09x12 - Guardians

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "The Walking Dead"...

- You're goin' back to Alexandria?
- NEGAN: Yep.

There is nothin' here for me.

♪

I read Ezekiel's letter.

We really need this fair.

If Alexandria could just send a delegation...

I'm sorry.

Your body's been through a lot lately.

- You...
- It's not that.

I'm pregnant.

You call me Alpha, like all the rest.

♪

♪

ALPHA: [WHISPERING] They made you remove your skin?

LYDIA: [WHISPERING] They took it off me, hid it.

The one who made the trade?

He was ready to fight to keep you.

Why?

♪

I acted like I needed his help.

Did he touch you?

No.

♪

Did you tell him about us?

That there are only a few of us.

That I hated living like this.

I lied to get them to trust me.

Except for one thing.

I said they shouldn't cross you.

♪

What did you find out?

They have mostly farmland.

Some supplies.

Their weapons are basic.

A few g*ns but not enough.

Any signs of trade?

No.

I don't think, no.

What else?

That's it.

That's it?!

I broke my own rules comin' to get you.

What do I get in return?

Excuses.

Wasted words.

♪

Sorry, Alpha.

♪

Is that the only reason you came to get me?

To get information?

♪

What a stupid question.

♪

♪

♪

Who else knew about this?

GABRIEL: Just Eugene and Rosita.

We would've told you if we'd found someone out there, but we didn't.

Then who knows who else was listening?

We weren't being careless with it.

Rosita and Eugene went out to set up this relay and almost d*ed because of it.

Jesus did die because of it.

Negan got out while you were distracted because of it!

I can't do my job if the council is keeping things from me.

We gave you the power to veto the council based on security concerns, but now everything is a security concern.

So our votes don't matter anymore, unless you agree with them.

Putting ourselves out there when we don't have to is dangerous!

So is cutting us off from the rest of the world.

Who are we supposed to turn to when we need help?

We can't be so worried about finding enemies that we lose our friends.

AARON: And we did lose a friend.

Look, we all set out with the best of intentions, but that doesn't change what happened.

There's a new enemy out there, and they're exactly what Michonne was afraid we'd find.

I don't regret the time that I spent out there with Jesus... I don't.

And what happened...

Maybe that would've happened anyway.

Maybe.

But now we know what's out there, and we can't pretend otherwise.

We put Michonne in charge of security for a reason.

Her judgment has saved us time and again.

Yes, but at what cost?

We saw Carol when we were at the Hilltop.

And she told me that she tried asking Michonne for help with the fair again, and she said that you turned her down.

You spoke on behalf of Alexandria?

The question of the trade fair is old business.

Yes, but we have new information.

Look, the fair starts the day after tomorrow, and it's not too late to reconsider.

♪

Carol says that the situation at the Kingdom is far worse than Ezekiel let on in his letter.

They're too isolated, and they need the trade that this fair will bring.

The Kingdom can take care of itself.

They always have.

Carol wouldn't ask for help a second time if it wasn't serious.

I motion the council take a second vote on the Kingdom's fair.

GABRIEL: To what end?

- She'd just veto it.
- MICHONNE: I would.

The roads leading there are broken and dangerous, and there is a group dressed as the dead who are trying to k*ll us.

[SIGHS]

Look, I wish we could help them, too, and we could vote to open up our doors to our friends just like we did with the people of the Sanctuary.

I could get behind that.

But Carol made it clear in her letter that Ezekiel is not ready to give up the Kingdom, and I'm not ready to risk Alexandrian lives over this.

I know that you just want what's best for us.

But what does it mean for Alexandria to survive if it means that the Kingdom falls?

♪

It means Alexandria survives.

♪

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

♪

[SIGHS]

♪

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

Oh, come on.

Oh, damn it.

[SIGHS]

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

[THUDS]

♪

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

Hey.

Hey.

Looks like it went well.

Oh, yeah.

I'm the leader of a council that isn't really a council anymore, so there's that.

What'd she say?

If it's all right with you, I'd rather not talk about it.

[CHUCKLES]

I'm sorry.

I know I'm being difficult.

