AN: My humble addition to the small Rick/Beth community.I'm actually a Rickyl fan, but I adored Beth in season 4, and of course I'm super nervous about her fate so I was looking at Beth centered stories and of course there's tons of Daryl/Beth coming out now and I was sad to see not much Rick/Beth. So I'm attempting to rectify the situation. This Beth Greene is different from the usual take, she's not very innocent, a bit more devious but hopefully she's still Beth. This is a three part story, that originally started as a thousand word drabble that quickly ballooned out of control. I hope you all enjoy!
Warnings: Sex, huge age difference, and unbeta-ed. I have also stretched the first few episodes of season 4 over a couple of months.
The Prison
The bright, hot Georgia sun beat down on her neck and shoulders, but Beth enjoyed the feeling of being outside in the yard. She pulled Judith's sun hat—an adorable floppy hat with panda ears that Daryl had found—down to make sure the child's cheeks weren't getting too red as they walked towards Rick and Carl tilling the yard. This was a daily ritual for Beth and Judith, bringing water to Rick midmorning, after the early morning chores had been completed. Nowadays, with the prison full of people and her dating Zach, she didn't get much Rick-ogling time. This morning Rick was wearing a grey button up work shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and Beth shared a secret smile with Judith. Rick's forearms, all darkly tanned and veins straining while he worked, was one of her favorite Rick features, along with his blue eyes, slightly curled hair and salt and pepper stubble.
Beth had been 'dating' Zach for little over two months now, Zach made her laugh and was a lot of fun but he was no Rick. She really liked Zach but couldn't bear to extinguish the secret torch she carried for Rick that dated back to their winter on the move.
Carl noticed her first and waved which caught Rick's attention. Carl had probably been waiting for her, eager for the quick break her arrival usually heralded.
"How's our girl doin' this mornin'?" Rick asked with a slight grin. Beth's heart did a small somersault at 'our girl'. Rick was most likely referring to his and Carl's girl, but Beth let herself have a moment to think that Rick meant that Judith belonged to Beth too.
"Do you ever wanna have kids?" Beth asked. She didn't dare turn to look at Zach's face, instead she continued looking up at the stars. But Beth could imagine his expression based on that snort.
"Kids? Isn't that suicide nowadays?" He asked, "And that's not even bringing up that I'm way too young to be a daddy." Beth frowned at Zach's laugh and he continued talking, "plus a baby is guaranteed walker bait. How do you get kids to keep quiet while there's walkers prowlin' about?"
"The prison is safe, those walkers out there" Beth gestured to the omnipresent walkers snarling out of view "aren't at our gates 'cause Judith cries occasionally. And seeing how everyone's life expectancy has been drastically reduced, we're hardly too young. Plus it's not suicide. Risky, sure, but suicide? Lori was an exception, she had a ton of complications, she was in her 30s and she had Carl by C-section. People have been givin' birth long before medicine and doctors." Beth argued.
Zach seemed to realize then that this was a real conversation and not a jest of some sort. "Do you want kids?"
"Of course," Beth scoffed. She had always wanted to have a baby, start her own family, now more than ever with most of her family gone. "Someday. We're safe here, there's already plenty of kids stayin' alive and livin' right here."
Zach tugged on the end of a braid to get Beth to face him before replying seriously, "If you want kids I'll give you kids. I'd do anything for you Bethy."
Zach was nice, he made her laugh, he was good addition to their group, and even her daddy liked—well, didn't hate—him. She tried to picture kids with him, him holding a small bundle in his arms, but the vision seemed slightly off. And the following morning when she paused to stare at the small case of green and white pills that Maggie made sure she and her little sister stayed stocked up on, she shook her head and popped another one in her mouth.
The day Judith started crawling was the day Beth decided she was going to have a baby of her own now, not sometime in the distant future. She decided that this was what was worth fighting and living for.
For the past two weeks Judith had been rocking on her legs and arms with a great look of concentration on her face. Carol had said it would be any day now and Beth wanted to be the first to see her crawl, wanted it to be to her that Judith crawled to. It was midafternoon and hot, Beth had Judith in the middle of a yellow baby blanket on the cool cement floor inside cell block C, Carl and Patrick were scheming something at the table behind her and Carol was humming as she sorted laundry that some of the Woodberry women had washed. Judith had a look of great concentration on her face and then she just rocketed off.
