Safe haven, Rick Grimes

022. TO THE WOMAN MY HUSBAND LOVES

Chapter twenty two

"To the woman my husband loves."

Where the baby girl started crying again and Scarlett knew it was because she was hungry, as Rick was up on his feet, Daryl was in front of him, waving his hand "Rick? Rick, you with me?" he asked, and as he did, Scarlett looked to Carl "can you hold her?" she asked, as Carl nodded, holding his arms out, Scarlett handed her over "yeah just like that." she told him, as she then began walking off, passing Daryl "I'm taking your bike." she told him, and when she did, Daryl turned his head to her "where you going?" he asked her "that baby's girl hungry and I'm not gonna let her starve!" Scarlett voiced.

As Daryl huffed, looking to Beth "Beth?" he asked her, as he began following after Scarlett, Beth followed him "kid just lost his mom. His dad ain't doing so hot. And the one person he wants to be around has to leave." Daryl whispered "I'll look out for him." Beth told him, as Daryl then looked to the two prisoners "you two get the fence. Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem." he shared, as he heard the sound of his bike engine, he spun around "get the gate!" he voiced, running toward's her.

The prisoners went toward's the gate opening it up, Daryl stepped in front of it "move back up. I'm driving." he shared, as Scarlett moved back, Daryl climbed on "you don't even know where we're going." Scarlett told him "which direction?" Daryl asked her "shopping center just north of here." Scarlett told him "alright." Daryl told her, putting his poncho on, Scarlett put her arms around him, holding on tight, as they began riding off.

Making it to the shopping center, Daryl soon stopped his bike, as Scarlett climbed off of it "company's close." Daryl told her, grabbing his crossbow "stay tight." he told her, as they walked toward's the fence, Scarlett opened the gate, as Daryl walked in first, Scarlett followed in behind him, as they walked past the playground, Daryl stopped and checked for walkers while Scarlett walked up to the building, looking through the windows, she then broke it, moving all the glass as she climbed inside, she saw two cribs and a bunch of rugs on the floor and paper made handprints on the wall.

She saw a bag on the ground, as she leaned down and grabbed it, walking toward's the sink, she opened the cabinet underneath and began taking the bottles, the diapers, everything in there, as Daryl climbed in through the window, Scarlett stood up "come on." she told him, putting the bag over her shoulders, she began walking out of the room, turning her flashlight on, she looked out and decided to head left, as she stepped out and began walking that way, Daryl stepped out and began heading right.

Although when Scarlett got to the room at the end of the hall, there was nothing they needed, as she turned walking back toward's Daryl, Daryl was moving toward's her, where as the two reached each other, a scratching could be heard coming from the room in between them, as the two lied against the wall, they turned their heads and looked into the room, but there was nothing there, as Daryl reached his hand down and opened the bottom half of the door, he walked into the kitchen, as Scarlett followed after him.

The scratching continued, as they looked to the closet to the left, Scarlett toward's it, as Daryl stayed back, holding his crossbow up, Scarlett reached her hand out and opened the closet door and as she did, a possum hissed at her, as Daryl shot it with a bolt "hello, dinner." he told her "great." Scarlett told him, turning around, and stepped toward's the counter, she put her gun down on it, and took her bag off, putting it down next to it, she opened the cabinets above, finding more bottles and baby formula, she began taking it all and putting it in her bag, where when it was empty, she zipped it up and put it back around her back, grabbing the gun, her and Daryl turned heading out of there.

Driving back to the prison, it was dark out, as the two began speeding in, a walker to their right was shot down, as one of the prisoners opened the gate, allowing them to drive in, heading up the hill, the two parked by the rest of the cars, as Scarlett quickly got off, running inside, Daryl followed after her.

Heading down the stairs, the baby girl was crying, as Scarlett walked over to one of the tables, dumping out everything in her bag, she grabbed the bottle and the formula, as Maggie walked up to her with the water "Scarlett." she told her, but Scarlett didn't say anything, putting the baby formula into the bottle, the babies cries filled her ears, as Glenn came walking in along with the prisoners, Scarlett put the water in and as she did, she then closed the bottle and walked over to Daryl "I got her." she said, as Daryl handed her over to her "shh. It's okay. Here you go." Scarlett told her, feeding her the bottle.

The crying stopped, as they all watched her "did you name her yet?" Scarlett asked, looking into the baby's eyes, as she looked into her's "not yet. I was thinking maybe Sophia. Then there's Carol, too. And.." Carl shared, sighing "Andrea. Amy. Jacqui. Patricia. Or..Lori. I don't know." he shared "you don't have to." Scarlett told him, holding the baby close to her "Scarlett?" Hershel asked her, as Scarlett hummed, looking up at him, Hershel motioned his head to the cell block and as he did, Scarlett turned handing the baby to Daryl.

Hershel began walking to the cell block, as Scarlett followed after him "is this about Rick?" she asked him, as Hershel walked into his cell, sitting down on his bed, Scarlett walked in "I was supposed to hold onto this until the time it was needed." he told her, pulling a letter out from under his pillow, he turned and held it out to her, Scarlett furrowed her brows, grabbing it, the envelope read, to her "what is this?" she asked him "something your supposed to read on your own." Hershel told her, grabbing his crutches, he got up and began walking off, back to the others.

Scarlett turned walking out of the room, she walked down the cell blocks, finding one that nobody had been using, she sat down on the bottom bunk and opened the envelope, and when she did, she pulled out a letter as she unfolded it

To the woman my husband loves

If you're reading this, then, I am gone and you had no choice to be the one to do it. And because of this, your gonna think he hates you and he's probably gonna speak to you again but unlike me, he loves you beyond a shadow of a doubt. Always has since the day he met you. And I know that you can help him get through this just like you have everything else because I know you feel the same way about him as he does about you.

The letter read, as Scarlett started crying

Which is why I wanted to write you this letter because I know neither you or him would ever tell me, so I need to let you know something. I'm so glad he has you. Because outside of Rick and Carl and this baby boy or girl, you are the most important person in the world to me.

Because I'm gone.

And they're yours now. And I know you will take care of them.

You always have.

So make them laugh. Hold them when they cry. Stand up for them and teach them wrong from right, cause knowing your with them gives me hope.

Hope that this baby boy or girl will grow up loved and safe. Hope that Carl will stay your brave boy and come to you for anything, Hope that Rick tells you that he loves you. Hope that one day my family will be whole again.

I'll be watching over all of you

Lori.

And when she finished reading it, she was sobbing.