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MILO

     THEIR GUNSHOTS ECHOED LOUDLY THROUGH the tunnel as the walkers fell down like flies. He narrowed against the headlights of the car as he raised his gun, shooting straight in the head of another corpse each time. And even after it was over, the echo of the gunshots seemed to linger a for a while.

But as the silence returned his eyes fell on Glenn, sitting in the corner of the fallen debris from the roof. Slowly he stood up, turning around as he shielded his eyes against the lights of the car.

Next to him Maggie dropped her gun on the ground, storming forwards and taking Glenn in her arms, sobbing as she was reunited with her husband.

A smile appeared on his face as he watched the two of them and he turned to look at Bob and Sasha who wore equally wide smiles. Then his gaze wondered to Abraham, Rosita and Eugene and he gave them a thankful nod. The four survivors were just outside the tunnel when those three came up to them, telling them about Glenn and the girl he was with, Tara. And they had rushed back inside the tunnel, just in time to safe Glenn and Tara from being eaten alive.

Milo honestly couldn't believe they did it, that husband and wife were reunited again. It warmed his heart but at the same time it pained him, as Quinn appeared in his thoughts. He missed her, so damn much and more than anything in the world he wished to be reunited with her.

While Maggie and Glenn hugged and kissed each other the rest of them got a fire going and started preparing a meal as they decided to stay inside the tunnel for the night. Rosita went out to secure the end of the tunnel and make sure no unexpected guests would decide to pay them a visit.

He sat down by the fire, next to Bob. Glenn and Maggie were dragging away the walkers, throwing them on one big pile. He looked away from it, staring into the flames instead.

'So, where are you three headed?' Sasha asked Abraham.

The ginger looked at her and then gestured at Eugene. 'We're headed to Washington. Eugene here is a scientist and he knows what caused this damm mess. It's our mission to get his butt there alive so he can fix it, save all our sorry butts.' He looked between the three of them before adding. 'It could be your mission too.'

Milo opened his mouth only to close it again, words couldn't even describe what he was feeling. He thought it was a mystery. He thought nobody knew what had happened and nobody could fix it. But now there turned out to be some scientist who knew exactly what was going on and better yet, knew how to stop it. It didn't make sense.

'S-so what was it?' Milo finally managed to stutter.

Eugene looked at him, his expression unreadable. 'It's classified.'

Milo took a deep breath, a thousand questions drifting through his mind but he couldn't get even one of them to leave his lips. Was it actually possible that someone could end it all? Make the world okay again? A normal and safe place to live?

'What's up?' Glenn questioned, taking Milo out of his thoughts. He turned to look at his friend, who had finished piling up the corpses and was now frowning at them.

Rosita and Maggie came walking up behind him, staring at the five people sitting around the fire. Three of them looking as if they'd seen a pig fly.

'He just said,' Sasha spoke slowly, pointing at Eugene, her eyes wide, 'that he knows what caused the outbreak.'

'Yeah,' Glenn said, he had probably heard it many times by now and was no longer bothered by the miracle of it. 'He does. Let me guess he asked you go to D.C. with him?'

'I'm downright tickled y'all found each other,' Abraham spoke up, 'should spend the rest of the night celebrating. Because tomorrow there's absolutely no reason why the nine of us don't stuff ourselves in that van and head up to Washington.'

'He's right,' Tara said, her voice small, as if she was afraid of speaking up. 'I'm gonna go.'

'No,' Eugene countered, 'he's wrong. We're 55% of the way from Houston to Washington. Up until now we've had an armored military vehicle for transport and we lost eight people.'

'That wasn't our fault,' Rosita interrupted him.

'They're gone,' Abraham snapped, making the woman sigh at him.

'I can't imagine we'd have better luck with that grocery grabber we picked up,' Eugene went on. 'We're a day's walk from Terminus. Who knows what they've got there?'

'Look,' Rosita sighed, her gaze focused on Abraham. 'It couldn't hurt to check. Load up on supplies, maybe even recruit some of them to come with.'

'I'll go with you guys,' Sasha spoke up, 'but after. I have to see Terminus, my brother could be there. I gotta know.'

'Same,' Milo said, having made up his mind. If there was even the slightest chance the world could be saved, he wanted to help. He was prepared to fight for a better future, for all the people who were fighting for their lives right now. 'I have to see if my sister's there. And after that I'll go with you.'

