Chapter Twenty-five: Reunited
Staring at each other, the look of relief on his face mirrored my own. In the next second I was in his arms, crashing my lips against his. Kissing him passionately, I gripped his hair, pressing myself as close to him as I could get. His lips moved effortlessly with mine. He tasted sweet and yet earthy. He sent a spark through me and all I wanted to do was keep my lips against his. Hearing soft laughter, I leaned away from him, pressing my forehead against his as I shut my eyes, running my hands across his hair. Meeting his eyes again, I smiled, kissing him again before I moved around him, pulling Carl into my arms.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you." I told him, taking his face in my hands.
"You, too." He said wrapping his arms around me again.
"Linny." Rick said pressing against me, his hand moving to my hair as he pressed his forehead to my temple, his other hand around his son.
"Rick." I said wrapping my arm around him. "I knew you couldn't be dead."
"Can't kill me that easily." He smirked.
"You weren't there when I came back for you." I frowned at him.
He nodded, running his hand down my hair, "I know. I'm sorry."
"It was my fault." Carl told me. "He was hurt and we needed to move."
I put my hand against Rick's face, "You were hurt. You're looking a little better."
"I got some rest." He smiled. Smiling back, I leaned in and kissed him. "Did you get Ray?"
My smile faltered and I nodded at him, "I did."
"Where is she?" Carl asked.
Sighing, I couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes. I couldn't speak, settling for just shaking my head. Carl bowed his head while Rick once again pulled me into his arms. Burying my face in his shoulder, I cried into him. I was so happy to see him and yet was still grieving Ray's death.
"We should go inside." Michonne said softly.
Nodding, I let Rick go. He kept my hand as we walked inside. I looked around, not seeing much of anything. It was quiet.
Turning back to Rick, I frowned at him, "Where's Judith?" Both of them just looked at me in the same way I'd just looked at them. "No." Rick nodded, not meeting my eyes. "No." I said as grief started to settle on me again. "No." I repeated, bending over, not able to breathe. "Rick."
"I know." He said taking me in his arms again.
"Rick." I repeated, hugging him tightly. "I'm so sorry."
"Me, too." He said as he buried his face in my neck. "About both of them."
Nodding, I continued to cry, so happy and sad at the same time. Finally letting him go, I took a deep steadying breath. Carl stepped up to me, wrapping his arm around my waist, pressing his face into me. Kissing the top of his head, I took another deep breath, looking at Michonne. Even she was struggling with keeping it together. If there was ever a moment to not keep it together it would be now. We'd lost two kids and there were no words for it. No easing that kind of pain.
"You two should go get cleaned up." I told Carl before looking at Michonne.
"What about you?" Carl asked.
I smiled and furrowed my brows, "I'm gonna talk to your dad for a few minutes."
A smile crossed his face as he moved toward Michonne, "You mean you want to make out with him some more."
Grinning, I couldn't help the blush that came to my cheeks, making me gently shove him, "Go away."
He grinned, nodding at me before Michonne gripped his shoulders, leading him upstairs. As soon as they were out of sight, my smile disappeared and I turned to Rick. He nodded, both of us just standing in front of each other.
"Tell me what happened." He said softly.
"She was trying to find breakfast. She came across a hoard and she tried to run but it just led them back to us. We tried to outrun them but in the end it was going to be either us or them." I told him and paused. "In the end I was going to give my life to save hers." I went on, seeing him flinch. "She wouldn't let me. She pulled me out of danger and put herself right into it. They tore her apart right in front of me." I finished, wrapping my arms around myself.
"Caroline." He said softly as he put his hand against my face.
My hand flew to his wrist, moving my thumb back and forth across the top of it. "I know." He nodded. "And Judith?" I asked with difficulty.
He sighed, "I found Carl and when we went looking for her we found her carrier. There was nothing but blood in it."
My stomach was turning and I couldn't say anything. I simply nodded and then took his face in my hands. He gently gripped my wrists. Just looking at each other, we were saying everything that we needed to say. He nodded and put his forehead to mine. Shutting my eyes, I listened to him breathing, loving the feel of my skin against his. Then I parted my lips, kissing him slowly. It took only a moment for him to reciprocate, wrapping his arms around me as I did the same, deepening the kiss until neither of us could breathe.
"Despite the loss of Ray and Judy." I told him softly. "I've never been happier to see anyone in my life."
He smiled, kissing me again, "I know the feeling."
"I needed to find you." I added.
He kissed me again, "And you did. Don't leave me again."
Smiling, I brushed my nose against his, "I promise."
"Are you done yet?" Carl asked as he came back downstairs.
Grinning, I ruffled his hair, "For now."
"Let's get some food." Rick told us.
