October 16, 2010
~*~ GR ~*~
"Please let guardian angels be real," Glenn mutters. Tara looks as tense as he feels, both of them poised to run. Maggie and Tim's shots are felling walkers with steady precision, but now comes the not fun part.
Normally, they'd use a drone for a decoy, or even a car, but they were on foot and the drone with the other team when Tara spotted the walkers devouring a woman on the ground. Trapped inside the car beside the gory scene is an infant screaming at high pitch. And the baby's not safe, one window splintered under pressure already.
So, while Glenn plays walker bait, Tara's going for the rescue, providing Glenn can draw off enough of the ones left standing to make a difference.
He runs out yelling, terror adding fuel to the volume as he takes shots at the dead assholes while on the run. They aren't kill shots - he's not Tim or Scout or Shane - but they serve their purpose. Seven dead lurch after him, bringing the remaining number down to where their snipers can help Tara get to the car safely.
He doesn't use his full speed despite every instinct screaming at him to do so. Too fast and they'll turn back, putting Tara at risk. Too slow doesn't bear imagining. He reaches the dumpster he's aiming for behind the box store and climbs, banging his way up. The grapple hook lands and holds on the first try so he makes the climb, glad these things are so stupid they don't know he's escaped them yet.
From this height, he can see Jacqui's team arriving to reinforce his. He starts picking off the walkers below him and breathes a sigh of relief as Tara emerges from the back of the car with the infant carrier and a bag slung over her shoulder. She makes her way back to the protection of Maggie and Tim before getting the baby out of the carrier. It quiets almost instantly.
Jacqui and Bryce make sure all the walkers around the car are truly down, while Zoe and Sasha help Glenn finish off his pursuers. He goes back down the rope after a check from height that no larger groups of walkers are in the immediate vicinity.
As ghoulish as it feels, he gives the order to search the car and the woman. He can't imagine she has a group if she's out here with a baby, but stranger shit happens in the apocalypse.
It turns up little, since the car registration is to a man and might not be her family member. Like most people now, she doesn't have any I.D. In the end, they cover her with a sheet from supplies in the car and take everything she's gathered for the baby.
"We need to finish the run, but it can't stay out here," Glenn says. Jacqui nods.
"I can take him back. Maggie or Tim can ride shotgun," Tara volunteers.
Tim looks more than a little panicked at being in a car with a baby. "Maggie?"
She nods and brushes a kiss across Glenn's cheek, and they all form a protective circle around Tara as they trot back to their vehicles. He radios in the update.
"They'll have someone at the gates. Get him safe." It ends up being a switch, with Maggie driving, because the distressed baby won't be parted from Tara. It isn't even a cargoless trip because they had filled the bed of the stakebed truck with almost everything from the gas station before moving on toward the Costco itself. It's even towing one of the two 990-gallon industrial tank trailers full of gasoline.
He turns back to the five people left. "Guess we know to target the baby section of this place first. Gonna need formula in bulk."
Jacqui laughs. "They'll have that baby hooked up with sheep or goat milk before we make it back, but sure. Trailers still here that Scout's teams left for us?"
"Yeah. Bryce, you and Sasha get them backed up." They brought two trucks and empty trailers, but deadheaded two other semis to hook up the trailers left as excess by the larger teams. Scout put a huge dent in the Costco, but as always, Glenn's teams are on final cleanup.
They're palletizing everything they can, with Tim and Bryce left on outside sentry duty, and have three of the four trailers loaded. Halfway through the fourth, Bryce alerts for incoming vehicles.
"How many?" Glenn asks. He's always aware of the possibility the guy whose men attacked the Vatos could move further north than Atlanta.
"Two cars, looks like just two in each. I'd guess supply runners. They're checking the gas station right now. Barely armed."
"Keep an eye on them. We're mostly loaded and I'd like to finish."
He sends Sasha to the roof, just in case, leaving him, Zoe, and Jacqui to load. Everyone is good with forklifts on his team now. They left a little behind at the gas station, so the smaller group won't go empty handed if they don't risk the bigger building, and their vehicles are out of sight.
His judgement proves right as they finish the load. Four trucks on top of the eight Scout's group took when they secured the place makes a serious dent in the stock. Sasha and Bryce leave their roof posts to take driver's seats, with Jacqui and Glenn taking the other two. With Zoe on shotgun, Jacqui takes the lead.
