Carol watched the road while Daryl held the steering wheel tight in his hands and he looked straight ahead.
"Wanna keep goin'?" Daryl asked, glancing at her.
"No. We have to tell Rick about those people we saw back at the country club," Carol said.
"Ok."
They became quiet as she leaned her head against the headrest and her mind drifted.
The quarry
"Where are you going?" Carol asked while Daryl opened the door to Merle's truck.
"Why you askin'?" Daryl asked.
"Just wondering."
"Gonna go to the interstate. Wanna check some of the cars fer stuff."
She knew Ed would beat the shit out of her if she asked Daryl what she wanted to ask him, but she needed to get away from Ed.
"Why are you starin' at me?" Daryl asked with an angry look on his face.
"I… I want to go with you," Carol said.
"Hell no."
"Why not?"
"I don't' need any help."
"Maybe I want to find things for my family."
"Then go. I ain't stoppin' you."
"I don't know how to drive."
"Well, I ain't gonna teach you."
"Why not?"
"Look, Lady, go ask yer husband if you wanna learn."
She noticed he saw the look on her face after she looked at Ed and Daryl sighed. He closed the truck door when he pointed to one of the cars and they walked to the car.
"Get in," Daryl said.
"Why?" Carol asked.
"Get in an' find out."
She didn't know what he had in mind as they got in the car and he hot wired the engine. He put the car in gear as she noticed the car had automatic steering and he backed the car up. She felt a sense of relief as they headed down the road and he steered the car down the interstate.
"Where do you want to start looking?" Carol asked and he glanced at her.
"We ain't gonna do that," Daryl said and a sense of fear moved through her. He pulled the car over to the shoulder when he got out of the car and she looked at him. "Get out."
"Why?"
"Get out."
She slowly got out of the car as he walked around to her side of the car and he pointed for her to go to his side of the car. They got back in the car as they closed the door and she looked at him.
"Now what?" Carol asked.
"You wanna learn how to drive car? Put it in gear an' I'll show you," Daryl said and she swore he was smiling.
"Just don't yell if I mess up. Makes me nervous," Carol said and he nodded.
"What are you thinkin' about?" startled her as Carol looked at Daryl and he had a concerned look on his face.
"Just thinking about when you taught me how to drive a car," Carol said.
"Oh yeah. Fergot about that."
"Do you think, if I had taken Sophia with us, we would have gone back to camp?"
"Hell no. We'd have just kept goin'."
They went silent again and Carol reached over, placing her left hand on top of his right hand.
Saint Sarah's Church Episcopal
The door to the church opened while Carol and Daryl walked inside and Rick looked at them. He had noticed they were missing as he walked to them and Rick frowned.
"Where did you two go?" Rick asked. He saw the protectiveness in Daryl's eyes as Daryl moved in front of Carol and Carol sighed.
"We went for a walk," Carol said.
"Why?"
"I needed some air."
Rick heard the pain return to her voice as he walked closer and he stopped from the cold look on Daryl's face.
"We found a car," Daryl said.
"Where is it?" Rick asked.
"Parked it down the road."
"We did run into some trouble," Carol said and she told Rick about the people who tried to take Beth. Rick looked at Beth talking with Maggie and Glenn then he looked at them and Rick sighed.
"Do you think they followed you?" Rick asked.
"No, but we still should go," Daryl said.
"We need to stay together."
"He means us," Carol said as she pointed to her and Daryl.
Rick heard the rejection in her voice as he sighed and he lowered his head.
"Carol, please stay. We need you," Rick said.
"No, you don't."
"Yeah, we do. With Glenn, Maggie, Beth and Tara going with Abe, Rosita and Eugene…"
"Wait. They're goin' with 'em?" Daryl asked, looking at Abe talking to Rosita.
"Yeah. Abe even said Mika can go with them."
"No. Mika needs to stay here," Carol said, looking at Mika and Michonne and Michonne was holding Judith on her lap.
