Shadows

25) Pickles

As Daryl and Alicia walked around the Kingdom that morning they saw Morgan and Ezekiel coming back inside. They walked over to Morgan immediately.

"You went to see them, right?" Daryl scoffed.

"Yeah."

"Part of your deal?" Alicia asked, her hand clutched in her daughters who stood shakily by her side.

Morgan didn't answer, looking away. "What the hells wrong with you?" Daryl asked. "You're bleeding. They did that to you, you know what they are."

"I do." He nodded.

"You know if Carol were here, if she saw all that... if she knew about Abraham, Glenn... she'd be leading us right to them. Ready to kill 'em all." Daryl was in his face now.

"She would." He agreed. "And that's why she left man."

Daryl stared at him for a moment before scoffing and walking off. Alicia sent him an apologetic look, picking up her daughter and following her husband.

"You know he's just doing what he thinks is right." She said once she caught up with him.

"Yeah, well he's wrong." Daryl muttered.

She sighed, shaking her head. "You're impossible." She chuckled.

He struggled to hold a grin back before looking away. "You're one to talk." He scoffed. "You're stubborn as shit."

Alicia smirked, nudging his shoulder. "Ain't that why you married me?"

"Naw I married you for your a-" Alicia coughed, cutting him off. "What?" She sent a look towards their daughter. "Oh."

"Yeah, little ears." She laughed. "Alright, if we're gonna stay here I'm gonna take a walk. Get to know some of these people a little better."

"Want me to take her for a while?" Daryl asked, taking Jordan out of her arms.

"Sure." She smiled. "I'll be back in a little while."

"Be safe." He nodded, giving her a quick kiss.

She smiled. "Always am."

She turned and walked away, leaving her husband and daughter to themselves. She made her way to the gardens, stopping when someone called her name.

"Alicia!"

She turned to where the voice came from, smiling when she saw who it was. "Hey, Jerry." She smiled. "They've got you out here picking tomatoes?"

He laughed, holding up his basket. "Cucumbers actually."

She smiled, walking over to kneel beside him. "Got anything I can help with?" She asked.

"Yeah, I do actually." He said brightly. "Can you make pickles?"

"Yeah, my grandmother taught me how." She nodded. "I think I'm pretty decent."

"Decent is better than what we've got." He shook his head. "You'd think with all these people here somebody would be able to make pickles."

Alicia laughed. "You're telling me you've been going without pickles this whole time." She tutted, standing up. "Well, we can't have that. What'll you do without pickles?"

Jerry sighed dramatically. "I haven't the slightest clue." He handed her the basket of already picked cucumbers. "You think you get a few batches out of that?"

She nodded. "I'll do my best. Don't you worry Jerry, you'll have pickles by the end of the week."

"You're the best." He smiled.

"You know it."