A/N: this is a work of fan fiction and not meant to infringe upon the properties of Kirkman/Moore/AMC.
I am really excited about writing this story. I wanted to watch the finale for season 5 before I posted another chapter. It didn't end how I expected...so once I catch up to where the show left off, I will be taking the lead from the comics.
Redemption (The Road to Alexandria)
By Leah Pensotti
Chapter 11: Brawling Love, Loving Hate
Lat the next morning, Anna walked downstairs to find Spencer asleep on the couch. She had stayed up late with him; talking about Aiden, his family and how this is the first true loss they have suffered. She knew how he felt. She shared with him about her parents and then losing Phillip in Atlanta.
She didn't know what to do or how to go about her day.
Finally, once Spencer awoke in the afternoon, Anna decided to go back to Spencer's home and pay her respects to Reg and Deanna. She dressed in the black sundress and white sweater and left her hair down. They left her home and walked past Rick's house. It occurred to her he probably saw this and would equate it to whatever he liked.
But she didn't care. Spencer was a nice man. And a friend.
Anna Marber, widow, had the unfortunate and unenviable position of being hung up on someone who was hung up on someone else. A married someone else.
In fact, she was angry at Rick. Assuming she was hopping into bed with Spencer instead of seeing how plainly she felt about Rick himself. It had to have been written all over her face.
So he could believe whatever he wanted at this point. But Anna knew that since she had met Rick...only his name had been on her heart.
At the moment, though, he had become something she didn't recognize...something she didn't like.
When they reached the Monroe residence, Anna looked at Spencer and hesitated, "I wish I had something to bring. A casserole. Flowers."
Spencer nodded, "I don't want to go in there, but I have to."
"Your parents will want you to be with them."
With that, Spencer opened the door. His parents came running from the direction of the sitting room. His mother threw her arms around him, "Where have you been?"
"It was too hard to be at home. I went to talk to Anna."
Deanna Monroe let go of her remaining son and hugged Anna to her, "Thank you, sweet girl, for taking care of my son."
Anna hugged Deanna back and felt her heart plummet into her stomach. Her resolve was going to snap at any minute, "I'm so sorry Deanna."
She stood in the foyer holding onto Deanna until the congresswoman broke the embrace and waved them both into the sitting room, "Come in for some tea."
Deanna told her about interviewing Glen and Nicholas that morning about the scouting mission. She looked so pale, grief stricken...but determined to lead. Reg remained silent as she went into the events of meeting Rick in the cemetery.
"I'm worried about Rick. Some of the things he said...disturbed me."
Anna acted like she didn't know what she was talking about, "I'm sure he is just reeling."
"I would appreciate it if you could talk to him. Maybe talk some sense into him."
Anna wanted to laugh out loud at the notion that Rick Grimes would ever listen to her in regards to the welfare of his group.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea. He has been...on edge."
"Clearly. I saw it this morning."
Anna didn't know what Deanna was talking about, what exactly Rick had said. She didn't want to press, either.
After awhile, Anna and Spencer and the Monroe's decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. They all wanted to get outside, the house and Aiden's ghost was suffocating them.
Halfway around the block, they heard breaking glass, fighting and screaming.
"What in the hell is that?" Spencer muttered and they all took off toward the sounds of trouble.
They reached the front of Jessie and Pete's house, glass everywhere. Rick and Pete were bloodied and fighting in the street with Jessie, Carl, Enid, Carol and Michonne keeping a close distance. Deanna demanded them to stop but they did not, Jessie tried to pull Pete away, and he backhanded her in the face and continued fighting. Rick took the advantage and reversed their positions and beat away at Pete's face. Carl attempted to stop his father, and his father pushed him back and he fell to the ground.
Anna tried to run towards Carl, but Spencer held her back. She was livid at Rick.
Rick sat up, still straddling Pete and pulled a gun when Deanna and Reg tried to approach.
"You gonna kick me out? You still don't get it. None of you do! We know what needs to be done and we do it. We're the ones who live. You— you just sit and plan and hesitate. You pretend like you know when you don't! You wish things weren't what they are. You wanna live? You want this place to stay standing? Your way of doing things is done! Things don't get better because you want them to. Starting right now, we have to live in the real world. We have to control who is here."
Anna felt tears in her eyes. And looked from Rick to Jessie. He was doing all of this for her. Another man's wife. The man he had just publically beaten in the street and pushed his own son away in the process.
"That's never been more clear to me than it is right now." Deanna said sternly.
With that final word, Michonne, in her constable's uniform caught Rick by surprise and knocked his lights out.
When Rick hit the ground, Anna broke from Spencer's grasp and ran to comfort Carl.
Carol and Anna walked Carl home and tended to Judith. Carol made them dinner and they ate together in silence. Anna would not have it for these children...she wished she could take them away somewhere safe...but that place, it seemed, didn't truly exist.
She sang Judith to sleep that night, weeping and wishing she could hold her own child and be back into her happy life with Phillip.
Instead she lived in fear, and wanted dangerous man.
And she wanted him still, even after what she saw in the street today.
When the children went to bed, Anna and Carol sat on the couch and Carol finally broke her silence.
"Rick knows that Pete had been beating Jessie. I told him. I learned it from her youngest son."
Anna knew she should want Jessie to be safe. But all of this just allowed Rick to act as he wanted to in the name of keeping her safe...all the while coveting her.
"That's terrible," Anna finally managed.
Carol did not hesitate to chuckle, "I know you don't like her."
She felt embarassed...and guilty, "That doesn't mean that I want her husband to beat her...or that I don't care. I guess I just don't understand what Rick sees in her."
"I guess I could say the same thing about what you see in Rick?"
