A/N: My lovely beautiful readers, I am so sorry for the two week hiatus but I feel like I needed a bit of a break from writing fanfic even though I love it. Also I was working on some important job applications, so I dedicated my time to that. But hopefully back on a regular update schedule! So the last chapter covered 5.02, I managed to fit in the events of 5.03 in this chapter, which is kind of a big deal plotwise. In terms of Terminus and Bob related events, also their trip to Washington. It's mainly canon, but I tried to integrate Pol and fit in more dialogue here and there, I know she didn't interact with as many characters in this chapter but there's so many of them! So I'll try working on that. We're in the honeymoon phase of Rickaris, so there's no problems right now but they'll butt heads on stuff later on. You'll see when I write it!

Thanks to all the follows and faves: NaRuKo-InuTaiSHo-XD, Sameeh202, lilylittle, Sophiea Lilia, Leslieskinner20. And to all the lovely reviewers!

Gracie Miserables: Thank you! Oh don't worry, Gareth is going to get his. It's more of a group effort, I kinda took the central focus off Pol even though she's the main character of this story and more on Bob and Sasha.

Skylar97: Omg thank you so much, I love it when people binge read my fic. I'm glad it was worth it! Thank you. So obvs Rick and Michonne won't be a thing in S6, I've got an idea I'm going to run with. Haha yes I will try to fit in more Daryl and Pol as much as possible. By spice up, do you mean their intimacy? Or more drama as in they don't agree on stuff? So even though it's rated a T, I don't write explicit scenes but you'll know when they do have sex. and regarding the sanctuary, I haven't actually decided on that yet. But there will be big stuff with Negan I can promise you! So I usually update on Fridays, and I won't abandon or ignore it don't worry!

Guest: Okay so back in the first few chapters Rick gave her a colt python which she still has (let's say there were two colt pythons and Rick has one, but he gave the other to Pol which has her initial engraved), she also carries a machete, she doesn't carry a glock or beretta. the rifle she has is an Ar-15. Hope it cleared some stuff up!

Ryane: I know! The next chapter is centred on the Beth storyline. Haha Pol was a scientist remember, so she can smell Eugene's bullshit about the cure etc. Yeah, even though she doesn't trust Eugene, the hope of finding something better outweighs her mistrust especially if it's benefit the group.

Purplepecky: Ahh no problem! Oh didn't you read my A/N from ages ago? I'm carrying it on into season 7, 8 and 9 because I have some plans! So fear not I'm not ending it yet..

Nitro zeus: Hey, so I write these chapters as I'm going along so I'll keep that in mind. Send me a review to remind me of the weapons and I'll incorporate that in. Oh I have plans for Pol when Negan comes don't worry, I think you guys will be shocked...

- Angels and Douchebags.

"Bob!" I called out looking around the perimeter. I was supposed to take over from him but he was nowhere to be found.

"Carol? Daryl?" I asked in the dark, a sense of dread creeping in. I saw them leave the church just two minutes ago, where could they have possibly gone?

"Bob!" I shouted, feeling the anxiety through my body.

"What is it?" I felt Michonne catch up to me, scanning the tree-line.

"Something's wrong. Bob went out here about twenty minutes ago. Soon after so did Daryl and Carol, now none of them are here." I couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened to them, that our luck had run its course.

"You don't know that." Michonne gave me a side glance.

"They couldn't have gone far, let's stick together and look." She said, walking off into the path away from the church.

I followed her, pulling out my machete, ready to face whoever the enemy was today. It seemed like the list was never ending, it seemed like we couldn't even enjoy a couple of hours of peace.

...

"Bob!" Sasha whispered from beside me. Once me and Michonne looked, we couldn't find them and had to break the news to Sasha.

"Bob," I called out gently, machete in hand. Sasha pointed the rifle around, trying to find him using the night vision. There was a snap of branches from behind. I snapped my head around putting a finger to my lips. Somebody was there.

"Hey, look at this." I pointed to the tree trunk which had a solid line embedded in it.

"What is it?" Sasha asked.

