A/N
Thank you all so much for reviewing the last chapter, I was chewing on my acrylics when I posted it –they all made my day. Not very big on details or dialogue it was while I was writing this chapter update I felt my mind was taking me somewhere and I went with it, surprising moments in this update, please don't hate. An attempt to do a tiny bit of lemon, see that BLKGURLSMUSE lemon (I haven't done this in a long ass time) and it was fun.
Siancore - I truly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to beta read and edit my chapter update(s) Thank you so much!
I should add a Disclaimer- I do not own the character of TWD, I also made some mention of a song, movies, a game and a tv show I use to watch when I was a kid and that is all, mentions. No owning here just love.
Rosita watched Tara feed Judith at the gazebo near the front gate. Looking over at the gate where Carl sat on top of. She watched him for a few minutes; he was still scowling, still very upset with everyone for sending him here instead of the hospital. He then delegated himself in taking first watch and there he sat. She was worried that he might slip and fall and really hurt himself.
"Think I should remind him about the height of the wall?" She whispers.
Giving the child another spoon of oatmeal Tara shrugs her shoulder, "It's your funeral."
The hell with it, Rosita thought for a moment.
Getting up she makes her way to the gate. Climbing up the ladder,Rosita picks a spot next to him.
Carl mumbled: "Blah, blah and more blah blahs," when he glances her way then takes a swig from his water bottle.
She looks at him feeling confused; the expression then slowly registers on her face.
"Damn, don't even give me a chance to check up on you then."
Carl huffs, "Yep, I'm good."
"Doesn't look it to me," Rosita waits and receives no response.
"You could actually take a nap, read a comic in peace, or take a break from the gate and eat something? Did you eat?"
Carl raises the bottle of water and shakes it in front of her then points to the peach pits on the ground below.
Rosita shakes her head, "No, I mean really eat something. There is a ton of those instant meals in the pantry."
Carl's frown deepens barely hidden from the sheriff's hat upon his head, "I didn't bother to look around."
Rosita knew this bit of information is true and figures this might be the best way to get him down from the wall.
"Yeah, the pantry is stocked rather nicely. Running water, HOT water, there is even a theatre room. Tyrese and Eugene are somewhere in the pump room casing things over. The outside is okay as you can see but the inside, the inside is real nice." She gently nudges his shoulder.
Carl gave her half a smile, "Maybe later...Okay."
"Sure." Rosita nods her head. At least he wasn't frowning or scowling.
An overwhelming feeling to bring up the obvious took over her but they both sat in the silence side by side; another gentle breeze flows thru the field of overgrown bushes, the scent of peaches almost euphoric for Rosita. She knew what was truly on Carls mind; it was on hers as well. Things didn't end so well between her and Abe. Having only spoken on whom should head back to this place and that was all. No byes, see you later, or come back alive. Nothing and the guilt was killing her but why should she feel guilty? Sure Eugene lied but she gets it, Eugene would have been dead a long time ago and she understood why it's a big deal for Abe.
Carl sighed and then spoke, "I wish they would just hurry up out there."
"I wish that too." She says quietly.
Carl turns to face her, the worry written all over his face, "Think my dad, Michonne, everyone. Think they're okay?"
"They're better than okay, we made it out of Terminus, this is a walk in the park." She was worried for them all but Rosita continued to maintain eye contact with him and smile reassuringly.
Carl gave her another half-smile then turned to face the road again, choosing to stay with him, Rosita looked upon the road, as far as her eyes could see. Making out a vehicle in the distance they both sighed in relief...
}i{ }i{ }i{
Following Rick's lead the group, all very happy to be together again, made their way back to the stairwell only to stop when they heard a voice asking them to. They all turn, with weapons at the ready but not raised and watch the man in the doctor's coat pull two boxes on a hand dolly.
"Here," he began as he pushes the cart towards Beth.
"You're doing to need this. I don't know where you guys are going. But if you're on the road," he shrugs his shoulder, "you're going to need these. It's just some medical supplies."
