Finding Sophia (The Walking Dead Fanfiction)

Thirty-Five: With Us

I found it funny that the priest's name was Gabriel. When we found him, he was standing on top of a rock, calling out for help like, in fact, the Angel Gabriel would swoop down and save him. And the only real reason I knew he was a priest was because he still dressed like one.

He threw up as soon as we saved him, and we were all just kind of standing there awkwardly. Two weeks since Terminus, and after all the shit we'd been through, this guy was throwing up because of some walkers.

"Sorry." He mutters, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He looks at me first, his eye catching the bracelet on my wrist. "I, uh, I'm Father Gabriel." He forced out, turning to Rick.

"Do you have any weapons on you?" Maggie asks.

He chuckles like this was funny, "Do I look like I would have any weapons?"

Abraham answers, "We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like."

Gabriel stares a moment, a blank expression on his face before answering, "I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need."

"Sure didn't look like it." I tell him, in regard to his multiple near death experiences in less than two minutes.

"I called for help. Help came." Judy coos and Gabriel looks over her. "That's a beautiful child." Rick passes her off to Carl, showing he didn't care what Gabriel though of Judith, and asks, "Do you have a camp?"

"No." Rick answers, "Do you?"

"I have a church." He smiles softly.

Daryl tells him, "Hold your hands above your head." He does as he says, a bit hesitantly walks over to the man, patting him down for any weapons.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asks him.

"Not any, actually." He says seriously, as Daryl continues to search him.

"Turn around." Daryl orders.

"How many people have you killed?" Rick continues.

"None."

"Why?" I speak up.

He looks at me, and then to my bracelet before answering, almost regretfully, "Because the Lord abhors violence."

"What have you done?" Rick asks, trying to figure him out.

"We've all done something. I'm a sinner. I sin almost every day. But those sins, I confess them to God, not strangers."

"You said you had a church?" Daryl asks, pulling out a set of keys from his pocket and tossing them to Rick.

Rick asks, "Hey, earlier, were you watching us?"

Gabriel shakes his head, "I keep to myself. Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?"

"No, people are worse." I retort.

Gabriel says, trying to comeback from my blunt remark, "Well, I wasn't watching you. I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started. That was the furthest I've gone before today." He begins to lead us to his church and says, "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 your squirrels." He turns to look at us and none of us are amused, especially considering the squirrels were our only source of food at the moment. He senses our obvious discomfort and shifts as he continues to move, talking mainly to Rick. "Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired."

"Yeah, it does." Rick says just as we arrive to the church. No way this guy was only five minutes away and this was the farthest he's ever been. He's one lucky sumbitch.

"Hold up." I tell him, "Can we take a look around first?" He cocks and eyebrow at me and I say, "We just want to hold on to our squirrels." Daryl goes in first and we do a quick sweep before whistling it was ok to enter.

Gabriel says, "I spent months here without stepping out the front door. If you found someone inside, well, it would have been surprising." I look at him incredulously. Did he not realize we didn't trust him, and even if he was alone, someone may be raiding his church? I look around, seeing the empty cans of food. He had a lot.

Abraham suddenly comes inside with Rosita, "We 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." Rosita explains.

"Looks like we found ourselves some transport." Abraham smiles. I look down at the map but then back up at him.

"You understand what's at stake here, right?" I ask the ginger man.

"Yes, I do." He says, hinting that he doesn't give a damn what I think.

"Now that we can take a breath-." I start.

He interrupts, "We take a breath, we slow down, shit inevitably goes down."

I argue, "We need supplies no matter what we do next."

Daryl nods, agreeing with me, "That's right. Water, food, ammunition. Short bus ain't going nowhere. Bring you back some baked beans."

Glenn agrees, snaking a hand around Maggie's waist, "One way or another, we're doing what Rick does. We're not splitting up again."

"What he said." Maggie says.

"We want to roll with you, but what she said." Tara says.

>>>----->

I walk up to Gabriel and ask, "How'd you survive here for so long? Where did your supplies come from?" I look at the immense amount of empty canned food and then back at Father.

"Luck." He explains a smile on his face, "Our annual canned food drive. Things fell apart right after we finished it. It was just me." I can tell he's lying.

"Just you?" I ask, "No congregation?"

His eyes widen at my innocent remark, and he begins to choke on air, before changing the subject, "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?" Daryl asks, butting in on the conversation.

"It's overrun." He shrugs.

"How many?" Rick asks.

"A dozen or so. Maybe more."

I turn to Rick, "We can handle a dozen."

Sasha volunteers, "Bob and I will go with you."

Rick nods, "Me, Daryl, Sasha, Bob, and Tyreese. Andie, you stay here, in case." He looks at me seriously, and I nod, understanding immediately.

"I'll draw you a map." Gabriel changes the subject again.

Rick shakes his head, "You don't need to. You're coming with us."

Father laughs a little, "I'm not gonna be of any help. You saw me. I'm no good around those things."

Rick orders, "You're coming with us."