Author's note: Wow, thanks for all the review! They totally made my cruddy week ten times better. Between getting in trouble at work, C on my Spanish test, losing my credit card, and getting sick, last week has been extremely hard. I would have had this chapter out sooner, but I totally had to rewrite, because the last chapter sounded so artificial I hated it. Though I can't really say honestly still sick here. Anyway I want to apologize for my atrocious grammar mistakes last week, I was reading it the day after and so totally wanted to skip school to fix it. This week there shouldn't be too many grammar mistakes, however if there are please bear with me. My mind doesn't really work when I'm sick, and I had a hard enough time keeping everything in past tense rather than present as I wrote it last night. Any who I hope you guys in enjoy this chapter, cause it sure as hell caused me enough trouble.
Special thanks to that Within Temptation Playlist on youtube, love the music.
~Cassandra
Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead, however I'd be more than willing to take on that burden.
An earsplitting scream echoed through the fields as Rick ran with Mara in his arms. Her nails dug harshly into his arm, tightening their hold on him with each step took. Any deeper and they would soon be drawing blood. Not that Rick really cared at the moment. The only real thing he cared about was getting the wounded Mara to help. His friend jumped unhesitantly between his son and bullet, thus receiving the blow. It had all happened so fast Rick barely comprehended it. One minute Mara was coaching Carl on petting a deer. Next thing he knew she whirled around pulling Carl close to her, just as a gunshot sounded. Both of them, including the deer over, but only Carl remained unscathed. The deer was dead and Mara.….Mara had been shot in the back.
"It's going to be okay, Mara. You're going to be okay." Rick assured, readjusting his grip on her. He was trying hard to not hurt her. However with the location of the wound, it was a feat near impossible to do. No matter what he did, Mara would be in pain. Rick's only option was to try and make her time of pain shorter by getting there faster. Another cry escaped her, this one softer than the last. She closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip hard. Once more he picked up his pace. Not too far behind him followed Shane, Carl, and the man who shot Mara. "Hey, you move, shithead!" Shane barked, grabbing the slowing man harshly by the arm. "Come on, get us there!"
"How far?! How far?!" Rick yelled.
"Another half a mile that way." The man panted, pointing. Without a second thought, Rick began to run faster, barely hearing the man's instructions to find someone named Hershel. Mara's normal tan color was fading fast from her face. Undoubtedly from the amount of blood being lost. Thankfully the shot didn't seem to hit any major artery, but they had yet to stop her bleeding. Meaning that until Rick reached the supposed farmhouse, they were still in the red. He pushed the fact out of his head. They would make it in time. Whoever was there at the farmhouse would help. Mara would be fine, so would everything else. It had to be.
Soon a large white farmhouse came into view. He repositioned Mara once more, earning another sharp cry from her. Giving her a quick sympathetic look, he began to pick up his pace once more. Help was now within reaching distance of them. Rick pushed himself to go faster, however the adrenaline is body appeared to wear out. Thus, making him move at a slower pace than desired. Moving more at light jog now, he made his way to the front of the property. His eyes instantly came into focus with six people on the porch watching him. Two men, two women, a girl and boy, all lined up on the porch staring at them. He was about to call out when the leader of the group-an old man spoke. "Was she bit?"
"Shot. Shot in the back by your man." Rick answered, breathlessly.
"Otis?" the eldest woman questioned. The group began move from the porch towards him. The leader making first contact with them. His eyes widen slightly upon Mara's now blood soaked shirt.
"He said find Hershel. Is that you?" Rick questioned. Panic started to build up in his voice. "She's still alive, but she won't last long without help. Please help us. Help her."
"Come inside." Hershel replied, tilting his head towards the house. Without hesitation Rick followed Hershel up the porch steps into the large home. Upon entering the older man instantly began barking orders at everyone, requesting everything from a medical kit to clean sheet and rags. Most of Hershel's demands flew over Rick's head as he brought Mara to a small white room. One though, didn't fly completely over his head. A request for a man named Easton caused Rick to pause slightly, before shaking it off. Easton may be the name of Mara's second eldest brother, but the possibility of it being the same man was narrow.
"Lay her on her stomach." Hershel ordered, lifting up the floral covers of the bed. Awkwardly Rick shifted Mara onto the bed as told. He winced a little as another short painful sob escaped her. They were getting quieter-her cries that is. As her face paled and blood spread, Mara's cries of pains were getting quieter. A combination Rick did not like at all.