Beth shrieked, partly delighted and partly shocked at how fast the baby moved. It was only about four paces before Judith collapsed right at Beth's knee. Carl and Patrick were by her side in a moment and Beth started laughing and picked Judith up in her arms to give her a raspberry on her covered belly, which Judith loved. "Did you see?" Beth asked breathlessly with a huge smile, "She's so fast!"
Carl and Patrick demanded a repeat performance, and Beth was glad to see Carl looking gleeful about something not involving killing, so she repositioned Judith in the middle of the blanket. Judith looked at her audience for a moment, Carol was now hovering over Beth's right shoulder, and she took off again. Only three paces this time and it was to Carl's knees. He looked excited. "She'll be outrunning walkers in no time!" He laughed.
"Time to start baby proofin'" Rick's voice came from the entrance. Beth looked up to see him leaning against the bars, his hair damp and wearing new clothes, and he had a small smile on his lips that made Beth even happier and made her heart rate speed up.
"Baby proofin' a prison" Carol laughed, "who'd ever thought?"
Twenty minutes passed with Rick, Carl, Patrick, Carol and Beth all cooing over Judith and seeing how far she could crawl before Carl and Patrick drifted away, outside to run around, Carl feeling more kid-like than normal, inspired by his baby sister. Carol had left to help out with dinner not long after. Soon it was just Rick and Beth leaning against the wall, Rick had his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles and Beth sat cross legged next to him with Judith in front of her. She had quickly learned how to turn but only right and was, quite adorably, scooting in a circle babbling happily. Beth looked up at Rick, feeling the best she had in a long time: optimistic, triumphant, and content. It seemed the most natural move in the world when Rick leaned over and kissed her. It was soft, gentle, just a press of lips against each other but Beth thought it was the best kiss she'd ever had. Rick pulled back hesitantly and Beth could feel her cheeks heating up.
"Beth—" Rick was interrupted by noise in the communal area. They were out of sight but a moment later Carl was ushering Daryl and Hershel in to show off Lil' Asskicker's new moves. Rick was back against the wall with an easy expression on his face and Beth wasn't even sure it had really happened except her lips were tingling slightly.
No one paid any attention to her red face or stuttering heart, thankfully, and as she watched Daryl grinning over Judith's accomplishment Beth knew that this was what she wanted. This was the life she wanted to fight for and she was going to get it. She wanted her own baby with Rick's clear blue eyes and Beth's smile, who would call her 'mama' not 'Bethy' (more like 'baba' but Beth was certain it was her name that Judith babbled), and she wanted her own family, she wanted a baby, and she wanted that baby with Rick and to spend the rest of her life living for moments like this.
It was a day and half before Beth was able to be alone with Rick again. Well, Judith was there too but the baby was unlikely to go babbling to Carol or someone about this conversation. Carl was stuck inside doing math problems with the other kids. He grumbled about what good math was in this walker filled world but didn't like that some of the younger kids were better than him at something, so when Beth noticed him with the other kids this morning she just about dashed to get Judith and start their morning walk. Hershel gave her a questioning glance at her apparent urgency but she quickly blew him off with a wave and bright smile.
Rick had earphones in this morning since he was by himself and Beth took a few moments to admire his lean physique. Thankfully none of them were as skinny as they were before the prison but Rick had a certain wiry figure that always seemed feral to her despite his best attempts to hide it with his current 'farmer Rick' persona. Rick must have seen her out of his peripheral vision because he didn't seemed startled when he finally turned to her and pulled out the ear buds.
"Morning!" She greeted with a bright smile and turned to Judith, "say good morning, Juju." "ga da!" Judith happily responded. Beth turned back to see Rick smile and shake his head and she mentally congratulated herself for not being awkward and Rick seemed relaxed. Rick took a deep pull from the canteen that Beth handed him and Beth glanced around. She could tell someone was up in the watchtower and she knew there were a few people up by the prison but the slope of the yard and the tall crops kept them out of sight.
