Title: Have a Little Faith

Summary: Searching for something you didn't know you needed

Author: VikingsDoItBetter

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of The Walking Dead. The only one I own is mine…I'm just playing with the others for a little while. ;)

Rick POV

Looting towns is never easy. Always have to be on the look out and you always need someone to watch your back. I decided that it would be too dangerous to send large groups into surrounding towns, so Shane and I would be the ones to look for anything of use.

Clothes…food…ammo…weapons…any little thing to get by.

We only have a few hours before dark. Shane and I have been through most everything here. We've taken all we can back to our truck, but these last few blocks have been strange. After a few laps we stop in front of a boarded up house and I stare at the windows.

"What," Shane barks, "I hate that look on your face. It means your thinkin'."

"These houses. They're all open….and mostly emptied."

"Yeah. They all probably grabbed their shit and left. If they were like the rest of us."

"Except this one here," I point to the upstairs windows, "see, they're all boarded up." I walk onto the porch and check the door, "And the door is locked."

"So? Maybe they didn't want walkers oozing all over their stuff."

"Right? You lock your place up?"

He just stares in silent answer, "Rick. Don't"

"Someone is living here. We can't just leave until we know."

"Bullshit we can't…..come on. It's getting dark."

I ignore him and pound on the door, "Hello….anyone in there…..we're just here to help…."

Nothing. I place my ear against the door….nothing.

"You satisfied?"

I hold my hand up to quiet him, "My name is Rick….there's no reason to hold up in there….we've been through this entire town; there's no one else here."

"I know that's what I like about it," Shane and I both turn to see a small girl pointing a gun at us. She's got light brown hair and pale blue eyes. She's wearing a pair of jeans, a black tee shirt with a pair of pink and black Nikes. She looks so thin; couldn't weigh more than 100 pounds. It breaks my heart to think of how long she's gone without a decent meal, "Rick huh….who's he?"

"Shane."

"Fucking dandy. Now, you two want to get the hell off my porch and leave me alone?"

"We just want…"

"Don't give a fuck. Whatever it is…I don't have it. I don't want it. And I sure as hell don't need anything."

"Hear that Rick. She says she's good out here alone."

"I don't believe that."

She comes up the stairs to her porch and puts the muzzle under my chin, "What makes you think I won't kill the both of you right now, huh? For all you know I've killed everyone that's come here."

"Come on now pumpkin," Shane laughs, "You aren't shooting anyone with those shaky ass hands."

"Plus the safety's on."

She slumps her shoulders and sighs, "I knew that….Mom says I'm not supposed to let strange people in the house."

"Your Mom home?"

"She went out."

Shane leans against the post of the porch, "When was that?"

"Four months ago."

The silence between the three of us weighs the reality of it. Poor kid; I couldn't imagine Carl out here all alone.

"We can't just leave you here."

Shane shoots me a look that clearly says yes we can.

"I can't leave you here alone….I'm sorry…I never asked your name."

"Faith. My name is Faith…ironic huh."

"It's nice to meet you." It's never too late to be well mannered.

She looks around, "What's in it for me? If I come with you two….."

"There are more of us. We've got food, shelter….I've got a son about your age. I'm sure you could use someone to talk to."

"How old?"

"Eight."

"I'm twelve you ass."

Shane laughs at her, "You don't look more than nine."

"Hey fucker! Who's holding the gun?"

He picks up his shotgun which he laid on the porch swing, "Looks like mine's bigger. Don't be a stupid brat right now….you comin' or not?"

She looks nervously between the both of us. I silently plead for her to come with us.

She sighs, "It's not because I'm lonely…but I'm running out of food," she digs a key out of her jeans pocket, "Can I get some of my stuff first?"

"Nope. No time," Shane gives me a serious look.

"Ten minutes. Then we have to go, alright?"

"Right…getting dark," she unlocks the door, "Didn't want those things stumbling into my house. Come on in."

Shane follows in behind me. Faith shuts and locks the door, "My room's upstairs….take anything you need. You were going to anyway."

"You got that right," Shane mutters and slowly walks through the next room.

I follow behind her up the stair case. It seems so strange to see all the pictures still hanging on the wall. Like life never stopped here….like she felt safe. I suddenly feel a pang of guilt asking her to leave the only place she's ever known.

She's already pack away clothes when I prop myself in her doorway, "You have a last name?"

"Jones. You?"

"Grimes."

She laughs as she shoves books into her backpack, "That's a terrible name….and some poor kid has it….what kind of a name is that?"

"What kind of a name is Jones?"

"Ordinary," she opens another bag. She fills this one her blanket and pillow. She takes a final look around her room and nods. I take her bags and start down the stairs, "Faith?"

"Sorry….it's just….I," she looks around and blinks herself back to reality. She takes something off her wall and nods, "Let's go. Before I change my mind."

Shane is standing at the bottom of the staircase, "She had a nice stockpile of ammo. Several clips…shells….even a box of ammo for your python."

She shrugs, "What can I say? I'm a packrat."

Shane slowly opens the door and looks out, "We're still clear. But it's a long walk back to the truck loaded with a girl and all her shit."

"Fuck you asshole!" These two are going to be fun to mediate I can already tell.

"Shane is right…its a few miles back….you up for that?"

She looks around, "What no horse?"

"I had one."

