It's felt like forever since I've been in this part of the prison. I've felt like a lion cooped up in a small cage. I pushed through the cell door of cellblock C, anxious to see the sun. It's been a week and a half, and I've fully recovered. Somehow, I convinced Hershel to let me out of A earlier than the rest. On my trek to the great outdoors, I spotted Daryl tinkering with his crossbow, an idea hatching in my head.
Keeping light on my feet, I eyed the strong back that belonged to Daryl and felt a surge of giddiness. I slightly lowered myself, bending at the knees as I quietly crept up to my best friend, my lips pursed tightly to stifle the laugh begging to escape me. Daryl remained in his spot, his shoulders relaxed and his voice low as he muttered to himself. My holster clicked against my hips, making me silently bare my teeth and hiss as I hoped it wouldn't alert Daryl. He stood to his full height, giving me the in I wanted. Finally, I sprung into the air and wrapped my arms around his neck, slamming my full weight on him and bringing him down into a headlock, his butt hitting the ground. Daryl grunted and wheezed, his fingernails scratching away at my arms as I continued with my vise grip. I saw Michonne standing by the entrance, an amused smile on her lips as I wrapped my legs around Daryl's back, giving me more leverage in my chokehold. Ah, this takes me back.
"Dammit, June!" Daryl wheezed, "Get off!" With our commotion, Bob and Jacob dashed into the common area with wide eyes. I flashed them a smile and tightened my grip against Daryl's neck, earning another hilarious gasp from him.
"Hiya, guys!" I beamed, ignoring the struggles from the man underneath me, "Nice day, isn't it?" Jacob approached Michonne and smirked, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Should we help him?" Bob asked. I looked at the man and shook my head. Daryl struggled against me with a huff, his hands clawing away at my arms before squeezing my forearms tightly. Against his strength, I could feel my grip lessen as he pried me away from him. Untying my legs from around his torso, I let go of him and huffed, shrugging as he glared at me.
Suddenly, Daryl lunged at me and gripped me by the hips, his hands squeezing me harshly as he hoisted me up and slung me across his shoulders. A sharp gasp escaped my lips as he started to run, my eyes shutting against the bright sun as he tore out of the cellblock. Squirming, I caught Daryl with my knee—hard enough for him to lessen his grip but soft enough so it wouldn't hurt too bad. With his grip relaxing just a smidge, it was the perfect opportunity for me to wiggle off his shoulders. Obviously, I didn't think this through because I hit the dirt with a loud thud. My back groaned as the pain slowly spread, but it didn't stop me from rising to my feet. Daryl rubbed the side of his head with a slight smirk, his blue eyes twinkling at the challenge I posed for him. Footsteps could be heard behind us as a small group started gathering.
"Second match?" Daryl grunted at me, his smirk widening. I bit my lip and analyzed my chances of winning. I've been sick for the past week and a half, so I don't know if my strength has returned, and two, I don't want to get my ass beat. I looked around and spotted Michonne. Her arms crossed in front of her chest as she stood beside a giddy Jacob. I can't tell if he's this excited to see a fight or because he's so close to Michonne. I cocked my head at her, silently asking her for her input. Her chocolate brown eyes flashed to Daryl briefly before they returned to me, her head nodding once and a smile spreading across her lips. That's all the confirmation I needed.
"Go easy on me, Dixon," I teased, "I don't want to have to go back to A block cause you beat me into a pulp," I got into a fighting stance—my feet apart, a slight bend in my knees, and my fist in front of my face in a defensive position.
"Maybe you shouldn't have started something you can't finish," Daryl retorted, getting in the same stance I was in. We started to circle one another with identical shit-eating grins on our faces.
Energy soared through me, making me lunge forward and grapple with the man. Instead of punching each other silly like last time, I wanted to make him submit—maybe make him scream 'Uncle' just once to claim my victory. Following my lead, Daryl locked up with me and grunted as I pushed against him, using my core and legs' full strength to move. Daryl pushed back, quickly making me retreat a few steps as he relied on his brutish strength.
Daryl lunged downwards, his arms circling my legs as he slammed me to the ground. My back howled in pain as his hands tried to quickly grab hold of my neck to wrap me in a chokehold. I grunted and grabbed his arm, extending it across my chest as my legs wrapped around his neck. I locked my ankles behind his neck and held his head, applying pressure. Daryl struggled against me, his breathing heavy as he tried to unlock my legs from around his neck. With his face red, he circled his hand around his wrist and grunted, lifting me from the ground and slamming me down. I groaned and relaxed my grip as my vision swirled around me, my head shaking. Daryl took my moments' daze to grab my arm and put me in an armbar. Pain encased my arm and shoulder, making me gasp in utter surprise and agony.
