Rick watched Amanda play with Judith in the prison yard from his vantage point on the breezeway. His daughter toddled back and forth between the dark-haired woman and Herschel, who had assumed a grandfatherly role in his baby's life. Rowan and Beth worked in the garden, harvesting more crops to can. Under the former farmer's supervision, the crops had produced more than Rick could have imagined and the group may soon be set for the winter with vegetables.

Judith thrived under the love of the entire group. She was a happy, loving, friendly child who was utterly spoiled by her adopted aunts and uncles. Rick would have never been able to picture a Dixon with a baby but both men seemed unusually adept at handling children. Even Carl looked up to the rednecks. That was Rick's fault. Daryl stepped in when he was out of his head with grief over Lori's death. He took care of Carl and made sure Judith had formula.

Judith was done with formula now but they would probably need some when Rowan's baby was born…and Amanda's if in fact she was pregnant. He was transfixed by her seemingly carefree attitude when she was playing with his daughter. The wind blew her unruly hair across her face even though she had tied it a bandana around it. She brushed it back and he imagined for a minute that she met his gaze and smiled in his direction. It had be a trick of the sun and shadows. She had no reason to smile at him.

But, yesterday…she kissed him.

Rick had insulted her father for no other reason than his own pettiness and she slapped him. He had tried rather clumsily to apologize for the pain he caused her…and then he saw the tears in her eyes. It broke his heart. She tried to hide them but he saw…and he knew he was still in love with her so he told her. He only meant to kiss her cheek but she turned so his lips met hers. She kissed him and he kissed her back. He grabbed the back of her head because he was afraid she would pull away but she didn't. She leaned into him, into the kiss and it shook him. He felt all of her pain, her longing, and her love in that single kiss and it shook him to the core. What a fool he had been…

Carl Grimes had been sulking for a couple of days. He had a problem and no one to talk to about it. He was pretty good friends with Oscar but this was something very private and very important. He finally went against his better judgment and sought out his father who was on breezeway where he could often be found with a pair of binoculars searching the edge of the woods for any new threats. "Hey, Dad!"

Rick pulled himself out of his thoughts and his attention away from Amanda and Judith to turn and greet his son. "What's up, Carl?"

"I need to talk to you,"the younger Grimes admitted reluctantly.

The seriousness of his son's tone set Rick's senses on high alert. "What's on your mind?" he asked, putting a hand on his boy's shoulder. Damn, he'd grown tall over these past few months.

"Girls," answered Carl, grimly. "Or, just one girl to be exact."

Shit. "I'm not sure I'm the best person to talk to about girls, son, but tell me your problem and I'll see if I can help."

"Daryl stole Beth from me and I want her back."

What was he supposed to say to that? Rick rubbed his face. "Son…"

"I know she's an older woman but I'm almost a man." Carl said confidently, puffing his chest out a little but then he deflated and his voice took on the tone of hurt boy. "Couldn't she have waited another year for me, Dad?"

He'd be thirteen then…a teenager. But a man? He had grown more than any kid should have to this past year. Hell, he was more mature than any of them had been when they were his age. Rick was sure of it. But that was a lifetime ago. The world was different. Now it was just cold, hard and dead.

"Dad? Are you okay?" Carl looked up at his father with concern.

"Sorry, son," Rick said, squeezing his shoulder. "Did you ask her to wait for you?"

"Well, no, but I thought…I know that she liked me. Then all of the sudden, Daryl's all over her, kissing and stuff." Carl shifted uncomfortably at the disturbing images burned in his brain.

God, Rick wished Lori was here to handle this. "Carl, were you spying on them?"

"Of course not!" Carl was shocked that his dad would even think that. "I went to see if Beth needed any help moving to her new cell and I, um, well I saw them." He really should have left sooner than he did but…but he had to make sure Beth was okay. At least that's what he told himself.

Rick closed his eyes and rubbed his face tiredly. Shit. This wasn't any way for a boy to be raised. "I'm sorry you had to see that." Rick exhaled loudly and put his arm around his son. "Never assume a woman knows your feelings. You have to tell them."

"Is that what happened with you and Amanda? You didn't tell her but Caesar did and that's why she with him?" he asked. Carl didn't understand what had happened between his dad and Daryl's niece. She was going share a cell with him and then she was kidnapped. When they brought her back to the prison, she was hurt and angry. And she was still so sad.

