Despite the sweat that coursed down her body and the uncomfortable thud of her radio and holsters against her hips, Carrie pushed herself run harder, thoroughly enjoying the burn and strain she felt in her body. Pulling her iPod from her bra, she clumsily skipped a couple of tracks to something a little more upbeat, her steady jog never faltering as she pounded her way around the walls of Alexandria.
It had been a few days since she'd been able to get outside the walls for a jog, their security practices having been tightened significantly in the two weeks since the unannounced arrival of the Wolf. But today she was determined to get the exercise she felt her mind and body craving. With the power outage there was likely to be a last minute supply run that afternoon, and she always hated going out when her body and muscles felt cold. Her morning jog was as necessary for the supply run as her gun was…she needed her blood pumping, adrenaline flowing. If she and Rick couldn't find the opportunity for a quickie, then hard exercise would have to be enough.
Slowing to a stop as she reached a certain location on her path, she breathed deeply as she looked around to assess the safety of the area. Pushing her sunglasses back up her nose, she took a small sip of water and paced back and forth for a few moments, rolling her shoulders and getting ready for her great feat of strength. Putting her water down on the ground, she shook her arms and then leapt up to grasp the top of the swing set frame. Two weeks ago when she'd been out jogging with Rosita her upper body strength had been the butt of jokes, and since then she'd been working to finally change that. Resting the urge to give a loud yell of success, she grinned stupidly as she managed to do a couple of chin ups. Remembering what else Rosita had been teaching her, she methodically recited the few curses and insults in Spanish she had learnt, wondering how Rosita was coming along with her French pronunciation. Now that Abraham had learnt enough Spanish to figure out exactly what Rosita was muttering under her breath, she'd been determined to learn French instead, and so was teaching Carrie Spanish in return.
Jumping down after successfully executing only three chin ups, she smiled in satisfaction as she collected her bottle of water and set off at a jog again. Just as she always did she felt her mind tuning out once again, her concentration focused solely on how her body felt as she exercised, on the steady thud of her heart and the sound of her feet on the ground. Completely relaxed, she was disappointed to hear her name being called out as she passed by the main gate and approached the tower. Another of their safety measures, she was no longer allowed to stray too far from the walls themselves, always needing to be within shouting distance. While it was a necessary safety measure, it was also a nuisance when she wasn't ready to be called back inside.
"Yeah?" she called out reluctantly, looking up at the tower.
"You gotta come back in," Stacey called out to her. "They want you at the solar panels."
Now almost certain that there'd be a supply run, Carrie nodded and then slowed her pace down as she approached the watch tower. Entering the code into the combination lock she let herself in and then swiftly climbed the stairs, though she intentionally began to slow her heart rate. If there was a supply run being planned, she would have to get prepared, gear up and then join in on the plans…this would be the end of her exercise for that day, but nevertheless it had been enough.
"You look like you've had fun," Stacy commented when she emerged through the trap door. "Oh, to be young and fit again."
Carrie grinned, always amused to see Stacy on watch with a large rifle like the one she was toting now. It had been a surprise to most that Stacy was an accomplished shooter already, that she was more than capable in handling large caliber rifles. Until those like Carter and Anna had publicly voiced their support for Rick's new regime, Stacy had kept quiet about her skills and hadn't volunteered to take watch from the tower. Now with the changes slowly being implemented, she seemed to step into the role with the haughty air of it being her idea all along. Carrie didn't care how Stacy came into the role, she just cared that it happened.
"You look like you had fun too," she commented. As she climbed through the window and began to cross the scaffolding that covered the gap between the tower and the wall, she gestured to the two shell casings on the floor. "Head shots?"
"Always."
Farewelling her, and grateful that her own rifle lessons were with Sasha and not Stacey, Carrie took another sip of her water as she climbed down from the platform and joined the small crowed of people by the solar panels. Rolling her shoulders and stretching her muscles as they began to cool down, she raised her sunglasses as she came and stood by Tara's side. "So, a supply run then?"
"Sure is," Tara nodded, gesturing to Eugene and Brody who stood by the electrical panel box. "Apparently the micro inverters have completely corroded. That's what's caused the black out."
"I thought he fixed the corrosion last week?"
Tara shrugged, far from an expert. "Heath's giving Nicholas directions to a warehouse in Washington where we can get some more."
"Heath's not coming with us?" she asked in disappointment. Though they generally relaxed when they were in Alexandria, more than fulfilling their duties each time they went on an extended supply run, occasionally Heath, Scott and Annie joined them on a supply run, particularly when they entered the city.
"He and Annie are still getting ready for their run the day after tomorrow, and Scott's still getting over the stomach flu Eugene has. It's just going to be the usual crew."
