Dead Man Walking

xxxvi

 "Please don't leave me out here! Please! Don't leave me out here! Carl! Michonne! Hunter! Please!"

Carl got up immediately and ran out of the office. Hunter picked up his machete before following his nephew, "Carl! Wait!"

Gabriel's screams were muffled but they could hear them loud and clear. How the hell did Gabriel get out, to begin with? Carl tried to rip the board off the wall. Hunter grab his nephew and pulled him behind.

He through his machete back and swung at the wooden board. He did it over and over again before the wood cracked. He pulled the rest of the wood out with his hands before opening the door. Gabriel flew into the church and he brought walkers with him.

Michonne took out her katana and together she and Hunter took out all the walkers they could. But every time they killed one three would replace them. There were too many for them.

"The rectory, come on," Gabriel says.

Hunter backed up and pulled Michonne with him. They turned on their feet and quickly ran into the back with Carl and Gabriel. They shut the door behind them but it didn't close all the way. Walkers were shoving their fingers through the gap. Hunter pushed on the door with his shoulder, trying to keep it shut until Michonne found a permanent fix.

Michonne grabbed a chair to block the door from opening. Hunter and Gabriel kept their backs against the door, "That's how I got out. Crawl under to the back. Just go. Take the little one and go."

Hunter held the door with Gabriel as Michonne took Judith off her back and handed her to Carl. Carl made his way into the crawl space, "Hey, hey. You wait for us."

Carl nodded before he disappeared under the floor. Michonne grabbed her katana and jumped underneath the floors, "Hunter, go! I did this. This is my fault. Go! It's worth it. I"m not going anywhere until you're gone."

"As soon as I go under you follow, got it?" Gabriel nods rapidly. Hunter ran to the opening in the ground and dropped down. He crawled until he made it out back. Michonne grabbed his hand and helped him through the tiny hole.

Gabriel came out not seconds after he did and Hunter helped him up off the ground, "I can't run anymore."

"We're not running," Michonne states.

Hunter walked out to the front of the church with Carl and they killed the walkers that were stuck on the spikes they set up. Michonne ran up the stairs of the church and shut the doors while Gabriel placed wooden boards across the doors and hammered them in.

Hunter took off his belt and tied it around the door knobs. They need to keep all the walkers inside until Rick came back and they had more people to take them on. They backed away from the door and all they could do now was wait.

"The school. I had to see it," Gabriel tells them as he rested against the tiny fences, "I had to know."

Hunter's head turned back to the door as the wooden board they placed up was knocked out by the walkers. That door wasn't going to hold with that many walkers leaning against it.

"Where do we go?" Carl asks.

Hunter was surprised to see a firetruck driving through. He was even more surprised to see Abraham driving it. He drove it right in front of the doors. Hunter saw Maggie coming out of the truck and quickly made his way over to embrace her.

"You okay?"

Hunter scoffs out a chuckle, "Oh, yeah," Hunter pulls away from Maggie and his eyes settle on Rosita, "You're back."

Rosita sends him a small smile while Glenn speaks up, "Eugene lied. He can't stop it. Washington isn't the end. Where is everybody?"

Hunter mentally palmed, he avert his eyes away from Rosita and walked over to Maggie with a smile, "Beth's alive. She's in a hospital in Atlanta. Some people have her, but the others went to get her back."

Maggie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She held on tightly to Hunter's hand as she exhaled, "Do we know which one?"

He nods his head, "Grady Memorial."

Maggie runs her fingers through her hair before laughing and pulling Glenn into her arms. Hunter smiles widely. He could feel the joy radiating off of Maggie. This was a good day. "Let's blow this joint, go save your sister."

Hunter watches as Rosita walks away. He pats Maggie's shoulder before following the girl, "Hey!" Rosita stops in her tracks and turns to him, "So, you're back. Washington blew up in our faces like I knew it would."

Hunter shuts his mouth, that probably wasn't the best thing to say. He really didn't know what to say. She made him incredibly nervous. He lets out a nervous chuckle, "Let's just forget I said that. Just, you know, now that you're back and you're gonna be staying. I was just wondering, well, I was thinking, no, I have been–"

"Stop."

Hunter nods, "Okay," He thought since she asked him to shut up she would say something but she didn't. She stood there with her hands on her hips, "Do you want me to say something or–"

"Just stop talking for a second," Hunter nods his head.

She knew this was going to happen but when she kissed him she thought they weren't going to see each other again. Before she met him she had something going on with Abraham but with the way, he was acting she wasn't so sure anymore. She liked Hunter, she liked the banter they had with each other, and she liked everything about him. And she liked the kiss.

She took a step closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and closed the space between them. Hunter smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arm around her waist. Michonne was right it wasn't just a goodbye kiss.

"So, it wasn't a goodbye kiss?" Hunter asks as he pulls away.

Rosita rests her forehead on his, "It was a goodbye kiss but it could be more."

"I'm real sorry Washington didn't work out for you guys. But I'm really happy you guys came back."

"Me too."

____

They arrived at the hospital and Hunter jumped out from the firetruck. He held his gun in his hands as he walked around. They were prepared for any attacks that would come their way. There was a singular walker that Glenn took care of. They walked in formation as they walked through the courtyard.

Hunter lowered his gun when he saw Rick walking out of the hospital but Rick shakes his head. Hunter furrows his brows as he watched the rest of the walkout from the hospital. None of them were happy and then he saw it.

Daryl carrying Beth out. Hunter covered his mouth with his hand. He saw Maggie collapse to the ground and he heard her sobs. Hunter crouched down next to Maggie and held onto her hand as she cried. He didn't know what to do to help her. She's lost her mom, her step-mom, her dad, and now her sister. She's lost almost everyone.

Beth was innocent, she was the most innocent person he's ever met she didn't deserve this. She was a sweet girl, she was pure and she deserved so much better than what she got. He felt Maggie grip his hand and he sat down on the ground and let her cry into his shoulder as Glenn tried comforting her.