"That's why I showed you this," He said, staring directly in her eyes, "I showed you this because I need to know I can trust you. And you need to know you can trust me. Terminus is all about trust. It's absolutely everything. It's life or death."


Sen opened his eyes when he heard laughter coming from downstairs. It was breif, and slightly muffled through the floorboards, but he definitely heard it. It sounded like Carl. He laughed while Haru, Shadow, and Ame barked and roughoused around the house. The man groaned. This was his third time being woken up in the middle of sleeping. It was one giant noise fest, and it was starting to get real annoying real quick. He shut his eyes tight and pulled the pillow over his head, trying to block out all the noise that went on downstairs.

It wasn't long before he dozed off again for the fourth time, finally drifting into that stage of sleep where he felt completely and utterly relaxed. He dreamt of things in small flashes; rocks being tossed into clear water, bare feet running across the grass, fingertips grazing across the roughness of the tree bark. He dreamt of her smile that grew bigger when she laughed, the one that made her nose wrinkle and showed off her teeth. He dreamt of the long walks they'd have after school let out―The bus rides and train rides home when she'd rest her head on his shoulder and fall asleep. Anyone on the outside would have found it cute, but honestly, it was hilariously obnoxious how he'd have to struggle against her body weight so he wouldn't topple over.

He missed all those little things.

but most of all, he missed...

When he woke up again, he found it eerily quiet. He slowly sat up in bed and looked around with heavy-lidded eyes. Nothing. No wolves, no laughter, not even so much as the sound of walkers. It was just quiet.

He went and grabbed his pack of cigarettes off the nightstand before officially getting up, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he left the room and shuffled down the hallway. The house was warm with the Georgia heat already starting to rise, and the morning sun hitting every practically surface. It felt nice, especially while being half awake.

The young nurse made his way downstairs and noticed that the couch and the floor were free of blankets and pillows. He frowned and turned towards the kitchen.

"Rick?" He called out, making his way over there and finding it empty. Where the hell did they go?

He went back over to the living room and looked over by the fireplace. Michonne's bag was still here, still packed with her shirt and whatever supplies she had brought with her. He frowned for a few good seconds before looking over to the window when he saw something shift. He walked up and carefully pulled the curtain aside, watching as Carl and Michonne started walking off down the street with empty bags over their shoulders. Just then, the front door opened up and Rick stepped back inside, Sen looking over at him with a confused face,

"Are they going on a run?"

"Yeah," The sheriff aid simply, shutting the door behind him, "We're gonna hole up here for a few more days, just until we figure things out." The young nurse watched as Rick stepped around to the other of the couch and started pushing it forward with his good arm. He immediately rushed over to help out. Together they pushed the thing forward with ease, the couch slamming up against the front door and barricading themselves in once more. Rick grunted and briefly gripped his aching side as he took a seat on the arm of the sofa. He took a small break before getting up again, following Sen into the kitchen,

"Thought I could let you sleep in for a few more hours," He remarked, leaning against kitchen counter as Sen ambled around searching through the cabinets.

"That was sweet of you, considering you all being so loud as hell, " He scoffed, opening up a cupboard and sighing at the mess inside. Nothing but old dirty paper towels and empty cans. He shut the door and turned around, facing his leader with a half-sleepy smile on his face. Rick smiled back and scoffed, his eyes falling to the floor as the young nurse walked up and sat beside him up on the counter.

"So what's the plan?" He asked, casually pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips. Rick looked over at him, watching as he dug through his pocket and pulled out a lighter. He then looked away and shook his head,

"I don't know," He replied honestly, shifting in place before looking back at the nurse, "Honestly...I think we should keep moving."

The lanky nurse frowned and looked up from his cigarette as he lit it, taking a small puff and breathing in sharply before raising his head and exhaling.

"Are you serious?" He asked, looking over at Rick as the man looked away, "I mean...Aren't we going to at least try to look for the others?"

No answer. The leader just kept looking forward, out the dirtied window that sat across the kitchen.

"Rick...Kei and the others might still be out there,"

The nurse watched as Rick dipped his head and shook it.

"Sen―"

"Daryl might still be out there," He argued, "Glenn, Maggie, Beth! We can't just leave―"

"Well where do you expect we look, huh?!" The leader bit, "Back at the prison?!"

"They could still be alive!" Sen snapped.

"And they might not be!" Rick barked back, "Alive or not, either way, they're long gone! Probably even dead by no―"

Before he could even finish that sentence, Sen pushed himself off the counter and walked right out of the kitchen. The leader bit his cheek, growling in his throat before following after him,

"Sen―"

"Fuck off," He bit, taking a sharp right and heading up the stairs. Rick continued after him, going up the steps and following him all the way to the bedroom.

"Sen, I'm sorry, I―"

Before the leader could step inside, Sen turned around sharply and slammed the door in his face, locking it soon after. The leader didn't budge. Not for some time. He just stood outside the doorway, his lips pursing and his stomach twisting a mix of emotions came over him. Anger, sadness, frustration, loss. He knew the man on the other side of the door was feeling it too―the sounds of his heavy, frustrated breathing along with the light, steady banging of his head ringing through the wood. The sheriff pressed his head against the doorway and shut his eyes, suddenly wishing he could walk right through it and take the man into his arms.

"...I'm sorry," He heard a muffled voice say through the wood. Rick opened his eyes and looked forward, listening as he heard a sharp sniffle and a cough, "I-I know it's been hard for you, I just...It's just really fucking hard, you know?...Losing everything like that..."

The leader shut his eyes tighter, trying not to think of the bloody baby seat back at the prison.

"After everything that's happened," He heard Sen whimper, "It's all just..."

"...I know," The leader spoke, his tired voice falling into a hoarse whisper, "I know...It's been hard for all of us."

