I wake up when Rick wakes up Carl. I sit up, yawning and stretching, and then I hop down. Carl tugs me into his side, and Rick playfully chastites him as he kisses me.

I walk down to the pig pen with them, deciding to stay with them for a while. Carl's fingers find mine, and I smile.

Carl and Rick talk, but I tune it out. I'm watching the prison. Something isn't right.

A shot sounds up at the prison, and Rick swears. "Isabelle, Carl, stay-"

I take off running toward the prison, drawing my knife as I do. I hear Rick behind me, shouting orders at Carl as he runs after me. I throw open the gate, running past Sasha and the others.

I enter cell block D, and people are screaming and walkers are everywhere. I stab one walker, sending it down. Daryl grabs Luke, a little boy. Lizzie and Mika, the blond sisters, are with Karen, in a closed cell.

Everyone needs help and I don't know where to go. Then I spot Molly, the girl with the dark brown hair, in a corner screaming and sobbing. Her parents are walkers, staggering toward her. She pulls out a small knife, brandishing it in front of her.

I run for her, stabbing their heads, sending them to the floor. I pull her up, and make a break for the cell that Karen is in. A walker, lunges at me, and I stab it, and it tumbles down. I run to the cell that Karen opens the cell,a nd I step in, setting Molly down.

"No, d-don't leave me!" She sobs, clinging to me. I sink to the floor, and she buries her face in my chest, still sobbing. I stroke her hair. "It's ok. You're ok. Everything's gonna be ok," I whisper as the walker numbers diminish.

Rick walks over to us. "Alex, you ok?" He asks. I nod. He eyes Molly, who is sobbing into my shirt. He turns and walks away, up the stairs.

Molly turns to look, and I cover her eyes, tuning her head back into my chest. "No, don't look. Not yet." I murmur gently, holding her tight. I stand, but Molly doesn't let go. Finally, I simply pick her up, and she wraps her arms around my torso and her legs around my waist. She's suprisingly light for her age.

I walk outside with Rick, still carrying Molly, who sobs quietly into my chest still.

Carl runs to Rick, hugging him. "I had to use one of the guns by the gate, I swear I didn't want to!" He cries. He looks at me. "Isabelle?"

I nod, holding Molly tighter. "Wha-" he begins, but I shake my head. "Later," I mouth, and he nods.

"Patrick got sick last night. Some kind of flu, moves fast. We think he died and attacked the cell block. You shouldn't get too close to anyone that might've been exposed, least for a little while," Rick explains.

Carl backs to Michonnie, and looks at me. His eyes are filled with agony, and I manage a weak smile. They help Michonnie inside.

The Council meets, but even though I'm the youngest member, I don't participate because Molly won't let go.

"My m-momma said t-that you w-would protect m-me if t-they died. W-will you?" She whimpers, looking up at me pleadingly.

"Of course, Molly. Just as if we are sisters. From now on, we are sisters. I'm goung to teach you to fight and make you strong, just like me." I promise.

She smiles. "T-thank you. Y-you're all I h-have left in t-the world." She says, and tears begin running down her face again. I hold her tight, stroking her hair.

She's even younger than I was when all this crazy walker shit happened.

I pack up my bag, since everyone that was in D is being moved, and anyone who was in it. Carl walks in.

He comes to me and hugs me. "Carl-" I begin to protest. "No. I don't give a damn on what rules are laid down when it comes to you." He growls, kissing me.

Finally, I break free. I grab my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. "I promised Molly I'd take care of her." I say.

He nods. "Be safe.." He says. "Love you," I say. "Love you more."

I go and take Molly's hand. "C'mon," I say. "Let's go get your bag packed."

All she has is another outfit. That's not exactly a lot of things. I frown. "You need a weapon," I say.

I I unsheath one of my favorite knives, handing it to her. Her eyes widen as she takes it. I help her put it in her belt. "I'll teach you to use it later," I says.

As we walk outside, I hear Maggie yelling for Rick and Daryl. The walkers are pushing down a fence.

I drop our bags, turning to Molly. "I have to go help them. You stay here." I say. She nods. I take off down the path, drawing a knife. One I make it donw to the fence, Maggie, Daryl, Rick, Tyreese and Sasha are there.