Damn it. Rick didn't quite understand it himself. There was no way he could explain it to his son. "It's a bit more complicated than that, Carl."

"Is it because she's gonna have a baby? Is that why?"

Rick turned to look at his son. "How do you know all this?"

"Dad, there's no privacy here. Everybody knows everybody else's business." The boy didn't know why his dad was so surprised that he knew this. Who didn't? "Sometimes, I hear things I probably shouldn't or don't even want to hear."

Oh God. Rick was going to have to pull himself together so he could take better care of his children. Carl had no mother to talk to anymore and for all practical purposes his father had deserted him. What kind of burden had his boy been carrying around on his own? "Anything you need to tell me, son?"

"Bout what?"

"Things you heard. Things that are weighing heavy on your mind."

"I think Merle is hurtin' Rowan," he said quietly. Carl actually liked Merle. He was kind of scary but didn't treat him like a kid. He didn't want to get him in trouble but he couldn't let the man hurt Rowan either. She was always nice to him. "She hides it real well, Dad, but sometimes at night, I hear her…"

"Yeah," he cut his son off before he could go into detail. They all heard her and Dixon. "She's okay, Carl. He ain't hurtin' her." Thank God the couple would be moving a little further away very soon. Rick wished something or someone would rescue him from this conversation. "Anything else?"

"Can't think of anything."

Rick sighed with relief. "Well if you do, make sure to tell me straight way."

"Sure dad. I'll walk the perimeter with you later if you want some company." He hated to see his dad isolate himself so much and he planned on going with him even if he said he didn't want any.

"I'd like that, Carl," Rick answered, honestly. Finally, this little father-son talk was over.

"So, Dad, how do I get Beth back?"

Shit! So it wasn't over after all.

Judith was fussy. She was tired and refused to give in to the sleep that threatened to take over. Herschel tried rocking her but the toddler refused to be held down and wriggled out of his lap and ran away. She only made it about three feet until she fell on her face and let out wail that would call walkers from miles away. Amanda scooped out the grumpy girl and walked her around the prison yard, humming softly. She had a terrible singing voice or so she'd been told and wished Beth was on babysitting duty today. The teen had a magical way with children, well at least with Judith.

Amanda patted the baby's back and felt her struggles lessen if only a bit. She saw Rick on the breezeway. She squinted up at him. He was watching her. She felt herself turn red in embarrassment and anger. Why did she kiss him yesterday? If she was honest with herself it was because she still loved him and she wanted to know if he could physically stir her again.

The asshole kissed her back. Not long but long enough for her to know that yes…he could bring back all the feelings that she had for him before…before Woodbury.

But he pulled away. He kissed her back and then he pulled away. He was over her. Crowley ruined her for him. The kiss just cemented it. Damn it she wasn't going to cry. If she told herself that enough, maybe it would be true.

Judith had finally settled against her shoulder. Finally. The little lady was getting heavy. Amanda eased herself down inside the tent Rick had set up for them.

A shadow fell across her as her daddy's girlfriend joined them. Rowan plopped down on the blanket next to Amanda. "Need a break?" she asked softy so as not to disturb Judith.

"Now that she's almost asleep?" she answered sarcastically. "Thanks." Laying the princess on the blanket, making sure she was in the shade.

"Sorry," her friend laughed. "I really needed a break from gardening." She said rubbing her lower back.

"I'm not sure watching this little booger can be considered a break," Amanda laughed, "unless she is asleep." She kissed the baby girl's head.

Her relationship with Rowan had become strained ever since she found out the woman was carrying her half-brother or sister. She couldn't help feeling a little resentful because Rowan was so happy and beautiful and loved.

Amanda hated how everyone looked at her with pity. Even her own family. She didn't know how she would make it through the days if it wasn't for Caesar. He didn't look at her like she was damaged. Her daddy was brooding over something and she was afraid it was her. Daryl was…well Daryl. He was with Beth now, which was only obvious for the fact that he wasn't oblivious to her presence like before although he would never be demonstrative like his brother. Herschel seemed to be tolerating their relationship well enough. At least he didn't look like he was going to have a stroke anymore.

"Amanda?" Rowan was concerned. She reached out and touched her hand. "You wanna talk?"

Shit. "I'm fine," she said and turned the conversation around. "How are you feeling?"

Rowan smiled, almost shyly, which was a little ironic since she and Merle didn't seem to make much effort in keeping the noise down. Well if they did, it wasn't working. "I get tired a quicker than before but other than that I'm feeling pretty good."

