Rick's Ruby

Chapter 27

Opening the door and calling out, she rushed to the stall door and threw it open to reveal a very relieved looking Maggie, Carol, and Beth. Glenn rushed to Maggie's side, and Ruby stepped back, suddenly very out of breath. Carol, Beth and Carl joined her quickly, and Ruby looked at the woman wearily.

"Carol, Jimmy pulled it out. He did it." She said, pushing back tears.

"You found Daryl then? Rick? Everything's ok?" Carol asked, and Glenn spoke up from his spot next to Maggie as they walked out of the barn into the now quiet day.

"Rick didn't know. He shot Jimmy." Carol looked horrified. "Hershel's working on him now."

"Well, let's go help." Beth said, and Maggie nodded. She must have been feeling better, because they took off with Glenn to go help their father save the one person on the farm that had cared if they lived or died.

The activity then was insane, and Ruby felt herself go a little numb as she watched. She couldn't see Jimmy die like that, she just couldn't, not after what he did for them. She wandered into the house, and saw Rick come back out from the room they had taken Jimmy now that Beth and Maggie were there to help. Looking to the right, he saw Daryl put a brief hand on Carol's shoulder, pulling her into a very fast hug. She responded with a smile, and Glenn began to help him carry Margie's body out of the house. To drag Bob's along with it away from the house.

She felt Rick's arms around her before she looked back, and he lifted her off the ground. Burying her face in his neck, she held him just as tightly.

"I missed you." She said simply, and he almost laughed. When he'd seen her come flying out of that house ok everything he'd been feeling washed away, his anger, fear, hatred for these people that had done this. It was all just her. And Carl. And knowing Jimmy had done that for him, saved the people he loved and he'd shot the kid made him want to throw up.

"I am so damn sorry, Ruby." He said, his voice muffled in her cheek, eyes closed.

"You got no reason to be. None of us knew this was going to happen." She closed her eyes too, loving the feeling of his arms.

"Still... I can't take losing you again. I don't think I'll make it." he shook his head and pulled back, his hands finding the sides of her face as he pulled her into a kiss.

"Likewise." She said, and just then Hershel appeared at the doorway.

"Rick, I need your help."

Rick turned back to her. "Stay in here, I'll be back." He kissed her again and quickly went to help the older man. Just then, Daryl and Glenn came back in the front door.

"Rub, you want to come help me clear the house?" Daryl asked her softly, and she turned around, looking at him, confused.

"Clear?"

He sighed. "Yeah. Uh, we never found the kids they had here, but we haven't had much chance to search, ya know?"

"Oh my god." Ruby said, stunned, turning and heading up the stairs behind Daryl. Glenn set about taking the first floor, but she thought it was mostly just to be near Maggie when she emerged.

At the top of the stairs, Daryl started throwing doors open, his gun drawn, and Ruby followed his lead. Empty, empty, empty...she notched the rooms off in her mind one by one till they were at the opposite end of the hall. Daryl turned to head up the next staircase to the third floor, but he stopped suddenly, and she almost ran into his back.

She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but she felt his arm circle her neck and pull her flat against him, cutting off her words.

"Rub, I know what you did. Got everybody to safety, put yourself out there." He mumbled, seemingly embarrassed but unable to help himself. "Thanks."