Today was their official first date. Not really,
It was one of the team's mixer ideas, and they wanted to drag Rick along with a few bachelors in the station— even though Rick didn't want to go and instead wished on hanging out with Carl, Shane and a few others pushed him in casual clothes and dragged a reluctant Rick to a bar— he was glad Shane was there, it gave him someone else to talk to when his date kept poking at him. Long blonde hair— green eyes, small button nose with a few freckles on her face— if Rick remembered clearly her name's Samantha and works as a clerk of one of King County's grocery shops— seems decent. Nice.
And not his type.
They all gathered around at this very bar and the moment the woman found he was paired with her, she started to yap. Samantha kept hinting towards Rick what she wanted to do with him after, and it just made him— well, uncomfortable. He had never dated or flirted with anyone else when he and Lori got together— and that was when he was still in high school and before that, he was the good student. The quiet kid beside the popular jock. Rick lost all his game when he committed his loyalty to Lori but when his ex-wife upped and left him and Carl, he had no time to flirt around and get on relationships because Carl needed him more. To Rick, Carl was enough.
Rick throughout the mixer either focused on his food, the conversation passing through his co-workers or the stage right in front of them with a band right beside to accompany whoever's drunk is singing. People would holler all around, having their own blitz. Keeping himself silent even when Samantha kept pushing her flirting, he opted to replying and changing the topic as smoothly and kindly as he can.
His eyes once again left their table and looked around the bar, that was when he noticed a familiar figure sitting at the bartending area and she seemed to have noticed him too as she has been close to laughing when their eyes met.
"Excuse me." Rick leaves his table quick without waiting for any of their replies, his eyes focused on the woman, who raised a brow at him before looking away and back to ordering a drink as though nothing was seen.
Rick places a hand on the bar, "Hey—"
"That mixer you are in, sure looks like torture." Maxinne quips the moment Rick was close enough for him to hear her; thanking the woman that mixed her drink before taking a sip. "Guess that 'lunch' will be delayed?"
"How about we move it to dinner?" Rick really wanted to get to know this woman in front of him. His mixer already forgotten, only remembering the woman in front of him.
Maxinne's brows raised in amusement, a wide mocking smile passes her lips, turning to face the cop. "Oh my! Aren't you bad? Here you are on a date with another woman and you're asking someone else?" Maxinne shook her head in feign disappointment, clicking her tongue for continuous 'tsk's. "I thought you were a gentleman Mr. Grimes, I have to say I'm disappointed."
"Okay, let me explain—" When Maxinne indulged him with widening her almond eyes, batting her eyelashes innocently. It might look like mocking for someone else but Rick is hell willing enough to look like an idiot and started explaining his side of the coin. "Co-workers of mine planned a mixer and needed extra guys, now— I didn't want to go. I really didn't! But they were willing to take my night shifts if I joined..."
Maxinne hums, leaning back on the bar before nudging her head to the side gesturing to the table he just left. "Seems to be a waste! blondie looks like her panties already fell, aren't you going to take the bait?"
Rick sighs, knowing he wasn't blind and assuming when it came to Samantha's approach. Placing both hands on the waist of his jeans. Rick connects his ocean blue eyes, clear and deep into hers. With a low voice, he says: "I have my sights on a different woman."
The only response he got was her unmoving gaze and a sip of her drink.
But of course, Maxine just had to have the last words.
"Yet here you are in a mixer with someone else," Rick sighs. He was willing to take a whole weeks' worth of night shifts if he could just turn back time and decline the mixer.
Though going by the state of the end of their day, Rick took back his thoughts.
• ────── ✾ ────── •
Maxine knocks on the open door, giving out a smile when she saw Charmaine happily giggling as she took note of her mother. "Thank you for watching her for me, Mavis."
Mavis, turns towards the door at the sound of Maxine's voice. Her loose straight black hair tied up to a ponytail, comfortingly smiles at the sight of Maxine and hands the baby girl towards her mother. Maxine smilingly coming inside the rooms assigned to her, where both of the women stayed.
"Oh, it was nothing— she was a total angel the moment you came in." Mavis signed, her hazel eyes sparkling when she heard Charmaine let out a shrill scream at Maxine as the mother throws her up lightly then starts giggling when Maxine catches her and jokingly munched on her neck.
"Oh, trust me— this one is no angel, she's the devil in disguise." Maxine teasingly says towards Mavis, not needing to sign as she knows the woman could hear her completely— Mavis was mute not deaf. Though whenever her hands were free, Maxine talks along with signing to keep her memory sharp. Multitasking helps with the mind,
The two women met when Maxine came to Atlanta and saved her when Mavis was surrounded by those things. It led to a light sprain but Mavis tried to repay that debt by caring this time for her, as well as provide for the baby. The two earning each other's trust on that specific day, and the two knew of the connection that was starting to form.
"Yeah, she's a demon— had this judging look on me before you came in. That kid is going places," The two women smiled. When silence overtook them, Mavis smiling expression turned to ask. Signing: "When are we leaving?"