"Just the usual crew?" she questioned playfully, nudging Tara's side. "I wouldn't say just the usual crew."
"Ugh, yuck! You're all sweaty."
"Don't make me hug you."
"Go hug Eugene."
"No thank you. I could hear him puking all the way from the first house. I think I'll keep my distance," she remarked. "But alright, I'll go take a shower. What time are we leaving?"
"I'm not sure. Glenn and Aidan are talking to Rick now, check with them."
Taking her leave, Carrie smiled and said hello to the other residents as she passed them by. Though a great deal of it was only superficial, she had to say that she was enjoying the change in atmosphere around the community. Ever since Carter had pulled that stupid stunt and tried to kill Rick, only to be publicly forgiven for it, the residents had settled into a much more comfortable sense of community. Rick and his inner circle were still very much the subject of resentment, and certainly Erin's crush on him had come to a devastating end, but the general feeling was much better. When she considered the tone both before and after the events of the last two weeks, Carrie better understood Rick's reasons for wanting to keep her completely innocent to his plan to bring in the Walker, to force the new way of doing things on the residents. It had worked, and her innocence in the matter had allowed her, for the most part, to maintain the relationships she'd spent much time developing.
As she returned home she passed Glenn and Aidan as they were departing the first house where they had been speaking with Rick about their plans. They conversed for a short while, telling her they planned to leave at around eleven thirty, give or take half an hour. Assuring them she'd be joining their preparations as soon as she could, she continued on home with the knowledge that she'd likely find Rick alone. Just as she hoped, he was the only one at home.
"Hey," she greeted him, pausing at the front door to put her gun in the safe. "Glenn gave you the news, I take it?"
"Yeah," Rick answered, sitting at the island bench reading a schematic of the solar panels. "A supply run…"
"That's right," she agreed cheerfully, heading into the kitchen with a quick coffee on her mind. "Should be an easy enough run though. Heath's giving us directions, and Aidan just said the roads are…" she trailed off with a sigh, remembering that without power, there was no coffee maker. "I hate instant coffee," she muttered. The camping stove was set up…she could make tea…
"Coffee snob," Rick muttered under his breath.
Giving up on the idea of a hot drink, she turned around to him. "What was that?" she teased, pretending to have misheard.
"Nothing," he shrugged, though the tell tale smile on his face indicated he was playing with her. "I didn't say a thing."
Considering him for a moment, she recognised the twinkle in his eye. "Where is everyone?" she enquired. "I know Carl's at the woodshed working with Tobin."
"Michonne's on watch. Carol's at book club while Judith takes her nap."
She pretended to take this all in, innocently stretching her arms and rolling her shoulders back. Rick was so predictable it was almost funny, and his eyes darted straight to her cleavage before looking back at the schematic. He was still smiling to himself, his fingers restlessly tapping against the kitchen bench.
"Looks like we're all alone," she started suggestively. She may have exerted her restless energy with her morning jog, but she wasn't stupid enough to turn down the opportunity for a quickie. Despite their very enjoyable sex life, the opportunities for time alone had always been scarce. "Maybe we could…"
Rick sighed, not yet looking up from the paper. He held out a moment longer before looking up at her with an apologetic suggestion. "I'm real sorry, Carrie," he started sincerely. "But I'm on duty, and I'm just so damn busy today."
It took her a moment to realise what he was doing, to figure out that he was only playing hard to get. Being on duty had never prevented him taking her up on one of her offers before now…in fact, his extra rounds outside the walls posed one of their main opportunities. It was amusing how he tried to play her, how he knew she was the one in the mood for sex, and was therefore was going to make her work for it. She liked that he was confident enough to play hard to get.
"Oh, that's a shame," she sighed, leaning forward with her elbows on the bench. She made a point of squeezing her arms against her side, pressing her breasts together and tugging her tank top down a little. Just like before, his eyes followed like she knew they would. Reaching out, she traced her fingers over the back of his hand, letting them run back and forth over his knuckle. "Are you sure you can't spare ten minutes?"
"No, I can't," he said slowly, dragging his eyes back up to her face. "It's a shame you can't pin me down."
Knowing what he was referring to, her pathetic attempt to pin him down while they wrestled for who was going to be on top the other day, Carrie forced herself not to smile. It was difficult not to, particularly given how well he had compensated her for her loss that day. Having won the battle for who was going to be on top, he'd taken her slowly and deeply, his angled thrusts getting her closer and closer until he broke all the rules of sex by backing off at the last minute. He purposefully left her hanging, more sexually frustrated than she'd ever been in her life, at least until he'd done it all again. The result had been more than worth it, Rick being forced to stifle the guttural cry she let out by kissing her. Still thinking about that day, she turned his hand over and ran her fingers up his palm and underneath the cuff of his Constable's shirt, gently tracing the smooth skin on his wrist.