Tim reports definite alertness from the smaller group as they hear the diesel engines, but it's defensive. Glenn's bringing up the rear of the caravan, pausing for Tim to make the jump from roof to trailer to cab.
"Stop and say hi?" he asks, trusting the former marshal's people instinct.
"Yeah. They look a little too clean cut to be predators."
He radios it in to Homestead and Jacqui leads the other three trucks to the exit and idles while Glenn pulls alongside the gas station. The man who ventures out is wary, but smiling, and he makes no move toward the pistol at his hip.
"Afternoon," Glenn calls out. "You folks needing supplies?"
The man nods. "Got a group of sixty down south aways. Getting to be slim pickings in these smaller places. Y'all the ones who keep leaving behind just enough to make it worth taking these places?"
"Likely so. We figure there are smaller groups, maybe individuals, who need a day or two of food and water."
"And your group? You got semis full."
"Over two hundred people. We've been taking in all the civilians we come across in North Georgia." It's standard info to give out. They're big enough and secure enough to be generous with friendly groups too large to take in.
"Guess you find them faster than they find our signs then. We put out notices to direct survivors to us."
Glenn grimaces at the risk. He understands the concept of wanting to help, because that's why he's having the conversation, but to put out written directions? No way. "You realize not all survivors are friendly, right? There's a community southwest of Atlanta that preys on smaller groups, and we've come across some folks that definitely went feral."
"We've been lucky so far, I guess." He glances toward the Costco with undisguised envy. "Anything left there?"
"You got anyone who can drive one of these?"
The man nods and points toward the only woman in his group.
"There's a trucking company over that way, big place, can't miss it. Grab one of those semis and trailers and load up. Either of the loading docks will get you in and the building is free of the dead. Should net you a few months supplies in a few trips. This is the last big place we were clearing in Cumming though."
"We're down in Marietta at the railyard. You willing to stay in touch?" The man's smiling and looks relieved at finding friendlies.
"I'm not in charge of more than my teams, but yeah, I can say they will probably be willing. Got any radios?"
Guy nods. "Raided police cars since they seem to have better range on whatever towers are left running."
"Long as the repeaters stay up, should be good." It's one thing all the teams train for, reinforcing any repeaters they find with solar power packs. He gives the man the police frequency Daryl said was used around Lake Allatoona for state law enforcement.
"I'm Gareth, by the way. We call our haven Terminus."
"Glenn. Ours is Homestead."
As he drives off, he notes the excitement among the four. Hopefully, he just gave good folks the means to survive a little longer. Anything else is up to the council.
~*~ SW ~*~
"Let's get this started before Mama's bladder gives out," Cricket says.
Lori steps up and slides back on the reclined exam table, draping the sheet across her lap as Cricket helps her adjust her clothing. The exposed swell of her belly is the first time Shane's actually seen the reality of the growing child, since her loose maternity blouses tend to obscure it.
On her thin frame, she seems all belly already. The baby moves, a spasm of movement under the skin, and his hand twitches in wanting to touch. Now's not the time, and she's invited him and Scout both to feel the baby once it became a steady thing a week or so after the wedding. He still finds it an amazing thing to feel.
Scout smiles at him, her fingers lacing through his. Abby and Carl are in prime spots at Lori's side. Abby doesn't hesitate to put her small hand on top of Lori's belly and giggles as she catches movement before Cricket shoos her hand away to apply the ultrasound gel. Carl has his mother's hand, and although the pairing baffles Shane, Daryl's at the head of the exam table with a hand laid gently on Lori's shoulder.
"Here we go. Any bets on baby's gender?"
Abby and Carl both chime in for their own genders, but Lori shakes her head. Shane's heard Daryl refer to the baby as she already, something that Scout adopted too. He doesn't care. The existence of the baby is enough for Shane.
As the image of the baby appears on the screen, his grip on Scout tightens. Long limbs and delicate features... distinct and more defined than the prior video.
"How big is the baby this week?" Carl asks. He isn't as active on keeping track as Abby.
"About as long as a banana from head to foot," Cricket replies. She flips the switch for the heartbeat. Hearing that steady sound will never get old for Shane. It provides a backdrop for the measurements she needs to take, and when she flips it off again, he knows it's time.
"Well, my darlings, it seems Carl gets to remain the only boy for now."
"It's a girl?" the boy says, but he sounds excited, bit disappointed.