"You sit." I told Carl, my hands on his shoulders as I moved him toward the table. "We'll get breakfast."
"Okay." He said sitting down with a comic.
"We'll take up reading again later." I smiled at him, wrapping an arm around his neck.
"Yeah, okay." He smiled.
"Good." I stated and placed a quick kiss against his cheek before he could lean away from me. Looking at Rick, we both headed toward the kitchen.
"Linny?" Carl said, stopping me. "I'm okay with it." He told me. "You and Dad. I'm happy for you."
Grinning, I nodded at him, "Thank you, Carl."
Going out of sight, I wrapped my arms around Rick's waist from behind, "We got the Carl stamp of approval."
He chuckled and turned his head, kissing me quickly, "I accept that."
Bringing cereal to Carl, I rejoined Rick as we shared a can of fruit. Hearing Michonne, she sat down with Carl, hearing them talk. Rick and I smiled at each other when Carl started to laugh. Only then Judith was brought up and it got quiet. A chair moved and then Michonne came into the kitchen. Smiling sadly at her, I put my hand on her shoulder as I passed her by, heading upstairs. Looking around, I heard pages turning and I followed the sound into a kid's room that had a small separate room, finding Carl sitting on a reading bench.
"Hey." I told him softly.
"Hey." He replied.
"Can I sit?" I asked him.
He nodded, "Yeah."
Sitting down, I looked around, feeling safe and happy. Not saying anything, I simply sat with him. He must have figured I wasn't going to say anything, starting to read some more. Leaning my head back against the window, I shut my eyes, listening to him. I knew there was nothing I could say. So did he.
"You stink." He said breaking the silence.
I looked at him, starting to laugh, getting him to laugh with me. "Yes. Yes I do."
"You should probably shower." He stated.
"I should." I nodded. "I should find some clothes."
He nodded, "Yeah. You should."
Running my hand across his hair, I pressed a kiss against it before getting up, "I kind of love you, you know."
"I know." He smiled. Nodding, I walked away, "Love you, too."
Stopping I turned to him, smiling and winking before I walked away. Going to the bedroom that clearly belonged to adults, I found that most of it was too big, finding a tank-top that would fit and a pair of jeans that sat loosely on my hips. Stripping, I took a long shower, feeling like a whole new person as the blood and dirt and everything else slid off of me. I felt like I was shedding my skin.
When I was done, I managed to find a complete outfit, taking my clothes back downstairs. Finding the wash machine, there was a pile growing on top of it. Adding mine to it, I went back to the others who were all standing at the door.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"They're going to go try and find some supplies." Rick told me. "We'll need it if we want to make it very far."
I nodded, scratching my shoulder, "Okay. Be safe."
"Do you wanna come?" Carl asked.
I smiled, "No. You and Michonne go. Have a fun yet safe run. I'll stay here."
"So you can make out some more?" He grinned at me.
Laughing, I shook my head at him, "Are you going to keep bringing it up?"
"For a while." He smiled.
"Go away." I told him.
Michonne grinned at me, putting her arm around my neck, "Be good."
"I'm exhausted. You guys are going to do the hard work." I smiled at her.
She smiled and shook her head, smiling at Rick before the pair of them left, leaving me and him alone. Looking at him, he still looked like he was a mess. Gently tugging on his shirt, I faced him.
"It's your turn to shower. Then I'll throw our clothes in the wash." I told him.
He nodded, "Okay." He started up the stairs, stopping and looking down at me, "You coming?"
Smiling, I followed him, "I already showered."
"I know." He smiled.
Going to the bathroom, I started to unbutton his shirt, running my hands along his muscles as I pushed it off of his shoulders. Reaching for his pants, he took my face in his hands and started to kiss me. Running my hands up and down his chest, I wrapped my arms around him, hugging his shoulders to me as he deepened the kiss.
Hearing the shower, I took his clothes to the washer, putting it all in and started it up. Finding him something to wear, he was the luckiest of us. The clothes I found him would fit just fine and once ours were clean and blood and dirt free, we could rest, recover, and get the hell out of here. There were still plenty of family members that we needed to find.
Going to the bedroom, gently touching the clothes I'd put out, I went and grabbed two bottles of water and two books. There were plenty of them around here and if we were just going to relax then we could just read and rehydrate and…maybe a few other things. Sitting down, I waited for the shower to turn off, trying to decide whether I should just go join him. He took so long that I was almost getting worried about him.
Only then the water turned off.
Taking a slow deep breath, I stared at the door, waiting for him to come in. When he did, his hair was wet, curling over his forehead. He wore just a towel around his waist and my imagination was running wild. He stared back at me, smirking before he pulled the towel free, dropping it onto the floor. My breath caught and I couldn't help but grin at him. He was amazing. He was…perfect.