"Okay, I understand," she said nonchalantly. Standing up abruptly, she turned and left the kitchen, making sure she swayed her hips as she left. "Maybe some other time."
Rick may know how to play hard to get…it just so happened she played it a little better.
Enjoying the tease, and wondering if Carl could be encouraged to spend that night at Ron or Mikey's house, Carrie went to her room and quickly stripped out of her work out gear. Without electricity her shower was icy cold, necessitating that she merely do the minimum it took to get clean, although at the last minute she managed to plunge her head under the water and wet her hair. She wished that Rick was able to join her there, the two of them not having shared a shower since the night of the party, but she knew icy cold water wasn't going to assist what they would have liked to indulge in. Thinking back to the party, Carrie smiled as she remembered what the date was, and its significance.
It was the fourteenth of May, marking exactly two months since Carrie's arrival in Alexandria. Two months since the supply run had ended and Rick's group had brought her here, welcoming her into their safe haven, making her a part of their own family. On that note, it had been a little more than two months since she and Rick had been sleeping together…two months of a friends with benefits relationship that no longer enough for her. Towel drying her hair, she sighed as she thought about Rick. Though they had made up after their argument, and though she was making a better effort to be understanding and trusting of his judgement, things were not quite how she wanted them to be. She still wanted more from their relationship, she still wanted the opportunity for them to be together in real life, not just in secret.
Wrapping the towel around her wet hair, she searched through her wardrobe for a pair of jeans, crankily muttering under her breath when there were none. She searched in her laundry basked, but upon finding it empty she remembered Carol had started some laundry the previous night. Grabbing her sweats and the shirt she wore for bed, she hastily threw them on and then headed downstairs to the laundry. As she came downstairs and diverted to the laundry, she got a glimpse of Rick in the kitchen, noting that he was looking in her direction. All thoughts of him quickly vanished when she stepped into the laundry in search of her jeans, and she sighed in frustration when faced with what she found. Both sets of her jeans had been left to soak overnight, her own fault for always getting them so messy when she helped remove the Walkers from the spikes. Checking the basket of dirty laundry that was to be washed, she made absolutely sure there was nothing for her to wear on the supply run but her second pair of yoga pants, briefly wondering if Michonne's jeans would fit her.
"Everything alright?" came Rick's voice.
She glanced up from the dirty laundry, and she paused to admire the way he leant against the doorframe with his arms folded. It never ceased to amaze her the way his presence could fill a room without even trying, the way his quiet confidence drew attention. This morning it put her on edge, but in an entirely good way.
"Thanks, Officer Friendly. But it's just a laundry dispute. Nothing I need police assistance for."
He nodded slowly, but he did not leave. There was a moment temptation as they stood there waiting, each wondering who was going to break first, who was done with playing hard to get. Confident in the power she had over him, Carrie turned back to her task and began looking through the stacks of clean clothing, hoping Michonne had some jeans that were clean and dry. As she knew he would Rick gave in, knowing when to pick his battles and when to take advantage of an offer. Stepping inside the laundry, he slowly closed the door behind himself and reached for his tie, tugging at the knot and unravelling it. Glancing at him, she flicked her eyes up and down his body, but made no comment. She kept her hands occupied by repeating the search she had just made, watching from the corner of her eye as Rick removed his shirt and then hung it up on one of the hooks. Whenever they had sex and he was wearing his uniform, Carrie made him take it off and hang it up properly, feeling bad that Carol goes to the effort of ironing it only to have it end up crumpled on the floor.
With a long sigh that was probably meant to garner sympathy, Rick closed the space between them and stood behind her. No longer needing to pretend, Carrie simply stood and waited, her heart pounding as her lips curved into a stupid smile as she waited for him to touch her. Finally he did, his hands reaching for the towel on her head and carefully unwrapping it. He tossed it aside and then raked his fingers through her damp hair, pulling it back off her face before taking his hands away again. There was another long wait, and able to hear only his calm and even breaths, the tension grew until he touched her again. She breathed a soft sigh of relief, having not realised she was holding her breath.
Slipping under her shirt, his fingertips rested lightly on her waist, her skin feeling like it was burning beneath him. He hovered behind her, not coming any closer as he finally placed his whole hand against her skin, gently moving it over the curve of her waist. Breathing out slowly, she let his hands explore her body as if he didn't already know it quite intimately. His hands were calloused but soft at the same time, his thumbs stroking either side of her navel, but not quite touching. He was doing that on purpose, having learnt how it affected her when he brushed against her piercing, how the sensations from a gentle tug went straight down to between her legs…it worked every time. Thinking about that, and eagerly anticipating his touch as his thumbs came near her navel again, she looked at him over her shoulder.
