meanstreak
rick grimes 𝘹 fem!𝘰𝘤
© WANDARYEN ──── 2024

I stepped outside of the prison — adjusting the straps of my overalls over my shoulders. Rick, Michonne, and Carl were outside as well. Including my sister, as I caught a glance of her up in the guard tower to my left.

After adjusting my clothes, I made my way to the tower and climbed up the stairs, opening the door lift and climbing inside.

"Well, good morning to you too," Maggie smiled.

I walked to the edge of the tower to stand beside Maggie, my hands resting on the metal railing. I gave her a soft smile then let out a sigh.

"What's on your mind?" Maggie reached over and rubbed my back with her hand in a soothing way.

I looked out into the field and saw Rick standing with Carl as they tended to the pigs. There was a slight pause of silence and I assumed my sister caught where my gaze was stuck on before she spoke. "Have you spoken to him yet?" She questioned.

I blinked repeatedly before peeling my gaze away and turning to my sister. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

My sister wasn't dumb by any means — I just didn't think she or anyone would know something was going on between Rick and I. "It's so obvious." She let out a laugh, leaning against the railing. "Tell me what's really going on—" Maggie paused mid-sentence and our attention was brought to the prison in shock as a loud bang was sounded from the inside.

"Help! Help!"

"Come quick!"

There was another bang and I immediately pulled out my handgun. "Cell-blocks?!" Maggie shouted out to Rick.

"I dont know!" Rick shouted back before rushing to the gate.

I rushed back into the guard tower and opened the floor door, quickly climbing my way down. "Maggie come on!" I shouted once my feet hit the ground.

My intentions were to meet the others in the cell-block and figure out what was going on, but Michonne's cry for help stopped me abruptly. I spun around on my heel and saw her body being brought down by two walkers.

"Shit," I exhaled in a low breath before running towards the front gate with Maggie following behind.

As Michonne kicked back one walker, Carl shot it down with a sniper.

Maggie and I came up to the gate and slid it open before rushing over to Michonne after she had let out a cry from pain. Carl brought in the horse and Maggie shot down the walker that was stuck against the wooden stake as I bent down and helped Michonne up to her feet.

I pulled her one arm over my shoulder and Maggie did the same with her other — guiding her carefully up to the prison step by step.

As we reached the basketball court, I let out a sigh of relief seeing Rick walk out. Carl ran to his father, embracing him in a tight hug — I wanted to do the same, I ached to feel his touch again but the thought of doing so made my skin burn like my body was punishing me for it.

"I had to use one of the guns by the gate. I swear I didn't want to." Carl explained to Rick in a hurry.

"I was coming back." Michonne spoke. "I fell. They came out and helped me."

"Are you all right?" Rick questioned and she nodded.

I held onto Michonne's hand, shifting my weight onto my other foot as I looked over at Rick. "What happened in there?"

He looked from Michonne over to me. "Patrick got sick last night. It's some kind of flu. It moves fast. We think he died and attacked the cell block." Rick placed his hand on Carl's shoulder, hunching over to look at him directly. "Look, I know he was your friend and I'm sorry. He was a good kid. We lost a lot of good people." He dropped his hand and stood up straight, looking between Maggie and I. "Glenn and your guys dad are okay — but they were in there. You shouldn't get too close to anyone that might have been exposed, at least for a little while."

I subconsciously took a step forward with the intention to see my father — forgetting Michonne was weighing herself against my frame until Rick shot me a quick look of disapproval. "Sienna." My eyebrows furrowed in pain of not being able to check on my own family — he knew I would've rushed into the prison with no hesitation.

Carl jogged over to us three now, helping with Michonne who was applying all of her weight on us. "Carl — all of you." Rick added, receiving a nod from his son before the four of us guided Michonne inside.

Later that day, I stood beside Maggie, using my knife to stab each walker against the fence in the head as they dropped down to the ground. The fence was slowly buckling and we were rushing to keep it up right before the dead forced it down.

"Maggie, its not going to hold!" I let out a hard breath, taking a step back as I pointed over to our right — where a large group of walkers were pushing against the fence and its bottom was beginning to buckle.

