I decided to make this the last chapter because I was struggling to find the inspiration to continue. Apologies to all those who were hoping for a longer story, but I really felt that I had taken it as far as I could. I do have other ideas for Rick/Beth fics rattling around in my head, and as soon as I get the time I'll be writing them down. I was interested to read that season 4 of TWD will pick up the action somewhere between 3 -12 months after season 3 ended, so I think some fanfics to fill those missing months would be good.
Another big thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this fic, I have really appreciated your feedback, thanks again. - Mrs P.
It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive
Chapter 6
Rick decided to take Carl and Michonne with him out on a supply run. They worked well as a team the last time they'd gone out together, and he needed to find ways to reconnect with his son. Michonne had suggested that it would be a good way to engage Carl in a dialogue around the things that were troubling him, without having to confront him head on. Rick hadn't been able to put his relationship with Lori back together, before her death. He was still haunted by his failure and couldn't risk the same thing happening with his son. Life had always been too short, but now it was even more fragile, and every second spent with loved ones was precious.
Beth walked out with them to the car, and wished she was going too. But she appreciated what Rick was trying to do, and how important it was to him.
"Be careful," she implored all of them.
Michonne and Carl took their seats while Rick and Beth said their farewell with a fleeting, but sweet kiss. She clung on to his hand for a moment before letting go, so that he could get behind the wheel.
"We'll be back before you know it," he said reassuringly before driving away.
"Let's all wave goodbye to Goldilocks," Carl sneered.
"Hey, that's enough of that," Rick chided, only to see Michonne trying to stifle a snicker.
"So, where are we headed? Back to King County?" She queried to quickly change the subject.
"No. That wouldn't do us any good, not this time," he replied.
"Where then?" She inquired.
"I thought we'd try pushing west of the river, we haven't explored that area much," he answered.
"The Governor's territory?" Michonne raised an eyebrow.
"Not anymore. We took his people in, and we need the resources," Rick reasoned.
They travelled on in silence for a while.
"D'you think Morgan is still alive?" Michonne asked out of the blue.
Rick gave her a look of surprise.
"I don't know. Living on his own like that; he was in a bad place, and I ain't talking about his booby trapped accommodation," he said with a sigh.
"I was alone for a long time, before I found Andrea," she said wistfully.
"You survived, so maybe Morgan will be okay, too," Carl reasoned.
"Yeah, I survived, but I wasn't okay," Michonne stated with certainty.
"I thought I was protecting myself by staying on my own, but it wasn't that simple. I watched Andrea fighting for her life, out in those woods, and I almost kept on walking. I realised something in that moment, and it was what made me stop and help her. I knew the longer I was alone, the more pieces of myself I was in danger of losing. My compassion, my humanity, my sanity, they were all slipping away and I'd hardly even noticed before. It hit me then, that without those things which make us all human, I might as well be dead, or undead, because what's the difference?" She questioned.
Carl looked thoughtful for a moment.
"But Andrea chose to stay with the Governor, and now she's dead anyway, so maybe you should have walked on by, back in those woods," he argued without compassion.
"Yeah, she stayed with the Governor, and that hurt me, I'm not gonna lie. But she saved me, just as much as I saved her, and she didn't even know it. When we found her back in Woodbury, and as she lay dying in my arms; she said that no one can make it in this world on their own anymore. I knew she was right, and I never would have known it, if not for her. If it hadn't been for Andrea, I never would have come to the prison, and I'd have missed out on so much. I wouldn't have met you, for one thing," Michonne spoke passionately in defence of her friend.
Carl nodded as if he had come to a realisation.
They all lapsed into silence and their own quiet contemplation for the rest of the journey.
"This looks like a good bet," Rick said as they approached a small shopping centre.
"Let's hope it ain't been picked clean," he said driving them as close as he could to the nearest store.
There were a few walkers milling around outside, but nothing they couldn't handle.
Rick had an epiphany as they set about looking for useful things to scavenge; it was a revelation to realise just how much stuff was useless now. All of the technology stores and the places selling fancy goods, which had been highly sought after before, were all redundant now. They needed food, clothing and basic essentials for survival; the rest could just be left to rot. He let out an ironic laugh as they passed by an Apple store that was filled with walkers.
They carefully rounded a corner and came upon a potential goldmine; a superstore. They desperately hoped, as they made their approach, that it hadn't been completely looted already. Their reconnaissance revealed plenty of canned goods still on the shelves, but also a dozen or more walkers wandering around the aisles.
"We got a lot of mouths to feed, we need all that stuff," Rick argued as they tried to formulate a plan of action.
"We're just gonna have to pick them off, one by one," Michonne said as she readied her Katana.
They made their way inside as stealthily as possible, and began to dispatch the walkers as they went along. Carl grabbed a shopping cart, and filled it with as much useable stuff as he could. They almost got surrounded in the baby goods aisle and Rick had to use his gun. After which they decided to quit while they were ahead, and get back to the car.
The gunshots had attracted a few more walkers out front, and Michonne set about swinging her sword to clear the way. They loaded up the contents of the cart with the rest of the stuff they'd found, and then they set off back to the prison.
