I'm out walking the perimeter at dawn, like always, as Hershel comes up to me.

"I need a word."
"What's that?"
"With Rick, not you."
"I am Rick."
"No you're not."
"Excuse me!"

"I know you're the wolf, so let me talk to Rick."

I shake my head and look at him. "Rick is taking a break at the moment, deal with me."

"Oh really, are you trying to help him or hurt him?"
"What do you think?"
"I think you have Beth and Carl scared half to death, and you also have everyone else walking around on pins and needles."
"Good."

"Oh really, why is that?"

"Hershel, do you even have to ask that?"

"True. I know Rick is a broken man right now, but we need him."
"No, no you don't." I look down. "You don't need him now because there's nothing left of him, not yet. I am trying to fix him, I am trying to bring him back! Don't you get it, he is GONE! When Lori died, so did he! I am fighting to keep him alive!"

"How are you doing that?"
"I am keeping his body going, I am keeping his mind focusing on something other than Lori and what happened! If I was to let go and give you Rick, you wouldn't recognize him. Believe me, I don't even recognize him!"

"Well, isn't that interesting."

"Walk with me."
We start walking away from the prison together; I look back over my shoulder to see if we are being followed and luckily we're not.

"Hershel please, you and I both know there is nothing I would not do for anyone here, and we both know there is nothing that Rick wouldn't do. I am begging you, give me time to rebuild him. He is so fractured and splintered, it's like I am picking up a million shards of glass trying to rebuild a teacup."

"Interesting analogy."
"It's the truth."

We turn and see Beth standing at the top of the hill. She pushes the gate open and comes down to where we are. She slides her slim digits into mine and grips my hand. I look over at her and smile. "Walk with us."

We continue walking down the hill till we get to the tool shed, out of the view of everyone else. I walk around the corner and stop, then turn. "You want to see him, you want to see what Rick's really like? I can let go right now and leave him to the two of you."

"No please," Beth pleads, holding onto my hand. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me," I scoff.

"I know that Rick," she replies, "and I know that you are holding on with dear life. Let the wolf do his job and let us do ours."
"Which is?" I ask.

"Catch you," she replies.

I look down at our joined hands as tears begin to roll down my cheeks.

"Let me catch you," Beth says, wiping my tears away.

So I do … I let go and fall. I crumple to the ground in her arms, sobbing like a baby. She holds me close to her, running her hand through my hair and whispering sweet nothings to soothe me. Hershel kneels and takes hold of my hand.

"We are here my friend, we are here for you. We all have jobs to do, and yours right now is to get through this however you need to. Let him walk as you, we'll keep your secret. We'll be right here always."

I nod as I sob into her arms. In that moment, I … change. I sit up and look at her, those soft innocent blue eyes looking at me with tears in her eyes. I reach over and wipe a tear with my thumb.

"How can you love a wolf?" I ask.
"I don't just love the wolf, I love the man too," she smiles, "and that man is you."

I look over at Hershel and smile. "Do I have your permission to kiss her?"

"I thought you didn't need my permission," Hershel chuckles.

I grin then haul Beth into a passion-filled kiss in front of her father. When our lips part, she looks at me with wide eyes.

"Don't get used to that," I tell her.

"Why not?" they both ask incredulously.

"Because if we keep that up, then they'll definitely know I'm not Rick," I laugh and rise. Beth playfully smacks at me as I haul both of them into a hug. "Thank you my friends, more than you know."

"We understand," Hershel smiles as we head back to the prison. "Now, about that hole in the fence …"
"Don't start," I laugh.