Protection (Rick Grimes)

Chapter Fifteen

I continue to cry as I walk alone through the woods. I'm away from the lodge now and I know that if anyone inside those walls really cared for me and wanted me there, they would have came running after me. But they didn't, so that just makes me still so loved and cared for.

I can't believe Rick would do something like that! And then tell everyone and make everyone believe that it was an accident.

Yeah, he really wanted to be with me.

Chelsea's POV

"What the hell?!" I yell at Rick when he walks up.

"What did I do?" He asks.

"What did you do?! Rick, you just shot Lyndon and now Danielle left! What did you say to her?!"

"I didn't say anything to her after she yelled at me! But...why did she leave?"

"Then who else-" I stop yelling. Gabriel. My blood begins boiling as I storm off to the lodge Gabriel has been staying in. I kick the door open, scaring the hell out of him.

"What the hell is your problem?!" I yell at him. He just looks at me with a confused look.

"What the hell did you say to Danielle to make her leave?!" I yell.

"I didn't say anything. It was her choice completely. She came to me crying and saying she wanted to leave."

My eyes widen, "so you...so you didn't say anything to encourage her decision or to make her stay?"

"I said nothing."

I nod and leave the lodge. Why would she do that? This doesn't make since.

Danielle.

I begin running towards the gate, ignoring everyone asking what I was doing.

"Chelsea!" I hear Daryl yell. I ignore it. Someone grabs my arm making me stop. I turn around and Daryl is standing there.

"What are you doin'?" He asks.

"I can follow her. I can make sure she's okay and when she stops somewhere safe, I can come back here and lead everyone to her." I explain.

"That's too dangerous." He says.

"Daryl, I've been on my own in this outbreak every since it started with no one helping me. I'll be watching Danielle, and completely out of her sight. She'll be okay and I'll be okay." I assure him. He sighs. I look behind him and no one is watching. They are all talking to Rick. I quickly kiss Daryl's lips then smile.

"I'll be okay." I assure him. He kisses me again and intertwines our fingers together.

"Let me go with you." He tries.

"No, Daryl. You need to be here. I'll be back." I say and begin leaving the lodge. I turn back and see Daryl smiling at me. I smile and wink at him before leaving to find Danielle.

After walking for a while, I see Danielle sitting down, leaning against a tree. Crying. I want to go over to her and tell we that everything will be okay and that what Rick did was a mistake, but I can't. Well...I could, but that's not part of my plan.

Danielle grips her hair and I can tell she's extremely upset. She turns and punches the tree next to her making me cringe.

"Why?" She cries to herself and lays her head on the tree beside her. She then stands up and begins walking. I follow behind for a little ways before she climbs a tree. I quickly make my way back to the lodge to get everyone. We're not going to let her know that we're following her yet. I just don't want to get to far away from everyone and get lost again.

Danielle's POV

I wipe my tear stained face and stand up from the small stream I found. I glance around before walking away from the stream.

I need to find shelter. Water. Food. I don't have much ammo and already lost one arrow.

Should I have stayed with them? Or did I make the right choice?

Because now...it seems like there isn't a right choice. It seems like I'm going to regret it somehow with either choice. I feel as if no matter what I choice, something else will happen. No matter what it is.

Fuck this world.

Fuck everything.

I'm done. I can't take it. I want out.

I hear groaning making me cringe a little. I turn and see two walkers stumbling my way. Might as well let them get me. What's the point anymore?

Lyndon is dead and no one cares what happens to me. What's the point?

The walkers get closer to me and when they get close enough that they could kill me, I panic and kill one of them. I back up from the other and calm down.

It's for the better. This is what I want to happen. So I'll let it happen. I stare at the walker as it slowly gets closer to me.

Right before the walker can bite and rip me apart, someone shoots it and it falls to the ground.

You've got to be kidding me.

"Danielle?" I hear. I turn and see a familiar boy with strawberry blond hair.

"Austin?" I say, stunned that he found me.

"What are you doing alone? Don't you have a group?" He asks and walks over to me.

"Had. I had a group. I left."

"Why?"

"I'll tell ya later." I assure him. He nods so I add, "Can I join you?"

"Yeah. Come on. I know were we can stay for the night." He says. I smile and follow him. Maybe I don't have to end this. I can stay with Austin and survive this. I can stay with him. I can stay with Austin and not have to worry about someone shooting my son or lying to me. Or watching people I love being killed or ripped apart right in front of me.

Maybe I can be happy again.