THE COMMONWEALTH- ONE DAY LATER
There was going to be a funeral for Annie Smith, a.k.a. Mrs. Negan Smith. Negan insisted on it. He also insisted that Joshua not be told of his mother's fate by anyone but himself.
Maggie was brought out of her cell so she could attend.
Ezekiel was not offered such an olive branch.
Michonne, who was still technically hospitalized, but was recovering at a rapid rate that Dr. Tomi did not understand, was conflicted. She was pissed of at 'Ghost Glenn', whom she had not seen since he had thrown that toaster in Negan and Annie's bathwater. Michonne was ticked off because she now believed that Glenn had somehow used her, through paranormal means, to exact revenge on Negan. Not to save Maggie.
And she also believed that Glenn was the one that killed Perlie Armstrong. When Michonne thought about it, Perlie had helped Negan escape a death sentence.
Glenn would not have liked that.
Glenn wouldn't have wanted Negan to be happy, when he himself was dead and not with Maggie.
And yet Negan, who saw Glenn do what he did, and somehow was not electrocuted along with his wife, had said nothing. Negan had used Glenn's ghostly murder to pin the blame on Ezekiel.
Then there was Rick, who she knew believed her, but told her that they could NOT say that Glenn killed Annie. No one would believe it.
Darryl believed her. And it wasn't that Rick didn't. Michonne got it. It sounded ridiculous and made up. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she had to talk to Maggie at the funeral today. And she had to find a way to see Ezekiel.
Rick and Darryl were staying in the old apartment Darryl himself had lived in, when he had briefly lived here at the Commonwealth. They had all already been here too long. And the longer they stayed, the more Michonne felt as if she would never see Judith or RJ again.
Her mind moved from her own children, to little Joshua Smith. Michonne got out of bed and looked over at the clothing Andre had brought for her to wear.
It was a CRM uniform. It wasn't as if she had never worn one before, but Michonne did not want to wear it in front of Rick. She actually had decided she wouldn't wear it at all, since she didn't want to. Yumiko, who had come by an hour ago, was planning on returning with some clothes that she could wear.
The door to the room opened and Rick came in. He glanced at the CRM uniform before closing the door.
"That's courtesy of Andre?" Rick asked sarcastically. Michonne was sitting on top of the bed in a hospital gown. She slowly got up and gave her husband a wan smile.
"Yes. Yumiko is bringing me something better to wear." she replied as Rick moved quickly towards her. He wrapped his arms around her and Michonne tugged on his shirt.
"Did Carol get here yet?" Michonne asked. "She is the only one that can clear Ezekiel."
"Yes, she's here. And she isn't alone." Rick said, his tone evasive.
"Okay," Michonne said carefully, "who else is here? You mean Maggie, right? I know that Negan let her out of her cell to attend Annie's funeral."
Rick took a deep breath and set Michonne away from him.
"Carol, Aaron and the kids are here. And before you tell me I was wrong, Maggie is in real trouble here! Hershel should be here. Maybe he can talk to Negan. He took a ride from him to get to Alexandria so they must have some kind of bond." Rick said.
Surprisingly, Michonne shrugged!
"Fine, Rick. Whatever you say." she replied. Rick cocked his head with feigned surprise!
"'Fine Rick'? 'Whatever you say'? You should donate a kidney everyday." Rick smiled.
Michonne shrugged again.
"We need help getting through to Negan. And I need help with Andre. If he sees he has a family, maybe he'll leave the CRM and come back to Alexandria with us." she said.
Rick said nothing to that and Michonne picked up on it.
"I know it's a lot to ask…"
"No, Michonne. At the very least, 'no', until a DNA test is done." Rick replied.
Michonne was a bit jarred to hear that request!
"Rick he looks like Mike! Andre looks like his father!"
Rick cupped his wife's face within his hands.
"Humor me." Rick replied softly. Michonne pulled one of his hands off of her.
"Rick, I'm afraid of alienating him even more than I already have, by asking him to prove that he's mine."
"How have you 'alienated' him, Michonne? You didn't know he was alive. He doesn't understand that?"
"He was raised by Johnathan Beale and Pamela Milton. All he understands is the CRM and that Negan had his back when he tried to run away. You can just imagine what Negan would have to say to Andre, when he hears about my wanting a DNA test." Michonne said.
"I don't know…I don't think Negan will have time to interfere," Rick guessed, "he's been quiet. Strangely quiet. And his letting Maggie out like that…I don't think he knows what to think about what happened to Annie."
"Yeah. About that," Michonne said, "I don't know how to help Ezekiel or Maggie. Once Glenn hit Negan with that bat of his, Negan became able to see the two of us. He knows Glenn killed Annie and yet he's using it against Ezekiel."
