AN: Everyone guessed correctly about who is with the Governor in the last chapter, and part of Carol's motivation is hinted at in chapter four (blink and you'll miss it). So, the rating on this story goes up in this chapter. Originally it was going to be longer before any sexy situations because of paranoid Rick, but eager Beth won out in the end and took over my brain.

Warnings: Sexual situations!

Chapter Nine

Beth's older sister, Maggie was six years older than her and when Maggie had been in high school they had fought constantly over Beth violating Maggie's privacy. Beth had always been curious to what her sister got up to with her friends. She had read her sister's diary and eavesdropped on phone conversations. Hershel had even once paid Beth to follow Maggie and report on what she was doing when she and one of her boyfriends were exploring the farm. Annette, Beth's mother, had been furious with Hershel when she had found out, and Maggie refused to speak to Beth for a week. Beth now knew how Maggie felt about her lack of privacy.

Everyone in the group had walked in on them in various states of kissing. It was sometimes easy to sneak away for a make out session with Rick, but Rick always wanted to be within yelling distance of the others in unfamiliar areas. Occasionally, while they were kissing, Rick's hands would slide into her clothes but he would stop himself after a few moments and pull back, leaving Beth aching. And when they were settled down for the night, usually all six of them would share a space.

Beth seemed to be the only one frustrated by their situation. Rick seemed content with kissing when they could and snuggling together for the night. But Beth itched for more. She wanted Rick's hands on her naked skin. She wanted his mouth on her naked skin. She and Jimmy had never done anything more than over the clothes groping, at her own insistence. She had never felt comfortable with Jimmy. But now, with Rick, she yearned for more. She had touched herself occasionally, bringing herself over the edge, but she wanted Rick to bring her that pleasure. She wanted to give Rick pleasure.

She was starting to get irritated.

"What did those pecans ever do to you?" Sasha's voice interrupted Beth's brooding. Sasha collapsed next to her. They were camped outside, now that the weather was warmer and the nights weren't freezing, the group had taken to camping and stringing wire with cans around their campsite if they couldn't find decent shelter. They had acquired three tents, and Beth shared a tent with Rick, but their walls were cloth and the others were only feet away.

Sasha's comment referred to the pecans Beth was roasting over their campfire on a beat up cookie tray. Beth had been glaring at the nuts as she turned them for even roasting. "Oh, sorry. I'm just… frustrated," Beth sighed.

"Frustrated? I think you should be the only person in the group that isn't frustrated. Well, you and Rick," Sasha teased with a waggle of her eye brows.

"That's the exact problem! We haven't done anything besides kiss! Every time I try to take things further Rick stops me." Beth huffed.

"Wait, he's stopping things? Guy's a goddamned martyr," Sasha laughed. Beth did not join her laughter and sent her friend a glare instead. "Well, have you told him how you feel about it?"

Beth frowned, "No. You think I should?"

Sasha rolled her eyes at Beth before responding, "Girl, Rick's not a mind reader. If you want things to change, you have to take matters into you own hands. So to speak." Sasha waggled her eyebrows at the innuendo. Beth let out a short laugh and shook her head at her. "What? I haven't gotten laid in a long time, I'm allowed my humor," Sasha defended with a smile.

Beth found her chance to talk with Rick the next day. They had found a decent house to spend the night in and after the house was cleared Beth and Rick snuck off to one of the bedrooms after Beth exchanged a look with Sasha. At first she had no intention of talking as she pulled Rick onto the bed and he followed eagerly, pressing kisses into her neck as he hovered over her. The others were still downstairs, Beth knew that Sasha would do her best to keep the others distracted for as long as she could. Beth started unbuttoning her pink, sleeveless button up shirt as she toed off her boots. The sound of the boots clunking on the floor caused Rick to pull back.

"What are you doing?" Rick stopped Beth's hands on her buttons with his own hands. She was wearing a white cami top underneath the shirt so no skin was exposed yet.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Beth asked with an eye roll.

"Beth… we don't have to do this. I don't expect anything like this from you."

