AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to the readers and the reviews for the last chapter from DarylDixon'sLover, TWDXXX, brinxb, Guest, angelicedg, Ameliya86, draegon-fire, malzateb and Guest for taking the time to review (",) I found my USB!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters
Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts are in Italics.
Song:- Omi - Cheerleader
The Journey
Chapter 35
Rick opens the front door with a mischievous baby dangling from his armpit in fits of laughter kicking his tiny feet behind him.
Dale turns around to see Olly and he breaks into a smile and Olly begins to bounce excitedly when he looks up.
"Whoah buddy!" Rick laughs when he tries to wriggle free "Somebody's happy to see somebody!" Rick lifts his excited baby and holds him high up in his arm smiling at Dale.
"Detective Grimes," Dale nods greeting.
"Please call me Rick!" Rick says holding out his hand and Dale shakes it.
"Well if we're on first name basis, then I'm Dale!" Dale smile and then pulls Olly's nose.
Olly hums and buries his face into Rick's neck.
"Oh, it's like that?" Dale says surprised "Well Oliver, it was nice seeing you, bye bye!" Dale waves making to leave.
Olly doesn't like bye byes, a small whimper comes out of him, he pulls a sad face at Rick, eyes watering reaching out to Dale clenching and unclenching his little hand. Dale hearing Olly, turns around and rushes over and Rick hands Olly over.
"What is this my little friend? Why the long face, you thought I'd forget my little Skipper? I'd have to forget my name before that happens, I've come to take you fishing!" Dale informs his little friend.
Olly plays with Dales shirt pocket and pulls out a list flapping it in the air. Rick quickly takes it and hands it over to Dale and he slips it into his pocket. Olly looks around to see where Dale put it.
"It was raining this morning so we have to get to the market to get the fish before they're all gone!" Dale tells Olly and looking over at Rick, rifling through his other pocket and unravelling Olly's fishing hat.
Olly bounces up and down knowing he was going to the smelly fish market or they'd be watching a fishing show on TV. Rick watches with a smile, happy to see Olly was getting love and attention from a grandfatherly figure. Thinking of Herschel, his smile fades slowly to sorrow and pity for what that stupid stubborn old man was missing out on. Olly lifts his head up and was staring up at Dale as Dale pulls funny faces and Olly is gurgling with tiny laughs.
"Please come in!" Rick opens the door and welcomes Dale into his apartment.
Dale smiles and walks in with Olly. When he walks into the lounge, Dale lets out a low whistle looking around the beautiful apartment that looked like it was from one of the expensive glossy magazines.
"You have a beautiful, beautiful home Rick!" Dale turns around as Rick joins him and Olly in the lounge.
Rick looks around the room. It was nice but it wasn't him, he was a small town boy with small expectations, this was a lot of the times, overwhelming.
"This is only temporary, I'm shortly going to have to look for something more affordable and actually worth the rent!" Rick states.
As Rick was on an exchange programme, he was getting a contribution towards living accommodation which was part of the deal but whoever picked the apartment had picked the wrong one, it was too expensive and he didn't require all the luxuries that came with it so if he went for a cheaper apartment, he would be spending less of his salary on rent and actually benefiting from the living allowance provided to all the candidates of the exchange programme. There was also the main reason of him separating from Lori which meant going back paying maintenance fee/child support and the costs of his impending divorce costs, also providing for Olly which to date has been nothing as Beth won't take anything, he had to do something about that and living in Atlanta wasn't cheap. He had to be practical and smart and finding somewhere smaller and cheaper is what he had to do.
"Yeah these places are way too fancy and pure daylight robbery!" Dale agrees "Are you looking to relocate soon?" Dale enquiries out of interest.
"Well the sooner the better," Rick says scratching around his plaster but he wanted to get Beth's apartment sorted out before he started to look.
"Well, you're in luck, I know a man who knows a real good realtor and I can ask him to look for something affordable and family friendly or the other option is," Dale goes into thought and a light bulb goes off.
"The other option?" Rick asks watching Olly pulling a bit of thread and Dale's button drops off. Rick catches it in his hand and hands it over to Dale and he shoves it into his pocket.
"I've purchased a block, it's a three storey, six apartment building, it's a small project and once I've finished renovating, you could take a look and see if you wanted to rent one, you'll get a discount on rent seeing as you know a close contact of mine and he can vouch for you as a reference!" Dale says looking at Olly and Rick laughs when Olly messes Dale's hair.
