Notes: I know forgiveness wouldn't have happened if it had happened this way on the show, but I just couldn't do it the other way, which would have been revenge to the death. Their family and have been through so much together. I hope you still like it.

Maggie's Plan Gone Wrong

The plan was set. They knew that Rick and Michonne were taking shifts watching Negan at the infirmary just in case there's a savior out there that they didn't catch or kill that wants to show up and try to save him. They could stop watching him once he's in the cell. Maggie would give him some coffee to keep him awake during his watch time, except Maggie would drug his coffee with some sleeping pills she got from Jesus, who got them from Sadique after he told him he was having trouble sleeping. Rick would fall asleep and stay asleep for a couple hours. Daryl would put duct tape over Negan's mouth and then stand behind Rick just in case he wakes up sooner then expected and Jesus would keep watch outside, while Maggie would use a silencer on the gun to make sure Rick didn't wake up. Rick's shift was from 12:00 – 2:00 and Michonne's was from 2:00 – 4:00. Jesus wore a watch to keep track of when Michonne would be coming and so did Daryl so he could warn Maggie when it's about time for Rick to wake up.

"Are we ready?" Maggie asked.

"Hell yeah!" Daryl said.

"I'm ready," Jesus said. Daryl and Jesus hid outside. Maggie knocked on the door and Rick got up from his chair.

"Maggie? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. I just thought that you would like some coffee to keep you awake."

"Thank you. Just in time. I was starting to fall asleep."

"You're welcome. You don't want this one to get away." Negan was sleeping.

"Michonne well be here soon enough and then I can get some sleep."

"Ok. Good night," Maggie said.

"Goodnight Maggie." He closed the door.

"Let's meet back here in a half an hour," Maggie whispered. Jesus and Daryl nodded their heads. An half an hour later they were back and Jesus and Daryl hid just in case, while Maggie knocked on the door. Nothing. She knocked a little harder. Still no response. She was hoping she didn't wake Negan though. He could ruin everything with his big mouth. She opened the door a crack and saw Rick with his arms crossed, legs stretched out, and head tilted to the side. "He's asleep. We can go in now, but try to be quiet. We don't want to wake Negan," she whispered. Daryl and Jesus nodded. They walked in and Negan was still sleeping. Daryl and Maggie slowly and quietly walked up to Negan's bed. He suddenly opened his eyes.

"Ri...!" Maggie covered his mouth.

"Shut your mouth! I put a sleeping pill in Rick's coffee, so he won't be waking up anytime soon." Daryl took the duct tape and broke a piece off with his teeth and Maggie removed her hand and Daryl replaced it with the duct tape. Daryl patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry we'll take good care of you now," Daryl said. Negan was shaking his head furiously and was still trying to talk. Maggie slapped him across the face. Rick slumped in his chair and his head tilted to the other side so he was now facing Maggie. Daryl put a finger to his mouth and Maggie nodded. Daryl stood behind Rick again. She grabbed Negan's mouth with one hand.

"Stay quiet you son of a bitch!" She took out the gun and he shook his head furiously again, but didn't try to say anything this time. "You're done Negan. You will never hurt or kill anyone again." She put the gun to his forehead and he closed his eyes accepting his fate, knowing there was no way out. Rick started moving again except this time he woke up. He saw Maggie holding the gun to Negan's forehead.

"Maggie No!" Maggie turned to Rick and lowered her gun. Jesus ran in. Rick started to get up, but Daryl put him in a choke hold and he fell back into his chair. Daryl knelt down to whisper in his ear.

"Were going to do what you and Michonne should have done." Rick head butted him and Daryl fell to the floor. Jesus ran to Daryl. Rick got up too fast and between the head butt and waking up too soon from the sleeping pill, he was feeling dizzy and fell to the floor. He crawled to Maggie.

"Don't! You don't understand!"

"I understand just fine. You and Michonne want this monster to live! That's all I need to know!" She turned back to Negan and pointed the gun at him again. Rick didn't want to hurt Maggie because she is pregnant with Glenn's baby and she is his family, but he didn't want to break his promise to Carl either. Rick got up and he reached for the gun from behind her. They were struggling with the gun now. "No Rick! He has to die!"

