𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 29 ~ Rescue Mission

This was it. The moment I'd been waiting for was finally here. We were going to rescue my daughter. Rick had came and announced it to Daryl and I just as we'd walked in. He'd quickly briefed us on what to do. Apparently, right before Dwight had left, he'd informed Rick that the Sanctuary would be vacant today seeing as how Negan and his people were checking out their posts. Usually, Negan wouldn't attend these kind of things but since we'd become a bit of a problem for him as of lately, it was mandatory he come along as well.

That didn't really matter either way, though - it was just good for us. Now we had an opportunity and Rick had told me adamantly that we were going to take it. That's how I'd found myself riding in the front seat with him and Michonne while Daryl, Tara, and Carl rode in the other vehicle. Aaron, Eric, and Gabriel were following in the third vehicle behind us as we bumped along the old, beat-up dirt road that led to the compound. I jiggled my leg nervously as I gazed out the window. She'd grown more since I'd last seen her two months ago.

I wonder if she'd look the same - if she had hair now. Maybe little brown curls like Owen's. I smiled at the thought but it melted from my face as more depressing thoughts clouded the happy one. What if Negan had already turned her into something I no longer recognized? What if he'd already begun to mold her into his little protege? I bit my lip, moving my head from side to side in an attempt to shake the thought free.

I was being absurd and I knew it. She was two months old - she wasn't old enough to become like him. Gosh, she couldn't even talk yet. No, I was being ridiculous - she was fine. At least...I really hoped she was. A hand rested on my leg then and I glanced up into a pair of warm brown eyes. I smiled at Michonne and she returned it.

"Are you alright?" she asked me softly and I nodded.

"Fine...just nervous is all," I told her honestly before glancing over at Rick, "Are you SURE this is going to work?"

Rick nodded emphatically to my question, "I'm positive. We sent out scouts ahead to check it out, just to make sure Dwight was telling the truth. So far, the coast is clear. But we need to get in and get out as fast as we can if we want to make it back before they arrive at Alexandria,"

Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I mulled over what he'd said. Our window of opportunity was very short then - we'd need to hurry. But just as these thoughts flitted through my mind, I was shaken out of my reverie by the imposing building coming closer and closer to us. We'd finally made it, the Sanctuary towering up before us. All the vehicles followed after Rick's as we circled around to where I directed him to park, right near the back door. As the trucks' engines turned off, we all filed out of our respective vehicles.

The rest of the group walked up to join us and my eyes met Carl's. A gun was in his left hand but he grabbed my own hand with his right, squeezing it gently.

"You ready?" he asked me quietly as we all began to trek to the door, some of us with guns already at the ready.

I clutched my own gun tightly in my hand, eyes scanning the area around me.

"I've been ready since I lost her." I admitted softly to him.

He pecked my cheek gently before we all separated into groups - Carl with me, Daryl with Tara, Aaron with Eric and Gabriel, and Michonne with Rick. The door squeaked loudly as Rick pushed it open and I grimaced at the sound. Thank goodness no one was here to hear that. It was dark inside but as soon as we entered, we split up and went our separate ways. I held my gun up as I led the way down one hallway, Carl following close behind with his own gun at the ready. I'm glad he was the one to come with me - I couldn't have done this if it wasn't for him by my side.

We had just turned the corner onto a different hallway just then when we began to hear footsteps coming up the other way. Quickly, I pushed Carl back and we hid behind the side of the wall. I waited with baited breath as the footsteps became louder, coming closer and closer to us. Right when they were close enough though, I jumped out and tackled the person to the ground. Turns out it was Arat - the same woman who had shot and killed Olivia. I growled under my breath, just quiet enough so that she couldn't hear me.

We waited until she had turned the corner down a different hallway and her footsteps had faded away before we stepped out of our hiding spot.

"Well, that was a close call. We almost-" Carl started to say, re-adjusting his Sheriff's hat.

He never got to finish his sentence though before the sound of a baby's cry pierced the air, cutting him off. My brown eyes widened and I rushed to the sound, sprinting down the hallway. Carl raced after me, his boots thudding on the floor. There were several doors down this hallway but as we neared the end, I could hear it more clearly. I made a motion to open it but as I twisted, the door wouldn't budge. I cussed under my breath and Carl arched an eyebrow at me.

"I'm guessing you learned that word from Daryl," he quipped, smirking and I punched him in the arm playfully..

"Shut up." I mumbled, still jiggling it in an attempt to open it.

"Here, stand back and let the master work." he said with a smug smile.

I did as he said and stepped back, crossing my arms over my chest briefly. He lifted up a foot then and before I knew what he was doing, he had kicked the door down and it fell with a loud bang. A look of shock and awe crossed my face and his smirk just deepened.

"After you," he said with a wave and I rolled my eyes before racing inside.

At first, I didn't think she was in here. It was a nursery quite alike to the first one I'd found her in but unlike the first, it didn't have but a few baby items. I felt my breath quicken and I was almost to the point of tears when my eyes landed on something nestled in a pink blanket in the crib in the corner. I held back my tears then, stepping closer cautiously. And as I pulled back the covers, for the second time in my life, I came face-to-face with my baby daughter.