This is a Rick/Original Female Character story, guys. The first four/five chapters will be based before the apocalypse but after that, we'll start with season one and make our way from there. Lori is not in this fanfiction, I haven't replaced her character with another, but I got rid of her before she dies in Season three. If you don't like it, don't read. I am welcoming any reviews, so please leave them for me xxx Comet96 xx

New beginning added - a glimpse into chapters to come ...

Edited: 28/2/19

Day 72 - August 8th, 2010 - Sunday

Greene Farm -

The first gunshot that ran through the air startled me awake. I groaned as I clambered from the floor, one hand in my head and I felt the blood that had started to dry on the side of my face. Another gunshot and I was stumbling to my feet.

What in the hell was going on? More gunshots were going off and I was starting to panic. Where was Carl? Rick? Kelly? Amy? I glanced to where I had heard the gunshots, my eyes resting on the barn where the group had gathered. Hershel was crouched on the floor with a body. Was that someone from the group? Rick was standing next to him a … was that a walker?

I was running before I could think about it. I needed to get down there. I needed to be with Carl. I could see him in Amy's arms. Rick was shouting something to Shane, turning to Hershel and then shouting to him. I should have been down there, I should have stopped this.

I reached the group just as Shane threw open the barn doors, banging on them before stepping back and resting slightly before the group. I could see that most of them had guns, Glenn, Daryl, T-Dog and Andrea. I stopped by Amy's side, my hand coming to rest on her arm and she jumped but sighed in relief when she saw it was me.

"Come on. Come on, we're out here," Shane called out trying to tempt the things out with his voice.

It happened all at once. The walkers in the barn climbed out stumbling over the walkers that had been killed, not caring but only wanting to taste our flesh. I could hear Carl's cries over to gunshots and pulled him into my arms. I should have held him as soon as I arrived, but I was so stunned. Beth and Maggie were crying, I could hear Beth over the groaning of the dead and the ringing of shots being fired.

"Stop! Shane stop! Stop!" Rick's voice was distinguishable over the noise. He didn't want this. He didn't want any of this. "Stop!" he cried out and at first it seemed like everyone had listened but once I raised my head from Carl's hair I saw that there were no more walkers to kill.

It was quite the guns dying out on the wind, but nothing could be heard other than the soft cries of Beth, Maggie, and Carl. This shouldn't have happened. We were safe with them locked in the barn. We were safe here. And then Shane had to go ruin it all.

"No, no, no, no," Carol was mumbling, crying out as shuffling and a hand grabbed hold of the door. I didn't know who it was until they stepped into the light, but it had seemed like Carol had known. She had known as soon as she saw the hand. I suppose a mother would know her own child. "Sophia? Sophia! Oh no. Sophia. Sophia. No," she cried out running towards the girl only to be stopped by Daryl. Kelly dropped to her side, holding the woman tightly as she looked over to her daughter.

Only it wasn't Sophia. Not like we all knew her. She was one of them.

"Sophia!" Carol cried out clutching onto Kelly's arm, trying to reach her daughter. I glanced over to Shane watching him stand there looking at the girl in disbelief. He started all this, yet he couldn't even finish it.

I turned back to look at Sophia, my heart breaking at the sight of her. She should have been here with Carl, doing chores, getting on with math work and living. She shouldn't have been turned into one of those things. She should have been breathing, she should have been laughing. She should have been alive.

Rick stepped into my line of view then, blocking the blonde girl from sight. His hand shook slightly before he raised it, pointing it as what was once a sweet girl. Carol's crying grew deeper when she knew what was about to come.

"Don't watch." I heard Daryl muttered to the grieving mother, pulling her away from the sight of her daughter as the trigger went off and one deafening shot echoed through the air.

Rick's arm dropped, his shoulders slumping and his head falling against his chest. He had just taken one of the group. She may have been a walker, but Sophia was still a member of the group and she was a child. I knew this would end in a nightmare for Rick. He wouldn't be able to deal with this.

June 2nd, 2003 - Monday -

King County General Hospital -

The moment the man entered the office he was beautiful to me. It felt like a cliché because I always knew it would be a patient I would fall for. It didn't matter that he looked tired with large bruises forming under his eyes to prove that. It also didn't matter that he was carrying a child in his arms. I wasn't actually sure he was my patient, maybe I wouldn't be falling for a patient after all.

