JUST BREATHE (Rick Grimes Romance)

Chapter 3

By morning my ankle had swollen to twice its normal size. Painfully I squeezed my foot into my boot and I mean squeeze.

I left my room and headed towards the stairs. Voices drifted up past my ears. Great not only was I injured but I had slept in as well. You might as well take me out in the back forty and shoot me where I stand. I tried ever so quietly to sneak into the dinning room but Daryl blew that all to hell.

"There's the sleepy head. How's your ankle ?" He asked with that dumb ass lop sided grin.

Everyone stopped talking and turned and stared at me. Praying I would fall through some unknown trap door I limped over to a tabel. "I'm fine thanks" I mumbled keeping my head down.

"Hey girl I grabbed you some food." Plopping down beside me Maggie handed me a cup as well. "There was more coffee in there when I started from the kitchen but you know how it goes" I had grown quite fond of Maggie since we met.

By now Daryl had saddled up on my other side " Hows about you let me look at that ankle of yours"

Wishing he would just let it go I glared at him. From the look on his face I knew I was fighting a loosing battle. "I said I was fine but if it will make you feel better be my guest."

I tried not to wince and scream as Daryl gently tried to remove my boot. Hot tears welled up in my eyes and try as I might a few slipped out. Glancing at Daryl's face I could see he was concerned. "Hey Rick you should come and look at this"

I tried to pull my foot away but he held it in place place. I wanted to run away. My frustration level reaching a whole new peak. The madder I got the harder it was to hold off the tears.

"Why didn't you say your ankle was so bad?" His voice sounded so annoyed I couldn't even raise my eyes to look at him.

"I said I'm fine. It's just a bruised. " I felt so overwhelmed I just stared at my plate of food.

"Are you kidding. Maggie can you wrap her ankle and if I was you I would use some common sense and stay off it for a few days. Ask Carol maybe she has something you can help her with." With that Rick was starting to walk away. Dismissing me yet again.

I was so angry that I thought I was going to explode. I wanted to scream, even throw something at him. "Isn't that what you already had planned. After all I might be able to handle a gun but I'm not safe on a run"

Rick stopped and turned towards me again. Resting his hands at his hips of his gun holster. His head tipped slightly to the right. As he raised his eyebrows the skin on his forehead wrinkled. With those gorgeous blue eyes slightly squinted he blew out a slow deep breath from those full lips. Yep I had pissed him off but good this time and I knew it. I looked away like a small child about to get a scolded by their parent.

"What did you just say to me?" His voice had defiantly gone from being annoyed to pissed off. "Come on if you got something to say then just say it."

Before I was reduced to a crying mess in front of him and everyone else I jerked my foot out of Daryl's hands. Standing and with as much pride as I could muster I tried to walk without limping from the room. There was no way Rick was going to see me cry. As soon as I crossed into the hallway I could feel the tears start falling. Just make it a few more steps before you fall apart.

I couldn't hold back any longer. Slipping into what use to be an old janitors room I quietly closed the door. Walking to the other side of the room I leaned my back to the wall and slid to the floor. The tears flowed freely now and everything I had been feeling for the past few month rushed forward.

You see I use to know just where I belonged. I had a cute apartment, close family and good friends. Combine that with a decent job and all in all my life was pretty good. At least I knew what my roll in life was. I had a purpose. Now I felt like I was extra luggage. No direction and no use. I just couldn't figure out where I fit in so it felt like I walked around in useless circles.

When Maggie and Glen started to show me how to use a gun they realized I was actually a pretty good shot. Yes I had no idea how to use a gun till then. The old group I was with only had a few guns so we used a variety of knives and hand made weapons as protection. We did just fine until that night when the herd hit our camp. Many of us were sick and others just weak. Still yet I think some were just tired of the fight to live with no end in sight. I think they welcomed the path of death the walkers brought. They just let it happen without regard to those that wanted to live.

Anyways I don't want to talk about that now. So Glen decided I should start to go on runs. It was a welcomed freedom from the railway house. A distraction from being trapped in the thoughts of my own mind. It gave me a purpose in our group. It was something I liked that Rick had now decided I no longer needed to be a part of.

Time passed while I roamed the fields of self pity when a slow realization began to dawn on me. Oh my god my little outburst had been in front of the entire group. I could just imagine what they must be thinking. Great now I can add embarrassment to the list of emotions I was trying to swallow back down.

As soon as I opened the door I nearly ran face first into Beth. Yep there was that look of pity on her face "There you are. We were just wondering what happened to you. Is everything ok?"

My eyes had to be red and my face blotchy from crying. Trying to avoid eye contact I replied "I'm fine I just needed a minute that's all"

With a gentle hand she put her arm around my shoulder and turned me down the hall. "Come on we need to tell the others we found you"

We walked in silence for a ways before she stopped and turned to me. "You know we all think Rick was out of line back there. The way he snapped at you. Don't pay any attention to him." I know she ment to make me feel better, only she made me feel more the fool. With that we pushed threw the heavy steel door to the outside courtyard.

It was another scorching hot day. I walked across the courtyard enjoying the feeling of the sun against my skin. Looking at Carol I smiled and asked "Where are we starting?" As Carol went off into this long rant about all that had to be done I couldn't help hearing Daryl's bike start up. I felt a twinge of longing as I knew they were getting ready to go. From behind me I heard the steel doors open and close. The familiar voices of Rick and Tyres approached from behind.

Determined to not meet the wrath of Rick again today I grabbed the spade and bucket and started towards the tomatoes gardens. I'm sure Carol said something about weeding the beds. The two men stopped and started talking to Carol about what to try to find in supplies.

The sun was beating down on me and I realized that I had forgotten to grab a water bottle. I left the garden station to go grab one which was fine with me as it took me further from Rick. Reaching in the cooler I grabbed one and began to take a long pull when a voice startled me.

"I want you to try to stay off that leg as much as possible. Don't over do it" Rick paused "You need to heal up or you will only make it worse" I couldn't tell if he was being genuine or just patronizing me again. Before I could decide he looked away and yelled at Tyres "let's go"

The rest of the day I worked side by side with Carol and some of the others. By the end I was exhausted but impressed with what we had accomplished. It had turned out to be a good day and I couldn't wait for supper to feed the man sized hunger I had worked up.