Beth's heart froze at Rick's words. He didn't want her? Beth had always considered herself pretty, she'd never been self-conscious that her chest was small or that her hips weren't curvy until now. Did Rick not find her attractive? She scooted back from Rick, until she hit the headboard and she drew her knees to her chest. Rick watched her move and he sat back on his knees. "Do you not-? Am I not…?" Beth couldn't even finish her question and her face burned hot with embarrassment.

"What?" Rick looked confused for a moment before realizing what Beth meant. "No, that's not—Beth, you are beautiful." Rick placed his hand over her own, but Beth only felt confusion.

"Then why don't you want me?"

"Want you? Beth…Believe me, that is not the problem. I want you. But I'm not going to pressure you into anything."

"Pressure me?" Beth gave Rick a skeptical look, "You treat me like glass, I feel like I'm the one pressuring you."

"I just, I don't need more. I'm okay with just this," Rick gestured unhelpfully.

"But I need more!" Beth finally burst. "I'm not some spoiled, naïve, daddy's little girl. I can handle walkers by myself, I keep all of you fed, I help protect our group, so I think I can handle knowing when I want sex!" Beth ended her rant a little louder than she wanted, but she was just so irritated. Rick responded with a low chuckle and a shake of his head. "It's not funny," Beth huffed, she started to move off the bed to return to the others and ignore Rick but he caught her arm and pulled her back. His lips landed on hers, this kiss was uninhibited, Rick was tasting her, licking into her mouth like she was a delectable dessert. And when he pulled back a moment later they were both breathless.

"I'm sorry. It's not funny. You are absolutely right. I just… get so wrapped up in trying not to overwhelm you that I ignore your wants. I'm sorry." Rick's eyes are dark as he met her gaze.

"So we'll move at my pace?" Beth asked with a mischievous smile, she was still a bit breathless from his kiss and more eager than ever.

"You got any condoms?" Rick asked, amused.

"What? You're a guy, you tellin' me you really don't have any?" Beth asked incredulous.

"It ain't like I can run to the store," he chuckled and kissed her pouting lips. "We'll get there, but for now…" Rick's hands went to her buttons and finished unbuttoning her shirt. Beth could feel her heart pounding and her cheeks burning as she pulled her cami top over her head. Rick, fascinated with the newly exposed skin, trailed kisses along her collar bone before heading south. Beth buried her fingers in Rick's curls and tugged him to where she wanted his mouth. He stopped at the edge of her bra long enough to tug her bra down and expose her nipples. Beth's voice hitched as Rick's tongue stroked her sensitive skin. Her fingers left Rick's hair to unhook her bra and Rick moved back to give her room as she wiggled out of it.

Beth can't help but feel a bit self-conscious as Rick studied her without her bra, but he looked at her with a mix of awe and lust. Beth felt triumphant then, that she was the one causing Rick to look like that. She reached for his shirt, eager to see more of his skin. Rick sat back for a moment, long enough to shrug off his shirt. He leaned in again, pulling Beth into another kiss while their chests touch lightly. Beth's nipples peaked, stimulated by Rick's chest hair brushing over her breasts and she moaned into Rick's mouth. Beth's fingers trace along Rick's skin, she was fascinated by the wiry hair cover smooth skin and tight muscles. Rick's hands weren't idle either. One hand kept him propped over her but the other explored her smooth skin and dipped below her jeans. Beth had never wanted anything more than how much she wanted Rick in that moment. She didn't know exactly what she wanted, all she knew was that her core ached with a pulse and Rick was the only one that could relieve her. "Please, Rick," she cried against his ear, "I need you." Rick's groan vibrated through her and his fingers were impatiently tugging at her jeans and pulling them and her panties down enough to get to her center.

He started with one finger, circling her clit and then her entrance before dipping inside her. Beth moved against his finger trying for more friction until Rick added a second finger. Rick's fingers felt so much better than her own and Beth couldn't control the gasps that were coming out of her. Rick's mouth made its way back to hers and he swallowed her breathy moans. His tongue moved against hers, thrusting in time with his fingers. He had two inside of her and his thumb steadily stroked her clit. And all the sensations quickly became too much for her, she felt her whole body tightening and her nails dug into Rick's back as she spiraled into her release. She melted into the sheets and Rick moved off her to lie beside her.