"Carl Grimes?" I asked looking between father and son not sure which one I would be checking over today. Perhaps I should have checked the patient's file so I could have found out his age. I had only recently joined the general hospital at King County, where I wanted to finish my interning and doctorate. I was currently between the general hospital and the hospital in Atlanta, but I wanted to spend my last year gaining my doctorate in King County as it was the home town of my grandmother.

"You're not Dr. Moore," the father spoke causing me to flick my eyes up to his. Green connected with blue. This man had the most outstandingly amazing eyes I had ever seen. Such a bright blue.

I was almost sure that at that moment I believed in love at first sight. I was not a foolish girl and normally wouldn't believe in such things, though saying that I also wasn't one to have a boyfriend. As an almost twenty-year-old intern, I had more pressing matters at hand.

I was one of those 'special' children as my mother liked to put it. As I grew up it was found that I was highly intelligent for my age. I had no real friends because of it and sometimes I felt out of place, even at home. My parents had given me up to my grandmother when I was a baby and I sometimes felt like they knew I would be different from other children.

"No, I'm not," I mumbled shaking my head, forgetting my thoughts of my childhood. Ever since my father's death, I hadn't spoken to mom; actually, I hadn't spoken to her in years, not after what she did. I was not, in fact, Dr. Moore as the man stated. "She's on maternity leave, I'm just covering for her. I'm Dr. Fairfax, I'll be working in her place for the remainder of the summer," I explained nodding my head towards the bed hoping he would take the hint. I took to mean that 'Carl' was this man's son as he rested the boy on the padded bed.

Carl was awake, yet I could tell that he really wanted to sleep. As a young child, any illness tended to take any energy out of them, draining whatever oomph they had quickly. I walked beside Carl's dad and pressed my fingers lightly to the boy's head. He had a slight fever, nothing to worry about right now but if it increased, I would want to do some tests. His blue eyes looked to me then and my heart almost broke from the raw emptiness they were sending to me. What had this boy been through?

I grabbed my stethoscope, pressing the cold round metal to the boy's chest. Carl jumped forward slightly, and his dad's shoulder brushed against mine as he reached to soothe his son. I listened to his heart noting that it was normal for a boy his age but also listened to his breathing. I knew then what the problem was with this little boy.

"He's just got a nasty chest infection," I told his dad stepping away from the Grimes' boys and dropping down into the plush seat at the desk. I turned to the computer as Carl's dad helped Carl off of the bed and clicked on Carl's folder.

Name: Carl Grimes

Age: 4th May 1998 – 5

Height – 66cm/26"

Weight – 44.000lb/3st 2

Suffered from earaches and the occasional cold.

No past operations or hospital stays.

C-section at birth. Decreased blood supply to the placenta before birth, which may lead to a small baby. The baby had a slight fever after birth, reduced after two days in changed temperature incubator.

"How often does Carl come to the doctors Mr. Grimes?" I asked as the man as he took the chair beside mine, his son resting on his lap. I found it curious that none of Carl's previous doctors picked up what I seemed to after looking over his notes.

"It's Rick," he mumbled at the mention of Mr. Grimes before looking down to the child in his arms. "Feels like all the time. He gets a nasty cough or small fever." He explained setting his eyes on his dark-haired son before looking back to me.

"I want to monitor him, no don't worry nothing's wrong with him. I noticed that he was born with a fever and he had a decreased blood supply in the womb. I think he was born with a low immune system, it might explain why he's always so sick. I don't know why any of his other doctors didn't pick it up with to begin. Carl's a special little boy to have been able to put up with all of this when he could have been treated from the beginning," I told Rick not knowing how Carl's past doctors missed this.

"What?" Rick asked but I knew he understood what I had said to him. It was the shock of having spent five years with his ill son when he could have been treated to stop any of this happening.

"It's actually a common occurrence with C-section babies, I'm surprised most doctors don't even realize it nowadays," I said to the blue-eyed man that sat beside me. I could tell that Rick was a man that cared deeply about his son. If there was something that could have prevented his son's sickness, he would have done anything for him. "I'll write a prescription for Carl, I'll put it on an emergency so you can collect and pay for it down in the hospital pharmacy," I added hoping it would take his mind off of the mistake many doctors had made.

