Chapter 177-The Governor's son

Eugene's P.O.V

Eugene stares at Max with wide eyes. "You're Stephanie?"

"Yes. Well my name is really, Max. But I didn't know who you were and I didn't…I didn't know if I could trust you after we lost contact with Georgie so I gave you a fake name?" She trailed off, unsure

"It was her, Mercer and I found the radio she was using. I'm going to let you two talk," Regina smirked. "And you're a braver man then I would be. Have fun lovebirds." She says before she walks away, leaving Eugene looking after her unsure what she meant by being 'brave'

"Come on in." Max says and Eugene nods as he steps inside, immediately seeing the set up. "You never mentioned that you were missing an arm."

"It happened after we set up the meeting." Eugene looked down at it. "I got bit."

"Your people took your arm off?" Max asks Eugene who nods. "Well I'm glad you're okay." Max assured him warmly as she sits down and Eugene sits across from her. "I wanted to talk to you the second you got here, but Michael said I had to wait until after it was decided if we were going to work together."

"Michael? Wait General Michael Mercer? Why does Mercer get to make that decision?" Eugene asks.

"Besides being the general of the Commonwealth Army. He's also my brother." Max smiled, amused at the sudden worried look he had.

"Mercer is your brother?" Eugene gulped. "Of course, Mercer is your brother."

"Don't worry, he's harmless." Max waved this off.

"I do not believe that." Eugene flatly claimed but...gulped again and said nervously. "I…I know there is still a lot to be discussed between our people, but I would really like to get to know you better, Max."

"I'd like that too," Max rubbed his arm with a warm look. "I have to go see Governor Pamela, I'm her personal Assistant. But I shouldn't be gone alone. Can I come by the apartments later and we can go on a walk?"

"I would like that," Eugene says and Max smiles.

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl and Scott walked through the woods, not too dissimilar from the ones surrounding the Communities back home. "How'd you meet her?" Scott asks making Daryl look at her. "Alicia, how'd you meet her?"

"I went to Texas with Morgan after a war we were in. I met Alicia, John, Strand, Madison, June, Charlie, Al, and Daniel there. I fought Alicia most of the time. Hell she even shot me, but after everything, I invited them back to Georgia and we got closer and then we slept together, but we didn't get together until after we found out she was pregnant," Daryl tells Scott who nods. "Been married for about eight years."

"I remember you back at the beginning, I never thought I would hear that you were married or had kids. I'm glad you found a family." Scott assured and Daryl nods. "And Merle? What happened to him?"

"After we got out of Atlanta, we joined a group. Shane, and Carl were apart of that group, and Merle went on a run with them to Atlanta and got himself handcuffed to a pipe by Rick when he was being an asshole. When we went back to get him, he had cut his hand off. I didn't find him for about ten months. He was with an asshole, who called himself the Governor. Merle eventually joined us and we fought that asshole and Merle gave his life to give us time to come up with a plan." He stopped and looked down "I had to put him down."

"I'll be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of your brother. Yeah, he was kind of an racist asshole, but I knew he loved you, more than anything else. He would be pretty proud of you." Scott smiled.

"Thanks." Daryl muttered as he stops. "Tracks right there, deer."

"Ha! Knew you were a natural. Ok let's get it!" Scott says as they fall into a comfortable silence as they track the deer.

Rick's P.O.V

"You seem to know a lot of my people, Rick." Lance stared in shock as Heath walks towards him.

"I can't believe you're here!" Heath says as he hugs him tightly. "Are any of the others here? Tara, Glenn, Maggie, Abraham, Spencer, Eric, Aaron?"

Rick takes a deep breath. "Abraham, Spencer, Eric, and Glenn are dead. Have been for about ten years. Glenn and Abraham were killed first by Negan, the leader of the Saviors from the Outpost we hit, and he later killed Spencer. Olivia and Eric were killed in the war. But Tara, Maggie, and Aaron are alive. They're here actually."

"Is he dead?" Heath asks.

"No he is not." Morgan says. "He's resting in the apartments we are staying at. He's one of us."

"You let him live?" Heath looked between the pair in disbelief.

"You don't know the full story. A lot has happened since you disappeared and I will be glad to tell you about it, but I think Tara would be very happy to see you."

Heath nods, beaming and looked at Lance first for approval "You mind?"

