I do not own any of the TWD characters. Listen, I'm no lawyer – just enjoy the fricken story. Please spare me the comments on how a University Board of Trustees would never give in to such demands – bet they would if Negan were standing in front of them.

Guest Reviewer: Beth is only 18 – yes, she's a little immature. However, I thought she handled herself pretty well considering the circumstances.

AwkwardPause069 – Rick and Beth are in store for some changes, but don't you dare worry about them because they will do very well for themselves. And you are correct – Beth is going on do to some amazing, kick ass things in the world. She is most definitely NOT a wilting flower.

The Times They Are A Changing

Beth was waiting for Rick in their usual booth at their place. They met for lunch once a week at the Mexican restaurant and Rick spent every weekend at the farm. They texted every day and face timed each night before bedtime. It had been three weeks since the "meeting of the minds" and they only had one more week until Rick would be moving into the rental house that her parents had just never had the heart to get rid of.

Beth had already ordered for the both of them – it wasn't like she needed to because the server already knew what they would be having. Rick had texted before he left campus to let her know that he was running just a bit late so she wouldn't worry. Beth zoned out a bit while she was waiting – the memory of the meeting replayed in her mind just as clearly as if she were watching it on a video.

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By the time John Negan and Michonne Anthony finished with the Board of Trustees and President Graves, they were happy to give Rick and Beth anything they wanted just to get shed of them and to save what little bit of integrity they had left. The trustees thought they pretty much had their shit together until they met the likes of Negan and Michonne combined. Michonne and Negan had both blasted them while Rick and Beth pretty much just sat there and let their attorneys handle everything.

Each attorney pointed out that no rules had been broken by either party, both were consenting adults, and Rick at no point had been in any type of supervisory role with Beth – he wasn't a professor of any of her classes, he was not an advisor to her in any way. It had become obvious that the Trustees just didn't like the idea of their relationship and kept using vague accusations and terms like "frowned upon" and "not proper". When it was obvious they weren't getting anywhere, Negan decided to take things up a notch.

"Sooooo, I'm thinking what a good time it'd be to cast some shade on your athletic department" Negan said out of the blue.

"What?" President Graves questioned. That had been a word he'd used over and over all morning. "What?" "What?" he'd squawk every time Negan said something.

"Your. Athletic. Department." Negan said slowly. "Ya know, your recruiting practices, athletic spending, maybe ya got some coaches boinkin their players." Negan shoved his pelvis in the direction of one of the female trustees when he said the work boinkin causing her to blush.

"Bet there's at least a couple" he winked at all of them. "Might even be some homosexual freaky deaky shit goin on" he taunted.

President Graves got a funny look on his face. "Mr. Negan, this issue has nothing to do with the athletic department."

"Oh, I know, but hell. How much fun would that be? Ya know, just for shits and giggles" Negan said.

The vice – president of the athletic department broke out into a sweat and asked for a few private moments with the board.

Negan grinned ear to ear. "God, what a pussy" he'd barked out. "Sure, ya talk with your board."

Michonne had already rattled their cages earlier in the meeting with invasion of privacy accusations from where they'd involved Beth's parents.

"She is not a minor and you had no reason or right to involve the Greene family in this matter" Michonne had stated. "I'm wondering if you respect anyone's rights around here? You would certainly think a young, affluent Caucasian female's rights would be respected. Just makes me wonder how other, possibly more diverse student groups are treated….." Michonne trailed off.

Well, some of the board members damn near fell out in the floor at the implication. They didn't need to deal with any of those issues for sure.

"Yes" President Graves stammered "Could we have a few minutes to speak privately and we'll be right back with you all."

"By all means, take all the time you need" Michonne told the group.

"I'll be damned" Negan shouted. "Ya got ten minutes!"

The Fantastic Four went back out into the lobby to wait. The secretary had been caught standing extremely close to the door. Negan brushed up against her when he walked by. "Excuse me Sweetheart" he said as he pressed his crotch up against her.

The lady's face turned beet red and she scurried back to her desk. Michonne smirked at Negan's tactics – she'd heard of John Negan and his down n dirty strategies. Normally, she would find his demeanor disgusting but currently, it was funny as hell. He certainly was as everyone had described him – amazingly hot and utterly crass.

Five minutes later, one of the female trustees came into the outer lobby area. "We're ready to talk" she said quietly.

"Let's talk then" Negan stood all the while eyeing her up and down as if he had xray vision and could see through to her underwear. "By all means, let's fuckin talk" he said loudly. They all went back into the office.

Rick and Beth had already decided that they wanted nothing more to do with this school. The original ultimatum was for either Beth or Rick to leave – they didn't want both of them on campus any longer. Michonne agreed that neither would ever get a fair shake while dealing with the likes of these people and that leaving was probably in both of their best interest.

Negan was a bit more crude, of course, but agreed. "Oh, ya'll are gettin the fuck outta here, but it's gonna cost em – it's gonna cost em."

