They had all been busy the rest of the day trying to prepare for Rick, Carl, and Michonne's trip. Rick had spent nearly all day practice shooting with Carl, just in case. Eve had been on watch most of the day with Daryl in the other tower. Everyone else was by the gate, killing walkers and keeping an eye out. The more walkers they killed at the gate, the easier it would be for Rick and company to get out the next morning. Beth was babysitting Judith, which seemed to calm her down. The rest of the group went along like it was just another day, not knowing anything about what was happening. Standing alone in that watch tower gave Eve a lot of time to think about what was happening and could possibly happen. She was just about to drive herself crazy when she heard someone approach. To her relief it was Rick, she really hadn't seen him since that morning and missed him. Also, her mind was thinking about if she never saw him again she had to spend as much time as she could with him now. He smiled at her and took her in his arms and placed a sweet but passionate kiss on her lips, "I've been wanting to do that all day." Rick said as he pressed his forehead against hers. Eve smiled and pulled him in closer, "Me too. I missed you today."
"I missed you too." Rick said as he kissed her again. Eve laid her cheek to his chest as he laid his chin on top of her head and said, "How was shooting practice?" Rick laughed and said, "Really good. Carl has definitely got a talent."
"Well, that's good, you guys will need it." Eve said. Rick could tell there was something bothering her, "Are you ok?" He said as he looked into her eyes. She couldn't help it, and she wanted to kick herself for doing it but tears poured out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks, "I'm so scared I'm never going to see you again…" Rick kissed her lightly and wiped tears away, he gently put both of hands on each side of her face, and "You are going to see me again. Nothing could keep me away from you. Carl, Michonne, and I are going to come back and everything will be ok. Trust me." Eve nodded as more tears came down her cheeks. Rick kissed her again and said, "Please don't cry."
"It's just everyone is acting so scared and I've heard about the governor enough to know that it's not a joke and I just can't lose you Rick, I just found you, it's not fair. And Carl and Judy and Michonne…I just can't be alone again. I can't." Rick took her face again, "Look at me." Eve looked up and batted her long lashes as tears poured out of her big green eyes and Rick knew he was in love with her. "You are not going to lose me or any of us. You are not going to be alone again. Trust me Eve." Eve nodded and kissed him and said against his mouth, "I trust you." Rick wrapped his arms around her and held her close, not wanting to let go.
The next morning, everyone was out by the gate getting ready to watch out for Michonne, Rick and Carl as they left. Daryl walked up to Rick and said, "Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone is safe here, you just get your ass back. I'll look after Badass." Rick smiled and hugged Daryl, "Thank you. Please do." Eve had her gun slung behind her back and her machete tucked into her belt. Carl walked up to Eve and she reached to her machete and handed it to him. Carl looked surprised and said, "Your machete?"
"Yeah, you might need it." Eve said as she playfully messed up his hair. Carl smiled wildly and put his signature hat on and said, "I'll take really good care of it."
"You better, I want it back in one piece." Eve bent down, which was not much considering her small frame and wrapped her arms around him. "Please be careful Carl. Listen to your dad and Michonne." Carl hugged her back and said, "I will Eve, don't worry. Watch after Judy." Eve nodded and smiled as Michonne walked up, "We'll watch out for each other." Eve turned and threw arms around her best friend, "Please be careful. Come back." Michonne nodded and squeezed her tight, "I'll take care of your boys."
"Take care of yourself too, I mean it." Eve said as she looked at Michonne and Michonne smiled and nodded. Just then Rick walked up and Carl and Michonne walked a ways away to let them have some privacy. Eve threw her arms around him and said into his ear, "You better come back. All of you better come back." Rick put his hands on her face and kissed her passionately. Carl smiled wide at Michonne as he made a face. Michonne playfully punched him in the shoulder and laughed. "I promise." Eve nodded and wiped some tears that were falling. "Trust me." Rick said as he pulled her in again. Eve nodded against his chest and pushed away, "You guys better get on the road, the walkers are gonna start coming." Rick looked into her eyes and kissed her one more time and said against her mouth, "I love you." Eve's eyes widened and she started crying a little more as she said, "I love you too." Rick was getting a little misty and knew they needed to leave. He nodded again and pulled her in one more time and kissed the top of her head. The three of them made their way to the car, got in and started it up. Sasha and Glenn pulled the gate doors open and Michonne drove out. A few walkers staggered in and Daryl shot them with his crossbow, Eve's gun had a silencer and she took out the last few, and a few that were coming for the car. They closed the gates and Daryl sauntered over to Eve and stood next to her as they watched the car disappear down the road. Eve wiped a few stray tears and Daryl said, quietly, "They're gonna come back Badass." Eve nodded and patted his arm and made her way into the prison to go check on Judy.
