A/N Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews! They mean the world to me! :)
Chapter Fifty-four
Cool rain drips down the neck of his tan button-up shirt as Rick stands at the weathered wall of the barn, peering through a two-inch gap in the boards. Illuminated by a lantern hanging from a hook near the opened doorway, he can see a husky man in a dark flat cap and a white tee shirt that stretches taut across his stocky frame. The light also shines on Beth's terrified face as he holds her back against his chest, one beefy arm wrapped around her shoulders and the glint of a knife in the other hand at her throat. Hershel's knees are on the dirt floor as he holds his hands behind his head in respect for the gun that is aimed at his nose. A man with short dark hair and a sleeveless blue tee shirt, whose profile seems more young than old, stands at the other end of the handgun, his attitude both casual and menacing all in one relaxed yet aggressive breath.
"There's nobody else here, I swear," Hershel pleads with the man.
"Yeah, that's what you said before your lovely daughter walked in. So forgive me if I don't believe you," the intruder says, his accent hinting at south Philly.
"Please don't hurt her. I'll do whatever you want. Just, please let her go."
Rick turns to Daryl as he releases the safety on his gun. "Two guys holding Beth and Hershel," he whispers quietly. "I don't see anyone else but let's go around back to get another look."
After stopping at the partially opened side door to get a glimpse from that angle, he stands at the back wall with his face pressed to the boards just to the left of the open double doors. It is darker at this end with little exposure to the lantern and no sun to help brighten the area so close to the woods, but he can see enough to know that there are only the four humans among the shadows of the horses stirring restlessly in their stalls, feeding off the tension inside the charged atmosphere of the barn.
"Maybe we could set it on fire and smoke 'em out," Daryl says softly.
"No, despite the rain it'll go up quick and I'd hate for our people to get caught inside. A fire this size would also attract walkers," Rick replies in the same whispered tone. "No, we have to do this quietly."
"Okay. What do ya wanna do?"
"You know that ladder that leads up to the loft by the side door? You think your knee will make it up there?"
"Yeah, I'll make it."
"Alright, take a position up top and keep your bow aimed at the guy holding Beth. As soon as I step into the doorway, take him out and I'll get the guy on Hershel."
"Got it."
Leaving Daryl at the ladder, Rick continues back to the front doors, and listens to the threats of the men and the pleading responses of Hershel while Beth whimpers uncontrollably. Come on, Daryl, get up there. Watching through the gap, he sees the stocky man pulling Beth toward an empty stall on the left as he mumbles something about a good time. Fuck!
Rick steps into the opened doorway with his gun aimed at the man with the blue shirt, but speaks to the man in the flat cap. "Let her go! Right now or your friend gets a bullet in his brain!"
"Go ahead," the man replies with an air of sarcastic humor. "You can have Dave. This sweet piece of ass would be totally worth it."
"Bite me, Tony," his friend Dave responds, keeping his gun on Hershel but never taking his eyes from Rick's.
"Yeah, maybe someday I will," Tony says, shifting his position slightly so that Beth's body is now shielding his. "After I'm done with this little meal."
"Calm down, Tony," Dave says with a quick glance at his friend before locking onto Rick's gaze once more. "Look, we don't want any trouble. We're just looking for a little fun. You know how it is."
Rick narrows his eyes at the man, his veins burning with a hatred so strong he has to fight to control his rage so that he can concentrate on doing his job. "No. I don't," he replies firmly. "Drop your gun."
After a brief hesitation, the man paints on an easy smile as he slowly lifts his arms. "Alright, nobody needs to get hurt here. Let's just talk about this. I'm sure we can work something out," Dave says jovially but in the next breath his smile falters and he lowers his hands, swiftly bringing the gun down with its muzzle aimed at Rick.
Rick doesn't hesitate. He fires a single shot into Dave's forehead and quickly swings his hand to the left, toward the stall that Beth is disappearing into as she shrieks within the arms of her assailant.
"Drop that gun or I'll gut her, I swear it!" Tony yells, crouched behind the wall of half wood and chicken wire.
"Please." Beth's terrified cry floats heavy on the hay-scented air, twisting Rick's heart as he meets her father's eyes as Hershel rises to his feet.
"Alright, I'm laying it down." He lowers his arm slightly, just enough to get it below the solid half of the wall and out of the man's view. "Just let her go and we'll let you walk out of here."
"You think I'm an idiot? She's the only thing between me and a bullet!"
From the corner of his eye, Rick sees a shadow slither across the hayloft above them. Thank you baby Jesus! Now he just needs to buy some time to let Daryl get into position. "Listen, right now I'm the only thing standing between you and your freedom. Let her go now and you'll walk out on your own. If you wait too long, you're gonna have a dozen more men to deal with. My friends in the house probably heard that shot and are on their way over here right now to check on Hershel. Those guys won't be as reasonable as me, so I suggest you come out now while you still have time to get away." He hears movement in the small space and imagines the guy testing the outer wall for a quicker escape. He looks up to the loft and sees the tip of an arrow moving slowly side to side as it follows Tony in his search. Come on, man. Take the shot! When the bow remains silent, he realizes that Beth must be in the line of fire.
