AS THE WORLD FALLS DOWN I RICK GRIMES

Mills & Horses

Mills & Horses

Rick paced the floor, hands behind his back, face doubtful. "So what are our duties?" he asked with a shrug of his shoulder.

"You protect and serve," Deanna declaimed with an elegant flourish of her hand, "you patrol – walk the walls, watch out for the kids. If there's a conflict, solve it. People will listen to you."

"Because we're wearing windbreakers?" Michonne said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because they believe in this," Deanna smiled, patting Jessie's arm as she went past, bearing a tray of cold beverages and biscuits. "Because I'm telling them to."

"And when Deanna tells you to do something, you do it," Jessie joked, setting the tray down, the sunlight streaming through the window glinting off her golden hair, reminding Rick of Alexis, making him shift uncomfortably on the spot.

Maggie smiled, ever the diplomat as Michonne took a tumbler of iced lemonade, Deanna sitting down, motioning for Jessie to take a seat beside her.

"This was a policeman's house," Deanna explained, gesturing around them, "so I appropriated the uniforms."

"Waste not, want not," Jessie said lightly, picking up a chocolate cookie. "Mmm," she said, nibbling delicately on it, "Sam would love these."

"I'll be sure to send some over for him," Deanna said, patting Jessie's arm again, her maternal attitude making Rick's hackles rise. He knew she knew what was happening behind closed doors to Jessie and her family, but she let it happen for the sake of the greater good, endangering innocent lives in exchange for others, Pete playing on his position as the only medical authority within Alexandria's walls to perhaps literally get away with murder.

"So you have plans for Alexandria, then?" Maggie said, folding her hands in front of her, paving the way for Deanna to launch into her favourite theme. Deanna had appointed her to act as a sort of liaison between the newcomers and residents of Alexandria, having taken a liking to Maggie's frank face and direct green gaze, so Maggie had started spending most of her time dogging Deanna's footsteps, showing an earnest attitude to learn that Deanna appreciated.

"There's going to be a government here, one day," Deanna said seriously, "a police force, everything that was lost during the Turn. I see a vibrant community here, somewhere we can raise our children, teaching them to take the past and turn it into the present in order to build a future for themselves. Industry, commerce, civilization - real lives." She smiled round at them all, Jessie looking like she was going to burst into fervent applause, making Rick's lips twitch with bitter amusement. "What?" Deanna said sharply, making him glance down at her. "Does it sound like pie in the sky to you?"

"It might be mills and horses, but we all have to begin somewhere," Jessie said, shooting Rick a reproving glance, earning herself yet another fond pat from Deanna. As Deanna began to hold forth again, Rick raised his eyebrows at Jessie, not having put her down as somebody to brook bullshit, remembering the dressing down she'd given him after the ill-fated lunch. She raised an eyebrow back at him, reminding him of Alexis again, and he looked away, pretending to be suddenly interested in the shining crowns of his boots, uncomfortably aware he was wearing dead man's shoes.

~*~

Daryl drew to a halt, battering aside a low hanging branch as he emerged into the clearing, the sight of the black horse before them slowing him to a stop. Alexis and Aaron followed him, flanking him on either side, watching Buttons throw back his head, his mane rippling across his back like ebony fire, making sudden tears spring to Alexis's eyes at how something so beautiful could still exist out here, oddly reminding her of the first glimpse she'd got of Rick and his group as they staggered towards her, the roamers trailing at their heels.