Rick folded his arms.
"I believe you. I do. But that brings up something else." he said reluctantly.
"What?" Michonne asked, sensing she wasn't going to like what she heard.
"I know you said you wanted to tell Maggie what was going on. I don't think it's a good idea."
Michonne said nothing for a long moment before nodding.
"I know. But I don't see how we have much choice here. It doesn't help Maggie's case, I know, but we are living in a world where the undead come back to life like something out of a horror movie. I am recovering faster than I expected to and Negan SAW Glenn. Twice. Negan also has a wound on his back from his bat…courtesy of Glenn. I just think that maybe she could get through to Glenn in some way…" Michonne trailed off.
"Get through to him how?" Rick asked, cocking his head. "Do you think Glenn is going to kill someone else?"
"He might. Perlie cleared Negan and kept him from a New Babylon death sentence. Annie was Negan's wife. No matter what he pulled by marrying Pamela, I believe Negan loved Annie. And I think that when Glenn threw that toaster in the bathtub, he meant to kill Negan too." Michonne revealed.
"Why wasn't he killed?" Rick wondered aloud, not really expecting Michonne to answer.
But she did. And Rick did not like what he heard.
"I shouldn't be up and around like I am. Glenn kept saying he opened some 'gate' when he came back here. I think I'm better because of Glenn. He needed me to get well so I could help Maggie. He knew she was in trouble or would be. But I also think that when he hit Negan with his own bat, Glenn opened up something with Negan that he hadn't meant to. And I think whatever is making me get well, is also what saved Negan from being electrocuted." Michonne told him.
"So Negan and you are invulnerable?" Rick asked, his tone now clearly filled with disbelief.
"No. I don't think that. At least not about myself. I don't know, Rick, except that Negan is not dead and he should be. I am not lying in that bed, out of it, after donating a kidney" she sighed.
"Damnit!" Rick hissed before eyeing Michonne.
"What?" she asked.
"How does this work? When you see Glenn? I know I watched you pass out, but what do you think makes him come to you?"
"Both times it was because of Negan in someway…" she trailed off.
"What?" Rick asked.
"The next time it happens, and it will, because Maggie is still in trouble, I will see if I can get Glenn to touch you with something too. Maybe then you will see him and talk some sense into him. I get that he wants Negan to suffer. But what he did was out of line."
"I know. And it left a little boy without his mother. And I want to discuss something else with you." Rick said, suddenly sounding more serious than he already had.
"Okay. What is it?" Michonne asked.
"I want Joshua to become part of our family. When he gets better, I want to take him home to Alexandria." Rick announced.
Michonne lifted a brow!
"Uh…"
"What? You don't like the idea?" Rick asked.
"Rick, I would love Joshua like he was my very own. It is not that. But we are never going to get Negan to agree to that. And he already has plans to take Gracie from Aaron. I'm all for it but the direct approach with Negan is not the way." Michonne said.
Rick said nothing to that and she figured there was more.
"What aren't you telling me?" Michonne asked him.
"Gracie is already here. And Aaron does not know." Rick said quietly.
"What? I thought when you said the 'kids were here', you only meant Judith, RJ and Hershel!"
"I told you Aaron was here." Rick said calmly.
"Yes but I assumed he left Gracie behind! Rick…Aaron and Gracie can't find out what Negan is saying before we talk to them!"
Rick reached for her hands and held them tightly!
"I don't think we have to worry about that. Negan is in Joshua's room. He was insistent on being the one to tell his son that Annie was gone. I don't think he's thinking about Gracie right now." Rick said.
"Negan's in Joshua's room now?" Michonne asked and Rick nodded. She saw Yumiko outside of her room window, talking to Tomi. She had a small luggage bag with her.
"I'm going to get dressed and go see how Joshua is doing." Michonne said grimly.
"I'll go ahead and let Aaron know what Negan is saying about Gracie." Rick said before claiming Michonne's warm mouth for his own. Finding her lips parted, Rick thrust his tongue in between her teeth and tasted her mouth. He could hardly wait until he could do the same to the rest of her body again.
Rick broke off the kiss and said, "Tell Glenn the next time you see him, to hurry up and make you a 100%, okay?"
Michonne swatted his chest playfully and watched him leave the room. Yumiko entered, saying hello to Rick before closing the door behind her. She looked Michonne up and down, as if she too could barely believe she was in such good shape.
"I think I have some things that will fit you." Yumiko told her, handing her the suitcase.
"Thank you, dearly, Yumiko! I just have what I came here with and hospital gowns." Michonne said as she began pulling the clothing out of the suitcase.
