"Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say it's about time," Glenn teases- a tired look still on his face.

Sakiko and Ryan look to each other, sharing a quick smile before looking away again.

Michonne wraps the bandage around Nanami's shoulder, patting his back, "It's good you had an exit wound. Otherwise, you'd have pieces still stuck there."

"Hershel could have patched him up," Ryan assures, "He'll be glad to have you back."

With Michonne's help, Nanami pulls his jacket back on, "And nearly everyone is still alive? How'd you make it through the winter?"

"Bundled in groups for warmth," Ryan answers, receiving a nudge on the shoulder from Sakiko, "Kept on the go. Few houses, storage units, a bus station.. We just kept moving."

"Us, too," Nanami nods, looking to Michonne.

"They're back," Sakiko suddenly jumps to her feet.

The others follow in suit, seeing the group returning.

"Now, we got a problem here," Rick holds his hand out, "I need you to back up-"

"What the hell is he doing here?" Glenn shouts, pulling his gun out.

At the same time, Michonne's sword is unsheathed and Maggie is hurrying to Glenn's side with her own gun pointed back the way they came.

The shouting is immediate as Daryl stands guard in front of Merle who watched the group's manic with a lazy smile.

"If it wasn't for him-" Glenn yells.

"He helped us get out of there," Daryl cuts him off.

"Yeah, after he beat the shit out of you," Rick sneers.

"Hey, we both took our licks, man" Merle jokes.

"Jackass," Daryl scoffs.

"Shut up!" Merle complains to his brother.

"He tried to kill us!" Glenn shouts.

"Only cause I thought y'all got my brother killed!" Merle defends.

Sakiko stumbles back, a burden on her shoulders. She only said that because Shane told her.. But, even then, why did she jump to conclusions? Why did she run off? Why was she screwing everything up?

"Put it down!" Rick shouts to Michonne who was trying to get to Merle again.

The yelling returns and Sakiko takes the opportunity to duck past everyone- slamming her hands against Merle's chest to shove him backwards.

"It wasn't my fault!" she screams- though it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself of that.

"Darling, you're the one that told me. Far as I'm concerned- you and I are both in the wrong," Merle holds his arms up in surrender.

"Hey!" Daryl shouts, tugging Sakiko closer to him, "Don't fucking talk to her like that!"

"Yeah?" Merle challenges, "Brother, she came up to those gates crying about how these people got you killed."

"I did not!" Sakiko cries, "I wanted to go back home!"

Nanami feels the weight now at her words. If he had just let her go like she wanted, she would have seen Daryl again and things would have evened out. Instead, he dragged her to Woodbury after putting those horrid thoughts in her head even though it was clear she was vulnerable and easily swayed.

"It's my fault," Nanami finds his voice.

"It's no one's fault but this asshole's!" Michonne hisses, glaring to Merle, "He tried to kill me after I left. He took them from that store even after they said Daryl was alive."

"What?" Daryl asks, looking back to Merle.

"How was I supposed to believe 'em?" Merle questions, "They was telling me to wait there and they'd go get you-"

"Then, you should have fuckin' waited!" Daryl snaps.

"And you're still blaming me?" Sakiko complains, "You asshole!"

"I wasn't 'bout to sit on the side lines with my ass out in the open not knowing when or if they were-" Merle starts to shout back- his argument cut short as Rick delivers a quick blow to the back of his head with the butt of his gun.

Sakiko, Nanami, and Daryl all let out breaths of relief.

--

The arguments over Michonne and Merle were immediate.

"Michonne helped me out there," Nanami defends, "She's a friend."

"She's unpredictable," Rick rephrases.

"Merle is the unpredictable one," Glenn adds.

"Merle's blood," Daryl reminds.

"No. Merle is your blood," Glenn points to Daryl, "My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison."

"And you're a part of that family. All three of you," Rick points between Daryl and the twins.

"Merle's hardly family," Sakiko mumbles, "My family is here. Like Glenn said. I made my choice when I left there not even knowing if you were alive or not."

