AUTHOR'S NOTES: A one shot - Beth's a Rookie who has a crush on her Superior Training Officer, Deputy Rick Grimes
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters
Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors.
Anything in Italics are thoughts
The Rookie and The Deputy
Officer Greene gets into the elevator following Deputy Grimes who presses the button to go to the seventh floor.
She looks sideways at her Training officer for the day, who catches her and then smiles.
"God, nothing gets past those observant sharp blue eyes and that smile, wow!" She thinks to herself.
She smiles back as the elevator door shuts and the music continues playing.
Deputy Grimes crosses his arms over his chest and closes his eyes just relaxing before they attend to a complaint.
Beth sneaks a peek at him in the mirror. She smiles dreamily at him. He's really handsome and she couldn't believe her luck, she always thought her Training Officer would be some fat, bald, arrogant forty-fifty-something year old, who'd be constantly screaming through a bullhorn like in the Police Academy Movies - how wrong she was she thought shaking her head. Deputy Grimes was the smartest, calmest and the most patient officer she's ever come across and his southern manners and boyishly good looks were the icing on the cake. And the way his uniform fit which looked to have been made specifically for his body, "gabalabalah!" she thought. And when he goes into total badass mode, now that is something sexy and amazing to witness!
She's been thinking about the training classes that are held. He was the deputy signed up for this month, teaching two nights a week and she had already put her name up when the form was pinned to the notice board. Every rookie charged for it, she had to run once the stampede made their way as the spaces were limited. Zach, Noah and Ben had already raved about the sessions he previously gave, so she didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to learn some beneficial skills and techniques from him.
Zach had learnt how to get himself out of a dangerous hold and then flip Ben over and into a headlock. Ben joked that he went easy on him and when Noah demonstrated the same for them to see, they all believed Zach. Noah grinning at his triumph, lets go of Ben, he fell laying sprawled on the floor, she and Tara had to help him sit up. From her calculations, Ben must have been ten pounds heavier than Zach and fourteen pounds heavier than Noah, with a lot more height than both, she needed to know how to do those moves, she wasn't exactly muscled or had much meat on her. She was fast but she needed to work on her body strength and she hoped Deputy Grimes would help her. Deputy Walsh was too barbarian for her liking, after one class, she failed to turn up to the next one which spoke for itself. But in all her good intentions, she did wonder what a one on one session with Deputy Grimes would be like. She smiles cheekily towards him in the mirror.
Gazing happily, she was thrilled when she saw her name besides Deputy Rick Grimes on the board this morning. She wondered who made up the rota because she wanted to personally thank them, but did a dance on the spot - she was partnered with the dreamiest guy in the academy. Tara had caught her and frowned, she was stuck with Deputy Sleazebag Walsh, Deputy Grime's partner and best friend. Tara tried on many occasions to hint to him that she was into women and not men. If he did catch on, he never showed it, it only turned him on more because he would daily flirt and check out her out when he thinks she or anyone else isn't watching, the attention was not wanted and he didn't care.
Beth then begins to think, was she any better than him eyeballing Deputy Grimes? She frowns, she hoped she wasn't obvious and he didn't know what thoughts she had of him in her mind, that would be highly embarrassing. She would never in her dreams force herself on him and make him feel uncomfortable. She had a crush, it was just a simple innocent crush, Deputy Grimes wouldn't give her the time of day. He's probably got a stunning model wife sitting waiting for him at home baking cakes and making a super delicious dinner for when he gets home and she was just the student crushing on him. He was just an extra added bonus to coming into work she decided, a good bonus because the money sucked. Maybe just seeing him will motivate her to get through the next couple of years and then she'd be a qualified deputy and they'd probably not have many dealings with each other, she'd be partnered off with her own partner and they'd just pass each other in the building or sometimes on the streets when they needed to work as a team, he'd always be her Superior. She quickly looks over at him standing face up with his eyes shut, thinking. He even looked good like that and she wondered what went on up in that beautiful head of his.
