RP: Walking Dead : Warm Shadows [ Horror_Show & randomname98766789 ]

It was only moments ago that everyone’s lives had changed, that their hearts had been ripped from within. She was standing out in the prison yard in a daze, her hands were still bloody from her baby sister and mother's blood. She had tried to help her mother deliver a child and it went for the worst. Both Anna and Carl have been complicated pregnancies and she had to have a C-section. It was more than likely this would have to be the same. Hershel wasn’t around, they had made a place in the prison for her to give birth with as many supplies as they needed but it didn’t happen that way. Luckily Maggie and Carl had been with her when it happened, as she watched her mother pass out from pure shock and pain she had to hold her newborn baby sister as Carl shot their own mother. Her mother’s words echoed in her ear.

“You both are so sweet, my baby girl and my sweet boy….I love the both of you. You both are going to beat this world…don’t let this world spoil you. Don’t ever do the wrong thing, if it feels wrong, if it's easy….don’t do it. You both take care of your father,” Anna could remember Lori’s eyes directly looking at her as Anna cried and nodded, “You take care of your baby sister.” She said now looking at Carl.





They finally reached the prison yard. All four of them, including the baby slowly approached the others. Anna had a zombified look on her face, as she held her wrapped up baby sister close to her chest. All of them looked exhausted, emotionally drained. Anna could hear Rick calling out orders until he heard the sounds of his new child, his voice immediately grew silent. He turned and saw the four walking. He could see the site of his oldest daughter, covered in blood and holding his newborn closely, protectively. Maggie and Carl looked mortified but stayed close.



Rick had started walking with a confused face, already showing signs that he knew. Maggie was silently crying and couldn’t even talk, but tried to stop him as he walked toward Anna and Carl. Anna’s face told him what his nightmare was, this his wife was dead. Rick shook his head and bent down near Carl, he started breaking. No one had ever seen this man show this kind of emotion, this kind of turmoil. Everyone in the group felt it. He started crying as Carl just looked down. He started crying “No” over and over repeatedly in the most sickening way and fell to his knee’s crying. Anna by now was starting to silently fill with tears and she saw her father on the ground.



It seemed like forever until Beth came up to her and Anna finally let go of the baby giving it to Beth. Hershel was insisting to see it as others were trying to help Rick. Beth held the baby like a natural and took it holding it carefully in her arms back over to her father and boyfriend. Hershel had said the good news is she looked healthy, but she would need formula and supplies. Daryl immediately took oath to make a run to get supplies, in which Magiee and Glenn offered to come. Anna stood there watching everybody until out of nowhere her father in a dazed state got up grabbing the ax he had dropped earlier.



“DAD!” She randomly cried, making everyone look, she ran to try to catch him but he already vanished in the prison. He wasn’t safe in there with the walkers. He had lost his mind.

“It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane.”

In the matter of minutes, Rick's life changed forever and it seemed appropriate to go insane. One second, he was collapsed to the ground and sobbing while the next second, he was taking off in a sprint back into the walker-filled tombs of the prison that had been a safe haven for the group until today. A loud ringing in Rick's ears was driving him absolutely mad and while Daryl was trying to talk to him, all he could see was the ax on the ground and in moments, he grabbed hold of the object and stormed off. That's how he got here. Breathing heavily, Rick forcefully pulled the door open and started to slash every single walker in sight.

One. Two. Three. Four. Turn the Corner. Again. Again. Blood. Gushing. Running.

The only thing that Rick left behind him was a bloody path of destruction. At some point he stopped at some dark corner, blood dripping off his ax, not just the blade, but the handle too. Blood was all over his face and his body too. The next second, Glenn was down talking to him but Rick had the look of a stone cold killer, taking him, pinning against the wall and doing away with him without a word and then continuing down the dark hallway on his destructive course.



The only thing that stopped Rick and brought him to his knees was the location where Lori had been killed. Coincidentally, Rick spotted a walker near the location that became infected while pregnant and he dropped to his knees and took out his knife, stabbing the walker in the stomach over and over again until some form of satisfaction had been derived. In the end, Rick just plopped down in the corner against some pipe and sat mindlessly, staring at the wall ahead of him.

Jeremy stood beside of Hershel whom was still on crutches thanks to the amputation that saved his life. The young man had no idea of what to do right now other than stand in silence. When his girlfriend returned with the newborn baby, it was relieving to hear that she looked to be healthy and happy despite her surroundings. Daryl pointed out that she needed to be fed and courageous volunteered to go on a run with Maggie volunteering as well. Jeremy watched Glenn run after Rick into the prison unsure of what Rick planned to do and then his other daughter did the same but everyone just let them be. Surely at least Anna could talk Rick down.

