After Negan left, Parker decided this was as good a chance as any. With most of the cruelest Saviors on their way to Alexandria with their boss, that left the Sanctuary relatively defenseless. The moment she closed the door to her room and found herself alone, Parker didn't hesitate to start throwing her belongings into her already overly-filled backpack. There were only clean clothes and her photographs scattered around the room, so once she put them in her bag, there was nothing to suggest she was ever there besides the holes in the walls. She left her room and ran through the hallways, heading to the lower level. She had seen the place where the motorbikes were parked while exploring the building, so she tried to head in the direction she thought was the right one. She ran into one of Negan's men, who stopped her in her tracks.

"What are you doing?" The man asked and Parker took a small step back.

"Uh...I was going for a walk," She stuttered a bit, not having planned this far ahead. Something about him seemed familiar, but she wasn't able to place it.

"With your backpack?" His eyebrows raised as he asked the question. "You want to tell me exactly what you're doing?" The way he spoke clicked in her head and that's when she knew him. He was someone from the old world. "I didn't think people needed bags stuffed full to take a walk."

"Yeah?" She worded it as a question, thinking up a lie. The realization hit like a truck as she stared at him. "I'm taking my things to Negan's room. You know, he wants to keep an eye on me and the baby or something." The lie itself disgusted her, but the Savior seemed to buy it. He never was the brightest person in the world, but she couldn't say she was surprised that he had found the Saviors.

"Okay, if it's the boss's orders, I won't stand in your way. Do you need help?"

"No. Um.. thank you. Thanks.. for the.. for the offer." Parker responded, a tight-lipped smile on her face. As she made to walk past him, he reached his arm out in front of her and she thought he had finally remembered her.

"Negan's room is the other way."

"Ah, yes," Parker hesitated, laughing awkwardly. "I just..."

"Parker?" Parker's head whipped around, a wave of relief washing over her.

"Sherry?" 

"There you are!" She gasped, practically running over. "I've been waiting for you for over an hour! I thought we were going to meet up for lunch before.." Her eyes landed on the backpack. "You moved all your stuff into Negan's room."

"Oh, yeah," Parker said, catching the look in Sherry's eyes that told her to play along. "Sorry, I guess I lost track of time."

"It doesn't matter," Sherry waved it off, her eyes falling on the Savior. "Are you the reason she's late, James?" 

"I'm sorry," James apologized, his eyes never leaving Parker. His stare filled with recognition. "I didn't mean to keep either of you waiting."

"Well, you better be on your way," Sherry replied, shooing him away. When he left- not without a glance or two over his shoulder- Sherry walked Parker down the hallway. "Come with me."

"What? Why?" Parker asked, thinking something else was going on. "Sherry I-" She was completely disoriented as she tried to wrap her mind around the idea of the man who used to hurt her still being alive. Let alone being one of Negan's soldiers.

"I'm helping you," Sherry cut her off, leading her away. "Calm down and keep your head down."

"Why are you doing this?" Parker questioned, as they ran down a flight of stairs to the ground floor.

"Because I saw you with your nephew," Sherry explained to her in a hushed voice. "You have two babies on the way and.. and you deserve better. You and your family. I just... I just wish I had nev- never come back here. It's too late for me, but you still have a chance. Negan is gone, so you can try now."

"I have to look for Daryl," Parker stopped, starting to turn around. She knew her way to the cells quite well. "I can't leave him behind. I need to- I can't just leave without him."

"He's gone," Sherry told her, and Parker's heart dropped into her stomach.

"Gone..? Wha- what do you mean 'gone'?" She tripped over her words as twenty different possibilities passed through her mind. "What happened to him?"

"I passed by his cell, I slipped him a key to his motorcycle. The one Dwight took." She quickly ushered her through a door. "I let him know that I was getting you. He should be by the motorcycles."

"I can't... come with me," Parker insisted, grabbing Sherry's hand. "You don't need to be here. You can come back with us."