He suddenly heard the lock snap and the door knob creak as it twisted, the door suddenly opening up to reveal the lanky nurse sniffling and quickly wiping his eyes. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and took a step back, Rick stepping inside and stopping in the middle of the room. Sen shut the door behind him and made his way over to his leader, lazily resting his arms on the sheriff's shoulders as he wrapped them around his bare waist. The young nurse let out a small sigh through his nose and leaned in, the two of them touching foreheads and smiling weakly. Sen's dark eyes flitted down to Rick's shirt, all tattered and riddled with holes and blood stains.

"You look like shit, you know that?" He whispered, earning an airy laugh and a crooked smile from the man across from him.

"Yeah," He muttered, "Sorry I didn't have time to go clothes shopping while we were on the run."

The lanky man chuckled and shook his head, gently taking Rick by the buttons of his shirt and guiding him over to the drawer, "Come on, smartass."

The two of them staggered over to the dresser drawer and Sen carefully undid the buttons, gently pulling at the ragged piece of cloth and slipping it off the leader's body. The man shifted around, carefully moving his arms as they still slightly ached. The air was warm against his skin, and he sighed in slight relief of being free from the dirty, tattered thing he was wearing.

A shiver suddenly ran through him and his eyes fluttered down to Sen's hand, the man's thumb gently brushing over the faded mark just under his rib. The young nurse peered at it curiously,

"You were shot?"

The sheriff looked down and nodded,

"A while ago," He answered, "Before things went to shit. I was backing up a squad from the neighboring county, standing off against a couple of armed suspects..."

He looked down at the scar, the memory of bullets flying still clear in his mind. He could see the dust rising up in the air, clouding his vision as he tried to aim at the shooters behind the overturned car. He'd never forget their faces, or how his co-workers Leon Bassett and Lambert Kendall were all optimistic about getting their own cop show. It all happened so fast―How he was standing firm one minute, and the next he was on the ground, looking up at his best friend and partner as they tried to keep him alive.

"...Turns out there was a third guy there," He went on to say, "Managed to hit me where my vest couldn't protect me..."

"That's when you fell into a coma?" Sen asked, Rick nodding and gesturing towards his surroundings,

"And then I woke up to all this."

"Jesus," He breathed, shaking his head and leaning into the sheriff's shoulder, "That must've been so scary..."

He briefly rested his head onto his leader's shoulder and shut his eyes, relishing in the feel of his good hand coming up and running through is hair. He listened closely to the sound of his breathing, the pattering of his heart, all the vital signs of life, all of it music to his ears.

"...You need a haircut," He heard the leader say.

"Oh fuck you!" He chirped out, pulling away and failing to look offended as the leader threw his head back and laughed. Sen pointed directly to his beard, "You're one to talk, buddy. It looks like a raccoon fucking latched itself to your face."

The sheriff let out another laugh and reached out, pulling the man back to him and holding him close by the hips. The nurse didn't falter. Instead he looked Rick dead in the eye, an expression on his face that the leader couldn't help but find cute.

"Shave it off," He demanded.

The leader shook his head, the smile still clear on his face. He leaned in and attempted to kiss him on the lips, but Sen leaned back and swatted the guy on the shoulder,

"Shave it!" He pressed again, Rick pulling him in and kissing him on the cheek,

"Make me," He mumbled into his skin. The nurse stifled a small smile, chuckling at the feel of his facial hair tickling against his skin.

"I'll make you," He assured. Rick scoffed and let out a small "Hmmm?" He was just about to answer, but was cut off when Rick suddenly dipped his head and kissed him square on mouth. The nurse flinched a bit, smiling into the kiss as Rick reached up and gently cupped the back of his head, holding him close.

"Stop," The nurse whispered, smiling as Rick pecked him on the lips.

"'kay," He agreed simply before kissing him again. Sen stifled a small laugh before moaning a little when Rick gently traced his lips with his tongue. The nurse flicked his tongue lightly against the cop's, making the man groan and tighten his arms around him.

He groaned in frustration, pulling his mouth from Sen's to trail a path across his cheek to his neck. He gently brushed his nose against the skin of his neck and nuzzled up to his ear, pressing his lips on the man's earlobe and tracing the outline of it with his tongue. His grip on the young man's waist grew tight as the nurse let out a soft 'Ungh' under his breath. Hearing the little noises and sighs he made forced the sherriff to bite his lip, trying hard not to smile and failing horribly.

"You like that?" He asked, smiling as he pecked the nurse's lips. He let out a small "hm" in approval, carefully gripping the back of the sheriff's neck to deepen the kiss. He could feel the man grinding against him, the friction sending the most delicious jolt through his stomach. The leader broke away to groan, his mouth parting as he looked down at their hips grinding together.

"Shit," he hissed, bringing his head up and kissing him again. His movements became frantic, one minute fumbling with his belt, and the next reaching for Sen's shirt. He grabbed the hem as Sen raised arms and helped pull it up over his head. He quickly tossed the shirt aside and pulled the man close to his arms again, planting a kiss on his shoulder, relishing in the feel of his warm skin against his own.

He ran his hands up and down the nurse's back as they kissed, tracing them lightly down his spine, feeling the smooth skin and muscle. His fingertips fluttered across his lower stomach and went down to the belt, finally undoing the buckle and the zipper. He kept his eyes on him the whole time, the eye contact sending shivers down the sherrif's spine and fire racing through his veins. It was becoming too much, the stifling heat, the electrifying feeling of him being so close. He needed more of him, every part, every inch of skin and body and soul. He could feel all logic slowly leaving his brain, and it wasn't long before it shut down and just acted on instinct.

