Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, ect., are the property of their respective owners.  The original character and plot are the property of the author.  The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: When the world ended the only thing Birdie Grimes wanted to do was to get home to her family.  When she finds her sister-in-law and best friend on the outskirts of Atlanta, will she finally get the chance to tell him how she really feels?  Will love blossom?  *No evil Shane* 

Warning:  This fan-fiction is rated Mature for Language, Gore and Adult Situations.  Readers under the age of 18 are strongly discouraged from reading.

Pairing: Shane Walsh x Birdie Grimes

Chapter Eighteen

 

It was decided shortly after by Morales and his wife that they wouldn’t be headed with us to the CDC, opting instead to try and make it to Alabama.  I thought they were crazy for leaving the safety of the group when they saw firsthand what could happen when you split numbers.  I hoped the best for them though; it was all I could do.

Jim was already in pain and lying down in the R.V., and for the first time, I really doubted my brother’s gut…it was glaringly obvious that there would be no cure in Jim’s future, CDC or not. 

Everyone was uncomfortable as the last bit of the fires burned down.  Jacqui and Glenn looked disheartened.  T-dog looked like the rest of us…ready to get out of this graveyard. 

Despite any complaints made by Shane, he was indeed needed elsewhere and Daryl ended up driving me and Tru to the Semi.  It was tearful goodbye for everybody…Carl, Ricky and Lori—who had decided to take charge of the Peletier’s Cherokee wagon with Sophia, Carol and a handcuffed Ed in the boot—looked reluctant to let me part from them.  

But no one was worse than Shane.  He made sure to remind me to keep constant CB contact, afraid that at the back of the convoy those Walkers would somehow learn how to fly and attack me from the moon roof. 

Every once in a while Dale would come over the CB and give us status updates on Jim’s condition…the prognosis wasn’t good.  He seemed to be in serious pain, so much so that I could actually hear him groaning over the airways.  As petty as it might sound, I was glad not to be a passenger in that vehicle. 

“Hey babe, switch over ta Channel 20, Comeback…”  Shane’s voice came through the static of my CB. 

Just as I was about to press the call button, my brother’s voice crackled to life. “Now, I know you ain’t talkin’ to me there, Reverend…”  He chuckled. 

“No, he’s talkin’ ta me, asshole…best get off it…”  Daryl chimed in a minute later and I pretty sure I saw him smirk at me in his rearview. 

“Switching over to Channel 20, Over…”  I replied with a laugh, switching the channel before anybody else could start in on us. 

“Hey Sugar-bear, what’cha wearin’? Comeback…”  I heard a perfect impersonation of Cletus Snow not a minute later. 

Trusty’s head popped up at Shane’s much clearer voice, groaning and stickin’ his nose to the speaker.  Poor thing, he missed his Papa already.  Traitor!

“You idiot, you saw me not an hour ago…you know what I’ve got on…”

“So, tell me anyway…Comeback…” 

“Well…”

Before I could get any further, a shrill honk came from Daryl’s truck and he tapped his breaks twice.  Without thought of Shane being left hanging on the line, I switched back over to channel 40. 

“Daryl?  What’s goin’ on…Comeback…” 

“Dale’s says the R.V. turned bad…we’re pulling over…ya copy?…”

“10-4…Over…” 

Within minutes were all stopped in the middle of the highway, plumes of steam rolling from the hood of Dale’s R.V.  I grabbed my rifle, a pistol and left Trusty in the truck.  I felt bad leavin’ him in there, but he’d be more of a hindrance than a help in this situation.  So, with the windows cracked and the AC cranked…blessed AC and made my way up to Daryl’s truck. 

He greeted me at the tailgate, a small smile on his face and his crossbow slung across his shoulders. 

“What’s the problem,” I asked as Daryl and I made it to the front of the R.V.  Shane who had been standing next to Dale instantly moved to my side, nearly knocking Daryl out of the way.  Caveman!

“I told you we’d never get far on that hose,” Dale said, looking miffed.  “I said I needed the one from the Cube Truck.” 

“Can you rig it?”  I asked, hoping that they weren’t planning on making a go for the hose in my rig…I’d fight for my Angel. 

Dale turned to me, wiping his hands on his grease rag.  “That’s all it’s been so far.  It’s more duct-tape than hose.” 

Shane had a set of binoculars held up to his face, scouting the area I supposed.  “I think I see something up ahead.”  He said, pulling the specks from his face and turning to my brother.  “A gas station if we’re lucky.” 

I was about to offer to go with him when Jacqui came flying out the side door of the R.V., she was panicked.  “Ya’ll, it’s Jim.  It’s bad.  I don’t think he can take it anymore.” 

“Well shit,” I said, ignoring the scathing look Lori gave me for cursing in front of Carl. 

“Hey Rick, you wanna old down the fort.  I’ll drive ahead and see what I can bring back.” 

Ricky looked back at Shane and nodded. 

“Yeah, I’ll go too,” T-dog offered before I could open my mouth.  “Back you up.” 

