𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍, rick grimes (ON HOLD)

FORTY

      IT WAS NOW THE NEXT MORNING, EVERYONE WAS SITTING around eating their breakfast. Josie had finished making formula for the baby, then she handed it to Beth before she sat down next to Glenn and began eating her oatmeal. Then the door to the tombs opened, so they all looked up and saw Rick standing in the doorway.

      "Everybody okay?" Rick asked as he slowly entered the room.

      "Yeah, we are," Maggie replied.

      "What about you?" Hershel asked.

      "Cleared out the boiler block," Rick replied.

      "How many were there?" Daryl asked.

      "I don't know," Rick replied, still seeming vacant like he wasn't really processing anything. "A dozen, two dozen. I have to get back, I just wanted to check on Carl."

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

      "No, I do," Rick replied, then he walked over to Daryl. "Everyone have a gun and a knife?"

      Daryl nodded. "Yeah, we're running low on ammo though."

      "Maggie and I were planning on making a run this afternoon," Glenn said. "Found a phone book. Some places we can hit, look for bullets and formula."

      "Cleared out the generator room," Josie added, her voice low. "Axel's there trying to fix it, case of emergency. Daryl's gonna sweep the lower level."

      "Good," Rick nodded. "Good..."

       He walked back the way he came and Hershel had called out his name, but Rick ignored him and disappeared around the corner.

      Carl looked at Josie. "Is he gonna be okay?"

      Josie nodded and gave him a small smile. "He'll be fine. Everybody handles grief differently."

      After a while, Josie was outside with Maggie and Glenn and she was helping them get their car ready for their run. The brunette handed them their guns as they took them from her.

      "You guys be careful, okay?" Josie said.

      "We will," Glenn promised.

      "Yeah," Maggie agreed.

      "Okay," Josie smiled. "See you guys when you get back."

      It was later in the day, Josie was holding the baby as she fed her some more formula. Carl and Parker were sitting next to her, playing a card game.

      "Mom," Parker said, getting her attention.

      Josie looked up from the baby and saw Parker showing her cards to her. "Those are some pretty good cards. You be careful, Carl."

      "I'm not worried," Carl shrugged. "I'm confident I'll win."

      "Mhm," Parker smirked.

      Just then, the doors to the tombs opened once again and Josie looked up, seeing Rick entering the room. Everyone's eyes were on him and he looked around at everyone before his eyes landed on Josie and his baby.

      Josie smiled as she stood from her seat. "I think it's finally time you meet your daughter."

      Rick made his way over to them and he put his hands out, then Josie carefully put the baby in his arms and watched him as he pulled his daughter close to his chest. The brunette smiled softly, placing her hand on Rick's forearm.

      Afterwards, Rick, Carl, Josie, and Parker walked outside into the courtyard while Rick still held the baby in his arms. Josie walked with her hands in her pockets, still smiling as she watched Rick look down at his daughter.

      "Hey, um..." Parker began, pointing down at the fences. "Who is that?"

      Josie and Rick turned to where she was pointing and they saw a figure standing there. The two shared a look before Rick handed his daughter over to Carl.

      Josie, Rick, and Parker made their way down to the fence and stopped as they stared at the woman on the other side. She had a katana strapped to her back, she was also holding a basket of formula and a shopping bag.

      Josie saw her wound on her leg, so she pointed it out. "She's hurt."

      Walkers began to catch her scent and make their way towards her, so she unsheathed her katana and sliced the walker's heads.

      "Should we help her?" Parker asked, looking in between her mother and Rick.

      Rick didn't say anything as they watched the woman fight off the walkers before she began to stumble, losing her footing and falling to the ground.

      "We have to," Josie finally replied.

      Parker and Josie pulled out their guns, shooting at the walkers who got too close to her. Rick then opened the gate and all three of them ran over to her, standing over her as Parker continued to shoot at the walkers to keep them away.

      "Shit," Rick muttered as he saw the herd of walkers making their way towards them.

      They pulled her inside the gate, closing it as they set her against the ground.

      "Is she bit?" Rick asked.

      "No, but it looks like she was shot," Josie replied.

      Both Rick and Josie pulled the woman's arms around their necks as Parker led them back up the hill and into the cell block. Once they entered, they looked around for a place to set her down.

      "Carl, get a blanket," Rick ordered and then looked over at Beth. "Beth, water and a towel."

      "All right, here," Carl said, laying a blanket down on the ground.

      "She's not coming into the cells," Rick told them as he and Josie gently laid her down.

      Beth soon returned with water and a towel, handing it to Rick as he took them from her and poured the water on the woman's chest and face, trying to cool her down. The woman woke up and looked around at everyone, Josie could tell she was nervous.

      "It's alright," Rick said. "Hey, look at me. Who are you?"

      The woman's eyes laid on her katana and she reached for it, but Josie kicked it away. "We're not going to hurt you."

      "Unless you try something stupid first, all right?" Rick said. "You wanna tell us your name?"

      Daryl then entered the room. "Y'all come on in here," his eyes landed on the woman before looking at the others again. "You're gonna wanna see this."

      "Carl, get the bag," Rick ordered.

      Josie grabbed the katana. "We'll keep this safe and sound, you'll be too. All the doors are locked, nothing's getting in here."

      "I didn't ask for your help," the woman snapped.

      "Doesn't matter," Rick replied, placing his hand on Josie's back as they walked away to the cells. "Can't let you leave."

      Carl shut and locked the gate behind them, leaving the woman alone in the other room. Josie walked further into the cell block and a smile broke out onto her face when she saw Carol sitting in a cell.

      Josie walked up to her and hugged her. "Thank God you're okay."

      Once they all reunited with Carol, she saw the baby in Beth's arms but no Lori. She put the pieces together and looked at Rick, her face filled with empathy as her bottom lip trembled.

      "Oh, Rick," Carol said softly. "I'm sorry."

      Josie noticed the tears in both Rick and Carl's eyes, so she pulled Carl in a one-armed hug and placed her free hand on Rick's shoulder. Rick looked at her, nodding slightly as he placed his hand over hers.