Hellen walked around her house cleaning as she went. Her small visitor sat in the livingroom playing on the wii that she had scavenged about a year ago. Judith was playing a game called "Harvest Moon" that Hellen had been lucky enough to find when she raided a Gamestop not far from their town. It was a bigger city, but she wanted a game system again - no longer having her old Gameboy - and missed playing her games.

"Hellen?"

Judith asked from the livingroom. She peeked inside the room to see Judith cleaning one of the cows she had. Her smile wide as she brushed it with a brush and the cow had a tiny heart pop up above her head.

"Soon she'll give you good milk if you keep that up."

"Ya think so?"

Hellen nodded before she took a seat beside Judith. The old GameCube remove in her hand as Hellen took a moment out of her day to watch Judith play.

"Do you think you'll join the council?"

Hellen's lips twitched, of course she would try and innocently ask such a question. Patting her knees she sighed and looked to the tv screen.

"Well,  I don't suppose I will if you mom has anything to say about it."

"But mom likes you."

Hellen's brow arched as she looked down at Judith, who gave an innocent shrug.

"She let's me stay here. She likes you."

"She might like me, but she doesn't like Negan."

"Why not?"

"You know why, Judith. Negan has told you all about how he was before your dad locked him up."

She frowned.

"But he loves you."

Her heart skipped a beat from the little girl's words.

"And anybody who can love someone can't be all that bad."

Hellen rose from the couch, her back turned to Judith as she bit her bottom lip. Hellen walked away with a quickness to her downstairs bathroom. She knew Judith would most likely follow so she went into the bathroom and locked the door before she sat on the edge of the tub.

Putting her face in her hands as she moved her glasses up and over her head she sobbed quietly as possible. There were just some days that were easier than others for her. Not having Negan by her side was killing her. Not having him with her in bed each night was torture. Not being able to be with him without bars in the way was painful in itself.

Judith stood quietly outside the bathroom door listening to Hellen sobbing. She frowned and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand before quietly slipping back to the livingroom.

"Aaron?"

Hellen asked seeing the man approach her. He smiled and waved with his good hand.

"Hellen. I'm heading out and was wondering if you wanted to go with?"

"Outside the walls?"

Aaron nodded. It had been days since Judith had their little talk with one another.

"Judith and a few more of us are going."

"Shit. You know how to charm a lady."

Aaron just somewhat smiled. He knew the weak spot Hellen had for the little girl and knew that saying she was going would get Hellen to go as well. Pulling off her farmers gloves, Hellen handed them to Aaron to hold as she walked out of the garden. Walking over to the bench she took a seat as she laced up her shoes a bit better.

Aaron followed her back to her house where she grabbed her backpack and batton. She twirled it around in her hand for a moment before deciding that perhaps she needed something a bit more.

Placing her batton on her hip Hellen walked over to her bed in her bedroom and pulled out from underneath an old Viking Axe that Rick had grabbed for her from the museum when they went years ago. She grabbed it and took it with her.

"The old battle axe?"

Aaron teased causing Hellen to roll her eyes.

"Better than the ol' ball and chain."

She teased back causing the man to just laugh. They met up with the small group and Judith seemed most happy to have her. They left the compound on foot and walked along the road for a while -- until Judith took off hearing yelling.

In a quickness Judith was gone after the cries of help. Hellen was on her tail yelling for her to stop, the others had been blocked by the dead as Hellen was the only one who could run after her. Judith fired her father's gun as Hellen tan up from behind. A walker fell dead and the group of four people stood there shocked.

"Well, come on!"

Judith yelled as she and Hellen rushed back through the woods.

"Your mother ain't gonna be please!"

Hellen scolded as her and Judith came to a stop finding Aaron rushing toward them.

"Judith!"

"She's fine."

Hellen quickly informed Aaron. The group of people stumbled along after them out of breath and exhausted.

"And she's found new pets."

Her monotone voice caused the man to glance over at her. Hellen arched a brow seeing his eyes on her.

"Pets? We're people. Not -- "

"It was a joke big boy, heel."

She said waving him off. He looked at his group confused.

"What do we do, Aaron?"

One of the men asked as they came up. Hellen cleaned the sweat off her forehead with the back of hee hand.

"Judith won't take no for an answer, you know this."

"I was asking Aaron."

"We'll excuse the hell outta me Princess."

She scoffed under her breath. Aaron frowned, knowing that Hellen was only acting this way in front of the new people. She resorted back to how she was years ago. Sarcastic, uncaring, it was her way of protecting herself and others. Letting her persona slide, Aaron sighed and looked down at Judith.

"Your mom won't be happy."

"We have to help them. It's the right thing to do."

"We're good workers!"

The man bellowed out. He pointed between them all.

"We can earn our keep. We're good people."

"Not up to us bud."

Hellen said shifting her axe over her shoulder as some walkers came trudging toward them. Aaron looked at Hellen, watching as she grabbed her axe and held it much like a baseball bat.

"Besides -- "

She said taking a swing at one's head and then using the double sided blade to her advantage and hitting the other on the way back having them both drop dead on the ground.

"We can't talk about pleasantries right now. Aaron, we gotta move."

She nodded walking through the group of people and tagging Judith on the arm making her walk forward with her.

Hellen hummed to herself as she passed by Gabriel on her way to see Negan. He stopped her with a wave of his hand.

"I heard what you did today. You did good. Taking care of Judith I mean."

They were stopped right before Negan's window, and Hellen knew that the man was listening in more than likely.

"She's a kid of course I'm gonna take care of her."

"She's not your responsibility, but you make it yours, as do the test of us."

"You know the old saying Gabe. Takes a village to raise a child. Goodnight."

She said waving that off. Walking into the darkened room Hellen sighed and stopped for a split second seeing Negan sitting on his bed.

"What's eating you?"

She asked seeing he was looking at his cell door. When he didn't reply she stepped a little bit closer to him, it was only when he rose from the bed toward the door and press his finger against it did her eyes widen.

His fingers brushed against her lip as Negan had slipped out of the unlocked gate. Hellen's heart in her ears, her fingers woven around Negan's neck.

"I think you meant to ask, what's gonna be eating you, baby girl."

He asked with that huge ass smile that made her entire body melt into his arms as he kissed her greedily.