The moment Maxine saved Mavis, the mute girl already took that as some sort of contract to remain with them. When people left her behind, didn't even give her any attention because of her disability— Mavis vowed to always be with them till Maxine found her family. That and it was rare to meet someone who can understand her without having to play a whole charade to start a conversation.
Maxine sighs, fully understanding Mavis' question, thanks to her old job— one that she never wants to mention ever again— and places Charmaine down when the scent of something nasty filled the room. "Guillermo talked to me about a bag of guns," Mavis' eyes widened but the question still lingered. "He asked for help, and I thought it would be a good farewell gift— also told him that I'll make a run for baby necessities while we're at it. After that we part ways," Maxine says as she went ahead and changed Charm's dirty diaper.
"Don't you mean we'll make a run for baby necessities?" Mavis and Maxine's lips quirked up.
"I knew you'd come along..." Maxine sighs, internally wanting Mavis to stay and protect Charmaine but Mavis promised to stick with her— to reassure that the baby's mother comes back alive. It was more reassuring to have the baby along with them like they did when it was just the two of them, but Maxine knows of the possibilities.
Although Maxine could stay with her baby girl but Maxine has this annoying personality of wanting to do things herself at times. Not because she doesn't trust others but the feeling that she knew she could do it quicker and better. That belief heightened even more when the apocalypse happened. Despite her experience, Maxine for once was glad she lost a gamble.
"I'm taking a wild guess and say that we'll leave for the run now?"
Maxine nods, "Hell yeah."
• ────── ✾ ────── •
While on a rooftop, there stood: T-Dog, Daryl, Glenn and Rick still staring at Merle's severed hand with mixed emotions of shock, disgust and disbelief. Daryl had already screamed out his denial before quickly turning his crossbow on T-Dog, ready to shoot but the sound of Rick's python clicking behind him made the redneck pause his trigger finger, but that didn't stop the anger of wanting to shoot.
"I won't hesitate." Rick stressed; his tone certain of what he would do if Daryl ever chose to shoot. "I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."
Daryl grits his teeth, before finally lowering his bow. Rapidly blinking his tears away before it fell. He ain't a bitch. "You got a do-rag or sum'thin?"
T-Dog was hesitant, staring at the redneck in shock. Not particularly believing he could get calm at a time like this, but time was moving and so T-Dog hands him one and Daryl picks up Merle's severed hand with it, the sliced body part already decaying.
Rick and the others kept quiet, letting Daryl do what he wants with the hand with a grimace on their face. They watched Daryl give out a disappointed sigh over his brother's stupid actions and spread out the handkerchief that T-Dog gave and picked up the decaying hand by it's little finger. "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs."
"Ain't that a bitch." Daryl swore under his breath as he assessed the hand. Glenn was close to vomiting when Daryl picked it up and gestured for him, when Glenn didn't make a move— Daryl instead walked over to him, his Asian eyes widening at the sight of the covered hand being placed in the backpack he was carrying.
"He must have used a tourniquet… maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't." Daryl gestures towards the hacksaw and the bloody handcuffs on the pipe. Rick places a hand on his hip, all of them looking at each other when Daryl found a trail of blood and went to follow it. T-Dog lagging a bit behind as he picks up Dale's tools before following along them.
"Merle? You in here?" The group walks down the flight of stairs they've found while picking up his trail and soon enough led them to the building besides the one they were in, landing them in an office. The four of them silently treading and making sure the coast was clear with Rick and Daryl up front with Glenn and T-Dog following behind them till they've reached the hallway towards the front desk of a different office.
All of them staring at the two dead walkers pummeled to the ground. Daryl lets out a scoff at the sight of them, little by little gaining confidence his brother was alive. "-Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches." Daryl and the others paused in their steps after Daryl had shot one walker and had to reload, "One handed. Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."
Rick shakes his head in disbelief and continued their search, taking note of how far they were getting from following Merle's trails. "Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is."
Daryl either didn't hear his words or he chose to ignore him, Rick close to rolling his eyes at the bullheadedness of Dixons. It reminded him a lot of his wife— good thing he already has 4-5 years worth of training to handle rednecks. Cause compared to them, his wife is surely unmanageable.
"Merle!" Rick was quick to shush when Daryl suddenly calls out his brother.
"We're not alone here. Remember?"
Daryl glares, as they come up a kitchen with a stove still lighted. "Screw that. He could be bleeding out. You said so yourself."
Glenn frowns when he got closer, noticing a belt laid beside the stove and something metal. "What's that burned stuff?"
Rick picks it up, already guessing what it could be when he saw the fires of the stove and the metal plate. "Skin. He cauterized the stump."
Glenn and T-Dog behind him blanched, while Daryl beside Rick shook his head. "Told you he was tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle."
Rick puts the plate back down, "Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood."
Daryl scoffs, his eyes noticing something by the windows and trudging towards it, the others following his steps. "Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap."
Glenn gapes at the sight of the broken window that led to the fire escape ladders. "He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?"
"Why wouldn't he? He's out there alone as far as he knows, doing what he's got to do. Surviving." Daryl says, making T-Dog comment in disbelief.
