Chapter 14: Secrets

It was as if everyone's internal alarm clocks started being programmed for early morning risings over the last several weeks when this all began. Everybody in camp had things to do as they got ready for the day. Hershel was letting them stay on his land for the time being, so Rick wanted everyone that would be staying in camp to aid with the chores the Greene's would allow them to help with.

That morning, Patricia had given Lori and Carl each a bucket of seed to feed the chickens. Hershel had given the boy the "okay" to get up and move around as long as he was careful, so Lori kept him close.

Carl stood in the small open area in front of the coop, surrounded by the chickens they had let out to feed, a bucket of oats on the ground by his feet. Lori sat several feet away on the rusty hitch of an old trailer, throwing seeds to the chickens by Carl as she watched him and around the camp.

Patricia opened the door to the chicken coop behind them and walked inside to feed the hens that were sitting on their eggs as she listened to Lori and Carl.

"Don't look so worried." Carl said as he looked at his Mom while he bent over to grab more seed from his bucket.

"It's my job." Lori smiled, looking in at Patricia before going back to what she was doing.

"No, it's not. You're a housewife." Carl said, very matter-of-factly.

Lori looked up at him and reached into her bucket for a handful of seeds, tossing them at Carl while she smiled. "Yeah, punk? You see my house around here?" She said as Carl laughed. She stared at him as he went back to the chickens pecking at the ground around him. "Housewife.." Lori scoffed, looking briefly at Patricia, again, who was filling a basket she had with eggs.

Carl grabbed another handful of seed, tossing them to a group of several smaller chicks that were cheeping as they looked around on the ground for food. "They don't have a mother." He said, as he watched them grab for the seeds before the older chickens could come eat them.

Lori leaned over to grab a large feather off the ground by her feet before she looked to the group he was talking about. "Well, she might be somewhere else." Lori said as she looked at the feather in her hands and brushed the dirt, seed, and grass off it.

"Maybe she got eaten." Carl said as he leaned over to the bucket again. Lori looked up at him, not sure what to say. Carl shrugged, looking at her when she didn't speak. "Everything's food for something else."

Lori was at a loss for words, again, as she stared at him for a couple seconds. She looked back down at the feather in her hands.

Patricia turned around, grabbing the bucket of seed she had and walked out of the chicken coop. She was taking the fresh eggs into the house before she would come back out to collect another chicken to put with the rest.

Patricia had grabbed another stray chicken on her way to the butchering shed where the others were in a large, brown potato sack. Inside the shed, she walked to the back and peered out a hole, where a piece of the wooden board that made up the walls had broken off. She saw Lori and Carl still finishing up their buckets a couple yards away. She turned and walked to the table in the middle of the room where the sack lay on top.

She had the chicken tucked up under her arm against her side, it's face behind her as she readjusted it to get a firmer grip. She tightened her arm over it's body to hold it in place while she took her other hand and grabbed one of it's feet. With a quick motion, she broke it's leg. The sound of the bones cracking was drowned out as it started squawking loudly, trying to get away. Patricia grabbed the other leg and did the same, the chicken struggling even more to get out of her grip.

She opened the bag on the table and put the chicken inside with the others before she picked it up and placed in it the wheel barrel she had waiting outside. Once she was sure no one would notice her, she began the walk to the barn. Luckily, from this angle, Lori and Carl wouldn't see her before she got over there.

She stopped before she got to the gate that separated the house's yard from the field the barn was in the middle of, seeing Nelly, the horse run across the path in front of her and towards the stables.

Patricia had made her way up the ladder to the loft in the barn with the bag of chickens over her shoulder. She could already hear the moaning and growling on the ground below her. She walked to the edge of the loft and dumped the bag of live chickens out, sending them flapping their wings to the ground. Once there, they tried to get away, but their broken legs prevented them from doing so.

The Greene's had learned early on that breaking the chicken's legs would make it easier for the "people" in the barn to eat. Before, they would just put the chickens in there and the Sick would follow them around, their food always managing to escape their grasp as they chased them around the barn...It would've seemed comical any other time.

At the sound of the chicken's squawking and the flapping of wings, all of the Sick turned to look at their meal, snarling and growling as they made their way to the injured chickens to feed.