He gently pushed Sen's hands away and stepped forward, the nurse raising his brows in surprise when he stepped back and felt the back of his legs hit the the edge of the bed. He felt Rick's hands gently nudge him and he teetered over, falling over onto the mattress with a soft thud. The leader carefully climbed up on top of him before gripping his side, wincing briefly before scoffing and carefully laying down on the mattress. Sen rolled over on his side and pulled the sheriff to him, smiling and recapturing his lips. As their kissing became more and more heated, the young nurse suddenly realized something. And that something couldn't help but make him stop and audibly sigh in frustration. Rick stopped and broke away to look up at him.

"What?"

The nurse sighed, shaking his head and assuring it was nothing before leaning back down. Rick turned his head away slightly, avoiding the kiss and prodding the man further.

"No really, what is it?" He asked, curiosity getting the best of him now that Sen brought it up. The dark haired man sighed and let his head fall onto his shoulder, shifting to nuzzle and kiss the crook of his neck.

"Nothing," He repeated, "It's nothing. I just...I remembered that we don't have any condoms." The leader listened as the man beside him groaned like a child in his throat. The whole thing made him smile faintly and he turned his head, kissing the man's cheek before pressing his lips up against his ear.

"We don't need 'em," He whispered.

Sen immediately sat up a little and looked down at him, a straight frown on his face.

"I'm not doing it without―"

"No no no, I didn't mean it like that," Rick chuckled, pulling the man back down and kissing the side of his head, "I mean we don't need 'em for this."

Sen's mouth immediately dropped as a hand slid down his stomach and got between them, snaking its way past the waistband of his boxers. His breathing started to falter, his eyes fluttering shut as the man under him started slowly palming his growing erection. The leader's eyes stayed locked on Sen's expression as he continued his movements, his breathing in labored pants as he wrapped his fingers around him and started pumping. He watched closely as his jaw dropped and his breath came out in a gasp before melding into a whimper. He bucked his bony hips helplessly against his palm, his head dropping and dipping down to kiss him square on the lips. In a matter of moments, Sen was coming completely undone, curse words flying from his lips as he came. The leader watched as his muscles tensed up, his body shaking momentarily before going limp on top of him. His head fell into Rick's shoulder, his breathing heavy, coming out in slow sated sighs. His hand traveled up to Rick's hair, his fingers gently running through his curls, assuring him he was still there in the moment with him. He shifted his head and kissed him on the mouth, letting out a small hum in appreciation. He slowly broke away to look at him, smiling before he shifted and carefully slinked his way on top. Rick chuckled as the man leaned down and planted a light kiss on his nose before going to his lips. He broke away slowly to look down at him.

"Your turn," He muttered, giving him an impish grin as he reached down carefully undid his belt. The leader bit his lip and smiled as he leaned down and kissed him again. This one was slower, and more sweeter and intoxicating than the last. His kisses traveled further and further down, licking and biting and marking his naked skin along the way.


"Can I ask you something?" Sen lifted his head and rested his chin on Rick's chest, looking up at the leader as he closed his eyes and nodded.

"The other night," He explained, "Carl mentioned a guy named Shane."

Rick didn't budge. He just continued running his fingers along the skin of of his shoulder, not saying anything as Sen gently ran his fingers along his side. The dark haired man shifted and rested his ear up against the man's, listening to the steady patter of his heart.

"Who was he?" He asked, his question falling onto silence as the two of them laid there, his leader still not saying a word. The young nurse didn't press him any further, instead just shutting his eyes and listening closely to the pattering of Rick's heart.

"...He was my friend," He heard the man under him answer after some time. Sen shifted and looked back up at him, the leader's eyes glued to the ceiling, "He was with us in Atlanta, after the turn..."

Rick shut his eyes and brought his hand back up to the bridge of his nose, pinching it as he tried to avoid the oncoming headache, and the images reeling in his mind. He tried to remember the Shane that existed before the turn. His best friend, his partner, the man who was as loyal to him on all fronts as he was in return. He tried not to think of the Shane that questioned him, that tried to have him killed, that tried to take away his whole family. He didn't want to think about that Shane, or what he had to do to stop him in the end.

"I knew him long before that," He went on to say, "He was my partner back in King County...We always did everything together, ever since high school."

The nurse nodded in understanding, smiling faintly at trying to picture a high school aged Rick. It was nice to hear that he had found his best friend after everything went to shit, much like he himself had Kei.

But the difference was that Kei was still with him.

Shane wasn't around anymore.

"What happened to him?" He asked, immediately noticing Rick stop his gentle touch across his skin. Still, he kept his eyes on his leader, Rick's eyes still on the ceiling. "Did a walker get him?"

No answer. The man immediately felt a pang of regret and shook his head, leaning down and kissing him on the shoulder, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be asking." Instead, he pulled the blankets up and huddled close to him, shutting his eyes and prepping himself for sleep. "I'll stop."

"...I killed him," He admitted quietly, Sen opening his eyes to find the sheriff looking right at him. His expression was oddly neutral, not showing worry or sadness. He looked...different, in what way, the nurse couldn't tell. In response, he simply scooted up and carefully rested his head on the leader's shoulder, not saying a word as he felt a hand slowly snake it's way into his hair and gently toy with the roots. They stared at each other for some time, the air showing no signs of tension, but an odd sense of peacefulness in it's place. Rick waited for him to react, his eyes searching the man's striking face. He didn't look worried, or confused, or even slightly frightened. He didn't react.

He just laid there, his dark eyes roaming over, searching for something in the leader's own face.

Rick sighed lightly and shifted, looking back up at the ceiling while avoiding Sen's intense stare. He kept his good hand latched to his scalp, his fingers gently inching along through his hair as he spoke up again,

"He lost himself, not long after the turn," He mentioned, "In the end, it was gonna be me or him, for a number of reasons. So I chose..."

