𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

22: Be My Baby

Glenn walked over to Rick and waved a hand in front of his face.

"Rick?" He said. "You with me, Rick?" Maggie handed Carl the baby. I broke away from Daryl and watched Carl.

"Let me see the baby." Hershel said.

"What are we gonna feed it?" Daryl asked. "We got anythin' a baby can eat?" Carl brought the baby over to Hershel. "The good news is she looks healthy. But she needs formula. And soon, or she won't survive." Hershel said. "Nope. No way. Not her. We ain't losin' nobody else. I'm going for a run." Daryl said.

"I'll back you up." I said.

"I'll go too." Glenn said. "Okay, think where we're goin'." Daryl replied. "You two get the fence. Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem." Daryl told the prisoners. "Glenn, Isa, vámonos." Daryl said. Rick grabbed the axe off the ground and ran into the prison.

"Rick!" Maggie called out. "Get the gate. Come on, we're gonna lose the light." We ran to the vehicles. "There's a Piggly Wiggly on eight-five." Glenn said. "No, the baby's section's been cleared." I replied. "Lori asked me to keep an eye out, but I haven't had much luck." "Is there any place that hasn't been completely looted?" Daryl asked.

"We saw signs for a shopping center just north of here." Glenn said. "There's too much debris on the road. The car'll never get through there." I told them. "I can take one of ya." Daryl said. "I'll go." "No, Isa, after everything you've been through, okay, I'll go." Glenn said. "No, I want to. I have to for Lori."

Glenn grabbed the backpack from the car. "Be safe." He said, handing it to me. "Always am." He held up his fist, and I smiled. I fist bumped him before walking over to Daryl's bike.

➳

"Company's close." Daryl said, stopping the bike. We got off. "Stay tight." He said. I jerked open the gate that led to daycare. I peared through a window before breaking it with the handle of my knife.

I pushed away the glass and went to the nearest cabinets. There wasn't much inside, but I grabbed it anyway. There were a few diapers and a pack of pacifiers.

We headed down the hall and into the small kitchen. There were strange noises coming from the pantry. Daryl motioned for me to open it while he held up his crossbow.

I flung open the door, and it was a possum. Daryl shot it. "Hello, dinner." He said slightly muffled due to the flashlight being in his mouth. "You can put that in your own bag." I said. I turned around to the cabinets and opened them. Three cans of formula were in there unopened. I grabbed them and shoved them in the backpack.

➳

The sun was gone by the time we got back. The prisoners drove away the walkers so we could enter. Glenn shot two of them that were headed for the gate.

Oscar opened the gate, letting us in before closing it and locking it. Daryl turned off the bike, and I ran inside with the backpack.

I heard baby girl crying. She was still in Carl's arms. "Beth." I said. She ran over as I dumped out the items. Beth grabbed a bottle and cleaned off the top while I grabbed a bottle of water and opened the formula container.

Beth dumped the water into the bottom, and I dumped a few scoops of the powder into it. Beth closed the top and shook it. She handed it to Daryl, who was now holding babygirl. He fed it to her, and she went silent, enjoying the milk.

I smiled softly and sat on the table with my feet on the bench. Beth sat next to me and rested her head on my knee. I looked down at her and played with her hair gently before turning my attention back to Daryl. "She got a name yet?" Daryl asked Carl.

"Not yet." He replied. "I was thinking maybe Sophia. Then there's Carol, too. And... Andrea. Amy." I smiled softly at the mention of her name. "Jacqui. Patricia. Or... Lori. I don't know." He turned around and looked upset. I grabbed his chin and smiled at him before grabbing his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.

"Yeah... ya like that? Huh? Little ass-kicker." Daryl said. "Right? That's a good name, right?" Daryl joked. "Little ass-kicker. You like that, huh? Ya like that, sweetheart?" Daryl continued to talk to babygirl.