"What's she doing here?"

One of the council members asked seeing Hellen walking into the church with Gabriel.

"Compromising."

Hellen replied causing Aaron to arch a brow. She had her hands in her pockets and with a frown looked toward the people of Alexandria.

"I'm here because Gabe asked me to come. Something about the walkers are talking now? Sorry about Jesus."

She added causing one of the women on the council to step forward. Aaron quickly grabbed her forearm.

"Don't you dare act like you care!"

"I knew Jesus, alright? I can be sorry that you lost a friend."

"Yeah right."

"Enough."

Aaron said yanking the woman back. He walked forward his eyes on Hellen.

"You're here to help?"

Hellen nodded to Aaron's question.

"Then help."

"Right. What do we know besides the fact that someone thinks they're talking?"

The room was silent. Hellen frowned. Working with Negan since almost the beginning of all this she had learned one thing; know your enemy. Once you knew what you were dealing with you could eventually beat it.

"Nothing?"

"They used wepons."

Gabreil said turning to Hellen.

"Wepons? Like actual equipment?"

"Jesus was stabbed through the back with a blade."

Aaron explained. Hellen looked at the man, he seemed to be taking this hard. Licking her lips she inhaled deeply.

"So the dead are either becoming smart, which I highly doubt it, or something else is going on completely."

"What else could it be?"

A man asks.

"The living."

Her reply caused everyone to look around at each other.

"Come on. Negan and Gabe both once covered themselves in walker guts and walked among the dead. Who's not to say that they weren't the only ones with the same idea?"

They all looked at Hellen.

"But it was decayed like a walker."

"I dunno about that, but it seems like the most logical explanation I can give. We need to catch one of them and see what the hell your group is up against."

"And how do you suggest we do that?"

Another unknown council member questioned.

"Find a group and see if there's more."

Everyone whispered among themselves before Gabriel cleared his throat.

"In the morning we'll see what we can find. Hellen, I want you to lead a group -- "

"Me?"

"It was your idea."

"Yeah, but your problem."

"Hellen, if you do this it'll show as a sign of good faith. Maybe even enough that Michonne might agree to giving you what you want."

Aaron looked at Gabriel.

"What does she want?"

"She wants Negan out of his cell."

"That's not gonna happen!"

Someone said with irritation. Hellen's eyes narrowed as she frowned deeply.

"I have stuck my neck out for you and your people for the last six years! You're the most ungrateful assholes I have ever met!"

"You killed our people!!"

"Enough! Stop it!"

Aaron shouted trying to break apart the fued. Hellen was so mad right now at how ungrateful these people were being.

"Hellen, you and I will go out in the morning and see what we can't find. By then the group should be on their way back and we can fill them in if we cross paths."

Aaron said lowering his hands.

"Fine. Is that all?"

"Yes. Thank you, Hellen."

Gabriel said causing the woman to turn on her heels and leave their little meeting.

The next morning Hellen explained to Negan what had happened and what she was now having to do.

"Damn. I don't like this, baby girl."

He said wrapping his hand around the bar standing right in front of Hellen. She was frowning looking up at him and gave a shrug.

"Don't have much choice. If it means getting you out of this God forsaken cell then I'm willing to try."

She said her thumb reaching through the bars and rubbing Negan's fingers. He seemed tired and worried, but didn't express it much more and instead grabbed her hand.

"Don't wander too far from the group. Even if they do hate you, it'll make me feel better knowing my girl has some backup against these talking freaks."

"Of course, Aaron won't leave my side."

The door to Negan's room opened and in stepped Aaron. He glanced between the two of them before nodding toward the outside world.

"Let's get started."

Having hee hand released Hellen started walking away only for Negan to speak up.

"Hey man, I don't like it one bit, but you better take care of my girl here. If anything happens to her -- "

"Nothing will happen, Negan."

Aaron said allowing Hellen to pass by him before he closed the door. Walking out the front gates of Alexandria Hellen and Aaron started heading toward Hilltop on foot since that was where the last group was spotted.

Their walk was quiet and almost peaceful until Aaron decided to speak up.

"I dunno what you see in him."

Hellen glanced at the man seeing that he was looking at her too.

"I see a hell of a lot more than anyone has ever seen in him."

"But why? The only reason Rick saved you was because you were nothing like him. So why tolerate him?"

"Because I owe him everything. Contrary to popular belief he's not the man he use to be either. There was always a good part of him, and he might have deffintly went about things the wrong way, but he always did what he thought was best."

"He killed people."

"He only ever killed people that he had to kill. People to him was viewed as a resource and he would never destory something so valuable. But things happened -- your group happened, and Rick pissed him off by not complying simply; give me half your shit."

"Do you honestly hear yourself right now?"

"Do you? Your people started an all out war all because you didn't wanna share your shit? Every other community was complying until y'all decided that wasn't gonna work and killed our people. You killed our people so Negan killed two of yours and still..."

She inhaled.

"I'm sorry. It shouldn't have happened but it did. We all lost someone we cared for in all of this bullshit that shouldn't have ever happened. But Negan isn't like how he use to be. He's changed. I wouldn't say he had if he hasn't but even if can see it."

"You really believe that?"

"I think Rick's idea for Negan has worked yeah. He's different he just wants to get by and maybe be able to see me every now and again outside of the bars."

"That's dangerous."

"He's not dangerous anymore. Y'all broke him."

Aaron sighed and scratched the back of his neck with his good hand. The both of them walked a little bit more in silence before sporting some familiar faces.

"What are you doing?"

Michonne questioned as the wagon pulled up and came to a stop. Hellen's eyes instantly went to Daryl and his to hers, but neither of them saying anything. It had been so long since she had last seen the man she wasn't sure of what to say.

"We're looking for more of the talking walkers. We're going to catch one and see what we can learn -- "

"What!?"

Michonne hissed. In the back of the wagon was Rosita and Eugene, who looked pretty banged up, and Daryl on his bike.

"Don't be mad at him. My idea."

Hellen spoke up having the wrath of Michonne come down onto her as the woman gritted her teeth behind a deep disapproving frown.

"I'll help."

Daryl said before Michonne could speak, causing her head to whip around to see the hunter just shrug.

"It's a good plan."

Turning her head back around Michonne inhaled deeply and handed the reins off to Eugene.

"Then I'm coming with you."

"You still don't trust me huh?"

"No."

She said climbing out of the wagon and looking at Aaron with a look that could skin him alive. Daryl handed off his bike to Rosita as she climbed out of the wagon.

"Get back home and get him checked out. If we're not back in a few hours send out someone."

Michonne ordered. Rosita nodded before she egged the bike on and Eugene caused the horses to go. Michonne halted and reached out for Hellen to pull her into the middle of the group.

"Hey!"

She said shrugging Michonne off herself.

"Move."

Came her order which caused Hellen to roll her eyes. The lack of trust from this group was really getting on her last nerve.