"CARL!" Missy shouted in excitement, rushing towards the boy who was feeding the chickens with Lori. She hugged him tightly, before realising she should probably be more gentle with a boy who had just been shot. Missy smiled, "How'd ya feel?"

"Good," Carl nodded with a smile, before wriggling his eyebrows sarcastically, "I heard you were crying over me—"

"Shut up— I was not." Missy lied, though Carl continued to laugh.

"Yep, you was!" Carl teased, before offering out a handful of seeds so Missy could feed the chickens, too.

Missy asked curiously, "So, do ya have a cool scar, now? Like, a battle scar."

"Mom won't let me take the bandage off yet." Carl complained, squinting at Lori playfully. He added, "Hey, I heard Shane took you shooting."

"Who told you?" Missy asked.

"Mom."

"Oh, well it ain't as fun as I expected." Missy replied with a shrug, chucking down seeds onto the ground, "Dad was yellin'. But, I hit bullseye." She gave a proud smile.

"Cool!" Carl cheered in admiration, "Shane said he was gonna take us out today to shoot. Are ya coming?"

"Uh," Missy hesitated, "I dunno."

"Come with us, Missy," Lori spoke up, suggesting kindly, "You don't have to use a gun, you can sit with me."

"Uh, I might stay here." Missy replied, "I challenged Glenn to a rematch of Hangman. 'Cause he said I was cheatin' yesterday."

"You probably were— hey!" Carl's jokes were interrupted when Missy threw a handful of seeds at him, before they bursted into laughs. 

  ***

Most of the group had travelled out to a safe shooting spot in the woods, whilst Missy approached Hershel's house. The door was open, so Missy didn't feel as though she was breaking in, yet she still tip-toed her way around the house. She had to restrain herself from looking inside every room and, instead, walk towards the distant sound of voices.

She didn't feel great. Missy didn't feel sick, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what she was feeling. It was a new sensation that knotted in her stomach, which definitely wasn't her pit of anxiety. No, Missy didn't know how to describe this feeling, though she dismissed it as a stomach ache.

"Hi. You must be Missy." A gentle voice spoke behind her. It belonged to a blonde girl, who looked around 16. Missy had seen her around the Farm, and she recognised her as Beth. She gave a warm smile, that looked similar to Maggie's, "Do ya need anythin'?"

The little girl replied shyly, "Uh, I was wonderin' where Glenn was. You seen him?"

"Him and Maggie were plannin' to go on a run into town." Beth explained, "I think they're by the gates. I'll go get 'em for you."

"Thanks." Missy gave a small smile, before questioning, "Do ya have a bathroom? Please." It was a stupid question because every house has a toilet, but Missy felt so shy that her words started to splutter.

"Yeah— up the stairs, the room to your left." Beth nodded, before continuing her run out of the front door, calling for both Maggie and Glenn.

The toilet seat was cold. She had gotten used to using bushes in the forest as a restroom, so it felt weird to have the comfort and privacy of a restroom again. Missy found it strange how, while the world ended, this family had stayed on their Farm. It was almost like the epidemic hadn't happened at all for them. Of course their family had lost people, but Missy thought they had it easiest compared to others.

Though, Missy's thoughts were quickly interrupted when she instantly noticed the red spots of blood on her underwear. Her eyes widened in horror— had she been bitten? No, no, no. Missy knew she hadn't been bitten. What was happening to her? Tears swelled in her eyes in a sudden panic. In a flash, she was wrapping an entire roll of toilet paper around her hand and placing it shakily into her underwear, before pulling up her jeans.

She tried her best to forget what had happened though, as she stared at herself in the mirror, Missy could feel the abrupt aching sensation in her stomach again. She stared at herself in the mirror, watching her features scrunch together as she let out a quiet cry. She didn't understand what was happening to her. Why did she deserve this end?

A gentle knock echoed from the other side of the door, followed by a calm voice, "Beth came and got us." Missy recognised the voice to belong to Maggie. She added, "We're goin' into town. Glenn says you can tag along."

Missy didn't have time to respond because she was certain she was dying. Maybe the virus had evolved and it was starting to eat at her insides already? In frustration, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. She turned around towards the door, her hand hovering over the handle before opening it quickly. And, when she walked, she could feel the uncomfortable pile of toilet paper shoved between her legs.

Outside the door was Maggie. The older girl questioned curiously, instantly noticing the girl's red face, "You alright?" Missy had tried to ignore her, though Maggie quickly stepped in front of her. She placed a hand on her shoulder, lowering herself down to eye-level, "Hey, wait. Are you alright?"

Missy hesitated, swallowing back the lump in her throat, "Is Lori back yet?"

"Uh, they only left half hour ago. Glenn said they were shootin'." Maggie shook her head, "What do you need her for?"