"Then stay."
Carol looked at Daryl as Daryl shrugs his shoulders and she sighed.
"I'll think about it," Carol said, walking to a pew and she sat down.
Rick watched Daryl walk to her as Daryl sat down next to her and Rich sighed, folding his arms over his chest.
The schoolhouse
Bob woke to the sound of voices and slight pain as he looked around with his eyes and he lightly moaned.
"Well, look who's awake," Gareth said and Theresa, Martin, Greg, Albert and Mike laughed.
"Where am I?" Bob asked with a groggy sound to his voice.
"I think it's a schoolhouse," Gareth said, looking at the window. Gareth could just see the Walkers standing at the window while the Walkers pound the palms of their hands against the glass and he sigh. "Not sure how long the glass will hold. Then again, even if they do break the glass, they can't get out."
"Why am I here?"
"You're bait," Greg said with a grin.
"Bait?"
"Yeah. See, if you and your people hadn't killed my mother and Alex and everyone else…," Gareth said and Bob frowned.
"Who's Alex?"
"He was my brother. Now, as I was saying, if your people hadn't caused trouble, we all would be at home in bed."
"You wanted us to eat people!"
"It ain't so bad," Martin said, taking a bit of what he was eating.
Bob wondered what it Martin was eating when Bob looked down and he saw the bottom part of his left leg was missing.
"You cut my leg off!" Bob said, wide eyed.
"Had to eat something," Mike said and Albert laughed.
Bob looked at them when he remembered something and Bob, himself, started laughing.
"What's so fucking funny?" Greg asked.
"You're all dead," Bob said while laughing.
"What do you mean?" Gareth asked.
"You're dead!"
"What the hell is he talking about?" Theresa asked.
"You ate my leg."
"So?" Martin asked.
"You ate tainted meat!" he said, laughing harder.
"Tainted meat?" Gareth asked.
"I was bit, Asshole!"
"When?!" Theresa asked.
"Today. Check my right shoulder."
Gareth cautiously knelt down when he moved Bob's shirt back and he saw the festering bite on Bob's right shoulder.
"Shit," Gareth said, standing up and Bob laughed harder.
"Tainted meat!" Bob shouted.
"What do we do now?!" Martin asked.
"I don't wanna die!" Greg said.
"No one's dying!" Gareth said with a growl.
"We have to kill him!" Mike said.
"If you do that and don't kill me correctly, you'll be my first meal!" Bob said, laughing again.
"Shut up!" Gareth shouted.
"What are we going to do?" Theresa asked.
Sighing, Gareth started pacing while he tried to think about what to do and Bob laughed louder.
Saint Sarah's Church Episcopal
"Rick, where's Bob?" Sasha asked, walking to Rick. She knew something was wrong with Bob, but he kept telling her he was fine.
"He's missing?" Rick asked.
"Yeah."
"When did…?"
A sudden noise outside made them arm themselves with their weapons and Rick and Daryl cautiously headed for the doors. They stood on either side of the doors while Michonne hushed a crying Judith and Rick looked at Judith then at Daryl. Rick silently counted down when Rick opened the door and he and Daryl quickly headed outside.
"Shit," Daryl said after seeing Bob resting against the other door. His lower left leg was missing, but had been wrapped in a bandage and his eyes were close.
"Let's get him inside," Rick said.
"No. Don't touch me," Bob grumbled.
"We can't leave you out here," Daryl said. Rick carefully lifted Bob up and he helped Bob go inside. Daryl stood on the top of the stairs as he scanned the darkness then he sighed, going back inside.
"Bob!" Sasha shouted after she saw Bob and he barely smiled at her.
"What happened to him?!" Michonne asked after handing Judith to Glenn.
"Dunno. Found him leanin' against the door," Daryl said.
"What happened to his leg?" Rosita asked.
"It appears to have been harvested," Eugene said.
"You mean someone cut it off? Hell's balls, that's sick," Abe said.
