I don't own the Walking Dead or characters, seriously. If I did, then episode 5 of season 6 would be total BETH ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Blackbird Singing

Chapter 12

Her blood was pounding in her ears, a roar like the stormy ocean, and all encompassing. Her heartbeat was loud, hammering hard in her chest and through her head. Rick's gaze on her was expectant, patient, and it made her feel more nervous than ever.

"I met Lori and Carl at the grocery store," she blurted out.

"Yes. I'm well aware," Rick said dryly.

He didn't say anything else though, so Beth continued. "You have a wonderful boy."

"Beth." Rick grabbed her chin with his other hand while he still held her close, and forced her to look at him. "I'm not mad at you. You ran into my ex-wife in a public setting. It's not like you can hide out and avoid her, but she called me up on Sunday to tell me about how you threatened her and humiliated her. That doesn't sound like you, so I need to hear both sides of the story."

"I thought you might be mad," Beth murmurred. She blushed. "I said hello, and Carl asked if I was your girlfriend, then Lori made some jab about us having a fling, so I told her as nice as I could it's none of her business and if things get serious, it's between you and me of who we tell and how. I then told her to have a nice day and ran off faster than I probably should have." It all came rushing out of her so much easier than she had expected.

Rick hugged her, suddenly and fierce, and Beth felt him trembling.

"Rick?"

Then, Beth realized that Rick was trembling because he was laughing.

"Only you could be so polite and piss Lori off in one bit." Rick kept laughing, a little more heartily now, and Beth admitted to herself how nice the sound was. It was deep, rich, a little geeky with a bit of a snort at the end when he finally died down, but it was all purely Rick in the end. "Why did you think I'd be mad?"

Beth shrugged, feeling helpless. "I don't know. Things have been going well, but Lori made it sound like she'd raise hell since I'm with you."

Rick's expression sombered. "Yeah, she might give us some trouble soon." He ran a hand through his hair, slightly agitated. "But, she has no right to do anything. We have a solid custody agreement, and it's not like you and I are fucking in my house while Carl is around." He laughed again. "Hell, I wouldn't mind just going part of that route in general."

Beth lightly smacked him on the chest, but still smiled. "Rick! Have you no shame?"

He nuzzled her, causing her to squeal in delight, nipping at the skin twice before saying, "No I don't. Guess I'm just an old dog."

She pulled him closer. "But you're my dog."

Rick was giving her a look she was unsure of, but it twisted her stomach in the best and worst way possible, and made her almost want to cry, all at once. It had her nervous and excited all at the same time. Lord, help her.

"Beth, I think I should tell you-"

"You two lovebirds better not be having sex in there!" Tara said loudly, on the other side of the door. The pair jumped apart as the door opened, Tara holding a hand over her eyes. "I have opened the door. Please make sure you are dressed before I remove my hand." She then looked at the couple, and sighed. "You guys! You're supposed to have your clothes all thrown back on and look guilty. This just looks boring. Straight people suck."

"Good to see you too, Tara," Rick said, though there was a bit of a sparkle in his eyes.

"Your wings are ready, lover boy."

He nodded. "Thanks." He turned to Beth. "I'll see you for a refill."

Beth nodded furiously, cheeks and ears bright red. "Okay."

With that, he left, brushing past her, and leaving her alone in a broom closet with Tara staring at her expectantly. The dark haired woman put her hands on her hips, eyebrow arched in question at the blonde. Beth was sure she had already blushed as much as she could, but that gesture was enough to set her ears on fire once more.

"We didn't do nuthin," Beth muttered.

"Oh I know," Tara said. She giggled. "But what were you talking about?"

"Lori."

"Oh man, of all the things to send you into the closet, it's that bitch?" Tara went into the closet and hugged Beth a little more tightly and closely than the blonde expected, but it was comforting all the same. For as outrageous as Tara was, she was still a good friend ever since Beth moved into King County. "You know I'm not gonna let her go and ruin everything for you and Rick, right? You two are seriously good for each other. That doesn't happen often." She kissed Beth on the cheek. "Now come on, let's get out of the closet."

Beth laughed.


The rest of Beth's shift went relatively easy. It was a bit of a slow night, for which she was thankful. She was a bit of a gimp in the boot and it was a workout to move around like she was. However, Shane and Rick had stuck around in her section, letting her know they'd close their tab when her shift was up, which was bar close anyway.

Shane eased the tension of the earlier situation with more beer and wings, keeping the alcohol flowing freely. The combination of his best friend and good food and drinks seemed to relax Rick as well, the tension easing from the man's shoulders, as well as easing the heated looks that were thrown Beth's way.

Soon, the end of the evening drew near. Most patrons had left, downing the last of their drinks when last call had been shouted out. Shane paid the tab for him and Rick, wishing Beth a good night and saying goodbye to the rest of the Final Go Round crew before heading out. However, Rick stayed, just watching and waiting patiently.