'Me too,' Bob added. 'On both counts.'

Silence lingered between them as Milo found himself smiling at Bob and Sasha, who were staring determined at each other.

'He tells me I'm wrong,' Abraham broke the silence, standing up from his position by the fire and looking at Eugene. 'I listen. Tomorrow we go to the end of the line. Then Washington.'

When morning came they broke up camp and started walking the last few miles to what they hoped would be a sanctuary. Somehow he felt happy, and his legs felt less tired as if the sudden goal gave him more energy.

He had no idea if Quinn would be at the end of the tracks, waiting for him. In fact, he had no idea if he would ever see her again and yet he had hope. He wanted to believe she was alive and that he would see her again. She was smart and could protect herself, he had to trust she made it.

He was taken out of his thoughts when Sasha came walking up next to him. He raised his eyebrows at her, silently inviting her to say whatever it was she had on her mind.

The pretty woman took a deep breath, seeming to choose her words carefully before speaking up. 'You're sure they're alive, waiting for us in Terminus?'

Milo gave a small shrug. 'I'm not sure of anything these days.'

That made a small smile appear on her lips, making him smile back before sighing deeply. 'I hope they're there and hoping is really all we can do, right?'

She narrowed at him. 'How did you become such an optimist after everything you've been through?'

He took a shaky breath, playing with his knife in his hand. 'I think that would be thanks to a certain man who refused to give up on any of us.' He turned to look at Sasha, knowing by the way her eyes saddened she knew who he was talking about. It wasn't fair the way Hershel Greene's life had ended, how they couldn't even give him a respectful goodbye.

Milo would never forget how the old man gave him, a murderer and former prisoner, the chance to become a voice of reason on the prison's council. He would always be thankful for the amount of faith the man had in him and to honor him, he would try to remain hopeful and optimistic, just like Hershel taught him.

He was ripped out of his thoughts when Glenn suddenly told them all they had arrived. He shared a quick glare with Sasha before starting to walk faster. They rounded the corner his eyes fell on Terminus.

The sanctuary seemed to be built in an old train station. The name was painted in big black letters across the wall. This was the right place.

The group headed up to a set of fences and Milo slightly frowned upon noticing there weren't any guards in sight but he pushed his worries away.

Glenn reached the fence first and shared a quick glare with Maggie before pushing it open. They entered a small courtyard, littered with small gardens filled with vegetables but there weren't any people insight. Glenn raised his riffle, walking towards the building.

They followed him, all of them with their weapons firmly in their hands. Somehow he felt nervous and the lack of any sign of life didn't make it any better.

Walking up to another fence that led to the back of the building Milo frowned, looking at the message that was written on a sign that was attached to the iron.

"Lower your weapons. You will be met. You have arrived at Terminus."

He threw a glare over his shoulder and saw Abraham only tightened his grip on his riffle upon reading those words. Inhaling deeply he turned back to look forwards and pushed against the gates, opening them before walking inside, followed by the others.

They walked around the corner, finally met by the first sign of life. A woman standing behind what seemed to be a huge grill. Upon hearing their footsteps she turned around, a smile appearing on her features as she walked up to them.

'Hi,' she greeted them, the smile still lingering on her face. 'I'm Mary.'

Milo lowered his knife before putting it away behind his belt all together. Slowly he released a breath he didn't even realise he had been holding. So far, everything seemed okay and...peaceful, something he hadn't even realised he missed.

The woman her eyes scanned their filthy clothes and tired faces. 'Looks like you've been on the road a while,' she concluded.

'We have,' Maggie replied, smiling tiredly, a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

'Let's get you settled,' Mary said, 'and we'll make you a plate.'

Milo hadn't even realised how hungry he was until she said those words, his stomach squeezing painfully. He nodded thankfully at her as she offered them a smile once again.

'Welcome to Terminus.'

A U T H O R 'S  N O T E

I seriously cannot believe there's only three chapters left until this season is finished! But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I really wish I could scream at Milo through my phone to get out of there and not be his normal trusting self, but sadly Milo is way too good for this world and will always believe the best in people. I'm very excited to write the Terminus story line and would love to hear what you guys think!

Much love,

xXx
UYM