VIVIAN FIDDLED WITH THE ARMY TOY IN HER HAND,

Rick was in the back with Maggie while they tried to come up with some other plan, some other way to get Maggie to Hilltop.

The brunette glanced down at the toy and noticed some marking underneath,

'E.D'

She stood up straighter, running her thumb over the etching. It couldn't be a coincidence, it had to have been Emmett's. He placed it there on purpose. He knew she was gonna be there, but how?

He must've seen her. But if her brother saw her, that would be because he was with them.

He was a Saviour.

Tears welled up her eyes, trying to figure out some sort of other explanation. But it all led back to the same thing. He ran away from Alexandria and joined the Saviours.

"Fuck."

"What is that?" Carl asked, leaning against the counter next to Vivian, "I mean, I know what it is, I used to have them, but, what does it mean? I saw you go for it back in the road."

"I have a theory." Vivian sighed, stuffing it back into her pocket, "But I hope to God I'm wrong."

They made it back onto the road, only to be blocked by a pile up of trees. The group exited the RV, to see if they could push their way through,

Vivian spotted the marks in the dirt, and Eugene spoke up, "These tracks... they would indicate they not only have people, but some big ass toys and capabilities."

"What it indicates is we are neck-deep up shit creek with our mouths wide open." Abraham commented,

There was a scream behind them and they turned to see the man they saw earlier in the day, the one that was being beaten by the Saviours, pushed off the bridge with a chain wrapped around his throat,

Vivian gasped in shock as the man began to choke, and Aaron raised his gun and aimed,

"Don't." Abraham stopped him,

"I can try and break the chain." Aaron insisted,

"It won't work."

"I can try." Aaron was a good man like that, but they all knew it would be fruitless. Even him. But he had hope.

"It won't work." Rick stopped him, "And we need the bullets."

Because they'd need them against the Saviours.

Vivian saw the look on Carl's face and reached for his hand to comfort him. He squeezed back, his eyes not tearing away from the man as the life left him.

The smell of smoke and burning wood distracted Vivian from the dead man hanging from the bridge, and they turned to see the wall of trees being burned, 

"You're treating your people good, right?" The man from before spoke from the other side of the wall, "Like it was your last day on Earth? Or maybe one of theirs? You better go. It's gonna get hot. You go get where you're going."

"Go," Rick nodded at Vivian and Carl, "Go. Get on."

Abraham backed the RV away from the burning wood and began driving. He stopped only a couple miles away so they wouldn't waste the gas as they came up with a new plan.

They had to be on Plan Z by now.

"So, what's the play?" Abraham asked,

Rick walked over, "She needs a doctor."

Sasha pointed to the map, "There are two more routes north from here."

Vivian sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, "Let's be honest, they're probably waiting for us right now. No matter what route we take, they know we're coming."

Eugene shook his head, "So, they're ahead of us, probably behind us. But they're not waiting on us, per se, they're waiting on this rust bucket. And they don't know the moment-to-moment occupancy of said rust-bucket. And the sun sets soon."

Vivian knew where he was going with it. Someone needs to sacrifice themself, keep driving the RV, while the others took Maggie on foot to Hilltop. 

But the question is, who's gonna stay behind?

Eugene suggested the plan because he was the one who planned on staying back all this time. He's okay risking his life to make sure Maggie got to the doctor.

He was so far from the man he used to be.

Rick and Abraham stood on either end of the stretcher that Maggie was laying on, after they said their goodbyes to Eugene. While they began walking, Vivian stayed behind to make sure Eugene got on his way. Carl walked over, squeezing her hand, "C'mon."

The RV drove slowly down the road and Vivian sighed, not knowing if they'd see Eugene again. She squeezed Carl's hand back before following after the others.

Sasha and Vivian stayed on the sides of the stretcher, helping Abraham and Rick with the weight. Carl led the group, killing any walkers that got near them while Aaron brought up the rear for the same reason in case anything snuck up on them.

It was dark and Vivian was getting worried about how long it was taking them to get to Hilltop. Would Maggie be okay? Or her child?

Their eyes soon adjusted to their surroundings thanks to the full moon that shined above them. If it were under different circumstances, Vivian would've thought it was a beautiful night.

"Viv, please." Maggie croaked, "Just let me walk it."

"Relax." Vivian gave her a small smile, "Just a few more miles."

Carl turned to his father, "I heard what you told her when we were leaving. We can do anything, 'cause we'll do anything we need to do. We have and we will. What happened to Denise, I'm not gonna let anybody die like that again."

"Son..."

Before Rick could finish his thought, whistles echoed through the trees. You could see the panic on everyone's faces.

Vivian gripped her gun, her eyes narrowing past the trees to see the shadows moving as more whistles could be heard.

It was over, wasn't it?

"Go! Go!" Rick urged as they began to pick up the pace.

Vivian felt bad for jostling Maggie around, but they needed to put some distance between them and the Saviours, and hopefully loose them in the woods.

They came into a clearing and a bright light shined on them. Vivian thought she was dead and was entering heaven, but she reached over and found Carl's hand which reminded her that it was real, and they were in serious danger.

Once her eyes adjusted to the headlights of the truck in front of them, she could finally see the dozens of Saviours surrounding them.

They had no idea the Saviours had that many people. They were hilariously out manned and out gunned.

And then she saw the RV.

Eugene never made it far. The Saviours figured out their plan early on.

She didn't let go of Carl's hand as she glanced over to Rick, who was already staring back at her.

There wasn't a way out of this, and he knew it.

"Good." The man who they spoke to the most stepped forward, a smirk on his face, "You made it. Welcome to where you're going."

Vivian's eyes began searching the crowd, looking for a certain boy. But she got distracted by the gun raised towards Carl, "We'll take your weapons.Now."

She moved herself to stand in front of him, her eyes narrowing at the man. He smiled at her and Rick spoke, taking the attention away from them, "We can talk about-"

"We're done talking. Time to listen."

Men stepped forward and reached for their guns. Vivian was about to snap at the man coming up behind her, but the words were caught in her throat.

There he was, grabbing her gun and leaving her vulnerable.

Emmett.

Alive.

Older, taller, but unmistakably him.

Her baby brother.

The kid who used to steal from the corner stores and give them to his younger sister, the boy who liked to play with Vivian's lighter and set the curtain on fire more than once.

The one she'd buried in her heart, convinced he'd died alone on the road, like so many others.

But now he was standing in front of her, taking her weapon.

He didn't say a word. Just looked at her and lifted a finger to his lips. Keep quiet.

And she did.

Because she couldn't speak.

Couldn't even breathe.

Did he join them because he had to? Or because he wanted to?

Was this survival...

Or betrayal?

Vivian didn't know which answer would hurt more.

Emmett stepped back, holding onto her weapons as he rejoined his new group,

The man flicked Carl's hat before turning back to the group, "Okay. Let's get her down and get you all on your knees. Lots to cover."

More men came up to take Maggie away but Abraham stopped them. Vivian stepped forward, breaking from her shock  to help the sick woman to her knees.

Eugene was dragged forward and they could see his swollen eye and bloodied nose. Vivian knew they tortured him to figure out where the rest of them were.

The man walked up to Rick, "Gonna need you on your knees."

Rick looked over at Vivian, and all she sees is panic behind his eyes. Not control. Not strength.

Just fear.

She stared at the man she loves as he fell to his knees and she knew that the future they built in their minds had crumbled.

There was no going back.

Blood will be shed.

Lives will be lost.