They had been driving for about thirty minutes and Rick knew they were getting close. It was silent in the car, because everyone was thinking the same thing. It was terrifying to leave the comfort of their home at the prison and leave the people who had become their family. Rick had confessed his love for Eve, and all he could think of was her face before he left. He closed his eyes, praying that they get what they needed and return safe home. He hadn't prayed in a very long time, but now he had a lot to pray for. He loved Eve like he hadn't loved anyone else, and he was going to do everything to get back to her and his daughter while protecting Michonne and his son. Michonne noticed Rick in deep thought and it was way too quiet in the car, "You alright Rick?"
"Yeah I'm ok. Let's just get what we need and get home." Rick said looking out the window. Carl nodded as he looked out the window. Soon they pulled slowly into the police station where the weapons were. Rick said, "Ok, Carl you stay here while Michonne and I check out the area. Watch us, I will motion for you to follow." Carl nodded and got his gun ready. Rick and Michonne got out of the car and got their weapons at the ready. So far they saw no walkers, but Rick knew they would most likely run into a few. He motioned for Michonne to watch his back as he went to the back door of the police station. Two walkers appeared and Michonne took them out with ease. Rick got the door open and motioned to Carl to follow. Michonne waited for Carl to get to her, and the two of them walked up next to Rick watching their backs. They all re convened and Rick said, "I'll go in first, you two stay close behind. Carl?" Carl looked at his father. Rick said, "Remember watch every corner." Carl nodded and Rick went in, followed by Carl and Michonne. They made their way down the long corridor that Rick knew so well. He checked each hallway and didn't see any walkers. They finally got to the room with the weapons locker and Rick went in while Carl and Michonne flanked the doorway. He went to it and flew it open. There was nothing there. "What the hell?" Rick said through gritted teeth. Michonne turned and said, "What's going on?"
"There's nothing here. Someone must have raided it." Rick said angry as he shut the locker's steel doors. Michonne and Carl looked at each other and Carl said, "What now Dad?"
"We can canvas those business on the strip. I used to give them gun permits, there may be some." Rick said as he walked up to the two of them. Michonne nodded and Rick said, "Let's go."
Eve stood watch on the watch tower for what felt like an eternity. It was getting a little cold. She looked over to Daryl at the other watch tower and he gave her a hand signal like all was well. She nodded at him and gave him a thumbs up. Maggie came up and said, "Hey, thought you could use this." Eve looked and it was some food and a blanket. Eve smiled and said, "Yes, thank you." Maggie nodded and said, "No problem."
"How's it looking down at the fences?" Eve said as she shoved food into her mouth. Maggie looked off and said, "Looks good, like any other day. How's it been up here?"
"The same." Eve said as she wrapped the blanket around her, "Let's hope it stays that way."
Rick, Carl and Michonne had made their way to the little strip of business in the small town. They were approaching the middle of town when they noticed a bunch of stuff in the streets. It looked like traps. A walker, stuck, impaled on a large spike groaned and lashed its teeth out at them. Michonne looked at this set up death trap and said, "Looks like someone already claimed this." Rick muttered, "What is this?" Just then they heard a harsh voice say, "Stop where you are! Put your weapons up in the air!" They froze and looked to where the voice was coming from, it was a hooded man with a gun on top of one of the buildings.
