Love's Conquer

Judge, Jury, Executioner

Today was a new day, but not one any of us felt ready for. When the boys came back yesterday after taking Randall eighteen miles out, they were battered, bloody and bruised. The reason that took them out that far, was still with them when they got back. They told all of us that they had been swarmed with the dead, but I knew it wasn't as clean cut as that. Both Rick and Shane had sustained injuries of heavy force to the face, the kind that even a walker could not produce. Later yesterday evening, I examined Rick's injuries and gave him medical attention as Hershel did the same for Shane in a different room. His responses playing over in my head.

"What happened between you two?" I asked as I pulled the wooden chair between my legs, entwining my leg between Rick's to get close enough to properly check him over. Rick attempted to look down at the ground but I only pulled his face back up to match mine, as I dabbed some damp cotton over the nasty gash on his left temple. "Tell me."

"He tried to kill me." Rick spoke quietly.

I froze in place for a moment, locking my eyes with Rick's. I was about to ask if he was sure, but I stopped myself, knowing only too well that it's not something you can mistake. A shudder escaped me as I leant back in the chair. "What are we gonna do?"

"I told him how it needs to be. How it can only be, if he wants to be with us." Rick expressed, resting one of his arms on the table next to us.

"You think that'll be enough?" I pondered, throwing the bloodied cotton into a bowl as I picked up a damp flannel and began wiping away some of the dried blood splatters around his face and neck.

Rick scoffed slightly, unsure of the answer. "I have no idea."

I looked up to him as I wiped the flannel around his jaw. "Have you told Lori?"

"No, not about this. She's worried enough as it is." He stated, clearly eager to keep her out of the picture until things start to settle back down again.

"I think you should tell her." I said openly, soaking the flannel in the bowl of water before twisting it to drain the blood from it.

Rick rested his elbows on his knees as he leant in to me. "She wants me to kill him." My mouth gaped slightly at Rick's words and I found myself holding in my breath. "More or less said it to me last week."

I stood abruptly and walked towards the window. I brought my hands up to my face and finally released the breath I had been holding in. Killing one of our own. How can that even be a possibility? "No, no, no. Rick, no. This is not happening."

"You think I'm happy about any of this?" He practically snarled at me as he got up from his seat. "After what you told me, how me he wants me dead. Then Lori tells me he's a threat an how he thinks I can't keep my own family safe." Rick began pacing across the room, trying his best to keep his anger as quiet as possible so nobody else could hear. "Then he beats me to the ground, pushes a motorcycle on top of me, throws a wrench at my head an leaves me for the walkers!"

His words left me astounded. Never could I have imagined it to be that bad. Although, I didn't know quite what to expect when Rick told me Shane tried to kill him. I didn't take my eyes away from Rick but what frightened me, was how I could only see anger in his eyes. There was no sorrow or sadness. It was just pure anger.

"We don't kill the living Rick, that's what you said." I ridiculed, trying to make him see that this wasn't the only option left.

"Unless the living try to kill us." He snapped back.

"That applies to your best friend now?" I questioned.

"Why does this even bother you?" Rick growled towards me, as if his anger grew at my disapproval. "Ain't killin' people second nature to you?"