(( TW - Enid ))

 They made it to the woods and something Hedley didn't know until seeing it in the daylight was that Enid was amongst their group.

She smirked at him as she walked alongside him, "So..."

"What?" Hedley growled.

"You and Carl..."

"Yeah?"

"You're a thing now?"

"Yes." He tugged Judith higher in his grip, making her giggle.

"Y'know, I kissed him, right? When you were taken to-"

"I know."

"He told you." Her smirk grew bigger, "I'm surprised you told you of our night of passion."

Hedley scoffed, breathing out a chuckle.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he came to me for more in the future."

"Listen," Hedley stopped in front of her, eyes narrow, "I don't give two shits about what you think or w-what you want. I know Carl and what he told me. You may have kissed him - a kiss that only lasted a few seconds according to him. But I've done a hell of a lot more than just kiss him. So grow up, shut up and leave me alone."

He stormed off, jogging back to the front to find his dad talking with Dwight, Tara and Rosita.

"I have a question. Is there a reason why he's still breathing?" Tara asked, pointing to Dwight.

"Fight ain't over." Said Daryl.

"It is for him. I'm done waiting."

"Not now. Not yet."

Rosita agreed, "He's right. Dwight could have an angle we don't know about. He could help. He wants to. Can't give that up yet. Let's just stop. At least until we get to the Hilltop."

Tara looked pissed as she walked away.

Everyone decided to take a short break then. Daryl and Rosita looked at a map.

"If they're smart, they'll cover all these passes between here and Hilltop." Daryl spoke, pointing at the map.

"We have to keep moving." Said Rosita, "We'll just have to risk it."

"Maybe you don't have to." Voiced Dwight, slowly going over, "Negan won't send his people down into this stretch of swamp, not if he doesn't have to." He pointed on the map.

"Yeah? How do you know that?" Tara questioned.

"Negan wanted to map the best routes with cover from the Sanctuary to the Hilltop. H-He decided the swamp was too dangerous. Didn't think it was worth the risk."

Tara looked appalled at the looks on Daryl and Rosita's faces, "You aren't seriously gonna listen to him. It's too dangerous for the Saviours, so you're gonna send us? - Are you kidding me?"

"They have us boxed in." Rosita argued.

Hedley spoke up, "Tara has a point, dad. W-Why should we trust him? He could turn on us like he turned on his own people."

"I didn't just turn on 'em. I killed 'em." Argued Dwight, "Your dad saw it. Rosita saw it. Tara saw it. But one of them got away So if they find me, Negan puts my head on a pike. I'm not working for them, and I'm not going back to them. I chose my side. This is it. I'm here to help you beat Negan."

Hedley looked at his dad and Daryl shook his head, announcing, "We try the swamps."

They carried on walking. Hedley offered his water to Judith, she took shallow sips.

He heard his dad talking to Dwight, "This works, it don't change shit. Don't change what you did to Denise or what you did to my kid. Understand?"

"Everything I did, it was for Sherry." Dwight said back, "That doesn't make it right. Or something that should be forgiven. But it's the truth. Only one I got left. She ran."

"She's out here?"

"Somewhere. I hope." A pause. "I'm sorry for what I did, Daryl. I know it don't mean shit... but I am."

***

They made it to the swamp. A lone walker came out from the waters covered in algae. Daryl took his bow and shot it through the eye socket.

"We have to be careful, but we can do this." Rosita said.

Daryl nodded, "We push through. Clear a path for the others."

"Count me in." Said a man.

"I'll go." Said another.

"If I can have the crossbow-" Dwight offered.

"You can't." Daryl shot it down, "You'll stay right there."

"You coming?" Rosita asked Tara.

She shook her head, "I'm gonna hang back, watch over the group." Her eyes were on Dwight.

Daryl went to Hedley, "You comin'?"

Hedley nodded, giving Judith to a lady after giving the toddler a gentle kiss to the cheek which made her giggle.

"Come on." Daryl patted his son's back, "Let's get this done."

They moved in, muddy water up to their knees making it hard for them but they pushed through.

Rosita was suddenly in front of a walker which grabbed her but she managed to stab it in the head before it could do any damage. Another walker came out from the water and this time, Hedley shot it with his crossbow, making it sink back into the shallows. Hedley took back his bolt.

The father and son then went through a section and found themselves in front of a pool of walkers. They were gurgling water, moaning and trying to 'swim' at the fresh meat.

"Maybe w-we can go around?" Said Hedley.

Daryl shook his head, "The shallowest spot's straight ahead. We clear 'em out. That's how we get our people through."

Hedley nodded, putting his bow over his back and taking out his knives.

Daryl did the same, holding onto his large hunting knife. He turned to his son, "Ready?"

"Yeah."

The two went in, stabbing the dead, side by side.

Once cleared, they went back to the people, to find out that Tara took Dwight out to kill him only for Dwight to go off with Saviours to lead them away.

Daryl started shouting, pointing angrily at Tara, "I told you to wait! For all we know, he could be tellin' 'em everything! Negan could be on his way here right now!"

Hedley saw Judith whimper and went over, taking her from the woman he left her with. She cuddled into him.

"He isn't." Tara defended herself, "He won't. He led them away. They were coming right for us, and he saved us."

"She's right." Rosita added, "He did. I saw it."

"I don't give a damn what he did." Daryl yelled angrily, "He can stick with them, he can come back Hell, he can run. When I find that son of a bitch, I'm gonna -" He stopped when seeing Hedley comforting Judith. He looked down, took a deep breath then ordered everyone up. "C'mon."

He led them into the swamp. Hedley strapped Judith to his chest using a blanket, allowing his hands to be free, fingers clutching his knives. He was behind Daryl, following him with each step.