"I'm about ninety percent certain." She explains the lines in the ultrasound that are a strong indication of gender. "She's a very healthy baby girl measuring right on time for twenty-one weeks."
He exchanges a look with Scout, and his grin rivals hers. Looking at Lori for her reaction, he sees that Daryl's crouched to say something softly in her ear that ends with her turning to kiss him.
That frees him of inhibitions and he hugs Scout close, then laughs when their hug becomes a group one with the addition of two grinning children. He figures it's a little hard for them to celebrate with Lori just yet.
"You want pictures too, Carl?" Cricket asks.
"One of her face. Maybe a big one. But not that she's a girl."
That amuses everyone, and Cricket's busy for a moment printing copies she lays in four neat stacks as she works. He notices the gender print is missing in Abby's pile too.
That task done, she hands off prints to Shane, Abby, and Carl. "Now you all gotta scram except Daryl, if Lori wants him to stay for the rest of the exam."
Lori's grip on Daryl's forearm indicates he's staying, but Shane doesn't think the younger man objects. Tucking the prints safely in a pocket, he helps Scout herd the kids outside.
Where apparently every family member in Homestead today is lurking expectantly. Shane wonders briefly if Lori might like to announce it herself, but Carl curtails that by yelling, "I'm getting another sister!"
Abby flows into the crowd, excited to share her images of the baby.
He's answering happy questions and considering if he should go find Rick when walkies crackle with an alert from the watch room.
Merle answers to get the report that Tara and Maggie are en route early... with a baby.
"Damn boy's collecting babies now plus all his critters," the eldest Dixon says in amusement. But Shane doesn't miss the concern as he turns to Carol.
She looks thoughtful. "Caleb's on duty, plus Cricket won't go far. I'll get Christopher since he's got the most pediatric experience."
The nurse doesn't usually work the infirmary shifts, preferring more activity than the morning check-ins on the nursing home folks and occasional mishap needing treatment. He serves as medic for Daryl's two teams, so he's on a rest day today too.
"I'll go. He's actually helping Noah and his dad with physical therapy this afternoon," Scout offers. She heads out, even though it could be as much as an hour before the baby arrives.
That disperses the family, with Carol recruiting Carl and Sophia to go raid inventory for baby things.
"Shane?"
He turns toward Merle to find himself hugged. "Ain't any moment in your life gonna top holding that lil girl the first time. Congratulations."
"Thanks," he manages gruffly. "Gonna go find Rick."
"He's down by your place. Think he's waiting for you."
Shane makes his way down the trail to his cabin, making a note to ask Merle about making something a little more permanent for the path now that Daryl is building his own place next door. Need a firm trail for Lori and Abby and later the baby.
Rick's in one of the chairs in the little porch, feet propped on the rail and his hat shading most of his face. A bottle of rum and two glasses sit on the small table. He doesn't move right away when Shane sits down, so Shane just relaxes and waits.
His brother finally drops his hat to the porch beside him and reaches for the bottle to pour two shots. He hands Shane one and smiles just a little. "So, am I drinking to Shane Junior or Shannon?"
Shane laughs. "Don't think either name will make the cut, but it's a girl."
Rick clinks his glass to Shane's and empties it before sitting it down. "You got pictures?"
He hands them over, watching quietly as Rick studies them. "Can't say I don't wish this was with any woman but Lori, but congratulations, man. This is gonna change your life." He passes the ultrasound images back. "How's Scout doing with it?"
"Over the damned moon."
"Not sure that'll ever be not weird to hear, but then again, it happened before y'all met. It's just too bad it isn't your wife instead."
"It won't ever be Scout," he admits softly.
Rick straightens, his boots leaving the rail for the porch. "Her injuries?"
"Yeah. Shrapnel got missed and set up an infection. She was still critical on the burns, so they did a hysterectomy. World before, could find a surrogate, maybe, but now... she and Lori are kind of a scary combination, but it works."
"It better, considering they're going to be neighbors." Rick looks to the left, where the exterior of the new cabin is complete. Shane put in his own hours helping Daryl, so he knows it's going to be a beautiful place. "Carl's been enjoying his time down here helping, more than his turn on the main building crew."
"Yeah, he said it's kinda like a big game of Legos. He's excited about the loft."
"Can't say I blame him, getting to help build his own room, essentially. I would've loved it at his age." But Rick looks sad and more than a little lonely, so Shane reaches over to nudge him.
"You see the markers on your way down?"
"The property posts? Yeah."
