The Rest of your Life

Chapter 63

Rory cooed as she hugged Judith, the toddler clutching into Rory's shirt with chubby hands. The baby had been crawling so much lately, Rory wondered when she'd finally walk. The child was kind of talking... if you can call the noise she makes talking, but she's trying!

Rory held out another flash card to the blonde haired baby. "Cat. Look Judy, cat. C-A-T. Can you say cat?"

Judith blew raspberry's in Rory's face.

"Okay." Rory grimaced, wiping her face. "What noise does a cat make? You know this one, Judy, come on." The toddler looked to Rory for a second before making the tiniest, cutest, smallest meow ever.

She smiled at the little baby. There wasn't much good in the world, and living was hard. But... spending time with her little sister... it made Rory want to try harder to make Judith have the best life she could.

She was startled by a knock on the door. Rory sighed and picked up Judith, placing the baby on her hip. She walked to the door and opened it a little hesitantly. It was one of the women that babysits Judith, Rory didn't bother to know her name.

"Do you have her today?" Rory asked, a little confused. She was sure Carol was looking after Judy today.

"I do." The ginger lady nodded, opening her arms for the baby. Rory sighed in defeat and handed her baby sister over.

•••

Rory was making her way to ask Abraham for another block to sharpen her knives.

She may have lost it... again...

She spotted his ginger hair and Rosita's frame standing by him. She smiled a tiny smile as she approached them. That's when she heard the rumble of Daryls motorcycle as she got closer to the long haired man. "What you doin?" Rory asked him, although she already knew the answer. She watched as Daryl opened the gate, Rosita looking in shock. "Where you goin? Daryl? Where you goin?"

"Get out of my way." Daryl grunted at the girl as she stepped infront of his bike as he got back on it. The girl stayed put as he revved the engine.

"No." The kid denied, frowning. She didn't want him to leave. If he left, she wasn't sure he'd come back in one living piece. "Where you goin?"

"Ivory, move." The girls bottom lip wobbled at the harshness of his voice. It made her falter, sure she had heard Daryl use that tone before, but never at her. Never. She felt a pull on her shoulder as Rosita pulled her away. Not even a second later, Daryl sped off down the road.

Rory looked behind her as Michonne and Glenn got into a truck, Rory's eyes as wide as saucers as her heart thudded. The girl ran to the truck and opened the door, intending to get in. At the same time, Abraham and Rosita came over too.

"Rory, no." Glenn told the girl, urgency in his voice.

"I know where he's goin." Rory cried out, but nobody was really listening. She really didn't want them to go after the saviours. The thought gave her a bad feeling in her stomach. But she knew where Daryl was going! She could help! She could help keep them safe.

"Make room for my freckled ass." Abraham called out, only to be stopped by Rosita.

"No. Cover my watch, you stay." Rosita told the man as she opened the car door. Rory slipped into the back seat.

"We should keep numbers here." Glenn told her, but she shrugged it off.

"I know where Daryl's going." Rosita argued. Rory pulled a face, she just said that. Rory was just about to buckle in when the door next to her opened and Abraham grabbed her out.

"No!" The girl cried out. "I gotta go with them! I gotta! I can help." Abraham pursed his lips as he hurled the wiggling kid up and away from the car, Rosita slamming the door from the inside. Abraham looked to Glenn, who had a grim expression on his face. "Glenn, tell him. Glenn! No!"

Glenn peeled the truck out of Alexandria's gates. He looked out the side mirror to see Maggie trying to console Rory. He felt bad, but it was dangerous.

Too dangerous for a kid her age.

If only he knew it wouldn't make a difference if the girl went with them or not.

•••

It hadn't been that long since the others left. Rory was somewhat wallowing. She was leaning against Abraham as she chewed on her nails. The man batted her hands away in between his conversations with Sasha and Morgan.

Carol was missing. Now she knew why the ginger lady was looking after Judith today. Rory looked to the side as she heard footsteps. It was Rick and Tobin.

"Rick, I took over at twelve, I was on till six. I never saw anything." Sasha informed the man as he approached.

"The fronts been quiet since the others left." Abraham spoke.

"What? Who?" Rick questioned, he sounded mad. Rory scratched her arm a little.

"Daryl." Abraham breathed out. "He went ICBM after the saviours from yesterday. Glenn, Michonne, Rosita, they all went to shut that shit down." Rick looked to Rory, Abraham got the message. "I had to drag her out the truck."

"Where's the other car?" Tobin asked. Rory looked over to the gate. "We added two more cars yesterday. One of them is missing, the one we put right between those houses."

"You can barely see between the houses from up top." Abraham acknowledged. "Especially at night." The man grabbed Rory's arm and held her hand to get her to stop scratching.

"The note, can I see it?" Morgan asked Rick. The man passed him a piece of paper.

"You never saw any headlights, taillights?" Rick stressed. "She's smart enough to cover her tracks."

"She must have left during the shift change." Sasha pondered. Rory frowned. Why would Carol leave them? Why was everyone leaving?

"Where are you going?" Rick asked Morgan as the man began to walk off.

"I'm gonna go find her." Morgan called back.

"Wait!" Rick ordered. He then turned to Abraham and Rory. "Tell Carl I'll be back soon. No one else leaves. Especially her. Keep Rory with you." Abraham saluted Rick as the ginger scoffed internally.

There was no way he was letting the kid out of his sight until he spoke to her. She was acting... off. He wanted to know why. Rory watched with saddened eyes as yet another car left the gates without her.

•••

Holaaaaa!!
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