Your Love Echoes

chapter 7; Comfort of a stranger.

Rating M

Warnings; mentions of past abuse, use of pain killers, mentions of suicide attempt and course language.

Beta Spitfire47 helping with editing of chapters

Later that night after eating her sister bought to her room, Beth couldn't rest because her side was throbbing. Maggie had slipped her some pain killers and some sleeping pills to help her sleep but they hadn't any effect yet. After what Rick did for her today, he somehow made her feel so safe and the concern and something else she couldn't quite put her hand on but he was so familiar. When Shane jokingly called him sheriff or was it officer friendly? a few days ago something clicked 'Rick Grimes', he was sheriff Grimes, the very deputy sheriff who had helped her.

When she tried to end it with Liam and got herself a beating in return, he was the deputy sheriff who put out a warrant for his arrest and later got shot because of it. He was sheriff who was always in her prayers and at the back of her mind hoping that he made it, and that he was out there somewhere safe and alive was his wife and son. The same son who was shot by Otis about a few days before the very man died.

Beth found herself outside the room where Carl was sleeping soundly, food untouched next to him. Beth moved closer to him, Carl seemed to be in his own world when he slept away from the pain, chaos and cruelty of this new world, Beth reached over to him gently moving his hair aside.

Beth sighed. "So peaceful, so strong, so loved, I envy you Carl," Beth whispered to him.

Rick sighed moving along the familiar hall to see his son, he and Lori had just had another disagreement. Or was it a fight he hardly knew any more with her? About breaking the promise he made to Carl. He was angry and shutting everyone out, to talk to him she said that whatever he had to talk to Hershel about could wait, then she turned on her heel and left.

He sighed rubbing his eyes, Lori seemed more distant these days, and they were fighting more, half the time he doesn't even know what their fights about any more. Until Rick reached the room, he suddenly stopped at Beth whispering the words into his son ear, the way she brushed his hair out of his face with care, for a girl so gentle to look... to be in so much pain. Alone and to be so scared. Rick watched Beth sigh and rub her eyes then she did something he thought she would never do, she opened up a little to his son.

"I don't what to do any more I don't sleep more than 3 hours a night without waking in cold sweats or in pain. I say I am ok be happy front on for my family, but I'm not, not really... I am not as strong as you I'm struggling. I don't remember, when the last time I have remembered any happy memories with my family, I remember a lot of things before Liam...

She smiled a little but there was sadness behind it and loneliness. Rick's breath caught in his throat as he leaned against the door way and listened. He didn't know what it was he felt like this was something private between Beth and son yet his heart warmed at the sight of Beth and he couldn't walk away either.

"Otis chasing me around the farm, or taking me on rides on the tractor, Patricia and my mum dancing in the kitchen while baking usually causing my dad or Maggie in to dancing with them. The light in her eyes, the way my mum laughed so carefree... but after it was different with Liam, soulless, there were moments he could be gentle, but they were few. He had a temper, and a certain way things need to be and if it wasn't his way... well let's just say cover make up was used quite a lot during high school. To cover the worst of the bruises, his temper was the worse about him... so afraid, shamed and scared of breaking my family apart so I stayed and became stuck'.

''Then Nathan came along...he came and told me he could make things better...he could make the pain go away..."

Beth bowed her head silently chastising herself steadying her breathing her head down almost as she was stuck in her head in past memories she was like that for a few moments chastising herself.

Rick narrowed his eyes on her body language, Rick knew she wasn't telling everything there was more to her story, but what was it or who was she so afraid of? Then Beth spoke again.

"I didn't know what he had planned for me or what his true intentions were and when I did it was too late. It was either him or Liam... but it all came at a price. I hardly know my family any more, I spent most of my energy hiding the truth of my life so it wouldn't effect or hurt theirs. I don't know or have any happy memories of my family and only memories of them haunting me... I turned to pain killers and sleeping pills instead of my family. It breaks my heart to not tell them the truth or why I've been living so distant lately an arm's length. Maggie has been great I could tell her little things of Liam how we met and some of the after but my Dad is a different story. I am toxic I hurt everyone I love and better I kept it this way. I don't know if I can or will ever be ready to tell the whole truth or if they do will they ever forgive me or…."

Beth wiped her escaping tears, Rick watched her in concern, hurt and awe? He stayed where he was but couldn't help but want to reach out to her, to help her.

"No its better they don't know safer...I actually tried it you know? Killing myself, thinking it would ease the burden on them from knowing the truth and I would be free from all of it. You know what stopped me? Liam in my head egging me on to do it...then my mother knocked on the bathroom door. My hand bloody from holding the glass in my hand so tight, the glass was on my skin felt so hot and cool all at the same time like him it could of ended that night. My hurt, my pain, my loneliness but... then my mother came and knocked and I lost my nerve. It didn't cut deep enough to kill me but gave me 7 stitches in my wrist... a week of rest before I was back where I started again."

Beth ran her fingers along her left wrist over the long sleeve of her shirt before sighing and running her hands over her face she inhaled sharp . The pills were finally taking an effect and will be drowsy soon. So she moved to Carl kissed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Don't be angry with your dad forever, he only did what he thought was right. I would never wish harm to any one through it turned out quite differently for me and not eating doesn't help your injuries now does it." Beth moved closer brushing her hand over his hair.

"I am grateful to your dad. He saved my life more than once and he paid the price and pulled through, he is as strong as you. Your dad will never know how grateful I am or how he help me at the hospital or how I prayed for your family's safety every day. Your family is so strong I never realised or who he was until now, don't be angry Carl cause you will never know it until it is taken from you. I am so envious of what you have, I wish it was like that again but it just can't be." With that Beth stood from the seat and made her way out of the room Rick moved to the shadows and watch her leave.

Rick froze at Beth's words about him, he save me more than once? The hospital, the price? Rick quietly chastised himself and his realisation was quick his lips parted a little and his eyes went wide, Beth Greene? King county hospital before he was shot he was questioning a girl who was badly beaten by her abusive boyfriend and left in the woods after she tried to leave him, and Beth was that girl? He was shot that day and when he was on the road, he too would think of that girl from time to time, hoped she was ok and out there somewhere.

Now she was grown up and was sitting next to his son, she left the room was no hope or no good memories of her family just ones of the abuse? She didn't think she was strong? How could she think that? She was a strong woman. He had seen it when she was in the hospital.

Rick made up his mind right there and then, he promised himself that he would change it. He would remind her of the happy memories with her family, he would give her an ear if she needs it, and pay back in kindness the family had given to his son and family. The kindness that should have been shown to her tomorrow he would start with little things.

A/n; so what do you guys think? What will happen between Rick and Lori? See tensions rising yet? Stay tuned to find out, til then lovely readers keep reading reviews welcome. Ox