Rick Grimes' Daughter ~ Born a Survivor

7. Don't die on me...

Rick's P.O.V.

I keep running and running and running through an enormous field with my unconscious daughter in my arms. I can't see the end of it. Ruby is barely breathing, her shirt if covered of blood and her face looks so white suddenly. Her blood is dripping on my shirt and my hands but I don't care. I stop and hold her correctly again before starting to run again. Where is that damn house?!

- Come on. Hey, you move, dickhead! Come on, get us there! screams, Shane to the man who shot at my daughter through the deer.

- Dad, is Ru going to be alright? I stop and turn around but not to answer my little boy's question.

- How far? How far? I scream to the man as I breath quickly and keep my tears inside. I hold Ruby's body so close to me, like she could split away from me and die.

- Another half mile, that way! Hershel, talk to Hershel... He'll help your girl, answers the chubby man, breathless. I start running again toward the direction the man gave me.

- Let's go... Come on! I hear Shane screaming again at the man. I grunt while running and trying to catch my breath. I won't stop until finding that house and knowing that Ruby is going to be alright. I can see a house not too far anymore. Please, tell me it is this one. I hold Ruby the best I can against my chest as I start feeling my arms getting heavy and out of energy. I arrive in front of the house and men and women are looking at me with confused eyes. One of them is holding a baseball bat.

- Was she bit? questions the oldest man, half screaming.

- Shot, by your man, I answer, out of breath and energy. He said find Hershel. Is that you? Help me... I ask and plead, crying. Help my little girl.

- Get her inside... Inside! repeats the man sternly. I follow them and mostly the man who leads me to a room. Patricia, I need my full kit, demands the man as a woman goes rushing to another room. Maggie, painkillers, coagulates... Grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol. In here, tells me, the man which I guess is Hershel after throwing a cover off the bed.

- Is-is she alive? I ask, feeling slightly dizzy.

- Pillowcase, quick, orders, Hershel.

- Is-is she alive? I repeat my question louder, as I grab a pillowcase.

- Fold it... Make a pad, he tells me. I do what he told me and give him the pillow. Put pressure on the wound, I take a clean towel that a young woman hands me and put it Ruby's wound before pressing on it. The old man kneels next to her and listens for a heartbeat. At this moment, I can hear my own heart beating fast, scared of what he can tell me. I've got a heartbeat... I take a shaky breath in, a bit relief that my daughter is still breathing. It's faint.

- I got it... Step back, tells me a woman before Islowly back off from my daughter's body.

- Maggie, IV, orders' Hershel.

- We need some space, tells, the young woman, which I think is Maggie.

- Your name? questions the old man as he does everything to heal Ruby.

- R-Rick. I'm-I'm-I'm Rick, I answer, feeling powerless and almost like I am going to passed out.

- Rick, we're gonna do everything we can, okay? You need to give us some room. Now, I faintly nod as I slowly back off.

- Move! I hear Shane's voice teeling from outside. I see my best friend running and pushing the that shoot at my daughter. Carl is running a bit in front of Shane. I walk toward the exit and get out, needing some fresh air. I take my hat off as they stop in front of me.