Don't look back

Forty eight

That night Mary wouldn't leave Rick's side. She was shaken up, from hearing about Merle's death, and for seeing Daryl's moment of unusual weakness.
"Mary, it really is bed time now. It's late, everyone is going to bed." Rick said gently to the tired child in his arms.
"Can I stay in your bed tonight? Please?" Mary asked in a tiny, frightened voice. "I'm not scared though. I promise."
Rick saw that she was truly scared, and he smiled softly at her. "Okay. Just tonight though. Go get in your pyjamas, yeah? Carl'll help you. Let me put Judith to bed, yeah?"
Mary nodded and ran to her cell, then Rick got up and took Judith out of Beth's arms. "You get some sleep. It'll be a busy day tomorrow." Rick smiled gently, putting a fatherly hand on Beth's shoulder. He walked away, and put Judith in her crib, then went to his cell.
"Slumber party." Mary smiled, coming into his cell with her monkey teddy in one hand and the photo frame in the other.
"What's a slumber party?" Rick laughed.
"I dunno, Carl said to say it."
Rick shrugged it off, and got into bed, then looked at Mary in confusion. "Baby, what's that?"
"What?"
"That frame. Where'd you get that?" Rick asked.
"I thought Carl showed it. It's my mommy and you and Carl picture." She explained, walking over and showing it to him.
"Oh, I remember this one. Did you get this when we went home?" Rick smiled softly, looking at what his old family was like.
"What did I look like? When I was a baby?"
Rick sighed, but decided to indulge Mary's image of herself as a baby, coming up with a realistic image of what a childlike Mary was. "You had lots of dark hair and very dark eyes. And you never cried. A really quiet easy baby."
"Who cried more, me or Carl?" Mary asked, laying down next to her father.
"Hmm, definitely Carl."
"Was I always a good girl?"
"Yeah." Rick smiled, and Mary closed her eyes.
"Did mommy love me?"
"Mommy loved you and Carl and Judith more than anything." Rick assured.
"I love Carl most. He's my favourite brother. But you're my favouritest person in the whole world."
"Well thank you." Rick smiled, softly. "Go to sleep though."
"I am." Mary mumbled.
"Good girl."
"Sing the sunshine song."
"Okay." Rick smiled, beginning to sing. By the time he finished, Mary was fast asleep, her tiny fists still clinging to her teddy, her photo, and Rick's shirt.

That morning Mary woke up rather late for her, although Rick was still asleep. She walked out do the cell, and saw Daryl sat cleaning his gun. Mary walked over and sat next to him, then grabbed his arm and hugged it.
"What yer doin'?" Daryl asked emotionlessly.
"Cuddles. It helps when you're sad."
"I'm fine."
"You're sad. Like I was when mommy died."
"I'm fine, Mary." The man snapped.
"Yer sad." Mary retorted, mimicking his accent.
"Mary Moo, come help me with breakfast." Glenn called, and Mary nodded, then ran down the stairs to him. "Sweetie, maybe let Daryl have some space, okay?"
"Okay." Mary sighed.
"Here, have your breakfast." Glenn smiled softly, giving Mary some canned fruit which she ate quickly. "Why don't you go pack your things?"
Mary nodded and ran to her cell. She changed into her sundress, then threw her clothes into a bag, then her few toys, and her hairbrush. She did it all in silence, as did Carl, until he suddenly turned to her.
"Where's the photo?" Carl asked.
"I'm daddy's cell. I'll get it." Mary nodded. She ran into the cell next door, and grabbed her photo, Rick awake and packing his things also. She went back to her cell, and packed the final few things, crying as she did so. Rick walked outside, but Carl and Mary remained in the cell.
"What if it's a forever goodbye?" Mary whispered to Carl.
"It better not be." Carl said simply.
"Why are you angry?"
"Because dad won't let me fight. Making me stay with you and Judith and Beth and Hershel. Treating me like a baby." Carl muttered angrily.
"But you're keeping us safe," Mary protested, "and you are a kid. Like me."
"Whatever. Come on." Carl snapped, walking out of the cell. Mary followed him outside, where Carl angrily walked to the car.
"Carl." Rick said gently, but Carl stride away, bubbling with anger, then he threw his bag into the car, Beth helping him, and he then left again, and got into the car. Beth took Mary's bag, then the child ran to Rick, who was looking at a car engine.
"I've never seen him this bad. Even with Lori, he just shut down." Glenn said to Rick, his voice full of concern.
"He's still a kid. That's easy to forget." Rick nodded, picking Mary then shutting the car bonnet. He walked to the car, then stopped in his steps, shaking his head.
"Daddy?" Mary asked, looking to where he was. "Daddy, what is it?"
"I..." Then man stuttered.
"Are you seeing mommy?" Mary whispered, her eyes filling with concern.
"Y-y-yeah." Rick whispered.
"It's okay. It's like saying goodbye." Mary said gently, stroking Rick's hair.
"Let's go do a check inside." Rick mumbled, desperate to change the subject. He went into the prison, Mary on his hip, and checked every upstairs cell, finding it difficult to see Mary's drawings in almost every cell, drawings that would last longer than the child herself. Drawings that would tell the story of a little girl living in a prison, and her life, and her family. Drawings that would be in history books, Rick decided, in years to come, like cave paintings.
"We're ready." Michonne said quietly from downstairs, and Rick nodded slowly, going down the steps. "The deal the Governor offered about me? You had to think about it. You had to. I get it."
"Yeah. Well, I'm sorry. I came real close."
"But you didn't. I never thanked you."
"For what?" Rick asked, the two of them stopping in their tracks to talk.
"For getting me out there that day. Taking me in." Michonne said just as softly.
"Well, if you didn't have that baby formula and Mary's big girl pyjamas, I wouldn't have."
"You could have just taken the formula and pyjamas." The woman pointed out, a smile playing on her lips.
"Well must have been something else then." Rick smiled softly, as did Mary. "You know it was Carl who made the call. He said you belonged here. You're one of us. And Mary gave you a nickname. You've gotta be real special for her to do that."
Michonne nodded with a slight smile, and walked away. Rick was about to follow her, but Mary tapped his shoulder sharply.
"I wanna kiss mommy bye bye. Just in case."
Rick saw Michonne stop and turn around, looking at what the child meant. "What do you mean?" He asked gently, but Mary just got down wordlessly. In silence she walked to the pictures she had drawn all those days ago, feeling like months had passed, but knowing it had only been just over a week, maybe two. On her tiptoes, she kissed her mother's drawing, then left, grabbing Rick's hand. She didn't look back.