Dead Man Walking | Rick Grimes

Author's Note

Yooooooouuuu guuuuyyyss!

The end has come (again lol). God, I remember starting this story during COVID out of sheer boredom and cause I was in my Walking Dead phase again (Your phases never really leave you. You just forget about them)

Geez, the beginning was rough too! I hadn't written anything in YEARS and one day decided to write this story. It took me a while to get my bearings, but I think I eventually got them lol. I got Rick's character wrong in the beginning but I liked it, which is why I didn't change it when I went back to edit. I liked this playful, teasing-esque Rick Grimes I started out with. Plus, later on in the show, I found him to have this playful side that was just hidden under the severity of the situation they're in. 

But the real question is: What would I change? There are many things I would change if I could time-travel and redo it from the beginning and I know, you must be asking, "Why didn't you do it when you went back to edit?" 

The answer is simple, I didn't want to change much for my OG's (rereaders). When I decided to revisit this story after a year-long hiatus, I knew I wanted to switch up some of the dialogue and give June more of a personality. I feel like that's where I lacked the first time around.

So what would I change if I were writing this up for the first time? 

Well, I would change how to-the-story I stuck. This was the first story that I decided to try to write after years and years of not writing (if you look on Quotev, you'd see that I was quite active on there until 2015 or so -- 5 years of not writing or anything). So I was doubtful of my own creativity and skills (Still am to an extent). That's why this story follows the show nearly to a T.

Now, I would change some things up. Like an idea I had while editing was to have her be taken by the saviors, but again, I didn't want to change too much that the rereaders wouldn't recognize the story. Another idea that I had was to have her get sick and be taken by Carol, then have the two fight and their relationship forever changed. Obviously didn't do that haha, but it was an idea that was floating around for a good while! I was even thinking about killing June off at some point, but I couldn't do that! I love tragic endings personally, but I just couldn't give June and Rick one! 

I don't wanna rag on the story, especially what I would change (which would still be a lot but I'm not gonna).

But you know what I love about this story? 

I love how June and Rick complemented each other. Was she a pushover when it came to him? Oh yeah! She really was. I guess that's where I pulled from my real-life experience. I can never stay mad at my fiance for more than a few hours -- a day max. I love how they had a pure love (at least in my eyes) and how they were there for each other through thick and thin. I especially love the way that they always managed to find a way to cheer one another up. They were each other's safe place and I think that's just beautiful. We all deserve to find that. 

I love the relationship between June and Daryl -- hell, between June and everyone (it's tough trying to make a singular character have all these meaningful relationships, especially 10+). I love how up and down June and Lori's relationship is, because let's face it, no one sees eye to eye all the time. 

But you know what I love most of all? 

You guys. You guys have made this story so fun to write and I really tried to make it enjoyable for you guys to read.   Without you guys, this story would've ended around the Terminus storyline, but I continued because I loved all the feedback I was getting, seeing how you guys were falling in love with June like I was and the relationship she and Rick had. 

Some fun little tidbits about this story: 

1. This story was originally going to be a love triangle story! I'm sure you can definitely see it in the first fifteen or so chapters. I wanted my MC -- June-- Daryl, and Rick to be a poly couple in the end but I realized that I didn't have the writing capabilities for it. Also, I didn't see many Rick FFs at that time, so I figured, why not? That's when the focus shifted to Rick. 

2. As I mentioned above, I was going to KILL June after the whole Terminus thing. I even wrote the chapter but couldn't go through with it because I had grown too attached to June and wanted a happier ending for her. It was going to be this tragic sort of ending, too, but I couldn't do it in the end. 

3. The pregnancy was the most entertaining 'arc' in my opinion. For anyone who hated it, lemme ask you: how often can a couple have unprotected sex, especially multiple times a day, and a pregnancy doesn't happen? We know that Rick isn't infertile and June is a healthy woman in all aspects. Sperm lives inside the uterus for up to 3 days, waiting for the egg, so it makes sense that she would've gotten pregnant eventually.  I tried to keep it realistic in the sense that she didn't know how she felt regarding it. Dangerous times, war, and zombies would probably do that to a person. 

4. Thaddeus Daryl Grimes. WHY? Why Thaddeus? Honestly, there's no real reason other than the fact that I read The Dark Half by Stephen King and liked the name. I see it as way better than Carl (coral lol). Also, my story and my choice of names lol. Baby needed a unique name in my eyes :P 

5. The thing that Selena was gonna tell June? Well, our little girl isn't so little anymore and had an oopsie of her own. Interpret that as you'd like. 

6. The ending I ended up posting is the best ending possible. I had it floating around in my head after I decided to continue on with the story and honestly, I love it. Am I going to continue in another part going off the Rick and Michonne show, honestly, probably not. 

7. In Rick's POV story, I am planning on writing a few parts about what happened after they found one another again. It's gonna be 100% from my imagination with maybe a few details from the show, but that's about it. So if you wanna read that, stay tuned but the updates for that story are going to be insanely slow. 

Also, the Rick POV story will not be as long as this story! This one went on forever haha so that one will most likely be 40-50 chapters at most and that's pushing it. 

If you guys have any questions surrounding the story, feel free to leave a comment or something, and I'll answer it :) if not, I hope you enjoyed this LONG journey as much as I did. 

Damn, I just want to tell you guys how much I appreciate you clicking on this story and giving it a chance. I really do love you guys, and I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do in this long life of ours. 

I do have my What If chapters coming up, so stay tuned for those two, and then that's it. I'll see you guys around hopefully. 

10/24/2023

Quick add-in! I have my Rick Grimes POV story that I'm going to be editing and updating sometime next month and even though it's on a hiatus, I do have my Eternally Yours|| Daryl Dixon story! Once I'm done with the Rick POV, I'll be focusing on Eternally Yours! Hope you guys decide to check it out! 

Eternally Yours:

Luisa Guerrero is a survivor. She's endured more than what most people can say they've been through, but the second she decided to make a better life for herself and cut the cancer at the root, the world ended.

Unbeknownst to her, meeting a redneck one day while trapped in Atlanta triggered so much more than just an annoying companionship.

I hope you guys like it if you decide to check it out! Love you guys!

Por última vez

Con Mucho Amor, 

InMyDarkystHour