Maggie looked to where I was pointing then rushed past me as she called out to the group. I ran to the fence and started pushing the knife into a walker's head then yanking it out — attempting to kill as many as possible before the fence completely gave out.

By now, Rick, Daryl, Sasha, and Tyreese came charging over. I took a step back from the fence and shouted out, "that part is under control! We need this one backed up now!" Everyone rushed up to the fence, using a melee weapon to take down the walkers.

"Are you seeing this?!"

I turned and followed Sasha's burning gaze onto the ground — a pile of dead rats collected by her feet. I narrowed my eyes, the fence suddenly becoming the least of my concern when she met my gaze before turning to her brother. "Is someone feeding these things?"

The fence creaked beside me and I visibly flinched, realizing we still had another huge problem on our hands. "Shit!" With my knife still in my grasp, I intuitively raised my hands to push the fence back until Rick came over and snatched them away.

"Sienna, no!"

Before I could step away, his arms circled around my waist and physically carried me backwards. "Back up, back up!" Daryl insisted.

All I could do was hold my arms close to my chest while my hands shook with anticipation that the fence was going to completely fall apart right in front of us. I turned to Rick frantically, his arms still secured tightly around my body. "What do we do?" I gestured towards the fence. "If we don't do something now — this entire fence will collapse!"

He brought his gaze down towards mine, a silent knowing nod before turning to his best friend. "Daryl, get the truck, I know what to do."

Daryl obeyed his order and rushed past the fence to grab the truck as Rick shortly followed. The pigs in our homemade farm were used as bait — after realizing that they were the very thing making us all sick.

Water dripped down my face where I scrubbed the dirt off my skin. Sweat and blood lingered in the bucket of water I used to clean myself outside — mentally reminding myself to toss it into the drain once I was finished then refill it for the next person.

"Sienna."

I quickly lifted my chin at the sound of Rick's voice — his figure looming before me with caution. My eyebrows furrowed with concern while I used a rag to dry my face. "What's wrong?"

I automatically expected the worst to happen. It either had to do with my father, my sisters, Judith — or the conversation about us. I wasn't ready for any.

"Come with me," he spoke softly and nudged his chin in a particular direction. I nervously nodded but followed after him willingly, mentally preparing myself for what could possibly happen in the next minute.

As I walked behind Rick, he led me to the back of a cell-block outside where Tyreese, Carol, and Daryl waited, standing in front of two burnt bodies.

I swallowed hard, turning my head away as my nose took in the smell. My eyes slightly watered and my fingers tightened in a fist until I gave myself the power to look again.

"You found them like this?" Rick questioned Tyreese.

"I came to see Karen — I saw the blood on the floor." Tyreese spoke, using his finger to show where the blood trail was. "Then I smelled them." He added, taking a deep breath. I could see the anger rising inside of him, so I instinctively stepped beside Daryl. "Somebody dragged them out here and set them on fire. They killed them and set them on fire!"

His gaze bore into the bodies at our feet before twisting around and charging towards Rick with haste. Rick took a step back as Daryl quickly shifted behind Tyreese, ready to grab him while I stood beside Carol in a defensive stance, watching Tyreese closely.

"You're a cop. You find out who did this and you bring 'em to me. You understand? You bring 'em to me!"

Daryl reached to grab Tyreese's arm and pull him back. "We'll find out who--" but Tyreese shoved Daryl back in anger. "I need to say it again?" He asked Rick angrily.

Rick held up his hands in defense, "No. No. I know what you're feeling. I've been there. You saw me there. It's dangerous–"

"Karen didn't deserve this!" Tyreese snapped.

"No." Rick shook his head knowingly.

"David didn't deserve it! Nobody does."

I glanced over at Carol, who remained silent beside me, her gaze lifting to meet my own briefly with a small shake of her head. I gnawed on the inside of my cheek nervously, "we're going to find out who did this — that's a promise. But in order to do that we need to remain calm, we don't want the others finding out about this."

Daryl placed a hand on Tyreese's arm again, "Alright, man, let's—"

Tyreese turned around and shoved him back against the wall while pressing his forearm against Daryl's throat. I anxiously stretched my arm out towards the men — it wasn't like I could do anything to make the situation better, I couldn't cure Tyreese' anger but it was becoming triggering.

