Rick and Darryl were on the road and maybe a half hour away from the Commonwealth. Darryl was driving and while he usually didn't mind quiet on road trips(it depended on who he was with), he knew Rick's silence was not silence itself.
Rick was fuming. He was fuming and scared to death for Michonne. Darryl couldn't blame him. Michonne had went to the Commonwealth with the intention of confronting her son. But she had ended up going under the knife and being in real danger of not coming out of that hospital alive. And not because of a botched surgery. There was a killer loose.
"Maggie and Zeke won't let anything happen to her." Darryl told Rick.
Rick, who has been staring out of the passenger side window, turned his head to look at Darryl.
"I've been sitting here trying to think if it is possible that Andre killed Perlie. Then I find myself thinking of Johnathan Beale and what he was like. I never knew he had a son or any children. I never saw him that much but Beale was ruthless. He gassed communities…Michonne almost died from one of his attacks." Rick said softly.
Darryl looked over at him.
"I didn't know that." he grumbled.
"It happened during the first year she left Alexandria to find me. The thing is, there was a Republic Council that broke up the CRM people that went off half cocked with their own agendas. They were the ones that brought Michonne and me back to Alexandria and back to our children. I don't get how this shit is getting started again." Rick said, taking a deep breath.
"It's getting started out of revenge, Rick. Just like when we thought we had destroyed the Governor and Woodbury. Then that bastard circled back around with his own army and destroyed our lives at the prison. Hell, if we had just been able to make that work, Glenn would still be alive."
Rick clenched his jaw. Darryl didn't usually say much about the past. But on this, they were of one. After Glenn and Abraham were murdered, Rick could not stop reliving that horrible night with Negan. He couldn't stop thinking about they would have been better off if they had never agreed to come here with Aaron. Aaron…
"What do you want to do about Aaron and Gracie?" Darryl suddenly asked.
"I want to keep them as far away from the Commonwealth as we can. You're the one that told Dwight to leave, right?"
Darryl nodded.
"Sherry ran off first. And her and Tina were close. There's just no way Sherry wouldn't have tried to get her sister's baby away from the Saviors."
"So what Negan wrote in his diary was bullshit?" Rick asked.
"Yeah. It is." Darryl said firmly.
"Okay. So we confront Negan on it and tell him to back off. That now leaves everything else." Rick sighed.
"Rick, we'll deal with whatever needs dealing with at the Commonwealth. Maggie and Zeke are looking out for Michonne. She's fine and Joshua will be fine too."
Rick shook his head.
"You know in a crazy way, it makes sense that Pamela Milton's kidney failed a little boy. The woman is no damned good. But Michonne…Joshua will be as good as new with Michonne's kidney. I'm now strangely glad she got tested." Rick said with a small smile.
Darryl smiled too in answer and he stepped on the accelerator so that they could reach the Commonwealth, and Michonne, faster.
COMMONWEALTH HOSPITAL-
Annie could not help but notice that Ezekiel and Maggie were deep in conversation. She knew that the man that Maggie and Rick had brought into this hospital for treatment had died. But apparently there was something more to how he died. And Annie had no doubts that they thought either Negan or Andre were involved. And speaking of Negan…
He was sitting next to her, watching Maggie and Ezekiel as well. He looked from them to her.
"They'd make a good couple, don't you think?" Negan asked.
Annie looked at him.
"Why would you say that to me?" she asked him.
"Because maybe I'm trying to wean you off that sonofabitch 'King'!" he hissed. "He's nothing but trouble."
Annie almost scoffed in her husband's face at his 'assessment' of Ezekiel.
"And what is that opinion based on, Negan? Huh? Was it because he stood up to up to you when you were abusing his community? Or because he hit you twice? Or…"
"It's because he fucked my wife. Is that clear enough for you? And just so you know, Zeke wouldn't be interested in Maggie anyway. I think he's hot for Michonne."
Something about those words set Annie's nerves on edge! She knew she shouldn't be thinking poorly of the woman that was saving her child, as they spoke, but somehow, someway, she actually believed Negan's words! There was something about Michonne that just drew men to her.
"I think it's 'interesting' that you've come up with that theory, after I told you that you shouted out her name as you were finishing inside of me. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go and sit over there by the windows." Annie told him and she started to stand up.
"Sit. Down. Annie." Negan almost growled softly. "We are not finished talking."
