By early morning, Michonne and Darryl were on the road, traveling by way of truck, towards the Commonwealth. Michonne realized that even on horseback, she had never traveled this far away from Alexandria, in this particular direction. Not even when she was searching for Rick. She glanced over at Darryl, who was driving.
"You said it was Eugene that found this place? He met the woman he is married to while talking to her on a CB?" Michonne asked. She still couldn't believe Eugene was married. Inevitably, thoughts of Eugene brought up images of Rosita. She couldn't believe Rosita was gone.
"Yeah. Something like that." Darryl grumbled in answer.
"What's wrong?" Michonne asked him, knowing something was.
Darryl glanced at her.
"Carol should have come with us. Rick too."
Michonne sighed.
"I agree. Rick did not. And Carol chose to go with Rick." she reminded Darryl.
"You know," Darryl said, "we've never talked about why what happened, happened. I wanted Negan dead. Maggie still wants him dead and now Rick, who seemed like he wanted to save Negan's soul, is now acting like he wants to look for him and put him back behind bars."
"I remember." Michonne said quietly.
"But Rick's not here with us now. He won't get tested to save an innocent kid. That's not the Rick I knew." Darryl said.
"This isn't about not wanting to save Negan's son. For Rick, it's about not wanting anything to happen to Judith, RJ or myself. He's afraid if any one of us is a match, we might die during surgery." Michonne told him.
Darryl just nodded and Michonne knew he understood.
"When are you going to tell me about that CRM place?" Darryl asked.
Michonne shook her head.
"It was a military complex that disguised itself as a second chance for humanity. But they didn't care about humanity, not really. And Rick was brainwashed when I found him. He tried to send me back here alone. It took a lot to undo all of the mind voodoo they pulled on him." Michonne admitted.
"But some of it's still there, isn't it?" Darryl asked.
"Yes and no. And there is a part of me that just wants to do as Rick asked, with regards to Joshua. But we can't just let people die when we could help them. And we can't just let children die, when it's possible to save them. Rick knows that, deep down." Michonne said.
"I know he does." Darryl replied as he turned down an even more unfamiliar road. Michonne looked over at him again.
"Why don't you tell me about France?" Michonne asked. "How in the hell did you end up there?"
"I was kidnapped. Kidnapped and when I woke up, I was on a ship with 'walker test subjects'. Then the boat exploded and I ended up in France."
Michonne knew good and damned well there was much more to her friend's explanation, but then again, maybe there was nothing to tell? In the end, Darryl was back, sitting beside her, driving her to a community that had much more than they had at Alexandria. She could not help but be aware, that RJ had seemed to love the Commonwealth, while Judith seemed almost indifferent. Or was she?
Michonne tried not to swallow convulsively, as she thought about what had almost happened to her daughter at this place. Someone had shot her. A woman named Pamela Milton that was supposed to be a 'Governor' of sorts. Michonne had never known a decent governor since this world went crazy, so somehow she was not surprised someone like that had tried to kill her daughter…even if it was accidental. She looked over at Darryl.
"Tell me this Milton woman is locked away in the darkest cell possible." Michonne said, not really asking.
"Yeah but this place believes in 'trials'. Yumiko is half going around defending people around there." Darryl answered.
"So you're saying that this bitch is going to get a trial for shooting Judith, and all the other stuff she did?" Michonne asked, trying to keep her tone level.
Darryl glanced at her.
"Michonne, you know we're on the same page here. But you should have seen Milton and the people that were living here, before we came. It was like how the people were in Alexandria before we got there. They hadn't faced off with a walker in their lives. They were sitting back eating ice cream and shit. If Milton's sentence ends up being for her to be thrown out into the elements, that would be as good as death."
"But her sentence might be something else? Like life in prison behind cozy walls where she's fed three square meals a day?" Michonne asked, less satisfied by what she was hearing, as the conversation dwelled on. Darryl didn't answer her because they were now at the Commonwealth gate. Michonne took in the uniforms of the guards. They resembled Storm Trooper outfits from Star Wars.
A guard came down from his high perch and took off his helmet. He apparently recognized Darryl and they talked some. Michonne got out of the passenger side of the truck, and took a moment to stare out at the vast landscape, while Darryl told the guard that Michonne was from Alexandria, and that they were there to see about getting tested to help Joshua Smith.
Michonne nodded to the guard, wondering if he himself had been tested? She instantly felt shame burn through her. Was she actually going to get tested herself? Was she going to go against Rick's wishes and try and help Negan's little boy? And what if she came up a match?
Michonne told herself she was just here to get a feel for things. She did not know this Annie Smith. For all Michonne really knew, this woman and Negan could be in cahoots or…
No. She remembered how Negan was with Judith. He had actually helped protect both of her children.
