- Cass's POV -

"Hi." Aaron breathes nervously, his blue eyes darting around the barn, taking everyone in, his hands raised in surrender.

As if sensing the presence of a stranger, Judith cries out in Rick's arms, looking over at her brother beside her. Rick nods at Carl, who takes his sister to allow Rick to take a step toward the new man alone, making my chest tighten slightly with worry.

"It's nice to meet you," Aaron tells Rick friendily with a smile, holding out his hand and starting to walk over to Rick as if to shake his hand. At the immediate shuffling and metal clicks of my family members aiming our weapons at him, Aaron stops in his tracks, slowly putting his hands back up in surrender with a gulp.

I turn to look at Rick's profile to the left of me as he coldly assesses the stranger, squinting his eyes once, strong distrust evident in his expression. Nerves flutter across my belly looking at his hardened look, knowing that if Rick's concerned, we all should be too.

"You said he had a weapon?" Rick asks Maggie, who nods, walking over to pass the small handgun to Rick. Rick shifts, tucking the gun in the back of his waistband, still watching Aaron suspiciously.

"There something you need?" Rick asks the man with a twinge of irritation, tilting his head to the side, in that characteristic intimidating way of his.

"He has a camp nearby," Sasha explains, sparing a glance at Aaron beside her before her brown eyes dart back at our leader. "He wants us to audition for membership." She informs Rick, her eyebrows raised and lips pursed.

...Audition?

"I wish there was another word." Aaron adds hurriedly, looking around the room, his eyes meeting mine for a second. "Audition makes it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe." He breathes awkwardly, seeming to think about it before he adds something else.

"That's only on Friday nights." He jokes, but no one laughs, making him clear his throat and avert his gaze. I furrow my brows, squinting at the peculiar man in front of me. He acts like it's... before again. Like we're chatting at a supermarket or dinner party.

Doesn't he realize what's going on outside?

Sensing our displeasure at his joking, just as we did with Gabriel's, he shakes his head at himself, pressing his lips in a line as if to shut himself up. A slight sensation of pity flickers through me, taking me by surprise.

To be fair, we're an intimidating group. Especially with Rick glaring him down.

"Um, and i-it's not a camp. It's a community. And I think you all would make valuable additions." Aaron tells us earnestly, and I swear I see respect in his gaze as he looks around the room at us.

"But, it's not my call," Aaron adds with a slight sense of disappointment as he takes a breath. "My job is to convince you all to follow me back home," Aaron informs us, his words immediately triggering my flight or flight, adrenaline sparking underneath my skin as I take a sharp intake of air.

I sense the same trepidation happening to Rick beside me as he shifts on his feet, shaking his head as he stares Aaron down with a new sense of suspicion, his hand resting on the revolver on his hip.

So, Aaron is their unassuming and 'sincere' frontman who lures innocent people into their trap. Got it.

"I know. If I were you I wouldn't go either." Aaron says understandingly, making my eyebrows raise.

Seeing this, Aaron's eyes widen with panic. "-Not until I knew exactly what I was getting into." He tells us quickly, before licking his lips nervously. "Sasha, can you hand Rick my pack?" Aaron asks, turning to the woman beside him.

Sasha complies, walking up right in front of me to hand the backpack to Rick. "In the first pocket, is an envelope," Aaron calls out as Rick drops to the ground to rummage through the rattan bag.

"There's no way I would convince you to come with me just by talking about our community. That's why I brought those." He tells us as I lean forward, peering over Rick's shoulder, watching him take out a manila envelope full of black and white pictures.

"I apologize for the camera quality. We just found an old camera store last-"

"-Nobody gives a shit." Daryl interrupts Aaron's nervous rambling, making him look over his shoulder at the gruff man.

"You're absolutely 100% right," Aaron agrees quickly, before looking back at Rick with slightly widened eyes. I have to look away, fighting the sudden urge to laugh at the sight of this odd man interacting with Daryl.

Just as Aaron tells us, the first blurry photo is of a wall with large supports leaned against it. He tells us how safe it is, detailing the massive sizes of the metal supports, his voice lilted with pride.

I knit my brows in concern as Rick slowly rises beside me after dropping the photos back in the bag, Aaron still rambling on about the cold-rolled steel. I get the urge to grab Rick's shoulder and have him look at me so I can get an idea of what he's thinking, but I don't.

As everyone else in this room knows, Rick's in charge right now. He's our leader. And he doesn't need his authority questioned in front of this earnest idiot.

"There's only one resource more important than safety- more critical to our survival." Aaron begins, making me look over at him curiously. "The people. Together, we're strong. You can make use even stronger." Aaron enthuses passionately, searching Rick's gaze.

Rick glances at Michonne to the right of him, who sends him an uncertain but somewhat approving look.

Does she actually trust this idiot?

Rick then glances at me, searching my gaze.

As Rick looks at me, silently questioning if we should entrust this man with our lives, all I can think about is how I trusted Spencer. And that trust of a stranger led to Phillip destroying our lives- led to the deaths of Herschel and Bob. Because I decided to trust a stranger.

Of all people, I'm the last person to deserve a say.

I just shake my head, looking down at the dirt floor, conflict raging within me. After all I've done, no way in hell this should be my call.

My gaze is brought up when I see Rick's boots moving across the dirt and hay-covered ground. As Aaron tries to talk about the next picture, Rick storms up to him before punching him hard across the jaw, making Aaron drop to the ground, unconscious.

Well, that was unexpected.

Rick shakes out his hand while Daryl and Maggie rush over to check on the man, presumably making sure he's alive. From the looks of it, he's fine.

After cocking his head and staring down at the passed-out man, Rick turns around coldly and walks back to where I am, making Michonne step out, clearly wanting to speak with him, not looking too happy herself.

As Rick nears us, my eyes track his right hand. Shocker, the same one I had to stitch up back at the prison- making me let out an exasperated sigh. I step forward, snatching his hand so I can examine it, making him stop in his tracks, looking at me in surprise.

Frowning, I pivot his hand, examining his knuckles carefully. They're red and swollen, but not bleeding. Not much to do then. And I know full well Rick can handle the pain. With a disapproving look sent at him, I drop his hand. He continues to look at me for a moment, an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Just so we're clear, that look wasn't a 'lets attack that man' look. it was a 'he seems like an okay guy to me' look." Michonne snaps at Rick, her eyes wide with disbelief and disapproval, making him look away from me with a sigh.

