Fatal Impact . . . The Walking Dead¹

[ 003 ] Human Again

Beside her Rick sat, unsure, his hand hoovering around the handle of the door. Much like Tessa watching others reunite would only remind him of what he didn't have.

"Hey Officer Einstein." Tessa's hand found Ricks, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Let's do this huh? Go out there, pretend we're some sort of heroes. Soon we'll get out of here, go find your family."

"We?"

"Well you didn't think I was gonna let you do it on your own, did you? You barely survived in Atlanta. You'd never make it by yourself."

A smile flashed across Ricks face, the same thankful one he'd given her in the tank. It warmed Tessa's heart to know that she wouldn't have to fight alone anymore.

"Hey you two! Come say hello!" Morales voiced echoed loudly as he called the two survivors that remained in the truck.

Rick was careful as he climbed out, helping Tessa over the seats and keeping a firm grip on her in attempt to dispel any further damage she might do to her injuries.

Several sets of curious eyes fell on the pair as they came into sight. Once again Tessa felt insecure under their gaze, aware of her filthy state and bloodied midsection. She must've looked a sight to the clean, well fed survivors.

She was ready to open her mouth and introduce herself when a strange look came over Rick. He was staring at a man dressed in a navy shirt with a gun in his hand and as the two made eye contact a look of recognition made its way onto his face. The look grew as Ricks eyes roved over the campsite landing on a woman and her young son.

"Oh my God. Oh my God."

"Rick?" Tessa cocked her head in curiosity before the realisation hit her. The woman. The little boy. They must be Ricks family.

"Dad! Dad!"

The little boys screams felt like a knife in Tessa's heart and she was quick to draw her gaze from the scene trying her best not to cry. It hadn't been the first time she'd watched such a scene but it was the first time she watched one and realised that she would never get to experience it. The family she had was gone.

She would never hear her daughters cry, "Mama!" the way Ricks son cried for him. She would never feel the warmth of their embrace or see that happy glimmer in their eyes as they looked at her.

Like many people everything she'd had was broken now, gone. Her children were a story in the past, a moment in her history, and no matter how many times she dreamed it she'd never see them again.

"You okay sweetheart?" Jacqui had come to Tessa's side, a replacement for Rick.

Wiping the tears from her eyes she nodded; "I'm fine. It's just nice to see Rick get his family back."

The older woman said nothing but she had a look on her face that told Tessa she understood. She knew.

⋆ ★

The sky had turned black as night fell, decorated occasionally by the odd star. From where Tessa lay she could see the shadows created by the campfire; the silhouettes of the group ― moving, talking, laughing.

She'd chosen not to join the evening festivities unable to sit amongst the group and watch Rick with his family. Something about the sight continued to cause a jealous twist in her heart and she almost wished that the woman, Lori, and her son, Carl, had died.

She been alone so long that Ricks company had began to feel familial and to lose that feeling just as quickly as she'd found it seemed to ruin some deep part of her.