Hello all and welcome to my first, Walking Dead, fan fiction. I'm not gonna keep you long but please, if you're gonna whine and moan about my writing, let's make it constructive okay? Thanks. Also, beta needed.
Chapter Summary: Rick wakes up in his hospital bed again with knowledge of the future. He begins his first steps in making things right.
Story warnings: Messing with the timeline. Time . Possible crossovers. Slow build relationships. Mentions of abuse of virtually all kinds. Attempted rape. M/M.M/M/F.M/F. OOCness. Minor character deaths. Single OC. Overprotective Rick. Shane and Lori don't die (Undecided).
Pairings: Rick/Daryl/Michonne. One night stand Rick/Lori. Lori/Shane. Glenn/Maggie/Tara. Beth/Noah. Carol/Tyrese. Carl/Miguel. Andrea/Merle. T-Dog/Amy. Sasha/Bob. Abraham/Rosita. Sophia/Duane. Hershel/OC.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything TWD. Not even a poster.
Depending if I do crossovers, more Pairings to come.
Let's begin.
There was a shaky inhale of breath and an airy laugh followed by a wet cough. A figure sat slouched against a glass wall, hand pressed to a stomach wound that was as creating a steady pool of blood beneath him. Arrogant Brown eyes stared back at him from across the room.
" Well now" The figure began, voice sharp despite his condition." Who would've thought it, huh?.." He tried moving only to give up with a pained hiss, sniffing blood back up his nose.
" That I would be present for the death of the great Rick Grimes. It's an honor, really" The "Great Rick Grimes" was said slowly and the sarcasm in a wet cough. He smiled with bloody teeth.
Across from the fallen man Rick watched him through bloody strands of curly hair, staying silent. His blue eyes glowed with deep seeded loathing as he watched the man struggle to breathe. It made him angry, it did. Air was much too good for this man.
"What? Got nothing to say? For once, Shit *Cough* Took the death of your whole family to finally get you to shut up" He snorted and Rick's hand tightened on his Colt before letting go. The guy smirked seeing the flex of his tattered arm. "Sorry did I hit a sore spot?" His face was positively smug. Clenching his jaw Rick tilted his head and dipped it in a nod . "Lil'bit" He drawled voice raw from shouting earlier.
They stared at each other before Rick broke eye contact to tilt his head back to rest on the wall behind him. There was the distant sound of guns and walkers filling the silence, the former sounding less and less and the latter, more and more by the second.
"...Why didn't you surrender?"
Deep sigh. " I keep asking myself the same thing.." His rolled his jaw around "Wasn't just my decision though"
Disbelieving snort and sneering voice " Bull shit!" The man spat looking Rick up and down in hatred now. " You were the goddamn leader, you couldn't just told them it was fucking suicide to try and stop us? Fifty people against a hundred-seventy-two!?" The man's voice squeaked at the end.
Rick felt the incoming pains of a headache."..They wanted to fight"
"I don't understand why that fucking matters" He gurgled
Rick huffed a laugh "No." And brought his head back down to look him in the eyes.
"You wouldn't"
Bam!
The body slowly slumped to the side and Rick lowered his hand into the equally large pool of blood beneath him.
It wasn't the revenge he wanted. But it would have to do now. There was no other option.
He glanced away from the body, staring into the sun beginning to peek through the clouds and the leaking hole in the roof.
There wasn't anyone else. Just him
The noise outside has all but stopped, only the sound of the undead could be heard. It brought reluctant tears to his eyes.
He didn't know why he was crying.
Because it was finally over. They'd fought. They'd lost. And now...they were free. His death couldn't be anymore bittersweet and uplifting.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The scraping and banging outside the door brought on the panicked deep breaths he found himself suddenly unable to control, but he did not tear his eyes away from the sun.
He couldn't, he wouldn't.
The banging escalated with his breathing. Sobs hard and heavy, he fought to keep looking into that ball of light, he didn't want to see what came through the door...because surely his family with mixed in with the hoard outside. He couldn't bare it.
Wouldn't let that be the last way he saw them. Didn't want to be more at fault then what he was.
Bang! bang ! bang! BAM!
And as the door burst open and the hungry mob staggered in, Rick could honestly say...he never saw it coming.
"AAAAAHH!"
"AAAAAHH!"
Rick's whole body arched as he screamed to the high heavens. Eyes wide and staring at nothing before he was flopping back into a laying position.