I don't know, but it looks intentional." I replied, looking uneasily into the dark. It was too quiet.

Suddenly a walker jumped on the butt of her rifle, reaching its hands out for her throat.. I thrusted the machete into the head as it fell to the ground with a clunk.

I felt an arm grab my shoulder as I jumped whirling around to face the attacker.

"It's alright, it's me." I breathed out in relief seeing Rick holding the torch behind me, with Tyreese next to him.

"You okay?" Rick asked as I nodded.

"Tyreese," Sasha breathed heavily.

"He's getting away." she exclaimed.

"Who?" Tyreese asked.

"Somebody was watching us, we have to go in there." I looked between the two men.

"If we go in there now, some of us aren't coming back." Tyreese gave us a firm look.

"Bob is out there. Scared, alone." Sasha looked worried. My heart gave out to her, if Rick went missing like that I'd be just as panicked. Even worse.

"Not alone, Daryl and Carol are missing, too." Rick shone the torch into the treeline.

"When I came out here I didn't see a trace of any of them." My eyes darted in the darkness, trying to see beyond the thick growth of trees.

"It's Gabriel." Sasha's lips were set in a thin line.

"We don't know that for sure." I offered causing Sasha to glare at me.

"Come on, let's get inside and find out." Rick said, placing a hand on my back.

We walked out of the forest in the dark and onto the path that led back to the church. Sasha marched ahead, swinging the creaky wooden doors open and going straight over to Father Gabriel.

"Do you think he would do it?" I whispered to Rick as we stood back.

"He's not incapable of it." Rick replied.

"Stop. What are you doing?" Sasha narrowed her eyes at him.

"This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched, and now three of us are gone." She accused.

"I-I don't.. I don't have anything to do with this." Father Gabriel stuttered.

Sasha took out her knife as I ran forward, but Rick's arm pulled me back. I turned around giving him a glare, but he shook his head.

"She won't do anything." Rick said lowly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Don't!" Rosita shouted.

"Sasha, put it away." Tyreese called out.

"I-I don't have anything to do with this." Father Gabriel backed away, putting his hands up.

"Where are our people?!" She screamed.

"Please I don't have anything to do with this." His voice wavered.

Rick walked over from the wall of the church, pulling Sasha away from the priest and behind him.

"Why'd you bring us here?" He asked in a calm voice.

"You workin' with someone?"

"I'm alone, I'm alone. I was always alone." Gabriel stepped back as Rick moved closer.

"What about the woman at the food bank Gabriel? What did you do to her?" He questioned.

I watched from against the wall. And this was why Rick was our leader, he didn't miss a beat. I had completely forgotten about her, the way Gabriel panicked and recognised her when she lunged for us.

"You'll burn for this? Why, what did you do Gabriel?" Rick asked.

"What? What did you do?" He grabbed the front of his clothes and pushed him against the table.

I came up from against the wall and walked over to where Rick was, just in case he did anything brash.

"What did you do?" Rick shouted, releasing his clothes. Gabriel looked towards me helplessly, I just shrugged. Rick followed his line of sight.

"You better answer me Gabriel, because whatever you did put Pol in danger. And I don't take too kindly to that." Rick said in a menacing voice.

Gabriel looked over to me whimpering as I stepped forward and stood beside Rick, my arms folded across my chest.

"You should answer him." I said firmly nodding.

"I lock the doors at night. I always-" Gabriel burst into tears.

"My congregation started coming. Atlanta was bombed and they got scared, they were looking for a safe place. It was early, so early. And the doors were still locked. You see, it was my choice. There were so many of them and they were trying to pry the shutters, banging on the signs and screaming at me." Gabriel shuddered.

"And so the dead came for them. Women, children. Entire families calling my name as they were torn apart. Begging me for mercy, begging. Damning me to hell. And I buried their bones, buried it all." Gabriel finally cried.

I felt a pang of sympathy for the man. He clearly carried the guilt with him for so long, and we had all done things we regretted in the name of the apocalypse and keeping our secrets. A dark look crossed my face, remembering Shane and Otis.

