For the first few miles of their journey, Beth wasn't sure who was holding who up. They had been lucky so far- there were very few walkers to be dealt with. They had been able to dodge them instead of deal with them for the most part. Neither of them had said much of anything. It didn't feel like there was anything to say. They had stopped once, when Beth felt a sob crawling up her throat, but Rick gently urged her on, whispering that there would be time to mourn later, when they were safe. But as the sun started to set, the weight of Rick on her shoulder started to grow, compounded by the weight of the carrier in her other hand making that shoulder begin to burn. Beth knew they needed to find somewhere to stop, but all she saw were trees.
Beth started whispering to Rick, its okay. Stay with me. We're almost there. We're going to make it. He was trying so hard, he kept nodding along with her, and deliberately putting one foot in front of the other. But only a few minutes later, Rick was stumbling, and before Beth could stop it, they were both on the ground.
"No, Rick, please…" Beth began to beg. There was nowhere to go. She couldn't carry him by herself, especially not with the baby carrier too. It was already dark, and she could barely see in front of her. She dare not yell too much in an attempt to wake him, but she shook him vigorously. Beth began to panic- she wrapped her arms around Rick's waist, and attempted to lift him, but it was never going to work, and she knew it.
"I'm sorry Rick." Beth sighed. She hunched down and wrapped his arms around her neck, and she dragged him to the side of the road. Beth took his gun, and covered him with leaves. Then Beth went back to the road, and grabbed the carrier. She moved back to where Rick was, and sat facing him, her back against a tree. She would have to stay like this, until he woke up. Or at least until morning.
/
Rick was having a dream.
He was still in high school. He had been Quarterback for his high school football team. He didn't have the strongest arm, but he was smart, and he was accurate. Not to mention he had Shane as his tight end, and the two of them combined for more yards than anyone else in the state of Georgia. Rick knew he was probably too small and skinny for the position, but he read defenses with ease, and he led the team to more than one championship.
It was one of those dreams he was having now. The feeling of being hoisted up on his teammates shoulders as they congratulated him on another winning pass, another championship. He tore his helmet off, and the cool breeze of October pressed against the sweat on his brow. He could hear the cheerleaders chanting:
Go Tigers! Go Tigers! Go Tigers!
He searched the crowd, and saw his parents waving at him from the stands, looking so proud. His mom even had tears in her eyes. Rick looked over to the sidelines, and saw Lori, wrapped up in her blue and white scarf, her eyes shining, waving at him. He saw Shane walk over to her, also in his football uniform, and put a hand on her shoulder as they both start smiling and waving. Rick got down off of his friends shoulders, and started to go over to Lori and Shane.
But when Rick hit the ground and looked over, they were kissing.
Rick rubbed his eyes, and looked again.
Now they've both turned, still kissing.
Rick blinked, and everything was different. Everyone was either dead, or a walker. Blood was everywhere. The scoreboard, still with the score of 34-20, was burning to the ground. Rick looked desperately up for his parents. His father was chewing on his mother's leg, as she reached for Rick, and that same tear left her eye.
Walker Shane and Walker Lori walked towards him now, holding hands. Walker Lori reached out with her free hand to grab him.
No, No, No, No!
/
When Rick woke up, it was because there was a blonde ponytail in his face. He tried to move, but could barely open his mouth. He was sore, and weak, thanks, he was sure, to the handiwork of the Governor. He looked around as best as he could, trying to take in his surroundings. It appeared to be a cabin of some sort, though it was smaller than anything he'd seen before. It couldn't have been larger than a standard living room in a normal house. All the furniture except the bed was piled up against the door, and the one window was stuffed with sheets and what looked like leaves. There was a small fire place, which seemed to have a pot on it, which accounted for the warm air surrounding him. There was a small lantern in the corner, but at the moment it was turned off. Then there was the bed, flush against the wall, which he currently occupied. Leaning against the bed was a small blonde girl, clutching a baby carrier, her head leaning against the edge of the bed, mouth slightly open, and a mess of hair flung his face.
"Beth." He rasped, knowing there was only one person that ponytail could belong to. Beth shot up, immediately turning to him, and checking on his bruises. She surprised him by beginning to cry gently, and mumbling, "You're not dead, you're not dead."
"Beth," he interrupted her, "where are we?"
Beth wiped her eyes, and sat up next to him. "It's a cabin, I brought you here. There's a creek down behind us, I got some water, and some catfish… Been boiling 'em both." She grinned at her own small joke, which made him chuckle. The laugh produced a sharp pain in his ribs, which sobered them both.
"I'm really sorry, Rick." Beth sighed, her hands a flurry of movement. She pulled off his shirt, and began trying to gently move his arms and check his ribs for breaks. He grunted with each movement, but he knew the pain would be much worse if anything were broken, or out of joint.
"I'm okay, Beth. Just sore." He reassured her. She smiled gratefully, but hesitantly.
"That's kinda my fault. I sorta dragged you here." She admitted sheepishly. "You passed out, and I couldn't leave you, I just couldn't. I guarded you through the night, but you still hadn't moved in the mornin'. I did what I could to get you here. But I can't pretend it was pretty." She shrugged. "But luckily it wasn't far, and I got you here, and you're alive." she sighed. "Shit! You need to eat!" she stood up and ran to the stove, where she dipped a dirty, broken bowl into the broth, and rushed it back over to Rick. "Ain't nothin' but fish n' water, but its somethin'I guess. Sorry." She smiled apologetically at him.
"Beth, you're tellin' me, you stayed up and guarded me in the woods all night, dragged a man twice your size to a cabin, cleared it, prepped it, and got us food and water, cooked it, and you're sorry?" Rick smiled at her, as he gingerly sipped at the broth, "I didn't know Beth Greene had it in her."
Beth smiled back at him, and playfully slapped his arm, "all you men forget I was raised on a farm. My brother Shawn taught me how to fish, and shoot, and I had to do all kinds of farm work that kept me strong and well, life ain't exactly got easier since then. I'm just glad you're up, I was startin' to worry."
Rick grinned at her, but it slowly faded as her words began to sink in. "Finally? …Beth, how long have I been out?" he sat up quickly, panic in his voice.
"I…I'm not sure, I think 3 or 4 days." She answered, taken aback by his change in tone.
Rick put his bowl down next to him and buried his head in his hands. They wouldn't have waited, they couldn't have. They would have had to move on.
"Rick…?" Beth started, placing a hand on his arm. He shook her off. He had to go check and see for himself.
"I told Michonne to take Carl and wait for me at a store in a nearby town. I have to go see if they're still there." Rick informed her.
Beth sighed and stood up. "You can't go anywhere. You can barely walk, and there's no car. I'll go, and bring them back here if I find them."
Rick was impressed by her courage, but shook his head firmly. "No Beth. I should have been the one taking care you as it is, not the other way around. I can't let you go."
Beth smiled warmly at Rick, and placed her hand on his. "Then we go together."