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Solace

Chapter 89

Rick and Daryl made sure every exit was sealed tight, and then took a few minutes to wrap up Jenna and Brian’s bodies in a navy blue sheet set, securing each one with bungee cords. Their plan was to stay away from the front entrance in hopes that the walkers would forget they were there and wander off by morning. Meanwhile, they’d spend the night hours gathering more supplies.

By now the boats would have returned to the island, and Rick couldn’t even begin to think about how distraught Lindsey and Carl would be. Their little family had been through the mill. He hated to bring more stress upon them, but in this case, he’d followed the system. He hadn’t volunteered his services – he’d been chosen. Although, it probably made no difference to his wife as she occupied an empty bed. She wouldn’t be mad at him, just out of her mind with worry. If- when they made it out of here, he would waste no time showering her with his love. They would finally talk about their argument weeks before. He would fix everything between them – to hell with his pride.

Sighing, he clutched the handle on his lantern from the camping aisle and picked up two forest green sleeping bags. He heard Daryl moving around in the grocery section and walked in that direction. He found the other man in front of a wide array of canned goods, mostly containing fruits and vegetables. Daryl selected one with peaches and another with pears, while Rick searched the shelves for his own dinner. A large container of fruit cocktail stared him down – yet another reminder of his wife.

After Daryl was finished with the can opener, he handed it to Rick. A box of plastic forks lay nearby, so he tore those open and offered one to the man beside him. In exchange, Rick held out the spare sleeping bag, which Daryl promptly unrolled. They each sat on their poor excuses for a bed and leaned against the shelving. Everything was silent except for the clicks of their forks on aluminum.

“What’d Brian say to you?” Daryl asked, surprising Rick.

“He, uh, wanted me to tell his son some things…” They were for Tommy’s ears only and, well, honestly, he just didn’t feel like repeating them.

Daryl shook his head after a few seconds. “It’s easy to imagine a walker out there with yer name on it, but to go down by friendly fire… Someone up there’s got a sick sense of humor.”

“I think that can be said for everything else, too.”

The hunter set down an empty can and cleared his throat. “How’ve things been with Lindsey?”

Rick lifted his shoulder in a tiny shrug. His tired gaze remained on a price tag across the aisle, but his thoughts were elsewhere. “They’ve been better.”

“Not that it’s any of my business, but the past couple’a weeks didn’t look like no honeymoon to me.”

The newlywed released a short laugh. “I’ve been gettin’ more sleep than I thought I would,” he said, trying to make light of it, but Daryl saw right through him.

“I heard you two…at the clinic. With only one wall between us…wasn’t hard.”

Rick’s chest rose and fell with a heavy breath. “I was an ass. I stand by what I said about my children, but I probably could have gone about it in a different way. Ya know, without all the yelling.”

“Sometimes it’s good for ya. Y’all are so in love, it makes me a lil’ sick.” Rick cracked a smile. “’Sides, then ya can rip that frilly pink thing off’a her when you two make up,” Daryl said, referring to the lingerie in the other man’s bag.

If Rick could blush, he was doing it, so instead of justifying Daryl with a response, he simply rolled his tongue in his cheek. In a gesture that said everything, the hunter reached over and patted his shoulder.


Seeing as how the next day was Monday, Lindsey forced herself to go to school. Carl had no problem voicing his opinion on how it was stupid to go when his dad could be back any minute, but gave up when he saw the defeated look in her eyes. She was putting on a brave face, but her hormones toyed with her emotions. One minute she was fine, or as close as she could be to it, and then the next she was on the verge of crying. She remembered feeling that way the last time she’d been pregnant, but it hadn’t involved the unknown fate of her husband, which made everything that much worse.

Maggie stopped in before class to tell Lindsey that Glenn and Pete had left for the mainland at dawn and would stay there all day if they had to. Lindsey really hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. After giving her friend a comforting hug, Maggie left for the clinic.

Lindsey fumbled her way through the first two classes, dropping her book, breaking three pieces of chalk and tripping over too many words to count. Just before noon, raised voices drifted up from Elizabeth’s classroom and Lindsey wondered if they’d been dismissed early. She brushed a limp strand of hair out of her dismal eyes, stepped into the hallway, and froze.