"Is she going to be alright?" Rick asked softly. His eyes locked with her dark ones. No longer were they screwed shut like when Rick carried her, but wide open with fear. She was just as scared as Rick was-if anything more so. Although her consciousness was a good thing, it also made things hard for Mara. Being awake meant being conscious for everything action done to her and hearing every and any doubt the doctor may have about her surviving.
"Pillowcase quick." Hershel ordered as if for the second time.
Keeping eyes locked with Mara, Rick grabbed the closest pillowcase to him. A sharp ripping noise sounded as Hershel tore the blood soak shirt off of Mara. Instantly Rick found himself staring a nickel sized bullet hole dangerously close her spine. Only an inch more and it would have made direct contact. "Will she be okay?" Rick repeated, feeling panic rise yet again.
"Fold it, make a pad." Hershel ordered.
Rick quickly did as told folding the pillowcase into a square. However just as Hershel ordered him to put pressure on the wound, a large took the cloth from him. Brown-green eyes met his blue ones, their owner a tall man with shaggy brown hair nodded as if relinquishing Rick from his duty. Hesitantly Rick took a step back watching the man press the cloth onto Mara's wound. For some reason Rick couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the man from somewhere. And he wasn't the only one. "Easton!" Mara gasped, hissing immediately after.
It was her first clear word. Everything else had simply been cries and screams. The man smiled softly, sending her loving look. "Hey Mar-Mar, funny running into you here. Isn't it?" he murmured softly.
A large smile appeared on Mara's face before quickly contorting from pain. From the end of the bed, Rick watched the exchange. There were very little similarities between Mara and her brother, but enough to tell they were related. They shared the same tan skin and heart shaped face. As well as the same weird Mickey Mouse shaped mole right above their collarbone. No, there was no doubt about it, they were siblings. "You're her brother." Rick stated the obvious.
Easton glanced up at him with a curious expression-almost as if seeing Rick for the first time, then nodded. "I am."
Before Rick could press on, Hershel announced. "Your heartbeat is there, but it's getting fainter by the second, my dear."
"She's going to need surgery, I can tell you that right now." Easton declared. His eyes sent Mara an apologetic look. Vaguely Rick could remember Mara mentioning her brother being a combat medic until becoming an officer. The fact calmed Rick slightly. Between Mara's brother and the doctor, she should be good hands. Very good hands.
"We'll know for sure once we get a good look." Hershel replied, taking Easton's words with a grain of thought. "But for now, we have to stop her bleeding."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Easton muttered.
Hershel sent the man a warm look before looking towards Rick. "What's your name?"
"Rick. Rick Grimes." Rick answered, caught somewhat off guard by the question. Besides him, Easton stiffened a little and Rick had no doubt the man already knew his name. Along with skin color, facial structures, and moles, the sibling appeared to share the ability to know things others didn't. Something that was perhaps genetic?
"Rick, we're going to do everything we can do, okay? You have my word and undoubtedly Easton's as well. However you're gonna need to give us some room. Now." Hershel ordered firmly. With a nod Rick stepped back to the corner of the room, where he watched them work on his friend. This time though her eyes set steadfast on her brother's face. Probably fearing that this was all just some dream. Which as much as Rick hated to admit it, he wished it was. Because at least then, Mara wouldn't be in this position. Slowly dying from a shot that Rick should have protected his son from.
His hand balled into a fist at the thought. There was no way Rick could ever express his gratitude to the young woman. If it had not been for her, Carl would be there, perhaps with an injury ten times worse than hers. The thought alone sent shivers up Rick's spine. It was a possibility not far from reality. Luckily the sound of Shane shouting from outside the window drew Rick's attention stopping him from dwelling further on it. Taking one last glance at his friend, Rick reluctantly left the room to greet his friend and son.
The urgency on both Shane and Carl's face dimmed vaguely as they caught sight of Rick. Silently he opened his arms out for his boy. In a flash Carl was in his arms, repeatedly asking about Mara. Rick ignored his son's questions for a few seconds, taking time to appreciate Mara's sacrifice. Across from him, Shane and Otis eyed the blood on Rick's arms and shirt. "She alive? She still alive?" Otis asked.
Rick looked solemnly up at all three of them, not knowing what to say. Technically Mara was still alive, but for how long no one knew. Her condition was getting worse by the second. Furthermore her brother claimed that she would need surgery. Something most likely way more dangerous than it was in the past. "She's alive, but fading fast." Rick answered truthfully. "Her brother says she's going to need surgery."
"Wait, her brother?" Shane questioned.
He couldn't help, but give an incredulous grin at his next words. "Her brother Easton is here."
"Easton?" Otis echoed. "That woman's brother is Easton?"