Rick let out a groan as he unbuckled his belt and jeans and finally released himself from the tight confinement. Beth watched, fascinated, as Rick took himself in hand and slowly pumped his fist along his cock. Beth let her curiosity overcome her and her fingers lightly touch his. Rick groaned again and he moved his hand so that there was no barrier between Beth's fingers and his cock. Beth's touch was light at first, she ran her fingers along the smooth skin curiously until Rick's fingers closed over hers. Beth let Rick lead her and Rick showed her how tight he liked her grip and the pace he enjoyed most. Beth laughed triumphantly as Rick came all over their fingers just a few minutes later.

Rick cleaned his hand off on the sheets but Beth brought her fingers to her mouth to try a taste. It was strange, unlike anything she had tasted before, and why was it salty? She looked over at Rick and he watched her with an expression that sent a shiver to her core. "It tastes a bit weird," Beth admitted. Rick chuckled before pulling her into a plundering kiss. And Beth quickly wiped her fingers off on the sheet as well so she could tangle her fingers into Rick's hair. She already couldn't wait until they found some condoms.

The warmer weather brought one more addition to the group. Beth and Sasha were bathing in a creek when Michonne found then. The men plus Duane were just out of sight but within yelling distance while the two girls washed up. The water was freezing cold but Beth felt glorious to be clean. She had just slid into clean panties and bra and she turned around when she heard the clinking of chains. The woman was standing still as a statue, she seemed to have materialized out of thin air because both her and Sasha had been keeping an eye on their surroundings and hadn't heard a thing. She was standing watching them with a curious expression, she had a sword drawn in one hand and in her other hand was a long chain that acted as a leash for two walkers that had no arms or jaws.

Beth, beyond startled, shrieked and nearly fell back into the creek in her dash to reach the rest of her clothes. Rick, of course, heard her scream and came charging through the trees on the opposite bank that the woman stood on. "Beth?!" He called frantically and found Beth nearly naked and Sasha completely naked and pointing a gun at the strange woman. Morgan, Tyreese and Duane came crashing through the brush right behind Rick.

Everyone froze for a moment not sure how to react to the woman with the sword and walkers, she had tensed with the arrival of the others and was eyeing them all. Rick broke the silence, "Beth, are you all right? Sasha?"

"She startled me is all" Beth responded.

Sasha only nodded, her gaze and aim never wavering as she asked, "Who are you?"

Rick drew Beth into his left side protectively he had his python steadily aimed at the woman. "My friend here asked you a question."

"I haven't… seen other people… in a long time." She said when she finally spoke. It was obvious that she hadn't spoken out loud in some time.

"My name is Beth," Beth started. She could tell the woman was just as wary of them as they were of her. "This is Rick, and that is Sasha, and Tyreese, Morgan and Duane." Beth gestured to everyone around her.

"That sword is so cool!" Duane spoke up. He had a big grin on his face, he wasn't intimidated by the newcomer at all, he thought she looked like a cool comic book hero. Morgan placed a protective hand on Duane's shoulder.

The woman's eyes widened as she seemed to take in Duane for the first time, she seemed surprised to see someone so young. "Michonne. My name is Michonne."

"Michonne, I don't know if you are aware, but you are leading around two walkers on a leash." Tyreese attempted to lighten the mood.

Michonne glanced over her shoulder at her two silent companions before looking back at them. "They … hide me. From the others."

Rick nodded, "makes sense. I once smeared walker guts all over me and walked right through a herd." That was back in Atlanta, before Beth had joined the group, but Duane liked to tell the story because he thought it was both gruesome and awesome. "Look, we've had some bad luck with new people, but if you want to put away your sword you can come back to our camp and we can talk," said Rick.

Michonne nodded at Rick's words and slowly sheathed her blade. Sasha finally moved to put her clothes back on and Beth finished dressing as well. The group slowly moved back to the campsite. Rick made sure he was in between Michonne and the rest of his group, minus Sasha, who walked behind Michonne, gun still drawn. He was wary of this new woman, but at the same time amazed that she had survived alone for so long. He could understand that her isolation had probably caused her mental state to deteriorate. She didn't seem to have a gun on her, which also eased Rick a bit. She looked prime to kill walkers, not other living people. The question was could she rejoin the world of the living?

AN: Originally there was more Michonne in this chapter, until Beth demanded some smut.

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