❛ If the Heavens ever did speak, she's the last true mouthpiece. ❜
SEASON 5, EPISODE 2
strangers
BIANCA, CAL, AND THEIR people journeyed on from Terminus, from the prison, the farm, the CDC, the outskirts of Atlanta with them all burning behind them. The road was becoming more and more of their constant companion. The nights when their stomachs burned with hunger and their limbs barely worked reminded her of when they searched for a new home right before finding a prison. That sinking feeling that they'd get eaten by nature before they ever found something.
⠀⠀⠀That night, they made camp. Bianca sat next to Cal to pull warmth from her body. Everyone was nearly silent as Terminus left them all in a worse state. Bianca held Cal's hand close to her chest, tenderly rubbing her thumb over the skin as she watched the people around her. Her eyes locked onto the pair speaking quietly together.
⠀⠀⠀Rick and Carol stood off to the side of the group, making amends. Bianca's stomach tightened in guilt, and her tired legs were summoned to approach her. She needed to thank her for what she did for them.
⠀⠀⠀"I'll be right back," Bianca whispered, patting Cal's thigh to stand.
⠀⠀⠀His arm locked her down to the ground, and he looked over to her worriedly. "Where are you going?"
⠀⠀⠀"I'm just going to talk to Carol. I'll be in sight," Bianca assured him. When Cal nodded, Bianca leaned over to kiss his cheek before standing.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca made her way over to Carol. She and Rick had parted ways, and Carol stood closer to the tree line, keeping her distance. Bianca squeezed her shoulder to tell her she was there, and Carol looked up and smiled softly.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey," Carol whispered.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca sat down beside her, and the two were silent. While Bianca mulled over what she wanted to say, Carol watched her carefully, not wanting to overstep.
⠀⠀⠀"Feels like those months before finding the prison," Bianca muttered, looking at the group surrounding the fire. Carol looked as well, her arms folded across her chest, as she smiled faintly.
⠀⠀⠀"It does," Carol agreed. "As long as we don't resort to dog food, we'll be fine."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca and Carol shared a short laugh.
⠀⠀⠀"I wanted to apologize," Bianca said.
⠀⠀⠀"For what?" Carol asked with an incredulous laugh.
⠀⠀⠀"Who I was," Bianca admitted, releasing a deep breath. Her eyes stayed ahead while she spoke to Carol. "The anger, reactions, scaring you... which sounds crazy to say now. I scared the Carol Peletier!" she exclaimed with an awkward laugh. It was cut short by the unamused look Carol gave her.
⠀⠀⠀"You shouldn't apologize," Carol sighed. "I was meek, and I was a coward. When you hit Ed, I will admit I was scared of you. But I was more so... envious. You adapted to the world so quickly and weren't afraid to take a punch. I wanted to be like you, but I was too scared. It took me losing my husband and my daughter to find my piece of myself."
⠀⠀⠀"I've always been like this, to an extent," Bianca said with a frown. "Angry, hot-headed. I don't like it. I wish I wasn't. But it ended up helping in the end, I guess. But, uh, it doesn't mean I wasn't scared."
⠀⠀⠀Carol nodded. "I know. We all were. Sorry for everything I've done to you."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca turned to look at Carol and smiled. "I'm sorry, too."
THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE group was up and walking again through the woods in their steady silence. Cal walked close to Bianca, his shoulder brushing against hers when he stepped too close and his fingers twitching when he felt her missing. The couple had both grown abnormally paranoid over the loss of one another. The constant back and forth of losing one another to find each other again in worse shape was taking its toll.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca missed the safety of the prison. She had found hope and love there. Now, it felt like she was back in her tent, ready to collapse at any second.
⠀⠀⠀"You alright?" Cal asked in a whisper.
⠀⠀⠀They walked near the back of the group, where Glenn and Tara straggled behind them. The two were in earshot but didn't budge when they heard the couple talking.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine," Bianca said with a small smile and firm nod.
⠀⠀⠀"Don't lie to me," he said sweetly, quietly. His words dragged along her skin, pulling her lips down at his claim. Cal knew her well enough to know when her mind was occupied. He knew the tiniest lines on her face to know when she wasn't herself. Bianca would always be thankful that they remained unchanged to each other. Even after everything they've been through, they still recognize each other.
⠀⠀⠀"I didn't sleep well," Bianca admitted, her shoulders rolling in exhaustion. He knew what she meant. Her mind was too consumed with losing him, Terminus, and now their unknown destination to find comfort in sleeping.