As if on cue, the elevator abruptly stops and shakes wildly. Beth stumbles sideways not paying attention and Rick catches her in his arms and they bang on to the metal side as the elevator begins to rock and then level itself back again.
The music has stopped and they both look up to see the light flickering. Rick frowns, the last time he was stuck in the elevator, he was off duty, he and Shane had to wait two hours before someone worked out the elevator wasn't working and then another hour for the fire services to get them out.
Just as he was about to lift his wrist to look at his watch and call into his radio, he realises he's holding on to Beth and she is flush up against him, her face in his chest with her arms wrapped around his waist. Rick stands there for a long moment not moving, he hasn't had this much contact with a female in a long while, fifteen months to be exact he thinks to himself, Judith was now six months old. He looks up to see their reflection in the elevator mirror and his eyes widened finally registering their position and how it would look if the doors suddenly flung open to the public.
"Beth?" He says gently and taps her on her shoulder.
Her eyes fling open and her back stiffens on the realisation of what she was doing. She cringes to herself and detaches herself from his strong lean body and steps back not looking at him.
"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" She repeats to herself
"Er…sorry, I lost my balance" She replies straightening herself and he lets go helping steady her.
Rick presses the bell and picks up the elevator phone and typically, they're both out of order. He curses, noting to himself to have a word with the manager about public safety in their building as he reaches for his radio and calls into it for assistance. Despatch confirm that they will send emergency services to them but it will take a while as there's a massive traffic jam. Rick reluctantly agrees as neither were hurt, they'd just have to wait.
Beth's mouth drops open listening to the conversation. She hasn't been in a situation like this in a long time. She doesn't usually use elevators always preferring to use the stairs and today, she was so distracted, she didn't realise she had followed Rick into the elevator. She wonders whether Deputy Grimes will remain patient and not think less of her once he sees her panic. She scolds herself for acting like a love sick teenager! she really needs to concentrate on the job, maybe being partnered with Deputy Grimes wasn't such a good idea.
"Looks like we'll be here for a while, guess we just wait and sit tight!" He says to Beth as he leans back up against the wall tilting his head staring up at the ceiling with a sigh.
His sigh was audible to Beth's ears and she steps back into the opposite corner clinging hold of the bars on either side of her. She was suddenly feeling flustered and hot and starts pacing quietly taking in their small surroundings fanning her face with her hand. The elevator suddenly felt like it was getting narrower and smaller. She needed some air and she needed to get out of there before she has one of her episodes and she didn't want to have it in front of Deputy Rick Grimes!
Rick opens his eyes not hearing a word from Beth which was unusual. From observing her the four months, she's never gone this long without drumming up a conversation. He's watched her talk away to The Sheriff who nobody dared to disturb as he was a busy man unless it was important. Shane had tried once but he was shooed away but with Beth, he'd allow her walk with him and talk, she was forever asking questions and giving suggestions. At one time, he thought maybe Beth was a niece or a friend's daughter but it turned out she was just an ordinary rookie as the rest "then again, I wouldn't say ordinary, eccentric and unforgettable was more like it" he says to himself, she had a certain way to her that was different to the rest of them. And when she was around him, he never really had to talk, she did enough talking and answering for the both of them. But whatever he imparted to the rookies, he could see her taking in the information and advice which was good, she was taking it seriously, she was serious about being a cop, it's just her nature to be bubbly and kind and sweet. he thinks to himself. She does make him laugh on many occasions without trying hard and on the rough days, he welcomed her presence. The silence was a bit distracting now so he looks down and over to her. He straightens up and bolts towards her when he sees her in some sort of discomfort.
"Beth, are you ok?" He asks putting his hand on her arm crouching in front of her.
"Yea, Yea, I'm fine just wish they'd hurry up!" She says pulling at her collar.
"They'll be here soon, just relax" He says reassuringly.
She nods her head trying to smile, flashing her clenched white teeth and Rick begins to worry.
"It's ok, just breathe in and out!" He instructs her.
Beth breathes in and out watching him and then looking at the walls.