"You did good out there," Rick praised Carl.
He smiled and looked genuinely happy, which these days, was a rare thing to see.
They travelled along in silence for a short while, until Carl spoke directly to Michonne.
"I've been thinking about what you said, and I'm glad you came to the prison. I just wanted you to know that."
She smiled and gave a nod of her head, and then she caught Rick's eye in the rear view mirror. He silently acknowledged and thanked her by returning the gesture.
It had been a successful day, in many ways, and Rick was grateful for the slight thawing in relations with his son. It seemed like Michonne had been able to get through to him, just as they both hoped. Rick didn't dare to presume that all of their problems had been solved, but it was a step in the right direction, and it was something for them to build on.
Beth always had a sick feeling in her stomach when Rick was somewhere else other than in the prison. She turned down her dinner ration and went to sit out in the yard to look for any sign of her lover's return. She stared out at the walkers that were clawing at the fence, and began to wonder about who they were before they turned. Beth knew it wasn't helpful to see them as the people they once were, not when their survival depended upon driving sharp objects through their brains. But they had lived, loved and been full of hopes and dreams once, just like she was now. She wondered how long it would be before she either joined them, or was torn apart by them.
"Hey, mind if I join you?" Maggie came and sat down on the bench beside her sister.
Beth managed a weak smile by way of acknowledgement, but her mood was maudlin.
"What's wrong? You look like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders," her elder sister asked with concern.
"Oh, nothing really, I was just thinking is all," Beth said with a sigh.
"Care to share?" Maggie inquired.
"Back on the farm, we'd see animals being born and then we'd see them die all the time, I was used to that. But this...? I know life will never be the same as it was before, but I wonder if we'll ever beat this thing," she explained.
"I don't know I wish I did, but I guess we'll just have to keep making the best of what we've got. We still have each other, and we've got daddy. We both managed to find love, despite everything, so things ain't so bad, are they?" Maggie asked.
"You gonna quit giving me a hard time over Rick, then?" Beth asked with hope.
Her sister looked at her through narrowed eyes as she contemplated the situation.
"What I said still stands, but if he makes you happy, then I guess I can live with it," she finally said.
Maggie wasn't exactly jumping for joy, but it was an acceptance of sorts and Beth was grateful for it.
The sound of an approaching car sent them both running for the gate, as they joyfully welcomed the returning trio back from their successful supply run.
Rick peeled off his shirt and pants and sat down on the bunk, it had been a good day but he felt exhausted. He lay back against the mattress and his eyelids fluttered until he drifted off into a light slumber. It was a short time later when Beth returned to the cell that they were now sharing.
"Sorry I took so long, but lots of folks wanted hot water tonight," she explained as she put the basin down on the floor.
She hadn't noticed Rick had fallen asleep, and that she had now awoken him.
"Hey," he said sleepily.
"Oh, no, I woke you?" She was crestfallen at the realisation because he so needed his rest.
"It's okay," he said as he beckoned her over to him.
They kissed lazily and he put his arm around her to pull her onto the bunk with him.
"Not yet," Beth said firmly.
"I promised that I was gonna clean you up, and now I have the warm water, so just lie back and relax," she said seductively as she soaked the washcloth in the basin.
She helped him out of his boxer shorts and began to gently trace circles all over his body with the cloth. Rick moaned his appreciation as the roughness of the towel stimulated his skin as she dried him off.
Beth felt a strong urge to run her tongue over his chest and she tenderly circled each nipple. His arousal was plain for her to see and she began to kiss her way down his body. She left a wet trail down his stomach as she worked her way towards her target. He realised what she was intending to do and gently placed his hand behind her head to stop her.
"Are you sure?" He asked as he raised himself up on his elbows so that he could look in her eyes.
Beth was nervous, and uncertain of her ability to do it in the right way, but she definitely wanted to. She nodded and smiled as she licked her lips to show her enthusiasm. Rick was reassured and he laid back in anticipation of the certain ecstasy that awaited him. She tentatively began to explore him with her tongue, and then started to swirl it over his length. She licked her way up and then took him fully into her mouth. She sucked slowly at first as she lovingly held on to him at the base and pumped him with her hand. Rick was desperately trying to stifle his moans as she slowly drove him out of his senses. He felt the inner tension starting to build as she worked him with increasing fervour. Her lips and tongue circled him as she sucked harder and faster. He tried to let her know that he was about to come, in case she didn't want to swallow, but she stilled him with a hand to his chest. She looked into his eyes and willed him to let go, and that was his undoing. His hips bucked as he shot his hot seed deep into her mouth, and she hungrily took it all. Rick had to bite on the towel to muffle the sound of his orgasmic bliss.
"Just when I thought this day couldn't get any better," he said with a grin when he'd got his breath back.
They laughed and Beth was feeling pretty pleased with herself for a job well done. She wasn't sure that she liked the taste all that much, but the sensation was wonderful, and so she decided she could live with it.
The rest of the group had begun to accept them as a couple, and they had achieved quite a lot in a relatively short time. The road ahead was still fraught with danger, but at least they would be travelling it together, and that gave them both hope for the future.
THE END.