rag doll | TWD

[30] cryin'

cryin' --- aerosmith

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[POV]

Alone with Judith, the hours stretched into what felt like days or even centuries. JJ was adrift, overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility that had suddenly fallen on her. Beth had always been the one to tend to Judith, and now JJ was left in charge of her. 

Judith's cries pierced through the silence. 

JJ gently rocked the baby, trying to soothe her. "Oh, no. No, no," she murmured, her voice trembling. "It's okay. I know you're hungry."

She glanced around, praying there were no walkers nearing on them. 

 "I know, I know. Shh, shh, shh. We're gonna find our people...I hope."

Judith's cries persisted, cutting through JJ's exhaustion. Desperate to find some way to soothe the baby, JJ's mind scrambled for a solution.

She took a deep breath and began to sing softly, "There was a time, when I was so broken-hearted. Love wasn't much of a friend of mine." Her voice was gentle, trying to calm the wails of the baby. 

JJ continued, her tone both soothing and nostalgic. "The tables have turned. 'Cause me and them ways have parted. That kind of love was the killin' kind." She sang the lyrics of Aerosmith's Cryin'.

As JJ's soft singing continued, Judith's cries gradually were replaced with gurgles of content. The blonde looked down at the baby with a weary smile. "You like that? That was Aerosmith. You get that from me," she murmured, her voice carrying a gentle mix of pride and affection.

She continued, her tone growing warmer with each word. "Your Aunt JJ was in a band. Your Aunt Maggie was in it too. We sang a lot of Aerosmith... and Bon Jovi. That was your mom's favorite band. She would only let me play Bon Jovi when I first started playing."

JJ began to walk again, her steps uneven but steady as she carried Judith through the dense woods, continuing to talk in a soothing way. "Your mom would've been disappointed. I should've paid more attention to you, and how Beth took care of you. That should've been me, taking care of you." She paused, her gaze distant. "Instead, I was too focused on a stupid crush." 

"You know what really sucks? He asked me to talk right before everything happened." She sighed, her mind raced as she spoke to Judith, who listened with wide, curious eyes. "Right? Like what was that about? ...I keep telling myself it was something dumb, like I left the keys in the guard tower again or something." 

JJ shook her head, "But he never would've asked 'Can we talk' if it was just about that. He would've just said it."

She glanced down at Judith, who cooed softly in response. "This is so embarrassing for me," JJ deadpanned.

Judith giggled, a soft, infectious sound that made JJ's heart swell despite the grim circumstances. "Look at that—making fun of other people's stupid crushes. You already got your aunt's humor," JJ said with a chuckle.

But the laughter was short-lived. As JJ's gaze fell on the two approaching walkers, the reality of their situation hit her like a cold wave. The joy and lightness faded from her face.

JJ reached for her gun, but her hand grasped at empty air. Panic surged through her as she quickly realized it wasn't there.

The blonde steadied herself, Judith clutched securely against her chest. As the first walker reached for her, she used her foot to keep it at bay, kicking it back just enough to buy herself a few seconds. With one walker momentarily held off, she focused her attention on the second one. With a deep breath, JJ drove her knife with precision, plunging it into the walker's skull.