Forager || Rick Grimes

t h i r t y - o n e

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Natalie watched as Rick ran off, she couldn't help but feel.... sorry for him.

She thought about all the responsibilities and obligations and promises and guilt he had resting upon his shoulders.

She thought about the promise he made her back at the farm. About how he would protect her and her daughters and her sisters and her father.

She thought about how the guilt had impacted him and changed him. She didn't know if it was a good change or not.

But out of all it, she couldn't help but feel a sense of admirations for him. How had one person managed to deal with all of this and still be okay?

But that was just it, as she watched Rick raise his hand as if to cup someone's face she knew that he wasn't okay.

The incident in the prison and now this; she was a doctor, operated on hundreds maybe thousands of patients saving their lives letting them carrying on living their mundane lives. Yet she was letting Rick die, he was losing himself and something needed to be done.

Time. Maybe time was what he needed.

But who has the time?

Certainly not her, not enough time to focus on the task at hand, protecting her daughters, making up with Emilia, healing, taking care of the others and not to mention her inner quarrels with Chris. How was she meant to help him. Save him. Save him from his own mind.

With that she sighed and walked back the prison, where she say the rest of her family, looking over Carl and Glenn as the two of them crouched on the floor.

"Now you said you found Tyreese's group here?" Glenn asked as he drew a map of the prison. Carl nodded in confirmation. "We secured this." He said to Natalie as he saw her come in. This was the first time he had spoken to her since they were back and this time, his eyes weren't filled with venom or hate, he stared at her with fear and embers of a fire.

Natalie sighed as she crouched down beside the two, sighing, "We did secure it, but that means there's another breach somewhere, and because this area is near the front, that means the whole front of it isn't secure."

Glenn sighed in frustration and rubbed his face, "if walkers just strolled in, then it's gonna be cake for a group of armed men."

"Why are we even so sure he's going to attack?" Beth said trying to make everyone feel better, "Maybe you scared him off." Natalie let out a scoff at this.

Michonne too thought Beth's statement was utter rubbish scoffed, "He had fish tanks full of heads. Walkers and humans. Trophies. He's coming."

"She's right," Natalie added, "the man's a psychopath, and I don't think he takes defeat well, he'll be back soon."

"We should hit him now." Glenn said looking down at Natalie as he stood. Natalie gave him a confused look, "he won't be expecting it. We'll sneak back in and put a bullet in his head." He spoke confidently, now looking at everyone in the group.

He walked over to Michonne and stood in front of her, "you know where his apartment is." Then looked back at Natalie with both vengeance and confidence coated on his face, "The three of us could end this tonight. I'll do it myself."

It was a stupid plan, there's no deny that. But Glenn had a point better only a few of us go an end it as quickly as we can, than endanger the entire family. Michonne gave a small but short nod.

Glenn walked over to Natalie, "Nat, the three of us, we can do this."

"It's a stupid plan, we're rushing into this too quickly," Glenn opened his mouth to protest, "but I'm with you," she said giving a small smile. He nodded before turning around.

"He didn't know you were coming last time and look what happened. You were almost killed. Daryl and Nat were captured. And you and Maggie were almost executed." Herschel intervened with his soft voice. 

"You can't stop me." Glenn said with vim looking at Natalie's father in the eyes.

"Rick would never allow this."

"You really think he's in any position to make that choice?"

"Think this through clearly. T-Dog lost his life here. Lori, too. The men that were here. It isn't worth any more killing. What are we waiting for? If he's really on his way, we should be out of here by now."

"Dad there's nowhere for us to go, not with everyone's condition, half of us aren't in the right state to travel." Natalie said, no one's plan was making sense. She hated to oppose her father but Glenn's plan was the only one that could possible work. 

"We can't stay here. We can't run." Glenn stated with assertiveness.

Natalie stepped towards her father and pulled him away from Glenn, something about Glenn's voice put her on edge and when she saw his face, the embers were gone from his eyes, instead in it's place was a raging fire. He wanted to kill.

Whatever Natalie say, Maggie noticed too, she couldn't stand to see Glenn like this she turned around and left the room. Glenn watched as he did and for a second, Natalie say the fire diminish. He looked broken.

That's when Natalie decided to step forward. Clearly none the men were capable to making decisions right now.

"I think the best thing we can do is stay here, we defend this place, we secure it and make sure there's nothing comprised." Natalie said her voice raising to assert her control. The last thing she wanted was her family lashing out and being uncontrollable.

"We make sure we have patrols going round keeping an eye on this place. But first thing is first. We. Need. To. Find. That breach. Glenn you and I will go down to the tomb." She said looking at him. He nodded and let out an okay.

"You'll need some help." Michonne stated.

"No." Glenn said getting back into the right head space. "In case anything happens, I need you out here." Michonne looked at Natalie for confirmation, to which she nodded.

"Carl I want you to join Michonne."

"Got it." He replied quickly.

Glenn quickly looked around, "Who's on watch?" he demanded. No one responded. He scoffed then walked off.

Natalie watched him. "Will he be alright?" Carl asked looking up at Natalie.

"Don't ask silly questions Carl," she said flicking his hat. "Sometimes we all succumb to stress, we're not all like you Sheriff." She smirked trying to bring him some happiness.

"I'm not at strong as you think."

"I think I know how strong you are, I've opened you up know." She teased, "I've seen the muscles and strength you possess when getting that bullet out of you... but with that being said... you're not stronger than me that's for sure." She winked.

Carl breathed out a laugh before running off to go keep watch.

She went to grab her guns, "Nat," Herschel said hopping over, "You can't think this is a good idea."

"Dad," Natalie sighed, "please. I can't keep changing plans. This is the best we've got." She stated as she grabbed her axe. "I'll be back." She said as she kissed him on the check and went to go join Glenn.

She looked back to see Emmy by the entrance, tear stained. Natalie sighed before turning around and following Glenn to the tombs, she'd deal with her later. 

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