Rick and Amanda had fallen asleep on Amanda's bed, inside Hershel's home. Amanda and Carl were the only ones who had rooms inside, due to having been injured.
Rick opened his eyes, sighing softly as he looked down at Amanda, grateful she was in his arms. He kissed her temple, crawling out of bed slowly.
As he slid on a clear pair of pants, he noticed a notebook in Amanda's bag. He glanced behind him, looking over at her before he began skimming through the pages.
Amanda had been keeping a journal of everyday since the dead rose. She kept track of dates, spoke about her day, her feelings and thoughts. Rick slowly read the first page, where Amanda spoke about how she took care of Rick.
{ 18 August 2010,
Something weird is going on. I'm not entirely sure. The news said a virus is going around, making people sick and crazy. I'm on shift right now and people keep coming in, screaming and crying. Someone bit one of the security guards and they went crazy. I didn't know what to do. I had to save Rick. I have to keep him alive. Its the least i can do, he's in a coma because of me. I'm hoping it's a small virus, only effecting some people and it dies down. I'm hiding in Ricks room, I boarded up the door. It's currently 2109 and I'm so tired. Im going to make a bed in the corner of the room and stay in here for a few days before I leave to see what's going on. I think that's reasonable. I feel horrible. Guilty. Ricks in a coma and his family probably needs him. I hope Carl is okay. Lori hasn't come to visit him in a few weeks, though, so maybe their relationship is over. Maybe this is fate? Maybe i'm just insane. I need to shift my mindset, he's a patient. A cute one...}
Rick grinned as he closed the book, placing it back in her bag. He walked outside and sighed seeing Shane, arguing with Dale.
Meanwhile, Amanda woke up in bed alone. She stretched quietly, before walking to the bathroom and brushing her teeth.
Amanda walked into the kitchen, wearing a maroon cropped knitted sweater, some faded jeans and brown boots. Amanda began helping Patricia and Beth with breakfast.
Amanda looked up as she heard the door open, "Good morning." Amanda said, watching as Shane stormed over to her, "This was your idea? Your idea to bring Randall?" He basically shouted
"Shane, he's a kid. Once his leg heals, we'll dump him off somewhere." Amanda said calmly.
"You don't even know this kid!" Shane argued
"I don't understand why you're yelling, Shane. No one else is yelling." Amanda said as she held a tray full of items, "Come find me once you've settled down." Amanda said.
Amanda walked outside and over to the group. She sat besides Daryl, placing the tray of items on her lap, "Alright, Patricia and Beth helped me make this loaf of bread, butter and jam. If it's not good, I don't know what I'm good for around here." Amanda said, cutting a slice of bread and putting jam on it. She handed it over to Daryl and watched as it took a bite
"Ain't too bad." Daryl nodded at her
"That's the highest compliment anyone's every received from him." Carol smiled softly
Amanda laughed as she watched Rick walk over, "Hi you." Amanda smiled, standing up. She handed him a plate with eggs, bacon, apple slices and the bread and jam she made.
Rick nodded gratefully, placing a kiss on her forehead as he sighed, "Shane and Andrea are going to find a place to leave Randall." He said, sitting down
"Yeah. He came into the kitchen yelling but I told him to calm down before he came and spoke to me." Amanda said, shifting to look at Rick
"Has Dale talked to you?" Rick questioned
"No, not yet. Why?" Amanda asked
"Dale thinks Shane killed Otis." Rick said softly as he looked up at Amanda.
Amanda's breath hitched in her throat, "no, no way." she said
Rick looked at Amanda, taking in her emotions, "His story has some holes."
"Otis was a fat man, he probably couldn't keep up." Amanda said, refusing to believe she had been in a relationship with a murder.
Rick rubbed Amanda's knee, handing Carol his empty plate, "I don't know. I'm gonna go see Randall." He sighed softly
Amanda nodded, "yeah, okay." she said softly as she watched him stand up. Amanda offered him a weak smile, "I'm gonna go on a run to town, we're running low on supplies. Plus winters around the corner, so we might need some more stuff to store away." Amanda said
"Take Glenn with you." Rick said, glancing around to ensure no one was looking. He cupped Amanda's cheek, giving her a deep but brief kiss, "be back by 11." Rick said, "It's 8 right now, that's plenty of time."
Amanda let a soft moan escape her lips as she kissed him back, opening her eyes and looking up as he pulled away, "okay, i'll see you at 11." amanda smiled
Rick grinned as he rubbed her back, "Be careful." He said before walking over to find Daryl and Hershel.
