The car ride back to the farm is agonizing. It's dark outside now. Hershel is driving, Glenn is in the passenger seat.
Y/N is cradled in Ricks lap. Next to them, is the kid from the roof. Hershel and Rick got him off the fence, put a blindfold on him and shoved him in the car.
Y/N's awake now. And screaming. Loudly.
The bullet was a through-and-through, meaning that it's going to be easier to treat. She should be fine, but it sure as hell hurts.
Rick wrapped a flannel around her torso and now hugs her tight, avoiding the wound. Her head is resting against his chest.
Even with the screaming right in his ear, he doesn't let her go.
They get back to the farm and the headlights shine on the group who is standing outside.
Rick picks Y/N up bridal style and gets her out of the car. Hershel quickly gets out and yells for Patricia.
"Get the bedroom prepped for surgery! The shed too."
Carl gasps. "Dad! Y/N?!"
Everyone looks shocked. Even Lori.
Daryl clenches his jaw. "What the hell happened?"
"She was shot." Rick says, shoving past the group as he leads her in the house.
"By who?!" Daryl shouts after him.
"And who the hell is that?"Andrea asks, pointing inside the car.
Glenn sighs. "That's Randall."
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She has to stay awake for the surgery. Hershel went in to make sure that no fragments remain.
Once he was certain that it's a clean shot, he stitches up both sides.
On her left, stands Rick. Daryl and Glenn wanted to be there too but the room was too crowded so only Rick stayed.
She grips his hand tightly as he whispers things to her like:
"You're doing great."
"You'll be okay."
"It's almost over."
Once it's done, Hershel wraps it in bandage and tells her that she should rest for a few days but she's out of the woods.
He leaves to tend to the Randall kid in the shed, because his leg is severely injured.
Rick stays with her. He squeezes her hand. Her energy is depleted. There's a knock at the door and after a moment, Glenn walks in.
"How are you doing?" He whispers.
She throws him a painful smile. "Better."
Glenn nods and hands a small plastic baggie to Rick. "Some of Merle's prescriptions. Should help with the pain."
He nods. "Thank you." Y/N says.
Glenn leaves and Rick reaches over to put a few pills in her mouth.
She scrunches her face. "I can do it."
He shakes his head. "Just shut up and open your mouth."
Her eyes widen but she does what he says. He puts the medicine in her mouth and grabs a glass of water from the bedside table. He brings the glass up to her lips and she drinks.
She coughs after she swallows. "Thank you." She tells him.
He nods, leaning back in his chair.
"You can leave, if you want. I'm okay."
He doesn't say anything.
"Rick. Seriously, go be with Lori."
Lori got worried about the group and tried taking a car to the town but got into an accident. She's okay but she got a little cut up.
He shakes his head. "You're more important."
Y/N raises her eyebrows. "I'm more important than your pregnant wife?"
He looks at her. "Yes."
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Outside, Rick and Hershel stand around with the others.
Y/N is asleep in bed, knocked out from a side effect of the medicine.
"We couldn't just leave him behind. He would've bled out." Rick says.
Glenn nods. "It's gotten bad in town."
Lori rubs her arms. "What do we do with him?"
Hershel wipes his forehead of sweat. "I repaired his calf muscle as best I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage. Won't be on his feet for at least a week."
Rick nods. "When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way."
Andrea crosses her arms. "Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?"
Rick shrugs. "He'll have a fighting chance."
Shane scoffs. "Just gonna let him go? He knows where we are."
"He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a threat." Rick says.
"Not a threat? One of his men damn nearly killed Y/N. The hell you mean he ain't a threat?" Daryl spits.
"Don't you think I know that?! But he's just a kid." Rick says.
"You killed three of their men. Injured a few others. Took one hostage. We have to assume they'll come looking." Dale says.
"They left him for dead. No one is looking." Rick says.
"We should still post a guard." T-Dog says.
Hershel looks to Rick. "He's out cold right now, will be for hours."
Shane rolls his eyes. "You know what? I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy. Look at this, folks... We're back in fantasy land."
Hershel faces him with a glare. "You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all... This is my farm. Now I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor... Keep your mouth shut."
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A knock on the door wakes Y/N up. She tries her best to sit up, leaning against her pillow.
After a moment, Carl walks in. She smiles at him.
He grins and runs up to her, hugging her.
"Ah." She winces.
"Sorry." Carl mumbles, pulling away.
"It's okay." She replies as he lays on the bed with her, curling into her non-injured side. She smiles when she notices Rick in the doorway.
Carl laughs slightly. "You know what's funny? We've all been shot."
Rick chuckles and Y/N just shakes her head with a laugh.
Carl suddenly sits up, removing his hat, the one Rick was wearing when they met. He sets it on Y/N's head.
She raises an eyebrow at him. "What's that for?"
Carl smiles and leans back into her side. "If you get shot, you can wear the hat."
She laughs again. "I probably look ridiculous."
Rick shakes his head, with a soft look on his face. "You don't."
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YOU ARE READING
Sheriff's lover ||| Rick Grimes x Reader (TWD x Reader)
Fanfiction32 year-old Y/N was all alone on the streets of Atlanta when a man in a sheriffs uniform trots down the road on top of a horse. She decides to join him on his journey to find his family because she doesn't want to be left behind. The two run into a...
