A/N: Here is the first chapter to another Brick story. Yes, I started another story but I just couldn't help it.

PLEASE REVIEW!

Almost Goodbye

Chapter One

There was a shortage of supplies at the prison, bringing up the discussion to make a run. It would have been easy to decide who was going but there wasn't many choices.

With Daryl being gone, Rick looked over everyone.

Maggie and Glenn were both obviously trying to hide their pain and fear after their run-in with the Governor; Hershel was barely getting around on his crutches; and despite being able to handle himself and use a gun, there was no way in hell Rick was going to take Carl.

That left Carol, Beth, Michonne and Axel. If he were being completely honest with himself, he still didn't trust Axel or Michonne. Not that they were bad people, he just didn't know them well enough to have his back.

Carol and Beth were his only choices. So he watched them both carefully to see which one could hold their own on the run.

Carol still couldn't move her left arm very well after being locked in the tombs and trying to get out. And Beth, well, she was busy taking care of Judith. As far as he could see, her only weakness was not having enough experience on runs. Otherwise, she was the best choice ad even if she wasn't the best shot, she could run and she knew what was needed.

So Rick set out to talk to Hershel.

"You know we need to make a run," Rick began.

"I do," Hershel replied.

Rick sighed and sat down next to him, "I need someone to come with me, someone I can trust and the best choice is Beth."

Not liking the idea, Hershel was silent for a few minutes. "You can't ask someone else?" He finally asked.

"No. There's no one else I can ask," he looked around the room, "I mean, look at Carol and Maggie and Glenn. They're in no shape to go and I'm not lettin' Carl leave the prison."

"What about Axel and Michonne?"

"I don't know them that well. I don't know if I can trust them or if they'll have my back."

"And you think my Bethie will be able to help?"

"Yeah, I do. I know she doesn't have experience with goin' on runs but she needs to learn sooner or later."

"If I agree to this, can you promise me you'll bring my daughter back and that she'll be safe?"

Rick nodded, "I won't let anythin' happen to her."

They were both silent as they waited for Beth to return to the common room after putting Judith down for the night.

"Bethie," Hershel called her over, "we need to talk to you."

Beth sat down and looked between Rick and her father with her brows furrowed in confusion.

Hershel gave Rick a small nod for him to begin telling Beth about the run.

By the time he had finished, the confusion was replaced with excitement.

"So, do you want to go on your first run?" Rick asked.

"Of course I do," Beth said excitedly. "When do we leave?"

"We'll leave early in the mornin' and we should be back before nightfall.

Early the next morning, before sunrise, Beth was in the common room waiting for Rick. While waiting, she made sure she had supplies in her bag, her knife and a gun. Then she set up everything for Carol to make breakfast.

Rick came into the common room shortly after she had finished her tasks.

"Good mornin'," she said cheerfully and with a smile.

"Good mornin' to you, too," Rick rubbed his eyes and looked at Beth's bag on the table. "You're ready?"

"Yes sir."

"How long have you been up?"

"Not too long. About an hour."

Rick smiled and shook his head.

They ate their breakfast, said their goodbyes and before Beth knew it, they were pulling up to a small store.

"Well, that didn't take long," she mumbled.

Rick stared at her and chuckled. "It took us two hours, Beth."

They carefully got out of the car and Rick made a quick sweep of the store before letting Beth inside.

"Don't leave my sight," he told her, "and whatever you do, do not make any noise."

Beth nodded and followed along, silently while gathering the supplies on their list and anything else they may need.

After the store, they made their way into the first neighborhood they came to. They decided to search three of the houses that didn't look too picked over before heading back to the prison.

Rick was carrying their last box of canned goods to the truck when he heard voices approaching. He quickly placed the box on the ground and made his way to the shed in the backyard where Beth was.

She smiled at him as he entered. "I found a generator, gas and everythin' to go with it. I even found a..."

Rick cut her off by covering her mouth with his hand and tugging her down to the floor behind a shelf.

"What is it?" She whispered, her words muffled by his hand.

Rick shook his head. "Not sure."

Beth listened as the voices got closer. They couldn't make out what was being said but it was obvious it was a group of men.

Beth's eyes widened when the doorknob rattled.

Rick put his hand on his gun and made sure Beth had her knife ready as the shed door creaked open and a man entered.

They could here him moving things around and as he got closer to them, Rick motioned for Beth to stay down.

He raised up, gun aimed and pulled the trigger.

Knowing the shot he had just taken would alert the other men, Rick reached down and pulled Beth up alongside him and signaled for her to stay quiet.

He took any weapons the other man had and gave them to Beth before pulling her out of the shed and then disappearing into the woods.

"Rick," Beth whispered and tugged on the sleeve of his shirt, "what about our stuff? We need to get everythin' back to the prison."

"We will. But we can't leave right now. If those men see us, we may not make it back to the prison."

Beth nodded and continued to follow Rick until they were far enough away from the other men that they could rest.

"What are we gonna do now?" Beth asked after a few minutes of silence.

Rick rubbed his hands over his far and sighed. "We're goin' back to the prison and we'll come back with more people to get the stuff we found assumin' those men don't find it first."

"We're walkin'? To the prison?"

Rick nodded and sat down against a tree. "We'll wait here for a little bit, then go back and see if it's clear. If it is, we'll get our stuff. If not, we're walkin'."

After what seemed like a reasonable amount of time had passed, Rick and Beth began walking back to the neighborhood they had been in.

They kept their ears and eyes open because they knew full well that after those men found their slain friend, they would more than likely stick around and look for whoever took his life.

They watched the house for any signs of the men but it looked as if they had moved on.

Not trusting this, Rick told Beth to stay put while he searched the house. He would signal for her to come out once the house was clear.

Making his way to the shed, Rick looked back towards the trees Beth was hidden in and put his finger to his lips, letting her know they were not alone as they had thought.

Beth watched as Rick silently and quickly made his way up the steps and onto the back porch before easing the back door open and disappearing inside.

Rick cleared the first floor an was making his way up the stairs when he heard Beth scream.

Running outside and towards her he was stopped when a man stepped out from behind one of the trees and put his gun to her head.

"Drop your gun" he demanded.

"No," Rick kept his gun aimed at the mans head, "let her go."

"We can't do that," came a voice from behind Rick. "You see, you killed our friend and now, we just have to show that same generosity. We'll kill your girl but only after we have our way with her. If she's good, hell, we may keep her and kill you instead."

Rick lowered his gun and raised his hands in surrender.

A/N: there will be more to this story. It'll be short but it will be Brick.

For more Brick, check out my new story "Damage Done" it will eventually be Brick.