we're the ones who live
SCARLETT MANAGED TO GET CAROL TO WATCH OVER ANNIE AND JUDITH A DAY LATER. Sophia was home, so she had no problem helping. Scarlett needed to get out of the house again before it was too late like last time. She pulled off her spit-up covered shirt, looking at the scars on her body. She felt around the C-Section scar, feeling the healed bump. She sighed, throwing a flannel on. She made sure her combat boots were tied before tying her hair up as well.
She placed her holster on, making sure her hunting knife was there as well.
Scarlett smiled at Carol, lying about where she was going. She walked out of the house, passing some neighbors. She nodded politely. When she got to the armory, she checked out her Python from Olivia who asked where she was going. Scarlett gave her a smirk but otherwise gave no response.
Scarlett walked out of the gate, saluting Eugene when he called her name to ask where the hell she was going. She kept walking, cracking her neck a bit. When she managed to get to the treeline, she sighed and shut her eyes.
She took it all in. The sounds of birds. The trees rustling in the wind. A few animals nearby making almost unheard noises. But she was really listening. She was getting back in tune with her surroundings. Then, she heard a small snarl of a walker.
The smirk that made its way to her lips was something that could remind the others of the badass Scarlett they knew.
She clicked her tongue, getting it close to her. She grinned, slicing off one arm then the other. She laughed a bit.
It tried to bring its head down to bite her, but she soon sliced his head clean off. It was still growling as the head rolled to the right. The body fell down in a heap on the ground as she neared the head.
With a final slash, she sent sent her knife through the walker's skull.
Standing up, she closed her eyes again to listen. She heard a small rustling to her left, so she cracked an eye open to see two squirrels wrestling over their nuts.
She smirked, pulling out her Python. It had a silencer on it, thanks to Olivia, so she sent a bullet flying to kill one of them. The other tried to run, she threw her knife two clicks ahead that way the squirrel ran right into it. She laughed.
"Still got it, Greene," she murmured to herself, walking forward to collect her meals. She grabbed a piece of string out of her bag, tying the squirrels to it. Throwing them over her shoulder, she kept hunting.
It was an hour later when she decided to go back. She had walker blood on her and a string full of dead animals, but the smile on her face was there. She was in her element out in the woods. She could not wait to tell Daryl 'bout her escapade.
When the gate opened, the others looked at her in mild discomfort and shock. She rolled her eyes, thanking Spencer for opening the gate. She stuck her Python in her holster, knowing she had to go to the armory first before she could skin her trophies.
She saw some people whispering. Some called her a bad mom for leaving. Some called her scary. Not like them.
She kept the smirk on her face as she passed Glenn and Maggie, the latter who was talking to Deanna and Reg. The two founders' eyes widened at Scarlett as she passed. Maggie cursed silently, but Glenn was grinning.
"Scarlett!" Deanna called. She gave a hesitant smile when Scarlett turned back. "Should you be out while healing, dear?"
"M'fine. Just needed to get some air," Scarlett responded.
Reg gave a chuckle. "There's plenty air here."
"Y'all don' get what I mean," Scarlett said with a smirk. "Anyways, got some meat. Can skin it and get it to the pantry for those who want it. M'keepin' the rabbit though."
"Scarlett, you're safe here. You do know that, right?" Deanna asked.
Scarlett nodded hesitantly. "Just needed air, like I said. Is that not allowed?"
"No, no, you can always leave when you want. I want you to make a life here. In fact, we need to discuss your job when you decide you're ready," Deanna finished, nodding to Maggie.
"Yeah, a'ight. I'll come by tomorrow, then," she murmured. "Can... Can I go now?"
Reg nodded as Deanna hesitated for a moment. She finally gave in with a smile. "Sure. Of course. Just remember to put your gun back—"
"HELP!"
They all turned at the cry for help. Scarlett's eyes grew wide in panic as she saw a group surrounding two men wrestling on the ground. Rick.
Scarlett took off running, making it to the large group surrounding them. She pushed them out of her way, getting to the center. Rick was fighting Pete.
There was blood everywhere, but she knew Pete deserved what he was getting. Jessie yelled at them to do something. Scarlett tossed her line of animals at Glenn who fumbled a bit before catching them. She rushed in the middle of the fight, pulling Pete off. Pete managed to sock her in the eye causing a whole new rage to erupt in Rick. Scarlett did not falter. She shook off Carl when he tried to help her, getting up on her own as Deanna yelled at them to stop.
"You touch them again or Scarlett again, and I'll kill you!" Rick yelled, shoving Pete to stay down. Scarlett got to Rick's side, hand ghosting over her gun as she kicked Pete once.
"Damn it, Rick! I said stop."
"Or what?" Rick asked, waving a gun he brought out of his pants at Deanna and the others. Scarlett cursed, taking her own gun into her hands as she prepared for them to fight Rick. She had to protect Rick no matter what. "You gonna kick me out?"
"Put that gun down, Rick. You, too, Scarlett. Put it away," Deanna called.
Rick noticed Scarlett finally. He saw the walker blood on her and her python in her hands. He nodded, knowing she had his back.
He was panting as blood dripped down his face. "You still don't get it. None of you do! We know what needs to be done and we do it. We're the ones who live. You, you just sit and plan and hesitate. You pretend like you know when you don't."
Scarlett nodded, stepping in front of him when one of the men and Spencer tried to step forward. "You wish things weren't what they are. Well, you want to live? You want this place to stay standing? Your way of doing things is done," she snarled out causing Maggie's eyes to widen. She wondered what had changed? What had she not seen in her cousin? She thought Scarlett was getting on okay.
"Things don't get better because you–you want them to," Rick added, stepping aside to look at them all. "Starting right now, we have to live in the real world. We have to control who lives here."
"That's never been more clear to me than it is right now," Deanna commented to them.
"Us? Us? You mean—you mean us?" he laughed. Scarlett smirked a bit. "Your way is gonna destroy this place. It's gonna get people killed. It's already gotten people killed. And I'm not gonna stand by and just let it happen. My kids. My wife. If you don't fight, you die. I'm not gonna stand by–"
Michonne hurried forward, knocking Rick to the ground. Scarlett's eyes widened as she waited for her own hit, but Michonne simply extended her hand.
"Don't make me, Scarlett. You're still healing," Michonne whispered.
Scarlett smirked, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, sure," she replied, handing her gun over. "Act like we're the bad guys all you want because y'all ain't seen what's out there. I hope you kick us out," she told Deanna. "I hope you do because we'll fight back. And we'll win. We know what it's like—"
"Scarlett," Maggie warned.
"Nah, these people are weak. I'm not letting them make me weak," she spat, turning to walk away back to her home. She did not want to leave Rick there, but she could not carry him. She was sure they'd bring him home or somewhere else. She had to check on her girls. She had to get ready to be kicked out.
She had to be ready for war... no matter how safe things appear to be, they'll always be someone waiting to stab through their plans one by one.