Safe haven | Rick Grimes

079. ANYONE ELSE WHO'S TRIED TO HURT ME, YOU OR DAD KILLED THEM

Chapter seventy nine

"Anyone else who's tried to hurt me, you or dad killed them."

Scarlett didn't read her letter that night, even though she thought she could. She unfolded it, looked at the words, and quickly folded it back up before going to bed. The next morning, she woke up and walked all around the hilltop to find the perfect place to read it. She wanted somewhere that reminded her of him. Finally, she found an empty, quiet part of the field. As she sat down, the sun shone down on her. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the letter.

To the woman who may not have given birth to me, but became the best mother I could ever ask for.

Scarlett looked up from the letter. Tears already filled her eyes, blurring her vision as she forced herself to look back down at the page.

You once asked me if I understood how devastating it would be for my mother, my father, you, and our entire group to find out that something bad happened to me. I was just a stubborn kid. When I told you we needed supplies, you shot back, "What if you died?" I snapped and told you that you weren't my mother. I saw how deeply that hurt you. It hurt me too, because what I said wasn't true.

When I was growing up, I always thought you were the coolest person I knew. You saved people, just like the heroes in my comic books. When my dad got shot, you saved him too. But what I remember most is how, from the exact second he went into that coma, you were always there for me—even when my own mom couldn't be.

I remember when you gave me the last Big Cat candy bar, even though you said you wanted it yourself. I remember our trips to the cafeteria for pudding. I remember wheelchair racing down the hallways. I even remember asking my mom to take me to the hospital, not just to see my dad, but to see you.

When the world stopped being what we knew, and I thought you and my dad were dead, I was so devastated. But then the two of you came back. Together, you saved each other, and in the end, you saved all of us.

You always protected me.

I remember the day everything changed. My dad had gone back out, and Jim tried to talk to me about why he wasn't back yet. You stepped in and told him to leave me alone. At dinner that night, I insisted—just like I always did whenever you came over—that you sit right next to me. And then... we got attacked. You and Shane were taking down walkers, and I was so terrified. I gripped your sweatshirt as if it could protect me from everything. But once we got safe, or at least as safe as we could be, you picked me up in your arms. In that moment, I felt completely safe.

I felt so safe that whenever you weren't with me, all I wanted was for you to be there to hold me. I wish you were here right now to do that. But I know where you are. You went to get Dad. Unfortunately, you can't be in two places at once, and he needs you more than I do right now. You and Dad told me not to go after him, but in normal fashion, I didn't listen.

Scarlett sobbed openly as she read the words, the memory of that night washing over her.

But I did listen that night at the lineup. I tried to be tough, to be brave, but you... you risked your own life for me that night. You told Negan to leave me alone. You told me to look at you instead of Abraham. The moment you got dragged up there in front of Glenn, I didn't look. I heard your screams and put my hands over my ears, knowing that was exactly what you wanted me to do. When you had to run into those woods and Dad got pulled into that RV, I was so terrified that neither of you would ever come back.

Dad did come back, but he was broken and scared. I held onto your sweater on the ground because it was the closest thing I had left of you while Dad was practically being forced to chop off my arm. But then you showed up. You protected both of us, even threatening Negan that you would kill him if he ever hurt Dad, me, Judith, or any brother or sister I might have. Once he finally left, you held me in your arms, and I felt safe again.