Patricia climbed down the ladder and was walking back from the barn with the wheel barrel, catching Glenn's eyes. He wasn't exactly sure what she had been doing over there. What did she need a wheel barrel for? How could they act so nonchalant about there being over a dozen dead people in their barn?

He had Shane's binoculars in his hands as he held them up to his eyes once Patricia was out of view and looked at the doors of the barn. He knew there were locks on them, but somewhere in his mind, he thought at any second, now, the Walkers would come barging out the big wooden doors of the barn and wreak havoc on their camp like some horror movie he'd seen.

Maggie walked over to him with a basket full of fruit and a brown paper bag on top. She stopped when she got close to him. "Could ya be more obvious?"

Glenn took the binoculars from his eyes and sighed as she sat the basket down between the two of them. He put the strap from the binoculars over his shoulder.

"Here, enjoy." Maggie said as she glanced around behind him, trying to see if anyone in his group had been wondering what he was looking at. None of them seemed to have noticed.

"Are you tryin to buy my silence with fruit?" Glenn asked as he looked down at the basket of peaches before looking at her.

"Of course not." Maggie said as she rested her hands on her hips. "There's also jerky." She added.

"Will you please tell me why your dad has a secret barn full of Walkers? It's creepy." He raised his eyebrows.

"Shh."

"You know that, right?" Glenn looked at her with wide eyes.

"Shhh." Maggie shushed him again. "Just trust me on this, okay?"

Glenn shook his head. "But I suck at lying. I can't even play poker. It's too much like lying." Glenn whispered.

"You have to keep this to yourself. You have to. Please." Maggie said, before looking behind him at the group again, seeing Merle walking with Daryl towards their tent. Maggie turned and walked away, leaving Glenn there. He looked at the barn again before he leaned over, picking up the basket of fruit and the paper bag of jerky to pass the food out to everyone.

Glenn walked over to Dale who was setting up the awning on the RV with T-Dog on the other side. "Dale, here's some peaches for ya." Glenn said, looking down at the fruit as he got to the old man.

Dale leaned over and reached into the basket. "Mm, thank you."

"Morning." Glenn said as Andrea and Amy walked out of the door of the RV, passing in front him.

"Morning." They said as they walked into camp.

Glenn walked to the other side of the awning and over to T-Dog who took a break to rub the remnants of sleep from his eyes.

"'Sup?" T-Dog said as Glenn stopped in front of him.

"Nothing." Glenn said, wide eyed at the man. Had he seen him looking at the barn? Had he seen or heard him and Maggie talking? "Nothing's up. Why?" Glenn said as he looked between he and Dale. The older man walking closer to the two, seeing Glenn looking a little unnerved.

T-Dog grabbed the paper bag on top of the peaches and grabbed two pieces of jerky while Glenn looked back and forth between them. T handed the other piece to Dale while putting the bag back before Glenn looked down and grabbed the basket, walking away. Dale and T-Dog both looked at each other and shrugged before going back to securing the fold-out awning to the side of the RV.

Glenn stopped at Daryl's tent, then Merle's and then Carol and Sophia's, handing out food before he made his way to Lori, by the fire. He set the basket down by a log as she walked closer. "What did Rick say?" He asked. Lori just looked at him as she knelt down by the flames. "You didn't tell him?" Glenn looked down at her as she stoked the fire. "Okay." Glenn said as he readjusted the binocular's strap on his shoulder. "But you have to." Glenn whispered as he leaned closer to her. "You're pregnant." He raised his eyebrows.

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him before glancing around the camp, making sure no one was within earshot. She leaned over and took the lid off the pot over the fire.

"You need vitamins, medicine, a nice pillow." Glenn said as she tried to ignore him. She turned and grabbed one of the jugs they had water in. Glenn walked to the log he'd set the basket next to and reached into the paper bag for two pieces of jerky. He turned around and walked back to Lori, holding both pieces out to her. "You can have my share." He said.

Lori looked at him. "Honey, I don't what your food, okay? Eat." She glanced down at the jerky before she started pouring water into the pot.

"You need to eat. You're too skinny. And if you're not gonna let Rick take care of you, then someone has to." Glenn said. Lori ignored him. She set the now empty jug, down. "Lori, you have a medical condition." Glenn raised his eyebrows at her. Lori smiled and titled her head at him. She sighed as she glanced at Rick and Shane over by Carol's Cherokee with Jimmy before she knelt down again to put the lid on the pot. Glenn looked over at them before turning back to her. "I'll make another run into town. Just tell me what you need."