"Edwards," Beth calls out to him, "you're still an asshole for doing what you did but thanks for this."
The doctor says nothing in response he only nods his head. Turning his attention first to Carol he tells her to take it easy with her arm.
"It's going to itch really bad as it heals, try not to scratch it, you'll have a scar but it won't be so bad."
He reaches in his coat pocket and pulls out the bottle of painkillers.
"I know you didn't want any before Noah, but you are going to need something for the pain...There are fifteen in here, you can cut them in half to ration them out."
No one spoke making Edwards feel like an idiot in the awkward silence. He questioned himself wondering if he did the right thing. Of course he did. He gives them a small smile. Then it happens so fast, the gunshot that is. Edward stood motionless as the shock sets in. One minute he was handing Noah his painkillers and the next thing he know he's covered in blood. All over his face, his glasses splattered with it, the taste of blood and brain of Carol on him. Everything happened so fast; the man carrying the crossbow shouts at the top of his lungs as he reaches forward. Turning, he sees Officer Bello; he was just as surprised to see her, wondering where she was hiding. His thoughts rattled by the shot between the eyes.
Glenn lowers his gun; he could not believe what just happened. One minute they were leaving, all of them just a halfway out the the fuck, he looks over at Maggie, the shock still on her face as the tears freely fall from her eyes, she reaches for his hand and their fingers entwine. She holds on tightly like a vice, his focus on her face but all he can hear is Daryl's screams echoing as they bounce off the walls in the hallway.
}i{ }i{ }i{
They both stood on the roof together watching the people that slaughtered the place earlier leave. Two were carrying the body of Carol. Knowing they will have a special memorial for her, she figures they should too, for all they've lost– the good cops like her they never spoke up on the goings on, cowards, just like her but still good cops. Unlike Lerner and O'Donnell, Shepherd will ask Edwards to help her drop the bodies down the elevator shaft.
"I thought I was dead back there." Shepherd said.
Lamson's only response was to rub his hands together, trying to get the feeling back. Just a second ago Shepherd had cut the zip tie off and helped him off the floor.
"You know anything about the woman that Gorman was watching before his death?"
Shepherd frowned at this question, they nearly lost their lives and this is what Bob is asking.
"No, why?"
"She is the one that was taking the body parts."
Shock at this new form of information, she was at loss for words
Nodding his head, "Yeah, she was, the guy in the beard took care of her, took care of the cop that shot Carol too."
Shepherd looks back out and caught the last of these people as they head around the corner, wondering if this is the last time that their paths will ever cross.
"Think we'll see them again?"
Lamson frowns, "God! No! I hope not."
}i{ }i{ }i{
Everyone was quiet, Beth quietly fills Sasha and Abe in on what happened while the boxes were being loaded in the truck. Sasha could not believe it, Abe heavily sigh and shook his head and it got quiet again.
Daryl sat immobile, his bloody hands placed over the wrapped body of Carol, the tears still flowing, he sat in the back of the truck with Maggie and Glenn on his right and Sasha on his left, they offered silent, emotional support. There was no need or desire for words on that drive back to the peach farm.
Michonne after taking the backseat with both Rick and Noah, welcomed the tears as she thought of the days back at the prison, talking with both Hershel and Carol under the pavilion, she glance at Rick and saw that he was watching her, his eyes, red as his tears fall.
"You know the night back at the prison when you told me about your dream?"
Michonne nodded her head.
"You said something that, up to this day, I always find myself thinking of.When you were gone, I went that whole day repeating those words over and over again. I thought it was a poem. Daryl over heard me whispering it and told me it was from a song."
Michonne turned to watch Daryl from the partition glass of the truck, "I did not know that."
Rick shook his head, "Yeah he even went out on an unnecessary run with Maggie and Bob to find the cd for me."
"What song was it?" Abe ask from the driver's seat.
"All These Things I Have Done." Rick said
Abe began to whistle it and that in turn made Beth who was sitting next to him hum along. Noah chimed in from the backseat that he knows the song very well and began to give them all the history of how the band became famous.