"You're wrong Maggie!" Jesus didn't know what to do. If he tried to stop them he could make things worse.

"Stop! Maggie Stop! You could hurt the baby!" Jesus said.

"He has to die!"

"He's not worth it Maggie!" Jesus said.

"Listen to him! There's a reason why me and Michonne are doing this!" Daryl got up. "There's No good reason Rick. Let Maggie do what needs to be done!" Daryl said.

"No!" Rick yelled. It was chaos. Michonne wanted to see how Rick was holding up and heard the commotion. She listened in while staying hidden.

"I don't care what you say! I'm going to kill him!" Maggie yelled.

"No! I won't let you!" Rick yelled.

"We were wrong! This plan is going to hurt someone or worse!" Jesus yelled.

"Do it Maggie! Do it!" Daryl yelled. Daryl was tiered of waiting and came up behind Rick and tried to pull him off of Maggie. Michonne wasn't thinking and ran in as they turned around and the gun went off, the bullet hitting her in the throat. They stopped and stared at her as she grabbed her throat and gasped for air before falling to the floor. Maggie dropped the gun and started crying. Jesus comforted her. Daryl was trying to hold his emotions in and started pacing. Maggie grabbed his arm mid pace and he stopped and pulled his arm out of her grip. He put his head down, walked over to one of the beds, sat down, and stared at the floor. He wasn't mad at them. He was mad at himself for going along with it and for letting revenge and anger take over instead of trying to convince her to not do it. Now once again someone he loves paid for his bad decisions. Jesus was trying to stay strong for Maggie, but he was starting to tear up. Rick just stood there in shock.

"No," he said, in a low voice, not wanting to believe what he just saw. Then reality set in. "Nooo!" He yelled out, running to her. He knelt down next to her and started crying. He put pressure on her wound. "You're going to be ok Michonne. You are. I love you Michonne," he said, still crying and caressing her cheek with the other hand. He kissed her on the forehead. She couldn't speak. She started crying and reached up to touch his cheek and caressed it with her thumb. She smiled at him and he smiled back and put his hand on top of the hand that was on his cheek. She knew she wasn't going to be ok and wanted nothing more then to say I love you too, but her smile and her touch would silently tell him. As she took her last breath her hand slowly slipped away from beneath his hand and she now stared at him with lifeless eyes. "Michonne? Michonne no!" He cried out. He laid his head down on her body, crying hysterically now. He heard them approaching and looked up at them, eyes red and tears streaming down his face. He didn't look away as he took a piece of paper out of his pocket and dropped it at their feet. He turned to Michonne again. Maggie picked it up and looked over at Daryl and he saw the paper in her hand, got up from the bed, and walked over. Maggie read it to herself along with Jesus and Daryl. It was Carl's letter. She started crying again and Daryl went back to pacing, trying to hide his emotions again and Jesus had tears streaming down his face.

Maggie and Jesus walked up to Rick and Daryl stopped pacing and looked on. Maggie put a hand on Rick's shoulder and he sprung up so fast that it startled them and they backed up not sure what he might do. He gave them an empty blank stare and then got down on the floor again with Michonne.

"We're so so…" Rick interrupted Maggie.

"No!" He stood up again. "Don't! You three did this!"

"Rick just …" Maggie tried again, but Rick put his hand up.

"Just try to hear us out," Jesus said.

"I don't want to hear it! My family betrayed me. There's nothing more to say," he said, in a shaky voice, more tears forming in his eyes.

"We didn't know that Car…" Rick stopped her again.

"Don't. Don't you dare! You have no right to say his name! You betrayed him too and Michonne. Daryl. Of course you just stand there not saying anything. So typical!"

"We never meant …" Rick shut Maggie down again.

"Get out."

"Rick please!" Maggie said, starting to cry again and grabbed his arm. He pulled out of her grip.

"Get out." He said again with gritted teeth.

"Please let us …" Jesus tried again, but Rick wasn't having it.

"Get out of my sight!" He yelled. They reluctantly left him alone. Negan was trying to say something. Rick ran to Negan and ripped off the duct tape.