A moment later, Tony stands taller and Rick can see the top of his head behind Beth. "Alright, we're comin' out," he calls loudly before murmuring to his hostage. "Come on, sweet thing."
Breathing long and steady, Rick works hard to remain calm as Tony steps to the threshold, Beth shielding his body in the doorway as he holds the knife to her throat.
"Drop your gun or she's dead!"
Holding the Colt out to his side, he bends slowly at his waist, displaying the good intentions of placing the gun on the floor. "Easy now, I'm putting it down."
"Hurry up!" With Beth still held captive against his chest, Tony nudges her forward and they both step out of the stall. He turns her slightly until they are both facing Rick, leaving the profile of his skull exposed to the arrow aimed down from above. "I don't ha-" His head snaps to the side by the force of the arrow, cutting his words short when the tip is lodged deep in his brain.
The man falls to the floor and Rick rushes forward as Beth stumbles into her father's arms. With his gun aimed at Tony's head, he kicks the boot at the end of one leg, checking for a sign of life. Seeing no response and no chance of turning with the arrow in his skull, he looks up to Daryl with a grateful nod. "I'm going to check on the others," he calls up to his partner and then looks over to the farmer, still holding his daughter as she cries into his chest. "Hershel, help Daryl get down and then meet me at the house."
"I'll get him down," the older man replies. "Just go."
Racing to the house, he gets about halfway and sees Aaron and Jesus running toward him. He skids to a stop and quickly asks, "Is everyone okay inside?"
"Yeah, we're fine but we heard a shot out here," Aaron says. "What happened?"
"Two guys were holding Hershel and Beth in the barn." Rick rubs a hand through his hair and the soft rain slicks it back from his face. "Let's go inside and I'll fill everyone in." He jogs quickly toward the porch, anxious to see for himself that Erin and Carl and Kelly are unharmed.
He finds the entire household standing about the two front rooms as they wait for word from Aaron and Jesus. Carl is sitting at the top of the staircase with Sophia and Duane standing behind him, the latter swaying slightly on his crutches. He sees Carol sitting halfway up the stairs, protecting her young. Stepping into the foyer he takes Erin's hand, squeezing it tightly to calm his racing heart, and then proceeds to tell everyone what had happened out in the barn.
"I'm so sorry, Rick. I never saw them," Aaron apologizes with a look of grief-stricken regret. "I was looking out from the back porch the whole time, but I swear, I never saw anyone out there."
"They came through the woods at the back of the barn," Hershel says as he walks into the front door followed by Beth and Daryl. "No way you could've spotted them."
"Hershel, my God, I'm so sorry." Aaron steps forward to meet the man and Maggie rushes past him to throw her arms around her father and sister.
"It's not your fault," Hershel replies over Maggie's head. "But now we know that we need to put more guards out there. Definitely one in the loft of the barn. Rick, would you mind taking the first shift with me? You and I can talk about living arrangements for your group."
"You mean… we can stay?" he swallows hard, praying that he hadn't misunderstood Hershel's words.
"We can't defend this place on our own. And I realize now that not everyone out there will be as friendly as you folks. So yes, son. You can stay."
"Yes!" Beth screeches in her sister's arms.
"Just not too close to my daughter," the farmer adds with a glare at Daryl, which quickly softens to an expression of warmth when he nods at the hunter standing in the doorway. "Thank you again for saving her life."
"Thank you, Hershel," Rick says with solemn sincerity, his voice breaking slightly under the tremendous gratitude. "I promise we will protect this place for you," he vows, extremely relieved at the turn of events.
"Do you have room for all of us inside?" Amy asks.
Maggie clears her throat and says, "I'll stay in with Beth so that gives you one more bedroom upstairs along with the other one down here with the daybed."
"We've got a spare bedroom in the cottage," Otis offers with a quick glance at Patricia. "It's small but it has two bunk beds."
"I'll take one," Tara says with a gracious smile.
"And I'll take the other," Amy says at Tara's side. "If that's okay?" Tara puts an arm around Amy's shoulders, giving her seal of approval, and the deliberations move on.
"Carol, you and Sophia take the bedroom upstairs," Dale says. "I'll stay in the Winnebago."
"I'll stay with him," Glenn adds, giving Hershel a pointed look with a nod that says, 'I will keep a respectable distance from your daughter – but not too far.'
"Jesus and I will stay in our camper," Aaron says, "So Michonne can have the bedroom downstairs. Eugene, you can stay with us."
"Okay, does that cover everyone now?" Rick asks, pleased with the way that they are all working together, sorting things out with nobility and grace. "The rest of us will keep the rooms we've had."
"What about Daryl?" Beth calls out. "He can-,"
"Sleep on the couch in the den," Hershel cuts in brusquely, finishing the sentence as he sees fit.
"Much obliged." Daryl gives him a short but sincere nod and the newly extended family is formed...