Tomorrow Will Come

Forty Two

Mary had spent the past few weeks waiting for the last snow - she knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time. Winter had already hit the Kingdom hard - they were struggling with food, and the pipe bursting, and the structures falling. A little of anxiety grew in her stomach thinking about it. About that happening to them. About the snow hurting them, knowing how bad snow can be. She was so ready to get the last load of snow out of the way for the year. To go and help the Kingdom more, to help fix what the winter had killed. She was ready for spring, for brighter, warmer, longer days, with horse rides and scavenging and trips to see the other communities.
"Can I learn the katana?" RJ asked suddenly, pulling Mary out of her thoughts of spring flowers and swimming in the creek.
"What?"
"Katana? Like momma and you and Judith? Can you teach me?"
"How about no," Mary scoffed, "you know how to use a little knife. That's enough."
"I could be in a survival situation." RJ parroted seriously, making Mary roll her eyes.
"Boy, do you really think you'll be alone and in that situation? You've got a whole town of aunts and uncles who won't ever let anything happen to you. And that's after your sisters and mommy and uncle Aaron."
"I want a gun," RJ pouted, "you could have one at my age."
"Yeah, well if we're ever in that situation, you can learn. Buddy, you're safe. You don't need that."
"You wasn't safe?"
"No. Not when I was little. But we all are now."
"Why wasn't you safe? Because of Walkers?"
"Yeah. And bad people. Bad people that hurt us. Really bad people. But they can't get you."
"You killed them? You and dad?"
"Yeah. We did." Mary nodded, and RJ smiled in pride.
"Kids! Dinner!" Michonne shouted, making Mary jump a little. Mary took RJ's hand, and walked downstairs, sitting at the candlelit dinner table. The dinner wasn't amazing - just their ration of homemade pasta with a canned tomato sauce - but it was nice to have something hearty and warm in their stomachs. Judith picked at hers, leaving the whole tomatoes to the side, only enjoying the sauce, making RJ's forehead crease.
"Judith! It's yummy! Eat the tomatoes!" RJ insisted, making Judith roll her eyes.
"Canned ones taste like crap." Judith mumbled, earning herself a scolding from Michonne.
"Eat. Be grateful you can have a filling, warm meal. We got word from the Kingdom today, and they don't even have that right now."
"Why," Mary asked, "what's going on? Is it worse?"
"Yeah, baby. The pipes have fully gone. They've got no heat. No way of warming food." Michonne sighed sadly, and Mary's stomach became a knot, thinking of her friends in that community. In Alexandria the power was being rationed, but it often was - solar power is a life saver, but didn't give them enough for the whole community to have power whenever they needed it. Now they could only have power for a few hours a day in the evenings, and even then they rarely used the lights, just the heat. From six to eight pm, it was meal time with their power rations, then baths and bed while they could go to sleep warm.
Every night people went to sleep with a million blankets and a hot water bottle - Mary's wrists were sore from knitting so many blankets and jumpers. But evidently their lack of power was nothing in comparison to the Kingdom's problems.
"They're going to evacuate?" Mary asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts, and Michonne nodded.
"I was getting to that. I need to go, to help them all get out safely. Especially with, with those Skin freaks."
"When?" Mary sighed, knowing Michonne didn't want her to go.
"I'm going to leave tomorrow. At first light. A few of us are going, Daryl and Aaron too. We'd really love it if you can stay, look after Judith, RJ, and Gracie."
"Don't think I have a choice." Mary muttered, making Michonne exhale sharply.
"No," the mother replied, "you don't. Not really."
"I wanna go." Judith whined suddenly, making Mary roll her eyes.
"You can't even cope with the cold in the house. With blankets and insulated walls. You'd cry the whole way to the Kingdom."
"I can cope! Mom, tell her! I never complain about it."
"You're handling it very well, Jude." Michonne confirmed, making Mary roll her eyes yet again.
"Yeah, Mary." Judith taunted, making Mary's eyes roll a third time.
"I like it. With my Mary blanket." RJ beamed, oblivious to the girl's petty argument.
"Well you can cuddle up really warm in that while I'm gone." Michonne smiled softly.
"Why's Daryl not come for dinner?" RJ asked, Mary shrugging.
"I don't know. Maybe he's busy."
"Because he smells." Mary shrugged teasingly, making RJ giggle.
"He never showers!" RJ laughed, making Michonne scoff teasingly.
"Neither do you! Come on now. Finish your meal." Michonne ordered with a smile, and the children ate quickly, the conversation faltering as Mary half glared at Michonne, still annoyed she wasn't aboard of the evacuation plan.

"I miss dad." Mary whispered to Michonne, as they laid in the huge bed that night, the four of them all together, Judith and RJ fast asleep.
"I know you do. I do too."
"I want to help tomorrow."
"You are helping. I need you with them. With RJ and Judy."
"Dad would've let me." Mary mumbled under her breath, closing her eyes.
"Honestly? He wouldn't have honey. It's not safe, and it's not fair. And Judith and RJ need you, okay?"
"He would have!"
"If there was no one else," Michonne said quietly, "if there wasn't a safer alternative, he would have brought you. There is. You don't need to be there. I need you safe, Mary. I couldn't help Henry, or Enid. Or André or Carl. I can help you. I can keep you safe. So you stay."