The voice said again, "Put the weapons down now! Leave your shoes and get out of here!" They stayed still as Rick said, "We'll be happy to leave, but we're not leaving our weapons." The voice bellowed back, "You'll do as I say or I'll shoot all three of you! I don't have no problem doing that! " Rick acted like he was going to put his gun down and then lunged for Carl while shooting his gun at the hooded man. The hooded man began to fire and Rick and Carl hid behind a truck. Michonne ducked and rolled behind a car. Rick turned and fired more shots towards the man. The man started to descend down to the street and all fired at each other. Rick ducked and tried to run to get another angle just as the hooded man made his way to the street and aimed. Carl came out from behind the truck and shot him directly in the torso. The man grunted and immediately fell. Carl looked bewildered at the man. Rick looked at Carl and then he and Michonne walked over to the hooded man. Rick checked his wound and saw that he was wearing a bullet proof vest, the man was not fatally hurt but he was passed out. They had to get him somewhere before he woke up. Rick said, "He's just passed out. He's wearing a vest."
"Now we know where all the weapons went." Michonne said sarcastically. Rick nodded and reached to take the man's hood off. When he did he was shocked; it was Morgan. The same Morgan who had saved his life over a year ago when he was alone and afraid. The same Morgan that he tried to contact for months and months but always got static. Michonne and Carl noticed something was happening and Carl said, "Dad?"
"I know him. When I woke up in the hospital…and I had nowhere to go and I was alone. He saved me, he took me in." Rick said as he looked at his old friend's face. They sat there a little while longer and Rick finally said, "Help me get him inside." Michonne backed up and said, "Are you crazy? He almost killed you."
"Just help me. I'm not leaving him out here." Rick said forcefully. Michonne and Carl helped Rick get Morgan in a standing position and started to move him inside. After avoiding booby traps set in the entrance they finally got into what looked like Morgan's apartment. As they walked in, they saw where all the weapons were. He must have taken every gun and bullet he could find, he had a huge arsenal. There was incoherent writing all over the walls and floor. They laid Morgan down onto his little cot and Rick swiftly tied his hands together. They all looked around and Michonne said, "We need to get the weapons and get out of here." Carl nodded in agreement as Rick said, "I'm staying until he wakes up." Michonne walked over to Rick, "Rick I don't think that's a good idea, we should get some weapons and ammo and go home."
"You think he's crazy?" Rick said accusingly. Michonne looked back with seriousness, "He's dangerous." Rick shook his head, "I'm staying until he wakes up. Then we can go." Michonne sighed and Carl said, "Then I'm going for a run." Rick looked at him, "Where?"
"There's that store down the street, probably has some baby stuff for Judy." Carl said. Michonne nodded and said, "I'll go with him." Rick nodded to the two of them, "Don't be gone too long." Michonne and Carl headed out. Rick walked around the weird room and looked at all the writing on the wall. He saw the word "clear" over and over again and then he saw something that made him take a step back, "Duane turned". Rick sat down on a chair and put his hand on his face. Duane was Morgan's young son, Rick had met him after the hospital. He knew he was all that Morgan had left. He put his hands through his hair and stood back up. Maybe Michonne was right, but he couldn't just leave this man without at least talking to him. He thought about what must have happened to Morgan after they left each other. Then he also thought about what happened to him as well. Then he thought of Eve. She had been in the same situation as Morgan; completely alone and lost everyone she had. Why didn't she turn out like Morgan? Maybe she would have if Glenn, Michonne and Daryl hadn't found her that day. Rick sighed and got up to look at the weapons. He got a large burlap bag and started putting guns and ammo into it. He didn't want to take it all, but he wanted to take enough. He heard some movement behind him and swiftly turned to see Morgan's fist coming down on him. Rick fell backwards and Morgan reached his hand high and Rick saw that he had a knife. Rick held him back with all his might and growled, "Morgan! It's me, it's Rick Grimes!" Morgan didn't seem fazed at all and got the upper hand, stabbing Rick in the shoulder. Blood poured down his shirt as he groaned in pain. He kicked Morgan off of him and reach for his gun, putting it to Morgan's head. Morgan put his hands around the barrel and said, "Kill me! Please kill me! Please!" Rick panted and stared at him, "You crazy son of a bitch." Morgan brought the gun closer to his head, "KILL ME!" Rick put the gun down and Morgan sank against the wall.