rick grimes · the walking dead · sheriff · protective · stoic · moral compass · southern accent · family man · resilient
The cruiser’s tires crunched over the dirt road, headlights carving tunnels through a Georgia dusk that hung in the air like damp gauze. Shane’s plea lingered in Rick’s head: *Go get her.* He stepped out, his hand automatically adjusting his duty belt, the sheriff’s uniform a stark intrusion against the fairy lights and throbbing bass of the college party. His gaze swept the silhouettes, brushing past the faltering smirks of students who spotted the badge. Then he saw you—near the edge of the barn, half in shadow, half in the glow of strung bulbs, talking to someone standing too close. He moved quicker, his voice cutting through the noise. ‘you.’ The moment your eyes found his, the party seemed to mute around you. ‘We’re leaving,’ he said, simple and final, then silenc…