"Give?" Daryl muttered, his voice sounding tight as he kept his ironlike grip. Against my better judgment, I hastily shook my head, squirming in futile attempts to escape him. His viselike grip tightened, shooting more pain up and down my arm. With the defeat, I tapped on him, tapping out and giving him the victory. Daryl let go with a smug smirk and brushed himself off, extending a hand to me once he was done. I pouted and gingerly grabbed his hand, my sore arm rotating on its axis in an attempt to get the blood circulating. The crowd around us cheered as I stood up, my face red with both embarrassment and the heat of today. Lightly, I punched Daryl on the arm and rolled my eyes—I'll get my revenge next time!
"That was awesome!" I turned and beamed, my heart jumping in my chest as I looked at Carl and Selena. Selena looked awestruck, whereas Carl was rocking on his heels. I stood there, my arms wide open for them to rush me, but they didn't.
"Are you going to leave me hanging, or are you guys gonna hug me?" I questioned. Carl sprang into action and nearly jumped in my arms, his arms squeezing me uncomfortably as they circled my shoulders. Um, ow! I held him to me, a broad smile across my lips as I started to sway. Selena silently crept up to me, her eyes glistening with moisture as she joined in on our embrace. Carl shifted slightly and wrapped an arm around Selena, pulling her further into our group hug. "I missed you guys so much," I murmured as I kissed their heads.
"We missed you more, June," Selena whimpered as she buried her head into my shoulder. I embraced both of them, my heart swelling at the amount of love I had for my children. "Wait until Rick hears you're out," I cocked an eyebrow and smirked, knowing what was probably in store later. Of course, I didn't put these thoughts into words with the kids around.
"Judith?" I questioned as they pulled away, "Where is she?"
"With Beth," Carl answered, "She's been extra fussy lately,"
"I think it's because you haven't been around," Selena nodded as she gripped my hand and started to lead me toward C block.
"June!" I looked behind me and saw Daryl looking at me with the faintest of smirks, "Don't forget what Rick asked you to do!" My smile fell as I remembered what I had promised to do. Rick came to me yesterday and told me how he had found Carl and Selena asleep together. Usually, we wouldn't make a big fuss about it, but Rick has caught them sneaking around for a while now. We don't know what they're doing, but we want to keep an eye on them for the time being—ensure no 'accidents' happen. Is now the best time to talk to them about it, though? They both seem to be in such a good mood.
The two teenagers chatted aimlessly as we entered C block, their smiles wide as they teased each other about something I didn't understand. Beth was in the common area with Judith in her arms, a smile gracing her features as she talked to Glenn and Maggie. Glenn looked so much better than he did! He still isn't 100%, but he's no longer contagious.
"There's my little girl!" I beamed as I approached them, my eyes focused on Judith. Judith snapped her head towards me and squealed, her tiny arms extended towards me. I looked at Beth and held out my arms, ready to hold my baby. "Thank you so much for watching her, Beth," Judith rested her head in the crook of my neck and wrapped her arms around my shoulders—her way of hugging me.
"I don't mind at all, June," Beth chuckled as she watched Judith turn into putty around me, "I'm so happy you're okay," I murmured a quick thank you to her and rocked Judith, my lips pressing against her head and my nose filling with her scent. I looked toward Carl and Selena and motioned for them to follow me as I walked to the cell Rick and I shared. Carl leaned against the wall, and Selena sat on the bed, her eyes wandering before landing on the picture of my family and me. "I'm just going to say this once, and I don't want to bring it up again, okay?"
"Uh-oh," Selena whispered as she looked at Carl. They both shared the same worried glance before turning back to me, seemingly knowing what I was going to say.
"You need to sleep in your own cells," I said as I rocked Judith—soft snores escaping her lips as I did so. "I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but Rick and I would appreciate it if you guys didn't spend the nights with each other," Selena flushed a deep red and looked at her feet while Carl looked at me with his mouth agape.
"I knew Dad was going to tell you," Carl murmured, "Nothing happened, June. We were reading comics, and we ended up passing out," I nodded, knowing that he was telling the truth, but we're just cautious.