He stepped up to me, looking down at me with a lustful gaze. Standing, I pulled my shirt over my head, keeping my eyes on his. Moving to my pants, I must have been taking too slow, Rick gripped them and clumsily yanked them down. Laughing, I shrieked as I felt his teeth at the top of my underwear. Forcing them down, I unhooked my bra, tossing it aside so we were both standing there naked in front of each other. His hands were already on me and mine were on him.
The happy moment faded and then my pulse started to race, still running my hands along his skin. Sitting down, I moved myself backward, keeping his eyes. He watched me with lust still in his eyes. He crawled over me, his lips meeting mine, his hand running up my stomach and between my breasts. He attempted to position himself on top of me but he fumbled, accidentally kneeing me in the groin. Letting out a sound of pain, I attempted to shift myself, my head colliding with his before I accidentally kneed him right back. He groaned and fell off of me.
Laughing, I put my hand against my forehead, "Well, this is awkward."
He grinned at me, "I had definitely pictured this going better."
"Me, too." I told him and laughed again, looking at him. He met my eyes, looking as handsome as I'd ever seen him. "Try again?"
He nodded, "You're on top."
Laughing, "I'm on top only if you want this to be even more awkward."
"I already screwed it up. It's your turn." He replied.
I had never felt this nervous before sex. I didn't want to ruin this. I didn't want to make this any worse than it already was. Growing serious, I rolled onto my side, caressing his face, running my fingers through his hair, staring into the blue of his eyes. He was amazing. Leaning in, I started to kiss him. Slow and gentle at first. Then I deepened it, slipping my tongue into his mouth, tasting him. Smiling, I rolled over him, continuing to kiss him, reaching down and started to rub him until he was hard.
Meeting his eyes, he brushed my bangs out of mine before he started to kiss me again. Smiling, I gripped him, shifting so I could slide him inside of me. As soon as he was, I shuddered, shutting my eyes as I relished the feeling. Pausing for just a moment, I met his eyes, then I started to rock against him. Just like my kisses, I was slow at first, getting a feel for each other. His hands ran along my sides before moving around my ass, smiling up at me. Grinning, I attacked his mouth with mine before I rocked harder. Rocking as we both started to breathe hard making me rock faster. He leaned up, kissing me passionately before he rolled me underneath him, taking over as he pushed deeper inside me, making me moan with pleasure. My head was already spinning, making me shut my eyes.
He pressed his lips against my ear, "Look at me."
My eyes shot open and I was once again staring into the blue of his. Rocking harder yet, I wrapped my arm around him, my hand finding his face. Kissing him, our mouths were open against each other's as I tightened around him, both of us climaxing. He rested himself on top of me, both of us laughing lightly before we were kissing each other again.
"Hi." He told me sweetly.
I laughed, "Hi."
"Again?" He grinned.
Laughing loudly, I ran my hands up and down his body, kissing him, "I'd love to."
Making love again, even moving to the shower, by the time we actually found ourselves in clothes again, knowing that Carl and Michonne were going to come back eventually, we were both exhausted. Crawling back into bed, I laid on my stomach, partially on top of him, nestling my face into his neck. I took a deep breath of him, happiness moving through me. Putting my hand against his face, I ran my thumb back and forth across his cheek.
"I'm happy you're here." He told me, his arm wrapped around me, his other against my arm, running his fingers up and down.
"I am, too." I replied. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long."
He smiled and pressed a kiss against my forehead. Shutting my eyes, it took all of a few minutes for sleep to take me. I felt happy, safe, and satisfied. I couldn't help but fall for this man. He'd been a beacon of hope and I wanted to hold on to him for as long as I could.
Jerking awake, frowning, I lifted my head and listened. Hearing a bang, a man grunted. My pulse immediately started to race and I started to shake Rick. He opened his eyes and I put my finger to his lips.
"You're a coward." A man said angrily.
"No, I'm sorry."
"You're a lying coward. That's all you'll ever be."
"No, please, I'm sorry. Don't do this, please."
"What the hell'd you say to me?"
"I said don't do this."
"This ain't your business."
"I'm sorry, man."
"Aw, shut up."
They were bantering back and forth. One was clearly anxious about the other. He was afraid. Who the hell were they?
"I'm so sorry. No, don't."
"It's gonna happen."
"We can work this out. Please, don't do this."
"It's gonna happen."
"No, no, no, please. Please don't. Please!"
There was the sound of someone being hit and then one of the men screamed. Apparently there was reason for his fear. Then other men were laughing.
The man is still screaming. "Oh, God!"
"You plan on finishing the job?" A different man asked.
"Yeah."
"I'm getting an earache and I know he's just gonna let his ass squeal." Yet another man complained.
How many of them were there?
