Forbidden Fruit

Part 1 - The Fight

"You know what Rick; at least Shane doesn't run off every other week, leaving me and Carl to fend for ourselves!" Lori was practically spitting the words at Rick, knowing that it would hurt him.

Rick and Lori had been going round for round for over an hour. They weren't even trying to pretend anymore. Their strained voices carrying in the cool October wind. It seemed as though anything would send Lori into a tailspin these days. She was always ready to blame anything that went wrong on her husband. Tonight's fiasco began before supper, pausing long enough for Hershel to say grace. Then it continued through dessert, while Maggie, Beth and Carol cleaned in the kitchen. And unfortunately, it didn't sound like they would be concluding today's battle any time soon.

Cherie shifted on her feet, as she leaned against the side of the barn turned makeshift cabin, which the remaining members of her "group" currently called home. Yesterday, she overheard Shane and Rick arguing about possibly heading east. She couldn't hear everything, but Cherie thought she heard something about a Fort. Honestly though, Cherie didn't care where the group ended up... just as long as she gets to spend time with Rick.

A smile found its way onto her face as Cherie thought about their most recent excursion into a neighboring town. That night, She and Rick had to sleep in the trunk of a car. It was after all, the only logical solution as to where to sleep for the night. They were both way too exhausted to even try to move the lifeless bodies that occupied the interior of the car. Rick didn't know it, but Cherie would not have traded that trunk, for a suite at the Hilton.

Cherie had been with Rick and his group for almost three months. Daryl and Andrea found her alone, sleeping in a pharmacy closet. She'd been separated from her previous group for almost two weeks. Finding food and shelter as she wandered aimlessly from town to town. Andrea was kind enough to offer Cherie to come back to the farm with them. Since then, Cherie had done her best to contribute, by volunteering to go with Rick on supply runs.

"It's not fair! You get to leave on your little "supply runs" for days, sometimes weeks at a time. While I'm stuck here in the middle of nowhere on Old McDonald's fucking farm!"

Lori's voice seems to echo off the buildings that were nestled closely together on the Greene Farm. She looked around the yard, almost nodding in the direction of where Cherie was standing in the shadows of the barn.

Hearing Lori's words, Cherie held her breath, and slinked back, pushing her body even further against the old wooden building. Then she exhaled while laughing at herself. Cherie thought how silly she was being. It's not as if Lori could hear her thoughts. Cherie then pulled one of her last cigarettes out of the crinkled up pack, and inhaled the sweet taste of her favorite brand while lighting it. She looked down at the small book of matches that she held in her hand, and let her mind wander back to that night in the car. It was the night Cherie knew with all her heart that she was in love with a married man.

Cherie had been attracted to Rick since she first laid eyes on him. With his lean and muscular body, deep southern drawl, and icy blue eyes that she could lose herself in... Cherie did her best to ignore the knots that would form in her stomach anytime that Rick was around. At first, it was easy. Cherie just tried to stay away from him as much as possible. However, Rick is such a genuinely caring person, and he was always checking on her. Asking how she was settling in. It became progressively difficult the more Cherie got to know him. She found herself watching Rick during the day, and thinking about him at the oddest times. Before long, was even dreaming about him in her sleep.

Then, two weeks ago, "the trunk" thing happened. Even now, her body began to tingle everywhere, just thinking about how the two of them were tightly crammed in the back of that car. Rick had to get in first, and then Cherie squeezed in with her back against his chest. As she did her best to relax, Cherie wiggled a little until she felt more comfortable. Then, she used her backpack as a pillow while she lay on her side. It wasn't the most comfortable place that she'd slept in, but at least it was safe.

Even though Rick and Cherie were both physically exhausted, Cherie's brain was wide-awake, not able to turn off her thoughts... her feelings. Without actually touching, Cherie subconsciously (or perhaps purposely), did her best to get her body as close to Rick's as she dared. That was the closest the two of them had ever been to each other. After what seemed like forever, she let her breathing slow and eventually, Cherie fell sleep.

When Cherie woke up the next morning, she found that Rick's arm was wrapped closely around her. Some time during the night their bodies had moved closer together. God!!! They were basically spooning! Rick was so close that she could feel his warm breath on her neck. Cherie pretended be asleep, until Rick woke up and apologized for the placement of his arm. She was pleasantly surprised when he didn't move it right away. Yes, she definitely would rather be back in that crammed trunk with her body pressed against firmly against Rick Grimes. She'd rather be back there, than anywhere else in the world.

Lori's voice brought Cherie back to reality once more. "You get to have space!" she shouted, "I can't even go fucking pee without having to worry about Carl. About what he needs and what he's doing. And another thing..."

"Damn it Lori..." Rick replied while shaking his head. His voice was low, and he sounded tired. "That." Rick spoke slowly, "Is. Just. What. Parents. Do."

Cherie finished her cigarette and desperately wanted to go to bed. But she didn't want Rick and Lori to know that she'd been listening to them. Speaking of going to bed, Cherie thought about how quiet it had been in the barn the last few nights. No one actually had his or her own room, just sheets hanging from some old ropes for dividers. Daryl snores, which usually kept Cherie up. However, since he and Andrea hadn't come back from their supply run, she'd been able to fall asleep rather fast. On top of that, Carl had been sleeping in the camper with Carol and Dale for the last two nights. Cherie thought about how ironic it would be if it ended up being just Cherie, Lori, and Rick in the barn tonight. Shaking her head, Cherie laughed at herself. This is the damn apocalypse, and she's living in her own real life soap opera.

Suddenly, she heard the screen door of the farmhouse slam shut, and saw Rick walking heatedly across the yard, headed for the entrance of the barn. Cherie looked towards the farmhouse, waiting to see if Lori was coming. But when Cherie saw the porch light turn off, she figured that Lori would probably be sleeping on the couch in the living room tonight. It wouldn't be the first time one of the Grimes' slept on that couch and it most likely, wouldn't be the last.

Since it was apparent that tonight's argument was over, Cherie started her own walk to the barn entrance. A sheepish grin began to form on Cheri's face, at the realization that she and Rick would be the sole occupants in said barn tonight.