Now, the blonde, tall boy focused his attention on Beth and the baby when Carl slowly approached his new sister. Those two young children had been through way too much already and it was such an awful sight to see.





"It shouldn't have to be like this..." Jeremy whispered sadly as his eyes flickered beside of him to Beth. Thankfully, he still had her through it all. Four years with her before the outbreak and now nearly two or three years into the outbreak, they still had one another. Moments like these caused the young man to really thank his lucky stars for what he did have and not complain about what he didn't have.

“Daddy I can clean her up and watch over her until the other get back with the supplies.” Beth said as Hershel handed her back the newborn. She was crying and right now being close to a female was the best thing for her. She never got the chance to make a connection because her mother was dead minutes after she was born. Beth went to the other end of the prison corridor; a place they had made a small safe haven. They had limited supplies, but she grabbed a couple bottles of water and a clean cloth and began rinsing off the baby cleaning off its blood and after birth. Jeremy would watch and she gave him a faint smile even though with tears.




In a normal world, she would have been in college and in a couple more years, maybe she and Jeremy would have been married and planning children. He was so gorgeous, they would have made beautiful blonde hair babies, or maybe even one of them would have taken one of her sister’s genes and had brunette hair. She held the baby close and leaned into Jeremy.

“She has to live…we have to keep her safe, for Lori, Carl, Anna…..and Rick.” She said kissing Jeremy on the head as she was pulled close. Hershel was close by and looked sympathetic.

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Anna had started to go after her father but Glenn stopped her, saying he would go in and bring her father back out. So Anna stayed outside as the sun was still bright but showing signs of wanting to set. Carl had come out to to keep her company as they both sat on the ground. They were both quiet.

“Its been a few hours….I’m going to go in.” Anna said pushing off the ground rubbing her dirty hands on her jeans, Carl got up too and she shook her head.

“No, you stay here….wait for the others. She needs one of us to be around, she needs to know were all family. I will be fine.” She said unsure. She bit her lip and shook her head and then ran off through the same doors both her father and Glenn had gone through.

She slowly walked over dead bodies, some were in piles of two and three. Her father had done this alone with one ax. She kept walking, careful of her step until Glenn walked up startling her. He looked concerned and a little frightened himself. He shook his head.

“He’s not right in the mind….its not safe, he needs to work this out. C’mon.” Glen said guiding Anna back out. She breathed out and stopped shaking Glenn off.

“I can get through to him….I’m going.” She said with a strong voice.

“Anna….he slammed me against the wall, threatening me and then threw me out of the way….he is unstable, and emotional. He’s dangerous. I will wait for Daryl and come----“

Anna stormed off climbing over the dead bodies leaving Glenn, he sighed but then decided to leave her.

Anna walked through the abandon halls of the prison until she found the boiler room. Stepping cautiously in she could smell the filth of the bodies.



“Dad…” She said with a soft shaky voice and then caught sight of her father. He was sitting in the corner glairing with a zone out gaze directly at her. He had a certain posture that was alarming, like a predator. She felt like she was a sheep in the eyes of a lion. He was covered in blood. She stood there trembling. He had just lost his soul mate, the women he had married and been with for almost over two decades. He had three children and no mother to help raise them in this cruel world.



“Dad….” She said submissively and took two steps forward but he didn’t move.

Hershel agreed to having Beth clean and watch over Judith until Daryl and Maggie returned from their supply run. Without even being told, Jeremy followed Beth down the long, narrow corridor to the other side of the prison- the only place where it seemed totally safe now. Hershel was hopping along after the young couple as well to watch over them. While watching Beth, Jeremy's mind wandered to the world before this happened. At this point, they would probably be in college together and within years, marrying and starting their own family. Beth always seemed to love kids and it was honestly obvious that she would be an amazing mother. However, this world wasn't going to give her a chance to show that and looking at her smiling through her tears broke his heart. She shouldn't ever have to cry but there was nothing he could do about it, now.



When Beth was close enough, the young, blonde man wrapped both of his arms tightly around her and the baby. Listening to her talk, he nodded his head slightly and waited a few seconds before answering her.

"You're right. She does have to live. Daryl and Maggie will be back soon with some formula and then we'll have to take it day by day. No matter what... this baby will make it."