"And with this little munchkin visiting you on a regular basis, I could get a nursery set up for him?" Dale suggests having Olly and Beth in mind.
Dale was going to persuade Beth and Olly to move into one of the apartments and Carol and Sophia into the apartment on the same floor. The two relied on one another and he wanted to keep them together. He had thought long and hard about this and it became final once he found out Beth's apartment leaked from Amy. He hasn't proposed it to Beth yet and he was going to get Rick to help him convince Beth to move out of the run-down building and into the new building once it was ready. He was sure Carol and Sophia would follow if Rick was successful with Beth and he knew Rick would be the man, he would want what's best for Beth and his son, so he'd do anything to sway them to a better living accommodation.
Dale was also sure that given time and once Beth and Rick got reacquainted with one another, Beth will eventually let her walls down to Rick, she loved him but wasn't ready to resume anything just yet but Dale knew it would happen and when that happened seeing how Rick wasn't going anywhere looking to win Beth back, they'd be back together and them being in the same building, they'd bump into each other every day and one thing would lead to another and hopefully things will settle and be how they should be, Dale hoped anyway. He knew Rick loved Beth, Rick is a good man, he had done his research and he heard the talk Douggie had with his attorney at the private lunch convincing the attorney to take on Rick's case a couple of days ago. Rick was divorcing Lori, he had been nosey and heard a small run down of Rick's problems and didn't want any more stalling like the last time. Douggie was asked by the attorney if Judith was Rick's biological daughter and that Rick'd have to take a paternity test if he wants to fight custody of Judith. Rick is going to need emotional support and Beth was the only one who'd be able to provide Rick with that Dale knew, so if there was anything he could do to help, Dale was prepared to help Beth regain her once happy life with Rick and now with baby Olly.
Amy had already claimed one of the top floor apartments today and he just needed to convince Daryl to take one opposite as he was helping with renovation works and he was doing the labour for free and there would leave one apartment free, he planned to move into it himself. He wanted to keep his little family together, it was selfish but they were all the family he had and anything he had, he wanted his family to benefit from it.
The other thing he was planning to do was to update his Will. He had a health scare which nobody knows about and suddenly like they knew, long distance relatives out of the blue are contacting him and appearing out of nowhere and he didn't want them to get their hands on his money, they didn't care about him, love him, he hasn't heard from anyone since his late wife passed. Dale was going to make Beth, Olly, Amy and Daryl his beneficiaries once the time came, they'd inherit all his assets and he wanted to talk to Rick about this when the time was right. Beth wouldn't take the news well if she found out the reason why he was putting all this in place and he wanted Rick to make sure Beth accepted and not declined, he also wanted Rick to have joined Power of Attorney with Beth over Olly's inheritance up until when he reached the age of 21. This would be his last Will and Testament for his foster children to have what was his.
Rick was liking the idea of renting from Dale but he was a little crestfallen at the thought of Olly just visiting him and not actually living with him, Beth too. Feeling Dale's eyes on him waiting for a response.
"I'd love that, thank you Dale!" Rick gives Dale a genuine smile "When the apartments ready, let me know and I'll get references and deposits ready." Rick informs Dale.
"You already have a reference, Master Oliver and if you wanted to check the layout of the apartment, decoration ideas, you can come down and take a look!" Dale informs Rick.
"Just like that?" Rick says surprised "I'm sure the apartment will be fine the way you choose"
"I'll give you the address and when you're available, c'mon down and we'll talk paint colours and work surfaces!" Dale jokes and Rick shrugs his shoulders ok not believing his luck, he had only been thinking about this not since yesterday.
Beth comes out of the bathroom, seeing Dale she comes over and gives him a warm friendly hug.
"Please don't let Olly touch any fishes, the last time you guys went, he shoved one in his pocket and well, it stunk when it came to doing the laundry!" Beth pleads to Dale.
"We're men, that's what we do!" Dale laughs lifting his hand up and Olly smacks his hand on Dales. "You're lucky there were no worms!" He adds and looks at Olly considering "Maybe we should visit the Bait & Tackle Shop?" He asks Olly and Olly smiles sucking his dummy.
"Hey old man, don't encourage him!" Beth warns him pulling him to the dining table "Have you eaten yet? You're looking thin Dale, sit down!" Beth orders him.