"It was…Gareth," Bob said, looking at Rick.
"Gareth?!" Glenn gasped.
"I thought he was dead," Daryl said.
"Where is he?" Rick asked, but Bob closed his eyes and they nearly fell to the floor.
"Let's put him in my room," Gabe said and Rick half-dragged Bob down the aisle. He followed Gabe into the room and Gabe helped get Bob into bed. Sasha and Tyreese followed them as she stood in the doorway and Tyreese placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Shit," Rick whispered after he examined Bob and he saw the festering bite on Bob's right shoulder. "He's been bit."
"No!" Sasha said, turning to bury her face in her brother's chest.
"When do you think that happened?" Tyreese asked.
"I don't know," Rick said.
"He… He must have been bitten when we were in the food bank," Sasha said then she explained what happened.
"Why didn't he tell us?" Gabe asked.
"He knew we'd have to kill him," Rick said, looking down at Bob.
"Are you…? Are you going to kill him?"
"Not until we find out where Gareth is."
"He's right. And we don't know if anyone else from Terminus is alive," Tyreese said.
Sighing Sasha let go of her brother when she walked to Rick and she reached down to hold onto Bob's left hand.
The next morning, Rick walked outside as he looked at Abe and Rosita loading some supplies into the church bus and Rick frowned. He had talked Abe into staying so he and Rosita could help them find Gareth and Abe barely nodded his head after he saw Rick.
Nodding, Rick headed down the stairs when he went around to the side of the church and he saw Carl looking at the wall.
"Find something," Rick asked, walking to his son.
"Yeah. Look at this," Carl said and Rick looked at the scratch marks on the wall.
"These look like scratch marks."
"What do you think made them?"
"Those weren't made by no animal," Daryl said, walking closer. He looked at the scratch marks while tilting his head from one side to the other and he scowled. "Looks human."
"Uh… Dad," Carl said and Rick looked at what was scratched into the wall. Growling, Rick walked away and Daryl and Carl followed him.
Abe and Rosita noticed how angry Rick looked as he stormed into the church and they followed Carl and Daryl as they went inside the church.
"What did you do?!" Rick demanded as he stormed toward Gabe and Gabe frowned.
"I beg your pardon?" Gabe asked.
"I saw the scratch marks on the wall," Rick said, pointing toward the wall.
"What's going on?" Carol asked while walking to Daryl.
"Found some scratches on the wall an' some words, too," Daryl explained then he told her what the message said.
"What are you talking about? What scratches?" Gabe asked, his eyes darting around the room. Michonne had handed Judith to Beth then Michonne removed the katana from the scabbard on her back and the others had armed themselves with their weapons.
"There were scratches gouged into the wall. Daryl said they weren't made by an animal. They were made by people. And there was writing gouged into the wall as well. "Sinner". "Murderer.". "You will pay for this.". What?! Did!? You!? Do?!"
Gabe seemed to deflate. He sank onto the steps which led up to the alter as he sighed and he curled his legs up.
"I…. I didn't mean to do it," Gabe said with a staggered sigh. "That night… That night, I locked up the church like I always did at night. The next morning… Early that morning… There was this pounding coming from the doors. I heard them calling my name. They sounded so scared. I went to the window. They… Everyone in town was out there. Men… Women… Children… They wanted in. But I knew there wasn't room for everyone. I panicked. I just… I just went back to my room and closed the door. I heard them pleading. Begging. Demanding to come in. But I kept the doors locked."
Gabe started sobbing as they watched and he shook his head.
"I kept the doors locked!"
"You are one cold-hearted, sick son-of-a-bitch," Abe grumbled.
Rick placed his hands on his hips as he contemplated on if they should stay or go when he scratched the back of his head and Gabe looked at him.
"Now do you understand why I don't like going to town?" Gabe whispered.
"Yeah, I do," Rick said while Sasha walked out of Gabe's room and he looked at her.
"Rick? Bob's awake," she said, looking back in the room.