Rick let out a chuckle as he nodded. "Just our luck to run into her brother right after Mara is shot."
Shane patted his back assuredly, sensing his friend's stress. It didn't take an genius to see how worried Rick was for his friend. Hell, the man didn't know it-but his hands were shaking. In fact, Shane had a feeling that if not for Carl, Rick would be far from calm. "Everything is going to be alright, brother. That woman's too stubborn to die." Shane assured softly. "Now why don't you take us to see her?"
Giving a numb nod, Rick led them through the house to Mara's room. Amazingly she was still awake, but Rick could see her eyelids threatening to drop. Her healthy glowing tan skin was no more. A sickly pallid color replaced Mara's beautiful lively color now, along with a pair of dark black circles around her eyes. She reminded Rick of one those mannequins he'd see in store's display windows….white and lifeless. Subconsciously his grip tightened slightly on Carl's shoulder. "You know your sister's blood type?" Hershel asked Easton.
"A positive like me." Easton responded.
A positive? "Me too." Rick added, drawing eyes to him. "I'm A positive as well."
"I am too, right dad?" Carl half reminded, half asked.
Rick gave a small nod, though he had no intention of letting his son give blood, unless absolutely necessary. A flicker of a small smile was on Hershel's face for a second. "You're more than fortunate my dear." Hershel told Mara. "It seems that you have your very own blood bank as long as none of these men leave."
"I'm not going anywhere, Mar." Rick swore. Her eyes flashed up at him as if silently thanking him. He shook his head. Giving blood was nothing. Even if she hadn't saved his son, Rick would give her blood in a heartbeat. As long as it helped keep her alive.
"I'm not either." Carl swore too, following his father's lead. "I'll be here until you get better Mara."
Humor gleamed in her eyes, and Rick was sure that if she could, Mara would have chuckled. "That's good, because I have a feeling we're going to need you young man." Hershel smiled, before turning to Otis with a serious expression. "Now what exactly happened out there?"
"I was tracking a buck. Bullet went through it. Went clean through." Otis murmured ashamed.
"The deer slowed the bullet down," Hershel sighed, taking another look at her wound. "Which certainly saved her life. But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. In fact if I can get the bullet fragment out and I'm counting six…"
Hershel never finished his statement. However all it took was the hardened look on Easton's face for the impossibility of the situation to hit Rick. He ran a hand over his face, ignoring Otis's whispers of innocence to his wife. The world seem to slow down a bit as both fury and despair filled Rick. Mara was most likely going to die. Bright shining Mara who stood by him from day one in this new world…was going to disappear. No longer would she be making everyone smile even in the worse of situations, or complain about how stupid her brothers were. Daryl would lose the only person, he related too. Lori and Carol would lose the only person who eagerly watched the children, so they had a break. Carl would no longer have someone to sneak him rare candies or play with him. T-Dog and Glenn wouldn't having their drinking buddy. Shane, his rival and possibly little sister… Rick, his light.
His frown deepened at the last thought. All this time he had been asking God for some sign that he was doing the right thing, and it had been there. No matter what decision he made good or bad, Mara had been there reminding him that he was only human. When everyone else blamed him for the campsite incident, the CDC explosion, and Sophia missing, Mara spoke up against the group. She was always there, ready to snap him out of whatever self-loathing bout he was in. And now she lay on the bed dying.
Silently he cursed God. A sign that was all he asked for and now that sign was being taken away from him, because Rick was too foolish to notice her in the first place. Worse yet, Rick could only complain so much. If Mara hadn't been shot then his son would have. And as much as Rick needed Mara, Carl would always come first. "If Mara hadn't jumped in front of that bullet, it would been Carl in there." Rick whispered quietly to Shane.
The three of them had been ushered out of the room as Mara was prepped to have the fragments removed. They had taken wait in the living room. Carl fast asleep on one of the large sofas, while the two older men sat impatiently on two wooden chairs of their own. Shane shook his head, looking at his friend. "Don't even go there, Rick. Mara knew what she was doing. Hell she probably knew about it, before anyone of us did." Shane argued. "There's no way she couldn't have. Not with how fast she moved."
"If she knew about it, then why wouldn't Mara just stop Carl?" Rick countered.
"Shit, I don't know man. Maybe she didn't know until they were next to the deer. Who really knows with this whole vision shit-the point is though, at some point she knew it was her or Carl, and she chose Carl." Shane pressed. "So stop blaming yourself, man. If Mara was here, she'd kick your ass or something."
Rick let out a low chuckle shaking his head. His eyes began to grow wet. "Still, if I had just said no to Carl. If I had sent him with Lori or stop the search like you said, Mara would have never had to make that decision."