I stab like crazy, sending walker after walker down, but not fast enough. More and more come, but we keep stabbing.

"Are you seeing this? Is someone feeding these things?" Sasha cries. Dead mice lay inside the fence, on our side. Everyone turns to look except for me. I don't exactly want this fence coming down on top of me. "Hey!" I shout. "A little help!"

The walkers are climbing up the fence, pushing it further. Glenn joins us. We push against the fence desperately.

Finally, it seems to hold. "I have to take the pigs out there," Rick says.

I turn and run back up to Molly. I can't let her see them do that. "C'mon. It's under control now. Let's go," I say, picking up our bags.

A man from Woodbury lets us in. We go to an upper cell.

"We'll stay up here because in anyone turns we can either shove them over the railing, or we can have more time to prepare ourselves." I explain. "You get top bunk. That way, if any walker gets us, you'll live."

She climbs up, and I hand her her bag. "Thank you for the knife." She says. I smile.

"Molly, we've softened up this world for you. I'm gonna teach you the realities of living in this world. I'm gonna teach you how to survive and fight." I say.

She nods, watching me solemly. "Thank you."

Coughing erupts in the cell. People are herded out to the sick section of A left and right. Hershel comes by. "Karen and David are gone." He says. I blink, suprised. He looks at Molly. "You're pale."

I reach up and feel her forehead. She's burning up. She looks at me, letting out a cough.

"Molly, I have to take you to the section in A." I say. I take our bags with us. Carol stands at the door. "Who?" She asks.

"Molly, I reply. Molly walks in, and I move to follow her. Carol barres my way.

"Isabelle, you're not sick. You can't-" she begins.

"I promised Molly I'd take care of her. I'm not leaving her. I'm all she has left. She's terrified to go in here, and I'm not leaving her alone." I snap. Carol blinks at me, suprised at how firm I sound, and steps back, letting me go in.

We find another room at the top. This time, I get top, she gets bottom. She sits, clearly showing that the symptoms have spiked.

I lay her down, knowing that this might be the last time she stands up for a while.

I reach up and pull the mattress on the top bunk down, and lay it on the floor next to Molly. Then, I swing our bags on the springs of the top bunk.

I crouch next to Molly. "Hey," I say, speaking over the coughing. "Once you're well, I'll take you on a run to get new clothes. A girl needs new clothes."

Molly smiles, closing her eyes. "But what makes you so sure I'll wake up? She asks softly.

"Because I'm not letting you die. I won't let you." I say, stroking her cheek. "Go to sleep. You'll wake up."

Carol and Lizzie walk by our cell. "Alex, can you watch Lizzie?" Carol asks. "She'll be in the cell next to you."

I nod. "Of course," I say.

Glenn gets a 'visiting room' set up. It's just the room with a window showing the other side of A, but Sasha and Tyreese are the first ones to use it.

Nothing good can happen without double pain covering it up. It's like this world doesn't want us to feel happiness. What's so bad about happiness? I guess that it's what keeps us humans going, and the world is now meant for walkers.

-

A few hours later, Molly is worse. She is pale, hot, sweaty, and coughs in her sleep every few minutes. I wipe her forehead with a wet, cool cloth, wiping the strands of hair stuck on her face away.

I hum an old song that my mom used to hum to me or Sage whenever we got sick. For once, the memory doesn't bring tears to my eyes.

She coughs, and flinches. I lean close to her ear, and whisper, "I'm still here. I haven't left yet."

The corner of her mouth flickers, and I smile. I kiss her forehead.

Already, I know that if she died, I'd be different. She is a part of me now. If I can help it, I won't ever let her die. She's like Carl, only my love for her is different. It's a sisterly love.

Hershel comes up. He hands me a cup filled with some sort of tea. "Get her to drink some." He says, nodding to Molly.

I pull up Molly, resting her head on the bar. I pour a tiny bit of tea into her mouth, and she swallows on instinct. I do that until the cup is empty, and then I hand the cup back to Hershel. "Thanks." I say. He nods, and moves on.

I lay Molly back down onto the pillow, and then I lay down on the mattress on the floor. I'm terrified that she will die. What about if I get sick? Wthat then?

This chapter has been edited. I hope you all enjoyed it!