Don't look back

Fifty one

"Sing daddy!" Mary giggled at midnight that same day.
Carl rolled over from his top bunk and glared at his father. "I told you not to let her eat all that candy."
"She's fine." Rick sighed.
"Mary, go to sleep." Carl said sharply.
"Yes Carl." Mary sighed, pulling a face, then she stopped, hearing Judith crying.
"Okay, princess you stay here, and let me feed Judith. Go to sleep, yeah? Yes?" Rick said firmly, and Mary nodded. "Okay. Into bed now. I'm serious. Night night. I love you."
"Love you too." Mary nodded, now in bed. Rick left to feed Judith, and when he came back in, Mary was fast asleep in Carl's bed.

"Uncle Daryl." Mary sighed the next afternoon when they were hunting together.
"What?" He asked without turning around.
"You smell."
"Thanks." He muttered, rolling his eyes.
"You know the water has been fixed? Peter did it. And daddy. Me and daddy did handstands. See!" Mary grinned, doing a messy handstand and falling over.
"Very good." Daryl nodded. "Come on now, hold my hand. And quiet, yeah? Yer scaring the squirrels."
Mary nodded, and grabbed Daryl's hand, with a finger to her lips. "I'll be quiet if you have a shower. It's your best interests."
"Who taught you that phrase?" Daryl half laughed.
"Daddy. He says lots of silly things are in my best interest." Mary explained seriously.
"Hmm. Okay. You be nice and quiet and I'll have a shower." Daryl nodded.
Mary grinned up at him and then put a finger up to her lips. Daryl laughed at the child, ruffled her hair, then shot a rabbit.
When they got back, Mary saw Sasha talking to two little girls and a man. "Who are they?" Mary whispered to Sasha, pulling on her arm.
Sasha smiled at the little girl and picked her up, Mary snuggling into her side. Although they hadn't know each other for long, Mary adored Sasha, as well as Tyreese. No one was sure why, as although Sasha liked children, she wasn't particularly amazing with them. Carl knew though; Sasha had an older brother, just Mary did, and they were adults and alive and together. They were what Mary wanted to have when she was older.
"They're gonna live here. This is Ryan, and his two little girls, Lizzie and Mika."
Mary studied the two girls - the older one had fearless and fragile eyes, the other simply looked so young. "Hello." She whispered.
"Hi." The younger girl grinned.
"Hi. I'm Lizzie. That's Mika."
"I'm Mary." Mary smiled softly.
"Hey, Mary Moo. Did you have a good time?" Maggie asked, coming over to them.
"Yeah." Mary grinned, holding her arms out. Maggie took her and kissed the side of her head, smiling softly to Sasha.
"Is she your mom?" Lizzie asked.
"No." Mary whispered back.
"Where is your mommy and daddy?" Mika questioned.
"Mommy died. Daddy's somewhere. He's the boss. But we have a council now." Mary whispered, her face buried into Maggie's shoulder.
"Oh. I'm sorry. My mommy died too." Mike replied gently.
"Our mommy." Lizzie corrected, and Ryan put a gentle hand on his daughters' shoulders.
"We don't need to talk about this now, yeah?" He said softly, looking at Mary's upset face, and Mika nodded.
"Do you want us to play with you?" Mika asked benevolently.
"I'm not allowed. I told the other kids that people die, and how to use a gun. So there mommies say I can't play with them." Mary explained.
"You can play with my girls." Ryan smiled softly.
"I wanna find daddy." Mary mumbled, tugging Maggie's ear softly.
"Okay. Let's go find him." Maggie smiled gently. "Say bye bye."
"Bye bye." Mary whispered as they left, and Maggie held her even tighter.
"Are you tired sweetie?"
"Yeah." Mary whined emotionally.
"That's 'cos you was a cheeky monkey last night. You wouldn't go to sleep." Maggie teased, and Mary nestled her head into Maggie's head even further in embarrassment.
"Maggie?" Mary whispered, "Why do people think you're my mommy?"
"Well, I guess it's because I help look after you."
"We look similar. We have the same hair. You could be my mommy." Mary whispered hopefully.
"Oh baby. You..." Maggie began, not knowing how to reply. "You have a mommy. She just isn't here anymore."
"Okay." Mary nodded sadly. "Was mommy sad when she died?"
"She was happy that she could save Judith," Maggie replied truthfully, "and she got to tell Carl how much she loves you both. She wanted you to know how much she loved you. Do you understand that?"
"Yeah. When she died... Did it hurt?"
Maggie took a deep breath in, and decided to be honest. The child needed truth. "Just for a tiny bit. A tiny bit."
"Okay." Mary nodded. "As long as it was only a little bit."
"It was. I promise." Maggie nodded.
"Where's daddy?" Mary mumbled tearfully.
"I think he's on watch." Maggie said, at the foot of the guard tower. She climbed the steps, and smiled softly. "Your daddy's here."
Mary lifted her head up, then got down and ran to Rick. "Daddy, I'm missing you and I'm tired and I..."
"What, baby girl?" Rick asked gently, picking her up. "You can tell me."
"I miss mommy again."
"That's okay." Rick nodded, kissing the top of her head. "It's okay to be sad."
"I'm tired. I'm hungry." Mary whined.
"We'll have dinner soon." Rick promised, kissing her forehead. "Did you and Daryl get a lotta animals?"
"Lots of squirrels." Mary nodded.
"Well, we'll have a yummy dinner then." Rick smiled.
"Candy?"
"No. No candy tonight. You actually need to sleep." Rick laughed, as did Maggie.
"Can I go to sleep after dinner? Please?" Mary begged, hiding her face.
"Of course." Rick chuckled, kissing the top of her head.
"I'm gonna go to sleep now." Mary nodded.
"No, you'll get up too early if you do. Why don't you do some drawing?"
"Reading?"
"Sure. Go get your book, yeah?"
"Yep!" Mary nodded happy, then she got down and went to her cell while Maggie and Rick talked.
"You okay Moo?" Glenn asked gently, and Mary smiled at him.
"Yeah, I'm doing reading with daddy."
"Okay." The man smiled. Mary ran over to him and hugged him, kissing his cheeks.
"I love you Glenny."
"I love you too kiddo." Glenn smiled, kissing the top of her head.
"More or less than everyone else? Not counting Maggie." Mary asked seriously.
"More." Glenn smiled gently, and Mary's face lit up in happiness.
"I love you more than anyone not counting daddy and Carl and Judith and Maggie. You and Maggie are equal."
"Why thank you." He laughed, kissing her head again.
"I'm gonna find daddy now." She smiled, running way and going to Rick. She went up the guard tower, and straight over to Rick. "Where'd Maggie go?"
"Down stairs." Rick replied softly.
"Here you go." Mary grinned, passing him the book.
"Okay," Rick smiled, sitting down with Mary on his lap, "once upon a time, there was a princess."
"Called Mary?"
"Yep." Rick chuckled, looking at the picture of Cinderella.
"Okay, carry on." Mary nodded.
"Okay." Rick laughed, kissing the top of her head.
"Come on daddy." She giggled.
"I love you." Rick smiled softly, kissing her head again.
"Love you too." Mary whispered, kissing Rick's jaw bone. "Now story time!" She laughed.
"Okay." Rick laughed. And he began to tell her a story that always ended in happily ever after.