"We got to secure him. Dump his pack." Rick orders loudly to Carl, ignoring Michonne's words of disapproval. "Let's see who this guy really is." Rick growls.

"Rick-" Michonne starts again, clearly set on her belief that this man is trustworthy, but Rick walks away from her. I furrow my brows, gnawing on my bottom lip thoughtfully.

Why is she defending this stranger? We have no idea who this idiot is or what he's capable of.

"Everybody else, we need eyes in every direction. They're coming for us. We might not know how or when, but they are." Rick orders all of us, obviously confident in his reasoning.

Gulping, I avert my gaze, realizing from an outside perspective how paranoid we sound. But knowing what we've had to deal with, it's proactive. To keep us safe. That's what matters most.

I sigh, watching as Daryl and Carol tie the man's arms behind his back.

"Me and Sahsa, we didn't see him. If he had wanted to hurt us, he could've." Maggie tells Rick earnestly, seemingly on Michonne's side .

Rick, undoubtedly set in his opinion now, ignores her. "Anybody see anything?" He calls, looking around the room.

"Just a lot of places to hide," Glenn responds from a particularly wide gap of wood as he peers out to the greenery beyond it.

"Alright, keep looking." Rick commands, before walking to the back, where his son studying the contents of the man's bag.

"What look did you give him?" Michonne asks me, grabbing my arm to make me look at her.

I blink at her, spacing on what to say for a second.

"I-I don't know. I'm not as... swayed as you are." I tell her quietly, making incredulity flash across her features, her eyebrows lifting.

"So you're on Rick's side then?" She asks lowly with astonishment, those intelligent eyes wide and questioning. I let out a tired sigh, shaking my head and looking over at Rick's back as he examines an orange flare gun.

"Michonne, I don't have a side. I barely know what to think anymore. All I know is he's a stranger and I don't trust anyone who's not us." I reply honestly, hoping to portray my wariness on the topic. Her eyebrows crease.

"Cass?" Maggie calls from the other side of the barn, making me look over as she pats Aaron's face with a washcloth.

Giving Michonne one more look, I brush past her to examine the stranger.

"Is he okay?" Maggie questions as I squat down, looking at Aaron closely as he lies unconscious before me.

His steady pulse throbs in his carotid artery, pulsing against the pads of my fingers while I study the fast-progressing bruise on the left side of his jaw.

"He's fine. Just passed out." I tell Maggie simply, making her nod with relief.

Before I can get up to leave, Aaron groans, blinking rapidly as he wakes up. His eyes open, looking around the barn as he comes to, before... smiling? I'm taken aback, my eyebrows raised at the bizarre action.

"That's a hell of a right cross there Rick," Aaron breathes in an easy-going way, seeming slightly out of breath. I glance over my shoulder to see Rick watching us carefully, his mouth pulled down in disgust.

"Sit him up," Rick orders roughly.

"I think it's better if-"

"-It's okay." Aaron interrupts Maggie, groaning as Rick orders Daryl to sit him up again, propping him against a wooden beam and tying his hands behind it.

One sitting, Aaron pops his jaw, cringing slightly in pain. "You're being cautious. I completely understand," Aaron assures Rick, barely finishing his words before Rick interrupts him again.

"How many of your people are out there?" Rick asks shortly, clearly trying to stay calm, an orange flare gun grasped tightly in his hand. Despite my looking at him, Rick doesn't glance in my direction, not breaking his harsh glare trained on Aaron.

"You have a flare gun. To signal to your people. How many of them are there?" Rick repeats firmer, clearly losing what little patience he had as Aaron sighs.

"Does it matter?" Aaron asks with defeat, sticking out his full lower lip as he looks up at Rick's intimidating figure.

"Yes." I snap quickly from beside Aaron, not being able to help myself. Aaron looks at me in surprise at my speaking for the first time before looking back at Rick.

"It does." Rick adds, his face cold and jaw clenched.

"I mean, of course." Aaron agrees, glancing at me again warily. "It matters how many people are actually out there, but does it matter how many people I tell you are out there?" Aaron asks frankly, turning back to Rick, tilting his head to the side.

Rick's eyebrows furrow, his eyes darkening at the words that are starting to sound more and more like a threat.

"Because I'm pretty sure no matter what number I say- eight, thirty-two, four hundred and forty-four, zero-" As Aaron lists out the numbers, my heart steadily sinks with dread.

"-No matter what I say, you're not going to trust me." Aaron shrugs with an air of frustration and helplessness, making me grit my teeth in anger.

"Well, it's hard to trust anyone who smiles after getting punched in the face." Rick snaps back bitterly.

"How about a guy who leaves bottles of water for you on the road?" Aaron interrupts, angling his head to the side, his words making my stomach drop as I begin backing away from him, blinking in shock.

It was him?

Daryl steps forward angrily, "How long you people been followin' us?" He interrogates Aaron roughly, stepping forward and swinging his crossbow intimidatingly.

My heart beating heavily in my chest, I look back at Aaron in horror, suddenly wondering the same question. How long has he and however many of his people been invading our privacy, noting every move, watching- like Gareth and his goons did?

"Long enough to see that you practically ignore a pack of roamers on your trail. Long enough to see the deep bonds you all have- the love. Long enough to see that despite a lack of food and water, you never turned on each other," Aaron enthuses with astonishment like it's some remarkable achievement to not kill our family. I scoff spitefully, needing to look away from him.

"You're survivors. And you're people. Like I said, and I hope you won't punch me for saying it again," Aaron starts with new vigor, "That is the most important resource in the world." He repeats passionately, his brows knitted together with emotion as he pleads with us to see his perspective.

I slowly rise to my feet, my conflicted feelings only growing as I watch him warily. Michonne looks at me as if trying to get me to see what she sees, but I just shake my head once, dismissing it.

Rick slowly nears the man, illuminated by the sparse strips of sunlight peeking through the slats of wood above us.

"How. Many. Others. Are out there?" Rick repeats once again, slow and deliberate, his darkened eyes boring into Aaron's.

