OK, here it is. The big reunion.

Warning; By the end, you may hate me.

In Another Life

Back downstairs, they waited impatiently for Glenns return. Andrea paced, adjitated, but when the doors finally opened, the first thing she did was grab the intruder by the collar and press his back against a pile of boxes, holding her gun to his face.

"We're all dead because of you, asshole!" She said, violently, before her eyes met those of the man she was threatening and her hand dropped. His eyes were wide, locked on her face, disbelieving, his mouth open as if to speak. Words, however, seemed to evade him.

The others were speaking, she knew, but for a moment, everything else flew out of her head. She couldn't think of the group, she couldn't think of Lori or Carl or Shane, she couldn't think of Amy, she couldn't even think of Penny. All she could think of was how Rick was standing in front of her, looking at her with eyes full of disbelief and amazement, and how he was real and true and here.

They moved simultaneously, her gun dropping to the floor, careless that the shock could set it off. His arms were around her back, pulling her ever closer, while hers twisted through his hair. She could feel him, warm and solid in her arms, hear the rush of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears, taste him as their lips moved together, as well as the saltiness of her own tears, which fell, unashamedly, down her cheeks.

It was so untrue, so impossible...but the moment had to end sometime and, finally, one of the others coughed and Rick tore his lips from hers, pressing his forehead against hers. They were both panting, both crying, both overwhelmed by the situation. She laughed, in need of a release of emotion of some sort, and her arms wound around his neck, closing the distance between their bodies completely, as he held her so tightly that she was actually lifted a little off the floor.

"Andrea." He breathed her name, as if he had to say it, just to be sure and she nodded, tears mingling with her nervous laughter.

"Lets give them a minute." She heard Jaqui say, and the woman herded the others away from them.

The room was empty, but still Andrea didn't step away. Thoughts of his wife and his son enterred her mind, finally, but she still couldn't bring herself to distance herself from him. His arms were wrapped so tightly around her that she thought even if she wanted too, she couldn't tear herself away from him.

"I can't believe it." He whispered, "You're here."

She nodded and unwound her arms from around his neck to take hold of his hands and press his knuckles to her lips. "I'm here." She confirmed. "I can't believe you're here."

She noticed he was wearing his sherriffs uniform and slowly unfastened the first few buttons of his shirt, moving it out of the way and running her hand over the bullet wound. It was healed, but scarred. She looked from it to his eyes and saw them filled with such intense emotion that her knees turned to jelly and butterflies appeared in her stomach.

"This has to be a dream." She told him, shaking her head slightly and he smiled, holding her chin in place as he kissed her once again, this time softly, slowly.

"Best dream I've had in a long time." He whispered against her lips and she trembled.

It was then that reality kicked in and her heart, which had rejoiced at seeing him again, alive and well, at having him kiss her and hold her, shattered.

"Lori." She whispered back, their lips still close enough that the movement brushed her own against his. He froze and she watched the expression in his eyes change from soft to confused to shocked. She sighed and stepped away from him, immediately feeling cold as she missed the close proximity.

"Lori..." He mumbled, raking a hand through his hair. He turned away from her and she sighed, deciding it was better to break the ice now than to surprise him later.

"We have a camp...she's there."

He spun back around to look at her, eyes wide. "And Carl?"

She nodded. "Carl is there."

Ricks eyes closed and she watched his lips move in a silent prayer. His hands rested on his head and he crouched, unable to support the weight of the information she'd just piled onto him. She couldn't move; she felt immobilized.

How could she have found him and lost him again in such a short space of time? It was like the universe was teasing her with happiness and then cruelly snatching it away from her. She couldn't bring herself to smile as he beamed up at her.

"My son is safe." He was overcome with emotion once again and his head dropped, a sob wracking his shoulders. "Oh, thank god."

He was so humbled and so typically human in that moment that, once again, she longed to wrap her arms around his shaking body and cry with him. But she'd erected a wall between them by telling him that his wife and son were alive.

She hadn't told him that his wife was sleeping with his friend; she had a feeling that, if she had, they might have been better off.

OK...so do you love me or hate me?

I've come to the conclusion that, right now, I'm kind of like marmite. Which is ironic. Because I hate marmite...

I hope you guys don't hate me, but after that emotional rollercoaster of a chapter, I won't blame you if you do ;)

Love you guys, thank you for your awesome reviews! This is now my most reviewed fic, ever, in any fandom! So thanks!

Here, have some virtual cake!

S x