"Beth, couldn't we have just gone out to grab some breakfast?" Glenn asks coming out of the bedroom.
Dale turns round to see Glenn as he drops down in a chair opposite.
"You must be Indiana Jone's sidekick?" Dale asks grinning at Amy's description of the newcomer from King County.
"Huh?" Glenn asks looking at Dale with Olly watching on his lap "That chick Amy?" Glenn asks remembering.
Beth comes over and stands behind Dale and puts her hands on his shoulders.
"Glenn, this is Dale!" She introduces.
"And Dale this is Glenn, my friend I've told you about, my entrepreneur friend who's looking for a JOB and a place to stay!"
"Beth, are you tryin' to get rid of me?" Glenn pouts sadly.
"No but once my apartments sorted, I'm moving back there and there's not much space there, we'll be living on top of one another and I've gotten used to my space and Olly takes up a lot of space and he's all cute and sweet right now, he has his moments and if I had a bigger place, then you could stay without question and…it's about time you grew up and put down some roots!" Beth says going round and sitting next to Glenn.
"Wow, you sound just like my sister!" Glenn says looking at Dale who smiles.
"Well I'm as good as, that's why I'm saying this and we need extra staff at the restaurant, we're booked up way up until next year and I'm sure I heard one of the waiters saying he and his girlfriend have saved enough money to finally go travelling, so we'll be another hand short so I'm thinking ahead, the money is good, the tips are great when we have events, I once took home $150! And the bonus is, we have a great boss!" Beth flashes her smile at Dale.
"She's right!" Dale nods agreeing.
Rick sits at the head of the table looking back and forth between them all.
"OR…you could continue to take care of my baby, cleaning his diapers, cleaning his vomit, running around after him, he's nearly walking and shoving everything everywhere and you might wake up with your socks off your feet and your socks in your mouth and if I find my baby hanging out the window...I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you!" Beth says taking off Glenn's baseball cap at the dining room table.
Olly grabs his hat and slams it down on the table.
"You don't gotta go all Liam Neeson on me!" Glenn says leaning on the table.
"Looks like Beth's made her case, there's aren't many other options!" Rick says looking over at Glenn "But you can stay here, I'll get you a key cut.
"Thanks RICK!" Glenn thanks Rick for letting him stay and he looks at Beth "Yeah…I'm still waiting for that thing that I'm waiting for!" Glenn replies.
"Glenn! You will report to Daryl at the restaurant at 5pm today, no arguing, until that thing comes along, you're not sitting on your ass watching daytime garbage TV all day!" Beth say patting his cheek getting up reaching for the breakfast she's made and begins dishing it out on each plate.
"Yes mom!" Glenn says forking his eggs "She hasn't changed! Still bossy when she wants to be!" Glenn whispers to Rick.
Beth serves Rick and he looks up at Beth and she gives him a questioning look. He shakes his head and begins eating smiling. It was like he had gone back in time and he was listening and watching Beth as she was when he first knew her and he liked that she was still there, sweet but firm when needed to be.
"Glenn, you can continue doing your thing, just give Daryl some warning so he can shuffle the roster, I'm actually not bad to work for, I'm what is it you youngster say" Dale says looking at Olly in thought "Cool and Hip and With It!"
Beth was at the sink and they all hear her laughing to herself.
"See even you mama thinks so!" Dale say munching on his food as Olly feeds him.
Olly reaches over to Rick and he leans forward and take the piece of egg, kissing his finger as he moves back. Olly sucks on a bit of egg and lifts it up to Glenn to take.
"I'll take the job Dale, Olly has persuaded me!" Glenn says refusing the baby dribbled egg, if he was Olly's Manny, that would be his breakfast every day, dribbled leftovers.
Olly stands up on Dale's lap as he holds him from crawling over the table. Olly reaches over adamant to feed Glenn. Glenn looks up.
"Oh you've got to be kiddin' me, didn't we do this like yesterday?" Glenn asks Rick.
"Well if you're living under my son's roof, you're gonna have to do as he says, so I'd do it if you want a quiet life!" Rick advises Glenn.
Beth was in the kitchen wiping the saucepan smiling listening to them all.
Glenn stands up, closing his eyes and takes Olly's egg and Olly grins. Glenn sits back down looking at Olly shaking his head.
