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little ass-kicker

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little ass-kicker

SCARLETT HELD THE BABY GIRL TO HER CHEST. She was cooing, trying to grasp the fact that she had no food in her mouth at the moment. Scarlett kept glancing at the door hoping Maggie and Daryl would hurry back or Rick would appear.

"Hello, pretty girl," she whispered, rocking her as she cried quietly. "Oh, I know. Daddy's gon' be here soon." Scarlett began singing a lullaby that Annette would sing. Carl's head shot up, eyes squinting because he remembered Scarlett had sung that to him the very first time he met her. He was healing from a bullet wound, and she sung him that to make him feel better. His guardian angel.

Hershel smiled from afar as she rocked the baby. Glenn walked over to him with a content look on his face. "You think Maggie will be back soon?" Hershel nodded. "What 'bout Rick? Should I go look for him?"

"Rick needs time," Hershel said softly. "He loved Lori despite everything."

Scarlett pouted slightly as the baby cooed as if she was going to cry again. "No, no," she said softly. "Such a healthy lil' girl. You're Daddy's gon' be so happy when he sees you."

Carl clenched his fist at the mention of his dad who had yet to return. He turned his head to see Sophia sitting by herself holding her doll tight. He stood up, slowly approaching her.

"Soph?"

"She's dead," Sophia murmured. "My Mom. Heard Glenn talking to Maggie talkin' before she left with Daryl. They doubt we'll even find a body, Carl!" And the tears began. Carl sighed, sitting next to her and holding her body close to his. Scarlett watched them from afar, a sad smile on her face. Her face suddenly changed and became stony.

"Here," she told Beth, handing her the baby. "Soon as Mags gets back with formula, feed her." Scarlett grabbed her knife off of the table.

"Where are you going!?" Hershel said, standing with his crutches. "Scarlett–"

"Rick is out there. Carol might be, too. Ain't no use sittin' here when I could be doin' something," she said before looking at Glenn. "Keep watch." He nodded at her, grateful she was going to try and find Rick and Carol.

Scarlett kept her face stony as she could as she walked through the tombs where the massacre had just occurred. She killed any walkers she came across, which only was less than half a dozen. She was tired, but she was angry. A walker she did not see coming had her groaning when it pushed her against the wall.

"Son of a bitch!" she shouted, taking her hunting knife and using the spine to knock it off of her. She turned them, shoving it into the wall as she slashed the knife in its skull four times with anger that just kept pouring out.

Finally, she let the bastard fall, and she stood back with heavy breaths.

Turning, she almost jumped out of her skin to see Rick standing there with an unreadable expression on his face.

Without a moment to waste, he turned and began walking off.

"Rick!"

He kept walking.

Scarlett grumbled something under her breath, following him as he made it into a room. Looking around, she felt her breath hitch at the sight of all the blood.

"Rick, stop!" she shouted again as he opened another door to keep going.

Rick did as she commanded, turning and facing her with his own anger on his face.

"Carl?" he asked.

"He's lookin' after Sophia and the baby. How 'bout you come check on them? We're worried," she got out, walking closer to him. "Rick—"

"Can you look after them while I finish up?" he cut her off as he waved his axe around to show he was busy. "Please."

"Rick—"

"I JUST NEED GO FINISH! JUST LET ME DO THIS!" he shouted, angry tears leaving his eyes. Scarlett flinched at the sound, taking a deep breath and reminding herself that he was not Declan. She took a step back. "Scarlett—"

"Come back so your son can stop worrying. Even if it's for a second. Let him see you," she demanded. "And don't you ever shout at me like that again, do you understand me, Rick Grimes?"

Rick gulped at the tone of her voice before slowly nodding.

She turned and began walking, only stopping a moment to make sure Rick was following. They made it back to the cell block to see Daryl holding the baby as he fed her. Scarlett smiled at the scene before gesturing for Rick to walk inside first.

"Everybody okay?" he asked as he went to Carl first.

Scarlett walked over to Daryl, gently touching the baby's head as she smiled. The baby was asleep now, happy as anything now that she was fed.

"I cleared out the boiler block," Rick told them all, hardly glancing at the baby. He kept his eyes on Carl.

"How many were there?" Hershel asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know. A dozen, two dozen," he trailed off before looking at Scarlett. "I have to get back Just needed to check on Carl."

"Rick, we can handle taking out the bodies," Maggie told him softly. "You don't have to."

Rick shook his head, trying to get them to understand. "No, I do. Everyone have a gun and a knife?"

"Yeah. We're running low on ammo, though," Glenn told him. "Maggie and me were planning on making a run this afternoon. Found a phone book with some places we can hit, look for bullets and formula."

Rick nodded at him.

"We cleared out the generator room," Hershel told Rick, watching as Daryl handed Scarlett the baby. "Axel's there trying to fix it in case of emergency."

"We're gonna sweep the lower levels as well."

"Good, good," Rick murmured before turning and leaving again.

"Rick!" Scarlett yelled. He turned and stared at her holding his baby. Something in his eyes changed as he turned and left the room without another word.

Daryl sighed, running a hand through his hair before looking to Glenn. "Y'all best be goin' before it gets dark. We'll watch over Little Ass-Kicker."

"Little Ass-Kicker?" Scarlett asked incredulously. "Daryl Dixon, I would hit you if I wasn't holding her."

"She likes it!" Daryl defended causing them to laugh slightly.

Scarlett rolled her eyes, walking over to Sophia. "Here. Y'all keep an eye on her. I'm gon' look for ya Momma."

Sophia looked up with tears in her eyes as she gently took the baby from Scarlett. Scarlett looked at them all before nodding and heading out without another word.

Violent Silence • Rick Grimes ✓Where stories live. Discover now