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

Rick parked the car on the side of the road and everyone immediately got out, collecting guns and bags from the trunk. I pulled a handgun from the bag and checked the case before putting it inside my holster that rested against my hip. Rick shut the trunk door and we started to follow Michonne who walked ahead of the group in silence.

I checked around the scenery with caution, side glancing Michonne every once in a while as my boots scuffed against the dirt road. I stood beside Daryl who was in between Rick and I — his crossbow in hand as his sight was straight ahead.

"You know," Rick broke the silence with a soft voice. "What you two did for me, for my baby, while I was... working things out-, thank you." I nodded my head without taking my eyes off the road.

"It's what we do," Daryl nodded.

I didn't really have a part in taking care of Judith so far. I was barely able to hold her or look at her without having a pang in my chest over the accident. It was still weighing on the back of my mind. Still there to remind me that my actions had to be thought through constantly.

The further we walked, I kept replaying the idea in my mind about the task at hand and how we would settle the situation. I didn't want to think about my sister in any worse case scenario — but my stomach turned at every possible aspect.

"Get down, get down." Rick suddenly whisper shouted as Oscar grabbed onto my arm and pulled me down to hide behind one of the trees.

I quickly pulled my knife out and slightly turned my head to look in the direction low groaning was coming from.

There were more than enough walkers to take us out, and too much attention will draw others. I looked over at Rick as he slowly stood up from behind a large tree, his own knife in hand as he debated about the options. I turned my gaze to Oscar and he quickly shook his head, warning me not to make any hasty decisions.

I sighed knowingly and looked to Rick again as he gestured towards his knife. "Get in formation, no gunfire." He whispered before coming out from behind the tree to grab ahold of the first walker, jabbing the knife into its skull.

Oscar jumped up with his ax as Daryl moved out from behind the tree with his crossbow. I swiftly jumped out and started attacking the first walker I saw with Michonne standing right beside me.

They lingered around our sides, pushing us into a circle back to back as we fought off the ones we could. But the sounds of our actions were drawing attention to the few lingering in the distance.

"Rick!" I called out in a panic as I spun around in a circle, watching as the walkers started to collect in numbers. "This way!" He pointed his knife in a certain direction as he started to lead the group towards a small wooden house past a few trees.

"In here, hurry. Stay low." Rick ordered, getting low to the ground as everyone entered the small home. Michonne shut the door as my hand quickly covered my nose from the smell. "What the hell is that?" I gasped with my eyes slightly watering. I quickly looked away and covered my nose with my arm as Oscar looked down at it. "It's got to be a fox or what's left of one."

Daryl walked past us while holding his knife up close to his face in defense. "I guess Lassie went home," he muttered.

I looked away with a heavy sigh, "what is this place anyways? Looks like someone's abonded home." Rick walked past me after barricading the door with a nod. "That's exactly what this is." The sound of the walkers starting to surround the house with their groaning came too close, including their weakened banging against the walls and doors. Daryl pulled a flashlight out of his pocket and suddenly shined it towards a bed off into the corner.

Rick slowly made his way over to him as I raised my knife in defense, watching as Rick hovered his hand over the blankets that laid across. The three of us waited anxiously behind as Rick grasped the blankets then yanked them off to reveal a man who jumped out of the bed with a shotgun. "Who the hell are you!?" He shouted as Daryl and Rick took a step back.

Rick held his hands up in defense, "we don't mean you harm!"

"Get outta my house!" The man shouted again.

"Okay, okay, we will. But cant right now!"

I quickly pulled out my handgun and held both of my weapons up in defense, one wrist over the other as I aimed my gun at the man. "You need to be quiet!" I whispered with concern.

"We need to shut him up," Michonne warned as the rustling outside grew louder.

"Get out or im calling the cops!" He shouted and I looked to the side of the house where shadows were formed from the walkers outside.

"I am a cop!" Rick whispered back in frustration. "I need you to lower your gun, don't do anything rash." He slowly kneeled down to place his weapons on the floor then held his hands up in defense. "Everything's fine."

I clutched onto the gun, keeping it pointed at the man. At any moment he could pull the trigger and kill Rick — or anyone in this room and I was growing impatient from waiting.

