A Hard Lesson to Learn

Chapter 12

"If you plan on getting to where we're going sometime today, then you'll sit down and enjoy the ride." So, Kali found herself sitting in the black wheelchair with Rick pushing her down the street. Many of the citizens of Alexandria were milling around in the freshly plowed field. Others were busy building new buildings and houses. No ones seemed to pay the pair any attention as they went along, and Kali was thankful for that.

When they finally arrived at Rick's house, a part of Kali was relieved. At least this part felt familiar. Rick helped her out of the chair and up the porch steps. "We'll get you a cane or something till you're able to walk steadily on your own," Rick told her once they were in the door. The next big journey for the two was the stairs to Kali's room.

Each step made her side ache more and more. It had been a long time since the had been on her feet this much, plus climbing stairs. As much as she didn't want to, Kali clung to Rick as he helped her up the stairs. They were about halfway up when she stopped. "You okay," he asked.

"I just need a minute, or you can just drag me to the top. Either works really. Just get this torture over with."

Rick chuckled softly. "We're almost to the top. Just a couple more stairs. You can do it."

"Great motivational speech there Rick. Might want to pick up that on as a hobby. You'd be great at it."

"Smartass," he whispered. "Come on. I know it hurts, but it will be over soon," he said starting to move her up the stairs again. Rick smiled at the many expletives that came out of Kali's mouth the last few steps. "There ya go," he said once the pair finally made it to the top of the stairs.

"Oh, thank God," she cried when Rick opened the bedroom door and she saw the bed was still there. The full bed could not compare to her's at the Sanctuary, but she sure was glad to see it after sleeping in the infirmary bed.

He sat her down gently on the bed before backing away. He watched as she laid back resting against the soft mattress. "I'll be back to bring you some food in a little bit. Don't hurt yourself trying to do too much," he told her walking towards the door. He was just about to close the door when he heard his name from the room. "Hmm?"

"When I was out of it, I had a dream that I was back at the Sanctuary. The war was over. Your people were our workers. Michonne, Daryl, all those people out there. Carl was tucked under Negan's wing as he showed him how to lead the people. I couldn't find you though. I looked. I did, but I couldn't find you. So, I went lower. Down to the bottom level where we kept the prisoners. That dreadful song that Negan insisted playing as torture was playing eardrum-shattering loud. I could hear someone pleading from one of the cells. When I got closer, the voice was pleading for freedom. That he would cooperate now. He won't fight anymore. He was broken," she paused for a second. "When I opened the door, the man hid from the light from the hallway. The cell reeked. The man was pleading for me to stop the music. To stop his torture. After I told the guards to cut the song off, the man started crying. The most fucked up part of this dream Rick is that that man was you," she continued staring at the ceiling. "We had won the war. You and your people could join our ranks or get out. We didn't kill you. I'm sure Negan could have, but he didn't. You killed him."

Rick brought his hand to his forehead and rubbed his temples. "Kali things will get better here. The situation of you being here has changed. We want you to be a willing member here, just keep your head up."

"The thing is Rick since I woke up, I can't stop thinking about the night at the outpost. If only my gun hadn't of jammed, you would have just been another body on the floor. You are the one that should be dead. Not Negan. You started this. You had me as a prisoner for leverage, but Negan never came. He was too smart for your games. I shouldn't be here. I should not have been here in the first place. I should have killed you. Then your people, probably Michonne, would have killed me," she laughed from the bed. "You and me, we should be dead. Now he's gone, and I didn't even get to say goodbye," she felt her eyes getting watery. Tears began to flow down her cheek. "I bet you didn't even put him down, did you? He's still out there walking around as a walker ain't he? When I get healed, I am going after him. You'll have to put me six feet under before you stop me too," she promised him turning her head to look at him.

Rick didn't say anything as he shut the door. She heard his boots as he walked down the stairs and the slam of the front door as he left the house.

If she learned anything from before, a silent Rick was a mad Rick and Kali was just getting started. 

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Hey guys & gals! Thanks for reading this far into my story! First and foremost, I sincerely want to thank every one of y'all that have stuck, commented, and voted on this story! With my Christmas break coming up, I hope to be able to get some more chapters out here soon. Once again, THANK YOU to everyone that is reading this story! Remember all comments & votes are appreciated. I'll see you in the next one! 

-AJ22