Six Feet Under ➳ Rick Grimes

"Mom."

Then

"You've been spending lots of time with Carl, now you're picking him up from school? You're a devoted babysitter." My friend Jolie smiles playfully. "I told Rick I'd be there for him if he needs me and he's working late today so I thought I'd pitch in." I look at her and squint with the sun in my eyes.

As the bell rings I see the sheriffs car pull into the school. I push my short, black strands of hair out of my eyes. "Janey!" Shane shouts from the car. "Excuse me." I say to Jolie and walk over to Shane. "Is everything alright?" I ask. "Not really, no. Rick was uh...shot in a cross fire today." Shane tells me and my eyes widen. "Where is he?! Is okay?!" I panic. "He's in a coma right now." He tells me. I see Carl walk from the front doors and Shane and I wave to him.

I look at Shane who gives me a worried glance and I walk to Carl. "How was your day?" I smile. "Good." He nods. "That's good. I need to tell you something." I say and try to choke back tears. I've never been ricks favorite person, but I care about him and his son. "Your dad has been shot. he's in the hospital being monitored. He's going to be okay." I lie, I don't know for sure he'll be okay. Carl's eyes widen and he starts to cry.

I pull him into my chest and kiss his head. He already doesn't have a mother. The most friendly, heart filled and smart child should not be left without parents. He's my favorite person in the whole world, I can't allow that.

Now

"Look what we got Janey!" Carl shouts excitedly. "Frogs?" I question the young boy. "Yeah, Shane taught me how to catch them like an expert." He says with a bright smile. "That was nice of him." I smile at him and he sits on the ground beside me. "Are we gonna eat them?" I ask. Carl looks at Shane. "We can, if we need to. They're delicious." Shane says. "Sounds...gross." I say and Carl agrees. "You won't be saying that when a good ol' frogs legs are the only food we have left." Shane says and I chuckle.

"Janey, you wanna come into the city with us?" Glenn asks me. "No, I should stay here." I say and he nods. "Be safe." I remind the group before they leave. They hug me before they leave and I walk into the R.V. "Hey dale." I smile and he smiles back. "Hey Janey." He smiles and pats my shoulder. I go to the washroom and walk back out to the camp. "Why didn't you go with them?" Shane asks.

I look at Carl play in the dirt with his friend Sophia. "Because he's lost his mom and his dad, he doesn't need to lose me to." I answer and he nods. "Do you...do you ever think ricks still out there?" I ask as I hang clothes in the clothes line. "Sometimes I wish he were, but I remember the way he looked before I left. Pale, bloody. His monitors and life support would be out by now, there's no way he could have made it." He says Sadly and I sigh. "It's too bad, he'd be a good leader in this world." I say and Shane looks at me oddly.

"You don't think you're a good enough leader?" Shane asks. "I'm not the leader." I scoff and shake out a shirt. "I think..you are, its just not official." He says and I nod. "I clean clothes." I say and he laughs. "Maybe there doesn't need to be a leader." I smile at the small child's shirt in my hands. "There always has to be a leader." Shane says and walks away. I look at him and wonder when he changed.

He used to be...soft, almost. Friendly and funny, now he's hard and serious, most times at least. He protects us, although I know I'm strong enough to protect Carl and myself, I like having him around. I look back down at Carl's shirt in my hands. When I look back up at him, he looks at me and holds his hands up to show me how much mud he's gotten on them. I smile and wave before tears prick my eyes. I flop the shirt down and walk to my tent.

I let the tears flow before the tent opens and Shane enters. "Janey?" He asks and sits beside me. "He's just...adapting to this parent less, cruel and deadly world and it hurts me that there's nothing I can do to really protect him." Say through tears. "Now I won't accept that." He shakes his head kneels in front of me. He holds my hands and looks me in the eyes. "You are stronger than most of our group and you would die for Carl without hesitation. If that's the best you can do, then there's nothing to worry about." He says and I nod.