I'm not trying to be.

It's just, it's a lot.

I know.

It's okay.

I'm sorry, too.

What for?

I mean, we were just getting started.

You know, you didn't sign up for this.

Thing is, I-I didn't, either, but... it's happening.

It's a good thing, you know?

A blessing.

But if it's too much and you want to walk, I get it.

Is that what you want?

No, don't be an idiot. You know what I want.

♪

Me and Siddiq, we'll figure our sh*t out, but you and I, how we handle it...the ball's in your court.

♪

I'm gonna go home.

♪

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

♪

[ALL WHISPERING]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[WHISPERING] Put it down, boy.

[GRUNTS]

♪

[BOTH GRUNTING]

No! No!

[GRUNTS, EXHALES SHARPLY]

♪

BETA: Been tracking him since the glades.

- He's been tracking us longer.
- Just him?

Just him.

Thank you, Beta.

Who are you?

Aah! [GRUNTS]

I'll let him break it.

And the other one.

Then, your legs.

And then I'll leave you out here to feed the hungry ones.

Ohh! Okay!

Okay, just s-stop.

♪

I'm from Hilltop.

But they didn't send me.

♪

I came for her.

You're so stupid.

[GRUNTS]

♪

He's coming with us.

Eyes open.

Where there's one, there's more.

♪

♪

GABRIEL: Eugene, what can I do for you?

The pertinent question is, what can I do for you?

In this first chart, the left column enumerates many of the positive and negative aspects of staying with Rosita while she raises her progeny with another man.

In the right column, I've assigned each of these aspects with a corresponding positive or negative numeric value.

Then, on chart number two...

Chart number two?

...I've taken the numeric values from chart one and estimated their impact over time.

While there is some instability in the first few years, happiness shows a definitive growth pattern when projected over the long term.

Well... thank you for this.

I've also brought along my scoring rubric and evaluative criteria, if that would be helpful.

Yeah, I, um...

I don't think it would be.

All right.

But if you'll pardon my French, you being a man of the cloth and all... you'd be a damn fool to let her go.

Listen, we've been through the stew, me and you.

You never gave up on me even when I did.

Even with bad peepers, you saw things I didn't.

So let me kick what I'm seein'.

Rosita is the best thing that's happened to you since this whole sh*t storm started, so you'd do well to ponder long and hard about this before tossing the literal baby out with the proverbial bath water.

But I'm not the father.

I can't let my feelings get in the way of what's best for this child.

That ain't for you to say.

Or Siddiq.

It's her decision... Pretty much all hers.

Look, I'll admit... I don't entirely understand it.

But Rosita loves you, not Siddiq.

Certainly not yours truly, despite my being head over hammertoes in love with her.

So...

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

You need to put your hang-ups on the back burner and figure out how to make this work, for her sake.

You love each other.

Stop wasting time.

It's all we have in the end.

Time or love?

Both.

What's this?

It's a peace offering for Rosita from you to her.

I turned up some pantalones with super-stretchy waistbands for her soon-to-be- ever-expanding bread basket.

Thank you.

De nada.

ALPHA: Know why your friend decided to follow you?

LYDIA: He's not my friend.

He was in the cell next to mine.

All I know is his name.

Henry.

You didn't mention Henry.

He didn't seem worth mentioning.

He thought it was worth risking his life chasing after you.

I acted helpless, and he fell for it.

Guess he's dumber than I thought.

[CHUCKLES]

Don't sell yourself short.

Maybe you're just a good liar.

Know why I trust animals?

Because they don't lie.

You had to lie.

So did they.

It's what they do.

They're just words.

Air. Nothing more.

Remember that.

♪

♪

♪

[WALKERS GROWLING IN DISTANCE]

♪

You're back where you belong.

♪

♪

♪

This is your camp?

It's home.

For now.

♪

Get her a new skin.

Take him with you.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

Welcome home.

MICHONNE: [SIGHS]

I'm surprised it took so long.

I want answers.

And I'm told you'll only give them to me.

So... tell me.

Why the hell did you come back?

'Cause I know for damn sure it wasn't for nothing.

