Forager || Rick Grimes

t h i r t y

"The wall's down from the south side," Tyreese cooperated, "the place is completely overrun with walkers."

"How'd you make it this far?" Natalie asked concerned as she stood behind Carl and next to Isabel.

"We didn't, we lost Donna," Tyreese said.

"I'm sorry," Natalie said genuinely. Tyreese gave her a nod in return.

"They were lost in the gym," Carl added.

"And you brought them here?" Rick snapped back.

"He had no choice." Herschel reasoned.

"It was the right thing to do Rick," Natalie said sensing the rising tension, "better to have them here than wondering around the prison without us knowing."

Carl looked up at her and gave her a grateful smile for backing him up.

"Hershel said you could use some extra hands," Tyreese said, trying to find some sort of common ground, "We're no stranger to hard work. We'll go out and get our own food, stay out of your hair. You got a problem with another group, we'll help with that, too. Anything to contribute."

"No," Rick said after a couple of seconds of silence. Natalie looked at her father to see him already staring at her.

They both wanted Tyreese and his people to stay, they needed the extra help given their new predicament.

"Please, it's just us now," Sasha pleaded.

"No."

"Let's talk about this." Herschel spoke, "We can't just keep--"

"We've been through this." Rick interrupted. "With Tomas, Andrew. Look what happened."

"Axel and Oscar weren't like them," Carol spoke calmly.

"Oscar gave his life up for us, so we could be together again," Natalie said emotionally and taking a step towards Rick. "We have to start trusting others Rick, we can't always just depend on ourselves."

"I can't be responsible," Rick mumbled back, "for everyone who dies, I- I can't be responsible."

"You turn us out," Tyreese said, "you will be responsible."

"Rick," Herschel called out, "we owe you our lives. We've done everything you asked without question. But I'm telling you, you're wrong on this."

Rick looked around at the rest of the group looking, reading their expressions.

His gaze finally fell on Natalie and she softened her eyes when they made eye contact.

Whilst staring at her he noticed something directly above her.

With a quick snap of his neck, he looked up at the platform above, "no. No. Please no."

Natalie looked at him confused, wondering what he had just seen.

His eyes filled with anger and madness and sadness that threatened to leak from his eyes to stream down his cheeks. 

He walked past Natalie to look up at the railing above. 

"Why are you here?" He yelled in a pained voice, "what is it you want from me?" he continued. 

"Dad?" Carl called. 

Natalie observed his behaviour, trying to deduct what was going. 

Then it clicked, "the voices," she uttered under her breath referring to what Rick had told her moments ago. 

"Rick," Natalie said coming forward and pushing Isabel and Carl behind her, "I need you to calm down," he turned to face her, but once again he looked estranged, alienated, alone. "It's alright we're here, you're family," she said pointing to Carl and giving him a comforting smile, "is right here." 

For a second, his face returned back to his usual gaze, "Hey! Hey!" Tyreese warned, increasing the distance between them and the rest of the group, "No need-" 

"Get out! Get out!" Rick suddenly snapped, causing Natalie to roll her eyes at the men surrounding her. 

By now Rick had brought out his handgun and was waving it around. Natalie knew he wouldn't do anything but that didn't stop her from shouting at Tyreese's group to leave. 

"We'll leave. We're going. Ain't nobody got to get shot here." Tyreese said as they picked up their bags, with Glenn giving them a hand and urging them to hurry up. 

Herschel looked towards his oldest daughter and gave a worried glance, she sighed deeply then looked towards Rick. 

They had left now, leaving the group in silence so loud no one threatened to disturb it scared that Rick would act out. 

"Sleeping pills it is then," Natalie mumbled to herself. 

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