"I need you to be quiet about this." Lori stood up. "All right? Please." Glenn just looked at her as he heard someone whistle. This felt wrong.

"Hey! Peach man." Shane shouted at them. Glenn turned around and picked up the basket before he started walking towards the men at the car.

"What's up that way?" Michael asked Jimmy as he pointed to the spot on the map.

Jimmy was leaning against the car with his elbows on the hood, his head resting on one of his hands. He looked at the map. "A housing development. It went in maybe 10 years ago."

Rick looked at Michael. "Take a run up there after gun practice. See what you can find. Me and Shane will hold down the fort here, but take backup. I don't want anyone goin out alone. We stay in pairs."

"I'll take suggestions on a partner." Michael said as he looked into camp around at the people before Glenn walked up to them.

"See how they do on the range, then take your pick." Rick said as Glenn stopped behind them with his basket of fruit. Shane, Michael and Rick reached into the basket, each grabbing a peach before turning back to the map.

"Thanks." Jimmy said as Glenn walked over to him and he reached into the basket.

Glenn turned to Rick, looking at him for a few seconds. He wanted to tell him, but stopped. Glenn turned around and looked at Lori, still a couple yards away by the fire. She looked back at him with the large stick she had, holding it like a bat in one hand, almost daring him to say something.

He turned back around and saw Shane looking at him. "My binoculars." Shane said.

"Yeah, oh, yeah." Glenn said he would return them when he asked Shane for them, earlier. He set the fruit basket on the ground and took the binoculars from his shoulder. He walked around Rick and handed them to Shane before walking back over to the peaches and picked up the basket. "Okay, bye." Glenn said as he left, Rick and Shane both furrowing their brows at the young man as they watched him hurry away from them.

Shane set his binoculars on the car hood and looked at Rick. Shane chuckled as he looked down at the map again, Rick biting into his peach.

Michael knew something is up with Glenn and he's gonna find out.

"We'd like to join you for gun trainin today." Beth said as she and Patricia walked up to the men. Along with Otis.

"Hershel's been very clear." Rick said as he turned to face the women. "I can't involve any of you in what we do without his okay." Rick pointed at them.

"He doesn't like it, but he consented." Beth nodded.

"Otis is the only one who know guns." Patricia said with her hands on her hips. "But we gotta learn to protect ourselves. Her father saw the sense in that."

"I have no problem with that." Otis said.

Shane heard a noise by the RV and looked over to see Carl in his dad's police hat, leaning against the side of the Winnebago. He had a long stick and was sharpening the end of it with his knife. Shane leaned off the car and started walking over to the boy as Rick and the women continued to talk.

"No offense, but I'll ask Hershel myself." Rick said to them. He didn't want to get in trouble with the old man, again.

"Dude, nice lid, man." Shane said, looking at the hat on his head as he walked over to Carl with a smile. "What's goin on?" Shane asked as he walked around to the front of the RV.

Carl set the stick down and walked behind Shane. "I wanna learn to shoot, too." Carl said as he slid the knife back into it's sheath on his side. "Can you teach me?"

Shane laughed as he sat down on the front bumper of the RV. "Well, man, that's- that's up to your parents." He said as he bit into the peach in his hand.

"Can you talk to them? They'll listen to you."

Shane chuckled as he chewed on the fruit in his mouth. He nodded his head and looked at the ground before looking back at the boy. "We'll see, okay?"

Carl nodded as he turned to walk away, but not before Shane stopped him at the sound of something metal hidden under Carl's shirt, clinking as he walked.

"Hey." Shane said. Carl stopped and looked at him with his eyes wide. If he heard it, he knew Shane had, too. "Lemme see what you got there." Shane looked at him.

Carl turned back to Shane and took a couple steps towards him before he lifted his denim button up t-shirt a few inches above his waistband, uncovering a revolver he had tucked into his pants.

Shane looked from the gun up to the boy. "Come on." He quietly said as he threw the peach he had been eating.

