Dixon's Daughter • The Walking Dead

65: The Church

Emma's P.O.V

We were walking for Gabriel's church, and Rick pulled me aside despite the fact that he didn't want to leave him alone with everyone else.

"Why'd you do that back there?" Rick started.

"What, answered the man's compliment about Judith?" I asked, becoming slightly infuriated.

"We need to show the people we meet that we're strong and we won't back down. People need to fear us. So, next time we come across someone, I don't want you to say anything to them whatsoever." Rick said.

I looked at him like he was insane, he could probably tell I was getting mad.

"Are you kidding me?! The man gave a compliment... to a baby. Judith clearly can't talk, someones gotta do it for her. You and Carl weren't doing it, so I did. Sorry, when I meet someone I don't just assume they're gonna kill me. Especially not a man such as Gabriel, he's a priest. He called for our help against the walkers, he clearly hadn't seen them before, he puked at their sight. Everyone else was being mean to him, its not good to start off on bad terms with people. Not everyone needs to fear us, I learned at Terminus, it doesn't even make a difference. I know what it's like to be treated rudely, like you're a piece of trash on the side of the road, or you're just the same as the walkers for no apparent reason. I don't want to feel like that again, and I don't think some random stranger we don't even know should." I said, sure of myself, and walked back to the group staying next to Carl.

"What was that about?" Carl asked me.

"Oh, he just wanted to tell me that it was a stupid idea to run off like I did, but he wasn't mad about it." I said. "Which, it was stupid, but everyone deserves their right to live, its not like we had anything better to do anyways. Plus, Glenn did the same for him and I. The things we do such as this, they're important." I concluded.

Carl nodded.

Feeling bold, I reached for Carl's hand. Him and I had never held hands before, well besides at the barn, it feels so cheesy doing these small things, but its normal at the same time.

I looked over to him and smiled, and he smiled back.

As far as I know, no one even noticed that him and I were holding hands.

I looked over to him again, "Give me your knife." I said out of completely no where.

"Uh, why?" He chuckled.

"Just give me your knife. I'll give it back to you." I said.

He handed me his knife.

"Thank you." I said as I put it into my back pocket it.

"What's the point of this again?" He asked me.

"Well, when we get to this church, I'm gonna give you my knife and it's holster and you're gonna give me your holster. Then we've switched knives." I said.

"Why are we switching knives?" He chuckled.

"'Cause, it's about time you know what its like to use a real knife, not that wimpy little knife you have." I joked.

"Hey, I like my knife. It get's done what it needs to." Carl said, pretending to be hurt by my comment.

"I think it's time you upgrade. If you decide you want to keep that knife, you can, I have more just like it. Either way, it's not my favorite knife I have, so I'm okay. My dad has that one in his bag, I hope. If not I'm taking his knife." I joked. "Anyways, if you want to go back to your knife, just let me know, you just have to go at least a week with that one. While it's mine, I'm gonna sharpen it up for you, thats for sure." I said.