Carol and Rick have a long and complicated relationship, but this chapter will force them to depend on one another. They have been captured by the Nazis. Carol and Rick have told their captors that they are married. Cheesy? Maybe but I occasionally veer toward cheese and fluffy. Actually my address is on the corner of Cheese and Fluff and every so often I take a ride down Action Avenue. This chapter is so cheesy that it should come with a warning label for the lactose intolerant.

A Happy Wife Makes a Happy Life

Carol and Rick were nestled together in the front seat of the Humvee and he nuzzled her ear, "Together since the quarry."

Carol smiled at him, "I thought it was over since the Governor took the prison from us and we lost everyone else but as long as I have you I am fine."

"You've been by my side since we lost our families at the quarry. All those stops on the way, the farm, being on the road, and then making the prison a home for all those people. We can do it again, Carol. " He smiled at her again and kissed the tip of her nose. "My wife". His tone was possessive but affectionate.

Carol's mind was clicking. She had hoped that they might be taken as a couple on face value, but Rick was right. They needed to keep the story straight. In this universe she and Rick had gotten together at the quarry and never been apart. Was Daryl there? She looked at Rick with a questioning look and she asked, "Daryl?" without making a sound. Rick kissed her again this time on her lips and her ear, "No".

They had driven past the college and into the town. There was a flurry of soldiers and machinery and then they were walking toward an old courthouse. Frank James had moved to her side and he reassured her, "One of the officers will talk to you and Rick. Just a formality. No big deal."

Carol ignored him because she was suddenly aware that she was being watched. It was as if the temperature had immediately plunged. Carol looked up and saw him standing in front of a long window. She had never seen the "auras" that some claimed that they saw, but with the General she felt the immense darkness that surrounded him. He was a black hole and light disappeared within him. He emitted a coldness that struck your bones and froze them in place. She stumbled slightly and Frank took her arm and she kept her eyes down hoping that she had not interested the General. He surely had more to do than to question just another small fish caught in his net.

She and Rick were ushered into the front of the courthouse. She could see a line of African-Americans being moving out the back door. Their guards had their weapons to the ready and Carol prayed again that Morgan and Michonne were safe. Frank James led the way to a small room off the courtroom that was probably used a jury room. Carol could hear the buzz of a large generator and the lights were turned on. She and Rick stood side by side looking out at the azaleas which were just beginning to bloom. Rick whispered, "We have been together since this all happened. Just stick with what happened except for the flu and Terminus. We got separated from the rest of our group when the prison fell. We've been wandering around ever since".

Carol said, "You have an extra pack. We were with a friend from the prison and he got bit yesterday. We haven't had time to go through the pack. The friend's name was Dale and he had been with us since the quarry. We took a highway bridge across the river."

Rick nodded and a door opened and Frank James came in, "The General wants to see you two".

Carol's heart sank. The General should be too busy conquering the world to bother with them. It must be a slow day in the revival of the Third Reich business for the General to want to see them. Rick followed her out the door and out into the courtroom. She wasn't surprised to see that the General had taken the judge's chair. That would fit with his need for power and prestige. She kept her eyes cast down. Call her a coward but she did not want to look this man in the eyes. Rick was standing straight and tall and she admired his courage.

"Move these two a little closer", the General ordered Frank and he obligingly moved them to a space directly in front of the judge's chair. Carol noticed that the General's voice was a pleasing baritone and his tone was polite.

The General watched the woman. The man looked him in the eye and wasn't backing down. He liked that. This new world needed men who weren't afraid. The woman kept her eyes down but he suspected that she wasn't as much afraid as just not wanting to draw his attention. Too late for that because he had admired her as she was brought in. Early forties he thought and the silver hair is deceptive because her face and body are still young looking. Close to his age and pretty. She wore her boots and cargo pants with style and grace. He had been celibate as of late but now might be a good time to break that bad habit. He needed to find another wife so that she could bear sons for the Reich. Sons that would take over after he was gone. This one was too old to bear many sons but there was something about her that made him desire her if only for a night. She was entirely too good for Frank James who was eying her like she was on his plate tonight.

"Look at me, woman, " he commanded and she unwillingly looked at him. She had dazzling blue eyes and perfect skin. No wonder she had hid herself. It was a dangerous world for a beautiful woman even one past her first youth.

