Chapter 141-Embracing the madness

Day of the storm

Carl's P.O.V

Carl stood inside his house holding Robert, staring outside at the guzzling snow. He looked at the door as there was a knock. "Come in!" Carl called out as the door opened revealing his father stepping inside to a brush of wind "Hey Dad."

"Carl." Rick nodded at his son, brushing the snowflakes off his brown jacket. "Hilltop is splitting up, they need more wood stoves, so some of them are going to be here. I was hoping that Earl and Kenneth could stay with you." Rick says.

"That's fine." Carl assured. "One can take the guest room, and another can take the couch." Carl tells his father.

Rick nods then smiles lovingly down to his sleeping grandson. "How are you doing with fatherhood?"

"Do you see Enid?" Carl asks Rick, who shakes his head.

"That is because she is sleeping with headphones upstairs. Robb wouldn't sleep last night because of the storm."

"Did you sleep?" Rick asks Carl after a laugh, who shakes his head. "Give him here," Rick says. Carl smiles as he hands Rick his grandson who immediately started cooing down to him. "Hey, buddy, we're going to give Mom and Dad some time to sleep, why don't you come with Grandpa and Grandma."

"His winter clothes are on the table." Carl says. "He was just fed, so he'll be fine for a couple of hours. You sure Michonne won't mind?"

"Get some sleep son, believe me she'll be ecstatic." Rick says with a chuckle. Carl nods as Rick walks away.

Deacon's P.O.V

Deacon walked through the Kingdom, coming back from the boilers as he bundled up. It had been a concern if they would hold up for a storm of this size but Jerry assured him they would keep someone on watch for the storm's duration. "You sure you don't want to try and head home?" Boozer asks his best friend as he walks up to him, Deacon leaping for a moment as he caught him by surprise, but relented as they headed back inside.

"The bikes will never make it, and neither will the horses. We'll wait here until the storms are done. I talked with Shane earlier." Deacon tells him.

"So you wanna tell me what's wrong?" Boozer asks him, raising a brow as they put their coats up.

"What are you talking about?" Deacon asks, looking at him wearily.

"Something has been bugging you. I can tell." Boozer says with a smirk.

"Sarah's pregnant." Deacon says, causing Boozer to look bewildered, seeing Deacon not too happy about it. "And with everything that just happened with Alpha and what's coming, I don't like it."

"Leah wants to try again." Boozer says, Deacon looking at him in surprise. "To have a family, she lost her son, and she wants to have a family. I told her that when all this is over, we'll do it, you deserve a family, and we will keep Sarah safe. Those Whisperer assholes will have to go through me before they touch a hair on Sarah or my godchild."

"You're assuming you're going to be the godfather? Maybe I'll have Rikki and Addy be the godparents," Deacon grinned/

"If you do that, I will never talk to you again." Boozer laughed, punching his arm. "Everything is going to be fine, Deek."

"I hope you're right, Boozer." Deacon looked out the window grimly, knowing darker days were ahead.

Wondering if the Skins were out there in the snow, watching them.

Gabriel's P.O.V

Gabriel sat in his church, going over his notes. He knew the people needed assurance from the storm so he looked through the passages of hardships, then heard the door swung open to his surprise. Looking up he saw that it was a blurry eyed Strand who had walked in. "Victor." Gabriel says in surprise as he stands up. "I figured you and Cole would have returned to your homes."

"We are going to be staying a little bit longer. Eugene and I have been working together on a project." Strand says.

"Project?" Gabriel blinked in confusion, only to be met with silence.

"Why are you here?" Trying a different tactic, Gabriel walked down, arms at his side, seeing it looked like he needed help.

"I have been having nightmares." Strand confessed, even crossing himself as he crossed the altar.

"About Nick?" Gabriel asks Strand softly, who nods.

"Nick was the first person I met after all of this that I truly cared about." Strand says. "He was one of the only people to see who I am and not judge me for it."

"He was your best friend." Gabriel nodded, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"He was my brother." Strand says as his voice breaks. "I never got to tell him that."

"Everybody deals with trauma in their own way. It could take time, but we all must face our demons at some point to heal." Gabriel tried to say.