"The lord sent you here to punish me. I'm damned." Gabriel broke down on the ground, crying and shaking.

I glanced at Rick, his expression was completely unreadable. I don't know about him, but I believed him, there was no way that he was faking that level of emotion. And I honestly felt sorry for him.

I was sitting beside Rick on the row of chairs in the church, he sat in silence beside me holding Judith in his arms. His blue eyes looked up at me.

"What do you think?" He asked, glancing towards where Gabriel was holed up in the corner.

"I believe him. We've all done things that we're not proud of. I shot Otis, left him for dead." I looked at him.

"I killed Shane." Rick said.

"I know you wanna trust him. I do too, but I can't until we get Carol, Daryl and Bob back." Rick said lowly making sure no one could hear.

"What happened to you out there Rick?" I touched his shoulder, looking back at Carl.

"Whatever it was, has left you scarred. And I wish you would trust me with it-"

"Carl was almost raped." Rick whispered.

My blood ran cold and a look of shock crossed my face. With the dead walking the earth, it was hard to forget there were still monsters like this out there.

"W-what?" I stuttered.

"I dropped my guard. The guys Daryl was hanging out with, called themselves claimers. One of them tried to hurt Carl, so I lost it." Rick explained quietly, handing Judith off to Maggie who took her.

"Did Daryl know what they were like?" Rick shook his head.

"I'm so sorry. No parent should have to watch that." I held his hand.

"It didn't happen. I, bit the guy's neck." Rick said admittedly, as I resisted the urge for my jaw to drop.

"Are you alright?" I asked after letting it sink in for a few moments, as Rick chuckled incredulously.

"I tell you I tore a man's neck out with my teeth, and you ask if I'm okay? Aren't you 'fraid of me?" Rick asked.

I shook my head in response.

"As I said, we've all done things, terrible things to stay alive. And protect the ones we love." I gestured to Carl.

"Thank you." Rick placed a hand on my cheek.

"For what?"

"For not judging me." He stroked my cheek.

"You did it to protect your kid." I put my hand over his.

"And it explains Carl's behaviour." I looked over at the boy sitting a few rows behind us.

"Hey, there's something lying on the ground outside." Glenn called out from the window.

Sasha ran outside the church before anyone could stop her. We ran out, following her quickly and were shocked by the sight.

"Bob!" Sasha called out.

Bob was lying on the grass, seemingly unconscious and to our horror missing half of one of his legs. He looked beaten up badly, I bent over Bob's body with Sasha and checked his vitals.

"Okay, I feel a pulse." I called out, placing a hand on Sasha's shoulder.

We looked up towards the trees were growling and snarling sounds were getting louder. Perfect timing, I thought sarcastically.

"Get Bob inside we'll take care of them." Glenn instructed, hitting the walkers with his rifle. The others sprung into action, protecting us in a circle from any walkers trying to get through.

"Can you help me? Help me please!" Sasha cried as I grabbed one of Bob's arms and swung it over my shoulder.

"Tara take the other side." I instructed the frightened woman who took Bob's other arm.

We lifted the stump of his bandaged leg and carried him towards the church door, more walkers approaching. The sound of gunshots started echoing out as more walkers appeared. We carried him through the door as Rick entered afterwards closing the door.

I checked his forehead as the rest of the group sat around Bob, waiting for when he would come into consiousness.

"He's burning up, he's got a raging fever. Cold sweats and shakiness." I bent down my head to his chest, his heart was beating erratically. He was showing similar symptoms for a man who was about to turn.

"He's alive." I smiled reassuringly at Sasha who was sick with worry.

...

Bob woke up half an hour later, dazed and anxious but once he was calm. He told us the whole story.

"I was in the graveyard. Somebody knocked me out. I woke up outside this place, it looked like a school. It was that guy, Gareth and give other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me." Bob said in a shaky voice.

"These the guys from Terminus?" I looked at the group as Glenn nodded solemnly.

"Like it was nothing. All proud like they had it figured out." Bob spat out.

