Scarlett Greene hadn't spoken since she was twelve. After her Daddy was arrested for abuse when she was seventeen, she is sent to live with her Uncle Hershel. Her life gets better, but the trauma is still there.
When the apocalypse begins, she take...
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SCARLETT HEARD FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING HER. She already knew it was Rick, but she still turned her head to glance at him. Her eyebrows were furrowed together in anger, fists clenched. Turning back, she felt the truck bed bounce as he sat next to her. She lifted her scope to ignore him, looking around.
"Talk to me," he pleaded.
She kept her scope up, her steely gaze on the darkness around them.
"Scarlett," he whispered, as if he was in pain while letting his hand carefully touch her thigh. He watched her lower the scope and glance at him.
"Why didn't you tell me about the virus?" she asked quietly. "That everyone I love will become one of those things whether I like it or not...?"
Rick sighed as he moved his hand to her face, wiping away a tear.
"I- I– I couldn't," he said honestly. "Didn't want to think of any of you like that."
"They're scared," she said, letting her eyes close as his hand stayed on her face. "They need you as their leader despite their doubts."
Rick smiled, placing a small kiss on her forehead. He rested his head against hers. "I need you. By my side."
"Where else am I gon'na go, Grimes?" she whispered.
Rick backed away, pulling the gun from her slowly. "Go rest. Carl won't sleep alone tonight. Lori is still grieving Shane, so she's locking herself away. I know I shouldn't ask—"
"You know I got him," she said gently. "Don't stay up all night."
"Yes ma'am," he said as he watched her climb down.
His eyes followed her form as she walked to the group, sitting in between Sophia and Carl. They snuggled up to her for warmth, and he watched Scarlett kiss both of their heads before her own eyes shut. Sighing in relief, he put his stern gaze back on protecting his family.
The next morning, Scarlett had Carl and Sophia practicing with their knives after a small breakfast. While they were practicing, Rick kept watch, Daryl was hunting, and Glenn and Maggie went on a run.
Beth walked up to Scarlett timidly. Scarlett smiled, pulling her cousin into a hug, watching the two kids throw their knives into the trees.
"Can I learn?" Beth asked.
Scarlett nodded, walking over to Carl. She tapped Carl's shoulder, gesturing to Beth. He nodded excitedly, loving the idea of teaching someone again.
Scarlett stepped back while they were learning, nodding at T-Dog as he came up to watch.
"You're good with the kids. Good at leading, too. We're glad Rick has someone keeping his head on straight," he admitted. "I love the guy. Just worried."
She nodded, feeling that was reasonable.
Daryl whistled in the same manner Scarlett always did, and she glanced at him with a smirk as he came out of the woods with two squirrels and a bird. T-Dog grinned, going to get the fire going again. It would be good to eat before they got on the road.
Glenn and Maggie came back with some fuel, water, and a request that they find somewhere to hole up for the night. Rick nodded, obviously knowing that was the plan. After packing everything up, they made sure they left no trace as they drove off toward the coast. It was their best bet right now.
Rick was driving this time as Scarlett put in a CD she had. Carl and Sophia were singing along happily, which made Scarlett giggle softly at Carl's imitations he made. Rick was still stressed, but his eyes went to Scarlett's then his boy which made him felt better.
They got another thirteen hour's of driving in, only stopping twice for bathroom breaks. It was good progress, but like everything, they slowly lost their bit of luck.
A low honk interrupted their silence as the sky grew darker. Rick sighed, muttering something under his breath as he put the truck in park. They all got out to see the issue.
T-Dog gestured to the smoke coming out of the front of their car.
"Damn it," Glenn murmured, opening the hood and the smoke gathering in his face causing him to cough.
"Must've broke something when I hit that walker comin' off the farm," T-Dog groaned out.
Scarlett let them check the car out while she got on top of her truck... literally on the top after climbing from the bed. She used Dale's old binoculars to get a look at the scenery around them. She felt the truck bounce a bit, and she caught herself before she tripped. Turning with a glare, Daryl only smirked and bounced the truck a bit more. Her glare did not falter as she waited for the child to stop. Daryl rolled his eyes with a smirk, walking forward.
Scarlett gave him the binoculars, pointing to the West. Daryl gave her a weird look before looking where she was pointing.
"Hey, Red found a town," Daryl called out to them. "Could just pile into the bed of the truck and get over there. Scout the town out."
Rick nodded. "No time to just sit here tinkering. Hershel, you and Lori get in the front of the truck. Beth, you sit with Carl and Soph. T and Carol, go with Glenn and Maggie. That's everyone accounted for, right? Scarlett and I will ride in the bed 'til we get there. Daryl, you lead the way."
T nodded. "I'll get the supplies out of the car."
"I'll siphon the gas out of the car," Glenn said, motioning for Maggie to help him.
Hershel helped Lori into the truck while he got into the drivers seat. After everyone was ready to leave, Scarlett stood, scope at the ready as they drove into town. Rick was on the other side, his gun drawn as well. Scarlett noticed Daryl had his crossbow at the ready just in case while he was in the lead.
The town was named Whispering Oaks, and it was dreadful.
Roamers lurked on the streets, but Scarlett saw the potention of the town... at least for a few nights.
