As soon as Abraham had left the room, Carol turned back to Rick and fixed him with her piercing blue stare.

'It's been a long time, Rick – a real long time. And yet sometimes it feels like only a week.'

Rick raised his glass in a silent toast.

'I think about you a lot – about all of you.' A look of profound sadness and regret passed over her face. 'I heard Maggie is doing well. Have you seen her?'

'I have – last winter. The kid's strong and healthy. Looks just like Glenn, but I swear I see Hershel in him too.'

Maggie had changed profoundly since Glenn's death. Having lost all of her family, she took comfort in the religion that she had rejected on her father's death. There was a solemnity in her that was so unlike the vivacity that she had once exuded. In the absence of her husband, the losses that she had endured became like a dead weight that only her faith could alleviate. Other than her child, it was the only thing that made her life worth living.

Almost imperceptibly, Daryl's hand crept into Carol's lap and clasped hers tightly. Their movements spoke of a silent communication – as if their minds and hearts were tightly bound together in some mysterious way.

Carol and Daryl's personalities had always seemed diametrically opposed. Rick used to think that Daryl was volatile and hurt like a puppythat had been kicked too many times, while Carol was hard and jagged like crystal that had been smashed into razor-like shards. It amazed him that they had managed to latch onto one another and stay together in spite of everything.

Carol and Daryl. Glen and Maggie. Rick and Michonne. Even at the end of the world, love still survived and conspired to make miracles happen.

'What do you want, Rick?' It was Daryl who asked the question, much to Rick's surprise. 'I've enjoyed playing getting to know you games, but sending your daughter to our door was a ballsy move.'

'Or a desperate one,' Carol interjected.

'I ain't gonna deny it – we're in a bad place,' Rick replied in his lazy drawl. 'The drought's hit us pretty hard, which is why I'm surprised y'all are bearing up so well.'

An impenetrable glance passed between the couple on the other side of the table. Rick felt out of practice with them – he used to be good at reading their tells. He hoped Abraham would hurry up and get back to him. He needed to know how he should play this – if he should try and appeal to their sympathies or maintain his confident façade. Either way, he needed their trust.

If he could persuade them that his people outnumbered and outgunned theirs, then perhaps bloodshed was avoidable. They would be willing to hand over control of Fort Sophia without a fuss. One look at their steely and unsmiling faces told him that such thoughts were foolish. They would only cede control of this place if he prised it from their cold, dead hands.

'Alright.' Rick leaned forward and interlaced his fingers on the table. 'Let's deal. My people need grain, milk, meat – anything you have to offer. In return, you'll have our protection, our guns. Bullets when we can get them, gas when we can spare it. Pesticides and fertilizers for your crops – they'll increase your yield by 50%.'

Even as he spoke, he saw a knowing smirk on Daryl's face and wondered if he had made an error.

'Ok, here's our deal.' Carol stared at him unflinchingly. 'We'll give you what you need as long as our harvests continue to be good, and in return… you go straight.'

Rick froze, trying to process what he had just heard. Surely she didn't mean what he thought?

'Meaning?'

'Meaning no more dealing with gangs,' Daryl supplied. 'No protection, no trading, no robbing – cold turkey.'

It occurred to Rick with horror that he must have a traitor in his ranks. How else would Daryl know so much about his dealings? Then again, it was hardly a secret. Hell, he had pretty much advertised his ties with the various barons and cartels all over the southern states. Everyone needed to know who was in charge and that he was not to me messed with.

Now they were asking him to give it all up – all the power and influence he had accumulated. Sacrifice the comforts of civilised life – flush toilets, gasoline – and for what? To live like hermits behind a high wall? To scrabble in the dirt like peasants? No, he had worked too hard for that.

'Rick?' Carol fixed her inscrutable gaze on him again. 'Are you with us?'

There was no way he would acquiesce to their wishes. He would take Fort Sophia and make it into the image of Alexandria, only on a much bigger scale. The gangs would learn to fear him, and then soon he would take over. It would take an army to gain power over all the barons of the southern states, but he had grand ambitions.

For now, everything depended on him appearing to be their ally. Seconds ticked by as they awaited his reply. He opened his mouth, ready to tell the lie that would surely send him down a path of no return.

A noise outside caught his attention – raised voices and footsteps – the unmistakeable sound of a gathering crowd. He recognised the fear that lay beneath it and knew from bitter experience that panic and mob mentality would inevitably follow.

Carol and Daryl were already on their feet and in a few seconds Rick was following them outside in the direction of the barn. They pushed their way through the throng and Rick felt sick when he saw the source of the commotion.

He saw Abraham facing off against Leroy – the man who had patted Rick down on his arrival and removed his weapons. Abraham held Carl in front of him – one strong arm firmly wrapped around his neck. Leroy stood several feet away, a huge buck knife held against Judith's neck.

Daryl stepped forward. 'What the hell is going on here?'

'Carl caught this guy was snooping around the tunnels and then he grabbed him,' Leroy snarled.

'You better let her go, pal.' Abraham tightened his grip on Carl's neck.

'You first, asshole!'

'Rick!' Daryl turned to him. 'Call off your guy.'

'Abraham!' Rick shouted. Panic gripped him, but at the same time he felt a curious clarity. He saw the possibility of gaining leverage over Carol and Daryl – if only he could depend on Abraham go be the bad guy. Both of them knew he would never be able to choose between his children, but if Abe continued to go rogue, then his plans had a chance of succeeding.

Rick grabbed Daryl by the vest. 'Tell him to let Judith go!'

Carol stood by, her arms folded. 'No. You won't let him hurt Carl.'

'I'm gonna do it, Rick – he's one of them,' Abraham shouted. 'I swear to God I'm gonna break his neck!'