"Did they have Daryl and Carol?" Rick bent down in front of him as Bob shook his head, groaning in pain.

"Alright we can question him later." I helped Bob, sit up.

"He's my patient and he needs rest." I gave Rick a firm a look who nodded.

"Do we have anything for the pain?" Sasha asked.

"We had pill packets in the first aid kid." Rosita piped in.

"No, save 'em." Bob shook his head, shrugging us off.

"Don't be so damn stubborn." I scolded him.

"No, seriously." Bob lifted the sleeve of his shirt to show a large bit into his shoulder.

I sat on my knees in front of Bob, speechless. Another one of us bit, another one of us had to die. I inspected his arm and shoulder, wondering if there was any way we could amputate. But it was on his collar bone, any surgery would kill him. Not to mention we didn't really have a surgeon, I only had basic medical training.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, feeling the tears spring to my eyes.

Bob looked up at Sasha with wide eyes. I moved away to give them some privacy, giving Rick a sad look. I looked around the group at the church, everyone had sad faces.

"There's a sofa in my office. I know it's not much." Gabriel offered.

"Thank you." Sasha said in a shaky voice, as they lifted Bob away.

"Do you know the place he means?" Rick stood up asking the priest.

"It's an elementary school, it's close." Father Gabriel replied.

"How close?" I asked.

"10 minute walk through the woods, south of the graveyard." He answered.

"Tell me you're not thinking, what I think you are?" I pulled Rick away to the rest of the group.

"How is he?" he asked.

"He's got a fever, there's no telling when he'll turn." I stated.

"Time for a reality check. We all need to leave for DC. Right now." Abraham announced from the door.

"Carol and Daryl aren't back yet, we aren't going anywhere them." Rick said with a voice of authority.

"I respect that, but there's a clear threat here to Eugene, I need to extract his ass 'fore things get uglier. And if y'all won't come, good luck to you we'll go our separate ways." Abraham said with an air of finality.

Abraham walked towards the door, Rosita reluctantly following behind them.

"You leavin' on foot?" Rick asked.

"We fixed that damn bus ourselves." Abraham said frustrated.

"You planning to make it with just the three of you? When there's a chance that there's nothing there?" I challenged.

"We've lasted this far." Abraham scoffed.

"Carol saved your life. We're not going anywhere without our people." Rick walked over to the military man.

"Your people took off." Abraham said lowly.

"They're comin' back." Rick said angrily.

"To what, picked-over bones?!" Abraham shouted.

"You're not taking-"

"Do not lay hands!" Rick and Abraham's voices overlapped as they began shoving each other harshly.

"Hey!" I pushed Abraham away from Rick as Glenn also intervened.

"Stop now!" Glenn shouted.

"Do you really think you're gonna be any safer, leaving right now in the middle of the night?" Glenn turned to the ginger haired man.

"What about tomorrow? We need each other for this. To get to DC, we can get through all of it together." Glenn urged him.

"I have an idea." Tara stepped forward.

"If you help us with this, I'll go with you to DC tomorrow. No matter what." I looked in surprise at Tara as Glenn looked sadly at her.

"Glenn and Maggie too." Abraham demanded.

"No." Rick said firmly.

"Good luck, then. I'm not interested in breaking up what you have here. Rosita get your stuff." Abraham ordered.

"Eugene. Now." Abraham said in a low voice.

The three of them walked towards the door as we looked on helplessly. If they stayed we had a much greater chance of finding Carol and Daryl, but if they took the bus we would be stranded without an escape route.

"You're not takin' that bus." Rick emphasised as Abraham turned round, challenging him.

"Try and stop me."

Rick marched forward rearing his fist back into a punch as I stopped him, placing my hands on his chest.

"Hey, hey. Rick, no." I gently pushed him back, forcing him to look at me.

"You stay and help us, and we will go with you." Glenn said calmly.

"No." Rick growled making a move to step forward. I pushed him, giving him a firm like.

"It's not your call." Glenn put a hand out to him.

"You stay, help us." Glenn said as Abraham relented.