Still sitting mindlessly in the boiler room, Rick kept his eyes fixed on the wall. His mind was racing about how things were before the outbreak with him, Lori, Anna, and Carl. Then, he went through the process of waking up from his coma and finding his family and then dealing with his son of a bitch partner who he had to kill. Rick and Lori were rocky to say the least but she always had his back and he never thanked her for it or treated her right. A pang of guilt and regret was setting in and his eyes watered up every now and then as the image of Lori seemed to be forever burned and engraved in his mind. All he wanted was for her to go away and leave him alone. Rick Grimes was in a totally different world when his daughter called him from across the way. It didn't even register in his mind and his stone cold gaze continued to set in. The feeling was almost saddening to know that all the walkers were now gone and he had nothing else to kill or to hurt. Then, she called him again and his eyes snapped up to her, his wild, dark eyes that were once full of love were now full of hatred, anger, and murderous intentions even if he was looking at his own flesh and blood.



Before the man knew what happened next, the moment when Anna took steps towards him, he jumped up, nostrils flaring and hands clenching the ax tightly, causing his knuckles to turn white from such a death grip. However, his grip finally released and the metal object clanged to the floor loudly. Taking two long, quick steps, Rick grabbed Anna by the throat and had her pinned up against the wall. His breathing was heavy again and the man was rabid, saliva dripping down his bloodied beard. Distinct whispering was filling his brain and slowly, it wasn't Anna in his hands anymore- it was Lori. His hands tightened around her throat involuntarily and he felt his entire body go numb.

"Why?! Why did you leave me Lori?! What do you want from me?!" Rick shouted at the top of his lungs, the veins popping out just about everywhere on his body and he couldn't be talked down at this point, his wife still being the woman in front of him during this state and level of insanity he had been experiencing.

It seemed like hours had passed as Beth silently rocked and cradled the baby while being in Jeremy’s arms. Carl had come in and when Anna was no where to be seen Beth assumed she had gone after Rick. Carl didn’t say anything about it. Beth had given the sleeping baby to Carl and showed him how to cradle her. It was sweet seeing him hold his newborn baby sister and she even caught a beautiful smile from Jeremy, at moments she couldn’t help but realize how attractive he was, even when his curly wild blonde hair was everywhere.

They heard noise and turned to see Daryl, Maggie and Glenn. Glen had a two boxes stacked on top of each other as Maggie was carrying in quite a few bags. Daryl was carrying what looked like a Rock N Sleeper and in another hand a bouncer.

“Oh my god…. you found all this stuff.” Beth said getting up with Jeremy. Maggie put the bags on the prison table’s, there were cans of formula, brand new packaged baby wipes, a whole box of different sized of diapers, another box had things like baby powder, lotion and soap. Tyreese came in with another box of brand new clothes, all sizes.

“We luckily filled the car, we found a convenient store and the baby department wasn’t really touched. The trunk is and back seat is full of everything.” Maggie said, she looked a little calmer.

“Maggie even made us take furniture….” He said smiling and Maggie shrugged smiling faintly.

“Lil ass kicker can have a nursery here.” Daryl said. Beth seemed excited and rubbed Carl’s shoulders.

“I’ll feed her and get her dressed….” Maggie said taking the baby.

“Why don’t you two help me get the rest of the stuff and set it up, let’s make this place homey for once.” Daryl said and Beth pulled Jeremy beside her as they followed.




Anna felt her stomach drop as she jumped back as Rick sprung up grabbing the ax. She breathed out and just as quickly as she had exhaled her father had taken two long strides and forcefully thrown her up against the wall making her cry out. His face was inches from her own and she could smell the stench of blood and sweat. She closed her eyes momentarily as they swelled with tears. She had NEVER seen her father like this. She opened her eye’s as her body was going numb from being pinned against the wall, her feet weren’t even touching the ground. Somehow his knee’s was in-between her legs awkwardly and uncomfortable hoisting her up. His chest heaved up and down as she could see his spit. He shouted at her making her flinch in his grip. Then she realized, he wasn’t coherent, he thought he was seeing Lori, her mother. She started crying pitifully in his grip as it tightened, it hurt.

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Anna felt her stomach drop as she jumped back as Rick sprung up grabbing the ax. She breathed out and just as quickly as she had exhaled her father had taken two long strides and forcefully thrown her up against the wall making her cry out. His face was inches from her own and she could smell the stench of blood and sweat. She closed her eyes momentarily as they swelled with tears. She had NEVER seen her father like this. She opened her eye’s as her body was going numb from being pinned against the wall, her feet weren’t even touching the ground. Somehow his knee’s was in-between her legs awkwardly and uncomfortable hoisting her up. His chest heaved up and down as she could see his spit. He shouted at her making her flinch in his grip. Then she realized, he wasn’t coherent, he thought he was seeing Lori, her mother. She started crying pitifully in his grip as it tightened, it hurt.



