Chapter 63-Going Home

Rick's P.O.V

Rick nodded at Carol as she left the tent, kissing his cheek as she did so. He had talked with Carol, Ezekiel, and Reilly since he had woken up. He looked at Shane as he walked into the tent. "You just having meetings in here?" Shane asks amused as he takes a seat.

"I can't walk," Rick says with a frown, "Hershel made this seem so easy."

"Hershel was one strong fucker." Shane says. "So are you, though. You'll get through this."

"I hope you still take my advice." Rick says.

"I will," Shane says after a moment. "When we first brought you into the tent, I saw that hospital again and the soldiers shooting the staff. So much has changed since then. We've changed, we've lost people, probably the best of them." Shane says as he stares ahead, lost in his own head.

"At least I'm not in a coma this time." Rick says with a smile breaking Shane out of his thoughts.

"You take it easy, brother. Being injured and moving around hurts like a son of a bitch. I have experience," Shane says. "We're almost done packing up camp. You want to talk to anybody else?"

"Negan." Rick says. Shane was shocked by this request, but he nodded. He patted Rick's shoulder as he left. A few minutes later, Negan walks in.

"Damn, Rick. You lose a leg, your kid loses an eye, now we just need someone to lose a hand, and we'll get a full pirate set." Negan started, his hands in their pockets.

Staring for a moment, Rick closed his eyes and let out the lightest snort at that image.

Negan continued. "Well, the bridge is shit now. What next?"

Rick started, "It was never about the bridge."

Negan paused. "What about all that fucking-"

"I wanted us all to come together. Working side by side, we did that a common enemy. It's not easy, but it never is." Rick looked at Negan again. "I bet you always imagined me like this, right?"

"Oh, you have no idea." The former Warlord snorted, "But as much as I want to enjoy this, it is hurting your kid, and I don't like seeing him get hurt, and it's hurting my friends. So if you could, fix that leg."

"I wish I could," Rick says with a smile.

"So since we have talked and you see that I'm not dead, I'm going to go help outside," Negan said.

Turning to leave, Rick then called out. "Negan, wait. I asked you in here for a reason."

Negan stopped at the flap of the tent, looking over his shoulder, wary but curious.

Rick was reminded of what the woman he loved once said when Negan was recovering.

*"Maybe Then You'll Be Good For Something."*

There were times he questioned if it was the right thing to save this man he was once convinced was a monster. The killer of Abraham, Glenn, Spencer, many others was lost in war.

But he remembered what Carl and Hershel taught him.

"Sometimes, I wonder if it would have been easier if Daryl left you to die in that cell."

Negan rolled his eyes, but Rick said, cutting off whatever smart ass remark he was gonna make. "For once, shut up and let someone else talk."

"But seeing us all together even with." He gulped, remembering the burning look Cyndie gave him as she left. He thought of what Carl told him Maggie said to him. "The...difficulties...it reminded me of what we're fighting for. Michonne once said you'd be good for something."

"I remember," Negan says flatly.

Rick nodded, closing his eyes as another flash of pain from his leg came up but pressed on. "I want you to promise something for me."

He stared up at the entrance, nothing but curiosity in the deposed leader's eyes.

"Protect them. Carl, Daryl, Morgan, Shane, Alicia, Ofelia, Merle, all of them, I'm not going to be outside Alexandria anymore. I'm not gonna be there to keep them all safe. You care about Carl, and I know that you care about Daryl, Carl, Morgan, Shane, Alicia, and the babies, as well as the others."

He knew that Morgan and Shane, in particular, were protective of the man in front of him.

And who was he to deny the wishes of his son? The man who was the best man at his wedding? The man who saved his life at the start of all of this?

"If you really care about restoring civilization...and the future, then promise me if they fall to their knees, pick them up if they're in danger save them," Rick pauses. Negan didn't answer, just staring at Rick..bemusedly wondering if for once the former Savior leader was actually speechless. "Can you do that?"

Finally speaking, Negan just said, "Yeah, I can try."

"All I'm asking." Rick nodded, staring at the ceiling.