"We are. And we're also finished in general. I've heard the rumors about your marrying Pamela Milton. I just love how you have had all of this time, in between leaving Joshua and myself, to make all of these new 'friends'. But you could not be bothered to come back to us." Annie said.
Negan slowly rose from his seat.
"Annie, for the love of fucking God, you know why I couldn't come back. Any my new 'friends' are alliances I made to keep Joshua and you safe until we could get back together. And as for Milton, Joshua and you wouldn't be alive today if not for her and Andre. So would you cut me some fucking slack?"
"I notice you didn't answer my question about your upcoming marriage. I guess you should be glad that there is nothing illegal now, about being married to two women at the same time."
"You're lucky, my dear, that I don't have Andre kill Ezekiel for fucking with you."
Annie smiled sadly at him.
"When did you get to be so weak, that you started having a sixteen year old boy do your dirty work for you?" Annie countered before turning and walking off to another area of waiting room chairs. Ezekiel finished talking with Maggie and walked over to join Annie. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms to comfort her.
"Shit!" Negan muttered and tore his eyes off of the nauseating sight of the two of them. Maggie began walking over and Negan steeled himself, as she sat down in the chair Annie had just vacated.
"Rick and Darryl are on their way here to make sure that Michonne doesn't end up like Perlie." Maggie told him.
"Meaning what, Maggie?" Negan asked tiredly. "Perlie just died. He was injured and he died."
"With a pillow over his face. I don't supposed you'd know anything about that?" Maggie countered.
"How in the fuck would I know anything about that? I was down here with Pamela."
"Ah yes. Pamela. Your fiancee. Tell me, Negan, does Pamela know about your 'fondness' for Michonne?" Maggie asked in a hard tone.
"You know, it's no wonder Hershel ran away from the Hilltop. He was just trying to be with sane people over at Alexandria." Negan snorted.
"Like Michonne?" Maggie asked coolly.
"What are you asking me, Maggie?"
"I saw you go into Michonne's room and kiss her on the forehead. You whispered something to her as well."
"And? Fucking Christ, I can't thank the woman that is saving my son's life as we speak?!" Negan erupted.
"Not by practically licking her forehead, no." Maggie replied coolly. "And don't pretend to be offended. I'm staying here and watching you like a hawk. You and Andre. He's nowhere to be found now that Perlie is dead."
Negan lifted a brow!
"Are you seriously going to blame him for Perlie's dying from his injures?"
"I told you he was smothered!"
"Says who? You?"
"Ezekiel and Eugene were there as well. A nurse told us that they found Perlie with a pillow over his face! He was still half alive but they couldn't save him."
"And no one saw anything?" Negan asked.
"No." Maggie admitted.
"Well, Maggie, when Pamela and I are married, one of my first acts as the Governor's husband, will be to look into Perlie's murder. Does that make you feel any better?"
Maggie grinned!
"I'm sorry, I didn't think I heard you right? You actually think that Pamela would allow you to do any 'running' of the Commonwealth with her?" she asked, trying to keep the laughter from her tone.
"I think things are going to be very different around here after Pamela and I are married. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go and sit with Pamela. I'm also going to tell her you're spreading lies about her son. So if I were you, I'd stop causing trouble around here and head back to the Hilltop." Negan told her, before standing up to walk off. Maggie glared at retreating back as she took in his words. Negan planned to marry Pamela and turn the Commonwealth into the Sanctuary.
There was no way Pamela would allow such a thing to happen! Whatever Maggie thought of her, she didn't see Milton as the 'Sanctuary' type. If she had ever been the CRM type, she wouldn't have lived apart from Johnathan Beale for years. Maggie stood up as well and glanced over at Ezekiel and Annie briefly, before walking out of the waiting room area. She was going to find Eugene.
No.
Maggie was going to look for Eugene's wife, Stephanie. Maggie wanted to know what that woman knew about Andre, the CRM and what Milton and Negan were planning around here. Because if things were going to be as bad as she suspected they would be, every former Alexandrian, would be leaving in droves—if Negan let them.
Stephanie was sitting in the office formerly occupied by Pamela, when Eugene walked in, unannounced. Her new secretary was a teenaged girl named, Iris Bennett. Stephanie had known her from Nebraska as well. Iris had stepped out for a moment to run an errand for her.
"Hi, honey!" Stephanie beamed and stood up to greet Eugene.