As Rick slowly lifted himself back up after putting his things down on the floor, he grabbed the mans gun and pushed it away. The man pulled the trigger towards Daryl's direction, making him jump to the side as a hole formed on the back door from the bullet.

Rick had the man in a choke hold, struggling to keep him locked in before the man bit his hand. Rick grunted and removed his arms, letting the man run towards the front door until Michonne pulled out her sword and pushed it straight through the mans back.

I flinched from the sound of her blade connecting with his body, my gun lowering as she pulled out her sword and let his body drop to the floor.

"Help me grab him," Rick ordered towards Daryl as they grabbed onto his shoulders to lift his body up. Oscar looked down at the mans body then at the front door, which Michonne stood by ready to open it.

"You're out of your minds!" Oscar spoke in shock.

I tucked my gun away quickly and walked past Oscar, "he's dead now." I looked back at the man before bending over and helping the others lift his body up towards the front door.

"If only your father could see you now," Rick whispered in my direction.

He was joking — something we did with each other during stressful situations because it seemed to help us both. But I wanted to kick him in the leg for it this time.

"Shut up," I muttered just as we tossed the man's body outside the house once Michonne opened the door.

Nightfall fell upon us quickly and the 5 of us were outside the Woodbury walls, hiding behind broken down cars.

Woodbury had watch guards standing on top of a pile of tires while carrying weapons. Lights shined on the streets indicating that people do in fact live there — just like Michonne had said. As she turned and took off without a word, Rick cursed under his breath, "alright, we need to downsize." He whispered as Oscar started taking off the bags from his shoulders while I kneeled down on the ground.

"Hey," Michonne appeared from around one of the cars and whispered towards the us. "This way."

I looked over at Rick with furrowed eyebrows before we hesitantly agreed to follow after her. She was running up to a small home and twisting the door knob without force, revealing a storage room to the rest of us as we climbed inside quickly.

I shut the door behind us and looked around, narrowing my eyes through the darkness. "This is where they kept you?" I questioned, walking past Michonne.

"Where I was questioned." She corrected me.

I placed my one hand on my hip before using my other to brush back my hair tiredly. "Have any idea where else they could be?" I raised my eyebrow at the woman as she looked around carefully.

Daryl rushed to the other end of the room, checking behind the curtain. "I thought you said there was a curfew?"

Michonne ran up behind him and nodded towards the people walking by. "The street is packed during the day. Those are stragglers."

Rick stepped up to the other curtain next, looking out the window while he spoke. "If anyone comes in here, we're sitting ducks. We gotta move."

"They could be in his apartment." Michonne then gestured.

I crossed my arms over my chest, looking over at her with lingering anticipation. If I had to search this entire town on my own to find my sister — I'm willing to do the damn thing.

"What if they're not?" I asked as Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Then we'll look somewhere else." Rick sighed, stepping away from the window as well and walked past Michonne. "You said you could help us."

"I'm doing what I can." She spoke out of frustration.

"Then where in the hell are they?" Oscar piped up.

I quickly spun around and dipped down when I heard a man speaking from outside. He didn't sound hostile or angry, more casual like he saw a bunch of kids sneaking out after curfew. "I know you're in here. I saw you moving from outside." The door started to open and we immediately scattered to hide behind several things like cockroaches being seen in sun light. "Alright, now. You're not supposed to be in here and you know it."

I peaked my head up behind a large box made from wood, my eyes wandering over where Rick was slowly getting to his feet behind the man. "Shut up," he whispered, pressing the front of his gun against the mans head. "Get on your knees. Hands behind your back."

I immediately jumped up as Daryl came around to push the man down. "Zip tie him." Rick instructed and Oscar followed through. "Where are our people?" Rick asked, keeping his gun firmly against the strangers head as Michonne took a stance beside me. "I don't know." The man looked up at Rick, shaking his head quickly.

Rick roughly grabbed the mans shirt, "You are holding some of our people. Where the hell are they?"

"I don't know." The man spoke in worry, his eyes widening. I glanced towards the door then moved around in front of the man, kneeling down on one knee as he looked at me.

