MARCIE AND VIVIAN LEANED UP AGAINST A TREE, WAITING FOR DARYL TO FINISH CHECKING THE  AREA FOR WALKERS AND PEOPLE.

"I don't see it, but it's close. There's just one of 'em." The hunter stated, walking back over to the small group,

"We won't be here long." Rick replied, "So what do you think?"

Rick wanted to make a plan, in case things went south. All their guns were locked away, and if something were to happen, they needed to be able to get to them.

Vivian avoided Rick's gaze, still not having talk to him since she moved in with her siblings. He was now wearing a uniform, with a tie and jacket and everything. Deanna appointed him and Michonne as constables, to keep the peace within the walls.

"We can go in when it's empty." Carol stated,

"How is that? It's locked up at night."

"The window. There's just a latch. I can leave it open." Carol explained,

"A latch?"

"Yeah."

"What if one of those pricks shuts it?" Daryl asked,

Daryl was yet to settle into Alexandria. He and Marcie still weren't assigned a job, but she was settling in faster. She had set up their bedroom in the basement, putting what belongings they did have on shelves and on the dresser.

While Daryl hasn't even bothered to shower yet.

"Wait a couple of days, leave it open again." Carol answered,

The sound of a walker began to fill the air, "It's getting closer." Marcie sighed, looking around for it,

"We need to do it sooner than later." Rick stated, "Right now, they're not watching us. Not worrying about meetings like this. We may need the guns, we may not."

"We will whatever way it goes." Carol replied,

"They're the luckiest damn people I ever met." Rick sighed, "And they just keep getting luckier."

"How's that?" Daryl asked, 

"We're here now."

"They've got a couple of footlockers just full of 9 millimeter autos, Rugers, Kel-Tecs." Carol explained, "Just tossed in there. They don't use them. They're never gonna know they're gone."

"Someone's got one now, right?" Daryl moved his gaze over to the empty blender, which used to hide a gun that Rick had placed before they first entered Alexandria,

"Listen, the others, we want them to try." Rick stated,

"You, too." Carol commented, looking over at the hunter,

"So we keep it quiet. Just us." Rick finished before his gaze moved to the trees, "Here it comes."

Marcie grabbed her knife, "Got him."

"Hey, wait." Carol stopped her, walking up behind her and raising her pistol. She shot the walker multiple times in the chest before finally shooting it in the head, "We said we were taking me out shooting. I couldn't go back with a full mag." She explained as everyone stared at her in confusion,

"Lucky he came by." Marcie joked,

"We should get back." Rick stated, and they began to walk towards the path where the walker came from, "You'll pull the latch, we'll pick our moment. Us, we don't need to be lucky."

Vivian paused as she glanced down at the walker. At the large 'W' on its' forehead,

"What the hell's that?" Daryl asked, seeing the same thing, "Is that a W?"

Vivian glanced up, sharing a look with Rick for the first time since they got out there. The bodies back at the truck, in the woods in Richmond, they had the same thing carved into their foreheads.

Whoever did it, they were close.

They needed to keep their guard up.

While Vivian, Carol, and Rick headed back to Alexandria, Marcie and Daryl went hunting. She knew he needed to be out there, out of the walls, for just a little bit longer.

She stared at him as she trailed behind, "I thought... I thought you wanted this." He paused, not turning to her but it let her know he was listening, "After Beth, I thought you needed Alexandria. But now we're here and you won't accept that this is the way it is now."

Daryl finally turned to her, "I don' need this. Those kids do. An' Rick. You, too. After all that shit ya said to me."

She knew what he was talking about. About that conversation at the church.

But her attitude had changed. Not because of Alexandria, but because of Beth.

"I do need this. And I think deep down, you want this. You just need to let yourself have it." Marcie replied.

Before he could say anything, they heard a branch break to their right. Daryl raised his crossbow and Marcie grabbed her gun.

"Come out! Now!" Daryl demanded, approaching a set of bushes,

Aaron stepped out, his hands raised in surrender. The both of them lowered their weapons,

"You can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound?" Aaron asked Daryl, who didn't respond, "Can you tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy? Rick doesn't seem to be an expert at that."