But Eugene was not in the mood for even a perfunctory kiss.
"What's going on, Steph? I need for you to talk to me." Eugene said bluntly.
Stephanie thought about playing dumb. But she had known that as soon as it became common knowledge that Pamela was Joshua's donor, that other things would come out. Things she would have to talk to Eugene about.
"What is it you want to know?" Stephanie asked quietly.
"Are you kidding me? How can you ask me that! I want to know EVERYTHING! Starting with Dr. Tomi and the kidney donation testing! How long was it known that Pamela was a match? Did any of us need to get tested at all?" Eugene asked.
"If we all hadn't been tested, Eugene, then we never would have had Michonne Grimes as a back up, in case things went wrong." Stephanie explained.
"Don't bullshit me, Steph! I'm your husband, not some random citizen that needs an explanation for a Commonwealth rule! Did you know Negan was sneaking in here?"
Stephanie hesitated for a long moment. That in itself was Eugene's answer.
"Yes. And my brother helped. He had to." Stephanie admitted.
"He 'had to'. Meaning Milton had something on him as well?"
"Yes. She has something on both of us. All I can say is that Michael and I knew General Beale and Pamela from Nebraska. We were all from the same small town. And I've known Andre since he was a child. I used to babysit for him." Stephanie said. That was all she wanted to say, for now. And she hoped Eugene wouldn't do anymore prying.
Luckily for Stephanie, Eugene's mind wandered from Stephanie, Nebraska and the Beale's, to Perlie's murder.
"Maggie and Ezekiel think that Andre killed Perlie. He was smothered. And where were you? When we got to Perlie's room you were nowhere around!"
"I knew he had died and returned to the floor below. I was never told anything about Perlie being smothered." Stephanie said and pulled on the lapel of the jacket her husband was wearing. "Eugene, I hate what has happened here. But once Joshua makes a recovery, Michonne Grimes will return to Alexandria, Andre can maybe go to live there to get to know his mother and…"
"Rick is not going to allow Andre to be around Judith or RJ. He won't be welcome at Alexandria. And I don't think he should stay here either." Eugene said firmly.
"Pamela is going to be freed, Eugene. That means she will go back to running things. We won't have a say as to who stays and who goes."
"I don't understand WHY she has to go back to running anything?! Why? She was a lousy governor and I think the people like you much better. Hell, Steph, we can hold an election! Pamela will lose and that will be that." Eugene suggested.
"We'll see." Steph said and pulled him to her for more than a chaste kiss. There could be no election. Because Pamela would not hesitate to let everyone know something that Stephanie didn't want anyone to ever find out. A secret. A secret that her brother was helping her keep quiet.
Andre was sitting in Pamela's room again, while she slept. Despite being a strong woman, Andre could see that the surgery had taken a lot out of her. He glanced over at her and pulled out Michonne's letter, which he was about to read for the second time.
Andre,
I never thought I would be writing a letter like this to you. I didn't when you were born, and I most certainly didn't think I would write one after I thought you had died. But then again, I didn't think you had 'died'. I thought you had been murdered in the most heinous of ways that any baby could die.
Your father's name was Mike Anthony. But I know you know that. What you don't know is that we met in college. Your father was a social worker and I had just taken the bar exam and become a lawyer. Together your father and I thought we could help people, that did not have the means to help themselves.
Things were good between us. Things were great when I told your father that I was expecting you. We had planned to marry and give you several brothers and sisters. But then something happened. Something that Mike could not move on from.
Mike had a younger sister. She had been his parents 'late life baby'. Her name was Adrienne. And you would have loved her. She was your aunt and she had the brightest of smiles.
When she was your age, she was tricked into going to a party that did not exist. Mike and his parents, your grandparents, Octavia and Noble, had no idea Adrienne was being bullied. And when she did not come home, that was when it was discovered that the party had been a trick. Your aunt went to a home where no one was or even lived in, and never came back home.
The only thing we could think, was that SOMEONE had been at the empty house Adrienne was sent to. Someone that either kidnapped her or killed her.
One year after Adrienne's disappearance, some of the kids that took part in the trick on her, began dying, one by one. A serial killer had come out of nowhere to avenge Adrienne and at one point, Mike and his family were suspects. The whole series of events stole the joy we should have felt at your being born and loving you.
It was shortly before the apocalypse that Mike and his parents found out something that could have ended their suffering. Something that would have given them an answer to Adrienne's ending, one way or the other. But the world turned upside down, and I wanted to get you to safety.