"You call that surviving? Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?"
Daryl turns to glare, his words hitting close to home. "No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." T-Dog and Glenn let out a sigh, already getting tired of being blamed. But Daryl wasn't finished, he turned to Rick, giving him a once-over. "You couldn't kill him. Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard."
Rick's eyes narrowed. "What about a thousand dumb dead bastards? Different story?"
Daryl shakes his head and goes to leave. "Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want. I'm gonna go get him." but Rick doesn't let him go, pushing him back, his actions received a yell from the redneck, Glenn went to shush the two as they started to bicker. "Get your hands off me! You can't stop me."
"I don't blame you." Rick lines himself in front of Daryl as the seething redneck tried to get pass him. "He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine— and I'm still looking just like you. I know exactly how you feel." Rick's voice lowered when he noticed Daryl's pause. "He can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around but only if we keep a level head."
Daryl was quiet. "I could do that."
But T-Dog wasn't sold to the idea to walking out the roads and so spoke it out, raising both his hands to show his well-intentions. "Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?"
• ────── ✾ ────── •
"This all we need?" Mavis signed as she and Maxine hiked up their packs filled with baby essentials. Both of them wearing leather jackets, cargo pants and boots for their run. Mavis picked a black leather jacket over her plain gray tank top and beige cargo pants while Maxine wore a gift of Rick's for their anniversary, a brown leather jacket over her white camisole and a similar cargo pants with her black combat boots. Both having tactical scabbards perched on either their side or back, all in the curtesy of Walmart and no matter the stinking heat of Georgia gives, or their outfits not one bit a fashion statement, leather is a good protection from getting bit and cargo pants is best for survival with its pockets. Bite them for it.
Maxine recalled the necessities they've took in her head before signing towards Mavis, both of them trying to keep quiet as much as possible to not gain any attention.
"Yup. All good here. Let's go." Maxine pointed towards the exit of the building that would direct them towards behind the alley; giving them possible exits of using rooftops and fire escape ladders if they ever got surrounded. A block away was the Vatos car, which Maxine and Mavis jogged towards and placed the filled packs inside— Maxine frowned when she didn't saw Miguel and Felipe inside the car where they should be waiting.
She turns to Carlito, who was the one assigned to the driver's seat. "Where did Miguel and Felipe go?" Maxine asks while Mavis slammed the trunk closed after placing their bags. Carlito turns to them shrugging before saying the two went to get the guns and just then they heard a call.
"Ayúdame!" It was Miguel, yelling out 'Help'. "Ayúdame! Ayúdame!" Maxine's back straightened before glancing at Mavis, the two nodding at each other. Bending down, Maxine orders Carlito to drive towards where Miguel and Felipe are to help, "Me and Mavis will go around this back to make sure those assholes don't escape from behind! Go! go!"
Without waiting for anything else, Maxine and Mavis runs back at the alley way, Maxinne pulling out her P30L, her hand grazing over another gun, a G34 hiding on her back to ensure that it was there, while Mavis pulls out her own Glock beside her.
Their steps were quiet despite their running, both of them pulling to a sudden stop when they noticed two men coming out of the alley just before them, and Maxine thanked the man above for making them unnoticed by having the two men run out first.
Without any hesitation Maxine pulls out her pistol, hidden on the back of her pants and turned the safety off. On her side, she saw Mavis do the same. "Hands up, losers!" Maxine yells, ignoring the scream she believed to be Felipe wailing in pain.
The two men stopping their run, Maxine and Mavis walking to them closer with sharp eyes. One she saw wearing close to a cop's uniform. Her heart churned at the familiar sight, but she knew there were a lot of Police Departments with the same style, he must be one of the cops from towns like King County.
"I said hands up! Don't make us shoot." Maxine hisses, the two surely hearing the click of a gun and so they turned, but before they could, Maxine gave out a mocking salute. Pointing her gun directly to the cop, "Howdy, Sheriff."
"Maxine?" Her mouth gaped, hand nearly going slack at the sight of the man before her. Beside her, she saw Mavis glance in confusion, but Maxine ignored that and kept her gaze towards the officer.
"Rick?"
Rick turns to the man next to him, spatting not to shoot Maxine and before he could say anything else, something heavy latched unto him and both nearly falling down the ground. Shocking both of the people they are with,
Maxinne wrapped her arms and legs tight around Rick, like a snake. Unwilling to let go, while Rick responded with the same vigor and hugged his wife tight. Tears of joy and relief falling down their eyes. Both in their own world of rejoicing.
"You scared the shit out of me, sheriff!" Maxinne sobs on his shoulders, hearing this— Rick places a hand behind her head and caressed her softly while his other hand kept ahold of her bottom to not let Maxinne fall down.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Rick kept whispering with his lips on her neck, placing light kisses on her shoulder, neck and even the temple of her head that remained still on the space in between his shoulder and neck. "Thank God you're alive...I'm so sorry," Rick continues to whisper until Maxinne calmed down enough to let herself get back on her feet.