"Oh not at all! Go on! Rick, I'll need to see you later for final delegations." Lance nodded, Rick nodding back as they begin to walk.

"What happened after the bridge? Tara just said that you were gone."

"I thought she was dead." Heath says. "There were walkers everywhere, so I jumped in the R.V and I just drove. Soon I came to Alexandria but...Rick, Morgan, I swear the place was in ruins. It looked like someone bombed the place." Rick and Morgan met each other's gazes, knowing it was during the Saviors' attack with the Scavengers "So I kept driving and I eventually ended up in the Commonwealth." Heath tells him, but he turned to Rick, confused. "I thought we killed Negan."

"It wasn't him. All of his people called themselves Negan." Rick rubbed his head. "We were idiots, there were so many of them."

"What about Jesus?" Heath asks.

"He's dead, died a couple of months ago," Rick tells Heath who bit his lip as they continue to walk.

Heath quietly said "I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

"Your here now." Morgan assured kindly "I know those who are left will be happy seeing you."

Ezekiel's P.O.V

Ezekiel walked up behind his son as he stared at the city on the steps. They were quiet for a moment, then Henry broke it with an emotional tone "Mom would have loved this place."

"Yes, she would have." Ezekiel says softly. "Henry…we must speak," Ezekiel says making his son look at him. Ezekiel motions for his son to sit down at a bench and Ezekiel sits down beside him. "I asked your mother not to tell you about this until after the war was over, I thought she would be here with us." Ezekiel says as his voice breaks. He takes a deep breath and looks at his son. He grabs the collar of his shirt and pulls it down revealing his tumor. "I have cancer, son."

"For how long?" Henry asks after a couple of moments, in a tone that sounded fragile.

"A couple of weeks." Ezekiel tells him.

"Can we save you?" Henry pleaded to his father.

"I do not know," Ezekiel answers. "Jerry seems to think that the doctors here will be able to do it but if this place is truly like the old world. Then there will be a list, and I will be put on it. If I get to the top of the list soon enough than yes, I should be able to be saved."

Henry stays silent as Ezekiel wraps his arm around his son. "I…can't lose you too."

"I know, my son," Ezekiel says as he pulls Henry into a hug and he restrained a sob as his son hugs him tight.

Beth's P.O.V

Beth walks into Pamela's office and saw her sitting at her desk with a chair set up in front of it. "I was asked to come and see you," Beth says and Pamela grins.

"Yes, Beth Greene correct? Please sit." Pamela says as Beth sits down. "From my understanding, you lead the community known as Hilltop."

"With my wife and sister." Beth answers. "I don't make the decisions by myself."

"Of course, I am aware of that. I will talk to the others soon don't worry, but I wanted to talk with you first. You have quite an interesting story. You have been through quite a lot."

"Haven't we all?" Beth shrugged.

"I suppose we have." Pamela nodded. "But you were shot in the head, not many have been shot there of all places."

"I was lucky." Beth clenched her fists. "That is why I'm alive."

Pamela folded her hands before her on her desk. "I have been speaking with the leaders of the communities. I plan to speak with your sister and wife. But I just wanted to know how you feel about our deal?"

"We need it." Beth then decided to be honest. "But that doesn't mean I want to work with you and I do not trust you. But my feelings do not matter, the safety of my people do, and as long as this deal keeps them safe, we won't have any problems."

"You have a child, don't you?" Pamela almost innocently asks Beth who tenses at that, but nods. "Don't you want your child to grow up in a place like this? Have birthday parties, go to school, go to the park and play, celebrate Halloween and Christmas, all with no fear of the monsters outside in the world. That is what working with the Commonwealth offers your child."

"This place offers my child a chance to live in the Old World. To be guarded from the horrors of what is out there. I don't want that." At Pamela's surprised expression, Beth explained "I want him to understand the world, so when I'm gone, I know he will be able to protect himself. That is what matters to me, and as long as he is happy with Tara and myself, I will continue to give him that life."

"Mrs Greene-"

"Can I go now?" She stood from her chair with a firm look.

"...Very well." Pamela said with a hint of sharpness and Beth nods as she stands up but stops by the door.

"Leave my child out of future conversations." Beth says in a low firm tone before she leaves the room, while Pamela watched with a razor gaze.

