First I would love to thank you all for the reviews. They were just amazing and I am so humbled, ecstatic (I literally jumped around with excitement) to have gotten the feedback that I received. You guys are beyond awesome and I honestly cannot put into words what it means to me. I truly enjoy reading and writing fanfiction and receiving such wonderful reviews is so inspiring. I send many hugs to all of you
The following will continue with the rescue and then their journey. They will meet someone that will give them a destination. I want to focus on their journey (we will also get to the destination) and how that continues to shape them in many ways as individuals and together…
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The following Chapter is titled:
Final Farewell
Michonne held on to a very exhausted and visibly beaten Beth, but Beth was undeterred in her quest to find help for someone.
"It's OK, we will get to the rest of the group soon. We are here to help you and bring you with us." Rick said as he thought she was concerned for the group of family and friends that came to rescue her and Carol.
"No, Rick. The other people that they kidnapped. They have a family here and they have been torturing a guy because he was trying to defend a young girl from the guards." Rick looked at Beth and then at Michonne who also looked back at him with shock. "Please help me help them too."
Michonne slowly helped Beth on her feet and held her up as she looked down the corridor. She knew where the people were held and wanted her friends to help her save them. Hershel taught everyone in the prison to fight even if you were going to risk your life, but know why you are risking it for and at that moment his thoughts and perhaps even spiritual presence was with everyone as they did just that. They were risking their lives for what they thought was right.
When Rick, Michonne, Beth and Noah reached the far end of the corridor there was a double door that was locked with a chain and pad lock. Rick looked around and saw an emergency ax in glass and broke it. He used it to break through the chain and took his gun out in case there were walkers or unfriendly guards behind the doors. Once inside Rick lowered his gun and simply looked at what was before them. Michonne stared with shock and Beth and Noah smiled.
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Abraham, Daryl and Carol were in the lobby of Grady Memorial running as fast as they can. Rosita and Maggie shot at the pursuing guards and provided the cover they needed to get to get behind a marble wall. Eugene and Glen were outside of the building waiting as Glen had his gun drawn as he waited for his people to exit the building. Just as Daryl and Abraham thought the cost was clear they heard a stern voice behind them tell them to turn around. There were three guards with automatic weapons pointed right at them.
"Well, shit! I guess we tried amigo." Abraham said as he glanced at Daryl holding Carol up from the floor.
"BAM…BAM!"
Abraham closed his eyes tight, but slowly opened his left eye and then the right one. He was shocked to still be standing and not shot. In front of them stood one guard. A young Latino man who pointed his weapon down.
"Private Carlos Rivera, from the US Army, Sir." I don't want to be here anymore. I need to find my family." Said the young soldier.
Abraham stood there and nodded and looked towards a relieved Daryl and Carol. "Then let's get the hell out of this shithole people." Was Abraham's reply as they ran towards Maggie and Rosita.
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Abraham, Daryl, Carol, Carlos were reunited with Rosita, Maggie, Glen and Eugene, where all the hospital cars were parked. They killed the walkers that straggled around the area with ease. Daryl asked Rosita to care for Carol as he proceeded to hotwire cars as they waited for Rick and the rest. At that very moment, a group of people began to walk towards them. They were not walkers or guards. There were three men. One had a doctor's uniform, two had scrubs like Beth, there was a middle aged women wearing scrubs walking with a teenage girl and a small boy. Right behind the first group was Rick and Noah helping a very badly beaten man and Michonne holding Beth. Maggie and the rest were smiling with tears in their eyes. Maggie could not breathe; she couldn't believe that her sister was still alive. She ran to her and the sisters embraced and fell to the floor as they did. Everyone smiled as they saw the reunion that they honestly believed would never happen, but it did, it did…
After all the crying and hugging was over it was time to leave. Rick told the people that they rescued in the hospital that they could leave, but they were reluctant to go. They did not know where to go or what to do.
"Rick, they are as good as dead out there." Glen whispered to Rick.
Rick motioned for Michonne and Daryl to approach him and Glen.
"I understand that these people are not as equipped, but how do we know that we can trust them?" Rick asked the small group he assembled.