Rick was confused when she pulled her head away but let out a groan when Maxinne pulled his head close and kissed him senseless.
Though as much as Maxinne wanted it to last longer, another yell from Miguel tore out their moment. They were quick in choosing as Maxine shoot a look towards Rick before turning to Mavis, signing an OK. "Looks like we'll continue this next time, Mr. Grimes..." Both women turning to run towards the sound, Rick's hand unknowingly follows to touch Maxine's back before letting it fall and run after them with a still shocked T-dog behind them.
"Come back here, you sumbitches!" They thought they got just in time, only for them to see Carlito and Felipe— with an arrow shot up his ass, dragging a screaming Glenn. Carlito saw Maxine and Mavis come up the alley just as he got to the driver's seat but they couldn't wait more for them when the car got surrounded by walkers and so drove off while Daryl screamed murder at them, quickly grabbing the screen gate close to keep the walkers away.
Daryl turns back, glaring at the left behind Miguel, whose nose started to bleed. Maxinne and Mavis watched as Rick runs up to stop Daryl from lunging. "Whoa whoa whoa! Stop it."
"I'm gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!" Daryl yells with Rick pushing him back, pointing at a shivering Miguel that T-Dog held up.
Seeing Maxine and Mavis, Miguel let out a cry of relief. "Let me go! Max! Mavis, help!"
T-Dog shook his head at the boy and pushed him back to the wall. "Chill out, man."
Maxine and Mavis didn't know what to do. The two girls glancing at each other, Mavis couldn't fight them when one of them appears to be Maxine's person. And since Maxine wasn't doing much of anything, Mavis opted to just remain as well. It didn't look like they were going to harm Miguel— except for the hot redneck. "They took Glenn. That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends. I'm gonna stomp yur ass!"
When Daryl noticed Miguel defenselessly staring at the two girls he didn't notice coming with Rick and T-Dog, "Yur one of them?!"
Maxine rolls her eyes when Rick stood in front of Daryl's crossbow the moment it aimed towards their direction. "You put that away, now!" Rick was close to yelling the last and as much as she loved the idea of Rick coming back to life, she could have sex with him later,
"Havo dad, Legolas— put that away before you poke someone's eye out." Maxine quipped, ignoring the way Rick lowered his head and glancing at her jeer with a 'Really?' expression. Maxine winked, sending him a kiss of 'I missed you too.'
"Yeah? Already did that with yur homie's ass!" Daryl hissed, lowering his crossbow when he saw how chummy Rick and Maxine were. Besides, the other woman she was with, looked at him with narrowed eyes— her Glock waiting to shoot.
"Guys! Guys! We're cut off!" T-Dog cuts off the conflict tension, all of them turning to look at the piling up Walkers on the alley.
Rick spats towards T-Dog, "Get to the lab. Go!" T-Dog dragging Miguel with him, Mavis following behind while Maxine waited for Rick.
"Come on. Damn, let's go." Daryl frowned, watching as Rick picked up the bag of guns and hesitated for a bit before picking up his hat that Glenn went back for. The three of them leaving,
• ────── ✾ ────── •
"I can't believe your really alive! I'm not hallucinating, am I?" she sobs over Rick's shoulders, her hand caressing his hair as Rick pulled her closer, their bodies swaying lightly side to side and placing his face on the side of her neck.
"You are not hallucinating," Rick chuckles before his voice lowered in a serious tone. "I'm still here." Rick mumbled on her neck, placing small comforting kisses on her skin slowly inching up towards her lips where she pulled him close for a chaste kiss. "I'm— still here." Rick continues to say in between their kisses, Maxine's tears mixing along their lips.
Maxine pulls away, letting their foreheads touch— her voice nearly trembling. "I'm still here, too."
"Thank God," Rick and Maxine laughed with teary eyes as Rick thanked the Lord. The two locking up in their own world once again until they heard T-Dog from the other room speak with Miguel, who continued to struggle from his grasp— especially when Daryl went ahead inside before the reunited couple paused in the hallway for their prolonged celebration.
"We should go..." Maxine whisperingly say, her hands still caressing the back of Rick's head and the cop let out a low groan when she pulled it tight. She didn't look like wanting to go anywhere. With dark eyes, Rick focuses first on his wife, clasping her wrists with his large hands and pulling it away from him. Freaking hell.
"Not now, Mrs. Grimes. I just got you back."
Maxine scoffs, her eyes glinting. "More like I got you back. I'm the one who saw you, remember?" but Rick only pecked her lips as a response and pulling her with him inside.
"Where did you took Glenn?" Rick and Maxine heard T-Dog ask Miguel, the young boy only scoffing at his approach.
"I ain't telling you nothing."
Daryl makes eye contact with Mavis, who stood at the corner of the room. "How about you? Planning on tellin' us sumthin?"
Which Mavis only replied with: "I'm mute, asshole." Leaving two people inside confused to what she was doing, Daryl giving out a huff.
