Hello all

These next two chapters will be a little different from the rest. Since Rick and Gareth are separated, this chapter and the next chapter will essentially take place at the same time, but Rick's will be of the rescue in Atlanta nd Gareth's (next chapter) will be whats happening at the the church. I already have them both written so I will be updating this again on Wednesday with Gareth's POV.

Also, I have decided to not wait for the show, so here it goes, forging ahead with my own game plan. I hope you guys like it.

Chapter 4 - Nobody's Comin'

Atlanta was almost deserted. With no fresh meat left in the city walkers had apparently left in droves, creating the massive herds that Rick had been trying so hard to steer clear of. Of course there were still several stray dead that mulled around aimlessly through the quiet streets, but they were nothing that Rick could not handle. He kept his group close, none of them more than ten feet from another member.

Carl, Michonne, Daryl, Sasha. We need to save Beth and Carol... we have to...

Rick went over it again in his head.

Carl, Michonne, Daryl, Sasha.

Tyreese had wanted to come, but Rick needed him to stay behind to watch Judith, especially with their new guest haunting them. He did not trust Gabriel to do what needed to be done if Gareth made a move. Rick's thoughts wandered back to the church and he wondered if he had made the right choice. The entire group had gathered in Gabriel's office as word got around that Daryl had returned. Gareth listened silently to their plans from his little corner, but once Rick started making preparations to leave he had made a fuss about being semi-permanently attached to the pantry.

"What if I have to take a piss?"

Rick had reluctantly moved the handcuff from the metal shelf to Gareth's other wrist, the one with the bad hand, so that Gareth was able to leave the room. After growling some threats about leaving it without permission, he tightened the handcuffs to what must have been extremely uncomfortable and then made sure to show Gareth the only key going straight into his back pocket.

Had he made the right choice?

And then there was Noah, who he had just met. The boy seemed harmless and good-hearted, but could the crippled youth carry his own weight? Rick had let Noah keep his firearm and two full magazines of bullets, all of which the youth had found while making his way out of Atlanta with Daryl. These days, Rick had to just deal with the cards he was dealt. He brought himself back to the present, hand wrapped around his gun handle like an anchor to reality. He couldn't afford to not be here.

Not now.

And he knew that Tyreese would die before he let anything happen to Judith.

Daryl led the way, crossbow aimed at the ready. The tracker seemed sure of his path as he continued steadily in a straight southeasterly direction. Rick did not know which hospital Beth and Carol were being held at so he trusted Daryl to show the way.

It wasn't long before Daryl ducked into a narrow alleyway and stopped.

"Hospital's just around this corner and straight up the street a ways. They got a lookout on the roof, but that's it."

Rick nodded, thinking. "Let's get to the roof of one of the buildings next to it and see what we can find out."

The group moved as one down the street, slipping from alley to enclave as quickly and quietly as they could. The hospital had more people and a pretty fortified position so Rick knew that their only advantage was that of surprise. As much as he wanted to, he could not count on Beth or Carol being in any situation to help him. Rick just prayed that they were ok.

Once they came to a tall building that Rick liked, he motioned for them to follow. The group single filed their way down another alley to the fire escape. The five survivors all looked up at the same time, almost dizzied by the height they would have to climb. The building had to be at least seven stories tall.

"Sasha, Michonne, Carl, stay on the first or second level. Daryl," The looked over at Daryl, sighing deeply. He did not have to explain. They were going all the way to the top.

Rick peered carefully over the edge. He could clearly see the white compound before him, the main complex about five stories tall with taller portions of varying heights intermingled together. It was not a huge hospital, but large enough to safely harbor an untold number of things Rick did not want to be surprised by. A single guard casually strolled around on the highest portion of the roof. By his easy manner though, Rick could tell he was just a formality and he felt a surge of what he could only describe as excitement. These people had no idea what they were in for.

Daryl gave a sudden gasp, his sharp intake of air making Rick hunker down even lower.

He then spotted what had caught Daryl's eye.

Beth.