Carl was sitting on the bench of the picnic table with Lori standing in front of him. She'd taken the gun and was looking it over. She snapped the cylinder back into place after checking to see if there were bullets in it, which there weren't. Shane and Michael made sure to unload most of the guns when they went into the gun bag. Only a select few had bullets in them for emergencies, and the adults knew which ones they were.

"How the hell did this happen?" Lori said as she walked the few feet away back to the small group that was there, tucking the revolving in the back pocket of her pants. She looked at Rick as she came to stand between he and Shane.

"Well, it's my fault. I let him into the RV." Dale said as he held out his hand in Carl's direction. "He said he wanted a walkie, that you sent him for one."

"So on top of everything else, he lied." Lori raised her eyebrows and looked at Carl. He looked away from them and stared at the fire. "What's he thinkin?" Lori whispered to Rick, who shrugged and shook his head.

"He wants to learn how to shoot. He asked me to teach him." Shane said. "Now it's-it's none of my business, but I'm happy to do it. It's your call."

"Well I'm not comfortable with it." Lori raised her eyebrows and let out an exasperated laugh. She looked to Rick, hoping to see the same reaction but he just looked at her before turning to Shane, who sighed. Then to Michael who has his arms crossed as he looked away. "Oh, don't make me out to be the unreasonable one here. Rick?" She said.

Rick put his hands on his hips before he pointed to himself with one of his hands as he talked. "I know. I have my concerns too, but-"

"There's no but. He was just shot." She interrupted him. "He's just back on his feet and he wants a gun?" Lori looked between her husband and Carl with her eyebrows pulled together.

Rick nodded as she talked. "Better than him bein afraid of em." He said as he looked at her. "There are guns in camp for a reason. He should learn to handle them safely. Same thing with Sophia."

Carol yesterday asked Michael if Sophia can learn how to shoot and he, Rick and Shane agreed to let her because they know that Carol would feel better knowing that her daughter can protect herself.

"I don't want my kid walkin around with a gun." Lori said when she turned back to Rick.

"How can you defend that?" Rick asked. "You can't let him go around without protection." Rick held his hand out to gesture around at where they were and brought his eyebrows together.

Lori shook her head. "He's as safe as he'll ever be right here."

Rick looked at the ground over her shoulder and nodded his head.

"Look, everything you're sayin makes perfect sense. It feels wrong. I mean, I-I didn't feel good about him following you out into the woods. And I wish I'd said something. I should've gone with my gut."

"He's growin up," Rick raised his brows at her, "thank God. We gotta start- We gotta start treatin him more like an adult."

"Then he needs to act like one." Lori said, frustrated now. "He's not mature enough to handle a gun." She said, loud enough for Carl to hear as she looked at him.

Carl stood up from the picnic table and walked towards them. "I'm not gonna play with it, Mom. It-It's not a toy. I'm sorry I disappointed you, but I want to help keep our camp safe and I want to be able to protect me and Sophia. I can't do that without a gun."

"Shane's the best instructor I know." Rick said. "I've seen him teach kids younger than Carl." He said as he looked at Shane. "As well as Mikey."

"Lori." Michael said as Lori looks at him. "Carol asked me if Sophia can learn how to shoot because she feels better knowing that she can defend herself if we're not with her. I think the same thing should apply to Carl. He only has a knife. What if he surrounded by five Walkers and we're not around? A knife won't be enough to save him."

Lori looked at Michael, then Rick for a couple seconds before she let out a small sigh and walked to Carl. She stood in front of him and grabbed his chin to make him look up at her. "You will take this seriously and you will behave responsibly. And if I hear from anyone in this camp that you are not livin up to our expectations-"

"He won't let you down." Rick stopped her. She dropped her hand from Carl as they both looked behind her at him.

"Yeah." Carl nodded as he looked back up to his Mom. Lori turned back to him and put both her hands on either side of his face before she walked back to Rick.

Lori sighed and looked at Michael. "Mikey, you were right." She said.

Michael smiled. "Lori, when is it that I'm ever wrong?" He asked.

Lori smiled. "Not always."

Everyone set off to get things ready for the group to go to the spot they would use for target practice.

"Now if we're gonna do this, you listen to Shane and Mikey." Rick said as he walked with Carl to the cars.

"Okay, Dad."

"All right? You be careful." Rick patted his shoulder.

"You comin?" Shane asked from the back of the Tucson while he loaded the back with the guns and ammunition. He was looking at Glenn who was hanging back in camp.