The sound of the gunshot going off as he jammed the knife into his best friend's stomach echoed in his mind. It still made his heart race and his stomach twist and ache. The sight of him, the way his best friend looked at him, choking on his own words mixed with blood, he still didn't know what he was trying to say. All he knew was that it hurt. Thinking about it hurt. And he couldn't bare to think about it any more.

He took a much needed breath and let it out in a shaky sigh.

"I can't explain why to you," He confessed, shifting to look down at the man beside him, "Not right now..."

He watched as Sen licked his lips lightly and nodded, his eyes briefly falling to the mattress before looking back at him. He shifted closer and leaned over, pecking him on the lips before laying back down on the pillow.

"Get some sleep, okay?" He carefully pecked him on the nose,"I'm going out for a smoke. I'll be back."

The leader nodded without a word and shut his eyes as a pair of lips planted themselves on his own. The hurt he felt earlier quickly melded away, replaced with that familiar sensation of butterflies in his stomach. The feeling was good, and so welcome it made him smile faintly in relief as the man gently pulled away to quickly peck his forehead. As Sen quietly put his shirt back on and slid out of bed, the leader shifted into a more comfortable position and grabbed the book resting beside him on the nightstand. His eyes followed the lanky man as he padded over to the front door. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to look back at him.

"You don't have to explain it to me, by the way," He mentioned suddenly, "I know you did it because you had to. Not because you wanted to."

The leader looked down to the front of the room, watching the man in the doorway as he smiled a faint, crooked smile.

"I still care about you, regardless of your past."

Rick felt the butterflies in his stomach grow worse, his stomach twisting and aching, but in a good way. A way that made his heart and mind race, and a feeling that he hadn't felt in the longest time rise within him.

He bit his lip, trying to hold back a grin as he carefully sat up in bed. He tried keep his voice from sounding too excited as he looked over at the man in the doorway.

"Can you c'mere for a sec?"

Sen looked over at him quizzically, the leader gesturing lightly for him to come over. He stepped away from the door and went over to Rick's side of the bed, giving him a confused look as he sat down on the edge of the mattress. The sheriff reached over and gently tugged at his arm, a faint hint of mischievousness on his face,

"Closer," He instructed.

The nurse smiled, knowing full well what was happening as as he scooted over. He leaned in and shut his eyes as Rick give him another kiss. It wasn't a quick kiss, nor was it a deep and passionate one, but it was intimate. Steady, and full of intimacy. Full of everything the leader wanted to say to him in that very moment.

And the nurse understood fully, gently smiling and rubbing his nose with Rick's as they broke apart.

"I care about you, too," He heard the leader whisper.


She listened to the crackle of dead leaves under her boots, her feet dragging along the forest floor. Her eyes were glued to the dirt, trying hard to find any remaining prints. But no matter how hard she looked, there were none to be found. She started wondering if they even got this far, or if they turned somewhere and went off into the woods.

She stopped walking and looked around, the question plaguing her mind and tearing her in two different directions. One was towards Terminus, and the other was off the tracks and back into the woods. It was a long shot for trying to search for them now, and Sanctuary was just up ahead. If Sanctuary was still standing, that was. But she could still hear the wolves howling at night. Wherever they were, they were still somewhere in these woods. She would find them eventually, they were so active.

Perhaps it was good to get settled first. To recharge a bit...

She sighed and turned back around, continuing on down the tracks towards Terminus. She tried to occupy herself as she made the journey, carefully balancing herself as she walked along the rails like a gymnast on a balance beam. There were a few walkers here and there along the way, but as she drew closer and closer to the end of the line, she noticed the walkers and the terminus signs were growing scarce. This made her frown with suspicion, and her wariness only heightened when she saw two men further down on the railroad. Two men, looking relatively around the same age, chattering with each other as the shorter one hammered a sign to a pole. She quickly drew her out her bow and stepped forward, not making a sound as the two of them kept working. They were clearly oblivious to her presence. It wasn't until the shorter guy had accidentally dropped his hammer that he finally looked in her direction. After picking it up, he quickly said something to the taller guy, and the taller one turned around as well. When he did, he didn't seem the least bit phased by her.

"Hi there!" He greeted, smiling brightly as she walked up with her arrow still pointed at them. He quickly wiped his hands on his dirty jeans before holding one out to her, "I'm Gareth. And this is my brother Alex."

She didn't take it. Instead, she just eyed him, watching as Alex shifted before shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"We don't bite. We're both residents of Terminus," He remarked, "I'm guessing you've seen the signs? It's a great place―safe, secure. We can get you cleaned up and fed right quick."

When she didn't respond, Gareth simply let his hand fall and shrugged a little, smiling and letting out an airy scoff.

"Well, it's nice to meet you regardless, stranger," He smiled and looked back at the sign, "We were just fixin' this up for anyone who might be heading this way. Biters just keep on knockin' it over."

Kei squinted a little, Gareth turning his head to look back at her. His eyes wandered over her dirty clothes and battered skin flecked with walker blood and mud.

"You look like you've been on the road for quite a while," He remarked, looking back up at her eyes, "We're headin' on back to Terminus. You can follow us, if you like."

Kei still didn't respond. She was studying him―His relaxed posture, his smile, how he and his brother were alone in the woods, unarmed. Something must have been off.

"Where's your weapons?" She asked him. His brows raised before looking down at his waist. He looked back at her and shrugged, the smile still clear on his face.

"Haven't had a need for one," He replied honestly, suddenly realizing her cautious behavior, "It's alright. We got scouters all around here in these woods, clearing out any roamers that might be around. We try to make a safe path for people heading this way for sanctuary."

Made sense, the girl thought. Still, she was a little wary. Two men all alone out in the woods, unarmed...

