NEWSPAPERS were a thing of the past in the post-apocalyptic modern world that they now took part in. But that didn't stop Nellie from picking up one from the abandoned newsstand and skimming it for Garfield comics.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked glancing over as he heard the crinkling of the papers as she fumbled around, desperately searching for the lasagna loving cat.

"Buying a hamburger." She sassed, rolling her eyes. Before glancing at him. "The fuck, does it look like I'm doing? I'm looking for Garfield comics." She said.

"Oh," he mumbled in reply, not sure what else to say concerning that topic.

"...Garfield really?" He asked after a few moments stunned silence, filled only with the distant stumbles of walkers, the patter of their shoes and the crunching of the newspaper.

"Yes really. Garfield makes me smile and we could use a good joke to lighten the mood," She told him.

"Alright," he relented. If being married had taught him anything it was that when a woman spoke happily about something, you don't shit on it, lest you wanna piss her off.

She let out a small sound of excitement upon finding her precious cat cartoons.

Rick glanced over but overall kept his focus on their surroundings, on the lookout for walkers.

"You know, you're quite the distraction. I think I would've been better off on my own," Rick gently joked.

"Oh hush ranger Rick," she easily answered his teasing.

"I was a sheriff not a—"

"I'm aware." She interrupted with her short response.

They walked in silence for a while. She got to read the cartoons before carefully tearing out the Garfield comic to save.

"Now your keepin' it?" He asked a little exasperated.

"Yep. It's a cute orange kitty that complains. It's art that speaks to me on another level," she spoke with a smile.

Rick just nods, spotting a convince store in the distance. "We should head over and try and find some food or well... anything useful," He advised.

She nodded, shoved the cartoon in her pocket and trudged over with him to the store.

"Maybe they have a where's Waldo book." She said after their momentary silence.

"Seriously?" Rick spoke.

"Seriously." She responded, heading inside first. Hammer in hand, gun in her back pocket.

She preferred Skull Cracker over the gun she barely remembered how to fire anyway.

Nellie and Rick cleared out a few aimlessly wandering walkers and began to rummage through the supplies. Or rather, what was left of any supplies after mold, time and possibly other scavengers.

Nellie finds an old chocolate bar that Rick doesn't let her eat— much to her dismay (It expired a year ago).

"I miss chocolate," she complained aloud as they searched.

Rick raised a brow from his spot across from her, in a different isle of the store.

"That's what you're thinking about right now?" He asked, silently wondering about her thought process.

"Your not?" She shouts back as she rummaged through the snack isle.

"No." He deadpans as he searched for any medical supplies, bandaids, medical tape, anything.

"Well I do. Especially since you wouldn't let me eat that perfectly good—" She began.

"Perfectly expired you mean?" He interjected.

"...shush." She says back instead of acknowledging the truth.

He rolled his eyes at her relatively immature nature. Before getting distracted by a sole surviving teddy bear in the kids section.

The rest all torn to shreds for some strange reason. Yet one stood— a little slumped but surviving. Rick walked over and picked it up. It was a bit stained with blood but not much.

Nellie walked over while he was lost in thought about his son. "That's cute but it's missing an eye?" She noted aloud.

Huh. He hadn't even noticed that the bear was missing an eye.

"Oh yeah," he mumbled, not really paying much attention to her in the moment.

"You should take it." Nellie said suddenly.

"What?" He said, regretting how stupid it sounded and out of sorts.

"You should take it." She repeated for him. "Your kid will like it," She says.

He nods after a moment. "Yeah he will."

As he stares down at the teddy bear in hand, she gets distracted by a bunny hat that's hung up on a rack.

"Oh Rick! A hat!" She exclaimed, voice full of excitement.

He turned to see her find, and when his eyes landed on the bunny hat, he raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"A bunny hat?" He added hesitantly. Unsure what to say.

"Yeah. Isn't it cool?" She asks but he assumed she didn't want his real opinion on it.

"Yeah...yeah it's cool," he said awkwardly.

"Whatever. I like it," She smiles to herself. Which does make Rick crack a smile, she was an unapologetic person that was for sure.

They continued on their journey to Atlanta. Rick could see that she felt bad for leaving Duane and Morgan. Just as the two neared a farm, he decided to bring it up.

"Nellie?" He mumbled to get her attention. "Yeah?" She responded easily.

He glanced over to see her carelessly flipping her hammer in her hand.

"You know...I can handle myself out here. If you wanted to head back, get back to Duane and Morgan." He remarked.

Nellie paused at the offer. "Seriously? You think you can handle this?" For once it was less judgmental and more concerned.

"I do." He affirmed as he reached out and tugged on the bunny ear. Fixing the hat, since it had been tilting too far to the left.

"...okay. Morgan's gonna need all the help he can get with that kid. Good luck finding your family Rick. Don't forget about us." She babbled on.

"Nellie—" he tried to intervene and assure but she kept going.

"I mean we'll probably— maybe,
Meet agains sometime-"

"Nellie," Rick retries.

"If we're not all dead— or really undead—" she continued.

"Bunny hat!" He calls, placing his hands on the sides of her shoulders. Causing her to finally pause and take a breath.

"It'll all be fine. Morgan has one walkie talkie and I have the other. I'll turn it on every day at..." he awaits for her to finish the phrase.

"noon..." she mumbled.

"For a few minutes." He affirmed. To which she just nodded along.

"So everything will be fine alright. Next time I see you, you'll still have that stupid hat and I'll have my family. Okay?" He coaxed.

She nods vehemently.

"So keep on smiling," he urged. "You've kept it this long, don't let it wear down."

She stares for a moment before speaking. "Oh! I've always wanted a reason to say this! Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone,"

"How can I, you're taking all the stupid with you," Rick indulges with a chuckle.

She smiled. "Great movie," She adds before beginning to walk backwards and away.

She waved that stupid bunny hat ear at him in regard to a sort of proper, goodbye.

He corked a smile at it, unable to stop the pull of his lips at the odd yet endearing sight.

With that he walked into the farm and ended up finding a horse...which he'd use to ride into Atlantas streets.

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