Welcome To Terminus

Lydia lied beside the car. Michonne and Carl sat in the car while Rick and Daryl sat on the other side of the car.

"Beth and I got out together." Daryl said to Rick.

Lydia opened her eyes from sleeping and listened in on their conversation.

"I was with her for a while." Daryl seemed upset.

"Now, she's dead." Rick replied.

"Nah, she's just gone. After that, that's when they found me. Lydia did too. Lizzie and Mika are dead. I knew those guys were bad but..they had a code. They said they were looking for some guy." Daryl continued.

Lydia sat up against the car.

"I didn't know he was looking for you. Lydia didn't know either." Daryl frowned.

"It's not on you, Daryl. It's not on Lydia either." Rick looked at Daryl. "You two are back with us now."

Lydia slightly looked over her left shoulder. Last night really took a toll on everyone.

"You're my brother." Rick told Daryl.

Lydia smiled slightly.

"I'm glad you two are back. We need you both." Rick stood up.

Lydia stood up and sat down next to Daryl. "You feeling okay this morning?"

Daryl nodded. "Yea, I'm fine." He stood up. "We should get going to Terminus."

Lydia was left sitting alone next to Rick.

"Lydia, are you feeling okay?" Rick scooted closer to her.

Lydia chuckled slightly. "Yea. Sure."

Michonne and Carl exited the car.

"It would be wise to arrive in Terminus during the day time." Michonne shut the car car.

Lydia and Rick stood up.

"We should go this way." Rick pointed then walked towards the tracks.

/

Carl, Daryl, and Rick walked ahead of Lydia and Michonne.

"Is everything going okay between you and Daryl?" Michonne whispered.

Lydia shrugged. "I don't know. Every since he came from living with Beth for a few days, he seems..."

"Different? Aloof?" Michonne suggested.

"Exactly." Lydia hung her head helplessly.

"You think something happened between those two?" Michonne asked respectively.

Lydia's heart fell. "Y-You think so?"

Michonne shrugged. "I don't want to barge into your relationship."

"Should I ask him about it? Daryl's not the talkative type." Lydia's palms sweat.

"That's your call, Lydia." Michonne walked ahead of her.

Hours later, the group came across a brick building that read in huge letters: written across the windows.

Rick takes off his back pack and sticks his revolver inside. "You never know." He hid them behind the bushes.

Daryl grabbed Lydia's hand. "Stay close." He pulled her in closer.

Lydia blushed. "Okay."

Another sign told them: Lower your weapons. You will be met. You have arrived at Terminus.

They turned the corner and met a woman with red hair. "Hi, my name is Mary. Let's get you all settled and get you a plate of food. Welcome to Terminus."

A man with brown hair gave his plate to Mary. "Food is really good today, Mary. Can I get another plate?"

Mary smiled. "Of course!"

Rick, Lydia, and Daryl aimed their weapons at him.

The man looked at the five people. "Oh, wow. Welcome to Terminus. My name is Gareth; I'm in charge of Terminus. Can I ask you to put your weapons down?"

"No." Daryl continued to aim at him.

Rick looked at Daryl. "It's only fair." He put his weapon down.

"Thanks, friend. I just need to check for other weapons. After that, you can have them back." Gareth assured them.

Lydia and Daryl looked at each other before putting their weapons down.

Gareth smiled. "Thank you very much. My friend here, Alex, will check you for more weapons."

One by one, Alex searched their bags and pockets. "Just some knifes but it's fine." He stood by Gareth.

"Great. You can pick your weapons up and follow me." Gareth began to walk toward other civilians.

Lydia picked up her gun. "This place reminds me of Woodbury." She whispered to Rick.

Tables scattered throughout the food area. The place had a strong smell of meat gone bad.

To be nice, Lydia took a plate from Mary. "I'm vegetarian but oh well I've starving. Want to share, Daryl?"

Daryl waited until Mary turned her back and threw the plate away.

"Hey." Lydia looked in the garbage can.

"I won't eat that." Daryl whispered.

Rick looked over to Alex who was messing with a pocket watch that happened to be Glenn's! Rick put a gun to Alex's head. "Where did you get this watch?!"

People around them pointed their guns at them.

Daryl, Carl, and Lydia pointed their weapons back at them.

"Whoa, friends! What are you doing?" Gareth chuckled.

Ugh! This guy reminded Lydia of the Governor.

"Where did you get this watch?" Rick asked again.

"I-I found it!" Alex replied.

Rick took the watch and stuffed it in his pocket.

From the corner of Lydia's eye she saw Mary pull out her gun. "Rick, watch out!"

Rick looked at Mary then dodged her bullet, killing Alex.

"Run!" Rick yelled to his group.

Daryl, Lydia, Michonne, and Carl followed Rick. While this was taking place, shots were being fired at them.