Mavis shook her head at them, not seeing the point of mingling when they couldn't understand her— though the opportunity to curse at them was strong but if Maxine knew this people, it was best to get on their good side, even if they wouldn't understand a thing about what she was saying;
"Jesus, man. What the hell happened back there?" T-Dog turned to glance at a constantly pacing Daryl, whose eyes watch Miguel like a hawk. It didn't look like the other girl was about to do anything, he better make the last of it. "-I told you, this little turd and his douche bag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me."
Miguel let out a scoff on the seat he was forced to stay in. "You're the one who jumped me, puto." Miguel cursed, "-screaming about trying to find his brother like it's my damn fault."
"They took Glenn." Daryl fumed as he tried to propose that they could have taken Merle too.
Miguel chuckles at the mention of the name, " 'Merle'? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog, 'Merle'."
Daryl goes to kick at Miguel, but Rick finally joins the group with Maxine— Mavis notices her presence immediately and walked towards her while Rick quickly holds Daryl back from hurting a kid. "Damn it, Daryl. Back off."
It took a few more seconds before she finally saw Maxine perfectly alright when the woman came inside with the cop. Mavis' shoulders too finally relaxed, leaning closer towards the woman— glancing between her and Rick, Mavis signed. "You okay? Who's he?"
Maxine gave out a wide smile and started signing, explaining that he was the husband she was talking to Mavis about while T-Dog and Rick watched as Daryl went over Glenn's bag, unknowingly taking out the do-rag that held Merle's amputated hand and letting it fall on Miguel's lap. His sounds of distress gained the two woman's attention.
"-Start with the feet this time!"
Rick holds Daryl back, once again pushing him away but this time not vocalizing anything. "The men you were with took our friend. All we want to do is talk to them, see if we can work something out."
"Oy vey," Maxine cries out before walking towards the testosterone zone. "You grown men better stop scaring the kid!" Mavis finally taking charge and walking towards Miguel to pull him up,
"Mavis and I will lead you to where Glenn is, G might already be giving him canned meatballs at this very moment— so calm down."
Rick's brow furrowed in confusion, "G?" but Miguel was the one who answered his question.
"Guillermo, he the man there."
"And he's also the one who took me in these past few weeks, so you guys better not threaten the man." Maxine cuts off before Rick could think badly of the guy.
"You're with that group?" Rick steps closer to Maxine, his eyes glancing towards Mavis, who nods at him.
"Just who are you guys?" T-Dog voices out, making Rick, Maxine and Mavis turn to a problematic T-Dog.
Rick noticed how T-Dog and Daryl didn't look too convinced— Rick realized their doubts on believing the woman in front of him as he forgot to introduce her. Giving out a breath, Rick chose to introduce her now. "We can trust her." The two men were still doubting and confused while Rick gestured towards Maxine. "This is my wife, Maxine— the other family I was looking for."
"..." They were all quiet, watching Maxine wave at them with a smile. "Shalom."
Jewish, huh.
Daryl was silent, not bothering to show his surprise but he did gave out a silent pause while T-Dog and Miguel stared at the two with wide gaping eyes, "You're married?" Rick frowned when he noticed the distraught expression on Miguel's face.
"Yes, she is." Rick answered for Maxinne, before turning to his group with the bag of guns. "Okay then, let's go see Guillermo." Maxine winced when Rick awfully butchers Guillermo's name and all of them left the laboratory without as much as looking back.
• ────── ✾ ────── •
She didn't know how it came to this. She would have thought two civilized men could talk their way out of possible misunderstandings, but she clearly overestimated the two leaders.
"My name is Rick Grimes and we have your man but I want mine back, please." Maxine rolled her eyes as Rick and Guillermo started their face-off, Rick's words low and might look polite but a hint of promise was in his eyes as a precaution. Guillermo not even noticing the two women behind Rick as he took on the leadership role the moment Rick and the others came in with loaded guns finally took a glance. Maxine giving him a wave of her fingers, gesturing him to NOT. Just not.
Because despite of what Maxine has done or what they've been through together, Guillermo didn't know if her husband is ever willing to give up a bag of guns so willingly in a world where it was worth more than gold.
So Guillermo steps forward as he gritted his teeth and declares threats over Glenn's life by saying he was going to chop Glenn up in pieces and feed it to his dogs. "-They're the evilest, nastiest man-eating bitches you ever saw. I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale."
Maxine sighs, cutting them off before they injure each other. Men. "Girls, girls! You're both pretty, can we just move this braiding contest along so we can start packing up our bags and skip to the part where we sing 'Kumbaya'?" Maxine calls out, gaining Rick's and Guillermo's attention—
"Maxine..." Guillermo went to step towards Maxine but an old woman comes out from behind the group and shouts for Felipe.
This led to an interaction where the old woman at first thought Rick was there to arrest her grandson but soon guided him inside the nursing home when she found out Rick was there for the Asian boy, who at that time they met when Glenn was playing chess with one of the patients inside. The more Rick stepped deeper the Nursing home, the more remorseful he felt— he was close to fighting the people inside this place, not knowing there were helpless people inside. He was about-
A hand on his arm made him pause, looking back to where Maxine was giving him a comforting smile. "I wouldn't have let you both go that far, you know that right?"
