Three against the world

15

Rick pov

Herschel, Maggie, and Carol worked on y/n in one of the cells, the rest of us sat in the small cafeteria at the front of the cell block, and no one said a word, Judith didn't even cry, not even a whimper. She was wide awake in Daryl's arms just looking up at him holding one of his fingers. Holding her brought him some comfort, my mind was racing a million miles a minute.

What's going to happen if she dies? What's going to happen to me and Daryl, would we still be together or will we be driven apart by grief, Judith would grow up without her mother, and Carl, oh god Carl, he idolised her, he loves her so much she's his hero, he was always so proud to tell the other kids his mother fought for her country as if it was his own achievement. I don't think I would survive if she died, it was hard enough when I had to bring her to the base and not knowing if she would come back, at least back then there was a high possibility she would but in this day and age, the chances of her dying is higher than ever. How would the group even function? She stepped up and took over from Shane at the quarry and the farm, she's kept us alive longer than anyone gave her credit for, she found Sophia and was so close to bringing her back home. She always put everyone before herself, always made sure they smiled on their off days. She was the glue that healed this group together.

Carl was trembling, silently crying. Glenn got up and walked outside, he felt guilty that they got into that situation, it went without saying but he and y/n were platonic soulmates, they bonded fast and deeply.. Beth blankly stared at the floor. She looked to y/n as a second mother and y/n loved her like her own. Even Carol, who hates her for what happened with Sophia, was upset when we brought her back. my mind wandered to a few of my favourite memories just so I could see her smiling face.

*flashback*

"Rick!!!" I groaned and rolled over "come on! It's my first day back, I want the day to be full of sex" she hit me with a pillow "we just got the house let's fuck on every surface" Carl was at my mother's while we got everything moved in, she hasn't seen him in a while so it was a win on both sides

I was comfortable laying on my stomach "Not today" I grumbled "what man turns down a day full of hot steamy sex" she crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, I smiled, my face still half buried in the pillow, and she was wearing my shirt. The light came through the window directly behind her and threw the well-loved and now sheer shirt showing me she wasn't wearing any underwear "maybe if you put on the sexy blue ones" I said knowing full well they didn't exist anymore.

She scoffed "I would but you shredded them last time and I haven't gotten any new ones" I turned my head the other way "then not today" the bed dipped and she straddled my hips and gently rubbed my back, digging her nail in enough to coax a moan from me "you're being naughty" she whispered in my ear, "thought we agreed I was the dom this time" she kissed my shoulder "fine" she was probably pouting, she was so cute when she did that. She continued to rub my back and lulled me back to sleep.

end of flashback

"Rick" I snapped my head up to the entrance of the cell block, Herschel and the others walked out, they all looked sad. almost like they didn't believe she would make it. "I did all I could, it's up to her now" Herschel pat my shoulder and sat down.

*flashback*

"Really" I held up a 'kiss the cook' apron "yes, you are to wear that all day and nothing else" she had an evil smirk, we've probably driven my mother crazy with pawning Carl off to her for our sexcapades "now be a good boy and listen" she kissed my cheek and left the room, the both of us were switches so every time she came back we took turns being the dom, it led to some fun sexy times.

I was on edge the whole day waiting for her to push me up against any surface and just ravish me but it never happened "your mean" I leaned on the doorway to the living room where she sat and read her book "pay back's a bitch ain't it" she winked and went up to bed. "Come, you deserve a reward for being a good boy" she called out and I booked it up the stairs.

It's been hours and no one's moved, said a word, or even looked up from the floor. It was like everyone was afraid to move besides changing or feeding Judith, no one got up to sit at her bedside, afraid that she would already be turned. Glenn came back a few hours later, sweaty and dirty. He sat in between Maggie and Beth and healed them close. Herschel took my handcuffs and chained y/n to the bed just in case, he didn't want Carl to see her if she turned and wandered out to us smelling the fresh meat.

The rattle of metal on metal broke the deafening silence