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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their home
"DO YOU THINK SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING?" Glenn asked as they sat around outside the infirmary. It had been a few days since that horrible battle. Carl had woken up from getting shot in the eye by Ron. He was inside the infirmary every day, though, sitting by Scarlett's side. "When she saved me? She didn't even think. That walker should have tore through my neck."
"That's who she is," Daryl grumbled out, looking at his arm where the bandage was. He had given her a lot of blood, but it was worth it. "That's who she's always been."
Maggie nodded. "S-She knew what she was doin'."
"She should've died out there," Tara commented. "It's what Denise said. There was no question about it. She survived somehow. Got y'all home."
They noticed across the street where Michonne was sitting with Judith on her lap. Rick sat on the porch steps, Annie in his lap.
"Y'all scarred him," Rosita snorted. "Carryin' her in with blood everywhere. She was pale as all hell. He had just seen a bunch of people die. He figured she was just another one."
"He won't talk to me," Glenn muttered.
"He will," Maggie promised.
Carl walked outside, eyes widening as the group sat around. He itched his chin, clearing his throat. "Uh... she's askin' for Dad. What do I do?"
"I got it," Daryl grumbled.
Carl nodded as he looked to Glenn. "She wanted to see you, too."
Glenn took a deep breath, standing up. He walked into the infirmary to see Scarlett laying there still looking pale and dead as she breathed shakily. Her arm was properly wrapped now, and he saw some prosthetic designs next to her that Aaron brought over.
Her eyes opened, squinting a bit at the light.
"Hey, pizza man," she teased before coughing. "I had to make sure you were alive. That last part of the night kinda was a blur."
"I'm alive. Thanks to you," he told her as he heard the door open. Rick stood there, his gaze hard as Carl followed him in. Both were holding a baby, and Scarlett smiled. Her cracked lips went into a beaming grin that Rick thought he would never see again. "I got your gun. It was hiding in a walker's body. Cleaned it. Put it at your house."
"Thanks, Glenn," Scarlett whispered. "Thanks for gettin' me home."
Glenn nodded, turning to walk out the infirmary. Before he could get passed Rick, Rick stopped him. He sighed a bit. "Thank you."
Glenn nodded and left.
Rick walked over to Scarlett's bedside with Carl following.
"Momma!" Judith clapped happily. Scarlett beamed further as a tear left her eye.
"Hey, baby," she whispered.
Carl bounced Judith who was babbling nonsense. Annie was asleep in Rick's arms. Scarlett's gaze went to Rick who was staring at her as if staring at a ghost.
"Hey," she whispered. "I'm here. I'm still here."
Rick's resolve cracked as he finally let the tears fall. Denise noticed this, so she quickly walked over and grabbed Annie from him. Carl told her they should give them some space. Denise agreed, shutting the curtain around her bed.
Rick sobbed openly, holding her good hand.
"I didn't know where you were," Rick said. "I wanted to come after you. Michonne promised you'd send a sign. When we saw the balloons, I thought that meant all was well."
"All was well," Scarlett promised. "Glenn was about to get bit on his neck. There was no saving that. I chose to save him. And he and Enid saved me. We got home. I know it was almost too late, but we got home. I'm right here, Sheriff," she said softly, holding his hand tightly.
Rick laid his head on her hand, rubbing it. "You can't leave me."
"Never, Grimes. You're stuck with me. We saved Alexandria. We'll keep prospering. Annie and Jude are gonna grow up here. Carl's gonna be okay. I'm gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay. I love you," she told him.
"I love you more. Always," he repeated.
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A week later, Scarlett was out of the infirmary. She wore a bandage on her arm to hide the hideous cut Glenn did, but she was happy. She was walking around Alexandria, watching them remove the bodies of the walkers one by one. Birds still chirped. The wall was being rebuilt. Kids still laughed. Scarlett smiled.
She walked past some neighbors, waving at them with her good hand. She kept going.
She passed Carl who had a two seater stroller. He was walking the babies with Sophia at his side. They waved at her.
"Hey, Mom," Carl called. "Feelin' okay?"
"Yeah, you?"
"Yeah," he replied with a wink? A blink? She bit her lip to stop herself from asking the question. She kissed his cheek as they passed, having to reach up to do so now that he was taller than her.
She passed Enid who was reading. Maggie was talking to her, and they both waved. Scarlett grinned.
Her mission was finished when she got to the wall. Rick was standing at the top with his hands on his hips as he surveyed Alexandria from a birds eye view. He noticed her coming, and he smirked.
She climbed the ladder slowly, letting Rick help her when she got to the top. He stood next to her, holding her hand. Her wedding ring was on her hand, and he was twirling it methodically.
"This is home. We get to rebuild. Keep livin'," Rick told her. "We made it. Together."
"We did. Lost a lot along the way, but we did it."
"I thought about Shane today. Lori. Dale. Andrea and Amy. Jacqui. Jim. Morales. T-Dog. Hershel and Beth. Hell, even Merle," Rick whispered. "They would have loved it here. Made it home."
"We make it home for them," she told him.
He turned and smiled. Nodding, he kissed her on the lips. "Home. Such a strange word. Haven't thought of anywhere as home since this whole thing started. You probably haven't since the farm, yeah?"
"That's not true," Scarlett teased. "You were my home. Still are. So as long as I was with you, I was home."
Rick smirked, leaning his chin on her head as he pulled her in front of him. "Yeah, yeah, you're right."
"I love you, Rick Grimes."
"I love you, Scarett Grimes. Ever since I met you."
And he squeezed her tightly. They had a lot of work to do, but that work was what was going to make this place more of a home for their family. She smiled, seeing Carl lean over and kiss Sophia. She saw Glenn crouching to kiss Maggie's stomach. She saw Carol kiss Tobin.
Scarlett smiled further when Daryl approached them on the ground.