Darryl got back into the truck and Michonne returned to the passenger seat, as the gate opened and Michonne prepared to get her first, real look at why the Commonwealth was so special.
ALEXANDRIA-
Just as Darryl and Michonne drove off, Judith came downstairs with Hershel!
Carol had just walked into the house and saw him as well! RJ, who was sitting on the couch reading another comic, grinned!
"You want to explain this?" Rick asked Judith. But it was Hershel that answered.
"Hi, Mr. Grimes. It's good to meet you." he said.
"We've met before. When you were a baby." Rick said, as he struggled to quell his sadness. Glenn's son. Glenn's son, almost grown up.
Carl might have been a father himself right now, if he had lived.
"Oh, yeah. Back when Mom was angry that you were keeping Negan alive here." Hershel replied.
Carol folded her arms!
"Does your mother know you're here?" she asked.
"Yes." Hershel said. "I left her a note."
A car suddenly appeared at the Alexandria gate! Rick opened the door to their house and stared out.
It was Maggie, along with another girl he did not recognize. He motioned for Carol to come over to the doorway and she stared out.
"That's Maggie and Lydia." Carol told him.
"Lydia?" Rick asked.
"Alpha's daughter." Carol said tightly. Rick reached over to rub her shoulder, before stepping out onto the porch. Carol followed, along with RJ, as Maggie was allowed entrance into the stronghold and the gate closed behind her. Maggie parked the truck and she and Lydia got out.
"Hi, Carol. RJ." Lydia said, smiling.
"Hello, Lydia." Carol responded to her before looking at Maggie. "Maggie, he is here. Maybe you should just let him stay."
Maggie said nothing to that as she walked up to Rick.
"I feel SICK that you were out here in this world this whole time, and we didn't know!" Maggie teared up, her voice cracking.
"I was sick not being able to get back here." was Rick's response. Maggie suddenly threw her arms around him, and Carol turned to RJ and Lydia.
"Why don't we let them have some time to themselves?" she suggested. Carol, Lydia and RJ then walked back towards the house. Judith and Hershel were staring out from the doorway as well.
Meanwhile, Maggie let go of Rick and said what needed saying.
"I've tried to kill him. Twice. I wanted to let it go but I couldn't. I never will and now Hershel hates me for it." she whispered fiercely.
"He does not hate you, Maggie!" Rick stressed. "I just think he hates seeing Negan eat you up inside."
"I hate the idea of his being alive out there and Glenn isn't! And he can be as sorry as he wants, but I can't let it go."
Rick looked around before speaking again.
"It bothers me as well that he's out there somewhere. You met his wife?"
"Annie? Yeah, Negan told me that some men attacked her and that he killed them. I was with him in New York and there were a lot of people after him because of it." Maggie admitted.
"Well this Annie is at the Commonwealth with her son, Joshua. He needs a kidney and Michonne wants all of us to get tested. I can't think about something like that right now and I HATE that I feel that way! Joshua's not Negan. He's done nothing wrong. But if Michonne, Judith or RJ end up being a match and something goes wrong…and I Iose my family again…I don't know what I would do." Rick admitted.
"Annie is there but not Negan?" Maggie asked, though she wasn't surprised. Negan had as much as admitted that he had abandoned them. Though to hear him tell it, he was protecting his wife and son by not being with them. Maggie had secretly agreed with him, especially after what happened with Hershel. Her son was kidnapped to draw Negan out. The ex-Savior responsible could have very well grabbed little Joshua, if they had been able to find Annie.
"She's taking a big chance coming back here." Maggie noted.
"Apparently the Commonwealth hospital is good." Rick replied.
"I didn't spend much time there. I didn't like it and I was right not to like them. But I can see where Annie was coming from. You said Michonne went there?"
"With Darryl this morning." Rick said.
"Is she going to get tested?"
"No." Rick told her. "We talked about it. I think she just wants to see if this Annie is for real and if Negan is trying to make his way back here. That's all."
Maggie nodded slightly, before looking over at Rick's house. She locked eyes with Hershel briefly, before he turned and went back into the house. Maggie then looked around the area before turning to Rick again.
"Did Hershel say how he got here?" she asked.
Rick shrugged.
"He came downstairs with Judith. I'm guessing he showed up in the middle of the night and Judith hid him until morning."
"Hershel can drive. I don't see any Hilltop vehicles around. Who was on guard duty last night?" Maggie asked.
"Darryl. Hershel probably parked the vehicle down the road."
"I just came down the road and saw nothing." Maggie said, her tone brimming with suspicion.
"Then maybe it's parked in the woods someplace."
"Maybe." Maggie answered.
"Look, let Hershel stay here and do what he needs to do. Once he's ready, I'll take him back to the Hilltop myself, okay?"
