VIVIAN AND DEBBIE WERE RUSHING TOWARDS MAGGIE'S HOUSE, WITH ENID AHEAD OF THEM,

"Mags!" Vivian burst through the door and rushed to her friend's side, "Where does it hurt?"

"It's the baby." Maggie sobbed as she clutched her stomach, her now short hair covered in sweat,

Debbie shook her head, "I-I don't know what to do. Denise never-"

Vivian placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, a small attempt to comfort her, "We need to bring her to Hilltop." She turned to Enid, "Glenn and the others aren't back yet. I can take her myself."

"You shouldn't be going out there by yourself." Debbie argued,

"Too bad. This is how it's happening. Go tell Finn and Abraham, tell them to get a car ready."

Footsteps came through the door, signalling the arrival of more people. Rick and Carl rushed in, their eyes searching for anybody to give them answers,

"What happened?" Rick asked as Vivian approached him, 

"Maggie's sick. She thinks it's the baby." She glanced over his shoulder, searching for the older woman who went missing hours ago, "Did you get Carol back?"

He shook his head, "Morgan's still looking for her. She was attacked by more Saviours."

Vivian sighed, running her hand through her hair, "This isn't even close to being over, is it?"

"I don't think so."

"I was gonna bring Maggie to Hilltop-"

"You're not doing it alone. We'll take the RV." Rick stated,

Vivian grew nervous. If Rick wanted to take the RV, that means a lot of people could be joining them on this quest. No one would be left behind to protect Alexandria.

To protect Liam and Judith.

Rick noticed the anxiety building up in her chest, "Hey, hey." He stepped closer to her so the others wouldn't hear, "The others will be back soon. They're probably already on their way back. Everything's gonna be okay."

Vivian glanced back at Maggie, who was being comforted by the teenagers. She promised Glenn she would take care of this baby, and as much as she wanted to stay back, she needed to go with her.

"Okay." She turned back to Rick, "Let's load up the RV."

Finn brought the RV to the house, where Rick and Vivian helped Maggie into the RV and towards the bed. Rick had Carl go get some guns and the girls followed after him while they adults went to get a few supplies.

"I don't care what you say, I'm going with you." Debbie argued as the trio entered the supply house and Carl began grabbing handguns and ammo, 

"I said no."

"Glenn isn't back yet and we need to be there for Maggie. Debbie is the only one with any medical experience." Enid defended, but he didn't pay attention to them, "Carl!"

"Look, you were wrong before." Carl turned towards them, "This place isn't too big to protect. And you need to stay back and help protect it." His eye went to Debbie, "You said so yourself, you don't know what you're doing. But this, protecting this place, I know you can do that."

Debbie stepped back, thinking about what Carl just said. If she goes with, she could learn so much more from the doctor at Hilltop.

But with so many of their fighters outside the walls, Debbie knew they needed people to protect Alexandria.

"This place is ready. Most of us have been trained, you know that. If you were worried about an attack, you wouldn't be leaving." Enid stated,

"You know how far the Hilltop is? You know what could happen?" Carl asked her, "Those Saviors are out there. You know what they did to Denise, what they tried to do with Maggie and Carol and Marcie, to Daryl, to Rosita, to Eugene. I'm not gonna let that happen to you, any of you."

Carl made eye contact with Debbie, and she nodded.

Debbie went back outside and into the RV to check on Maggie, kneeling next to her sister, "Carl wants me to stay behind." She stated, grabbing a cold cloth and pressing it to Maggie's burning forehead,

"He's right." Vivian stared at her younger sister, "We don't know what's out there. I want you back here in case anything happens. Finn will be here with you, you won't be alone."

Vivian heard Abraham and Sasha outside the RV and left Debbie to look over Maggie. She stepped out to see them plus Eugene, 

"Good call on the transport."

"Well, I figured she'd be more comfortable." Rick reasoned,

"It also means you got room for more. They're out there, so I'm gonna be there with you." Abraham stated,

"We are. Package deal." Sasha smiled at them before Vivian moved out of the way so they could get on,

"Uh, what she said." Eugene stated awkwardly before following behind.

Finn walked up to them, Liam keeping up with him by holding his hand, "How is she?"

"She's stable for now, but we can't wait much longer." Vivian answered as Liam ran over and wrapped himself around her leg, "The others still aren't back?"

Finn shook his head, adjusting the gun on his back, "Gabriel's on watch now, but no, no sign of them." He sighed, "What are the chances they aren't coming back?"

Vivian knew he was worried about Rosita. The two had gotten close the past couple weeks, usually on watch together when Finn wasn't working on the wall or coming up with other security mock ups.

"They're coming back." Vivian assured him before kneeling down in front of Liam, "And so are we."

