My Damaged Protector

Chapter Twenty-One ~ The suicide king

The sun rose faster than I thought it would. I grabbed Judith and wrapped her in a blanket just as Carl met me at the bottom of the stairs. He opened the gate that separated us from the other group and let me wonder in. The rest of our group was already in the eating area, spread throughout two tables and eating quietly. I took my seat next to my brother, placing a kiss to his head and smiling at him. "Morning buddy."

The woman from yesterday, Sasha, we had learned her name, looked down at Judith from across the room. "How old is she?" Carl sat on my other side, passing me a small bowl of noodles as he ate his own food.

"Barely a week." Hershel responded for me as I mixed up a bottle.

"To be honest, we never thought we'd see another baby." She said and walked up behind me. "Beautiful."

"Thanks." I responded and placed the bottle in Judith's mouth so she could eat.

"How are you feeling? You look amazing."

I looked back at Hershel then to Sasha. "She's not mine." I told her.

"Where's the mother?" I looked down at Judy as she drank up her meal, Carl shifting uncomfortable on my side. "Oh, I'm so sorry." I gave her a forces smile and stood, heading back into the cell blocks to change clothes and get Judith ready for the day. I quickly stripped of my dirty clothes and slid on new jeans and a green shirt with my brown jacket over it. Judith wiggled around on the bed as I got ready, pulling my hair up into a high bun and clipping my weapons belt around my hips and thigh.

"Hey there pretty girl." I smiled down to the baby after I got dressed. "Your daddy will be home soon, you excited?" She smiled up at me as if she knew what I was saying. Once I was done, I headed out of the now empty cell block and then walked outside. Sasha and her brother Tyreese pushed the two remaining members of their group back as I walked out, practically ripping the shovels out of their hands.

Carl was down at the gates, pulling them open and letting a car drive through as Beth kept watch for any walkers. They were finally back. I made my way down the hill and into the open arms of Maggie, hugging her tightly with my free arm. "You ok?" I asked her, noticing the shirt she wore looked a lot like the one Glenn left in.

"I'll be fine." She assured me, allowing me to walk off and welcome Glenn home as well. He hugged just as tightly; his upper half being covered by a pale green hoodie I had never seen before while also sporting some new bruises on his face. I went to ask the same question to him but he only brushed me off.

Rick was next to hug me, placing a kiss down on his little girl's head. "Where's Daryl?" I asked, looking over Rick's shoulder and only seeing the woman from the other day left in the car, my heart instantly beating faster. "Rick, where is he?"

He placed both hands on either side of my face, keeping my attention on him. "We'll talk later. He's alive, just got to talk to you."

"What? I..." He only stepped around me to head inside, his hand grabbing onto my arm to bring me with him. "Rick."

Jasper was stood beside the gate and was eagerly looking out at the group that had just got back. "Who's this little guy?" He bent down to greet Jasper, completely ignoring me.

I sighed heavily. "Rick, this is my little brother, Jasper, the one we went looking for all winter. Jasper, this is Rick, one of my best friends here." I set my hand on his head coaxing him to say hello.

"Hi." His little voice said, waving from around me.

"Hi there. I've heard so much about you. Your sister here really missed you." He stood up and looked down at Judy in my arms.

"She's got Lori's eyes." I commented as he took her from me. She fussed a bit, trying to get comfortable in his arms before letting out a loud cry in complaint. Rick's eyes glossed over and I instantly reached out to take her back. "Rick?" I asked softly. "You said you had to talk to me?"

"Right." He nodded, placing a hand on my back, and leading me through the cell block and up into my cell, Jasper breaking off to sit with Carl. "While we were in Woodbury, Daryl ran into his brother. He's the one that did that to Glenn's face." My heartrate picked up yet again in preparation for what Rick would say. "He helped us get out, but Glenn refused to let him come back with us, and Daryl didn't want to leave his brother again, not after losing him in Atlanta. Daryl wanted me to tell you that you're the best thing to ever happen him, that you're strong and you'll make it without him." Once Rick was finished, I had placed Judith in her box in order to wipe the tears off my cheeks.

"He just left?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

"I'm so sorry Skye." Rick moved forward and wrapped his arms around me, seemingly holding me together. I cried into his shoulder, the shock of the situation killing me on the inside. Once I was able to pull myself together, I stepped back, wiped my face off and took a deep breath. Rick left shortly after that, leaving me to care for Judith and eventually fall asleep somewhere around dinner time.

Judith woke up somewhere in the late hours of evening, the sun just barely visible over the horizon and in the prison. I got out of bed, grabbed one of the premade bottles and headed downstairs. I sat on the stairs as the rest of the group slowly woke up to begin their days, each sending me soft smiles before leaving me be.

We were all slowly gathering around in the room we had allowed Ty and Sasha's group to stay in until Rick got back. When I approached my brother and Carl, Rick was looking to the catwalk up above us, staring at nothing. 'No' fell from his lips over and over while Ty and Sasha pleaded for him to let them stay, that they were good people and would work to protect this place.

"Get out!" Rick half shouted, waving in the direction of the new group while also staring up at the ceiling.

"Rick, they brought Jasper to me. They kept him safe!" The small group of four seemed harmless to us and having a few extra people now that Daryl was gone wouldn't hurt.

Rick looked around the room at all of us then up to the catwalk at the top of the eating area. "Why are you here?" Rick asked suddenly, making nearly everyone jump at the volume in his voice. "What do you want from me?" He walked through our group to just under the empty catwalk as he yelled.

"Dad?" Carl questioned.

"Why are you..." He mumbled. "I can't help you, get out!"

"Easy Rick, they aren't going to hurt you." I said as he paced around the room.

He shouted "You don't belong here! Get out!" Rick pulled his gun and I stepped out of the way, shielding Judith and the boys in the process.

"Ok, we're leaving. We are going." Tyreese said and picked up his stuff, his hands held in the air. "Keep that boy safe." Ty nodded to Jasper and me as Sasha waved to the little boy as they walked out. I quickly passed Judith over to Beth before running up to Rick and taking the gun from his hands and wrapping him tightly in a hug as he sobbed.