I know the update has taken a very long time. Long story short...I had a lot to deal with. But if you liked the story before I disappeared I hope you will continue to enjoy it now. Sorry it took so long.

Rick held the door to the pharmacy open for Ell. She walked through and right to her horse. He walked behind her and stood there with his hand on her back as she got up in the saddle. He then got on his horse so they could return to the farm. They should have been back long ago. He was already thinking of excuses for what took so long.

Neither he nor Ell were ready to tell everyone about them. Especially now. He'd said I love you and she didn't say anything. He needed to know how she really felt so he could talk to Carl. He wanted to let Carl know they were seeing each other before he herd from someone in camp. But after what had just happen he wasn't sure what was actually going on between the two of them. Did she love him as well or did she think this was jut for sex?

Rick rode along following behind Ell. The few times they found themselves side by side she smiled at him. But not a single world was uttered between the two of them the whole way back. When they got to the barn Ell told him that she would get the horses put away so he could go check on Carl. And so he left with out getting his question answered.

That night around the fire every one laughed and joked. There was a scene of safety on the farm. They hadn't seen a walker since they arrived. There was power, plenty of water and food. Life was good. The only thing was Hershel had never said they could stay for sure. They were just temporarily there. The subject of weather or not they could stay had not been brought up.

Rick being the 'leader' of the group would have to be the one to bring up the subject of staying. He knew everyone wanted to stay. They were fixing things in a more permanent way than they ever had before. And he wanted to stay. This was the first place he felt safe to let Carl out of his sight. This could be a place for him and Ell to make things more official. At least more so than it was. And maybe then they wouldn't have to sneak around.

Shane walked out to the fire long enough to update everyone on Lori's condition. She was doing well and Hershel thought she would be back up and moving around in a week. Rick knew he would have to talk to Hershel before then. But at that moment that was the furthest thing from his mind. When Ell got up to leave the fire he waited a minute then left himself.

Ell didn't go to her tent. She walked past the RV out toward the trees. Rick followed her. She ducked behind a tree and out of sight. He stopped and waited knowing that she would return in just a few minutes. And when she did she was surprised to see him. "You following me again?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"I might be." He joked.

Ell raised an eye brow before shaking her head. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. Rick pulled her close to him and kissed her on the forehead. He didn't know how to approach the issue. Knowing how he felt about her but not knowing how she felt made him feel very vulnerable. How could he bring it up with out making her mad, or making it out to be a big deal. He was screwed no matter how he did it, so he just did it.

"Back at the pharmacy..." He started. Ell looked deep into his blue eyes. She knew she owed him some sort of answer. But she didn't know what to say. Of course she felt the same way he did. She just wasn't sure she was ready to say it out loud. If she never said anything and something were to happen to him then she could pretend she never cared in the first place. It was easier now to just not have feeling then to have to deal with them when the one you love dies.

"It's late, maybe we should go to bed?" Ell took him by the hand. Pulling him toward the tent she wanted to avoid the conversation all together.

"Wait." Rick pulled his hand from hers and stopped walking. "Are you trying to avoid the question?" His tone changed slightly. He wasn't really mad, but he wasn't really care free anymore either.

"If you must know, yes." She crossed her arms and took a defensive stand.

"I tell you I love you and you would just rather avoid the subject all together?" He was puzzled. Of all the women he'd ever dated or known not one of them did want to talk about their feelings.

"Why does it matter so much? I'm here now, with you. That should be all that matters."

"Because this isn't just about sex for me."

"Is that what you think this is for me? Do you really think that little of me? That all of this has just been about the sex?" Ell turned to walk away from him feeling hurt that he felt that way.

"Hey," Rick grabbed her by the arm turning her back to him. "I have a son to think about. And people depending on me."

"And I have nothing on my mind but sex." Ell pulled away from him and walked away. Rick sighed knowing that the conversation couldn't have gone any worse if he tried. With nothing else he could do about it that night he turned and went back to his tent. Sleeping alone was the last thing he wanted. Starring at the top of his tent he felt as though he was alone in a tent made for a hundred people. You never realize how much space you have until your alone.

The next morning Ell helped Amy with the dishes. She starred out the window, lost in her own little moment. "What's wrong with you?" Amy asked noticing that Ell wasn't her usual somewhat happy self.

"Nothing." Ells normal response.

"You and lover boy have a spat?" Amy joked. Little did she know that she was right. "So who it?"

"What?" Ell snapped back to the moment at hand.

"Who's the mystery man?" Amy put the last dish down.

"Trust me there's no man. They cause to much trouble." Ell walked away leaving Amy to wonder if she was right or not.

Out side Rick walked toward the barn. He'd seen Hershel walking alone and he thought now would be a great time to talk to him about the group staying. "Rick." He herd from behind him. When he turned around he saw Shane walking toward him.

"Something wrong?" Rick asked worried about his son.

"Nah, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute." Shane walked along side his one time best friend and the ex husband of his current lover. "What's going on with you and the little brunette?"

"Who?" Rick tried to play it off as if he didn't know what Shane was talking about.

"Ell." Shane answered. Rick stopped walking and turned to face him. "Yea, I saw the way you were looking at her at the CDC. The way you two seem to disappear at the same time." Shane started to smile. He still thought of Rick as his best friend. In his mind he did nothing wrong by sleeping with Lori. They were separated and on their way to a divorce well before they started seeing each other.

"Look..." Rick started but paused. He wasn't sure what to say. He knew if things kept going everyone would find out. But after the pharmacy and the night before he wasn't sure if there was anything to tell. "I wanna talk to Carl before he finds out from some one else. But with his mom getting hurt I was just waiting for the right time." He had to admit it. Shane wasn't a moron.

"Good for you man." Shane patted him on the should like they were back in high school. He figured that if Rick had found some one knew then they could just be one big happy family.

"Don't say anything until I can talk to Carl." Rick hoped that Shane could be enough of an adult to understand where he was coming from.

"Don't worry about it." Shane smiled and walked away. He knew he had to act fast to end things between the two of them.

Rick walked away not caring to much that Shane knew about him and Ell. He had more important things to worry about at the moment. He needed to talk to Hershel. To secure them a place to stay. And he needed to smooth things over with Ell or there would be anything to for Shane to tell any one about any way. Rick found Hershel standing and looking out upon his field.

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