Rick stood from where he was hugging Carl and gave his stunned wife a wide smile. Trembling, she cupped her hands over her mouth. No longer could she hold back the tears as he walked toward her quickly. Engulfing his arms around her, he lifted her against him and she clutched his shoulders with every ounce of strength in her weary body.

“I love you,” he whispered hoarsely into her neck. “I’m so sorry, for everything.”

“I love you, baby,” she wept against his taut shoulder. “I’m sorry, too! I was so stupid—“

He silenced her with a hard kiss, angling his mouth over hers desperately. Lindsey kissed him back, matching the intensity of his longing. She didn’t care if her students or Carl were watching – she’d waited too damn long for this moment. Her fingers wove into his unruly hair as her other hand grasped the cotton t-shirt covering his muscular back.

When they came up for air, she hugged him once more, never wanting to let go, and his lips tugged into a soft smile at her outpouring of affection. Eventually, she slipped out of his embrace and stepped back to look into his beautiful eyes. No longer were they cold or depressed. She’d missed him like this, and the love in his gaze almost made her blurt out the words she ached to tell him.

I’m pregnant.

Completely deciding against it right now, she chose to say, “I was so worried, Rick. What happened?”

The light in his eyes dimmed and he swallowed hard. Shooting a glance over his shoulder, he said quietly, “I’m gonna need a minute with Tommy.”

Lindsey’s heart sank. It was all too obvious what that meant. She watched him turn around and approach the confused teenage boy standing next to Carl. He tried to pull Tommy aside, but got shrugged off.

“Where is he?”

“I’m sorry,” Rick said, his voice strained, “there was an accident.”

“What do you mean ‘accident’?” Tommy snapped.

The man rested a casual hand on his gun belt but looked like he was bracing for the worst – his strong shoulders were rigid and tense. “Jenna and your dad were searching for supplies on the other side of the store. She got attacked by a small group of walkers and…accidentally fired her gun, hitting your dad.” Rick hesitated. “I’m sorry, Tommy. He didn’t make it.”

The boy’s lips tightened as his face twisted with anguish. He was all alone, and Lindsey couldn’t stand it – first Zoey, now him. She rushed toward Tommy and pulled him into her arms, holding his head to her shoulder as he softly cried for the loss of his father. Brian had been a good man – why was it always the good ones?

Lindsey continued to hug him as Elizabeth dismissed both classes, and when the hallway was empty, Tommy lifted his head.

“I wanna see him. Tell me you brought him back…”

Rick, who’d been looking on with a slack expression, nodded. “We did. Daryl, Pete and some of the others took your dad and Jenna to the cemetery. We’re gonna have a funeral later today, but I’ll take you up there right now.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

Lindsey could see that Rick wasn’t ready to leave them so soon after returning, but this was something he had to do. Tommy needed to see his own family, and the thought broke her heart.

“Rick, I’ll pick up Judy and get everyone ready. Do you want us to meet you there after?” Lindsey asked, resting an affectionate hand on her husband’s chest.

Rick agreed and covered her hand with his own, bringing her palm to his lips. They exchanged one last woeful smile, and then he turned to walk toward the exit with Tommy.

Late in the evening, the Grimes family returned home after a beautiful service for Brian and Jenna. Everyone had dinner at the pavilion in an attempt to celebrate the lives of their fallen comrades. Rick took a moment to speak with Tommy about his father’s last words and was sad to finally learn about the boy’s mother – her fate had eluded them since they’d stepped foot on the island.

Mrs. Tasker had been attacked by a walker while swimming in the ocean with her son, alerting them all to the fact that, while walkers couldn’t swim, they stayed reanimated as they drifted with the tide. The unfortunate event transpired before the cure, so Tommy was left to hold his bleeding mother as she died in his arms. Her death was the reason for New Canaan’s ‘no swim policy,’ and the boy still blamed himself. Rick assured Tommy that it wasn’t his fault and Brian wanted him to know that, too. Guilt was a terrible thing – far too heavy for a teenage boy to carry for the rest of his life.

