Michonne was back, and Merle was dead. They had a plan, a good plan that Austin approved of. Especially if it consisted of Carl, Hershel, Beth, and Judith sitting it out. Beth on the other hand wasn't so happy. "Why can't you just come wait in the woods with us?"

"They need as many people here as they can get." Austin hugged her. "It's gonna be okay. Look, i'm all suited up."

He pulled back and did a small spin, showing off the guard attire he got to wear. "Bullet hits me? I'm all good."

"Still." Beth sighed, shaking her head. "I don't like this."

"I don't think any of us like this." he cupped her face. "But, we have to do something. Living this way...it's not healthy or a way anyone should have to live."

Beth hugged him again as Austin rubbed her head. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah." she pulled back, looking up at him. "Not gonna say goodbye."

He shook his head. "Wasn't planning on it."

Beth gave a sad smile, pushing up on her tiptoes and kissing him softly. "I'll protect Carl. And Judith."

"I know." he smiled at her slightly, leaning in to plant a kiss to her forehead.

It happened fast, too fast. Woodbury had swarmed the prison, firing at the empty place as they raided it, finding no one there. That was before walkers came around them when a smoke bomb was tossed into the tombs, all taking off outside. Austin stuck with Glenn and Maggie. "Get the hell out of here!"

Austin shot at the group of Woodbury people, aiming nowhere in particular as the rapid fire hit him in the chest with the butt of the gun. They were firing back, making him duck behind the shield they made. He shot at a truck next, scaring them into running. He had to grin. "Yeah!"

"Austin!" Maggie yanked him down as a shot flew over his head. "Stay focused!"

"I will!" he called back, trying toward the Governor as him and his second hand man jumped in the truck and road off. They waited a moment before the stood. "Think we scared them?"

"We did it?" Maggie called to Glenn as she rose her face shield.

"We did it." Glenn confirmed, as Maggie cheered again and wrapped Austin in a tight hug as he gave her a little spin. "Come on down!"

The duo hurried down the stairs, heading toward him, hurrying to meet up with the group near the fence. "Dad!"

"Are you okay?" Rick turned to him quickly, grasping his chin. "You shot?"

"No, no, not once." he shook his head with a deep inhale. "Those guns mean business. I mean, the kick on that sucker? Thought I was gonna tip over. Definitely gonna have a bruise."

Rick rubbed his head with a faint grin, pushing the side of his face as Austin gushed, looking to Michonne with a thumbs up with a bright grin. She gave him a side grin, shaking her head and looking away. "We did it. We drove them out."

"We should go after them." Michonne cut in.

"We should finish it." Daryl agreed.

"It is finished." Maggie looked past Austin to meet his eye. "Didn't you see them hightail it out of here?"

"They could regroup." Michonne pointed out.

"We can't take the chance. He's not gonna stop." Glenn shook his head.

"They're right." Carol agreed with a deep inhale. "We can't keep living like this."

"Carols right, we're terrorized enough in this world." Austin looked to his dad. "We got them to back off now, they know we mean business. It's unlikely they'll suspect us to follow them either."

"We barley made it back from Woodbury last time." Maggie's eyes widened knowing.

"I don't care." Daryl shook his head.

"Yeah." Rick breathed out, looking around. "Let's check on the others."

They made it into the prison, Austin dropping his gun as he saw Beth, Carl, and Judith walk in. Rick went to Judith with a kiss on her forehead, leaning down to hug Carl. "Dad, i'm going to Woodbury."

"Hi." Austin hugged Beth tightly, looking down at Judith in her arms. "Hey, little lady."

"You're going to Woodbury?" she looked up at her.

"It's almost over." he promised with a small smile, cupping her face. "I promise."

"I did my job out there." Carl argued with Rick. "Just like all of you. Took out one of the Governor's soldiers."

"You did what?" Austin turned to him with a gapping look.

"One of his soldiers?" Hershel asked Carl, recalling the memory. "A kid running away? He stumbled across us."

"No, he drew on us." Carl argued.

"I'm sorry you had to do that." Rick grabbed his shoulder.

"It's what I was there for." Carl said back casually, seemingly unbothered as he looked up at Rick. "I'm going with you."

"Wait, hey." Austin caught him, leaning down onto his level. "Are you okay? I know that killing someone-"

"I'm fine." he shoved his hand off his shoulder. "It's not like when you shot Patricia, i'm fine."

Austin gave a minorly hurt look at his words, Carl storming away from him. "Asshole."

Austin watched Beth in the rear view mirror as the truck pulled off, frowning as Maggie and Glenn pulled the gate open, Daryl driving through first as Austin, Michonne, and Rick drove through next. It hadn't taken long for them to have to stop, coming across a large truck with a few walkers close by. Michonne got them mainly with her sword, Austin taking out one with his knife as well as Rick. Daryl jumped when there was a thud from inside of the truck, Rick holding out his gun as a woman put her hands on the glass.

