Walking Dead: Fragile Bonds

Next chapter of my Walking Dead story, enjoy.

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Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Walking Dead or its characters.

Chapter 8

Seated back home, Rick sighed as he shook his head, considering the information he had gathered so far. As things stood Brandon Rose was the only lead he had, from what he had gathered the boy was nothing but trouble since his early teens, a side effect of his parents turning a blind eye to his actions and always blaming those he hurt for what happened, trying to always push it so he got off with no punishment. This of course had led to them being resentful of the people who, on the occasions where there was proof of his actions, didn't bend over backwards to accommodate their insistence of his innocence. Even if there was no proof and he was considered innocent, they always got irate if the victim was not punished.

Rick groaned. 'A real piece of work, this guy.'

His parents had even got beyond outraged when Brandon was finally arrested and kept trying to force his release, until suddenly an anonymous benefactor had bailed him out. It was a couple of months later that he joined the gang he was part of. But even as he considered this he couldn't shake something else, something that he had to admit was distracting him from the case.

'Andrea, I...urgh, I just. I don't understand it, why do I feel like this. The last time I felt this way was back in high school...with Lori.' He noted to himself. 'But that can't...how could I possibly feel that way about Andrea. I don't even know if she...well, maybe I should at least talk to her about it…'

He couldn't help but hope that this wasn't about to complicate things.

One complication that could arise, Rick knew, outwith Andrea's possible reaction, was of course Carl, who just happened to walk into the room at that moment.

"Dad." He said quickly, startling Rick. "We need to talk."

Rick swallowed, but remembering what Andrea said, he nodded. "Sure."

With that Carl sat down and there was a momentary silence before Carl finally spoke up.

"Listen, about what happened, after Stampede. I know things got out of hand, but I don't want that to be the last talk we have. I mean, what if something happens…" Carl explained. "I understand where you were coming from, what happened that night and the morning after, it was crazy, I shouldn't have done it. I just wanted a good night out with my girlfriend. But that clown was out of line and I couldn't let him try to attack Lydia."

Rick took this in, biting his lip. "Carl I...you're right, it was crazy. I don't think it was exactly either of our finest hours. I still can't say I exactly approve, but we need to try and move past things. I...there's a lot going on, but you're right, we shouldn't leave things like that."

Carl just nodded and it was clear, despite there obviously being some lingering issues, they had at least managed to patch things up. Shortly after that Carl headed upstairs, Rick approached the phone, he had decided what he was going to do, but even as he did so, his thoughts still lingered regarding some of the things that argument had brought to light for him. He still couldn't get that terrifying image of those scars on Carl's inner arms out of his mind. But he quickly tried to focus on what he was going to do, reminding himself of Carl's own revelations that he had dealt with those issues and hadn't cut himself in years.

XXXXX

Meanwhile in her own home, Andrea smiled lightly, letting herself relax after a long day. She had to admit, despite the slow start she was hopeful that this issue involving the gangs would get resolved, it was becoming more and more dangerous to be out on the streets after dark. Something which made her particularly uneasy, not for herself however, but rather for someone else. Someone who, to her relief, entered through the front door that very moment.

"Amy, you're home." She exclaimed, her relief palpable in her voice.

Amy smiled widely as she entered the living room, Andrea's much younger sister at twenty-three, to Andrea's thirty-five, they had the same hair, eye colour and freckles, although Amy's love of the outdoors and sports, especially in the bright sunny weather they usually enjoyed had given her a notable tan to her skin, in comparison to her sister at least. Casually dusting off her shorts as she sat down, Amy addressed her sister.

"Of course I'm home, where else would I be, sis?"

Andrea shook her head. "You know I get worried, it's dangerous out there. Even more so these days."

Amy's expression changed at that. "Ah, the gangs...funny, I've never known them to be this dangerous, used to be you'd hear them on the news now and again...but now it's practically every day."

"Yeah, so you see why I'm worried with you being out after dark, I know it's for college but still…" Andrea explained.

"I get it Andrea, really I do." Amy replied. "But what matters is I'm home and safe so, for tonight at least, lets just relax...unless you've got stuff from work that needs your attention."

Andrea shook her head. "No, unless Rick comes up with something I think there isn't going to be anything else today."

"Rick?"

"Oh, Officer Rick Grimes." Andrea said quickly, catching her slip. "He's the one the working the case."

She bit her lip, unable to believe she had let that slip out, she had been so distracted lately by her thoughts about Rick, about the strange feelings she was having that she had just let something like that slip.

Amy had noticed too, going by her smirk. "Oh and yet you call him just by his first name, huh?"

"Amy-" Andrea began.

But then, at that moment the phone went, so she hurried to answer it.

"Hello?"

It was Rick's voice. "Hello, Andrea…"

Her expression lit up. "Rick?"

She prayed she wasn't blushing, but Amy's smirk widening seemed to suggest otherwise.

XXXXX

Lydia smiled lightly to herself as she began making her way home, it was late at night and so she was in a hurry. Regardless of the confusion she and Carl had felt at Spencer Monroe's words, something about them made the couple nervous. So she was anxious to get home and try to avoid any trouble.

Her mind was on other matters too. 'Carl said he and his dad talked, not everything could be sorted out, he still doesn't trust me, but I think they've mended that gap that was opening...one step at a time, that's all.'

Her relief at this ended up causing some slight distraction, as such it wasn't until it was almost too late, that she realized she wasn't alone.

"Well, hello there." A male voice drawled.

She tensed, eyes wide, there were at least five of them. She was startled to see she recognized the man up front. He was in his early to mid-twenties, tall with slicked back blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skinned and an arrogant smirk. Much like Spencer Monroe, there was no mistaking this man if you watched some of Pamela Milton's campaign videos, her own son, Sebastian. She had to admit, she didn't know the others with him, but she knew this didn't bode well.

"It's dangerous you know, for a pretty lady like yourself to be all alone, especially at night." Sebastian remarked. "Even more so after what Spencer Monroe and Brandon Rose did...yes, I saw that, threatening you and that boy. Unbelievable."

"What, what does that matter to you?" Lydia shot back, nervous, but trying not to show it.

Sebastian grinned. "I'm just willing to make you an offer. You do me a little 'favour' and I promise you, none of those punks would dare try to lay a hand on you."

"Urgh, seriously." Lydia growled, disgusted. "You're a pig and I have no interest in this 'favour'."

Sebastian's mood instantly changed. "Excuse me, do you forget who I am, you don't dare refuse me!"

"I do and I wouldn't even want touch you, no way am I betraying my boyfriend you know." Lydia fired back.

Sebastian glowered. "You should watch your mouth bitch, and boyfriend, what are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about, you already saw him." Lydia fired back. "The boy who was with me when Spencer threatened us."

This seemed to make Sebastian even more enraged. But Lydia had decided she'd had enough. Shaking her head and noting that he was clearly all talk and the thugs with him were brainless louts who wouldn't do anything without his say so, she simply pushed past him and walked away, leaving them all standing there as she took a longer route home to shake them off, just in case.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.