Rick's Ruby

Chapter 4

The sun had been gone a little while but the sky still radiated with the fading pinks and purples of the sunset. The moon was full, a bright orange on the horizon. It looked huge, and close enough that you might be able to reach out and touch it. He caught her looking at it as they walked and watched her dark features take on a dreamy quality. He face looked ethereal in the growing moonlight, her eyes turning into black pools under her long lashes.

One of the oil lanterns was on the small table in the living room, glowing softly when they got back in the house. Rick saw T-Dog had set his cot up in a corner away and out of the way, and he was kneeling at the fireplace trying to get the the flames to go out. The room was a little too warm for comfort as it was. Daryl was giving him a hard time from his place on the couch, laying back lazily, his arm over his face.

"There's another cot in the truck, if somebody hasn't grabbed it yet. I'm gonna set up here." He said as walked into the dining room and she glanced back at him.

"Ok." She spoke like she was asking him why he was explaining himself. Of course he would take a spot right in front of the only entrance and exit she had. "Goodnight." She went on into the bedroom and shut the door.

He worked quickly, triple checking the only entrance they had, the front door. He put the cot up against the wall behind the table and threw a blanket over it. Having nothing to do now, he decided to make a round through the house. The living room fire was out for the most part and T-Dog had turned over on his cot. He was snoring softly and Daryl was sharpening his knife by the dim light of the oil lantern on the couch. He glanced up and grunted as Rick passed him, going to the kitchen. Carol's door was closed and he could see a sliver of flickering candlelight from under the door. He grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and made him way past Daryl again and up the stairs.

Maggie was stepping out of the bathroom and nodded to him as she slipped back into her and Glen's room. All the other doors were closed already and he went to the bathroom before going back downstairs. Daryl had moved to the front window and was watching the night pass by, and the whole house had gone perfectly quiet. Rick glanced at Ruby's door as he walked to his cot, but the door was shut tight and he decided to leave her alone. Once in his own bed, he was blessedly asleep before he could start to really think.

It was almost as if he blinked and morning had come. He only knew it was because he could see through the hallway and to the far living room window. Slits of grayish sunlight peeked through the boards and lay in stripes on the floor. Rick swung his legs over the cot edge and stood up, stretching and yawning. He ran his fingers through his short brown hair and walked slowly to the kitchen, trying not to make the floor creak unnecessarily. T-Dog was still spread out on his cot and even Daryl had managed to catch a few winks. He was sitting halfway up on the couch, his eyes closed and looking almost comical.

In the kitchen, he saw Carol's door was still closed but he thought he could hear movement. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was 7:45. People were usually up by now, but he knew how tired they were. This was the first time they had actually really relaxed enough to sleep since the farm was overrun.

Rick grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and picked up a canning jar, looking at it absently. A movement from the corner of his eye made him look up and he saw Ruby in the doorway. She had on tiny sleeping shorts and a black tank top, and she'd put her hair up in a messy ponytail on her head. Her long legs looked even longer than usual, and she had pretty little bare feet. She was drop dead gorgeous, even right after waking up and unprepared for the day.

She yawned as she walked in and he held out the bottle of water he was drinking from. Taking it and nodding her thanks, she put down half of it in one big gulp. She handed it back and wiped the back of her hand over her mouth. "Make sure you save your bottles. We can refill them." She said.