A chill goes down my spine as Aaron answers.

"One."

Rick shakes his head with a scoff, his face contorted with irritation, the corners of his mouth turned down with disapproval and anger.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. If it's not words, not pictures- what would it take to convince you that this is real?" Aaron demands, looking around at us wildly. No one has an answer for the desperate man as he searches our faces for answers.

"W-what if I drove you to the community? All of you? We leave now, we'll get there by lunch." Aaron suggests hopefully.

"I'm not sure how the 19 of us are going to fit in the car you and your one friend drove down here in. " Rick spits out pointedly, raising his eyebrows, tilting his head to the side.

"We drove separately. If we found a group, we wanted to be able to bring them all home. There's enough room for all of us." Aaron insists earnestly.

"And you parked just a couple miles away, right?" Carol asks dryly, her arms crossed against her chest as she leans against a post.

"East on Ridge Road, just after you hit Route 16. We wanted to get them closer, but then the storm came, blocked the road, and we couldn't clear it." Aaron explains to us sincerely.

"Yeah, you've really thought this through," Rick tells him sarcastically, his voice laced with contempt.

"Rick, if I wanted to ambush you, I'd do it here. Light the barn on fire while you slept, pick you off one by one as you ran out the only exit. You can trust me." the man implores, making my heart sink, dread flooding through me at his words. That was a little too easy for him to come up with a plan to brutally murder my entire family.

Shaking my head, I turn and walk away from him, the back of my hand pressed to my mouth, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach.

"I'll check out the cars," Michonne tells Rick, making me glance over my shoulder, watching as her words break him out of the clear outrage on his expression as he shifts to look at her.

"There aren't any cars," Rick says slowly before glaring at the man on the floor.

"There's only one way to find out," Michonne argues, her arms crossed.

"We don't need to find out-"

"We do." Michonne cuts him off fiercely, making him falter. "You know what you know and you're sure of it, but I'm not." She argues, making me gulp as I watch the pair.

"Me neither," Maggie adds, stepping forward with a sense of stubbornness, growing that surprise in me that they believe this stranger.

"Your way is dangerous. Mine isn't." Rick tells Michonne simply, shrugging tiredly as he looks at her, that familiar wariness flashing across his features for a millisecond.

"Passing up a place where we can live? Where the kids- Judith- can live? That's pretty dangerous." Michonne points out, that intellect I know far too well showing through her words.

I glance at Sophia, Beth, Carl, and Judith sitting together in the back, across the barn. Just seeing their worried faces, trying to be strong as we discuss whether or not we should trust an opportunity for them to have a place to live, pangs my heart painfully. I want nothing more than for them to have that.

But what if it's just Terminus all over again? Or Woodbury? What if they have a psychopathic leader who uses his power to beat down weaker people? Phillip could not have been the only one out there.

"We need to find out what this is. So that's what we're going to do." Michonne finishes with determination, not giving Rick an option to argue.

Feeling entirely too overwhelmed, I close my eyes and hang my head, having not felt this conflicted in a long time.

"Then I will too. I'll go." Glenn offers from across the room, stepping forward.

That shifts Rick into leader mode. I watch from the sidelines as he deliberates decidedly, not being able to help admiring him from afar. The way he switches into the role we need for our survival makes me respect him even more than I already do.

Maggie, Michonne, Glenn, Rosita, and Abraham are given the task of checking out the cars.

Meanwhile, everyone apart from me, Rick, and Judith go off in pairs in safe zones away from the barn. Sophia with her mom and Daryl, Beth and Noah, Tyreese and Sasha, Tara and Gabriel, and finally Carl and Eugene.

Carl leaves last, with one more look sent at his father. After he's gone, Rick holds the barn door slightly ajar, looking out as they leave.

Watching Rick with worry, I readjust Judith against my body as she wraps herself around my torso like a little koala bear. She babbles incoherently, making me look down at her with a smile, feeling more at ease just being in her sweet presence.

"When the world was still the world, I worked for an NGO. Our mission was to deliver medicine and food to the Niger River Delta. Bad people pointed guns in my face every other week." Aaron tells Rick, making me look away from Judith's beautiful little face. Aaron's neck is angled so he can look over his shoulder at Rick as he stays at the door.

"You're not bad people. You're not going to kill us. And we are definitely not going to kill you." Aaron guarantees Rick confidently.

Rick shakes his head slightly, shifting to glance back at the man, not amused. "Just because we're good people doesn't mean we won't kill you." Rick informs him shortly, before looking out the gap once again. I smile proudly to myself, ducking my head to hide it as I pat Judith's back comfortingly.

"If the five of them aren't back in an hour... I'll put a knife in the base of your skull," Rick tells Aaron darkly, his voice lowered roughly at the threat before slamming the barn door shut.

The way his voice drops in tone makes a shiver go down my spine and a blush fan across my cheeks, making me look away from them, hoping to hide it.

There must be something deeply wrong with me that he affects me like... that while threatening the life of someone. I let out a steady exhale through my nose, silently trying to control myself. It's not easy because there's something incredibly attractive about Rick's dedication to his family and his readiness to kill whoever he needs to do to keep us safe.

The threat clearly doesn't seem to have the same effect on Aaron, who goes pale before facing forward with a gulp, clearly terrified.

After slamming the barn door closed, Rick turns and walks up to me and Judith, those eyes searching my face, then dropping down to look at his daughter.

"You okay... with all this?" Rick asks me quietly enough that Aaron won't hear, his brows knitted together with concern.

I sigh, breaking eye contact, needing to look away from his intense, questioning gaze.

"You're our leader, Rick. I know most of the time I have a strong opinion that I usually fight you on," I start, smiling slightly remembering the many times we've argued.

"But this? I-I don't have an opinion. I don't even know what to think, I just- can't." I lamely attempt to explain, finally meeting his gaze with a sense of defeat.

"I don't know what the hell I'm doing either. All I can think about is keeping my family safe. Keeping Judith, Carl, you- safe." He tells me softly, his expression crumpled with worry. "Maybe Michonne is right about all this. And what if she is? And I would've just-" Rick stops himself with a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

That familiar ache for him and the burdens that rest on his shoulders pains my heart as I look at the man before me. He tries so hard.

