Three Days Before...

Carol and Maggie had managed to slip their captors, killing them all in the process, but they had discovered something worrying. Maps of the many different compound locations of Negan's men.

They had only sacked the one.

None of the men they had killed were Negan.

That night, Rick sought Michonne's counsel. She told him candidly that it wasn't over yet and wouldn't be until they'd neutralized them all. He was anxious and deeply stressed about what they would have to do so he sought comfort in her arms.

They made love to reaffirm their connection, this hopeful life they had somehow managed to carve out together.

Always synchronized and connected even in wordless ways, they virtually read one another's minds as well in the throes of passion as when they faced the same foes in battle.

That night, their sex was a fierce battle of wills, claimants reaffirming sole possession of the other.

It was lazy and blissful in the morning. They took their time in ways Jesus' interruption hadn't allowed before.

In the haze of afterglow, Rick turned to his side and took her hand...somehow still well-tended despite her dedicated swordplay. He fiddled with it, kissed it and nuzzled a few locs away from her ear to whisper endearments.

"Michonne. I love you so much. I can't... ever lose you. I can't lose anyone else."

She turned to him, eyes wide and wet.

"I know. You won't."

She kissed him then and they settled into an easy doze, wrapped securely around one another.

Now...

Michonne pretended to sleep. Her eyes, just opened slightly as she watched and listened to some of the women whisper while the rest dozed.

Helen was definitely a leader among them.

Her man's people killed over fifty of them without even getting scratched!

-So. She's here now. This is where it turns for them, no matter what.

If she agrees to his terms she's fucked, her man will get reckless, and it will be over.

-If she doesn't he'll use her to get to them anyway.

They're toast.

Isn't that right, Michonne?

Michonne opened her eyes and approached the group quietly.

"There are other options." she said.

"Kill yourself? Linda did that and her man did the same. Escape? Gail nearly did that and maimed herself in the trap waiting for her. Kill Negan?"

Helen laughed then.

"I was a dedicated mixed martial artist before the brain disease brought all the dead back. I tried it. He had contingencies in place, and he killed one of my boys with Lucille."

Michonne narrowed her eyes at the woman. "What is Lucille?"

"-His bat." said a small thin East-Asian woman with a ballet dancer's carriage and a terrible burn scar on the back of her hand.

"You try anything, he'll use it on those closest to you, right in front of your eyes. One of your kids, most likely. He needs your man alive to continue to lead the rest in doing his bidding. He wouldn't ever kill him, because he doesn't to create a martyr. That would be ripe for rebellion."

"I'm Aiko. We watch after each other here, keep each other sane and... do what we have to do."

Helen spoke up. "Aiko, has been here the longest, while still surviving him. You should listen to her."

Michonne merely nodded.

Rick's inner circle gathered in his kitchen. Daryl bit his nails anxiously. Glenn and Maggie sat embracing one another protectively. Morgan stood in a corner, his chin leaning on his staff contemplatively. Carol stood with her arms folded across her chest.

Every sat at attention and listened with extra intensity. All loved Michonne dearly.

Even Spencer was there, ready to do what he could to save her. He felt extremely guilty that he'd allowed it to happen, despite knowing there was nothing he could have done. She'd done him kindness, helping him to lay his mother to rest. If she hadn't been with Rick, he might have even made a play for her.

Rick stood in front of them.

"We have to hit them hard. The only possible advantages that we have are that that's Michonne in there and we know the location of their main base. ...If those maps aren't decoys.

We have to scout the location with the assumption that it's not. -That it's a trap, before we come up with a real plan."

"Let me scout ahead alone first." Jesus said.

"I can slip around undetected, escape, and protect myself, even without weapons. You've seen this, Rick. Plus, I don't have family they can use against me. I'll go tonight and report back in the morning.

If I'm not back by noon. You'll know that it's not safe."

Rick eyed him anxiously and then nodded.

"Fine. You do that."

Carl spoke up. "Is there any way that we can do something sooner? I mean the longer that she's there the more they could be hurting her!"

"Carl!"

"We should go now. They wouldn't be expecting it. They know we've killed their men in their sleep, so they'll expect us to come after we've prepared."

"Carl, I know that you're worried, but you have to have faith that Michonne will do everything that she can to take care of herself. You know how tough she is."

"Yeah, sure. But she's not invincible. And you know what they could do to her, while we waste time here."

Rick flinched at this. He'd had to push that aside so he could think clearly. So, he could focus on getting her back.

"Yes, Carl I do know but we have to focus on what we can do to get her back safely.

We got Carol and Maggie back without losing anyone. We'll get Michonne back too."

Carol stepped forward.

"I'll come over and help with Judith, until Michonne gets back."

Rick understood what she wasn't saying. Carol would be the one most likely to be able to defend his children, should it come to that. Playing meek and unthreatening until her true nature was needed.

Daryl got up suddenly and slapped a wall.

"I don't know if I can just wait around, man. I mean, this is Michonne."

"You have to, so you will. You'll get your chance to act. We all will. And when we do, we'll kill them all."