"This area's for family to build. Gonna be its own little village in the end." He points to the orange wrapped posts across the way from where they sit. "That's your spot, if you want it. Priority on the kits goes to the families with small kids, but Scout says putting up a place like this one's easy enough not to really need a kit. Amy can sketch something out for you."
"Shane, I'm not a Dixon. Not likely to become one."
"Guess you need to read the rulebook. One Dixon adopts you, they all do."
"So, who's adopting me?" Rick's amused, at least, and studying the little plot of land.
"Well, that's me and Carl both."
The smile tells him Rick isn't upset by Carl being included in the Dixon count. "How about we keep it on reserve then? Who is my neighbor with the red markers?"
"Glenn. Figure it'll be as Glenn and Maggie before long. Jamie's on the other side of them, Christopher and then Bryce in the row with mine."
"And the other Dixons?"
"Cricket's not looking for an independent place since she's already got the two-bedroom garage apartment. Jazz's at least three years off needing one, but we're reserving the spot behind us for him. Michonne behind Daryl and Lori. Honey, Beth, and Danny in the row behind yours. End up with two sets of eight cabins each in the end if it's all built. Figure some of Patricia's fosterlings will end up out here too, along with Sophia, Carl, and Abby."
"Sounds all planned out. And a little weird to hear Carl's future home planned."
"He turned thirteen yesterday, brother. Don't think it's as far off as you think."
"How the hell did I get to be father to a teenager?"
Shane just laughs. Hopefully, Rick will accept the future cabin offer, because he never thought their lives would flip to his brother being the odd one out. He thinks out of him, Rick, and Lori, Rick's the one who actually will feel the loneliness the most.
~*~ CP ~*~
The baby's arrival points out one thing missing from their infirmary. None of the beds are meant for babies or toddlers. Carol figures it's an easy remedy, but for now, Cricket's actually in the hospital bed with the boy while the IV runs its course. After cleaning up, Tara's in the seat next to the bed, one hand out to rub his back.
"He asleep still?" Carol asks. They're lucky the late mother managed to keep some records together in the form of a baby book in the diaper bag. He's nine months old and lost his father to the initial flu outbreak. A diary from the bag shows they were at the Atlanta refugee camp and survived to escape it and live in the car since, staying on the move. Carol wishes they found them hours sooner to save his mother too.
"Yeah. Finished off that bottle and the little plate of food and just nodded right off."
"I'm glad we collected formula, just in case, although Caleb and Hershel both say he'd be fine with goat or sheep milk at this stage if we had to."
"She did such a good job keeping him healthy all on her own for so long," Cricket says sadly. "We were so close to saving them both."
Carol reaches out to rub the young woman's back as Tara reaches out to take her hand. She glances up to see Caleb enter, his kind expression soothing. "All his labs so far are good. The IV is probably overkill, but I want to make sure we nab the pneumonia quickly and make sure he's well hydrated. We'll do another round via the IV if he is content to stay in the bed, then switch to oral antibiotics for the rest."
"His oxygen numbers are staying good." Cricket's gaze is on those numbers as much as the baby himself.
"They are. I got an inhaler and aerochamber out of pharmacy just in case. Gram stain is positive for bacterial pneumonia, so we're on the right track."
"Best thing we can do to honor her effort is to get him healthy," Carol says. "You good to stay with him? Christopher will switch out with you in a few hours."
Cricket nods and Carol heads for the exit to update the others. Caleb follows and they step out into the early evening sunlight.
"I don't think you're going to have to look for a foster family for him."
"Yeah, something tells me I just became a grandmother."
The doctor laughs. "You just learn to roll with it in your family, don't you?"
"Every single day." And she wouldn't change it for the world.
She starts to walk away when he calls her name. "Put me on to cover any of Cricket's on-call night shifts for the next few months. Give them time to settle in."
"That's very sweet and generous of you."
"When my group was rescued, I was on my knees at gunpoint and the fate my Chloe was being threatened with was worse than that. She still has nightmares. A few extra nights being summoned to oversee one of our elderly in the night is nothing compared to seeing your daughter covered in those monsters' blood."
"Caleb, that's not something that has to be repaid."
"It's the fact that none of you would ever see it as a debt that makes it so for me." He smiles and kisses her cheek before letting her go on her way.
