A/N:
Alright. So.
I'm back, once more. With a new fic. Wow, didn't expect that, did you? Ha. No, really. I'm writing another one.
You all probably are aware that I am freaking fed up with The Walking Dead Season 3 (overall) and Andrea's fate. I mean, come on. I just... I wish she could come back, but she won't. She's freaking dead now.
I've also noticed that barely anyone is writing or updating Rick and Andrea fics anymore. Shouldn't, when a tragic loss happens among one in the couple, spurn you all to write more? To take out the rage? I don't know. Maybe no one supports the ship anymore, now that Andrea has... departed. :( NOTE: This story IS RickxAndrea.
Now- let's begin from where it all went wrong...
Begin Again
Chapter One
She counted the walkers.
Twenty-two... Twenty-three... twenty-four...
And still, she fired.
Twenty-five... twenty-six... twenty-seven.
The horde was relentless. She had been on her own for an hour, and still she had found little reprieve against the undead.
Twenty-eight..
She cringed as the walker made impact with her knife.
Twenty-nine.
Pain seared her lungs, fatigue fingered at her legs. The occasional crunch of leaves was far more deafening with each footfall.
Andrea crouched beneath a spindly tree, assessing the meager amount of ammunition which her gun contained.
One bullet.
She fiddled with the strap of the cumbersome bag, cursing the weight. When she had first started her flight from the farm, the bag seemed merely an apparition- weightless. Now, as she clutched the bag, it was beginning to snap and claw at her flesh.
It was funny what pain could do to a person.
She closed her eyes and permitted herself a brief interim of respite from the horde. The chaffing side back did little consolation; after all, it was Rick who decided to abandon her. Andrea scoffed. He never was good comfort.
Her bones appeared ten times heavier than when she had stopped. She heaved herself from the floor of the forest, her tiny knife palmed in her right hand.
Andrea perceived a handful of walkers in the distance, thinning in source of better prey. She heaved sharply as apprehension began to diffuse from her body. She re-adjusted the Sheriff's bag and went at a decent stride.
"...What about Andrea?"
Rick flinched at Glenn's suggestion of her. He glanced up, assessing each of the members of their group. Andrea was missing.
A slight debate commenced among the members; many said they should journey on, while some forcefully rebutted with returning in search of her.
"We can't just leave 'er." Daryl stated, gruffly.
Lori laced her arms around her chest, and in a dominant stance replied, "We can't risk all of our lives for one person. Think of last time."
Head bowed, Rick pinched the bridge of his nose. Yeah. Last time. Corroded images of a dead, disintegrating Sophia flashed and blurred before his eyes.
"I'm goin' back." Daryl proclaimed.
Rick's stare flickered up; Daryl had adopted a definite look to his eyes. The hunter looked to Rick, awaiting an affirmation.
"By yourself?" Carol squeaked, one hand a ghost above her throat. The mousy woman glanced between Rick and Daryl, fidgeting.
"No. I'll go with him." Rick offered. Many regarded him with bewildered or enraged stares. Rick pressed, "He's right. We can't leave her."
"But, Rick-" Lori started.
Rick ignored his wife. He strode past a questioning Lori, approaching Daryl. Daryl nodded.
"Rick- Andrea can handle herself." Lori hissed, taking a few steps forward.
Rick fixed Lori with a venomous stare. "We're going back for her. And that's final."
The leader glanced down to Daryl, who was already scheming their route.
The hunter spoke with determination. "I say we break off the highway and head for the woods."
Rick's brows puckered.
"The girl ain't dumb," Daryl added. "She'd know to leave the farm."
Rick dipped his head in acknowledgment and understanding. He was right- Andrea wasn't dumb.
"If we go on foot, it'd save gas." Rick pointed out. And gas is something we don't have... Rick thought, despondently.
Daryl considered this, measuring the options. He supposed going on foot was the path they'd have to take.
Rick looked to Glenn. "Keep them together while we're gone. If we don't make it back in about an hour, leave."
"Rick..." Glenn began.
"You heard me." Rick said, forcefully.
Glenn addressed Daryl with a befuddled look. The hunter shrugged.
"C'mon." said Rick, glancing to Daryl.
Daryl dismounted his bike, following closely behind Rick.
Andrea had been walking for not five minutes when a blur languid of motion caught her attention. She narrowed her stare to the right.
Nothing.
The occasional walker stumbled upon her path; she easily eradicated the gangling thing with the lashing of a knife through the eye.
And so, she proceeded on, with no idea as to where she was headed.
A low, guttural moan pierced her hearing. She spun around as a hearty walker landed atop her, gnashing its teeth in voraciousness.
Andrea howled sharply, fumbling for her knife or gun that she had dropped on her descent. The two objects lay five feet away. She thrust her arm to her right, scrambling for the precious weapons.
The walker repeatedly moaned and scrambled for her flesh. With her knee, she kept the thing at temporary bay.
The weight of her undead adversary caused her knee to buckle and give way.
Andrea's futile efforts of protecting herself showcased miserably. The walker snarled and gave a final lunge.
There was a sharp whisking of a blade as the walker's skull cleaved in two. The particular stench of walker gore invaded Andrea's nostrils, and she scrunched her nose in distaste.
Thirty.
Andrea looked up at the hooded figure overhead, her brows drawn together, beclouded.
The shadow took a confident stride forth, flicking the long blade as it went.
Andrea gawked as she drank in the scene- two walkers were affixed by chains at the neck, dragged along in her savior's hands. Passive, the figure stared back at Andrea.
It was almost too much to process.
Andrea shambled to her feet, the Sheriff's bag at her side. Andrea recollected her weapons, eyes never once parting from the foreboding shadow.
Solemn fatigue rested on Andrea's shoulders as she nodded, sighing, "Thank you."
A/N:
So, this first chapter is pretty much restating the Season 2 finale, except for Rick and Daryl's heading off to find Andrea (the way it SHOULD of gone... .)
Anyways, there'll be different scenes in the future. Much different scenes.
By the way, the title of this fic is not a song reference. I just couldn't think of a better title.
Please review! :)