*A/N: I tried writing this episode by episode but quickly learned that, that would be too much on you to read. So I decided to split each episode into 'Parts'. I own no characters other than my OC's everything else belongs to the rightful owners AMC, etc. *
A feeling of impending doom loomed over my head that morning. It was a feeling I couldn't shake, I shifted uncomfortably in my seat cradling my duffle bag in my arms as I stared solemnly out my window. "Rabbit, somethin' wrong?" My friend Rebecca Bayheart asked concern laced thick in her southern drawl. "Nah, probably just on edge, still hard to believe we're coming home" I laughed trying to wrestle down the nagging sensation internally and not let it show. Becca smiled and laughed whole heartedly and turned toward me more in her plane seat. "May be hard to believe Rabbit, but, Afghanistan, it's over for us, we're done, it's home time brother" She said softly staring at me with her bright blue piercing eyes, she knew something else was bugging me. I threw my arms up in the air like I was caught. "Alright, alright I'll 'fess up, damn your stupid soul staring eyes, I dunno what it is Becca, but somethin' just doesn't feel right, like...something bad is gunna happen" I blurted out putting my duffel bag on my lap and smoothing out the wrinkles on top.
Becca frowned deeply and rubbed my head, making me chuckle. "Thanks for making me feel better Becca" I said sarcastically. "Sorry Rabbit, it's just you have this uncanny sense of being right when you feel something bad is about to happen" She said with a sheepish grin and a shrug of her shoulders. "So, what do you think it is?" She continued. "I dunno Becca, I just know it's not good" I said sighing heavily as a deep frown set itself on my face. My other friend Benjamin Blackwood popped out from behind me and smiled. "Aw c'mon Peyton, we're gunna be fine! You need to relax girl, here allow me to ease your stress, you've been working too hard Cap" Ben said putting his hands on my shoulders and rubbing them.
"We're technically in theatre A) and B) in your dreams, 'cause my fine ass doesn't settle for less than perfection" I said with a wink and gently pulled his hands off of me. "Peyton, one day you're gunna realise that I'm your Mr. Perfection, and on that day some other lady will have swept me away" He said resting his chin beside my head rest. "Yeah, and when that day comes, I'm sure pigs will have grown wings" I shot back as I tilted my head backward and smiled at him upside down. "You say that now..." He continued and I playfully swatted his arm. Finally after a few hours we landed at the Airport and myself, Ben, and Becca shared a cab and drove out to King's County where we all resided.
Ben and I had known each other since Kindergarten where as Becca and I didn't meet until high school when she transferred from Arizona. It didn't take long to reach King's County from our airport so Becca took off to her home, Ben never had family so he came home with me and we started unpacking our bags. "You wanna tell me about what you were feeling on the plane Rabbit?"He asked seriously, not looking up from his bag as he pulled clothes out and tucked them neatly into his drawers. "I thought it was nothing and that I needed to relax" I shot back as I unpacked my things in the room across from him.
"I just didn't want to rile Becca up is all, you know how she gets when you have one of your premonitions" He answered softening his tone. "Yeah well, I dunno Ben, all I know is it aint good whatever it is" I said opening my middle drawer and staring at my shirt for a long minute. "Whatever it is it has you thinking you shouldn't unpack doesn't it?"He asked standing in my doorway. "Yeah, and to pack more" I answered while rubbing my temples. "I know something big, bad, and ugly is coming our way, and I just wish I knew what" I continued as I looked up at him helplessly and flopped my ass down on the edge of my bed. "What is it telling you specifically then Rabbit?" He urged as he walked toward me and kneeled in front placing his hands on mine.