"I'm not surprised," she laughs, "Walking is for pussies anyway. I've got a car. With gas. I'll just follow you."

"No," Shane and I both at least are on the same page.

"What the fuck is with you two…..you the cops or some shit?"

We exchange a look, "We were. Both of us. Before." A little honestly never hurt anything.

She shakes her head, "Well….you look like cops."

Shane keeps his head on a swivel, "This is all very entertaining but we'd better think fast."

She crosses her arms, "I am not riding in the backseat of my own car."

"Fine. Shane…go back to the truck and wait. I'll drive her and her things in this car. Got it?"

Shane nods, "Give me five minutes tops. Then go on."

I nod in agreement. He takes off running back towards the truck.

Faith and I stand on the porch of her home. She hesitates at the door.

"Close it and say good bye sweetheart. Come on."

She laughs, "I'm nobody's sweetheart. You got that?"

"Sure….you going to lock it?"

"What's the point….besides…I have the keys to the car on this ring."

"How practical. Where is it?"

"This way."

I follow behind her to the next house. She points to the garage, "I left it open a little bit so only I could fit under it. Pretty sweet of them to leave it for me….just give me a second."

As she quietly wiggles under the door, I scan the streets. In the distance I can hear a walker. Can't see it just yet….you need to hurry Faith.

The door slowly opens and she smiles next to the Camero in the garage, "its tank is full right now….plus I stashed some extra gas in the back floor boards. I'm driving!"

"No you are not and that is not up for debate."

She looks up at the ceiling and whines, "Oh come on…it's mine."

I open up the car and put her things in the back, "Faith. No time. Now."

"Yes, Dad," she sits down in a huff. I give her a stern look and she fastens her seat belt.

I fasten mine and start the engine. I slowly back out of the drive; I notice her staring back as I put the car in drive, "Don't. It'll just make it harder. Look ahead. That's all we've got."

She sniffles and shakes her head, "I've been here my whole life. And now…."

"Life's different," I pull off her street and make my way as quickly as possible through town. I can see walkers filling some of the side streets…..just in time.

As we get to the edge of town, I see Shane in the truck. As soon as we're a car length close he pulls out ahead of us, we both turn on headlights and we hit the gas. No sense in waiting around for what's still in this town.

Faith sits mostly quiet. She hums a song I don't recognize right away.

"You like music?"

"I like to sing. Don't know if I'm good or anything. So I keep it to myself. Plus my Mom hates…..hated a lot of noise. She worked at night."

"How about your Dad? You know where he is?"

"Why? Do you?"

"I didn't….I'm sorry."

"What for…you just asked a fucking question. Tell you what Officer…you find him; you let me know."

"That's a deal."

I start thinking about how to introduce her to everyone, especially Lori. I know this kid seems tough, but I can see it in her. She's had a rough life….no one has ever done a lot for her…

"Hello Rick?"

"Sorry….what were you saying?"

"I asked about your kid?"

"Right. Carl…he's eight. And my wife, Lori."

"Wife huh….bet she's boring as shit. What….don't look at me like that! You're an average kind of dude, Rick. She can't be that special."

"You're wrong. She's my everything….when I thought I'd lost her; lost them. I thought my world has ended for sure. Then….I went through hell and got to find them. Just the second I got to hold her and Carl. Made everything worth it."

She raises an eyebrow, "Cool story bro, needs more dragons."

"How can you be so…"

"Cynical…you can use big words. I'm not retarded."

"Okay then, cynical."

"How could you not be? The whole world ended and some of us didn't get to have something normal to hold on to. To be fair, I was alone before this mess….I was alone after. Maybe I just had nothing to lose."

"You lost your mother."

"She didn't raise me. I mostly raised myself. She was just there to ask the cops what I stole or who I beat up this time. She signed papers and made sure I did what I was supposed to so I didn't go to juvie. Then she would beat me fucking senseless. And that was when she wasn't high."

I swallow hard. I find these situations so difficult to identify with. Back home it was hard to find kids like her.

"Lemme guess Rick. Your parents were married to each other their whole lives. You and…what's her tits…"

"Lori."

"Right. Lori….high school sweethearts. You decided to be a cop and the home town fucking hero. And she stayed home, played the dutiful housewife and took care of that kid. The American fucking dream. Not everyone lived like that okay? So don't look at me like I'm so unfortunate. I'm alive…. just had to grow up sooner than most kids. Jesus, you are a sappy motherfucker."

I shake my head and begin to slow down as we approach the turn off.

"So, how were you thinking you tell the wife about me?"

"You have any thoughts?"

"How about….she followed us home, can we keep her? Like a puppy only way fucking cooler!"

I smile in spite of the ridiculousness of it, "We could try that."

We slowly drive back to our little camp. I pull behind Shane and we both shut the engines off at the same time. Shane hops out first and looks around. He signals that it's clear.

Faith opens her door and looks around. I grab her bags and sling them on my back. She gives me a dirty look when I walk away from the car. So, I press the remote to lock it.

She smiles, "That's better."

I walk in step with her and can feel her nervousness. I try to put my arm around her but she jerks away.

"Hey….getting all friendly. Not my thing."

I note the behavior for reference but nothing more, "All right."

She stops short of the camp, almost gasping for air.

"Don't worry Faith; they're going to love you."

She twists her face in a strange look, "Love me? Rick…no one has loved me. Why should anyone start now?"