"Actually, I'm glad we have some time alone here. I'm going to be defending Ezekiel. Carol is here to swear that he could not have killed Annie." Yumiko said.
"He didn't. Ezekiel would have never hurt Annie. And even if he wanted to hurt Negan, he'd be very careful about how Joshua would feel about that." Michonne said.
Yumiko nodded.
"I've come up with a way to help Maggie. But it's problematic." she admitted. Michonne had just pulled out a black, v-neck shirt that had an inside Chanel label on it! Michonne lifted a brow and was about to peek at the label on a pair of pants, when she sensed that Yumiko had left something unsaid.
"What is it? I mean it's Negan's word against Maggie's." Michonne noted.
"It is. And we know Negan has some problems telling the truth. I'm going to be honest with you, Michonne, my time knowing Negan is not the same as yours was. But I do think he murdered Pamela."
"Okay, Yumiko, I don't get what you're trying to say…"
"What I am saying, Michonne, is that I don't plan on trying Maggie. I gave Negan's diary to Eugene. He is going to read it aloud in a speech before the community. The point is to convince people that Negan killed Pamela because he was obsessed with you."
Negan slowly sat on the edge of Joshua's bed. His son looked up at him with Annie's eyes. Joshua had his 'Rick Action Figure' under his blanket and he squeezed it nervously!
"Joshua, I know we don't know one another real well. And that's my fault. We were buddies when you were a baby. And then some bad people hurt your mother. I had to punish those bad people. But those bad people had bad friends that tried to come after you, your mom and me. So in order to keep those people away from your mom and you, I had to leave. I had to leave so they would just come after me." Negan said solemnly.
"Where's my mommy? Is she sick?" Joshua asked. He had not understood anything his father had said.
"Joshua…" Negan trailed off. Goddamn that Glenn! He had no idea how to tell his boy that his mother was dead! He didn't think he could say the word 'dead' and he wasn't sure Joshua would understand it.
The door opened and Michonne eased in to access the situation. She knew that Negan was probably telling Joshua about Annie. And she knew she should probably stay out of it. But after her talk with Rick, she had decided that it was important that she became a presence in his life, as soon as possible.
Negan didn't look especially surprised to see her walk in. Joshua stared at her and Michonne slowly sat on the edge of the other side of his bed.
"Hi Joshua. My name is Michonne. I'm Rick's wife." she said softly. Joshua smiled at her and shyly brought up the action figure from under his covers! Negan frowned in confusion!
"What have you got there?" Negan asked and started to reach for it. But Joshua put it back under the covers quickly! Negan's eyes narrowed!
"What was that, Joshua?" Negan asked again, and this time he began to reach for the covers, but Michonne interrupted!
"Can I talk to you alone? Like over in the corner?" Michonne asked in a tone that was not asking! She gave Joshua a comforting smile before standing up. Negan stood up and walked over into the corner.
"Does he have that action figure that I saw in your room that one time?" Negan asked in a low tone.
"When were you in my room?"
"When I escaped that one time and slipped into your house to bash your head in. In the middle of the night."
"Oh yes. You did tell me about that. Charming. And yes, that's what it is. Rick gave it to him."
Negan was about to say something about that, but Michonne wagged a finger at him!
"Joshua is recovering from surgery. He isn't out of the woods yet. I can see that he doesn't know about his mother yet. Do you want me to stay while you tell him?" Michonne asked.
Negan said nothing to that. He actually said nothing for the longest time, as his eyes settled on his son, before he looked at Michonne again.
"Yes." he answered quietly. Michonne nodded and they both turned back to Joshua and sat down on each side of his bed. Michonne reached for Joshua's small hand and he squeezed it.
"Joshua, your father has something to tell you. And it is going to make you sad. So I want you to hold on to my hand and your action figure, while he tells you what it is." Michonne said quietly.
Joshua nodded but somehow Michonne sensed he knew. She looked over at Negan who seemed at a loss for words. He finally cleared his throat and spoke.
"Joshua, last night your mother went to heaven." Negan said.
"Why?" Joshua asked.
"Because it was her time to go." Negan replied.
"Why?" Joshua asked again and Michonne realized he didn't quite understand. She had no way of knowing if Joshua even knew that heaven was a place that some people went to when they died, or if he thought it was just a town or something.
Negan ran his hands down his face before giving it another try.
"Someone killed her…."
Joshua began screaming his head off and the machines he was hooked up to, began beeping rapidly! Michonne and Negan jumped up just as Joshua began to seize! Dr. Tomi and two nurses hurried in and yelled at them both to get out! Negan looked stricken and Michonne had to grab his arm and physically pull him from the room!
