Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with the walking dead so please don't sue me.
Author's note : If you don't like Reth, or Bick or whatever the kids are calling it these days, I suggest skipping this chapter and the next. It will be very Beth/Rick central. As always thinks for the support, expect the chapters to be added quicker these next couple of weeks., and they probably will be longer. ENJOY!
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Beth awoke to a soft knock on her cell entrance by her father. He gave her a second to get oriented and entered.
"Bethy, sweetie, how have you been?" Hershel stood in the door way.
"I'm doing alright daddy. A little tired from this heat but I'm doing pretty good. I think it's summer's last hurrah before it gets pretty cold." Beth rubbed the sleep from her eyes once she was sitting up.
"I think you're right about that. I wanted to come by and check on how you're doing. I know we've both been pretty busy." Hershel sat beside her on the cot.
"Yea, but I've fallen behind on some things. I need to help with laundry today and watch Judith tonight so Rick and Carl can both get some rest." Beth spoke while grabbing her hairbrush and sitting back down.
"The laundry does need caught up on but I think this is more important. Maggie told me about our plan. I think it's a good way to go about this. I just, I'm worried about you because I know that this is a lot of stress. Bethy, These are good men, they keep this place safe and have already been through so much, as you have. Be careful, be respectful, and most of all, have some fun. Things have been dire for so long, I think it would be nice to see some smiles out of you three." Hershel smiled and gave his daughter a hug after he spoke with her.
"I don't intend to do any more hurting than what needs done. Who knows what will happen, maybe I just don't click with either one of them, and that's fine. I don't know what we'll do though, not like there's any movies and restaurants anymore." Beth laughed a little.
"I think that's a benefit of them being so much older than you though, I'm sure they'll figure out some things for you to do. There's always the old fashioned walk and talk, though you might have to stop and take out some walkers periodically." Hershel patted her knee, much like Maggie had done in the bathroom last evening and motioned to get up.
"Love you." He called over his shoulder as he opened the sheet.
"You too" she called after him.
Beth changed into jeans and a sleeveless blouse. She pulled her hair back into a tight bun and made sure to put on all her weapons. Her first stop would be to see Rick and Judith, then she'd have to round up Mika and Lizzy to help her with laundry duty.
"Why do you always gotta grab dad's hair and pull on it? That hurts Judy!" Rick had his voice raised slightly. Beth knew she must have arrived just in time. She knocked twice but didn't wait for an answer to come in and take the now in tears toddler from Rick.
Beth didn't even notice that he was still shirtless until she got a pacifier in the baby's mouth and bounced her a little to soothe her crying, but when she did notice her cheeks flushed a bright red and she moved to exit his cell.
"You haven't even said good morning to me yet and you're already rushing off with my daughter. I'm starting to think you don't really like me." Rick teased her while putting on his tan button up shirt.
"I just thought you wanted a little privacy is all." Beth blushed turning back towards him. She tried so hard not to stare at his abs or the hair on his chest as he buttoned up his shirt, but she failed miserably.
"At least I know I still got it. Beth sweetie, my eyes are up here." He teased at her again, pointing at his face when he finished the top button.
"Which is the reason why I wanted to give you privacy. I'm sorry Rick I didn't mean..." Her face had turned so red Rick wasn't sure if they would ever go back to the original color.
"Please, don't apologize. You're making an old man feel on top the world today. I just had to give you a hard time." Rick was blushing a bit himself as he buckle his gun holster around his hips.
"Well, kind of along those lines, you'll be happy to know that for the next two weeks, you can I guess consider me your, girlfriend? Date? I'm not sure what title if any we'll put to this." Beth was stammering through her embarrassment. It was the cutest thing he'd seen her do in a long time. His smile was bright and warm, and made Beth a bit weak in the knees for the second time in five minutes.
As if Judith could notice what was going on she reared back her little hand and smacked Beth good in the lip before giggling. Rick immediately reached for his daughter.
"Judy no! Beth's nice we don't hit unless someone is trying to hurt you." Rick was mortified, and his scolding only made Judith upset. Beth started to giggle.
