Forbidden Love- Rick Grimes Love story

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Mads POV

Gabriel was guiding us to his church as Rick asked him, "Hey, earlier, were you watching us?" Gabriel shook his head, "I keep to myself. Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?" I shake my head, "No, people are worse." Gabriel sighs, "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 paused before shrugging, "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 laughs a little then looks back to see that none of us are laughing. We didn't trust him, that was clear as day. There was a true possibility that he was lying, I felt it in my gut he was lying about something. I just couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what. "Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired." Gabriel told us when his joke didn't stick. Daryl nodded, "Yeah, it does."

We continued following Gabriel until we could see the church in the distance. As Gabriel walked up to the doors Rick stopped him, "Hold up. Can we take a look around first? We just want to hold on to our squirrels." I gave him a soft push and a smile as I hand Judith to Carl before pulling my rifle out and heading inside the church. I slowly walked inside, and began looking around, I hadn't been in a church since Joey was born. Seeing that Shane wasn't exactly the church goer I was raised to be. Something felt strange being within these church walls, maybe it was the question of where my faith lied now, or if it was the feeling that something bad happened here. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked over to see Rick, "What are you thinking?" I look up to him, "I can't shake the feeling that something bad happened here, Rick." He nods before whistling, signaling to the others as we head out the door. Rick handed the keys to Gabriel, "I spent months here without stepping out the front door. If you found someone inside, well, it would have been surprising." Rick looked up at him momentarily before looking away and walking to Carl. Carl looks up to the priest, "Thanks for this." Abraham walks up to Rick and I, "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. Looks like we found ourselves some transport." Rick doesn't answer, but pats the top of Judith's head. With Rick's silence Abraham presses, "You understand what's at stake here, right?" Rick nods, "Yes, I do." I look up to Abraham, "Now that we can take a breath-" He cuts me off, "We take a breath, we slow down, shit inevitably goes down." I scoff, "We need supplies no matter what we do next." Rick looks at me and nods, "That's right. Water, food, ammunition." We all head inside as Daryl looks to Abraham, "Short bus ain't going nowhere. Bring you back some baked beans."

Rick held Judith close to him as he walked over to Gabriel, "How'd you survive here for so long? Where did your supplies come from?" Gabriel shrugged, "Luck. Our annual canned food drive. Things fell apart right after we finished it. It was just me." Carl walked over and grabbed Judith from Rick, "Come here, Judith." Gabriel looks to Rick, "The food lasted a long time. And then I started scavenging. I've cleaned out every place nearby. Except for one." Rick nodded, "What kept you from it?" Gabriel shrugged, "It's overrun." "How many?" I asked him. Gabriel looked over to me, "A dozen or so. Maybe more." Rick nodded, "We can handle a dozen." Sasha steps up, "Bob and I will go with you. Tyreese should stay here, help keep Judith safe. Then Madison could come to?" Rick looks to Tyreese and then to me, "That'll be okay?" I nod, Tyreese made it very clear I can trust him to protect my children. Tyreese nods, "Sure. You ever need me to watch her, need anything for her, I'm right here." Rick places a hand on his shoulder, "We're grateful for it. And everything else." Gabriel walks to go get something, "I'll draw you a map." But Rick stops him, "You don't need to. You're coming with us." Gabriel looks to him worriedly, "I'm not gonna be of any help. You saw me. I'm no good around those things." I agreed, he's stated that he has never killed walkers, and states that he won't. He's just going to get in the way. Rick looks to him, "You're coming with us."

I pulled Rick to the side once everyone else was busy getting ready for the run. "Rick, are you sure about him coming?" I asked him a bit concerned. Rick sighs, "I don't trust him." I look at him and nod, "I don't trust him just as much as you don't, but he's right you saw him with the walkers. He's gonna get us caught out there with our asses out." Rick looks at me, "You want him to stay here, with Judith? Carl?" I shook my head, "Look, if it wasn't his church, he wouldn't be here. Tyreese can handle him and the kids. Rick what happens if this place has accumulated more than the dozen walkers since he's been there and he pulls that crap he did in the woods?" Rick huffs, "Madison. We've got this. If you want to stay with the kids-" I cut him off, "I'm going." Rick sighs, "Then what are we arguing about?" Rick walked away over to Carl and I sighed. Like I said there's something off about this guy, and about this place. I walked over to Tyreese holding Judith to say goodbye to her. As soon as Judith sees me she starts smiling big, causing me to smile, "Hi baby!" Tyreese looks to Judith, "You want to say bye to momma?" I smile even though I am not Judith's biological mother, I am all she'll ever know. I see Rick's kids as my own kids, they could never do anything, where I wouldn't treat them as I did Joey. I reach my hands out to Judith, "Come to mommy, baby." Judith reaches her hands out to me and I take her from Tyreese's arms. I give her a few hugs and kisses as she giggles, then I hand her back to Tyreese and thank him. I walk over to Carl just as Rick walks away from him, and I give him a quick little hug, "You keep an eye out for your sister, okay? And take a good look around here for me, something doesn't seem right." Carl nods, "I will. Love you, Mads." I hug Carl again before kissing the top of his head, "Love you too, bud."

Sasha, Rick, Bob, Michonne, and I were following Gabriel. Bob caught up with Rick and I, "Hey. When you said they don't get to live, you weren't wrong. We push ourselves and let things go. Then we let some more go and some more. And pretty soon, there's things we can't get back. Things we couldn't hold on to even if we tried. Washington's gonna happen, Rick." Rick sighed, "I haven't decided if we're going." Bob nodded, "Yeah, I know, and that's cool. But you've seen Abraham in action. He's gonna get there and Eugene's gonna cure all this and you're gonna find yourself in a place where it's like how it used to be. And if you've let too much go along the way, that's not gonna work. 'Cause you gonna be back in the real world." Living in the real world with Rick would be great. The whole white picket fence dream would be possible with Rick. But everything that has happened to us, I don't know if we could ever live in the real world. Rick looks at me before looking back to Bob, "This is the real world, Bob." Bob shakes his head, "Naw. This is a nightmare, and nightmares end. I'm sorry. I'm calling it. Washington's gonna happen. You're gonna say yes. Already too much momentum. You can't fight city hall. Maybe that's just one of those parts of not letting go."