Amanda smiled weakly and said, "I'm glad to hear that," hoping that it sounded sincere.

Caesar caught her eye and a real smile touched her lips. "Rowan, I think I will take a break. Sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all. We'll be fine," she answered and curled herself around the sleeping baby girl.

Amanda made her way to where Martinez was working in the ditch. "Hello, gorgeous," he said wiping the sweat off of his face with his shirt tail.

"Hello. Need some help?"

"Digging the ditch?" he asked, looking skeptically at her thin arms. "No thanks, baby."

"I'm stronger than I look," she boasted, flexing her muscles.

Caesar rubbed his beard and covered his mouth to hide a smile. "I have no doubt but I was getting ready to take a break." He propped the shovel against the fence. "Why don't you join me?"

"I'd love to, although I haven't done any work yet," she admitted.

"Babysitting is work." He reminded her.

"True," Amanda agreed. Now that the baby was walking, watching Lil Ass-Kicker was a workout. "Princess Judith is a handful some days."

"The cooler is by the garden; let me get as couple of bottles."

They sat in the shade with their backs against the cool concrete wall. Caesar sat his hat in the grass beside him drank almost a two-liter bottle of water before he took her hand. "I'm glad I met you, Amanda."

"Thank you," she said squeezing his hand. "I'm glad I met you too." She meant it. She would have never thought that he would become the only person her she was comfortable talking to. He listened and he didn't judge her and whatever pity he felt he kept well hidden.

"You make life bearable in this shithole."

"I do?" She almost laughed. He couldn't mean that. She was such a mess and her shit was still piling up.

"It's true," he said and wiped a trickle of perspiration from the side of her face. "Before I met you, the only thing left in my life was killing biters. Nothing else mattered. Whatever it took, I would do it."

For a moment she saw a faraway look in his eyes but he shook it off and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

She turned to face him eyes wide and a half-smile on her face. "What was that for?"

"I just wanted to." He finished off the water. "We were interrupted last time."

"Yes, we were," she agreed, crawling into his lap to straddle his thighs. Caesar held her waist with his strong hands and she pulled him closer by his sweat-soaked shirt, angling her head to meet his lips. He met her mouth tenderly at first and swept his tongue across the seam of her lips until they parted and her tongue greeted his hungrily.

Her hands found their way under the back his shirt and she trailed her palms down ridge of his spine until they collided with the handgun tucked in the band of his pants. "I hope the safety is on," she murmured against his lips.

"Me too," he groaned but didn't bother to check; instead he buried his hands in her hair, angling her mouth just right for a sweet deeper taste.

Winded, Amanda eventually sat back on his legs to catch her breath. His hands traveled up her sides and back down to her hips finally settling near the small of her back, fingertips just inside the waistband of her shorts. He was just as breathless as she was.

"Not bad, Martinez. Wanna take this somewhere more private?" When he hesitated, she was half-afraid that he was going to say no. She focused on her own hands which lay just beneath the hem of his cargo shorts.

Oh hell, yes. Caesar wanted that more than anything but first he had to get something off his chest. He tipped her chin to meet his gaze. "Baby, I do but we need to talk first. I don't want any secrets between us."

"Okay," she answered warily and tried to get off his lap but he pulled her closer.

"Don't go, Amanda." He requested, holding on to her thighs. "Just hear me out first. Please." Then he told her about the task the Governor had given him regarding her and her dad.

She didn't say anything until he was through. "Did you tell my daddy?"

He nodded. "Sort of. He figured it out first and asked me about it."

"What did he say?"

"Basically that he knew all along but used me to get you out." He smiled wryly, "and that he would gut me if anything happened to you."

Amanda snorted and chuckled. "Sounds about right."

She hadn't tried to move from his legs and he ran his hands along the outside of her thighs. "Well?"

"Well what?"

That was it? He expected more. He didn't know what, though. Anger? Disappointment? Anything. "Is that all you have to say?"

"What am I supposed to say?" she asked.

"That you forgive me and it changes nothing between us?" At least that was what he wanted to hear.

"Nothing to forgive, Caesar." She said and leaned forward to kiss him. "Now about the private place you were talking about."

Unfortunately, on the way to the cell block, Daddy Dixon intercepted them, said he had some last minute details to go over with Martinez before the supply run tomorrow. Merle said it was just a run but Amanda thought he was awfully apprehensive for it to be so simple. She was summarily dismissed by her father while Caesar just shrugged. What are you gonna do?

