That night Mary was asleep, her bed in between Rosita's and Michonne's, Rick laid awake next to Mary, refusing to sleep. Carl had been banished to Aaron and Eric's house, Rick insisting he needed to sleep. Hypocritically and understandingly, Rick didn't sleep all night, worried that Mary could die and Michonne could worsen.
"Hey. Hey, where... What happened?" Rosita mumbled, waking up. Rick sat up and went over to the woman, sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Hey," he soothed, grabbing her hand, "hey, it's okay. You were shot, remember? But it went straight through, so you'll be okay. Do you want a drink?"
"Which one?" Rosita asked suddenly, her face turning even paler.
"Which one what?"
"Which one of your kids is here? You wouldn't be here if it was one of them or Michonne. Who's hurt?" Rosita croaked.
Rick breathed in slowly, then sighed, and Rosita knew. A tear ran down her cheek, and she squeezed Rick's hand even tighter.
"Mary?"
"Yeah. And Michonne. Mary was shot. She's in a bad way. Lost a lot of blood. And Michonne was beaten, choked. It's not good. Not with Mary. She's not really woken up yet." Rick whispered.
"She'll make it," Rosita said firmly, "she always does. Nothing will kill her."
"I'm gonna get you that water." Rick nodded, dropping Rosita's hand and patting it gently. He filled up a small cup, then added a straw and passed it to the woman, who drank it all.
"Gotta set her up an IV. What dumbass sorted her out? 'Cos she needs an IV." Rosita sighed, her face turning towards Mary.
"Jo. She was a scrub nurse, years ago. The best we had." Rick said firmly, and Rosita nodded.
"Go in those drawers. Those ones," Rosita ordered, "and get one of the clear bags. Not that one. The one with the... It has a blue tag on it. Denise did that. To hydrate, but it also has antibiotics and pain meds. She'll need them. She had a blood transfusion?"
"Yeah." Rick nodded, holding the IV bag.
"Okay, look in her arm. The cannula - the tube - is it still in there?"
"Yeah. Yeah, it is."
"Okay, attach the IV bag wire into the cannula, then hang the bag on her stand." Rosita ordered, and Rick did as she said.
"What about 'Chonne?" He asked nervously, looking at his sleeping lover.
"Wait. We don't have many resources, and she could wake up soon. Wait. But if she's not awake by... What time is it?"
"Four." Rick sighed, looking at his watch.
"Carl'll be here at eight, nine, I'm guessing? If she's not awake then, do it then. Wake me back up, and I'll tell you how."
"How are you?" Rick asked suddenly, and Rosita nodded.
"I'll be fine. Go back to sleep. It's what I'm gonna do." Rosita sighed, then she scoffed. "I don't know what I'm on about. There's not a chance you'll go to sleep, is there?"
"No." Rick said honestly, as he laid down next to Mary, but after a few minutes, he couldn't fight the exhaustion anymore.
"Dad? Dad, Maggie wanted to talk to you." Carl whispered, shaking his father's shoulder to wake him up.
"M-Mary? 'Chonne?" Rick panicked immediately, and Carl nodded.
"They're fine. No change. Maggie is outside."
Rick nodded, and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay. Get me if anything changes, but I'll not go anywhere. Just there." He sighed, walking out of the door to see Maggie.
"How are they?" She asked immediately, and Rick sighed.
"Not great. Maggie... I..." Rick began, thinking back to when they last saw each other and he and her had argued after Maggie had shouted at Mary.
"I just want her to be okay." Maggie nodded, and nodded back.
"I'll let you know when it changes. Thanks for coming." Rick sighed, before walking back into the room.
"Dad. Michonne's awake." Carl announced, as soon as he walked through the door.
Rick strode over to Michonne, and leant over her. "Hey, hey, how are you feeling? D'you want some water? Can you manage some water?" Rick asked the woman softly, his voice full of love, her brown eyes fixed on him. She nodded, but as he went to get it, she grabbed Rick's wrist.
"M-M-Mar... Ry. 'Ary." Michonne croaked hoarsely.
"She's gonna be okay. She's not woken up yet, but she'll be okay. Don't worry about her, okay? I've got her. I'm gonna get you a drink." Rick soothed, walking away. He got her a drink, then came back, stroking the top of her head.
"Can you sit? I'll help you sit." Rick mumbled, sitting on the bed, right next to Michonne. He propped up her pillows, then slowly helped Michonne sit up, leaning against the pillows and himself.
"Can you swallow? Your throat's really swollen. Just... Take little sips, yeah?" Rick soothed, raising the straw into Michonne's mouth. The woman swallowed the water slowly, each movement visibly painful, but when she was done, she spoke up again.
"Te-tell 'e 'at happened with 'Ary." Michonne rasped, and Rick sighed, resting his head on Michonne's shoulder.
"I don't know. She was shot. I found her. Jo saved her. And she's still asleep. God, I'm so scared. What if... If she slips away?"
"She 'on't." Michonne said firmly, straining her voice. "'Arl?"
"I'm here." Carl smiled softly, walking over and holding her hand. Michonne held it even tighter, raising it to her cheek, and Carl whimpered.
"I'm scared." He breathed, and Michonne kissed his hand, her eyes telling him a million words, reassuring him.
"'T's 'kay. Gonna... Be okay." Michonne rasped, and Carl nodded tearfully. "Gonna be 'kay."
YOU ARE READING
Just Keep Walking
FanfictionMary Grimes was dying after the prison attack. She would have died, if Michonne hadn't saved her when everyone else, including her father, presumed she was dead. Rick Grimes was lost after the prison attack. He had lost both of his daughters and hi...