She knew about this place, Mavis and her knew of the old people and patients inside as well as the two groups fighting just right outside it's door. If one of them even suggested to pop out a gun, that was where they would intervene.
They all managed to reach the gymnasium where they find an elderly man having an asthma attack. Felipe already stepping in to help him while the Atlanta group noticed Glenn standing worried in the side, his attention focused on the old man.
"What the hell is this?" Rick asks, totally confused but Glenn didn't notice their lost expressions and spoke as though nothing was wrong.
"An asthma attack, couldn't get his breath all of a sudden." T-Dog's face contorted in annoyance, at the same time close to relief.
"I thought you were being eaten by dogs, man!"
"You mean them?" Maxine points towards the three chihuahuas laying on a leopard print bed. One in the middle, standing up to bark at the new faces. "Yeah, nasty little buggers."
Rick's eyes blazed, turning to scowl at Guillermo. "—You're the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in there thinking of possible ways to kill every last one of you because of your threats!" Rick spats the moment Guillermo guided them away from an audience to his office.
Guillermo sighs, "Well, I'm glad it didn't go down that way."
Maxine holds Rick's hand, intently staring at him. "And I won't let it go that far." But this was Rick she was talking to. She loved it about him but at the same time worried about it cause Rick has this habit of taking mistakes and problems in his shoulders, blaming himself even when it's not his fault and constantly worry about what ifs.
"If it had, that blood would be on my hands." Rick says towards Maxine, the shame in his eyes clear for her to see but she reassured him. Nothing would have happened. Maxine was glad when it seemed Rick understood, finally calming down.
"We'd have fought back. Just so you know," Guillermo speaks up, breaking the gaze of the married couple. "That blood would be in my hands too— wouldn't be the first time we've had to."
That was when Maxine decided to give the guys some space, knowing that nothing bad would happen now even if she were to leave the room. Besides, her and Mavis has some packing to do, and a girl that has been looking for her father for nearly 2 months now.
"What are you, doctors?" Rick asks, his eyes glancing back to the closed door where his wife had left.
Guillermo shrugs, "Felipe's a nurse —a special care provider and me? I'm the custodian."
Rick nods, he's speaking to a person employed to clean and maintain a building. Rick's impressed, if it weren't for a close call of declaring war— "What about the rest of your crew?"
"The Vatos trickle in to check on their parents, their grandparents. They see how things are and most decide to stay— it's a good thing too. We need the muscle. Good thing we snatched up Maxine and Mavis— those two women? great shots. Saved us a dozen of times against the people we've encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind… plunderers, the kind that take by force."
"That's not who we are." Rick was quick to defend, keeping quiet at the mention of his wife but a quirk of his lips didn't went unnoticed. He should have known she wouldn't remain to herself even in the middle of an apocalypse.
"How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel bleeding and two of my best fighters— appearances."
"Guess the world changed." T-Dog speaks up, his eyes gazing blankly at the wall, wondering where the world had gone to. While Daryl and Glenn stayed in the corner, listening.
Guillermo shakes his head, disagreeing at T-Dog's declaration. "No. It's the same as it ever was. The weak get taken. So we do what we can here. The Vatos work on those cars, talk about getting the old people out of the city— but most can't even get to the bathroom by themselves, so that's just a dream— still, it keeps the crew busy, and that's worth something. So we barred all the windows, welded all the doors shut except for one entrance. The Vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait." Guillermo sighs, finally showing what he felt. "The people here, they all look to me now. I don't even know why."
Rick stared at Guillermo. Finally understanding what he should do. "Because they can."
Rick hands Guillermo the shotgun he has been holding this whole time and placing down the bag of guns on a vacant table—dividing the guns 50/50 for both groups.
That was the moment Maxine and Mavis saw as they got back from packing. Rick pausing mid digging at the sight of the baby in Maxine's arms.
"Guess you're leaving now? So that him? Your husband?" Guillermo asks Maxine, already getting the information he needed when he watched Rick stare at the baby in a sort of daze. Maxine easily handing her daughter to him— it took Guillermo nearly a whole month for Maxine to let him step close to the baby and here she was easily letting Rick carry Charmaine for only a few hours of meeting each other.
That, and how the devil baby started letting out a wild smile along with belly shrills at the sight of her father.
He may be a custodian, but that doesn't mean he couldn't put two and two together. Maxine turns to him with a soft smile, "Yeah..."
"Can't you at least do it tomorrow?" Maxine lets out a laugh, going towards him for a hug— fully appreciating Guillermo's attachment.
"You clung to me more than my boss, Marvin ever did!" And she was telling the truth, old Marvin, her boss at the mechanic shop treated her like a daughter even when he kept shouting at her that he didn't need no help from anyone. But he was a softie at heart. May God bless his soul up there.
"Take care." Maxine kisses Guillermo in the cheek before pulling away, her eyes softened at the sight of him. The two sharing a silent connection of comfort before Guillermo turned to Mavis.