Amanda and Glenn went a their run to the town and returned at almost noon. Amanda climbed out of the car, looking exhausted. She looked up as Rick jogged over to the car, "what happened to 11?" he questioned
Glenn climbed out the car, looking equally as worn out. He looked up as Maggie walked over, greeting him with a kiss and a smile
Amanda smiled softly at them before looking up at Rick, "I got you something." Amanda said, ignoring his question. She reached into the backseat and pulled out a dark brownish black jacket with sherpa lining
Rick smiled softly as he took the jacket, sliding it on, "fits perfect." he grinned widely, "remind me to say thank you tonight." He smiled. He sighed softly as he rubbed her shoulders.
Andrea and Shane climbed out of Shane's Green Hyundai. Andrea had a smirk on her face and a new hickey on her neck. She smirked happily as she walked towards her tent
Amanda looked over at Lori, who looked angered and distraught, "This is all so odd. All this hiding around, all this nonsense." Amanda admitted to Rick
"It's for Carl." Rick sighed, "And probably Lori's image." He admitted
Amanda forced a smile, nodding, "I'm gonna go put this stuff away inside." She said quietly, walking towards the house.
~*~
The next morning, Rick woke up in Amanda's bed, their bodies tangled up. Rick gently peeled Amanda's arm off his stomach, trying not to wake her, but failed. Amanda opened her eyes, "You okay?" She questioned softly
"Shane and I are going to drop Randall off." Rick said, sitting up in bed.
"I think Dale was right, you know?" Amanda said, sitting up in bed as well, "I think Shane killed Otis." Amanda said softly
"I'll gauge out the situation on our drive." Rick said, leaning down and kissing up Amanda's leg softly, in a nonsexual way, but a loving way.
Amanda smiled softly, "please be careful." She begged softly
Rick smiled, "go back to bed, yeah?" He said, kissing her head before climbing out of bed and grabbing his clothes, changing before walking out
~*~
Rick and Shane came back a little after 3pm. Amanda was sitting on the porch with Beth, knitting. She saw Rick climb out of the car, a gash above his eyebrow, his lip was busted. He had obviously been in a fight.
"Oh my god." Amanda said, running off the porch and down to Rick, "Did Randall do this?" Amanda asked frantically
"Nope. Just had some stuff to hash out." Rick said, glancing over at Shane.
Amanda opened her mouth to say something but stopped when grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her towards the house
"What's going on?" Amanda asked frantically as she let him drag her, "Rick?" Amanda asked
Rick pushed Amanda into the bedroom and shut the door, "He attacked me. He was trying to get me eaten by walkers." Rick said, "Randall had to help me out." Rick said
"Oh my god." Amanda said in disbelief, "We need to get rid of him. He needs to leave." Amanda said
"He won't go anywhere without Lori. Especially now that he knows she pregnant." Rick sighed
"Lori can always leave too." Amanda suggested
Rick looked at Amanda with a soft scowl, "no." He said firmly
Amanda sighed, rolling her eyes as she sat Rick down on the bed. She grabbed her first aid kit and began cleaning off his cuts. There was a knock on the door and Dale walked in, "We need to have a talk about this boy." He said, "He doesn't deserve to die! Shane's in the yard talking about executing him!"
"He brought that to my attention on our trip. I don't necessarily disagree with him." Rick said
"We can't kill him." Amanda said, "We don't kill people." Amanda said as she looked at Rick
"Amanda. He's a liability. He could tell people where we are." Rick sighed
"Rick! Shane just tried to kill you and Randall saved you!" Amanda said in disbelief, looking over at Dale
Dale inhaled softly, "Please, let me talk to everyone. We can meet tomorrow at noon to talk." He begged
Rick sighed, "okay." he said, watching Dale walk out of the room
Amanda looked at Rick in disbelief, "so what's your plan? You're gonna hang him? You're gonna choke him? Shoot him in the head?" Amanda asked him as she backed up from him, "He's a kid. Hershel spent hours in surgery to save him." Amanda argued
"I need to keep you safe. You saw the way those two clowns at the bar were looking at you. Their camp is probably full of-of rapists and perverts." Rick defended, reaching out for her hand
Amanda stepped away, crossing her arms, "No, no. I don't agree." Amanda said
"I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to keep you safe." Rick said, standing up, "That night at Morgans? The car alarm went off, you held me down in bed and ran over to check it out. You know how horrible I felt? You kept sticking your neck out for me. You almost took down Andrea, when we met the group in Atlanta, for me!" Rick shouted, walking over to Amanda, cornering her against the wall, "I will kill anyone I need to, to keep you safe." He growled
Amanda's eyes widened, "Rick, I don't need you to do those things for me." Amanda said as she pressed her back against the wall
"I never said you did." Rick said, lower his voice. He looked down at Ananda, "I'm not losing you." He said as he pressed his forehead against hers