"It's okay, I understand. I can be a bit territorial myself. Judy you will always be his number 1 girl. I would never try to over step those bounds." Beth wasn't in any sort of pain. She knew the little girl had a smacking habit that was hard to break, but she was a baby. Beth leaned in to give the baby a kiss on the cheek which seemed to soothe the tears before they came.
She was about to walk away when her gaze matched Rick's and made her breath hitch. This was the right moment she thought. Rick leaned his head down and their lips brushed gently, and then pressed together in a sweet kiss.
It wasn't a long kiss, nor was it as passionate as Daryl's had been but it was definitely sexy in it's own way. Her lips tingled as she looked back up at Rick. Both were blushing until Judith reared back and smacked Rick in the back of the head. All three laughed.
"I've, I gotta wake Carl up and then I've got to tend the fields. The pea's seem like they're ready to harvest. Carl and I tried some of the early bloomers a few weeks ago, they're pretty good. Hershel will have to give the garden a once over. We may need to take over the kitchen later to get to canning some. What are you up to for the day?" He rambled and asked. He obviously was trying to fill the air with anything but tension.
"Laundry day, I'll be in the court yard trying to get some of the kids to help me with that massive pile of dirty clothes we have. We'll probably use the last of the laundry soap and bleach so if... someone, decides to go on a run you might want to put it on the list." Beth purposefully exagerated the word someone, knowing that Daryl would want to stay away from the prison as much as possible in the next two weeks.
"I'll be sure to let him know in the meeting this afternoon. I've got watch tonight but if you have any time between lunch and dinner, we could maybe take a walk or something. Carl and Hershel might watch Judith, or we could play cards in here with her." Rick was rubbing the back of his neck as he did when he was discussing things that made him a little uncomfortable.
"I'd love to." Beth didn't want to leave him guessing for long. She leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek and then gave Judith another smooch this time on the forehead.
"I'll see you in a couple hours then. Be good for your daddy while I'm gone." Beth said over her shoulder as she left the cell.
It wasn't a long walk to Mika and Lizzy's cell. They both were still sleeping, but Beth knew they would welcome the companionship and distraction. The little attention they got after Carol leaving had slipped them into a bit of depression, and Beth worried about the two. There was something off about Lizzy, Hershel had told her. The way she see's walkers as people. Beth could relate to that feeling of insanity. She was determined to help the little girl with out arming her. She knocked on the well after she stepped in. Lizzy's eyes fluttered open but Mika just turned in er cot, facing the wall.
"Alright girls. So I understand that lately we've been dropping the ball when it comes to making sure you two are well cared for. For that I deeply apologize, and I promise from here on out that there will be more of an effort outside of just lessons and chores to make sure that you two are doing alright. Here's the deal, today I need help with the laundry. I'd like to use this as a chance to really talk with you two if you don't mind. We don't have to if you don't want to and in exchange I'll make sure you girls get bigger helpings of the pudding Carl found the other day. It's a huge can so I'm sure no one will notice two big bowl fulls missing before lunch. I know it's not much but it's all I've got to offer you." Beth had her hands on her hips. Lizzy had sat up and started shaking Mika awake.
"Alright, as long as I don't have to do anymore knife training. It scares me" Lizzy said, helping her sister out of bed.
"Good, come have breakfast when you're ready and then we'll get started." Beth said before leaving.
The morning and afternoon were pretty uneventful. Beth learned that Lizzy had a lot of questions about the difference between life and death. If it were before the dead started walking she'd refer her to a psychologist. Now it seemed par for the course that she'd be so confused. Beth was a bit confused about it herself until Lori had explained what the disease did to people while they were on the road. Beth tried to explain it. Lizzy seemed to understand to a certain extent but she was so young.
When she came to the kitchen to make breakfast and lunch she found her dad and Rick already in there, washing off some of the fresh produce to be jarred or canned. Beth tried to stay out of their way as much as possible.