Maggie smiled and nodded. This time Rick initiated the hug and Maggie held him tightly. For her, seeing Rick in front of her again, was a sign that eventually, everything would turn out alright.
But she could not shake the feeling that no one would end up being a match for Joshua. And that would mean Negan would have to be found to save his son's life.
COMMONWEALTH-
Darryl and Michonne peered through Joshua Smith's room window. Annie saw them and recognized Darryl. She stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Darryl. Thank you for coming." she said before focusing on Michonne. "You must be Michonne."
Michonne nodded and shook her hand. Annie then decided to come clean…
"Ezekiel told me about your return. He told me about Rick's coming back. I realized when Ezekiel told me Rick's last name, that I knew him."
Darryl looked from Annie over to Michonne, who looked carefully surprised.
"You know Rick?" Darryl asked.
"Yes. I was a Sheriff's Deputy at the King's County Sheriff's station in Georgia. I knew Shane as well. I had the day off when the world went to hell and back. I take it if you are with Rick, then Lori didn't survive?"
"No." Michonne said shortly, not liking the vibe of this interaction, or the fact that Lorie had been brought up at all. Darryl knew Annie had stepped in it, and turned the conversation back to Joshua, who was asleep. The three of them went into his room.
"Ezekiel came by Alexandria and told us about Joshua. We're here to get tested." Darryl told Annie.
Annie smiled gratefully at both of them and Michonne felt bad for being short with her a moment before. She looked from Annie to Joshua, who reminded her of RJ at that age. Michonne slowly walked to his bedside, smiling softly down at him before looking at Annie and Darryl again.
"Who do we talk to about helping Joshua?" Michonne asked.
"I'll get Dr. Okumura." Annie said gratefully and left the room. But once outside of it, Annie's expression hardened a bit. So THIS was Michonne! The same woman who's name Negan had called out, as he had made love to her with almost shattering and untamed thrusts. THIS was who Negan had been thinking about when he was with her?
Why? And was this woman the real reason Rick had locked up Negan? Had something been going on between them back then?
From what Annie knew and could sense in this moment, there was nothing between Michonne and Negan. At least nothing that Annie could discern. She shook off her doubts. Michonne had left her own children to find Rick and bring him back to their family. She was not looking for, or at, Negan.
But Negan had been looking at her. Apparently. Though the only woman he had ever spoke of with any real fondness was his late wife, Lucille.
Annie felt like she was missing something but let it go. There was no time for it. There were two more people here to help Joshua and others were coming. That's all that mattered.
Meanwhile, back in Joshua's room, Michonne walked over to the room window to make sure Annie was nowhere nearby, before addressing Darryl.
"She told you she knew Rick?" Michonne asked Darryl.
"I barely talked to her. We kept Negan at arms length when he was helping us." Darryl said, peering at Michonne.
"I suppose in this messed up world, someone that used to be a co-worker of Rick's could've possibly hooked up with Negan." Michonne conceded.
Darryl said nothing to that and Michonne began to feel even worse!
"What?" Michonne asked him. Her nerves were beginning to fray! This child, who looked like a smaller version of RJ, was dying. His mother used to be Sheriff's Deputy with Rick, and she had married Negan. Things couldn't get any worse in this moment, as far as Michonne was concerned!
"Rick's not going to like hearing this. He already can't let Negan go. This is going to make things worse." Darryl said.
"I was hoping you wouldn't think that. Because I already do!" Michonne huffed, just as Ezekiel entered the room.
"Hey! It's good to see you all. Did Carol come with you?" Ezekiel asked.
"Carol stayed behind to help Rick with something." Darryl replied. He could see from the look on Ezekiel's face, that he was confused by his former wife's absence. Michonne could see it too and decided that she would explain it to him—alone.
Michonne walked over to the door of the room and closed it. Ezekiel could see that Joshua was asleep, and he looked away from him to face Michonne and Darryl.
"What's really going on here?" Ezekiel asked quietly. Michonne walked up to him.
"I want you to take me to where Pamela Milton is." she said just as quietly. Ezekiel looked from Michonne to Darryl, before his gaze rested on Michonne again.
"Why?" Ezekiel asked. But he knew why. And he didn't think it was a good idea!
"You know why." Darryl said in a low voice.
But Ezekiel said his peace.
"I get it, but that is not what the Commonwealth is all about. Murdering for revenge is something that's done outside of these walls. Pamela did not mean to shoot Judith." Ezekiel said firmly.
"But she did." Michonne replied. "I understand you're not wanting to help me, but if you don't, I'll just find her myself."
"How? You don't know the layout of this place." Ezekiel reminded her.
"But I do." Darryl reminded him. Ezekiel folded his arms!
"Fine. I'll take you there myself. But once you do what needs doing, you come back here and get tested for Joshua."
