AN: So Jimmy's only character development in the show was holding a gun like a dumbass and T-Dog shutting him down. So that reflects in Jimmy's actions this chapter. Also a bit in Rick's POV, we will see more of this thoughts later on. Still on the slow burn track for Rick and Beth!

Warnings: Violence, death. Short chapter.

Chapter Three

'Another day, another dollar' had been a phrase Rick's father had been fond of using when his mother would ask how his father's day had been. Rick's father had been a sheriff, just like Rick had been aiming for. His old life felt like a lifetime ago. Now, Rick's mind warped the phrase to 'Another day, another dead end.' No signs of his family or any other living person.

The house they were taking refuge in for the night was the most unsavory yet. Whoever had lived here had been a slob and in the two months the house had been left stagnant it had grown worse. But the smell of rotting food and mildew was better than the smell of rotting human remains and the cramped house had been walker-free.

Rick watched Duane and Jimmy with their heads close together as they quietly discussed the newest comics Jimmy had found for Duane. Jimmy was explaining why there were so many different Robins while there was only one Batman and Duane's open and excited face reminded Rick so much of Carl.

Some days were tougher than others. Some days he missed Carl so badly that it physically hurt, a clenching fear would fill his chest and just drawing a breath was painful. Duane would smile or laugh and Rick would wonder if his son was smiling and laughing or was he somehow incapable of laughing. The whole state of Georgia stretched before Rick, barren but for the dead, and Carl could be anywhere.

Rick pushed the group to keep moving, to cover more ground and explore all their surroundings. People like Dave and Tony couldn't be the only survivors of this new world. Carl was out there somewhere. But the unknown state that Carl was in preyed on Rick's mind whenever he would take a moment to rest. Was he a decaying corpse rotting in the sun? A walking creature thirsting for flesh? Was he with Lori? Was he alone and with strangers? Some days only the thought of Duane would keep him going. If he could keep Duane and Morgan safe and happy, then maybe a stranger was doing the same for Lori and Carol.

It was a bit easier now, with Jimmy and Beth in their small group. He had two more people to keep safe and protected. The extra work kept his mind from imagining all the terrible situations his son could be in.

"But what about Batgirl?" Duane's newest question set Jimmy off on a new tangent and Rick smiled at the older teen. Jimmy wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but his heart was in the right place. He tried to act mature but it only revealed how much of a kid he still truly was.

Rick's eyes traveled over to Beth. She was sitting a few feet away from Jimmy and Duane but her eyes were distant as she stared off unseeingly at peeling wallpaper. A bible was sitting in her lap but the book was closed. Her cheerful mood from a few days before was gone and Rick found himself missing her bright smile and even her unexpected kiss.

Rick couldn't remember the last time he had human contact, besides Duane hitting him over the head with a shovel. He was constantly around the group, he and Morgan decided quickly that one of them would always be with the others but actual contact was rare. Beth's soft touch had been a soothing balm on Rick's fraying nerves. It had anchored him to the moment.

Rick found himself missing Lori. They had argued the day he was shot, and multiple times before the accident. Well, Lori had argued and Rick thought he was being good by not arguing back but that seemed to only make her angrier. But he missed what he and Lori had shared in the beginning of their relationship. He missed having her comforting presence always at his side. He missed the casual touch of her hand on his arm, or her bumping his shoulder playfully. And he definitely missed having a warm body to curl around while drifting off to sleep.

Rick shook himself from his wandering thoughts. Human contact and comfort were not on his list of priorities. He needed to keep his people safe and he needed to find his son. Rick's newly determined gaze rested on Beth again and her somber look had him making an addendum to his list: get Beth to smile again.

Beth's first encounter with a large herd left her family either dead or to some other unknown fate. Her second encounter with a large group almost two weeks later doesn't go much better.

They were in a small town, not too far east from the one she grew up in. They were split into two groups: Morgan and Duane were staying close to the jeep scouting a hardware store while Rick was keeping an eye on her and Jimmy further down the main street looking for useful shops. They only had one vehicle, Rick had suggested leaving the truck at the house they spent the previous night in while they scouted the area, it was a risk that someone would stumble upon their truck and supplies, but gas was a finite resource and they were trying to conserve what they had. So far they had yet to see any walkers besides the few that had been drawn to the noise of Morgan's jeep. Rick and Morgan had put them down swiftly and soundlessly.