Carol had heard his command with dismay but she knew that complying was her only option. Defiance would only make the punishment worse. Life lessons learned at the hands of a mini-General. He was a handsome man actually. His short blond hair was going gray and he was lean and fit looking in his uniform. He smiled at her and she didn't need the sight to tell that he was attracted to her.

The General asked questions and Rick answered them. Their names were Rick and Carol Grimes. They had been living in a prison in Georgia which had attacked by a madman called the Governor. They and another man had escaped with their lives and had wandered into South Carolina looking for a place to settle down. Their friend had ventured out last night and they had seen him today at a distance. He had turned and was with other walkers.

The General seemed bored with their story and he stared a minute at Rick, "We need men who want to settle down and start a new settlement. We chose this place because it has good farmland and not very many people. I had hoped for more survivors but we will find them as we go. We aren't going to repeat the problems of the past. There will be no race mixing here. This is to be a white settlement. We sometimes use Black labor to do the hard jobs but not this time. How do you feel about that, Rick?"

Carol hoped that Rick gave the right answer. This wasn't the time to recite the "I Have a Dream" speech. This man must be brought down and they couldn't help do that if they were dead.

"I don't hate Black people but I never thought we should mix with them either," Rick said solemnly. "We had some Blacks at the prison and they soon learned their place."

Carol could have applauded Rick's performance. He hadn't went full tilt racist which might have made the General suspicious. Rick had managed to convey that he believed that Blacks were inferior and that the races should be separated. She knew him too well to think any of that to be true.

The Governor liked his answer and he smiled generously at Rick. "I think you have a future with us. We want to start a farming settlement right here in Allanvale. We need leaders and I think you fit the bill. You were a law enforcement officer, you ran a successful settlement, and you have the same basic belief system that we do. You do realize that you will have to obey orders don't you, Rick? Chain of command and all that. I like to give our new recruits a tough order. If you can't do that then you're out. Do you understand?"

Rick nodded, "I understand. What is it that you want me to do?"

The General smiled genially, "I want your wife in my bed tonight and maybe for a few more nights as we get this place set up. Then I will leave and you can become the leader of New Allanvale. You and Carol can create a strong farming community with enough soldiers around to protect you."

Rick said through gritted teeth, "I will never agree to that. She is my wife and I am not going to agree to that."

The General smiled genially, "Now, Rick you might want to rethink that. I am not going to let either one of you go if I don't get my way. Now Carol, I am sure that you will be more reasonable. I am not a cruel man. Just a lonely one. Carol, if you agree to spend a few nights with me I won't kill your husband in front of you in five minutes. Do you understand?"

Carol looked at Rick. She knew he would die to protect her but she had to submit to save him. The General would kill him if she didn't submit. That was his game. Submission to his will. She pushed the thought of Daryl from her mind, "I'll do it if you promise that Rick won't be hurt."

The Governor smiled again, "A woman who is able to make the tough calls. You are wasted, my dear, in this backwater town raising vegetables. Perhaps, you should think beyond being a farmer's wife". His voice changed to one that brooked no opposition, "Take them both to the motel. Rick can stay there under guard and I will see you tonight, Carol. I'll send for you when I am ready. Case dismissed". He pounded the gavel onto the desk. Frank led them out of the courtroom and four guards joined him at the door. They walked two blocks to the two story motel. They were given a room on the first floor and the guards stayed outside.

Rick groaned, "My God, how could you agree to have sex with that monster?" He sat down on one of the two double beds and rubbed his face. "You shouldn't have done it; he is probably going to kill me anyway".

Carol shook her head, "He thinks you are going to lead New Allanvale. He isn't going to kill you, Rick. He just wants you to know who is in charge. He would have killed you to make that point. I survived more than a decade with a monster. I set my own dislocated shoulder. I can survive this but I don't know if Daryl will ever understand that I chose to do it."

Their packs were finally brought to them and they had been ransacked and all the weapons taken away. None of them had put anything in the packs that was personal. No photographs or letters. Just clothes and toiletries and weapons. Now it was just clothes and toiletries.

Rick looked at her, "You have any weapons?" He didn't have anything.