Austin yanked the door open. "Come on."

She got out, Rick following her with the gun. They took her with them, realizing she was from Woodbury herself. Woodbury wasn't far, they arrived just as night fell. Austin stayed behind Rick, holding his gun.

Shots flew through the air and their way, causing the four to duck down. Austin pulled his gun back once Rick started shooting, doing the same toward the walls of Woodbury.

"Tyreese! It's me!" the woman shouted as she rose.

"Get down!" Rick yanked her harshly.

"Karen!" a familiar voice ran through the air. "Karen! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" she called, standing up and pulling away from Rick. Austin rolled his eyes.

"Where's the Governor?" Tyreese called down to her.

"He fired on everyone!" her voice broke when she yelled. "He killed them all."

"Why are you with them!" he yelled, referring to the four still ducked behind the abandoned and old vehicles.

"They saved me!" Karen said back with an inhale, her hands still above her head.

"We're coming out!" Rick was to yell next.

"Tyreese, it's Austin!" Austin yelled to get his attention. "Don't shoot at us, man!"

The four slowly stood up, hands up in the air as they approached. The doors open, Sasha and Tyreese walking out. Sasha nodded at Austin. "You all right?"

"I'm okay." he dropped his hands with an exhale.

"What are you doing here?" Tyreese asked Rick with a questionable look.

"We were coming to finish this." Rick said honestly to him. "Until we saw what the Governor did."

"He-he killed them?" Tyreese gapped, having trouble believing it.

"All of them. Karen only survived because she was hidden." Austin said in return with a nod, taking the talking lead from the minor bond he'd form with Tyreese and Sasha. "She told us Andrea hopped the wall going to the prison. She never made it to us. We think she could be here."

"Come on." Sasha spoke after hesitation.

"We might know where." Rick said honestly as they followed the two into the walls. "They kept our friends here."

Tyreese nodded, letting him lead the way as they went under ground to a dark, stuffy room. "This is where he had Glenn and Maggie."

"The Governor held people here?" Tyreese gapped.

"He did more then hold em." Daryl said in return. They held their guns up when going around the corner, coming across a door with blood at the bottom. Austin inhaled as he tried to keep his gun sturdy.

"Will you open it?" Michonne asked Rick as she pulled her sword out.

Rick counted backwards, hitting one as he pushed the door open. They all held their guns higher and firmer, looking around the room. A chair was in the middle, a dead man that had bleed out in the middle of the floor.

"Andrea." Michonne gapped when their eyes fell to a pair of hands. Austin followed her, putting his gun away as he got into the ground with the barley awake woman.

"Hey." Austin held her way with a reassuring smile.

"I tried to stop them." Andrea promised.

Austin sighed. "Her face is on fire."

Michonne pulled her shirt back, revealing a large walking bite on her neck. Austin sighed as he looked back at Rick. Andrea squeezed Austins hand. "Judith, Carl, the rest of them..."

"Us." Rick corrected her with a nod. "The rest of us."

"Are they alive?" she nodded with her best smile.

"Every single one of em." Austin nodded his head, his hand shaking in hers. He looked back to Daryl, and even though he was no fan of Merle, he couldn't imagine losing his brother. "Merle didn't make it, we lost him."

Andrea faced Michonne, patting her knee. "It's good you found them. No one can make it alone now."

"I never could." Daryl shook his head from behind the kneeling trio.

"I just didn't want anyone to die." Andrea stared, Austin's lip trembled as her voice began to weaken.

"I know." he held her face, his eyes starting to burn as he held her face. "You did good, Andrea. I promise."

"I can do it myself." Andrea nodded, knowing it was coming.

"No." Michonne cried.

"I have to." the blonde looked her way. "While I still can."

She faced Rick. "Please. I know how the safety works."

Austin whipped his face as Rick placed the gun in her hand, sniffled as he held her face. "Want us to stay?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Michonne promised.

"I tried." Andrea nodded as she looked around.

"Yeah." Rick nodded. "You did. You did."

Daryl walked out first, Andrea shook her head. "Austin, you gotta go."

"I don't wanna leave you." he shook his head, sniffling as Andrea shook her head softly.

"I don't want you to remember me like that." she squeezed his hand. "Please?"

"I'll be here." Michonne promised him, holding his shoulder. "I promise."

Austin cried as he leaned in and hugged Andrea gently. "Thanks for saving me so many times back at camp."

Andra gave a pained laugh. "You've got this. I know it. Beat this world, like your mom knew you would."

Austin held her face, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead as he stood up, following his dad out of the door.

•

kylie speaks

:( see, my favorite and least
favorite thing about austin
is how close he gets to everyone.
even despite loosing so many
people, he keeps on and it kills
him when they go but at the
same time shows how big of
a heart he's got. it's so weird
editing these chapters with
how his storyline is going
at the end of s5 right now.