"I don't want you to go, momma." Liam mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her neck,

"I know, I know, baby, but Maggie needs me right now. But I'll be back soon." Vivian pulled away and brushed his blonde curls back, "I promise."

Liam sniffled and nodded before going back to Finn. Vivian stood and hugged her brother, "Watch Debbie closely. She wants to come but knowing her, she'd find a way out."

"Stay safe out there." Finn stepped back and glanced over at Rick, "We have 24-hour shifts set up on each of the watchtowers, each one of them fully supplied and ready. In the case that we're attacked, we have drivers assigned, evacuation and distraction, and the rendezvous we discussed. In the event of any emergency, my first priority is Judith, Liam and Debbie." Finn raised his hand out for Rick to shake, "My sister better be your first priority if anything happens out there."

"Thank you." Rick shook his hand, "And it is."

"Debbie!" Vivian called out as Carl approached the RV, "It's time."

The redhead stood on the steps, staring at Carl. She wanted to be mad at him, but knowing this world, she would hate for that to be the last thing she felt for him in case something happened out there.

"Okay." She sighed and stepped down before approaching the teenage boy and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Be careful."

Carl nodded, squeezing her back, "You, too."

She kissed his cheek, her face turning red, before turning to her sister and hugging her, too, "I hate that I can't come with."

"We need you here." Vivian kissed the top of her head, "I'll see you soon."

Carl scrambled onto the RV, avoiding his father's and Vivian's gaze as Spencer approached, "Hey, Rick. If the Saviors do show up... I don't know, I'm thinking, if it's not too late, should we try and make some kind of deal?"

Vivian fought to not roll her eyes as she stepped onto the RV and settled into booth, keeping an eye on Maggie as Aaron attended to her,

"Tell them to wait for me. I got a deal for them." Rick followed after her, slamming the door shut,

"Let's go."

Once they got moving, Rick went into the back to check on the mother-to-be, "Hey." he whispered, trying not to startle her, "We're gonna get there. The doctor at the Hilltop, he's gonna make things better."

"How do you know?" Maggie whispered, 

"Everything we've done, we've done together. We got here together and we're still here. Things have happened, but it's always worked out for us 'cause it's always been all of us. That's how I know. 'Cause as long as it's all of us, we can do anything."

Vivian understood how Rick felt. Ever since Hershel's and Beth's deaths, she felt obligated to take care of Maggie, to watch over her. Not that Glenn couldn't do it, or wasn't doing that before, but they all felt the need to protect the woman who symbolised a good part in this scary world.

"What the bitch?" They heard Abraham curse before he stepped on the brakes.

Everyone except Maggie moved to stare out the windshield.

"What?"

There, in the middle of the road, was a large group of men. Three cars blocked the road behind them, and another man laid on the asphalt, looking like he was in pain.

It was more than likely that these were the Saviours. 

And they were keeping them away from Hilltop.

"We doing this?" Abraham asked their leader, and everyone turned to look at him,

"No."

The redhead put the RV in park while Rick stepped out onto the road. They all filed out after him, holding their weapons while Rick raised his arms to show he was no threat.

Not at the moment.

Their leader stepped forward and spoke, "He's someone who was with a whole lot of someones who didn't listen."

"We can make a deal right here, right now." Rick stated,

"That's right, we can." The man nodded, "Give us all your stuff. We'll probably have to kill one of you. That's just the way it is, but then we can start moving forward on business. All you have to do is listen."

"Yeah..." Rick lowered his hands and rested them on his rifle, "that deal's not gonna work for us. Fact is, I was about to ask for all of your stuff, only I'm thinking I don't have to kill any of you. Any more of you." He corrected himself,

A redhead stepped forward, shaking a can of spray paint before spraying the injured man who was laying on the road. Rick glanced back at her, but Vivian didn't meet his gaze, watching as a large 'X' was marked on the man's shirt,

There was a man in the background, not as tall as the others, who seemed to hide himself. He was looking at the ground, hiding his face. But the others weren't afraid of eye contact.

It made Vivian curious, but she didn't lower her guard.

"Sorry, my deal is the only deal." Their leader spoke, "We don't negotiate."

Rick raised his hand to signal to them to head back to the RV, "Me and my people are leaving."

The man waved, "Okay, friend. Plenty of ways to get to where you're going."

Before Rick got on the RV, he turned to the other group, "You want to make today your last day on Earth?"

Vivian watched from the passenger seat as they continued the conversation, "No, but that is a good thing to bring up." The man wagged his finger, "Think about it. What if it's the last day on Earth for you? For someone you love? What if that's true? Maybe you should be extra nice to those people in that RV, 'cause you never know..." He snapped his fingers, "Just like that. Be kind to each other. Like you said... like it was your last day on Earth."

"You do the same."