Captive | The Walking Dead |

47

The next morning, Isabella was the third to wake, right after Daryl and Rick. It was still pretty early so they'd let the others keep sleeping.

"You sleep okay?" Rick asked her as they sat up, stretching out their bodies.

"Better than I have in weeks," she nodded and he smiled warmly, bringing her in for a kiss.

While Rick went off to talk quietly with Daryl, she ensured the two kids were comfortable.

Carl began mumbling in his sleep, and jolted awake with his eyes wide.

"You okay?" she whispered, crouching next to him. "Was it a bad dream?"

He nodded. "I dreamed we lost you again."

"You don't need to worry about that kid," she comforted him, and told him to try and fall back asleep for a bit longer.

"I love you mom," he mumbled as he drifted to sleep and Isabella froze.

Mom. It was the first time Carl had called her that. She didn't know how she felt hearing him call her that. It made her heart race with excitement, she did see him as her own after all, but did she deserve the title so quickly? She didn't want to fail the name and be the worst mother to Carl and Judith. Still, she couldn't help but find herself enjoying the title and felt her eyes brim with tears knowing Carl had accepted her into the family.

She headed to the back of the barn near the stables far from everyone so she could reflect on the word alone.

"Isa? Are you okay? What happened?" Rick whispered frantically from behind her. Once he noticed she went off to the corner rather quickly and in tears he quickly went to comfort her.

More tears fell out her eyes and he brought her into his arms.

"What happened? What's wrong?" he asked once more.

"He called me mom Rick," she whispered with a broken cry.

"Who?" Then it clicked in his mind. She'd been with Carl and once he fell asleep that was when she headed off in tears. "Carl... he called you mom didn't he?"

She nodded with the tears still spilling out.

"I don't understand what's wrong, do you not like it?" He asked.

"No Rick, that's the problem. I'm happy he called me that, but I don't want him to just think I'm replacing Lori," Isabella sniffled.

"You're not Lori's replacement and he knows it. Lori and I were falling apart long before you came into our lives. Carl's mourned her, he's moved on and you've helped fill the void she left. You've been there for him everyday, and he knows. He doesn't see you as a replacement," Rick soothed her.

She nodded but the tears kept coming out. She kept looking at the ground.

"Isa, hey, look at me, would you?" he asked, and she looked up to his pleading eyes. "We're a family now, so don't forget it okay?"

"I love you," he added.

She smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I love you too Rick."

They softly kissed and all of Isabella's worries disappeared with the safety of Rick.

"Hey Rick, can I be honest with you really quick?" she asked. "It's a secret I've been hiding from you for sometime."

"Sure, what is it?" he asked, grabbing her hands.

"Back at the farm, you know when I was still up in the shed?" she started and he nodded in remembrance. "Well, you know how I managed to escape and even stab Shane? I kinda had some help with that."