Rick wasn't staying too close to her and Jimmy, but he seemed to be keeping them in his eye line so Beth was doing the same by making sure Rick was always in her peripheral. Jimmy wasn't. "C'mon, Beth, just five minutes, we sneak in that store and have some alone time. Five minutes."

Beth was beyond irritated. "Dead people are trying to eat us and you want to sneak away and make out?" Beth hissed at Jimmy. She didn't want Rick to overhear how dumb Jimmy's idea was.

"C'mon, just a few minutes? We haven't been alone since…" Jimmy trailed off.

"Since my family's farm?" Beth huffed. And he wondered why Beth didn't want to be alone with Jimmy? Had he always been so immature? Was she going to be stuck with him for the rest of her life? That sounded awful, but there weren't many options left in the world. How does one break up with their boyfriend when they can never escape their presence? Beth glanced over at Rick, he was about twenty feet ahead of them investigating a store with a broken glass front. She was not crushing on a guy twice her age while her boyfriend begged for a make out session. Nope.

"C'mon Beth, I think we would both feel better," Jimmy pleaded again.

"No," Beth's tone was firm and resolute. She wasn't going out of Rick's eye sight. Crush aside, she had yet to kill a walker without Rick's help and she was loathe to start now.

"Fine," Jimmy huffed and stomped off. He marched passed Rick, who shot Jimmy and then Beth a curious glance.

Beth rolled her eyes at Jimmy's childishness before following after him. She never did like to have people upset with her. "Jimmy, please, don't act like that," she called as she hurried after him. Maybe she would compromise for a quick kiss. Jimmy stopped at the opening of an alley and Beth caught up to him. "I'm sorry, okay, please don't be angry with me. I'm just scared."

Jimmy nodded and gave her a hopeful look. He stepped closer to her, so they were only inches apart but before Jimmy could request they sneak away again a snarl interrupted them.

There was a group of walkers in the alley they were standing in front of, huddled around what looked to be the remains of a dog, and now their attention was fixed on Beth and Jimmy. How the hell had they missed that? The closest lurched towards them, its decaying hands reaching for its next meal.

Beth didn't realize she shrieked until Jimmy, in his panic, pushed her out of his way. Beth hit the pavement hard, her wrists jarred and her fight or flight instincts deserted her as she stared up at the approaching hungry walkers. The first walker was only a few steps away from her now, and all Beth could think about was Patricia and how she had screamed when a walker had bitten into her.

Strong arms pulled her from the ground and her memory, and Rick's voice spurred her into moving. Rick shot the walker that was only steps away with his python and the loud gunshot rang in Beth's ears. Rick's grip shifted so he held one of her arms as they both started to run back towards the Jeep. Rick's gunshot had awakened every walker in the surrounding area. In front of them Jimmy was ten yards ahead running fast when a walker burst through a glass storefront to his right. Jimmy startled and tripped over a bike rack and landed hard on his side. Rick didn't stop to help him, just yelled, "get on your feet!' at Jimmy. Rick's grip stayed firm on Beth's arm and Beth couldn't help but feel relieved that Rick didn't leave her.

Beth could see Morgan at the Jeep, the vehicle was running and he was waiving at them to run faster. More walkers filed into the street but then she was at the jeep, Rick all but tossed her into the backseat. He turned around and started towards Jimmy but it was too late. Jimmy was still on the ground, he had two walkers hovering above him. Beth could see that one of them had a mouthful of Jimmy's flesh and Jimmy's cries were drawing more of the walkers. There were too many walkers between the jeep and Jimmy and Rick fired a few shots, aim impeccable, before Morgan yelled at him to get into the jeep. Rick cursed, looked torn at leaving someone behind but Jimmy was gone.

Beth pulled Duane into her chest to keep the young teen from looking back at Jimmy. He was already crying and Beth could feel tears pricking in her own eyes, warring with the heart pounding fear in her chest. But then Rick was in the jeep and Morgan floored the gas pedal. The tires screeched as the vehicle took off down the road swerving to avoid even more walkers.

Rick looked back at Beth, eyes full of guilt and voice hoarse, "Beth, I'm sorry."

An: So Jimmy didn't last long. Whoops! The group just got cozy! Next chapter will see Beth taking charge and I'm pretty excited for it. :)

Review please?