Dad gives us a brief rundown before being pulled aside by Rick to figure out all the details and how we should go about getting her back. As of right now, he tells Carl and I to get some rest, saying that we'll need it. I want to object but something tells me that I shouldn't.
We head to the office once more. It doesn't take long for sleep to overcome me and I find myself dreaming of when I was younger.
"Cherokee!" Daryl called throughout the house.
Grandpa Will wasn't there and neither was Merle. Cherokee's seven year old self came bounding through the living room into the kitchen where a single plate rests on the table.
"Time for dinner little rose." He says pulling the chair out for her and scooting it back in.
"Where's your dinner daddy?" She asked noticing only one plate with some corn dog nuggets and green beans.
"I uh, had a big lunch." He says stuttering. "Still full."
Yet in reality, he barely had lunch that day. Only half of a bologna sandwich. He wouldn't tell her that though. The lack of income in the household wasn't something that a seven year old needed to know about. He'd give her the world if he could, but now he had to settle for as normal of a childhood as he could manage to provide.
"But daddy!" She protested going to give her father some green beans and half of her corn dogs. "We always eat together."
"Well, we're together aren't we?" Daryl responded patting her shoulder. "And you're eating. Besides, you little Rose are still growing. You need all the food you can get so you can grow into a big and strong flower."
"Silly daddy," She giggled. "Flowers aren't strong, they're delicate!"
"Well, maybe they didn't listen to their daddy and eat their vegetables." Daryl responded raising an eyebrow. "Eat up."
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Ax hitting wood. Sasha was destroying the pews while Dad and Tyreese took apart the organ. They were fortifying the church.
No more mishaps I suppose.
"Morning Cheri." Dad said patting my back lightly.
"You guys didn't wake me up." I say confused.
"Rick told me what happened." He says slowly before pausing. "I figured you needed it."
"I'm fine." I say shaking my head. "You're back now."
"It's okay to not be fine ya know." He tells me sticking another Organ pipe into the ground.
"Says Mister brooding I have one and a half emotions called brooding and should probably eat." I say crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow. "Seriously, I don't remember the last time I heard your laugh."
"I have more than one emotion." He says shaking his head. "And what do you mean, I laugh at your bad jokes all the time."
"Your real laugh daddy." I emphasize. "I'm talking belly aching, snorting milk through your nose laugh."
"That was one time and I'm pretty sure this conversation was about you." He murmurs and I sigh. "Listen, all I'm saying is you don't have to put on a brave face all the time. We've been through a lot lately."
I know he's alluding to what happened on the road before terminus, what happened at terminus, and what's happened in the past 48 hours.
"When I took off the brave face, I blew up at Elisa."
"From what I've heard she deserved it."
"Fair enough." I mutter nodding my head slightly. "Are you gonna go to Atlanta?"
"Yeah" He says. "We'll be back soon."
"Can I-" He cuts me off with a stern look. "Nevermind."
"Why don't you go find Carl." He tells me. "Elisa's coming with us, you don't gotta worry bout her today."
"Okay Dad." I say hugging him tightly. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Me too Cheri" he says patting my back. "me too."
I find Carl inside leaning against a door frame watching Rick and Michonne. Rick is holding Judith and gives her a kiss on the forehead before handing her over to the woman who was a stranger only a year or so ago. Now, I'd trust her with my life. I think all of us would.
"We'll be back soon kiddo." Dad says placing a hand on my shoulder.
With that the group headed to Atlanta leaves and we shut the door. Almost as if sensing the change in mood, Judith starts crying. Loudly. I take her to the back of the room while Michonne and Carl 'lock' the church doors.
"Shhhh, it's okay sweet pea." I tell her brushing back her thin locks of hair away from her face. "Our daddies will be back real soon, you don't gotta worry."
From the corner of my eye, I notice Gabriel frantically scrub at the floor of the church. With a shudder, I turn my back to him and continue soothing the young girl. I find myself pacing back and forth, bouncing her. I can't help but think of Beth, and how she used to be with Judith back at the prison. I'm sure Judith misses her old 'nanny'.
"Here." Michonne says handing me a can of peaches along with a spoon. "She's probably hungry."
"Thanks." I say with a small smile, opening it. I sit behind Michonne, setting Judith right across from me. She pouts while looking at me almost expectantly. "Alright Judy, you hungry?"
Instead, of answering she just stares at me.
"Yeah, thought so." I mutter giving her a small bite of peaches.
"Here." Carl says from across the church. "Pick one."
He stands in front of Gabriel with four different weapons laid across the floor. Meanwhile, the priest continues scrubbing at the blood staining the wooden floor.
"You need to learn to defend yourself." He says. "We can teach you."
"Defend myself?" Gabriel says. "They said they'd go."
"They were liars and murderers." Carl says as if Gabriel is oblivious.
"Just like us." Gabriel defends.
"We protected ourselves. They wanted us dead. You're lucky your church has lasted this long. You can't stay in one place anymore. Not for too long. Once you're out there, you're gonna find trouble you can't hide from. You need to know how to fight."
There's a pregnant pause in the room, where everything is silent. Even Judith's coos. Then, Gabriel begins to reach for a machete. He grabs it, only with his finger tips, as if he wants to have as little to do with the weapon as possible.
"Good choice." Carl praises. "You're not holding it right, you've got to be able to drive it down. Cause sometimes their skulls aren't as soft and you need to be able to-" He's cut off by the priest who stops him mid sentence.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. No." He says standing up shakily. "I need to lie down."
Quickly, he heads off into his office and shuts the door behind him. I finish feeding Judith before putting her in the basket and letting her sleep. I see Carl sitting near the arrangement of weapons still laying on the floor. Lightly, I press my hand against his back and he leans into the touch.
"What do you think our dads are doing right now?" he asks.
"Probably kicking ass and taking names." I giggle sitting next to him.
I look over to see Michonne heading towards Gabriels office but choose to ignore it.
"You nervous?" He asks. "Actually, don't answer that because you're gonna answer 'always' like the broody chick you are."
"Then why do you always ask?" I say raising an eyebrow.
"This seems like the first moment we've had to ourselves in a while." He says. "I mean, without everybody less than two feet away in each direction.
"Hasn't been like this since the prison." I agree.
I lean my head on his shoulder and he leans his own on top of mine. Our hands intertwine and for now, we're able to enjoy the peace that will never last that long.
____
Word Count: 1299
Hope you enjoyed! Feedback appreciated!!