After making sure Tommy was settled in with his neighbors – his new guardians until he turned seventeen – Rick put Judith to bed with a loving kiss. The little girl was getting bigger and bigger every day. He felt like he could barely keep up with all of her advances. She was so close to walking; such a scary thought for him. Pretty soon she would be talking his ear off. He was suddenly hit with the realization that it was Christmas Eve. He remembered Lindsey saying something a while back about making sugar cookies with her mom every year – he wondered if Judith would do the same with her someday.

He went to check on Carl and discovered that the boy was already asleep. It had been a long day for all of them, and Rick’s filthy appearance didn’t hide that fact. He decided to take a shower, allowing the warm water to wash away his stress and frustration from the past two weeks. For the first time in a while, his head felt clear. He was more than ready to talk to Lindsey. They would get everything out in the open and emerge a better couple – or at least, that was what he hoped.

Rick’s good intentions flew the coop when he stepped foot in their bedroom. Lounging on top of the white comforter was Lindsey, her toned body clad in the pink lingerie. Being a typical male, the first things he noticed were her breasts. The material over them was thin, but he wondered if there was some kind of extra padding because she was looking exceptionally chesty – not that he was complaining. He tightened his grip on the towel around his waist and experienced a sensation of light-headedness as all the blood rushed to his groin.

“I thought I’d be nice and unpack your bag,” she said with a sexy smile. “Is this my Christmas present – or yours?”

“I was thinkin’ both,” he said, his voice sounding surprisingly abrasive. His pulse raced as she crawled across the bed and slid off to stand before him. Her glittering gaze took in his full appearance – naked, apart from the towel, with wet, curling hair at the nape of his neck. Lindsey’s slender fingers reached out to stroke his bare chest, her lingering touch driving him mad. He was strongly aware of his own heartbeat as it thundered against her hand. He copied her movements, lifting one masculine hand to trail his thumb across the thin fabric over her pebbled nipple. She let out a shuddering breath and he lowered his head. The sensual swipe of his tongue against Lindsey’s caused her to lightly dig her nails into his shoulders. Skimming his hands down her supple figure, he enjoyed the round shape of her backside under his palms.

Abruptly, she pulled away from him and grinned. She linked her hand in his and drew him toward the bed.

“Sit here,” she said, pushing him down to set on the edge of the mattress.

Rick’s blue eyes explored her face with deep curiosity, all the while enjoying the sudden role reversal. He watched her chew on her bottom lip as she descended to her knees. Then, as if she were opening her own present, Lindsey peeled the towel away from his lower half. She held his shadowy gaze and rubbed her hands up his strong thighs. When she dragged her tongue along his thick arousal, he hissed out a breath and bucked his hips.

Finally, she gathered the strands of her long blonde hair to one side and covered his full length with her mouth. She licked and sucked, sending jolts of pleasure throughout his entire body. He cradled her head between his hands, watching until the pleasure got to be too great, and he was forced to close his eyes and bite back a groan.

After a few minutes, when he thought he was about to lose it, Lindsey raised her head. Her tongue darted out to lightly lick her lips and he felt himself snap – violently.

“Up,” he ordered, “on the bed.”

She responded right away, climbing onto the cushioned surface. Breathlessly, she asked, “Like this?” with her back against the pillow.

Rick shook his head. “No, this…” He pulled Lindsey forward by grasping her arm and turned her so that she was positioned on her hands and knees. Her spine arched in anticipation as he pressed a kiss onto the dimples at her lower back. He allowed his warm breath to waft across her skin as his fingers hooked into the sheer thong and pushed it down her quivering legs, leaving it around her knees.

He only teased her wet entrance for a quick second before holding her hips steady and thrusting to the hilt. Lindsey cried out into the pillow beneath her as the relentless motion caused the straps of her top to slide off her shoulders, exposing her breasts even further. He took her hard and forcefully, thinking only of the release she could give him. He didn’t just want her, he needed her – the same way he needed air to breathe.

With all control lost, he wrapped her blonde locks around his fist and tugged her upright, all the while still buried deep inside of her. Leaving open-mouthed kisses and love bites along the soft column of her neck, he helped the left strap of her tank-top find its way down her arm. Now, with her pale breast uncovered, he fondled it in his hand and coaxed her rosy nipple to a tantalizing peak.

At the mercy of her husband, Lindsey let out suppressed whimpers, trying to stay as quiet as she possibly could.

