AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story has been on my mind for a while. I started writing this many months ago when I had writer's block and forgot all about it until I had to clear space on my laptop for work. The first two chapters are introductions of some of the characters, the past, present and future. Other TWD characters will appear later including the famous Dixon Brothers who will seem to take an interest in Brick.

I have three more chapters already to post. Once one or two of my other stories are finished, I'll be updating this regularly.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters.

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts in Italics.

The Mansion And The Things That Go Bump

Chapter 1

Rick and Beth, newly-weds decide to make a fresh start in a new home, in a new county with new jobs and where nobody knows them to embark on a new life together. This came about when they returned home from an extended honeymoon across Africa and Asia, the places where Beth dreamt about seeing and the places where Rick knew he had to take her. He surprised his sweet bride at the airport when he showed her their boarding tickets. This was his wedding surprise to her, she loved surprises and was surprised that he remembered that talk they had one night when they first started dating when the subject came up of where they'd most like to visit in the world if they could. Rick had taken her breathe away, he managed to do that many times and she promised to make their honeymoon very memorable for him and that she did, much to Rick's joy. Upon return, Rick received a letter from a Lawyer asking for him and Beth to attend his offices in the city and that was when they were handed over a copy of a Will.

Perusing the legal document with a fine tooth-comb, it appeared Rick and Beth had inherited an old mansion and a small fortune from an estranged, now late Great Uncle of Rick's.

Rick thought it was a joke made by Glenn. Glenn's the family joker and all round entertainer. Looking around the room for cameras telling his brother-in-law to get his butt out from wherever he was hiding, this was his greatest prank to date.

"Nice try!" Rick said in his calm and amused voice walking around the table in front of the Lawyer eyeing him thinking he was an actor Glenn had hired to fool him with. Glenn had gone all out, was all Rick thought to himself.

He and Glenn got on like a house on fire the moment they met and Rick learned that his new friend liked to tease and joke and prank. Glenn sort of reminded him of Shane but Glenn was nothing like Shane. Rick had thought he'd never have that close brother bond with anyone but Shane but he was wrong and he was glad of that. Glenn was the type of brother who wouldn't stab him in the back, he's the type of brother who'd always have his back and remind him how sweet their lives were and how fun it was to just goof around so long as nobody got hurt. They were always getting one over the other and they'd lost count how many times Rick had whooped Glenn's butt and the last time that happened was on Rick's stag night. The guys were all meant to get Rick drunk off his head and drive him over to The Greene's Farm and tie him up to one of the tractors and leave him outside the house naked, a pleasant gift for Beth and a shock for her father. Rick had dealt with many morning after stag nights and a humiliated grooms-to-be, his radar was up and he knew Glenn wouldn't let this opportunity to slide. Rick stuck to two beers and a couple of shots and sodas, tipping the endless tiny shots that were piled up around him into Glenn's beer who was too busy telling jokes to the group of men who were all laughing but not at Glenn's jokes but at Rick's counter-attack and that Glenn being so oblivious of the shenanigans and of why Rick was grinning all night. Glenn genuinely thought the grinning and giggles that Rick let out was how Rick looked and sounded when drunk.

In the morning Herschel, Shawn and Otis found a snoring Glenn tied to a tractor in his tighty whities, they looked hilarious and adorable on Glenn. Rick and the guys left them one, they also didn't want to subject the women to Glenn's pee-pee buddy and when the girls came out to see what all the commotion was, Herschel and Otis were covering Beth and Patricia's eyes with Maggie spraying the hose at a screaming Glenn with their twins running around and cheering on their mother whilst their father was being taught a lesson for going around in his underwear for the world to see. Glenn had whispered into Rick's ear standing beside him at the alter as the orchestra started playing 'Here comes the Bride' announcing Beth's entrance that he would get him back when he least expected it and had something big planned, a sort of welcome to the family admittance and Rick thought that this must be it.

Rick had called into the station to run checks on the Lawyer and the Firm even when the Lawyer insisted that he was genuine and a professional at his job showing him his diplomas and practising certificates. Rick had smiled and said his son could make one up on his computer, even he could if he really wanted to. Beth had sat there watching Rick trying to catch the Lawyer out and reveal Glenn set this little meeting up, there was no way this was real, it was all too good to be true. Beth started to sink down further into her chair when the man was getting cross at Rick, maybe this wasn't a trick of Glenn's she thought. A call back from Leon five minutes later, it was confirmed the Lawyer was legitimate. Digesting this mind boggling news, Rick sat back into his seat flabbergasted. Why him and what? he thought. Rick looks over at Beth who had the same expression on her face as he did.

"Rick?" Beth reaches out and rests her hand on Rick's thigh and he just shrugs his shoulders shaking his head not knowing.

They sat in their cottage by the lake and wondered why the old man had left his fortune to them and not Rick's father who would have been the next surviving relative in line to receive the inheritance. The Will specifically stated Rick and Beth's names as the sole beneficiaries and nobody looked to contest the Will. Rick kept having to look at the signed and sealed documents. He couldn't get his head around it, he still didn't believe it, even when Andrea his Lawyer and friend confirmed it was all above board that he and Beth were the new owners of a mansion worth in the millions bracket and they also had that handsome stash of cash in the bank which was just gaining interest everyday, it was all theirs!