For a moment, there was silence, then clearing his throat. "Well, better get out of here before anyone thinks I smothered your ass."

Rick smirked at him. "Yeah, it would be such a shame. Now get out of here and don't make me regret listening to Carl."

Giving a mock salute, Negan's eyes flashed with something Rick had never seen before when looking at him. Negan left the tent, and Rick laid his head back.

Carl's P.O.V

Carl and Enid climbed out of the car. "I'll start to pack." Enid says as she walks away. Carl nods as he walks up to Earl.

"How's your, Dad, kid?" Earl asks, putting his tools down and taking his hat off in concern, always knowing how close the Father and Son were to each other.

"He'll live. His leg is in bad shape though." Carl says. Carl looks down. "Earl...I'm going back to Alexandria. I want to be there for my dad." Carl looked up at the man. He expected to see a frown or anger, but Earl was smiling. He laid his hand on Carl's shoulder.

"I proud of you, Carl," Earl says. "Working with you this last year has been some of the best days of my life. You've grown so much since we started to work together. I wish you could stay here, and things didn't have to change, but your father needs you, Alexandria needs you, and when Rick heals and if he decides to become the leader again, there will always be a place for you at Hilltop and at my forge." Earl says. Carl hugs Earl, who hugs him back as a tear slides down his cheek.

Michonne's P.O.V

Daryl and Aaron helped Rick into the house. "Set me down on the couch," Rick tells them. They nodded as they set him down. "Kenny said you, Alicia, and the babies can stay in their house until you leave. He is helping with the rest of the cleanup, and then he'll be back," Rick tells Daryl, who nods as the two men leave the house. Michonne sits down beside Rick. "Carl wants to lead Alexandria for me." Rick says after a moment causing Michonne to look at him eyebrow raise and a hand around her stomach, the news having been only a few days old..

"What do you think of that?" Michonne asks him after a moment.

"I know he would be good at it. Since we've come to Alexandria, everything I've done was for Carl and Judith. So they could be kids." Rick sighed.

"And Judith will be able to but Carl...I'm sorry Rick but He had to stop being a kid a long time ago. You're right though. He will be a great leader with the right guidance." Michonne reassures Rick. "Carl will do what he thinks is best for everybody, for the people he loves, and we won't be able to stop him."

Rick nods as Michonne lays her head on his shoulder.

"Still gonna kick my ass?" Rick then asked after a moment.

"Yes, now shut up and don't ruin the moment...I love you."

"I love you too."

Enid's P.O.V

Enid knocks on the door to Maggie's room and waits. The door opens, and Maggie looks at her. Maggie doesn't say anything as she opens the door wider and steps aside. Enid walks in, and Maggie shuts the door.

A moment went by as Enid asked hesitantly "Where are Al and Hershel?"

"Taking a walk." Maggie says as she sits on the bed. "When are you leaving?"

"Carl is finishing now. He might come and talk to you too." Enid says softly. "Maggie-"

"You don't need to apologize." Maggie says, cutting Enid off. "You should have never been in a position where you had to choose between Carl or me. I understand why you did it." Maggie grabs Enid's hand and pulls her into a hug. "Make sure you visit. Hershel will want to see his sister."

Enid nods as Maggie kisses her head.

Looking at her sadly, Enid said "I swear I'll visit. I promise. And you will too?"

Maggie stared...then said "We'll see."

Enid saw that Maggie seemed unsure if she could face Rick, but nodding, hugging her once more.

Carl's P.O.V

Carl puts his last bag in the car as Enid walks outside. "You should talk to her." Enid says. Carl nods, knowing Enid was right as he walked into Barrington house. He smiled at Beth, who was sitting in Maggie's old office, and walked upstairs. Maggie's door was open.

He took a breath...he faced down walkers, rapists, Wolves, and a threat of his arm being cut off...yet this scared him. Unsure what Maggie would say. What Can be said for allowing the man who killed the father of your child to live?

