Battles

Carol took another deep breath and let it out slowly. She relaxed her muscles and accepted that whatever came would be as Mika had said, "Things work out the way they are supposed to". She might die here in a few minutes but she would die fighting to save Carl and the others. There was a loud explosion and she saw the sniper turn his head toward the sound. She aimed for his heart and was gratified to see him fall backward as the rifle bullet tore through his body. She turned her rifle to the guard who had moved toward the sound. She aimed for his body and saw him kick forward when her bullet struck his body. She grabbed her bolt cutter and weapons and went full tilt for the fence.

Adrenaline propelled her up and over and she ran down the small embankment toward the boxcar. She stopped to put a bullet in the guard's head and ran up the steps to the boxcar. There was a lock on it and she cut the lock with the bolt cutter and pulled the door open.

Rick Grimes was waiting with his arm raised to strike her, "Rick, it is me, Carol. Come on, we don't have much time." She went back down the steps and was astounded by the number of people in the boxcar. Carol hustled them to the fence and headed Rick the bolt cutters. She turned and faced Terminus and shot at a sniper running to their side of the building. She settled herself and when he stood up to take a shot she was able to make this shot count. He fell off the building and splattered on the pavement in front of the building.

Rick had cut an opening big enough to get everyone through and she went through the fence last. She moved them back to the place where she had left the water and extra weapons. Carol told Rick that Morgan had started the explosions and he was trying to rescue more people inside. Daryl, Rick, Carl, and Michonne ran to get weapons that they had stored before they tried to get in Terminus. Carol gave Glenn and Maggie each a rifle so that they protect their section of the fence from fighters coming toward them. A big guy grabbed her rifle and some ammo and headed out toward the fence with Glenn and Maggie.

That left two women, a man dressed in riot gear, and Sasha and Bob. Carol left the two women with a pistol and asked them to shoot anyone who might attack from the side.

Carol, Sasha and Bob grabbed the rest of the Molotov cocktails, the last rifle, and a pistol and headed toward the front gate of Terminus. Bob lit the cocktails and Sasha threw them at the fighters. The second bottle exploded directly in front of a fighter and he burst into flames. The others began to run back into the building. Carol picked off a couple before they got inside.

They got into more protective cover and the second wave advanced toward them. The Terminus fighters were using assault rifles and but they had forgotten how flammable gasoline is. Bob had put the Molotov cocktails on a line on the Terminus side of the gates and ran a line of gasoline from one cocktail to the other. The fighters ran out firing wildly at everything. Bob had lit the last cocktail and Sasha threw it into the midst of those soldiers and when it exploded it lit all those connected by the gasoline fuel trail. That took out most of the second wave. The survivors ran back inside and that was the last wave to come out.

Glenn and Maggie had been able to keep the snipers off the rooftop. Abe had gone around the other side and kept the fighters from moving toward the fence in that direction.

The firing inside the building went on for some time, but gradually it lessened. Carol was able to tell Sasha that Tyreese had been captured yesterday and that she and Morgan had been working to rescue him. They had known that Rick and other three were captured today, but had no idea how many were in that boxcar.

Rick came out the front and motioned them in. "We have taken the place and killed the people who have run this place. It is worse than I thought. We killed them all. We rescued about ten people inside."

Carol hung back, "Rick, I need to talk to you".

Rick had avoided looking at her, "We are busy right now, Carol".

Carol tried to control the rush of anger. "Rick, did you find Tyreese? And Morgan".

Rick said, "Morgan has a couple of flesh wounds. Tyreese is fine".

Carol said, "Are we staying here? Somebody needs to go after Beth and Judith. Give me a four wheel drive and I'll take Carl with me."

Rick swiveled around, "Judith is alive?" He sounded disbelieving.

Carol said, "Let me see Morgan first. I want to see that he and Tyreese are fine and I'll go after them."