The crowd watched in horrified silence, barely breathing as the scene unfolded in front of them.

Carol addressed Abraham. 'You really think we're gonna let you walk out of here, Abraham? We'll kill you first.'

'But then Carl will be dead.'

Rick felt a sudden twinge of uncertainty, unsure of Abraham's plan if this went wrong.

'Carol!' he said, the desperation in his voice only slightly exaggerated. 'Abraham won't stop! You have to give this up – let's not let this escalate out of control.'

'You started this, Rick,' she replied venomously. 'You came here and betrayed our hospitality. I know you – you took one look at this place and decided you were going to have it. Just like Jessie – just like Alexandria. But I won't let you take what we've built here and make it dirty. You haven't earned that right, Rick, you don't deserve it. You're not a man of honour. You're nothing but a thief – a robber baron.'

Rick scrutinised the group of townspeople that stood behind them. He realised that these people would do anything for this town and the people who had built it. For so long, he had despised the fanatical devotion that had led the Wolves and the Saviours to commit whatever horrible acts their leaders required of them. Deep down, he believed that human beings were better than that. Watching these people and the love and devotion they displayed for each other and this place, he wondered if he hadn't miscalculated.

'Who do you think you're dealing with here – sheepherders?' Carol demanded. 'You're wrong. We're warriors – we're warlords! And by God we will fight to the death to defend this place.'

The look in her eyes was terrifying in its intensity, and something inside Rick told him that he had already been defeated. As much as she obviously loved Carl like a child of her own, he had gravely underestimated Carol's determination. He turned to Abraham, fully intent on telling him to let Carl go. In truth, they had lost nothing. They would find the fuel and food that they needed – beg, steal of borrow if necessary.

Abraham was having none of it. He kept a firm grip on Carl. 'We're walking out of here,' he barked.

'Abraham!' Rick said again, his voice trembling.

Out of the corner of his eye, he felt this breath catch as spied Leroy drawing the knife closer to Judith's throat. He noted the hesitation written across Leroy's face. He was not a cold-blooded killer – neither was Abraham but these people didn't know that.

'We're walking out of here!' Abraham repeated. He started to move, keeping his back to the wall of the barn. The group at the door shifted like frightened sheep.

'Daryl?' Leroy looked to his captain for guidance. Daryl held up his hand to stall him.

Rick was sorely tempted to make a grab for Judith but he knew that he didn't stand a chance against the larger man. One false move and Judith could wind up dead. As strong as she was and as unused as Leroy clearly was to killing, trying to catch him off guard could mean a death sentence for his daughter.

He knew that he had only one choice. Catching Judith's eyes, he tried to tell her without words that he was sorry, that he would be back for her and he needed her to stay alive until then. His heart slumped in his chest when he saw the look of contempt and betrayal in her icy stare.

As he followed Abraham out of the barn, he tried to maintain the look of helplessness that he had assumed until then. He continued to play the role of the powerless father, caught between two impossible choices – which was mostly true. There was a part of him that hated Abraham for taking his choice away, but there was another part of him that was grateful to him for taking the wheel and doing what he couldn't.

As Rick trailed after Abraham as he dragged his son through the compound, he tried to subtly guard his lieutenant's back. Even though he was unarmed and could do little to defend himself if attacked, he needed to maintain the front that Abraham would kill Carl if he had to.

Rick didn't want to think about the possibility that Abraham might do what he threatened. Thinking back, he felt guilty for cutting Carl out of his life so publically. He should have known that Abraham, his loyal second-in-command, would believe him so literally. He was trying to create a façade of stoicism at his son's abandonment, but it was only when he heard Judith's callous comment about Carl's eye that morning that he began to realise how deeply his words had affected the people around him.

As they approached the gate, several men and women appeared brandishing weapons.

'Open the gate!' Abraham shouted. 'Let us leave or we'll kill him!'

The guards looked at each other, unsure of what to do until a clear voice rang out from across the square.

'Stand down!' Carol stood there, flanked by Daryl on one side. Leroy stood at her other shoulder, holding Judith tightly.

'Give them their weapons and let them leave. We have a hostage.' Carol regarded Rick with an unforgiving stare. 'Take your boy and go. You know our terms. We won't back down.'

Their weapons restored to them, they retreated back to their trucks and met up with the convoy beyond the crest of the hill. After a brief discussion with his men, Rick decided to waste no more time before returning home. It was dangerous to drive at night, but Rick was too keyed up to sit there until morning. They would muster all the people and weapons they could lay their hands on and make a full assault on Fort Sophia.

Rick drove at the head of the convoy with Carl in the passenger seat beside him, while Abraham sat glowering in the back. He was unprepared for how he would feel at being so close to his son after all the time that had passed. For his part, Carl appeared shaken and quiet. Rick had hoped that their happy reunion would mean that they could pick up the threads of their lives again, but now he wondered if his son would be able to forgive him for everything that had gone down.

Shortly before dawn, Rick sent scouts out on motorbikes to scope the road ahead of them. There was a particularly dangerous stretch of highway just outside Alexandria that was notorious for ambushes, and he liked to be prepared.

As soon as they cleared the forest road, Rick's heart almost stopped when he saw smoke billowing above the treeline near the entrance to their home. He gunned the engine, spinning the wheel and sending the convoy into confusion as he drove off the highway and across the fields in an attempt to cover ground quickly.

He needn't have hurried. As soon as he arrived, he saw his scouts sitting helplessly on their bikes or on the ground as they watched their worst nightmare coming true.

Rick jumped out of the truck and ran towards where the gate had stood. The faces of Michonne and their children appeared in his mind as his past and his future was ripped from him.

The fences were down. It was already over.