Maggie was on watch when she saw Rick and his small group head towards Hilltop. She rushed down to open the gates and greeted Rick, Michonne, Tara, Carl, Rosita and Daryl.

Rick hugged her tightly. "You're okay?"

"I'm okay." She said, pulling away, "The baby's okay -- all of us."

"You were right, right from the start. You told us to get ready to fight. I didn't listen, and I couldn't. I can now."

She nodded and laughed when she was attacked by Daryl's bear hug. She held onto him and used a finger to brush hair from the archer's face.

"It's so good to see you." Daryl told her.

"You too." Maggie smirked, "And I've got a surprise for you." She turned and stuck her pinkies into the sides of her lips and whistled a tune.

Being called, Hedley came out from one house. He had on army trousers, a shirt with dragonflies on it and his new dino hat. He had Fletcher's knives strapped to his belt, along with a gun and a bag at his side.

Daryl gasped when seeing the kid, unable to truly believe it until he heard that voice. The voice of his son.

"Dad! Dad!" Hedley yelled, starting to run. "Dad!"

Daryl bolted to him and when he had Hedley in his arms, he swung him around easily. The father and son hugged and cried in one another's necks. The hug was intense as it was the safe feeling Hedley had been craving for the last couple of days. And with that safety, came the grief and the hurt and the fear that had been locked away in order to survive. Hedley let it all out at that moment, clinging to Daryl like he was a new-born, fingers clawing the fabric of his shirt. They fell to the ground, a huddle of emotion.

"Oh thank god. Fuck, Hedley. You scared me so much. I thought I'd never get to hold you again." Daryl whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay. How'd you get here?"

"I-I-" Hedley had trouble speaking, too overwhelmed.

Daryl rubbed his back soothingly, turning when he heard Maggie's voice as the group had gotten closer.

"He said he escaped Negan's bunker." She told them, "Said he killed two men and stole a bike and came straight here."

Daryl kissed his son's crown, "Such a badass! You're Uncle Merle would be proud."

Hearing the name of his uncle made a new round of sobs escape the boy, "M-Merle-" He whimpered and Daryl held him tighter, rocking him.

Carl was itching to have his turn and Daryl saw this and reached for the other boy. Carl turned to his dad for permission and when Rick nodded with a small smile, Carl knelt down and reached over to one of Hedley's hands.

Hedley opened his eyes to see who the new touch belonged to and gasped, "Carl!" Hedley let go of Daryl then jumped into Carl's chest, making the two boys fall to the ground. That made the adults laugh as the two hugged.

"I've missed you." Hedley whispered.

Carl smiled tearfully, whispering back, "I've missed you too."

Once everyone had calmed down and back on their feet, it was Michonne's turn to hug Hedley. He hummed happily, stimming when she gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"I'm so glad you're back, Bug." She said, "It wasn't the same without you."

"You got that right." Rick came in, hugging the boy too, "You're a big part of the family, Hedley. Without you, it just didn't feel right."

Hedley smiled at his family, then lit up, remembering something. He went into his bag and took out Rick's gun. The gun he found on Joey's person when escaping Negan's group. He gave it to Rick and watched in amusement as the man examined it with a smile and putting it into his belt.

Carl reached for Hedley's hand and when their palms reconnected, a warmth filled both of them. Familiar. Family. Safe.

Daryl kept behind Hedley, not wanting to take his eyes off his kid again.

Maggie then spoke, "How about I take you to see Gregory?"

"Who's Gregory?" Rick asked.

****

"No! No way in hell. That was not the deal. You people swore you could take the Saviors out, and you failed. So any arrangement we had is now done -- null and void. We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met. Hmm? We don't know each other. I owe you nothing. In fact, you owe me for taking in the refugees, at great personal risk."

"Oh, you were very brave staying in here while Maggie and Sasha saved this place. Your courage was inspiring." Jesus snapped.

"Hey, don't you work for me? Aren't we friends?"

Rick came forward, "Gregory, we already started this."

"You started it."

"We did. And we're gonna win."

"These are killers."

"Is this how you want to live? Under their thumb, killing your people?"

"S-Sometimes we don't get to choose what our life looks like. Sometimes, Ricky, you have to count the blessings you have."

Maggie stepped up, "How many people can we spare? How many people here can fight?"

""We"?" He Scoffed, "I don't even know how many people we have, Margaret."

Hedley took out one of his knives, Daryl held him back.

Gregory rolled his eyes at the boy, "I mean, w-w-what are you gonna do? Start a platoon of sorghum farmers? 'Cause that's what we got. They grow things. They're not gonna want to fight."

Tara spoke, "You're wrong. When people have the chance to do the right thing, they usually step up. I mean, people just --"

"Let me stop you before you break into song, okay?" Gregory cut her off. Tara gaped at being treated like that, making Hedley angrier. "And, by the way, who would train all this cannon fodder?"

Sasha announced, "I will."

Rosita doing the same, "Give me a week."

"Rhetorical, okay?!" Gregory shut it down, "I don't want to know. I never want to hear another word about any of it, ever."

"Would we be better off without the Saviours, yes or no?" Rick asked, irritated.

"Yeah. Sure."

"So, what will you do to fix the problem?"

"I didn't say we had a problem. You did."

"You wouldn't be saying that if Negan k-killed someone you loved right in front of you." Hedley growled.

Carl squeezed his hand as Daryl placed a hand onto his shoulder. Maggie looked down at the ground, suddenly sad.

"What happens outside of my purview is outside of my purview." Was what Gregory had to say.

"What the hell, man? You're either with us or you ain't." Daryl said, angry, "You're sitting over there talking out of both sides of your mouth."

"I think I've made my position very clear. And I want to thank all of you for not being here today and not having this meeting with me or -- or being seen on your way out. In other words, go out the back."

The group left.

"Walking ballsack." Rosita growled, making Hedley grin a second before the anger returned.

When they got outside, they were greeted by a group of Hilltop people, demanding to help in the fight. It gave the group a little lift. They headed to the gates after agreeing to help Hilltop fight.

Michonne spoke, happy, "It's a start."

"We'll get more." Sasha added.

"It still won't be enough." Rick said.

Rosita agreed, "No, it won't."

Daryl weighed in, "Well, we find the right stuff, then maybe we don't need the numbers. Blow 'em up, burn 'em to the ground."

"You said there weren't just soldiers with the Saviours, that there were workers there." Tara reminded, "People didn't have a choice."

Daryl sighed, "We gotta win."

Rick nodded, "We need more hands, another group. Negan has outposts. The geography, the distance works against us. We gotta get back. If they come looking for Hedley, we need to be there."

"You don't have to get back. Not yet." Jesus said then looked at Hedley, nudging his shoulder, "Hedley not only took your gun from the Saviours, Rick."

Maggie smirked, nodding to the boy when he looked at her.

Hedley went back in his bag and took out a walkie talkie. "I-It's one of theirs."

"We can listen in, keep track of them." Jesus exclaimed.

"Good job, kid." Rick praised.

Daryl ruffled his head, making his dinosaur hat crooked, "My son's a fuckin' genius."

Everyone chuckled at that. Hedley smiled at Carl - who was smiling too and helped him straighten his hat.

Michonne turned to Jesus, "So, if we're not going back, what are we doing, then?"

Jesus just smirked, "I think it's time we introduced you to Ezekiel. King Ezekiel."

Rick raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "King?"