Michonne forced herself to realize that Negan had no experience in parenting. Negan did not look through the room window to watch Tomi work on Joshua. Instead, he slumped to the floor and and put his head between his knees!
"I can't tell him that Annie is gone! I can barely believe it myself! And what am I supposed tell him, huh? That some killer ghost murdered her?"
Michonne lowered herself to the ground as well so that she was sitting next to him.
"And yet you had no problem telling everyone it was Ezekiel. Why would you do that?!" she snapped.
Negan's head jerked up and his eyes probed hers!
"Oh I haven't heard you telling anyone official that 'Glenn' did it! And I'll tell you another thing…" Negan began to rant, but he suddenly stopped and stared at something in the hallway. Michonne turned to see what he was looking at and saw Judith, RJ, Hershel and Gracie, walking towards them! Michonne looked quickly back at Negan, who's eyes were focused on Gracie! He quickly stood up and pulled himself together, while Michonne kept an eagle eye on him. This was not the time for any 'revelations'. And she was a bit surprised to see the kids here in the hospital, unaccompanied by, Rick, Darryl, Carol or even Aaron.
"Mom!" Judith cried out and she and RJ hurried to hug her tightly! Hershel glared at Negan and for a moment, Negan re-lived Glenn's throwing that toaster into his and Annie's bathwater! Negan cut his eyes away from Hershel and looked down at Gracie. He could not help but smile. She was so pretty. Tina had been super hot at first, when she didn't need insulin.
Michonne reluctantly let go of Judith and RJ and addressed Hershel.
"Have you seen your mother yet?"
"No. I know she's staying in the apartment Carol lived in when she was here. Judith and RJ are going to take me over there." Hershel said, before tearing his eyes off of Michonne and glaring at Negan again!
Negan ignored Hershel's stink eye and addressed Gracie.
"Hi, Gracie. It was nice of you to come here. My son, Joshua, could use visitors." Negan said.
Gracie had no idea why Negan was talking to her, but she decided it was only polite to respond.
"Yes." Gracie was all she said. She couldn't think of anything else to say, and to be honest, Negan gave her the creeps!
Michonne was about to send the kids off to find Maggie, when she saw Andre approaching! And he was not alone. Stephanie was with him looking as if she had had no part whatsoever in all that had taken place. Michonne didn't know what to think of her, or what Eugene had gotten himself in to by marrying her.
Judith, RJ and Hershel glanced at one another, as they sized up the teen that they knew had to be Andre. RJ didn't think he looked all that much like a killer. Judith thought he was kind of cute and Hershel glared at him!
Meanwhile, Gracie moved closer to Michonne—Negan was staring at her! He was a killer!
"Negan, how is Joshua? Have you told him about what happened to Annie?" Stephanie asked in a sympathetic tone.
But it was Hershel that answered!
"What would he say? That Negan killed his mother, and another wife, then framed my mother for it?! He's the one that belongs in a cell!" Hershel snapped. God, he was sorry he hadn't listened to his mother about Negan!
"You must be Maggie's son." Andre said in a deadpan tone. "Shut your fucking mouth."
"Make me!" Hershel hissed daringly and stepped to Andre…along with Judith and RJ!
Michonne interceded…
"Andre, can I have a word? Alone?" she asked him. Andre glared at the kids, before looking at Michonne.
"Of course you can…MOM!"
RJ leaped at Andre and jammed his finger in his eye! Negan and Michonne moved to break the fight up, with Negan pulling Andre away from RJ, and Hershel kicked at both of them as they went by! Negan got Andre out of the hallway and shoved him into an exam room!
"Let me get Tomi to look at your eye, okay?" Negan asked, half looking at it. Andre's eye was red, like pink-eye red, but he wouldn't need a patch or anything.
"Can you believe that little fucker?! I ought to shoot…"
"Now, now," Negan warned, "no more talk like that! Look, we need to get out of here for awhile. How is the cleanup going at New Babylon?"
Andre paused. Yes, since Annie's murder, the 'trip' that had been planned to have Michonne come with them to New Babylon, had been postponed.
"It's done. I suppose we could go and see if any of the undead have been missed." Andre said, rubbing on his eye.
"Stop touching on your eye! Look, I say we go there and get things prepared for the next phase. I'm leaving to go get Tomi. Stay in here!" Negan told him and Andre nodded. Negan opened the door to leave and found Michonne about to step inside! Negan pushed her back and closed the door!
"You want to control RJ?" Negan asked her.
"You want to control yourself, Negan? Gracie just told me that you scare her. Darryl came and got the kids to take them to Carol's. How is Andre?"