“Dad! Dad, it's me Anna!” She pathetically cried and choked on her own spit at his hands were around her neck. “You're hurting me!” She said, feeling her own breath leave. His hands let go making her fall forward, but not far into his bloody shirt. She inhaled a ragged breath. More silent tears fell before she looked up to see her father’s wild eye’s.

“It’s me…. Dad, it's Anna…. Mom’s gone.” She cried and felt her body pushed back against the wall. This time her throat wasn’t within his grip, but her hands were now being held by their wrist, his knee’s was higher.

Somehow even though this moment was surreal, she knew she was in danger. Subconsciously she thought this exciting, that her father’s insanity and this situation was arousing. She was scared, but somehow knew Rick wouldn’t kill her. Then in her own mind, she tried to push any thoughts away, she felt unstable herself.

Now Jeremy knew that Beth was a pure natural with young children and suspected that she might have went on to be a teacher or something like that if the world hadn't burned to the ground. It was surreal, in a good way, to watch her cradle and rock the baby so gently and skilfully while he could hold them both. A shaky breath left his lips while watching Carl and it was followed up with a smile from Jeremy directed to Beth. Good with children, good with him, and so beautiful even in the zombie apocalypse.



After a few minutes had passed, Daryl, Maggie, and Glenn were right outside with a good amount of supplies. boxes, baby formula, baby wipes, diapers, powder, lotion, soap, and clothes. The group really hit the jackpot with that convenient store and Jeremy was thankful for it. Happily, Jeremy followed with Daryl and Beth outside to the car to bring in the furniture, seeing it as a good addition for this place. Once all the moving was said and done, the group now had a rocking chair, a recliner, a bean bag, a set of bar stools, and a love seat. Jeremy was definitely impressed with the recovery of such furniture and now Daryl was giving "Lil Ass Kicker" her formula as Carl couldn't decide on what his sisters name should be.

While they tended to the baby, Jeremy, Beth, and the others were now working to organize the new pieces of furniture around the prison to make this place more homey and more comfortable. Jeremy kept rather quiet, letting the ladies do most of the designating on how to make things look nice while he did the heavy duty work, finding it almost comical that this was something they were worrying about now.

"Now, this really looks nice." Jeremy mused once all the moving was finished, plopping down on the bean bag and chuckling to himself, testing out the product.



Anna could cry until her eyes ran dry of tears but it wouldn't even matter. The poor man was way too far gone now to even think about letting her go. The fact that this woman was trying to tell him anything other than that this was his dead wife, he wouldn't listen to it and it wasn't registering with him whatsoever. After releasing her neck, his head tilted from side to side until grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head on the wall, his face within inches from hers, his breath hitting her face as his body was firmly placed against Anna's. What really set him off though was Anna saying that Lori was gone. That was another level of a breaking point that Rick just reached.

"No! NO! You're right here! Tell me.. Tell me... Why?! Why Damn it?! Why did you have to go?!" He shouted right into his daughter's ear before letting her go from his grip, slamming his fist up against the wall behind him, his eyes savage as ever and soon enough, she was pinned right back up against the wall, arms back above her head.

"What do I do now?! How am I supposed to raise our child alone?! FUCK!" At this point, his fingers were digging into her skin, still having his chest heaving in and out over and over again with no stoppage in sight.

"I'm.. I'm sorry Lori... I wanted to change but I couldn't... I had to keep us alive. Do you understand? Tell me you UNDERSTAND!" Gritting his teeth, he suddenly had his lips shoved on hers for a few moments noting that these lips even tasted like Lori's. This was her... but how?! What on earth was going on with Rick Grimes? This really seemed to break him and he probably would never recover from this.

While the other kind of goofed around decorating the prison Beth and Carol put together a baby room in a small cell. They left the bunk beds which were kind of attached and put together a crib on the other side. They even had a mattress and baby sheets and covers to go in the crib. They also had a pretty nice baby rocking chair with a stool and they put together a basic baby changing station. They folded clothes into the drawers, there were clothes from newborn to 3T which would last a while. Beth stocked the cabinets with diapers, wipes and even put together a survival baby bag in case of an emergency or run. They hung a clothing line up with floral sheets to give the room privacy. It seemed unreal, but doing all this kept everyone distracted. Kept everyone from thinking about Lori’s death, she would have been thrilled.



Beth even went out of her way to put clean covers and sheets on the cots. She figured Rick, Carl and Anna would take turns in here, if not other members when watching the baby. Maggie had come in and almost cried out in emotional tears from seeing the cell turned into a makeshift nursery. She wiped tears and sat in the rocking chair. Beth smiled, looking around, she was pleased with what she had done.

