===========================♛===========================
"So we're clear, that look wasn't a "let's attack that man" look. It was a "he seems like an okay guy to me" look," Michonne said to Rick.
"We got to secure him. Dump his pack," Rick ordered Carl. "Let's see what this guy really is."
"Rick," Michoone whispered harshly.
"Everybody else, we need eyes in every direction. They're coming for us. We might not know how or when, but they are," Rick said.
"Me and Sasha, we didn't see him. If he had wanted to hurt us, he could've," Mom said from Aaron's side. Daryl and Carol worked on tying him up.
"Anybody see anything?" Rick asked, ignoring Mom.
"Just a lot of places to hide," Dad answered.
"Alright, keep looking," Rick said.
"Rick, nobody is coming for us," I said, adjusting my grip on Judith. Rick ignored me and walked over to Carl.
"What did you find?"
"Never seen a gun like that before." Carl handed Rick a bright orange gun. I looked towards Aaron when I heard him groan quietly. His eyes fluttered open and he looked around before smiling.
"That's a hell of a right cross there, Rick," Aaron chuckled.
"Sit him up," Rick ordered.
"I think it's better if-"
Aaron cut off Mom, saying, "It's okay."
"He's fine. Sit him up," Rick said. Michonne and Mom helped Aaron sit up.
"You're being cautious. I completely understand," Aaron said.
"How many of your people are out there?" Rick asked. Aaron paused, looking at the orange gun in Rick's hand.
"You have a flare gun. You have it to signal your people. How many of them are there?" Rick asked again. Aaron stared at Rick sighing.
"Does it matter?" Aaron asked.
"Yes. Yes, it does."
"I mean, of course, it matters how many people are actually out there, but does it matter how many people I tell you are out there? Because I'm pretty sure no matter what number I say--eight, thirty-two, four hundred and forty-four, zero. No matter what I say, you're not going to trust me," Aaron said. He was right.
"Well, it's hard to trust anyone who smiles after getting punched in the face," Rick replied.
"How about a guy who leaves bottles of water for you in the road?" Aaron asked. Rick glanced around at the group.
"How long you been following us?" Daryl asked.
"Long enough to see that you practically ignore a pack of roamers on your trail. Long enough to see that despite a lack of food and water, you never turned on each other. Your survivors and you're people. Like I said, and I hope you won't punch me for saying it again, that is the most important resource in the world," Aaron said. The room fell quiet and Rick stepped closer to Aaron.
"How many others are out there?" Rick asked for the third time.
"One," Aaron said. He looked dead serious, too. Rick shook his head. "I knew you wouldn't believe me. If it's not words, if it's not pictures, what would it take to convince you that this is for real?" Aaron asked. Suddenly, he looked like a light bulb went off in his head. "What if I drove you to the community? All of you? We leave now, we'll get there by lunch."
"I'm not sure how the fifteen of us are going to fit in the car you and your one friend drove here in," Rick said.
"We drove separately. if we found a group, we wanted to be able to bring them all home. There's enough room for all of us," Aaron explained.
"And you're parked just a couple miles away, right?" Carol asked.
"East on Ridge Road, just after you hit Route 16. We wanted to get them closer, but then the storm came, blocked the road. We couldn't clear it," Aaron said.
"Yeah, you've really thought this through," Rick nodded slightly.
"Rick, if I wanted to ambush you, I'd do it here. You know, light the barn on fire while you slept, pick you off as you ran out the only exit. You can trust me," Aaron said, and for once, I believed him. Maybe my instincts were wrong, but I knew that Aaron was telling in the truth. Everybody fell quiet once more, staring at Aaron.
"I'll check out the cars," Michonne said.
"There aren't any cars," Rick said immediately.
"There's only one way to find out," Michonne said.
"We don't need to find out," Rick argued.
"We do. You know what you know and you're sure of it, but I'm not," Michonne shot back quickly. Rick stared at Michonne before looking over at Mom when she began to talk.
"Me neither," Mom chimed in. Rick shook his head, looking at the ground.
"Your way is dangerous, mine isn't," Rick said.
"Passing up someplace where we can live? Where Judith can live? That's pretty dangerous. We need to find out what this is. We can handle ourselves. So that's what we're gonna do," Michonne said. She didn't really give him a say in her decision.
"Then I will, too," Dad said, looking at Rick. When Rick met his gaze, Dad added, "I'll go."
"Abraham," Rick called out. He turned to look at Abraham.
"Yeah," Abraham nodded. "I'll walk with them."
"Rosita?" Rick looked at the woman.
"Okay," she nodded.
"If there's trouble, you got enough firepower?" Rick asked Dad. I turned towards Carl and hugged him.
"You're not coming with us, are you?" Carl asked when we pulled apart.