She made good on her pudding promise after lunch, sneaking the girls a big bowl of it before giving some to the others. She made sure they ate in the back of the kitchen so no one would be hurt as to why they didn't get as much as the others. Everyone left the cafeteria and kitchen area after lunch. Daryl gave her a smile and a slight nod before informing Rick that he was taking Michonne, Glenn and Maggie out on a run. He nodded, but stayed behind.
"Officer Grimes, it appears as you have my company for the evening. Do I have to share you with Judith?" Beth asked as she was cleaning up.
"No sharing necessary. She's got a date of her own with Sasha and Tyreese. She thought maybe some baby therapy would lift his spirits. I trust Tyreese, I can understand why he flew off the handle. I wasn't exactly in my right mind for a while either." Rick stood next to her and grabbed a towel to help.
"Thanks for helping. Usually I have one of the kids help but I don't have anything left to bribe any of them with." Beth smiled while she scrubbed at one of the pots.
"I saw that. I also gave Carl a big helping of the pudding since he was the one who found it. Boy lost his shoe for it. Lucky that he and Patrick were about the same shoe size." Rick laughed and Beth smiled.
"He's a tough kid, it must run in your family. I can see him growing up to be a leader himself some day." She looked up to him and then rinsed the dish before continuing, "I'm sorry that this isn't such a great start to our afternoon, but I'm already playing catch up from being out yesterday." She blushed. She didn't want to bring Daryl up unless he did.
"It's alright. I don't mind. It gives me a chance to talk with you." Rick grabbed the pot and started drying it with a towel.
"What do you want to do when we finish up here?" Beth looked over at the rest of what needed cleaned. It wouldn't take them more than 10 minutes to finish up.
"I was kind of hoping you had an idea. We can play a card or board game. It's a nice day out, maybe we could take a walk or play basketball in the quad. I haven't really been on a date in a long time, and when I did we usually went to the movies or for a drive. I wouldn't be able to focus if we went outside the fences." Rick dried off everything she handed to him and put it away. Beth considered her options.
"Have you ever played a game called I never?" She asked finishing up the last dish and rinsing it.
"Can't say I have. How do you play?" Rick looked a little nervous.
"It's usually a drinking game but we can use points instead. Someone says something they've never done and if the other person has done it they get a point. First one to reach 10 or something loses. It's supposed to be done with shots, instead of points." Beth waited until her put away the last dish to steal his towel to dry her hands. He grinned when she snatched it out of his left hand while he put the plate away with his right.
"I think it's safe to say you'd win every round, but I don't mind playing along. What do you get if you win?" Rick leaned against the counter and gave her a curious look.
"I haven't quite figured that out yet. How about they get to ask a question and the other has to be honest about it." Beth put the towel in the hamper in the corner and turned to walk out of the kitchen. Rick wasn't far behind her.
"Alright. You want to do this while taking a walk?" Rick asked.
"No, I kind of want some privacy. People have been snooping in our business enough and I get the feeling we'll touch on some personal stuff." She blushed as she spoke.
"We can go to one of the offices we cleared. One had a couch and an office chair. I'm sure we'll find a pen and paper to keep score." Rick took her hand in his as he spoke, turning down a corridor, leading her to the offices. He unlocked and opened the door to one and let her go inside first.
He was right, there was a little layer of dust on everything but it was the closest one to the blocks and in the section that had been cleared. Beth started to wipe things down with her hand, eventually settling onto the couch. Rick rummaged through the drawers of the desk and found a yellow notepad and a pencil.
"Alright so who goes first?" He asked, sitting next to her and writing their initials on the pad.
"You can, might as well give you a head start." She said, scooting a bit closer to him as his arm hit the back of the couch.
"Hmmm, well, I have never ridden on a motorcycle." Rick smiled, knowing he got her. She took the pad and put a tick mark under her column.
"Playing dirty huh? I see how this is going to go. I have never used an assault rifle." She handed him the pencil and kept the pad half on his lap and half on hers. He checked a tick mark under his column.