There she was. Standing next to what looked like a small potted garden placed on a large flat expanse of the roof. Rick could see her clearly and for a moment he almost worried that maybe they were too close. He chanced a quick peek at the lookout only to see him heading over to the far side of the hospital, back turned towards them. Acting purely on instinct, Rick suddenly jumped up without a word and started waving his arms. Daryl only gave him a confused look before shaking his head and standing up as well. Neither one of them making a sound, both men waved their arms wildly, trying to get the young woman's attention.

Beth stared vacantly off into the distance. Rick waved harder, knowing that time was against them.

He watched her eyes slide slowly into focus as she stared at them, a look of wild amazement filling her beautiful face. She was smiling now. Rick and Daryl stopped waving, neither one knowing what to do next.

Beth held up one hand, giving them a motion to wait one second before turning on her heel and sprinting back inside.

"Quick Daryl, find something we can write on!"

Daryl scrambled down the roof access stairs nearby as Rick continued scouting out the hospital. He carefully memorized everything he could about it, the shape, how many stories for each portion, all while keeping an eye on the lookout as he rounded back to the front of the hospital. Rick made sure he stayed low as the guard lazily scanned over him.

Daryl actually came back before Beth, a large card board box jammed under one arm, trusty crossbow held in the other, and a black Sharpie marker in his mouth.

After a minute of tense nothingness, the guard walked away again and Beth stealthily reappeared with one of the thin paper mats that were normally laid on exam tables. The girl checked on the guard carefully before kneeling down and covering her hands in some of the potting soil. Rick and Daryl waited patiently as she frantically smeared dirt onto the thin sheet of paper.

At long last she held it up.

1 FL (A down arrow) Walkers! 2 FL (An up arrow) SAFE!

8 Cops. Doc=Coward. C HURT! 4 FL

Rick took in the message carefully before taking the sharpie into his hand. Carol was alive but just barely. Daryl was agitated; Rick could tell by the way he alternated between watching Rick write, giving Beth nervous glances, and keeping an eye on that guard that would be back any second now. Rick flipped over the cardboard box to write on the other side. Time was never his friend.

Finally he held up his answer, hoping like hell that no one in the hospital felt like looking out a window to enjoy the scenery.

FREE WALKERS

CAPTURE DOC

Beth seemed unsure, but nodded. Rick whipped it around so Beth could read the other side.

GUARD CAROL

WE COME 2 U

He watched as Beth then raced over to a barrel of collected rain water and shoved the thin paper deep into it, disintegrating her message and washing her hands at the same time. She was just barely able to get this done before both the roof guard returned and a cop, a female with an immaculate bun, pushed open the roof access door and caught sight of Beth. Rick watched, breath practically frozen in his chest as Beth exchanged words with the female cop and then followed her back into the hospital.

Patience had never really been Rick's best quality. He looked on with bated breath, gun already out and ready. Daryl and Sasha were next to him, both pressed against the car they were using for cover while Michonne and Carl hovered about twenty feet away in a small store entryway niche. The group had crept ever so slowly closer and closer to the hospital, silently waiting to pounce.

Come on Beth...

"She'll do it," Daryl's rugged voice whispered, the hardness of his voice giving Rick hope, "She will."

Rick hoped Daryl was right. He would give the young woman ten more minutes before he made his own move, with or without her inside help.

As if on cue, a scream broke out, followed by a shot from inside the hospital. The all looked up. It was coming from the second floor. Rick did not wait, he just acted, springing from his hiding place and running forward to hug the side of the hospital. His group followed as they sprinted the perimeter and looked for an entry point. It wasn't long before they found a busted out window and slipped effortlessly inside. Rick knew from his scouting that they were at the far edge of the main complex and the fire exit was just a little ways to their left, its outside exit on the first floor had been blocked off tightly, but he guessed the inside was still accessible. If so, the stairs would make it easy for them to get to the entire main portion of the huge building and would lead them straight to the fourth floor.

They did not meet any walkers on the short distance to the fire exit, but they heard the shooting as it got more and more frantic. Eight cops. Rick needed them to use up their ammo before he got to them, as well as take out as many of the walkers as possible. He wrenched open the door to the stairs and held it as the others sprinted forward, Daryl leading the way now as he took the stairs two at a time. As they passed the door to the third floor, more shooting broke out, a woman was screaming loudly. The door burst open and said screaming woman stumbled out, dressed in scrubs. Rick caught sight of a hallway, cops and walkers and civilians, complete pandemonium, before looking back at the woman who had joined them on the stairs. Her arm and shoulder was a huge mangled mass of bites.