"It's too late." Sherry shook her head. "Just make it worth it." There was urgency in her voice. "Just promise me that you will kill Negan. Fight him. Kill him. Ruin his life the same way he has ruined so many others." Parker nodded and hugged Sherry tightly.

"I will. Don't worry. Thank you for being my friend through all of this. I hope we meet again."

"Maybe someday," Sherry said quietly. With a final smile as a farewell gesture, Parker pushed the door that led to a small courtyard and saw a row of parked motorcycles. Her eyes landed on a figure, hunched over one of the bikes. Silently removing the gun from the bottom of her bag, Parker turned off its safety, bracing herself before pressing the gun to the back of their head.

"Get up, put down whatever you're holding, and turn around," Parker demanded. "Now!" The man turned, with his hands raised, and when he saw who was pointing a gun at his head, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Parker?"

"Daryl?" Parker whispered, her mouth open in surprise as she lowered the gun instantly. He grabbed her face with both hands. "I wasn't expecting you to be wearing that."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Parker nodded, covering his hands with hers as his thumb brushed her cheek. "Let's get the hell out of here." Daryl wanted to hug her, but there was no time.

"Come on." Daryl turned to a motorcycle- his motorcycle- and began trying to get the engine going. A door opened somewhere and another man entered the scene. Parker recognized him as Fat Joey, who raised his hands in surrender when he saw Parker pointing her gun at him and Daryl holding a metal pipe. Daryl slowly started walking towards him, signaling for Parker to stay where she was.

"What the hell? Whoa. Whoa! It's cool, I swear," Joey gasped in surprise, holding a sandwich in one of his hands. "Buddy, you can walk right out that back gate there, and I won't say anything to anybody. The both of you can walk right on out, I won't say a word. I'm supposed to be there now, but, listen, I'm- I'm just trying to get by. Just like you and your girl. Please." Daryl hit Joey in the head with the pipe and as he did so, Parker grabbed the handlebars of Daryl's motorcycle and pulled it out in front of the open gate.

"Daryl!" Another man ran around the corner, dressed in a familiar trench coat and a beanie. Jesus looked at the scene in front of him, seeing Daryl beating Joey to death and Parker grabbing the motorcycle. "Daryl?" Daryl dropped the pipe and looked for Joey's gun, which ended up being Rick's gun.

"It ain't just about gettin' by here. It's about gettin' it all." He got on his motorcycle and motioned for Parker to come with him. "I got the key. Let's go." Parker wasted no time in climbing up behind Daryl, securing her backpack to her back while wrapping her arms around his waist. Jesus ran ahead of them, through the gates, and got into the car he had stolen. Parker looked back one last time, watching the Sanctuary disappear behind the trees as Daryl followed after Jesus, and tightened her arms around his waist, pressing her face into the back of his shirt.

"We're free," She whispered, but he didn't hear her. "Finally." Jesus led them back to the Hilltop. Although their stay would only be temporary, it would be enough to assure them that they were no longer under the hold of Negan. When they finally stopped outside of Hilltop's gates, Parker got off Daryl's motorcycle and looked at him, her hands on his cheeks as she smiled at him. "Hey."

"Hey," He repeated, looking down at her.

"I missed you."

"I missed you more," Daryl responded. He leaned down to kiss her and that's when Parker started crying. She had missed him a lot more than she'd realized, even with being in the same place as him. Those moments when she managed to go to the cell were not enough to appease her need to be with him, but now they were free, safe. Stood in front of the walls of Hilltop, there was nothing to separate them anymore. When she stepped back, Daryl brushed Parker's hair out of her face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," She nodded. "Are you?"

"I'm better now that I have you," Daryl answered. Parker let out a silent sob 

"God, it's finally over." Daryl pulled her into his arms, feeling her body trembling against his chest.

"It's over for now."

