Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead
Previously:
"I'm asking you to stay here for Lori's sake."
"If it's for Lori's sake, then I need to be with you every step of the way to find her! Let me do this, Rick!"
"Come on out then." He mutters, defeated.
Just then, blaring alarms start to go off. "What the fuck is going on?!" Ross shouts looking at the sky.
"What's that?" Glenn yelled over the deafening alarm.
"You've gotta be kiddin me!" Daryl roared.
As if anything else could go wrong, walkers are coming from the woods in hoards, following the noise to the group's safe haven. It's a fucking disaster. Swinging and shooting their way through, they stop short at the gate.
"Those chains didn't break on their own. Someone took an ax or cutters to 'em." Glenn furiously states.
Oscar and Axel, the prisoners, then choose the absolute worst time to walk towards everyone.
"You think they did it?" Glenn asks, looking to Rick.
Rick just glares at them and says, "Who else?"
He then stalks towards them with a look ready to kill on his face. Oscar and Axel back up a few steps awaiting his wrath. "How the hell can this be happening?!"
Oscar answers nervously at first, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It has to be the backup generators."
"Well how do you turn those on?"
"There's three that's connected to a diesel tank, okay? Each one controls a certain part of the prison. The hatch shut them all off when the prison was overrun!"
"Can someone open up the main gates electronically, with full power?"
"Well, I only went in there a few days, I… I guess it might be possible."
"Come with us!" Rick yells and drags Oscar with the group.
This is all going to shit. Ross runs over to Hershel and Beth. "Stay here and stay safe."
They both nod, and she catches up with the rest of them. They run as fast as they can to the cell block calling for Lori, Carl, and Maggie as they go. The worried girl looks to Glenn and anxiously says, "I'm worried about Lori. The stress this must be causing so late in her pregnancy is not a good sign."
Glenn widens his eyes, but shows no sign of fear, "We can't do anything about that right now. Lori is in good hands with Maggie and Carl. They'll do anything to protect her. Focus on the task at hand, Ross. We don't even know if anything's happened to them; just try not to worry too much yet." He puts his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, and she nods in recognition. But it doesn't quell the bad feeling she has.
When they get to the cell block, they realize Lori, Maggie, and Carl had come through. The walkers were trapped behind the cell gate by apparently their doing.
"Somebody is playing games! We'll split up and look for the others. Whoever gets to the generators first, shut 'em down!" Rick shouts with authority. He drags her with him, "C'mon Ross. You're coming with me and Daryl."
"Fine." She states, annoyed.
"Let's go!" Daryl beckons them onward.
Pushing forward, she wipes the sweat off her forehead. More walkers are stalking toward them. The fear is creeping up into her mind, and she starts to panic. Why did she even think for one second she could handle this? That's when she hears the crunch of blade crushing skull. Ross turns her head to see a walker only a foot away from her sink to the ground. The concerned cerulean eyes of Rick Grimes search hers before turning away to stab more walkers.
That's twice he saved her life, and she's not gonna let it go to waste.
With new vigor, the girl warrior fights through, and they make it to the generators. However, they are not without walkers. They are still on their tail when Daryl and Ross close the door behind them.
Oscar tries to help them with the door, but Ross yells, "Go help Rick! We got this!"
Suddenly, Andrew, the prisoner they all believed was dead is swinging an ax at Rick. He dodges, but Daryl and her have other things to worry about. Pushing with all their might against the door is not enough though. They let it open and kill four walkers, and close it again. Repeating this method, they are able to kill them all. Turning around, she sees Oscar pointing a gun at Rick. She glances at Daryl, and he puts his finger up to his mouth. He pulls out his knife, and they both creep towards Oscar.
"Shoot him! We can take back this prison. What you waiting for, do it! It's our house, shoot him!" Andrew roars at Oscar, before the shot is taken.
Her heart drops.
Unexpectedly, Andrew is the one to collapse to the ground with a bullet hole in his head.
Daryl and Ross are still stalking towards Oscar, when he gives the gun to Rick.
Rick nods at him, and goes to shut down the alarm. She places her hand on Oscar's arm, and he jumps coming out of his trance. "Thank you. We'll always be in your debt." He glances down at her, and nods in recognition.
The group all come out of the generator room into the corridor to find Glenn and Axel. Glenn looks at her, "You alright?"
"Yeah, I will be. Did you find anyone?" She asks hopefully.
"No." He says, crestfallen.
