AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for reading and thank you to brinxb, SoutheastChicagoMom, Guest, Guest and alliesmiley2 for your comments on the last chapter. So sorry for those who have waited for an update, life got in the way! This chapter I have split into two as it was too long...

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts in Italics

The Rookie and The Deputy

Chapter 71

Deputy Jackie quickly rallies everyone around her before they were all called to the starting point. She hands out brand new swim caps from a box just biked over.

Beth catches the retreating back with what looks like angel wings stitched into the black vest and a perfect puff of smoked rings drifting off into the air "Daryl!?" She calls out but he wasn't in hearing distance as he jumps onto his Harley and fires it up.

"Wear them with pride and all the best Officers!" Deputy Jackie shouts out and gets into her line of vision.

Beth returns the rare smile from her Staff Sergeant and accepts the gifted cap dangling in front of her. She had been hurt when she overheard Deputy Jackie voice her opinion but that was all it was, an opinion. She had already decided not hold any bad feelings or grudges towards Deputy Jackie for trying to persuade Rick to change his mind about her. She supposed anyone in senior authority would have done the same. Rick was Chief's number one protégé, the future of the Sheriff's Department and she was just a Rookie, an Officer in training who still had a very long way to go of becoming a somebody. So it was understandable Deputy Jackie was being Deputy Jackie – precautious and protective of Rick, his career and the station's reputation and she was glad that there was someone out there watching out for Rick even if it was work related.

They seemed to have let bygones be bygones as they exchange a look between one another. Any more attempts to change anyone's mind would be a waste of time. She wasn't going to give Rick up for anything and neither would he give her up. If he had, he would have done it by now. He hadn't changed his mind about them and about loving her, she no longer had any doubts and it appeared Deputy Jackie had finally come to realise this and accepted them. She just wonders what everyone else's reactions are going to be like when they all find out. She hopes they won't be weirded out and treat her any differently to how they've always treated her. And the same goes for the treatment of Rick. He had established a good rapport with everyone, they all liked and respected him and she prayed they continued to do so.

Beth pulls off her florescent pink cap and drops it into the bag Leon was holding out.

"Wow, Chief really has gone out spoilin' us!" She says impressed to see KCSD's emblem, her initials and badge number imprinted on her cap. It looked quite expensive and everyone was admiring at their own.

"Yea, you won't be sayin' that when you're slurping Price Life Instant Coffee Granules come Monday for the next two months!" Leon snorts moving along to the next rookie.

Beth rolls her eyes at Leon and then tuts sighing when she remembers the quality of the caffeine did always take a knock when the station needed funds for something more important. She loved her caffeine fix. Needed it especially first thing. The good quality beans that needed to be freshly grinded - not the instant stuff out of a jar everyone spat out as soon as it touched the backs of their mouths. They all ran across the street to one of the stands or Kiosks or if they wanted Class A stuff – they ran across the grass to The Riverside Café but that made a dent in her purse and she had bills and rent to pay so she always counted on the station's caffeine. Daddy had told her to put aside 10% of her salary each month into a savings account for a rainy day and she really couldn't afford to dip into that savings just for a good cup of coffee.

With a pouting frown, she looks over at Chief with his Sheriff Friends from the neighbouring counties and couldn't help but smile watching him. He looked so cute, so happy and in his element like their proud Father bursting with pride "Awwwww!" Beth cooed - drinking stinking cheap coffee for a month or two didn't seem so terrible now seeing her sweet boss practically illuminating rays of light out of him.

She composes herself "We'll be too hyped up celebrating our win to realise anything but our winning!" Beth responds back confidently which earns a huge round of applause and cheers amongst the rookies.

"That's the spirit!" Deputy Lambert says joining in and patting each of their backs as he makes his way towards the benches in front of the stands where Rick, Shane and Jackie were congregated with Leon following closely behind wishing them all good luck.

"We can do it, we've got a fighting chance!" Beth repeats to herself as she stretches out her personalised cap and tries pulling it down over her huge bun "Oh no!"

Whilst Beth was struggling with her cap, she hears her name being called from a distance. She turns around curiously with her eyebrows pulled back by the silicon. Her face lights up with instant delight when she sees the remaining two people who were missing walking towards her "Liv! Judith!" She calls out tugging her cap off with a snap "You came!"

