Lamb To The Slaughter, Rick Grimes

019 Recalling And Remembering

"I'm thinking of looking over near Macon."

Both Rick and Adeline made faces at that, similar ones. Rick didn't want anything to do with that man after he had destroyed their home and terrorised his people, (Adeline)— Adeline wanted the man rotting in the ground and she despised that there was still the possibility he was alive and roaming around. The brunette crossed her arms, looking down at the ground and kicking a few stones under her boot.

"I'm gonna go check out the Big Spot," Daryl changed the conversation blunt topic, "The one I was talking about, just seeing."

"Yeah," Rick nodded, "I gotta go out and check the snares." His voice lowered, almost as if he was embarrassed, "I don't wanna lose whatever we catch to the walkers."

"I'll go," Michonne offered, sensing Rick's discomfort.

Adeline shook her head, wanting to allow the woman a chance to rest. "You just got here. . . I can go."

Rick, Daryl and Michonne all turned to face her, "You wanna go?"

In truth, she didn't want to go. She hadn't left the prison since Mikael's death, she hadn't let Lola leave either. Far too paranoid and scared something terrible could happen again, the first time she left, she and two members of her family were taken and tortured, and the second time, her husband tried to kill both her and their daughter— she was no doubt afraid to leave the safe confines of the prison.

"Yeah," The woman's voice wavered, "I do."

Rick who could read her like a book could see she very obviously did not want to go, so for the first time in a long time, he looked into her eyes and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You haven't got to," He began, his voice soft and comforting, "Maybe it would be better to stay here with Lola," The man offered, he didn't want to be like Mikael and tell her she couldn't, because if she really wanted to then he would have no problem with that, but if it would make her uncomfortable and bring back terrible memories, he did not want her to go.

Adeline sucked in a breath and then eventually nodded, "You're right, I should stay with Lola." She announced, turning back to face Daryl and Michonne, bottom lip tucked between her teeth in embarrassment— she left pathetic, like a child. She was a grown woman and she couldn't even leave the prison.

"I'll go," Michonne stated for the second time, smiling at Adeline as she moved past her to get into one of the cars behind him.

Daryl nodded and patted Rick's stomach as he peeled away, the three vehicles making their way down the path and out of the prison.

Adeline and Rick stood there in silence for a few moments, both of their eyes trained on the ground, tension suddenly filling the air.

"I'm gonna go check the snares." He told her, briefly looking at her face as she walked off.

Adeline didn't bother to respond, instead, she walked off in the direction of her three favourite girls, Lola, Beth and Judith, the three of them sat around a table underneath the new shelter that had been constructed, Beth and Lola flipping through the pages of the comics and Judith babbling and pulling at the blondes hair as she sat in Beth's lap, small little fingers exploring.

      She sat down beside her daughter, swivelling her hand around the girl's back and gently taking a handful of her hair to pull it over her shoulder, inspecting the roots of her hair between her fingers, "Looks like it's time for a haircut, baby."