He studies her face, he's seen this before and then looking at her shirt, he loosens her tie and takes it off. He begins to unbutton her shirt to give her the feeling of not being strangled. She watches him eyes widening in disbelief at what he was doing. She holds her breathe turning pink in the face but he stops unbuttoning above her chest revealing the top part of her vest and he puts her tie into his pocket.
"Are you claustrophobic? He asks.
Realising he was only trying to help her, she nods her head vigorously and looks around and then back at him.
Rick was leaning over her with concern on his face and then he backs away slightly, he didn't want his presence to smother or suffocate her.
He begins to coach her in relaxing and to take steady controlled breathes in and out.
Feeling like she can breathe again, she begins to blabber away randomly, she was embarrassed and nervous and she talked non-stop in these types of situations where she confesses to something she did the other day that had been bugging her.
"Deputy Grimes, I have a confession to make!" She looks over to him and he tells her to tell him later but she ignores him.
"It was me!" She confesses
"You, what?" He asks looking around trying to think what she was referring to and had no idea what?
"It was me who ate your doughnut!" She confesses.
Rick stands there confused and staring, he didn't know if he should be amused or annoyed. He actually really wanted that doughnut after a twelve hour shift. It was his favourite Krispy Kreme, he needed the sugar rush and Shane was always stealing his food, so he let out his steam on him to which Shane stomped off in a pissed mood for being blamed for a time when he actually didn't steal it. But this wasn't what he thought would be what Beth was worrying about to confess.
"It wasn't Shane!" She shakes her head "you assumed it was him and I didn't correct you, it was me!" She blurts out "You both starting arguing, it was because of me!" She pulls her collar to the side.
"I was so hungry! I was up studying and then my alarm didn't go off! I got up late and I didn't get to have breakfast and then we missed lunch! We had that call out and when I got back!" she looks down feeling like a child.
"It was just sitting there, looking at me, every time I walked past, I swear it was calling me, I tried to ignore it but it just kept on calling!" She says covering her ears.
"I'm sorry, really really sorry!" She repeats flushed in embarrassment not believing she was confessing to something so ridiculous and wondered why she had?
"Beth look at me!" Rick says grabbing her shoulders and she stops and looks up at him.
"It's ok, just relax, stop talking," he laughs.
Beth was about to speak again and he puts his finger to her lips keep quiet.
"We need to conserve energy, if you continue, I don't think I'll be able to hold my breath until the fire department get here," He jokes and Beth nearly laughs.
"The oxygen level feels like it's getting low!" She says looking around.
"Beth, everything will be ok. Elevators stop all the time with people in them. You're not in any danger, you're completely safe, I'm here with you, we'll get through this. Your mind is playing games and there's plenty of oxygen in here for both of us, you just need to calm down and close your eyes and think about something...that makes you feel peaceful and just relax and breathe." He demonstrates reassuring her.
Beth nods her head and does as he says and she thinks about The Farm, her siblings, her parents and her breathing begins to steady and flow throughout her body, her shoulders finally relax. A couple of minutes pass.
"Feel better?" He asks rubbing her arms.
"I do and I don't - I feel ridiculous!" She looks away wiping her hair out of her flustered face.
"Don't be!" He grips her arms "I've known grown men who reacted worse and the other thing, let's forget it, I'm glad it was you and not Shane who got his nasty teeth into it!" He promises.
Beth looks at him unsure and he nods his head and the soft lines around his eyes crinkle from smiling.
"We'll get you some help, I know someone who can show you techniques for these types of situations and the next time you're in an enclosed situation, you won't freak out." He says kindly holding her shoulders.
"Deputy Grimes?" Beth calls.
"Yes Beth?" Ricks answers looking at her.
"Thank you!" She whispers still embarrassed but truly thankful and wanted to just reach out and hug him but knew it would be inappropriate.
"It's ok, we all have phobias, obsessions, doubts but with the right help we can control them and not let them control us!" Rick says knowingly.
"You talk from experience?" She asks wondering.