"Nah, I'm going to stay here and look after Judith," I said. Carl nodded and gently kissed my forehead, then Judith's. I walked over to Dad and Mom.
"Hey, ready to go, baby?" Mom asked.
"Actually, I was thinking of staying here with Rick and Judith. You know, to help protect them and stuff," I explained. Mom and Dad nodded.
"Alright."
"Stay safe," I said, hugging Dad than Mom.
"The walkies are out of juice. If you're not back in sixty minutes, we'll come. WHich might be just what they want," Rick said. The group began to exit the barn. "If we're all in here, we're a target."
"I've got the area covered," Daryl said as he walked out the door.
"Alright, groups of two, find somewhere safe within eyeshot," Rick said. As soon as everybody was out of the barn, Rick closed the door until it was just cracked open. He then began to peer through the crack. Judith cooed lightly and I looked at her with a smile. I gave her my finger to chew on. I looked up when Aaron began to talk.
"When the world was still the world, I worked for NGO. Our mission was to deliver medicine and food to the Niger River Delta, Bad people pointed guns in my face every other week. You're not bad people. You're not going to kill us," Aaron said, looking at Rick who paid no attention to him.
"You got that right," I smiled lightly.
"And we are definitely not going to kill you," Aaron finished.
"Just because we're good people doesn't mean we won't kill you." I rolled my eyes at Rick's words. "If the five of them aren't back in an hour, I'll put a knife in the base of your skull."
"No, he won't. I won't let him," I said to Aaron. Aaron nodded slightly. The barn fell silent.
"Is she your little sister?" Aaron asked suddenly. I looked at him before bursting out laughing.
"No, she's my boyfriend's sister," I answered. Aaron nodded.
"Your good with her," Aaron said.
"Thanks," I said.
"Rori, stop talking to him," Rick ordered.
"Rick-" I didn't get to finish my sentence before Judith started crying loudly.
"She's hungry," Rick sighed. He walked over to where our stuff was and grabbed some acorns. He then began trying to smash them.
"Shh, it's alright, Judith. Daddy's getting you some food," I shushed the screaming baby.
"You did see the jar of applesauce in my bag, right?" Aaron asked. Rick looked at him. "This isn't a trick. This isn't about you trying to make you like me. It's self-preservation. Because if the roamers hear her and come this way, I know I'll be the first to go. Rick stood up and walked over to the apple sauce jar. He undid the lid, grabbed the spoon, and dipped it in the applesauce. I watched him walk over to Aaron with the spoon full of applesauce.
"Rick, come on," I said when he held the spoon towards Aaron.
"You think I'm trying to poison your baby daughter?" Aaron asked a look of horror on his face. "I'm tied up and you've already expressed a willingness to stab me in the head. How would cruelly killing your daughter in front of you in any way help the situation?"
Rick crouched down so he was the same height as Aaron. "Maybe she doesn't die. Maybe she gets sick. Maybe you're the only one that can help her and I just lose."
"I am the only one who can help her because I have applesauce and we all win.," Aaron said. Rick held the applesauce closer to Aaron's lips. "I hate applesauce. My mom used to make me eat foods I didn't like to make me more manly. Salmon patties, applesauce, and onions. She was a very confused woman who tried her damnest I just bring the jar to show we have apple trees nearby."
"Rick, this is dumb. Just give me the damn applesauce and I'll eat it," I said. Rick ignored me.
"Like you said, you'll be the first to go." Aaron took a bite of the applesauce, cringing as he did. Rick tasted it, too. When he deemed it safe enough, he came over and took Judith. He walked back to the applesauce with Judith in his arms, feeding her the applesauce. Her cries quieted immediately.
-----------
"Rick, what if Aaron is telling the truth?" I asked quietly as I stood in front of him.
"It's too dangerous. Maybe there are cars, maybe there are not. Maybe his people ambush us. We can't let out guard down, you know that Rori," Rick said. I studied his face.
"You're different Rick," I said.
"Oh, I am?" Rick asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. You're different. You're strong, I'm not saying your not. But you've changed since the prison. Rick, I know you. I know you'll make the right choice. You have to," I said, looking at Judith who reached one of her chubby hands towards me. She wrapped her hand around my finger.
"I'll make the right choice," Rick nodded.
"Whatever you choose, whether it's wrong or right, I'm here. I may not support your choice, but I'm here. Rick, take the time and think about it. This could be our home. A place where you can safely raise Judith," I said before gently pulling my finger out of Judith's grip.
"Where are you going?" Rick asked as I walked towards the barn door.
"I'll just be right outside," I said and opened the barn door. I shut it behind me. I sat on the ground, leaning against the barn. The sun was bright in the sky, almost blinding. Like Aunt Beth's personality. At that thought, my face crumpled. I tried my hardest not to cry, but I was human. My tears poured down my face.
===========================♛===========================