Just Keep Walking

Twenty nine

That night Mary clung around Rick's neck as he walked around the living room, laying out make-shift beds for the group while Judith was in a crib Jessie dropped by, and Carl read a comic book he found in the other house.
"How long was I in there for?" Michonne laughed, coming out of the bathroom looking cleaner than Rick had ever seen.
"Twenty minutes?" Rick smiled.
"God, I could not stop brushing," she chuckled, then stopped, staring at Rick's clean shaven face in shock, a smile on her face, "Huh. I've never... I've never seen your face like that."
"That's what I felt. Before and after. Mary doesn't feel the same," he teased, "she hates the haircut, and misses the beard. She also doesn't like Jessie, nor her own haircut."
"Didn't want one." Mary mumbled, and Michonne laughed, then went quiet again.
"Look, I get why were playing it safe. We should. I just... I have a good feeling about this place."
"Well, I hope you're right." Rick nodded.
"Yeah, me too." Michonne nodded, but their conversation was ended by a knocking on the door. Rick tried (and failed) to pass Mary to Michonne, and went to answer it, the feeling surreal.
He opened the door to see Deanna stood there. "Rick I... Wow!" She smiled in surprise, looking at Rick's hair cut and shave, and how clean Mary was. Rick groaned, and Deanna half laughed. "I didn't know what was under there. Listen I-I don't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were all settling. Oh my," she nodded, looking at everyone sat on the floor with blankets, "staying together. Smart."
"No one said we couldn't." Rick shrugged, shifting Mary around to his hip.
"You said you're a family. That's what you said. Absolutely amazing to me how people with completely different backgrounds and nothing in common can become that. Don't you think?" Deanna smiled.
"Everybody said you have them jobs." Rick prompted.
"Yeah. Part of this place. Looks like the communists won after all." The woman joked, but no one laughed.
"What's a communist?" Mary whispered into Rick's ear.
"It's something from before," he replied to Mary, then he turned his head to Deanna, "Well, you didn't give me one."
"I have. I just haven't told you yet. Same with Michonne. I'm closing in on something for Sasha. And I'm just trying to figure Me Dixon out but I will. You look good." She nodded, and then left, Rick shutting the door behind her.
"Okay. We should get some sleep. I'll keep first watch."
"Do we need to keep watch?" Maggie asked with a sigh.
"We don't know these people."
"We have a locked door." Michonne pointed out.
"And?" Rick shrugged, and Michonne rolled her eyes. Everyone laid down, Carl next to Rick. Rick sat with his back against the wall, Mary nestled into his chest with her bunny held tightly in her hand. He held her until she fell asleep, then slid her over so she was laid next to Carl, covering them both with a blanket. Then he looked around, walking into the kitchen, and picked up a kitchen knife, looking at the sharp blade, and, knowing he had at least one extra weapon, he let Tara take over on watch, finally going to sleep.
The next morning, Mary woke up fretfully, but didn't wake Rick, unlike usual. "Hey, angel." Maggie smiled sleepily, picking her up and kissing the top of her head. "You okay?"
"Bad dream." Mary mumbled, wiping her tears away. "Sorry I got you awake."
"I was awake anyway. Shall we make some breakfast?"
"Yeah." Mary smiled. Maggie went into the kitchen, and sat Mary on the counter, then got bowls out for the whole group. She used up three boxes of cereal giving everyone a serving, some of the group waking up.
"Which one?" Maggie asked, looking at the Cheerios and the Coco Pops.
"Chocolate ones." Mary grinned, and Maggie passed her the bowl, then woke everyone up. Carl got up and stole a few pieces of Mary's cereal, then got his own Cheerios, dropping some in Mary's bowl.
"These are better for you, you know." Carl nodded knowingly, showing her the Cheerios.
"These chocolate ones are yummier." Mary shrugged, giving him the few Cheerios back. Carl laughed at her, and carried on eating.
"Come on, smelly, let's get you dressed." Rick sighed, coming over once they had all eaten and he'd fed Judith.
"In my dungarees?" She asked, and Rick nodded.
"Yeah, they're all clean. Come on, let's get you dressed and brush your hair and teeth." Rick ordered, and Mary nodded, getting up and following him to the bathroom. Rick washed her face and passed her a toothbrush with some toothpaste on the end, Mary scrubbing at her teeth. After, Rick dressed her in a massively big shirt from Izzy, and her dungarees, then brushed her hair.
"Everyone wants to go look around." Carl said suddenly from the doorway.
"Alright," Rick nodded slowly, "yeah. We can go."
"Great." Carl smiled, jogging down the stairs to go tell the others the news.
"He's excited." Mary whispered up to Rick with a smile.
"Yeah, he is." Rick laughed.
"I'm a bit. I think they're all nice. I don't like Jessie. She ruined your hair and your beard."
"Okay, you're allowed to not like her, but you can't say that to her. Okay?"
"She cut our hair. Only mommy can do that." Mary mumbled.