"I feel like we should pack food, water, survival gear, and weaponry" I said swallowing hard. "Ok, and what kind of weaponry are we talking here?"Ben questioned with a worried look. "Guns, knives, bludgeon weaponry, the works" I answered nervously. "Rabbit, you're freaking me out" He said, his voice shaking a bit. "And just how do you think I feel?" I snapped, then caught myself and apologized. "Look, Rabbit we'll pack up your suggestions, grab Becca, and we'll head out to my brother's place in Chicago" He said holding my hands. "Sounds like a plan, but Ben, one adjustment..." "Let go of my hands please, I feel like you're being intimate" I continued and he grinned sheepishly, embarrassed that he'd been caught red handed holding my hands. For the next hour or so Ben and I packed all of our guns, ammo, survival gear, food, the works. Neither of us knew what was driving us to this point of what would seem to others, insanity. We were loading up my Dodge Dakota and I had just grabbed my sniper rifle to keep on hand, when I suddenly felt myself get picked up and whirled around in the air, I looked down and it was Rick Grimes, my neighbour across the street and Sherriff's Deputy of King's County. "Rick-a-ma-role!" I exclaimed as he set me down and I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly, he laughed whole heartedly and returned the hug.
"Why hello there G.I. Jane" He said as we broke our embrace and Lori, his wife, and Carl his son gave me a hug. "Hey Peyton" Carl and Lori said in unison. "Hey guys" I said cheerfully returning their hugs and letting Lori walk over to Ben with Carl. "How goes things in this sleepy little town Deputy Grimes?" I asked with my hands on my hips and a genuine smile. "I don't know G.I. Jane, why don't you come over to the station with me and find out? Just like old times" He said folding his arms and bearing a cocky grin. The invitation made me frown, not that I didn't want to take him up on his offer, normally when I had finished a tour and came home I would help him around the station but with this nagging feeling tugging at my heart strings I just felt like I needed to get away. "Rabbit, you blanked out on me where'd you go?"He asked pulling me further away from the truck so no one else would hear our conversation.
"Sorry, Rick, just been a hard day is all, probably still adjusting to the fact that I'm pulled out of Afghanistan for good now" I lied, which of course Rick could always tell too, I'd known Rick since we were babies, my dad was friends with his and would always bring me over to play with Rick. "Rabbit" He said in a warning tone. "Just a feeling is all, a bad one" I sighed heavily, right now I felt like I was Ms. Gloomy-pants bringing terror to all my friends. "Rabbit, I'm sure it's nothing, now come with me to the station, no buts" He ordered. I smiled a small smile and he put an arm across my shoulders. 'Doesn't he remember why my nickname is Rabbit?'' I thought to myself with frustration, but Rick always knew how to cool me down, though the feeling was still there it had sank back a little. Ben strode over to Rick and me and smiled down at me. "Hey, I just got invited to have lunch with Lori and Carl, and I have to go into town anyway to pick up some supplies and groceries so go ahead and help Rick while I make sure we're good to go" He urged, I looked up at him with confusion and he just shot me a look that said 'I'll explain later'. "Alright, Sherriff's station it is then Rick" I said as cheerfully as possible and then Ben went off and walked Lori and Carl across the street to their house and we followed until we got to his car and drove off to the station. It was roughly a 7-10 minute drive to the station from our street so we had plenty of time before his shift for me to get changed into my old uniform and him and me to catch up. Rick handed me my sniper rifle when I came out of the locker room and I slung it over my right shoulder and started adjusting my strap.
"Y'know Peyton, seeing you do that, sends a chill up my spine, you must've done this a million times over in Afghanistan, and every one of those times I was at my bedside praying for you and for your safe return, now here you are standing before me and it all just seems so...surreal" Rick said which caused me to stop what I was doing momentarily before continuing on never breaking eye contact with my strap.
"I appreciate the prayers Rick, it means a lot to me that someone in this godforsaken town doesn't think me a monster, also, I missed you too buddy" I said softly as I finished with my strap and then turned to look at Rick with a smile, he smiled back and then we heard the door close and foot-steps near us. When I looked up I saw none other than Shane Walsh standing in the door way leaning on the frame, arms folded and a disapproving facial expression. "Well well, if it isn't the Hero of War come back to pay us low life hicks a visit" Shane sneered and I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him.
