Better Days

Chapter 356

Author's Note: Have you all seen the new 4 minute clip for the season premiere? If you have, then you can understand why Jewel is throwing a hissy fit and yelling at him in my head! But for now, Rick wants to be a little jealous of Noel. Personally Andrew Lincoln and Mark Ruffolo, I'd take both or either. Please review.

Rick's POV:

Rick packed up the shovels and watched as everyone started to go back in the gates for the night.

"You think we did enough?" Noel asked as he gave him the shovel.

"We did what we could, now it's up to us," Rick said as he stood up.

"I can take some of those," Noel offered.

"I've got it, but thanks," Rick told him as he started walking toward the front gate.

"Were you always like this?" Noel asked.

Rick glanced at him. "Like what?" he questioned.

"You're a lot of things Rick, but I don't think you're stupid. You know what I'm asking. You have no confidence in us, you are betting that most of us aren't going to survive if things go bad. You only care about your group," Noel pointed out.

Rick stopped and looked at him. "I didn't know you were a psychiatrist in another life," he pointed out.

"I'm just observant," Noel told him.

"I trust my people, I don't know any of you. I think most of you would be dead if it wasn't for the gates," Rick answered.

"You are watching out for everyone else, but are you paying attention close to home?" Noel asked.

Rick straightened up. "Excuse me? You got something to say? Come out and say it," he challenged the other man.

"I'm just concerned that one of these days that one little thing may be to much for Jewel, and she may try to find solace in the bottle. Even the strongest branch breaks eventually," Noel told him.

Rick dropped the shovels' and stepped closer to him. "If you're thinking what I'm thinking you are, you can just forget it. You aren't Jewel's type, she'd chew you up and spit you out."

Noel looked at him. "You think I want to make a move on Jewel?"

"Isn't this what this is about? Putting doubts in my head about my wife?" Rick asked.

Noel had to laugh. "How did you get all those people to follow you like they do? You're suspicious, you question everything. How in the hell did you get that I was even remotely interested in Jewel from me pointing out that even the strongest branch breaks? Are you that insecure in your marriage that you think the first man who voices concern over he well being has to be wanting to jump her bones? I give it to you that she's a very attractive woman, but she also scares me to death. Plus she loves you like any man would be lucky to have a woman love him. She would never even think about being interested in anyone else Rick. If you doubt her, then you're stupid. No offense," he told him.

Rick huffed. "Yeah, I'm sure that I won't take offense to that. So why are we having this conversation?"

"I know you love her, that you would do anything to make sure she lives and survives, but you have no idea what it's like to be a recovering alcoholic. You have no idea how much we struggle day to day. I would have broke down a whole lot earlier then this if I was out on the road and dealt with the things you all had to deal with. I get it that Jewel is a strong woman, I get that she knows what will happen if she gives into that temptation. No matter how strong we are, no matter how many people we have depending on us, the bottle is always calling to us. Like I said, she's a lot stronger then I ever could be. I take it that before the end of the world, she had a sponsor? Someone she could talk to, someone who knew exactly what she was struggling with?" Noel questioned.

"Jane," Rick answered as he stepped away from the other man.

"You're thinking about something," Noel told him as he took a breath when Rick stepped away from him.

"Are you a mind reader now?" Rick asked.

"You have a very expressive face," Noel answered. "Are you going to deny that you were thinking about something?"

Rick looked at him. "What or what I'm not thinking about isn't really any of your business is it?"

"Not all of us are out to get you Rick. Some of us get what you are saying. Do you not remember that I stood with Quinn at the meeting last night? I didn't do that because I was attracted to Jewel or to you, for that matter. I did it because it was the right thing to do. The only thing I am interested in is Jewel's sobriety, and I know that you are too. There's a lot of things going on, a lot of things that a person that is a lot less stronger then Jewel is, would already have sent them over the edge. You are her main support, and I just want both of you to know, that if she needs to talk, I'm here. And I hope that the same goes for her with me, we can be each other counslor's," Noel told him.

Rick looked at him as he picked up the shovels. "You going to take some of these or what?" he asked.

"Didn't think you wanted my help," Noel answered.

"I'm allowed to change my mind," Rick said as he started walking with the other man. "I was thinking about something Jewel said when Maggie and Beth's father fell off the wagon, she said none of us knew what it was like. You just reminded me of that."

"She's right, no one else does unless you've been there yourself," Noel answered.

"I'll talk with her, let her know you are there if she needs to talk," Rick told him as he started to walk away.

Lexi and Sasha's POV:

Lexi climbed up on the wall and sat with Sasha, but didn't look at her. "I didn't mean what I said...that I wish it had been you and not Ty."