"I think you should give her another shot." Rick persuaded.
"Maybe." Mary nodded, and Rick kissed the top of her head, then pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"Dad! Can me and Judith go?" Carl begged from downstairs as the other members of the group left.
"Yeah, we'll catch up! But stay in eyesight and stay alert." Rick shouted back.
"Bye!"
"Right, shall we go?" Rick asked Mary with a smile.
"No. I gotta do your hair." Mary replied, getting up and walking behind him as he sat down. Mary brushed his short hair, then Rick tied Mary's shoes onto her feet, and walked to the front door, seeing Daryl sat in the corner of the porch.
"They said explore," Rick prompted, "let's explore."
"Nah, I'll stay."
"Alright." Rick nodded, walking forwards slightly, Mary still on his hip. "Lori and me, we used to drive through neighbourhoods like this. Thinking, one day."
"Well, here we are."
"Not mommy." Mary mumbled, and Rick kissed the side of her head.
"We'll be back." Rick nodded to Daryl. "You got bunny?"
"Yeah." Mary nodded, waving it in Rick's face as he began to walk. "Where did Carl go?"
"I... Just... I think..." Rick began, looking around anxiously.
"Daddy? Where's Carl and Judy?" Mary questioned.
"I don't know." Rick mumbled, as he began to run around the streets, looking for his son and youngest daughter. His searching was frantic, only stopping when he ran straight into a large metal object.
"Rick!" Jessie shouted, running out of the house, "You okay?"
"Did Carl and Judith walk by? We were going out and I was doing Mary's hair so they went ahead of me." Rick panicked.
"It's okay. I think I know where they are." Jessie nodded calmly, walking away, Rick following her, his heart palpitating.
"Where's my Carl and Judith?" Mary asked shakily.
"It's okay," Jessie soothed, "they're just here. That's Natalie and Bob Miller. They had five kids and twelve grandkids. It's been a long time since anyone around here had seen a baby. She's gonna have to put up with some pinched cheeks. Mary too."
"Thanks. I just um..."
"It's okay. I get it."
"Look, I'm sorry I broke whatever that was I broke." Rick apologised.
"It's a sculpture I'm making with the boys. You could help if you want, Mary. It's an owl. I mean, it will be. I just can't get the eyes right."
"Right, the eyes. And she'd love that."
"You didn't even get a good look at it."
"I was in the middle of losing my mind. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Jessie nodded, and Rick began to walk away. "Hey Rick? Would it be okay if Carl came over now? Ron really want to meet him."
Rick nodded to Jessie, and jogged over to his other two children and the Millers.
"Dad. Hey. This is Mr and Mrs Miller." Carl smiled happily. "This is my little sister, Mary."
"Hi. I'm Rick."
"Bob. And this is Natalie." The man smiled, looking over to Rick.
"Hello, sweetheart. Oh, aren't you the cutest." Natalie cooed.
"Hi." Mary whispered with wide eyes.
"Oh, look at those big brown eyes! Your brother and dad have beautiful blue eyes, but your eyes are so gorgeous! Oh, you're such a sweetie. Bob, doesn't she look like a little version of our Maisie?"
"Oh yeah." Bob smiled softly warmly.
"Come here, come sit by me, look, these are some banana muffins I baked earlier. My little grandsons, Billy and Thomas, they loved them." Natalie offered. Mary got down, and sat next to the old woman, her bunny covering her face.
"My friend was Tommy. 'T's like Thomas." She mumbled into her teddy, not looking in Natalie's eyes.
"It's a good name." Natalie smiled back warmly, patting Mary's shoulder. She flinched away, and Natalie moved her hand, then passed her a muffin.
"Go on," Rick nodded, "it's okay. You can have it."
Mary smiled softly, and began to eat it as Carl and Rick talked.
"Your hair is so pretty. Very long. Did your mommy do it? Or daddy?"
"My mommy died." Mary whispered, her eyes falling to the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry, darling." Natalie said gently. Mary looked at Judith, then put down the muffin and brought her bunny back up to her face.
"That's nice. What's her name?"
"It's not a her. It's just Carl Bunny."
"Is that because your brother got it for you?" Bob asked with a smile, and Mary nodded.
"Mary, do you wanna come meet everyone with me?" Carl asked with a fake smile. "All the other kids?"
"I bet that'll be fun." Rick smiled, but Mary shook her head, just as Rick predicted. "That's fine." Rick nodded, picking Mary up.
"Thank you for the muffins." Carl grinned to the Millers.
"Will you come see us? Tomorrow?" Natalie asked hopefully.
"Of course." Carl nodded.
"Thank you." Mary whispered, and Natalie grinned up at her. Mary waved goodbye with her bunny in her hand, and they left, Carl putting Judith in her stroller. They walked to Ron's house with Carl, then back to their own.
"I think I like it here." Mary whispered as Rick carried her on his back.
"Yeah," Rick nodded, "I think I might too."