A/N: So, it looks like you all enjoyed the last chapter, all fluff and happiness and sex. Yeah. So. I'm eager to see how you all respond to this.

(On a side note, I hope you all have seen the Walking Dead season 5 preview! *spoilers* Full of BAMF!Rick and ... Beth in a creepy insane asylum? Looks like she jumped horror genres... Did anyone else think that?)

Warnings: mentions of abortion, language. (no sex?! Uh oh!)

Chapter Ten

"Hey T-Dog," Beth greeted the strongly built man in a cheerful tone. He was stocking the bar as Beth came in for her shift. Beth had been back from her trip with Rick for a little over a week now and her good mood had yet to dissipate. Amy complained only the day before that now Beth was too chipper and she wanted moody Beth back.

"Morning Beth," T-Dog nodded back as changed the spout on a new bottle of Wild Turkey. "I've got an insider's scoop for you."

Beth punched in and turned to face T-Dog with a curious smile on her face. "Insider's scoop? On what?"

"You know I work part-time at the church, right?" Beth nodded in response. "Well, they are looking for a new assistant to the Music Director. I think you'd be perfect for the job."

"Assistant to the Music Director! You think I'm qualified?" Beth asked eagerly. Music Director positions usually required a bachelor's degree but she wasn't familiar with what an Assistant Music Director qualifications would be.

"Well, the title is a fancy way of saying piano player for the choir, there are other duties involved but the schedule is pretty flexible and I bet they'd be willing to work with your school schedule."

"That sounds amazing! Thank you so much T-Dog! How do I apply?" Beth's bright smile caused T-Dog to grin back.

"Just head into the office and speak with Jacqui, the main office coordinator. She'll set you up for an interview. I told her to expect you contacting her in the next few days." Beth let out a happy laugh and gave T-Dog a squeezing hug, or as much as she could squeeze a man three times her size built like a linebacker. T-Dog patted her head as she pulled away.

"No, T-Dog, you didn't not just give her reason to be even more annoyingly happy, did you?" Rachel pouted as she came to stand beside her roommate.

"Sorry girl, but I'm off in twenty so I don't have to deal with it," T-Dog grinned.

"C'mon, T-Dog, this doesn't end here, I live with her!" Rachel whined but wrapped her arm around Beth's shoulders to show her support.

"Hey, I'm not that bad," Beth tried to huff but she couldn't quite get the grin off her face. "Plus, I'm hardly ever home."

"It's true, my girl is gettin' some regularly again. I should be asking you what you know about Rick's little brother." Rachel nudged her and winked. Beth blushed and laughed in response.

True to Rachel's prediction, Beth was full of excited energy the rest of the day. And that night Beth pestered Rick for all the information he had about the people that worked at the church. He had stopped attending when he and Lori separated but he still knew Pastor Gabriel. Apparently Lori was still pretty involved with the church and still volunteered often and had Carl attending youth groups. Rick gave her all the information he had, he was happy to help Beth and spent his evening watching his bubbly girlfriend with a content grin. Beth did feel a bit guilty that she herself didn't regularly attend church anymore, she had while she was in Atlanta. But between working Sundays and Rick not being very religious she had let church fall by the wayside.

Beth wore a knee length dress with a cardigan to meet Jacqui. She was friendly in a no nonsense way, but they bonded over both of them leaving Atlanta. She told Beth how she used to work in city planning in the city but moved out to the country a few years ago to get away from the congested city. She set up an interview for Beth with Pastor Gabriel and the music director for the following Monday.

The rest of the week passed both slowly and quickly at the same time. Carl was sullen again this week, but he seemed less so when Beth was around. Carl was coming along with guitar lessons and was eager to learn real songs so Beth began teaching him how to play Brown Eyed Girl, by Van Morrison. It was a relatively easy song to pick up and it enforced the chords that Beth was already instructing him on. Carl playfully whined about how old the song was but dutifully followed all of Beth's instructions regardless. Beth was really starting to enjoy hanging out with Carl. In the beginning it had been all about connecting with Carl to further her relationship with Rick but now Beth was beginning to genuinely like Carl, even with his sullen teenage mood swings.

Rick and Lori had their first fight since the pact not long after the vacation to the beach. Beth didn't consider it a breaking of the pact since Lori seemed angrier about Rick taking an actual vacation when he hadn't in the last few years of their marriage than Beth being involved with said vacation. And then the argument somehow devolved into Lori defending Shane's actions against Ed Peletier, which just seemed crazy to Beth.

Rick had the argument over the phone with Lori. It had started as Lori asking Rick if he would be able to pick Carl up from a football practice later in the week and Lori had apparently made a snide comment about Rick going on the trip. Beth hadn't been paying attention to Rick's argument, she was watching Reign as she did her math homework while Rick was pacing in the kitchen talking to Lori on his cell.

