"You're not seriously going to go with him? Your place is here." I argued.

Abraham looked up at the sound of my voice and rolled his eyes. Upon discovering that he had basically given an ultimatum to our group, I wasn't going to keep quiet.

Maggie and Glenn belong with the group, not off trying to save the world. Regardless of what Rick promised, I didn't believe we'd find a cure in Washington. We've been down this road before.

I'm not going to allow them to waste their lives on a fool's errand.

"It's our call to make," Maggie took a deep breath, "we need them."

There's only six of the cannibals and more of us. The odds were in our favor. Even without Abraham and his bunch. We don't need them to win this fight.

I scowled. "Like hell we do. We've faced tougher odds."

Glenn sighed at my attempt at making them stay. Every person here has fought like hell to be reunited with the rest. After all that, they're just going to leave? After his great promise of protecting the twins?

"Yeah, and how many of us did we lose in the process?" He argued.

I clenched my jaw as I resisted the urge to yell at him. That was different. The prison was different. It wasn't fair to compare it to the situation now.

Glenn sighed. "We're doing this. For the group, for a future for those children. Your nagging won't change that."

I opened my mouth to protest but he had already walked off. It took everything in me to not chase after him and start another argument.

"They think they're in control. We're in here and they could be anywhere. But we know exactly where they are." Rick said.

I took a deep breath before heading towards the little group huddle and grabbing some ammunition from the bag. My knife wouldn't be of much use and I'd lost most of my throwing knives by now.

"Plan's got stones, I'll give you that." Abraham said.

It could almost be considered tragic how much experience we have in this department. Plans of attack have become a regular occurrence.

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

Rick nodded. "That's right. They're not counting on us thinking straight."

"Are we?" Rosita asked.

The question hung heavy in the air. Rick looked at her with the coldness of a leader who didn't like to be questioned. Unfortunately, her question was a wise one.

I pointed at her. "Rosita's got a point. What if we're playing right into their hands? Perhaps it's smarter to wait."

Rick looked at me, almost surprised that I was agreeing with a newcomer. I surprised myself with it, too. I'm not a fan of them but Rosita seems the most reasonable.

"Remember what these people are capable of.

His words were directed at all of us. Yet his gaze burned into me the most. He didn't want me to have any doubts about what we were about to do.

Doubts could kill a person.

It's a good thing that I've never had problems with killing people. Most of them deserved it, anyway. There's a lot of them that I regret not killing.

"Tyreese." Rick called.

Tyreese didn't even look up. "Yeah?"

"You up for this?"

Before he could answer, Sasha walked into the room. Her alone time with Bob didn't seem to calm her. Only fuel her anger. Though I suppose that was to be expected.

She said she was going with us and I shared a concerned look with Michonne. Somehow I don't think she's in the right state of mind to go anywhere. Bob doesn't have long and she should be with him.

However, she wasn't to be argued with. She had already made the decision of going.

"Is Dakota joining us?" Michonne asked as she sat down next to me.

My gun was fully loaded. Only needed to add extra ammunition to my pockets. The gun I've been carrying for years is good but it doesn't carry that many bullets.

"Nah, she and Abby are staying behind with the twins. Need someone to keep them safe while we're off to war. Again." I grumbled.

Michonne bit her lip. "You sure you wanna leave them behind?"

As much as we need people to fight this battle, my sisters are needed here. If being here with the kids keeps them safe, then that's alright with me. It helping the group is just a bonus.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me. Has our time together made you that sick of me?" I teased her.

A ghost of a smile crossed her face. She and I were together at our lowest point. Being that vulnerable with anyone was scary for me. Yet I can't deny that having her there helped me.

If I was left completely alone after losing Ryan, I don't think I'd be here right now. I needed someone to be there for me.

Huh, that feels odd to admit. All my life, I've prided myself on not needing anyone. I suppose in some ways I am capable of being on my own. In others, I don't think I'd make it a day without support.

"Don't worry, I've survived you once." Michonne replied.

She disturbed my line of thought but I did nothing to show it. Only smirked at her as I finished preparing for our encounter with the Terminus cannibals.

Her head tilted as she observed me with concerned eyes. "Seriously, though."

I sighed as I put my gun in my holster. As much as I liked her caring about my wellbeing, I didn't like talking about it. It made my fears real and tangible.

"I hate not being near them, makes me paranoid if I'm being honest. But that's not going to go away and it's better if they stay somewhere safe." I shrugged.

Michonne didn't say anything as Rick announced it was time to go. I made my way to Glenn as it made me the most comfortable. The thought of joining Rick at the front did cross my mind.

Being near him would be a distraction though. His safety would become my priority. It was important to remember that what we were doing was for the safety of the entire group.

Getting distracted could become disastrous for everyone. So I lingered in the back.

We reached the school in record time, thanks to Gabriel telling us of a shortcut, only to realize they weren't there. It didn't take a genius to realize that we had been played and the cannibals were at the church.

Running back was the only option we had. So we did and arrived just in time to hear the speech that the main cannibal was holding before sneaking into the church.

"It's your last chance right now to tell us you're coming out." Gareth said.

His words made my jaw clench as I snuck in behind Glenn covering his back. For once, we were the one with the element of surprise. It was our territory and our people.

"Are we done?" one of the cannibals asked.

Gareth sighed. "We'll hit the hinges."

As soon as they aimed their guns at the door of the room in which our people were hiding, I shot one of them with a silenced gun and Rosita shot the other.

Our presence was now known.

"Put your guns on the floor."

Rick's voice floated from the darkness to the cannibals who looked in their vague direction with wide eyes. Their grand plan had been spoiled and they were officially back to being the prey.

"Rick, we'll fire right into that office. So you lower your gun -"

A shriek of pain left his mouth and his gun dropped to the floor. Gareth looked at his hand which was now missing a couple of his fingers. He crumbled to the ground cradling his hand and grunting in pain.

