𝗢𝗡𝗘, 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻

𝗜𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗗 been about a month and a half since the death of Paul Castillo and Rosalie Castillo. There were no bodies to honor them by. No way to put their bodies somewhere because there was nothing left.

Ivy had been moving along, not stopping, running on about two hours of sleep. And an actively bleeding stab wound.

Ivy walked near a stream, trying to find the clearest part but it all seemed to be filled with dirt. Ivy splashed the water onto her face and body. Splashing the water on her boots and socks in attempts to remove the blood.

This time, the blood wasn't blood of the dead. It was blood of the living. It was just two men. But their faces lingered in her mind. Haunting her every second of her days. She had a run in with two other survivors. Luckily, they weren't too strong, but their weak bodies were still a struggle for Ivy to take on. She barely made it out, but she did.

Ivy really didn't know who she was becoming. She was becoming some form of monster. A cold blooded killer. The blood of the men stained her clothes. Every time she would look down at her shoes, her jeans, or her extremely big t-shirt that was once her fathers. It was all covered in blood.

The men deserved it, but nothing could change the fact that Ivy felt like nothing.

It was official. Ivy Castillo didn't want to live.

Ivy thought she could just shoot herself and make a nice dinner for the dead. Ivy sat and contemplated it for a second. She wanted to make sure she was doing the right thing. Making the right decision. She sat by the stream.

Ivy sighed as tears fell down her face. She cocked her gun and put it in her mouth. Her finger grazed over the trigger, about to pull it.

"Kid, don't." Ivy jumped at the sudden voice. She removed the gun from her mouth and twisted her body to see who was behind her. It was a man with piercing blue eyes.

He quite handsome. But definitely old enough to be her father.

Ivy stood up, grabbed her stuff, and simply walked away. She didn't want anyone else to take her life but herself. Ivy heard the man call after her but she just kept walking.

"Miss?" The man called once more. Ivy sighed and turned on her heel.

"Go. You shouldn't be here." Ivy told the man before continuing to walk away, gripping her backpack straps. The man didn't stop following her. Ivy gripped her gun and pointed it at the man.

"Stop following me." Ivy spat at him. He put his hands up as he surrendered. Ivy's finger sat on the trigger in case he made any sudden moves.

"How many walkers have you killed?" The man asked. Ivy gave the man a dirty look. She looked at him like he was crazy, which he probably was.

"The hell? I don't know." Ivy said, her voice laced with venom. Rick took notice of her hostility. But he empathized with the girl. He couldn't imagine if Carl or Judith had been out here alone.

"Can you just answer the damn question?" Rick was obviously starting to get impatient.

"Fuck off." Ivy spat with a tilt of her head.

"I don't believe you'd shoot me." Rick said, placing a hand closer to her with his newfound confidence. It probably finally settled in that he was dealing with a kid.

Ivy moved the gun slightly to the side and pulled the trigger. Rick whipped his head in the direction of the gunshot, his eyes widening a bit at the girl.

"Next one goes in your head." Ivy warned as she cocked the gun again. She started to walk away, again.

"The hell is wrong with you? That's gonna attract walkers!" Rick scolded the girl.

"You might just be the stupidest person i've ever met." Ivy laughed. She flipped one of her two braids. "That's the point. There's some random old man following me around, I want him gone."

Rick tilted his head in confusion. "The walkers can do the dirty work for me." Ivy shrugged. She went to walk away for the final time and if this man stopped her one more time, she was really going to kill him and herself. She suddenly felt a hand grab her left arm. She raised her right hand that was wrapped around the gun and she pulled the trigger.

But the prick smacked it right from her hand.

"You fucker!" Ivy yelled, kicking him in the nuts. She picked up her gun as she saw all the walkers coming at the two.

Rick tried to reason with the girl, tried to put himself in her shoes without even knowing her, but he had just about had it.

Ivy ran and shot at any walkers coming at her. Ivy heard the gunshots of the man behind her as he also shot at walkers. Ivy ran faster knowing the man was in a slower state.

Ivy ran for about five minutes until she was out of breathe. She placed her hands on her knees and breathed heavily. She felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. She sighed and whined.

"I give up!" Ivy turned around. The man smiled slightly passed his pain.

"How many people have you killed?" The man inquired.

"What's up with the questions?" Ivy asked as she started to walk with the man.

"Can you just answer the questions please?"

"You asked how many.... what'd you call them? Oh yeah, walkers. You asked how many walkers i've killed?" Rick nodded at the girl. "I seriously don't keep count. But who does?"

"Some people do." Rick answered. The two stepped out of the woods and onto the paved road.

"You do this a lot?" Ivy inquired.

"More than ya' know."

"You got a camp or something?" Ivy speculated. Ivy had a feeling he was going to ask her to come back to some sort of camp.

"Yeah." Rick breathed out.

"Why didn't you just start with that?"

"Well I needed to ask you my three questions, to make sure your safe before I told you about anything. Didn't want to get your hopes up if you weren't safe." Rick explained.

The two stayed quiet for a few moments. Ivy knew she wasn't a safe person. Ivy didn't even know why the man would bother with a suicidal teenager. The silence was soon broken by Ivy.