She feigned innocence. "What are you doing?"
Rick didn't reply, but he did step closer, gently brushing himself against her back. Just as it did when his hands started, the touch was light and teasing at first, and he finally gave her more by encouraging her to step backwards into his touch. She clutched the edge of the laundry sink, feeling a familiar warmth and arousal spreading through her body. He was pressing his hips against she curve of her ass, and she could feel a rather distinct bulge in the front of his jeans. Letting out the breath she had been holding again, she closed her eyes as his hands moved upward now, brushing the bottom of her ribs.
"What are you doing?" She didn't care what his answer was…she just wanted to hear him speak.
He denied her his voice again, instead quietly shushing her, his breath warm against the side of her neck. Touching her at leisure, he ran his fingers along the bottom of her rib cage, no doubt smiling when he felt her shivering for breath. Finally his hands reached her breasts, his fingers skimming under the curve before brushing against her nipples. He gave a short laugh, feeling how taut they were, how aroused she was already. She echoed his laugh, fractionally leaning forward into his touch and sighing when he gave her what she wanted. He cupped her breasts properly now, indulging himself with some gentle squeezes and caresses as he started kissing the side of her neck.
"What are you doing?" she asked for a third time, still needing to hear his voice. "Rick."
"Just making sure you have a good start to the day," he whispered, his voice low and husky. He kissed her again, nuzzling the side of her neck and then kissing behind her ear. "Just like you did for me yesterday."
She grinned at this, remembering exactly what she had done for him. When Carl had gone hunting with Sasha, Carrie had snuck into Rick's bedroom. Though they had the unspoken rule that they didn't have sex in the bed where his children slept, Carrie felt that technically a morning blow job didn't count. He'd been half asleep when she'd started, but by the time he finished in her mouth he was wide awake, one hand clutching the sheets, the other gently caressing her hair with her permission. In shock, he'd told her that at first he thought he was dreaming. It was a nice moment of humour, but when he went to bring her into the bed with him for more she'd shaken her head. I just wanted to give you a good start to the day, she had smiled at him. It was only when she had gone to leave, that she realised Judith was in the bed beside him, fast asleep and completely oblivious to what had just gone on. While she'd had been horrified Rick had just laughed, not caring in the slightest.
"Well, it's a good way to start the day, isn't it?" she countered, opening her eyes and looking down at his hands.
"Yes, it is," he agreed. "No bra, huh?"
"I'm getting dressed."
"That's a shame," he whispered, beginning to move his hands back down her front. Once again they skirted around her navel, making her body quiver in anticipation.
Taking one hand from the sink, she reached back and tried to grab his hips, wanting to feel him pressing his erection against her ass, to feel him rocking against her, to get a taste of what would be next for her. But he caught her hand and moved it back to the sink, pulling back when she tried to press herself back against him. She growled under her breath, her heart rate speeding up as the anticipation she felt grew.
"Frustrating, is it?"
"Yes." Unashamed of her need for him, she tried to press back against him a second time, growling when he continued avoiding her touch. The growing ache between her legs urgently made itself known, her fingers clenching around the sink as she thought about how he'd be able to satisfy that, how good it would feel to have him inside her. "You could help me with that."
"I will, I promise," he assured her.
"Come on then," she hurried him, trying to turn around.
Just like he had the other day he didn't give an inch, his hands keeping her exactly where she stood. Trusting him absolutely, she didn't mind giving him complete control of her body, knowing he'd never take advantage of it, that he cared for her…and yet today it was frustrating. She knew all she'd have to do to get a little more control would be to ask for it, yet she didn't. Enjoying the way he took from her what he wanted, no matter how frustrated it left her, she let him be, knowing the pay off was always worth it.
"Upstairs?" she suggested, trying for at least that much.
"No. Right here."
She shivered in delight, her legs clenching together at the thought of him screwing her right there in the laundry, but the practicalities were always a downfall. "We need a condom," she reminded him.
"No," he whispered, kissing the side of her neck.
She whirled her head around at this, thinking she'd misheard. They both agreed condoms were a nuisance more often than not, and they'd talked about her starting birth control, but that wasn't to be for another month or so. She'd looked forward to the day they could do away with the condoms, for while she wasn't meant to believe that sex was any different without one, they both knew it was. A part of her longed to have Rick inside her without a barrier between them, longed to hear him moaning as he came inside her. But despite that desire, indulging that right now came at quite the risk, one she wasn't willing to take.
"Rick," she began, her voice hitching when his thumbs finally brushed against her navel piercing, sending a jolt of arousal straight between her legs. "We can't…not without a-"
He cut her off, shushing her again as he kissed the side of her neck, and trusting him, she let her protests fall silent. She wished he would kiss her harder, that he'd bite and suck at the skin on her neck like he could do elsewhere, but she was sick of trying to cover the marks with make up.