Anna burned bright red. She could feel it.
But before she could answer, a knock came on the door. Anna happily excused herself to go and answer it. Michonne stood on the porch, "Hey Anna. Would you mind coming with me?"
Anna raised her eyebrows, "Am I being arrested?"
Michonne didn't smile or laugh but responded, "No. We moved Pete to a different house and put Rick in one to settle things down. Rosita is tending to Tara, and Pete obviously can't clean Rick up. You said you know basic first aid and how to do sutures. And that's exactly what Rick needs."
"Are you sure there isn't anyone else?"
"He's out cold. You wouldn't have to talk to him."
Anna felt wholly uncomfortable, but ultimately agreed. She said goodbye to Carol and walked with Michonne down the street. She led Anna to the house where Rick was being kept and when she entered, it was only furnished with a matress, a pillow , a lamp and a chair. Rick was sprawled out, covered in blood and stripped out of his uniform.
Her subconscious groaned. Why? Why did she have to do this?
Trying not to let Michonne see her true feelings, she walked to the mattress and sat beside Rick's warm body. He looked like hell. Michonne handed her a first aid kit that must have come from the clinic and a bowl of water and a wash cloth.
Michonne sat in the chair and watched as Anna began to clean the blood off Rick's face to see exactly what she is working with. When she finished and reached for the first aid kit and for the rubbing alcohol, she muttered, "Rick, you idiot."
"I concur," Michonne agreed.
She cleaned and patched him up, luckily he needed very few stitches. Michonne helped her get him into a fresh t-shirt and Anna tucked him in to bed. She couldn't help the tender feelings she had towards him. She wished he would wake up, look at her and feel the same.
Anna and Carol spent the night with Carl and Judith, and the next morning, Carl decided he wanted to finish "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH". He and Anna took turns reading chapters out loud until the last page was read.
"We're the mice aren't we? Having to move before we die?"
She looked at Carl and shook her head, "I don't think so. If anything, I think we are closer to the rats. We've been tested and we're intelligent and wanting to be self sufficent."
Carl sat thoughtfully for a moment, "Do you think Michonne would let me visit dad?"
"Of course she would."
Carol said she would like to see Rick as well, and she walked with Carl to where he has being kept. Anna stayed with Judith and decided to sit with her on the porch. She saw Spencer on his way for his turn guarding the gate. She waved at him, and he stopped by to say hello. Judith clapped and he smiled, nearly inspite of himself.
"How are you doing? How are your parents?"
Spencer shrugged, "Busy. Sad. Tired. Mom is calling a meeting tonight, for residents. They are going to talk about Rick. You should probably be there. To make a case for him. All of you should."
Anna shrugged and bounced Judith up and down on her knees, "I don't recognize him right now. I don't think it's my place."
"They are bringing up banishment, Anna."
Her hands trembled as she held Judith. Spencer studied her carefully, "I could be good to you, Anna. Take care of you."
"Spencer..." She started.
"Just hear me out. I'm prepared to wait. But everything that has happened with Aiden has just made it all the more clear what I want, and what I should be doing with the life I have left."
Anna wished she could love Spencer. But Rick and the banishment dominated her thoughts. What about the children? She had to see him as soon as she could.
Spencer touched Judith gently on the head and then Anna's cheek. She felt tears sting in her eyes and he caught one with his finger tip, "I'll see you tonight. Maybe you'll let me walk you home?"
She nodded wordlessly, the words strangling in her throat.
As he walked away...Anna could only think of Rick and seeing him as soon as possible.
Soon after he awoke, Rick was visited by Michonne, Carol, Glenn, Maggie and Abraham. They told him about the meeting, but they didn't care for his plan. He cut their conversation short by telling them he was going back to bed.
But that plan was delayed when Anna showed up. Long, dark blonde hair loose and wild green eyes. She was keeping herself calm, but the tremble in her hands betrayed that. She took a seat on the matress hear him.
"Michonne told me you patched me up. Thank you...and thank you for watching Carl and Judy."
"Rick...we need to talk. Seriously. About what happened yesterday. They want to banish you."
He shook his head, "They can try."
"Carl and Judith need you. The group needs you. I need you, Rick. You can't throw everyone away for something...someone...you think you want. But you aren't seeing what is right infront of you. What you already have. You acted like a caveman yesterday. I half expected you to kill Pete, club Jessie over the head and drag her to your cave."
"You don't know what you are talking about."
Anna nodded, "I do know. You don't have to take. You need someone to give. That person isn't Jessie. Rick, whatever happens tonight, I am going with you. I'd follow you into hell if you'd ask me."
It was then he saw it...the ferocity in her eyes. He reached out to her, and took her trembling hand in his. He knew she mean every word she spoke.
"Anna, you don't need me. You are strong enough to lead or take care of yourself. whatever might happen tonight, I need you to take care of Carl and Judith for me."
Anna shook her head, "Rick..."
His hand traveled to her forearm and pulled her closer to him until they were inches apart, "Promise me."
Anna shivered and nodded, "I promise."
Rick watched her mouth form the words, and felt curious about how she would feel next to him. For a moment, his mouth hovered above hers and his hand traveled to the softness of her cheek. There was something about her. Something that he had originally mistaken as scared or too fragile. She was tenacious, kind and loving. She knew how to get under his skin and stay there.
Suddenly, someone opened the door, and before they appeared, Anna pulled away and broke the connection. She stood up and Carol entered the room.
"I'm sorry, do you all need a minute?"
Anna composed herself, "I was just on my way out."
He watched as she turned to go, and before she reached the door, she gave him a pleading glance.
A/N : so thankful for all the lovely reviews and reads of this story. Please let me know what you think! I love reviews!
