( tw !! heavily implied religious trauma, mention of homophobia )

ACT TWO
(the priest)

    GLENN AND VEE stood on the sides of Rory, currently they had been holding onto his hands. Swinging him off the ground as he giggled at the action.

While the group had no place to go, the child's laughter had calmed them all down a little. Even making Rick smile at the sound.

Bob and Sasha had been quietly talking to one another, the pair had recently gotten much closer. Making it obvious to everyone around them that they had feelings for one another.

The happy feeling of the group came to an abrupt stop when a scream filled their ears. Making both Veroníca and Glenn place Rory back onto his own feet. Pulling out their weapons.

"Help! Anybody help!" The screaming continued, the group watching as Carl begged his dad to help whoever was screaming.

Rick eventually caved, signaling his followers to follow behind him. Which they did, growing closer and closer to the screaming.

       When they reached the scene, Veroníca was the first to act. She aimed her knife, throwing it straight into the skull of one of the walkers.

The walker dropped at the impact, the group jumping in as they slammed the other walkers heads into the rock.

The same rock that the terrified stranger laid on, watching as the group had killed the walkers that had once attempted to reach him.

Once all the walkers were on the ground, the man reluctantly began crawling off the rock. Rick commanding his group as he waited for the man.

"Keep watch!" Rick yelled to Glenn, who nodded once at his words before walking further away.

As Glenn got further, the man's feet landed on the ground. Letting the group get a good look at him.

He was bald, and he wore a priest's outfit. While the outfit raised a few eyebrows, none of them said anything while Rick questioned the man. "You okay?"

The man then held a finger up, signaling Rick to be wait before kneeling to the ground. Emptying his stomach onto the grass beside him.

Veroníca and Aiden looked away at the sight, waiting until the man was finished to look back.

"Sorry." The stranger apologized, standing up once more. "Yes, thank you.. I'm Gabriel."

"Do you have any weapons on you?"

"Do I look like I would have any weapons?" Gabriel sarcastically asked, making Veroníca stifle a laugh.

"We don't give a shit what you look like, answer the damn question." Aiden butt in, making Gabriel finally answer Rick. This time much more respectfully.

"I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need."

"Sure, didn't look like it." Daryl replied, making Gabriel turn to face him.

"I called for help. Help came... Do you have—have any food? Whatever, I had left just hit the ground." Gabriel asked nervously, looking around the group.

Carl was the one to answer, holding out his hand to the man. "We've got some pecans.."

Gabriel took them, thanking the boy quietly as he took them. Another silence falling over the group.

Gabriel broke the silence again, seeming to want to talk. It was clear he hadn't spoken to any humans in a very long time. "That's a beautiful child."

Rick didn't reply, staring at Gabriel with a clearly fake smile plastered over his face.

An awkward tension was now over the group, Gabriel continuing to talk. "Do you have a camp?"

"No. Do you?"

"I have a church—"

"—Hold your hands above your head." Rick cut him off, clearly already disliking the stranger.

Gabriel listened, intimidated by the man who began to pat him down. Checking for any weapons. "How many walkers have you killed?"

"Not any, actually."

"How many people have you killed?"

"None." Gabriel answered, his voice a little shocked by the question.

"Why?"

"Because the Lord abhors violence."

Gabriel's answer earned a scoff from Aiden, making the man glance over at him for just a moment.

Aiden Hayes use to believe in something, but that all ended pretty abruptly.

He remembers how he use to pray to something to change him. Make him not have any attraction towards men.

It never worked. He tried to fix himself, he did. He even came out to his parents about his attraction. His sin. which ended up in young Aiden getting thrown to the streets.

He never understood why anything would allow his parents to treat him like that. Especially something that was suppose to protect him, something that created him.

That's why he no longer believed. In fact, to say that Aiden hated religion was an understatement. He also hated the few people left who did believe, he doesn't see how they could. Not after the start of all of this. Not after the end of the world.

Which is why Aiden already hated Gabriel. He didn't need to give him a chance, he had already made up his mind.

"What have you done?" Rick pressed, not trusting the man, who seemed guilty. "We've all done something."

"I'm a sinner. I sin almost every day, but those sins, I confess to God. Not strangers."

"Yeah? How 'bout you meet him?" Aiden threatened, pointing his machete at a now-shocked Gabriel.

Before Gabriel could reply, Michonne cut in. Hoping her question would stop her brother from threatening the man. "You said you had a church?"

Gabriel nodded, still nervously glancing between Michonne, Rick and Aiden.

As the group waited patiently, it became more clear to Gabriel that they wanted to go to his church. Making him sigh a bit as he began walking, the group following behind him.

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    The group walked behind Gabriel, Rick asking him questions as Gabriel led the way. "Hey, earlier, were you watching us?"

"I keep to myself. Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?" Gabriel replied, his pace much faster than the others.