"You come with us, and you'll see," Alex remarked, watching as she slowly lowered her bow after some time. She put the arrow back in her quiver and nodded, the young man smiling and heading down the tracks. Kei followed alongside him closely, not saying a word as he and his brother started going on and on about Terminus and everything it had to offer.

When she entered through the rod-iron gates, the outside world seemed to meld into someplace entirely new. Clean pavement free of blood and corpses, laundry hanging from the clothes lines, billowing in the wind. Actual sunflowers and plants growing in the center of the camp. Color, food, life.

She never thought she would see a place like this again. She had to rub her eyes to just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. It was almost too good to be true.

Terminus. It really was a sanctuary.

A hand suddenly placed itself on her shoulder and she jerked away out of reflex, Alex jumping slightly in shock. Still, he smiled lightly and pointed over towards the fire pit, a large grill waiting there with large slabs of meat cooking on top. He guided her over to the grill where a stocky woman with rusty gold hair waited for her. She had a slight bohemian look to her, wearing loose, layered clothing and having hair braided to the side. She had a sweet face and appeared quite timid as she flipped the meat, saying very little as Gareth came up to her side and kissed her on the cheek.

"This here is my mom, Mary," He explained, smiling as his mother, "The original founder of Terminus. Woman's got a heart of gold on her."

"Oh stop it," She chuckled, swatting him away before looking at Kei with a smile, "I'm just doing what's right...Someone's got to give a little hope in a time like this."

"And you're doing a great job, Ma," Alex gushed, "Oh! You mind fixin' Kei here a plate?"

"Oh, of course," She chirped, grabbing a paper plate and piling it on with a few chunks of meat, "You look like you've been on the road for quite a while. You must be famished."

Kei nodded, furrowing at the odd look Mary was giving her as she handed over the plate. Her blue eyes wandered up and down her frame, almost looking like she was disappointed about something.

"So skinny…" The woman sighed. Gareth suddenly chuckled and pulled his mother close.

"Mother," He cooed, the smile clear in his voice as he gave her another peck on the cheek, "Be nice."

Mary then smiled brightly and nodded, her son pulling away to take Kei's hand and show her around the rest of the camp. As they passed a table, the girl quickly set the plate down and continued to follow him.


Only 4 cigarettes left. What a bummer.

Sen took one out of the box and put it between his lips, flicking on his lighter and pressing the flame against the end. He watched as the tip burned a bright red and he took a slow inhale , the familiar taste of menthol and warm smoke filling his senses. He placed his lighter down next to him as he sat on the porch railing, watching the sky with a dreamy smile on his face. It was oddly serene, just laying there, just thinking of nothing. Feeling only the wind against his skin and listening to the rustle of leaves. It was oddly peaceful.

But that peace was disturbed when he heard laughing.

It wasn't pitched like Michonne's, or even Carl's.

This laugh was rough.

And it belonged to a grown man.

He looked out towards the street. The laughing was getting louder. There were voices, several of them hollering and laughing to themselves. His heart leapt up into his throat as they came into view.

Five men, all of them armed.

"Oh, sh-!" He quickly stubbed out his cigarette and tried clearing away the smoke -filled air, waving his hands around rapidly before leaping over the railing. He kept his body low as he ran around through the back, knowing full well that if those guys saw the front door open, there was a good chance both he and Rick's lives would be over.

He stalked his way up to the patio and started opening up the kitchen window, quietly trying to slip himself inside. He was almost fully through when his foot accidentally knocked over the silverware on the counter. He winced and hissed out a sharp swear.

He could hear them getting louder. They were almost to the house.

He pushed himself off the counter and frantically rushed through to the living room, grabbing his clothing and his rucksack. His heart was racing a mile a minute as he threw on his jacket, his muscles shaking as he tried to grab what he could.

He could hear footsteps on the front porch.

"Shit shit shit!" He hissed to himself, rushing over to the bottom of the stairs. "Rick!" He whispered towards the upstairs bedrooms.

There was no answer.

"Rick!" He hissed again. No answer. He swore to himself and took a breath to call him a little louder, but stopped when he heard the doorknob jiggle. He turned around sharply and watched as several bodies hovered around the front, silhouettes walking across the window.

"Oh, F-" He breathed, ducking low as he rushed over to the kitchen and left through the back door. Just as he started quietly shutting the door, he saw the front window shatter open. His eyes widened and he pulled it all the way shut, wincing at the noise it made.

He knelt down and turned to look around at the rest of the patio. His heart and mind started racing a mile a minute as he crept further out and looked up to the second floor. He had to get Rick out of there, that much he knew. Problem was, he couldn't tell which window lead to the bedroom. What's more, all the windows were shut. He let out a frustrated huff. Perfect.

He needed a plan, and quick. They were already in the house. They would find Rick, and god knows what they would do to him.

He had to get him out of there.

"...Fuck it," He grunted, rushing over to grab a lawn chair and whatever else he could to try and get up onto the second floor. He tried to be as quiet as he could as built a ladder and clambored up onto the lower roof, keeping his body low as he crawled across and carefully peeked into the dirty windows. The first window was to the bedroom belonging to the previous owner's kid. No one inside. He crawled over to the next window, freezing when he heard voices yelling and things being knocked over. His heart leaped up into the his throat and he slowly poked his head out, looking inside to see two men rolling around on the floor. He looked around and recognized the bed and décor at an instant.

This was where Rick was.

His eyes widened and his hand instantly went to his holster, sliding out his gun and cocking it back as the two men continued to fight inside. He peered trough the window, staring down at the back of a head belonging greasy, dark haired man. He currently had a guy locked in a violent chokehold, the sound of gagging and choking ringing in the air. His eyes widened and he looked down at the victim as the greasy guy turned and pinned him down do the floor. The man's build and figure and skin tone was completely different from his leader, and it made him let out a sigh of relief.