"I'm just making sure you have a good start to the day," he told her. Without warning, he slipped his hands under her sweatpants, caressing as far down the front of each thigh as he could reach. "Just close your eyes and relax."
Doing as she was told, Carrie swallowed heavily as she closed her eyes, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder as she tried to relax as much as possible. His hands massaged her legs, his fingers digging in with just the right type of pressure as they moved back and forth. Knowing exactly how he was teasing her, he moved his hands towards her inner thigh before darting back away, rubbing the outside of her legs and up to the curve of her ass before going back the way they had come. Slowly getting higher, he spread his fingers and almost brushed against the peak of her legs, getting painfully close before moving away again.
She groaned in frustration, his name a curse on her lips until he finally touched her where she needed him most. Lightly brushing through her pubic hair, he finally pressed himself up against her ass now, grunting shortly as he ground against her. "Fuck," he muttered, finally reaching down properly, two fingers easily slipping inside of her without resistance. She parted her legs a little more and gave a long moan of thanks. As if a switch had flicked inside him he stopped teasing, stopped wasting time. Dragging his fingers in and out of her, he held her firmly in place as he rocked himself against her ass, his breath coming in short, heavy pants against the side of her neck.
Carrie didn't quite know what to do, her hips clumsily trying to match the rhythm of his fingers and hips at the same time, needing more of them both. Quickly giving up, she slowed to a stop and let him take over, letting her mind relax. All thoughts of the supply run and their lack of electricity flew out of her mind, replaced by nothing other than the sensations he was creating, the erotic slip and slide of his fingers inside her at the forefront of her mind. Growing tense, she lifted her head off his shoulder and stood up properly, bracing herself against the sink as she pressed her ass back against him again. He held her in this position now, bent forward with one hand on her hip and the other working to get her off. When they'd started sleeping together they might have had to assist one another in such tasks, helping the other learn what they liked or how best to elicit a particular reaction. Now two months in, they'd learnt a lot, and made as much use of their newfound knowledge as possible. Knowing how she worked, Rick would occasional slow his fingers or move on to another spot before returning, a new motion quickly drawing out the climax she'd been waiting for.
"Ohhh, don't stop," she gasped through clenched teeth, her back arching while her legs strained to not clench together and make him falter. "Rick, fuck…"
He kept going as instructed, slowing only when he felt her shudders start to ease and her body begin to relax. Still bracing herself against the sink, Carrie kept her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath, feeling the slow and gentle way Rick's fingers continued stroking her. She knew what he was doing, that he was going to work her up to doing that all over again, and while any other day his dedication would have been admirable, today they didn't have the time, a problem that was becoming a recurring theme. Putting her hand on his wrist, a gentle squeeze was all it took to ask him to stop, and he did so as requested, never failing to stop when she asked him to.
"I'm going to reward you for that very well," she said the moment she summoned enough breath.
He chuckled in amusement, his hands returning to her hips and massaging her skin. "Really? Because that was me returning the favour from how you woke me up yesterday."
"Oh…well the cycle starts again," she muttered, pressing herself back against him and feeling his erection through his jeans. She started to turn, to reach around to undo his duty belt, but he stopped her.
"I can wait," he told her, nuzzling the back of her shoulder before pressing a kiss there.
"Seriously?"
"You think I can't?" he teased with a laugh, kissing her shoulder again. His lips lingered there for a few moments, and he was thinking to himself. "Carl's having a sleep over tonight…he doesn't know it yet, but he is."
Chuckling, Carrie pulled away enough to turn around and drape her arms over his shoulders, smiling up at him. She knew what he meant by this latter remark, that he was going subtly to do all he could to get his son out of the house, to enable them to spend some time together that night. They would be busy all afternoon and evening, for after the supply run they still had to get the solar grids up and working, then remove the generators and assess any electrical damage caused by the black out. Their time that day would be limited, but with Carl gone from the house at night they would be limited only by Judith's awakenings.
"I thought we agreed no pet names," he whispered, kissing her sweetly.
"We did," she frowned, surprised by the change of topic. Looking at the amusement in his eyes, she grew worried. "What did I say?" she asked in dread.
Laughing under his breath, he brushed her hair damp back and then whispered into her ear. "Babe…oh babe…"
Hearing the teasing tone of his voice, she blushed in embarrassment. "I did not," she denied. "Stop it," she scolded when he repeated himself, her embarrassment worsening when he laughed at her.
"Come on, it was funny," he appealed, batting her hands away when she playfully shoved him.