"No. People are worse." Daryl answered, making Aiden turn to glance at Carol. Knowing that Daryl was right.

Carol noticed the glance, ignoring it as she tightened her grip on her gun.

"Well, I wasn't watching you. I haven't been beyond the stream near my church since before it started. That was the furthest i've gone before today... Or maybe i'm lying, maybe i'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all. Maybe i'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all of your squirrels."

While Gabriel giggled at his own joke, when Rick stopped walking the man turned around. Confused why no one else laughed.

"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired." Gabriel continued, noticing the group's wariness to continue.

"Yeah, it does."

"Just keep walking, cabrón." Veroníca mumbled, her face straight as she squinted her eyes at the man.

While Rosita chuckled at the woman's words, Gabriel nodded. Listening to her as he continued walking, running into a branch as he did so.

       The group, that had been waiting outside, let out a sigh of relief when their friends exited the church. Rick and a few others had checked the church, making sure that their were no traps. Leaving the rest outside with Gabriel.

When Rick walked out, handing keys back to Gabriel. The priest spoke up. "I spent months out here without stepping out the front door. If you found someone inside, well it would have been surprising."

"You know i'm really not—" Veroníca was cut off from the start of her rant as Rory leaned his head on her shoulder.

While he normally agreed with his mom when she yelled at anyone, the man seemed good. Meaning Rory was hoping the woman would hold her tongue, which she reluctantly did.

"Thanks for this." Carl spoke to Gabriel, holding Judith who cooed.

Gabriel simply nodded, walking inside as Abraham spoke to Rick. "Found a short bus out back, it don't run.. But, I bet we could fix that in less than a day or two.. Father here says he doesn't want it. Looks like we found ourselves some transport.. You understand what's at stake here, right?"

"Yes, I do."

"Now that we can take a breath—"

"We take a breath, we slow down. We slow down, shit inevitably goes down." Abraham cut her off, pissing Aiden off.

"Watch your tone." Aiden warned, placing his thumbs into his pockets as he glared at the redhead.

Before the duo could get into a fight, Michonne spoke again. This time not getting interrupted. "We need supplies. No matter what we do next."

"That's right. Water, food, ammunition." Rick replied, beginning to walk inside the church. Wanting to avoid the conversation.

"Short bus ain't going nowhere." Daryl spoke as well, following Rick.

While Abraham seemed annoyed by the lack of helpfulness, his annoyance slowed down just a bit as Glenn spoke to him. His tone much nicer than the others. "One way or another, we're doing what Rick does. We're not splitting up again."

Glenn then glanced at Rory and Veroníca, placing a hand on his girlfriend's back as he softly nudged her towards the door. Not waiting to Abraham to reply as he did so.

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   Veroníca sat in one of the pews, her head laid back onto the chair as she did so. Normally, the woman would never had gotten comfortable in a unfamiliar place so easily.

Yet, the exhaustion hung over her made it hard for the woman to stay awake. Much less involve herself in the conversation.

"You can sleep, you know." Glenn mumbled to her, placing his arm over the chair behind her. Giving her somewhat of a headrest.

Anyone could tell that Veroníca was no longer acting like herself, her lack of input as well as her straight face. The group had marked it down as exhaustion, unaware just how much deeper it ran.

She hadn't been in the right mindset since the prison went down. While she had been temporarily happy during the reunions, it wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough seeing as the governor still haunted her dreams. Before, she use to replay the assault in her sleep. Now it was the governor's voice claiming she was a murderer.

Which she technically was.

Despite the worry that came with sleep, Veroníca could no longer keep herself awake. Her eyes drifting closed as Rick questioned the Priest.

"How'd you survive here for so long? Where did your supplies come from?"

"Luck. Our annual canned food drive, things fell apart right after we finished it. It was just me.. The food lasted a long time, and then I started scavenging. I've cleaned out every place nearby. Except for one."

"What kept you from it."

"It's overrun."

"How many?" Rick asked immediately.

"A dozen or so, maybe more." At Gabriel's answer, Rick glanced around his group. Seeming to silently question if they should go take it.

While none of the members seemed like they wanted to, Rick replied. Answering for them. "We can handle a dozen."

"Bob and I will go with you. Tyreese should stay here, help keep Judith safe."

"That'll be okay?" Rick asked Tyreese, who nodded.

"Sure. You ever need me to watch her, need anything for her.. I'm right here."

"I'm grateful for it.." Rick replied, turning to Aiden. "Aiden, you're coming with."

"I'll draw you a map." Gabriel suggested, Rick instantly shutting him down.

"You don't need to. You're coming with us."

"I'm not gonna be of any help.. You saw me. I'm no good around those things—"

"Don't question him." Aiden cut in, not liking the constant disrespect that Gabriel showed his leader.

Gabriel remained silent, staring at Rick as he repeated himself. "You're coming with us."

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a/n ! just a filler chapter since the meeting with gabriel episode was so boring😭😭