Amanda rolled her eyes at them both and headed back inside the on her own.

Carol greeted her. "Maggie was looking for you? Did she find you?"

"No." That was odd they never really talked. "Do you know what she wanted?"

"Didn't say," Carol answered.

Must not have been important. Amanda shrugged it off and made her way to Cell block B to find Daryl on his new perch setting up a tent. She looked up at him with an amused expression on her face. "What on earth are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing? Setting up a damn tent." Shit. Why did women always have to ask the obvious? It was damned annoying.

She asked walking up to sit at the top of the stairs for a better view. "I can see that. I meant why?"

"Beth wants privacy and I ain't sleeping in no cell."

"Aww that is so romantic, Uncle Daryl," Amanda gushed.

He grunted, "Shut up, Possum," as he fit another mattress in the tent so there were two, side-by-side.

"I'm not making fun of you," she admonished. "I think it's a great idea for newlyweds."

"Just hush up," he growled as he tried to make the beds presentable.

"Want some help?"

He was getting a little annoyed at her persistent chattering. "Don't need it, Possum."

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah." Fuck! He was trying to be patient with her because she'd had such a hard time lately but if she asked one more question...

"There you are, baby," Caesar called up to her as he entered the cell block

"This day just keeps getting better and better," Daryl muttered to himself but as much as he disliked the man at least his niece's attention would focus on someone else.

Martinez looked admiring up at the tent. "Nice tent!"

Amanda skipped down to meet him. "Isn't it? It's for Beth. Isn't that romantic?"

"Very," Caesar answered. "I didn't know he had it in him."

"Fuck both of ya'll!" Daryl threw something across the room and mumbled something about not needin' a fuckin' audience then stomped out of the cell block.

When the grumpy redneck's footsteps faded out of range, Caesar turned to Amanda and pulled her in his arms. "This is private enough now, isn't it?"

She smiled and turned her head up for a kiss, wrapping her arms around his waist and under the back of his shirt.

"Mmmm," he raised his head from her lips enough to ask, "Your cell or mine?"

"That is so cheesy!" she groaned. "But, since you asked, yours. I can't wait to see it."

"Right this way," he said, steering her with a hand to the small of her back into the cell right next to hers.

"How convenient."

He leaned over to kissed her bare shoulder. "That's how I planned it."

The Spartan room really had nothing in to identify the owner except a pair of boots and a set of clothes folded on the top bunk.

Caesar sat down on the bunk and watched Amanda wondering, and hoping, if she would join him. She only hesitated a minute before she went over to him and stood between his knees. His hands went to her hips and he kissed her through the fabric of her shorts.

"What do you want?" he asked, voice muffled in the fabric as his broad hands slid around the back to cup her ass.

She took of his hat and placed it on the top bunk. Then she rubbed her hands over the short thick hair of his head and down to his broad shoulders.

He bent forward and nudged her shirt up with his nose and licked a circle around her navel. She giggled, "That tickles!" and he pulled her down into his lap.

"You have a beautiful smile," Caesar said and kissed the tip of her nose. Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck and he laid back on his bunk, taking her down with him. He laced his fingers with hers and rested them on her stomach.

Her smile changed into something more, something confident. It showed in her eyes as she guided his hand lower under the waistband of her shorts and over her panties. He wanted to ask if she was sure but he was afraid she would change her mind and say no. The look in her eyes told him otherwise.

Caesar's breath caught in his chest as Amanda moved his hand, still entwined with his, inside her shorts. He curled his fingertips around the edge of her panties, brushing against the soft curls between her thighs. A low moan welled up from her throat and she clutched at his shirt with her other hand. "Is that what you want?" he asked.

She pulled him down and kissed him fervently. "Yes," she answered, parting her thighs. She wasn't wet, not enough but as he stroked her soft flesh with their combined hands, her liquid heat began to pool at his touch. He spread the moisture over velvety folds and dipped a finger just inside for more. She gasped and dug her nails into his hand. He tried pulling back but she wouldn't let him.

It didn't hurt, she thought with relief. It was only one finger but it didn't hurt. She shoved her hips up against his hand and he pushed it in all the way. "Oh God," she sighed and his lips touched hers.

"You okay, baby?" His low voice against her ear sent a shiver of longing down her spine.

She nodded and whispered breathlessly, turning her head to capture his mouth with hers. "More," she begged.