"He won't lose his eye." Negan told her. Michonne tried to move around him but he continued to block her way!
"Could you move so I can go in there?" Michonne asked tiredly.
"I want to thank you for being there for Joshua. He likes you. I know I haven't spent much time with him to know about what he likes, and doesn't like, but I can tell he likes you, Michonne."
Michonne was torn by his words. There was a part of her that just wanted to be upfront with Negan, and tell him that Rick and her planned on taking Joshua back to Alexandria with them, whether he liked it or not. But the common sense part of Michonne decided to let Rick take the lead on this.
"I like him too." was all Michonne said.
"I'm going to get Tomi to look at Andre's eye." Negan said and walked back over to Joshua's room. Michonne opened the door to where Andre was and went inside. Andre looked at her with one, inflamed looking eye. Michonne could not help but think of Carl.
"I'm sorry about RJ. I just think he's having a hard time with this."
"And I'm not?" Andre asked in a hostile tone. "My mother was murdered and somehow I'm the bad guy?"
"No, Andre. YOU are not the bad guy here." Michonne told him as she moved closer to him. She gently touched his face and looked at his eye, before letting it go.
"Is that your way of saying that Negan killed my mother? I suppose you're going to tell me that he killed Annie too?"
"No. I don't think he killed Annie. You know why? Because he loved her."
"But he didn't love my mother, right?" Andre asked in a tired tone. Michonne noted this.
"You're tired. Stephanie is handling things around here, right? Why don't you take a nap…"
"The CRM doesn't take 'naps', Michonne." Andre said in the same tired tone, just as Tomi walked in. Michonne didn't know if Andre would want her to stay or go.
So she stayed. And Andre quietly accepted her presence, as Dr. Tomi examined his eye.
Meanwhile, Negan returned to Joshua's room. He had been stabilized and was resting. Negan pulled up a chair and sat next to his son's bed. It was only a matter of time before Joshua got well and Gracie came here to live with him—permanently.
Carol was allowed to visit Ezekiel inside of his cell…
"I'm still in this cell. So I'm assuming that our talking over radios when Annie was killed, isn't enough proof for Andre?" Ezekiel asked sarcastically.
Carol folded her arms.
"I think this is more Negan than Andre. Once again, Negan's the only 'witness' to yet another killing. It looks to people like Rick brought his friends here and now people are dying. And not by way of a walker." Carol said quietly.
"I don't understand how he is even alive! I got to Annie's apartment just as the electricity came back on! Negan and Annie were…naked…and he was sobbing…holding her on the bathroom floor…there was a toaster in the water…" Ezekiel trailed off before he closed his eyes briefly.
"You said that there was an extension cord that was used to get the toaster to the bathroom?" Carol asked. She knew it was painful for her ex husband to relive all of this, but the facts were that for whatever reason, Negan and Annie had sex in that tub and someone didn't like it. Either they didn't like Negan and didn't care if Annie was killed as well, or it was about the both of them.
"Is it possible that there is a New Babylon person in the Commonwealth that's pissed off? Maybe one of Annie's rapists?" Carol asked.
Ezekiel opened his eyes again.
"If there was, I would have no way of knowing that. But Stephanie would know about all new residents that were here." Ezekiel answered, as he tried to work through Carol's theory in his mind. He had taken Annie home and then went to his own place, which was in the same building, to update Carol on what was going on. Negan either followed the two of them there or was already in the bathroom, when they arrived. Not that Negan was even confessing to that much! But Ezekiel could not shake the fact that Negan was angry at him and Annie for being together. He had just murdered Pamela and framed Maggie, and it was clear to Ezekiel that now that Pamela was out of the way, Negan had planned on running the Commonwealth with Annie, and raising Joshua.
But things hadn't worked out the way Negan had intended, with regards to Annie. And now she was dead and yet…Negan and Annie had both been wet. Negan was as alive as the day was long and blaming him for Annie's murder.
"I can't shake the idea that Negan knows who threw that toaster in the bathtub and is somehow protecting them. And the only person that Negan has protected lately is Andre Beale." Ezekiel surmised.
"That's not a bad theory. And I don't think it's one Yumiko has considered." Carol pondered. "Andre could have found the two of them together and got pissed off that Negan was cheating on his mother, so soon after her death."
"It makes sense." Ezekiel said. "Have you seen Negan and Andre together yet? Is there any tension? Andre has no real poker face. He can't hide his true feelings about someone. If he's pissed off at Negan, it will be obvious."
"I haven't seen Andre with Negan yet." Carol admitted. "But when I do, I'll watch them. Hold on, Ezekiel. We're not going to let Negan get away with what he has done to you, or Maggie."