"I wouldn't exactly call it dirty. I just knew one thing you've done that I haven't. Probably because I'm a bit jealous but I'd never admit that to Daryl." He smiled as she giggled.
"I understand, that bike is his precious. He'd never let anyone drive it but him." Beth allowed herself to rest her head on his shoulder, lifting the pad so she could curl her legs up and to the side on the couch.
"I've never kissed a Sheriff." He looked down at her and smiled. He handed her the pencil but she didn't take it right away.
"Would you technically still be considered a Sheriff? I see you sleeping behind bars more than you putting people in cells these days Mr. Grimes." She beamed a huge smile at him. He couldn't deny her logic.
"I still have the badge, and the handcuffs." He gave her a devilish smile that made her blush. She relented and took the pencil from him, putting another check mark down. She determined it was time to get some real answers.
"I've never had my 40th birthday." She looked so triumphant. She held out the pencil for him to take.
"Me neither." He countered. The look she gave him made him laugh.
"I regret nothing. At least I know you're under 40." Her voice echoed her smile.
"It's the gray hair in the beard isn't it? Is that what makes you think I'm over 40? I'll have you know it has been a very stressful past 2 years that's contributed to me going gray." His smiled was still there but not as strong. Beth could tell he was a little insecure about it.
"It's not just any one thing. You're very wise. You offer perspectives that only someone with a lot of experience would truly understand. Maybe it was the years of being a cop that made you mature beyond your years, maybe it was the walkers. I bet that it was more than likely both, but I don't make my assumption on how you look, I made it on how you act." Beth put her hand in his. She spoke Gently but with confidence as not to offend him any further.
"I guess I'm not the only one who is mature beyond my years in the room. Thank you for saying that. It makes me feel a bit better. I know it's a bit shallow but when you're in the running for a much younger woman's affections you tend to worry about those things.
"You don't need to worry about that Rick, just trust me on that." Bets cheeks flared much like they had that morning.
"Is that right?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. His voice was deeper than it had been, which only made her blush more. Beth was ecstatic that the game had gotten a conversation going, but she was nervous about where it was headed.
"Yup." She managed to practically squeak out. She wasn't sure how to handle this topic. She was hoping he wasn't going to pry any deeper.
"I have never had fantasies involving a Sheriff." His voice was still deep and he'd managed to scoot in a bit closer. His eyes and lips were in the most mischievous smile she'd ever seen him have. She made a tick mark with out breaking eye contact with him and swallowed hard. She was praying tat if he won he wouldn't ask for specifics.
"I have never had a child." Beth's voice was quiet. She made sure to keep her smile, much like Rick had with the age question but she made sure to let him know that he was toeing a dangerous line. He grabbed the pencil and made a tick mark.
"I have never sang in front of a group of people." Rick noticed that he struck a nerve but he was dead seat on winning this game. Beth checked a mark. She also lifted her head off his shoulder and scooted away from him slightly.
"I have never killed a living person." She stuck the pencil out for him to grab. He took it and checked it off.
"I get the feeling this game is about to take a dark turn, so I really hope you have never done this. I have never ran down a street naked." Rick looked at her and smiled. She moved to grabbed the pencil which shocked Rick but when she put the pencil to paper she started doodling instead.
"You had me going there." Rick chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I've done my share of stupid stuff, but I draw the line at getting naked. Before, your picture could have ended up anywhere, but now, it just seems like a very unsanitary. I have never had tiramisu."She lifted the pen from her hearts and stars doodle at the top of the page. Rick didn't take it.
"I'm not sure I know what that is." Rick took the pencil from her but waited for the explaination before he checked it.
"It's an Italian dessert. It's got little finger donut kind of things in the base surrounded by coffee flavored crème, it's usually topped with chocolate mouse or chocolate crème depending, with a dust of powdered sugar or chocolate powder on top. Maggie says it's delicious but I never got to try any." Beth had scooted in again. She used her hands to explain it as best she could.
"Yea I think Lori made me have that. It's not exactly the best thing ever. I'd take a lemon meringue pie over it any day. How about we say the first one to five wins? I don't want to spend the rest of our time together avoiding hot button topics." Rick seemed like he was getting a bit stired.
