Just Keep Walking

Seventy four

"Glenny?"
"What?" Glenn asked with a slight smile.
"How much longer?"
Michonne laughed at her question - she'd asked it countless times already - but Rosita just sighed (due to the fact that she'd asked it countless times already). "I don't know. Not too long." Glenn assured.
"Like five minutes." Rosita added, and Mary sighed.
"That's forever!" Mary sighed dramatically, and Glenn chuckled.
"Okay, not to be rude, because I like the kid, but why the hell did you let her come?" Rosita sighed to Michonne, and Mary glared at her.
"Hey. She's only sat here. She's only five." Glenn reprimanded quietly, turning around to look at Rosita, and Michonne made Mary sit down properly.
"Because she's no trouble. She doesn't get in the way. She knows more about survival than most adults. She can calm Daryl down when he gets in a mess. Only one who can. And I told her she can go out of the walls today. She doesn't like being cooped up." Michonne hissed protectively, and Rosita sighed, but sank back into her seat.
"Uncle Daryl never spends time with me anymore. He's always grumpy. Maybe he's got a Grape like Maggie."
"No," Glenn laughed, "only girls have babies. Not boys."
"You're so funny." Michonne chuckled, and Mary turned around and giggled, a tiny, adorable tinkle of a laugh.
"I know. I didn't mean to be funny then though. Why don't we see each other as much anymore?"
"Because we all have our own houses."
"I wish we all still lived together. I miss him. And everyone else."
"I know. But it's better this way, because we all need our own houses." Michonne explained.
"I want to live with Maggie and you again." Mary whined, looking at Glenn.
"Yeah, but this way we all have our own space," Glenn explained, "but we still get to see each other. It's perfect. And you get to have sleepovers at our house."
"Even when Grape is born?" Mary asked nervously - she was always unsure if Maggie and Glenn would still love her the same when their own baby was born.
"Of course."
"When can I know the baby's name? Have you decided yet?"
"We've decided, but we might change our minds. It's a secret." Glenn teased, and Mary sighed.
"Okay." She whined slightly.
"You can help us chose the middle name, yeah?"
"Yeah." Mary grinned suddenly.
"You and Carl chose Judith's name, didn't you?" Michonne half asked with a smile, and Mary nodded.
"Judith was his idea. Chloe was mine."
"Chloe?" Rosita asked, and Glenn nodded.
"Yeah, yeah, it's Judy's middle name. Moo was insistent of one. She wanted it to be Glenn, but we settled on my... My little sister's name."
"I didn't even know you had a sister." Rosita commented.
"He had two." Michonne whispered, her hand on Glenn's, a gentle comforter.
Glenn saw the look on Mary's face, and knew she was thinking of her mother, of Tommy, of Beth, of all the people they had lost, and he gave her a small smile. "But it's okay. Because we see them all again one day."
"But not for a while." Mary nodded, finishing Glenn's phrase.
"Hey, hey, this is it. We're here." Rosita called suddenly, and Glenn's foot lowered down onto the breaks.
"Okay, come on, get out. You can have your knife while we're here. Do you have bunny?" Michonne asked softly, and Mary nodded, taking her knife off Michonne.
"Thank you."
"Okay, you stay by us the whole time, okay?"
"Okay." Mary nodded, climbing out of the car as Michonne opened the door. She skipped around to Glenn, and held his hand as they walked to the edge of the train tracks. Glenn found himself walking over to a pool of dried blood, and a lump formed in his throat. Denise.
"That's where she died." Rosita pointed out, and Glenn exhaled shakily.
"Glenny?" Mary whimpered shakily, and Glenn squeezed her hand.
"It's okay, it's okay. Where's your bunny? Give bunny a snuggle."
"Can you hold it?" Mary asked, and Glenn nodded, hooking the bunny under his belt.
"Alright, so he had to start from here." Glenn nodded.
Michonne uncovered some leaves, to find Daryl's motorbike. "He did." She pointed out, and both Mary and Glenn sighed.
"Which way did Dwight run? Rosita!"
"We should let him do this." Rosita hissed, walking back to the car.
"But he doesn't know what he's doing. We don't. Maybe him trying this makes you feel better about it right now. Maybe they keep knowing more about us than we know about them. Or maybe Daryl's gonna get himself killed. Which way did Dwight run?" Glenn hissed. Rosita sighed, then nodded in Michonne's direction. "Okay. Okay. Come on Moo. He's this way."