"How is she? Have you seen her?" Ezekiel asked.
"Yes and she's beyond pissed off! She's also frightened that Hershel may have to live in this world without both of his parents." Carol said.
"The key here is Andre." Ezekiel said. "He's the de facto head of the CRM until someone else is brought in."
Carol raised a brow!
"What do you mean? Beale was running things and then Andre took over. He gave the orders to have New Babylon wiped out, didn't he?"
"Carol, I do not believe that there aren't higher ups! Otherwise, Rick and Michonne would have been killed, not given a ride back here. And this organization is not about to let a sixteen year old boy, run any part of the CRM for very long. Rick and Michonne need to get ahold of whoever realized Beale was a bad apple, and tell them to get to the Commonwealth!"
"Okay, but what do we say here? Andre will look as if he is just trying to keep the peace, by jailing and executing a murderer that someone claims they saw kill. They don't know that Negan is a piece of shit, and Andre is not going to present him as one." Carol argued.
"What are we going to do, Carol? How do Maggie and I keep from dying?"
"Zeke…" Carol began but Ezekiel said something else.
"Do you remember our war with Negan? He wanted the heads of three strongholds killed—the head of Alexandria, the head of The Hilltop and the head of The Kingdom. That would have been Rick, Maggie and me. He has Maggie and I THIS close to the noose. Now all he needs is Rick. And he has Andre helping him. We get to Andre and we stop Negan." Ezekiel said firmly.
Judith, RJ and Gracie were getting re-acquainted with friends that they had met when they lived in the Commonwealth before. Hershel was with Maggie in Carol's apartment, talking about what had happened. Yumiko was with them, discussing how she was going to convince a jury that Negan framed Maggie and Ezekiel, because he really wanted to be with Michonne, and how Negan's diary, would be testimony enough.
Meanwhile, in Darryl's apartment, Rick and Darryl broke the bad news to Aaron about what Negan was alleging…
"What. In. The. Hell?" Aaron hissed. "And the two of you didn't think to tell me this right away?!"
Darryl answered that.
"I think Negan wrote that diary to piss off Rick and whoever else he hated at Alexandria, while he was locked up. We didn't believe any of it at first. I still don't, because I met Tina, when she, Sherry and Dwight were trying to escape Negan. I don't think she would have left a baby behind for Negan to raise."
"But you don't know that they weren't headed to the safe house to go and get her, do you?" Aaron argued.
"They needed insulin for Tina. She was diabetic. The three of them were on the run, Aaron. They weren't heading anywhere where the Saviors were. That means all safe houses. When I was a prisoner at the Sanctuary, neither Sherry, not Dwight, mentioned a niece." Darryl said matter-of-factly.
"Why would they have, Darryl? Seriously, you remember what that time was like! They couldn't say anything to anyone but 'yes' and 'no'! Otherwise they'd be killed! Dwight had already been burned with an iron for Christ's sakes! You two should have told me about this before I brought my daughter here!" Aaron snapped. He also thought about the probable way Gracie was conceived—that being when Tina was 'forced' to be a 'Negan Wife' to get insulin. A baby would have been a reminder of all that she had been through.
"Aaron," Rick said, "it's like what Darryl said. Negan is full of shit. But you all just showed up before we could warn you. We're not going to let Negan take Gracie, okay?"
"How do we stop him? We're on his turf now! His turf that he's killed to get!" Aaron yelled.
Rick looked at Darryl, before answering that.
"It makes me sick to say this out loud, but Michonne is the only card we can play here. I think he exaggerated some things in that diary, but I do think he has feelings for her. Negan will stay away from Gracie…"
"If what?" Darryl asked in a voice that was a lot louder than he intended. Aaron noticed the high pitch as well.
"I'm saying my wife can keep Negan in line. He's fond of Andre…"
"Oh the hell he is!" Darryl now snapped. "He's using him like he used Milton. And you know what he is going to expect from Michonne, in order to save Maggie, Ezekiel and keep away from Gracie! You'd really ask Michonne to do that?"
Aaron clenched his jaw and looked at Rick, who was now looking at Darryl in a rather challenging way!
"Why don't you just say it, Darryl? You think I would actually ask my wife to prostitute herself with Negan? Is that what you think I would do? You think I would do that after all we've been through?" Rick asked, his tone now hostile as hell.
But Aaron is the one that said the unthinkable, out loud.
"What Rick is saying, Darryl, is that Negan is in love with Michonne. That means she won't have to sleep with him. He'll just do what she asks. Right?" Aaron asked Rick, now feeling pity for him.
Darryl's face changed and softened as Rick looked away from him and faced Aaron.