Missy tried her best to keep it in, scolding herself when she couldn't control a tear dropping down her cheek. She sniffed, "I think I'm a Walker."

Maggie's expression faulted in confusion. She crouched down in front of her, asking in concern, "Did you get bit, Missy?" But, the girl shook her head. Maggie frowned curiously, "No? Missy, what's goin' on?"

"I'm..." Missy paused, lowering her voice to merely a whisper, "Bleeding."

"Bleedi..." Maggie's voice trailed off, as if she was connecting the dots. She stood up calmly, shutting the bedroom door. Missy was afraid that Maggie was closing the door to shoot her in private. To make her death quick. However, instead, Maggie knelt down in front of the girl, "Missy, you're not dyin'."

"Are you sure?" Missy questioned, "How'd you know?"

"You're menstruating. Do ya know what that means?" Maggie asked softly, and Missy shook her head once more. She took a breath, "Well, every month a women bleeds from her uterus." She gestured to her stomach, "It means your body is preparing for the possibility of pregnancy— for when your much, much older. You're perfectly fine."

"When will it stop?" The girl asked quietly.

"'Bout 5-7 days, usually. But, who's to say? It's different for everyone." Maggie reassured, "Mine lasted a few days every month."

Missy felt slightly more relaxed, "You get 'em, too?"

"Well, I was on the pill for a while, but..." Maggie watched as Missy's face scrunched in confusion. She didn't want to overwhelm her— Maggie was surprised that the girl had never heard of a period before. She added, "But that's a story for another day. Hey... why don't you come to the store with me and Glenn? We'll get you some sanitary pads, alright?"

"Okay." Missy nodded, smiling slightly, "Hey, Maggie?"

"Yeah?" She questioned.

"Can ya not tell anyone else?" Missy pleaded, "Not yet, anyway." Maggie nodded with a small smile, which made Missy feel a lot better.

***

Staring at the shelves of sanitary products made Missy feel confused. She was never taught about periods, let alone what product was right to choose. Was there a wrong option? Her eyes searched the shelves curiously, trying to focus over the distant arguing from Maggie and Glenn. She thought the two adults were friends, though the entire ride into town they were squabbling over a topic of secret. When Missy asked about it, they both went quiet. She hated being left out of things— their argument seemed pretty serious.

Missy picked up about 5 boxes of pads, before shoving them into her bag. Hershel had let their group stay on the farm until Carl healed, so she hoped she could come back to town to retrieve more when she had run out. Missy didn't want to get kicked out from the farm, she really enjoyed having a secure place to stay— Beth and Maggie were really nice, she didn't want to leave their company. Being in the presence of older girls helped Missy to pick up on things they did: the way they reacted to situations, how Maggie stuck up for herself, how kind Beth was. Her behaviour since being on the farm had been influenced by them, and Missy liked being alike people who weren't as angry as her Dad.

And, as Missy shouldered her bag and strolled towards the two, she noticed Maggie storming away to the back of the store. Missy asked Glenn, "What's wrong with Maggie?"

"I, uh, I don't know," He replied, filling his bag up with supplies. Glenn hesitated, before questioning genuinely, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay." Missy nodded, fiddling with the straps of her backpack.

A sudden scream interrupted their short interaction, and Glenn was sprinting towards Maggie within seconds. A surge of impulse washed over Missy, as the girl sprinted towards the scene, too.  As she ran to the back of the store, she noticed Maggie desperately trying to fight off a Walker who had a tight hold around her wrists. She was screaming for help and pleading for her life; Missy didn't know what to do, so she was glad Glenn acted quickly.

The older boy was immediately ripping off a shelf and holding it firmly in his grasp. He was shouting protectively at Missy to stay back, as he climbed onto the desk and whacked the rectangular shelf into the Walker's neck. Glenn jumped down onto the floor, pulling out a large knife from his pocket and killing the Walker in an instant with multiple stabs to the head. He didn't stop stabbing it until the Walker's gurgles went silent.

Missy watched, her eyes wide and breath stuck in her throat. She stared at the pools of blood which oozed from its head and neck, staining the store floor. It wasn't until she heard Maggie crying that she managed to avert her eyes from the chaos in front of her. Quickly, Missy climbed onto the desk and scooted her way towards Maggie. The older girl was sobbing hysterically, and Missy knew that Maggie had never witnessed such violence in her life. She didn't have to because the Farm had kept her safe.

Missy stood beside her, unsure of how to help. She didn't know how to comfort people because she was never shown. She wasn't sure if comfort was an emotion she was supposed to be taught or if she was just expected to learn. Either way, Missy decided to attempt at reassurance by hesitantly slipping her hand into Maggie's. At first, she was scared that the older girl would pull away, though Maggie didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, Missy was surprised when Maggie wrapped her arm around her and pulled her into a tight hug. Missy had only ever been hugged by Lori, Carl, and occasionally Rick— she didn't know that hugs were a popular form of comfort. She had always found hugging uncomfortable, though Maggie's hug was warm.