~*~ SW ~*~
Shane loops an arm around Scout's waist to lean in for a kiss before he turns his attention to his food. It's Saturday, one of Jazz's two supper duty shifts, so he took a good helping of the kolokotes the teenager made of the surplus of pumpkin and squash. Every unique little dish Jazz puts out makes him almost wish his young brother-in-law was aiming for chef instead of veterinarian.
He's finished his shift too, and Shane watches as he carries his plate to sit beside Sophia at the far end of the Shane's table.
"They make a sweet little couple, don't they?" Jacqui remarks with a grin. "It's like you two. He treats her like a delicate flower, when she's the deadly one of the pair."
"I don't treat Scout like she's delicate," he protests. His wife just laughs as she steals one of his kolokotes. But he studies Jazz's careful grip on Sophia's hand where it's on the table between them and grins. "He'll figure it out eventually."
"They're getting a little side eye from some of the Grady ladies and the recent newbies. Someone might want to put out the reminder that he's not even sixteen."
Shane looks to where Jacqui indicates and makes a mental note of the concerned women. "I'll drop a hint to Maria on my team if you'll help Zoe remember on yours."
"Or we can let Hurricane Honey hit," Scout suggests, pointing at her younger sister's path toward Quinton's group's table with her spoon.
They can't hear what's said as Honey leans against the end of the table, but a couple people look sheepish. Quinton says something that soothes her and she eventually leaves with some remark that causes the young ranger, Elias, to blush.
"I'm starting to think it's her goal to fluster every male under thirty on the property," he says.
"Don't say it where she can hear it. If she hasn't already thought of it, she'll be intrigued." Scout grins shamelessly as she munches on another bite of his supper.
"You do have a plate if your own."
"Hmm. But you picked different things." She pushes her plate closer in offering, so he snags a heaping forkful of her baked potato.
"You two are too damned cute for words." Jacqui is smirking at them, and even Jim cracks a smile. "Did I hear correctly that a new princess is on the way?"
"Yeah. Healthy little girl."
"Congratulations. Where is Lori tonight?"
"She grabbed supper to go earlier. Went over to sit with the miracle baby," Scout explains.
"Little guy's going to be like catnip for a while to everyone who hears how close a call he had. Carol will have a line to adopt him."
"Seems like she already took care of that." Shane turns to give Scout a questioning look. "Cricket and Tara."
"Makes sense, all things considered." His sister-in-law's baby yearning nature lately will definitely lead to the baby being cherished. "What's our new nephew's name?"
"Weirdly enough? Christian."
Shane has to marvel at the coincidence. The thought of the baby's mother's fate makes him reach out to take Scout's hand. Life is certainly short and chaotic sometimes.
~*~ LG ~*~
Daryl coaxes Lori away, reminding her there's a good roster of folks to cluster around the little one tonight. She's moving a little stiffly as they go up the stairs, so he runs the bath full of warm water. She sinks in with a relieved sigh, letting him take care of her with an abandon he seems to enjoy.
"Your hair's getting real long," he says, kissing her shoulder as he gets the dark tresses into a foamy updo, strong fingers massaging her scalp.
"I should probably cut it. It'll get in the way with a newborn."
"Or you can just braid it."
"So, you like long hair?" She gives him a teasing look.
"Like it on you." He rinses her hair, then works in conditioner. "If you want it short, I'll get used to it."
"Can't say that you don't show how much you like it."
He grins at her as she tilts her head back for another rinse. She can't remember now how she didn't see how damned pretty he is from the day they first met. Then again, it's that crooked smile that lights his features up, and he had precious little to smile about at the quarry.
"Abby with Sophia tonight?"
"Yeah. Plotting on how to convince Carol that Sophia needs a baby sister too."
That makes her laugh. "And what would Merle think of that?"
"I think he's so far gone on Carol if she wants a baby it's just a matter of when. We already have our generations mixed up. Might as well keep on going."
She rests a hand against her belly and watches as her daughter moves under her hand. "And what's your view on more kids?"
The baby will make three children he's responsible for, none of his own biology. He's quiet for a minute, running a washcloth across her back.
"She gets here safely, we can talk then. Surgery's dangerous."
It's the first time she understands he's afraid of the delivery, of the possibility of a C-section.
"We're going to try to avoid the surgery."
He leans down to kiss her, the contact more urgent than sweet. "And if that happens, if it's safe, we can have all the babies you want. But if the only way to get them here is to cut you open each time, I can't. Three's plenty."