With the last tab closed, Beth sat at Rick's table at the bar after cleaning her section. She grabbed her calculator and began closing her shift, efficiently counting the cash and credit card receipts.

"I won't be long, Morgan just has to double check it," Beth murmured.

"I got time," Rick said, and Beth felt the implications behind those words.

She nodded and hurried to the back, where Morgan was in his office. He typing in the others' receipts into a ledger spreadsheet on Excel, but turned around when he heard Beth trudge in with her boot. He smiled at her, though the smile died down when he saw Beth's eyes.

"What's wrong, child?" he asked.

"Just a long day, but nothing I can't handle," Beth answered. She smiled, a little bigger. "I'm no good at saying things and it got me in a little bit of trouble is all. I'm sure it'll all be fine though."

Morgan nodded. "He'll come around." He laughed at the look on Beth's face. "It's a small town and we work in a place with the worst gossips. Of course I'm going to hear about you running into Lori and not telling Rick. He's not mad about you running into Lori, you know. He's frustrated that he can't just outright woo you like a normal man."

Morgan sighed, a sad look in his eyes. His wife had passed away from cancer a few years ago, so it had been just him and his son, Duane, who was Carl's age. "A woman like Lori is not someone who walks away from something, even if she was the one that broke it in the first place. And her seeing you with Rick, or even whispers of it, makes her mad. You're taking her toy away from her and she doesn't like it. Before you came to town, Rick was turning into an alcoholic, completely miserable. But since you've been here...he's happy. Happier than I've seen him in a long time, and that's thanks to you."

Beth felt a lump in her throat. "Morgan, I don't want to mess things up. I don't want to make it hard for him and Carl. It's not my place to."

"No!" Morgan looked at her, something fierce in his eyes. "No, it's not your place to decide to leave if things get hard for Rick. That's his own journey, but Beth, he cares for you. He's cared about you the day he met you, and I know you're younger than him and you have a lot to live for yet, so you have got to decide if you're in it for the long haul or not."

During the exchange, he had taken Beth's receipts and cash payments from her, typing them into the computer while he spoke.

"He's still waiting for you, isn't he?"

"Probably."

Morgan nodded. "G'on then. Have a good night, Beth. And remember, long haul or not."

"Good night, Morgan."

She left the office and headed back to the front, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Morgan had made several excellent points, and while she knew things with Rick were never just a fling or anything like that, the fact that others were viewing the seriousness of their relationship was terrifying. It felt like she was being pushed along and she didn't want that. She wanted things with Rick to flow their natural way and progress how they decided they wanted to, not how others viewed it.

Morgan meant well, but meaning well and doing well were two completely different things. She decided that she would probably still stay quiet about her relationship around others, for the most part. Things might be for the better that way.

The main lights in the restaurant and bar were turned off, with Rick in the same spot Beth had left him. He was hunched over the table, his brow furrowed in concentration, and the harsh set of his shoulders had her feeling like she needed to hug all his stress away.

She limped over to him, her hand sliding up along his back until it rested at the base of his neck, and she saw much of the tension melt away. His clear, blue eyes looked at her with hope, exhaustion, and that something that caused so many unspoken emotions in her.

"Done for the night?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yup. Section's all cleaned and I closed out my register."

He held his hand out to her. "Let's go to my house. I'll drive you."

"You sure?"

He kissed her forehead as he stepped away from the table. His lips were warm, comforting and thrilling as they touched her skin. "I'm sure."

Without another word, he helped her into his pickup, quickly driving out of the dark parking lot and to his house.

The drive was quiet, almost uncomfortably so. Rick's fingers drummed impatiently along the steering wheel and dashboard. Beth chewed at her nails and stared at the window, the streetlights casting shadows as they passed by.

It wasn't too long until they were in Rick's driveway, parked outside the quaint home, all the lights inside turned off. Beth turned to Rick to ask if Carl happened to be around, but was instead met directly with a kiss from the older man that hot and hungry. She returned the kiss as soon as the surprise of it wore off, fumbling with her seatbelt to find a better position.

Once free, Rick was on top of her, hands roaming and needy. She felt a tingle, the spark go through her every time their skin touched. He was drawing long, low moans out of her, and she felt like she'd catch fire at any moment.

"We're never gonna make it into the house if you keep this up." Beth felt like she was gasping each word, and trembled when Rick's hand skimmed along her thigh, fingers teasing at the hem of her shorts. "Rick, you make me want to do things even in a cast."

He pulled back a moment, and looked at her. They both probably had the same, crazed and horny light in their eyes, and she knew that he no longer cared about her physical limitations. They had waited weeks, no months...longer it felt, and she wanted him right then and right now.

"Fuck it."

He was out of the pickup and had Beth out of the passenger side faster than she could blink, it felt like. He kept kissing her as he carried her bridal style to the house, nearly stumbling as he tried to balance her and open the door, but still mindful of her cast.

