Tonight was the night, Rick decided. Tonight he'd speak up.

He had been attending the overcoming grief support group for months, and had been just quietly listening to everyone speak. He and Beth started a friendship, consisting of getting some terrible tasting coffee at the meeting.

He thought she was beautiful, but not ready to ask her out. Maybe tonight she'd understand.

It was shortly past eight o'clock, and Morgan had just gotten through sharing his story of a man breaking into his house, while he was at work and his wife and son were alone. The man had been snorting bath salts, and killed his wife and son in the most gruesome way. After Morgan finished he sat quietly, just staring, stoically, at the wall.

Ty asked if anyone else wants to say anything.

Beth was sitting with Jo on her lap, five chairs away from Rick. The sheriff took a deep breath and stood up.

"My name is Rick. I've been coming here for a while, but wasn't ready. Two years, five months and one week ago I was on duty. My wife, who was pregnant with our little girl, texted me and said she was headed out to the store to get a few things for dinner. I know that pregnant women can be vulnerable to people who want to hurt them, and she also had our very rambunctious four year old with her. It was a slow day, so I told her that I'd pick the stuff up."

"My partner and I were called to a carjacking, and we were delayed. Lori wanted to get the stuff, so she went anyway. She was headed home, and was two miles away from our house. Two miles. She was at a red light, and I always told her that when it turns green to wait a second before moving. I don't know if she did that, but some piece of shit teenager who couldn't wait five seconds just had to use his phone and was texting someone. He hit my family's car at least fifty miles per hour. He hit the drivers' side. My son…our son, Carl, was sitting behind Lori, and safe in his car seat. But the car T-boned them so fast. Carl was decapitated." He had to pause and swallow a sob. His hands were shaking and he wondered if he had the strength to continue.

"Shane, that's my partner, had to pull me away from the car. He thought it might blow up because the gas tank was split. I didn't care if it did…I'd go with my family if I had to. Lori wasn't responding, and there was blood coming out of her nose and mouth. I finally got her door open and her seatbelt off. I could hear her death rattle. I tried mouth to mouth. I knew she was gone, but me and Lori…it doesn't happen twice in a lifetime. I yelled at Shane to do compressions so I could do mouth to mouth. I felt her blood in my mouth. Her water broke because her pants got drenched. The paramedics had to deliver our daughter and took her away. Everyone was giving up on Lori. I knew she was gone. I knew it. But I wouldn't accept it. I kept trying mouth to mouth, hoping she'd respond. Shane pulled me back, and she was covered with a tarp."

"My partner rushed me to the hospital, and my baby girl was almost gone. There was no hope. She was born too early, and there was nothing they could do. I held her in my arms and sang "you are my sunshine" because I heard babies can hear their parent's voice…I tried. So my family was taken away from me. Just like that. One day I'm a husband and father, and I have a baby girl on the way. Before she was born I pictured the day that I'd be walking her down the aisle. Now I'll never have that. My wife's favorite flowers were pink roses. She loved us fiercely. Lori was the reason why you hear the expression 'don't get between a mama bear and her cubs.' When she found out she was pregnant with Carl she drew up a will, and said she wanted to be cremated. And if anything happens to the baby, she wanted them to be in the same urn. She couldn't imagine being away from the kids forever. She loved me, warts and all, and I loved her like nobody else. What kills me every time I come here is that this is the church where we got married."

"Every day I wake up and look at my dresser. It's a white urn with pink roses, with the ashes of my wife, son, and baby girl. My baby girl, who Lori was so excited about having, but never got a chance to hold. She carried that baby girl for seven and a half months, but never got a chance to hold her."

He cleared his throat, and looked around the room. His "friends" were wiping their eyes or quietly sobbing.

"I'm a cop. I have the dangerous job. Lori always wanted to be a stay at home mom, and I was happy to provide that. I'd do anything for her. I'd do anything to switch places and be in that urn and have my wife and kids be alive. Somedays I think I'm doing okay, and that Lori wouldn't want me to be miserable forever. We had the talk. She knew there was always a risk with my job. I told her that if anything happened, I wanted her to move on with someone who treats her right and is good with the kids. Then the days I think I'm doing okay I drive by the spot where the crash happened and I see the three wooden crosses. And those are the days that I just want to crawl into a hole in the ground."