"I know you didn't," Sasha answered. "I didn't mean to shut you out," she told her younger sister.

"Why did you?" Lexi questioned.

"I don't have that answer, Lex. I wish I did, but I don't. I was in a real dark place, a place I hope you never get too," Sasha answered.

"Are you out of that place now?" Lexi asked.

"I'm getting there," Sasha answered.

"You're going to be careful out there right? You're not going to do anything stupid right? This isn't some death mission you're on right? You didn't volunteer just because you hope it goes bad, right?" Lexi questioned.

"God, you sounded just like mom with all those rapid questions," Sasha said as she put her arm around Lexi. "I'm not doing this because I have a death wish, and I'm not doing this because I hope it goes bad. This needs to be done, and I know Jewel would be driving that car right behind Daryl if she didn't have Hope and Judy to worry about. This is my way to keep her and Mar from worrying to much. Daryl's family right?"

"Once you're locked in a train car with someone, I think that automatically makes that person family," Lexi answered with a smirk.

"Oh you think you're so smart huh?" Sasha asked as she bumped her shoulder with Lexi's. "Abraham is going to be with me, so he's going to have my back."

"So does that mean I need to go give him a talking to about bringing you back safe?" Lexi questioned her sister.

"We're going to bring each other back safe, and Daryl. You know what you need to do back here right?" Sasha asked.

Lexi nodded. "I'm going to be helping Carl with Judith and Hope. Mika and Mitch already put there stuff and Jenny's in the nursery if things go bad. I hope Deanna is going to let us have guns."

"I'm sure Rick is asking her about it. We'll probably have a family meeting tonight, you know how Rick and Jewel are," Sasha said.

"But we wouldn't change them for the world," Lexi answered.

"No we wouldn't. They're family. So, I heard that Carl kissed you at the party," Sasha said teasingly.

"That was almost a month or so ago, Sasha," Lexi pointed out.

"Well, as you know, I've been a bit self centered latley. So, do I have to give him the big sister talk?" Sasha teased.

"Please don't," Lexi answered as she rolled her eyes. "I guess we kinda decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend," she told her older sister.

"You guess?" Sasha questioned. "How exactly do you guess something like that? You either did or you didn't, it's not that hard," she pointed out.

"Have you forgotten what it's like to be fifteen? And when you were fifteen, the world wasn't at an end, and the dead stayed dead," Lexi pointed out.

"Point taken. Do I need to have the birds and bees talk with you?" Sasha asked.

"Once again, please don't," Lexi told her. "I read," she informed her older sister. "Plus that's like the furtherst thing from my mind. Carl respects me," she told her sister.

"He better," Sasha told her as she kissed the top of her head. "I love you, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Lexi responded. "I love you too," she responded. "Let's not let it get that bad between us again, OK? It didn't feel good knowing that either one of us could die and at any moment, and things would be bad between us."

"I agree, I should have tried to put things right before this," Sasha told her.

"It's alright, we're good now," Lexi told her.

Jewel's POV:

Jewel saw Jessie standing in her garage, she took a breath as she walked in. "Are you alright Jessie?"

"Just thinking," Jessie responded. "Ron told me what happened earlier. He told me that Rick told him he would teach him how to survive. You can understand why it can't be Rick right?"

"It was a figure of speech, Jessie. Any one of us can teach him, but he has to learn. Going out there alone, it was stupid and irresponsible," Jewel told the other mother. "You need to keep a better eye on him, if you want him to live."

"Jewel, I appreciate what you and Rick have done to help us with Pete and everything. I know that you and Summer both got hurt because of Pete and I apologize for that," Jessie told her.

"It wasn't you Jessie, it was Pete. You have nothing to be sorry for," Jewel told her. "I here a but coming," she said.

"Ron is looking to blame everyone right now, and that goes double for you and Rick. I think it would be best if you let other people help him," Jessie told her.

"Then he would have died today," Jewel pointed out. "Ron and Carl are the same age, Jessie. Carl's been to the point where Ron is now, over a year and half ago. Summer had to go from being fifteen to grown up over night because she took on the responsibility of the other kids at camp, and she's been doing it ever since. If you can't keep your sons' inside, Jessie, and if you don't know where they are, then I will. Don't ask me or Rick not to say something when Ron is doing something to get himself killed, because we aren't going to stop. How do you think we walked inside those gates with two teenagers, two preteens, and two infants Jessie? We watch out for each other. I'm not going to be standing here one day and have to tell you Ron or Sam died because we didn't stop it and you weren't around. Take better care of your sons so Rick doesn't have to save his life from walkers'," Jewel said as she walked away leaving the other woman to think about what she had to say.