"Sure, so what's your game ending I've never?" Beth was grinning, knowing that if she could make through this next one she'd win.
"I have never gone to a homecoming dance." Rick held out the pencil for Beth to take.
"Neither have I. So the question now is, do I pick something obvious to end the game, or torture you and make it last longer?" Beth laid her head on his shoulder and put her hand in his again.
"Please have mercy Ms. Greene." Rick rested his head on hers a little.
"I have never worn a badge. BOOM. Check it Rick." Beth was so proud of herself. Rick checked it and tossed the pad and pencil onto the desk.
"You won fair and square, so what's your prize won question that I have to be absolutely honest about?" Rick adjusted to rest at the end of the couch and put a leg up. He motioned for Beth to snuggle into him. She rested her back against his chest and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Give me a minute to just enjoy this. I'm sure I'll come up with something." Beth closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. He smelled of sweat and soap, and funny enough, Judith. She loved it and she loved the way his arms had wrapped her protectively but gentle.
"I'm not going anywhere any time soon." He'd rested his chin against her hair and took a deep breath.
"Why do you want to be with me?" Beth just let the question fly from her lips.
"You're strong, intelligent, gentle, and eager to learn. You ask questions when it's necessary, and you stand your ground when you know you're right. To be honest, what I absolutely love about you is that you think before you act 99 percent of the time now. The 1 percent you act on pure emotion the tongue lashing is definitely deserved. Not to mention that you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Inside and out." Rick spoke sincerely. His voice steady and sweet. Beth enjoyed hearing the low rumbles of his voice so close to her ear, especially when he was singing her praises.
"I have a temper. I didn't use to think about things before I did them but you can't live like that and expect to survive now. There are days when I look in the mirror and see the mess that is my hair and my clothes are so dingy. I just don't see what you see. I'm too skinny, and anymore I'm just a big mess." Beth wiped a stray tear from her cheek and sniffled.
"You are so much more than that. Your beauty isn't based on your weight, your hair or your clothes. Your beauty is based on how you treat others and though I definitely agree that you have a temper, I have to disagree that it's a negative thing. Sometimes a fool needs to be told when he's a jerk and you should never feel bad about that." Rick had lifted her chin to look her eyes. He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he spoke. She leaned into his touch, allowed herself to get lost in his eyes.
"I don't always think before I act." Her voice was just barely above a whisper. She pulled his head down and crashed her lips against his.
The kiss was passionate and greedy. Rick's tongue begged entrance and Beth happily granted it, allowing him to taste and tease her. It was a few moments before they broke apart to gasp for breath.
"I'm, so sorry." Beth said between breaths. Her cheeks were the tell ale crimson and Rick had no idea why she seemed so ashamed of something that felt right.
"No need to apologize. I thoroughly enjoyed that, but I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." Rick had shifted from underneath her to stand. He seemed a bit uncomfortable now himself.
"It's not that, I just, I don't want to lose my head so soon if that makes sense. I don't want to start something I'm not ready to finish if you know what I mean." Beth had sat up on the edge of the couch and crossed her arms over her chest. Her tone of voice let Rick know how nervous and inexperienced she truly was. He held out his hand for her to grab.
"We should probably be getting back before Hershel sends Maggie to kill me." Rick half chuckled as he helped her up and led her from the office.
"Yea, I better figure out what we're going to have for dinner tonight. I uhm, I really enjoyed this, and I hope to I guess hang out again soon." Beth was stumbling over her words as she linked her fingers between his.
"Was that you asking me out on another date Ms. Greene?" He tilted his head in curiosity as they walked back.
"If that's not a problem Officer Grimes?" She looked up at him with affection and hope.
"These next few days will be pretty busy, but if I have a spare minute you can bet I'll be spending it with you." He had stopped walking and grabbed his other hand in his as he spoke.
"I'd really appreciate that." Beth blushed at his intense stare, he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before returning to the cell block and separated.