"Put your guns on the floor and kneel." Rick demanded.

Gareth inhaled sharply. "Do what he says."

It surprised me that he could still speak. The pain of losing his fingers would've overwhelmed someone else. Yet he seemed to have experience with it.

Despite Rick's warning, one of the cannibals still didn't move. He glared into the darkness with a bitter smirk.

He wasn't afraid of us. Or at least he thought we were giving empty threats despite our display of hostility.

"Martin, there's no choice here."

"Yeah, there is."

My grip on the gun I held tightened. One bullet and I could end his existence right now. This show of power by making them kneel surprisingly didn't feel right.

I just wanted to end them. End the threat upon my family. Quick and efficient. The same way the Governor should've been taken out instead of playing politicians.

Abraham stepped forward. "Want to bet?"

His sudden appearance made Martin comply and kneel down in front of them. As he did, Rick came into the light before circling Gareth.

Predator and prey, indeed.

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

Rick's expression remained unchanged. "No."

Though he was armed, I still had mine firmly pointed at Gareth. If he tries anything, I'll put a bullet inside his skull. The only reason I haven't done so yet is to let Rick do things his own way.

"Still, you could have killed us when you came in. There had to be a reason for that." Gareth said.

Rick shrugged. "We didn't want to waste the bullets."

I wouldn't mind. Better to put them in these filth than the walkers. The world would be safer that way, ironically.

"We used to help people. We saved people. Things changed. They came in and-"

Gareth couldn't fight the wave of pain crashing over him. The shock of losing his fingers must be wearing off. That's when the real pain starts to kick in.

"After that... I know that you've been out there, but I can seen it. You don't know what it is to be hungry. You don't have to do this. We can walk away. And we will never cross paths again. I can promise you."

A quiet scoff left my lips and Rick glanced at me. We all knew that was a lie. Some day our paths would cross and it'd be another bloodbath. We tried to forget the Governor.

Then he knocked on our front door with an army.

"But you'll cross someone's path. You'd do this to anyone, right? Besides, I already made you a promise." Rick snapped.

I furrowed my eyebrows at the mention of a promise. Though he didn't give me much time to ponder on it before raising his machete in the air.

"No!"

The cry barely left Gareth's mouth before the machete made contact with his head. I froze as Rick repeatedly brought it back and forth reducing Gareth's head to nothing.

Blood spattered everywhere as Abraham, Michonne and Sasha killed the other cannibals. It wasn't slow as they used the back of their guns to beat them to death.

Glenn faltered beside me seeing all the violence. I had to swallow a lump in my throat as I finally realized why he and Maggie were going to Washington.

This was a necessary act of violence. But the brutality of the execution, though deserved, was not. It's just what the world did to survivors. Made them hard around the edges.

I understood that. Hell, I had no problem killing people but seeing it from an outsider's perspective? It was somewhat nauseating. This is who we are, who we have to be. But I didn't want to be this anymore.

"It could have been us." Rick said to reassure everyone, perhaps even himself, that what they did was right.

Gabriel exited the room and looked around in horror. His church had been defiled. It was to protect it but I suppose he saw it differently.

He released a shaky breath. "This is the Lord's house."

Not anymore. I was never religious, but the apocalypse solidified that belief. There was no God, no one coming to save us from damnation. All we had was ourselves.

"No," Maggie clenched her jaw, "it's just four walls and a roof."

-----

My eyes stared at the woods as Maggie and Glenn prepared to go with the newbies to Washington. The threat was gone but things still weren't right.

Daryl and Carol were still gone. It was strange for them to just take off. They wouldn't do that. They wouldn't just leave me. Leave the group, I mean. There had to be another explanation.

"This is our route to DC. We'll stick to it as long as we're able. If not, well, you got our destination. Once Eugene gets to the big brains up there, things are gonna bounce back. This group should be there for it. You should be there for it."

Abraham sure knew how to hold a long ass speech. This was not as bad as the one he had about saving the world but it still made me stifle in a yawn.

We get it, you're going to save the world. I would never admit it out loud but a part of me was curious about whether Eugene could actually pull it off.

"They will be." Maggie spoke up.

If none of us die by that point. We lost Bob this morning. He would never see the new world despite being more than worthy of doing so. What he's been through is not something I wish upon anyone.

"We will." Michonne agreed.

Rick nodded. "We will."

Well, I'm glad those two are optimistic. Someone in this group has to be and we all know it's not going to be me. The best I can muster is cautiously hopeful.

Hopeful of a future in which my niece and nephew get to be normal and not worry about death at every corner.

"Let's go."

As Abraham uttered those words, the reality of them leaving sunk in. I made my way to Glenn and Maggie before crossing my arms over my chest.

Glenn raised his chin preparing for a lecture. There wasn't going to be any. Not today.

"Do us all a favor and watch each other's backs, lovebirds." I grumbled.

Maggie smiled at the nickname I gave them forever ago. I rarely used it nowadays as I rarely saw them just enjoying being together.

It was still a bit nauseating to see them being lovey dovey. I think that's why a part of me doesn't like other people knowing about my relationships. I don't like knowing or seeing others be all romantic in public.

"We will, and we'll be back before you know it." Glenn reassured me.

He squeezed my shoulder before getting on the bus with Maggie. My eyes followed the two of them and the ache I felt at seeing them go was almost surprising.

A couple of weeks ago, my primary target was finding my sisters. Nothing else mattered. But having them with me opened up space for caring about others. A sensation I buried deep inside me all this time.

I didn't want to admit it but I did care about their fate. My sisters still came first, they always would. That didn't change the fact that I was going to miss the lovebirds.

But I'm going to miss annoying them even more.