Mike still wanted to find answers to his sister's disappearance. And after awhile, it came between us.
When I came back into that room and saw baby feet in that undead thing's mouth, I just became someone else. And I blamed your father for it. Your father and his 'friend' Terry, who was not a real friend. He was one of your father's cases and he was just as troubled as Mike was.
I offer no excuse. Just a reason for what I did to your father. And I fully accept the fact, that you may never feel any reason was good enough for what I did.
If you don't want to know me, after watching that video, I will respect that and stay away. But I want you to know that the door to my heart is always open to you.
Love,
Mom
Andre shook his head, trying to make sense for the second time on this day, as to what this letter meant? He found himself somewhat intrigued by the mystery surrounding his 'Aunt Adrienne'. What had happened to her when she had been his age? Had someone kidnapped and killed her? Or was she alive someplace, even now?
He looked up when Negan entered the room. Negan closed the door quietly and took in that Andre was reading Michonne's letter.
"Hey!" Negan said to him softly. Andre nodded at him and folded up the letter. He put it into his inside jacket and stood up.
"Any news on Joshua?" Andre asked.
"No. Both him and Michonne are still in surgery. But we need to talk about some things." Negan said carefully.
"Okay," Andre said, while half glancing at Pamela, "can we do that here?"
"This is the perfect place." Negan assured him. Andre sat back down in his chair and Negan pulled up one and sat down.
"That guy from New Babylon that Rick brought in here, the bounty hunter, he was killed, Andre. Smothered with a pillow." Negan said somberly.
"And" Andre asked, unblinking.
"Was that done to keep down the witness count or what?"
"I didn't do that shit." Andre huffed. "I don't do bitch killings like that."
"Well yeah, I know that, but in a pinch when you don't have a weapon…" Negan trailed off. Andre stood up, pulled out a revolver, waved it at him, before putting it away and sitting back down again.
"Not my murder." Andre shrugged. "And he wouldn't have been able to prove anything."
Negan eyed Andre. No, the teen did not look worried at all. Negan didn't know if Andre was not worried about being found out, or just could give two shits about the whole matter in general?
"Okay but there are people here that think it was you. If it's wasn't, then there's a crazy assed killer running around the Commonwealth. And he or she has to be dealt with."
"I'll have Mercer's men look into it." Andre replied.
"Good." Negan said. "Now, about your mother's wedding to me, she wants the ceremony to be performed right away. Have you talked to her? Is she thinking about some kind of bedside service?"
"All I know is that she told Stephanie that she wants to be married to you, pronto! And since she needs time to recover, I guess she does want to get married here in the hospital." Andre mused.
"And that doesn't bother you? The fact that she's marrying me after your father was killed?" Negan asked.
Andre paused before answering that question.
"My parents were never really together. Yeah, I lived in the same house with them and my brother, Sebastian, but not for very long. And not often. My father had a vision for the CRM. My mother had a vision for restoring civilization. My mother cares about you. I never saw much of that between my parents. My mom is a good person, despite what others think. She made the hard decisions that others were too weak to make. And I don't think she deserves to sit in a cell within the very community she built." Andre replied.
Negan nodded and clapped a hand on Andre's shoulder!
"I hope you know that I tried to look out for you, as much as you did me. I wouldn't be here now If those New Babylon bastards had their way. That's why I need to know, what you know about Perlie's murder. If the three of us are going to start over here, there can't be any loose ends." Negan warned Andre.
Andre was about to say something, when the door opened and Darryl walked in! Andre made a move for his gun, but Negan put a calming hand on his arm.
"I've got this. We'll go out in the hallway here as to not disturb Pamela. You stay with her." Negan told Andre. Andre nodded but did not take his eyes off of Darryl. Darryl turned and walked out of the room and Negan followed after him. He closed the door behind him.
"I see the cavalry has arrived. Where's the White Knight Rick?" Negan asked in a drawl.
Darry reached down and picked up a trash bag that had been on the floor. He then flung it at Negan!
"This is your crap that was in Rick and Michonne's attic." Darryl said calmly. He then pulled out something from his inner, leather jacket. Something Negan instantly recognized as his diary. His eyes went from it to Darryl.
"I take it from your attitude that you read it?" Negan asked.
"I couldn't be bothered." Darryl replied.