"Mavis, you too? Seriously?" Mavis gave out a silent laugh at Guillermo's dramatic disappointment, signing that she has to go with Maxine— the man understanding enough because Maxine taught him a few ASL to help in conversations and quiet signing when they go outside.
Like Maxine, Mavis also launched herself in Guillermo's arms. Glenn and the others watched it all with silent smiles while Maxine stepped closer to Rick, who held his daughter tight in her arms, not planning on letting her go.
Before their last step outside the nursing home, Rick turns back to Guillermo and his gang. His eyes incredibly light, indebted to the leader in front of him. "Thank you— and again, I apologize for the trouble my wife has caused these past days of her staying." And just like that, they left with laughter on their faces. A peaceful goodbye between two groups.
• ────── ✾ ────── •
The six and a half people left the nursing home, taking a few hours more of staying when the group decided to keep on tracking Merle before the trail finally went cold the moment he stepped on the streets of Atlanta, his tracks merging with the Walkers. The sun was already setting when Maxine has decided to have Rick carry Charmaine with a baby carrier she found at a Walmart shop. All of them finally deciding to let the hunt for Daryl's brother go. Took a hell lot of convincing, but she couldn't do anything else.
The baby carrier was highly convenient that can be adjust to carry by chest or back with a foldable hood to guard Charmaine from the sun or wind whenever needed— and is highly comfortable too, going by the sleepy state of Charmaine as they walked out of the City.
Glenn smiles beside the cop, finding the domestic view quite cute even if its out of place. "Admit it, if it weren't for your baby— you came back to Atlanta for the hat."
Rick lets out a chuckle, turning to gaze at Glenn in a joking manner. "Don't tell let the baby hear— She's got a huge possessive-jealousy problem." and the group chuckled except for Daryl who steps up, all this time quiet while Rick distributed the guns and after they've left. Keeping his opinions to himself until he was sure they were far enough did he spoke,
"You've given away half our guns and ammo."
Rick lets out a sigh, looking at Daryl. "Not nearly half."
"And for what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow?" Mavis beside him, nudged the redneck with her elbow— giving him a dark look. The redneck returning the gesture before going back to Rick. "Seriously, how long you think they got?"
"How long do any of us?" Maxine this time was the one who spoke, gaining their silence. "Right now, our chances are equal to theirs. It's only fair to give them a living chance."
Now the reason why they are walking away even when Guillermo had willingly suggest they take one of their cars was because Rick and the others have stated their already big delivery truck waiting right outside the tracks.
So when Maxine saw the empty tracks, she was highly disappointed.
"Oh my God." Glenn frantically panicked at the sight of the empty space.
"Where the hell's our van?"
"We left it right there. Who would take it?"
"Thinking on whoever took the van is not gonna help us here!" Mavis signed and Maxine fully agrees, voicing out what Mavis has just said. Planning on going back to get the suggested car from Guillermo seems pointless especially when the sun seems to be setting. Time was not on their side,
"I'll go ahead and hot-wire a nearby car, I saw one parked not far from here— it's too dangerous to remain still, we can't just stand here." Maxine offers and the group took a while of thinking before it was worth a shot than walking their way to the Quarry.
"How long will it take?" Rick asks, Maxine sizing him up when he did with an offended disbelief.
"I'll pretend you didn't just ask me that, Mr. Grimes." Maxine puts away her offended eyes from her husband with a scoff and spoke to the others. Ignoring the laugh coming out of Rick's lips behind her back. "I'll go right now to hot-wire a car so all of us won't be like my Uncle Frank when he stood waiting for his STD results."
She then left the men gaping at her words, Mavis and Rick already used to it while her baby Charmaine was too into her sleep to hear any of it.
"And you married that woman?" T-Dog glanced at a smiling Rick, watching his wife's ass as she left them behind.
"Yup."
Throughout the trip back, T-Dog was the one to drive with Daryl on the passenger seat, while Maxinne and Mavis were in the middle of Rick and Glenn. It took a lot of squeezing on their parts, but better that than leaving one of them behind.
And in those moments, Maxinne found it in herself to talk about Carl and the ecstatic relief she got when Rick told her he was fine and well. Having found him in the quarry with Lori and Shane, though at the mention of his friend, Rick noticed Maxinne's change of expression and when he asked what was wrong— Maxinne plastered her smile and shook her head, letting it rest on his shoulders to at least get a short nap. "Nothing we need to discuss right away..." Both his girls finding comfort in his scent and presence.
At that moment, Rick opted to remain quiet yet planned on not letting that event slide and talk things through.
"Guys, we're close." Maxinne's eyes fluttered open, Rick beside her lifted up a still sleeping Charmane, handing her to Maxinne as they got closer to the quarry. The Grimes woman waited in bated breath, leaning close to kiss her daughter's head and whisper.
"You're gonna see your brother soon, Charm." Maxinne let out a relieved sigh. "Any moment now,"
The drive soon became slightly bumpy at the change of pavement to dirt, but Maxinne didn't mind one bit. The car took a silent stop, T-Dog and Daryl letting out scoffs at the sight of a bonfire right in the middle of camp with the group surrounding it.