Strand suddenly looked up at Father Gabriel, the stare suddenly unnerving the Priest. "I once told Nick that the only way to survive a mad world is to embrace the madness. That is how I will deal with this. I will embrace the madness," Strand says before he turns and almost runs out of the Church, Gabriel staring wide eyed at this.

Rick's P.O.V

Rick laid Robert down in the crib as Andrea and Judith looked through the bars, Andrea saying "Oh oh! Can we play Daddy?"

Softly, leading them out, Rick said "No girls, let him sleep for now. Play later."

Judith looked outside "Dad there's-"

Rick followed where she was looking and went to the door to see "Gabriel? You know you should try to stay inside."

"Can we talk?" Gabriel asks Rick, who nods, turning.

"Girls, get to the kitchen. I'll make you dinner in a bit."

Judith nodded, leading the still disappointed Andrea to the other room.

Gabriel steps out and shuts the kitchen door. "I am worried about Victor."

"Why?" Rick asks, brow furrowed.

"He came into the church to talk about Nick, and when he left, he had this look on his face. I didn't like it, Rick." Gabriel clenched his hands tightly.

"Strand can be rash, but he isn't stupid. He's not going to do anything to put the communities in danger. He wouldn't risk Nick's family like that." Rick says.

"All I'm saying is that we should keep an eye on him." Gabriel says. "At least until he goes back to his home."

"We will. You should get home. The storm will probably start back up pretty soon. I'm going to be taking Robert back to Carl soon," Gabriel nods hesitantly as the wind picks up, looking outside at the foreboding blasting wind.

Carol's P.O.V

Carol sat with Ezekiel in the theater sitting by a small fire set up as the wind roared as Henry walked in. "Henry, we were about to leave." Ezekiel informed their son.

"I wanna go to Hilltop." Henry tells them, as they looked surprised. "After the storms are over."

"Why? What brought this on?" Carol asks him.

"I want to do something more than just guard, a person who can help the Kingdom in more ways than just that. I wanna learn to be a blacksmith, like Carl and Alden did." Henry tells his parents, who nodded. "I'm sure Earl and Kenneth would like the help and company after what happened with Tammy."

"When everybody is back in Hilltop, I will talk with Earl." Carol tells Henry, who nods as he leaves the theater.

Carol sighed, sitting back as she put the fire out "They grow up so fast."

Ezekiel held her hand "I know but it shows he cares and wishes to improve. Times will be upon us that test our resolve and I know he'll pull through."

Carol snickered "You always have to talk like that?"

Ezekiel gave his wife a kiss on the cheek "You love it."

Sherry's P.O.V

Sherry laid Mo down in her crib as there was a knock on the door. She sighs as she walks to the door and opens it. Deacon, Sarah, Boozer, Jerry, Nualia and Leah stood outside her door. "What?" Sherry asks.

"We figured you could use the company while the storm passes." Deacon says.

Jerry grinned and held two bottles up with his regular big grin "We brought food and board games."

Sherry stares at them for a moment before she slowly nods. They walk into the apartment, and Sherry stops Jerry. "Thank you."

"Hey, remember what I said? Family is more then blood." Jerry says as Sherry shuts the door.

Carl's P.O.V

Carl walked over to the couch and looked at Earl as he watched the storm roar on outside. "Hey." Carl says, making the older man look at him. Earl motions for Carl to sit down, and Carl sits down beside him.

"Where are Enid and Kenneth?" Earl asks him.

"Upstairs, getting Robb to sleep. I think Kenneth's trying to distract himself." Carl tells him. "How are you doing?"

"It hasn't gotten any easier, kid. I walk into the trailer, and I expect her to be in there getting something ready for that kid or telling me how she is gonna spoil the hell out of her grandson," Earl confessed, laying his elbows on his knees. "I would give anything to hear her voice again."

"I know the feeling," Carl says. "I would give anything to see my Mom or even my friends again, for them to meet Robert and Enid."

"Your Mom is proud of you; I never met her, but I am proud of you, and I know she would be too."

"I know Tammy would be proud of you, too." Carl assured him. "Have you ever thought about moving here? You would be closer to us, to Robert?"

"I thought about it right after it happened, but Hilltop needs me; they need their blacksmith, if I could find someone to replace me, I would do it, but I'm not leaving Hilltop without a blacksmith."