And he stared
"Hah!Hah!..Hah!..hah" His jaw moved with every hoarse breath until slowly it calmed. He continued to stare at the ceiling with wide blue eyes as he fought to calm his breath. He blinked and then blinked again. Eyes darting from ceiling panel to ceiling panel before everything stilled.
Wh-what?..what?
He blinked a third time and found that he was indeed seeing a white ceiling and not a burning white light. He swallowed thickly, the cold chill of goosebumps rising onto his skin as he continued to stare in pained confusion.
No..this..this isn't right.
Slowly, almost afraid to he turned his head and froze. There, one a nightstand he recognized from nearly twelve years ago stood an innocent pot of dead flowers.
No...No!
"No" He moaned softly as if in pain and his head whipped back to peer down his body. What he saw made his face crease in agony. "No! " He sobbed and sat up, staring now at the IV in his arm. He ripped it from his skin and all fought his way out of the bed, landing on his hands and knees. Sobs continued to rock his body as he beat his fitsts into the hard floor and yelled his frustrations, his agony and disbelief.
It took several minutes but in between his sobs and waring thoughts he managed to get up and grab a hold of his IV stand. He leaned against it closing his eyes and took in deep shuddering breaths.
Get it together Grimes...you can't do this...there's no time for this!
With one last deep breath he held it and then let it out ,eyebrows pinching. Detaching himself from the stand he made his way to the window, slowly opening his eye to peek out the blind. What he saw confirmed his fears, as did the ache now in his fists.
His heart began to pump in adrenalin and he did nothing to quell it. Instead he let it lead him into his next course of action, tearing away from the window and out the room.
Raiding the hell out of this hospital for supplies.
The sound of a zipper closing was a familiar one to Rick. He fought a wave of nausea and nostalgia and shouldered the bag. He made his way downstairs having picked his house clean and sat the third duffel by the back door for picking up later.
He had already grabbed his keys to the station and the wagon. The regular cop car was fast sure, but he didn't need fast really, space. That RV...
He sighed through his nose, before pinching it and turning to look at his barricaded front door.
He was starting to come back to himself, though he felt extremely put out and indeed angry, but if it was one thing from his...future past? That taught him something, it was to adapt quickly. He would have his time to grieve he promised himself. It just wasn't now.
With one last check around he tried to remember any hidden stuff stashed he had around the house, he nodded to himself. Satisfied in knowing he hit them all he made his way outside, signed baseball bat in hand.
The neighborhood Morgan lived in was just down the street and a little ways behind him. He briefly wondered why he never knew the man, seen him at least. He wondered where Duane went to school. In his future past, he selfishly never bothered to ask.
Smash!
The third walker dropped dead from a sneak attack as he made his way. It took some time in the hospital and inside the house. Where the first time the streets had been practically empty as he stumbled around looking for people, the sun was setting now this time and the geeks were coming out.
Already a difference. Morgan and Duane should be safely inside the house.
They would leave with him this time. Even if Rick had to threaten them out.
He smirked a little at the thought. Over the years he had made very good on his threats and promises as many times as needed. He'd be gentle if it came to that.
Seeing the house coming up he snuck around back, dispatching walkers left and right. It was almost therapeutic.
Come on Grimes, you got a job to do.
Mentally rolling his eyes to the voice in his head he knocked on the back door, keeping it his back toward the wall so he could watch his front and sides.
Silence.
"Come on" He muttered under his breath and knocked again, a little louder, eyes stuck on a closer walker that couldn't seem him just yet thanks to the tree.
He heard movement behind the door and cut his eyes to the window. They met the shocked brown of Duane's eyes. It gave him a second pause before he nodded his head to the door " Mind letting me in son?" He tried to keep his voice calm but loud enough to hear. The boy's eye's darted inside the house, the muffled sound of his voice calling no doubt for Morgan.
He turned his eyes back to the undead. There was a click and he was darting inside the house without permission or prompting. He was met with a gun to the face for it but he didn't let that stop him from shutting and locking the door.
Morgan glared, nostrils flaring a bit. " Who the hell do you think you are just coming in here? " He hissed in a low tone, gun level with Rick's nose. He had half a mind to send him right back out. Duane stared with wide eyes in the kitchen door way.
Rick stared at him , unable to speak for a moment as he took in the young visual of a sane Morgan. Morgan who still had his son, his light. Morgan who just turned of the safety.
Gently he cleared his throat of emotion and took on a firm stance, raising his hands in surrender though he couldn't do much with the one holding the bloody bat .
"I'm officer Rick Grimes. I was on my way out of town when I decided to check the surroundin' neighborhood for survivors. You're the only ones that's opened a door" He wasn't lying, very briefly he checked the other houses for survivors. They were all abandoned, no doubt halfway to Atlanta..only to die. He held in a grimace.
