strangers
CARL WONDERED WHY SCARLETT DID NOT LET JUDITH FAR FROM HER SIGHT DESPITE ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND. He guessed it was because of the baby in her stomach making her motherly instincts larger. He also watched her eyes follow him everywhere.
"Hey, Dad?" Carl asked, hand fumbling with his gun holster. Rick hummed in reply. "Is Scarlett okay?"
"What'cha mean?" he asked, his own eyes glancing to the woman who held Judith. Judith was giggling up a storm as Maggie tickled her a bit. She was strapped to Scarlett despite Rick's protest because of Scarlett's back and feet. He did not want to strain her.
"Dunno," Carl murmured. "Seems different."
"We all are," Rick said softly, patting Carl's back. "See if she'll let you take Judy."
Carl nodded, walking forward to Scarlett.
Scarlett noticed her boy coming up to her. Her smile was bright as she put a hand on Carl's shoulder, rubbing softly. "Want me to take her?"
Scarlett groaned with a nod. "Please. Jude's been eating a lot lately." She unstrapped her, letting Carl take her. "When you get tired, I'll take her back."
Carl nodded but hesitated. "Y'know we can take turns. All of us here."
"Just wanna keep an eye on her," Scarlett murmured, rubbing her own shoulder sheepishly. Carl decided not to push it.
"You feelin' okay?"
"I haven't thrown up in two days," Scarlett said cheerfully. "I call that a win." Carl chuckled. "Your Dad told you to check on me? I'm okay."
"Nah, we're all worried about you. Have you eaten?"
"Carl Grimes, I'll knock your hat off," Scarlett threatened with a smirk. "I'm fine. What about you and Soph?"
"What about her?"
"You didn't mention how y'all got out," she told him. "I see your blushing face when she's around."
Carl flushed, turning to walk off.
"You can't ignore me, Sheriff Ass-Kicker!" she called causing the others to chuckle.
"Totally am!" he called back, walking over to Sophia, which made Scarlett laugh harder.
Scarlett made her way to Rick. She reached her hand out, intertwining it with his. He glanced at her with a smile, squeezing it. The pair led the group as Rick fiddled with the engagement ring.
"I love you," Scarlett whispered out of nowhere. "Don' think I said it in a while. Just needed to remind you."
Rick grinned, his other hand coming up to rub his beard where the smile only grew. "Love you more, Scar. Always."
The group stopped as they heard rustling to their left. Each person took out their guns, the cocking of them echoing in the woods. Scarlett's breath hitched as they waited for the threat to come out. She rolled her eyes, holstering her gun when Daryl walked out of the bushes with a string of squirrels in his hands as he rose them.
"We surrender."
Scarlett smirked, watching everyone relax at his words. Daryl walked over to Scarlett and Rick, a hand coming to Scarlett's back as he silently asked if she was all right.
"M'good," she said. "You?"
"Nah. Still worried."
Rick sighed. "No tracks. No nothing. So whatever you heard last night..."
"It's more what I felt."
"If someone was watching us, there would have been something," Scarlett said with a sigh.
Scarlett took the lead, ignoring the protests behind her. She whistled to get everyone's attention, keeping her hand up as she left the tree's protection to see a road in their view. Rick was next to her, gun up and ready. When they saw the road was clear, Rick nodded to her.
"Keep close," Daryl grunted to Scarlett as he started walking.
Rick looked at the group. "Ready to get some concrete under your feet? I think it's time."
"That is sweet music to my ears, Officer," Abraham told him. "Take the next road we come to, try to get back to going north till we find a vehicle."
Scarlett took Judith back, allowing Carl to wrap her. Rick gave Scarlett a look, about to protest when they hears a shout for help.
"Help! Help, anybody! Help!"
Scarlett immediately began to try to run, but Rick held her back. She gave him a look. Carl looked between the pair.
"Dad, come on." The man screamed more. "Come on! Come on! Scar, please!"
"Anyone, help! Help! Help! Help! Help!"
"Rick," she told him. "We're not those people."
He nodded.