"Then ask them the questions." Michonne looked at Rick. She wanted him to ask the questions they have asked before when they recruited people for the prison. Rick looked at Michonne, then Daryl and Glen. Rick looked down and nodded without looking up, feeling it was the best he could do at the moment.
"OK, listen up; I'm going to ask you each a few questions. Starting with you." Rick pointed at the young man in the scrubs. "How many walkers have you killed?"
"None sir." Replied the young man.
"How many people have you killed?" Asked Rick.
"None. Sir, I rather try to save them. You, see I am a doctor." Answered the young man.
"Doctor? You look too young to be no doctor." Replied Rick with a suspicious look.
"I graduated from medical school at age 15. I was a child prodigy. I came to Georgia to assist with new residents, when everything happened. I am originally from Boston Massachusetts." Said the young man with a somber look.
"Some kind of genius or something? Come on, like I haven't heard that before." Said Abraham as he looked towards Eugene.
"Wait, I remember reading about you in the medical magazines daddy would collect at home." Said Maggie. "Rick, he is not lying. He actually is who he says he is.
"Great! We really need a doctor for Carol, Beth and that hurt guy you brought out." Noah said.
"How come you didn't say anything?" Noah asked.
"I was kidnapped with my colleague, Dr. Jones and he didn't last. I didn't want the same fate." The young doctor said as he looked at the doctor from the hospital.
Rick looked at the doctor and saw him squirming. "Now, you. How many walkers have you killed?"
"Me? Hum, None." Replied the nervous doctor.
"How many people have you killed." Rick asked as he looked straight at him with his intimidating stare.
"No…None." Replied a very nervous and sweaty doctor.
"Liar!" Yelled Beth. "He fooled me into killing another doctor to get him out of the way so he wouldn't be killed or forced to leave.
Rick looked at the man. "You will not be part of us. Now leave!" Rick said it with a very stern look with his heavy Southern drawl.
Rick turned to speak to the other people. The doctor looked over at the young doctor. The older doctor placed his left hand in his pocket and slowly extracted a scalpel and walked towards the young doctor. Just as he was about to strike, he fell to the floor with a hole in his head.
Rick placed the walkie talkie close to his mouth. "Thanks Sasha, we will be picking you up in 10 minutes."
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The group was on the rode on their way back to the church. They hire wired a couple of cars and an access a ride bus to take the rest of the survivors they met at the hospital. Among the new survivors were the Miller family, Ronald (father), Nancy (mother), Abbie (the 16 years old daughter) and Jack (11 years old son). There was the 22 years old child prodigy doctor Michael Anderson. The 25 years old Army Private Carlos Rivera and a man named George Tudor in his mid-thirties. George was badly beaten and had lost a lot of blood and his fate was uncertain. Michael tried to treat his injuries as much as possible as they drove.
Once they arrived at the church, Rick parked the car he was driving and was instantaneously greeted with a hug by Carl. He was barely out of the driver's seat.
"I knew you could do it." Carl said as he looked up at his father. Then he loosened his grip to walk towards Michonne to give her a hug as well. He was happy to see that his family had survived. His smile later turned to a puzzled one when he saw the new survivors exiting the new bus.
"Yeah son, we'll talk about that too." Rick said as he read his son's expression of concern and confusion.
"Rick! Come quick!" Tara said as she motioned for Rick to go to the bus.
"What is it?" Rick asked as he entered the bus as quickly as his tired body would allow him.
Rick saw Michael sitting next to a very fragile George. He could barely lift his head to greet Rick.
"I think my journey ends here…I left looking for my ex-wife and kids. *Cough, Cough* Many told me that it would be foolish, but I needed to find them." George said as his semi-closed eyes stared at a visibly sadden Rick. Rick all too well understood George's need to find his family at all cost.
"Rest now…" Rick was telling George as he looked over to Michael that slightly shook his head indicating that George had very little time.
"Listen to me, take this and take these people there." With the little strength George could muster he pulled out a crumbed paper. He extended his hand as far as he could. "Take them there and give them the chance I wanted to give my family… I never found them."
"Where is this place?" Rick asked as he looked at the paper with evident confusion that was displayed on his forehead.
"Ask for Aaron…" George whispered and said no more.