Rick glared at Gabe when Rick looked at Daryl and Tyreese and they followed him. They walked in the room when Rick saw how ill Bob looked and Bob gave him a weak grin.
"I look that bad?" Bob teased.
"No. You look fine," Rick said, walking to the couch.
"Don't shit me."
"Sasha told us what happened. Why didn't you say something?"
Rick knelt down on his haunches while Bob sighed and he shook his head.
"If I had, I would have been another dead body in that basement," Bob said.
"We wouldn't have left you there."
"Thanks."
"Why did you leave?" Tyreese asked. Bob looked at him then at Sasha and Bob sighed.
"Guess I didn't want to see the pity in her eyes when you all found out about me being bit," Bob said and Sasha stroked Bob's right cheek.
"What about yer leg? How did that happen?" Daryl asked and Bob slowly lifted his head to look at his leg.
"Not sure how they knew we were here or how they were able to sneak up on me. All I know is someone knocked me out. When I woke up, I had no idea where I was and my leg hurt. Once my head cleared, I saw Gareth and some of his people," Bob said.
"How many people were with him?" Rick asked.
"I think about five."
"Do you know where you were?"
"He said it was a school."
Rick looked toward the door when he looked at Daryl and Daryl nodded. Daryl left the room when he walked back in the chapel and Gabe noticed the look in Daryl's eyes.
"Rick wants to talk with you," Daryl said.
"He does?" Gabe asked and Daryl heard the fear in Gabe's voice.
"Yeah."
Gabe walked to Daryl then walked by him while Daryl checked to see if Carol was still in the chapel and she looked at him. He walked to her and Mika as he sat next to Carol and Carol noticed the look in his eyes.
"Is Bob dead?" Carol asked.
"No, but he ain't gonna last long," Daryl said, looking toward the door and he sighed.
In the next room, Rick watched Gabe entering the room when Rick stood and walked to him.
"Does he need some spiritual guidance?" Gabe asked, looking at Bob.
"No, I need to ask you something. Is there a school close by?" Rick asked.
"Yes, there is. Just down the road. Why?"
"Because that's where the people who did this to him are."
"Why are these people after you?"
"They want to eat us," Bob said and Gabe's eyes widened.
"They want to…eat you?"
Rick explained as Gabe's mouth fell open and Gabe blinked his eyes a few times.
"I did see a sign for Terminus once. Are you sure they…?"
"They ate my fucking leg!" Bob said as he moaned and Sasha hushed him.
"Which means they ate tainted meat," Rick said with a frown. "That makes them even more dangerous."
"What do we do now?" Tyreese asked.
"We're going after them," Rick said, leaving the room. Gabe followed him while Tyreese looked at Sasha and Sasha saw the sad look on her brother's face.
"No," she said and he gave her a puzzled look.
"No what?" Tyreese asked.
"No, I am not staying here while they go after the assholes who did this."
"Sasha…."
"Look, I know you're my brother. And I am glad with how protective you are because we're all we have…."
"Damn right. I don't want to lose you."
"I don't want to lose you either."
"Then let me go deal with them."
"No," she said with a shake of her head and she left the room. Tyreese looked at Bob when Bob frowned and he motioned with his finger for him to come closer. Tyreese walked to the couch while Bob moaned then he frowned.
"This is why I left. I didn't want to come between the two of you," Bob said.
"You didn't come between us. She's always been stubborn," Tyreese said with a small grin.
"Then you're going to let her go?"
"Don't think I have much choice."
"Uh… If she does go, do me a favor."
"What sort of favor?"
"Stay here with me. If I… If I die, I think she would want you to end me."
Bob closed his eyes as Tyreese went to sit on the chair across from the bed and he removed the knife from the holder on his belt, holding the knife in his right hand.
In the chapel, Rick watched Sasha walk in the room as she sat next to Maggie and Glenn then Rick looked at the others.
"Right," Rick started with a sigh. "Bob told me the people who took him were from Terminus."