"Holy shit!" He cried out in pain.

"What the hell do you want?" He said with gritted teeth.

"Your letting them go!"

"They'll get theirs soon enough."

"What would Car…" Rick lost it and took his aggressions out on Negan and started punching him over and over again until he had two black eyes and was unconscious. He replaced the tape.

"Shut up." He sat on the floor next to Michonne again, brushed back her dreadlocks, laid his head back down on her and started crying hysterically again, gripping her dreadlocks. He laid there for about thirty minutes when he heard it and felt it. She was breathing again. He lifted his head up and looked into her walker eyes. She started moaning. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Michonne." He knew he shouldn't but he needed this last moment with her even if it wasn't really her. He put a hand on her face and kissed her on the forehead right before she sat up and started grabbing for him. She started growling now, wanting nothing more then to ease her hunger. He reached for his knife. "I love you so much Michonne," he said as he cried. He put the knife through her temple and he held her as she fell backwards and gently laid her on the floor. He kissed her on both cheeks and the forehead. He held her hand, laid down facing her, and wrapped her arm around him as he laid his head back down on her and wrapped his arm around her. Maggie, Jesus, and Daryl walked to Jesus's trailer.

"I'm so sorry. This was my fault," Maggie said crying.

"We were in on it to. You didn't make us do anything," Jesus said.

"Now because of us Rick has lost someone else that he loves and so have we," Maggie said.

"And now we need to spend the rest of our lives trying to make up for the pain we caused him," Jesus said. Daryl started to walk away and Maggie grabbed his hand.

"We shouldn't be alone tonight," Maggie said. He pulled his hand away.

"Rick is alone, so why shouldn't we be." He walked away. Rick had slept on the floor with Michonne all night. In the morning he grabbed a sheet, picked her up, and carried her outside. He dug a hole next to Carl and then gave her a kiss on the cheek before wrapping her in the sheet. He picked her up as he cried and lowered her into the grave. He placed her katana on her grave. Aaron and Tara wanted to give Rick his space. They didn't think he was ready to talk to anyone yet. A couple days passed and Rick still wasn't talking to Daryl, Maggie, and Jesus. Daryl locked the door of his trailer. He didn't want Jesus, Maggie, or any other visitors. He didn't feel like he deserved it. Maggie and Jesus came offering food and water.

"Rick well forgive you eventually. Your brothers," Maggie said.

"We're all family and that will never change. Rick will realize that," Jesus said. He didn't say a word. He didn't sleep either. He wanted to punish himself for what he did. Aaron and Tara visited him too. They were on Rick's side, but they could see more clearly then Rick and they knew Daryl too. They knew why he was doing it. He felt like he deserved no less.

"Don't do this Daryl," Tara said.

"If you keep going on like this you'll die," Aaron said. Nothing.

"Please Daryl! There are still people out here that give a shit about you!" Tara said.

"Tell everyone to leave me alone." They left knowing they might as well be talking to a wall. Daryl unlocked the door knowing there would be no more visitors except for one.

He lay on his couch and waited for his fait to walk in. Daryl couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He was weak and tiered and not prepared to defend himself, not that he wanted to. Rick walked in and saw Daryl sleeping. He slammed the door and Daryl opened his eyes, but didn't move. He was too weak to. He was waiting for this moment. He would let Rick do what he needed to do. Daryl stared at the ceiling, waiting. Rick waited for him to say something. To do something. Daryl knew that would fuel the fire.

"Say something." Daryl laid still. Rick went to the couch, grabbed Daryl by the vest, and dragged him across the floor since Daryl was too weak to walk. He pulled him up by his vest and threw him up against the wall so hard he made a dent in the wall. "Say something!" Daryl was slumping under his grip. It was hard to keep Daryl standing up right. "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you fighting back? Why don't you say something!" He pulled him away from the wall just to slam him up against it again. "Say something!" Daryl finally broke and started crying.

