Safe haven | Rick Grimes

041. MARRY ME

Chapter forty one

"Marry me."

Having been walking along the road, they soon stopped. Scarlett sat down to feed Judith her bottle, with Carl sitting right next to her. Rick sat across from them, but his eyes drifted toward the road ahead.

"I'll be right back," he told them.

"Okay," Scarlett replied.

Rick stood up and walked off into the brush. Scarlett turned her attention to Carl, her chest tightening with guilt.

"I'm sorry for taking her from you," she shared softly. "Things just have been..."

"I know," Carl interrupted gently, looking at her.

Scarlett noticed the fresh scratches marring his face. She reached out, tenderly brushing her hand against his cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't come find you. You wouldn't have been in there if I had."

Carl shook his head, looking away from her. "They didn't do that."

Scarlett's eyes went wide. "Carl."

Carl looked back at her, his voice dropping to a low, fragile breath. "I remembered what you told me to do. Dad... he killed them."

Hearing his whispered words, Scarlett wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him tightly against her chest. Over his shoulder, she looked in the direction Rick had gone. A heavy, silent understanding washed over her: both she and Rick had killed to keep their children safe.

As night fell, Carl and Judith slept soundly in Scarlett's arms. Rick walked back over and sat down directly behind her, wrapping his arms securely around her waist. Scarlett let out a long breath and leaned back against his chest.

"Did he tell you?" Rick asked quietly.

"I had a talk with him about something like that back at the prison," Scarlett shared, staring into the dark. "I wanted to make sure if it ever happened, he knew how to stay safe. And you kept him safe."

Rick reached down and gently grabbed her hand, tracing the raw, healing lacerations. "What happened to you?" he asked, having noticed the fresh injuries earlier, including the deep gash on her leg.

"We were with Lizzie and Mika," Scarlett began, her voice trembling as she took a deep breath. "Lizzie... she cared more about the walkers than real people. Tyreese and Carol had gone out to get water. Then I heard Mika screaming, begging her sister to stop. She screamed, and then... it just stopped."

She squeezed her eyes shut, the memory flashing vividly in her mind.

"I ran into the house with Judith. I hid her in a bedroom closet, went into the bathroom, and waited. Lizzie called out for me. I didn't move, but then Judith started crying. Lizzie headed right for her. I had no choice but to fight."

Rick held her tighter as she continued.

"That's how I cut my hands—holding the blade away from my face while she tried to stab me. My leg is from when I kicked the gun out of her hands before she could shoot me. She sliced me, climbed onto my back, and I... I ended up smashing a lamp into her head. I grabbed the knife and killed her. Brutally." Scarlett shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "Nobody else would have done that."

Rick brought his hand up to her face, gently turning her head so she had to look at him.

"I would have," he said firmly. "I did. The man who was holding me? I ripped his throat out with my teeth. Then I chased down the one who had Carl and stabbed him to death. We did what we had to do."