Rick drove to see his father with the news and he congratulated him. He didn't mind that he wasn't included in the inheritance. In fact, he said it was a relief. He was more than happy in the retirement home where he lived with his friends and the bonus was there were beautiful nurses and carers waited on him hand and foot. They all took a fancy to him and treated him like he was the only man in the establishment. Richard Grimes Senior loved his life and wanted to enjoy his retirement not having to worry about catching bad guys and putting them in prison or bills or up-keep of an estate. He just wanted to play cards, watch TV, stroll around the gardens with his friends and have the occasional day out, beer on a Friday night and go to bed at a reasonable hour, he had his little world, he was happy.

After a month of more deliberating and then observing their friends and families at Glenn and Maggie's twins' birthday party, Rick asked Beth if it was mad but he actually wanted to give it a go. Deciding it could be an adventure for them both, offers like this didn't come around often, in fact not at all. It would be a project and it'd be a satisfying achievement to put his hands into something special and restore a family home with Beth's help and more importantly, he could see them raising their family in the big house.

Beth had laughed imagining her being lady of the manner holding her fine husband's arm strolling the halls to have brunch in the brunch-room but when she looked up and saw Rick, she sat up straight in bed next to him curling into his body as he was leaning back with his head against the headboard looking all dreamy eyed. That look didn't happen often but when it did, it meant something big, something to Rick. Beth could see Rick was being dead serious and he had that glint in his eyes like he could already see them living there and whatever Rick dreamed, Beth suddenly did too staring off into Rick's eyes.

And a few days later, it was decided. Rick handed in his notice at The Sheriff's Office much to The Sheriff's dismay. He tried to change Rick's mind, offer him a raise, more holiday time, anything but Rick seemed resolute in the decision he and Beth made and it was final. The Sheriff finally understood Rick wanted to move on with his life, away from the everyday gossiping of how Lori and Shane deceived him, Rick didn't need that nor did his young bride. Rick hadn't been happy much at work when his and Shane's relationship deteriorated, they butted heads and found themselves with new partners. It was a chapter over and a new chapter begins, Beth had helped him massively get over that pain and opened up a whole new world of people, people who were as kind and loving as she was. Beth had gotten emotional when they put up their cottage for sale, it was their first home together, she thought they'd be there longer than they were but she was content to move so long as she was with Rick, she knew she would be fine, it was all just unexpected, neither had planned for such a big change in such short time but it was exciting nonetheless.

It was official, they sold their cottage within days of the advertisement going up, they were moving to the countryside. They were thinking about possibly turning the mansion into either a hotel or a school or sell it after a few of years due to a Clause in the Will stating they couldn't sell the mansion for at least five years, so they decided to move there to start restoration works and would therefore move into one of the wings in the mansion, the cosier side which had been where Rick's Great Uncle resided up until his untimely death just after their wedding. The Lawyer had checked everything out and gave them pictures of their new home. The wing hardly needed any work done but Beth wanted to make some minor changes to make it feel more like their home. Rick didn't argue, he was all for it. He told Beth, she could make whatever changes she wanted so long as it didn't resemble anything like from the Adams Family home, he liked things to look natural and homey, a bit of him and a lot of Beth suited him just fine.

Beth's other condition, just to see her husband's reaction, was that she wanted a maid and butler. Rick had laughing agreed to her demand which was so Rick and so sweet but she knew she'd have to learn to become more domesticated when the mansion was up and running in full force, they will then talk about staff and other things to help keep the house running, it was too big just for Beth to deal with but right now it was something for them to work on. They wanted to get the building restored back to its former glory, it was going to be their home for the next five years and then they'd decide what they wanted to do once the time had lapsed. Beth was motivated and itching to get things moving, hopefully once things had calmed down, they could start trying for a baby they've talked about. She didn't mind just two, a boy and a girl but Rick had surprised her saying he'd love a brother for a brother and a sister for a sister growing up together so that makes four. They have the space and the money and it looks like Rick's wishes could become a reality now.

"This is so exciting Rick!" Beth beams "So was your Great Uncle a Lord or something?" Beth asks with a quiet laugh and Rick shook his head not knowing.

"No, but from what dad says, his ancestors were pretty well off, he had no children so his bloodline stopped with him and so did the family fortune. Looks like we're the lucky distant relatives who benefited from his lonely life which is pretty sad when you think about it. Couldn't imagine not sharing my life with you and being all alone," Rick says leaning over kissing Beth tenderly on her lips.

"Awww, I feel the same baby!" Beth wraps her arm around Rick's neck and kisses him back.

"Here's to good old Albert Grimes! Whatever life we are going to have, it's gonna be all thanks to him!" Rick toasted.

"To Great Old Uncle Albert Grimes, may god bless his soul!" Beth had said when their glasses clinked and they drink their champagne.

Rick puts their flutes down and pulls Beth into his chest and wraps his arms tightly around her. The warmness of their bodies and their breathing against one another sends them both off into deep sleep envisioning their future together.

To be continued...

A/N:- I hope you continue to read after Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 is posted tonight too.