Leaning forward, I simply wrap my free arm around his neck and pull him down into a hug, slightly squishing Judith between us. Rick seems to relax somewhat into the gesture, his hands resting flat on my upper back, between my shoulder blades.

"They will handle themselves out there. And knowing Michonne, she probably is right," I admit quietly with a smile. "But we stay strong and we stay diligent because that's how we made it this far. Right?" I ask Rick and he nods into my shoulder.

"Yes. You're right." Rick admits with a begrudging smile as he pulls away from our quick hug, seeming a lot more relaxed than before, and to be honest, so am I.

"As usual," I say smugly with a smirk, making Rick shake his head with a sharp exhale of amusement before gazing down at his daughter in my arms with a smile.

"Mmhmm," He murmurs lowly as he attempts to hide his amusement, gently caressing Judith's hair before stopping. In a second, his expression rapidly changes from soft and peaceful to hardened with irritation as Aaron speaks up again.

"Your daughter is beautiful. Judith, right?" Aaron asks, coming into my field of vision as Rick turns around, shifting his body to look at him.

I squint my eyes Aaron watching us hopefully, suddenly feeling extremely protective of the girl in my arms. After that man I encountered in the forest in front of Terminus- I won't risk any threat to our sweet girl.

Rick huffs, shaking his head with disbelief before going to the back of the barn to examine the rest of the stuff that was in Aaron's pack. Aaron sighs with defeat as he watches him go, before turning to me.

"What about you, Cass?" Aaron asks me desperately, his eyes pleading with mine as I readjust my grip on Judith, eyeing him down with disdain.

"From what I've seen- you're smart, reasonable, and caring. You have to see that I'm not lying about this. It wouldn't make any sense for me to try if I was." Aaron implores, glancing at Rick worryingly before looking back at me.

I tilt my head to the side. "You think just because I care about my people and that I'm a woman holding a baby I'll be dumb enough to blindly trust you? I can't tell if you're stupid or just an asshole." I snap harshly, the corners of my mouth pulled down with disgust.

Disappointment flashes through Aaron's expression and he hangs his head. "That's not-"

"That's exactly what you were thinking. The decision of whether or not you live isn't up to me. But if we decide that we're killing you- if we find out you lied for one minute or that you're here to hurt any of us, the children- I will not hesitate to kill you. Please know that." I tell him coldly, and he nods, swallowing thickly.

My heart racing with adrenaline, I near Aaron slowly before crouching down to meet his gaze, Judith cooing as she looks between us curiously.

"I don't know how long you've been watching us. But I've done awful things. Things I bet your well-groomed self wouldn't be able to stomach. I've killed people. To protect my own. I will do it again if need be." I inform him slowly, my voice lowered with a wave of simmering rage. Aaron nods, his eyes wide.

"O-okay." He stutters.

"And if you even look at Sophia or Beth I swear to God-" I begin with a sharp look of warning, my stomach turning at the idea.

"No! N-never. I-" Aarons scoffs, shaking his head rapidly. "I- would never do that, I promise you." He assures me genuinely. "I'm happily committed, and I have absolutely no interest-"

"-I don't want to hear your lame fucking excuses. I don't give a shit if you have a happy little wife in your little dance troupe. I'm just warning you." I restate sternly, watching every microexpression on that face of his.

Aaron averts his gaze, simply nodding with a gulp. He realizes he shouldn't argue. Smart.

I stand up, securing Judith to my side and glancing back in Rick's direction, who had been watching the two of us carefully. As our eyes meet, an unspoken agreement goes between us.

We'll do what we have to do.

I nearly jump out of my skin as Judith abruptly cries out, grasping at my shirt, sending a wave of dread through me. She's hungry. Again.

Finding food for her has been difficult to say the least. After running out of her formula, we had to find other options. We usually try to mash berries we find on the road and in some cases nuts, but we can only find so many. We've resorted to acorns now.

"Shit. Hold on," Rick curses hurriedly, recognizing her hungry cry as well. He grabs the acorns and the bowl, as usual, attempting to grind them down into her mushy food as I bounce the crying girl in my arms.

"If you look in my bag- there's a jar of applesauce she can eat" Aaron offers, making my head snap to his, untrusting. My gaze scans his expression, checking for any sign of malice among the nervousness and desperation.

Aaron scoffs in utter disbelief, widening his eyes in astonishment. "You think I want to poison your baby?" He asks with genuine disbelief, gaping as Rick and I exchange looks of apprehension.

"Look, that would be extremely stupid of me to do. You've both already expressed a willingness to kill me- repeatedly. How would cruelly poisoning your daughter in front of you, in any way, help my situation?" He asks the two of us desperately, making me straighten up, pulling Judith that much closer into me as I glare at the man, disliking how much sense he's making.

"It could make her sick- so that we have to get back to your place to treat her and that's how you trap us," Rick snaps, but Aaron shakes his head, sighing with defeat. I realize with a start how much we sound like stray animals, terrified of being trapped- of being domesticated.

"I promise you, it's safe! I bring it to show that we have apple trees nearby. Please just give it to her. If she keeps crying, it will only attract the roamers and I will be the first one to go." Aaron pleads over Judith's screaming, gesturing to the way he's tied to the beam.

Rick and I exchange looks of desperation. Then Rick turns, snatching the applesauce jar, popping it open, and grabbing a spoonful, before taking it back to Aaron. Rick shoves the spoon, loaded with applesauce, right into his face.

"Eat." Rick orders shortly.

Aaron immediately leans away, his face pulled in disgust. Outrage flares up in me, making me take a threatening step forward, my eyebrows raised with warning and my hand resting on my knife. Aaron glances between me and Rick.

"I-I hate applesauce. My mom used to make me eat foods I didn't like to make me more manly. Salmon patties, applesauce, and onions," Aaron recounts weakly, his face turning a pale shade of green.

Rick and I don't break our intense glares on him, Judith's screaming only growing in volume.

With a sigh, Aaron gives in, eating the spoonful, his face pulled in aversion as he swallows quickly. Rick and I blink at each other in shock, before rushing to give it to Judith.

"Told you," Aaron breathes weakly, making me send him an annoyed look.