"Daryl?" A familiar voice called out. "Parker, is that you?" Parker slowly turned around and saw Maggie standing above them. "Hey, open the gate!" She ordered whoever was on the other side, rushing down to meet them. Once the gates opened, they were instantly met with Magging walking towards them with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Maggie?"

"Thank god," Maggie gasped, jogging over to Parker. They found themselves in an embrace that nearly knocked them both over. Parker hugged Maggie tighter than she ever thought possible, surprised to see her alive after being told she was dead. In retrospect, she never should have believed Rick, but at the time she couldn't understand why he would lie. Especially about something like that. Now she knew. He lied to keep Maggie safe.

"What the hell? Rick told me you died," Parker held her at arm's length. "It's so good to see you."

"Gosh, you have no idea how relieved I am that you're okay," Maggie laughed, tears brimming in her eyes as she hugged Parker again.

"I'm so sorry," Parker whispered apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize for anything," Maggie muttered as she and Parker separated from their embrace. "You're here. That's all that matters." Parker smiled sadly.

"Rick told me you were dead." She repeated, still in disbelief that she was still a living, breathing person.

"He had to. I told him to," Maggie replied. "It was part of the plan." Parker sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

"He could have told me it was all a plan. Save me from the heartbreak of losing so many people in so little time."

"Well, I'm alive," Maggie confirmed, as she walked over to Daryl and pulled him in for a hug which was barely reciprocated. "It's good to see you. Jesus will find y'all a room." Parker and Daryl were led upstairs to a bedroom, and when they were inside, Parker turned to Daryl.

"I am so glad I'm out of there." She sighed in relief, her back pressed against the door.

"Me too," Daryl said, taking off the flannel he had escaped in. "I'm glad I can get out of this disgustin' shit."

"I hated seeing you like that," Parker whispered, walking over to him.

"I hated seeing you there," Daryl told her as he pulled his shirt over his head

"We're out. We're safe. And we can shower." They took a shower together for the first time in a long time. They spent more time in there than necessary, but when the water covered them both, it felt like the time spent in the Sanctuary was washing away. It would take more than hot water to cleanse them of what had happened, but it was a start, and now that they were finally safe, it all hit them both at once. Parker cried for her best friend as the water washed over them. She cried for Rick, Carl, and everyone who had suffered because of Negan, but Daryl was there to hold her. 

Once they got out of the shower, Parker went to her backpack, pulled out the clothes she had taken from Alexandria, and gave Daryl his clothes. They changed and sat together on the bed, not talking, just...being there together. They didn't need words, and when Daryl rested his hand on Parker's belly, he felt relieved for the first time since the night everything changed. Jesus came to their room and informed them that the rest of their group had arrived, and Parker's heart leaped into her throat at the thought of seeing Rick. She went downstairs with Daryl and Jesus and saw Rick at the doors with Maggie.

She felt tears in her eyes as she saw her brother's eyes boring into her, and then she ran. Rick caught Parker as she ran into his arms, letting out a cry of relief when she was safe in her brother's arms. Rick looked dazed for a moment, his arms only tightening around Parker when he was sure he wasn't dreaming. His hand rested on the back of her head, the other holding her as close as possible.

"Are you okay?" Rick whispered, trying to keep his voice from breaking. Parker nodded into his shoulder.

"I'm safe. We both are."

"Both?" Rick asked, looking over Parker's shoulder at Daryl. "Oh my god."

"Jesus helped us out," Parker explained to him. He walked over to Daryl and hugged him, whispering for a moment before they broke apart. Daryl then hugged Tara and Michonne while Parker was hugged by everyone else, barely registering whose arms were whose as she looked at Rick and Daryl. Daryl pulled out Rick's gun and held it out to him, and Rick took it in disbelief. Now that he had his gun back and his family was together again, Rick Grimes was ready. They all were. When everyone shared a hopeful look and nodded their heads, they realized it was time. It was time to fight.