"Half a day. Come high noon, it's damn tail lights."

...

"You can't stop it Rick, it's up to them." I watched the man pace back and forth frustrated.

"They're our family, you're willin' to let them go?" Rick asked incredulously.

"Hey, don't mistake my calmness for acceptance." I said annoyed, causing him to stop pacing.

"I love them, I don't want them to go. But we're already losing Bob, we wanna get Carol and Daryl back alive. You got a plan sheriff?" I asked.

We re-joined the others who were sitting in silence, mulling over the events of the day as Rick finished telling us his plan.

"They think they're in control. But we know exactly where they are." Rick said.

"Make our move before they do." Glenn nodded.

"I wanna go." Sasha entered the room.

"You should stay with Bob." Tyreese said.

"No, I need to be out there." Sasha said firmly.

...

Me, Rick, Michonne, Sasha, Glenn, Maggie and Tara set off to find Gareth and the others, leaving Tyreese with Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Gabriel, Bob and the kids. My mind still wandered over to Carol and Daryl, I was half hoping we would find them. But the other half of me hoped they were nowhere near those monsters.

We walked in silence, in the dead of night. Our trap laid out in the church. We walked just beyond the tree-line into the woods, waiting for the bait to take.

"Carl will be okay." I whispered to Rick as his eyes darting to the door of the church.

"He can handle himself." Rick nodded.

"You sure they saw us walk out?" Glenn asked as I nodded.

"They're not as stealthy as they think they are." I said quietly, gesturing towards the path.

From the shadows, they emerged armed with their rifles and walked into the dark church, where we had laid the trap.

"Like clockwork." Rick said lowly.

I hoped they were safe inside that church, hiding in the shadows. We had the element of surprise at least, but it was a helluva risk leaving them there where they were vulnerable.

"Alright now." Rick gestured.

We entered through the back way of the church, there was a hidden passage that Gareth and his men failed to check. We kept our footsteps light and our guns out, ready to face them.

We were in the main hall of the church. The light coming from the window illuminated three figures all pointing their rifles towards the office where Carl was.

"We'll hit the hinges." One of the men said lowly.

Rick nodded to me. I lifted up the rifle and breathed deeply, aiming for their heads I squeezed the trigger killing the two men standing around the door as their bodies hit the floor.

"Put your guns on the floor." Rick's voice rang out.

"Rick we'll fire right into that office, you lower your-" The man spoke again.

A gesture from Rick to Glenn who used the rifle to fire two more bullets, one into the guys arm as he whimpered in pain.

Rick emerged from the shadows with his colt out in front of him.

"Put your guns on the floor and kneel." He ordered again.

There was another man in a hoodie beside Gareth, who looked familiar. My eyes widened in horror. It was Martin. I thought he was dead from the way Tyreese had beaten into him, the son of a bitch was still alive.

"Do what he says." Gareth hissed through pain. A woman lowered her rifle to the ground as I kept my gun trained on her.

"Martin there's no choice here." Gareth urged him.

"Yeah there is." Martin shrugged cockily.

"Wanna bet?" I growled emerging from the left side and pointing my rifle up at him. Martin reluctantly lowered his weapon, kneeling down on the ground.

"Nice to see ya again darlin'." He smirked at me.

"You're askin' for it." I smashed the butt of my rifle into his nose, hearing a loud crack. There was blood gushing from his nose as he held his face in pain, looking up at me incredulously. Like he couldn't believe I would do that to him.

Sasha, Michonne also came towards the men, along with Abraham we each had a gun on each of the people, making sure they couldn't run. This wasn't an interrogation, it was an execution.

"No point in begging right?" Gareth asked Rick.

"No."

"Still you could've killed us when we came in. There had to be a reason for that." Gareth pleaded.

"We didn't wanna waste the bullet." Rick said nonchalantly.

"We used to help people. Things changed when they came in. After that- I know you've been out there but I can see it. You don't know what it is to be hungry. You don't have to see this, we can walk away. And we will never have to cross paths again, I promise you." Gareth pleaded.

