AFTER dealing with the problem at Oceanside, along with the Walkers who ended up showing up, we all headed to Alexandria, hoping to meet Daryl and Rick there.

However, just as the gates opened and I rushed in, I came in all nervous and in a rush. "Where's Daryl and Rick?"

Michonne approached me and shook her head. "They haven't made it yet." She held Judith in her eyes while eyebrows were together in concern. "Thought that they would be here already, but they haven't."

All of a sudden, we all turned our heads when the sound of Daryl's motorcycle started to get closer. With the gate already opened, Daryl flew right in and parked - without Rick in tow. I ran up and yelled, "Where's Rick?!"

Fearing the worst, Daryl jumped off of his bike and huffed out, "There was a horde, and he led them away. I told him to get rid of them on the bridge, but I don't know."

Then, just like that, I couldn't hear anything as everyone's chatter after this point was just background noise to me. I heard Michonne freaking out before she shoved Judith into my arms, who didn't understand what was happening. Then, Michonne was in my face and panting. "Stay here with Judith!"

Immediately, I could hear and speak again, shaking my head. "Hell no!" I snapped back, like my life depended on it. "I'm going with y'all."

"Tess-!"

"I am!"

With that said, I handed Judith back to Michonne, who ran off with her to find someone to watch over her for us. Daryl hopped on his bike and looked like he was gonna ride off solo, but before he could, I jumped on it behind him and clanged onto him.

"Huh? Tess?" He didn't expect me to actually jump on with him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you," I testified, the determination in my tone. "And, I don't wanna hear no or anything else. I'm going. End of story. Now, let's go find out where Rick is and get him home."

With that said and out of the way, he just heavily sighed and shook his head. "Fine. Just... hold on."

Then, just like the wind, we were gone.

-

DARYL nearly wrecked his bike when we came up to the bridge. However, we were under it, in a way, and could see all the action from down below. There were just so many damn Walkers up there on that bridge, walking across it. Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw Rick struggling to get away from them.

"Daryl!" I called for him, pointing up to our dear friend and leader. "There's Rick!"

Daryl snatched out his crossbow and held it up, hitting a Walker straight through the head with an arrow from the distance. The Walker was only inches away from getting to Rick, and Daryl saved him once again.

Rick finally looked down and saw us standing there, just as Michonne and the others came running up behind us. He nodded in appreciation towards Daryl for saving him.

I took out my gun and started to aim before shooting down a few bodies, myself, too, who were very close to Rick. However, he looked down at me as if he was staring straight into my eyes, and he shook his head for me to stop.

I turned around and faced Daryl. "Why doesn't he want us to help?"

"I don't...," Daryl muttered out, stammering with his words. For once, I couldn't read Daryl's face or see straight into his eyes. "I don't know, Tess."

I spun back around to keep up with the action, just as I heard Maggie screaming, "What is he doing? He's hurt!"

"The herd that went right through Hilltop," Daryl now said as I glanced at him with tears in my eyes. "He's trying to bring down the bridge."

"No," Michonne simply spat out before taking out her Katana and running around through the woods to get to the bridge. She wasn't letting go Rick that easily, and I don't blame her because I didn't want to, either.

"We turn them around," Maggie suddenly started to issue demands out, as she started to run after Michonne. "Fight 'em back. Fire your guns. Try to divert them."

However, I just spun my head back around and saw Rick shaking his head, like he didn't want us to help him whatsoever. I was starting to freak out, frustrated, and scared all tied into one. I nearly started to yank my hair out, as Daryl and I were the only ones still standing there while the others ran off.

It appeared that Rick was saying something, just as gunshots started to go off, but I couldn't hear what he said due to the distance and noise. He kept shaking his head, revealing a bloody hand from his current wound.

"It's not working!" I could hear Maggie say before Carol barked back, "Keep trying!"

Suddenly, Rick yanked out his hatchet and started to go to town with a few Walkers who were getting close while most of them weren't to him just yet.

"Help me!" Daryl pleaded, now taking his crossbow back out to help Rick from this distance. "Help him!"

I did as I was told to do, taking my gun back out and shooting the Walkers as best as I could. I'm not going to lie when I say that I missed a few times, thanks to the long distance.

Everything was happening all at once, as I hoped that Michonne and them would make it there in time to save Rick from eventual death. Then, with each shot that Daryl and I took to help him, Rick glanced down at us, and I could've sworn he was smirking through the pain.

Abruptly, Rick stood back, and his right arm came up; and, at the end of it, he held his signature pistol in hand. What was he even shooting at? He was going to take his chances with taking out all those Walkers right then and there?

I held my breath, now seeing the blood more clearly around his right hand. I jumped up just as I heard Michonne scream out, "Rick!"

Just like out of an action movie, Rick shot his gun, and the whole bridge exploded. I nearly fell back from the impact, but found myself hitting my knees to the ground and screaming out with tears in my eyes, falling down my cheeks.

"RICK!!!"

I didn't want to accept it. None of it. Rick was alright. He had to be. He was Rick, after all. He had survived it all. He could survive this, too. I know it.

However, it was so hard to accept the possibility as I pictured Daryl's face behind me, along with Michonne's, Maggie's, and Carol's. Everyone's faces flew through my head, especially Rick's.

Flames, smoke, and Walkers falling into the water now that the middle was destroyed. The bridge was gone, just like Rick. I heard footsteps and quickly realized Daryl had started walking away without me. He didn't know how to comfort me right now, as I didn't know how to, either.

I kept crying and screaming out, somehow trying to reach up and grab him, wherever he may be. However, I couldn't breathe, thinking he was truly gone.

I felt somebody's arms trying to pick me up and comfort me before realizing it was Paul who had come back for me. He picked me up as I cried into his chest, underneath his beard. He held onto me while I mourned for Rick, feeling such pain that I hadn't felt in such a very long time.

Someone else had come up and started to rub my back before they placed their head there, too. It was Tara, and I knew this for several reasons. However, no matter how many people came and mourned with me, nothing would ever be the same again with Rick Grimes leading us.

He's not dead. He's just not.