As Rick takes Judith back to the table to spoon-feed her the applesauce, Aaron begins pitching us once again in the new silence.

"The community is big enough, we can find a place for you to live where even when she cries, no one, nothing can hear it outside the walls." Aaron enthuses and I avert my gaze, remembering thinking the same thing about the prison.

And look how that turned out.

"You have 43 minutes," Rick responds roughly, not looking up.

It's twenty minutes later when the rest of the group returns with an RV that they found on the same road that Aaron described previously, stocked full of canned goods and water.

The group is surrounded around the pile of cans of food, looking at it all with amazement. I stand to the side, holding sleeping Judith to my chest, her head resting on my shoulder. After having a full stomach for the first time in a while, she fell asleep quickly.

I watch carefully as Rick grabs a can of sweet corn, turning to the wary man tied to the support beam.

"This? This is ours now," Rick informs Aaron sternly, lifting the can, his eyebrows raised.

Aaron nods tiredly. "There's more than enough." He expresses softly with a shrug. His nonchalance about giving up this much food takes me aback. He's definitely not been struggling as we are.

"It's ours, whether or not we go to your camp." Rick restates, making me furrow my brows. So, he's warmed up to the idea? To be fair, Aaron was telling the truth. At least about the RV.

"What do you mean? W-why wouldn't we go?" Carl asks, his voice laced with confusion as he looks at his father.

Rick sighs, turning to look at Carl with exasperation.

"He wasn't lying. And clearly, he doesn't want to hurt us." Michonne insists, slowly and deliberately looking around our group.

"We need this. So we're going, all of us." Michonne announces definitively. I raise my eyes slightly at her taking a stand, ignoring Rick's previous orders. "Anyone against that?" She asks, looking around with expectant eyes that linger on me.

"Cass?" Rick asks, turning those blue eyes on me, making me gulp. Shit.

The rest of the group shifts, looking at me expectantly. My chest tightens with the anxiety of making such a big decision, especially knowing that I should have no authority over this.

Averting my gaze, I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to block out my family members asking me to make a life-deciding choice.

"Your opinion is important to us," Maggie says earnestly, making me open my eyes, looking at her with wariness.

"No, Maggie, it's not. At least on this. I simply don't deserve a say. If you all decide we're going, fine, I'll go with you. Always. But- I can't decide this." I declare with a gulp, raw guilt and shame twisting my intestines.

"Cass-" Glenn starts but I shake my head, stopping him.

"No. I'm the reason we're here in the first place. Because of a choice I made, we lost the prison. Bob and Herschel died. And we've been starving and dehydrated for months now. You guys nearly got eaten by goddamn cannibals because I trusted a man and let him destroy our lives." I spit with disgust at myself, making shock flash across the expressions of my family.

I sigh, a wall of emotion surging against me. "I was with Phillip for three years because I couldn't see it. Because I didn't want to. Then I was with Spencer and ignored when you guys told me there was something off about him- and he was a fucking mole the whole time. He brought Phillip back and told him everything he needed to know to really hurt us. Because I trusted him." I repeat, my voice low and raw.

Releasing a deep exhale, I try to calm the raging emotions inside me. "So no, I'm not going to decide if we just trust this stranger. I have no right." I finish simply, staring down at the hay scattered across the floor of the barn, rubbing Judith's back absentmindedly, not having the strength to look at my family's faces.

"It wasn't you and it wasn't Spencer. It was Bri- Phillip. I know, I was there." Tara interjects, making me look up at her sincere expression. She huffs, sadness flashing across her expression, her brows crinkling together.

"He wanted a safe place to stay because he was with my sister. And therefore, took on my niece too. Yeah, Spencer told him the weak spots and timing but Phillip was going to break in there either way." Tara explains, her brown eyes scanning my face earnestly, making me blink, taken aback.

"The only person who thinks that shitshow was your fault, is you," Glenn adds, crossing his arms. I gulp, blinking past the urge to cry at the overwhelming support of my family.

"This place smells like horse shit. I say we go." Daryl grunts, making the rest of us chuckle lightly. I let out a breathy laugh of relief, looking down and shaking my head, feeling extremely appreciative for his small gesture taking the attention off me. I fucking love Daryl.

"Yeah. We're going." Rick confirms, making the tension in our gathered group begin to fade. Michonne tilts her head back in relief at her success, smiling proudly. Just like she used to do with Sophie when she completed an incredibly difficult surgery.

"So, where are we going? Where's your camp?" Rick asks, turning to the man that I honestly forgot was still sitting there.

"Well, every time I've done this, I've been behind the wheel driving recruits back," Aaron says awkwardly, his eyes darting across the group.

He hesitates. "I believe you're good people. I've bet my life on it. I'm just not ready to bet my friends' lives just yet." He explains gingerly as Rick huffs with displeasure, turning and snatching the map from his bag contents.

"You're not driving. If you want to get home, you'll have to tell us how." Michonne tells Aaron sternly, making him gulp before looking back at Rick.

Jesus- not this shit again.

He and Rick begin to debate on the best way to get there, the same tension that had just dissipated growing back with their argument. Aaron insists on taking 16 North, but Rick decides we're 23 instead, despite Aaron insisting that it's not cleared.

When Aaron refuses once again to tell us where the camp is, Rick declares that we leave at sundown, to some of our disagreement. Especially Aaron, who tells Rick there's no point.

Despite this, Rick repeats the plan he's decided upon and strides wordlessly out of the barn, clearly frustrated. Michonne follows him before I can, making me knit my brows with nervousness, but feeling relieved that she's going to talk to him. I know they've been disagreeing with most of this- it will be good for them to talk it out.

Michonne is smart. And she has this way of seeing people when others can't. I respect it and Rick must too, considering the fact he let her decide our going with Aaron.

As those two talk outside, the group settles slightly as we enjoy our first real meal in months. Breaking into a couple of cans and some bread, we eat as much as our shrunken stomachs can handle, easing a large amount of the stress weighing on us.

As we eat, I glance back at Aaron staring at the ground beneath him, getting a fleeting feeling of hope that this isn't all some scheme. Because if we really are about to go to a place that will give us safety and security- it will save us. In more ways than one.

The rest of the day goes by quickly as we take turns resting and eating, getting our energy up to be ready for tonight.

