Love's Conquer

The Suicide King

"Stop, stop." Rick ushered me to a halt, keeping his hand entwined with mine.

I looked behind me to see him hunched over slightly, keeping us both away from catching up to the others. We had been running for miles through the woods, exhausted, disorientated, wounded and some of us forever scarred.

"What is it?" I asked, panting away.

Rick dropped to his knees, about to let his fingers drift away from mine but I quickly followed him down, tightening my grip on him. I could feel his pain, his anguish, his fear. I could hear his heart breaking. His quiet sobs wounded me, as I raised my free hand to the side of his face. Hesitantly, he leant into it and I began rubbing his cheek bone lightly with my thumb.

"Lori, she uh, she, she..."

He could barely speak the words and my heart sank when I realised there was only one deduction to be made.

"Oh Rick, I'm so sorry." I whispered, resting my forehead against his own. "I'm sorry."

The touch we held was electrifying, as if all these months apart amplified the bond we had been longing to feel again. That isn't to say the connection faded away with time, it was always there, but it was like being reunited with your person. The only person who reads you, clicks with you, feels you, holds you and lives for you. Your twin flame.

The pain I was baring, somehow disappeared from my mind. I was completely devoted to Rick, as I held him in the moment. I lowered my head, to look up to him, earning his eyes against mine. The bright blue ocean being something I never thought I would be able to look in to ever again. I managed to piece together parts of the unknown after realising Lori had passed away and I was left with many questions, one topping all of them.

"Is the baby okay?" I asked softly, receiving an almost immediate sad smile from Rick, as he wiped away his tears.

"Lil' ass kicker." Daryl spoke up from behind us, causing me to turn my head over my shoulder to look at him. "She's more than okay."

"Well, if she's anythin' like her dad, she'll do jus' fine." I smiled, but my mind trailed to Shane and the expression I had somehow found began to fade.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but we've got a situation back here." Daryl continued in a serious tone.

Rick and I shared another glance, squeezing each others hands lightly before making our way through the rest of the woods. The sun had risen by this point, as the hours had passed since our escape from Woodbury. It may sound strange, but I was wondering if I would ever get this feeling again. The feeling of walking through nature, the sun glowing down on my skin through the brown leaves, as the wind danced around me. Once we got to Woodbury and Andrea decided to stay, I wasn't sure if we would ever get out from behind the heavy walls alive. I had some hope that in time, Andrea might change her mind but I didn't realise just how little time was on my side.

"I don't care, man. I don't give a damn what you say! You sat right alongside that motherfucker!"

"Woah, woah, c'mon now. We both took our licks, man."

"If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have—"

"Enough!" Rick shouted with all his might, leading Daryl and I through the trees towards the rest of the group. "Put your weapons down!"

I looked around to see Merle leant against one of the trees, with Shane up in his face, as Glenn, Maggie and Michonne surrounded him, all of whom were pointing their weapons towards him.

Michonne.

My eyes glazed over, as I laid them against my dear friend once again, and suddenly everything felt like a dream, or a nightmare. Did I actually die in that cell?