It wasn't Rick.

He put his gun back into his holster and crawled over to the next window, praying to God that Rick was still inside somewhere alive. He was half-way through sweeping around on the second floor when the window two rooms down suddenly opened up. The nurse froze in place, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. The minute he heard moving and saw something starting to poke out, he quickly scurried back and retreated behind the corner of the house. He screwed his eyes shut as he pressed his forehead against brick, listening past his rapid and fearful heartbeat to the muffled sounds of the men inside talking. He had to focus. He needed to keep it together. They were outnumbered and out gunned, and it was scary as all hell, sure. But it was more than likely that Rick was somewhere trapped inside.

And he had to get him out of there, no matter what.

He took a shaky breath and put his hand on the handle of his gun, gripping it tightly as he pulled it from his holster. He took a few sharp breaths and amped himself up, telling himself that no matter what, he had to get Rick, and nothing was going to stand in his way. He nodded to himself and swallowed his fear before quickly bolting out from behind the corner, keeping his weapon pointed forward. He furrowed when he saw nothing but a pair of hands gripping the edge of the roof before they let go, something falling onto the patio with a soft thud. The nurse slowly leaned over, carefully peeking over the edge and watching as a man in a brown coat stayed hunched over as he started to make a break for the front of the house. When he saw the bandaged hand and the dark jeans and the familiar lanky frame, Sen instantly knew who it was, and his heart almost burst with joy.

He opened his mouth to call after him, but his harsh whisper fell on deaf ears as the man disappeared behind the corner.


He kept himself hidden in the brush, his footsteps quiet, but quick as he maneuvered around. He gripped the Uzi gun tight in his hands, trying to keep focus as he pushed the memory of how he got it to the back of his head. It was kill or be killed, he thought. It was survival of the fittest. The stranger who now laid dead in the bathroom had lost. It was kill or be killed. Fight or die.

And Rick wasn't planning on dying any time soon.

Not by these guys, anyway. Whoever they were.

Given the way they talked about Michonne when they found her shirt in the house-how eagerly they fantasized about all the things they wanted to do to her when she got back...

Rick knew exactly who these people were.

They were plunderers, and the worst kind.

He managed to make to the front of the house, taking refuge next to the foundation just underneath the edge of the front porch. He kept his back pressed against the brick, listening as the front door opened up and someone stepped outside. He could hear a ball being bounced over and over, the steady thump getting louder and louder as the thrower walked up to the railing just above the leader. He could hear the guy sitting down just where the two railings met, occasionally spitting over the railing a couple of times before whistling a chipper tune. Rick furrowed up at him before looking back towards the street, noticing something steadily making it's way down the road.

It was Carl and Michonne, and they were on their way back to the house.

Rick's insides were starting to twist. He felt his heart thumping loudly against his ribcage. He felt trapped, pinned in a position that caused an annoying sense of helplessness, and the need to lash out and get rid of the guy above him so he could get away.

He needed to get away, and he needed to act fast.

He needed to get Carl and Michonne out of there.

"Pst." A small voice just barely hissed, the leader almost missing it over the sound of his racing heart. He turned and looked over to the source of the noise, Sen carefully crawling out from behind the brush. A faint smile couldn't help but show itself on Rick's face as a small wave of relief came over him. Sen held up one finger and pointed towards the front porch with the other.

"Just one." He mouthed, Rick nodding in response. He felt much more confident now that he had Sen with him. They could take this guy out easily. They could get out of here.

He slowly inched his arm up and reached for the edge of the porch floor, gripping it tightly with one hand as he gripped his weapon with the other. He was ready to pull himself up and leap out and just fire, fire with everything he had. It was kill or be killed . And he wasn't about to be killed. He wouldn't allow himself, or Sen, or anyone else he cared about to get killed today. He would protect them at all costs.

He mustered up as much courage as his could, his anger and adrenaline rising as he was about to move. Just as he started to shift, the familiar sound of snarling went off from inside the house. The men inside all started screaming. Sen immediately reached out and grabbed Rick's arm, stopping him from moving as the man above them suddenly rushed back into the house.

"Son of a bitch," They heard him mutter, the two men flinching as a series of gunshots went off from inside. Just as they heard the door swing open and slam shut, they shot forward like jack rabbits and made a break for Carl and Michonne. Just as they met up, Rick hissed for them to run, the two turning around and obeying without objection or a second thought.

The four of them bolted down the street without looking back.


"And heeere's your room," Gareth chirped, opening up the door and holding an arm towards the inside. Kei took a step forward and peeked in, her eyes widening at the cleanliness of it all. Clean carpet floors, neatly made bed with an actual pillow. She even got a window with actual glass on it. She stepped further inside and took a second to really soak it all in. It was happening. This wasn't a dream. This was sanctuary.

"You okay?" She heard the guy ask, a chuckle in his voice as he watcher her sniffle.

"Sorry," She breathed, chuckling as she quickly wiped her eyes on her sleeve, " I just―just can't believe a place like this exists."

She quickly wiped her eyes a second time and turned to look over at Gareth, "Has anyone else new come in?"

The man's lips twisted to the side in thought before he shook his head.

"Nope, you're the first in a while," He said simply, "Why, you expecting people?"

Her dark eyes fell to the floor for a moment before she shook her head, turning it to look back out at the window. So many people. Alive and happy

"Well, you're free to join the welcome wagon and greet all newcomers that come our way," He offered, "We get a steady flow of people coming in every now and then."

She turned and raised her brows at him in surprise, the brunette smiling as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Well, I've got some inventory to take care of, so if you need anything, my brother Alex is down in the Quad. Just give him a shout, kay?"