“You keep your eyes open, now,” Shane told me sternly, dropping a kiss to my forehead and squeezing my side tightly in a hug.

“I got’er.” Daryl huffed, nodding his head to me.  Yay me, I get the redneck babysitter.

Shane kissed my head once more before jumping in his jeep along with T and skirting around us to head up the road. 

While Rick went back to the motorhome to check on Jim, Daryl and I decided to do some pillagin’—as he called it.  We found a few things, mostly clothes and toiletries but it was still something.  We decided to keep them in my rig because we weren’t sure how the rest of the group would feel about us “stealing” from the dead, so for now, it was our little secret. 

Rick came out of the R.V. just about the time Daryl and I came back to the convoy.  His face looked haggard and whatever he had seen seemed to age him 10 years in 10 minutes. 

“Ricky, what is it?”  I asked, gripping his arm. 

He pulled me into a side embrace and let out a long sigh.  “It’s Jim…” he said quietly.  “He wants us to leave him here.” 

“What?”  Lori gasped, coming up from behind me as Shane and T-dog screeched to a halt next to them.

“He wants us to just leave him here?”  I asked, shocked.  “He wants to become a walker?” 

Daryl scoffed next to me, muttering under his breath about how it would have been more merciful to put that pix-ax through his skull long ago.  I really agreed with him.  It was hard for me to understand why anyone would want to become one of those things.  Should I ever become infected…for the safety of those I loved, I would want to be…put down. 

In the end, Jim was left sitting under a shade tree and would most likely be rising again within the hour…needless to say; I was ready to get the fuck out of here.

~

“Ricky,” I said fearfully as I took in the mass of infected littered about the grounds of the CDC.  “I don’t think this is a good idea.” 

“It’ll be fine.”  He replied, a little stiffly for him.  Apparently big brother wasn’t so sure of himself anymore. 

“Just keep movin’,” Shane said softly, gripping my elbow almost painfully as we quickly moved across the lawn and up to the sidewalk.  “Stay quiet.” 

Trusty was left in the truck for the time being, I was far too scared of him runnin’ off or getting shot on accident to take him with us until we found out something.  If there was anything here, I would go back for him.  He would be fine in there…even if I left him for a few days.  He had plenty of fresh water and I left the bag of kibble open.  I also brought a container of it in my back pack…just in case we had to get a hold of him quickly. 

“There’s no one here…

“Then why are the shutters down?” My brother replied to whoever had asked the question.  I wasn’t really pay attention.  I was too busy trying not to trip over a dead body. 

“They might have had to lock those things in there, Ricky.”  I hissed, swiftly covering my mouth to try and block out the smell. 

“Walker!”  Daryl suddenly shouted, shoving me up against the shutters while Ricky and the others did the same with Lori, Carl, Sophia, Carol and Andrea.  “You lead us to a graveyard!” 

“He made a call,” Lori shouted, getting defensive.

“It was the wrong damn one!”  Daryl shouted back. 

“Drop it, Daryl…that isn’t helpin’!”  I hissed at him.  “Ricky, we gotta get out of here.” 

“We can’t be here,” Lori said frantically.  “We can’t be this close to the city after dark.” 

“Ft. Benning, Rick, it’s still an option.”  Shane commented, taking down another walker. 

“On what?”  Andrea snipped.  “No fuel, no food.  That’s a hundred miles.” 

“125,” Glenn corrected. 

“I have plenty of food and fuel,” I said, trying to get my brother to see reason.  “We can find more diesel trucks along the way.  We need to go, before we’re over run!” 

“Forget Ft Benning!” Rick screamed at me. “We need answers tonight!” 

“Don’t you dare fuckin’ yell at her!”  Shane yelled, pointing a threatening finger in my brother’s face.  “Let’s get out of here.  Let’s just go.” 

“I’m down,” Daryl agreed.  “I can get me a new shiny truck, Chirp’s got plenty of fuel.” 

“Ricky, you need to make a decision!”  I hissed as the walkers drew in on us.  We were running out of ammo…quickly.  “We’re gettin’ boxed in like this!” 

“Everyone back to the cars!”  Shane finally yelled, grabbing my arm and leading me straight into the fray. 

“The camera just moved.” Rick shouted, pointing and looking for the entire world like a mad man. 

“You imagined it, Ricky…let’s go!”  I said, braking away from Shane and grabbing my brother’s arm. 

He shoved me aside roughly, knocking me to the pavement as he started banging on the door.  “I know you’re in there!  I know you can hear me!  We have women and children!  We need help!  You’re killing us!  You’re killing us!”

“Rick, there’s nobody here!”  Lori shouted as Shane scowled at him, helping me up. 

“You’re killing us!”  My brother screamed once more, pounding on the roll-down shutters with his fists.  

Just as the walker were closing in and we thought that hope was lost, light appeared from the cracks of the door and suddenly we were blinded. 

I had no idea what would await us on the other side of those doors…but all I could pray for was salvation.