Caesar pushed another finger in and she gasped louder. He stopped. "Too much?"

"No, no," Amanda whined and rocked slowly against his hand.

Kissing her, he began to move his fingers matching the slow smooth rhythm of her hips. "That's it, baby," he murmured in her mouth. He found her clit with the pad of his thumb and pressed gently until her hands flew to his shoulder gripping them fiercely. "Don't fight it," he urged. "Let go, baby."

She pulled at his shirt popping off a button.

"Come for me."

The motion of her hips faltered at his insistence. "I can't," she cried into his chest.

"Baby…"

"I can't," she cried out again.

He quickly slid down her belly, leaving a fiery path with his tongue and lips until he reached her silk clad pussy and covered it mouth. She arched sharply into him and he gripped her ass with one hand pushing her panties aside, and plunged his tongue into her hot sweet center.

"Oh dear god," she moaned seizing his head with both hands, her short nails biting into his scalp. He lapped the velvety folds and flicked his tongue around her clit until she bucked and whimpered. Slipping his fingers back inside, he curled them along the front walls. He sucked the folds into his mouth and slowly licked a path around her clit and then sucked at her pussy again, never giving her a chance to hold back. She begged him to stop but squeezed his head between her thighs so he couldn't. Her hands grappled at his shoulders and head hips lifted off the mattress forcing herself into his mouth. A long wail burst from her lips as her walls clenched hard against his fingers "Oh God," she screamed as she collapsed on the mattress.

Caesar extricated himself and kissed her just below the navel. He rested his head on her belly, leaving a palm on the twitching flesh between her legs.

Amanda was covered in a sheen of perspiration and her breath still came in uneven gasps. She managed to stroke his head. God, she didn't think she would be able to respond like that to man's touch again.

Caesar kissed her belly and moved up to rest his chin between her breasts.

"You okay?" she asked languidly, caressing his cheek.

"Me?" Astonished, he shook with faintly with laughter. "Hell yeah, babe, never better…why you asking?"

"I think I drew blood," she said tracing a long scratch that started from his shoulder reached to his elbow.

"Well, if you did, Amanda, it was more than worth it."

His head was nestled between her breasts and she ran her fingers over his thick short hair. "Thank you, Caesar."

"Oh honey, I ought to be thanking you."

She snorted. "You did all the work."

"And," he said, raising up to kiss her, "I loved every minute of it."

She ran her bare foot down his fully clothed calf and slid her hands under the hem of his shirt so she could rest her palms against the hard sweaty muscles of his back. He laid his chest back down and fell into a light sleep, his slow and even breath caressing the gentle rise of her breast.

Amanda woke to Caesar nudging her. "Someone's coming, baby."

She sat up and straightened her clothes as did he. She reached across to touch his shirt where the button was missing. "Sorry," she said but it didn't sound very sincere. "I hope you don't expect me to sew it back on?" Not that we could find it.

He grinned at her and teased, "You don't cook or sew?"

"No, but I can skin a squirrel," she offred.

He laughed and brushed her hair away from her face. "That's good enough for me. I can sew it on myself."

"You can sew?" she asked. Damn, she had to ask Beth for help.

He was almost offended that she thought him incapable of such a small task. "I can sew a button on but don't ask me to make you a dress."

"Your sisters didn't do it for you?" she wondered out loud.

"You are obviously an only child," Caesar laughed at the shocked look on her face. "They didn't do shit for me. They weren't maids is what the told me."

"I think I would have liked them."

"They would have liked you, too," he said, with a sad smile. He helped her up and straightened her hair with his fingers.

"Do I look that bad?"

"You look beautiful, like you just been making out."

Amanda slapped at him playfully but he ducked out of the way with a chuckle and grabbed the clean shirt off the top bunk.

"Fuck, you still here?" Daryl shook his head at Possum when he entered the cell block, arms full of his belongings. He eyed Martinez dangerously when the man exited his cell pulling a t-shirt over head.

Caesar pulled his hat on and nodded to both Dixons. "I'd like to stay but I'm gonna be late for watch." He leaned over to kiss Amanda's cheek. "Come see me after dinner, baby." Her uncle practically growled at him.

Daryl waited until Martinez was gone and turned sharply to his niece. "Possum, what the f-"

She cut him off. "Save it. It's none of your damn business."

"The hell it ain't!"

With her hands on her hips and voice calm for a Dixon, she said, "Shut up because I'm not going to talk about Caesar with you."