Michonne put her hands up in surrender!
"That was always the plan." Michonne told him with a smile, and Ezekiel found himself thinking about the Kingdom, again, and what he and Michonne, not Annie, could do to revive it again.
"I'll go and get tested. I'll tell Annie that Ezekiel is showing you around and you'll be back soon." Darryl said, before nodding to Michonne and leaving the hospital room. Ezekiel walked over to Joshua and touched his small hand, before he too walked to the door and slipped out with Michonne.
Ezekiel feared that someone would either realize that Michonne was unfamiliar to the Commonwealth, or someone from one of the other strongholds would recognize her, and guess what Michonne could be up to.
"If anyone you don't recognize asks, you're 'Annie'. We're just getting fresh air from the hospital." Ezekiel said and Michonne nodded, as they headed to a building that she suspected had detainment cells down below.
Ezekiel put a hand on the small of Michonne's back, as they walked into the said building and through a door that lead to a stairwell. They went down it together and found themselves in a cell block hallway. A cell block that no one appeared to be guarding at the moment.
Michonne pulled out of Ezekiel's hold, and removed a hunting knife from the inside of her pants!
"Thank you! I'll remember my way back to the hospital." she whispered.
"What happens if you get Pamela's blood on you?! What happens if you can't get out of here?!" Ezekiel asked, exasperated. This was not a good idea!
"Just go. I'll be fine once this is done." Michonne said and she walked away from him to begin looking through cell door windows. Ezekiel clenched his jaw, turned and walked out of the area.
Michonne saw no one in the first cell.
In the second cell there was someone asleep with their back to the door window. It was some guy.
Michonne peeked in the third door window and…
What. In. The. HELL?
Pamela Milton, and Michonne knew it had to be her, was naked and sitting astride some man on her cot. She was bobbing up and down slowly, while cupping her own breasts. The man's hands were locked on Pamela's hips and…
Michonne squinted in horror! The man had a tattoo on his upper arm, of a baseball bat with wiring on it! And there was some writing above it, but Michonne knew what it said without really looking at it.
Lucille.
Michonne could not believe that Negan was not only here at the Commonwealth, but was down here fucking this trifling bitch, instead of being at the hospital with his son! Michonne eased the door open and stepped inside before pulling it closed, loudly, behind her!
"Whoa!" Negan bellowed as he looked over and saw Michonne!
"Well hells bells, Michonne! Tell me, are you here to help my boy? Or are you here to join in here because…"
Michonne saw red! There was no way 'Annie the former deputy co-worker' of Rick's', didn't know her own damned husband was on the premises! No way in hell! Rick had been right to not want them to come here!
But Michonne kept calm and brandished the knife! She glared at Pamela!
"You almost killed my daughter! And you have extremely bad taste in men!" Michonne hissed and moved towards both of them menacingly! Negan quickly lifted Pamela off of his swollen organ and jumped up!
"Okay, Michonne, will you just listen! First of all, I must say your body is looking TIGHT! Secondly…"
"Shut up!" Michonne snapped. "I would have no problem with killing both of you!"
Pamela Milton sighed, as if this whole exchange bored her and she stood up and stretched, without a care in the world! The sight of her doing that set Michonne off and she moved towards her…
But Negan blocked her way and grabbed her shoulders, stopping her!
"Stop! Would you just stop and listen?! The former governor here, has contacts that could stop people that I don't want to find myself, Annie or Joshua, from looking for us. We just have to finish fucking here, and then a guard will come and get a message to the right people! I can then go to the hospital and donate a kidney to my son! Now can you just not fuck that up? Please?" Negan asked in a begging tone.
Michonne slowly put away the knife. She dragged her eyes from Pamela's contemptuous ones, and looked in to Negan's stormy gazed eyes.
"I'm leaving. But I'm coming back here to kill her once YOU'RE finished getting tested for your son!" Michonne said in a whispering hiss.
"And what will that accomplish?" Pamela asked blithely, as she put her prison uniform back on. "You've killed quite enough, haven't you, dear?"
What in the hell did Milton mean by that? Michonne pulled the knife out again and Negan blocked her from getting to Pamela! Negan then turned to Pamela!
"Could you just get a guard in here, so you can get word to New Babylon? My boy is dying by the minute!" Negan stressed and Michonne could not help but feel pity for him. She put the knife away again.
Pamela smiled.
"I'll call Mercer in here, as long as you understand your part of this deal." Pamela reminded Negan. He nodded and suddenly Michonne realized that there was more to Negan's agreement with Pamela, than she realized. And Pamela was looking at her oddly. If Michonne had to characterize the bitch's expression, it resembled something between hostility and rage. Michonne ignored Pamela and looked away as Negan dressed. Whatever deal Negan thought he had made with this woman, probably would not end well.