"You, me – it's on!" Glenn mouths at Olly and Olly throws a piece of bacon and it hits Glenn in his face. He grabs it to chuck it back and Rick sits back and watches so Glenn shoves the bacon into his mouth.
"MMmmmmmm, thanks Olly, you read my mind!" Glenn mumbles realising there was baby dribble on that as well.
Rick sits there covering his mouth hiding his laugh as Olly entertains them all.
The doorbell rings and Rick goes to open the door but Beth says she'll get it, he sits back down.
Bobby comes bouncing in and looks at the table.
"Rick, you're having a feast and I had to skip breakfast, my woman made me lumpy clumpy porridge!" Bobby whines "Like cement when it hits your throat, stops a man from breathing!"
"Detective, would you like a plate, there's plenty to go round?" Beth asks holding a plate filled with food.
Bobby nods like a dog grabbing the plate, taking a seat and wolfing it down and he actually lets out a small moan and Beth gets a little embarrassed when he looks up at Beth "Wonderful, I could eat this every day!"
Glenn snorts and so does Rick, Dale just watches Bobby accustomed to him eating like it's his last dinner. His young girlfriend couldn't cook, tried to many occasions but couldn't.
"Can you teach my little lady how to cook?" Bobby asks Beth and she looks at Rick and then back at Bobby waiting for her to answer and just shrugs nodding.
"Excellent!" He says drinking his coffee and sits back with a sigh.
"You done?" Rick asks Bobby and he belches ever so loudly and covers his mouth.
Olly's head spins round to Bobby fascinated, it wasn't like Daryl's, it was louder.
"Excuse me, it was so good, I'm so satisfied that I lost control of my bodily functions!" Bobby says tapping his chest.
Rick jumps up before he says something else.
"It's about time we made a move, got a lot of knocking on doors to do today!" Rick reminds Bobby.
Bobby was about to reveal what they were doing today but Rick grabs hold of Bobby and ushers him towards the door.
"I just wanted to say thanks and that we're gonna catch that son of a bitch for making your girl live in that shithole!" Bobby mumbles as Rick covers his mouth.
"Zip it! She doesn't know!" Rick tells Bobby.
"Oh!" Is all Bobby says smirking "You ever gonna tell her?" He asks.
"No!" Is all Rick says opening the door.
Bobby steps out and then Beth comes running down the corridor.
"Rick!" she call out and he looks up from putting on his boots.
"Knocking on doors all day is gonna be an exhausting job, could make you hungry!" She say and hands him over a large container "There's some chicken mayo salad sandwiches and there's even enough for Bobby and Douggie." Beth reveals as Rick takes the container.
"Beth, you didn't have to, we'd have gotten something on the road!" Rick replies.
"Nothing's better than fresh and knowing what's exactly inside the sandwich!" Beth informs him, always preferred home made.
Rick smiles and walks out the door not lingering, he didn't want to make this moment awkward for either, it was such a Beth thing to do to be thoughtful and considerate and she'd get shy from praising.
"Thank you!" Rick smiles and Bobby just snatches the container.
"I'll keep them safe until brunch!" He say patting the Tupperware.
Olly crawls over and they hear his little panting as he comes.
Rick bends down and picks Olly up and kisses his cheek.
"Catch us a nice piece of trout for dinner and we'll grill it and pretend we're camping." Rick blows a kiss on Olly's cheek and Olly hugs Rick smiling "Go to mommy and be good!" Rick hands Olly over to Beth.
"You're working tonight?" Rick asks leaning down as Olly latches onto Beth.
When their eyes meet, Beth nods.
"Olly?" Rick asks.
"Mrs Gupta is back and she said she doesn't mind watching Olly." Beth confirms.
"I can collect Olly from Mrs Gupta's when I go check out the apartment check to see how it's drying out?" Rick suggests.
"Only, if you're sure, you don't have to and Mrs Gupta loves taking care of Olly." Beth lets Rick know not wanting him to keep going out of his way.
"Yeah but I love hanging out with Olly and it makes sense, you don't need to walk there in the evening and walk home, I hate that idea I'd be much happier to collect Olly after work and I'd like us to sit down and work out times we're at work and then we can draw up a timetable. "I'd rather take care of Olly where I can and you'll save on babysitting fees, it makes sense Beth, I really want this to work for us all?" Rick urges Beth.
Beth doesn't have to think and she smiles.
"Your right, it makes sense, we'll sit down and make up a schedule!" Beth agrees.