Liv waves to Beth with an ear to ear beam and Judith was so excited to see her, she was fidgeting in Liv's arms pointing to Beth. They hug each other once they meet in the middle with Judith squished in between.

"Ehhhhhh!" Judith puffs out wanting to see, making them laugh.

Beth leans down, kisses Judith's little nose and gladly scoops her up into her arms, wiggling her little body above her head "What Jellybeans?" She asks pulling Judith's floppy hat off her head to take a better look at her and her chubby pink cheeks all flustered with eyes squinting up as the sun shines down over her. Beth returns the floppy hat on Judith's head "There you are squinty!"

Judith cocks her little head to the side, raising her brow with a sweet pouting smile dancing over her lips now they were face to face. Beth and Liv both burst out into a laugh knowing exactly who Judith takes after. The family characteristics seemed to have been passed down from father to daughter and she loved that and she couldn't wait to tell Rick, he loved hearing the new things Judith does.

Liv pulls Judith's nose "Such a cheeky and mischievous adorable little girl just like Rick at this age!"

"You just like that bossy-boots cute daddy of yours, huh?" Beth asks and Judith flops forward, grabbing Beth face with her chubby little hands and presses her nose up against hers humming.

"It's like we haven't seen one another for months!" Beth giggles rubbing her nose with Judith's "We saw each other only a couple of days ago! Remember daddy covered in pink glitter!"

She reminds Judith wiggling her brows and twinkling her fingers with a smirk on her face. Even after a shower the following morning, Rick couldn't shift the glitter. Judith had kept running her fingers through his hair all through breakfast whilst he tried to feed her, to the point she was trying to climb up his body to sit on his shoulders. He had bits still in his hair, his beard he had started to grow, stuck to his skin and sprinkling off of him. Even when Rick kissed her before she left his house for her shift that morning, she walked away with glitter on her face and lips.

"You kids!" Liv scoffs shaking her head at Beth and Rick's shenanigans, remembering the picture message from Beth with Rick in the bathtub covered in pink foam which took Liv back to the food fight she had walked in on in Rick's kitchen sometime back. They were both covered in mash potato.

Liv thought it was wonderful that Rick was able to let his guard down; chill out, let his inner child come out and fool around than being serious and moody all the time like he had become. Even Rick and Beth's little lover's tiffs were cute to watch, they lasted only but a minute and neither could stay apart for too long. But most importantly, Beth didn't badger him to no end or make him feel guilty for no reason. No matter how whacky and unpredictable Beth was, she was infectious in all the good ways. She made Rick smile, she was unlike no other and Liv knew Beth was positively good for him. He needed a girl like Beth in his life, she was a breath of fresh air and a new lease of life for her son. She hadn't seen Rick smile so much as he does now and then there was the confident swagger he had whilst walking around town. It was a very welcoming sight and many of her friends have commented so. Rick was happy with life and the way it was heading and she hoped more than anything, prayed even - she would be buying a nice expensive hat to wear to Church someday soon.

"Uncle Shane had a lot of fun that day, teasing daddy and making passes at him the whole shift!" Beth giggles bringing Liv back to them "Should've seen daddy chasing naughty Uncle Shane all over the station, it was hilarious, Chief pulled them apart by their ears and made them shake hands!"

Judith's nose scrunches, her mouth drops open and she lets out a squeal of laughter revealing tiny little teeth like she understood what Beth had just said. Both Beth and Liv join Judith in her fit of giggles.

"I really wish we could chat and have fun all day, but I gotta go Jellybeans!" Beth blows a sweet kiss to Judith's cheek when she sees Rick standing up trying to see what was taking her so long.

"We'll see you later and get some victory lunch?" Liv suggests when officials come around with clipboards ticking names off a chart and directing each of the participants to the river bank.

"I'd love that!" Beth replies struggling to get her cap on.

Liv rifles through the pink baby-bag. She grabs the cap and dusts a little baby-powder into it. Beth leans her head down holding Judith making faces as Liv slides the cap on and adjusts it whilst pushing in lose strands of hair with her fingertips.

"Done!" Liv exhales and takes Judith back when the tall man asks Beth her name, runs his pen down the list, ticks it off, wishes her luck as he points towards the river bank.