Beth was drawn to Rick's conversation when Rick's sharp tone said "I worked three weeks of eighty hour weeks, not counting on-call hours, so yeah, I took a vacation. I never worked those kinds of hours while we were together because you would have thrown a fit."

Beth watched in fascination as Rick's muscles clenched and he struggled to keep his voice calm and his anger out of his voice. Lori wasn't. Beth couldn't hear what she was saying but she could hear Lori's loud, angry tone clearly through the phone even though Rick was across the apartment.

The argument ended with "Shane's a cop, his actions aren't justifiable, Lori, the only reason Ed's in jail is because he couldn't afford a decent defense attorney!" And then Rick hung up on Lori. He collapsed onto the couch and Beth dropped her math book over the arm of the couch so she could pull Rick into her arms and soothe his frustration. Beth should have known that Lori's anger wouldn't dissipate as quickly as Rick's did. Beth should have expected Lori to take her anger with Rick out on Beth. But Beth always assumed the best of people.

"I'm sorry Ms. Greene, we will be going with another candidate." Pastor Gabriel told her with a sorrowful expression.

Beth was shocked. Her interview had gone so well with the pastor and music director, they had practically given her the job on Monday when she left. Today, she had been under the impression she was attending a second interview to negotiate pay and hours. But now, all of the sudden, they were 'going with another candidate?' What happened? "Can I ask why you passed on me?" Beth asked timidly.

"There was some… concern about your relationship with Deputy Grimes and some of our congregation is … uncomfortable with you." Pastor Gabriel looked uncomfortable just saying the sentence.

Beth was speechless. What the hell was wrong with her relationship with Rick? She met him after his divorce, and sure, she was younger than him but she was a legal, consenting adult as was Rick. There was nothing wrong their relationship! But Beth didn't vocalize her anger and frustration, she thanked Pastor Gabriel for his consideration and slowly walked out of his office feeling completely blindsided.

As she glumly walked down the hall towards the exit a voice saying her name caught her attention. It was coming from an office up ahead, and it was clearly someone talking about her not expecting her to overhear them.

"I'm so glad that Pastor Gabriel is not hiring that Beth Greene girl."

"Why isn't he? She was definitely the most talented." Beth recognized the second voice as Jacqui and Beth felt a bit betrayed. Hadn't they bonded over their shared experiences in Atlanta?

"She's dating Rick Grimes."

"Oh! That's the girl? I heard he was dating a younger woman but wow, how old is she? Nineteen? Twenty?"

"Twenty-one."

"Wow. He's not hiring her because of their relationship?" Jacqui at least had the decency to sound disproving of the idea.

"Well, Lori Grimes somehow found out that Beth interviewed for the job. She stopped in yesterday to talk to the Pastor, said if he hired Rick's girlfriend Lori would feel too uncomfortable to attend Church or participate in the several fundraisers and activities she's involved in. She said many of her friends might feel too uncomfortable as well."

"Oh my!"

Beth stopped listening to the conversation as her anger came surging to the surface. Lori had gone back on her word. She had sworn to Beth that she would tolerate her relationship with Rick but now she was sabotaging Beth's job opportunities?

Beth stormed past the gossiping women, who didn't seem to notice her, and out of the church. She had never felt so angry before. She had never done anything to Lori, she always acted civilly around her, she had never said anything negative about her to Carl, or Rick, and tried to stay neutral whenever anyone talked about Lori. And here Lori was, stabbing her in the back. Well, if Lori was going to renege on their agreement, then so would Beth.

"Beth!" Beth looked up to see Rick and Shane leaning against their patrol car, which was parked next to her car on the street in front of the church. Rick was smiling, probably waiting to congratulate her on her new job and Shane looked bored.

Beth marched over to them, her expression must have shown how upset she was because Rick straightened up with a frown, "What's wrong?"

"Lori had an abortion back in August." Silence greeted her, Rick looked confused and Shane looked alarmed. "It was at the Planned Parenthood over in Lawrenceville and I ran into her there and she made me swear that I wouldn't tell anyone."

"You sure? You absolutely sure?" Shane asked in a low, angry voice. Rick looked at his friend in surprise at his reaction.

Beth's anger began to dissipate and regret was beginning to creep up on her. "Yes, I'm sure. She took the abortion pill, I heard her talking to a nurse about it."

Shane punched the hood of the patrol car in response.

"Shane, what the—"

Shane interrupted Rick by demanding, "Did she say who the father was?" Shane's face was dark.

"No, I didn't ask," Beth shook her head. She had wondered a few times who it was and given Shane's near violent reaction she was pretty sure this was the answer. And it made sense, in a weird, twisted way, there was evidence that Shane often spoke with Lori about Rick and Beth, and Shane pursued Andrea, a former girlfriend of Rick's. Beth then wondered if it had been Shane to tell Lori about Beth's interview at the church.

"Beth, what's going on?" Rick asked while keeping an eye on Shane, who was now pacing angrily and muttering to himself.

