Complicated ✔

Ch. 81 - Father Gabriel

KATHRYN'S POV

I trailed behind Dad and Daryl, my own hunting knife in hand as Daryl had his crossbow up. Carl was beside me as we kept pace. When the cries for help got louder, we came to a tiny clearing that had one large bolder in the center that was surrounded by walkers. And on top of that bolder, the person responsible for the cries for help. "If he doesn't shut his mouth he'll draw even more to him," I muttered as I followed behind and went to help dispatch the walkers so the guy would stop screaming.

Carl shot one, Dad bashed one's head in against the rock, Michonne got another one with the butt of the rifle she had in her hand, and I ran up to one with knife in hand before stabbing it in the head. I backed up, watching it slide down the rock before I heard some snarling coming from my right. "Kat duck," I heard Daryl say and ducked just before I heard the familiar release of the crossbow he had. I looked to my right to see the walker with a bolt in it's head before looking back to Daryl. "Thanks," I said as he quickly stepped up beside me and looked me over.

"You alright," he asked as his eyes searched for any signs of an injury. "I'm fine Daryl," I said smiling before turning my attention to Dad. Everyone glanced around, making sure that there was no other hidden walkers that we had yet to see. "We're clear," Dad called out as he looked to everyone, "keep watch." Daryl placed his hand on the small of my back before I moved away and went to my little sister who seemed to be waking up after being jostled around like she had when we all went running to the cry for help.

DARYL'S POV

Rick told the man dressed like a priest to get down from the rock as my attention when to Kat. She was walking back to stand next to me with a still sleepy Judith on her hip. I watched as she sleepily rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she looked around at what was going on. When Kat stopped next to me, I couldn't help but lightly brush the back of Judith's head before turning my attention back to Rick. Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell the motion hadn't gone unnoticed by Kat but she didn't say anything and just watched her father in front of us.

"You okay," Rick asked before the man held up a finger. Seconds later, he was doubled over and puking up his guts. I heard Kat groan from beside me and looked to see her turning her attention away from the man and holding her eyes closed. I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle which caused her eyes to shoot open before glaring in my direction. "Shut up Dixon," she muttered to me, eyes still glaring before she turned her attention back to the scene before us. "Sorry," I heard the man mutter as he finally straightened up and looked at us all as we looked back at him.

RICK'S POV

I watched, as the man before me seemed to try and cover up for the fact that he'd just had to call for help. "Thank you," he said looking around at us all, "I'm Gabriel." "Do you have any weapons on you," I asked while he gave me a dumbfounded look. "Do I look like I'd have any weapons," he asked, a nervous laugh leaving him. "We don't care what it looks like," I heard Kathryn say from next to Daryl. I glanced over at her to see Judy in her arms before looking back to Gabriel. "I have no weapons of any kind," he said looking at me, "the word of God is all the protection I'll ever need."

"Sure didn't look like it," Daryl said next to Kathryn. "Hold your hands up," I said motioning to Gabriel to do so before stepping up and patting him down. He looked like a priest, but after everything we'd been through the past few hours, I wasn't taking the chance. "Do you have any food," he asked once I backed away, "the last of what I had ended up on the ground just now." "We've got some pecans," Carl said, handing over the nuts he had in his hand. "Thank you," Gabriel said as he took them before looking to the rest of us.

KATHRYN'S POV

I watched as the man looked around at all of us, his eyes landing on Judith in my arms just as she started to coo. "That's a beautiful child," he said looking from her to me, "is she yours?" I opened my mouth, only to close it again in shock. I looked like a gasping fish out of water as I tried to tell him no. I felt Daryl step closer to me, placing his hand on my lower back in a sense of comfort. "No," I finally got out, "she's my sister." "Oh I apologize," he said but from the look in his eyes when he caught a glance of Daryl's hand disappearing behind me, I take it he didn't believe what I said.

Happy birthday to me lol. Okay good news, bad news. I've finally figured out how this will end, don't worry you've still got a little ways yet. That being said, I wanna focus on this as much as possible to try and finish writing this while the idea is stuck in my head, so I'm putting my newer story on pause until I finish writing this. Hope y'all can be patient, those of you reading it, I'll pick it back up as soon as I can.
- Kenz