A group had gone out to find and kill the people from Terminus. While they were gone: me, Rosita, Sophia, Carl, Gabriel, Tyreese and Bob had locked ourselves in one of the back rooms. We weren't allowed to have any candles or torches on from inside the church because we had a plan. There was a reason the front doors were unlocked but the door keeping out the people from Terminus was locked. We were all spread out around the room. I had my gun in my right hand while with my left hand I was slowly and softly running my fingers over my bandage which was securing the bite on my arm.

A few minutes had passed since our group left when we heard the front door open again. We heard footsteps; they were trying to be silent but every noise echoed in the silent church. "Well, I guess you know we're here." Gareth's voice bounced off the walls and hit my ears. My breath caught in my throat and I looked over to Sophia who was already staring at me with fear in her eyes. Without moving my feet, I slowly rose off the ground so I was standing, ready to fight if need be. Gareth continued. "And we know, you're here... And we're armed. So there's really no point in hiding anymore... We've been watching you." Gareth told us as the footsteps grew closer.

"Locked?" Carl whispered to me from where he stood a few feet to my left. I slowly nodded.

"We know who's here." As Gareth spoke, I was wondering if they got to us would they eat us on site or take us somewhere, cook us, then eat us. "There's Bob... Unless you put him out of his misery already. And Eugene, Rosita, Tyreese... Of course the kids: Carl, Sophia and Ellie. How are you, Ellie? I told Bob the pretty ones taste better, and he has no idea how right I am. I can't wait to get another taste of you!"

Rosita took a couple steps towards the door. "No." Eugene whispered and grabbed her wrist. Rosita looked so angry she could kill... And put her in a room with Gareth, she would kill him. Right now though, Gareth had the upper hand. Luckily, since Rosita's footsteps were on carpet, they didn't echo throughout the whole church. 

"Rick and the rest walked out... With a lot of your guns." Gareth continued to call, as if anyone cared about what he had to say. "Listen, we don't know where you all are but this isn't a big place. So, let's just stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be."

After ten seconds of silence, the door handle started to jiggle by my left hip. My eyes widened as I stared at it. "It's locked." I heard a man say from just outside the door. He hadn't spoken yet, but I recognised his voice from earlier in the night.

"Look, you're behind one of these two doors and we have more than enough firepower to take down both. Can't imagine that's what y'all want." Gareth informed us and we heard a gun cock that echoed throughout the previously holy building. "How about the priest? Father, you help us wrap this up we'll let you walk away from this. Just open the door and you can go. You can take Carl and Sophia with you... Not Ellie unfortunately, I gotta have another taste of her." I could practically hear Gareth's grin. I cringed at the thought and my stomach churned. I closed my eyes and bowed my head, not wanting to look at my family's reactions to the statement.  "What do you say?" Gareth offered.

Now, I'm not saying that it's Bob's fault. The man was ill, dying even. But, when he coughed in his sleep I wanted to whack his bald head. Once again, not blaming him, but I did have to refrain from throwing a Bible at him. "Shh." Tyreese let out as he was next to the sleeping Bob.

We heard another gun cock. "Well, we know exactly where you are. So, this is your last chance. Right now. Tell us you're coming out and we'll kill you quick."

None of us moved. Carl reached over and grabbed my hand, making me move away from in front of the door. I then caught on and signalled everyone to move away from the door in case they started firing at it... Which they probably would. It was the smart thing to do from their perspective. 

We stood ready for the door to be shot in and to have a shoot out with the cannibals. Suddenly, we heard two "pew" sounds and then two heavy things falling to the floor. "Put your guns on the floor." I heard Rick's voice order.

"Rick, we'll fire right into that office. So, you lower your gun." Gareth countered before screaming. I stepped closer to the door, unlocked it and pulled it open a few inches so I could see what was happening. I saw Gareth holding onto his hand, when his other hand moved the right way I could see that two of his fingers had been shot off. More than likely curtesy of a very angry Rick Grimes. "Put your guns on the floor and kneel." Rick and the rest of them came into view.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned to see Tyreese. "Go sit with Bob. Don't watch this."

I nodded before going over and sitting next to the dying man. I couldn't hear the conversation going on behind the door Tyreese was peaking out of, they were talking too quietly... However, what I did hear a few minutes later was the screaming. The screaming didn't last long though as it was replaced by sharp objects slicing again and again through human flesh. A ten year old should've been crying, cowering in the corner, flinching at every sound... I just sat there. Staring at the floor. Not a single thought going through my head as the people were murdered in the room next door.