"Beth… I want to apologize for the other day." Beth turned back to face Rick, the surprise obvious on her face. She hadn't expected Rick to be the first to talk about it. She figured he was just pretending nothing ever happened. This meant he was thinking about the kiss… right?
"Rick, you've got nuthin' to apologize for," Beth replied firmly.
Rick shook his head before answering, "Yes I do. It's only been a few weeks since Zach… and it was right selfish of me to kiss you."
Beth blinked in surprise. She had prepared arguments in response to her being too young and it being too soon after Lori but too soon after Zach? Beth instantly felt guilty before shaking herself free of it. "Zach was great, and I'm grateful that I got to know him and be a part of his life but…" Beth bit her bottom lip and looked at the ground, this wasn't how she planned this at all. "There's no use being sad, I liked him, he's gone, and I'll try my best to remember the good times. It's not like I lost…" Beth trailed off again, she had been about to say Lori. Well, wasn't this turning into a train wreck?
"I admire your positive outlook," Rick responded. And now it felt awkward. Beth mentally groaned in frustration. "No hat for Judy this morning?" Rick's tone was still light but Beth still cringed. She glanced down at Judith, who has happily munching on a fist full of Beth's blonde hair and staring at the fence and the snarling walkers. Her floppy hat was still in the prison; Beth had been too eager to talk to Rick alone and hadn't grabbed it in her haste.
Beth sighed. Could this be going any worse? Might as well just go for it, Beth thought determinedly before straightening up as best as she could with a baby on her hip and looked Rick straight in the eye. "Why'd you kiss me?"
Rick looked down and started to fidget and Beth was a tiny bit glad she broke his calm. "I don' rightly know… it just… felt right." Beth's heart began to beat faster but she remained calm as Rick sustained his stare at the ground and he continued, "Carl was smilin' and Judith was gigglin', and you looked so beautiful and I finally felt… at peace." He finally looked up at her, his gaze clear and unashamed and Beth took a gamble.
Rick was taller than her but the ground held a slight slope and he was slouching against the hoe's handle so Beth only had a bit to rise to land a solid kiss on his lips. His lips were dry but salty from sweating and warm and there was only a slight beat of Rick not reacting before Beth felt his hand land in her hair and pull her into a deeper kiss. Beth was breathless when they parted and her face broke into an uncontrollable smile.
Rick's expression was firm, "I still don' think this is a good idea. I'm still not… back right yet." Rick stumbled a bit, hesitant to give a name to his mental break.
Beth shook her head firmly. "You said you finally felt at peace the other day. Maybe… maybe I can help you stay at peace." Rick's eyes filled with longing, like he wanted to believe her but was still hesitant. "We'll do this slow. And no one has to know, except lil' Juju." Beth glanced down at Judith, her big eyes were staring up at them with a curious expression on her face. Beth could see some pink on her cheeks and turned back to Rick. "We'll take it slow," she nodded one last time and turned her back to Rick and started to walk back to the prison. Rick didn't stop her, he didn't say anything, but most importantly, he didn't say no.
Beth just about wept tears of joy the next time she and Rick were alone together the next evening. The walkers at the fence had been gaining in numbers so she and Rick, along with several others, had spent extra time at the fence clearing. It was dusk when the group called it quits and the walkers were finally down to a few wanderers by the tree line. Beth took a bit longer in the showers than she normally did as she felt grimier than usual and she was the last to leave the girls' shower. Maggie had asked if she wanted to walk back together and Beth waved her on.
She didn't have any ulterior motives; she figured Rick would need another day or two before approaching him again but when she exited into the hallway outside the bathrooms Rick was leaning up against the wall waiting for her. Beth's heart instantly sped up to a staccato, was he here to tell her no?
They stared at each other for a brief moment before Rick gave her a small smile and offered his hand to her. Beth gave him a very bright smile as she accepted. "Slow, right?" Rick confirmed and Beth nodded affirmatively, afraid is she spoke she'd sound like a fourteen year old schoolgirl squealing over a boy band.