She turns away, and they wander the passages, finding their way out. She hears Rick shoot two walkers. When everyone stops at a corner, she pushes her way through to see what is lying on the ground. A gasp escapes her mouth.
The body of T-Dog is lying on the floor almost unrecognizable. His full ribcage is showing from where the walking corpses have picked over his flesh. Everyone is speechless.
Daryl picks up what she remembers to be Carol's head scarf.
"No." Ross breathes.
"We'll come back, but we need to find the rest the group." Rick states icily. But she hears the break in his voice that can only mean he cannot lose any more.
Coming out of the prison, the light is blinding. A breath she didn't know she was holding releases when she sees Hershel and Beth safe.
"Hershel!" Rick calls.
Hershel looks to Rick, and restlessly asks, "You didn't find them?"
Glenn answers for the rest of the group, "We thought maybe they came out here."
"What about T, Carol?"
Ross shakes her head looking down, and Daryl responds almost mechanically, "They didn't make it."
Rick, always the determined one, pronounces, "That doesn't mean the others didn't. We're going back! Daryl, Ross, and Glenn, you come with me—"
The cries of an infant stop him short.
They all turn around to see a bloody Carl and Maggie holding an infant come out of the prison.
Lori is missing, and Ross knows the worst has happened.
Maggie is crying, and Rick finally understands. He drops all his weapons, moving forward, and whispers brokenly, "Where is…where is she?"
He tries to walk back into the prison, when Maggie stops him with a bloody hand. "No, Rick, don't!" She yells at him between sobs.
Rick Grimes starts to cry, and as if just realizing Carl is there, he looks at him. "Oh no…No! No!"
He breaks down and collapses to the ground weeping.
Glenn goes to comfort a sobbing Maggie, and the newest member of the group feels a tear trail down her cheek. Carl is stoic, and she catches sight of his bloody hands and realizes he must have watched everything. This will break him.
After about an hour, Rick stops, and they all come out of our trance.
Ross walks towards him. His usually determined blue eyes are vacant and stare at nothing. She waves her hand in front of his face and as soothingly as possible says, "Rick, you with me? C'mon Rick, two people need you right now." Nothing. She receives nothing.
Getting up off her knees, she heads towards Hershel who is asking for the baby. Carl brings her over to him. "Good news is she looks healthy. Ross can further check up on her, but she needs formula. And soon, or she won't survive." Ross nods in agreement.
"No. No way. Not her. We ain't losing nobody else. I'm going for a run." Daryl states unwaveringly.
Glenn steps up, "I'll back you up."
"I'll go too." Maggie says.
Daryl pulls Ross and Beth aside, "Beth. Kid just lost his mom. His dad ain't doing so hot."
"I'll look out for him." She says firmly, walking towards Carl.
Daryl looks to Ross, "I need you to keep this baby alive. She ain't just some kid. She is the only hope we got."
"I'll do my best."
She then hears Rick pick up his ax. Turning around, she sees him rush back into the prison. "Rick, you can't!" She starts after him. Daryl grabs her shoulder pulling her back.
"He can handle himself. You have a baby to worry about." Daryl states authoritatively. She nods. "Glenn, Maggie, vámonos! Come on, we're gonna lose the light!" Both Glenn and Maggie follow him to the car to figure out where they're gonna find formula.
The newly designated doctor walks towards Carl, "Wanna let me do a little checkup?"
He is silent for a time, but cautiously hands the infant to her. "Just be careful."
"Of course." She says looking down at him in admiration. He isn't broken. Far from it, he is taking it in stride. He never ceases to amaze her. But he still needs his father, and his father needs him just as much.
Ross looks into the baby's bright blue eyes and immediately falls in love. Daryl was right. She represents their hope now.
Checking her heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response, and color, Ross realizes she is an all in all healthy little girl. She smiles at Carl, "She's as healthy as a horse." He gives her a small smile in return.
"Can I see her again?"
"Yes. Make sure you keep her warm. She needs a lot of love right now. And I think you're the best one to give it." Handing her back to Carl, she twists around to see Glenn returning and Maggie and Daryl leaving on his motorcycle.
"What happened? I thought you were going too." She says looking at him curiously.
"The daycare where there is formula is blocked, and Daryl can only take one person on his bike."
"Makes sense. What are you gonna do now?"
"Dig." Glenn robotically says in response. She nods knowingly.