"I gotta help Dale..clean the spark plugs on the RV. He said he's gonna teach me mechanics. I should probably go look for him." Glenn started pointing around the camp.

Dale, who was a few feet behind Glenn leaning against the porch swing they had out in their camp area, spoke up. "You found me."

Glenn looked behind him, seeing the old man.

Dale saw the look on Glenn's face and looked at Shane while he pointed at Glenn. "He's a good learner." He nodded.

Shane shook his head as he shut the back hatch of the Tucson and walked to the driver's side, getting in. Everybody drove out as Glenn and Dale both waved as they started to pull off.


Gun Training Site

The group was in a line about 30 feet from the fence posts as Shane knelt down in front of it, giving them a speech, while Rick and Michael set up the last of the cans and bottles behind him on the fence.

"Gun work is serious business. Even..You do everything right and accidents, they still happen. Ya always think before you pull the trigger. You think fast, but you think. Know the consequences," Shane said as he stood up, taking a few steps closer to everyone, "and never fire a weapon unless you have a very good reason. Now, it's gotta be a reason that you can live with..cause a death..well, that stays with you." Shane said as he looked at Carl, Lori doing the same as she sat next to him on top of the small table they brought with them to set the guns and ammo on. "That's forever." Shane said as he looked at the ground and then down the line of people before looking back. "Carl." He said, and pointed to the ground, several feet ahead of where the boy was already standing.

Carl cautiously stepped forward, standing in the place Shane had pointed at while they met there, Rick walking back to stand behind them. Shane gave him a small smile as he passed him.

"All right." Shane whispered as he came to Carl's side and bent down to be at the boy's level. "Line up the sights just like I told you, okay?" Shane said quietly to Carl.

Carl nodded an okay as he held up the small Bruni Olympic 6 they'd given him and aimed at one of the bottles in front of him on the fence post.

"You just gotta squeeze the trigger, don't jerk it. You'll feel a little kick." Shane said, Carl nodded again, understanding. "You ready?" Shane looked at him.

"Yeah." Carl said quietly, glancing at Shane before lining up the sights again.

Shane smiled and stood up to face everyone else while he took a few steps back from Carl to give him some room. "Okay." Shane raised his voice so everyone would hear him. "Carl's gonna show us how." He said as he and everybody watched the bottle the kid was aiming for.

A couple seconds passed before before Carl pulled the trigger, sending the bullet into the wooden fence post a few inches below the bottle. Not a bad shot for the first time he'd ever handled a gun.

Shane clapped his hands as Rick walked up to Carl from behind him. "That's good. Very good." He patted his son on the back before Shane and Michael walked up to him, and they started walking behind everyone. "All right, three rounds a piece." Rick raised his voice. "Everyone stay alert. We're takin a risk with the noise, but a necessary one." He said as he started walking with a shotgun in his hands.

"Let's make these count." Shane shouted. "The range is hot." At the words, everyone took the guns they had been given and started aiming at the items on the fence.

Rick, Michael and Shane were walking behind the line of people that were practicing, Rick with the shotgun ever present at his side, just in case the noise brought on more than broken bottles.

Shane turned to his side and gave a nod to Rick and Michael as they passed Patricia, who hit her first bottle with one shot.

They decided they were only using a few weapons, so people were taking turns with the guns. Carl had stood back to watch his mother hit a couple targets, while T-Dog was waiting patiently behind the others for his turn. T-Dog stood behind Jimmy, who was holding the Glock 17 pistol he had, sideways, like in a few movies he'd seen, though not hitting anything when he pulled the trigger. T-Dog shook his head. "Hey, come on, man. Don't give me that gangsta shit."

Jimmy glanced over his shoulder at T, held the gun properly, and took aim at the same bottle he'd been shooting at before, hitting it on the first shot. He turned around and smiled at T-Dog who nodded at him.

"Attaboy." Shane said as he, Michael and Rick walked by, patting T-Dog on the shoulder, who reached for the gun from Jimmy.

They continued down the line to Andrea, at the end. She had given her gun to Jimmy after she'd taken a few shots. They looked at the fence line out in front of her, seeing that none of the bottles in her spot were gone, even though she stood there with a smug look on her face.