They walked back slowly, not speaking but the silence was comfortable. They were both freshly showered and wearing clean clothes and Beth was so happy with how normal everything felt. Rick stopped just out of sight from cell block C's communal area and Beth turned to face him curiously. He leaned down to give her kiss and Beth melted into him. This was the first kiss they shared with any passion and Beth was quickly lost in the sensation of it. Both of her hands tangled into his hair and Rick pressed her firmly against the cement wall. One of his hands was in her hair and the other on her hip, modestly, and his tongue explored her mouth inquisitively. It was only a few minutes before Rick pulled away. They were both breathing heavily and Rick pressed his forehead against hers. Beth studied his rugged face while his eyes were closed. His face had more lines than it did back when they first met on her daddy's farm, but he was still very attractive, and Beth preferred him with his longish hair and unruly stubble. Rick's eyes opened and studied her intently before pulling back and straightening himself out. She gave him another happy smile and they both continued on into the cell block. This was a thousand times better than Beth thought it would be and she felt a giddiness that she hadn't felt with Zach or Jimmy.
Hershel had always known about Beth's admiration of Rick, the months before the prison they had no secrets and even though no one ever said anything on the topic, it had been obvious to most of the group that Beth admired Rick just like Carl admired Beth. Beth's looks didn't go away after they settled in the prison. Hershel had a talk with Carl but didn't have the heart to have a talk with Beth. And after Lori died and Rick lost himself Hershel figured Beth's crush would wane. It didn't. But Hershel never worried. After the Woodbury folks joined the prison and Zach joined the community Hershel thought Beth's feelings had cooled but there was a moment or two he'd catch Beth giving Rick a look filled with longing. That's when he began to worry. And a few weeks after Zach's passing, Hershel had been watching his daughter closely as he wanted no suicidal relapses, he noticed something that made his blood boil. Rick was looking back.
Hershel was largely responsible for Rick's new outlook. Rick stayed away from violence and ruling and threw himself into farming all to help his son. Hershel was so proud of Rick trying to be the best father to Carl and Judith and recovering from his breakdown. The first time he saw Rick looking content was during a farming lesson with him and Carl, Beth was observing with Judith in her arms. Hershel had been so proud of Rick in those moments; he loved Rick like a son.
Hershel met Rick in between the prison yard and the cultivated land. Rick and Carl were both dirty and sweaty from working all morning in the hot son. "Carl I want to speak with your dad for a moment." Carl nodded and trotted off, eager to clean up. Rick had a small frown on his face, "What's goin' on?" He asked.
"You tell me," Hershel could tell Rick had no idea what he was referring to so he elaborated, "what's going on between you and my daughter?" He purposely didn't say Beth's name but he could tell that Rick now knew exactly what he was talking about now.
"Nothin' is goin' on," Rick's gaze was clear, but he shifted on his feet a bit and Hershel frowned.
"Don't you lie to me Rick, something is going on."
Rick sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "All righ', there's somethin' but it's hardly any thang. I just, I like spending time around her. It's … peaceful."
Hershel felt his ire die down. He cared about his daughters more than anything else, but he did care for Rick. Rick protected Hershel's family like it was his own. During those long months when food was scarce, winter was settling in and they were constantly on the move Hershel had worried about the group fracturing, that he and Beth, perhaps Carol, would be left behind but Rick had never faltered. This man protected them all, there had been a few close calls but Rick had never hesitated in pulling Beth out of danger or risking himself when someone of the group was surrounded. Rick was strong and his influence was clearly felt on T-Dog, Daryl and even Glenn, they tried their best to emulate Rick's attitude. When Rick unraveled after Lori's death it was heartbreaking. And now, seven months later, Rick having moments of peace, Hershel didn't have the heart to take that away from the weary man.
"Rick, she's my baby girl," Hershel's voice was calmer this time.
Rick nodded, "I know. I would never do anythin' to hurt her. And if you say so, I'll leave her be."
Hershel knew Rick would give up a chance at happiness for the group, he'd put the group's needs before his own several times previously. Hershel glanced around while Rick stared steadily at the ground awaiting Hershel's judgment, he saw Beth near the grill with Carol, she was watching them curiously. Hershel thought back to the first night on the road after the farm, how everyone was whispering about splitting, no one had faith in Rick except him and Daryl. He remembered Daryl asking Carol what she wanted and Carol replying about honor, and Daryl giving them all a look like they were fools because who had more honor than Rick? Hershel wanted his little girl happy with a good man, sure he'd prefer that man be younger, without the burden and guilt that was obvious in Rick, but that was a near impossible find in their current world. Who would be better than Rick at keeping his little girl safe? At giving her whatever she wanted? Glenn was already a blessed find for Maggie. "That's not necessary… I just want to hear you say you care about my little girl and you'll make her happy and keep her safe."