Eventually, the sun lazily sinks below the horizon, turning the sky a dark faded indigo. I watch the sky change from the window frame to allow myself to enjoy a small moment of peace before we risk our lives once again. When it's officially sundown, Daryl places his hand on my shoulder, telling me it's time to go.

Glenn, Rick, and Michonne ride together with Aaron in a separate car out front while I decide to go with the rest in the RV.

"You guys going to be okay?" I ask Rick, searching his face as our family piles into the RV behind me.

"Yeah. We can handle ourselves. Just make sure Abraham stays close, alright?" He asks, glancing at the ginger man already ready and itching to go in the driver's seat of the large RV.

"I will. See you there?" I ask, smiling hopefully, silently praying with all my being that I do. That everything goes according to plan.

Rick nods, his eyes softening slightly. "There." He agrees simply, touching my arm gently for a moment before turning and getting into the passenger seat of the car.

Taking a deep breath, trying to suppress the awful gut feeling that everything is about to go wrong, I climb into the RV.

Noah, Beth, Carl, and Sophia are chatting on the mattress in the back of the RV, and at some point I hear a few laughs, making me smile. I'm glad they feel safe enough to be kids again.

Maggie sits beside me on the couch, gently rocking her goddaughter in her arms, trying to keep her asleep. Rosita and Eugene are upfront with Abraham and Tara is on the other side of the couch beside me.

Daryl and Carol are talking lowly at the table beside Sasha and Tyreese, Gabriel sitting with a blank expression beside them, looking down at the white collar in his hands.

"So, you and Spencer, huh?" Tara asks randomly beside me, breaking the silence that has been going on for a while, making me turn to her with surprise.

"Yeah, I-I guess so," I breathe, fighting the sudden nausea fluttering through me as I picture that fucker's face.

"Interesting choice." she murmurs, hiding a smile.

"Hey. He was not my first choice, I was listening to Maggie's advice trying to get over- uh... someone." I end weakly, nearly accidentally revealing to the entire RV that I've been in love with Rick for years, making my heart flip.

"Ooh, who was it?" Tara asks with interest, shifting to look at me better.

Shit.

"It doesn't matter. Just..." I trail off, looking at Maggie for help who just shrugs, clearly not knowing what to say. "...A g-guy I knew at the prison. No one you would know." I lie nonchalantly, playing with the loose strands of my jeans to avoid looking at her and letting her to see through my horrible lying.

"Judith's dad?" Tara asks, making me whip my head to hers, eyes wide.

"What?" I question, my heart suddenly pounding louder. How on Earth-

"Well, whoever got you pregnant...?" She trails off awkwardly, making me close my eyes with relief. Thank god.

"Oh! No, Judith isn't my baby. Judith is Rick's and his late wife's ." I explain to Tara, making her form an 'o' shape with her mouth, nodding to my words.

"I just- was taking care of Judith after her mom died in childbirth and she kind of sees me as her mom now," I explain briefly, not having the best explanation of our unique relationship, feeling entirely too awkward.

"Ah," Tara says thoughtfully, looking at me with slightly squinted eyes as if she can see right through me. To avoid her seeing through me, I look away quickly, spotting Daryl, whose smiling to himself, clearly having heard the whole conversation.

Ass.

"What about you?" I ask, turning to look at her. It's her face that now flushes.

"Oh! Well, I was seeing this chick for a while but she turned into a Phillip-following soldier and then got blown up so... yeah," Tara concludes awkwardly and I have to fight a smile.

"Okay. So I'm not the only one with an awful love life. Good to know," I express with a breathy laugh making Tara snort.

Before I have a second to enjoy one more second of good conversation and peace, the RV suddenly screeches to a halt, making all of us jolt forward.

"Woah, what the hell was that?" Sasha demands as we all recover from being thrust violently forward. Judith begins to cry, having been so rudely woken up. I have to apologize to Tara after being thrown against her, but she brushes it off, her eyes wide with panic at our situation, not seeming worried about me.

Abraham is cursing angrily as he attempts to gain control, so I lean forward to see the car that Rick, Glenn, Michonne, and Aaron are in, plow through the large hoard of walkers taking up the road.

I let out a shuddering gasp of horror, watching with wide, panicked eyes as the car's headlights quickly turn red from the blood splattering across the hood as they mow down the endless herd of walkers.

Eugene quickly points out a side street and Abraham swerves the large vehicle around the corner, speeding away from the massive herd, jostling us all to the side once again.

I collapse back down on the couch behind me, my stomach twisting and heart spasming. Oh god. How are they going to get out of there? The car will only be able to drive so long after running over that many bodies. And then what will they do then?

Worry consumes me as the RV fills with voices speaking all at once, rushed and panicked while they try to figure out our game plan, all the while Judith is still crying. Maggie eventually gives up and hands her to me, and I take her, bouncing the baby girl and shushing her as Abraham argues with Eugene and Rosita about where they should go.

"Hey, guys, look!" Sophia shouts from the back, loud enough to make the rest quiet down.

I turn to see the teenager pointing out the window on the left side of the RV and I look out myself, watching as a red flare emerges from the north by a nearby water tower. It slowly rises in the sky in a slight arc, before fading away.

"It has to be them, right? Didn't Aaron have a flare?" Maggie asks, clearly desperate knowing her husband could be in danger.

"Even if it's not, they'll see it and go there," Carol says definitively, and I nod, relieved that we found a solution.

It doesn't take us long with Eugene's directions to find the spot the flare was fired in a nearby downtown area. Once parked, in an alleyway beside some sort of factory, Daryl, Tyreese, Sasha, and Abraham go out to scout the area, making sure it's safe.

I wait with the rest, patting the now-sleeping Judith's back anxiously.

"We're going to find Dad, right?" Carl asks me nervously so I turn to him, sending him a reassuring smile.

"Of course. If we could all reunite after a month of being separated, we can find each other now." I assure Carl logically, making him nod, take a deep breath, and look out one of the windows.

Carol sits with Sophia, stroking her hair to help calm her down. Carol and I make eye contact and she nods once at me with a slight smile. Smiling back, I wonder to myself if Judith and I could ever get to that point.

Maybe if this whole thing works out, we will have a place where she really can grow up.