Rick sighed and without hesitation shot her once in the head.

Mere seconds later they came to the fourth floor. This floor was quieter since the walkers had not gotten to it yet. It actually seemed mostly deserted and Rick figured that most of the people had been on the second and third floors when Beth had released the walkers.

"BETH!" Daryl called loudly. Rick was almost about to tell him off, but realized that at this point it did not really matter.

They came to the end of the hallway and rounded a corner. Michonne was the first to see Beth's head, long blonde hair swinging from a ponytail, as the young woman stuck it out of one of the rooms. Daryl led the sprint towards her, a hand stretching out to grasp one of her shoulders securely, before disappearing through the doorway.

"Carl, Sasha, keep watch." Rick bellowed as he followed Daryl into the room, Michonne on his heels. The first thing Rick saw he he entered the room was Carol sprawled out on a hospital bed unconscious. She had several bandages and IVs, causing Rick's stomach to clench up into his chest. He briefly caught sight of a bearded man with glasses and a white lab coat hunched over in chair in the corner. Rick guessed he was the doctor.

"Most of them were at the cafeteria on the third floor getting lunch." Beth started as she made her way to Rick's side. Rick looked at her with a smile and gave her a quick one armed hug. He had thought her lost and there she was in front of him, a little banged up, but alive and fighting.

He brought his eyes back over to Carol and that triumphant happiness fell short. He paused before walking pointedly over to the doctor, his face set to cold malice.

"Rick." Beth began, but he held up a hand to quiet her.

"How is she?" Rick asked, giving the barest of nods to the silver haired woman laying on the table.

The doctor pushed at his glasses and licked his lips nervously before beginning. "I promise you, I've done all that I can for her. She's just lost a lot of blood and my resources are very limited."

It was then that Rick noticed the doctors bloody collar. He froze, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Beth came forward again, voice quiet.

"I tried to keep him safe..." She started. Rick reached up and peeled back the lab coat, exposing a single shallow bite where the doctor's neck met his shoulder. "I'm sorry Rick. I tried."

Rick released the lab coat and wiped his hand on his pants, thinking quickly. Finally he spoke, staring the doctor in the eyes.

"You come with us and continue to do what you can for her as we get out of the city... and I'll end it for you once we're clear. Quick and painless." Rick told the doctor evenly. The man, Rick did not even know his name, gave a sob, hands running desperately through his hair. "You've seen it doc, right? The fever and the pain, and only to come back as one of them. I won't let that happen if you help us get her out of here and do what you can to save her. You can die with dignity on your own terms."

Rick remembered that Beth had said he was a coward. He certainly seemed like one, whimpering and crying, but he nodded.

"Ok." He said finally. "There's car keys in Dawn's office." He looked up at Beth, as if she knew what he meant. Rick nodded. "Daryl, Beth, Sasha, go get the keys. Carl, Michonne, help the doctor collect supplies. Just the basics doc, we gotta be fast. Is there a stretcher nearby?"

The doctor nodded. Suddenly shots rang out on close by, as if on the same floor, and they all froze, staring at each other with wide eyes.

"GO!" Rick yelled and they all sprang into action. Daryl, Beth and Sasha clambered back out the door as the doctor started pulling a stretcher from behind one of the medical storage cabinets. Rick went over to help him yank it free as the doctor turned to Carl, nodding over to a counter covered in medical supplies. "There's a bag under that cabinet. Pull it out and just toss everything on that counter into it. Then pull open the left cabinet and empty it." He turned to Michonne. "Unhook all the IV bags and just hold them up. We'll lay them next to her on the stretcher. "

They had Carol ready to go and were carrying her out the door when the others reappeared, Beth clenching several keys in one hand. However as she rounded the corner and looked up, she froze. Daryl, who was right behind her, lifted up his crossbow and aimed it dangerously. Rick followed to where they were looking to see a female cop, covered in blood and hair messily falling into her eyes, with her gun aimed straight at Beth.

"Dawn," Beth breathed.