"We might not always have birth control." Their supplies will run out or get less effective long before Lori's beyond the age to conceive. Her aunt had a surprise baby at forty-five.
"Talked to Hershel about that. Surgery for me, pretty easy and not any riskier than before." He's got her face cupped between his hands. "There's not much I'll deny you, but if it's something that keeps you safe with the kids we already got, I'll let the vet fix things so I never put you in danger."
Part of her wants to be angry at the ultimatum, but the other part feels the trembling in his hands. She turns and kisses his palm. "Okay."
"You're not mad?"
"A little, but more because I went a long time not being able to have children only to find out I still can."
"I don't want to lose you," he whispers.
"You won't." She rises to her knees to kiss him and distracts him from worry with something far more pleasant.
~*~ GR ~*~
Hand-in-hand with Maggie, Glenn treks toward his place after a check-in on their newest resident. Cricket and Tara turned the little guy over to Christopher's care, but didn't go far. Both women were sound asleep in nearby beds. His teams are off tomorrow, but he thinks Tara might deserve a few days off, so they detour up the stairs to Honey's. She prefers the building crew, but she's filled in on various teams enough to be his first choice.
As is fairly usual, Honey's outside at T-Dog's outdoor table. Tonight seems to be a Boggle night.
"Where's Lydia?" Maggie asks.
"She's watching Alias on DVD."
From the looks of their notepads, Honey and T-Dog have been playing a while. Maggie flicks through the pad at T-Dog's side of the table. She nudges the man playfully. "Remind me not to play this or Scrabble with you."
He just laughs. "Y'all wanna play?"
"Nah. Needed to see if Honey was up for a few supply runs next week," Glenn explains.
"Cover for Tara? Sure. You're off tomorrow, right?" He nods. "I'm on schedule to help roof the new barn tomorrow, but I'll swap out the rest of the week's interior work with Dad. He won't mind, considering."
"Alright. We'll let you get back to the game then."
Maggie's obviously mulling something over, but doesn't say anything until they're inside their own place.
"Wonder if he knows she's got a massive crush on him and is just politely hoping it'll go away, or if he's oblivious?"
Glenn stops halfway through getting his shirt off, which means his voice is muffled. "Honey's got a crush on T-Dog?"
Maggie laughs at his incredulous look when he gets free of the shirt. "You could see it from space, Glenn. Girl's not one for subtlety usually, so I'm surprised she hasn't just told him and got it over with."
"Maybe it's important enough she doesn't want to rush finding out if it's a no?" He thinks it over. "It's a no, isn't it?"
"If it wasn't a no, he would have either caught on or made a move himself as much time as she spends with him."
"Poor Honey."
His girlfriend nods in sympathy. "Typical of the heart. Zeroes in on one of the few guys who will really take her age as a problem."
Glenn hopes for Honey's sake that it's a small heartache.
~*~ SW ~*~
Shane steps out of the shower to see Scout laying small pieces of fabric on the bed. He watches her as he towels off, puzzling together that it's a quilt pattern at last. The fact that she's only wearing one of his T-shirts is what he blames on that process taking a few minutes with each flash of caramel skin as she moves around the bed.
"I never pictured you as sewing anything."
She smiles a little absently. "It's one of the few happy things I remember with Lilliana. She joined a group of women in North Carolina that did baby quilts for missionary work. One of them did local quilts too, commissions, like memory quilts."
Shane notices some of the fabric seems familiar, especially a square with a logo from King's County Sheriff's Department. "Is that one of my old shirts?"
Scout nods and picks up the square. "Fabric went past mending, but it's perfect for this." She lays it back down with what he realizes is a scrap of a USMC T-shirt that snagged on a piece of lumber helping Daryl with his cabin.
"These all from family?"
"All but the blue squares."
He looks at the memories in cloth of the family his little girl will be born into and hugs Scout close. "Gonna be something for her to have for a long time." It takes him a while to let her go. He was a kid who only really had his grandma and Rick. His daughter's got a damned legion of family waiting on her to arrive.
When she moves away to collect up the squares, he asks why she spread them out.
"I don't want to forget anyone." She tucks the cloth in a box. "Do you think Rick would be okay to give me something? I don't want to upset him."
He thinks over the conversation earlier and how lonely Rick seemed. "I think he'd be more upset if you didn't ask."
"Alright." She finally really pays attention to his lack of clothing post shower and smiles wickedly. "I seem to be overdressed."
He can certainly help her with that.