The silent observer from Hilltop finally makes his presence known.

Golgotha

Golgotha: a hilltop near Jerusalem; Cavalry; the place of the skull; where Jesus was crucified.

"I want you to promise me." Carol said again, her voice firm.

"I can't... I won't... 'sides, it ain't gonna come to that." Daryl said, angry that she wouldn't let it go.

"Negan's coming—you know he is." Carol said adamantly, "If Rick thinks he can negotiate... well, you told me how well that worked with the Governor... that's the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same things over and over and expecting different results?"

The sound of shouting and rapid rise and fall of many feet outside the house had him jumping up from the kitchen table where they'd been sitting talking after their meeting with Erin and Claire trying to make some decisions before the baby came.

Carol grunted with the effort to do the same and he turned to help her, more conscious than ever how carrying their child had made her vulnerable in a way she hasn't been since they'd first met back in that quarry outside Atlanta. She was smart as hell and dead sure with weapons now, but she couldn't run... and in the end that's what they always had to do...

"You stay here with Jude; I'll go check it out." Daryl told her and she nodded, pursing her lips, obviously frustrated with her limitations. He paused to give her a quick kiss.

"Stay safe." Carol said and the corner of his mouth turned up at the oft uttered blessing and he nodded, his hair falling back over his eyes as he grabbed up his bow and headed outside.

When Daryl got on the porch Enid, Riley and Carl were just running up with Sam in tow.

"There's a stranger at the gate—showed himself when Abe and Michonne were coming in from a run and beat the crap outa them!" Enid said, sounding amazed.

Someone who could get the drop on Michonne and put a beat down on Abraham was an extremely dangerous individual.

"You get inside and help Carol watch out for little ass kicker, hear me?" Daryl ordered Carl and Sam and then looked at Enid, "Where's your brother?"

"In the tower, why?" the girl asked, scowling at him defensively.

"I ain't accusing him of anything, but he can tell us if this new one was with the Wolves." Daryl said.

"So can I." said Riley, the young girl trembling, hands closed into fists, forcing her fear back.

Daryl stared at her skeptically but then agreed, nodding his head.

"Come on then." he said, "Rest a' you get inside and help Carol." and then took off at a jog, then a run when he saw she was keeping up. Half way down the block they were joined by Aaron, who sent Eric back to the house to help protect Carol and the kids.

Michonne had a scowl that rivaled the worst Daryl could do when they arrived at the gates. She was holding a second katana and a knit watch cap and was staring daggers at the intruder in front of them, who was being guarded with a shotgun by a bruised and battered Abraham. The new man was on his knees, hands held above his head, with a placid expression on his face while he answered the questions Rick was asking.

Long hair tied back off his face and styled in a "man bun" he also had a beard and wise dark eyes that, like Morgan's, like Carol's, seemed to take in everything around him with a look of calculation. They weren't cold and reptilian though, not like the Governor's or Merle's when coked or methed out. His gaze was one of interest, somehow warm and engaging.

"I'm not who you think I am. You send people out—hot guy on a hot bike, another in a butt ugly red car—ask people, invite them in if they pass muster. I do the same for our place." the man was telling Rick.

"You're armed to the teeth—took down two of our best like it was nothing." Rick said, gesturing to Abe and Michonne.

"Just because I can defend myself doesn't mean I go looking for a fight." the man said sensibly.

Sensing Daryl's arrival, Rick turned, saw he had Riley and Aaron with him and frowned.

"She should be in shelter—" Rick began, but was interrupted by the man who was staring at the new arrivals.

"You got away from them." the new man said, nodding his head, sounding impressed, looking at the "W" on her forehead. Daryl's was obscured by his fall of hair.

"He's not one of them." Riley announced. "I've never seen him before."

"Just because he wasn't with the Wolves doesn't mean he isn't with Negan." Michonne argued.

"You think I'm a Savior?" the man scoffed, "Those murdering fuckers are who I'm here to talk to you people about."

"What's your name?" Daryl asked.

"Paul, Paul Monroe, but my friends call me Jesus." the new man grinned. "More for the resemblance than the attitude or the martyr complex."

Aaron and Daryl exchanged a look with Rick, Michonne and Abe at the last name, the same as the former leader of their community.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Daryl continued, making Rick look at him in surprise.

"You mean the dead? Too many to count, why?" Monroe asked.

"How many people?" Daryl went on.

"Since this whole thing started, seventeen." Jesus said, "Before that one."

"Why?"

"Because they were trying to kill me and mine." he said, looking Daryl right in the eye, "I protect the ones I care about. Same as you."

"What do you want?" Riley asked, coming closer to the kneeling man, making them all glance at her.

"Negan and his Saviors have set up camp in a factory complex half way between here and my settlement. They're collecting tribute from all the communities around here, draining our resources like a cancer. We have supplies and walls, just like you, but power is in people and we don't have the numbers to take him on. We want to talk, see if we can work together, set up trade."

"An alliance." Aaron nodded. "Makes sense."

"How do we know this asshole's not with Negan?" Abraham growled, still smarting from the beat down the smaller man had dealt out. "Could be trying to assess our defenses, our man power..."