Rick nodded again, "I do. I'll do everything I can Hershel. Everything." And Hershel could see the conviction in Rick's eyes.
Beth was impatient. She knew she shouldn't be, that she should be grateful for Rick even giving her a chance at this relationship but she was determined in her goal. Besides, the pills that Maggie had found months ago were close to expiring and she knew that if Rick found out he'd insist on some other form of birth control. If she wanted her plan to work, sex had to come before that. She knew what she was doing was wrong, herds of feminists were rolling over in their graves, but she knew that there was no way Rick would ever agree to trying for kids, or at least it would take years to convince him. And life was too short nowadays for that. It would be far easier to pretend it was an accidental pregnancy. It had now been two weeks since Rick first kissed her and she had stopped taking the pill the same day. She had left the packet of pills out in the open of her cell a few times, she knew Rick had observed it. Every day she would pop one out of the package and grind it into the dirt.
She and Rick were still on the 'slow' path. The most they had done was make out with some hesitant over-the-clothes groping on Rick's part during their stolen moments. Two days ago she had observed her father and Rick talking and she had been instantly filled with fear that her daddy had figured them out and was telling Rick to stay away from her. But Rick didn't, and she was not about to bring up the incident to find out what they did talk about, and since her daddy hadn't said anything to her either she figured it hadn't been about them.
Last night she heard Rick telling Carl he could sleep in and stay out of the fields. Rick was only doing maintenance on the crops, there was no reason to have two people in the field so Beth had woken up extra early, most of the prison didn't get as early of a start as Rick did. She prepared everything last night and had scrubbed herself as clean as she was likely to get. She slipped on the cutest bra and underwear she had, they were lacey and pale pink, and slipped on a blue wrap dress that she had only worn once for Maggie and Glenn's wedding. Barely anyone wore dresses or skirts so she knew if she was caught whoever it was would be suspicious. She had a pack with a blanket and an outfit to change into afterwards. She brushed her hair one last time and studied herself in the mirror before nodding resolutely. "You got this," she told her reflection before grabbing the pack and her boots, slipping out of the cell block as quietly as possible. Rick had left about ten minutes before her, right as the sky started to brighten.
She slipped her boots on when she reached outside and took a deep breath to regain her confidence before marching towards the fields. Michonne was out on one of her hunting trips so the small, two stall stable was empty and that was where Beth had planned for this to go down. No one from the watch tower would be able to see into the stalls and as long as they were quiet no one would hear them.
Rick was standing at the edge of the crops watching the sunrise brighten the sky with a calm expression on his face when Beth sidled up to him. "You're up early," he commented with a smile. "What's in the pack?" He asked as he turned to face her. His gaze seemed stuck to her unconventional outfit, a knee length, wrap dress was highly impractical, especially outside.
Beth glanced up at the watch tower, but she didn't see anyone watching them so she grabbed Rick's hand and led him past the pig enclosure to the stable with a coy smile. Rick followed willingly, curious to this bold gesture, and when they were fully out of sight in a stall Beth turned to face him. He watched her in amusement as she pulled a blanket out and laid it out on the grass and dirt and step out of her boots onto the blanket. Beth had mucked the stall herself the day after Michonne left on her run. Beth could tell he hadn't caught on to the full extent of what she was planning. That changed quickly when Beth untied the bow holding her dress together and opened it showing off her pink lingerie against her clean skin. Rick's eyes darkened immediately but he didn't move.
"Rick, I know we agreed on slow, but please." She softened her face and gave him a wide eyed look. She could see his resolve cracking. "Please. I want this. I want you." And Rick gave in.
