ONE RULE • THE WALKING DEAD

chapter fourteen - tension

It took a week of rehabilitation and a ridiculous amount of water to recover.

Eventually, the entire group had trickled in to visit me. Daryl had even smiled which shocked the fuck out of me.

The most sentimental reunion had been seeing Sophia again. The light had returned to her eyes and her complexion had a lot more color again. We spent an hour together, just talking. Half of it was spent accepting Carol's tearful gratitude and hugs.

And then Rick. He had also shocked me with an embrace and I put my hands on his cheeks when he pulled away, giving him a watery smile and pulling him into another hug. If he hadn't found me and acted as fast as he did, I would be dead. Roaming the earth as a walker. I would've been a danger to the group.

I noticed his knuckles had been wrapped with some gauze and when I asked him about it, his eyes darkened and he shrugged it off, avoiding my eyes for the rest of the visit.

But that had been days ago. Now, I was finally ready to rejoin society and it was a perfect day to do so. Sunny and clear, but with enough shade beneath the trees that it didn't dry me out.

I wasn't yet allowed to join the others on supply runs to the small town nearby, but I made myself useful in other ways— mostly watching the perimeter with Dale.

I wanted to gossip with Glenn, but he was helping one of Hershel's daughters gather eggs from the chicken coop. I had a distinct feeling it was Maggie.

Glancing over there, I squinted my eyes against the sun and spotted Glenn's figure in the distance. I brought my hand up and waved, smiling as he waved back.

"Looks like Rick's getting back," Dale suddenly said. "Early this time, too."

I whipped around to find Dale looking through his binoculars at the dirt road that led toward the town. I grabbed the extra pair and looked at a magnified Rick Grimes, holding what looked like pharmaceutical supplies and a large glass bottle of something.

A small smile spread on my lips without realizing, until I caught Dale looking at me knowingly.

"What?" I asked, straight-faced.

"I don't know," he shrugged as he looked through the binoculars again. "I'm thinking Rick might need some help taking those supplies back in."

It didn't look like he had much, but between him gripping the bottle and balancing himself on the horse, I couldn't help but agree with Dale.

"I'll be back." I tossed him the binoculars and set off in a light jog. A sweat broke out on my forehead immediately, the Georgia sun unforgiving. It's a good thing I tied my hair up today or my neck would be drenched.

"Hey," I called as I got closer. Rick slowed down, looking at me sternly.

"What're you doin'?"

"Helping you," I took the glass bottle from his grip, inspecting it curiously.

Chardonnay.

"What?" I gawked. "Where'd you find this?"

"Pharmacy," he grumbled, still giving me that disapproving look.

I rose an unconvinced eyebrow, taking on a joking tone. "Wine? At a pharmacy?"

Rick pursed his lips guiltily. "It was at the bar in town. I know I shouldn't've been over there but—"

"Woah, Rick. You don't have to defend yourself to me. I'm not Shane," I joked, nearly missing the way his jaw suddenly clicked if I wasn't watching him as closely as I always did.