"What have you done Beth?" The cop, Dawn, hissed, "What we had here was working. We were surviving until they come to save us!" She pulled back the hammer of her gun and snaked her finger over the trigger.

An arrow suddenly pierced her right eye, point plowing through her brain to poke of the back of her skull.

Everybody stared at Daryl in emotionless acceptance. His face was cool and calm, his voice a raspy whisper, "Nobody's comin' to save you."

Rick looked into the rear view mirror, eying the doctor with a guarded look. The other man was already beginning to sweat and his face was screwed up in pain. Dizziness and fatigue were making him slow.

Carl sat in the passenger seat, quietly watching Atlanta disappear behind them. Michonne was in the back of the hearse with Carol and the doctor, watching him work and holding Carol's hand tightly. Daryl, Beth, and Sasha drove the other car ahead of them, a black four door sedan. Both cars happened to be the first that they could find the matching keys for and thankfully Dawn was efficient, keeping a full tank of gas in them.

After Atlanta was long gone in their mirrors, the envoy pulled over on a deserted back road.

They all got out and crowded around the front of the hearse and Rick felt their eyes all watching him, looking for guidance. He turned to the doctor. "Well Doc?"

"She's stable, but it's still a hard call." The sweat was now pouring down his brow and he leaned against the car heavily. Rick could tell he did not have much time left. Rick nodded and then motioned for him to join him away from the rest of the group. The doctor followed immediately and Rick could tell that he had not yet realized what Rick was going to do next. They walked off a little ways, just to a brush covered area out of sight.

The sun shone down, warm and peaceful.

Rick pulled his gun and turned around to face the doctor.

He watched as the other man froze, eyes widening and lip quivering. He was in pain and they both knew it would only get worse. Rick felt the doctor's regret and sadness as his own. It was Rick's greatest asset, yet at times his greatest weakness. His empathy and compassion for those in need. This man in front of him was simply trying to survive, just like the rest of them.

Surviving...

"What's your name?" Rick asked.

"Steven." Came the quiet reply, "Dr. Steven Edwards."

"Well Steven," Rick raised his gun, "I hope you find peace on the other side."

Rick pulled the trigger. He watched as the figure in front of him crumpled.

It was a long time before he walked back around the brush and without a word he got into the hearse. The group followed silently.

Rick turned the ignition and put the car in drive.

He never looked back.

IMPORTANT NOTE: So in reading other fics, I have seen that many authors reply to reviews before or after their chapter. I did not know this was a thing so I want you all to know that from now on I will reply to all reviews at the end of each chapter. Sorry I wasn't earlier. Drop me a line and tell me what you think.

Feathered Filly - Thank you for your time, even if you are not interested in slash. I hope you'll still give this a shot.

rocknrollprincess131 - You're awesome thank you so much for sticking with me! I was so sad/mad at that church scene that I just had to write this. That being said, this is not my first fanfic, just my first WD fic. I actually mainly do original work, but love WD SOOO much I got back into fanfic-ing. I also felt really bad for Gareth, I just knew that he had not made his decisions lightly and had lost everything he loved.

Guest - I'm glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for reviewing.

Sue - That was the reason I originally starting writing this, because there were none! Hahaha

Z - I am trying my darndest to keep them in character. Rick is SO ridiculously hard to write from though... grr...

AnonymousGamer - I really love the slow builds as well. I hate when people slash stuff just to make guys fuck. I can't even begin to count all the times I've clicked on something I want to be promising and the characters are screwing by chapter 3/4. Like... ok... if I want porn I'll go somewhere else...

Guest 2 - I felt so bad for Gareth too. Thanks for reviewing!

Trixiibell - I have gotten some of your comments on walkingdeadfanfiction i believe. Thank you for reviewing so much and I am glad you are loving the story. I love writing Gareth and letting you all read it.

Reda - I'm so happy to be back! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!

HunterArk - SO happy you're enjoying it. I'm writing as fast as I can! =D

kingcarlgrimes - I just adore Gareth in general! What is ao3?

So yeah, PLEASE let me know what you guys think! I look forward to reviews and feedback.

I already have the next chapter completely done so I will post it one Wednesday or Thursday.