"You look like a nice guy. I lost my sister and my best friend — I don't want to harm you." I slowly raised and pointed up towards Daryl and Rick. "But they will. So whatever information you have it's best you tell us right now. Tell us where our people are and we'll leave. All we want is our people."

The man seemed to have swallowed a nervous lump down his throat, his shoulders rising before slowly falling. "She asked you a question," Daryl grunted, nudging the guys head with the tip of his crossbow.

"I-I don't know! I don't know what you're talking about."

"Open your mouth," Rick ordered then shoved a cloth into the mans mouth when he complied. Daryl, from behind, used his crossbow to hit the man over the head and knock him unconscious.

I flinched once and watched the man fall to the side, standing to my feet and anxiously tying my hair back into a low ponytail.

"We're going to find them," Rick appeared beside me, lightly holding my bicep with reassurance. "Let's keep look—" his statement was stopped short when we heard gun shots coming from off the street.

My head whipped around to the source of the noise, anxiety crawling up my spine as I jogged towards the door with Rick right on my trail.

I watched as people started to disappear from the streets, my eyebrows furrowing in concern but there wasn't a commotion that could be seen. "It's clear," I whispered and stepped to the side as Rick opened the door.

As we each piled out of the building, I looked to see if there was anyone else nearby that could catch us. But on both ends of the street, it was completely empty. Free from any stragglers or guards — almost like they had disappeared in thin air. But it didn't solve my worried mind as Rick led us towards the building where the gunshots were originally heard from.

Rick was the first walk in with his pistol ready as me and Daryl walked behind him. There wasn't much sound until we came closer towards a room with a bright light and I could hear some men talking. The sweat was building around my forehead and I bit my lip in anticipation.

When I heard a small cry coming from my sister, my blood immediately ran cold and I stood up straighter like a cat coming across a dog. Daryl made silent movements behind me while putting his crossbow on his back. I turned to him with a worried gaze and he brought his finger to his lips, silently insisting I stay quiet before pulling out two canisters and removing the clips and tossing them towards the room.

As smoke started to release in the air — the five of us charged towards the room where the men holding Glenn and Maggie hostage. I moved through the smoke in a zigzag until I came across my sister with a sack over her head.

I immediately yanked it off and she looked up at me with surprise. I put my finger to my lips and grabbed her hands to lead her out of the room.

Rick grabbed Glenn from a chair and the five of us rushed out of the house and onto the empty streets again. We looked around frantically for a place to hide, noticing a bar off in the distance with no sign of someone wandering around.

We headed straight towards the bar, practically jumping inside as Glenn fell to the ground and Maggie ran to his aid. I placed my hands on my knees and sighed heavily, out of breath from the running and smoke canisters. 

"Sienna — Rick? How did you find us?!" Maggie asked in a panic, her hands holding up Glenn who looked as if he was tossed around several times.

I coughed once more then stood straight to do a head count but Michonne was no where to be found. I quickly looked over at Rick and furrowed my eyebrows. "Where did she go? She was right behind us."

"Maybe she was spotted," Oscar looked around frantically. "Want me to go look for her?"

Rick shook his head, "No. We gotta get them out of here." He gestured towards Glenn and Maggie. "She's on her own."

I quickly rushed towards Rick, grabbing his wrist with a small shake of my head. "We can't just leave her here — "

"Our priority is getting them out." He pointed directly towards my sister and Glenn before leaning closer, gesturing between us both. "We're saving our people and that is it, she is not one of us. I need to make sure all of you get out safe."

I nervously looked down at my sister and watched her help Glenn put on a blue hoodie. Ignoring Ricks heavy gaze, I knelled down beside my sister and immediately started checking her body for any visible marks of abuse.

"You alright?" I asked softly. She shook her head.

"Daryl, this was Merle. It was. He did this." Glenn confessed, tiredly looking over towards the redneck.

Daryl, holding his crossbow, walked towards Glenn and Maggie, shocked to hear his brother being mentioned. "You saw him?" Glenn nodded, "face to face. Threw a walker at me. He was gonna execute us."

Daryl blinked a few times as his mouth parted slightly in shock. "S-So my brother's this governor?"

Maggie shook her head, "No, it's somebody else. Your brother's his lieutenant or something."

"Does he know I'm still with you?"