Rick thrust up into her roughly and whispered, “God, I love how you sound when I’m fucking you.”

Lindsey gasped, her body beginning to quake in his arms. He felt his own looming release and bent her over once more. Her frantic noises told him she was coming undone, so he followed quickly behind. He held his breath and experienced the euphoric rush he’d craved as he pumped in and out of her one final time.

Afterward, he slumped against her, smoothing his hands over her bruised hips and silky back. He kissed her hot skin as she continued to pant softly beneath him.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, “I was too rough with you.”

Lindsey smiled over her shoulder. “I like when you lose your cool, Officer Grimes,” she said in a playful tone.

Rick ‘losing his cool’ was a very modest way to put what had just happened. At that point, Lindsey wasn’t even sure she’d be able to walk the next day. She could have stopped him at any time, but if she was being honest, she had loved every second of it. Once she told him about the baby, there was no way in hell he would act like that with her again. He’d be gentle and sweet as he made love to her, which was great, but sometimes she liked rough sex just as much he did.

Rick slowly pulled out of her and fell back onto his pillow with a satisfied sigh. Lindsey moved into his open arms, dropping tender kisses on his damp shoulder. When she rested her head upon his chest, she could hear every beat of his pounding heart. She caressed the coarse hair beneath her hand while he traced a finger along the outside of her delicate wrist.

“When we were stuck in that store last night, I promised myself that if I got out of there, I would come back and fix everything between us,” Rick said, pressing his lips to her brow.

Lindsey closed her eyes and smiled. “I understand why you were upset with me. I need to take my parental responsibilities just as serious as I do being your wife. I love those children, Rick. I just want them to grow up with a mother and a father.”

“And I absolutely agree, but I didn’t handle it the way I should have. I’m sorry I hurt you,” he said on a husky whisper.

“Same here, baby.” She brought his head down for a quick kiss, but he kept his lips on hers, drawing it out slightly longer. When he pulled back, she said, “I guess those are things we’ll have to work on.”

He nodded and threaded their fingers together. “Besides, if we plan to have more children, we’ll need to be on the same page,” he retorted, smiling. Lindsey bit down on her confession yet again, and he must have perceived her silence as negative, because he quickly followed his statement with, “and if it’s just the four of us, that’s okay, too. Whatever happens, we’ll make it work.”

The next morning, Rick woke before everyone else and got together all the gifts he’d managed to scrounge up. They didn’t have any wrapping paper, so he tucked everything inside a cardboard box and placed it on the coffee table. After moving Zoey, they’d acquired the table and two wicker easy chairs – a welcome addition to their sad-looking living room.

While waiting for the others to get up, he made himself a cup of coffee, and tea for Lindsey. Judith began to fuss in her crib, so he scooped up the little girl and carried her out to the kitchen. He continued to make breakfast, the rich smells eventually luring Carl from his room. The boy was acting somewhat hyper, which Rick was happy to blame on that particular day. They’d missed last Christmas, mostly by choice. Today would be special – a gift in and of itself – if only Lindsey would be present for it.

Rick glanced at his silver wristwatch and wondered why she was still in bed. Sure, they’d stayed up a little bit late the night before, but it was unlike her to sleep in. Clutching her hot tea in one hand, he moved down the short hall to their bedroom.

Notes

A/N: I hope you all have a wonderful week! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! :D

Comments

@Corall
Aw thank you so much!! :D

bluecrush611 bluecrush611
5/18/16

I just finished reading this story :) and its the most amazing story ever :D

Corall Corall
5/17/16

@Kandy
No worries. I actually used Paint, haha. I just figured out what size the banner needed to be (by trial and error) and then cut the image down until it fit.

bluecrush611 bluecrush611
4/13/16

@bluecrush611

Also, Another Annoying Question. Where did you make that Banner of Lauren And Andrew? I need to get a good Banner place thingy and i need advice xD

Mother Dick Mother Dick
4/12/16

@Walker Witch
Thank you so much for the kind words and for following along!

@eventualprocrastination
Thanks for all of your comments! I actually just published a book, so that's the direction I'm taking for now, but who knows. Maybe I'll post something here and there. :)

bluecrush611 bluecrush611
4/10/16