"Don't be discouraged." Shane said as he , Michael and Rick stopped next to her. "You'll hit the target eventually."

Andrea looked at him, a faux look of offense on her face. "Who says I didn't hit my target?" She looked back at the sign post on the fence she had been aiming at. Rick, Michael and Shane followed her gaze, Shane bringing his binoculars to his eyes for a better look.

NO TRESPASSING

The sign read. Right in the middle of the "O" were 3 perfectly placed bullet holes. Shane looked over at Rick who raised his eyebrows at him, impressed. Michael is impressed also.

Shane grabbed the black Beretta 92FS he had tucked in his pants and held it out to her. It was the same gun Michael uses. "Try this one. It's heavy." He said as she took it from him. "You get better balance, twice the rounds."

She turned the gun over in her hands and looked at Rick. He tilted his head at her, giving her the go ahead and then looks at Michael who nodded as he, Rick and Shane took a few steps back to stand behind her. She held the handgun out in front of her and took aim at one of the cans on the fence post. She paused for a few seconds, lining up the shot before she squeezed the trigger, sending the can off the fence.

"I'd say she's got the hang of it." Shane said as he looked on at the fence before turning to Rick.

"I'd say she's ready for the advanced class." Rick chuckled as he, Michael and Shane smiled. Rick walked closer to Andrea. "It might be worth your while after the rest of us head back to camp."

Shane came up to her other side as she looked at Rick. "Sure. Why not?" She nodded. Rick left them and walked over to Lori, who was handing the Bruni Olympic 6 back to Carl.

"How's it feelin?" Shane asked Andrea as she looked down at the Beretta in her hands.

"I like the weight." Andrea said as she looked up at Michael. "It's why you use it. Right Mikey?" She said as she ejected the gun's clip.

"Yeah." Michael said as they turned to see Carl taking another shot, hitting the can he'd been aiming for.

"Got it." He smiled as he turned to his dad, who was kneeling down next to him.

"That's a great shot." Rick said as he patted him on the back and stood up, walking over to Lori who was standing a few feet behind them.

After gun training, everybody except Michael and Andrea went back to the farm. Michael continue gun training with Andrea.

After gun training with Andrea, Michael and Andrea went to the housing development. The place looked abandoned. There weren't even any Walkers from what they could see. They both got out of Shane's Tuscon as Andrea is putting a loaded clip into the Beretta she had. She tucked the gun into the back of her pants while Michael held the binoculars to his eyes, scanning over the houses and cars around them.

"We're gonna go house to house." Michael whispered to her as they walked down the street. "We'll start at the far end and we'll work our way back." They made their way through the complex.

They are in the third house now. They looked from room to room for any supplies. There is one more room to look. When Michael opened the door and looked inside, what he sees right now made him happy yet sad.

The room was full of Terminator merchandise. From toys to clothing, anything you can think of, almost destroyed.

Michael is a fan of the Terminator franchise. If these merchandise were his, he would be devastated.

As he looked around, he then saw a gym bag. He went to it. He thought there maybe something useful. He unzipped the bag and looked inside. He smiled at what he found.

Untouched and intact are the clothes the Terminator wore during the police shootout scene.

The boots with custom studded bootstrap, the black jacket, gray t-shirt, black pants, black gloves and the piece de resistance, the Gargoyles sunglasses.

Michael put everything back in the bag, zipped the bag up and took it with him.

"I don't think there is anything else to find. let's head back to the farm." Michael said to Andrea as she nodded.

They went to the front of the house, only to see Walkers coming towards the house, and several surrounding the Tucson.

They started firing, killing Walkers near the car and the streets. After clearing the car of Walkers, they got in and drove back to the farm.

Andrea was looking out the passenger window of the car with a smug look on her face as Michael sped down the road, back towards the Greene's farm. She could almost still feel the adrenaline rushing through her. She didn't think she'd felt this proud of herself in years. Between the adrenaline and giddiness, it was almost a turn on. She looked over at Michael, her eyes traveling down his stomach and landing on his groin before she looked up at his face again. His eyes were on the road ahead of them as he drove. He glanced in the rear view mirror, out of habit, before watching ahead of them again.