"We just wanted him gone. We didn't know about Carl. We didn't think about the consequences and now she's dead," he said crying more. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. She was my family too. I loved her too." He saw something in Daryl's eyes. He was hurting too. He also saw in his eyes the same look that he saw when they reunited at the hilltop. He saw the shame and he couldn't help but see his brother again. He pulled him away from the wall again and Daryl waited to be slammed up against the wall again, but instead was met with a different look in Rick's eyes. A look of sympathy and understanding. He saw his brother again too. Rick moved his grip from Daryl's vest to Daryl's shoulders and pulled him into a hug. They both started crying. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are. I forgive you brother." They were still hugging when Daryl started to slump in his arms. "Daryl? Daryl!" Rick was still holding him as Daryl fell to the floor. He wanted to make sure he didn't hit the floor too hard. Daryl was passed out. "Why were you like a dead weight? What did you do to yourself brother?" He asked himself out loud. He lifted him up and put him over his shoulder, walked to the couch, and slowly and gently laid him down. "I'm not loosing you too." He ran out the door calling for Siddiq. To his surprise Siddiq was running toward him.

"They told me everything. Please tell me you didn't finish the job."

"Finish the job? What do you mean?"

"I was afraid you might have …"

"Oh! No. I couldn't. What did you mean finish the job? How did it get started?"

"They told me he locked himself in for a couple days and wouldn't eat or drink." They walked into the trailer. "I'm guessing he didn't sleep either. His eyes are very dark. He is severely dehydrated and malnourished. How did you get in?"

"It was unlocked."

"I suppose he was expecting you. He wanted you to show up."

"Yeah. I think your right," Rick said, in shock. "Is he going to be ok?"

"We need to take him to the infirmary."

"No! I don't want him near Negan."

"I guess he can stay here. He needs an IV and when he wakes up he's going to need food.

Otherwise he should be fine."

"Thank you." He pulled up a chair and sat at his bedside. Siddiq left and saw Maggie, Jesus, Tara, and Aaron sitting on the steps. They all got up.

"How is he?" Maggie asked.

"He'll be ok. He just needs some food and an IV to get his strength back up. I think visits from his family will help too. I'll be back to check on him."

"You go first," Jesus said to Maggie.

"I'm scared." Jesus smiled and grabbed her hand.

"If he forgave Daryl then he will forgive you too."

"Yeah, but I was the one who made the plan."

"He knows you. Just like he knows Daryl. Don't worry," Jesus said.

"Thanks."

"You'll be fine," Aaron said, as he hugged her.

"Good luck," Tara said, hugging her too.

"Thanks you guys." She walked in and Rick stood up and turned around. Maggie put her head down, not able to look Rick in the eyes. "I just wanted to see how Daryl's doing then I'll go." He walked up to her, but didn't say anything. "It's ok. I'll come back later," she said. She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. She started crying.

"Don't go. I need my family more then ever now," he said, still hugging her and getting a little emotional him self.

"I'm sorry Rick. It was my plan. It's my fault Michonne is dead," she said as she cried. He held her hands.

"I forgave Daryl because I saw something in his eyes. I see the same thing in yours. I forgive you Maggie."

"Thank you. I loved her too. She was like a sister to me," she said as she cried.

"I know. Can you send Jesus in here?"

"Jesus."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. As ok as it could be considering what we did."

"Good," Tara said and smiled at Maggie. She smiled back.

"I'm happy for you," Aaron said.

"Thanks. Rick wants to talk to you Jesus." Jesus walked in.

"I'm sorry Rick."

"I need my family to get through this and that includes you." He gave him a hug. Maggie walked in. Daryl started to wake up.

"What happened?" Rick sat next to him again.

"You passed out." All of a sudden it came rushing back to him and he started crying.

"No no! I'm so sorry Rick." Rick held one of his hands.

"It's ok. I forgave you before you passed out. You need to rest. I need my brother back," he said smiling. Daryl nodded his head and gave a small smile. He saw Jesus and Maggie.

"Does this mean …"

"Yes I forgive them too, but let me be clear on something. The last thing I need is to loose more of my family, so I forgive you, but I'll never forget and if anything like this happens again I wont kill you because you are my family and that wont change, but I'll have to send you away like I did with Carol because I wouldn't be able to live with three of my family that betrayed me twice."