⠀⠀⠀Cal nodded knowingly. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her close. His lips pecked the top of her head and caused a blossom of warmth to flood from the crown of her head and down into her soles. She smiled, took his hand, and kissed his palm.
⠀⠀⠀Her eyes found him, and she could never stop falling deeper in love with him. He leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss that turned into a hundred pecks as she laughed into the silence. Her friends and family turned back to look at them, finding ease that they could still find happiness when hope had left them. She ignored that, though, feeling lighter as she drowned in her love of Cal. He was her today, tomorrow, and future. She would live by his side, forever and always, and die with him next to her.
⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, screams for help cracked through the woods, interrupting their display. Carl pleaded with Rick to help the person, and after a minute, Rick relented.
⠀⠀⠀They found a well-dressed black man sitting on a large boulder. Around him were half a dozen walkers clawing at the man's fancy slacks and snarling in eager anticipation. Carl shot first, killing one and dragging the attention of the others toward them. One approached Rick but was quickly slammed into the boulder face first. Michonne used the butt of her gun into the side of a walker's head, and Carol used her knife on another.
⠀⠀⠀Then, one came from the furthest side of the rock, eyeing Carol. Bianca noticed it between anyone else. She closed the distance and swung her sledgehammer into the side of its head. It fell to the ground with a pool of blood following. Carol sent her a short nod of approval.
⠀⠀⠀As the clearing quieted and they were sure no other walkers were in earshot, they all turned to the fancy man on the rock. Now that Bianca could get a better look at him, she realized his suit and the Roman collar tucked into his shirt. Bianca grimaced as she realized they were in the presence of a priest. The fancy man seemed thankful for their help, but his stark expression was strange. Like he had never seen a walker in his life.
⠀⠀⠀When the man slid down the rock, standing on steady feet, Rick asked if he was alright. The man immediately threw up. Bianca felt sure that they were getting wrapped up into something unwarranted.
⠀⠀⠀"Thank you," he whispered, straightening himself out and sending the group a timid smile. "I'm Gabriel."
⠀⠀⠀"Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick asked.
⠀⠀⠀Gabriel chuckled at his question but was presented only with stone-faced expressions. Bianca was thankful it wasn't just her put off by the priest.
⠀⠀⠀"Do I look like I would have any weapons?" Gabriel asked in amusement.
⠀⠀⠀"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like," Abraham snapped. Even from six feet away, with his arms crossed and a glare on his face, he came off as the most menacing.
⠀⠀⠀"I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need," Gabriel assured them.
⠀⠀⠀"For the love of—" Bianca muttered, cutting herself off as her eye twitched. "Well, God."
⠀⠀⠀"Sure didn't look like it," Daryl pointed out.
⠀⠀⠀Gabriel smiled but seemed to try to hide it. "I called for help. Help came."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca glanced at Daryl with raised brows at that response. He caught her look and rolled his eyes.
⠀⠀⠀"Do you have—have any food? Whatever I—I had left, it just hit the ground," Gabriel explained, looking across the forest floor to see nothing left.
⠀⠀⠀"We've got some pecans," Carl offered, holding his hand out with a few nuts.
⠀⠀⠀"Thank you," Gabriel said kindly, taking them. His attention was then caught by Judith cooing mildly in Tyreese's arms. "That's a beautiful child."
⠀⠀⠀The group shifted anxiously. Gabriel's comment wasn't taken lightly and found it as a sudden threat. The silence seemed to overwhelm Gabriel as he shifted awkwardly and considered what he should say next.
⠀⠀⠀"Do you have a camp?" he asked.
⠀⠀⠀"No. Do you?" Rick retorted, narrowing his eyes.
⠀⠀⠀Gabriel looked across their group hesitantly. "I have a church."
⠀⠀⠀"Hold your hands above your head," Rick demanded, tired of Gabriel's blasé attitude. He started to pat the Priest down as he asked the three questions. "How many walkers have you killed?"
⠀⠀⠀"Not any, actually."
⠀⠀⠀"Turn around," Rick said, finding nothing on Gabriel. "How many people have you killed?"
⠀⠀⠀"None."
⠀⠀⠀Gabriel turned back around, seemingly clear of any weapons but the two pecans in his hand.
⠀⠀⠀"Why?"
⠀⠀⠀"Because the Lord abhors violence," Gabriel preached.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca rolled her eyes and muttered, "I knew it."
⠀⠀⠀"That he was holier than thou?" Cal asked with a mocking tone.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca scoffed, then nodded.
⠀⠀⠀"What have you done?" Rick asked Gabriel, seeing something in him. Gabriel grew sweaty, either from the heat or the questions, and looked nervously down at the ground. "We've all done something."
