• NOTE: I do know that Daryl and Rosita going to get Eugene back and the women meeting Georgie are in two different episodes, but this way, while Rosita is gone with Daryl, Tess can take her place. Bare with me. Thanks. All the love .xx •

—

THIS morning, after much argument, Daryl and Rosita left to go get Eugene back. Kidnap him back, that is. I didn't want them to go since it would obviously be too dangerous, but they didn't listen to me. Then, when I said that I would go with them, Daryl immediately fired back with an argument that I had to stay back.

However, I wanted to get out of here. My mind was wondering and racing around while I worried for what would come next with the Saviors. I just kept thinking... Who will die next?

"Hey, Tess," I heard someone call out my name as my eyes started to wonder around me. "Hey, up here." I looked up and saw Maggie standing guard up at the gate. She waved me over. "Come on up."

I didn't argue, so I went up the ladder to meet up with her. She handed me her binoculars and urged, "Tell me what you think of that out there."

I didn't know what she meant, but I pressed the binoculars to my eyes and peered through, looking straight ahead. I shook my head when I didn't see anything unusual. "Maggie, I don't—"

"Look straight ahead," she interrupted, pointing forward. "See that crate out there?"

Crate? For a split moment, I truly believed Maggie was going a bit coo-coo, to put it nicely. I didn't see anything, but after a moment of straining my eyes, I did see something. She was right. It was a crate of some kind.

"Whoa," I breathed out and finally put down the binoculars from my eyes. "Who put that there? Saviors?"

She shook her head, taking back her binoculars, and glared at me. "No, I'm thinking someone else."

"Someone... friendly?" I questioned, hoping that her judgment is better than mine. "Like who?"

She shrugged and glanced away for a moment. "Maybe we should go see what's out there."

She started to pass by me to go down the ladder when I grabbed her arm and demanded, "I'll go out there. Not you."

"What?"

She started to question my authority over her when I immediately added, "You're the one that's carrying the future, not me. Let me go out there, just watch my back."

I climb down the ladder first, but Maggie is hot on my tail. I started to go to the gate but was almost immediately ambushed by Tara. "Hey," she breathed out after running in time to catch me. "Where are you going?"

"There's a crate out there," Maggie answered before I could. "She's going to go get it. I can't. Her orders."

"A crate...?"

Tara began to question, but I didn't have time to answer if I wanted to go out there and get it. Hell, about the time that I've done explained it to her, I'll go out there, and the damn crate will be gone. I just rolled my eyes and opened the gate, myself, while Tara kept asking a hundred and fifty questions to Maggie.

I ran out there, heading straight for the crate, and got there. I expected an actual bomb to go off if I picked it up, but it was just a crate full of random things, for the most part. But, the most notable was the book inside. A Key To A Future, it read on the front cover page.

I picked up the note on top, scanning it, before handing it to Maggie, who read it with pursed lips. "Whoever wrote this is willing to offer us a key to our future in exchange for food and records. Records?"

I almost actually laughed. "Did you just say... records?" She glanced up and nodded, eyes connecting. "Wow. Okay, then. That's not weird at all."

Michonne took the note from Maggie and read it over, too. Maggie commented, "There's coordinates on there for a meeting point. Could be a trap."

I actually agreed with Maggie, so I placed my hands on my hips and nodded. "I agree. Could be some sort of... diversion from the Saviors or something. Can't be anything good."

"It could be," Michonne suddenly countered, eyes now fixated on mine. "We gotta go see."

"Michonne..."

She turned her back on myself and Maggie, which cut me off after using my warning tone. She glanced over her shoulder and barked, "Let's go."

I had to wonder why she was so determined to get caught and die...

—

MAGGIE, Michonne, Tara, Enid, and I decided to all go together to the destination in the letter. Michonne slowly drove up while I was ducked in the woods, and I could see a van in the middle of the road. This must be where we're meeting with these... strangers.

The brakes started to squeal, and this is when I finally noticed the two people by the van, waiting for us. I was the surprise element, but I was close enough to hear everything, too.

My crew took out their weapons and slowly approached the van, but didn't get too close to it, either. There were two women guarding it.

They suddenly opened the door on the side of it, and another woman stepped out, who looked older. She was relatively short with short, blonde hair and circled glasses. She even had a suit on, like this was a meeting between the president and the vice-president.

My crew lowered their weapons but kept them firmly in their hands, too, just in case. The blonde woman smiled and placed her hands together. "My name is Georgie, and these are my friends, Hilda and Midge." Hilda appeared to be on Georgie's right and Midge on her left. "And you are?"