"That can't be. Carol blew that place to Hell," Glenn said.
"Turns out Gareth and five others got out."
"Do we know where they are?" Carol asked. Daryl saw the look on her face as he pulled her closer and he slid his left arm around her shoulders.
"Bob said they made camp at a school not far from here."
"Someone should go check," Maggie said.
"I'll go," Daryl said.
"I'll go with you," Carol said.
"No, I want you to stay here," Rick said, looking at her.
"Think I'll run off?"
Rick didn't have time to argue with her as he puffed out a breath of air and he rolled his eyes.
"Ok. You can go, but take Gabe with you," he said and Gabe's eyes widened.
"Are you serious?!" Gabe asked.
"Let's go," Daryl said, glaring at Gabe. Reluctantly, Gabe followed them after Carol and Daryl stood and they headed for the door. Rick watched them leave as he frowned and he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Want me to follow them in case he tries to run?" Michonne asked. He arched his eyebrows up as she nodded then went to catch up with them.
The schoolhouse
Daryl led the way while they walked by the trees and he held onto Carol's hand. Gabe led them down the path as he prayed no one found them and he stopped when he could just see the school.
"There," Gabe whispered and Daryl let go of Carol's hand. Daryl knelt down near the bushes as he looked at Gareth, Theresa, Martin, Greg, Albert and Mike and Gareth looked agitated.
"Shit," Daryl whispered.
"See them?" Carol whispered as she knelt down next to him.
"Yeah," Daryl whispered, pointing to Gareth.
"Should have brought the rocket launcher."
He knew she was serious.
"We have to get out of here," Gabe whispered after he walked to them and he knelt down.
"Why are you in such a rush?" Carol asked.
"I… I don't want them to see us."
"Or you're afraid you'll run into more of the people you betrayed," made them turn and Michonne held the handle of the katana in her hands. "Isn't that why you didn't want us to go in the food bank? Those Walkers? They were parishioners of your church."
"Yes, they were," Gabe whispered, looking at the school. "When I went out looking for survivors, I went to the school. Found the keys in the office. When those things…. When they came after me… I was able to trap them in that building over there."
Daryl looked at the building to the right and he felt rage building in his chest.
"We need to tell Rick," Carol whispered.
"Yeah," Daryl grumbled when he noticed Mike was arguing with Gareth and Gareth shoved Mike. Wishing he had more cover to get closer so he could hear what they were fighting about, Daryl sighed and he and the others walked away.
Saint Sarah's Church Episcopal
After Daryl, Carol. Gabe and Michonne returned to the church, Rick walked to Carl as Carl fed Judith a bottle of milk and Carl looked at him.
"I'm going with you," Carl said.
"No, you're not."
"I can fight."
"I know you can, but I need you here in case we miss Gareth and the others."
"You think they'll come here?"
"I don't know. But, if they do, I want you to take your sister and hide."
"Dad…."
"Look, I know you can defend yourself, but I am not risking losing either of you. Not again."
Carl knew his father was right. He looked deeply into Rick's eyes when Carl nodded and Rick gave him a small smile. He watched Rick head for Abe, Glenn, Maggie, Rosita and Michonne then he looked at Judith and Carl sighed.
In the other room, Sasha sat with Bob as he slept and she could hear how labored his breathing was. She didn't want to leave him, but she did want to make Gareth and the others pay for what they did to him.
"I can go if you changed your mind," Tyreese sat from the chair.
"No," she said, standing up and she walked to the doorway. She turned to look at her brother and she sighed. "Do me a favor…"
"If he dies, I promise I can handle it," he said with a nod. Sasha took one more look at Bob when she patted the doorframe and she left the room. Tyreese looked at Bob when Tyreese got off the chair and he walked to the couch. Bob was barely breathing when he made a small gurgling sound and Tyreese noticed Bob's chest wasn't moving. He checked Bob's vitals when he frowned and he held on tighter to the handle of the knife.
