Dead Man Walking

lxxviii

"How much further have the patrols cleared?" Michonne asks as they rode their horses on the road to Hilltop.

"Till the Route D river bend," DJ replies, "Their rig's about five miles past that. If their story checks out."

Yumiko glares over at DJ, "You'd feel better if you just say it," Michonne says to Siddiq.

"What makes you think I want to say something?" Siddiq asks.

"Well, I'm not hearing you deny it," Hunter spoke up.

"I was gonna tell you that I'm glad you guys changed your minds about them."

"But you think we should've let them stay in Alexandria," Michonne says glancing over at Siddiq.

"Well, you guys are going pretty far out of your way not to," Siddiq replies, "Considering."

"Considering what?"

"That you guys like them."

Hunter chuckles, as Michonne raises her brows, "Really? That's what I think?"

"Uh-huh," Siddiq smiles over at them, "I mean, I'm not hearing you deny it."

Hunter did like them, he liked Magna's honesty and he liked Luke's rambling and he thought Connie and Kelly were decent people. But just because he likes them doesn't mean he trusts them.

"That doesn't mean we trust them," Hunter says.

Hunter could hear the group arguing in the carriage. But then it went silent and he turned his head to see Kelly signing to them. But Magna was still going on about them having her knives. Hunter rolls his eyes as he tightens his grip around the reigns.

"Look, I'm sorry about Magna. She can be a bit hotheaded," Yumiko tells them after seeing the looks on their faces.

"That's one word for it."

"She's been on edge since we lost Bernie."

"Was he with you long?" Siddiq asks Yumiko.

"Long enough. He loved getting under Magna's skin," Yumiko tells them with a smile, "He, um, used to wear this absolutely horrid shirt. It was like looking into creation itself. In paisley. God, it was horrendous. But Magna hated it. She said just looking at it gave her a migraine. So Bernie wore it every day for a week. Honestly, I think she came around on the shirt. Just like she came around on him."

"Like family."

"This place...Hilltop. It's safe?" Yumiko asks.

Hunter nods, "It is."

"What's it like?"

Hunter furrows his brows, he didn't know anymore, "I haven't been there in a long time."

"Then how do you know it's safe?"

"I promised my daughter that I would get you there, and I will," Michonne answers, "You're just gonna have to trust me."

Hunter hasn't been to Hilltop since the bridge. He hasn't seen Maggie in six years. Or Hershel. He's gotten over his anger and he wants to talk to his best friend, that's why he was going to Hilltop. He had people he needed to see. He had to apologize to Maggie. He's been meaning to go there for a while now but he hasn't had the courage to do it.

____

They found their little camp, but when they got there everything was gone. Magna gave another protest about wanting her weapons and they caused a bit of a scene. But it was decided that they wouldn't get their weapons back until they got to Hilltop.