Another side chapter. I have one more chapter planned after this and then it's done. I'm also going to get Shattered Memories posted out this week. I think you guys have waited long enough and there's only two chapters left anyway. I want a clean slate for my new project A path we choose which I've drifted away from a little. I'm sure they'll be some more one shots before that goes up though. Exciting times!
Rick never did come back.
Things got too crazy, too hectic; too busy.
The farm went down. They lost more people. Beth slipped further away and Rick did too.
Especially after Lori.
He quite literally went mad and even when she approached him and took a hold of his belt buckle his eyes weren't quite there.
It didn't feel right, even for her so she didn't do it.
Daryl did.
When she left the yard and slipped inside, she took a moment to look back. Rick's intense blue eyes in the sun rimmed red and his moving mouth.
She almost wished she could hear the words he was saying to people only he could see, almost wished she was that deep inside his head.
Instead she watched Daryl approach him, not saying anything from his lack of mouth movement.
There was no words for a really long time, so long that Beth nearly walks away from them completely, nearly shuts the door behind her.
Just a beat longer she waited and it was right, it was instinct but in the next breath Rick looks at Daryl like he's only just seeing him, like he didn't even know he was there before.
Beth wonders if he knew she was there, if he really saw her or just decided to go along with whatever visual ride he was on.
When Rick looks at Daryl, he's lit a cigarette but it's just dangling from his lips. They stare at each other and Beth feels her belly squeeze the longer they do.
After an even longer moment where she watches ash crumble from the cigarette, Rick reaches his hand out, his fingers curling around Daryl's throat.
Daryl doesn't say anything, doesn't respond like he's surprised and a ripple of awareness floods through her that this is not new.
They've done this before.
Rick's fingers stay around Daryl's throat for a long time but even from where she's stood so far away, she can see how hard Rick is choking Daryl and she can see with all the clarity in the world, how hard Daryl's cock is straining in his jeans.