And they began to walk, Mary hanging off Glenn's arm, finding the whole situation an exiting adventure. For once, she wasn't seeing the danger. She was just happy to be with Glenn and Michonne.
Once they'd found Daryl, Mary was beginning to lag behind, her feet slightly tired, and was on Glenn's back, her tiny face nestled into the crook of his neck. Suddenly, an arrow flew out of a crossbow, and into a tree, only centimetres from Rosita's head.
"Watch the hell out, asshole!" Rosita shouted, ripping the arrow out, and seeing it was Daryl.
"I did. You shouldn't have come." The man hissed, walking away.
"You shouldn't have left!" Michonne retorted.
Darly stopped, and turned around, his eyes furious. "When I split off from Sasha and Abraham, he was out there in the woods, in that burned out forest with them girls. Put a gun to my head, tied me up. I even tried to help him." He hissed, pure hatred in his eyes. Glenn walked forwards, and Daryl saw Mary looking at him fearfully. He forced himself to calm down a little.
"So you think it's your fault?" Glenn asked in a hiss.
"Yeah, I know it is. I'm gonna go do what I should've done before."
"What, for her? She's gone man. You're doing this for you!" Glenn insisted, and Daryl scoffed.
"Man I don't give a shit! You know what I wanna know? What's concernin' me! Why the hell is she here?!" Daryl shouted angrily, motioning to Mary.
"Because I let her! She wanted to help. Rick said she could come on a run." Michonne answered.
"The hell he did! A run that's maybe ten minutes away, yeah! He would not agree to this! You brought his little girl out here, and I know ya didn't tell him where you've took her!"
"He's fine with it!" Michonne hissed through gritted teeth, "And he trusts me with her."
"You don't make decisions like that for her! Being out here with those Saviours, that's not safe," Daryl roared, his face furious, Mary's face scared, pressed into Glenn's neck, "and he'd never agree to that! Ya don't make decisions like that for Mary! Rick does! Yer not her mother! Yer've put that little girl in danger, and that is not yer call! That girl, Rick decides what's best. You don't know shit. And if we see those Saviours today, if they put a bullet in her brain, that's on you!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Glenn screamed, shoving Daryl away harshly. Mary was holding back tears, but she refused to let them fall. There was a silence then, and Michonne took a few steps backwards.  She heard truth in what Daryl had said.
Glenn took a deep breath in, and composed himself. "Daryl. We need to get back there and figure this out from home. Our home. We need you, and everyone back there needs us right now. It's it's gonna go wrong out here."
"We'll square it. I will. I promise you. Just come back." Michonne assured through a clenched jaw and teary eyes, and Daryl went quiet.
"I can't!" He shouted, before storming off.
"Daryl!"
"Man, I can't!"
Rosita sighed, then walked after Daryl, squeezing Mary's forearm as she did so, a gentle comfort. "I can't either." Then she too, was gone.
"We can't just let them go." Mary whispered shakily, and Glenn sighed.
"Yes. We can." He answered, before walking away, Michonne next to him. "You okay? He was... That was out of order."
"He was right. I shouldn't have brought her with us." Michonne answered simply. Part of Glenn could help but agree.
"Don't listen. You're her mother. Michonne, you're a mother to this kid, and her brother and sister. You mean everything to her. Don't even doubt it."
"Let's just drop it. Please. Mary, are you okay?"
"Yeah." Mary breathed, her breath tickling Glenn's jawbone.
Glenn sighed again, then spoke up. "Thing is, those men could be back in Alexandria right now."
"If they, are they're dead."
"I hope not. We need them alive. We need to find out more."
"You're right, we do." Michonne nodded, reaching a lake.
"Thirsty." Mary mumbled, and Glenn nodded. He knelt down, and let her drink from the lake, stroking the back of her head lovingly.
"We just got stuck with each other," Glenn said suddenly to Michonne, "we were lucky. We figured it all out together. It felt like we did. After everything, we did. With a little help from a very determined little girl. The world's not what we thought it was. Hilltop, the Saviours, it's bigger."
But before Glenn could say anything else, before Michonne could reply, a man let out a whistle in a sweet, short melody. Glenn, Michonne, and Mary all span to the direction, and while Glenn raised his gun, Michonne grabbed Mary, making her stand behind her legs, one of Michonne's large hands hold Mary still against her.
Then there was more and more whistling, and Mary held back her tears when she saw a circle of men pointing guns at her. They weren't safe anymore. So she could only cry at two occasions; when someone died, or when it was night time. So she held back her tears, and stood defiantly as a man grabbed Glenn, tying his arms behind him back and forcing him to the ground, then as they did the same to Michonne, gagging each of them.