The girl nodded lightly and smiled, Gareth grinning back and taking hold of the door knob.

"You're gonna fit in well here, Kei, don't you worry," He assured, "You're family now. It's no longer just you alone, it's 'us'"

Us. Hearing it made Kei's lips purse and her eyes fall as he shut the door. She looked back out the window and furrowed. Us. It was 'us' now. Again, with new people. She had a new leader. She had new group to look out for. She had a new life.

"Us," She muttered. Such a strange word. Strange to hear it coming from someone she barely knew, and from someone other than Rick or Daryl.


Still no sign of newcomers.

No sign of Sen, or Rick, or Daryl.

No sign of anyone from her old group.

Still, the girl remained hopeful.

At breakfast, she heard one of the Terminites ranting about spotting animal tracks around the fence-line. Unfortunately, one of the perimeter scouts immediately shot down that idea and simply stated it was coyotes.

She hated how no one ever knew the time around here.

Everyone in the camp tried to go by the sun, or how they "felt", but it was never an accurate telling of time. Just night and day. She found all the little inconveniences around Terminus were making her more and more nostalgic for her old group. Rick had a watch. Carl had books to read. Michonne had cooler stories. And Daryl could cook the hell out of a deer.

That is, if it was a deer they were eating.

No one was ever really clear with her on what it was they were eating, or how they even managed to get so much meat. They all sucked as hunters, and Gareth wasn't afraid to admit that as he joked with her at the table one day.

"You should see Albert and Max and Tony out there, it's like watching the 3 stooges," He'd chuckle as he bit off another chunk of meat. Kei winced a little. There was something animal-like in the way he and the others ate. It was similar in how Daryl would eat, but she could tell there something else there. Daryl was just a sloppy eater, animal-like in the way that he ate to survive, and he couldn't give a fuck about civilized manners. But this wasn't that with the Terminus group. When everyone here ate the meat, they ate it like it was personal. It was like an experience for them, and Kei couldn't place her finger as to why. Everyone acted so odd when it came to the food.

"You should take a picture," Gareth chirped with his mouth full. Kei snapped out of her thoughts and blinked at him, watching as he flashed that boyish-charming grin of his, "It'll last longer."

The girl rolled her eyes and nudged him in the shoulder as she took off a small piece and popped it into her mouth. Gareth watched her as she chewed, and it made her frown. The way he was looking at her, how his eyes wandered, it was anything but charming. His eyes flitted down to her mouth, seeming all too focused on her lips as she quickly licked them.

"Problem?" She asked, her words seeming to snap him out of his gaze. He blinked at her, his eyes wide as he let out a confused, "What?"

"You were staring, pretty creepily," She answered, the man perking up instantly as his expression went from confused to full of panic.

"Oh god, sorry!" He let out, "I wasn't trying to be creepy or any― I was just―" He stopped and instead hung his head in embarrassment, groaning as the whole act made the corner of Kei's mouth perk up in amusement.

"I'm sorry," He apologized, lifting his head to look back at her, "I shouldn't be staring. It's just...you're interesting."

"Still creepy," She spoke, Gareth chuckling before shaking his head.

"No no no, I mean, you eat, but you don't eat," He remarked, tilting his head at her, "Why is that?"

She sighed and handed him her plate to finish, "I really don't get everyone here is so anal about the food."

"Food is everything," He said firmly, Kei furrowing at him as his expression changed. For a second she could've sworn she saw a flash of anger in his eyes. His posture straightened as he looked at her, his eye contact firm and direct, unrelenting as he opened his mouth.

"It's more precious than gold," He expressed, watching as Kei leaned away a little in clear discomfort. His eyes looked at her up and down before the corner of his mouth perked up. He could see it. He could see it on every outsider that crossed him. They didn't know. No one could ever know.

"You don't know what it's like to be hungry," He spoke, a dark form of anger thick on his soft his voice, "Starving to the point of death…"

He turned to look at her, his eyebrow quirking upward as his head tilted slightly.

"Well, judging by your figure, i'd say you might have a clue,"

"Wow, okay," She said, quickly getting up out of her seat, "Well this has been a blast, so uh, I'm gonna go. And you can go fuck yourself."

"Aw, K―" He got up from his seat as well and watched as she started walking away "Kei wait."

She gave him the finger as she started walking towards her room, ignoring the young man trailing after her and calling her name.

"Kei! Wait!" He said frantically, finally catching up and taking her hand, "Kei can you wait just a secon―"

"You're an asshole you know that?!" She bit, turning around sharply before pushing him away from her. He stumbled back a little, surprised by her strength as she continued to yell at him.

"The fuck do you know about what I've been through?! What I've lost?!" She let out, pointing to herself as the words came pouring out like water, "I've been shit on my entire goddamn life! Even before this fucking shit-storm happened! I've lost my whole family! I lost my home! I've lost everything and EVERYONE I'VEE EVER LOVED AND―"

She stopped herself as the tears started to pour out. She put her hands to her face and tried to stop them, stop everything from coming out in the open. This wasn't supposed to happen. None of them were supposed to know anything.

"Shit―!" She whimpered at herself, sniffling and wiping her eyes as the tears kept coming. She couldn't hold it in for much longer, and she eventually caved when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her and pulled her close. She felt the warmth of Gareth's and buried herself into his shirt, the scent and the feel so much different from the arms she was used to.

"I'm sorry," He muttered into her hair, "I'm so sorry..."

"You're a piece of shit," She muttered into his chest.

"I know," He sighed, smirking lightly as he let out a small scoff, "Honestly, tell me something I haven't heard before."

He felt her chuckle into her chest, the spot on his shirt still warm and damp from her crying. He let go of her as she shifted and gently pushed him away, taking a step back to wipe her eyes and compose herself.