"After what he did, the man deserves to bleed."
Rick rolled out of bed, silently moving toward the door. Moving onto my knees, I reached for him but he was already too far away. Trying to hide the shuddering in my breathing, I put my hand over my mouth.
"Y'all stay down there if you want."
Rick looked at me and then pointed to the book and water. Both of us gripped them and then he pointed under the bed. Nodding, I swiftly dropped, moving under the bed. Feeling his arm around me, he pulled me tight against his side, both of us making sure none of us was showing.
"This will be our abode for the evening. Clean up your mess, Harley."
Covering my mouth to keep them from hearing my shuddering breaths, we heard steps, a man entering the room. Rick put his hand on the top of my head, bringing me into his chest as the man dropped down onto the bed, the springs hitting us. Hearing another set of steps, I gripped Rick tightly as he started to argue with the other that was on the bed. They kept talking about claiming and since the sleeping man hadn't, the bed was fair game.
A fight broke out and both Rick and I stared as the first man was being killed right in front of us. His eyes met ours; growing wide, but he couldn't say anything. Then there was a crack and he was still. The winner fell onto the bed, the springs hitting us harder. Waiting, he fell asleep quickly, snores coming from him. Rick looked at me and gently pushed me toward the edge. Gripping his shirt, I looked at him with wide eyes. He nodded, gently pushing me again. Sighing silently, I nodded, pressing my lips to his for a moment before I was moving. Flattening myself to make it under his foot.
As soon as I was free, I rolled and got to my feet, waiting for Rick. Staring at the man, I reached for Rick as he slowly got to his feet. As soon as he was up, he had my hand and we moved to the bedroom across the hall. It was where Carl had been reading. Trying the windows, they wouldn't open, leaving us trapped in this room. Hear steps, we both flew to the sides of the doorway, flattening ourselves against the wall. Looking at him, he met my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I smiled at him. He smiled back before both of us stopped as there were yet more steps and the sound of a ball bouncing. My heart started to pound as the ball hit the top of the wall in the small room we were in. We could see his arm as he repeatedly tossed the ball, catching it again. Then he was gone.
Letting out the breath I had been holding, I turned into the room, Rick right behind me as we moved from it. He grabbed a trophy and then we moved out into the hall. Hearing the men downstairs talking about the clean laundry, I felt my stomach drop. Rick took my waist and swung me into the bathroom, coming in behind me, closing the door. Only we both looked at the toilet, seeing a man sitting there. Jumping back, the man charged Rick, tussling with each other. Attempting to stay out of the way, I grabbed a pair of scissors that were on the counter, stabbing the man so Rick could get the upper hand, strangling him.
Keeping the scissors, Rick took the man's gun as I turned and opened the window. Climbing out of it, I watched Rick crack open the door, grab the man's jacket, and then he was following me. Moving away from the window, I dropped to my stomach before swinging myself over the edge of the roof, dropping to the ground. Rick was right behind me as we circled round the house. Crouching, we moved toward the porch, hearing steps. A man came out of the house, eating food that we had found. Frowning, pissed off now, I was going to move when Rick grabbed my wrist, moving around me and made a face as he shifted the gun into my line of sight. Raising a brow, he smirked and handed me the gun. Smiling, I took it, taking a slow deep breath, hardening myself before I was about to move. Only as soon as I started to come out of my crouch, there was screaming from inside. The man had turned.
Rick was now moving, gripping my hand as we started to run. Michonne and Carl were walking toward us, talking and enjoying themselves. As soon as we saw them, we motioned for them to stop, both looking at us with confusion. Gripping Carl, we started to sprint down the road before anything else could happen.
"You okay?" Michonne asked me.
"Yeah." I nodded.
"There's blood on your hand." Carl stated.
Looking at it, I quickly stopped and attempted to wipe it off in the grass, "We had to fight a little."
Moving toward the tracks, Michonne took out a can of crazy cheese. As soon as I spotted it, I couldn't help but grin and laughed a little, running my hand across Carl's back as he turned to her.
"Crazy cheese?" He smirked.
"I like crazy cheese." Michonne smiled.
"Me, too." I stated.
Coming to the tracks, there was a banner with a map underneath it. SANCTUARY FOR ALL. COMMUNITY FOR ALL. THOSE WHO ARRIVE SURVIVE. Stepping up to it, I looked at Rick who was studying the map.
"What do you think?" Michonne asked.
He looked at me, getting a smile, before he looked at Michonne, "Let's go."
"Let's go." I repeated.
With a new found sense of direction, we started down the tracks. It could be nothing but it could be something. If the rest of our family had seen the same sign, we could be reunited in just a matter of days. Hope was alive. Hope of a safe place as well as the thought of seeing our family again.