𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗕𝗜𝗔- rick grimes

THIRTY ONE

THIRTY ONE

THE WOMAN'S KNEE BOUNCED UP and down frantically as she waited for the church doors to reopen. After her talk with Carl, the two went back inside, a minuscule linger of a smile on her face as they went to sit back down next to Rick. Only for that moment to be ruined by the sound of frantic calling, yelling for names. Daryl, Carol, and Bob were nowhere to be found, disappeared without any trace of where they went. Now Aria sat in between the two boys, Carl and Greyson, biting the remaining bits of her nails off as she anxiously waited for Rick's return.

Her eyes followed Sasha as she stepped inside, obviously upset, and making her way straight towards Gabriel. Aria stood up, her attention going to Rick as he shook his head telling her everything she needed to know. Her face turning into a frown as she stepped out of the row she was in, standing idly behind the upset woman as she stared at Gabriel with hatred. "What are you doing?"

The man in question didn't say anything only moving to the side more as Sasha took it upon herself to repeat her words. "What are you doing?" She paused, her eyes watered. "This is all connected. You show up, we're being watched, and now three of us are gone."

"I..." Gabriel trailed off, his demeanor scared and defenseless almost as if he truly had no clue what was going on outside the church walls. "I don't... I don't have anything to do with this."

Not believing his words, Sasha unsheathed her knife ignoring the calls of her to stop. "Who's out there?"

Putting his hands up, out in front of him, Gabriel swallowed harshly. "I— I don't have anything to do with this."

Stepping closer, her voice stern, eyes still watering, Sasha asked again. "Where are our people?"

"I don't have anything to—"

"Where are our people?" Sasha yelled, only becoming more distressed and agitated by the minute. Gabriel flinched, his hands still raised. "Please, I don't have anything to do with this."

Quickly, before the situation could escalate further, Aria jumped in grabbing Sasha's arm gently to pull her back. The two were never close by any means, not going out of their way to engage in full conversation with each other. But despite that, Aria still tried to comfort the woman, she knew what it was like to be in this situation or more so how she felt. The brunette let go of Sasha's arm, the woman now next to her and Tyreese as Rick took over the interrogation.

Stepping forward, Rick stared at Gabriel intensely. "Why'd you bring us here?"

Letting out a shaky breath, Gabriel looked around. "Please, I—"

"You working with someone?" Rick stepped forward again, never letting up his stare on the man. Gabriel shook his head, "I'm alone. I'm alone. I was always alone."

"What about the woman in the food bank, Gabriel?" Rick questioned. "What did you do to her?"

"'You'll burn for this'. That was for you. Why?" Rick taunted, remembering the words carved into the church on the outside wall. "What are you gonna burn for, Gabriel?"

Rick grabbed his collar making Gabriel let out a quick gasp. "What? What did you do?" He leaned his face in closer, his knuckles going white from the intense hold. "What did you do?"

Suddenly, Rick let him go. Gabriel took a few breaths, his eyes watering as he began speaking. "I lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always lock the doors at night. I always-" He trailed off after repeating himself as he tried to contain the sob that wanted so badly to escape. "They started coming, my congregation. Atlanta was bombed the night before and they were scared. They were— they were looking for a safe place, a place where they felt safe."