He drew Beth into a kiss first, all open mouths and wet and Beth shivered in anticipation. She'd only had sex with Zach who'd always kept things playful, but Rick with his firm grip and belly tingling kisses was leagues better so far. Rick pushed her dress fully off her shoulders to puddle at her feet and then his confident hands were tugging her down to the blanket. Beth lay back willingly and reached up to the buttons on his shirt but was quickly distracted from her task as Rick's hands slid under her. There was no fumbling as he unhooked her bra, he boldly took each of her nipples in his mouth in turn and worried them until she bit down on his shoulder to keep herself quiet. He moved smoothly as he slipped a hand into her panties, wetting a finger in her arousal and circling her clit with just enough pressure to make her strain for more. Soon Rick had two fingers inside her and he was leaving a trail of open mouth kisses right along the edge of her panties.
Beth felt herself getting close, already, Rick was too intent and relentless. She was the one that initiated this encounter, wanted things to move faster but now all she wanted was for Rick to slow down. Beth tugged on Rick's curls to get his attention, "Rick, stop. I want you inside me."
Rick shook his head, his pupils were blown wide. "I won't last... It's been too long. Let me make you come and then I want to be inside of you."
Beth couldn't say no to Rick so she nodded and he's as good as his word, naturally. Between his fingers and his bold tongue thrusting inside her and his other hand holding down her hip, she was bucking helplessly against his onslaught, she came so hard that a scream caught in the back of her throat, she bit her own hand to keep quiet, and her whole body felt as if it's about to shake into pieces. Zach certainly never did that before with his mouth and Beth was immensely glad she scrubbed herself clean last night.
"Do you have a condom in that bag?" Rick asked, his voice was low and husky in her ear and Beth almost didn't process the actual words as she was still lost in a pleasure-filled haze.
"We don't need it," Beth answered breathlessly. She realized then that he was still in his jeans and started to remedy the situation but only got them past his hips.
Rick was trailing kisses over her neck but he paused at her words. "Beth-"
"Maggie hasn't gotten pregnant and she and I take the same pills." Beth interrupted.
"You sure?" Rick asked, his husky tone very serious. He stared into her eyes and Beth pushed down any lingering guilt, she couldn't let any of it show, and held his steady gaze.
"I'm sure," Beth emphasized her point by hooking her leg over Rick's hip and pulling him flush. They both gasped at the contact.
He didn't enter her right away, he spent a few moments just kissing her and she wrapped her shaky arms around his neck to keep him close. He then parted her folds and sunk into her, he pulled back and pushed in inch by inch until he was buried deep inside of her, stretching her, filling her. Beth thought that it was the most perfect sensation in the world. He then worked up a steady rhythm, he was braced on one arm and the other moved her pelvis to a different angle and Beth gasped at the wonderful overstimulation. She didn't come again, Rick didn't lie about it being too long and Beth was too glad that he hadn't had any casual hook ups between her and Lori to complain. He pulsed inside her, his body hung over hers and his face screwed up in tense rapture and Beth smiles at the beautiful sight. He sunk down on her and Beth enjoyed the heavy weight of him pressing into her before he shifted onto his side.
"So much for takin' it slow," Rick chuckles and Beth can't keep the triumphant smile off her face.
Beth floated on Cloud Nine for the rest of the day. She performed all her chores with a smile and humming a tune and Carol had to snap her out of a daydream three separate times. Later in the afternoon she was mending one of Maggie's tops at a table in the communal area completely unaware of her surroundings and her mind was vividly remembering how Rick's rough hands felt against her skin when her daddy's voice broke through. "So he makes you happy?"
Beth started with a gasp, her father was sitting right next to her, she hadn't heard him approach on his crutches nor settle on the bench and she flushed in embarrassment before even processing his question. "What-what're you talking about?" She quickly glanced around but didn't see anyone in earshot.
"Rick." Beth froze in shock. Had he seen something? How could he possibly know? "Rick promised me that he'd do everything in his power to make you happy. Now I certainly don't want to know what he's doing, but I can't remember the last time I saw you look this happy."
Now Beth was really confused, "Rick promised what? You know? You know that we're ... together?"
"Together? The other day he suggested that you two weren't very serious yet."
Beth quickly began to backpedal, she did not want her daddy knowing the extent of her relationship with Rick, not yet anyways. "Well, we're not, or weren't, we're taking things slow," or at least we were until I seduced him, Beth sure wasn't sharing that. She couldn't believe her daddy was so calm about this. She really couldn't believe her daddy and Rick had talked about this. But then again, Beth had been expecting a lot more resistance this morning but perhaps after a talk with her father Rick was less hesitant about their relationship. It made sense. "So you gave your blessing to Rick?" Beth asked in a hopeful tone.
