Disclaimer—I don't own or make claim to the characters from The Walking Dead. I only own my original characters

Everyone mills around the courtyard--it's a bit of organized chaos after clearing the walkers out and taking out the last of the savior's Lieutenants. Vehicles have been brought in and various people are starting to load up for the trip back home. Rick, Daryl, Abraham and company are tying up a few loose ends, but for most, the job is done. Maggie starts loading up her car, telling me that she's stopping at Alexandria tonight before continuing on to the Hilltop. She's going to stay there now to be close to Dr. Carson for her pregnancy, so she's going to gather up the rest of her and Glenn's personal items back at Alexandria.

I jump in the car with her at the last moment and Maggie pulls away and starts through the broken gates while giving me a knowing look. A loud yell erupts behind us, "Sandi! Come back here!" A pause and then, "Maggie, stop the car, now!" Rick yells. The car slows slightly.

I look at Maggie. "Please Maggie. Keep going, floor it!" She replies, "You know this isn't going to stop the confrontation, right? It'll just delay it."

"I know and a delay is all I'm asking for. At least a chance to shower before I face the music," I say. She laughs. "Ha, yeah, a shower can be helpful." I reply, "Yep, I can face a lot of things after a shower. So please, step on it a bit so I have time." The car speeds up and Maggie says, "OK, we'll get you your shower time." I reply, "Thanks Maggie. I owe you one." She looks over at me, "No, I owe you Sandi. More than I can ever repay."

When we arrive in Alexandria, there is a lot of hustle and bustle going on and cars & people everywhere. It looks like something is happening. Eugene walks up to our vehicle and leans in Maggie's window. "Thank Tetris you are here! I need your help. The Hilltop sent a messenger asking for help, their captives from the satellite station got restless and they almost had an escape. They need more bodies and considering what happened with The Kingdom, I'm sending some Alexandrians to help." About then I see my van parked nearby with my kids loading stuff. I pin Eugene down with my eyes, "What are my kids doing Eugene?" I ask.

"Well, I asked them to help Hilltop," he replies. My temperature starts rising. "You were sending my kids there without my permission??!!" I exclaim.

He responds, "Well, they are some of the most capable, able-bodied people we have here in Alexandria right now. I asked Kayla and Annie if they would go with the group to help Hilltop, but they were only willing to go if Kira and Jordan went with them so they could protect them. I assured them they'd be fine here, but they insisted, so...now that you're back though, they can leave them here with you." I send a glare his way, "Forget that, I'm going with them." I get out of the car and start to stalk away. Eugene yells, "But we need you here!" as he chases after me. I turn around and stick my finger into his chest. "Nope, you send my kids somewhere then you are sending me as well." I turn and walk away toward the kids.

Kayla notices me walking up. "Mom! I'm so glad you got back in time, I knew you'd kill us for leaving even though Eugene insisted," she says. I respond, "Yeah, Eugene and I had a few words about that. I'm coming with you, let me just pack a bag real quick." Annie pipes up, "We're already ahead of you, we packed one when we packed ours. We figured that even if we missed you, you'd show up at Hilltop soon enough." I give her a nod of appreciation and gather them all for a quick hug.

Kira asks, "Mom are you OK? What happened out there, we just heard that Negan was dead? Are you hurt? You have some ucky stuff on you." She looks at my clothes with disgust. The poncho didn't completely protect me from all the walker gore. "Yeah, I'm great. I had to decorate myself a bit to get through a herd," I assure them. Kira groans, "Ugh, not that. I hate that strategy. You're sure you are OK, no bites or scratches?"

"Nope, it worked like a dream. I was able to get to Negan. He's gone now and Daddy's avenged. Nothing to worry about although I could use a shower." Right then Eugene yells, "Everybody heading to the Hilltop move out!" I sigh. So much for that shower.

Maggie and Eugene walk over. Eugene states again, "Sandi, you can't go, we need you here." I roll my eyes at him. "My family comes first. If they're going, then I'm going." I'm unyielding on this point. Eugene tries to argue again. You'd think he'd have learned by now. "No, you can send Kayla and Annie and stay with the younger ones..." I interrupt him firmly, "No. They go, I go. We stay together."