The door clicks and it swings open, revealing Tyresse, completely out of breath as if he's just run a mile, hanging onto the doorframe for support as his chest heaves with effort.

"Tyreese?" Rosita asks with concern as he gulps for air, looking directly at me.

"Cass? We-" Tyreese pauses, looking down as he catches his breath. "-we need you." He pants, making my eyebrows raise in surprise, my stomach dropping.

___

"Okay, I'm going to need you to try to move your ankle, just like that," I ask the stranger, Eric, as he winces, his face contorted in pain.

He attempts to move his ankle as I instructed before crying out, shaking his head. "Yeah, we're not doing that." He says breathily in his soft voice. I wince slightly in compassion for him, knowing full well how much breaks like that hurt.

"Unfortunately, I think it's broken." I tell him gingerly making him sigh, an amused smile pulling across his face.

"You and Aaron find bizarre things funny," Daryl informs him from behind me, making Eric chuckle good-naturedly, his eyes twinkling.

"Ah, yeah it's just, this is my first time on a run with Aaron, and here I am- already injured," he tells us with a sense of self-depreciation but still in good humor, making me smile slightly myself, suddenly feeling at ease with this whole situation.

Aaron is incredibly friendly and seems intelligent, but after seeing charismatic men like him harbor horrific motives, it's hard to trust him.

But Eric?

There's something so effortless about being in his presence. He's just one of those people that are really easy to like. And trust.

He was terrified at first, having been nearly killed by a gaggle of walkers, then injured, before finally being cornered by us. It clearly scared him a lot- and I don't blame him.

But, once he recognized us, he got to introductions and quickly relaxed, informing us how much he admired us. All the while thanking us profusely for saving him.

When they first found him, Abraham, Sasha, and Daryl had helped clear the walkers while Tyreese retrieved me, evidently saving his life.

"So, are we up to your standards?" Eric asks us, tilting his head to look at the group as he lays on the sacs of old flour while I wrap his broken ankle.

"Well, I guess we'll have to see when we get there, right?" I ask, and Eric nods understandingly.

"I don't agree with Aaron about not telling you guys everything. He's just... trying to protect our people. To be fair, the majority of them have no idea how to deal with... this." he says, gesturing to his injury and the dilapidated factory back room we're in.

"How is that possible?" Carol questions from somewhere behind me, sounding just as confused as I am.

"Did Aaron not tell you? About the walls?" Eric asks us curiously, glancing around the group.

"Steel beams. We remember." Daryl grunts.

Eric smiles, nodding to his words. "Yeah. They've been up since the beginning." He informs us, making me falter, looking up at him in disbelief. "Most of the people in there? Have no idea how to survive- out here," he explains gingerly, making my mouth slowly drop open in shock.

"Is that why...?" I start and Eric nods before I need to finish my sentence.

"We need people who know how to really survive. Because one day we're going to need it." Eric explains, and I nod, resuming wrapping his ankle.

When he cringes in pain, as my family talks amongst themselves loudly, I turn to look over my shoulder.

"Hey, why don't you guys give us some room? We'll be fine in here. I need you guys on the lookout for the rest of them." I suggest.

They nod and murmur in agreement as they return to the other middle room of the factory. Tyreese informs me before he leaves that he'll be right outside if I need him. I thank him with a smile.

As I finish wrapping Eric's ankle, I sit back with satisfaction. It's not going to help mend his break as much as a cast would, but it's all I can do with what I have. "Done," I inform him simply, making him smile widely.

"Thank you, Cass. I knew you were my favorite for a reason," He tells me with a wink, making me snort.

"Should I be pleased our stalkers like me?" I ask him teasingly with a grin and he nods, giggling to himself.

"Yup." He assures me, making my grin widen. Hm. I like him too.

"So, tell me more about Aaron. I want to know the guy the rest of my family are with." I tell Eric, tilting my head, watching as his laughter dies and he takes a breath.

"What do you want to know?" He asks, tilting his head to the side curiously.

"The applesauce thing-" I start, and Eric bursts into a fit of chuckling.

"Oh yep- his mother made him eat it to be more 'manly'," Eric tells me with a grin, and I nod, feeling relieved that he was telling the truth.

"And applesauce does that?" I ask dryly, trying and failing to contain my amusement.

Eric giggles with a nod. "Homophobic mothers are a strange breed of woman, I'll tell you that." Eric grins, making me falter.

My mouth parts as it suddenly makes a lot of sense.

"Oh- you didn't-" Eric starts, his eyes wide.

"No. Are you two?" I ask gently, raising my eyebrows questioningly.

Eric's demeanor shifts slightly, and he nods, nervously looking away. My heart pangs for him for a moment. There's no way I can possibly understand how hard it must be in this world to tell others something so personal.

"And you chose the man who can't eat applesauce? Tsk tsk." I tease, making Eric relax slightly with relief, a smile breaking out across his face.

"He's my everything, unfortunately," Eric says jokingly, making me smile warmly.

"That's beautiful. I have to apologize- I was kind of mean to him earlier." I admit lowly, but Eric smiles, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Oh Cass, he can handle himself. I just hope he's okay." Eric breathes, his eyebrows knitting together with worry, the smile dropping from his face.

I reach out to grab his hand. "Hey, I know who he's with. Glenn, Rick, and Michonne. They will not leave him. And they know how to defend themselves, I assure you." I tell Eric clearly, making him let out a breath of relief, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm sure they're fine." Eric breathes, meeting my gaze.

"Oh yeah. He's in good hands." I assure him through a beat of silence. I'm about to tell Eric that I know how he's feeling, considering the fact that Rick is gone too, but I get interrupted by the loud sound behind us.

We both jump as someone bursts through the door. Through the dark doorway stands a figure, breathing heavily.

"Eric?" Aaron's nervous voice echoes out to us, making a large smile spread across Eric's face.

"Aaron, I'm okay. It's like a volleyball injury-" He starts as Aaron rushes over, dropping to his knees in front of his lover, scanning his body.

"Oh my god," Aaron curses softly, his voice broken and torn with raw emotion, taking me by surprise. His emotions were so controlled before.

Aaron grasps Eric's hand, his face contorted with worry as he looks at Eric's injury.

