Protection (Rick Grimes)

Chapter Forty Four

"You two know each other?" Chelsea asks.

"Yeah. Back in Alanta...he saved me." Rick says, not taking his eyes off Morgan.

I leave Morgan's side and walk over to Daryl. I stand beside him and lean against the wall behind me. Daryl glances down at me before looking back at Rick and Morgan.

"How'd you find him?" Rick turns to me and waits for me to answer.

"When I went outside the walls, I came up on a cabin that he was staying in."

Rick only nods and motions for Morgan to come to the living room.

Rick sits beside me and pulls me to him, kissing my temple. Morgan sits on the arm rest of the couch and looks at me.

"Do you have anything to tell them?" He asks, already knowing the answer. All eyes are on me now, as everyone waits for my answer.

"Yeah, I guess. Um...while Carl, Abraham and I were outside the walls..." I trail and stare down at my lap. "We came up on these people. Well...they came up on us. Said they wanted all that we had. They put a gun to my back and threatened to shoot me if we didn't hand everything over. That's why we came back with completely different weapons." I explain, intentionally leaving out the part of a gun being held to Carl's head.

I hear Rick sigh angrily and see him clinch his fists.

"That's not all." Carl speaks up. My gaze shoots up to him and my eyes widen. I give him a look, telling him to keep his mouth shut.

"What is it, son?" Rick asks through gritted teeth.

"They put a gun to my head."

Rick nods, clearly furious out of his mind. He stands and leaves the house, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Who the hell are these people?" Daryl asks.

"I don't know." I mumble.

"How many were there?" Maggie speaks.

"Four." Abraham chimes in.

"What do they want from us?" Sasha questions.

"Basic necessities." I quote the man who put a gun to my back before standing and leaving the house as well. I see Rick down the road and begin jogging up to him.

I grab his hand, making him turn around. I place my hands on his biceps and look into his eyes.

"Rick, it's no big deal." I sigh.

"No big deal? Dani, did you forget that a gun was pointed at your back and at Carl's head? That seems like a big deal to me."

"Okay, okay. It is a big deal. But please, Rick. I don't want to go to war with people while in the middle of an outbreak."

"I understand that, but they threatened to kill two very important people in my life. There not going to get away with it."

"Rick, please."

"Dani, go back to the house. I'll be back later." He kisses my forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"Just going to have a talk with your Uncle. Go back to the house. I'll see you later. I love you."

"Love you too." I sigh and watch him walk off. I turn on my heals and walk back to the house.

~●~

Walking back into the house, I sit beside Carl and take Judith from him.

I just hope Rick doesn't do anything stupid.

Rick's POV

I could have lost two very important people in my life today. Two of the main people who are the reason for me being here today.

Walking up to the door of Judy and Dave's house, I knock and take a step back.

After a few seconds, Dave answers the door. He gives me a small smile before stepping outside, shutting the door behind him.

"Rick. How can I help you?" He asks politely.

"I understand that Danielle and Judy don't see eye to eye. That's pretty obvious. But...what's you're relationship with her?"

"I love Danielle. I wouldn't want anything to happen to her. Judy...she...has a bad attitude towards things. Danielle being one of those things. I never understood why. But Danielle is someone who is very important to me."

I nod and shift my weight to one foot.

"Well...she got into some...trouble today. She had a gun to her back. I need your people to be ready if anything happens and if any of those people end up here. You're people need to know how to defend themselves from both walkers and other people. I need to know if it's okay if my people, my family, train your people to be prepared for anything."

He stares at me, letting what I said sink in. The people here, they need to know how to survive. It's either that or they die. No two ways about it.

"Okay." He agrees.

---so I got sick while writing Chapter Forty Four. I had a terrible head cold and sinuse problems. Plus my back started hurting again so I was also in a lot of pain. Also, im sorry about this update being short. But I hope y'all liked it.---