Maggie takes the chance to speak up, saying, "Sandi you know he's not going to be happy you ran off." I look at her and sigh again, saying, "I'm not running off. My kids need me, Hilltop needs help, so I'm going. Just tell him the facts, that I didn't plan this. I'd really much rather be in a nice hot shower right now." She nods. "OK. I'll tell him. I have some things to do here and may as well help out, but tell Hilltop I'll be there tomorrow." I nod back and say, "I will. Don't worry, we'll get things under control by the time you get there. I'll see you soon." We load up and follow the convoy out of Alexandria's gates, heading for the Hilltop. I cringe, thinking of the next time I see Rick. He's going to be even more angry than he already is. I set my shoulders, well, there's no help for it. It is what it is, nothing I can do about it now.

An hour later...

A crowd of cars pull up to the gates and slowly come through. The first car isn't even fully at a stop yet when Rick hops out and starts stalking up the street. Eugene rushes to intercept with Maggie not far behind. "Rick! I'm so glad to see you, we have a lot to do to sort these people out, can you take those on the left and I'll take those on the right?" Eugene asks.

Without stopping his purposeful stride Rick calls over his shoulder, "I'll be back to help in a minute. First I have something I have to take care of." Eugene protests, "We can't wait, it's mass chaos and Alexandria needs you now Rick!" Rick ignores him and continues striding up the road. Eugene calls fruitlessly, "Rick!"

Maggie intervenes, "Rick, she's not there." Rick stops and then slowly turns around, pinning Maggie with his eyes. "Where is she?" he demands. Eugene figures out who they're talking about and states, "You mean Sandi? She went to Hilltop and against my express orders too!" He sounds indignant at this. It still upsets him that she wouldn't listen to him. He was left in charge, wasn't he?

Rick looks at Maggie incredulously. "She ran off to Hilltop? When she knew we needed to talk about her actions at the Sanctuary?" His voice starts rising incrementally. Maggie replies, "She didn't have a choice Rick. She wasn't planning on going, she just wanted a shower and then she planned on talking to you. That's the only reason I took her with me, I figured she had the right to clean up before you two went at it."

Eugene says, "What do you mean she didn't have a choice?! I expressly told her not to go!" Maggie rolls her eyes at Eugene. "Rick, when we got here they were getting ready to roll out for Hilltop. They were sending a group over because Hilltop called for help. I guess there was an escape attempt by the captured saviors and they needed more manpower since a lot of theirs was still at the Sanctuary. But her kids were there with the van all packed up. She couldn't let them go alone."

Rick looks confused asking, "Her kids were going? Who decided that?" Eugene replies, "I did. Her oldest 2 are capable fighters but they wouldn't go without their younger siblings. Didn't trust us to keep them safe for some reason." Rick scoffs, "I can understand that. So then you tried to make her stay and still send her kids?" Eugene responds, "Well, I told her the younger ones could stay now that she was home. But the older 2 were still on the detail to go."

Maggie asks, "You see that she didn't have a choice but to go with them?" Rick responds in frustration, "Yeah. I see that." He looks around the mass chaos in Alexandria coming to the realization that he can't leave right now. Maggie looks at him in sympathy. "I can head back to Hilltop now and I'll send them back here so you can talk to her."

Rick pinches his nose with his fingers, taking a deep breath and saying, "No, Just keep her there. It'll take me a few days to get this all cleared so I can come and I won't have time to talk until then. There's too many things that can happen with them on the road back here and too many opportunities to get 'lost' on the way back. Just have her stay there and I'll talk to her when I get there."

Maggie nods and looks around at the chaos. "Well, in that case, I know she and Jesus will have things in hand at the Hilltop, so I can stay and help you get everything settled here. Should cut some time off for you so you can get there faster. Rick throws her a look of gratitude. "Thanks, Maggie."

"Anytime Rick. You know I've got your back," she responds.

A/N So...she didn't mean to run away, just to grab a shower. Whoops.

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate you all coming back for more. If you liked this chapter please consider voting and I would love some comments!