"Cass treated me, it's just a broken ankle. I'll go to the infirmary when I get back- I'll be fine." Eric assures his partner warmly, his eyes lit up with adoration.

Aaron sighs with deep emotion before rushing forward and kissing Eric passionately, making surprise flash over me, suddenly feeling like I'm intruding.

I stand up from my crouched position to give them some privacy, crossing my arms across my chest and glancing over at the open doorway, wondering if the rest of my family is still out there.

God, I hope they're okay.

"We all made it. I did- thanks to Glenn." Aaron says from behind me, answering my silent question. I turn to look at him, nodding with relief, smiling as I see him embracing Eric.

"I just- panicked when I saw Eric's flare and tried to run and nearly got killed- but Glenn saved me," Aaron informs me breathlessly with a gulp, glancing at his partner.

"Sounds like Glenn," I smile proudly, feeling utterly relieved that he, Michonne, and Rick are okay as well.

"Thank you f-for helping Eric." Aaron starts earnestly, but I stop him, waving my hand.

"Of course. There's not much you can do besides wrapping it, but I was happy to help." I tell him kindly, making him nod, something unfamiliar flashing across his features.

"You're... different now," he states with a sense of amazement, making me crack a grin, glancing at his partner smiling warmly behind him.

"I think I might trust you now. Courtesy of your partner here." I tell Aaron, making him smile and duck his head before grinning proudly at Eric.

"He tends to do that," Aaron agrees, making Eric blush, brushing off the compliment.

The door opens behind us once again and I glance over my shoulder to see Rick's familiar figure in the doorway before he slowly walks into the room, still in the state of distrust I only just left.

As he gets lit up by the collection of candles lit in the room, his eyes slowly meet mine, then Aaron's, and finally Eric's.

"Hi. I'm Eric." Eric says friendily.

"Rick," Rick replies shortly, before turning to me, his eyes flashing up and down my body as he usually does when he checks if I'm alright.

"You good?" Rick asks me and I nod with a reassuring smile before stepping forward and hugging him tightly, feeling fully relieved now that my arms are wrapped around him.

Now that I know he's safe.

Rick hugs me back, his warm arms wrapping around my waist as he lets out an exhale.

"I talked to Eric. It's real." I whisper beside Rick's ear.

He pulls away, his questioning gaze searching mine. I just nod once as I search his face confidently. He blinks at me, seeming surprised at my sudden shift in opinion.

He pulls away from me completely to look over at the couple talking lowly.

Aaron looks over, mutters something at Eric, and gets up.

Without having to communicate, Aaron walks past us back into the main room, where the rest of the family is gathered. Rick and I follow after I send Eric a final smile.

Aaron stands in the main room, looking at our family. I spot Glenn and Maggie nearest to him, Glenn's arm around Maggie's shoulder, making me smile. They're always so sweet when they reunite.

"Everyone, I just want to thank you all." Aaron starts, looking around our family as they watch him curiously.

"You saved Eric. And I am now in your debt- which I will make sure is paid fully when we get to our community." Aaron assures us.

"When we get to Alexandria." He clarifies, making Maggie smile warmly. It does have a nice ring to it.

"Tomorrow morning?" Aaron suggests, as the group nods, seeming to agree, a few relieved smiles breaking out across their faces. Beth grins at Noah, raising her eyebrows with excitement.

I look over at Rick standing beside me in the doorway, his expression still slightly hardened with distrust.

"That's fine, but if we're stayin' the night? You're sleeping in there." Rick commands, pointing at a door on the other side of the room.

Aaron scoffs, glancing at the room behind me. "The only way you can keep me from him is by shooting me." He informs Rick passionately, making Rick tense up, squinting his eyes in annoyance.

They stand, looking at each other for a moment, staring each other down. This is the first time I've seen Aaron like this- he's been polite, submitting to us when needed. I thought he was just being a coward- but I'm realizing now that he's smart.

Yet in the presence of the man he loves, he's assertive and stubborn. This makes me respect him a lot more, suddenly greatly admiring the dedication he has to his partner.

When Aaron makes a move, taking a single step forward, I intervene, standing between them. I send Aaron a look before turning to Rick watching me with confusion.

"Rick. They are both unarmed. And Eric has a broken ankle." I tell Rick quietly as he searches my gaze, seeming conflicted. "I know, you want us all to be safe," I whisper, reaching out and grabbing his forearm.

"I do too," I assure him, searching his gaze, watching as his face relaxes slightly. "But- I... trust them now. Eric told us where Alexandria is. He was a lot more open." I explain, and Rick eyes dart back into the room where Eric resides before meeting my gaze again.

"Think if you were in Aaron's shoes. A-and someone tried to keep you from one of us. Wouldn't you say the same thing?" I question Rick, making him avert his gaze, knowing I'm right.

[ A/N: BAHAH he knows he would LOSE IT if someone was keeping him from Cass ]

His softened expression shifts to face Aaron's gaze again. There's deep emotion behind those eyes as he nods once. Dropping my hand from him, I feel a sense of relief knowing I helped convince him.

"All right." He says roughly, stepping back and letting Aaron be back with his partner.

I mouth 'thank you' to Rick, which he acknowledges with a nod.

- the next day, outside Alexandria's gates -

Raw anxiety twists at my gut as the car's breaks squeak to a stop in front of the rusted gate standing tall and proud in front of us. It's surrounded by the same metal walls in Aaron's pictures, just as he described them.

There are trees on either side, and within the walls, giving the place a softer look, despite the intimidation and fear swirling painfully in my chest just looking at it. I let out a steady exhale, holding Judith tighter in my lap as I try to calm myself down.

If this goes wrong, we will be okay. I know that.

Rick glances at me in the driver's seat, and I look right back, seeing the mirrored expression of apprehension and fear on his face.

This is it.

Rick steadily rolls down his window, his body tensed. My breath held in my throat and heart pounding relentlessly, I close my eyes, waiting through the torturing silence.

Then,

The distant sounds of children shouting and laughing stream into the car, making me release the breath I had been holding, my eyes fluttering open in shock to meet Rick's gaze. His expression has completely relaxed with relief, his gaze quickly darting to meet mine, a slight smile of amazement pulling at his mouth.

We... found it?