She thought about the one time he'd called her Baby, the term of endearment slipping out in the middle of sex and making her laugh at his embarrassment. Suspecting that it was what he used to call Lori, she chose not to bring up the subject, instead allowing them to indulge in one another while they still had the time. Feeling him pressing soft kisses against the side of her neck she copied him, dragging her lips up along his stubbled jaw. She knew what would make him twitch in the right way, and so she darted her tongue out, feeling the rough bristles of his stubble. Stroking the other side of jaw at the same time, she trailed her fingers down his neck and to the collar of his white tee-shirt.
"You should grow your beard a little," she suggested, smoothing the creases across his shoulder.
"Really?"
"It's sexy."
He chuckled, his hands moving around her ass and squeezing it firmly. "Even when it gives you stubble rash between your legs?"
She cringed, remembering the discomfort. "Worth it."
"Was it really?"
"Yes," she insisted, kissing him firmly. "Always worth it."
Shaking his head to himself, Rick returned her kiss before brushing her hair back from her face and then trailing it through his fingers. She saw his expression falter a little when his hands got to the ends…Jessie had cut it for her again. If he noticed he didn't say anything, instead just clenching his hands in the end and using it to tilt her face up to his. Their kiss grew hot and heavy very quickly, his tongue sensually caressing her lips before entering her mouth. Matching his tone, she returned the gesture, unsurprised when she felt him pressing against her again, his erection having not waned. Nevertheless, it seemed he was still mostly restraining himself.
The tone changed, Rick slowing down and making their kiss sweet and tender. It was no wonder Carrie had feelings for him, and no wonder they got stronger when he held her body against his so affectionately. Though his lips were soft against hers, he kissed her as though he absolutely had to, as though it were the only thing in the world he wanted to do. Given the feelings she was so determinedly holding back, it was almost more than Carrie could bear, and when he reached up and affectionately stroked her neck, she had to stop herself from pulling away and blurting it all out.
With a soft sigh, Rick slowed their kiss to a stop, his lips lingering by the corner of her mouth before moving back for one more. Keeping it brief, he smiled as he looked down at her, his hand on her neck moving up and into her damp hair. A most welcome shiver ran down her spine as he stroked his fingers over the back of her head, the sensations making her want to draw him in for another kiss, needing more. But instead they lingered as they were, Rick slowly pressing his forehead against hers as he closed his eyes. Though feeling rather peaceful, Carrie felt like she was on the edge of her seat…moments like this, where they remained in silence simply being with one another, were becoming more frequent. She could feel a sort of tension between them, but not one that made them uncomfortable, one that made them anxious.
Thus far, neither of them had given any indication that they wanted more from one another, at least not one that Carrie had noticed anyway, and yet she continued hoping. Perhaps that's what the moments like this were, perhaps that's why Rick was so silent right now. As if they both knew there was something to be said, but neither entirely sure what, they kept reaching a stalemate, both of them wishing the other would speak first. Carrie knew she'd certainly be a lot happier if Rick spoke first…but maybe he just couldn't. Maybe he couldn't find the right words for what he wanted to say, and he was just simply waiting for her to go first. Though she knew it wasn't getting her anywhere, Carrie lost her nerve and began making excuses as to why she couldn't tell him right here and now.
"Is something wrong?" she enquired, trying to break the silence.
His eyes burst open, his body tensing ever so slightly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," she started, turning her head when he tried to kiss her again, to cut her off. "There's often something wrong if you're this frisky…something worrying you?"
"Nothing's wrong. Maybe I just…" he trailed off, his next word becoming garbled as if he were stopping his train of thought. "Maybe I'm just in the mood."
"Okay," she nodded, letting it go. Kissing him once more, she gave him a gentle push to make him step back. "Thank you for your assistance, Officer."
Laughing under his breath, Rick shook his head at her in exasperation. Trailing his hands up her hips and over her waist, he finally let her be and reached for his blue Constable's shirt, shrugging it on and doing up the buttons while she turned back to her former task. Unable to find anything in the dirty laundry that she could wear, and having noted that Michonne's jeans were also soaking in laundry detergent, Carrie resigned herself to wearing her work out gear.
"I'll come see you all off before you go." Having fixed his appearance and tucked his shirt back in, he opened the laundry door and let the world outside intrude on them. "You're leaving at eleven, right?"
"Give or take half an hour," she nodded, picking up the towel she had been wearing around her wet hair.
Twirling it around and around, she waited until his back was turned and he was heading out into the hallway, and then flicked him with it as hard as she could, aiming for his ass. The fabric snapped loudly, and judging by the way he jolted and turned around with a look of outrage, she got him.
"What was that for?" he asked in confusion, one hand drifting back to soothe the sting on his left ass cheek.
Carrie just grinned, slinging the towel over her shoulder and heading upstairs. Grinning as Rick muttered something under his breath, she supposed she ought to have been a little more grateful than to flick him with her towel…after all, he'd given her a very good start to the day.
