FALLING APART daryl dixon

t w e n t y - t h r e e - i want that peace for us

Rick Grimes needed a moment. The man hasn't had a moment ever since waking up at the hospital. Finding out the world ended. Finding his family and now almost losing his little girl. He had to step out a moment, after making sure Alycia was still breathing and Carl was safe with Patricia and Hershel's younger daughter, Beth, he went outside, getting closer to the small rail on the porch and taking a good look around the farm. It was still daylight.

It was beautiful. Peaceful. He wanted his children to enjoy this peace someday.

Hershel came out getting close to Rick.

- This place is beautiful - Rick said, still looking around the land.

- Been in my family 160 years - The old man proudly told him..

- I can't believe how serene it is - Rick stated looking at Hershel and then back at the immense fields in front of them. - How untouched. You're lucky.

- We weren't completely unscathed - Hershel confessed with a sad face. - We lost friends, neighbors. The epidemic took my wife, my stepson.

- I'm sorry - Rick told him nodding.

- My daughters were spared, I'm grateful to God for that. These people here, all we've got left is each other. Just hoping we can ride it out in peace till there's a cure.

- We were at the CDC. It's... It's gone now, there's no cure - Rick sadly stated looking at Hershel.

- I don't believe it. When AIDS came along, everyone panicked. One boy in town came down with it, and some parents pulled their children from school, so they didn't have to sit in the same room.

- This is a whole other thing - Rick tried to make him understand. It wasn't simple. It was deadly.

- That's what we always say "this one's different" - Hershel looked at Rick now. - Mankind's been fighting plagues from the start. We get out behind kicks for a while, then, we bounce back. It's nature correcting, restoring some balance.

- I wish I could believe that - Rick said honestly.

The sound of the horse running towards the farm made both of them look back at the fields, focusing his vision on Maggie, Hershel's oldest daughter, with his wife in the bag, holding on tight as the horse galloped towards the farm making a full stop in front of the porch.

Rick ran towards Lori, tears now falling from his eyes as he hugged his very shocked wife.

- What happened? What happened? - Lori stated with worried eyes. - Where are they? I want to see them.

As they entered the house, Carl ran towards his mom to hug her, which she hugged tightly, noticing the bandage in his arms.

- Oh God, are you ok, baby? - She asked him, almost crying. The boy promptly said yes.

- Where is my girl? - She asked.

Rick led the way and opened the door revealing the room where Alycia was. Lori stayed for a moment looking at her little girl, wrapped in white bandage in her body, passed out, the bandage covering her wound now showing red on it.

Tears fell for the girl's mother's eyes as she approached her bedside. Rick just kept apologizing in a small whisper, tears still running from his blue eyes.

- My girl, my baby girl, it's ok - Lori whispered next to Alycia's as she moved her hair from her face placing it behind her ear, small tears on her eyes as she kept touching her face, like she wanted to lock in her brains the way her daughter looked.

Carl came in quietly in the room sitting next to his dad.

- She's gonna be ok, do you hear me? - Lori said, looking between Rick and Carl.