"Where the hell did that come from Shane?" I snapped. "What? Did I happen to find 'little miss too good for anyone's sore spot?" He continued his voice dripping with venom, he didn't know how much this was hurting me inside. "Shane" Rick warned him, slowly standing up from his seat. "What Rick? Can't you tell I'm just SO happy she could finally come home and grace us with her heroic presence?"He spat angrily. "Uh yeah you hit a sore spot dick head, I don't think anyone's a low life and I don't even know what has you so pissed at me!" I barked. "You left us! You thought you were too good for this town, too good for us! Too good for your OWN FRIENDS and now your back with your fancy medals to make us look bad, to make us look like we aren't worth your time of day" He snapped full force. "Shane that's enough get in the cruiser we'll meet you out there!" Rick interrupted before I could fight back and Shane hesitated a moment as if he were going to say something back, before turning sharply on his heel and storming out of the station.
"Ouch" I finally said sarcastically while rolling my eyes and I went to walk out of the building to their cruiser when Rick snatched my arm. "Take it easy on him Rabbit, he's...gotten a lot angrier since high school, stuff has happened" He said with an apologetic smile. "Doesn't make it an excuse to go around being an asshole to people" I shot back. "I know I know but just give him some time, and then we'll all become The Three Musketeer's again" He replied moving his hand from my forearm to my shoulder. "Whatever you say Dr. Phil, I could care less, but the next time he snaps at me like that, you can't stop me from snapping back" I answered with a frustrated sigh. "It's a deal" He said cheerfully before we headed out the building. I hopped in the back and Rick took the wheel and Shane was already in the passenger seat with his arms still folded and he kept staring out the passenger side window. We drove around for awhile until about lunch time when we pulled up to a local burger joint and grabbed some food. I grabbed mine and sat in the back seat quietly observing everything in the surrounding environment, it was a particularly quiet day not too many people were out and about, my guess was they were still at work. I took a huge bite of my burger and my eyes rolled back into my skull with delight, I hadn't had food this good in 4 years which was the last time I was home.
Rick chuckled but knew better than to say anything just in case he set Shane off. I went back to surveying the area and let Shane and Rick have their talk. I picked out bits and pieces about Rick & Lori having a rough time with things but I'd already known this, Rick went out and got himself a cell phone so that he and I could talk more than just on a scrap of paper. Every night he'd be the one that I'd call, and we would talk about everything and anything. Rick was like family to me, he always had been, I remember the days when all of his girlfriend's would get jealous and think I was trying to steal him away, it was always a good laugh. Then he met Lori and I knew right away the two of them would get hitched sooner or later. She passed my test when she knew instantly I was family to Rick and not out there to keep him from dating girls altogether.
I was lost in my own thoughts munching on my burger when a call across the radio came about a speeding car. I threw my burger in a bag and tossed it on the floor while Shane threw his food in the garbage and we took off. We reached the bottom of a small hill on an empty road and Shane and Rick threw down a strip of road spikes and set up beside their cars with their revolvers, I was ordered by Rick to find a high point and take position. It felt like I'd never stop being a soldier, and to be honest, that didn't bother me. I found a tree and perched myself up there lying in prone position on the thickest branch and set my sights up. I pushed the button on my radio and let Rick know I was in position.
The steel silvery blue 1971 Pontiac GTO came barrelling down the long empty road with two cruisers in pursuit of him; finally he hit the road spike and flipped, spun, and flew around in the air before finally smashing into the grassy side of the road. It landed on the roof and a man crawled out only moments after wielding a gun. "GUN! HE'S GOT A GUN" I shouted and that caused every other officer to order the man to drop his weapon and surrender, only the man didn't. Rick and the other officers fired and returned fire.
Rick was hit once but I had seen the round punch his vest and he was fine, the other officers continued fire until the man was down and dead. I went to get down from my tree and that bad feeling came back so I hurried but unfortunately my left foot was caught under a branch so when I turned around to get off of my branch my ankle twisted and I fell from the tree and landed on my back. Luckily only my ankle was injured so I got up on my right foot, grabbed my sniper rifle and hobbled over to the cruisers, but when I looked up I saw a man crawl out from the passenger side of the car and take aim, I whipped my rifle up and fired but unfortunately even though I pegged a headshot my bullet hit him half a second after he fired his round and it punched Rick's left shoulder. "NO!" I cried out helplessly, adrenaline took over and I ran over to Rick unable to feel the pain. "SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE" I shouted angrily and when I reached him I was unable to hold my tears back as Rick Grimes, my brother, my best friend since birth lay on the cement in shock as Shane kept the pressure on his wound and talked to him to try and keep him awake.