"Come on Eugene," Noah insisted, trying to make him take the Glock. "You need to protect yourself."
"Not if I don't go," he protested.
Aidan sighed, clearly frustrated. "We're not driving all that way so we can just drive back with the wrong shit."
"It's a dozen of these," Eugene insisted, holding up the black device that was the focus of their supply run that day. "They are consistent in appearance across manufacturers. The shit will be right, and I will install said shit, and the grid will be fully operational."
Resigned to wearing her workout gear on the supply run, Carrie and Tara were busy adjusting the straps of her holster so that it would stay in place, the addition of a third strap around her hips ensuring it would stay in place. Looking up at them, she listened to the debate and hoped Aidan would let it go. Eugene had somehow managed to grow on her over the last two months, but that didn't mean she wanted him coming on the supply run with them.
"You're coming with us," Aidan repeated, busy loading up their van.
"I do strongly protest, and not just on account of my natural tendency towards cowardice."
Aidan scoffed and folded his arms. "Alright, this will be interesting."
"I've been under the weather," Eugene stated, thrusting the micro inverter at Noah. "I'd feel much more comfortable being within twenty feet of my own throne at all times."
"Your throne?"
"Bathroom."
Aidan rolled his eyes and turned away. "You look fine to me, so that's the shittiest excuse I've heard for a while," he commented, exchanging a glance with Nicholas.
"Well on the topic of shit, my last bowel movement sounded like rain on a roof. I think we can all agree it's in everyone's best interests that I not be confined to a small space like the back of that van."
"He's right," Noah reluctantly admitted. "Besides, he's not just sick, he's a pain in the ass about it too."
"If explosive diarrhoea is not a good reason to verbally abuse your loved ones, then what is?"
Rolling her eyes, Carrie focused on tightening the straps of the gun holster on her other leg, testing the weight of the Glock and silencer. With no belt loops on her yoga pants, the addition of a second holster on her other leg would properly distribute the weight of the strap around her hip. Though she'd grown considerably more confident with hand guns over the last few months, and she knew the Glock was perfectly safe in her hands, it still felt strange that she was carrying another gun in addition to the Ruger she had been originally given. That gun felt like her own, she was familiar with it and confident. The Glock on the other hand, which was lighter than she had expected, was different.
"How does that feel?" Tara asked, stepping back to look her up and down. "Better?"
"Better," she agreed, bouncing from one foot to the other to check how well her weapons held up. "I kind of feel like Lara Croft or something," she laughed, securing her knife and machete to her hip.
"No," Eugene disagreed, he too looking her up and down. "Aside from your short blonde hair, you'd have to go up at least two cup sizes to be even comparable to the Tomb Raider."
"Eugene…" Tara said incredulously. "We talked about this."
"About Carrie's breasts? Yes, we talked about them extensively."
"About you being inappropriate!"
He shrugged obliviously. His eyes zoning in on Carrie's chest, he stupidly continued. "When we first met I thought 32B, but now on second thought I'm learning towards a C cup."
Carrie sighed. "And the token has spoken," she growled, glaring at him as she hastily shrugged her on jacket and pulled the front across her chest. "Eugene's staying. Let's go."
There was a murmur of assent from all around, the onlookers like Reg and Deanna simply shaking their heads in mild amusement. Thoroughly relieved to be left behind, Eugene backed away from the van as they all began piling in the back, Aidan and Nicholas taking the front.
"This is why Noah's invited to the girls night, and you're not," Tara said to him.
"There's going to be a girls night?" Eugene enquired, his interest piqued. "Is it a slumber party?"
Completely exasperated, Carrie picked up the bag of emergency supplies and tossed it into the back of the van, Noah and Tara getting inside first. As she waited for them to get comfortable and make room, she looked up the road to where Glenn was lingering, for although she didn't want to rush him, she was keen to hit the road. He stood with Rick, Carl and Maggie, whose shirt was lifted to reveal her swollen belly. Positively beaming, Maggie was encouraging Carl to follow Glenn's lead by placing his hand on her belly, making him press his fingers in a little. Watching them, Carrie felt a pang of jealousy, one she had been feeling more often as Maggie's pregnancy progressed.
Having children was a concept she'd vaguely looked forward to back in her old life, something that she felt she couldn't achieve until she'd reached a certain point in her career. She'd been more focused on earning her name and reputation than starting a family with Logan, and she'd never regretted her priorities until moments like now. Even when her marriage had fallen apart, she'd still looked forward to the vague concept of having children one day, but when the world crumbled too she'd written off the idea completely. The idea of becoming a mother in this world was not one she was willing to entertain, no matter how safe or settled in she began to feel in Alexandria. So while Maggie's belly grew with her future child, Carrie's heart filled with envy. Glenn and Maggie were so happy, and though Carrie smiled and celebrated each milestone of the pregnancy, it was hard to truly share their happiness in the midst of her jealousy.