"I wouldn't say that. We talked is all. I won't stand in the way of your happiness, Lord knows there isn't much happiness left in the world now, but I sure don't want to see you two cavortin' around together. All I wanted from him was to know that he'd do anything to make you happy." Beth wondered briefly if her daddy would be so adamant about her happiness when he learned what exactly she was trying to get from Rick but quickly smothered that thought down as she hugged her daddy.
Privacy and secrecy were both difficult things to obtain in the prison. Privacy hadn't been too hard when she was dating Zach, but then again she and Zach never tried to hide the fact that they were together so if the two were alone together it didn't draw attention and people tended to leave them be, she had lost her virginity in the backseat of his car.
So it wasn't until after Dinner, three days later, that Beth and Rick were able to be alone together.
Beth was getting irritable as time went on and during dinner, they were eating outside in a big group and almost all the prison residents were there, she entertained a brief fantasy of how everyone would react if she marched around the table to Rick and just planted a big ol' sloppy kiss on him. Daddy already knew, but he would be angry with the public display in front of him, especially while he was eating. She figured Maggie would be angry, she still saw Beth as a child and would no doubt think Rick was taking advantage of Beth when in reality it was the opposite, but then again Maggie was the one who gave Beth birth control pills before she and Zach had even talked about having sex. Glenn would probably get nervous and take Maggie's stance even though he and Rick were pretty good friends. Daryl probably wouldn't even blink. Michonne too. Carol would no doubt pull her aside and give her a motherly lecture of some sort. Most of the others wouldn't care, maybe be a bit scandalized or probably jealous that an eighteen year old was the one that finally snared Rick Grimes. Beth had definitely overheard a few of the women gossiping about Rick over the months. Carl was probably the biggest obstacle, and his reaction could be anything. He could shrug and blow them off with an eye roll, he could be mad because he used to have a crush on Beth, but that seemed to have gone away months ago, or he could rage at his dad for trying to replace Lori, which Beth knew wasn't true. Rick liked her because he felt at peace and could relax when he was with her, and he certainly never felt that way with Lori. Every moment between the two, even before Lori knew she was pregnant on the farm, had seemed tense and stressful.
After dinner Rick volunteered to help with the dishes, much to the delight of the two Woodbury women that were on dish duty with Beth that night. Beth shot the two older women a nasty glare, they didn't notice but Rick did and looked amused, which only made Beth more irritated. The two other women, Annie and Katherine, happily gushed to Rick about how adorable Judith is and what she had gotten into early that day now that she was mobile. Rick humored them with polite smiles and laughs and Beth couldn't help feeling jealous.
The dishes didn't take long and soon the four separated, Annie and Katherine were thankfully not in cell block C and as soon as they split ways inside the prison Rick tugged Beth into a niche in the hallway. Normally Beth hated being in the hallways of the prison, they were dark and sound echoed strangely but then Rick was pressing here against cool concrete and leaving a string of kisses from behind her ear to the corner of her lips and then he was properly kissing her, tongue sliding sensually along her upper lip and Beth whimpered.
"You've been glaring at everyone all night, is it weird that I thought it was cute?" Rick asked when they parted.
"Annie couldn't stop fluttering her eyes at you all night. It was appalling." Beth huffed.
Rick laughed, and oh Rick's laugh sounded so good to Beth, "I didn't notice. I was only lookin' at you." Beth started smiling uncontrollably. "Now, where the hell do people always sneak off ta be alone together? 'Cause I can't figure it out."
"What, you don't want to snuggle up with me and the pigs outside again?" Beth teased.
"I don't share," Rick's voice was low and husky and Beth shivered in anticipation. She was craving Rick's touch like an addict and the whole experience was new to her.
"Well, some couples sneak down to the boiler room—" Beth stopped as Rick stiffened and Beth mentally cursed herself. Way to suggest having one off in the room that Lori died in not to mention his mental breakdown. "—But it's dark and kinda scary down there, so that's out." Beth finished lightly. "Hey, when were you gonna tell me that you and my daddy talked about us?" Beth quickly changed the subject.
