Not the Walking Dead

Hard Heart to Hearts

 After speaking with the Dixons, I noticed them turn back to the campfire to keep it going until everyone had settled in for the night. Shane and Rick were talking to Dale by Shane's jeep and T-Dog and Glenn were helping Ed and Morgan set up the tents. Everyone else was getting ready to sleep themselves. Ed wasn't doing much more than glaring at me.

I had planned to talk to Carol and Sophia first, but it may be better to talk to Morales and Miranda before the kids come out of the RV. No one has gone back in to tell them it was safe to come out.

I walked over to Miranda and Morales who were speaking to each other in hushed voices near a large tent I assumed belonged to their family.

"Morales, mind if I talk to the two of you for a moment?" I asked as I approached, keeping my stance as casual as I could, keeping my hands in my pockets so I didn't cross them out of habit.

I can't afford to seem offensive or dominant. Especially after what I just did to Ed. Morales probably wouldn't be afraid of me, but his wife certainly is. And he'll do anything she says.

Morales nods to me respectfully as I approach, and the two of them don't speak again as they orient themselves toward me.

"You're Miranda, right?" I asked his wife. Again, I didn't get a verbal response, just a shake of the head. I sighed and thought silently for only a moment.

"I know you're talking about leaving the group," I said to them. "That's a grave mistake."

"How would you know that?" Morales asked, not necessarily rudely, just confused.

"Last time around, the version that I know, you left in the morning. You wanted to be with your people in Birmingham. But you didn't make it." I said quietly and slowly, as if to not scare off a wounded animal. They were silent for a few moments before I heard Miranda speak softly.

"How long?" She asks. I ponder for a moment.

"That isn't a happy conversation to have. I don't want to have it if it can be helped. If you stay with the group you can be safe."

"We didn't seem very safe tonight." She replied haughtily. I refrain from rolling my eyes or sighing.

"Truth be told, there is no such thing as fully safe. But you'll never be safer than with this group. I know trustworthy people we'll meet, I know where we can go to build a life for your kids." Miranda and Morales just stare at each other for a moment. She finally shakes her head.

"We'll talk about it. But we have to do what's best for our family." She replied. Morales said nothing and she stalked over to the RV. I went to follow her, to talk to Carol and Sophia, defeated from not convincing them to stay, but a hand grabs my bicep.

"Please," Morales whispers. "I need to know." I look in his eyes for a moment to find any sort of uncertainty, or fear, but I see none. He's determined to get answers out of me.I sigh, knowing it's my only shot at saving them.

"Your family never makes it to Birmingham. But you do. I don't know when, or how. What I know mostly follows Rick and others from the first group. So I don't know what happened to your family in between tomorrow and when you meet again in about two years. I just know that you're alive to see Rick again. Miranda and the kids aren't." I pause and the fact sinks slowly and deeply into Morales, his grip loosening and his breath becoming labored. "The four of you went off alone, no one to watch your backs. You lost them. Then you lost yourself. When you met Rick again, you were a soldier for a very bad man named Negan. A sadist who killed for pleasure. He controlled through fear and manipulated everyone around him. You killed for him. There was a war. You didn't live to see the end of it. Quite frankly, I don't think you minded. There wasn't much 'you' left." I finished and he just stared at me, not entirely sure whether he was breathing for a moment before he took in one big gulp of air, as if he had forgotten he had to, then let go of my arm. He nodded quickly and wiped at his face, and turned to disappear into his tent.