"In here!" Rick opened a building door.

Once inside, the whole building was lit was candles, words were written on the wall, and the ambiance was disturbing.

"Oh my god..." Lydia looked around. "What is this place?"

"Scary as shit." Daryl looked at the words on the wall. The words said: NEVER AGAIN & NEVER TRUST. WE FIRST ALWAYS

"When we leave this building, we run far away." Rick told them the game plan.

Lydia shook her head. "Or we just give our weapons up and stay here. I told Carol and Tyreese I would meet them here."

"You talked to Carol?" Rick asked. "With Tyreese?"

"Carol told him about Karen and David. He forgives her. I promised I'd meet them here!" Lydia explained. "Tyreese also has Judith."

"We can meet them on the way here." Michonne suggested.

"Wait, Tyreese has Judith?" Rick grinned.

Carl smiled. "Judith is alive! How is she?"

"She's great. Let's talk about her later. But, I'll settle for Michonne's plan. We will bump into them down the road. Right now, we need to get out of here." Lydia looked out the window.

Rick gripped the door handle. "One. Two. Three!" He opened the door and the group flooded out, following Rick

When the group got to a dead end, there were at least twenty snipers aiming at them. To their left, a red boxcar.

"You might as well give up." Gareth told them.

"Just let us leave. We don't want to be here!" Lydia yelled.

"Drop your weapons and get in the boxcar to your left." Gareth commanded.

"No!" Rick yelled.

A sniper shot at their feet.

"Are you crazy?!" Lydia looked at Gareth.

"Next time it goes straight through that kid's head. Now, get in the boxcar after you drop your weapons." Gareth commanded again.

Out of Carl's sake, the group slowly put their weapons on the group.

"First, the Ringleader." Gareth pointed at Rick.

Rick slowly walked toward the car.

"The Archer." Gareth pointed at Daryl.

Lydia watched Daryl walked towards the car.

"The Gunner. " Gareth pointed to Lydia.

Lydia stood behind Daryl.

"The Samurai." Gareth pointed to Michonne.

Michonne fell behind Lydia.

"Then the kid." Gareth pointed at Carl.

The five entered the car then it was locked shut behind them.

"Now what do we do?" Lydia asked, turning to Rick.

"Rick?" Another voice was heard from the other side of the car.

The five turned their attention to the man.

Glenn stepped out of the shadows. Along with him, Maggie, Sasha, Bob, and other people.

"You're here?" Rick stepped towards them.

Glenn nodded. "Yea. Got here earlier."

Rick looked at the familiar face from Woodbury.

Maggie looked at Tara then at Rick. "They're our friends."

"Then they're our friends." Rick nodded at them.

"For however long that is." Abraham commented.

"They're goin to feel pretty stupid when they find out." Rick looked out the crack in the boxcar.

"Find out what?" Abraham asked.

Rick looked at him. "That they're screwing with the wrong people."

Everyone glanced at each other with a smile.

"Lydia? Lydia Samuels?" Eugene approached her.

Lydia took a step back. "Do I know you?"

"Your mother, Katherine. We were friends for years until this outbreak happened." Eugene explained. "You've grown since you were a tot."

Lydia blinked. "I'm sorry but I don't remember you."

"You were two, it's okay. I recognize that smile anywhere." Eugene hugged her.

Lydia froze and looked at Daryl. "Help me." She mouthed.

Daryl pushed Eugene away. "Alright, reunions over."

"What are we going to do now?" Tara asked.

"The Gunner! Come out slowly! Try anything and we'll shoot you all!" Gareth commanded.

Lydia gasped. "I don't want to go." She whispered.

"One! Two! Don't make me count to ten!" Gareth treated her like a five year old.

Abraham dragged Lydia to the door. "If you can, try to get us out of here."

"But I'm scared! They're going to eat me!" Lydia cried.

"Let's go!" Gareth's tone became more aggressive.

Lydia's heart pounded. She opened the boxcar door and stepped out slowly. She closed the door behind her then walked back to the spot where their weapons.

"Men, stand down." Gareth commanded the snipers from above.

Lydia looked at the pile of human bones behind her.

"Hey, gorgeous." Gareth snapped his fingers twice.

Lydia turned back to him. "Please don't kill me."

Gareth laughed. "How do you feel about wine?"

"What?" Lydia was confused.

Gareth took her hand. "Can we talk over some wine?"

Lydia blushed. "Wine?"

Gareth nodded. "Uh, yea. But I don't want you dressed like that. Please, follow me."

Lydia followed Gareth into his personal building.

Gareth reached into a trunk of clothing and dug out a wine colored strapless gown with black heels. "You mind changing for me?"

Lydia shook her head. "Yes, I mind. We know what you guys are. Cannibals. It's disgusting."

"I can explain more once you dress up and sit down with me." Gareth handed her the outfit.