"So, that's that. My life changed two years, five months and one week ago. It took everything I have to not be poured into that urn with them. I think there are two different types of people in this world. People who move on from grief and can live again, and people who spend their lives trapped in misery. And for the past two years, five months and one week I've been miserable. And I don't want to be that way anymore."

Rick looked over at Tyreese, who had tears falling out of his eyes.

He sat down and glanced at his watch. He didn't realized he spoke for half an hour.

After a few minutes Ty stood up and thanked Rick for sharing his story. He quietly asked if anyone else wants to say anything, and when nobody did, he said he'll see everyone at the same time next week.

When the meeting broke up some Morgan, Ty and Beth drifted over to shake Rick's hand.

"It took balls to speak up like that" Ty said, before noticing Beth was there and apologized for his language.

Rick nodded his head in thanks.

Jo was getting fussy, and Morgan was talking Rick's ear off. Beth really wanted to talk to Rick, but Jo was tired and hungry.

Rick, who wanted to talk to Beth but didn't want to be rude to Morgan, just watched as she walked away.

At the office the next morning, Rick remembered the horrific crash that took the lives of Beth's parents and sister. Annette, Hershel and Margaret Greene. Twisted metal and blood everywhere. The only survivor was one year old Josephine Greene. Sole survivor was Elizabeth Anne Greene. He did a quick search of her background. At twenty four she had one parking ticket, but nothing else.

After a recent rash of school shootings, Shane and Rick planned on stopping by at a few schools to speak with the children for reassurance.

They started with the high schools, Morgan, Hilltop and Scott, and then drove to Valley View Elementary. It was half an hour before dismissal time, so the kids were antsy. Rick and Shane were getting the materials together when the seventh and eighth graders walked into the school, and Rick did a double take when he saw Beth.

She walked in and smiled at him, then did a small wave before Andrea walked up behind her and snapped "control your classroom, Miss Greene."

Beth looked away from Rick and ushered her students into the rows of seats.

When the dismissal bell rang, Beth and Rick looked at each other, and when Beth tried to say something Andrea stepped in front of her and said "you're still on the clock."

Beth did the typical thing she does every day; walked her students out to the buses, then went to the office to get Jo.

She noticed that Shane and Rick were standing in the hallway, waiting for her. She went over to the two officers and Rick introduced her to Shane. After shaking his hand, and introduced him to her "daughter," Jo, she turned her attention back to Rick. Before she could say a word she heard the furious click of high heels on the floor as Principal Harrison walked over.

"Well, it seems like the three of you have a nice little party here." she sneered.

"Just talking, Andrea" Shane said, without even looking at her.

"I didn't authorize this meeting. And I don't appreciate you going behind my back." she snapped.

"I'm...uh...I'm so sorry Ms. Harrison" Beth stuttered.

"Principal Harrison, Miss Greene." Andrea hissed.

"I'm sorry, Principal Harrison. It's just…that..." Beth started shaking and had tears in her eyes.

Andrea took a step forward, and was inches away from the younger, much shorter woman. She pointed her finger, right in her face and said "now you listen to me, Miss Greene."

"Nope" Rick stopped her from saying anything else.

"Andrea, Beth and I know each other. I wanted to talk to her, that's it. Don't put your finger in her face, and don't give her any shit about this. This was my idea."

"Officer Grimes…"

"Sheriff Grimes." Rick said, sternly

"Sheriff Grimes, you will refer to me as Principal Harrison while you are in this school." she said to him, her face almost red with rage.

"Yea, Andrea, that's not gonna happen." he shot back.

"You need to get the fuck out of my school. Right now."

"Or what...you're gonna call the cops? We're already here. Protect and serve, remember...Andrea?" Shane said, almost laughing.

"You assholes."

"Nice language to use in front of a child. I would like to have a word with Miss Greene. You can go now. Go on...shoo." Rick said, as Shane started laughing.

Rick moved his hands to tell Andrea to walk away, and with nothing left to say, and embarrassed in front of a teacher almost half her age, she turned around and stomped back to her office, the clicking of her heels echoing in the hallway.

"Wow." Beth said, quietly.

"Don't worry about her. She needs someone to put her in her place once in a while."

"Thank you." Beth whispered.

"You're welcome." Rick smiled.

"I'll bring these out to the car." Shane said, as he got the remainder of the pamphlets and left the building.

Rick knelt down to say hello to Jo, who surprised them both when she took two steps towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He stood up, with Jo resting her head on his shoulder, and with his heart racing, he stammered for a moment before asking Beth if she wants to go to dinner.