Morgan stared at him with hard eyes. One the one hand the man fit the bill, ridiculous southern police hat and all. On the other he had a son to protect. He son always one out.
With a frown lifted the gun higher to his forehead. His voice was strained with nerves when he asked " Were you bit?" In a low tone.
Rick could've laughed but he just slowly shook his head " No. Though I was shot" He said the last part slowly, unsure if he should mention it but figured it would save them from any future arguments. Hopefully.
Duane glanced between them, gulping audibly . Morgan just narrowed his eyes further.
"Show me"
Nod." I can do that"
Very slowly he placed down his bat besides him, eyes darting to Duane briefly. He opened the button down with quick practiced fingers before rolling up the undershirt.
Morgan pressed the gun further before feeling safe enough to reach and pull back the bandage. What he saw made him wince in sympathy "Shit" before placing it back . He looked to Rick and put down the gun " I'm sorry " He painfully apologized and took a step back.
Rick shook his head watching him with understanding eyes as he rolled his shirt back down " No, no. It's fine. You have to protect yourself and your boy. I understand" He gave him a small smile while Morgan nodded.
"I'm Morgan" The man tapped himself and then put his arm around Duane's shoulder as he came forward " My son Duane"
He nodded again after smoothing out his button up " Nice to meet you both"
There was an awkward pause Morgan biting his lip and looking around before jerking his head to further in the house " Why don't you come in"
Rick smiled and tipped his hat "Thanks"
Hours later had them in much the situation as the first time. Sitting around as Rick told them how he woke up from a Coma not knowing what was going on. Getting attacked and realising only after he bashed the things head in did it stop crawling for him.
How he planned on going to Atlanta to look for his family and would like for them to come with him.
Morgan hesitating was predictable. As was the arrival of Jenny and her story.
Rick put on his best acting skills though he didn't really need too. He understood the lost of a wife now. Hell even his children.
Rick continues to stand by the door , he and Jenny holding unstable eye contact through the peephole.
"You can't let her stay like that" His voice vibrated through the woodwork and she started scratching.
Knowing he had the man's attention he continued.
" You owe it to her, to yourself. Don't let her stay like this to go around eating 't you love her? ". He turned to see Morgan glaring daggers.
"She's what's keeping you here Morgan I see that now. You can't move on until you handle this. " Very slowly he pulled out his gun and Morgan tensed" What-" "I want you to come with me" He cut off " You and Duane. It's not safe here, it's not right for you to let her suffer this long. It has to end tonight, either by my hand or yours" The safety clicked.
Morgan was breathing heavily now and Duane had quieted looking at Rick with wide eyes. Rick caught him looking and looked back at him calmly.
Something in Duane shifted and he grabbed his dad's hand. Morgan startled and looked down at him, freezing at the sight.
"Please? Please dad, don't...Don't let mom eat anymore people. Let's go with . I don't want to stay here..when all I'll be thinking about is her"His voice trembled but he spoke loudly wanting Morgan to hear him.
" Duane" he choked sucking in a violent breath. Duane squeezed his hand and gave a small glare. " We're going...Okay?"
Several seconds ticked by before Morgan closed his eyes and gave a reassuring squeeze back. He then pulled Duane into a hug, shaking with suppressed tears.
Rick noticed him shaking his head and turned hard eyes to the floor " I'll do it, alright? Duane, take him upstairs"
Duane nodded against Morgan's chest and began to tug, Morgan paused several times,not wanting to but knowing deep down he would never be able to he went up the stairs. The sound of the bedroom door closing and locking had Rick releasing a breath.
He pocketed his gun and snatched up his bat. He went about unlocking the door. A beat later she stumbled in, he was quick to shut it back. When she near for him, being too close, he shoved her with the tip of the bat and she fell with a loud thud. He cursed mentally, knowing they heard that before pinning the woman down with a wooden chair, which he sat on. She struggled and snarled to get to him but could not move his weight.
As he stared down at her with blank eyes, Rick began to pray.
He prayed for her.
His family.
That they all gained a sixth sense to the up coming danger that Rick was certain to come.
Be it events from future past or the new journey they would create.
He prayed for courage, he prayed for strength and above all else.
He prayed for their souls.
Thwack!
In different parts of Georgia there was a collective shiver between a large number of people.
In the wake of that shiver, came a great sense of clarity;
Rightness and Wrongness.
Five reviews and I continue.
That easy.