"Lori convinced Pastor Gabriel not to hire me," Beth began slowly, "After I saw her at the Clinic, she had promised that if I didn't tell anyone about her abortion then she would be civil to me and about us. And then she goes and threatens the pastor that if he hires me she and her friends would stop attending church and fundraisers and … and…" Beth trailed off. It seemed petty and vengeful to her now. Her momma would have been appalled at her behavior. Beth had been hurt by Lori's actions but she should have calmed down before taking any action, maybe confronted Lori instead, she shouldn't have told Rick and Shane. Not like this.

"Rick, I'm taking the car," Shane's strained voice cut through Beth's swirl of dread and shame.

"Like hell you are, you need to calm down before you do something stupid," Rick voice was full of anger. "Maybe explain why you're sleeping with my ex-wife."

Shane's eyes widened as he took in Rick's anger but he didn't back down. Beth took a step back from them. She was confident that Rick wouldn't start a fight with Shane, but if Shane threw a punch Rick would retaliate. "Look, man, Lori's had a tough time with the divorce-"

"Lori's had a tough time?" Rick scoffed, "you're my best friend, jackass, why did you sleep with my ex-wife?"

"I'm sorry, you have every right to be angry, I fucked up big, okay? But I have to find Lori, it can't be true! Your little bitch is making up lies-"

Beth gasped as Rick grabbed Shane and in a flash planted Shane's face on the hood of the patrol car and had one hand gripping Shane's arms as his forearm held Shane down on his neck. "Apologize," Rick's voice is deadly cool.

"What the fuck? Rick, get off of me! She's telling lies about Lori!" Shane squirmed but Rick didn't give any leeway.

"You don't know that. Apologize. Now." Rick put more pressure on Shane's neck and Shane growls out: "I'm sorry."

"Now, we'll go talk to Lori, I'm going with you to keep you in line. Beth, go home." Rick never looked at her but Beth nodded and rushed to her car regardless. Her heart was pounding with fear and adrenaline as she fumbled with her keys. She watched Rick and Shane get into the patrol car and pull away before leaving herself. What did she do?

Beth should have stayed away from Rick for a few days, giving him either time to cool off or approach Beth when he was ready. But, as they say, hindsight is twenty/twenty. So after Rick and Shane left, Beth went to Rick's place to wait for him and apologize. When Rick came home a few hours later he was still too agitated and somehow Beth found herself in a knock-down, drag-out screaming match with Rick.

She wasn't sure how it started, but she knew she was the first to raise her voice when Rick seemed angrier with her than Lori: "Why are you defending her actions? She kept me from getting a real job! I could have stopped waiting tables and started working towards an actual career!"

Beth didn't have much of her Irish heritage, not like Maggie did. But for the first time in a very long time, Beth was beyond angry. She knew she was being unreasonable, she had felt guilty and shocked at her own actions almost immediately after she had told Rick and Shane, but with her blood pumping and anger singing in her veins, her mild mannered disposition went right out the window. How dare Rick be angry with her when all she was trying to do was apologize for her behavior?

"I'm not defending her actions, I'm pissed at your actions." Rick wasn't yelling, not yet, but he had a cool, angry look in his eyes and he was clenching his fists to help maintain his control.

"My actions? I'm not the baby killer!"

"You should have told me. You've known for months!"

"Why was it any of your business? Lori is your ex-wife. EX."

"So I'm not supposed to care that she was fucking my best friend? Lori and I were together for thirteen years. Shane has been my best friend since middle school! How could I not care?!"

"I didn't know anything about Shane! Lori and I didn't sit around and have a girl's night." Rick snorted at that, he turned his back on Beth and that only sent another wave of anger washing over her. He was not walking away from this. "I was trying to help you! I made her a promise not to tell anyone in exchange for her going easier on you."

"That wasn't your decision to make. I don't need you helping me with my problems with Lori."

"Because you're handling it so well yourself? Rick, you're thirty-five years old and you live in an apartment because your ex-wife takes half your paycheck! Your son is miserable and feels like a pawn! I don't think that's classified as handling it well!"

"What did you say about Carl?" Rick turned back to face her, and Beth almost faltered at Rick's thunderous expression.

She should have stopped, but she didn't. "Rick, he's an unbalanced rollercoaster of emotions. The poor kid is starved for affection from his parents!"

"I don't need you, of all people, telling me I can't take care of my son! What do you know?! At least I'm not running away or sleeping with my problems!"

It was too much. Beth's anger finally turned to tears, but she didn't want them to fall, not in front of Rick. "I-you're right," Beth's voice came out quiet, and that clearly unsettled Rick more than her words. Beth had been yelling at him, full of fire and brimstone and her sudden withdrawal left him reeling. "I'm sorry, that's what I wanted to say," Beth grabbed her purse and pushed past Rick to get to the front door.

"Shit. Beth, wait-"

But Beth slammed the door and ran to her car and Rick didn't follow.

A/N: Review, pretty please?