"Merle has been working under the Governor for months. He could help in case he retaliates," Nanami offers, "And Michonne.. She's my family, too."

"We can't trust either of them," Rick shakes his head, "Hershel patches her up and then she's gone. Merle isn't allowed at the prison."

"Seriously?" Nanami asks, glancing to where Michonne was by the car and where Merle was leaned against the tree.

"We can't risk it," Rick says.

"Fine. Then, I won't go back, either," Nanami scoffs.

"Nana," Sakiko frowns.

"Michonne is family. Merle is family- ups and downs included. I can't throw away all that," Nanami shakes his head.

"Okay, we'll fed for ourselves," Daryl agrees, he and Nanami trading a nod.

"What? No!" Sakiko cries, "You can't-"

"We can," Daryl cuts her off, "The three of us'll go."

"Daryl-" Rick begins to argue.

"That's how it was meant to be, right?" Daryl asks Sakiko, "This is how we make it right, then."

Sakiko looks to where Ryan was beside Glenn- feeling like she was in the middle of tug of war.

"All right," Nanami nods.

Sakiko glances up to Daryl who pats her shoulder, "Daryl.."

"You don't have to do that," Maggie pleads.

"This was our plan all along," Daryl assures, "We'll be fine. Y'all would do the same."

Maggie looks to Sakiko who looked like a wounded animal. Her heart tugged for the girl and she stands up for the teen.

"She doesn't want to go. You can't make her," Maggie nods to Sakiko.

"We'll be fine," Daryl says, more to Sakiko than anyone else.

Sakiko wants to argue, but for once she feels out of words.

"Let's get our stuff," Daryl nods to the car.

Nanami is quick to follow Daryl- Glenn and Rick chasing soon after. Maggie sighs, patting Sakiko's arm before running after them as well.

Once alone with just Ryan, Sakiko lunges into his arms.

"I don't want to go," she whimpers- her guard dropping once it's just Ryan.

Nanami pulls his bag out of the car and flinches in pain- Daryl taking it from him to lessen the burden.

"Thanks," Nanami mutters, rolling his arm to soothe the sting.

"Go on to Merle. I'll get this and Kiko," Daryl motions.

Nanami nods and as he begins to Merle, Michonne cuts him off.

"What? Just like that?" she asks.

"I've got to," Nanami sighs, "Family."

"We are family," Michonne points between them, "You and I didn't bust our asses all winter-"

"Thank you, Michonne," he cuts her off, "For helping me. Saving me. But, for family, I have to go."

Michonne's words fall short and Nanami gives her a single look before forcing his feet to move. Merle sees him coming, waving his metal adorned hand as a greeting.

"Kiko, let's go," Daryl calls.

Sakiko breaks from Ryan just enough to look over to him- their arms still holding onto each other. Seeing her unmoving, Daryl takes the steps to her.

"We gotta go," Daryl tells her.

"We don't have to," Sakiko shakes her head.

"We do," Daryl argues.

Sakiko grips Ryan's arm once more before walking in Daryl's direction. Thinking she was coming to him, he opens an arm to wrap around her shoulders only for her to duck under his arm and run into Maggie's embrace.

"I'm sorry," Maggie whispers, kissing Sakiko's temple, "Be safe out there. Please."

Sakiko nods, blinking her tears away. Glenn gives the teen a side hug- more words of farewells traded.

Rick nods as she walks by him, but he couldn't find the words to say to comfort the teen. Not when his own head was a crazed mess of tangles trying to figure out what to do.

Daryl follows after her, the two soon meeting up with Merle and Nanami in the woods.

"Let's go," Daryl tells the group.

Merle chuckles, resting his hands on Nanami from behind, "All right, then."

Nanami doesn't look back- not wanting to see Michonne's face as he left her behind.

Sakiko locks eyes with Ryan- wishing to engrave his features in her brain as she leaves him behind.