"I believe you, but your dad wanted me to say something, so that's what I'm doing." I said with a small smile, "We already gave you guys talks about—"
"Don't!" Selena jumped up, her face beet red as she cut me off, "Nothing is going on," I nodded at her and smirked, amused by how embarrassed she was. "I'll take Judith for a bit so you can find Rick." I pushed back a giggle and handed her the sleeping baby, placing one final kiss on all three of their heads. I exited my cell and fanned my face, mild embarrassment starting to sink in. Poor kids. I know they're just friends, but we need to be safe. But who are we to talk? Rick and I aren't exactly the safest, and we're basically hormonal teenagers. I stepped out into the blistering heat, shielding my eyes from the sun. In the distance, Hershel and Michonne were climbing into a car with smiles. They're probably going on a quick run.
People around me greeted me as I walked by, forcing smiles and handshakes from me. I don't mind, but I'm a woman on a mission. Now that I think about it—it is strange that Rick wasn't there to meet me when I got out. He'd known that Hershel was letting me out earlier than the rest, but why hadn't he at least said hi when I was wrestling with Daryl? I slowly walked through the garden, expecting to see him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Did he go outside the fence? But he hasn't done that in forever! He only goes out to check the snares, but that's it—he won't go on a run without telling me or telling someone to let me know. Defeated, I slipped down to the ground and played with the overgrown grass, worry starting to bubble in my stomach as I continued to think about Rick. Carl would have told me something or Daryl. Hands covered my eyes, startling me and making me form a fist to defend myself. A deep, familiar chuckle rang in my ears, instantly making me relax.
"And where were you?" I questioned, a smile spreading across my lips. His hands slipped from my eyes and landed on my shoulders, his hands kneading away at my tense muscles.
"Nowhere," He replied, a sly tone in his voice. I turned and smiled at Rick, my heart accelerating in my chest. Slowly turning around, I lunged at him and tackled him to the ground, my body on his. Like a feral animal, I sloppily placed kisses all over his face and laughed as his hands massaged my hips. We stayed motionless, breathing heavily as we enjoyed being wrapped in each other's arms. I've missed him so much. "As much as I like this, I have something to show you,"
Crawling off him, I let him lead me away toward guard tower three. His large, warm hand gripped mine tightly as he guided me, his thumb caressing my knuckles as his smile widened. He pushed the large door open and pulled me in front of him, his hands covering my eyes as he led me up the stairs.
"What did you do, Grimes?" I asked as he opened the door and shut it behind us, my eyes still covered. He hummed in response and uncovered my eyes, his arms wrapping around my hips. I gasped as I took in our surroundings. A patchwork blanket was neatly sprawled out on the cement floor with a heavily battered straw basket in the middle. Candles circled the basket, and two glasses filled to the brim with some fizzing liquid sat on opposite sides. "Why aren't you the romantic?" I teased as I turned back to him.
"I try," He slyly smiled. I gripped his hand and led him towards the blanket, anxious to see what was inside the blanket. "Now, if this were back when the world was right, I would have taken you out to a nice dinner, a movie, maybe taken you out of Georgia, and have a nice weekend by the beach in Florida somewhere."
Lowering myself onto the blanket, I grabbed the glass and tipped it into my mouth, recognizing it as champagne. It warms my heart that he went to such lengths to have an impromptu picnic.
"If this were back then, you would still be married," I quipped, wiping my mouth with my hand. Rick sipped on his alcohol and frowned slightly, his eyes darkening. If we met before all this—before the world was lost—would we have had this attraction between us? Would we have gotten along as well as we do now? If we had that spark, would we have started an affair? Would I have been okay with that – being the other woman? No. I'm a selfish lover in terms of wanting someone all to myself. No sharing.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Rick whispered as he took another sip of his champagne, "Divorce was in our cards before all this,"
Deciding to drop the subject, I leaned forward and peeked inside the straw basket, my eyes widening as I saw the round, juicy peaches inside, "I know peaches are your favorite. It's just too bad that I couldn't make it into something, so I packed as many as possible into the basket," I grabbed one of the round fruits and sniffed it, my mouth watering as I took a bite. A moan escaped my mouth as I chewed, savoring the sweetness of the fruit. Rick chuckled beside me, grabbed a peach, sank his teeth into it, and wiped his mouth as it squirted at him. Damn, wish I was that peach.
