Just Keep Walking

Thirty seven

"Hey, is Mary here?" Rick asked as Maggie opened the door, pushing Judith's pushchair.
"Yeah." Maggie nodded, welcoming Rick into the house.
"Has she had a good day?" Rick asked nervously, an unusual look for him. "She said she wanted Glenn to pick her up. She wanted him. But I feel bad. She had a good day?"
"She's fine," Maggie smiled warmly, "she's having a nap now. Can I take her?" Rick nodded, and Maggie reached down and picked up Judith, the baby cheerful as always.
"She's napping?" Rick half exclaimed, surprised that she would sleep without him or Carl there.
"Yeah, she was so tired. We gave her some lunch, then she practically fell asleep on Glenn's shoulder. She wouldn't let go of his hand though," Maggie chuckled, "so he's not been allowed to move."
"Sorry." Rick laughed, as they went into the living room, leaving the pushchair in the hall, seeing Mary laid asleep on the sofa, Glenn sat on the floor, holding her hand.
"Hi." Glenn half laughed.
"Hi. Thank you, I really appreciate it." Rick nodded, as Glenn smiled back at him. "Sorry, I need to get back. Gotta take over Michonne's shift or whatever, and this one needs feeding soon." Rick explained, motioning to Judith as she pulled at Maggie's hair.
"Yeah, yeah, that's fine." Maggie nodded with a smile.
"Where's Noah?"
"Sleeping. His leg hurts. That kid sleeps more than Mary." Glenn joked.
"Okay. Alright, I'm gonna take these two home. Thank you for having her."
"No worries." Glenn smiled. Rick didn't want to wake Mary, so he slid her bunny into her hand which was clinging to Glenn, and put her into Judith's pushchair, thankful she didn't wake up, then sat Judith next to her, the two of them squashed, Mary's tiny feet scraping at the floor. Rick walked them home, getting to the empty, cold house.
"Daddy?" Mary whined groggily as Rick moved Judith.
"Hey, baby. Did you have a fun morning?"
"Hmm. Me and Glenny decided I'm gonna make a friend." Mary mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
"Good, I'm glad. Listen, Jessie's gonna come over and watch you and Judith. Okay?"
"Daddy." Mary whined in protest, and Rick sighed, picking her up, and sitting down on the sofa with both of the girls.
"She's gonna bring over some movies."
Mary's eyes shot open at that, a smile on her face. "Really?"
"Really." Rick chuckled. "I'm gonna get Judy her bottle, okay? You gonna play with her?"
"Yeah." Mary nodded, sliding off Rick's lap and holding Judith. She sang to her, silly nursery rhymes that Beth had taught her once upon a time, Judith giggling happily. Rick came back with a bottle of milk for Judith, who sat on Mary's lap, holding the bottle herself, drinking slowly.
Rick heard a knock, and patted Mary's shoulder. "I'm gonna go answer it." He explained, getting up and going to the door. He came back a minute later with Jessie, who had a canvas bag and a smile on her face.
"Hey girls." She smiled, as Mary waved at her shyly.
"Okay, So I'm gonna go. They've both napped and been fed, but if they're hungry or thirsty they can just have whatever. But usually nothing fizzy or whatever. And Carl'll be home at four, and me and Michonne at six. If Judith gets whiney then give her a bottle to calm her down, and just rock her a little. She doesn't have a pacifier or anything. Make sure Mary has her bunny, and but if she has a full on meltdown and Carl isn't here, then just sing to her and get Glenn or Maggie if you can't find me or Michonne. And..."
"Rick. Don't worry. I've got this." Jessie reassured, her face gentle and kind.
"Okay. Just... She can get really upset. Really upset, and usually only me or Carl can calm her down." Rick rambled mon.
"It's okay. It's okay. Go. I've got them." Jessie said firmly, and Rick nodded, then kissed both of his daughters foreheads.
"I'll see you soon. Be good for Jessie, yeah? I love you."
"Love you too." Mary whispered, her face buried into the top of Judith's head.
"Okay. I'll be back soon."
"Okay." Mary mumbled, and Rick left.
"Okay, I brought over some movies..." Jessie smiled.
"What's a movie?" Mary asked, cutting Jessie off.
"Erm, well it's like... Watching something on the TV. We can't watch TV because there's no signal, but we can watch a movie. I've got popcorn for us to eat, and we can watch... I have Cinderella?"
Mary gasped and nodded, a grin on her face.
"Alright." Jessie laughed, getting up and setting up the TV, Mary pulling faces at Judith, making her giggle. Once the film started, Mary kept ahold of Judith, staying away from Jessie, but by the time Rick and Michonne came home, Mary was full of happiness and joy of spending time with someone who didn't treat her like a fragile five year old of the apocalypse.
"Hi daddy!" Mary grinned, skipping over to Rick.
"Hey, baby." Rick laughed, picking her up and swinging her around.
"Look at me!" Mary demanded, thrusting her painted pink and green finger nails into Rick's vision.
"Wow! So cool." Rick smiled, kissing her cheek.
"Mishy, look!" Mary giggled, leaning over to fall into Michonne's arms.
"Oh, wow. Amazing." Michonne chuckled.
"She likes you." Rick smiled to Jessie, surprised by the outcome of her babysitting.
"I like her too." Jessie shrugged with a smile, holding Judith, "And this one too. She's the... The happiest baby I've ever met."
Rick smiled and nodded in agreement, kicking off his shoes.
"You want to take her?"
"Yes." Rick smiled, taking his youngest child.
"Seriously, they've been amazing. They're great kids."
"I'm not a kid. I'm a big girl." Mary whined, and Michonne laughed and kissed the side of her head, a new reflex action.
"I'm gonna make a friend." Mary said firmly to Michonne, putting each of her hands in either side of the woman's face.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Mary nodded.
"Good."
"Hey, Mishy?"
"Yeah?"
"Daddy doesn't count as my best friend, because he's my favourite person ever and he is forever. Neither does Carl. But after Glenny and Maggie, you're my best friend."
"You and Carl are my best friends too." Michonne smiled softly, kissing the side of Mary's head again. Mary just smiled, and nestled her face into Michonne's shoulder, feeling safe, feeling happy.