"If I was then you'd be screwed, Abe. I've been watching your compound for the last two weeks. Another one of our scouts spotted Aaron and Daryl on the road a few months ago and trailed them back here. I'm sorry about your friend Glenn by the way; he was a good man judging from the eulogies. Your power grid browns a bit after a few cloudy days in a row—should think of adding wind in addition to solar—I'd put Eugene on that sooner rather than later." Monroe stopped, knowing he'd said enough to make his point by how shocked they all looked.

"Fuck." Michonne said softly, speaking for them all.

"Two of the people I killed were Savior scouts sent to check you out in the last two weeks. Negan seems to be expanding his territory and you're next. It's in all our best interests to form this alliance." Monroe explained.

"If you knew, why didn't you warn us?" Rick asked, angry now. If they hadn't gone on the run to Bethesda, Glenn would still be alive.

"I was under orders to approach you only after he made contact." Jesus said, sounding sorrowful. "We didn't think... I didn't think he'd go after you on a run; I was wrong."

"You killing his scouts..." Michonne accused, taking a step towards him as if she wanted to beat him down.

"May have set him off; I know. I'm sorry, but I couldn't have them report back to Negan that they saw me here. There's been no new ones since you got back, that's what I approached the gates today. We have a slim window before they show up for the first collections."

"A window for what?" Rick asked.

"To bring you to Hilltop to meet with our leader, Gregory to talk about aligning to go against Negan and to do some mutually beneficial trading." Monroe said and then he looked at Rick, "Our power grid is very low tech, car batteries mostly; we could use someone like Eugene to take a look at it."

"Sounds like we need a Council meeting." Michonne said, looking over at Rick and Daryl.

"You'll let me present my case?" Monroe asked hopefully.

"I don't think we have much choice." Rick told him. "Negan strikes me as the kind of monster who keeps his promises."

"Daryl, right?" Monroe asked the man who'd been assigned to guard him while the Council was being assembled. They were on the porch of the town hall home, the newcomer sitting in a chair, his hands bound in front of him.

Daryl grunted an affirmative reply, leaning on the wall, his crossbow cocked and ready at his side.

"You and Aaron—you stopped going on runs."

Daryl raised an eyebrow that clearly asked what the fuck business was it of his who went on runs?

"You and he aren't together anymore?" Monroe pressed.

"Huh?" Daryl's head went back and he frowned.

"I've seen him...with that other guy, the pale one with a limp... kissing... wondered if that meant you're a free agent now." Monroe shrugged. "If you are, just thought I'd let you know I'm interested. No strings—you're hot and I been alone on the road for a long time..."

Daryl's mouth came open and he bristled for a few seconds and then grunted out a chuckle.

"Barkin' up the wrong tree, sunshine." Daryl said laconically, shifting to stand straight, looking at the group coming up the sidewalk, which included Maggie, Michonne, Erin and Carol, who was moving slowly but steadily, her arm linked with the doctor's.

"'Chonne?" Daryl asked, gesturing to Jesus, and the sword master hurried forward to take over watch while Daryl went quickly down the steps to Carol, slinging his bow over his shoulder as he moved.

Monroe watched as the Archer reached the pregnant woman, who he greeted with gentle concern, looking ready to pick her up and carry her if need be. She swatted him away, smiling and he smiled back with such a look of devotion it was almost painful to witness. Loving that deeply always hurt these days.

"His?" Monroe asked Michonne as Daryl took Erin's place at Carol's side, helping her up the sidewalk and to the steps.

Michonne nodded, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Must be a hell of a story." the scout mused, wondering how he could've read Daryl so wrong. The petite, helpless-looking gray haired woman was pregnant with the sexy as fuck Archer's child?

"They're in love and made a baby. The end." Michonne shrugged, motioning for him to stand up while Maggie, glaring at him, opened the door and passed through. Erin went next, also after casting a suspicious glance his way.

Carol and Daryl stopped in front of Michonne and Monroe and Carol tilted her head slightly as she unsmilingly looked into his eyes.

Jesus realized then she was anything but helpless as her warning gaze bore into him. He'd been questioning her presence among the other strong personalities he'd met so far, but she was steel and ice as she assessed him. At her hip just behind the swell of her belly was a wicked looking trench knife and he could very well imagine her using it on anyone who threatened those she loved.

"Congratulations." Monroe said, his head dipping to indicate the baby. "We have a doctor, Denise, an OBGYN actually, who-."

"Inside, Mr. Monroe." Carol said, stopping his sales pitch and nodding towards the interior, "You don't want to flash your Aces before the game begins."

"After you." Jesus said, nodding deferentially.

"You could do your hair like that." Carol mused quietly to Daryl as they passed through the door ahead of Michonne and Jesus, "It's kinda sexy..."

"Stop." Daryl said, long suffering, making both Michonne and Monroe grin wryly.

Paul Monroe is one of the biggest bad-asses in the comics and will most certainly be joining the show this season as we move into the Hilltop arc. He is also gay; a detail which I hope isn't lost in translation as they move him to TV. Carol's pregnancy is really kicking her ass and keeping her mostly at home which is why Jesus hadn't seen her out and about with his observations of Alexandria and so doesn't associate her with Daryl in any way. He's attracted to Daryl and not shy about making his preferences known; in his mind, life's short, why wait?

Thanks for sticking with me on this one! Life's been super busy lately, but I'll keep plugging away at my WIPs as time allows!