Even now he won't apologize for it, still believing he did the right thing. But if Maggie hated him he wasn't sure if he could-"

"Come in, Carl," Maggie says from inside the room. Carl walks in, his thoughts broken, and shuts the door.

"Enid left pretty happy." Carl started slowly, staring at her warily.

"You say bye to Earl?" Maggie asks Carl instead, who nods.

"I'll be talking to Tammy before we leave."

The room was silent for a few moments. "What I said in the clearing about Glenn not being your family, I was wrong. I know you loved him. I know all of you loved him."

Letting out a sigh of relief at that, Carl looked at her eyes "I'm going to make my dream a reality, Maggie. I want you to be a part of it. And I'm sorry too. I never meant to hurt you I swear."

"I know," Maggie says softly. "I don't know if I can forgive him, but...I'll tolerate it. Also for Enid's sake." At his look, Maggie said "I forced Enid to choose between me and you. I saw how much it hurt her, and I never want her to go through that again. Daryl and I made a deal. As long as he keeps his end, maybe we can find a way to move on. Negan better never come back to Hilltop."

Carl nods. "He won't I'll see you later, Maggie," Carl says. Maggie nods as Carl leaves the room.

But his hand was grabbed for a moment...he turned and Maggie pulled him into a hug.

'Family can hate you, be disappointed in you. But they'll never stop loving you.'

His eye tearing up again, Carl hugged her back as the room was silent once more.

Carol's P.O.V

Carol steps outside of the car and looks around the Kingdom. She looks at Sherry as she walks up to them. "Who's in that van?" Sherry asks as a van stops.

"Saviors who wanted a fresh start," Ezekiel says. Sherry nods as the Saviors start to get out of the van.

"I assume that everybody has gone home." Sherry says.

"Yeah, Dorie wanted me to tell you to thank you for convincing him to come with you and helping him to find John," Carol tells her. "We could use some help showing them around,"

Sherry smiles and nods. "Let's do it."

Reilly's P.O.V

Reilly walks into his room and sighs as he sits down. He looks at the door as it opens, and Arat comes in. "You look like you want to sleep forever," Arat says with a smile.

"Our work isn't done yet. The day after tomorrow, we start to move towards the church community," Reilly says.

Arat nods as she sits down on his bed. "For the first time since the end of the war, I truly believe we have a chance at a new life," Arat tells him.

Reilly nods as he sits down beside her. "Let's not waste it," Reilly says. Arat nods and kisses Reilly and then pushes him back onto the bed.

Carl's P.O.V

Carl hugs Tammy. "You stay safe, boy, and if you need anything, you come to us. You always have a home and a family here," Tammy says. Carl nods. "You too, Enid."

"We'll remember that," Carl says. He lets Tammy go and looks at Kenneth. "I won't be here to watch these two. Keep them out of trouble."

"I'll try," Kenneth says as Earl walks up to them.

"I planned on giving this to you after the bridge was built, but since you're leaving, you should take it," Earl says as he holds a hatchet out to him. Carl grabs it. "You're Dad seems to like his. This will be better than that knife you have," The wooden grip had Grimes engraved on it. The metal had the initials C.G R.G. J.G., and M.G. engraved on it.

"Thank you," Carl says with a beaming smile as he puts the hatchet on his belt.

"There better be a forge in Alexandria next time I come," Earl says as Carl hugs him again. He lets him go after a moment, and Enid and Carl go towards the car and leave Alexandria.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan walks up to Rosita and Morgan's cabin and knocks on the door. The sun had almost completely set. The door opens, and Rosita looks at him. She had on a tank top and sweat pants. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything," Negan says with a grin.

"What do you want?" Rosita asks as she steps outside and shuts the door.

"I need you to tell me something," Negan says. "I need to trust me on this."

"What is it, Negan?" Rosita asks as she crosses her arms.

Negan saw the stance, understanding his tolerance of him was still minimal at best so decided to cut to the chase.

"Where's Lucille?"

Thanks for reading. Carl and Enid are going back to Alexandria, and after a year, Negan is asking where his bat is. Next chapter, we should wrap up the bridge arc unless I think of something else that I need to cover. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.