Blood Doesn't Mean Family

Chapter Three: Old friend

Shane shuffled his feet in the doorway, not sure how to approach his old friend. His eyes watched the sleeping girl in the bed with unease.

"How long are you going to stand there for?" Rick asked. He could feel the other man's eyes burning holes in the back of his head for the last five minutes.

"Maggie said there were other people with you, a man and a boy." Shane said, stepping into the room.

"Yeah, Morgan and his son Duane." Rick elaborated.

"We don't normally let people in. We had to learn the hard way not to trust people." Shane said.

"There are definitely some bad people out there these days... Without Morgan, I would have died as soon as I got out of that hospital. He helped me learn what had to happen to stay alive." Rick turned to look Shane in the eyes.

"I still have some questions. We'll need to ask them before they can stay here." Shane said, his eyes drifted past Rick to the girl on the bed. "Hershel said she's doing well."

"Hopefully she'll wake up soon. I'll feel a lot better when she wakes up." Rick said, eyes going back to the girl on the bed. "Once Raven is awake, we'll be out of here, so you don't have to worry too much about your questions."

"You're just going to leave?" Shane asked, eyebrows raising in surprise, shock.

"Yeah..." Rick said.

"So, you're just going to leave them? You know how much people would give to have their family back and your just-" Shane's voice roes a few notches. He cut himself off with a shake of his head as his eyes burned angry holes in the back of Ricks head.

"I guess I am," Rick nodded. "Maybe it would have been better if I had stayed dead."

"Yeah, probably would have." Shane hissed, marching his way out of the room.

It was starting to get dark by the time Glenn arrived at the farmhouse with Morgan and Duane in tow. The sun had set beyond the tree line and the last rays of light made the few clouds in the sky look orange. Maggie met the three men on the front porch. She smiled warmly and led the new arrivals to the room where Rick and Raven were.

"How is she?" Duane asked, rushing to stand by Rick. He sighed in relief as he saw Raven still breathing, more colour in her face than there had been earlier in the day.

"She's out of the woods for now, she just has to wake up. The arm had to be removed though." A look of horror flashed across Duane's face. Rick didn't miss it as the boy looked from the hand Rick held to the stump on the other side of Raven.

"She's strong, she'll work it out." Morgan said from the doorway. "She's very lucky to be alive, that's what she'll be thinking when she wakes up. She won't care about the arm."

"I know, I just keep thinking about what could've happened." Rick sighed standing up from the chair. "Why don't you take my place for a while Duane. I need to talk to your father for a minute."

"I'll yell out if she wakes up." Duane said, taking Rick's seat and grabbing Ravens hand, letting her know she wasn't alone. There were a few people in the living room. Rick felt their eyes on him as soon as he stepped out of the room. He avoided eye contact and went straight out the front door, Morgan following after him.

"You were right. When you said if it was Duane that needed the help, I would have done anything, even trusted a stranger's word. Sometimes I forget how much she means to you, she's not just some random kid you found." Morgan said, once Rick had stopped walking.

"Don't worry about it." Rick waved off Morgan's apology.

"I still remember that night you showed up with her." Morgan said with a shake of his head.

"You almost shot me." Rick couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

...

It was an hour after sun set. The streetlights were on and lighting up the neighbourhood. The street was crawling with the undead. Rick scurried along the shadows, pulling Raven along behind him. He was scared to loosen his grip on her; worried she may run from him... again. There were a few fully dead bodies scattered on the street. Morgan must have been practicing his shooting earlier in the day after he and Rick had gone their separate ways. It looked as though he had woken up most the town, drawing the dead in with the gun shots.

The front yard of the house Rick had spent last night in with Morgan and his son, was now filled with walkers. A few were scratching at the door and windows, but the rest look like they had wondered up the steps and couldn't find their way down. Rick pulled the girl into a neighbouring house's garden and into the back yard. It was quieter there than it had been on the street, less growling. Rick jumped the mesh fence that separated the two houses and then helped the girl over. The back of the house was as dark as the front, windows all covered up.

It was quieter back here, the only sounds of the dead coming from the front of the house. Rick found the back door and he tried the handle. It wasn't locked, but there was something pushing against the other side of it. He gave it a strong push and then the bang of a gunshot filled the air and the right corner of the wood door exploded into splinters.

Raven let out a surprised scream.

"Fuck! Morgan, it's me!" Rick yelled, jumping back from the door. Raven hid behind him for protection, cling to him now. The door was kicked open with a loud crack.

"Rick?" Morgan asked, lowering the gun. "What happened? Why are you..." Morgan looked behind the man as he heard a noise. He jumped and raised his gun once more. The girl was covered in blood and grime. "Infected!" he thought, "Infected! Get it away." He all but yelled.

"It's not her blood, Morgan. Put the gun down." Rick said, raising his hands as a sign of peace. "I found her alone. She's not infected, please put the gun down Morgan." Rick stayed calm.

"You sure she's not bit? Scratched? Anything?" Morgan's eyes were wide and shifted back and forth between the two people in front of him. It appeared Rick had missed a lot in the short time he had been gone.

"I swear she's fine." Rick hissed, as a walker stumbled its way around the side of the house.

"There's a car parked the next block over. Duane's already there, but I had to come back for a few things." Morgan said quickly, as he swung a heavy looking bag over his shoulder. The three of them ran to the back fence as more walkers stumbled into the back yard. Rick threw Raven over first, as Morgan pushed his bag over the high fence. The two men hoisted themselves over the fence and into another back yard. Morgan grabbed his bag and Rick grabbed Raven's arm. Morgan couldn't help but pause for a moment. The undead started pushing up against the fence.

"If she turns Rick-" Morgan began, but Rick cut him off.

"Then I'll deal with it. She's my responsibility." Rick growled. He knew she wasn't bit, but he didn't have time to convince Morgan. Raven looked between the two men and then at the shaking fence. She pulled on Rocks arm, fighting for his attention as he glared at Morgan.

"Ok." Morgan nodded. The three took off running into the dark.

...

"Dinners ready!" Maggie called from the front door looking at the newcomers.

"We'll be in in a second!" Rick replied, Maggie nodded going back into the house.

"She was always more than just your responsibility Rick. She's your family." Morgan gave Rick a pat on the back.

"We're all family Morgan." Rick said. The end of the world had bonded them together. If he had to pick between his old family and his new one he knew who it would be.

AN: Not a very interesting chapter but I hope the next one will make up for that.

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