Safe haven, Rick Grimes

029. PREPARE FOR A POTENTIAL WAR

Chapter twenty nine

"Prepare for a potential war." 

Rick, Daryl and Hershel had headed out for their meeting with the governor which left the rest of them back at the prison to prepare for a potential war, which involved making sure all the guns they brought back were loaded and that ammo was stashed anywhere someone might need it, but with Merle being there and seeing as nobody really liked him, Scarlett was left in charge as she held Judith in her arms and watched them all so did Merle "Carl, come here." Glenn told him, as Carl walked over to him.

Glenn held out boxes of ammo "you stash these at the loading dock. All right?" he asked, as Carl took them "Beth, put more up on the catwalk." Glenn told her, holding boxes out to her, Beth took them "if anyone get's pinned down, we need to make sure that they have plenty of ammo." Glenn shared, grabbing the power tools "I'll go work on the cage outside." he told them, going to walk off "what we should be doing is loading some this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to the governor. We know where he is right now." Merle shared.

As Beth walked off "you suggesting that we just got in and kill him?" Glenn asked "yeah, I am." Merle told him "we told Rick and Daryl that we'd stay put." Michonne told him "I've changed my mind sweetheart. Being on the sidelines with my brother out there ain't sitting right with me." Merle shared "three of them are right in the middle of it. No idea we're coming. They could get taken hostage or killed. A thousand things could go wrong." Glenn shared, as he and Carl walked off "and they will." Merle said, as the two stopped, Carl turned to him "my dad can take care of himself." he told him.

"Carl go please." Scarlett told him, fixing her hold on Judith, Carl walked off "sorry, son, but your.." Merle was saying, as Scarlett kicked him in the knee, Merle fell to his knees, putting his hand on the ground, Carl stopped on the steps looking watching her, as Scarlett walked up, stepping on Merle's last good hand, Merle groaned "you don't talk to him." Scarlett told him, as Carl turned walking out "it's not the right move. Not now. Can't take the risk of putting them in the crossfire. It's my decision. It's final." Glenn shared, walking off, and as he did, Scarlett took her foot off of Merle's hand and walked off herself.

Sometime had passed, as Scarlett fed Judith, she was putting her down in her crib to go to sleep "hey, you're not going." Glenn said, as Scarlett turned around, seeing Maggie and Michonne walk into the cafeteria "I don't need permission." Merle said "I can't let you." Glenn told him "you can't stop me." Merle told him "you're gonna live here with us, it's gonna be on our terms. If Michonne can't do it, why can't you?" Maggie asked "cause it's my brother out there, that's why. What's the matter with ya'll?" Merle asked, his voice booming.

As Judith started to cry, Scarlett turned to her "shh. Shh. It's okay. I'm here. You're safe." she told her, putting her hand down there, Judith grabbed it, shouting then could be heard, as Scarlett turned around her eyes wide, she turned back to Judith "I'll be right back." she told her, pulling her hand away, she stepped out of the cell, pulling her gun out of the holster, she took the safety off and walked into the cafeteria, finding Michonne and Maggie holding onto Merle while he was on top of Glenn, she aimed her gun to the ceiling and pulled the trigger, as they all looked to her.

Scarlett walked forward "I have a baby that is trying to sleep! And yet your out here throwing a tantrum! All because you think your a genius mastermind who's gonna sneak in and take out the governor when all you're gonna do is get everyone we care about killed! So just sit down and shut up!" she voiced, turning and walking back into the cell block, hearing Judith's cries, she walked into the cell "I'm sorry." she told her, picking her up from her crib and holding her in her arms, she kissed her on the forehead, she held her close to her.

Judith had soon fallen back asleep, as Scarlett put her back in her crib, she was standing outside the cell, she had gone out to check on Carl who was by the gate with Carol, Carl looked to her "everything alright?" he asked her, as Scarlett let out a breath "Merle is a handful." she shared, putting her arm around him, Carol raised her brows "what he do?" she asked "just thinks his way is the only way. Let's just hope he doesn't try to do it a third time before the others get back." Scarlett shared, as Carl leaned into her.

Where the three of them were waiting there for a while before Daryl's motorcycle came driving up with the car behind him, Scarlett and Carl stepped back, as Carol opened the gate allowing them to drive in as she shut it behind them, the three then walked up to them along with Maggie and Glenn as Daryl got off his bike and Hershel and Rick got out of the car "let's get inside." Rick told them, as they all began walking in.

Heading into the cell block, Michonne and Merle were there, as they all stood around waiting for what Rick was going to tell him, Rick grabbed one of the guns and stepped in front of them all "so, I met this governor. Sat with him for quite a while." he shared "just the two of you?" Merle asked "yeah." Rick said, as Merle turned to Glenn "should've gone when we had the chance, bro." he told him, walking away "he wants the prison. He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to woodbury. We're going to war." Rick told them, walking out of there.

And when he did everyone around them started talking "we should leave." Hershel told them "I agree. It'd be dangerous on the road but at least we'll be alive." Carol shared "no, we should hit them now." Merle said "we have enough fire power now to do so." Michonne shared, as they all continued talking, Scarlett turned around and began walking out of there.

Heading out to the walkway, Scarlett found Rick standing there, as she opened the gate and walked standing next to him "so Hershel still wants to leave, Carol agrees. And Michonne and Merle unsurprisingly think we should hit them before they hit us." she shared, as Rick looked to her "but I think if we still don't wanna leave, and stay and fight. Hershel and Carol will be okay with it." Scarlett shared, as Rick nodded, Scarlett furrowed her brows "what's wrong?" she asked him, stepping closer to him "he gave me a choice. A way out." Rick told her "what is it?" Scarlett asked him "Michonne." Rick told her.

As Scarlett's eyes went wide "Rick, he'll kill her on sight." she told him "and then kill us anyway." Rick told her, looking down then back up at her "what if he doesn't? What if this is the answer?" he asked "it's not. Your scared yourself, nobody else can see that but I do. And thinking of what if's is what's gonna get us all killed. And I know that in here..." Scarlett told him, bringing her hand up and putting it on his heart, Rick brought his hand up to her's, holding onto it "that you know that killing her when she has done nothing to harm us and has no intention on doing so is not the answer." she told him, leaning her forehead against his "but whatever decision you choose, I will stick by you." she whispered to him, as she turned away from him, walking off, Rick watched her go.