He looked up at the ceiling and counted to about ten and choked out, "Okay," then turned away to carry his stuff to the perch.

When he came down, she was still there. "Walk with me to the kitchen," she asked. "I need to ask you something."

"Go on," he replied, closing the cell door behind them.

She looped her arm in his. "When ya'll were searching for me, did you find any clues I left behind?"

"Like what?" He had almost forgotten and he was surprised she remembered at all.

"Anything."

"Pft." He knew what she was getting at. He stopped in the corridor and turned her to face him. "Maybe your gun." He paused. "Or a strip of rubbers?"

She squirmed a bit under his steady gaze. "The last one that's it. I'll be needing them back," she informed him and then added, "if you and Beth haven't used them all."

Damn, I should've kept them. Daryl smirked and then grinned, "No, Possum, we didn't use them. I figured you left them for Grimes so I gave 'em to him."

"Shit!" she cursed.

Her uncle genuinely laughed. "So if ya want 'em, I suggest you ask him."

"Fuck!"

"Hey, what you laughing at?" Beth joined them.

Daryl his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He kissed the top of her blonde head. "Nothing important, sugar. I gotta find Merle and help pack the truck for tomorrow. Wanna come with me?"

"I wanted to talk to Amanda," she told him, rising on her toes to give him a quick kiss.

"Okay, darlin'. Stay out of trouble you two," he called over his shoulder as he walked away, making sure Amanda knew he was mainly talking to her so she flipped him off and he just laughed.

Beth grabbed Amanda's hands. "That wasn't nothing! I don't think I ever heard him laugh like that. It was almost…maniacal."

Amanda couldn't agree more. Her uncle was an ass more often than not. "You still have a lot to learn about him." Amanda muttered ominously. She would not be one-upped by her uncle though. "I have a proposition for you, Beth."

"Sure," she answered, not even asking what it was.

"I need you to get something that belongs to me from Rick's cell."

"Piece of cake, the teen smiled. She was always in there with Judith. "What is it?"

"Condoms."

Beth's eyebrows shot up almost getting lost in her hairline. "Rick has condoms?"

"You can't say anything," Amanda cautioned her.

"Duh," she answered rolling her eyes just like a teenager. "Why does he have condoms?"

"They're mine. I got them on my last run and Daryl mistakenly gave them to Rick. I can't ask for them back so I need your help." Please let this work.

Beth smiled sweetly. "Sure."

"Good. Thank you."

"If you split them with me 50/50."

"What?" Shit! She didn't remember how many she'd had. Did she really want to share half of them?

"I'm the one taking a chance on getting caught," Beth pointed out. "Stealing from a cop? I don't know, Amanda. That could be tricky."

Shit. "Former cop," she corrected her. "How about 60/40?"

"Sixty for me?" Beth asked in feigned ignorance.

"No!" Amanda exclaimed.

What if I get them by tonight?" The younger woman countered calmly with a sly grin, knowing that she had won.

"Fine. 40/60." She agreed but was more than frustrated with her friend's superior negotiating skills.

"Deal," Beth grinned at the older woman. Then in a more serious tone, she asked, "Are you sure you wanna do this, Amanda?"

"Get my condoms back?" she asked, trying to deflect the question she didn't want to answer.

Beth wasn't fooled. "No. You know what I mean…with Caesar."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, refusing to look Beth in the eye. "He's a good man. He has a fantastic body and he bathes regularly."

The younger woman ignored that last jibe at Daryl but she would have to talk to him about that later. "Because you love Rick and he loves you."

"Doesn't matter anymore," Amanda replied quietly.

Beth was so frustrated with her friend's apparent ability to walk away from love. "Of course it matters! You love each other! What else is there?"

"You don't understand, Beth." There was so much more to it than that. Why couldn't she see it? Because she was only eighteen. That's why. And despite the end of the world the girl still believed in happily ever afters.

"Explain it to me because all I see is two people that love each other and both of them are hurting." She grabbed her friend's arm. "Whatever it is, you can fix it. I know you can."

"I tried." Amanda pulled her arm gently away. "Rick doesn't want me anymore."

Beth crossed her arms and said stubbornly, "I don't believe that."

"It's true and I'm dealing with it the best I can," she said walking away.

"By having sex with Caesar?"

If that's what it takes, Yes. "I'm done with this conversation, Beth."

As always, thank you loyal readers and reviewers!

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