It was carnage inside and Carol began to doubt that she should bring Judith to this. She followed Rick through the building to a small separate section that must have been the sleeping quarters for the people who ran this place. Morgan was lying on a bunk bed and Michonne was dabbing ineffectively at his wounds. Carol elbowed her out and Bob began using his knife to cut off the clothing around his wound. Morgan had a graze on his thigh and a wound to his left arm. Bob was handling it so Carol checked on Tyreese. He had been beaten badly but from the looks of his hands he had given a few lumps of his own. "How are you doing, Tyreese?" Carol would have hugged him but she was afraid of hurting him more.

Sasha smiled through her tears, "My big brother is alive, and that is all that counts".

Tyreese smiled at them both, "My warrior sisters saved my ass again. Carol, why are you black?

Carol laughed, "That's Commando Carol to you, Tyreese. The Black Knight and I have been playing war games while you were taking it easy in here".

Morgan said, "Is that the Silver Fox I hear?" Carol went back to him. He was gritting his teeth but still alert. "Didn't I tell you to get those people out of the boxcar and then take them to the fallback house?"

Carol smiled at him, "I think there was something about me being smart enough to survive in that talk. I had a lot more people to fight when I opened that boxcar door. I am going to go get Beth and Judith now."

Carl was beside himself with joy that Judith and Beth were alive. Glenn went with them. He drove while Carl rode shotgun. It was pitch dark outside of the walls of Terminus and the noise had attracted walkers. Glenn got through easily enough and it wasn't long before they were traveling through the meadow. Carl leaped out of the truck and pounded on the door. Beth opened the door and Carl shot past her toward Judith playing on the floor. Judith recognized Carl and held her hands up to him. He pulled her into this arms and burst into tears.

Carol hustled them out the door after she and Glenn gathered up all the supplies including Judith's makeshift bed. Beth rode with her and Glenn took Carl and Judith. Beth asked about Daryl and Carol said that he must be fine, but she hadn't seen him since the battle began. Maggie and Sasha opened the gates for them and they drove in and around to the back.

Rick was waiting outside for them. Carl jumped out and handed him Judith. Rick hugged his baby girl and his son. He took them inside where it was warmer. Carol and Beth followed.

Morgan was sitting in a chair waiting for Carol to get back. He saw Beth rush toward the man called Daryl and hug him tight and he saw the pain in Carol's face when she looked at the two of them and then he saw her turn away from them to check on him. Daryl was an idiot to trade a Carol for a Beth. Carol had been hurt in so many ways and he vowed to himself that he would never hurt her. He smiled at her, "Glad you are back, but are looking more like the striped fox than the Silver Fox. You need a shower, and guess what? There is hot water at Terminus. We could have one together."

Carol laughed, "I don't think so, Black Knight. I would have to hold you up the whole time. You had better get some rest."

Morgan reached up and pulled her wool hat off and laughed at her wild curls. He took his right hand and tried to straighten up her hair, "Girl, go get cleaned up. There are some clean clothes in those closets over there. We are getting out of here first thing tomorrow, right?"

Carol said, "Sounds good to me, but let me check on Tyreese". She moved to Tyreese carefully avoiding making eye contact with Daryl. Beth was hanging onto his arm and looking needy.

Tyreese was sitting up and looking more himself. "How is Judith?" he asked. He hugged Carol and she hugged back. "How are you doing?" he asked. He knew enough to know that she cared about Daryl and no one could miss the sight of Beth hanging on Daryl.

Carol said, "We got Judith back to her father. You are back with Sasha. That is enough to count as a win, don't you think? Can you get up and come and meet Morgan? He's the hero here."

Sasha helped Tyreese up and found a seat beside of Morgan for Tyreese. "Carol, I want a shower and clean clothes. Come on, let these two men talk without us".

