Safe haven | Rick Grimes

012. IF HE KICKS US OUT OF HERE

Chapter twelve

"If he kicks us out of here."

By the next morning, Carl was finally back on his feet, and Daryl had dragged himself out of the house to recuperate at his own campsite. Scarlett spent her morning deliberately keeping her distance from Shane, navigating the farm like a ghost.

Glenn caught up with her near the edge of the camp, holding out a piece of dried meat. "Here," he said gently.

"I'm not hungry," Scarlett replied, stepping around him without breaking her stride.

Glenn turned, looking after her with concern. "How can you not be hungry?"

Before he could pursue her, a sharp whistle cut through the air. "Yo, peach man!" Shane called out. Glenn stopped sighing, and turned back to join Shane, Rick and Jimmy by the trucks.

Lori approached Scarlett next, falling into step beside her. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Scarlett said, the lie slipping out automatically. "Just..a lots happening, you know? Carl getting shot, then Daryl. And Sophia is still out there missing."

"Yeah," Lori agreed softly, nodding. Her eyes flicked past Scarlett's shoulder, noticing Glenn, Rick, and Shane all looking in their direction.

Sensing the eyes on her, Scarlett didn't wait around. She turned and walked off alone.

It was target practice day. As the rest of the group gathered their gear and headed toward the vehicles, Scarlett leaned against the side of the RV, quietly watching them prepare to leave.

Shane caught her eye. "You coming?" he called out.

Scarlett didn't answer him. Instead, she turned on her heel and retreated inside the RV.

Sitting at the small dining table, she stared blankly down at the dark, swollen bruise wrapping around her wrist. She was so lost in her own head that she didn't even hear the door open.

"That's a nasty bruise," Dale noted softly.

Scarlett gasped, quickly pulling her sleeve down to cover the mark.

Dale walked over and sat down in the bench across from her, his eyes filled with gentle wisdom. "I remember your first day in our camp," he shared quietly. "You stood up for Carol. You let Ed hit you instead, and then Shane went and beat his face in."

Scarlett stared at the table, her voice barely a whisper. "I thought..I thought he could keep me safe. He told me he could. But..it only takes fifteen seconds." She tugged the cuff of her sleeve completely over her hand.

Dale watched her closely. "He wanted you to leave with him, didn't he?"

Scarlett nodded, a tear threatening to spill. "And when I questioned him about it, he put his hands on my shoulders. I tried to remind him about that day in the RV—how Rick saved all of us—but he didn't want to hear Rick's name. When I walked away, he followed me. I think the only reason he didn't grab me again was because I stepped around him and ran toward Rick."

"Because you felt safe with him?" Dale asked.

Scarlett finally looked up, meeting Dale's gaze. "I ran away from my husband all the way to King County. I just wanted a fresh start, and I wasn't planning on staying there long. But then I met a man in a bar. We drank together, and he told me his story, and I told him mine. He promised me I would be safe there. And I was. Then, he almost died, and I saved him. Just like he saved me."