⠀⠀⠀"I'm a sinner. I sin almost every day. But those sins, I confess them to God, not strangers."
⠀⠀⠀Silence regained them, and they sat, waiting for the truth to spill from him.
⠀⠀⠀Then, Michonne broke it, asking, "You said you had a church?"
BIANCA AND CAL WALKED at the head of the group alongside Rick and Daryl as Gabriel led them to his church. There was an air of tension between everyone that Gabriel wasn't all that he seemed. The biggest worry in Bianca's mind was that they were being led into another Terminus situation.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey, earlier, were you watching us?" Rick asked Gabriel.
⠀⠀⠀"I keep to myself," Gabriel assured him. "Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?'
⠀⠀⠀"No, people are worse," Daryl muttered.
⠀⠀⠀"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." There was a beat of silence before Gabriel continued with a tinge of amusement. "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."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca felt her shoulders tense as she watched Gabriel with narrowed eyes. Sensing that he had crossed a line, he turned to them and frowned.
⠀⠀⠀"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired," Gabriel said grimly.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, it does," Daryl agreed.
⠀⠀⠀They passed through a thicket of trees before coming upon a white building with a short awning and dark oak doors.
⠀⠀⠀"This place remind you of something?" Bianca asked Carol quietly. The church wasn't exact, but it was eerily similar to the one they'd found searching for Sophia.
⠀⠀⠀"I was thinking the same thing," Carol sighed.
⠀⠀⠀"Hold up," Rick called to Gabriel as they stood at the front doors. "Can we take a look around first? We just want to hold onto our squirrels."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca and Cal joined Rick and a few others in clearing the building, but they found nothing more than scripture, opened cans, and blankets. It truly was just Gabriel living inside the church. It would make sense for his less-than-desirable humor and inability to understand where their precaution came from.
⠀⠀⠀As they walked outside, Gabriel told Rick, "I spent months here without stepping out the front door. If you found someone inside, well, it would have been surprising."
⠀⠀⠀Rick walked down the steps with the rest in tow as they spilled out to stand with the rest of the group.
⠀⠀⠀"Thanks for this," Carl said, the only one willing to welcome Gabriel. Bianca smiled at Carl and rested her hand on his shoulder.
⠀⠀⠀"We found a short bus out back," Abraham told Rick. "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... You understand what's at stake here, right?"
⠀⠀⠀"Yes, I do," Rick acknowledged, smiling affectionately down at his daughter.
⠀⠀⠀"Now that we can take a breath—" Michonne started.
⠀⠀⠀"We take a breath, we slow down, shit inevitably goes down," Abraham interrupted her.
⠀⠀⠀"We need supplies no matter what we do next," Michonne snapped back.
⠀⠀⠀"That's right. Water, food, ammunition," Rick agreed and headed back inside of the church.
⠀⠀⠀"Short bus ain't going nowhere," Daryl said from the door. "Bring you back some baked beans."
⠀⠀⠀Inside the church, they started to get settled.
⠀⠀⠀"How'd you survive here for so long?" Rick asked Gabriel. "Where did your supplies come from?"
⠀⠀⠀"Luck," Gabriel said with a smile. "Our annual canned food drive. Things fell apart right after we finished it. It was just me. 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?"
⠀⠀⠀"It's overrun."
⠀⠀⠀"How many?" Rick asked.
⠀⠀⠀"A dozen or so. Maybe more," Gabriel answered.
⠀⠀⠀"We can handle a dozen."
⠀⠀⠀"Bob and I will go with you," Sasha said, stepping up. "Tyreese should stay here. Help keep Judith safe."
⠀⠀⠀"That'll be okay?" Rick asked him.
⠀⠀⠀"Sure. You ever need me to watch her, need anything for her. I'm right here."
⠀⠀⠀"I'm grateful for it," Rick said, walking over and settling his hand on Tyreese's shoulder. "And everything else."
⠀⠀⠀"I'll draw you a map," Gabriel said.
⠀⠀⠀"You don't need to. You're coming with us."
⠀⠀⠀"I'm not gonna be of any help," Gabriel protested. "You saw me. I'm no good around those things."
⠀⠀⠀Rick wasn't hearing it as he repeated, "You're coming with us."
AUTHOR'S NOTE —
I felt like Carol and Bianca needed a resolution after how much they've been through. And with how much they've both changed and grown, it felt due time for Bianca to apologize for being a psycho back in season 1.
Also, Cal and Bianca are just the sweetest. They're relationship kind of reminds me of Marshall and Lily from HIMYM.
SONG: Take Me Church by Hozier
Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like. However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until the next one.