Beth quickly hugs Liv and dashes off following the others.

"Oh, my mama's up at the stands!" Beth twirls around "Please can you keep her company, she's amazing, you'll really love her!" Beth asks over her shoulder as she scurries away.

Liv rushes behind Beth, telling her she will and by the time she makes it out into the blinding sunshine out of breath with Judith in her arm and baby-bag dangling off her shoulder, Beth had disappeared amongst the dozens of bodies gearing up to charge into the water once the pistol shot off into the air.

Judith frowns looking around, lips wobbling as she does, tears threatening to run down her cheeks not able to see Beth.

"Don't worry Angel-Delight, we'll try and spot Beth on the monitors!" Liv points up at the large tv screens where everything would hopefully be shown live.

Judith huffs tiny whimpers, then abruptly stops and points up ahead "Beeeeef!"

"See!" Liv beams with Judith as they make their way towards the stand containing The Greene's watching the camera zoom past Beth, Tara, Amy and Rosita – they all cheer and whoop the loudest.

"Hey Mrs G!" Shawn stands up as everyone shuffles down one so Liv can take a seat beside Annette.

"Annette, I'm," Liv begins to introduce herself slipping into the seat.

"Liv! Rick's mother and this gorgeous little girl must be Miss Judith Grimes a.k.a Jellybeans! I've heard so much about?" Annette asks leaning forward to take a look at the girl whose stolen her daughter's heart, she tickles Judith's belly "Hi there gorgeous!"

Liv enjoys watching Judith staring up at Annette curiously as she sucks on her fist. And it was like it almost hit Judith when she looks deep into those familiar blue eyes. Her lips turn up at the corners, she smiles shyly burying her face into Liv's chest whilst peeping a look back at Annette.

"I'm Beth's Mama. It's finally really nice to meet you and put a face to the name!" Annette winks to Judith "She's just too precious!" She sighs telling Liv who agrees, running her fingers through the top of Judith's hair as Judith looks up her with a big dribbled smile blinking.

Belle pops out from under the seat, takes a look at Judith and steps back between Annette's legs a little startled.

"Belle honey, this is Deputy Grime's daughter, Judith." Annette introduces squeezing Belle's little hand clutched onto her knee.

"Deputy Grimes's daughter?" Belle repeats confusedly "Judith?" She wonders trying to think hard and then her face spreads into a slow smile "Rickelicious's baby?!"

"Yes!" Annette chuckles as does Liv at Beth's pet name for Rick which Belle seems to have adopted.

"She's so cuteeee!" Belle squeals jumping forward, poking her face into Judith's "Hiiii, I'm Isabelle but everyone calls me Belle but I like the name Bellatrix and I'm gonna be a police lady when I grow up and Franklin my ducky will be my partner, you wanna join us?"

"Oh my, she's just like a miniature Beth!" Liv gushes at adorable Belle to Annette.

"You would think they were one and the same!" Annette agrees running her hand down Belle's little ponytail "What is it honey?" She asks when Belle stands there having zoned out.

"When Rickelicious marries Aunt Bethy, Judith will be my," Belle scratches her head in thought "cousin like David and Simon?" She points to the twins trying to give each other wedgies with Maggie breaking them apart and spanking their bottoms.

"Erm," Annette says looking at Liv and then taking a look over at Herschel sat beside Liv with a pouting frown plastered to his face listening to Belle innocently rambling off.

"Let's say, that could be a possibility in the future but for now it's Deputy Grimes to you young lady!" Annette tells Belle looking over at Herschel who was rubbing a frustrated hand over his face.

"Juju, we will definitely be cousins, I know it!" Belle tells Judith behind her foam finger. "Cause, Rickelicious loves Aunt Bethy, see dhere!" Belle points down towards Rick clapping along with the crowd with a big fat goofy smile on his face watching Beth.

Judith's face lights up watching Belle waving her foam finger up in the air whilst dancing and cheering along with the music that was pumping out the speakers. She smacks her little hands together as she wiggles on Liv's lap whilst she and Annette get better acquainted.

David and Simon rush over to join in, Belle pulls them into a huddle and whispers into their ears.