He was nearly to the top of the landing when she noticed his legs were nearly ready to give out.

"Rick!" she laughed. "I can walk to the bed just fine."

"I can carry you, dammit," he huffed. "I'm not that old."

"Oh I don't know about that." She found herself giggling.

He gently tossed her on the bed when they made it to the bedroom, and he hadn't dropped her once.

"I'll show you."

And then he was on top of her again, hands a little less needy, but there was the underlying sense of urgency there. They knew they both knew that they could no longer wait, that trivial things like a broken leg and crazy ex-wives weren't enough to stop them. What Rick and Beth had was special, and they needed to mark it, mark each other, in the best way possible.

She ripped his shirt off, and explored the expanse of him, admiring his physique yet again, and he gently stripped her of her clothes until she lay naked before him, legs slightly spread and a light sheen of sweat across her body, cheeks flushed with desire.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever known," he whispered as he worshiped her body with his mouth. She moaned at the warm wetness of his kisses, arching into him, limbs quivering. "I want you to stay, stay so bad."

"I'll stay," she murmured. "I'll always stay."

He nipped at her thighs, that bit of sharpness with the slightest hint of pain, but the sensation of pleasure that overtook it was just right, and caused a physical ache in her. She could feel her pussy dripping, and arched herself into him so that he may relieve the ache in any way possible. He read that desire, and his fingers brushed her outer lips, spreading her so that his mouth was on her clit, and sucked for a moment before letting his fingers dip into her and tease her into a frenzy.

"Oh please oh please," she said frantically. "Just fuck me."

He rolled of her then, and got off the bed. "Touch yourself for a minute." He began pulling his pants off as quickly as he could, and she could have sworn his erection, already large and ready, grew more, when she complied to his request. "Oh fuck." He stumbled to his bedside table, grabbing a condom, and putting it on hastily before he was back on top of her, grabbing the hand which she had touched herself with. "You sure?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Then he was in her, and it was tight, hot, amazing, and wonderful. He pulled at her hair, kissing her neck, his other hand gripping her waist, while she hooked her good leg around his waist, her hands feeling whatever part of him that she could.

Their pace was a little awkward at first: she hadn't been with too many men and had definitely never done it with a cast, and it'd been quite some time since he had even gotten laid. Still, it wasn't long until they were moving with a purposeful unison, both moaning in pleasure as the pace increased, and that wonderful peak was nearly felt, that pleasureful moment to completion intensifying with every gyration.

"Beth," he half whispered/moaned. His movements became erratic and uncontrolled, and she saw his face as he reached his orgasm, though he kept moving, desperately trying to get her there as well.

And then she shattered.

The intensity was surprising, though it was unfortunately a little short lived, but she did her best to ride the wave of her orgasm before it quickly crashed away from her. He had stilled as she came, riding down from his own high, and waiting until she was finished before slowly pulling out of her. He shook his head apologetically.

"I didn't really get you, did I?" he asked. She could see the doubt of him, set so clearly in his body as he looked down at his now flaccid penis. "I'm sorry."

The language of his body screamed insecurity: insecurity at being an older man with a younger woman, of not having satisfied her completely, and she felt her heart break just a little.

"You did," she answered. She reached out to grab his arm when he went to roll away. "It was great, Rick." He rolled back to face her. "It was perfect and it was us. That's what matters. I loved it, did you?"

"Of course," he said, his voice hoarse. His eyes watered. "I feel like I'm sixteen and that I'm going to fuck things up."

Beth shook her head. "Never.

He kissed her, soft and quick. "Thank you." He sat up then. "I'm gonna go wash up for a minute. Need anything?"

She yawned. "Would it...would it be okay if I stayed, maybe?"

"I was hoping you would."

Author Note: I am a terrible person, and I apologize for being terrible. College started back up, and I've just been focusing on being an adult who puts too much on her plate. Between that, work, my husband taking on debate as a coach, our daughter in dance and...life got crazy in good and bad ways. Trust me though, I've had this on my mind for a while, and the guilt increased every day I lacked in updating. I am so sorry! However, happy I didn't end on a slight cliffhanger this time, right? lol - I hope this didn't turn a bunch of people away. I'm still here for all your lovely Brick needs! Btw, what's everyone think of season 6? We haven't had a chance to watch it, but we're hopefully binge watching it tonight :) Also, a side note...I thought I knew where this story was going, but I think it's taking on a mind of its own, and I hope that you'll all join in on the ride. Give me your thoughts, give me your well-worded criticisms. I apologize for editing errors. If there's anything major, let me know, I didn't read anything when I picked it up again (I had just started them getting to Rick's and knew it was going to end in sexy times before I had taken a break). Last question: sex scene okay? I'm always looking over my shoulder at work, terrified the boss will see my smut, so I'm caught between wanting to write extra filthy, and just keeping it somewhat implied.

Thank you all for your continued support! Happy reading :D