What the hell? Andrea thought as she turned her head to the front of the car and reached over, placing her hand right between his legs. She squeezed and rubbed at the bulge her hand was on, biting her bottom lip. Michael looked over at her, licking his lips as she faced him again. He stepped on the brake, slowing the car down. Andrea rubbed at him again, feeling him harden under her palm.

Michael put his hand on top of hers. He then looks at her. Andrea looks at him also.

"Andrea. Before we go any further, I have to tell you that... I love you with all my heart." He confess to her.

"Oh Mikey. I love you too." Andrea said as they leaned to each other and kissed. Then they made love to each other.

After that, they continue driving back to the farm.


The Greene Farm

The Tucson arrived at the farm. Michael and Andrea exited the car and went about there business, while also smiling at each other. Michael put the bag in his tent and went to find Glenn. He asked Lori where Glenn is and she told him Glenn went to get supplies from the pharmacy.

Michael was about to go to the pharmacy, but he saw Glenn and Maggie have arrived back. Maggie slammed the iron gate behind her as she came inside the fence, leaving Glenn to open it back up to let himself inside.

"Hey!" Maggie shouted as she quickly walked towards the Survivors' camp with a paper bag in her hands.

Lori turned around from the table she was standing at with the baskets of clothes, to look at her. After the clothes had been washed, no one had folded them, they would just grab them from the baskets they were in. So she had taken it upon herself to start folding the garments for everyone.

"Maggie, hang on, please." Glenn said as he jogged to catch up to her.

Lori turned to look around the camp. "Come- Come on in here." Lori said and tilted her head to the Grimes' tent a few feet behind her as she turned around and started walking towards it.

"Why? Nothin to hide." Maggie said as she took a few steps closer and came to a stop a few feet from Lori. "We got your special delivery right here." Maggie said as Lori turned around. Maggie reached into the bag, taking out one item at a time and throwing it on the ground in front of her. "We got your lotion, got your conditioner," Maggie dumped the whole bag on the floor, "your 'Soap Opera Digest."

"Maggie." Lori said, a look that was a cross between horrified and confused on her face.

"Next time you want somethin, get it your damn self. We're not your errand boys." Maggie said as bent over and picked up the packet of pills that were on the ground next to her.

"Honey, I-" Lori started.

"And here's your abortion pills." Maggie threw them at Lori's feet. She turned around, pushed past Glenn and stormed off to the far side of the yard.

Glenn looked at Lori for a few seconds but didn't say anything. He turned around and walked after Maggie.

Lori looked towards Michael, seeing that he to his tent and pull out a paper bag. He reached in the bag and pulled out... the pregnancy test. Lori eyes went wide.

"The night me and Andrea had our date, before I went to sleep, I heard you're footsteps and waited until you were further and hid behind the RV." Michael said before continuing, "I saw you buried the test and after you went in the house, I dug it up."

Lori realised that Michael knows she is pregnant the whole time.

"All I have to say Lori, chose wisely." Michael said as walked away, leaving Lori alone.


Moments later

Shane and Glenn had taken over Rick and T-Dog's place on watch, so the former Sheriff was on his way to the Grimes' tent as the sun was setting. He ducked inside, not seeing Lori or Carl. He walked further in and stood next to the table as he unbuckled his holster and set it on the chair that was in front of it. As he set the holster on the chair he looked at the packets that were laying, opened and empty, on the table. He knelt down next to it as he picked up one of the packets, reading the label.

Morning After Pill Emergency Contraception

He turned to see Michael standing outside the tent. He nodded to Rick telling him he knows about Lori.

After he'd pulled himself together he walked out of the tent, looking out over the land before seeing her figure off in the distance, in between the fences that were on either side of the Greene's private, dirt drive way.

Lori was sitting in the grass looking out over the field with a couple dandelions in her hands as Rick and Michael made there way out the gate and walked over to her. She could hear the footsteps on the hard dirt coming from behind her and stood up. She turned towards them though they was still a few feet away. She sniffled as she stood and stared at Rick's face. They were silent as they looked at each other. Rick was the first to break it.

"Is there somethin you need to tell me?" He took a few steps towards her.

"We can't leave. I'm pregnant." She said.

Rick held up the empty pill packs he had in his hand. "Are you?" He asked, walking closer.

"I threw em up."

Rick turned around and walked a few steps, throwing his arms out to his sides in frustration. He took a deep breath and looked back at her.

Michael only stood there, listening.

