Forager || Rick Grimes

t h i r t y - f o u r

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Natalie didn't stick around to see Andrea leave instead she stayed in the cell resting with the girls, until Rick knocked on the wall.

She looked up at him and he entered and she sat up leaving him room to sit beside her. Which he did. Silently he took Judith out of her arms, but always kept his eyes on Natalie.

She almost shivered every time he rocked Judith and his shoulder brushed past her bare one.

Natalie closed her eyes until Rick finally spoke, "tired?"

"More like exhausted." She breathed out a laugh and looked.

"This'll make me feel bad for asking then." Rick spoke gently.

"What?"

"No if you ain't with it, I'll let you rest. I need you to be well rested and strong when they attack."

"And I will be after an hour-long nap, besides I'd do anything for you, Sheriff." She smirked.

Although she slipped up in that confession, and it was the truth, Rick didn't need to know. So she let him think it was a joke.

"I wanna go on a run, you, me and Carl, get some more guns."

Natalie slowly nodded her head, "Let me bring Iz." Rick looked at her hesitantly. "I'm scared I won't always be around, and Iz... she's never experienced what to on the outside by herself. She needs to know."

Rick nodded agreeing with her, "You will be around. Always."

"That's not something you and I can guarantee. I'm scared Chris'll do something to them. You heard Emmy, he ran at them. Why?" Natalie looks forwards, away from Rick and at the wall in front of them. "He wants to hurt them and I wasn't there to protect them instead I w-"

"Trying to deal with me."

"Don't put it that way Rick, your family too." Natalie assured him.

Rick appreciated that. Rick longed for a connection that felt natural and wasn't bound by blood.

The natural connection he felt with Natalie didn't just satisfy him it made him feel secure and protected.

Something he had never felt with anyone before.

His mind flashed back to when she came to him outside the fence, when she spoke calmly.

He didn't listen to much she said, truthfully his gaze was focused on her face.

But what grabbed him out of that moment of isolation was when she said she would take care of him.

"If you ain't always around, how will you take care of me?" He smiled at her, jokingly but with a hint of desperation too.

"There'll be a time when you won't need me, Rick. When you've healed."

"I don't think so." He said giving her a small smile, "you take care of me like you promised and I'll take care of you like I promised."

And there he was. The Rick she recognised back at the farm. The smile warmed her up inside and she concluded there and then that Rick needs time away from the prison.

"Okay Sherriff." She whispered looking back at him.

Rick bored his eyes into her, he didn't know where this was going, but the only time he felt somewhat sane was when he was with her, so wherever it was going he knew he wouldn't block it.

But in this scene, it was Natalie that got up.

She walked closer to the exit, "I'm gonna go check up on dad, you gonna be okay?"

Rick nodded back.

"Just holla when you want to go." She said walking out.

Judith cooed as if also sensing the comforting vibe had left with Natalie. Rick smiled down at her.

"I think we're gonna be alright, Judith," Rick said rocking her, trying to get her back to sleep.

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Surprise :)
A short? Unfortunately so.
But I'm going to try and write at least 2 more chapters tonight and have them out soon.