"Yeah, Aaron. That is what I mean. Thank you for saying it out loud because I couldn't. Not without choking." Rick replied grimly.
Dr. Tomi was sitting in his office looking at patient charts, when Negan walked in and closed the door.
"Joshua is improving after that incident. I would ask that you stay away from him and just allow Mr. and Mrs. Grimes to see your son. He responds well to their visits." Tomi said coolly. There was no way in the hell he believed that Ezekiel murdered Annie! Ezekiel had been by Annie and Joshua's side from the beginning, while this…pestilence, that Annie had called a husband, had upended this whole community!
"I'm not here to talk about Joshua, though you should know that if he dies, you will die." Negan said casually. "I'm here to talk about what I want you to do next. I need for you to break out that trusty piece of hair that I gave you. The one that belongs to RJ Grimes."
Tomi felt his blood run cold!
"I was under the impression," Tomi began as he recovered his aplomb, "that that piece of trickery was going to be dropped. You know, since Michonne was kind enough to save Joshua."
"I'm doing this for Michonne, believe it or not. And whether this hurts anybody, is going to depend on Rick. Now you still have Dixon's DNA here?"
Tomi sighed.
"It was a requirement for all Commonwealth Army members. Yes. I still have it.
"Good. I'll let you know about the 'when' on that. In the meantime, I need whatever that drug was you used on Maggie. And I need a syringe." Negan told him.
Now Tomi lost it!
"For what, Negan?! For what now?! Or should I ask who?!" he snapped.
But Negan didn't even blink.
"You lost a patient last night, didn't you? A little girl who had some kind of illness? I'd hate to tell the higher ups that you fucked the child once she turned. You'd be joining Maggie and Ezekiel on the scaffold so you do as I FUCKING TELL YOU TO DO! I know you're busy and so am I, as I am preparing to bury two wives and take over this community. So have what I asked you for, when I return here in a few hours. Or else." Negan said coolly, before turning to leave the office.
Once he was gone, Tomi put his head in his hands. Oh God no. Not again.
Michonne left the hospital and decided to stop off at the church to check in with Father Gabriel about Annie's funeral. But when she got there, Michonne found out something rather disturbing…
"Negan wants one funeral for both women?" Michonne asked skeptically.
"Yes. I suppose it makes a strange sort of sense." Gabriel offered.
Michonne was about to say that nothing about any of this made sense. But then she realized that she had not just come to see how the funerals would be handled. She had come to reveal what had been going on with Glenn, to Gabriel.
"Michonne? I expected you to take me to task for even offering to do a 'two in one' funeral. Annie certainly deserves her own homecoming."
"I know. And she didn't deserve to be murdered." Michonne said as her eyes darted around the church. No one else was around.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked her. He could tell there was something she wanted to say. And she did not want it overheard. Michonne walked over to a pew and sat down. Gabriel joined her.
"Have you noticed how quickly I've recovered?" Michonne asked.
Gabriel's eyes ran over her.
"Yes. But I figured it was Rick's love and support that was responsible for that." Gabriel said patiently.
"Really? After transplant surgery?" Michonne asked wryly.
"I have seen miracles happen, Michonne. Now why don't you tell me what is troubling you?" Gabriel asked her.
Michonne looked around again before speaking.
"I died during the surgery. Dr. Tomi brought me back. And the only reason I know that is because Glenn told me."
Gabriel's eyes widened slightly!
"You saw Glenn during this time?"
"No. I saw him when I was still under anesthesia. It was like I left my body and watched myself sleep. Rick was sitting in a chair in the room." Michonne confided.
"I don't understand what you are telling me, Michonne. Are you telling me that Glenn sent you back to the living?"
"I am telling you, Gabriel, that Glenn was in my room as well! He told me Maggie needed my help from Negan. We both went out into the hallway and walked to Pamela Milton's hospital room. I saw Maggie looking drugged out and dazed, while being accused by Negan of murder. I watched Rick, Darryl and Ezekiel try and defend her but the army took her away. I then watched Negan be asked to be left alone, so he could so something to Pamela with his finger…" Michonne trailed off.
Gabriel's mouth dropped open!
"And then what?" Gabriel whispered, not knowing what to think about what Michonne was saying! Yes, he could very well believe Negan's act of depravity! But what Michonne was telling him, was that she and Glenn watched events unfold in the hospital, while her physical body appeared to be in a bed, recovering from kidney transplant surgery!
"At one point," Michonne continued on, "Negan asked to be left alone. He did not know Glenn and I could see him. That is until Glenn picked up that bat of Negan's and swung it at his back! The next think I know, Negan could see Glenn and I! And I had to break up a fight between the two of them and the other day…when Annie was killed, it happened again."