She wondered what her Dad's hugs felt like. Though, she would never know. Shane wasn't much of a hugger, either.

***

"Maggie!" Glenn called out, "Wait!"

But it was too late, Maggie was already storming over to Lori in a fit of frustration. On their way back to the Farm, Maggie had been on a rollercoaster of emotions: sadness, panic, frustration, anger, confusion. Missy was helplessly jogging after the older pair, trying to catch up with Maggie's newest emotion.

"Hey!" Maggie called out to Lori, who was stood outside her tent, "We got ya stuff!"

"Come on in here." Lori gestured, though she was stopped by the demanding tone of Maggie's voice once more. Missy panted as they gathered outside the tent, and she watched Lori's facial expression falter when Maggie started throwing the items out of the bag.

"Why? Nothin' to hide. We got ya special delivery right here." Maggie argued, chucking them onto the dirt, "We got your lotion, got your conditioner, your soap opera digest! Next time you want somethin', get it your damn self. We're not your errand boys!"

Lori spluttered in confusion, "Honey, I—"

"And here's your abortion pills." Maggie spat before storming away, resulting in Glenn chasing after her again.

What? Missy stood in front of Lori, watching as the woman picked up a small packeted item from the ground. Missy noticed the image of pills on the front of the box. Her mind was spinning and Lori's silence was making it worse. Abortion pills. Missy's mind was slowly putting together the puzzle pieces, though the answer was already in front of her.

"You're pregnant." Missy stated.

Lori let out a long breath, brushing her hair back with her hand in distress, "Honey, listen." She was crouching down in front of the girl, holding onto Missy's hands reassuringly, "This is very serious, alright? I-I... this is my secret, okay? That means you cannot tell anybody. Please. You have to promise me, Missy."

Missy spluttered, "Yeah— yes, I promise."

She followed Lori inside the large tent, watching in a state of shock and slight excitement, until she realised how stressed Lori was. The woman sat down, burying her head in her hands for a moment; it was almost as if Lori was doubtful of Missy's trust.

Missy zipped the tent shut, trying to figure out what to say. She stood in front of the woman for a long moment, "Does Carl know?"

"No," Lori muttered, "Nobody else does, honey. That's why it's so important that you don't—"

"Do those pills make it go away?" Missy cut in, her voice quiet.

"Yes." Lori nodded, almost ashamed. The woman was looking for a reaction on Missy's face, though the girl was too busy in her thoughts to reply. Lori was unsure how Missy would react to the idea of abortion, so the woman was already regretting everything a lot more. She was scared that Missy would freak out and tell the others, or accidentally reveal her pregnancy in an anger outburst. But, for now, Missy stayed quiet. Lori tried to reassure her, "But— the baby won't feel a thing. Alright? If I'm honest, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I might not even—"

"Do what you wanna do." Missy blurted out kindly, taking Lori by surprise. She paused, "It ain't anybody else's pregnancy but yours."

Lori took a breath of relief, giving a small smile, "I appreciate that, Missy. Thank you."

Missy returned the smile.

Lori asked curiously, "Honey, why did Maggie have blood on her shirt?"

"Uh," Missy fiddled with the straps of her backpack, "She was attacked by a Walker."

Lori sighed in worry, "I thought the town was safe, but if you hadn't come back or... Missy, why did you go with them? I thought you were staying here today." She watched the instant change in the girl's expression. Lori softened her voice, "What is it? Honey, what's wrong?"

"I got my period." Missy muttered.

And, immediately, Lori was standing up to pull the girl into a hug. She reassured, "Oh, baby. I'm sorry I wasn't here. Are you alright? Are you feelin' okay?"

"Yeah." Missy said, her voice muffled in the warmth of the hug. Lori pulled away, sitting back down but still holding Missy's hands as the girl stood in front of her. Lori looked at her patiently, waiting for her to explain more. The girl added, "Uh, I got it earlier. I wasn't gonna tell anyone, but Maggie figured it out. That's why I went into town. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for." Lori shook her head gently, "I'm just glad you're okay. Do you have everything you need?"

"Uh, I don't really know." Missy replied, taking the bag off her back and unzipping it to reveal the multiple packs of sanitary pads she had stuffed inside her bag. She showed Lori, searching for approval, "I don't know, uh... how to... use 'em."

Lori smiled softly, "That's alright. I can show you, okay? It's easy when you get used to it."

Missy nodded, before pausing, "Can this be my secret? I don't want anybody else knowin'."

"Not your Dad?" Lori questioned, and Missy shook her head. She knew that Lori would eventually have to tell him. The woman knew not to question it, so agreed kindly, "Okay. This is our secret. Promise."

a/n:
mother maggie and lori are the number 1 missy protectors