Second Chances

Chapter Twenty Two: Harsh Memories

"I CAN'T HELP YOU GET OUT!" I hear. I jump in place. Ava was asleep on my knees and Mason was asleep in my lap. The yelling put my survival instincts into gear. I moved Mason and ran to the yelling.

"GET....GET OUT!" I run in to see Rick yelling at the walkway....with no one there.

The whole group was clustered in the room, along with four people I didn't know.

"Hey, come on. Whoa, It's all good." The large black man said to Rick, trying to calm him down.

"Hey, easy, Rick. There's no need to-" Maggie started calmly, but Rick's yelling cut her off and scared her.

"YOU DON'T BELONG HERE! GET OUT! PLEASE!" Rick shouted as he pulled his gun. Everyone quickly stood back. 

"We'll leave. We're going." The black man said as he pushed his group out. Rick pointed his gun again as he cried and yelled.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" My instincts kicked in. I ran over, Kicked the gun out of his hand then grabbed his wrist pulling it behind him. He went to grab me, so I kicked him behind his knee, making it crap out. HE fell on his Knees to the floor, which gave me the chance to pin him on the ground.

"Rick, chill out." I whisper in his ear. He whimpers underneath me, as If what he was yelling at scared him. "You are scarin' people, calm down."

I look up at everyone. They all were basically against the wall, cowering in fear. Maggie held Carl to protect him, Beth was against the cell door holding Judith. Glenn was at the door, getting those few people out. Hershel looked at the man on the ground with pity. Carol and Axel were next to each other, shocked at the events that just happened.

But there was no Michi.

"Where is Michonne?" I asked harshly. 

"She is sleeping. Got a concussion." Hershel told me, then looked at Rick. "Let him go...please."

I get off of Rick and walked back to the cell. Ava and Mason wer curled up together. I smile and place a blanket over them.

"Sing us a song Please?" Ava whispers. I chuckle and sit on the small cot. AS I sing I stroke their hair, amking them smile.

"Sleep my child and peace attend thee,

All through the night

Guardian angels God will send thee,

All through the night;

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,

Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,"

I look over and Beth comes in with a box labeled Little AssKicker on it. She places the box next to the bed and sings along with me.

"I my loved ones' watch am keeping,

All through the night.

Angels watching, e'er around thee,

All through the night

Midnight slumber close surround thee,

All through the night."

We finish and smile at each other. Beth and I leave the small cell of sleeping children.

"I haven't been able to sing with someone besides Maggie in a long time." She tells me.

"I rarely sing. But it would be nice to get back into the swing of things." I say as I give her a real smile. "Who gave Judith that name?"

"Daryl when she was first born. We didn't pick a name out, so Daryl named her that." Beth explains.

"It should be Little AssKicker 2.0, Ava was first." I chuckle.

"I miss him..." Beth said softly. "I felt safe while he was here, and now we are weak without him."

"That's a Dixon for ya." I breathe out. "Gives you something and then leaves you with nothing."

"Do you think he will come back?" Beth asks with Hope.

"Possibly, but if he does...his ass getting a major beatin'." I tell her.

"Why?" She giggled.

"He left a little girl who was waiting for him. And that will haunt her forever."

I got up and walked outside. I light a cigarette and breath in the painful memory.

"You be a good girl for ya Ma alright?" Daddy said. He was leaving for a trip, and was gonna come back on my sixth birthday. That is only 2 days away!!!

"I promise Daddy!" I say with a smile.

"Love ya Mikayla." Daddy says and kisses the top of my head.

I sat there and waited after her left. Waited on my birthday, waited all night, waited in the rain.

But he never came back.