Michael checked for a pulse and instantly knew that George was gone. Rick took out the knife he keeps in his back pocket and did what was needed to prevent George from turning. Rick slowly exited the bus as he unfolded the crumbed paper as Michael and Tara followed with curiosity. It was a drawn map leading up north towards Virginia. It was George's map to guide him back home once he found his family, but now it was Rick's map. Rick looked up after staring at the map for what appeared to be more than five minutes and looked upon his family, friends and the new survivors.
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That night Rick met with Michonne, Daryl, Sasha, Glen and Abraham regarding the map and what George had said. It was a long shot, but what else could they do? The church was safe for now. They have already experienced pipe dreams like Woodsbury and Terminus, but there was just that chance that maybe this could be true. It was just something about George's last words that were so sincere that made Rick think about doing it. Give his family and friends an opportunity. The others stared at Rick and felt that he had some confidence in this new journey and they agreed. First thing in the morning they will proceed up north.
It was not dawn yet and Rick woke up. He noticed that Michonne had not woken him so she could sleep and he could take watch. He got up from the area of the floor where his children slept and went to look for her. He saw her standing a few feet from the church staring at the sky.
"You OK?" Rick asked in a low tone. Michonne turned to see an approaching Rick. She smiled and turned back to what she was staring at.
"I'm fine, just waiting." Michonne replied also in a low tone.
"For what? How come you didn't wake me?" Rick asked as he yawned.
"Well, you are driving soon and you need your rest. And I am waiting for the sun to come up." Answered Michonne as she kept her stare at her target.
"Is it because we are leaving? Worried?" Rick asked as he stood next to her and stared her way. He took the liberty to look a little more than he should have and admired looking at her toned shape. He loved looking at how she stood with confidence and presence. He smiled to himself, but quickly looked up when her face turned towards him to speak.
"I trust you Rick." Michonne said as she looked at his beautiful blue eyes.
Rick smiled and looked down and nodded.
"It's hard to say goodbye to this place. I was born and raised in Georgia. Got married here…made my career here. Had my children here. It's hard to give it a final farewell." Rick said as he saw the sky beginning to lighten as the sun began to peek through. There was silence on behalf of Michonne. "I guess you want to be alone." Rick said as he turned to walk back to the church.
"He was born on March 11, 2007. His name was Andre Anthony Mills. He was 6 pounds 8 ounces and 21 inches long. He was just a little peanut. The nurses said that he was the loudest baby in the nursery. Mike…Andre's father said that his son was going to be a singing one day…One day." Michonne's last words became almost a whisper as tears began to roll down her cheeks. She suddenly took a deep breath when she felt a strong hand take hold of her right hand. She looked over to her right and saw Rick staring at her. She looked up at the sky and saw it becoming bluer as the dawn of the day had fully appeared and a new day had arrived with its full bright presence. "He was such a hand full. He began to walk at 10 months and run at 11. It was so hard to keep up. Especially after a long hard day at work." Michonne laughed despite the tears. "His twos were definitely terrible, but wonderful at the same time and when he said 'Mommy,' the first time, words cannot describe what it felt like. He said 'Daddy,' all the time. I think he was reserving Mommy for a special moment…Today is a new day and a new journey. I don't know, maybe I am being silly but, just wanted to spend one more night with him, here where he was born and where he…"
"I know…" Rick said as he held on to her hand.
"This is my final farewell, Peanut. Mommy loves you so much!" Michonne said as she looked up to the sky. They heard voices coming from the church. It was time to pack and leave.
"Well, let's get to it." Michonne said as she looked over at the church and wiped her tears.
"Yeah." Rick whispered. He let go of her hand and was slowly walking back to the church with Michonne by his side.
"And thank you." Michonne said as she entered the church door first. Rick held the door open, squinted towards where they stood and looked up in the sky, looked away and entered the church closing the door behind him.
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I want Rick and Michonne to continue growing closer intimately. They have a way of soothing each other as it was illustrated in their brief conversation on the tracks on the final episode of season 4. There is an intimate bond forming (non-sexual…well for now and yes it will get steamy, LOL) that I want to develop that will embody so much as they try to survive, live and battle during a ZA. I also like including new characters in the mix and see where that takes the story. I am also going to create more pairings, what do you guys think? Who do you think should be paired? Oh and there will be more Richonne moments in the following chapters, promise.
