Solitude -> The Walking Dead

59

Aaron was telling the truth about his van and the food. I trusted him and it paid off. A feeling that's very rarely been true.

"This? This is ours now." Rick spoke up.

I glanced at him showing one of the cans to Aaron who was still tied up in the barn. If anything, he seems to have gotten even more exasperated with Rick and his stubbornness.

He held in a sigh. "There's more than enough."

"It's ours whether or not we go to your camp."

My eyes immediately went to Rick at his statement. He refused to look at anyone but Aaron. I needed him to see me, though. To see that even I thought this was a good plan.

The desperation I felt to make him see reason was unwavering. I couldn't keep flinching every time the bushes rustled or every time the twins cried because they were hungry. I need to give them a place to call home.

I need to make up for all that I've done wrong before. Ryan deserves that. Dorothy deserves that. Cleo deserves that. Hershel deserves that. Hell, even Beth who I feel bad for ever hating.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't we go?" Carl asked.

The confusion in his voice was so innocent. I glanced at him and realized that amidst everything that was happening, I almost forgot he was still just a kid. Still so young and in need of protection.

"If he were lying, or if he wanted to hurt us, but he isn't and he doesn't. We need this. So we're going, all of us. Somebody say something if they feel differently." Michonne demanded.

Her eyes found mine and I nodded agreeing with her. A couple of faces turned noticing my approval of the plan. Whether I've earned it or not, my voice matters in this group and it was about time I used it for something good.

"Michonne's right. We can't keeping living on the road, we deserve better. And this community could be exactly that." I argued.

Michonne gave me a grateful look for backing her up. Rick's head finally turned to look in my direction with a clenched jaw. He didn't agree and I knew he wasn't going to until we had more proof.

But we can't get more of it if we bury our heads in the sand. I hoped that he could see that written over my face.

"I don't know, man. This barn smells like horse shit."

My head turned to Daryl's place in the barn. I felt my heart skip a beat at his support. Our eyes met for a brief moment before I looked away. The conversation we had was still ringing in my head.

Rick nodded. "Yeah. We're going."

My eyes closed as relief washed all over me. It wasn't just me though. I could almost feel the collective exhale of the group as this question got answered. We were going. For better or for worse.

"So where are we going? Where's your camp?" Rick asked Aaron.

I turned to face him just as one of the twins started crying. Before I could even react, Dakota had swooped up Rhea in her arms. My eyes stayed glued to the two of them.

The concerned look on her face made me think of her and Merle's unborn child. The one she would never be able to hold or comfort. The twins may have lost their parents, but they've gotten an amazing aunt who's going to treat them as if they were her own.

That fact has never been more clear to me than now. I do not wish to have children and Dakota can not. But that doesn't mean we aren't already parents, in our own way.

"Well, every time I've done this, I've been behind the wheel driving recruits back. I believe you're good people, I've bet my life on it. I'm just not ready to bet my friends' lives just yet." Aaron protested.