"Where did you find these?" I moaned again as I quickly devoured my peach, "I'm in heaven,"
"There was a greenhouse in one of the towns nearby," Rick chuckled, "I picked the tree clean with you in mind," I placed my hand on my heart and smiled at him, my mouth sticky with the peach juices.
"I'm flattered that you were thinking of me, Grimes," Rick reached over and caressed my face, his thumb tracing the curvature of my bottom lip.
"I'm always thinking about you," He whispered, his face leaning into mine. I felt my breath hitch in my throat as he gently placed a kiss on my sticky lips, his tongue running across them before entering my mouth. Massaging his tongue with mine, I gripped his black-brown waves tightly and hoisted myself, towering over him. Rick moaned into my mouth and lowered his hands onto my hips, pulling me closer to him. He pulled away from me with hesitation and opened his oceanic blue eyes, scanning my face with a small smile. "C'mon," I frowned at his words, saddened that we were shortening our little date.
He stood up and rummaged around the drawer beside him, pulling out his Walkman. Back to gardening duty, I guess. Rising to my feet, I turned to walk out when Rick tightly gripped my wrist, pulling me towards him. My hands found their way to his chest, and I stared up at him, my heart pounding loudly. He grabbed his earbuds and placed one in his ear and mine, his fingers fidgeting with the Walkman.
Slowly, the faint tune of a piano emitted from the earbud, steadily growing in volume. It's been so long since I heard any form of music. Almost immediately, I recognized the song. Close to you by The Carpenters started to play – Karen's soft voice made me smile. Rick smiled at me and wrapped his arms around my waist, slightly swaying us. My hands gripped his shoulders as the song progressed.
Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
We swayed, slowly dancing in guard tower three. My heart was speeding in my chest, almost pounding in my ears as I rested my head on Rick's shoulder.
Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Rick squeezed me, his breathing shaky as he buried his head in my hair and inhaled deeply. I looped my arms around his neck and buried my head in the crook of his neck, savoring this moment.
On the day that you were born the angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue
I smiled and looked up at him, getting lost in his eyes of blue. My breathing nearly stopped as he looked at me, eyes captivating me entirely. Rick leaned down and gently pressed his lips to mine, the two of us still swaying to the music.
That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Rick pulled away from me and smiled, his fingers lightly trailing down my face. Shivers ran down my spine as he caressed me in different places—love radiating from him. The song continued playing, but we were too lost in one another to pay attention to the rest.
"Te amo," He whispered to me. My heart stopped in my chest as I heard him, my eyes glossing over, "I love you so damn much, June." I couldn't stop the tears that escaped my eyes. It's been so long since I've last cried; it almost feels foreign. The difference between last time and this time? This time is out of pure happiness. What did I ever do to deserve a man like Rick?
"I love you," I said, meaning every single word. Rick smiled at me and pressed his lips to mine once more. My heart restarted and pounded in my ears as we shared a passionate kiss—our love filling the room around us. "Where'd you learn to say that?" I questioned as I pulled away, a smile on my face, "I never taught you how to say 'I love you' in Spanish,"
"I had Selena help me," He blushed as he held me tightly. A laugh escaped my lips, and I buried my head in his shoulder, my heart full and happy. The song concluded, and Rick put the earphones away, his eyes glued to me as he tossed his Walkman aside. Unable to control myself anymore, I lunged forward and jumped, my legs wrapping around his waist as I pressed my lips to his with intensity. Rick sat on the dead control panel and let me straddle him. His fingers made quick work of my shirt, tossing it aside as he started to palm my breasts. A moan escaped my lips as he began to kiss down my neck and gently bite me. I eyed his shirt and started to work quickly in unbuttoning it.
Suddenly, the guard tower shook all around us, followed by an explosion. Rick and I tore apart and paused, our eyes wide. With lightning speed, I grabbed my shirt and tugged it on, grabbing the rifle we always had perched in our towers. My hands flew to my hips instinctually, making sure my knife and pistol were there. Feeling the cold steel of my weapons, I raced down the tower steps with Rick following me, his fingers still struggling with the buttons of his shirt.
When Rick and I busted through the door, Daryl and some prison members were ducked behind guard tower three with their weapons drawn. I looked around the guard tower, my eyes widening. A barrage of vehicles lined the front of the prison, but that wasn't what made me panic – a massive tank idled just behind the cars, aimed directly at us.
----*----
Good times never last, do they?