Blood and Gore (TWD season one)

Chapter 25

Softly after the incident with Amy was over Rick and Shane decided that they should finish the holes Jim was working on yesterday. Sensing the tension around him Rick thrusts his shovel into the ground before looking over at Shane.
"Say it." This causes Shane to stop and lean on his shovel.
"Okay. I'm thinking if you'd of stayed here, if you'd have looked after your own...Instead you went off, you took half our manpower with you. I'm thinking maybe our losses wouldn't have been so bad." Shane spoke causing Rick to look down at the pile of dirt at his feet.
"If we hadn't gone off and brought those guns back when we did, I think our losses would have been a lot worse. Maybe the entire camp." Rick states glancing over at Shane who shook his head and was about to say something when they hear the truck approaching. They both look towards the truck surprised to see Mill sitting in the tailgate while Daryl drives backwards up the hill. Daryl then parks the pickup before exiting it as Mill slid off the tailgate.
"I still think it's a mistake not burning these bodies. It's what we said we'd do, right? Burn' 'em all, wasn't that the idea?" Daryl states as he stops in front of Shane and Rick. Mill joins them shortly after folding her arms causing Shane's gaze to look at her chest.
"At first." Shane answers his eyes meeting Mill's who glares at him having caught him staring at her chest.
"The Chinaman gets all emotional, says it's not the right thing to do, we just follow him along? These people need to know who the Hell's in charge here, what the rules are." Mill nods in agreement to what Daryl has just said, finding that having someone tell someone one thing then another person telling then another was getting pretty confusion.

"Yeah, Rick, one leader just like one Sheriff, one captain, one president. We need to lay the laws of the land here. We're in the fucking apocalypse. We need more rules then ever." She adds causing Rick to look at her slightly shocked. He knew what they were saying was true, they do need rules but not right now.
"There are no rules." Rick answers causing Mill to glare at him.
"That's the problem here Rick, are you to high on your high horse to notice."  They all stayed silent as the rest of the group came up onto the hill they where on.
"We haven't had one minute to hold onto anything of your old selves. We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do." Lori comments and no one argued with her seeing how she was right about it. So Daryl and Mill proceed to place the bodies of the people they once new into the graves one by one. Once it came to Amy's body Andrea insisted she does it herself, everyone watches with sad eyes as she practically drags the wrapped body into the grave. Dale keeps trying to help the struggling women only for Andrea do call out that she had it and she didn't need his help, but Dale being the persistent person he was kept going until Andrea allowed him to move Amy's legs into the grave. Reaching out his hand Andrea grabbed it and with Dale's help climbed out of the grave panting from the crying.

After funeral

Everyone was returning to camp now the Grimes family bringing up the rear.
"Burying other people is bad enough. But the thought of one of us..." Rick begins turning to Lori she shushes him as Carl looked up at Rick.
"Are we safe now, dad? Now that we are together?" Carl asked sniffing causing his dad to look down at him with a soft smile.
"I won't leave again. I promise you that. Not for anything." Carl nods as his glossy eyes fixed onto the ground below him.
"Now give me a chance to discuss some things with you mom, okay?" Rick adds causing Carl to nod and let out a quiet "yeah" before walking off to Carol and Sophia who talked to Mill.
"Shane blames me for not being here. Do you?" Rick asked turning to look his wife in the eyes. She doesn't say anything thought causing Rick to look away.
"We got guns now. We're stronger." Rick explained causing Lori to sigh.
"And we have fewer people, that makes us weaker. You want me to say I think you were right? I understand that. All I can say is that neither one of you is entirely wrong. It's the best I can do right now." Lori confessed causing Rick to nod his head.
"What about the C.D.C.?"
"Rick..." Lori trailed off not sure of the idea.
"We're at the ragged edge here. We need relief and we got a sick man who needs help. I don't know why people can't see that." Rick spoke looking towards the ground then back up at Lori.
"Well, look at their faces. Look at mine. We're all terrified. If one of us suggested, based on a hunch that we head towards the city you'd have no part of it. Tell me something with certainty." Lori asked causing Rick to think for a moment be for offering her a small smile.
"I love you. That's all I got." This causes Lori to smile back and shrug.
"I love you too."

As the conversation ended they had reached the camp. Rick looked around until his eyes found Shane's who was looking at something intently. Following his gaze Rick saw Mill bending over to pick up Mary before turning to Daryl as Mary said something to him.
"You know it's weird." He spoke turning to Lori as they walk towards the RV.
"What is?" Lori asked causing Rick to gesture towards Mill, Daryl, and Mary to which Lori looked over and smiled.
"Seeing them so close together. Earlier this morning they were at each other's throats." Rick explained causing Lori to chuckle slightly and shake her head. Reaching the RV Lori opened the door before knocking and stepping inside to see a sweaty Jim and a concerned Carol dapping his forehead with a wet cloth.
"His fever is worse." She stats's turning towards the two entering the RV causing Lori to look at Jim.
"You need anything?" She asked as Jim look up at her.
"Uh... water. Could use some water." Lori nods at Jim's request.
"I'll get some." She answers making Jim mutter a silent okay before she turns to Carol.
"Carol, would you like to help me." Letting out a soft Yeah Carol gets up from her spot beside Jim and follow Lori out of the RV. Once they where gone Rick takes the seat that Carol was in a few seconds ago.
"You save a grave for me?" Jim rasped eyes focusing forward but he could see Rick shake his head out of the corner of his eye.
"Nobody wants that." Rick response as Jim looks out the window.
"It's not what about you want. That is..., that's God laughing while you make plans." Jim's tired voice states.
"What I want, Jim, if.... if God allows, is get you some help." Rick explains as Jim goes into a coughing fit before groaning. He reaches for the bucket besides him and spits out some blood before coughing some more.
"Watch the mangroves. Their roots will gouge the whole boat." Jim says as he leans back against the wall looking over at Rick.
"You know that, right? Amy is there swimming. You'll watch the boat, right?" You said you would." Realizing the fever was making Jim delirious Rick nods his head.
"I'll watch the boat. Don't worry." He answers.
"Okay." Jim responded looking away from Rick who runs a hand over his face deep in thought.