Rick leaned in to Michonne so only she could hear him, "There was a heavy debate under the pavilion as to the meaning of the song, but Daryl set us all straight. It's about someone who has all that fight in them, passionate to all things that are important, and theydoubt if anyone can relate to what they are going through, not sure which direction to take. It is also about second chances."
Rick reached out to Michonne and she went to him. In his arms she cried; they both cried for Carol and especially for their brother who had just lost his wife...
Daryl picked the place that evening and immediately began to dig. He stops to lean on the shovel for a moment and resume digging again. It was painful to watch and no one dare approach him but Michonne, his eyes bloodshot as fresh tears flowed from his face again, Michonne pushes his dirty hair back, and stares into his eyes, she then reaches for the shovel and takes it from him, his hands, cracked and blistered, still had Carols blood on it, Rick takes the shovel from her and continue to dig. Glenn and Abe approach the three with shovels in their hands and help Rick finish digging the grave.
Much later by the light of the full moon they one by one each scope up a piece of dirt and pour it over Carol's body. Gabriel spoke something about life and death but looking at their faces Michonne knew they weren't really paying was looking at Daryl sitting beside her grave, and slowly, one by one they disperse leaving her, Rick, Carl, Glenn and Maggie with him.
Daryl finally spoke, "I promised her that if she were to get bit I would take care of it, she promised to do the same for me but this..."
His voice trails off.
Maggie spoke up but Daryl silenced her as he shook his head, "Don't bother."
He then stood up and made his way towards the house, they all looked at each other; a look of worry on their faces as they silently followed Daryl inside.
The days turn into weeks and the weeks into months although things were hard especially for Daryl in the beginning things fell into place; they all had work to do especially with the reinforcing of the fence Abe pointed out to Rick the first time they saw the place. Everyone had a different way of coping, Daryl wasn't much of a talker anyway, only having to speak when need be and half the time it was just a grunt, talking has become an exhausting necessity to help pass the time. He waits for the usual knock on the attic door each morning from Rick, Michonne, or sometimes from Carl; they would wait for his response. He thought about Carol and his brother Merle. A few of those times he would think of his mother, his thoughts fell short when there was another knock on the door not sure who it came from, different from the others. Daryl pushes his hair out of his face and got up.
After visiting with Carol's grave Daryl found himself in the vegetable garden. He watches Sasha and Beth for a moment, 'If I can force myself to wake up this morning, I could try and help them.' Crushing the last of the cigarette he had he walks over to them.
"Here." He said as he takes the rake from Sasha.
They move back and watch in silent surprise that Daryl knew what he was doing. Daryl saw the look on their face and wasn't the least bit offended by it. He had watched Rick and Carl under Hershel's supervision plenty of times in the field of the prison to know what needed to be done.
That night it rained,first tapping against the walls of the house it continued well into the it was clear to walk around the property with Tyrese and Eugene Rick knew things were about to get seriousas the sky grew dark and the large clouds moved in. It was now falling heavily like the buzz of angry bees by the time they made it back to the house. Drenched from head to toe he acknowledges everyone inside before heading upstairs to change into dry clothes.
Michonne saw the way the ladies were looking at Rick in his wet brown shirt she discreetly hid the smirk on her face. Carl plops down on the couch next to her and sighs heavily the comic he was reading opened over his face.
"I'm bored out of mind." He says
Michonne chuckles, marking the book she was reading with her index finger and turn to face him, "Now being bored is a luxury considering what is out there. Where's Judith?"
Carl removes the comic book from his face, "With Beth, they're both taking a nap."
"Then go find Eugene and Tara, I'm sure Mr. Wizard is up to something in that makeshift science lab of his."
"Hey I'll go with you." Noah said as he walks back into the living room with his second peach pie.
"Cool." Carl gets up from the couch and makes his way up the stairs, coming back down a few seconds later to grab a jacket from the hallway closet.
"And tell Eugene do not blow up the barn."Rick says from up the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah – later Dad, see you Michonne."