Carol nodded, "I have a small knife in my boot and I'll let you have it. They'll never let me near him in my own clothes." She dug the knife out of her boot and gave it to Rick. Carol found that there was fresh water in a container and she put some in the basin and washed her face using some soap left over from the motel's past.

Rick came up behind her and put his arms around her. She turned and buried her face in his chest. She remembered the man who had went after Sophia and tried his best to save her, the man who had been overjoyed when she survived the Tombs, and who had comforted her when Daryl left the prison to go with Merle. That man was worth what she would have to do.

Rick hugged her close. He loved Carol. He understood why she was doing this because he would submit to rape to save her. Nothing was more important than protecting the ones that you love. She still loved him after all that had happened. He had to find some way to protect her and his mind raced through different scenarios. "You are a wonderful pretend wife by the way. If you weren't Daryl's I would ask you to have sex with me. Let the General get sloppy seconds".

Carol laughed until she cried. She wiped her tears away, "If I wasn't Daryl's I would take you up on that. That would piss the General off big time. Or maybe it wouldn't. He left us together so that we would talk this over. He likes knowing that we are sitting here waiting for him to call and can do nothing to stop it. Power trip."

"I didn't really believe you when you started talking about the General. Now I do. What can we do to stop him?" Rick had had a difficult tie accepting that Carol had some psychic abilities because he though all of that was bull shit but he had taken one look at the General and recognized him from her visions.

Carol walked around the room. It had been cleaned today and there were battery operated lanterns for later when it got dark. The sight wasn't like a television. You couldn't just turn it on and hit the remote for the station that you wanted. Right now she wanted to out of this room and she wanted to know where Daryl was. She had a flash of a clean shaven Daryl dressed in an army uniform. He was close and that both thrilled and frightened her. He would try to find her but she didn't want him killed in some desperate attempt to free her and Rick. And on the heels of that one she saw Michonne and Morgan on a rooftop checking Allenvale out.

"I think this is the first volley in our war with the General. We should just concentrate on getting ourselves out of here. Daryl is close. Time to make a little magic." Carol moved closer to the window. It was getting dark outside but she had a while before the General would call for her. He was a busy man and he wanted to have everything done before he sent for her. Timing was always everything.

She went back to their packs. Nothing but clothes and toiletries. Fortunately, the combined powers of Eugene, Temperance, Rachel, and Jesse had come up with some interesting ideas. Packaging the ingredients for some powerful explosives inside ordinary toiletries was one of their better ideas. She wouldn't try this if Daryl wasn't close, but no guts, no glory.

Carol opened her pack and got out the small bottles of shampoo and saline solution. Something else was in those bottles and those two combined were still safe until you combined it with the contents of the hand sanitizers. Carol mixed up a batch but left out the last component.

Rick watched in amazement. "What are you doing, wife? You look happy all of a sudden".

"Daryl is looking for us. He is wearing an army uniform and we'll never get out of here if we don't make some distraction. We're going to blow shit up." Carol went to Abe's pack and got out his toiletries. Made another batch. Then Rick's. Three batches of explosives. "We could blow ourselves to Kingdom Come, but we have to do something. You take the contents of this bottle and pour it into this bottle and then don't shake or break it or it will blow you up. We are going to wait until Daryl gets here. Then we are going to open that door and throw out the first bomb. Big boom. We are going to take a mattress off the bed and get under it. As soon as it hits we are running for the door. You got all that?"

Rick groaned, "I know I should have paid more attention in chemistry class. Are you sure this is going to work?"

Carol laughed, "I have faith in Daryl. I have faith in Morgan and Michonne. I hope this is going to work. We put the toiletries packs in but we didn't bother to give instruction because we haven't did too many trial runs."

Rick kissed her and she remembered Morgan kissing her outside of Terminus. "You, my dear wife are full of surprises. Our marriage wasn't long but at least you were faithful during our brief time together."

"I'm going to the bathroom. I had better pee before we start blowing things up." Carol used the restroom and hoped that she would get another flash of Daryl but all she got was a sense that he was close. She prayed for protection for Daryl, Morgan, and Michonne.

Rick went into the bathroom next. He wasn't religious but he had a nervous bladder.

They pulled the mattress almost off the bed and put it over a table so that they could get under it. Rick volunteered to open the door and throw the bomb.

They waited.

AN

I have a Macgyver flashback every once in a while.

Hope you like this one.

Please review.