"Dwight." One man called as he reached Mary, unsure if he should tie her up. Unsure if he himself could find it in him to tie up a tiny child.
"What?" A man with half a burnt face snapped. Dwight. Mary knew that name. He killed Denise.
"Do I tie her up? She's just a little kid. I..."
"Tie her up. No exceptions." Dwight hissed.
Mary looked up at him, her eyes steely and angry. She looked into his eyes, and saw a man who murdured a doctor.  A doctor who saved her big brothers life. A doctor who patched her up every time she fell and cut herself. A doctor who babysat her when everyone else was gone. A doctor who was in love with one of the coolest women Mary knew. A doctor who saved people, so many people.
Mary, a five year old, could see only hate for this man. He was despicable. "You're a fucking mother fucker asshole, and I hope you die a slow death. And you will when my badass daddy finds me. You dick!"
Dwight scoffed, and looked at Michonne and Glenn. "Fix your fucking kid. And you. Get a gag for this one."
Then Mary was tied up and gagged, and sat in between Michonne and Glenn, leant again Michonne's shoulder.
Mary began to whimper, and crawled into Glenn's lap, nestled into his shoulder. His forehead rested against hers, and she calmed down, relaxing as soon as she looked into his dark eyes. Once she had calmed down, she nuzzled into his chest, and waited in silence. For Mary, it seemed like hours, but in reality, it was only one.
But it changed when she heard a rustling. Her head snapped straight towards the noise, just like Michonne's and Glenn's. Her eyes met Daryl's, and she felt a rush of excitement; he'd get them out of his.
He nodded to her, and raised his finger to his lips. Mary nodded back, and nestled back into Glenn's chest, keeping an eye on Daryl, but Michonne and Glenn reacted differently, shouting at him and Rosita to run, their voices muffled.
But it was too late, and a gun was raised to the back of Daryl's head, then another one on Rosita's.
"Hi Daryl." Dwight whispered into his ear, then he shot him in the arm, making Mary scream. "You'll be alright." He nodded, letting him fall.
"Uncle Daryl!" Mary wailed, her voice muffled, and Glenn shushed her soothingly.
"Hey! Is there anymore of you?" A man hissed to Rosita, and she shook her head. "Who else is there?!"
"No one!" She screamed, spitting at him angrily.
"Okay! Get 'em in the van!" Dwight shouted, as someone else opened a van door.
"Get the kid." A man hissed to Rosita, the only Alexandrian who wasn't tied up, and she nodded, picking Mary up.
"It's okay. I won't let anything happen. It's okay." Rosita whispered into her ear, picking her up, and Mary nodded, tears in her eyes. Rosita took the gag off her, and stroked her hair out of her face, a loving gesture from such a harsh, fierce woman. "We're gonna do what these men say, but your daddy is gonna come get us, I promise. Then all of this will be over. But for now, we do as they say so no one gets hurt. Where's your bunny?"
"Glenny has it." Mary whispered, and Rosita nodded.
"That's okay, we'll get it." Rosita assured, climbing into the van, hiding her fear. The door was slammed behind her, and it made Mary jump. "Okay, sit tight, I'm gonna undo everyone's ties." Rosita ordered, and Mary nodded. Rosita untied Michonne, then Glenn. Mary ran to Michonne, and hugged her tightly, staying in her arms for a few minutes, then she ran to Glenn.
"You're okay. You're okay. Have Carl Bunny." Glenn soothed, unhooking it from his belt. "I know. You're tired and hungry and thirsty. I know. It's gone lunch time. I know. But your daddy will find us, and we'll have loads of food. You'll be in your own bed, and everything will be okay. Alright?"
"Okay." Mary nodded, swallowing her tears.
"You're okay. It's all gonna be okay." Glenn soothed, and he just held her for the rest of the drive until the van stopped.

The van had been stationary for around one hour when someone opened the door. "Well well, it's Rick the Prick's group," a man chuckled in amusement, walking in, the door still half open, "you know, I expected more of a fight. Where's the fight?"
"Fuck you." Rosita hissed, spitting near his feet.
"Hey. I will shit that shit down, so stop it. What... What is this? You didn't say you'd brought a kid." The man hissed, distracted by Mary.
"Didn't think it was important." Dwight shrugged.
"She's a kid. Of course it is." The man spat, and he rooted around in his pocket, then tossed Mary a power bar. She caught it, then looked up at him uncertainly, but was too shy and overwhelmed to say anything.