Tara's P.O.V

Tara sat with Maggie, Al, and Aaron, having dinner. They look at the door as it opens and Rick and Morgan come in followed by Heath. "Heath?" Tara stuttered as she hands Noah to Al and quickly stands, looking floored.

"Hi, Tara." Heath grinned wide and Tara grins as she hugs him.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Tara says as she hugs him tight then broke away, still reeling. "I didn't know what happened after the bridge."

"I thought you had died. Heck I thought you were all dead!" Heath says as he looks at Aaron who hugs him as well with a joyful look at an old friend coming back.

"It's good to see you man," Aaron says as he lets him go.

Heath looked to the third familiar face and cleared his throat "Um...Rick and Morgan gave me some details. I'm sorry about Glenn."

"Thank you." She says as she hugs him, but as he broke it he gave Althea a curious glance.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Al, Maggie's wife." Al says as she stands up and holds her hand out to Heath who shakes it.

"Wife?" Heath asks, stumped. "I guess a lot has changed."

"You have no idea. But we'll catch you up to speed." Rick says as the door opens and Alicia walks in with Strand.

"Rick-," She stops when she sees Heath, instantly puzzled. "I see we have company."

"Alicia this is Heath, he was part of Alexandria when we first got there. Heath this is Alicia Dixon." Rick smirked as he saw the further confusion on Heath's face.

"As in Daryl Dixon? The grouchy redneck who barely said two words to most people?"

"I'm his wife." Alicia couldn't help but chuckle at that apt description.

"THAT Daryl got married?" Heath asks with a smirk.

"He did, has two kids and another coming. He should be back soon." Rick says. "What's up Alicia?"

"We can talk about it later, right now I think you wanted to show Heath the rest." Alicia assured him.

"Come on, let's go find the others, Carl should be around here. We'll catch you up to speed" Rick says as he leaves with Heath, Morgan, Aaron and Tara.

"You okay?" Al asks Alicia who nods.

"Yeah." Alicia answers slowly. "I have to keep looking through this, I'll be back in a little bit," Alicia says as she leaves with Strand.

Eugene's P.O.V

Eugene and Max walked through the training area of the Commonwealth, seeing the beautiful scenery imposed with the run down buildings.. "Why are we here?" Eugene asks.

"It's more private." Max answers. 'Pamela doesn't know my full involvement with your communities. So us walking around together could be a problem. There shouldn't be anything out here, maybe a stray walker or two but you have your knife."

Eugene nods as they continue to walk. "You're staying here right?" Max asks Eugene almost hopefully who nods.

"Yes, I will be staying here." Eugene tells her. "I wish to help my people in anyway I can and hopefully building a good repour with your leaders will do that."

Max opens her mouth but is cut off my a scream. Eugene quickly runs towards the source and sees a young man and woman backing away from three walkers. Eugene removes his knife and stabs the first one in the back of the head. He swings his gauntlet into the second one's head taking it off and blood goes onto the woman's shirt as she screamed, Eugene stabbing the last one in the head.

Turning, Eugene brushed himself off and turned to the skinny young man with the plaid shirt, looking angry "Are you ok?"

"What the hell are you doing?!" He shouts.

"What? I believe that I was saving your life." Eugene answers. "Those walkers would have teared you apart."

"We didn't need saving! We have guards for that you dumbass!" He screeched as he looks at Max. "What are you doing out here with this dumbass?! You should be working you dumb bitch!" He shouts at her as they hear footsteps, attracted by the screaming. He looks at Eugene who punches him in the face.

"Eugene!" Max shouts as the young man holds his nose.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" He shouted.

"No!" Eugene turned and saw Max looking utterly petrified, looking at the man in horror as Commonwealth soldiers ran up to the group, all pointing guns at the worried Eugene "Eugene...no no no what have you done!? Why did you hit him!?"

"Because he was being an asshole." Eugene answered nervously as more guards aim their guns at him.

"Eugene that's Sebastian Milton! He's the Governor's son!"

Then Eugene's face truly dropped as General Mercer himself marched up...looking at Max in surprise then Eugene, then Sebastian "...What the hell is this?"

Thanks for reading. Next chapter the group works on getting Eugene out of jail as Max talks with Pamela and Mercer and Rick speaks with Lance. As always suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.