Walking Dead: Unexpected Return
Chapter 2 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 2
Rick didn't need to hear any more from Beth. The moment she said that he hung up and was out of bed and getting dressed. Rick had to admit he was still trying to process the news. He tried to remain quiet, not even turning the light on as he pulled on his Sheriff's Deputy uniform. He lacked the dexterity he once had however, now certainly approaching middle-age with his brown hair greying, as well as his beard. His blue eyes while still bright did not quite have the fire they once had.
"Rick?" Mumbled the sleep voice of his wife.
He bit his lip, turning back to the bed. Lying there, looking up at him questioningly. He smiled, admiring her again, her long dreaded brown hair, brown eyes, her brown skin contrasting with his pale skin vividly.
"I just got a call from Beth at the hospital Michonne." He explained. "She's certain that a girl that's just been brought in is Sophia Peletier."
That caught Michonne's interest. She, along with practically everyone in town, knew all too well the story of that disappearance four years ago.
"Wait, what, are you sure?" She gasped.
Rick shrugged. "I'll soon find out. Not so loud please, we don't wanna wake the kids up."
Michonne sighed and shook her head. "I should-"
"Please, rest...You're gonna need it, both of you." He replied, smiling as he gently touched the swell of her stomach.
Michonne sighed and shook her head. "I swear Rick, you keep using my pregnancy as an excuse for things…"
Rick laughed softly. "I got it, don't worry. Now, I've gotta go."
She nodded and they kissed softly, then Rick quickly but quietly headed out, finally getting into his car and driving to the hospital.
As Rick drove to the hospital he sighed as he began to wonder.
'Could this really be Sophia...it's been four years, she'll have changed...so much. That's considering the possibility that she's actually still alive.' He thought to himself. 'Still, if it is...It opens up so many more questions.'
He grimaced and tried to focus, he was getting ahead of himself. He didn't have any actual facts to work with yet, he needed to get to the hospital and see what was waiting for him there. With it being so early in the morning the roads were practically deserted and so he arrived at the hospital in good time and made his way inside. He found Beth standing waiting for him.
"Rick, I-"
He nodded. "I came as quickly as I could. Where is she?"
"They're still treating her, she was...she had so many injuries." Beth replied. "I swear Rick, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but I'm sure it was her. She even said her name was Sophia, I-"
"We'll find out everything soon enough Beth." He reassured her.
At that moment they heard a small commotion down the nearby hallway. They made their way down to see two people outside one of the surgery emergency rooms. One was Denise, the other was a tall Caucasian man with medium length dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes.
"I am perfectly capable of treating this patient, Cloyd." The man was saying. "You do not tell me-"
"Dr. Anderson." Denise replied firmly. "We've already seen what happens when any male gets close to her. Are you trying to make her condition worse to satisfy your ego?"
"Excuse me!?" Pete Anderson thundered.
Rick stepped in. "Alright, that'll do, this is a hospital. Have some respect for the patients."
Pete glared at Rick, noticing him and then stalked off, grumbling.
Denise turned to Rick, seeing Beth too she nodded to her and spoke.
"Officer Grimes. I take it Ms. Greene called you?"
Rick nodded. "Yes, how…"
"From what we could gather she was running from something...only to be hit by a car, the driver drove off and another driver found her later and called for help." Denise explained. "She has broken ribs, a broken arm and injuries to her hip and surface lacerations, there has been some damage to her back but nothing that would inhibit her walking…"
Denise trailed off, looking anxious.
"Denise, what…?" Beth began.
Denise sighed. "She's clearly been through some horrific treatment. Your hunch was right, Beth. I examined her and she's certainly been sexually abused...seemingly over a long period of time. She's also malnourished and there was a notable mark around her right ankle."
Rick frowned at that. "As if she was...tethered by something?"
Denise nodded in confirmation. "Yes. There's other scars on her body, notably whip scars on her back."
"God, what has this girl been through?" Beth gasped.
Rick sighed, wondering just that himself.
A short while later Rick checked over the clothes the girl had been wearing, as well as samples taken at his request, sending a call for forensics to pick it up and analyse everything.
"Oh and we've had a blood sample taken." Rick explained through his phone. "We need to be sure of something, compare the sample to the one we got four years ago...for Sophia Peletier."
"Officer Grimes, that's...are you sure?"
"Yes. We need to be sure." Rick confirmed.
With that he hung up and, making sure everything was secure, he followed Beth on the way to the ward the girl was now on. Standing by the window, looking into the room Rick's eyes widened and he saw why Beth had called him. True it had been four years, she had only been twelve at the time. The girl before them was sixteen, the right age. While she looked naturally different, there was something that made him sure.
"Beth, I see what you mean...it does really look like her." He whispered.
Beth grimaced. "Well, we'll soon know for sure right?"
Rick nodded. "Yeah, but...I think we should, try one more thing."
"What are you thinking?" Beth asked.
"That I need to get someone to come and see her."
With that Rick prepared himself and headed back out to the car, driving to the home of the person he needed to see.
Knocking on the door, noting it was now six AM, Rick grimaced. He just wondered if this was the right move. But it was too late to change his mind as the door opened and a gray haired middle-aged woman with blue eyes; her hair medium long and rather pale and slender, stood in the doorway, looking confused.
"Rick, what-?"
He sighed. "Carol...I need to talk to you."
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.