"I'm gonna kick your ass later, okay?" She sniffled, carefully wiping her eyes, "Don't go anywhere."

The man nodded and snickered lightly as she nodded in agreement and turned away. As she did so, his faint smile fell and sadness washed over his face.

"Kei," He called, watching her as she stopped and looked back at him, "I really am sorry…"

Her eyes flicked down to the pavement before looking back at him. She nodded lightly and went back towards the housing, neither of them saying another word.

It wasn't long after that when Gareth came back to Kei's room and sat her down for a talk. He admitted to her that he and the others in the group were skeptical of her at first, but they felt that she could truly be one of them. He explained to her that in order for that to happen, for her to truly be accepted, he would have to know everything there is about her, and she would have to know everything about them. The girl wasn't so sure at first. He had given her the day to collect her thoughts, and let her know that this whole thing was about trust. Trust was everything to this group. It was more precious than gold, they would say.

Around dinner time, Gareth brought a plate up to Kei's room and they shared a meal. During this time, Kei relented and explained what she could without breaking her heart all over again. Gareth listened patiently, showing no signs of judgment or horror or disgust as she gave small glimpses into her past. She talked more about her group, how she met them, how they first got separated, the hell she went through during the winter, and how fate brought her back to them. She talked about the prison, the war with the Governor, and how he ended up managing to separate them once again in the end. When she finished, Gareth's eyebrows were raised in surprise, his smile was light, and that confused her.

"You are truly amazing, Kei," He admitted, smiling as her eyebrows raised in surprise, "I mean it! After everything you've been through, here you are..."

He leaned forward and stared at her intently, the corner of his mouth perking up in a crooked smile,

"They're gonna write stories about you someday,"

Hearing it made her sputter out a scoff, Gareth grinning widely and saying "I mean it!" in a genuine tone.

"You've gone through hell and back, and look at you," He remarked, motioning to all of her, "Risen from the ashes...You're gonna do so well here, I can tell."

She shook her head and scoffed, popping another piece of meat in her mouth as she leaned forward,

"So what about you?" She asked, her curious tone melding into a dramatic one, "What dark secrets are being harbored behind Terminus' holy fences?"

Gareth let out an airy chuckle, briefly scratching the back of his head before looking down at the holes in the knees of his jeans. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his head, and his eyes flicked up to look at her own.

"Why don't I show you?"

She held onto Gareth's hand tightly as he led her through the dark. She had no idea where she was going, or which building she was going to exactly, but when she saw the bright glow emanating from the warehouse windows, she suddenly felt uneasy. He lead her up to a large rusted door and opened it up for her, guiding her inside to see the dark secret being illuminated by a million and one candles. When Kei stepped inside, she felt a mix of things; surprise, confusion, awe. The room was filled with candles, all of them everywhere, some nestled in groups on the floor. Kei looked down as Gareth carefully led her inside to get a better look. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking, and also somewhat scary. Names were written in a perfect circle on the floor with chalk, each name having a certain memento placed with it. Clothes, jewelry, pretty stones, stuffed animals, military badges, it was like looking at some twisted form of a magic circle.

"Brittany Rose, 27" She read, breifly staring at the pair of dirty shoes by her name before going to another, "David Cornett…"

She looked around at all the names on the floor before looking at the writing on the wall. Big bolded letters reading just what Terminus was about.

NEVER AGAIN

NEVER TRUST

WE FIRST, ALWAYS

"Welcome to Church," Gareth announced, letting go of her hand as she stepped away from him.

"What is all this?" She asked, her voice just barely above a whisper as she signaled to the floor, "Who are all these people?"

"These are the loved ones we lost," He explained simply, "Terminites looking for sanctuary, who ended up getting killed by the people who tried to take this place…"

She didn't know what to say. The words failed her as she looked around, trying to take it all in and process it. The stained glass windows, candles, the writings on the wall…

"People came here and tried to take what we had," He said to her, "We used to help people. We saved people... but then, things changed. They came in and―they…."

Kei turned to face him. She watched as his eyes darkened and his lips pursed, his hands shaking as the memory reeled in his thoughts over and over.

"They tortured us, starved us, raped us…" His voice shook and broke a little on that last part. He quickly brought his sleeve up to his eyes, wiping them as he spoke, "My mother, she…"

He sniffled, wiping his nose before taking a much needed breath. He let out a heavy exhale and looked over to the spindly girl. His eyes following her as she walked up to him

"I promised to never let a thing like that happen again, to any of us," He explained, looking down into her big brown eyes, "You know what it's like, Kei. You said it yourself…All those things that happened to you because of the Governor…the Bikers…"

He watched her expression soften. He knew his words were having some effect on her, and it made him sigh internally in relief. She could see it now, he could tell. She could see it and understand. She was starting to understand Terminus.

"That's why I showed you this," He said, staring directly in her eyes, "I showed you this because I need to know I can trust you. And you need to know you can trust me. Terminus is all about trust. It's absolutely everything. It's life or death."

She gently gripped onto his shirt and leaned into his frame as the man hugged her close. He shut his eyes as he shifted and pressed his lips to the side of her head,

"It's us or them," He muttered softly.

They stood like that for some time before he felt her nod lightly in understanding.

"Us or them," She muttered back, furrowing into his shirt as she heard him whisper,

"I'm so glad you understand," He muttered in sheer thankfulness, "Soon you'll see here, you're either the butcher, or you're the cattle."


yall probably thought i was dead lol.
apologies for the long delay, i've been juggling work and school
and jotting down ideas for how i want season 5 to play out.
thank you all so much for the kind comments. they seriously inspire me and help me keep going.
till next time, my sweet lil cinnamon rolls c:
- Skyler xx