A couple hours later the sun came up. I was leaving for Washington with Abraham, Maggie, Glenn, Tara, Eugene and Rosita. We had to say goodbye to Bob... Because I wanted to spend more time with Sophia and Carl before I left, I said goodbye first. I sat on the bed next to him. "I'm sorry that this happened to you." I told him.

"It's alright, I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you when we were kidnapped." He smiled sadly.

"It's alright." I shrugged. "It was good knowing you, Bob."

"You too, kid. Sorry, if I let you down. You thought I was better than your mama because I could fight the drink." Bob looked away from my eyes.

"You are better than my mama. You slipped, everyone does. You're a good man, Bob." I insisted.

He looked back up to me and smiled. "I appreciate you saying that. Now, you gotta go to Washington. Save the world for me, alright?" Bob held out his pinkie for me to link mine with. "Promise?"

I linked my pinke with his. "I promise, Bob."

"I'll see you on the other side." Bob nodded at me. I leaned over and kissed his forehead before walking out of the room. A single tear stray on my face.

I was sitting on the front steps of the church with Sophia to my right and Carl to my left. "You haven't developed a temperature. That's a good sign." Carl told me.

"Which means I'm probably fine. I shouldn't be going. Not without knowing where my parents are." I responded.

"You have to go, Ellie. Just in case." Sophia told me.

I shook my head and looked down. "I just got the both of you back. I don't wanna have to lose you again."

"You won't have too. We'll catch up with you. As soon as Daryl and Carol are back, we'll come after you. I promise, Ron Weasley." Carl nudged me slightly.

I scoffed out a laugh. "You can't leave me alone for too long, okay? Not with all the adults, they're all so old and boring." I joked, Rosita heard this and shot me a playful glare. "Other than you, Rosita. You're old and fun."

She laughed and shook her head. "I'm not old." Rosita insisted, before continuing to put her bag on the bus.

"You won't be gone long, we'll catch up soon. I'm gonna miss you though." Sophia hugged me. I just leaned into her and looked to Carl who was sifting through my bag.

"You ever heard you shouldn't look through a lady's purse?" I kicked his shoulder gently.

He pulled out my polaroid camera. "You have pictures of us. Let us have one of you?"

I sighed through my nose with a sad smile on my face "Of course."

Carl pulled back his arm, aimed the camera and took the picture of the three of us smiling. We watched as it slowly came out of the camera and he started shaking it to develop the ink. "Thank you." Sophia told me softly as Carl put my camera back in my bag. I reached into my bag before he could close it and pulled out my photo frame which had the contract in it.

"Hold onto this for me." I asked Sophia.

She nodded, a tear in her eye as she took the frame. "Promise I'll see you again?"

"Of course, Soph." I insisted, smiling at her before standing up as Abraham put my bag in the bus. With one last nod at Sophia and Carl, I walked over to Michonne and Rick. "When you see my parents, tell them that I'm sorry."

"For what?" Michonne asked.

"Leaving." I stated.

Rick shook his head. "You could be infected. You're doing this to survive. Daryl and Carol will understand."

"I might not be infected. I probably ain't. But, I'm still going." I replied.

"I'm making you go because I can't lose you. We can't lose you. Even if you aren't infected, and you hate the road, and you miss us all... Blame me, okay? I'm making you leave." Rick insisted.

"It's coming from a place of love, Ellie. For your own safety, you have to go." Michonne stepped closer to me and hugged me tight. "Take care of yourself, alright? I expect you waiting for us in Washington with a ton of chocolate that you're gonna share with me... And a photo of Chris Evans."

I laughed before pulling back and nodding. "I promise."

Rick opened his arms and stepped forward so I hugged him as well. "If there are boys at this sanctuary stay away from them. No boys until your my age, understand?"

"No boys until I'm fifty six? I can't even count that high." I tried to hide my laugh, Michonne didn't, she just laughed in his face.

"You think I'm fifty six?" Rick questioned.

I pulled back and shrugged. "Once men hit fifty it's kinda hard to tell how old you are until you reach seventy."

"I'm not even fifty." Rick complained. I grinned at him. He smiled and shook his head. "I'm gonna miss you."

"I know you are, mama Rick. I'll miss you and your mother gooseyness too." I smiled.

He laughed. "Take care of yourself."

I saluted him. "Sir, yes, sir." I then turned on my heel and started walking onto the bus. Everyone else was already on there. I sat by myself at the back, peering out the window at Sophia  and Carl. As the engine started and the wheels began to turn, I waved to them, wondering when the next time I'd see them would be... If I ever saw them again.