahead of them through the trees, they could hear the voices of men.

Thank you guys so much for your support. Sorry to cut in, but I'm curious. I have my own ideas, but how do you picture Martha and Alexis?