"You saw Glenn again?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes. I passed out and the next thing I knew, I was in Annie's apartment, watching her and Negan have sex in a bathtub. Glenn hooked the toaster up to an extension cord and threw it in the bathtub. It only killed Annie and I don't know why. Negan saw us there and doesn't know why…"
"You are saying that Negan saw Glenn kill Annie and chose to blame it on Ezekiel anyway?" Gabriel asked in anger.
"Yes." Michonne replied, relieved that he believed her. "I need to convince Andre that neither Ezekiel nor Maggie killed anyone. Yumiko has a plan and I don't think Rick is going to like it. I don't like it."
"Ahhh, yes. The diary defense. Yumiko mentioned it." Gabriel admitted, just as a young man walked up to them and requested to speak to Gabriel privately. Gabriel stood up and Michonne overheard some of what was being said. Apparently the young man had mortician experience, and was telling Gabriel that he was having a hard time hiding the stab mark on Pamela's forehead, when she had been knifed to keep her from turning. Gabriel excused himself and left with the young man, promising to return in a few moments.
Michonne sighed and looked around the church. She didn't know if she would have time to wait around for Gabriel's return. It was just as she was thinking of leaving and going to find the kids or Rick and Darryl, that she heard the sound of whistling.
It was Negan. And no, he was not whistling that damnable sounding tune, that sounded like it was straight out of a horror movie. No the tune he was whistling was much worse.
It was 'Here Comes the Bride'. Michonne turned in the pew to find Negan setting down next to her in the spot Gabriel had vacated. Michonne looked away.
"Are you sure you should be up walking around like this?" Negan asked. "Though I will say that Glenn and his ghostly bullshit has done wonders for you."
"Why are you here, Negan? Go back to the hospital and be with your son." Michonne suggested.
"You know, Annie was jealous of you."
Michonne looked away again and Negan raised a brow!
"You knew that?"
"No. But I knew she wasn't fond of me. I suspected she saw your 'diary'." Michonne told him.
"You know what she told me? The day that ended things for us…when she was gang raped by those New Babylon bastards…the morning was great. Joshua was asleep and we thought we could get some alone time in before he awoke. I thought our lovemaking was near to perfect. Earth shattering. And then Annie told me something, during yours and Joshua's surgery, that just blew my mind. She told me that I called out your name as everything became white lights and stars…and it hurt her. It hurt her so badly, that she went out for some time to herself and was abused. Assaulted." Negan said quietly.
Michonne's mouth dropped open! She could have went the rest of her life never knowing that!
"You were thinking of me that long ago?" Michonne asked dryly.
"Well hell, you read some of the diary…I mean I was thinking of you long before that! By the way, I heard Yumiko wants to use it to defend Ezekiel…or Maggie…and Eugene has something to do with all of this? I don't know, but I can't wait to hear my loving words read out loud for everyone to hear! Not that it will matter…since Andre will make sure that both of them die." Negan said slyly.
Michonne was about to stand but Negan reached out and grabbed her face! He then proceeded to use his lips to come in full, deep contact with her mouth! It was as she felt Negan's lips begin suckling her upper lip, that she passed out!
Negan felt her body go limp and pulled his mouth from hers! He lowered Michonne back on to the pew and stood up and looked around. What he suspected would happen now, did.
Glenn and Michonne appeared in the aisle! Michonne was wearing something different, for some reason. Michonne saw herself lying on the pew, glared at Negan before facing Glenn!
"Glenn, you have to stop this! He framed someone for what you did to Annie!" Michonne told him.
"I meant for both of them to die." Glenn said, while keeping his eyes on Negan. "But only your wife died. I guess I really messed up when I hit you with your bat."
"You sure the fuck did!" Negan snapped. "But I'm glad you're here. I plan on beating your ass to death, again, with my bare hands after you killed my wife…"
Glenn leaped at his throat and then with strength that Negan would have never thought possible, Glenn used his grip on his throat to slam his head against the end of a pew! Negan lost consciousness and slipped to the ground!
Gabriel returned to the church second later and found an unconscious Michonne lying on a pew, and Negan on the floor, unconscious as well! Gabriel hurried to the door and began to pull on the church bell fervently! Townspeople came running and Rick, Darryl and Aaron, looked out of the window.
"That's a sign of trouble!" Darryl told Rick and Aaron and they hurried out of the apartment. Carol, who had just left Ezekiel, ran towards the church as well, while Maggie, Hershel and Yumiko, left Carol's apartment to find out what had went wrong within the Commonwealth, again.