Nobody spoke, just pursed their lips and looked at one another. Georgie smirked, "Suspicious. But, I'm curious enough to see what I have to offer for food and music." She started to slowly make her way towards them, along with her two friends. "I do hope the records are music. I don't accept spoken words. If you're out here, then you know that you can take care of yourselves, and I like that. I don't care to share this with the weak."

To my surprise, Maggie immediately spoke out, "Good." She nodded her head, and that is when I came flying out with my gun raised at them, as the surprise element that I mentioned before. To my surprise, though, Georgie smiled and looked back at Maggie, almost like she expected this much. "Enid."

Enid and I teamed up together, coming in from two different directions, and I checked Hilda for weapons while Enid checked Midge. I took Hilda's gun, sliding it in my back pocket before checking her some more.

Enid went to check Georgie, who quickly spoke up and said, "None for me." Nevertheless, Enid couldn't take her for her word, so she checked her, anyways. Georgie kept smiling, for God's sake.

Enid gave Maggie the nod of approval that Georgie was, indeed, clean. Maggie now had her gun raised, pointed directly at Georgie's head, and growled out, "Give us what you have."

Almost laughing it out, Georgie replied, "I'm afraid that I can't do that. I come bearing knowledge to trade... Essential knowledge for the future, primarily in my head, and, uh... I prefer to keep that where it is."

I didn't understand, as I slowly backed away from Hilda, who was probably eyeing me underneath her sunglasses. I wanted to trust these new people, but it is all up to Maggie now.

"You're trading knowledge?" Michonne asked, not having any weapons raised, just her curiosity showing.

Georgia faces Michonne and agreed, "That's what I have. I've made the same offer before — fill the crates, get the knowledge. Simple as that. It's not a trick, just a fair trade. I promise you."

I slowly lowered my weapon and actually listened to what she was saying. I understood, but, yet, I just didn't. If Paul was here right now, he would probably be the one that would. The whole "Peace Movement" is his whole idea, anyway.

"It's an act of benevolence," Hilda suddenly spoke up, to my surprise. I backed up even more, just to be on the safe side.

Enid lowered her weapon, just as Maggie asked, "Why would you do that?"

Georgie pursed her lips and innocently asked, "What else should I do?"

Georgie was quiet after that, and Maggie raised an eyebrow in response before calling out my name, "Tess." I nodded, already knowing my mission without her even saying it. I practically ran to the back of their van and popped open the trunk.

I could hear Georgie trying to tell Maggie that... "Uh, what's in there isn't part of the deal."

Maggie deadpanned back, "There is no deal."

I saw all their things while Michonne tried to see, too, from her position. I raised my gun and approached them again. "How many communities have you found?" I asked, with Georgie looking right at me.

Georgie spread her arms out and asked, "Communities like yours? Not many at all." She then turned back towards Maggie and continued, "And not one for a very long time. What you have is special, even unusual. The dead have brought out our best and worst, and the worst has been outpacing the best lately, but that won't last forever."

Midget shook her head, with her arms crossed, and agreed aloud, "It won't."

"If, perhaps, people can believe in people again, four crates of goods is worth far less than a sustainable future and, perhaps, an exercise in trust," Georgie continued, without stopping for a single beat. Maggie titled her head, almost like she was looking right through her. "I know... 'Trust' probably sounds like a made-up word now, like flinberschticky."

Um... What?

Hilda laughed and added, "Or... klompf." And Midge also added only a second later: "Or... moisture."

Georgie looked over her shoulder at Midge in question, as I was, and Enid just shook her head. "Stop. This isn't real. There's no way anyone survives going around doing what you say you're doing."

"But we do," Georgie conformed, smiling. "And we will, because I can divine that you are a fine group, manners notwithstanding."

I stood back but kept my eyes glued to Maggie and Michonne. Michonne slowly approached Maggie, who listened to her whispers. However, for what Michonne said, Maggie just shook her head and barked out, "No. These people and their van are coming with us back to Hilltop."

I didn't even second-guess her before I nodded and started to take them as prisoners.

—

BACK at Hilltop, it is up to Enid and myself to guard Georgie, Hilda, and Midge outside while Maggie is inside and Michonne is on the porch before she headed inside.

Enid and I stood there, watching them with close eyes, before Georgie suddenly glanced up at me with pursed lips and a sparkle to her eyes. "Excuse me, but did I catch that your name is... Tess?"

I slowly nodded, clearing my throat and lowering my weapon all the way down. "Yes... Why?"

"What a beautiful name you have," she complimented when she didn't even have to. "Is it short for Tessa, maybe?" I nodded since it was the truth. "Do you have any children, Tess?"