"He does now. Rick, I'm sorry. We told him where the prison was. We couldn't hold out." Glenn flinched in pain as he adjusted the hoodie on his body. Rick came over and patted his knee with reassurance. "Don't. No need to apologize. They're gonna be looking for us. We have to get back. Can you walk?" Glenn nodded.

Maggie and I took his arms and slowly helped him to his feet. I took a closer look at Glenn's condition, my blood beginning to boil when I noticed how injured he really was. The word torture traveled around in my mind but I was too afraid to face that fact. That would mean my sisters was as well. Except, she didn't have any damage to her body that I could see.

My head immediately weaved around to look at her, my arm wrapped around Glenn's back. "Maggie." I didn't realize my chest was rising and falling at a faster pace, but she noticed the concern washing over my face and she shook her head. "I'm okay."

"Hey, if Merle's around, I need to see him." Daryl walked over to Rick, lowering his gun but the man protested. "Not now. We're in hostile territory."

"He's my brother. I ain't—"

"Look at what he did!" Rick suddenly snapped, pointing towards Glenn and my sister. "Look, we gotta— we gotta get out of here now."

"Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can work something out."

Rick sighed, "No, no, no. You're not thinking straight. Look, no matter what they say, they're hurt. Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by walkers and this governor catches up to us? I need you. Are you with me?"

Daryl swallowed hard before nodding his head. I looked towards Daryl with remorse. As much as I hated Merle — considering everything I've learned in the span of five minutes; he was still Daryls brother. The man he thought was dead or long gone. Just to find out they were in the same area as each other, it's hard to wrap his head around and I felt for him.

As I carefully passed Glenn over to Maggie, my sister giving me a nod of reassurance that she had him; I pulled out my own gun and checked the casing. Now that we had them both, I was prepared for the fight yet to come and it wasn't going to be easy.

I looked up just as Rick walked over to me. He placed a steady hand on my shoulder, slightly squeezing it as he looked down at me with worry. "Stay close, don't get side tracked. If you see us moving, just follow through. Don't worry about taking them all out."

I nodded my head with understanding, his hand dropping from my shoulder and we both walked towards the door with Daryl behind. Oscar waited for Glenn and Maggie to move ahead so he could watch their back, his gun loaded and ready just like the rest.

When Rick opened the door, the street was suddenly filled with smoke and was starting to flood with people from the armory. "Over here! Get cover!" He shouted, leading the group behind a brick wall as Daryl dropped a bag on the ground, pulling out ammo to reload.

I pressed my back against the wall and took a hand full of rounds from Daryl, shoving them into my pocket.

The gun shots zipped right through the air in our direction. Either hitting nothing or breaking right into the wall in front of us. "We have to stick together, we stay in a group and we're going to get over that truck. Wound em' the best you can." Rick ordered as Daryl grabbed another canister, pulling off the clip and tossing it towards the men that were shooting towards us. Once the canister popped, Rick shouted for us to move.

I came out from behind the wall and used what ability I had to see what was happening and shoot several bullets in the direction the targets were.

I wanted to get back at these assholes for what they did to my family, for hurting Glenn and making my sister scared. There was so much I wanted them to feel. But as a rightful human being with a conscience, I was just hoping I'd hit a few of them in the leg to keep them from moving.

As the others made their way over to the big truck that was keeping us from escaping, I dived behind a bench with Daryl. I looked between the bench and continued to fight back as Rick and Oscar helped get Maggie and Glenn across.

As I paused to reload my gun, I heard my sister screaming from behind me. "Rick! Rick!"

I quickly looked, my head turning around fast when I noticed Oscar laying on the ground. A small gasp left my lips from a mixture of sadness and fear. I blinked several times before turning around to continue with the fight, neither Daryl and I once stopping to give up.

"We need to get going!" I shouted over the gun fire.

"On three!" Daryl shouted back and we were going to make a run for it.

"One, two,—" As I stood, a large pair of arms wrapped around my waist and I was immediately yanked backwards. My eyes widen as I watched a man come up behind Daryl and butt him against the head with a gun.

"Daryl!? Daryl!" I shouted out with sheer panic — my arms and legs lashing out before the man used his hand to cover my mouth.