Cherokee Roses {Daryl Dixon's Daughter}

f i f t y

The time came for Maggie and Glenn to leave with Rosita, Eugene, and Abraham. As of right now, we were saying our goodbyes to Bob as his time left was growing thinner with each second that passed. 

"You're a good man Bob." I tell him kneeling by the couch. "You helped save so many lives when you helped get that medicine. You saved mine."

"You're a great kid Cherokee." He says while the pain takes control of his body. "You'll beat this world, you and Carl both will."

With a small nod, I get up and exit the room with Carl by my side. It might be another five minutes before Sasha exits the office with tears rolling down her face. Next is Tyreese who saved his sister from the burden of putting Bob down for good.

He's given a grave and a quick funeral. Then we're saying goodbye to Maggie and Glenn. The one's who've been with us since almost the very beginning. I wrap my arms around Maggie tightly before moving on to Glenn. 

Abraham gives Rick a map. "This is our route to D.C., we'll stick it as long as we can. If not, you've got our destination.  Once Eugene gets to the big brains up there things are going to bounce back. This group should be there for it. You should be there for it."

"They will be." Maggie speaks up. 

"We will" Michonne agrees.

"We will." Rick echoes. 

"Let's go." Abraham says after a nod and one by one our friends load up into the bus. We make eye contact one last time before the doors close and they're off for DC. 

Carl and I find ourselves back inside with Judith trying to crawl in between the two of us. Slowly, the small girl picks herself up with her chubby arms and lifts one up before falling back to the ground. 

She starts to cry and I shush her.  "No, no." I tell her lightly. "You did so good Judy! Look at you! You're getting strong!"

Her cries don't seize. Almost as if she knows today isn't a good one. Sighing I pick the girl up. 

"I'm gonna let her take a nap." I tell Carl and he nods. 

"Good, she's almost as cranky as you." He jokes. 

"You better bite your tongue Cowboy." I say laughing before bouncing Judith in my arms. 

I lay Judith in her makeshift crib before rocking her to sleep gently. Staring at the girl I realize I might never get the chance to have this. We could die at any moment out here. Bob wasn't expecting to die, look where he is now though. 

The door opens behind me. Expecting it to be Carl, I don't turn around and continue to focus on Judith's snores. 

"Done playing house?" Elisa asks behind me. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say crossing my arms to face her. 

"Don't play coy, I know how much you look after her." She says as if she's proving something. 

"Well, when Rick is keeping the group safe, I tend to look after his child and my boyfriends sister." I tell her wishing for the conversation to end. 

"You shouldn't." She sneers. "I'd hate for you to get any ideas of your own." 

"That's what this is about?" I practically yell. "You don't want me getting pregnant?"

"I don't need my child becoming a mother at 15!" 

"Why?" My voice raises. "Because you know I'd be a better one than you? I don't want to be a mother at 15! I sure as hell know Carl doesn't want to be a dad right now either, seeing as he saw what happened to his mom firsthand. You don't trust either of us when you barely know us! Rick and my Dad trust us! Everybody in this group trusts us! You're the only one who has a problem with us, and if you really wanted to be my mom, you'd trust us also. Not just barge into my life uninvited and act like you've been there." 

"Cherokee I-" It seems like she's had a change of heart but I cut her off, thank you Dad's temper. 

"No! I'm tired of you acting like you give a shit! Like you didn't miss my first days of school! Like you were there when dad was struggling to get food on the table and sometimes went to bed hungry because he put me before himself! I'm not your child! I'm dad's! You know why? Because he was there! If you want to be my mom, then fine! I'll accept that, but you need to accept that you can't start controlling my life when everyone here accepts what I do with it and even encourages me." 

By now, I have heavy trails of tears running down my face and a large hand is placed on my back. It's not Carl's, but Rick's. 

"That's enough Cherokee." He says in a calm and fatherly voice. He's not scolding me, just dragging me away from the situation at hand. "Elisa, I suggest you find something else to do." 

With that, Elisa walks off speechless and Rick shuts the door behind her. 

"Are you okay?" He asks as I wipe my tears away angrily. I shake my head. 

"Things were fine before." I mumble. "She wants me to not be like dad, I can tell. She wishes I was more like her, that we had a normal relationship. I don't think I'm ready for that Rick." 

"I know," He says. "You might not ever be ready." 

He wraps me in a hug. We stay like that for a while, me crying and him consoling me. 

"I appreciate all the help you are with Judith, and the relationship with Carl." He tells me slowly. "You've helped him out of some dark times, just know that your father and I trust the two of you. You've given us reasons too, she hasn't been there for that." 

"She hasn't been there for anything." I mumble. 

"I know, what I'm trying to say is try to be patient. Lord knows I'm trying my hardest with that woman." He jokes. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I just want my dad to be back here." I say honestly. "She usually keeps her distance when he is." 

"If that's the case, I'll try to be around as much as possible, almost like a buffer." He tells me patting me on the back. 

"Thank's Rick." I tell him. 

"No, thank you." He tells me before opening the door once more. "You've done a lot for this group, and my son. I'll never be able to thank you enough."

"You don't need to."

"Trust me, I do." 

I notice Carl's eyes are trained on me. There's no doubt in my mind that he heard the shouting match between me an Elisa. A nod from Rick makes me go to him and its not long before Carl has me in his arms. I notice Elisa glaring at the two of us but I ignore it. 

"We're gonna be okay." He says. 

"I know Carl," I agree. "I know."

____

Later that night, I sit on one of the pews. My leg bounces up and down anxiously. Why isn't my dad back yet? 

"You worried about your dad?" Carl asks me.

"Always." I tell him. 

He rests a hand on my knee in a comforting way. 

"He'll be okay." He reassures. 

"I know." 

Michonne is outside with Gabriel. The rest of us are gathered quietly in the middle of the church. There's not much to speak about. It's been a rough 48 hours. All of a sudden, Gabriel comes back inside saying that Michonne heard something in the woods. 

A few moments later my Dad comes back inside with a stranger. All at once, I'm on my feet running towards him. 

"Where have you been?" I ask exasperated as I find my hands around his waist in a tight hug. 

"I know where Beth is." 

____

Word Count: 1331

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