I didn't know exactly why she was asking me this, but I just looked up at Enid, who looked back at me before whispering, "Can you hold them down while I run inside real quick?" I nodded, and she ran in, probably to see what was taking Maggie and Michonne so long.

Back to Georgie, I shook my head and whispered out, "No..."

"Any relatives still living?"

I nodded and cleared my throat. "Uh, yeah. My twin brother, Paul."

With that said, her face started to glow again as she placed her hands together. "That's truly amazing. I am so glad that you still have your twin brother with you. Y'know, Hilda and Midge are twins, too. And, so, you can see why it is so important that your group takes up my offer, so that you all can have the key to the future and you get to spend more time with your brother."

I didn't honestly know what else to say, but the door opened just in time, so I didn't have to say anything. Michonne and Enid walked out, but still no Maggie. I looked to Michonne, and she nodded, which made me believe that Maggie may actually end up taking Georgie's offer.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Maggie comes walking out of it with a crate in her arms. Holy shit, she's actually doing it. She peered at Michonne as she went down the stairs and stood in front of Georgie, Hilda, and Midge.

Maggie sat the crate down in front of their feet, and Georgie asked, "No spoken word?"

Maggie shook her head and stated, "I'm agreeing to your deal." Georgie stood up when Maggie said this, but Hilda and Midge remained seated. "We'll fill your four crates, then you can go. You're gonna want that to be sooner than later."

Georgie looked Maggie in the eye and agreed, "I accept. But, I'm changing the terms. This one, no more. In addition, you can have a sizable portion of my food stores." Wait... What? Georgie instructed Hilda and Midge to get up and get the supplies, so I stood back to let them do that. "From the looks of things around here, you need it far more than we do."

Maggie was beyond confused — and, hell, so was I, too. "You're giving us food?" Georgie nodded. "In exchange for what?"

Georgie pointed down to the crate and commented, "Records and good faith. To be clear, this isn't a gift. It's barter. I'll be back. Maybe not for a while, but I will. And, by then, I expect great things."

With that said, Georgie took off towards her van and dipped inside. "Here...," she called out before turning around with something in her hands, "It's the aforementioned key to a future. Inside, there are handwritten plans for windmills, watermills, silos, hand-drawn schematics, guides to refining grain, creating lumber, aqueducts... A book of medieval human achievement, so we may have a future from our past."

Dammit, even I was touched by this. Georgie handed the book over to Maggie, who took it gently in her hands. I definitely will want to read that, myself, later. Though Maggie still was confused, I could see that she was grateful, though, as I was, too.

"Yes, I know, the originals are in my head, but I made photocopies," Georgie continued to talk, seeing the confusion written all over Maggie's face. "Still, it's been an evolving document since the copy shop."

My heart was warming up to this, trading with them for food and such. It was very true, too, how Georgie had that effect on people here. We haven't heard any good news in a very long time.

"Thank you," Maggie gulped out, truly appreciative. Hell, I wanted to hug Georgie for this. Would I be able to?

"Build this place up," Georgie said in return, confidence and respect in her tone. "I want those other crates filled when I get back. Cheeses for Hilda and pickles for Midge." Those are my favorites, too.

Maggie nodded and reassured, "We'll see what we can do."

Out of pure shock, Georgie leaned forward and touched Maggie's right shoulder. Nodding, she whispered out, "You will." Maggie was almost confused at first before she finally smiled, appreciative once more.

With that said, Georgie walked away towards the van, along with Hilda and Midge. Before she could go, though, I stopped her before she could fully enter the van. "Thank you," I decided to say, myself. "It means so much to us."

Georgie grinned and nodded. "Of course, Tess. Hold your twin brother close. The future is going to happen." I smiled in response, almost crying for how grateful that I was. "We'll see you next time. Goodbye."

I waved goodbye until they were nearly all out of sight, leaving myself and Maggie. I looked to her, and she smiled in response before dipping her head and heading back up the stairs with that book in her arms, close to her chest.

I called out to her before she could run inside, "I get to read it when you're finished!"

She opened the door but stopped before going inside. She grinned back at me and promised, "I know. You'll get it as soon as I'm finished with it."

Then, with that said, she shut the door behind her, and I was left there just as the sunset was setting on Hilltop. It was actually quite... beautiful, if I do say so, myself. It was peaceful, and it was something that I wished that I had got to experience with people like Glenn and Carl.

Nevertheless, I heard Georgie's voice in my head again to keep Paul close. So, I decided — for once — that I wasn't going to think of the past and all that I've lost. I was actually going to look to the future, the same one that Georgie just talked about, and I was going to find Paul so that we could watch the sunset...

Together.