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 Five

 

“Stop moving,” Lori told Carl as she popped him in the head with her comb for the thousandth time. 

Shane chucked next to me, running a greasy rag over the barrel of his shotgun, again!  “You think that’s bad?  Wait until you start shavin’, you’ll be wishin’ for one of your Mama’s haircuts.”

Carl scoffed, clearly unimpressed with Shane’s logic.  “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Carl, stop taking after your Aunt Birdie so much, it ain’t healthy.”  I told him, sniggering when he childishly stuck his tongue out at me. 

“Tell ya what,” Shane said, resting his shotgun on the side of my chair before leaning forward and resting his elbows on his thighs.  “Get through this with some manly dignity and tomorrow I’ll teach ya somethin’ special.”

“You better take him up on it, Carl.  Your Uncle Shane’s head is full of worthless knowledge I would have killed to have at your age.”  I told him, seeing the spark in his eyes as I ducked the mock swipe from Shane. 

“Worthless!”  He cried indignantly and Trusty groaned, rolling onto his back as he desperately tried to catch Shane’s attention. 

Lori—the poor woman—had to put down her scissors she was laughing so hard.  Carl was snorting it up as he watched Shane—badly—pretended to pout like a little girl. 

“Ya wound me, darlin’.” He said as if he were hurt.  “It’s alright, I was gonna see if you wanted to learn how to catch frogs with us men…but now…” he trailed off. 

“I’ve caught a frog.”  Carl stated proudly, puffing out his chest while Lori and I tried not to laugh at the fact that his cheeks seemed to puff out more than his scrawny frame.  God, he looked so much like Rick at that age.

“I said frogs.  Plural.  It’s an art form, my friend.  It’s not to be taken lightly.”  Shane said, smiling.  He was probably thinking back to when he and Rick would come home, covered in mud, spouting off heroic tales of their adventures.  Mama would nearly have a heart-attack every single time. 

“There are ways and means few know about.  Well, I’m willin’ to share my secrets but only with you since your aunt’s nothin’ but a traitor.”  Shane continued but Carl was looking back at Lori. 

I gasped in mock hurt.  “Oh no, Lori, there not gonna let me catch slimy reptiles with them!” 

Lori snorted but Shane frowned and again took a swat at my head, “Shut-up, you.” 

He turned back to Carl, “It’s a onetime opportunity.” 

Carl looked at Shane, confusion furrowing his brows as he squinted against the sun.  “Why do we need frogs, plural?” 

Shane looked from Lori to me, a mischievous smile playing on his lips and I had a bad feeling I knew where this was going.  “Ever eat frog legs?” 

Carl’s face soured, his nose twisting up disgustedly.  I’m sure my face mirrored his perfectly.  “Ew!” 

“No, yum!” Shane said, making that slurping sound he knew I hated.  My body shuddered instinctively and Shane chuckled and threw and arm over my shoulder. 

“No, he’s right.  Ew.”  Lori said, her own face looking a little green. 

Shane smirked at our discomfort as he drug me—and my chair, as my ass was still attached to it—closer to him.  “We get down to that last can of beans you’re gonna be lovin’ those frog legs, darlin’.” 

“Oh Shane, these frog legs were just delicious. You’re my hero, may I please have another?”  Shane mocked in a girly voice and this time it was my turn to swat at him.  I hit him in the stomach and he grunted through a laugh. 

“Pigs’ll fly before I ever sound like that.”  I told him, trying not to smile though I could feel that I was doing a very bad job at it.

Shane shook his head at Carl and winked, “Don’t listen to’em, man.  We’ll be hero’s.” 

It had to have been around 3:00 PM when we all heard it.  The loud blurring of a car alarm coming towards us fast, I had no idea what might make that sound—other than a car alarm. 

Everyone was running toward the R.V. from different directions, all curious to see what the commotion was all about and Trusty was barkin’ up a storm. 

“Shut-up, Trusty.”  I scolded, swatting his backside lightly.  He barked once more and then fell silent, but his the fur on the back of his neck remained up as he growled. 

Shane jumped to his feet, all playfulness put aside as he grabbed the shotgun that was still resting beside me.  “Talk to me, Dale.” 

“Can’t tell just yet.”  He replied, squinting into his binoculars to look down the road. 

Amy looked a frantic mess as she ran up to the motorhome, her chest heaving with every breath.  “Is it them?  Are they back?” 

The old man let out a small chuckle and muttered, “I’ll be damned.” 

Lori, who was now hanging onto Carl like he might disappear, put her hand up to shield her eyes and asked, “What is it?”

“Stolen car would be my guess.”  He said, looking down at us, his eyes wide with disbelief and a hint of amusement. 

“Who would be such a dumbass?”  I asked, immediately regretting it when Lori pinched my behind and looked pointedly down at Carl.  Oops.

“Ow,” I grumbled, using my hand to rub the sore spot. 

“Shane can kiss it better later.”  Lori said with a half-smirk.

“Lori!” I admonished but she just chuckled and looked down again; she was covering Carl’s ears with her hands. 

“Why you Bi---.” 

And Lori suddenly let go of his ears.  Thankfully, I was able to cut myself off before “tch” could tack itself onto that very inappropriate word, and thankfully Shane was none the wiser to what Lori had said.  If that smug bastard got wind of it, he’d never let me live down how red my face had suddenly become. 

Lori and I stood with Carl sandwiched between us—a wall of Mama-Bear security protecting him when the red Dodge Charger roared into camp, the alarm still blaring. 

Collectively, we all sighed in relief when Glenn’s head popped out from the driver side, smiling a huge smile while Dale, Shane and Jim ran towards him. 

“Turn that damn thing off!”  Dale yelled.

Finally realizing that this wasn’t the time to be smug, Glenn paled and threw up his hands.  “I don’t know how!”

“Pop the hood,” Shane growled, shoving past Amy as she shrieked question after question at Glenn, begging to know the details of her sister’s whereabouts.  

After the hood was popped, and Jim disconnected the battery, Shane turned a shrinking glare on Glenn.  “Are you crazy drivin’ this thing up here?  You tryin’ to draw every walker for miles?” 

“Shane!”  Both Lori and I snapped, both unhappy with the way he was scaring the kid. 

Shane turned to me, an apologetic smile on his face as he pulled off his cap and wiped the sweat from his brow. 

“Is everyone alright?”  Dale asked, resting a hand on Glenn’s shoulder.  It was obvious the kid was beat and had clearly been through Hell.

“Yeah…

I quit paying attention as the white Fernac truck pulled in behind Glenn’s get-away car and our group started to spill out from the back.  Andrea was the first and was met by a crushing hug from Amy. 

But the world really died away as I found familiar ice-blue eyes staring back at me—identical to my own and Carl yelled “Dad!”