“Beth this is amazing, I’m sure Rick….” Maggie got quiet as the look on Beth told Maggie, Rick nor Anna had returned, but Glenn had and informed them of Rick’s state.

“We need to tell the others; we should send people after them.” Maggie said but Beth shook her head.

“Rick wouldn’t hurt Anna, she’s probably the only person that can bring him back….we should wait.” Beth said, as the sun was setting.

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Anna had no control over what was happening. Rick’s strength was impossible to beat so she had to accept the situation. Her father’s shouts and demands and aggressive actions, let her know her father was hallucinating, having some sort of vision. She didn’t even know what to say or do until she watched Rick grit his teeth before forcing himself onto her. His lips were bloody and rough, his beard tickled her face,but his mouth was hot.



It caught Anna off guard and she groaned as her mouth opened, out of reflex and she felt her father’s Hungary tongue ravish over her own. It happened so fast, she had no time to even deny him. She was able to deal with it because she knew he wasn’t in the right state of mind. This man had gone through hell to protect everyone, he had killed people. She let him kiss her and breathed out as the kiss broke, she exhaled.



“I understand.” She breathed with tears trying not to cry but her voice choked. “I love you.” She said with labored breaths, trying to swallow both her and Rick’s salvia.

Finally, Jeremy stood up from the bean bag and approached one of the windows to look outside. The sun was setting now over the horizon and despite all the gruesomeness around them, the sunset was beautiful. There was something that he determined long ago, which was that no matter how bad this world got, two things could never lose their beauty: Sunsets and Beth. He always made a point to try and watch these sunsets to remind him that some things in this world wasn't at a loss. Soon enough, the man began wandering around the prison and stumbled upon the room made for the baby. She really had it nice with all this effort to make her life comfortable. A nice bed, a mattress, a blanket... it was great. Walking up from behind of Beth, Jeremy wrapped his arms around her and smiled, his arms at her waist, holding the girl against his chest. At this point, Maggie was about to head out, giving the couple a small smile and going on her way to try and just recover from what she had been through.

"Hey... how are you holding up?" The blonde man finally asked before releasing his grip and stepping in front of his girlfriend.



Rick pulled away from Anna as if she were the most repulsive thing she ever touched. A strange look was on his face- the anger momentarily replaced by confusion.

"You understand?" He asked and laughed dryly, kicking the ax that was beside of him and suddenly grabbing Anna by the throat one more time. "You don't understand, ANYTHING! If you understood, you wouldn't have been like this! You wouldn't have left me! You would have given me time to work things out! I didn't want this! Do you really think this is what I wanted! Do you?! It's not. I love you. I always will! But how could you do this to me? GOD DAMN IT!"

At his last outbreak of shouting and cursing, he hurled Anna to the ground and suddenly pounced on top of her, grabbing her shirt and all but ripping it off her body. There was no logic behind this in Rick's mind, at all. The only thing going on was some kind of animalistic instinct to just manhandle whom he thought was Lori.



Suddenly, Rick ripped the belt from his pants and wrapped it around Anna's neck but didn't choke her, not yet. He was in a sudden hysterical fit of laughter and was shaking his head before going on another ranting shouting spell.

"You made me this way, Lori! This is your fault! I can't live with myself now!" Unwrapping the belt, he took it and whipped Anna's bare stomach once with it and then went about ripping away her pants and pushing down his own pants. To him, this was one last chance to make things right and to live out a good rough sex session with Lori and he was now grabbing both of her wrists in his hands, pinning them above her head and onto the round, leaning down and biting at her chest, not enough to draw blood but hard enough to leave marks along with all those abrasions and scratches he left along her arms.

"Are you ready for one last ride?" He whispered, his nose buried in her hair.

Anna was in shock from what was happening. When Glenn warned her about Rick, that he was dangerous she knew he was 100% right. Rick could be lethal. With knowing that she would die trying to save him or any other member of her family. But she wasn’t prepared for him to be mentally unstable, having an episode ready to rape her…. maybe rape wasn’t the best word. Even though she was scared to death, even in sex she knew that’s all it would be, that he wouldn’t hurt her.

Anna lay there practically naked sheltering herself as Rick buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent, of course only smelling Lori. They looked very similar except Anna looked a lot like Rick too. She got lost in what she thought was a dark place and closed her eye’s. She arched back and nuzzled against her father’s bloody figure, he still had his shirt on.