"Great, I bring home the paper and the colourful pens so we know what's what!" Rick jokes.
"You do that!" Beth giggles as Rick make his way over to Bobby who's eyeing the Tupperware.
Before Rick steps into the elevator, Beth and Olly wave to him and he waves back and stands beside Bobby.
"That was such a Hallmark moment!" He teases wiping his eye.
"Shut up and press the button!" Is all Rick says.
When the door shuts, Bobby sneaks a look at Rick on the reflection on the door and he sees a tiny smile appear on Rick's lips and he rolls his eyes, he might as well walk around with a big fat smile on his face to show how happy he was and not hide it from everyone. He wonders what was happening between Rick and Beth, they seemed to be unguarded around one another, smiling and he saw Beth put her hand on Rick's shoulder as she walked by.
"Are you guys sleeping together?" Bobby asks, never one to wait to find out, he delves right in.
"NO and it's none of your business!" Rick turns to look at Bobby and then back at the door when it opens a woman walks in and they shove over and the doors shut and they travel down in silence.
"I'd love to see what you're like when you do!" Bobby says when the door opens and he walks out "I think the whole of Atlanta will know you got laid if you smile any broader!"
Rick's head snaps to the woman beside him looking shocked and throws her an apologetic smile but she doesn't look impressed. Rick nods at the woman and follows Bobby out to the lobby clearing his throat. He couldn't pretend he wasn't thinking the same thing between him and Beth, he can't get the shower moment out of his head, so close but he knew nothing was going to happen but that won't stop his mind thinking about it like he was now. He runs his hands over his face to stop all Beth thoughts and Bobby looks at him.
"You want a private moment, we've got two minutes?" Bobby asks nodding towards the toilet.
Rick can't believe Bobby, he grabs the Tupperware and pushes his way out the door.
"I'm just saying, I've been there and there's no shame in rubbing one out!" Bobby shouts into the street following.
Rick covers his face with the Tupperware when people look at them and he speeds up and jumps into the SUV.
"We can go to a private strip club and you never know, you might get a bl-" Bobby stops when Rick's gun is pressed against his temple.
"Don't finish that sentence!" Rick warns.
"Sheesh! Just trying to help a brother out and I was joking, as if I'd take you to one of those places!" Bobby says starting the car and joining the flow of cars "Douggie did exactly the same thing when I suggested it when he was going through marital problems, you guys are so similar!"
Now Rick had other imagines on Beth in his mind, he growls internally and focuses on the list of properties they were going to first. He has to wind down the window, he was letting off too much heat.
Bobby turns on the radio and switches the stations and one of his favourite songs comes on and teasing Rick was fun.
"When I need motivation
My one solution is my queen
'Cause she stay strong
Yeah yeah
She is always in my corner
Right there when I want her
All these other girls are tempting
But I'm empty when you're gone
And they say
Do you need me?
Do you think I'm pretty?
Do I make you feel like cheating?
And I'm like no, not really cause
Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader
She is always right there when I need her"
Bobby sits in his seat laughing sneaking a peek at Rick who now turns to Bobby and showing he can take a laugh, he turns the volume up but Bobby starts singing along and Rick regrets it and turns it up higher to drown Bobby out.
Tara and Tyreese catch up and Tara dances from her side of the patrol car and Tyresse gently rocks his head laughing watching Rick wanting to jump out and escape but Rick gestures to their turning to the building apartments, Tara and Tyreese follow up the street to see Douggie and Javeed already waiting sitting on the hood of their car.
"Bobby's here!" Javeed says to Douggie.
"Always has to make an entrance!" Douggie replies standing up putting on his bulletproof vest and chucks a couple over to Rick and Bobby. Rick tells them the plan, there were a few ruffians living in the area so they needed to tread carefully.
"We meet back in the middle and make sure all radios are on!" Rick instructs and they all separate taking their buildings.
A/N: I found my USB which I lost but I don't seem to have saved the next part which follows :'( Yes I actually cried when I lost around 2,500 words! I remember most of it so that's something. It is focused on:-
*Beth and Daryl – first time seeing each other since Daryl returned and Daryl and Rick fought (Beth doesn't know about that! - whoops Rick!)
*Dale and Olly at the market and SOMEBODY ELSE!
I will get the chapter up at the weekend when I've got some free time.
Take care xoxo