"Well, the last time we were alone you weren't much for talkin'," Rick answered with a grin, "Miss 'let's take it slow'."
Beth blushed bright red, that had been her boldest moment in the history of her life, she hadn't said a single word to him until she was almost naked. "Yeah, well, you turned out to be pretty easy," Beth teased.
Rick nodded, "Well, I promised your daddy that I'd do anything to make you happy so I was just doin' what your daddy wanted."
Beth burst out laughing even though she was horrified but Rick's triumphant grin was well worth her embarrassment. "Let's go investigate the library. If no one's in there we can get in a quickie."
"A quickie? Did Beth Greene just say 'quickie'?" Rick shook his head.
"Yeah, you want one or not?" Beth challenged with a grin.
The Library was empty. Rick led her between the shelves and looked around with a frown. "People really come up here for this? I'm not laying you down on this floor, so where…" Rick trailed off as he turned to face Beth and realized she was already pulling down her jeans and hopping out of her boots. Once again he was surprised by her eagerness. "Well all right then."
He knew they didn't have much time so he dropped to his knees, placed a soft kiss on her belly as he pulled down her blue panties and dove right in. Beth was unprepared for Rick to be doing that again, she squeaked and grabbed onto Rick's shoulders for support. Weren't guys supposed to hate doing this? But she sure wasn't going to complain as Rick stroked her with his tongue.
Rick only spent a few minutes loving her with his mouth, just enough to get her wet and ready and then he stood up and unbuckled his belt and jeans. Beth clung to his shoulders and pulled him against her so they were both propped up by the shelf behind her. The shelf was against the wall so she didn't worry about putting so much weight against it. And then Rick was in her. She was tight at first, even though this was again initiated by her they were moving at Rick's relentless pace and soon she was mewling uncontrollably and Rick hoisted her up a bit more, encouraged her to wrap her legs around his hips and after the new angle Beth quickly lost it. She turned boneless in Rick's arms as she shuddered through her powerful orgasm and Rick faltered for a moment before taking up a faster, harder pace. He spilled in her moments later and they slowly sank to the floor.
Rick adjusted her so she was in his lap and when he started to pull out she cramped around him, inside and out. "Not yet." She whispered. She just wanted to enjoy the moment, they were so close and Beth cherished the feeling of Rick so physically close to her. Rick leaned down to kiss her in response. They spent several minutes just kissing slowly, sliding lips and tongues against each other, and Beth didn't feel the slightest tinge of guilt this time.
Beth was late. She tried not to be too excited, that would surely show everyone something was up. After all, most of the prison was still recovering from the deadly illness that ravaged their ranks and she herself had only been out of quarantine a full day. There had been a lot of deaths, mostly the Woodbury folk, and Beth tried her best to appear somber and mournful. Plus, she had no way to be sure. She was officially two weeks late, and considering their living situation it was normal for women to be irregular, she had been in the past. But then she would think about Rick's track record, both times he got Lori pregnant were unintentional (Lori's first pregnancy Beth had heard about back before the prison and Lori told Carol about it one night). It had been about five weeks since their first sexual encounter and there had certainly been enough repeat performances that one of them had to have stuck. Plus, she had only been on the pill since she started seeing Zach, hardly enough time for her body to get used to it, she hoped. But then she would think about the taboo subject of Judith's parentage… and then Beth would scold herself and try to find a chore to keep her occupied.
She had hardly seen Rick since the quarantine and they hadn't had a moment alone since before. Last she saw he was in an intense discussion with Daryl which she assumed was about Carol's absence. But she was really looking for her father. Last anyone saw him he was with Michonne but nobody had seen either of them since this morning. Beth huffed and threw herself down on her bunk. She finally worked up the nerve to talk to daddy and tell him she thought she might be pregnant so he could request a pregnancy test in the next run. She knew he was going to be furious, especially when he told her he didn't want to know or see their relationship. But she had proof that they had been careful, or at least proof that Rick thought they were being careful.
Beth was interrupted from her musings by a terrifying, thundering boom and the walls shaking around her.
Let me know your thoughts! Part II will be up soon!