Well, in fairness to Gabe, it wasn't all his fault that I got out.

You can't keep a big dog locked up forever.

Sooner or later, he's got to run.

Yeah, but you ran back.

So what kind of dog does that make you?

I'm glad you asked.

You know I was in your home.

I could've waited there.

Bashed your head in

when you walked through the door.

Hell, I could've bashed in a whole lot of heads.

But I didn't.

Because you knew you'd be a dead man if you tried.

You're an assh*le, not an idiot.

No, I think you decided to take your sh*t out there, and "out there" spit you out, so you dragged your pathetic ass right back here.

[CHUCKLES]

That's it, isn't it?

Well, you're right...
The world has changed.

But the thing is...

I've changed, too.

What do you want?

If you're not gonna k*ll me, then maybe you could learn to trust me a little bit.

[CHUCKLES] Wow.

Wow.

You choose self-preservation over revenge, and you think that earns you my trust?

Wow.

If spouting fresh bullshit counts as change, congratulations, Negan, you are a new man.

You're keeping me in here to remind everybody how merciful the great Rick Grimes was.

But I am telling you, I can be so much more than that.

I can help you.

I don't need anything you're selling.

You have a really good thing going for you here, but it is slipping through your fingers.

And it is only a matter of time before you lose control of it completely.

Where are you getting this?

My windows to the world are right outside your meeting room.

I'm not deaf. I hear things.

Well, you heard wrong.

Look, all I'm saying is, I know a thing or two about keeping people in line.

I could be a sounding board for you.

Leader to... former leader.

I'm not the leader here.

Oh, come on.

Now, I heard you wrote up some constitution that supposedly gives power to the people, and yet you've got it so you're the one that makes all the decisions.

sh*t.

That's one hell of a racket.

- I wish I...
- It's not a racket.

And you don't know sh*t about what goes on here.

I know that a good leader uses everything to their advantage.

Sorry, Negan.

If this is why you came back, you should've stayed out there.

Michonne...

Listen!

I'm not finished.

Now, we will be tying you up while we fortify that lock.

And I want those windows closed.

♪

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

sh*t.

♪


♪

Yeah.

Yeah. There was a struggle.

♪

They caught up to him.

♪

[DOG BARKS]

Good boy.

[GRUNTS]

Good boy.

Yeah.

They went that way.

[DOG GROWLING]

[WALKERS GROWLING]

Nice.

- [DOG BARKING]
- [WHISTLES]

Dog.

Come on.

Out.

Bad dog.

ALPHA: You wonder why we do this, why we hide among them... why we become them.

You're not them.

You're not dead.

Civilization is.

The strong adapt.

The weak die.

Like nature intended.

SEAN: So, that's what today was.

You letting the weak die.

We don't go back for the lost.

Never have.

Until your cub got nabbed.

We gave up two of theirs for your girl.

I don't like that math.

You know who they are now.

Where they are, what they have.

We know, if there's conflict, we'll win.

The trade was worth it.

If you have a problem with me as leader, you know what to do.

I challenge you.

You're not fit to lead anymore.

[CHUCKLES]

You think you're the man to replace me?

To become the new Alpha?

You're changing the rules again.

You have the right to challenge my leadership at any time.

And I... have the right to defend it.

I know it was you!

What are you doing?

I saw you in the woods, plotting with your boyfriend.

What? No, we weren't...

Oh, yes, you were.

Challenge isn't his.

It's yours.

♪

♪

You led us into danger.

With the boy here, we're still in danger.

His people already k*lled many of ours.

And where is the payback for that?

You haven't failed me.

You failed all of us.

♪

♪

Have I failed you?

♪

They all follow me by choice.

'Cause I make them strong.

Because I keep 'em alive.

Me.

♪

I don't want to fight you.

♪

♪

Too late.

♪

[GURGLING]

♪

[SHUDDERED BREATHING]

♪

♪

♪

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SNIFFLES]

Shh.

Oh, shh, shh, shh, shh,
shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Crying is weak.

♪

♪

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

MICHONNE: How was practice?

Fine.

You must've gotten there late... seeing as you were standing on the stairs outside the jail an hour ago.