"There ain't much of a difference no more." Daryl commented,

"That how you feel about your people?" Aaron replied and Marcie looked over at the hunter,

"Why you followin' us?" Daryl snapped at him,

"I didn't know I was." Aaron explained, "I came out to hunt rabbits. I know why you're out here. Mind if I join?"

Marcie nodded, "Keep up."

"And keep quiet." Daryl growled before he began to walk away,

The brunette waited for Aaron to reach her before she walked side-by-side with him. He kept his gun gripped between his hands in case of anything sneaking up on them,

"How's Eric doing?"

"Better, he's still getting used to the crutches. Though I'm not sure I want him back out here again. I was lucky you guys got to him in time, it might not happen again." Aaron explained.

Marcie nodded, "Not everyone has the gift of chance."

Daryl shushed them as they got to a clearing. In the tall grass stood a dark horse, grazing. The trio stayed in the distance, just observing the beautiful creature.

"I've been trying to catch him for months, bring him inside." Aaron stated, "His name is Buttons."

Both Daryl and Marcie stared at Aaron, the latter had a smile on her face, "Buttons?"

"One of the kids saw him run by the gate a while back. Thought he looked like a Buttons." He reasoned with a sheepish smile, "I haven't seen him for a while. I was afraid it was too late. Every time Eric or I come close, he gets spooked." He grabbed a rope, tying into a lasso to be able to catch the horse.

Daryl grabbed the rope from his hands, "Have you done this before?" Aaron asked him.

"My group did. But they weren't out there that long." Daryl answered, referencing back to the prison when they had a horse Michonne used, "The longer they're out there, the more they become what they really are."

Marcie reached for his wrist, "Follow my lead."

Both the men watched as Marcie slowly walked out into the field. The horse didn't even react as she got closer and closer to him, "Not gonna hurt ya, buddy." She stated gently, one hand reaching out, "Just trying to help."

Daryl approached from the side, the rope ready in his hands,

Marcella clicked her tongue softly, "Good boy. You used to be somebody's, huh? Now you're just yours." Buttons lifted his head, snorting gently and just stared at her, "We can take care of ya, buddy. I promise."

Buttons stood still as Marcie placed a gentle hand on his nose, stroking the horse, "I promise." She whispered again as Daryl quickly looped the rope around Buttons' head.

He neighed, kicking up on his back legs. Marcie stepped back but once Buttons went back onto all fours, she reached out and stroked his neck, "Hey, buddy, you're good. You're all good."

The horse calmed down and Marcie smiled, "Good boy." Daryl kept a hold of the rope while she moved towards the horse's side, keeping a gently hand on him, "You did so good."

She moved to step on a log, "Marce...." Daryl called out,

"It's fine." She assured him, "I'll be careful."  Marcie slid one leg over Button's back and steadied herself, wrapping the rope around her wrist multiple times, "Okay, buddy." She stroked his mane with her free hand, "Let's keep it easy."

Marcie smiled down at Daryl as Buttons took a few steps. His scowl had disappeared as he watched her interacting with the animal.

Twigs snapped to their right and she turned to see walkers approaching. Buttons freaked out, rearing back up onto his hind legs. Marcie squeezed her thighs tight and the rope pulled tight, creating friction against her skin,

"Marcie!"

She let out a small shriek and Buttons took off, Daryl and Aaron calling after her.

The branches scratched at her skin as the horse ran through the woods. Marcie directed him towards Alexandria, figuring Daryl would followed the tracks back to their base.

The gate opened as Marcie approached. Buttons still didn't slow down, not until he paused in the streets of the community.

People began to gather, trying to see what the commotion was about. Marcie knew it would make the horse nervous and she tried to navigate him to the outskirts, towards their backyard.

"You're okay, boy." She whispered, patting his neck, "You're okay."

Once he was calm, she climbed off of him. She tied the rope around an apple tree before grabbing some of the fruit and feeding it to him, "Good boy." Marcie grinned.

Daryl didn't return for another hour, and he had made a b-line for her. He checked her for injuries, staring down at the rope burn that ran across her forearm before cupping her face, "Scared the shit outa me."

"Sorry." She replied, giving him a quick peck, "C'mon, let's get ready for the party. You need to shower."