Leah Grimes

Chapter 82

I followed Dad to our horses riding gone beside him in the dark. "You haven't been coming back much." I bit my lip, "I know that." He gave me a small smile, "it's your home." I shook my head, "right now you're my home, as pathetic as it sounds. Makes Carl right about me, I'm always relying on my Dad to make me feel safe." Dad smiled, "it's not pathetic, it makes sense. I want you to feel safe with me, I want you to always feel comfortable with me. No matter how old you get you'll still be my little girl." I rolled my eyes, "I'm glad."

We pulled up to the gates and I walked into our house seeing everyone was already asleep. "Goodnight Leah." He leaned down placing a kiss on my forehead and I climbed up the stairs walking into my bedroom.

Most of the night I spent staring up at the ceiling, occasionally turning my head having some odd feeling Carl would be beside me in his bed, but each time I looked it was empty. When light crept through I got dressed carefully opening the door to Judiths room.

I sat down on the edge of her bed pushing hair out of her face as she let out a small cough. "Sissy," she whispered. I gave her a small smile as she sat up happily wrapping her arms around my neck. "How's my favourite sister?" I asked tickling her belly. Her laughs were contagious and I only stopped when Dad walked in. "Judith, aren't you glad Leahs home? We're going to have a family fun day." I looked at him narrowing my eyes, "I need to get back to the bridge." Dad shook his head, "you're taking the day off and this is not a discussion. Look how happy she is your home."

"Our first stop is the doctors office." I groaned turning to Judith. "Should we run?" She nodded grabbing my hand and I picked her up taking off from the room. I heard Dads footsteps behind me making me run even quicker. When he grabbed my shoulders I screamed making Judith squeal with delight.

"Doctors NOW." Dad pointed at the door pushing us in front of him. Siddiq met us in the infirmary setting Judith on the table. He asked her to take a deep breath and when she wouldn't he looked at me. "Do it like Leah, she'll show you." I took a big breath in watching her smile grow. "It's your turn Judith." When we were free to leave the office, Michonne and Dad each took one of her hands swinging her forward as they walked. I stayed beside them, remembering the family day Carl took us on when he had gotten bit.

"Judith, go grab a story. We'll all read it together." I sat in front of Dad on the steps leaning my back against his knees smiling when Judith came back out with a storybook. Dad opened it clearing his throat, we had only gotten halfway through when I watched someone run up towards our house. "Leah keep reading." I took the book from him looking up a few times to try and figure out what they were talking about.

Dad turned around looking at me, "let's go Leah." I placed a small kiss on Judiths forehead, "I'll come back soon. I love you." She put both her hands on the side of my face kissing my cheek, "love you Le Le."

I followed Dad to our horses following as he took off out the gates. We arrived to see the Saviours in a big group against everyone else. "ENOUGH." Dad yelled pushing them apart. "Saviours go redirect, work on the grid."

I tied my horse up and walked over to Alden. "What happened?" He pointed over at the man who was fighting with dead on a trailer. I turned to Dad and Maggie was standing beside him. "We're going to figure out how this happened, but until then no one is getting guns." Alden sighed, "just give them to a few people you trust. Don't you trust me?" Maggie shook her head, "no ones getting guns that's not part of the deal."

Maggie grabbed my arm, "let's go I'll be part of your grid." We met up with Cyndie from Oceanside and began walking through the forest. We saw two walkers cross the forest in front of us, and Maggie brought the walkie to her lips, "we have movement, going to check it out."

I heard Dad answer, "we're headed your way, Grid five move there too." I followed them to some sort of old house, as Cyndie walked across the porch I heard a snap and saw her leg get pulled though the boards. Walkers began pushing on the door, and it only took a few seconds before they came flooding out. Cyndie pushed herself out, and I stood beside Maggie stabbing my knife into every walker that reached its arms out towards me.

I stepped back breathing heavily when the last one had fallen, footsteps came up the porch and I turned to see Dad with Daryl and Rosita. "You guys good?" I nodded and Rosita looked around, "where's grid five, they should have gotten here before us?"