"I understand, but if you ever decide to come here, my couch will always be ready for you."

Earl chuckles and smiles at the man. "I'll remember that, Carl."

Carl nods. "We should try and get some sleep," Carl tells him. Earl nods as Carl stands up. "Goodnight."

"Night, kid," Earl says as Carl goes up the stairs.

Aaron's P.O.V

Aaron sat down beside Gabriel, who was staying with him for the night the sky outside getting darker. "She's finally asleep," Aaron says, making Gabriel nod and looked upstairs then at his old friend in worry.

"How is she?" Gabriel asks the man, who shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know if she fully understands. She's an innocent child, and Paul and I did our bests to keep the horrors of the world away from her so she could grow up like a normal child." Aaron tells him. "She knows that he is gone, but she doesn't know what's coming."

"Maybe that is a good thing." Aaron looked at him, puzzled. "We don't know what will happen when we face Alpha again, who we will lose. We should try to enjoy the time we have right now before we go to war again. We should enjoy the times of peace that we have before we have to fight another war."

"I don't think we'll ever stop fighting, Gabe." Aaron said tiredly, his face weary and drained.

"We will. You have to believe that. I have faith in myself, in our family, and it helps me get out of bed every day, and I know your husband believed it as well." Gabriel tells him. "We have to have hope, Aaron. Hope is what built the new world."

"Alpha might destroy it." Aaron warned, clearly having lost two partners took it's tole on him.

"She won't. So many have tried, and they have all failed. And so will she."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know our people, as long as we stand together, we can beat anything. I hope you believe that."

Aaron stared for a moment, then nodded both staring out the window.

Rick's P.O.V

The next day

Rick walked through Alexandria, walking through the snow, until he arrived at Eugene's house. He knocked on the door, and after a couple of moments, Eugene opened the door and looked at him. "About time?" Eugene asks him.

"It is. Arthur here?" Rick asked as he steps inside.

They went into Eugene's backroom, filled to the brim with all sorts of trinkets and a large map he coordinated with Georgie...sitting on a table was Arthur, silent as ever, sharpening a blade with a firm scowl. Rick stared in worry, the mute man even more withdrawn since his adopted guardian's murder, but hoped this would bring him peace.

"Arthur."

The Wolf survivor looked up as Rick said firmly "Thank you for coming, I have a plan...be warned, it's very risky and dangerous. It's not immediate, but I think in the long run it can work."

After a minute, Eugene looked curious as Arthur looked pensaive, as Arthur signed to Rick 'About?'

"With Georgie gone, we don't have anybody to find new communities and scouting areas. But we are going to need all the help we can get against Alpha. We need more communities with us, Eugene, so after winter is over and we are back on our feet, I would like you to start using the radio you said you made to find help."

Eugene's eyes widened "Oh I was actually making progress Rick-"

Holding a hand up, Rick stopped him "And I want you to bring those communities you talked to here."

There was a pause as Arthur stood, looking concerned, signing to Rick with Eugene translating "Rick that's risky, we could bring a new enemy to our door."

"I know." Rick nodded "I went over it in my head and I know it's risky, but I know you are the man for the job. I still have to run it by Daryl, but I know he will agree with me. It's a risk we're willing to take."

"I will be able to pick the group?" Eugene asks Rick, who nods. "Excellent, Victor and I have been discussing with each other when he was helping collect electronic parts."

He paused "Come to think of it, I told him to come by an hour or two ago so we can start testing frequencies."

Rick frowned at that someone starts to knock on the door frantically. Rick walks over to the door and opens it to see a frantic Cole on the other end

"Strand's gone."

Strand's P.O.V

Strand stood in front of the spikes staring at them. "You know this is a bad idea, Victor." He looks at Madison as she walks up to him with Shane and John.

"If you were against it, you wouldn't have come," Strand says. "It will not take long for them to start looking for us. Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Madison says as they stare at the spikes.

Thanks for reading; next chapter Shane, Madison, John, and Strand make their move; the communities search for them and stop them from starting a war before they are ready. Also I am going to try and do two uploads a week but I'm making no promises. There will for sure always be one and hopefully, as this gets easier, it will go back to two a week. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.