++++++ I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to Kirkman and AMC ++++++

Fifty-Two

The next week at the prison passed quicker than I had expected and my group were settling in despite the rift that existed between the two sides. I didn't want there to be a rift at all but there were certain members of my group that were wary about the kindness they were receiving, having been double crossed before. Other than that everything was going on nicely.

The mornings would be spent training with both Lucas and Spirit, Lucas to learn the bow and Spirit to learn the commands to know when to attack and defend form the undead. I'd have lunch and then do a perimeter patrol followed by some shorter training sessions on knives with Molly, Liam and Ben. They were the three eldest kids beside Lucas who were adamant that they didn't want to be classified as kids anymore. They were sixteen and I wasn't going to stop them from trying to defend themselves. In the afternoon I would often find myself either with Ebony and Jade or down in the farm watching Rick work. I had started out helping him but after the fiasco with the carrots being mistaken for weeds, I gave up and elected to sit there and watch. Occasionally I'd throw out some suggestions but mostly we just operated in silence. It wasn't what I wanted but it was a start. A relationship like this one needed to be built up again. Rick would walk me back to the cell block but Lucas would hover around like some kind of bodyguard despite the fact I told him not to. He's a bloody good kid and loyal to a fault.

Yesterday I had gone hunting with Daryl and Matthew, both Ollie and Spirit had come as well. The five of us brought back a deer, a couple of rabbits, some birds and even a snake. The only problem was that with the ever growing group, we would start to run out of food quicker which meant more hunting and attracting more walkers.

This morning I got up and went to find Lucas but Hayley who was having a feed with Hope told me that he'd gone out to see Beth. The two had taken Spirit with him to see the sunrise. I was starting to think that Lucas was using my dog to get to Beth. With no one to train with, I made my way to cell block C, I wanted to see Judith and see how big she'd gotten and Carl as well. It was the crack of dawn so when I got there, everyone was still asleep. I found Rick's cell and let myself in, Carl's bed was empty and Judith was still asleep. Rick himself was lying there, head resting on his arm looking like nothing in the world worried him and making me fall in love with him all over again. I smiled and leant down beside the bed to run my hand along his jawline. This much sexy should be illegal, I thought to myself with a slight grin.

"You may have been gone for three months but I haven't forgotten the feeling of having you beside me," Rick spoke before he opened his eyes. He turned his head. "I heard Carl leave to get some breakfast, been dozing since then. No training this morning?" he inquired.

I shook my head. "Both my buddies took off to watch the sunrise with Beth. Lucas is using my dog to get to Beth, I know it."

Rick turned over in bed so that he was looking at me. "What are you doing here PJ?" he frowned.

"Bored," I shrugged. "Thought I'd come see the old digs, doing good boss."

"I could say the same for you," Rick replied, sitting up.

I laughed and pulled myself up so that I was sitting beside him. "Me? Good god no-anyone would have done what I did. I just brought these people home."

"Not everyone would have done it," Rick argued. "You did. When we found you PJ, I knew that you were more than just someone who Daryl shot. The way you act around everyone-you hide who you really are. You care even though you hide it."

I stared at him. "I hope you know I care that you and I are doing this song and dance right?" I questioned. "I waited long enough for us to hook up and I fucked it up." I looked over at the crib that Judith was sleeping in and sighed. "Might go and relieve Glenn and Maggie from guard duty, do a couple hours. She'll need a feeding when she wakes up," I pointed out when I stood up.

"PJ wait," Rick frowned. He stood up and pulled a box out from the end of the bed-it was my bag. "I kept everything for you in case you came back."

I paused and took the bag before sitting it on the top bunk. "Of course I was coming back Rick and the only way I'm leaving is if I die. That pretty much includes this cell."

Rick stared at me.

I folded my arms. "I'm staying and I'm not going anywhere Rick. I trusted you with my most guarded secret which I haven't even told Ebony. I would rather die than give you up and if you send me away now I will come back each any every time."

"I need time PJ," Rick sighed.

"And I need you," I whispered. "I've waited my whole life for you, what's another lifetime? Because that's what it is without you. A lifetime alone to suffer in my mistakes. At least I get to say I got to have you at some point." I grabbed my bag and walked out hoping to get out of the cell block before I broke down. I made it to the deserted corridor before I let loose a strangled sob that echoed off the walls. Using my shirt I wiped my eyes but it didn't do any good. Rick's rejection was like a knife in my gut, twisting, I was writhing in pain and it wouldn't go away.

I dropped the bag on the floor and ran.

I'm a soldier, how on earth did I get to this?

I could hear someone chasing me, the only sound were the two of us running down the corridor. Please let it be a walker, I thought when eventually I came into the daylight. I looked around and found myself to be in some kind of isolated outside area. I'd seen one of these before when I was overseas, they used it for the solitary confinement prisoners when they needed their hour outside every day.

"You done running?" Rick suddenly asked behind me.

I jumped and spun around. "You need time, I need to be alone."

Rick sighed. "I'm not very good at this. I was married to Lori a long time, it's hard remembering what it's like to be with someone you love. It's hard to figure out the romance and the feelings and the uncertainty all over again. Lori and I just fell right into it. I've had to fight hard for this. Despite the cracks in this, we're good together."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" I sniffed.

"Because I heard you," he answered. "In the corridor. I heard you cry." He stepped towards me and cleaned the tears off my face. "I'm not going to tell you that you can't but before you run off, can you talk to me first? I deserve to know before you go because I can go with you I will. I will follow you. I'm never letting you out of my sight again." He leant down and kissed me.

I wanted to push him away at first but that wouldn't accomplish anything. I kissed him back. "God I missed you…missed waking up next to you," I whispered. "I'll never leave again. I promise."

Rick wrapped his arm around me and dragged me back inside-well, not so much drag because I let him. "I need a shower," he announced in a whisper. I swear his voice was a few decibels below the husky tone.

"Mind if I shower with you?" I asked him.

"Well I'm not gonna let you leave," Rick announced. "Hold out your hand."

I rolled my eyes but did what he asked.

No sooner than I had held my hand up did Rick drop something into my hand. It was a plain silver ring with a thin black band circling the middle. "What the heck?" I frowned, holding the ring up so that I could see the engraving on the inside. "Verum apud te? Be true to yourself? What's this?"

"Ebony said that she had it made for your birthday," Rick explained. "The day that wildfire was declared, you've had two birthdays since then which makes you what?"

"I'm twenty-six," I answered slowly, forgetting how old I actually was. With the walkers and the end of days it's hard to remember how old I actually am, you forget the small things like that. "If it's from Ebony, why are you giving this to me?"

"You're thick," Rick laughed.

I stared at the ring and it slowly dawned on me. "Oh Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" I gasped, staring into his grey-blue eyes and almost dropping the ring. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

Rick nodded. "Yes. Yes I am."

"Fubar," I whispered under my breath. I started nodding slowly, the word I needed to get out was stuck in the back of my throat.

"PJ?" Rick asked, touching my arm.

I jumped back. "Fuck yes."

He raised an eyebrow. "Fuck yes?"

"Yes!" I nodded. "Hell of a way to make sure I don't go anywhere but yes! God I wish my mum was here..." I shook my head and forced myself to remember that Matthew was here and that's just as good. I broke out in a grin and threw my arms around him.

Rick leant down to kiss me and all I could do was grin like a bloody fool.