A Play At Being Human: Part One

Your world's about to get a whole lot bigger

Notes: Character's speaking French in italics.

Your world's about to get a whole lot bigger – Jesus, 6x11

It would be another two days before the Council sent word of their decision. Collette returned from her 'scavenging' run with a series of dots and dashes written on a scrap paper. She found Jesus on the roof of Amy and Joe's trailer, making repairs to the roof. When he saw her, he handed Joe the hammer and hopped down to meet her at the bottom of the trailer steps. With the curious eyes of nosy neighbors watching, she only had time to slide the message into his front pocket before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We leave tonight," she whispered into his ear. She pecked him on the check, patted his chest, and walked away back to the Big House. That night, after their communal meal and everyone had gone to their beds, Jesus pulled out the note from his pocket and read it by the small candle by his cot –

0-0-0-1

Permission granted [stop] A 2 O [stop]

Council 2 meet R G [stop] normal limit [stop]

6-0-1-1 w A [stop] 6-0-1-0 2 O

Jesus had to take a deep breath as he sunk down onto his cot. They agreed, was all he could think, they actually agreed to it. Their only stipulation being Collette's return ahead of them while Jesus brings the Alexandrians in. He'll have a hard time convincing Rick to limit his numbers if their little show of force at Hilltop was any indication of their normal travelling numbers. Rick doesn't like to take chances, it's all but the man's mantra, but the Council has enough force to back up their demands. Bringing more than the limit would not be the best way to kick off trade relations, at least negotiations.

Jesus blew out his candle and hoisted his pack onto his back. He headed up to Barrington house to collect Collette – A rock hit Jesus in the back; he felt the brief sting in his shoulder and stumbled slightly. He turned to find Collette sitting on top of her pack, waiting for him just outside his trailer.

"Took you long enough," she spoke softly in French, standing up and slinging her pack over her shoulders.

"Did you leave word with Selma?"

Colette nodded, walking with Jesus to the edge of the walls behind the trailers. They wouldn't need Eduardo and Kal to open the gates for them tonight.

"We are going scavenging at dawn. We will be gone a week, two weeks." She shrugged. "You enjoy your long trips, so who knows. She will tell Gregory I'm sick, but I doubt he will care enough to question it."

Jesus knelt down and cupped his hands for Collette to step into. He grunted as he lifted Collette up and over the wall, "You're not happy about this at all, are you?"

"What makes you say that, Paul?" She huffed, stepping a little harder than necessary and flicking her ankle as she made it over the wall, knocking Jesus's cap askew. He shook his head, grumbling something underneath his breath about the French before following her over.

A couple miles down the road, out of the sight of the Big House's watch tower, Collette walked off the main road and into a thicket of bushes and trees. Unsure of what she was doing, Jesus helped clear the underbrush away. She jerked branches and debris away until a rundown sedan could be seen. They worked together in silence to pull it out of the ditch she had run it into and push it back onto the road. Colette pulled the keys out from the tie around her neck, yanking on it as she got into the driver's seat. Jesus threw their bags into the back before getting in. With a choked gasp, the sedan came to life.