She heads back into the prison with Hershel, Beth, Carl, and the baby. Beth begins to build a makeshift crib, and Carl does his best to get baby to stop crying. Hershel looks around for blankets, and Ross sits next to Carl watching their little bundle of hope carefully.
"Make sure you wrap the blanket tightly. It makes them feel safe." She tells Carl. He nods, and wraps it tighter. She stops crying, and Carl smiles up at Ross.
"Glad we have you here, Ross." He says to her. She stares at him with a goofy smile on her face.
"Wouldn't rather be anywhere else, Carl."
After a couple of hours, Hershel goes to check up on Glenn.
When they both come back, Ross walks up to Glenn.
"I'm going to check up on Rick." He states determinedly.
"Well then I'm going with you." She expresses firmly.
"You know I can't let you do that. You're needed here with Carl and the baby."
"I need to do this. I can't help but feel like this is my fault. None of this started happening until I got here. Glenn, I should have been there with Lori. Maybe I could have delivered the baby without her dying. Maybe I could have done more. I should have been there. That's the only thing Rick asked of me. He just needed help delivering his child. And I wasn't even there! My job is to save people, and I wasn't even there to do it!" She yells hysterically with tears streaming down her face.
"Ross, you know there was nothing any of us could do. You have to know that. No matter what we do, these things happen." He says with both hands on her shoulders trying to calm her down. "You can come with me if it will help." She nods gratefully and grabs her weapons, following him into the heart of the prison.
All she sees is bodies littering the halls. Rick must have gone on a rampage. Blood and guts cover the walls, until they get to the end of a hallway.
He stands with his body facing the wall. An ax against it, and covered in blood.
Cautiously, as if approaching a wounded animal, they walk towards him. Glenn is the one to break the silence, "Rick? Everybody's worried about you. You shouldn't be in here. Come on out. Rick." The two fast friends both get closer, "You don't have to do this all by yourself. Okay? Our cell block is cleared. We'll just close off all the doors again. Rick, why don't you just come with me? Okay? Rick?" He touches Ricks shoulder, and immediately Rick pins him against the wall with a feral look in his eyes.
"Rick!" Ross shouts. Glenn raises his hand at her. They stand in that position for a while, when Rick finally lets go and shoves Glenn into her, making them fall over. They scramble to stand up looking at Rick. Then it's as if he just notices her. He stares at Ross for what feels like hours. "Rick? Come see you're little girl." She states pleadingly. Rick cocks his head to the side staring and turns to walk off deeper into the prison.
"Come on, Ross. We can't help him right now." Glenn grabs her, and they head back to the cell block.
She can't help but think of her father when her mother died. He wouldn't look at her. Her eyes start to water, and she pushes the memories away. She has a job to do. She has to protect the only hope they have.
Glenn and Ross walk back into the room with Hershel, Beth, Carl, and the group's little girl. Just then Daryl and Maggie wander inside with formula to spare.
"How's she doing?" Daryl asks while Carl hands him a crying baby. "Shhh." He holds her and she finally stops crying.
Ross smiles, "Who knew hardass Daryl could stop a baby from crying."
Daryl looks at her and chuckles, "She got a name yet?" He asks looking at Carl.
"Not yet. But I was thinking maybe Sofia. Then there's Carol, too. And..." He sighs, "Andrea. Amy. Jacqui. Patricia. Or... Lori. I don't know."
Ross puts her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure any name you pick will be perfect."
He looks up at her and gives her a half-hearted smile.
Daryl gets a bottle from Beth and feeds the baby, "You like that? Huh? Little ass-kicker. Right? That's a good name, right? Little ass-kicker." He rocks her and everyone smiles, "You like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart? Little ass-kicker. You like that, huh?"
Now if only Rick were here to enjoy his little ass-kicker.
Meanwhile…
After Rick had brutally killed the walker that had eaten Lori's body, he sits there staring blankly at the wall.
Riiiinnnggg
Riiiinnnggg
Riiiinnnggg
He scrambles towards the sound, debating if he imagined it or not. Rick finds a telephone, and hesitantly picks it up.
"Hello?"
There it is guys! I'm so sorry it took me forever to update. I've been busy this year college touring and such. But of course it is no excuse. The poll is now closed, and the winner is Glenn! As you guys might notice he had a bigger part this chapter. He will most definitely be her closest ally, especially now that Rick is in a bit of craziness. Let me know what you guys think of the chapter, grammar mistakes, and critiques! Reviews are always greatly appreciated!
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