"I am going to speak for Daryl and Jesus when I say that we would never do anything to hurt you again. We just wanted Negan out of the way. We wanted to show you that life would be better without Negan in it, but instead we all paid the ultimate price. Never again Rick."

"Never again," Daryl said.

"Never again," Jesus said.

"I believe you." Rick got up and hugged Jesus and Maggie and then went back to hug Daryl as much as he could considering he's laying on the couch. "I wouldn't have been able to kill you Maggie because you're carrying Glenn's baby and I wouldn't kill the mother of Glenn's baby," Maggie started crying.

"Thank you Rick." He nodded and gave her a small smile.

"I wouldn't be able to leave a baby without its mother because Judith is growing up without one and I would never be able to do that to a mother and their baby, but only for those reasons. Daryl and Jesus. If I had killed you it would have been worse then killing Negan because after that it wouldn't matter if Negan were still alive. It would be for nothing because that would be the ultimate betrayal to Carl because I would be killing his family along with the wish he had for peace and I would be betraying myself too because …" He paused because he started to cry. "Because I would be loosing part of myself." He lowered his head and Daryl held his hand and Rick put his other hand on top of his. He got up and Maggie wiped his tears away. She had been crying too and he wiped hers away and then they hugged. Then Jesus hugged him too.

"Were the ones who betrayed you Rick and we'll spend the rest of our lives making it up to you," Maggie said and Jesus and Daryl agreed.

"No. You don't have to. You lost her too. I can see that now. And knowing that it was because of what you did. I could only imagine what that feels like and that will be with you for the rest of your lives and that's enough. Just get better Daryl, Maggie, take care of Glenn's baby and you can also help me with something. You too Jesus." Aaron and Tara were waiting outside. When they saw Rick they gave him a hug.

"We're so sorry Rick," Aaron said.

"We loved her too," Tara said.

"I know. Thank you." Daryl's awake, Rick said.

"Where are you guys headed to?" Tara asked.

"Unfinished business," Rick said. "I need them to help me with something."

"Ok." They walked in and Daryl was asleep. Tara sat down and held Daryl's hand and he opened his eyes. "Hey," Tara said.

"Hey."

"I'm so happy he forgave you," Tara said.

"We were afraid of what he might do," Aaron said.

"I was ready for whatever he wanted to do. I deserved it."

"That's why you starved yourself and didn't drink or sleep. You didn't think you deserved it," Aaron said.

"We don't need to loose another member of our family. You're stuck with us Daryl," Tara said.

"Whether you like it or not," Aaron said. He smiled.

"Thanks." They arrived at the infirmary. Maggie and Jesus waited for Rick in the car. Rick ripped the tape off of Negans mouth.

"God damn Rick! Stop doing that!"

"Were going for a little ride Negan."

"Where?"

"To your new home." Rick led him to the car.

"What! What are they doing here! Why didn't you kill them! They killed your girl! I understand the widow. She's a woman and she's pregnant with your friends baby, but Jesus and Daryl. Wait. Where's Daryl? Did you kill that back stabber?"

"No he's in the infirmary."

"Ok! So you beat him up to a bloody pulp. Alright! I didn't know you had it in you."

"Shut the hell up before I shut your mouth up for you!"

"Michonne would have …" Rick swung his arm out and punched him in the nose, breaking it and Negan yelled out in pain.

"Don't you ever say her name again!"

"What? Or you'll kill me? Yeah. We know how well that works." Jesus put his arm around the seat, putting him in a choke hold.

"Your lucky Carl wanted peace or you would be dead right now." Jesus released him and he started coughing and laughing at the same.

"Keep on talking Negan and I'll have Maggie open up your wound, which I'm sure she would be happy to do."

"Just give me the word Rick," she said smiling.

"Fine! You win. You crazy shits!" He was quiet the rest of the way. Maggie and Jesus followed as Rick led the way to Morgan's cell.

"I thought we destroyed your little paradise."

"Your new home wasn't touched," Rick said. He opened the cell door, grabbed Negan by the collar of his shirt, pushed him in, and slammed the door. "Welcome home."