A Hard Lesson to Learn

Chapter 28

Rick took some time for himself before he went back to Kali's. He knew Michonne was there, so nothing was going to happen to the woman. He made sure that everyone had calmed down after the search for Negan. Rick assured them that it was a freak accident and man would not be enjoying anything close to freedom for a very long time. He failed to mention that he found Kali and Negan surrounded by a large number of empty liquor bottles and both wasted beyond doubt.

Once everyone was satisfied, he headed back to Kali's. Michonne had picked the place up and was waiting on the couch for the woman to wake up. "Anything," Rick asked when he walked inside and sat down beside Michonne on the couch.

"No," she said softly looking over at him. "She's out like a light."

Rick just nodded his head. There was tension between the pair, but it wasn't an angry tension or a sexual one. It was just two people that had gradually fallen out of love with each other.

They waited in silence for a while before Michonne stood to her feet. "I'm going to go check on Judith and make sure everything is okay. Are you okay here?"

"Yeah," Rick said softly looking at the woman before him.

"Come find me if you need help with anything."

"Okay," he said, nodding his head. Michonne gave him a small smile for she left the room and left the house.

Rick waited in silence for a couple of hours. He walked around the house trying to occupy his mind. He looked through the photo albums that Kali had on the bookshelf in the living room. She looked so happy back for the world ended, he thought looking at the photographs of what he assumed was her family. Towards the back of the album, he found pictures of Kali and Negan together. He could see in their eyes how happy they were together. They didn't look like they were in love but instead like they just loved being around each other. Almost like a brother and sister relationship.

The sound of feet running across the room above him pulled Rick from his prying. He shut the book and put it back on the shelve before heading towards the stairs. He could hear the sound of Kali hurling as he got closer to the bathroom. He pushed the door open to see the woman leaned over the toilet both hands one the rim holding herself up.

He walked up behind her and gently pulled her hair back away from her face. He gently rubbed her back as she continued heave into the toilet. Once she was done, he reached over her and flushed the toilet and helped Kali to her feet.

"You okay," he asked her as they walked back to her room.

"No," she said softly as he sat her down on the bed. "No, I'm not okay Rick."

Rick pulled back to look at her. His blue eyes giving away his feeling for her and her brown ones reflecting the message that was clear in his. "Did you help him get out?"

"For fuck's sake Rick, why would I do that? Like I had a plan to break Negan out and just hang around and get drunk with him? Give me a break. My head hurts and I don't want to talk about this right now."

Reaching into his back pocket, Rick pulled out a bottle of Aleve and opened it giving Kali two. He left the room momentary to get a glass of water. When he returned, he gave it to Kali.

"Thanks," she said after she swallowed the pills and drank the glass of water.

"Are you ready to talk now," he asked sitting down next to her on the bed.

"Not really, but I guess you won't leave until we talk so go ahead and talk."

Rick stared at her for a long second before speaking again. "Why do you get like this when I want to talk?"