"Thank you." Glenn whispered, his voice croaky, and he nodded back.
"Kids, they're the future. They need nutrients and shit. Who's yer mommy and daddy?"
Mary didn't answer, just buried her head into Glenn's chest. But she also reached her hand into her pocket and pulled out her knife - they never checked the child for weapons.
"Hey. I spoke to you."
"Let us go." She growled, and the man laughed, dismissing her. So Mary leapt up, and ran at him with her knife, but was grabbed by Dwight before she could even reach him, and tossed aside harshly. Michonne grabbed her, and held her to her chest, so tight she could barely live. So tight that no one else could see her cry softly.
"That doesn't happen. Ever. Again. Or your parents will be the ones to pay. Okay, I'll ask again, who's fucking kid is this? Is she yours? Yours?"He asked Glenn and Rosita harshly. Mary's eyes began to well up in fear, and Glenn reached across to her, holding her hand tightly, softly soothing her. "Ah. She's yours."
"She's Rick's." Michonne corrected harshly, and Negan turned to her.
"Rick? Who's this Rick?"
"Her father. The leader. My... My boyfriend."
"Well, you're not her mom. Who is?"
"She's dead. Please, let her go. Let her go with one of us, just to get her home. She's a baby. She's just a tiny little kid. She can't do anything. Please. Don't do this to her. She can't handle anymore shitty things happening to her! She's been through to much already!" Glenn hissed.
"Not gonna happen. And your group is gonna come to me. And having the leaders daughter, his girlfriend... That just makes it happen sooner."
"Please. She's a baby," Rosita whispered, "she's five. She already has nightmares so bad she wakes me up with the screaming, and I live a few houses down. She doesn't need this shit!"
"No, princess. Not happening."
"We're just gonna kill you." Rosita whispered, but the man laughed.
"Hey, kid, come here. Here. Now. Come on." The man ordered, and Mary had no choice but to do that he said. "Gimme... What will your daddy recognise first? Your bunny, or that little headband?"
"They're mine."
"I know. That's the point." He laughed, taking the bunny out of her hands. And Mary simply screamed, an ear splitting, painful scream, until he gave it her back. "Headband it is."
"It's a fucking bandana." Mary hissed, and the man scoffed.
"Mary, just give it to him." Michonne whispered, and Mary sighed, but did as he said. Before anyone could do anything else, the man strode over and cut out one of her dreadlocks. "What the hell!"
"We need to bait him." He shrugged, going to leave.
"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Glenn shouted and the man began to shut the door.
The man turned to them, a smile on his face, pearly white teeth showing, and grinned two words. "I'm Negan."

"Glenny? Glenny, I think I'm scared. I'm scared." Mary admitted several hours later, wrapped in Glenn's jacket as she shivered. It was night and cold, and she just wanted her father. She knew they weren't all making it out of this, and she was petrified.
"What? No, you're Mary badass Grimes. You don't get scared. You're fine. You're gonna be just fine."
"I know. I know he won't kill me. They don't kill the kid. But... What if they kill you? Or daddy, or Mishy, or Maggie, or Uncle Daryl? I know Carl will be okay. But what if you're not? I'm scared."
"No matter what, you'll be okay. I promise. I don't want you to be scared, or sad. Okay? I love you. Are you listening? Look at me, and stop worrying. You will be okay. You will beat this. You're stronger than this world." Glenn said firmly, his deep brown eyes locked on hers, filled with love and panic.
"I don't want anyone else to die. Everyone dies. I'm scared." Mary whimpered.
"I know. I know it's scary. I know," Glenn soothed, holding her shoulders, "but do I lie to you? Have I ever lied to you?"
"No." Mary mumbled.
"No. I haven't. So you know I'm telling you the truth when I say that you will be okay. I won't let anyone hurt you. At all. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Do you want to know... I'm gonna let you in on a secret, okay? And I've decided the baby's middle names. So you tell Maggie later. Okay?"
"Okay." Mary nodded with a smile.
"If we have a boy ... If it's a boy, and  I know it's a boy, he'll be called Hershel Richard Thomas. Because Richard is the long version of Rick. And Thomas..."
"That's Tommy's full name." Mary whispered with a tiny smile.
"Yeah. Can you make sure Maggie knows that? Tell her that's what I decided on. That's what I like the best."
"I will. But you can too."
"Yeah. Yeah. I love you. I love you millions and millions. To the stars and back."
"I love you to the stars and back too."

Then the door opened.