"But you'll cross someone's path. You'd do this to anyone, right? Besides, I already made you a promise." Rick unsheathed the machete and sliced the side of his head.

I shot the side of Martin's leg who groaned in pain. Pure violence broke out, as each of us destroyed the person we were guarding. Sasha repeatedly slashed her knife into Martin's head. We stopped as the screaming stopped, the insides of the men smeared inside the church.

A realisation settled over him, as I saw what we had done. Sure they deserved it, but what had we become. I gulped in horror, fighting the urge to vomit.

"It could've been us," Rick touched the inside of my wrist as I nodded numbly.

"Yeah." I said distantly, walking away from the bodies.

...

We were all gathered in Father Gabriel's office, taking turns to say goodbye to Bob who was on his deathbed. Maggie grabbed his hands and kissed it, covering him with the blanket. It was dawn now, which meant Maggie and Glenn would be leaving us. The rest of group left the room.

"No don't. Let her stay, I trust her." Bob gestured to Judith whom Rick was handing off to Carl. Sasha got up from his bedside.

"I'm right outside." She promised kissing him.

"Pol, you too." Bob called out as I turned back round to stand with Rick.

"I wanna thank you." Bob said.

"For what?"

"Before the prison, I didn't know if there were any good people left. I didn't know if there was anybody left. 'cause you took people in. It was you man." Bob pointed to him, as Rick smiled.

"What I said yesterday. I ain't revisin' it, even in light of current events. Nightmares end. They shouldn't end who you are. And that is just this dead man's opinion." Bob finished.

"I'll take it." Rick nodded with a glint in his eyes, as Bob chuckled.

"And you." Bob turned to him.

"This one's a good one, but sometimes you're gonna have to set him on the straight and narrow. You can talk sense into him when he needs it." Bob said as I smiled down at him then back to Rick.

"I promise." I grasped Bob's hands placing a kiss on them.

"Just look at her," Bob smiled at Judith.

"An' tell me the world isn't gonna change." Bob held out his hand as Rick grabbed it, kissing Judith's head.

I wrapped my arms around Rick's shoulders, placing a kiss there.

"You're a family. Take care of each other." Bob smiled at us.

"We'll send Sasha in."

...

We had buried Bob behind the church, the truck was ready to go as were Maggie and Glenn. Abraham showed us the map to DC, urging us to be there for it.

"We will." Rick nodded to him.

"Come here pizza boy." I tackled Glenn into a hug, my tears staining his shirt.

"I can't believe you're leaving us." I whispered as Glenn wrapped his arms around.

"Hey, that's not fair." Glenn replied as I nodded.

"I'm sorry." I pulled apart giving him a teary smile.

"Take care of yourself. And this beautiful woman." Maggie smiled at me bending down to give me a hug.

"We'll be there." I said reassuringly, as they climbed into the trunk.

Abraham, Rosita, Glenn, Maggie and Eugene all sat inside looking at us through the window.

"I look forward to gettin' to know you. Remember what I said." Rosita winked at me, causing me to laugh.

"See you soon." I held Maggie's hand as Abraham gave us a nod, driving off in the truck.

Rick unfolded the map Abraham had given him, a clear route mapped to Washington DC with a long journey ahead of him. On one side was a note:

SORRY I WAS AN ASSHOLE. THE NEW WORLD'S GONNA NEED RICK GRIMES.

Rick chuckled at note as I scoffed.

"And here I was thinking I could get you all to myself." I groaned as Rick wrapped an arm around me, pressing a kiss to my hair.

"Bob's right you know." Rick said, looking at Tyreese who was digging graves.

"I do need you. Because right now, I feel no remorse for them." Rick looked at the wrapped up bodies beside Tyreese.

"They tried to eat you." I turned round to face him.

"So no I wouldn't expect you to." I defended.

"But I should." Rick looked at the ground, then straight back ahead.

"I'm gonna go help him." Rick let go of my hand, walking off towards Tyreese.

The things we did in the name of survival.

A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed that!

A/N: Hope you guys liked that one! Until next time.