I think I liked you better when you didn't have a knife in your hand, Peaches

Priorities

Still being early, it was obvious now, in the pale light of dawn, that the majority of the residents of Alexandria were still tucked up in their beds.

But this morning, by contrast, Tara certainly wasn't asleep. And with a determined look etched upon her face, and with teeth gritted, she arrived at Rick's porch knowing now what she had to do.

There was time for delay now, no time for Rick to drag his sorry butt out here in a few hours time. For it was now that Tara needed to speak with him after her run in with Rosita and Sahas over the road.

The dark-haired woman hammered her fist against the door once, but received no answer.

Giving it a few long second she tried again....and again and again....

Until finally, a good two or three minutes since she had arrived here, the door was finally torn open by a sleepy looking Michonne who looked more than a little disgruntled by the disturbance

"T-Tara what are you doing, it's not even 6am yet-"said the tall black woman, staring up at Tara with a bleary-eyed look.

But Tara merely pushed past her, heading into the house and gazing around.

"Is Rick here? I need to speak to him," she said, trying to sound as cool and collected as she could be, but inside her heart was racing.

The house Rick and Michonne shared was almost pristine, akin to most of the other houses on the block. But the only telling hint that it was Rick lived here, were the small collection of Judith's toys that littered the expensive living room just off to the right.

But obviously sensing her distress and urgency, Michonne stepped around Tara suddenly.

"Rick's not here, he's out on a run with Aaron. He probably won't be back until tomorrow..." the black woman said, shaking her head. "Is everything ok?"

But this was not what Tara wanted to hear, staring about, feeling flustered at the news.

"Tara, you can talk to me, what's wrong?" said Michonne touching Tara's forearm gently and guiding her over to the sleek couch on the far side of the room, which the dark-haired woman quickly slumped down onto, placing her head into her hands.

Shit. This wasn't supposed to happen. Rick was supposed to be here.

But here and now, her plan slightly scuppered, Tara felt a wave of worry flood over her.

What if Rick, rather than see this as something Rosita should be punished for, instead took this as an opportunity?

What if he found some way of using this against Negan? Attacking while he was vulnerable? And as much as Tara had wanted to see Negan pay for what he had done, she knew that Blake would be affected in the fallout. And even if it was Negan that was killed, Tara knew first hand what it was like to lose someone she loved. And she couldn't wish that on Blake, she just couldn't.

So was telling Rick the truth really worth that risk?

Tara was torn, as she stared up and into Michonne's imploring eyes.

"Did something happen?" Michonne asked again. "I thought you just went to the Hilltop?"

But a tearful and exhausted Tara just shook her head.

"No....I-" but she couldn't finish.

How could she explain to Michonne where she had been without her being suspicious as to why Tara had gone there in the first place.

People didn't just make house calls on the Saviours, and Michonne would ultimately question why they had let Tara go. Maybe try to use her as leverage with Blake.