Rick faded out and I saw Shane look up and shot me a menacing glare. I knew what he was thinking and my heart sank. "Not much of a soldier are you...or a friend, you couldn't even save him" He growled and my heart went from sinking to going right up in my throat. I couldn't help but agree with him as tears streamed down my face and I looked down again at Rick. 'I failed him, I failed him and now because of my mistake he could die' I thought to myself. One of the other officer's by the name of Leon Basset pushed Shane and another officer kept his hands on Rick's shoulder. I snapped out of my misery momentarily to break up the fight but Shane had already wound a punch up and just when I got a hold of Leon to separate him I was punched in the face by Shane, a punch meant for Leon. I stumbled backwards a bit on my bad ankle before falling on my butt, I sat up and held my face gingerly in the palm of my right hand, I saw Leon in between my fingers advance to a shocked Shane who looked like a deer in headlights at me. I snatched Leon's thigh with my left arm and pulled him back and let my right hand drop. "Enough Leon, Rick requires medical attention, this is no time to fight" I said softly in between shallow breaths.
Leon jerked away from my grip and I let him go. "Peyton I-" "Go help Rick" I growled low, Shane looked torn for a moment but knew that I was right to tell him to go to Rick. Someone had to be with him in the ambulance and I felt I didn't deserve to be in there with the man that I most likely cost his life. I stalked off to the cruiser the other officers looking at me sadly as I began to gimp again. Leon rushed over to me as I fell over when I tried to place weight on my bad ankle. "What's wrong Peyton?" Leon bellowed out as he rushed to my side. "I'm fine just hurt my ankle" I mumbled. Leon looked up at my face and chuckled a bit. "Just hurt your ankle Peyton? C'mon let's get you to the hospital too, your wound is bad too" He re-assured me before picking me up bridal style and carefully walked me to his cruiser where his partner opened the back seat door for me and Leon laid me down before he and his partner hopped in the car and tore off down the street.
The pain set in when my adrenaline wore off finally at the hospital and I was thrown on a gurney myself. I grimaces and my face twisted up in pain. "Guys just take care of Rick, he needs it more than I do" I begged them but the nurses ignored me and strapped me down. "What the fuck? I know you pricks heard me, now go take care of Rick he was SHOT! DAMNIT HE WAS SHOT" I spat angrily disgusted at them as I struggled trying to break free of the restraints, but it was hopeless as one of the doctors injected some sort of knockout drug and put me to sleep. When I awoke I was still strapped down and there was a nurse in my room smiling down at me. "Hello, Miss Tacoma, my name is Heather and I'm your nurse... a few things, I wanted to let you know your friends Mr. Blackwood and Miss Bayheart are here to visit you, you're ankle was only slightly rolled so it's all healed now, and..." She trailed off her smile faded into a frown. "Rick is stable, he's in a coma but he's stable, you can visit him now if you like, your friends have agreed to walk you to him" She finally finished with a weak smile of sympathy as she removed the restraints.
I nodded and got out of my bed and got dressed after the nurse left, apparently Ben had taken my sheriff's uniform because it was covered in blood from the fight, who's it was, was anyone's guess so I had only my regular army uniform to wear. I walked out and Ben and Becca were standing outside of my door with coffee's in hand and worn out exhausted expressions plastered on their faces. They turned when they saw me and their eyes were the only thing that lit up when they came over and hugged me, I gave them a quick hug before telling them to take me to Rick, don't get me wrong I was excited to see them but Rick was more important, his state was far worse than a slightly rolled ankle. When we reached his room Ben and Becca stayed outside the doors to allow privacy, and I bolted in and quietly jogged to his side and held his hand that was on top of the blanket, knelt down and rested my chin on the bedside. "I'm sorry Rick, I love you bud, I was so stupid" I whispered as tears threatened to pour down my cheeks again. "It's not your fault you know, I was the stupid one" I jumped back and into the medicine cabinet smacking my head into its side.