"Hey Juju-Binx!" David holds up his fist for a fist-bump "Welcome to The Cool Kid's Club, only the coolest kids get to join and Belle says you're one of us now! What skills do you have?"

Judith leans forward and takes David's fist into her mouth and slobbers it making Simon and Belle giggle into their hands when David holds his fist up covered in baby dribble.

"Thank you?" David's face twists, turns around running with Simon hot on his heels "Mommmmmyy! I've been Grimed!"

Belle jumps up and down doing a victory dance that she was no longer the only girl in the Cool Kid's Club, it would no longer be two against one. She now had Judith as an allied.

Beneath King Counties designated stand - Rick, Shane, Lambert and Leon were all hunched over a map checking out the route of the triathlon and the transition points when a friendly voice interrupts their discussion. When Rick looks over his shoulder, he smiles, stands up and shakes the extended hand.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Deputy Paul Rovia," Rick introduces Jesus to everyone "Beth's training partner from the Swim Centre." He clarifies when everyone looks puzzled.

"But everyone calls me Jesus." He smiles holding out his hand to Shane who was standing beside Rick.

"Deputy Jesus huh?" Shane scoffs giving Jesus's hand a firm shake "You related to Mary and Joseph - you the holy one?" He chuckles loudly nudging Leon who was snorting along.

"Dear Lord!" Lambert scrunches his eyes shut whilst shaking his head at Shane and Leon's infantile behaviour, which only serves to make the two idiots laugh louder.

"Shane!" Rick hisses between gritted teeth, throwing him a look to stop and shut the hell up.

Leon gulps with remorse and swallows the gum he had been chewing for the past few hours when Rick's piercing eyes suddenly cut to him. He instantly cowers to a stop, staring down at the ground and trying not to choke. He knew if there was a time to keep his mouth zipped shut, it was when Rick Grimes gave you that terrifyingly scowl he had given and most definitely was still giving.

"It's alright Rick!" Jesus intervenes placing a hand on Rick's shoulder seeing gangly Leon Basset hand trembling holding the map "I never get tired of hearing it! It never gets old, it's okay - honest!" He promises and lets out an amused laugh to prove he didn't care.

Shane had stopped laughing and was focusing his eyes on Jesus's perfectly healthy long hair and beard. Before Shane could make another wise crack and before Rick slapped the upside of his head, Lambert takes the conversation into his hands and reaches out "It's good to meet you Jesus, which neighbourhood?" He asks with a kind smile.

"Linden County!" Jesus confirms standing there, arms crossed over his chest with a smile "I guess, that makes us neighbours."

"Guess we are neighbours, neighbour!" Lambert reaches out and gently smacks Jesus's back.

Rick was glad for at least one of his colleagues to be sensible, grownup and welcoming. He could always rely on Lambert.

Shane was stood there, brows arched together and looks up when it suddenly dawns on him.

"You work for that narcissistic lunatic! You his spy?" He questions with a frown.

Jesus just lets out a scoff.

Shane was being serious, he takes a step forward "You been spying on our rookies, our women!?" Shane gets into Jesus's face with a snarl "Dick-face send you over here to mess with us, to sabotage us so y'all can cheat and win?"

Rick, Lambert and Leon leap in between Shane and Jesus with Rick pushing Shane away and Lambert stepping in front of Jesus as a protective wall, not that Jesus needed one – he looked like he could handle himself even though Shane towers over him with his broad shoulders.

"Well?" Shane snaps frustrated not getting a response.

"Shane, enough!" Rick steps in and grabs hold of Shane's t-shirt, scrunched between his fists.

He watches Shane cautiously knowing he could at any moment pounce. His childhood friend and partner was hot headed and went in guns blazing without a second thought, and a lot of the times that got him into trouble.

"Rick, he's been spendin' time with Beth and you okay with that?" Shane asks red in the face troubled "Either he wants to get balls deep into Beth or he's got an ulterior motive and I say he's playin' all of us with his innocent lookin' face and charm! You're bein' blindsided with his bullshit!" Shane fumes and swings his head back to Jesus with a deadly glare.

Jesus was staring right back at Shane not knowing whether to laugh or take Mr Muscle Man seriously. His eyes move to Rick who had a hold of Shane.