In seconds she was flipped over on her back, arms pinned. Anna sucked in a breath, closing her eye’s, technically she was a virgin. A couple years ago, she wouldn’t imagine in hundred years, this being how she lost it. She felt him slide into her hard and she gaped out clenching her hands under his wrist, an let out a harsh small cry as he started a rhythm. It hurt because of how hard he was entering her. She stayed quiet and took it, every now and then opening her eye’s.



She wanted to feel pleasure, she wanted to love him back, but right now he wasn’t even in his right fucking mind. She cried out again and arched back.

“DAD!” She cried, again, she felt him and almost let out a moan.

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Beth leaned back into Jeremy, she knew from his touch that it was him. She swayed with him and turned around still in his embrace and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, letting them linger. They had almost become like a normal married couple without being married, it was rare they had private intimate moments. She kissed him again and leaned back, holding his hands.

“I’m alright….I’m happy I could make a little place for the baby.” Maggie had left with the baby, but she knew if Rick and Anna didn’t come back she would probably stay with the baby and Carl tonight.



“If they don’t return…I’m gonna stay and help Maggie but there’s two bunks so enough room.” She said smiling.

Without another thought, Rick grabbed his daughter and flipped her onto her back. No more words were formed, only disgruntled growls, huffs, and heaving breaths. Anna had her panties ripped right off her leg and Rick's thick manhood forced inside of her. Almost the entire time, he kept her pinned down by her arms, his lifeless eyes stuck right on hers. There was no moaning of pleasure, just a mix of some sad sounding and hateful noises and grunts. The way he thrust, it just slammed her back into the ground over and over again with no forgiveness. This went on for around five minutes before Rick came to a sudden stop without releasing or anything- he just stopped. His eyes were locked on hers again and a look of confusion along with incoherent, muttered words spoken under his breath as he crawled off of her and slammed his back into the brick wall behind him. A pained scream left his throat and he all but collapsed beside of Anna, blinking away whatever was in his eyes and then looking to Anna. Just then, he realized who she was but that didn't mean he was totally coherent and that didn't mean he understood or even began to realize what he just did.

"Anna?" Rick whispered and bit his bottom lip, looking around quickly from every single inch around him and her, just starting to panic, pulling his pants up and zipping them quickly. "What are you doing here? You can't be here, it's not safe!" He insisted and shook his head, unsure of why his daughter was almost naked on the floor, but he pushed himself to his feet, continuing to mumble to himself. "We... We need to get home. It's late. Lori might worry..."




Jeremy glanced down at Beth, returning each of her two kisses. Contently, he sighed quietly and let his arms hug her even tighter to him. If they didn't return tonight, Jeremy would be staying with Beth as well. One thing was for certain that every single night, he would hold her in his strong arms to keep her safe. This night would be no different.

"I'm sure they will be back soon. Anna probably is talking him down right now. She has to be the one to get through to him though. I know he wouldn't listen to anyone else." He shrugged but could see how Rick just lost it after losing Lori. If Jeremy ever lost the love of his life, he couldn't imagine what he would do- or he could, rather, that he would just end it all right there. Beth was the only thing he had left in his life that was worth living for. She was the reason for him to keep fighting to survive every day. Finally, he released her from his embrace and just let out a shaky sigh, walking around the room with his arms crossed.

"You really are a natural, aren't you?" Jeremy grinned, glancing over her way.

Anna at this point stayed on the floor traumatized. She watched Rick crawl to the other side of the room and fall apart, collapsing on the floor muttering incoherent words under his breath and screamed out. Anna didn’t move, shocked at what had happened. She had felt violated, and it hurt…. she was bleeding a little but more of her concern was on her father. He switched gears realizing it was her, but not being in the right state of mind. Was it safe for him to back to the others?

“We can’t go back…. not until your fully aware of what’s going on Rick.” She said with a strong voice, almost resentful. She wiped tears trying to keep a strong face. Rick after pulling up his pants looked worried, horrified.

“Lori’s dead…..Carl isn’t, I’m not…..and there is a baby back there, healthy and breathing.” She said and saw tears were both of their eye’s.

[A FEW HOURS LATER]

Anna was in the yard using a makeshift water system to take a shower. Beth had given her some Johnson’s baby soap and shampoo to wash with because it smelled better so she was scrubbing her body down and hair, letting the water rinse off all the dirt, grime…..and blood. She changed into comfortable baggie clothes and headed back to her own cell block. Beth, Maggie and Carol all had the new baby for the night. Her own cell block had curtains hung up, so pushed them back into the darkness and crawled into her cot and pulled over a sheet. It wasn’t long before she realized someone was sitting pressed back against the corner of her bed, Rick. She could smell he had showered and put on clean clothes, jeans and a t-shirt. He was barefoot, he wasn’t patrolling.