To her surprise, Rick looked up as if he could feel her watching them. He smiled and gave a brief wave, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned to Glenn. Glenn looked back at her now, apologetically waving his hand and requesting just another moment. Feeling bad for inadvertently rushing him, she turned back and farewelled Reg and Deanna, giving them a reassuring nod before noticing Eugene. Predictably, his eyes were practically glued to her ass, making no apologies for it either.
Infuriated, Carrie started to say something, determined to tell Eugene to get his eyes off her ass and her chest too, but what came out was, "They're at least a D cup."
Without skipping a beat, Eugene looked back to her chest. "I'd be happy to verify that claim," he said with a dead panned expression.
"You -" she started, taking a step forward before forcibly cutting herself off. She stood there glaring at him, struggling to think of an intelligent retort. Giving up, she growled under her breath before turning away and seeking refuge in the back of the van with the others. Noah and Tara were laughing at her, echoed by Nicholas in the front seat.
"Unbelievable, isn't he?" Tara commented.
Carrie sighed, knowing she had let Eugene get her riled up. "Just when he grows on me, he says something like that."
"Is he wrong?" Noah enquired.
"Noah!"
"I'm just saying," he shrugged, giving that boyish grin that gave away his younger age. "I'm willing to verify your size too."
Despite her frustration at Eugene, the similar comment coming from Noah didn't annoy her quite as much, perhaps because they were a lot closer. It was difficult not to like Noah and the others, particularly when they seemed to spend so much time together doing runs or helping out around Alexandria.
"Whoops, forgot the new run mix," Aidan declared, the van's suspension jostling as he swiftly jumped out of the driver's seat. "Be back in a sec."
The occupants of the van groaned in unison, Aidan laughing at their expense as he slammed the door shut and took off back to his house.
"Sorry guys," Nicholas apologised, not being a fan of Aidan's music either. "I really thought he was going to forget it this time."
Resigned to their fate, the group settled in and got comfortable for the forty five minute drive into Washington, making room for Glenn when he finally joined them. Carrie looked out the back doors and caught Rick's eye, giving him a smile.
"Hey, don't forget," Maggie called out to them. "It's Spaghetti Tuesday."
They nodded and waved, all except Nicholas. "But it's Wednesday…"
"What's your point?" the other four replied in unison, laughing at their inside joke as Glenn slammed the rear doors shut.
"Where did Aidan go?" he asked.
"The run mix."
Glenn sighed, getting comfortable. "It draws them away from home, I guess. So…girls night? Am I invited?"
"Are you a girl?" Tara answered his question with a question.
"Noah's invited!"
"You really wanna join us?"
"Not really," he shrugged. "But why aren't I invited?"
"Because Maggie can't gossip about you if you're there," Carrie answered this time. "We don't really have gossip about Noah."
"Well," Tara began with a sly grin, looking at Noah as she spoke. "Except for-"
"Hey, you promised!" he protested. "Pinky swear is sacred."
"I know, I know," Tara nodded her head, winking at him before changing the subject. "So, Maggie, huh?"
Carrie sighed internally…this again.
"We were meant to have another ultrasound today," Glenn said, beaming despite his disappointment. "Pete was going to try to see the gender."
"Awwwww," Tara sighed. "I think it's a boy," she decided.
Noah shook his head. "It's a girl. Carrie?"
"Oh, um," she said, feeling put on the spot. "A girl," she said, going with the last thing she had heard.
"You can feel it moving then, huh?"
"Kind of. You can't really feel anything right now, but sometimes it feels like Maggie's got gas."
Tara laughed. "That's because she does have gas. She's as bad as Eugene when he eats dairy and garlic!
Noah groaned at this, sitting back dejectedly. "It's not funny guys…I share a bathroom with him."
Glad for the change of subject, Carrie happily laughed at Noah's misfortune of who he shared a room with. To Noah's relief, Aidan returned to the van with a whoop of success, and their attention was turned to the dreadful techno music he liked to play. Apparently the rules of shot gun still applied after the world had gone to shit, and given that he knew the roads in Washington best, Aidan usually drove.
"Let's hit the road," he declared, starting the engine and then looking into the back. "We've got the inverter, right?"
"Got it," Noah promised, showing it to him.
"Alright, let's get this shit done."
There was a brief moment of silence as the van began to depart, Carrie looking through the windscreen as the townhouses moved past and then disappeared, the solar panels passing next. However the silence was only temporary, and much to everyone's annoyance Aidan's new run mix kicked in and started playing loudly.
"Now you're going to die."