"You can yell if you want." She said as she watched him. "You can scream if you have to..but talk to me." Lori almost pleaded with him. This was the problem they were having before in their marriage. He would always take things so coolly, things she knew bothered him. He never talked about it and always played things off like everything was fine.

Rick walked up to her, leaving only a foot between them as he looked at her face. He lowered his voice. "How long have you known?"

"Does it matter?" Lori asked as he looked away.

"Days? Weeks? And you didn't tell me." He said as he looked at her face again.

"I'm tellin you now."

"No." Rick raised his voice. He turned away from her, taking a step back before looking at her again. She hadn't come and told him by herself, he caught her in a lie. He held up the packets. "I found these. S-So-So Glenn knows, right?" He nodded at her. "Instead of comin to me, y-you-you-you sent him to get pills?"

"I panicked." Lori said, looking at the ground around them as she tried to explain herself. "I-I-Y-You tell me we have no roof and no walls-"

"Oh, do not put this on me!" Rick yelled. Lori took a step back from him. It had been the first time he ever raised his voice at her. "You tear into me for keepin secrets when you're- when you're holdin onto this?" He swung his arm that held that pill packets out to his side.

"You want me to bring a baby into this?" Lori yelled. "To live a short, cruel life?"

Rick brought his hands to his temples in frustration. "How can you think like that?!"

Lori held her arm out in the direction of camp, where Carl was playing with Sophia. "We can't protect the son we already have."

"So this is the solution?" Rick said, throwing the packs on the ground as he took a few steps back from her.

"Rick, I threw them up." She said each word slowly as he paced in front of her. "I screwed up..I don't know how we do this." She said as she started to sob. She turned and walked to the fence as Rick rubbed at his eyes. He put his hands on his hips as Lori put her hands on the wiring between the fence posts.

Rick took a couple breaths before he turned his face towards her. "We can make it work."

"How? Tell me..how." She said as she looked at him. He stepped closer to her.

"We'll figure it out. Shouldn't we try to figure it out? You threw-you threw up the pills." He said as he stepped even closer. She stifled a sob as she looked away from him and out onto the field. "You want this baby. I know you do."

"Not like this." She said as she looked at him. "Not givin birth in a ditch. Not-not when its life will hang by a thread from the second it's born." She shook her head and looked back in the direction of camp. "Not when every cry will-will put it, an-and Carl, and everyone we care about, into danger. That's not right."

Rick wiped at his eyes. "Not givin it a chance isn't right either."

"Rick. Let me talk." Michael said as Rick stood where he was. "Lori" She looks at him. "Who was it that saved Amy from being bitten?" He asked.

"You." Lori said.

"Who was it that saved Sophia from those two Walkers that were chasing her?"

"You."

"And who made sure that Shane and Otis got back here in time to save Carl from dying?"

"You."

"Yeah Lori. Me." Michael said before continuing. "What I'm saying Lori, is that me and everyone here will do what we can to keep that baby safe. And maybe having that baby is a sign that there is still is a change in this world. You understand?" He said.

Lori nodded.

"Plus, you and Rick need to stop fighting. Lori tell me the truth. Do you still love Rick?" He said.

Lori looked at Rick and then to Michael. "Yes. I have and always will love him, no matter what." She said.

"And you still love Lori, Rick?" He asked him.

"Yes, Mikey." Rick said.

"I know you guys try to agreed on one thing but it's a two way street. You guys need to talk out your problems. Less blaming, more trust. Understand? " Michael said.

"Yeah" Lori.

"We understand." Rick said as he and Lori hugged.

"I'm sorry, Rick." Lori said.

"Me too." Rick said.

Michael smiled and hugged both of them.

They then stopped hugging.

"Mikey. You were right." Lori said.

"Lori, when is it that I'm ever wrong?" Michael asked with smile on his face.

Lori smiled. "Not always." She said.

They kept talking until Lori asked Michael, "Mikey. Would you be our unborn baby's godfather?"

Rick smiled went she asked Michael that question.

Michael smiled and said, "I world be honor to be you're unborn baby's godfather."

They continue talking and then they headed back to the camp area.

That's it for this chapter. Sorry for the delay. Life got in the way. Hopefully I'll have the season 2 part of my story done by August 1st. Enjoy and Review.