"They sure look like at the time of their lives," T-Dog gave out an envying look, all of them one by one getting out of the car. While Maxinne quickly darted her eyes around, looking for a small boy. Charmaine laying on her chest while Mavis and the others took some of the guns they got back.
"You ready?" Maxinne flinched at Rick's sudden whisper in her ear, his chuckles loud and close to her as she turned to glare at him. The sounds of laughter and occassional voices from the bonfire group dispersing seeping in her hearing. On the corner of her eye, she saw one of them standing up but she didn't look further to place her attention to Rick.
"Ready as we'll ever be." Maxinne lifts Charmaine just a bit but seeing her dead like sleep, Maxinne and Rick gave a sheepish smile. "She might not look like it, but the devil-baby is ready too."
Once again Rick lets out a soft laugh, placing a hand behind her waist and guided her to the group.
"Are we out of toilet paper?" Maxinne heard a feminine voice ask the group at the bonfire, and it was at that moment Maxinne noticed something strange walking from the back of the SUV.
"Rick... is that?" With a quick point to what she saw, both Rick and Maxinne as well as Daryl and the others with them, noticed what she pointed and started yelling.
"Walker!" BANG!
But it was too late, the walker coming out from the RV took a bite off the blonde woman's arm and chaos began all over the camp.
BANG!
SNARL!
It was as though they came out from nowhere, the front back and sides of the quarry. They were surrounded quite fast and easily in the dark. Maxinne hugged Charmaine close, the gunshots ringing around surprised the little baby and started crying; the only thing Maxinne could do was cover the little girl's ears and clung closer to Rick. As much as she wanted to help, Maxinne has her hands full just by carrying Charmaine with the baby carrier stuck on the car, safe and left behind though it didn't meant she wasn't capable of swinging her huge ass tactical scabbard if one of the dead even came close to breathing air near her daughter's head. Not like they need the air,
Mavis stuck close to Rick and Maxinne, covering their back and right side as Rick guided them forward towards the left to go near the others. Maxinne darted her eyes around in hopes to find Carl, deep inside grateful on having Mavis with them— in her sights she saw a man picking up a baseball bat and crushes a Walker's skull with it while everyone takes cover and an old man picks up his rifle.
"I'm right here. Shane, what do we do? Shane?"
"Follow me!"
"No! No! Oh God! Oh my God!"
"Carol!"
"Stay close!"
"Get to the RV! Go!"
The screams were everywhere, mixing along with the gunshots and snarling. Charmaine's cry remained loud on both Rick's and Maxinne's ears, both parents panicking and worried whenever a walker even looked in their direction, but Rick remained alert enough to not even let a walker step towards them, both still looking out for Carl. When Maxinne noticed movement near the RV, her heart nearly falls in her chest, there he was.
Carl, clinging tight to Lori with another woman and child with them as Shane protected them by shooting walkers with his shotgun.
She couldn't help it, Maxinne called out, pointing to Rick so the man no longer had to search in other places and focus on getting to their son. "Baby! Carl!"
At the call of his name, Carl's scared eyes darted around to search for the familiar voices and cried when he saw his dad and mom with him, "Mom?! Dad!"
"Carl!" When no more Walkers walking around, Carl fidgeted and fought his way around when Lori didn't understand why he wanted to leave her and Shane's side. It wasn't until did Carl got free and started calling for Rick and Maxinne did she froze in realization.
"Mom! Dad!" Rick bent down to catch his son, the young boy clutching his father tight in his arms as fat tears streamed down his cheeks. Maxinne joined the hug when Carl called for her in distress, the whole Grimes family continued to sob as they finally reunited and could live in relief.
"I was so worried!" Maxinne plastered dozens of kisses towards Carl's face as Rick opted to calming down the still crying Charmaine, though from the hold of her father, she was soon calming down. While this time, Carl was sobbing in his mom's arms. "I'm so glad you're safe! Thank goodness!"
"Amy! Amy! Amy!" Rick glances away from his family, looking around to see some of the survivors left. Giving Shane a nod, a short stare with Lori then all of them watching Andrea sob for her bitten sister.
Amy touches Andrea's cheek to let her know she loves her and then she dies with her last breath. Maxinne saw Rick keeping his hand on their daughter's head to avoid viewing such a tragic scene, she did the same to Carl but the boy was persistent on looking and managed to glance at the sight of Andrea sobbing. Carl also begins to cry when he sees the death of a camp member, burying his face on her mother's chest as he did so.
"I remember my dream now, why I dug the holes." Maxinne turns her head to see a skinny male man with brown hair covered by a dark blue cap. He was sweaty from all the swings he had done with his baseball bat and eyes gazing at the wreckage of the camp with bodies of both Walkers and their people, at the same time looking at nothing.
Maxinne frowned at his words, but kept a soft shushing comfort for Carl while Mavis somewhere behind her didn't like his meaning either. Just what kind of people did they get mixed up with now?