"Of course. The offer's there, but I understand if I'm not needed." He gets this, too: priority, hierarchy, trust. So far he doesn't have much stock in the trust department. He can work up to that if possible. It's fine.

A lot of things are fine at the moment. There's a silence that drags on as his eyes flick toward the house and then around the area like he's checking for something in particular. He is, even though he knows Gregory is still laid up.

"Tell Rick that if our communities' lists ever potentially cross over, have someone come to me. While Gregory's down for the count, I'm making most of the decisions." And unlike Gregory (and unlike what his first impression may have been), Jesus believes in being kind and fair. And trading, now that they can.