I looked up quickly as I rubbed the back of my at Rick to see if he woke up, but nothing, not even a stir, finally my eyes looked over at Shane emotionlessly. "Don't try and make me feel better Walsh, what you said...you were right" I grumbled looking back at Rick helplessly, I saw Shane wince for a moment from me calling him by his last name before he hid it. "Look Peyton, I'm trying to apologize, so accept it already, 'cause you might not get another one" He said folding his arms and looking out the window agitated. "I don't want your apologies" I growled angrily as I stopped rubbing my neck realising I had cut it a bit from the impact of the medicine cabinet by seeing the blood on my fingers where I rubbed. I quickly rubbed it off on the bottom of my right boot. "Look Peyton if you're looking for a fight-" "I'm not, I'm just frustrated, all of this is because of me..." I trailed off and sighed, Shane looked back over to me and got out of the seat and pulled me up and into a hug, my face buried against his chest but my arms stayed limp at my sides.
"Listen here, mini musketeer, stop blaming yourself, it wasn't your fault at all, it was the passenger and the other officers for not doing their job and spotting the guy sooner, you would've seen him had you not have fallen from the tree, I just said the stuff I said because I've been dealing with a lot lately and I haven't figured a way to harness my anger yet and find a proper way to blow off steam, and because of that I took it out on you" He explained as he stroked the back of my head, I prayed he didn't see the blood. "Thanks Shane" I said simply as I closed my eyes and returned the hug and I felt him rest his chin on my head. "Rick told me by the way" Shane spoke up again after a moment. I looked up at him confused and he still held a concerned look. "Told you what?" I asked curiously as I pulled away slightly but still held his sides, now I could be imagining things but I could've sworn that for a split second I saw Shane look disappointed.
"He told me you had PTSD" He said after awhile, I jerked back and whipped around to the window and placed my hands on the sill and stared furiously out the window. "Well he didn't exactly come forthright about it" He began as he took off his hat and began to play with the sides of it nervously like a kid caught in trouble. "He was in the shower and his cell went off, I saw it was a text from you and opened it, I was curious, so I read it and saw that you texted him saying that you found a way to deal with your PTSD, which made me happy and relieved that you were ok, but sad that you had it, and mad that you never once attempted to make contact with me let alone tell me you were having...problems" He explained further.
I grabbed the window sill until my knuckles turned white, my jaw was clenched. "First off it's not a problem Walsh, every soldier gets it, and you would too if you've seen even ΒΌ of the shit that I've had to, or done a speck what I've had to do, when you join you know the consequences, but it never hits you until something happens to jerks you into reality...I would've contacted you Walsh had you not made it perfectly clear that I wasn't welcome in your life anymore all those years ago" I snapped turning around full force and storming over to him before jabbing him in the chest with my index finger my 5'2 frame pressed aggressively against his 6 ft. frame.
He had at least a 10 inches on me and I didn't care I had my chest puffed out and my teeth bared in intimidation, he never scared me and never would. Shane stood there taking everything I said in looking into my eyes, considering carefully what to say. "I can't make an excuse for the way I was in high school, I snapped and shut you out even though I had no reason to, when you left, there were so many things I needed to tell you, I never even got the chance to tell you-" my cell rang cutting him off, it was General Keating. "Captain Peyton Tacoma, your presence is required at your nearest base ASAP, there's been an incident and we need all the help we can get, sorry to cut your home time short Captain, but I wouldn't call if it weren't of the utmost importance, the head honcho at the base assured me the matter was urgent" General Keating ordered.
"Yes sir, understood" I replied and he hung up, so I threw my phone in my pocket. "That was my boss, sorry Shane but I gotta go" I said giving him a quick smile, the feeling hit me full force again, the impending doom felt like it loomed closer than I liked. "When Rick wakes up tell him his baby sister loves him, and while you're at it, get him something nice for me" I requested before dashing over to Rick and quickly brushed his hair back from his forehead with my finger-tip less gloved hand and kissed his forehead. When I went to bolt to the door, Shane grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a quick kiss on the lips. "Come home to us Peyton, promise me you will come home" He said as he stared into my eyes with his serious brown ones, I smiled quickly. "I'll try" I said quickly before he could protest me avoiding the promise and I headed out the door to meet Ben and Becca.