"Do you have bunny?" Rick asked softly, laid next to Mary on her tiny bed, the pair of them tired.
"Yeah. Here." Mary said shakily, waving the bunny into Rick's face.
"Okay. Come on now, eyes closed. Sleep time."
"I don't wanna."
"No, come on now. Time to sleep. It's okay, I'm here."
"Can you stay?"
"Now, we said I'll stay until you fall asleep. Okay? And Carl will come to bed in a few hours. Okay?" Rick said firmly, and Mary nodded sadly.
"I miss my picture."
"Your picture?"
"Yeah," Mary answered, "my picture of you and mommy and Carl. It's still at the prison. I miss it."
"Oh sweetie." Rick sighed, kissing the side of Mary's head.
"I wish we had one of me and Judith on it too. I wish mommy met Judith."
"Me too." Rick sighed.
"But she still sees us now, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember." Rick whispered. He didn't believe in Heaven, in Hell, in God, but it helped Mary, and that was all that mattered. "Come on now. Sleep."
"Can you sing?"
"Yeah, I'll sing. The Sunshine Song?"
"Yeah." Mary mumbled, rolling over and clinging onto Rick's arm and burying her head into his arm.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take, my sunshine, away."
"I love you, daddy."
"I love you too." Rick soothed, laying in silence until Mary finally fell asleep, then he slid out of the room, going down the stairs to see Michonne and Carl playing chess, the pair of them incredibly competitive.
"Is she asleep?" Michonne asked gently.
"Yeah." Rick nodded, going into the kitchen and grabbing a beer, then going back to Carl and Michonne.
"Dad." Carl sighed, looking at the beer.
"Carl, it's one beer," Rick scoffed, "I'm not going to get drunk and I'm not going to get alcohol poisoning."
"Whatever." Carl mumbled, Michonne laughing under her breath. "I just don't want you..."
"I know." Rick nodded, cutting him off, knowing that Carl worried about him. Worried that he'd lose another parent. Both of his children were. And he hated every second of it. He just wanted this world to be over. He wanted them to be safe in Alexandria forever.