“Dad?” She asked a little confused.



“Anna….I’m so sorry, I’m completely aware of my actions. I hurt you, scarred you….I’m sorry. I wanted to protect all of you….I lost Lori and hurt my baby girl. I will never touch you again….I swear on my own pathetic life.” He said scooting off the bed. He was getting off, but Anna grabbed his arm.



“No…don’t leave me, please.” She begged. “Please don’t leave me.” She whispered in an emotional voice. Rick would hesitate, but bend down so he was hovering over Anna.

“I will never hurt you again….I am so---“ Anna scooted over and did her best to pull Rick into the bed, he was tall so he had to bend down but laid beside her. Before he could say anything else Anna was lying on his chest, wrapped in covers, with one leg over his fast asleep. She showed no signs of being upset, other than him leaving.




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That night Beth and Maggie had stayed in the nursery looking after the baby, taking turns feeding and changing her. It was later in the night when Rick and Anna had returned. Beth knew something was off because Rick was carrying Anna bridal style with an old dirty sheet covering her bare naked body. Others didn’t really question what even happen. They both got cleaned up and was asleep, supposedly together in her cell. They let them rest. Beth kind of just ignored it and focused on the baby. She had fallen asleep in the rocking chair with the baby asleep on her chest.

Jeremy hadn’t left her site being on the bottom cot inside the room.

It really wasn't until Rick had locked eyes with Anna while she was speaking about Carl, herself, and their baby being alive and breathing. Reality hit him like a running freight train and his breath was stuck in his throat, causing him to exhale out hoarsely and forcefully. What just happened to him? Rick didn't know and couldn't explain it, but all he knew was that they needed to get out of this place, so he wrapped her body up in some sheets he found in a room close by and carried her back up to the main part of the prison. From there, he just let her go take a shower as he went off outside to the prison yard to regather his thoughts that were just bouncing around everywhere, making his head hurt. After a couple more hours outside in the darkness, he returned inside and showered as well. The sheriff kept his usual outfit of a t-shirt and jeans after changing, trying to wash away all evidence of what just happened, though the image and the memory was all too engraved and burned into his image to let that happen, so he continued on with the pained feeling just wanting a chance to escape. Rick wasn't ready to meet his baby yet because he needed to get things right with Anna first. She probably would hate him now. He might have lost Lori today and he probably lost Anna, too. Losing someone in this kind of time, no matter how you lost them was just too much and Rick might not make it if Anna were to hate him.



Bare feet padding along the floors of the prison, Rick took a deep breath to ready himself and entered into Anna's cell. He sat down on the edge of her mattress to talk to her, telling her that he was sorry and he won't hurt her again as he was never good with apologies or talking about feelings, his voice was so sincere and hurt- what she witnessed wasn't her father- he would never, ever hurt his baby girl. It was a real surprise to him when Anna didn't want him to leave. In fact, she seemed like she was going to break down if he did leave so Rick, in a bewildered state of mind, laid down beside his daughter and felt her curl up beside of him. How could she stand to be so close to him after what happened? It wasn't something he was going to question though, so he just pressed a kiss to the top of her head, took a look at her before covering up both of their bodies and closing his eyes, trying to rest.



Obviously, rest did not come easy for poor Rick Grimes. All he could do for the most part was just lay on the bed absently, just thinking about what happened that day and questioning what was going to happen next, but he came to the realization that he needed to be strong and stay strong for those that still looked up to him. Maybe that sounded like a good plan at the time but when the next day comes, he may not be able to think so clearly, so he finally closed his eyes and let himself drift off into a ragged, uncomfortable sleep, just trying his best to forget about this day.

Beth had woken up in the middle of the night. To be more accurate late in the morning when Jeremy had offered to nurse the baby. Maggie had fallen asleep beside Jeremy on the bottom bunk. The baby was crying and Maggie was so exhausted she just kind of rolled over. Glenn was out in the watch tower doing patrol. Beth willingly let Jeremy take the baby and climbed up to the top bunk above her sister to pass out. Before doing so she watched Jeremy change the newborn’s diaper and give it a new onesie as it was hot out. She smiled admire him, maybe they wouldn’t have kids now but they had this baby and everyone could help raise it. She got a bigger family than she would have before. Some things were worth fighting for in this world. Lori had been a mother and protected everyone, now they could return the favor.