"Is the medication expensive?" Rick asked and I lifted my head to look at him. He was looking at me with a hopeful look that had me understanding everything then. I could see Rick's uniform, he was an officer over at King County Sheriff's Department and I knew that with a child the pay wasn't that great.

"I'll put Carl on under my funding, for now, you have no need to worry about paying for him," I muttered finally adding my words down to the prescription so it would be made clear for the chemist.

"You don't need to do that," Rick snapped making Carl jump slightly in his arms at his dad's raised voice. I could also tell that Rick was proud.

"I want to help, and I'm not doing it for you I'm doing it for Carl," I told him shifting in my seat, so I was facing him now and not the computer. "There's a committee on the hospital board that allows for part of the hospital to pay for some children's medicine, us doctors tend to make suggestions and pay for their medical needs. I haven't got anyone on under my name and Carl deserves to be treated for some idiot's mistakes. You can't take that choice from me, Rick."

"You don't know us, you don't know Carl. I can't allow you to do that," Rick grumbled clutching his son to his chest tightly as his blue eyes found my green ones. It was true. I had fallen in love at first sight. Rick was everything I wanted in a man, but unfortunately, he was married. If there was one man I would wish to be with it would be someone like Rick Grimes.

"If I could choose any kid to put under my name it would be Carl. He needs this medication Rick and if you and your wife can't afford it then please let me help Carl," I begged, hating that I had to stoop this low to persuade some to allow me to do my job. I was a doctor, it was my job to help.

"It's just me," he whispered flicking his eyes away from me as he spoke. His words confused me. What was he talking about?

"Excuse me?" I replied noting that my confusion slipped out along with my words. Rick glanced up at me once again and this time he kept his eyes on mine as he spoke.

"It's just me. Carl's mum left him when he was one, signed over all custody to me and then up and left us. She ain't got no say in Carl's life. It's just me," He explained keeping his eyes on mine the whole time and I knew it was to see my reaction.

How could a mother willingly give up their child? Even if I ended up pregnant by accident, I would never give up my child abortion or adoption. By bringing another life into the world you had a responsibility to care and love that child. By giving that child up you are failing as a mother, who anyone could do that I would never understand.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled feeling guilty for bringing up possible unwanted memories for Rick. It had been just him and his son for the last four years. I shouldn't have made him think of such horrid memories.

"Not ya fault," he muttered shifting Carl in his arms as the five-year-old dropped off to sleep. This man was so strong, and I felt towards him deeply. I hardly knew Rick Grimes, but I had such respect for this guy. For some reason I couldn't look away from him, he drew my whole attention and I allowed my eyes to flick across his face. He looked in his mid-twenties and his figure was great but as he was a police officer I knew he had to be fit for the job. Wonder what he looks like under the shirt. I felt my cheeks flush at the thought and quickly lifted my eyes to his again.

A beep drew my attention away from Rick as a message alert popped up in the computer telling me my next patient was waiting. Rick had already been in here longer than he should have been, and I knew how people got when we ran late here.

"Umm, I'd like to make another appointment with Carl and the end of the week just to check up on him," I stated quickly typing the appointment onto my computer so it would be logged. I jotted it down again on an appointment card and handed it to Rick. "I gave you my personal number as well. Please call me if anything happens to Carl, I'm happy to check him free of charge."

"Thank you so much," Rich replied his fingers brushing against mine as he took the card from my hand. I felt the goose bumps run up my arm as his warm skin brushed mine. I was such a sap when it came to this man. Known for a total of five minutes and I've already got a crush on the guy.

"I'll see you, Friday, Rick," I called out as the man left the room leaving me alone. I dropped back into my chair and took a deep breath. What in the hell have I gotten myself into?

It was two days after I first met Rick that I was working in the emergency department instead of taking appointments. As an intern at the hospital, I went wherever I was told to go. For today it seemed I was needed in the emergency department.

Today was rather busy – made sense since it was the beginning of the summer holidays. A lot more children were coming into the emergency room due to stupid accidents. I can't tell you how many kids broke bones by falling out of a tree – let me tell you that I could count a few of them on both hands.

As I pushed my way through the small crowd I stopped in my tracks when that familiar police attire caught my attention. I had heard from Kelly – the interning nurse – that a police officer was being rushed into the emergency room after a bust-up at the Sheriff's Department.