He looks to be thinking about something and feeling Beth's gaze, he rubs his eyebrow and looks at her.
Beth just stares at him to tell her and he watches her and his lips begin to move.
"We all have issues, where if we let them control us, they beat us. I get competitive and let's just say, I don't like to back down and I can sometime become a control freak," he says shaking his head from memory.
"Over the years it got a bit much for some people and I took the job way too seriously, let myself get too emotionally involved," he sighs wearily "made it my number one priority and people I cared about got hurt, mistakes were made, tempers flared and we wanted different things, we changed a lot and I tried," Rick stops realising he was now delving into his personal problems, going completely off topic "what the hell, how did that happen?" he thought. His worries are his worries, Beth didn't need to hear this and think she had to listen and he clears his throat.
"I've stepped back, got some professional help and let things run how they should. Delegation is always good, you can't do everything yourself, took me years to learn, if somebody had taken me aside and made me realise sooner" He says giving her a side smile which had signs of sadness and regret "things would have been a whole lot different to what they are now! I had a lot of anger bottled inside of me and I needed help, help to sort out all the stuff in my head and put things into perspective. You shouldn't feel embarrassed or ashamed about your claustrophobia, it's manageable, you just need to learn how to deal with it and I'll help you" He reaches out and moves the hair that had tumbled down into her face.
He looks up hearing a voice shouting down towards them and he shouts back telling them they are there. He looks at Beth not knowing why he just told her all that, they were talking about her phobia and he just went off about his personal problems, he just felt comfortable and had a lot going on in his head and she was there. Beth just looks at Rick and she reaches out and holds his arm.
"It's always good to talk, unburden yourself, it's not good to have all that in your head, I'm glad you got help and maybe you still need to talk some more?" She says and he looks at her hand on his arm and she takes it away and holds it in her other hand nervously.
"I'd be grateful for any help I can get to stop me freaking out!" She finally replies back.
He goes to open his mouth to speak and then a woman's voice shouts down saying she was from the fire department.
"Ah just in the nick of time, the cavalry's are here" He points and Beth smiles hearing them at work to get them out.
He remembers her tie in his pocket, he pulls it out and steps forward putting it around her collar. Beth buttons up her shirt and she watches his hands do up her tie. Once he's finished, Beth looks up, he looks down into her eyes, staring a beat longer than he should, he lets go and steps back waiting where he originally was and then the doors open.
"Everyone ok in here? Deputy Grimes?" The woman with the helmet asks looking from Rick to Beth.
"We're good Sasha!" Rick says looking at Beth.
The following day Rick and Shane come back from a long day in the city chaperoning Merle Dixon to and from court. He had tried to escape at one point. They had to chase him twelve blocks and when Rick had caught up with him, it got pretty physical and he had to cuff him up on top of a roof until they got back up. Merle Dixon was gonna be the death of them all. Rick had to have his hand bandaged up from the impact of knocking Merle out from stopping him from pushing Shane off the roof so he wasn't in the best of moods.
He walks over to his desk and falls into his seat sighing. He stretches and then a box on the side of his desk catches his eyes. He leans forward and taking a look around, nobody was watching or waiting for him. His eyes settle back on the box with a bow - he opens it. His face stretches out into a broad smile and he looks up seeing Beth walking by with her peers for their end of day briefing. She was listening to Zach and Noah boasting about some amazing arrest they made and Rick smiles looking back at the box shaking his head.
Beth looks over her shoulder before she enters into room with a smile as she watches Rick pick up the Krispy Kreme, he takes a bite and leans back into his chair with his eyes closed munching happily.
"Just what the doctor ordered!" Rick sighs.
"Beth, stop ogling the man!" Tara smirks nudges her back to attention.
"Am not!" She says catching herself from tripping.
Beth steps into the room and turns around. She takes one last look at Rick whose staring back at her with that fabulous smile, she blushes before the doors shut between them.
Rick looks at the doughnut and chuckles to himself but he had a glint in his eyes looking back to Beth through the glass doors.