Unbreakable threads

Chapter Seventy Three: Father Gabriel

The group began moving as one, their steps weaving through the dense woods. The weight of their escape from Terminus hung heavily over them, but they had survived. They were together, for now, and that was what mattered most.

Alyssa passed Judith over to Carl, her arms finally feeling the ache of holding her baby sister for so long. Carl took Judith gently, his protective instincts kicking in as he cradled her close. Alyssa, now free of the weight in her arms, strode ahead, her pace faster than the rest of the group. She needed to be moving, needed to keep the fire in her burning.

Abraham, one of the newcomers, caught her determined stride and fell into step beside her. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his imposing frame towering slightly over hers.

"You're tough," he said simply, his deep voice cutting through the quiet.

Alyssa turned her head slightly, her sharp eyes meeting his. She studied him for a moment—He looked tough. No nonsense. The kind of person Alyssa could respect. She gave a slight nod, her voice clipped. "Have to be."

Abraham smirked faintly, nodding in agreement. "Ain't wrong about that," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. He gestured vaguely behind them to the group. "Lotta folks wouldn't've made it outta that place. But you... you kept your head."

Alyssa let out a small scoff, her lips twitching into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Didn't feel like it," she muttered. "Just did what needed doing."

Abraham glanced at her again, his respect for her growing. "Sometimes, that's all that matters. Doin' what needs to be done." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Rick's your dad, huh? Can see where you get it."

Alyssa's jaw tightened, but she didn't respond right away. Her relationship with Rick was complicated, and she wasn't about to unpack it with someone she'd just met. Instead, she gave a small shrug. "Guess so."

Abraham let the silence hang between them for a moment before speaking again. "You ever think about what comes next? Where all this leads?"

Alyssa shot him a glance, her brow furrowing slightly. "Next?" she repeated. "The next thing is finding Beth. That's all that matters."

Abraham nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Fair enough," he said. "Just keep that fire burnin', kid. World needs folks like you."

Daryl walked near the back of the group, his crossbow slung over his shoulder, his eyes fixed on the ground. He watched Alyssa up ahead, her figure striding purposefully beside Abraham, and felt the familiar sinking weight in his chest. It used to be him and Alyssa up front together, leading the group, sharing silent exchanges and planning their next move. But now, that connection felt fractured, broken under the weight of his own mistakes.

He couldn't shake the guilt. Outing Alyssa's sexuality to Beth when he was drunk—he still winced at the memory. He'd betrayed her trust in the worst way, and he hadn't even had the chance to properly apologize before Beth was taken. Now, the weight of both mistakes—outing Alyssa and losing Beth—hung over him like a storm cloud.

Daryl's chest tightened as a darker thought crept in. What if they don't find Beth? Or worse, what if they do, and something's happened to her? He knew Alyssa wouldn't forgive him. Not for losing Beth. Not for breaking her trust. She might never let him back in.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice Carol falling into step beside him until she gently placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her, her calm, knowing gaze cutting through the fog in his mind. She didn't ask, not outright, but her look said enough: What's wrong? What happened between you two?

Daryl hesitated, his lips pressing into a tight line. But the weight of his guilt was too heavy, and his voice came out in a low, almost defeated whisper. "I screwed up," he said, his eyes fixed on the ground. "I... I outed her. Alyssa. Told Beth she wasn't into guys when I was drunk. Didn't mean to. Just... came out." He shook his head, his voice thick with regret. "Then Beth got taken. And now Alyssa—she's just... she's gone. Can't even look at me."