"Please, stop!" I called out worriedly.

"Man, I ain't going nowhere till I find out who did this!" Tyreese continued.

Daryl looked at Tyreese, slowly nodding. "We're on the same side, man."

"Hey, look, I know what you're going through." Rick held up his hand behind Tyreese as he spoke in a calming manner. "We've all lost someone. We know what you're going through right now, but you've got to calm down." As he touched Tyreese's back, the man turned around and shoved him back forcefully. "You need to step the hell back!"

I flinched and Carol immediately placed her hands on my shoulders to keep me still.

Rick clenched his jaw, "--- she wouldn't want you being like this."

Without hesitation, Tyreese threw a punch towards Rick's face — sending him directly to the ground. I flinched again, and again, when Tyreese went back a second time to hurt Rick while Carol shouted for the man to stop.

All the fear building up inside me was morphing into something entirely different — something similar to how I felt when Steven tried to hurt me for the final time.

I could take the pain, I can handle it — I've grown to accept that God possibly gave me the worst battle to overcome because he knew I would. But seeing someone I cared about receive the same pain I've had to endorse for years triggered something so heavily in my system that I needed to fight back.

I heard Daryl yelling my name but then everything turned pitch black and a string of white noise flowed between my ears when I ran up to Tyreese. I used whatever strength I could muster to punch at his enormous figure — a man three times bigger than me but I didn't care.

I punched at his back and his arms until he finally turned his focus on me and I managed to strike him across the face with a strong slap. My hand stung and my knuckles throbbed, but the anger inside me was overpowering the adrenaline coursing through my body.

"Sienna, no!" Rick's voice boomed in my ear.

Daryl managed to lock Tyreese's arms behind his back. I wanted to hit him again but Rick constantly yelling my name had me pause momentarily — which gave Tyreese the advantage to strike me with a hard headbutt.

I felt the instant pain that swelled against my forehead, followed by the numbing when my body collided with the ground. I wanted to get up and tackle him but Rick already beat me to it.

Punching him so hard it sent Tyreese flying to the ground.

He walked up to him, kicking him in the side as Tyreese rolled over on his back, groaning in pain before Rick climbed on top of him and started throwing more punches to his face.

"Rick!" Daryl called out, running up behind him and grabbing his arms to pull him away but he protested in anger. "Let go of me!" He shouted out, shoving Daryl back as he himself stumbled back.

Tyreese remained still on the ground — throwing his arms over his face as he began to uncontrollably sob to himself. Anger turned into frustration — which soon turned into remorse as I gathered myself off the ground.

I understood — I still do.

My gaze traveled slowly towards Rick, who had his own eyes glued to his shaking hand covered in blood. His knuckles were probably split open and he needed it to be treated immediately so an infection didn't occur.

I carefully stepped towards him and took his shaking hand into my own — in which he allowed without a single reaction.

I quietly led him back into the cell-block where our medication supplies would be and gently sat him down in a chair, grabbing the first aid kit and sitting beside him. His head hung low while I used a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water to clean his bloody knuckles as gently as I could. He hissed here and there, receiving a frown from me as I listened.

"You got angry." I whispered softly — tenderly holding his hand while I cleaned the wound.

His head lifted, gazing towards me briefly before looking towards the wall. "You got hurt."

I looked at him, my brows furrowing slightly before letting out a low breath. A small smile formed on my lips now as I looked closely at the wound. "You wont need stitches, that's the good thing. You just won't be able to use this hand for a while — hope that's okay."

I tossed the bloody cotton balls to the side and grabbed a bandage wrap. Rick was now looking at me but my eyes were focused on securing his hand with the bandage, wrapping it gently around his knuckles. His lingering gaze felt hot against my skin but I didn't have the courage to look at him.

He reached over with his good hand — placing it over mine softly, which caused me to stop moving and finally look up to meet his eyes. We didn't speak and neither of us moved for a heartbeat — the tension slowly building around us.

I gave him a soft smile before leaning over and gently placing a soft kiss on his temple before standing up from the table, leaving him alone in the room.