Shambles- The Walking Dead [Alden x Maggie] [1/2]

30- Old friends

"So, about Enid," Henry began shyly as he set one of the crates he'd brought with him from Kingdom down.

"Yeah, no," Rose replied with a slight snicker. "That's never gonna happen."

"Got that," he sighed.

"How's Mika anyway? Must've been months since I was at Kingdom with that scrap metal shipment," she followed up

"She's fine. She kinda wanted to come herself but she couldn't do that to dad. He was barely okay with me leaving." He paused briefly. "It's probably better anyway. Mom and I ran into trouble on our way here. Mika wouldn't have liked that at all."

"What trouble?" Alden asked as he and Carol carried the last two crates in.

"That group of Saviors that never joined any of the communities after Sanctuary fell," Carol replied.

"Are they still around? It's been months since we last saw them. They scattered away from the convoy when we encountered them during the last scrap metal delivery. I figured they were dead by now." Alden frowned deeply.

"Don't worry they won't bother any of us anymore."

Before anyone could question what Carol meant they heard one of the guards scream about approaching riders.

"Shit!" Alden exclaimed. "Rose, bow, plateau. Now!" he instructed shortly before he set off. He ran towards the manor in search of Maggie and the kids. When he reached the steps she was already on her way out of the manor herself.

"Kal's with them in my office," She said, she already knew what he was about to ask.

He gave a nod and they ran to the gate together. The last of the fieldworkers ran in and the old gate closed behind them. Using the scope of her rifle Sasha was able to look at the approaching riders. Dianna and Rose stood on the elevated plateau on the other side of the gate with their bows.

"How many?" Maggie yelled up to her.

"Seven," Sasha counted quickly before returning to looking through her scope again. "No, wait, Carl's with them." She took another look. "And Michonne." She turned around and looked down at Maggie. "The hell is she doing here after all this time?"

Maggie grumbled to herself and Sasha climbed down the ladder quickly.

"Get the kids. I'll deal with this," Alden said calmly as he rubbed her shoulder. He knew about the anger and resentment between them that had only festered over years of no contact.

"Yeah, we'll deal with it," Sasha added.

She sighed, "thank you. Both of you." She gave each of them a quick nod before she headed back to the manor.

"Dianne, don't let them in just yet. Hear them out first," Alden instructed. If Michonne hadn't been there he would've let them right in, but that was because of Carl. He himself made his way up the ladder to listen in, but refused to talk to Michonne just yet.

"State your business," Dianne spoke pointedly.

"We're here for Rosita," Michonne replied.

"We met your messengers on the road. They told us what happened," Siddiq added. He and Carl were still close and Siddiq would follow Carl into anything if only he asked.

"And the others?" Dianne asked as she nodded to the group of unfamiliar people in the wagon.

"They're looking for a home," Carl explained. It was still an odd sight to see him without the hat. He'd passed down to his sister, Judith, a couple of months ago. He wanted her to have something to remind her of their father and he found his gun to be too strong for a young girl, and he'd gotten even more attached to it than the hat in the years since his passing. "They're good people. I vouch for them."