Just a couple minutes.

Why were you spying on me?

I wasn't.

I went there to see Negan.

Have you been talking to him?

Why?

I feel sorry for him.

He is not your friend, sweetheart.

Well, obviously.

So if he's not your friend, then why are you talking to him?

He listens to me.

Not everybody does.

I don't want you to ever go near him again.

Why not?

There's a reason that he's in a cage, Judith.

- He is a monster.
- No, he's not.

He's a human being.

But he has done monstrous things.

He's k*lled people, people I cared about, people your dad cared about.

And if we ever let him out, it would start all over again.

But, Mom, he did get out.

He's not like that anymore.

I get why you want to believe that.

But people don't really change.

You did.

♪

Go to your room.

Why?

Because I need a minute.

♪

[SIGHS]

♪

[DOOR CLOSES]

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

♪

♪

♪

♪

ALPHA: Take off my mask.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

It's been years since that happened.

Felt different this time.

The pack believes in you.

They're alive because of you.

And it's good to remind them.

When Lydia was , I turned my back on her, just for a minute.

I don't even remember why.

When I went looking, we found her in the closet, tangled up in the plastic from the dry-cleaner.

The plastic was sucking into her mouth.

And I just stood there, watching as her skin turned blue.

She fell to the floor.

I tore the plastic off her face.

And when her breathing steadied...

I asked her if she was okay.

She nodded.

And then I hit her, hard, so she'd remember never to do it again.

You have to do whatever it takes to protect what you love, even from themselves.

We need to protect ourselves from the outside, too.

We need to be ready when they come for the boy.

We already are.

Having him gives us an advantage.

He can be useful with Lydia, too.

If she feels something, someone like him, from somewhere like that...

you need to know.

So let's find out.

[WALKERS GROWLING]

♪

[WHISPERING] Leave it there.

We'll come to you.

[WALKERS GROWLING]

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hi!

Hi, Gracie. Is your daddy home?

Daddy, it's Michonne!

Hey.

Um, Gracie, go on inside and play, okay?

I'll be there in a minute.

What's going on?

I wanted to thank you.

For your support at the meeting.

I'm sure that wasn't easy.

It was, actually.

You know, we all agreed on the rules.

We agreed to live by them.

After a while, I think it was easy for us to forget why we had them in the first place.

But the way things have gone down recently, uh, made me remember.

I appreciate that.

Which is why I wanted to tell you first.

[SIGHS]

If the council wants to revote to send a delegation to the fair...

I won't veto it.

What about the ones with the skins?

If our people cross with them, they... they'll be risking their lives.

I think it's a terrible idea.

But... the people can weigh the risks and choose.

That's their right.

That's the charter they agreed to.

And that's what we swore to protect.

And... it's for the Kingdom.

[SIGHS]

♪

I hope we don't regret this.

♪

Yeah.

Me too.

♪

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

♪

♪

♪

♪

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

HENRY: What? Where...

Wha...

[GRUNTS]

♪

ALPHA: Pick it up.

♪

Pick... it... up.

♪

Now...

k*ll the boy.

♪

What?

You weren't gone long.

Maybe it was long enough.

Long enough for what?

♪

To forget which side you're on.

♪

♪

[CRIES]

Please...

Don't be weak, like your father.

You know what happened to him.

Yeah, I know what happened to him, Mother.

♪

k*ll him.

Or he'll k*ll you both.

You decide.

Go on.

[WALKERS GROWLING IN DISTANCE]

LOOKOUT WHISPERER: Guardians!

[WHISPERERS SCREAMING]

[MAN SCREAMING]

[GROWLING CONTINUES]

[SCREAMS]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING, WALKERS GROWLING]

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING, WALKERS GROWLING]

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

[WALKERS GROWLING]

♪

Lydia, we need to go.

♪

Keep your head down. We're leaving.

Not without Lydia.

No, the girl stays.

Then so do I.

Henry...

No.

I'm not leaving you.

I won't.

[CRIES SOFTLY]

- Now.
- Come on!

[WHISPERERS SCREAMING IN DISTANCE]