In the morning Beth woke up as Maggie was now cleaning up the baby and mixing formula. Luckily they had brought it least a month or so worth of supplies so the baby could eat as much as she needed. Then Beth felt warm hands around her small body and turned slightly to see Jeremy asleep. Beth smiled and decided not to get up just yet.

“He stayed up most of the morning with her….he’s good with her.” Maggie said softly mentioning Jeremy. Beth sighed and nodded.

“How’s she doing?” Beth asked and Maggie smiled.

“She’s eating good, a little fussy but she’s having to deal with a lot of people holding her, she’ll get use to all of us soon enough.” Maggie said feeding her a bottle.

“Hows Rick and Anna?” Beth asked and Maggie was quiet.

“I don’t know….Rick got up early and is out walking. Daryl thinks something bad may have happened.” Maggie said and Beth got worried.

“What do you mean bad? Did they get hurt….is Rick ok?” Beth asked concerned, she cared for Rick like a second father.

“I don’t know Beth….think we should leave it unless Anna comes to talk to us.” Maggie said.

==============================


Anna slept longer than usual, for most of the morning she was able to sleep securely in the arms of her father until he quietly slipped out of her grasp. He couldn’t sleep with his conscious so he went walking around the prison yard. Anna stared at the metal cot above her and sighed letting a hand run through her hair. You could smell the baby shampoo and it was more calming than smelling blood and sweat. She felt weird but she couldn’t explain it. She didn’t feel like a rape victim; she didn’t even know how she felt. She wasn’t scared of her father. If this had happened before, then maybe she would have been more upset but he had every reason to lose his mind.

Lori had cheated on Rick, at first no one even knew if the baby was Rick’s but then Lori swore to him it was, she wouldn’t lie. They had been intimate when they first found Rick again. Anna could remember the months of thinking her father was gone and it was miserable. Then after Rick came back, Shane turned into an asshole. They had been friends for years and then he had to stand up putting them in danger. Rick had to kill him because he was a danger. It had affected Carl the most. Then Lori had just gone into her own world, hating Rick for doing such a thing and had been cold. Lori had put Rick through hell.

“Damnet.” Anna mumbled finally pulling herself up on the cot.

It was no problem at all for Jeremy to take over watching the newborn baby while the Green sisters were sleeping. Beth was a natural and it seemed that he was a natural, too. To be honest, they would have really made a fantastic set of parents if this world would have allowed it. Changing the diaper was a bit of a challenge and the smell was just as bad as his mother teased him about when he was a baby- the thought made him smile to himself. At some point, Carol had taken a shift with watching the child so Jeremy crawled up on the top bunk with Beth in his rightful spot, holding her in his arms and doing his absolute best to not disturb her peaceful slumber. A few minutes after the two sisters were talking to one another, Jeremy finally woke up, moving to sit up but running right into Beth's body and laying back down. Then, he let out an uncontrolled yawn and rubbed his eyes, making Maggie chuckle and glance to Beth.

"Such a charmer, huh?" She teased her sister and turned her attention back to the baby. About that time, Carl entered the room and took a turn with holding and feeding his baby sister and then decided that he wanted his father and his sister to finally have a chance to hold her, but Maggie insisted that he wait. Whatever happened, no one was willing to bother neither Rick nor Anna until they were approached first.

Jeremy was now sitting up, propped on his elbow and slowly becoming fully awake, He greeted Beth with a quick kiss on her neck, letting out a soft breath of air on her skin. "Morning..." he whispered in his raspy voice, then just going back with everyone to just staring at the baby in adoration. It was one of the few good things to happen after the outbreak started.

While Rick did fall asleep, it wouldn't last. His conscious was screaming at him and the noises in his ear was ringing again. At first, he was just walking to clear his head but within minutes, he felt himself twitching and spasming again, soon enough going back to that same boiler room as yesterday. Then, a strange thing happened. He spent hours in the room after the phone was ringing and he talked to another woman that had a group and wanted to join with them. But the questions she was asking became more personal with each passing second and soon it was Lori's voice, then Hershel's voice, then Anna's voice until he finally collapsed and threw the phone at the wall.

It seemed he was having another episode as the ringing got louder and louder The only thing he registered from his hallucination was that another group was out there and that was important- maybe they could help out! Next, he was stumbling and fumbling his way around back upstairs. He found Hershel sitting outside and he just kept rambling on and on about another group that he talked to on the phone. Just to amuse Rick, Hershel followed him into the tombs to look at the destroyed phone which never had a cord to be connected to begin with. At the realization, Rick was nearly about to break down again and soon, Hershel was trying to comfort the poor man as much as possible. He was in a really, really bad spot- worse than he expected.