Rick turned his head to face Jesus with a calculated look. He had been apprehensive of Jesus at first, thinking he was trying to put the moves on Beth the first time they met but spending time with him with Beth and Judith, he knew there wasn't any ulterior motive behind Jesus befriending Beth. Jesus was just a friendly guy who met Beth at the pool with a common interest who genuinely didn't mind training with her twice a week for the past month. They hit it off instantly. He wasn't threatened of Jesus like he once would have been when he and Beth were dancing around their feelings. But for Beth's safety, he did carryout background checks on Deputy Rovia and he came up with nothing of concern, only glowing reports and news clippings of his bravery. He holds Jesus's gaze, looks straight into his eyes and decided to go with his gut feeling.

"His superior has a screw loose, has a reputation, he's as dirty as dirty cops come but Jesus's nothing like that devil! Jesus is a decent and respectable Officer. If he wasn't and messing with Beth, I'd have buried him six feet under already!" Rick states matter of fact.

"You think I'd have let Beth and Judith anywhere near him if he was dirty and corrupt?" Rick asks turning to face his partner with a frown.

Shane was about to answer but muffles his lips tightly shut as he knows how protective Rick is of his kids and of Beth. The safety and wellbeing of his family meant more to him than anything. He wouldn't allow a lowlife near them, let alone into their daily lives. Rick would have done the checks, he felt like a big idiot for not thinking.

Before Rick could apologise to Jesus for being subjected to an interrogation - lo and behold, the devil himself appears.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't King County's Super-Duper-Cop, Rick Grimes and his Merry Men!" comes the gravelly sarcastic voice.

Rick grimaces, wishing it was anyone but the pain in his ass adversary coming up behind him. He never saw eye to eye with Negan in all the years they'd known one another since the academy years of his youth. Rick turns around and acknowledges Negan's presence with a nod. He bites down on his inner bottom lip when he comes face to face with that smirky face with dancing eyes which were checking him out.

"WOW!" Negan moans surprised, clearly impressed at what he sees.

"Lookin' mighty fine Rick! LOVE what you've done to yourself! LOVE the fluff on your cheeks, the longer hair. Gives you a look of edginess, dangerous even compared to that Poster-Boy-Clean-Police Officer-look you always rocked around with, so dangerous lookin' even my dick jumped in surprise!" Negan laughs draping his arm around Leon's neck.

Rick just stares at Negan with a blank face.

"Yet still the serious Regimental Rick! A leopard can't change its spots!" Negan sighs making that irritating sucking noise between his perfectly white teeth. Leon looks to Rick to rescue him.

"Why do I feel like my ears are fuckin' burning?" Negan ask looking from one man to the other rubbing his ear.

Leon becomes nervous. His forehead begins to glisten with sweat, his hands become clammy and twitchy as well as his eyes – neither movements escape the notice of Negan as he scrutinises each of them standing before him.

"Wait an effing minute!" Deputy Negan whispers with a pregnant pause "It wasn't you guys was it?" He asks pointing to each of them and then a bark of laughter follows and then stops dramatically. He gives them a surprised "o" look, tutting as he shakes his head when nobody answers. They didn't need to answer as their silence answered on their behalves.

"Very bad!" Negan tuts wagging his finger as he lets Leon go.

He walks between them and stops when he comes to a familiar face "Jesus?" He looks surprised to see his subordinate with The Deputies of King County "Interesting the company you keep!" He adds holding his hips waiting for an explanation, not happy with a deadly scowl "This should be good!"

Before Jesus could give an explanation, the final announcement booms out the antennas informing everyone the race was about to start in less than a minute.

"Saved by the bell!" Negan smiles flashing his teeth to Jesus and then turns it to Rick standing face to face with him "May the best man win!" He extends out his hand.

Holding Negan's confident gaze, Rick reaches out and firmly shakes his hand "He will!" He responds just as confidently back.

After what seemed a beat too long, they release one another's clasped hands and scowls. Negan Walks off, gesturing for Jesus to follow with Rick and the rest of them watching as they go.

"Can't we just shoot him and drop him off a cliff!" Shane complains stomping back to the stands.

A/N:- I will try my best to get the next chapter full of fun and more up soon before I go on a little break. I hope you will join me next chapter! xoxo