"Rick?" I called out when my eyes settled on the tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed officer. I was happy to say that it wasn't him that was sitting on the hospital bed but another officer with dark hair and dark eyes.

Rick's head snapped towards me when I called out his name and a look of recognition filtered across his face. Was it bad that my heart sped up when I saw he remembered me?

"Dr. Fairfax," he replied giving me a soft smile before turning back to the man on the bed when he grunted something to Rick. "Umm are you here for Shane?" he asked nodding down to the man beside him. I wasn't but it wouldn't hurt for me to see him while I was here. There was no doctor to answer Shane's call at the moment and I was about to go on my break.

"I'm sure I could look him over before I get lunch," I told him pulling on a pair of gloves as I approached the men.

"Ya don't need to do that," Rick grumbled looking out into the busy emergency room. I could feel his eyes on me, but I could also feel his friend's eyes on me as well. I gave Rick a soft smile, placing my hand on his arm lightly as I passed.

"I'm a doctor Rick, I don't mind helping out people," I told him looking over at the patient on the bed. I think Rick said his name was Shane. "So, what are ya in for today?" I asked noting the way my voice mimicked Rick's when I spoke to Officer Shane.

"Two prisoners at the Sheriff's Department started a fight. Shane got smacked with a toilet seat," Rick stated sounding much like the officer he looked. It was hard for me to believe that Rick Grimes was an officer, but he definitely sounded like one and in his uniform definitely looked like one.

"A toilet seat?" I questioned not fighting the smile that stretched across my face. It was hard to believe that a police officer had been hit around the head with a toilet seat.

"They ain't got a lot to work within a cell, guess they find what they can use. Metal toilet seat whacked him across the cheek," Rick explained at the smile on my face and the question out of my lips.

"How creative," I whispered grabbing Shane's face in my hands and flashing a light in his eyes to see if he would get a concussion from the bump to the head from the metal toilet seat. "What's ya name?" I questioned wanting to see if the man could tell me basic details.

"Shane Walsh, ma'am," he told me the slur of his voice allowing me to hear his accent. He sounded much like Rick, but I preferred the blue-eyed man to this dark-eyed one. I got the feeling that this Shane guy liked to flirt with the woman, maybe he thought he was some lady killer or something.

"Your age?" I asked not knowing the answers, but I knew Rick would say something if he got them wrong.

"24,"

"Date of birth?"

"22nd September 1978," I looked over to Rick and noted that he was nodding to the answers that Shane gave. I felt confident enough that there was no real damage caused by the toilet seat. I brushed my fingers over Shane's cheek taking in a small cut on his cheekbone that had drawn blood noting that it looked quite deep. It'll probably need some butterfly stitches, but I could get a nurse to do that.

"You look fine to me, I'll get a nurse to put a few butterfly stitches on your cheek to help it heal. Don't worry no needles or thread needed but I get the feeling ya knew that already," I mumbled to the man pulling off my gloves and reaching for the patient sheet at the bottom of the bed. I quickly filled in my conclusion of the incident and added the need for stitches before handing him the clipboard. "I just need you to fill in these forms and then once ya finished call for the nurse to get your stitches done. You should be free to leave after that."

"Thank ya, ma'am," Shane mumbled in reply and I could have sworn he winked at me as I turned away. I gave Rick another soft smile and passed him, entering the still packed emergency room. I could tell that a few more people had been rushed in, but I really needed to go for my lunch break.

"Dr. Fairfax," a familiar voice drawled stopping me in my tracks. I glanced behind me to see that Rick had left Shane and had followed me out. His eyes were so intense I forgot for a moment where I was. I swear to god that this man was driving me crazy.

"Yes Officer Grimes," I questioned waiting for the man to say whatever it was a needed. Rick seemed to hesitate, his eyes flicking around as everyone passed and then turning his head to look back at Shane. "Would you like to join me for a coffee?" I finally asked the man when no words slipped from his mouth. I could tell that he wasn't used to a woman's attention. Maybe having your wife run out and leaving you with a one-year-old did that to a guy.

"I should stay with Shane," he muttered weakly, but I could not see him attempting to put up a fight against my words.