Carol smiled at Sasha, "That sounds good". Together they hunted up clothes that fit well enough and went toward the showers. The water was hot and Carol relaxed in the shower and let the sorrow over Daryl and Beth roll off her with the hot water. She was just grateful for Morgan, Tyreese, and Sasha. She could see the way they had circled their wagons around her. She wasn't alone anymore.

They had a supper of peanut butter sandwiches and water. Maggie and Glenn were tending to the ones that had been rescued. Carol stayed in her corner until Carl came in and said that Judith was fussing for her. Carol got up and helped Tyreese up. Together they moved toward the next room. They had heard Judith crying but had stayed away until now.

Rick was walking Judith and talking to her, but she was inconsolable. Carol ignored Rick and held her hands out. Judith launched herself toward Carol. The baby continued to cry but gradually her sobs ceased and she held Carol tightly to her. Carol and Ty sat down and Judith smiled at "Ty" and held her arms for him to take her. Carol asked Rick, "Has she eaten? She needs a bath and a diaper change. There should be a sleeper in the bag." Carol rummaged through the bag and some soap. "Can you find a pan or something we can give her a bath in? Carl hustled off and came back with a large dishpan.

Judith loved a bath and she splashed happily in the water. Carol finally picked her up and gave her to Carl to dry off with the soft shirt that they had found. Carol put on a dry diaper and her sleeper. She took her back to Rick who had a bottle ready. He held Judith while she ate but he noticed that she watched Carol and Ty. Rick knew that Judith was alive because these two had taken care of her. He wondered what Ty would do when he knew what Carol had done.

Carol rocked Judith to sleep and Tyreese and Rick moved farther away.

Tyreese said, "I know what happened to Karen and David, I have forgiven her and I don't want you to start any shit about anything that happened at the prison. It's all over. You have no idea what she has been through. You do anything to hurt her and I'll kick your ass through your head."

Rick was too tired to process much of anything. Tomorrow he wanted to get up and go somewhere else. This place was tainted. They were running three on watches all night.

Carol put Judith into her plastic bin bed and she held out her hand to help Tyreese up. "Sasha, Michonne, and I can do a watch tonight. Just wake us up when you need it." Rick nodded, "We need everyone we can get".

The next morning they left Terminus in two groups. The smaller group had been captive inside Terminus and they decided to go to the mountains and start over. Fortunately, Terminus had some fuel left and they took two trucks and set off.

The larger group was taking Eugene to DC. It comprised of all the prison survivors and Abraham, Rosita, Tara, Eugene, and Morgan. Carol rode with Morgan, Tyreese, Sasha, and Bob in a large suv. Sasha was the designated driver. Carol went to sleep between Morgan and Tyreese. It felt safe there.

Daryl had wound up with Glenn, Maggie, and Beth. Rick had Michonne, Carl, and Judith in his car. Abe had Eugene, Rosita, and Tara. Daryl wanted away from Beth; he had been glad to do watch the night before just to escape her for a while. He had seen the cool disdain in Carol's eyes when she saw the way Beth clung to him.

Daryl wanted to spend some time by himself. He had made mistake after mistake from the time he found out that Carol was gone. He should have gone after her, but didn't because he was needed at the prison. He should have killed the governor before he killed Hershel. He should have used his tracking skills to get these people back together before they got to Terminus. He should have taken better care of Beth and something bad had happened to her when she was taken out of that house. This was all on him.

Daryl slept or pretended to sleep. He knew that they would stop early today and make camp. He was going hunting and spend some time in the woods. He wanted to be away from everyone. He needed to get his head straight and find a way to tell Beth that he would be her friend but that was all that it ever had been.

Morgan looked at Carol fast asleep on Tyreese's shoulder. She looked peaceful. She was a warrior but even a warrior needs a friend, a comrade in arms, and a lover. He was willing to be all that and more for this special woman. She needed a man in her life who would let her be herself and who put her first. He could do that.

AN

I didn't write anything conclusive about Terminus. I'll let TWD handle that. I just wanted to get our characters together so that the games could begin.

Give a review please.