Rick in dry clothes, stood in the entryway of the living room a towel around his neck as he dried his hair off; she looks up and sees his bright blue eyes staring right back at her. Michonne raises her brow at him.
Maggie and Rosita watch them both from the comfort of loveseat feeling how quickly the air shifted; they caught on quickly and both stood up.
"How about a movie Glenn... "
Glenn, in the middle of an intense battleship match with Abe and has yet to make his move, glances her way confusedly before facing the board again, "maybe later."
"No, now." Maggie said as she reached for his hand and gently tugged it. Rosita does the same with Abe but she nudges him and tilts her head in the direction of Rick and Michonne. Finally catching on Glenn chuckled, Abe, about to say something was shushed by Rosita. Taking their men by the hands they leave the room; they round the corner and already begin voting and vetoing 'Predator' and 'All about Eve.'
Rick makes his way towards her.
"I was just about to take a nap and now I can't," he says.
"Judith's down for a nap – you can."
Rick nods his head, "Yeah I just checked on her. She's with Beth, they're both out."
Rick picks up the comic book Carl left behind and eyes it before sitting down next to her.
"What are you reading?" He asks.
Michonne chuckled as she adjusts herself.
"That one is Carl's, I haven't read it yet. I missed you this morning."
"Yeah I know, wanted to walk the property line again, and I didn't think we would get caught in the rain."
Sliding the comic on the table in front of them Rick places his hand around her shoulder pulling her towards him. They've been so busy lately with the fortifying the place, adding traps even building a lookout where both Daryl and Sasha could be stationed. On any other day it would have been interrupted by the dead or someone needing or asking for something. Rick was glad for the nearness and the private moment.
Michonne inhales the soap he uses that morning, "I really like that shirt on you Rick."
Rick looks down at his shirt then back at Michonne, "Really?"
"No, not that one," She said while shaking her head, "the brown one. Where did you find it?"
"In one of the drawers in our room, it's a bit tight..."
"No, not tight, it's perfect."
Rick blushes as he laughs it off, "No, you're perfect Michonne."
Michonne bits her lower lip as she stares at his lips before glancing back up at him. She then leans forward, their lips touch;it is slow at first with Michonne's hand in his hair. She then deepens the kiss. Both being in a slightly uncomfortable position, Rick gently pushes her back only to adjust them both with him on top of her. Gazing upon each other's eyes, aligned perfectly Michonne felt the hardness in his jeans and had to bring up the obvious.
"You know we're still in the living room right, a high traffic area."
"Oh, I am aware."
With his fingertip he made a small circle around her right breast and watched her nipple harden at his he did the same to the as the nipples hardened he dipped his head down and took his time nibbling at them. His hand slowly made its way to the top of her jeans, with ease he had it unbuttoned and unzipped.
"Open your legs." He whispers to her.
She obliged his request and immediately jolted at the sudden touch; he watches her as his finger finds her sweet spotfirst. With a tease he ran his finger over her clit, deliberate and gentle. Michonne moves her hips against his finger, letting him know that she wants more. She holds on to him and lets another moan escape from her lips, knowing how vocal she can be she bites down on his neck. With his finger now deep inside her he slowly moves within her. It took a lot of will power to not pull his cock out and fuck her right there when he felt her lock down on his finger.
"Oh God - ..." Michonne closes her eyes and arches her body towards him, she was close and Rick knew this but he was in no hurry. Like a dirty talking life coach Rick encourage her to cum and she did. Covering her mouth with a kiss, it was sloppy because she was in the middle of a moan that was about to get really loud. Rick didn't want to draw any attention on the fact that he had her cum right there in the open on the couch, so he gets up takes her hand and leads her to their room. With the weight of him on his bedroom door he locks it and watches her as she takes her clothes off in the room. Michonne then sat on the edge of his bed; both shared a look of love and lust on their faces.
Michonne spoke up, "No distractions, and no traffic. Take off your clothes for me Rick so I can return the favour."