"Trust me, Rick, Shane will be waiting a long time. Why don't you grab a coffee with me," I suggest once again hoping he would just accept already? He didn't answer me with words but when he nodded his head slightly, I felt my heart accelerate. Here I was flipping out over an officer of the law.

"Let me just tell Shane," he grunted turning around to the area where Shane waited. The two spoke quickly and I could not hear the words shared between them, but it wasn't long till Rick was by my side leading me through the mayhem and to the hospital cafe.

Twenty minutes later I was listening to Rick as he spoke about Shane, sipping my hot chocolate as he sipped away at his coffee. They had apparently been friends since they were little boys, been through school together and even started their training together for the police force. I listened to the way Rick spoke about Shane and I understood then that they were more than friends, they were like brothers. Rick had even called Shane that a few times as he spoke of him.

We dropped into a silent pause, Rick sipping away at his coffee as I took in everything he said. From what I could tell he seemed to be always working. What did that mean for Carl? Thinking about Carl had me wondering how the little boy was doing.

"How is Carl?" I asked breaking the silence as Rick placed his coffee down on the table and looked at me. A small smile appeared in his face and I took it to mean that the little boy was okay.

"One day on that medicine and he's already doing better," he replied giving me an intense look with his eyes. I did not know what the look meant but I wish he would look at me all the time like that. It filled me with heat as his eyes gazed at me like that – god I really needed to sort out my priorities. I was turning into some lust-filled crazy girl and all because of some handsome officer. "Really Dr. Fairfax thank you so much for doing this for me."

"Call me Faylin Rick, I won't have any more of this Dr. Fairfax," I muttered to him reaching over and placing my hand on his gentle as it rested against the table. "I'm really glad Carl is doing much better. Has his fever gone down?"

"He's nearly back to his normal self," Rick replied his eyes resting on my hand as it gripped his. "I didn't know your name was Faylin," he added looking up at me a funny look in his eye.

"What did you think it was?" I questioned chuckling slightly at the look he was giving me.

"I dunno, something like Katherine," he told me giving me a sheepish look as I raised my eyebrows at his response. "Ya kinda look like you'd have a posh name," he explained when I didn't say anything to his words.

"My Nana named me, mom had postnatal depression after I was born, mom and dad never spoke about names. Mom said she didn't even want me, couldn't stand to look at me. Dad caught her about to smoother me once when I was a few days old. Sent me here to King's County to live with Nana. Still didn't have a name then but Nana said I need a nice strong name because when I got older, I would need it," I explained telling this man something it took me weeks to tell Kelly after meeting her here. I was finding myself trusting this man but maybe it had something to do with not being able to lie to an officer.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rick said to me turning my hand over in his, so his thumb was rubbing against the back of my hand in a soothing manner.

"It's no one's fault, mamma was just ill after having a baby it's actually quite common if you'd believe it," I told him shifting my thumb slightly and grazing it over his wrist on the inside of his arm. Rick seemed to inhale quickly and pulled his hand away from mine, leaning back in his seat and looking at me carefully. His eye glanced down at his watch and then back up to me.

"I should be leaving to see Shane, should be ready by now," He grumbled turning back to the groggy parent he was when I first met him. I nodded my head at his words slightly, standing from my chair and looking down at him.

"It was nice seeing you again Rick," I meant my words, it was nice seeing him again and I was looking forward to seeing him again on Friday.

"See ya Friday Faylin," he called out as I left him sitting there in the café. I gave him one last smile before going back to work.

"Heya Carl," I said softly to the little boy as he walked into the room with his dad. Rick wasn't carrying him this time. I could already tell that he was feeling better from looking at him.

"Hi," he whispered leaning into Rick's side as he peered at me. I looked up at the little guy's dad and gave him a soft smile.

"I can see he's feeling better," I teased nodding to the chair beside mine hoping Rick would get the hint.

"Carl why don't you sit down so Faylin can look at you," He said to the boy nodding his head at the chair in a way to tell his son to do as he told. Carl slowly let go of his dad's leg and clambered up into the chair and then peered at me carefully.

"Aylin?" he asked sounding confused as he looked up to his dad. He must not have known that Faylin was my name only known me as the doctor.

"Dr. Fairfax Carl, her name's Faylin," Rick explained crouching down by his son and looking the boy in the eye. "She's the one that helped get ya better. Faylin's just going to check you over now to see if you're okay," He added and I could just tell that the boy understood what his dad was telling him.

