The Rest of your Life

Chapter 60

"What the hell are you doing in our house?" Rory stood side by side with Carl, both of them holding guns to Jesus' head. Just because she liked the man, it didn't mean she liked him in her home, where her sleeping baby sister was.

"I'm, uh, sitting on the steps, looking at this painting, waiting for your mom and dad to get dressed." Jesus responded calmly, looking to the two.

They shared confused looks at the man's words before turning round at the sound of footsteps behind them, Rick approaching, shirtless, Michonne behind him. Both Carl and Rory looked away awkwardly.

"Carl, Rory, um... hey." Rick spat out. A door slammed from downstairs, Daryl, Glenn, Denise, Abraham and Maggie running up the stairs as they saw both Carl and Rory already holding the man at gunpoint.

"It's.. it's okay." Michonne told the others.

"You said we should talk." Rick spoke to Jesus. "So let's talk."

•••

Rory sat next to Maggie and Glenn as they all were gathered around the table, staring at Jesus. "So, how'd you get out?"

"One guard can't cover two exits." Jesus explained. "Or third floor windows. Knots untie and locks get picked. Entropy comes from order, right?"

"Right." Daryl parroted.

"I checked out your arsenal." Jesus admitted, Rory squinting at the man as she played with her knife. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. You're well-equipped, but your provisions are low. Very low for the amount of people you have. Fifty four?"

"More than that." Maggie spoke up from beside Rory.

Jesus looked at her before taking another breath and speaking once again. Rory didn't understand how he was so calm in a room full of people he didn't know. "Well, I appreciate the cookie. My compliments to the chef."

"Yeah, she ain't here." Daryl snapped. Rory looked down. She didn't know where Carol went, but she just got told she up and left. The girl couldn't figure out why the woman would do that.

"Look, we got off to a bad start." Jesus begun, sitting upright in his seat. "But we're on the same side... the living side. You three had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't. I'm from a place that's a lot like this one. Part of my job is searching out other settlements to trade with. I took your truck, because my community needs things, and you looked like trouble. I was wrong. You're good people. And this is a good place. I think our communities may be in a position to help each other."

"Do you got food?" Rory asked a little quietly, still fiddling with her knife.

"We've started to raise livestock." Jesus told them. "We scavenge, we grow. Everything from tomatoes to sorghum." Rory pulled a face, she didn't know what that was.

"Tell us why we should believe you." Rick said to the man.

"I'll show you." Jesus responded. "If we take a car, I can take you back home in a day, and you can all see for yourselves who we are and what we have to offer."

"Wait, you're looking for more settlements?" Maggie queried. "You mean you're already trading with other groups?" They all looked to the man as he sat back in his seat with a smirk.

"Your worlds about to get a whole lot bigger."

•••

Rory looked up and smiled as Rick approached with Judith, the baby waving at her big sister. Rory waved back as Carl spoke with Rick. "Look, I was gonna tell you guys about me and Michonne, but it just happened. It just happened. Last night. This is... this is different."