"It doesn't matter what I said." Shane replied.
"Mara got shot, because I wouldn't cut bait." Rick stated simply. "It should be me in there. Carl's my son after all, my responsibility."
Shane chuckled softly. "You've been there, partner. Right? And you pulled through, so will she."
"Is that why I got out of that hospital? To meet Mara-someone just as lost as I was, conveniently asleep right outside my door. She had more hope in finding Lori and Carl than I did. She was the only thing, keeping me going those days without them. Her belief that I would find Lori and Carl…I took her for granted Shane. And now our friendship has ended up here; with her losing everything and me losing nothing." Rick snapped. "This some kind of sick joke?"
"You stop it. Just stop." Shane ordered.
Rick shook his head. "A little girl goes missing…you look for her. It's plain and simple."
The sound of a door opening cut Rick off from his speech, and Maggie popped her head out. "Rick, she needs blood. Easton can't give us any, because we need him to help. So it has to be you."
Immediately Rick was on his feet heading towards the room. A loud sob from Mara greeted him upon entering. She was thrashing around, even despite having Easton pin her down. Hershel eyes snapped towards Shane. "You, help hold her down."
Shane did as told, taking one side of Mara, while Easton took the other. Another sob escaped her, but she was no longer thrashing around as much. Rick eyed her feeling as helpless as ever. For the first time ever Mara needed help and there nothing he could do. He tried hard to ignore the urge to push everyone off of her…to stop them from digging into her flesh with those instruments. But it was for the best, and he knew it. This unfortunately was the only chance Mara had at surviving. Next to him, Patricia prepared his arm to take blood. Mara let loose once painful howl, this one louder than ever. Any and all resolve of his broke. "Stop, you're killing her!" he cried, tears finally letting loose.
"Rick, you want her to live?" Hershel questioned.
More sobs are heard, this time softer than before. Patricia says something about Mara needing blood, but it not til' Shane roars 'do it now,' that the words finally hit him. He nodded, giving Patricia his arm. She quickly stuck a needle in him, earning nothing more than a small grunt. His eyes are focused on Mara. Her normally happy dark eyes screwed shut in pain yet again. Tears leaked from their corners, it was the second time he ever saw her cry. The crying subsided though as Patricia stuck the opposite needle into Mara, allowing his blood to flow into hers. For a second Rick was relieved until Shane's worried voice came. "Wait. Wait. Hey." He barely got out, looking towards Hershel.
"She just passed out." The older man explained. "About time too, the girl needs a break from all this pain."
Slowly he removed the tweezers like instrument from Mara's body. Rick could spot the small piece of shrapnel in between the tweezers as Hershel held to the light. A mocking smile formed on Hershel's face as he stared at it. "One down. Five more to go."
Muchas Gracias to A. Alice-LaCasse , BakerTennant'sTardis, Linkin4life, Audrey Whyte, PeaceLoveUnicorns94, AkiEn , Foresthunter, Hell's-funnyhome, .18, Guest, Mavis, Shika93, Jedi-Stark, Miki18, Padme4000, Aryiaa Bloodream, Hell Hath No,Corina27 and Nightwatchers2 for reviewing last chapter. Your reviews keep me going!
A. Alice-LaCasse: I did love Daryl's worried face. Also I'm pretty sure Rick's and Mara's friendship is totally fixed now.
Miki18: Wow, what can I say? I never had anyone claim to be my number one fan. lol
Hell's-funnyhome: Don't die, dying isn't nice. Haha I'm glad it seems organic, my third ultimate fear is it not clicking at all.
Padme4000: Lol, my imagination would probably be ten times worse than Mara's. Instead of one walker it would be a whole herd of walkers, only difference is I'd be on Rick and Daryl like white on Rice, because of it.
Aryiaa Bloodream: Don't worry, I was completely appalled the next day about my grammar and I totally plan on doing a better job at checking it.
Linkin4life: Thank you for commenting your concerns, I am always up for constructive criticism and I'll try to work on it. Okay?
Audrey Whyte: Mackly, I love it! I think I might steal it from you.
Guest 1: Thanks so much for the amazing welcome back, it's good to be back. And no it's not bad to hope Mara got shot. I was too actually when playing around him this story. It just seems so like her to me, to not only know about the bullet last second, but to naturally jump in front of it.
Corina27: I completely understand. I can't decide who I want her to be with as well.
Hell Hath No: Haha, I do my best to try and make all characters bearable- though honestly I never thought I could like Shane or Lori. It wasn't until I started writing about them that I began seeing them in a different light.