» Time Is Dancing « | » Carl Grimes «

» DO NOT SEND US ASTRAY PT. 1 «

War Puppies

I peered over the shields stuck in front of the house, Maggie and Kal by my side as we watched the sun disappear. People rushed about the courtyard, transporting various weapons and equipment to the necessary posts.

"Belle, I want you with me." Maggie muttered sternly when I stepped off the porch, her hand on my shoulder. I bounced my head in a nod, telling her I would be right back.

"I can help!" Henry argued furiously, his staff gripped in his hand like he was ready to use it. Carol ran a frustrated hand over her hair as she crouched in front of the boy.

"You can help in the house, it's not safe out here." She insisted, her voice desperate. It seemed like they had been doing this for a while.

My feet broke into a small jog to catch up to them, my hands immediately going to Henry's shoulders as he looked at me. He wanted to be part of the fight, I understood that more than a lot of people, but at the end of the day he was just a kid.

"Hey, kid. Can you help me out here?" He eyebrows furrowed as he listened intently. "I promise you can fight, but you gotta stay inside."

I called this tactic the 'Grimes Manoeuvre'- give someone a job with the pretence that they would be helping, but the main goal is keep them safe. It had been used a lot by Rick with both me and Carl, and it was apparently effective.

His expression twisted from fury to determination as he nodded once. "What do I need to do?"

"I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, because we're friends, right?" I asked. His eyes narrowed in suspicion but he agreed. I leaned down to his level, my voice hushed. "I'm pregnant, okay, and I need someone to protect me. Can you do that?"

Carol shuffled uncomfortably on her feet, her eyes sympathetic at the news. "You can protect Belle, right Henry? For the baby." She pushed, her voice quivering slightly.

"I can do it." He stated, following me back to Barrington house. My gaze met Carol's once more, her subtle nod of reassurance being the last thing I saw.

We reached the steps by Maggie and I kept a firm hand on Henry's shoulder, being sure he was always in my sight.

"They're here." Maggie announced, the rumble of vehicles pulling up to the gates. A wall of white shone from over the gates, the bright headlights aimed at the closed off community.

Maggie clicked the button on her walkie, her mouth set in a straight line. "Negan. I want to talk to Negan."

There was static on the other end until a familiar voice fed through, just not the one we were expecting. "Well, hello there. You are speaking to Negan, but my birth certificate says 'Simon'. With whom do I have the distinct pleasure of speaking?"

"Maggie Rhee." She replied proudly. "The Widow."

I wondered why Negan wasn't there himself, speaking down the radio with his taunting, amused tone.

"Hello again, Widow Rhee." Simon greeted, his voice light with entertainment. "Look, the bills come due, and you and your people are gonna have to pay. Quite dearly, I'm afraid."

Dianne herded the prisoners into the building, filing them one by one through the doors behind us with a threatening gaze.

"Your thirty eight people are alive and breathing. Turn around and leave us be, and they stay that way. But if you don't, I have thirty eight bullets that I will personally fire into all thirty eight." Maggie seethed, the radio at her lips. She held it out towards a Savior, the one I remembered as Alden, to speak.