"Why would you want me to go to your camp?" Ivy spoke. Ivy and Rick locked eyes and Rick shook his head no. "I just tried to kill you."

"I ain't leaving a kid out there." Rick sighed. "That's something I won't ever do."

"I killed two people." Ivy blurted. This random man, she was telling a random man her deepest darkest secrets. The things she wouldn't want anyone to know about, he knew. She wouldn't want anyone to know she was suicidal, but he had to be there. And she definitely didn't want anyone to know that she killed two people.

"Why?"

"They deserved it." Ivy muttered, not wanting to go into details.

"Can I ask three questions now?" Ivy questioned and Rick agreed.

"What's your name?"

"Rick."

"Boring." Ivy smiled making Rick laugh. Ivy had come across people, and she could always tell if they were good or not. And none of them were. But there was something genuine about Rick. "My name is Ivy."

"Beautiful name." Rick complimented. There really was something genuine about Rick. His voice was calm and cool.

"Do you have any kids?" Ivy said hesitantly. She knew it was a hit or a miss. He could answer with a sweet story about how he and his family are surviving in a little camp, or he could explain how his whole family was dead and he had no one.

"Yeah. Two." Rick smiled. Ivy felt relieved that he didn't start an awkward conversation about dead kids. "I've got a baby girl, her names Judith. And I have a son Carl. He's 14."

"He's the same age as me." Ivy pointed out. Ivy really wasn't looking for friends, but maybe she could make some. She was still quite worried about it all. "I think... at least."

Ivy started to take a liking to Rick. But that doesn't mean she let her guard done. She still didn't fully trust him. But what else does she have to lose? Her life? Which she would've gladly taken if it wasn't for Rick, and she probably still would sooner or later.

"You've got a baby face, I thought you were like twelve." Rick joked and Ivy gave him a piercing side eye.

"Screw you, Rick." Ivy laughed slightly. She didn't expect to be laughing with a random man as he brought her to his camp that may not even be real.

Ivy and Rick walked along the road, laughing and talking. Ivy felt safe with him for some reason. Besides for his dashing looks and his ability to make Ivy smile, he seemed like a good guy.

As Ivy and Rick walked through the woods once more, killing any walkers that they came across. The stepped out of the woods, revealing an abandoned prison with fences all around.

Ivy took notice. They had a gate. Walkers surrounded the outskirts of the fences. Ivy and Rick jogged up to the gate as it opened.

Rick quickly pulled the boy into a quick hug, the two exchanging soft words before pulling apart.

"Carl, Michonne. This is Ivy." Rick introduced. The woman now known as Michonne stuck her hand out and Ivy shook it softly.

Ivy looked over at Carl, finally having a moment to notice him. He had piercing blue eyes, just like his dad. He had long, dark hair that was awkwardly cut, but Ivy wasn't one to judge. Carl was undeniably handsome, and his beauty intimated Ivy in a sense.

"That's a very gorgeous name." Ivy said to Michonne, snapping but to reality. Ivy looked back at Carl, but his eyes were beginning to roll and small scoff came from his mouth.

"Carl." Rick scolded. "Come with me. Michonne, watch over her. Take her to Maggie." Rick started to walk the other way and Carl followed.

"I'm sorry about him." Michonne spoke. Ivy looked at the woman as she stepped beside her. The two started to walk towards the prison. "We're all getting used to bringing new people in."

Ivy nodded knowingly as she followed Michonne into the prison.

     Ivy was introduced to a few people. Daryl was one, another was Glenn, Maggie, and a few others, but Ivy wasn't great with names.

Maggie was instructed to check up on Ivy due to Hershel being busy as he checked up on a group that had just came back from a run.

"Do you have any bites or scratches? Anythin'?" Maggie asked, checking over Ivys arms and legs.

"I don't think so," Ivy answered quietly, her tensing up when Maggie looked over her body. "no."

Maggie frowned slightly as she saw the girl's mannerisms change. "You don't have to, but if you could, can you lift up your shirt so I can check for bites?" Maggie inquired softly.

Ivy swallowed deeply. She gripped the bedsheets and bit her cheek. "T—thats fine..." Ivy nodded and lifted up her shirt.

Maggie noticed her face, and she just assumed to was nerves. "You're all good. If you go see Rick, he'll have everything all ready for you." Maggie smiled softly.

"Thank you, Maggie." Ivy smiled. Maggie nodded and exited the cell.

When Maggie left the cell, Carl was standing there, his hat in his hand. "Carl." Maggie spoke.

"So, whats her story?" Carl asked, which made Maggie shrug. "Great, so we just have some mystery girl roaming around the prison. Around Judith."

Maggie sighed. "Walk with me." Maggie pushed Carl slightly. "You gave Michonne a chance."

"Michonne is different." Carl stated. "She helped us."

"Carl, shes been here for an hour. I bet she'll help more than you think." Maggie chuckled slightly. "Now, go before I tell your daddy your being a pain in my behind."

Ivy stood at the entrance of the cell, listening to Maggie and Carls conversation. Her face seemed extremely unimpressed, and annoyed.

"Asshole." She muttered under her breath.