"Because you won't read it or…can't…don't know how?" Negan asked slyly, looking him up and down.
"The kids found it, you sick piece of shit!" Darryl hissed. "And whatever that shit was you made up in it about Gracie, you can forget that. I don't know what you're up to…"
"What I'm up to," Negan hissed in an equally threatening manner, "is trying to provide my little girl with a decent life! I don't want her scrambling at Alexandria! One month you have food, the next you don't. One month you have solid walls, the next you don't. And let me be clear about something else: once Pamela and I are in charge, there will be no more 'handouts' from the Commonwealth."
Darryl reached out and snatched the diary back from Negan!
"I'll just be keeping this as insurance, the next time you even think about running your mouth about Gracie, or starving us out! I show this piece of trash to your new 'wife to be', and somehow I don't think you're going to be 'running' anything with her!" Darryl snapped before turning and walking off.
Negan rubbed his throat as he stared after Darryl. He then glanced over at Pamela's closed door, before venturing down the hall with the trash bag. He stopped at a trashcan, shoved his meager attic belongings in it, and continued down the hallway.
Joshua was being wheeled out of surgery and Annie and Ezekiel were by his side, as he lay there on his gurney. His little boy was going to try and recover from yet a second transplant. Negan moved so that he was standing in front of the orderly that was trying to move Joshua down a hallway.
Annie was about to say something and Ezekiel glared, as Negan moved so that he could touch his son's small face, before letting him go and allowing the procession to continue. Ezekiel looked away from him and Annie's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as they went with Joshua to recovery.
Negan ran a hand down his face and turned to continue walking down the hallway. He stopped short when he came to Michonne's recovery room. Rick was in scrubs and talking with Dr. Tomi, as Michonne lay in bed, still out of it from the anesthesia.
She now only had one kidney. Michonne had selflessly made that sacrifice for a child she did not know.
Rick noticed Negan. He excused himself from Dr. Tomi and a nurse that was also present, and stepped out into the hallway.
"How is she holding up?" Negan asked.
Rick didn't answer that.
"Did you see Darryl?" Rick asked him.
"I did. We didn't agree about a few things." Negan said.
"Stay away from Aaron and Gracie. Just because you can't make things work with Annie, doesn't give you the right to steal someone else's child." Rick said coldly.
"Gracie is my daughter. I had her sent to one of the satellite houses that was cleaner and had more food and baby formula, than the Sanctuary had. I'm not going to stand for her struggling at Alexandria and existing on the Commonwealth handouts." Negan said just as coldly.
"Michonne won't go along with this. And let's not pretend as if you don't care what she thinks." Rick said knowingly.
"Michonne will agree that Gracie needs to live here. We both have TWO children, Rick, to your…one?"
Rick gave Negan the look of death! How in the hell had he found out about Judith?
"I'd never say anything to Judith about it, Rick, okay? But you need to understand where I'm coming from here. Pamela and I will be getting married, while she is in her hospital bed. And once we are man and wife, everything is going back to the way it was, before you ever started killing up my people."
"You're planning to be one big happy family here, aren't you?" Rick asked sarcastically. "A new wife, a new step-son and a new community. I'm not about to let the CRM take over this place. And neither will Michonne or anyone else. There's a council that steps in when they get out of line. And Andre, Pamela, and you, are out of line. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going back in to be with my wife."
Rick turned and walked back into Michonne's room, closing the door firmly behind him. Negan turned away from the room window and walked back down to Pamela's room. He opened up the door and saw that she was awake again and sitting up, talking with Andre.
Negan closed the door and smiled at her.
"Honey, I'm setting the wedding date for right now. So tell me what you need to do to get ready. Andre, get Stephanie to get a small reception ready for us in one of the meeting rooms around here and I'll go talk to Father Gabriel." Negan crooned.
Pamela reached one hand out to Andre, and one out to Negan, who walked over to entwine his with hers. Soon, she would be Mrs. Negan Smith. Soon she would be Governor again. And soon…
Well soon, some people would have to die. Execution style. To set an example to the community. Pamela had no intention of allowing anyone to rise up and jail her again. And she knew Negan wouldn't allow it either.
And there was just one other little small thing: Pamela could not have people thinking that Negan had two wives or was a bigamist of some sort. So Annie Smith would have to go away or die. Pamela would prefer the latter. And she was perfectly willing to raise Joshua as her own. Just like she had Andre.