𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒, the walking dead

4.

"They were abducted by a man named Merle," Rick informs the group, quickly directing Hershel to assist Ross as he eyes Michonne suspiciously. "Some of us know him from before we were at the farm. He's Daryl's brother."

That makes Ross' head shoot up, eyes wide as he looks at Daryl. He's tempted to comment on the lack of resemblance, but air on his wound makes him hiss and snaps him out of his minute thought. "I got lucky. I would've been food if it wasn't for Michonne." He defends her and catches his Uncle's eyes. "She's trustworthy."

Rick and Daryl take Michonne's weapons from her, fairly enough, and urge her to explain just how she knew where Merle was going. Ross looks over at Hershel as he unloads their scarce medical supplies and feels guilty for opening his wound.

The older man gives him a small smile. "Let me stitch this up again. It might hurt a bit, just bite your sleeve."

Ross knew that was coming, sighing as he turns away and bites down on the sleeve of his jacket as Hershel starts stitching. Luckily enough, that's when Michonne tells her story.

"I was with a friend of mine, a woman named Andrea when he showed up. Merle is who found us and took us back to Woodbury." She pauses and looks around at them, "They're nothing like you or me. They couldn't defend themselves if their walls went down. A man who calls himself the Governor runs the place."

"Do these people know he's sending his men to take hostages?" Rick rebuttals, his eyes the same shape of doubt.

Michonne shakes her head. "No. Like I said, they're oblivious. But I can help you get in and get your people back."

Rick nods, and looks over at his nephew. Ross prepares himself for a storm of questions, tense against the needle dipping in and out of his skin.

"Does that sound like what she's said to you?" He asks the teenager. Ross looks at Michonne, the exhausted woman subtly  begging him to corroborate.

"Yeah. She saved my life, Rick. All I had was my knife and I was bleeding. Merle somehow didn't notice I was there. Plus," Ross stops, waving his hand at the bag he'd dropped on his way in. "There's no way I could have that gotten back without her."

Rick walks over to the bag and rips it open, pausing when he sees baby formula. Beth sees it as well, sending Ross a small smile. She was currently his biggest supporter.

Rick, Daryl, and Michonne begin talking about something else entirely, and Ross tunes back out in favor of talking to Carl.

"Hey, how's the baby?" He asks his little cousin.

Carl shrugs, looking back at where the crib was. "She's good. I'm glad you got the formula back."

"It's because of her. I was terrified, Michonne is a badass." Ross laughs softly and Carl smiles. Hershel does as well.

"I'll tell you, she seems like she knows what she's doing." The older man says as he closes the suture to his wound, wrapping something around it. Ross remembers Michonne's leg.

"Treat her, she has an injured leg. I can't tell if it's a stab or a gunshot, but it's pretty bad." Ross says to Hershel who looks over at the woman. The bottom of her pant leg was incredibly bloodied at this point.

The white-haired man walks away, and Ross stands up slowly to go get the other t-shirt he keeps in the bottom of his bag in his cellblock when he feels someone grab his arm— Beth. The girl smiles at him, and he can't help but smile back. "I'll help you."