Scarlett took off, ignoring Judith's giggles at the run. Scarlett ran with Rick on her heels. Daryl was not too far behind as she took in the priest who climbed on a rock to escape five walkers. She aimed her gun, shooting the first one as Daryl took out the next. Rick aimed his Python, shooting the third as Maggie and Glenn came up the rear to end the others. The priest eyed them all with panicked eyes as he saw the large group come from the road.
"Come on down," Scarlett muttered, catching her breath. She holstered her gun and placed a gentle hand on Judith's head to calm her down from the gunshots.
"Keep watch," Rick told the others as he stepped next to Scarlett where the priest climbed down shakily. He stared at them, eyes glancing at the baby with shock before he turned and hurled next to the rock. Scarlett grimaced, feeling the pecans she had begin to come up. Glenn immediately came up to her, rubbing her back softly.
"You okay?" he asked as Rick asked the same to the priest. Scarlett took a deep breath, nodding at Glenn with a small smile.
"Sorry. Yes. Thank you," the priest nodded, smiling softly. "I'm Gabriel."
"Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick asked him.
The priest chuckled. "Do I look like I would have any weapons?"
"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like," Abraham snarled out.
Scarlett smirked, kissing Judith's forehead softly as Gabriel answered, "I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need."
Scarlett snorted a laugh. "Sure didn't look like it," Daryl grumbled out.
"Yeah, gave up on faith a long time ago," Scarlett murmured.
Gabriel gave her a sad look. "I called for help. Help came. Do you have—have any food? Whatever I–I had left, it just hit the ground."
Carl extended his hand, showing the pecans Carol gave him. "We've got some pecans."
"Thank you," Gabriel murmured, taking the few pecans.
Scarlett smiled as Judith cooed softly. She bounced softly, blowing a raspberry in Judith's cheek to make the baby giggle.
Gabriel smiled at her. "That's a beautiful child." She smiled back. "Do you have a camp?"
"No. Do you?" Rick said quickly.
Gabriel smiled tightly. "I have a church."
Rick glanced at Daryl, seeing him nod. He looked at Scarlett, and she nodded. Finally, he glanced at Carl. Carl gave a toothy grin.
"Hold your hands above your head," Rick snarled softly, watching the priest do so. He began to pat him down. "How many walkers have you killed?"
"Not any, actually."
"Turn around," Rick murmured, still patting him down. "How many people have you kill?"
"None."
"Why?"
"Because the Lord abhors violence."
Daryl was close to Scarlett as he murmured, "Oh, God. Not today. Can't do this today." Scarlett snickered, hitting him causing him to smirk at her in response.
"What have you done? We've all done something," Rick said, noticing how Scarlett glanced down at Judith to keep her eyes off of everyone.
"I'm a sinner," Gabriel admitted. "I sin almost every day. But those sins, I confess them to God, not strangers."
"You said you had a church?" Scarlett asked softly. "My feet are killin' me." Gabriel nodded.
"They swellin'?" Carl asked with a questioning look. "I can take Jude—"
"M'fine. Can make it to the church," she said with a grin, rubbing his shoulder.
They began to follow Gabriel up a road nearby. Scarlett grinned as she bounced Judith a little extra out of excitement for somewhere safe to sit. Judith laughed loudly causing Scarlett to shush her with her own giggles. Rick smiled at them before glancing at Gabriel.
"Hey, earlier, were you watching us?" he asked, thinking of who Daryl felt following them.
"I keep to myself. Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?"
"No, people are worse," Daryl commented.
Gabriel nodded. "Well, I wasn't watching you. I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started. That was the furthest I've gone before today. Or maybe I'm lying. Maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all. Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all your squirrels."
Scarlett's smile dropped as they all stared at the priest with unamused looks. His own smile fell into an awkward, tight grimace.
"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humor leaves much to be desired."
"Yeah, it does," Rick murmured as they finally reached the church. It looked safe with the set of woods around it. There were no one near the church that they could see, but they could never be too sure. Gabriel went to open the door when Rick stopped him. "Hold up. Can we take a look around first? We just want to hold on to our squirrels."
Scarlett smirked at his sarcasm, taking her machete out of the holster as she readied herself for a possible battle.