"Okay," Carl muttered looking back to me and giving me a shy smile.

"I'm just gonna listen to your heart little guy," I told him pulling my stethoscope from my neck and pressing the metal under his shirt. He jumped slightly like the first time, but I knew he was hurt just shocked. "Yeah, that's cold right little guy?" I asked receiving a nod from the boy as I listened to his heart.

Everything seemed to be normal and much better than when I saw Carl on Monday. I slid the metal down his chest slightly listening to his breathing and was happy that it seemed to return back normal.

Rick's phone went off the shrill ring making both Carl and I jump as it interrupted our silence. Rick gave us a sheepish look before standing up and answer the phone, stepping over to the corner of the room.

"I can't right now Shane," Rick grumbled down the phone and I looked over to him. His hand was running through his hair, the usual sign of stress for some people. "No, I said I can't. I ain't got no one to watch Carl." His voice was getting stressed with each word. I felt sorry for him then. This man was wanting to care for his son, but it was obvious that he needed other things to do as well – not that I knew what they were. "Just tell the Sheriff I ain't got a sitter, he'll understand."

It was work. Rick was being called into work, but he couldn't go because he didn't want to leave his son. This was his way of earning money, but he couldn't do that because there was no one to watch Carl.

"I can help you, Rick," I interrupted feeling both Rick's eyes and his sons on me. Hey, I was willing to look after the kid, but Rick hardly knew me. My Nana ran a child-minding company and I was sure she wouldn't mind watching the boy so his dad could go work.

"How?" he asked looking at me anxiously. I would do the same thing. I didn't really look that old and I wasn't even legal yet, but I knew what I was doing.

"My Nana runs a child-minding company. She won't mind watching Carl," I announced hoping he would accept the offer I had just presented him with. "A lot of the kids around here have been too her house at least once, I'm surprised you haven't heard of her before."

"What's your Nana's name?" Rick asked and I knew that he would know her if she was a local.

"Charlotte Riggs," I told him noting the acknowledgment plaster to his face as he took in the name.

"Your Nana's Charlotte Riggs?" he asked, and I knew that he had heard of her. I gave him a soft smile and nodded my head at his words. I looked down to carl and took the stethoscope buds out of my ears and placed them gently in Carl's letting him hear his own heart as I spoke to his dad. Carl's eyes grew as he listened to his heart and he looked up at me with a large smile.

"The one and only," I muttered to Rick as I stood up from the chair and over to him. "I swear to you Rick she wouldn't mind watching him for you."

"She used to watch me when I was younger," he admitted his cheeks flushing at his words. Huh, it seemed like a small world in this place.

"She used to watch me too," I teased hoping it would make him feel more obliged to accept. Rick sighed deeply for some reason I knew then that he had given in.

"Fine, but if she ain't happy with it I'm blaming you," He told me trying to sound stern, but I could see the smile on his lips.

"If you want to get to work, I can take him there," I added as Rick rested his hands against his hips and looked over to his son. Carl seemed fascinated by the stethoscope and was ignoring his dad and me but moving the metal over his chest and placing it on his stomach. The boy let out a small giggle and I could only assume that he could hear the grumbling of his stomach. "Carl was my last appointment and I'm heading home now anyway. Makes sense for me to take him."

"Are ya sure?" Rick asked looking uncertain with this. It must have been the first time he was trusting his son in the arms of someone he didn't know.

"Rick I'm a doctor, I can handle kids," I assured him and nodded to his son. "See I got him to laugh, didn't I?"

"I suppose you're right," he grumbled looking to his son again. "I'm not sure when I'll be back, I'll send you a text," He mumbled, and I remembered then that I had to give him my personal number on Monday.

"It's fine Rick, you should go. Shane didn't sound happy," I muttered walking him over rot the door, resting my arm on his shoulder softly. "We'll see you later." Rick nodded at my words giving one last glance to Carl before closing the door and leaving me with the five-year-old. The boy looked at me then and frowned when he didn't see his dad. "Your dad had to go to work. I'm gonna take you to my Nana's and she'll help look after you until he gets back."

Carl seemed to take in my words, nodding slightly before placing the metal of the stethoscope back on his chest. It seemed this kid was easy to distract.

Thank you for reading xx