The Board was pretty much willing to listen to just about anything Negan and Michonne came up with to get rid of Rick and Beth. They didn't want any more trouble – trouble that when they stopped and thought about it – they had stirred up themselves.

Rick left the meeting with a glowing written letter of recommendation from every person in that board room. He was also granted a very generous severance package. All Rick had to do was finish out the academic semester – which meant he had to stay on campus until December 22.

They wanted Beth off campus – immediately. This meant she would not be able to complete classes or take any of her final exams. Michonne pointed out that they were dealing with a 4.0 student.

"She has worked hard in all of her classes and you just expect her to abandon that investment?" Michonne had questioned them. "I don't think so friends. No, her current GPA stands. She will get full credit for all of the courses she took this semester."

They all murmured and then agreed that, yes that seemed fair. She was after all, a good student.

"In addition" Michonne went in for the kill "Hershel Greene will be reimbursed this semester's tuition."

"Now, just one minute" one of the trustees spoke up.

Michonne turned her head to look him dead in the eye. "A small compensation considering the amount of pain and suffering this young lady has endured." Michonne looked to Beth.

As if on cue, Beth teared up. "The mental anguish has been so great that I believe I may have to seek a mental health professional." Beth rubbed at her temples – it was an over exaggerated show of what they were willing to do if they didn't agree to their terms.

"Just agree to it" one of the female trustees spit. "Hell, if you were in a court of law would you withhold anything from her – look at her. We just need to get this shit show behind us. And real quick like."

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Beth grinned to herself when she remembered the look on all of their faces when she turned the waterworks on. She was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't realize Rick was coming in the front door of the restaurant. The servers and hostess yelled at Rick and waved at him as he entered. Beth jumped up out of her booth seat and Rick wrapped her up in his arms as soon as he reached her.

They kissed and kissed for what seemed like an hour, not really caring that there were other people in the restaurant. "I missed you" Beth breathed out.

"Missed you too Baby" Rick said with her face in his hands while he just looked into her eyes. "Having a good week?"

They both sat down and started on their chips, salsa, and cheese dip. Beth nodded her head up and down. "Yep" she said.

"How's work?" Rick asked her.

"Great!" she chirped. "I learned how to process books this week – it's so much fun. I love it!"

"Good. I'm glad" Rick told her. "How's the house comin?"

"Pretty good I think" Beth said. She was dribbling cheese sauce down her chin. "The plumbers were there this morning when I left – think they're guttin the bathrooms today. You're probably gonna have to stay at the big house with us for at least a couple weeks."

"What a shame" Rick said sarcastically.

"How are things with you?" Beth asked obviously concerned.

"Aw, they're fine" Rick took a swig from his bottle. "Everybody's keepin their distance – fuckers. Just one more week Baby and I'll be home for good. Glen's gonna come this Friday and bring a load. Last chance to get rid of me." Rick grinned.

"Are ya kiddin?" Beth teased. "I could never get rid of you. Oh, I registered for my classes for next semester at the community college."

"Alright" Rick said. "Ya gonna try and keep workin or not?"

Beth nodded her head. "Yeh, I like my job too much to quit. They're going to let me work three days one week, two days the next – ya know so that it coincides with my classes."

Rick nodded his head in agreement, but grew pretty quiet. The server brought their plates to the table and asked if they needed anything else.

"No thank you" Beth told him. "Everything looks great."

Five or six bites in, Beth finally spoke up. "You okay?" she asked Rick.

"Yeh, of course I'm okay" Rick answered.

"No you're not" she said. "You've got something to say. Now spit it out."

Rick smiled and he wondered how Beth could already read his mind. He was never going to be able to keep anything from her.

"I'm just not sure where I go from here" he sighed. "I mean what the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Beth swallowed the cheesy goodness that was on her fork. "You do whatever the hell you want to do" she said. "What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure if I want to go back into an academic setting" Rick confessed. "I really miss the excitement and the not ever knowing what you were gonna face of what I used to do. Ya know when I was in the army."

Rick hadn't really talked much about his time in the army or oversees and she had never pushed it. She knew that when and if he was ready to talk, he'd talk about it. "What'd you do in the army?"

"Military police" Rick replied.

"Oh" Beth said. There were a few moments of silence. "So, what?" she asked "Like, ya think ya might want to be a cop or something?"

Rick looked at Beth. "There's an opening for a deputy in the sheriff's department back home." By back home, Beth knew that Rick was referring to his new home – the three bedroom, brick ranch at the end of her parents' driveway.

"Well, if that's what ya want to do" Beth said "then I think you should go for it."

"Ya sure?" Rick questioned her. "I mean, I don't think I want to do it forever, but I'm just not ready to get back onto a campus. Kinda wanta do this – my dad was a sheriff. I think I could be good at it."

"Of course you'd be good at it" Beth encouraged. "You'd be good at anything you do.'