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 Three

 

Lori laughed, shaking her head at me as she pulled me along and introduced me to the rest of the group.  I officially met the old town miser; Dale and Daryl’s brother Merle—who seemed to take a keener interest in staring at my ass than remembering my name. 

“Leave it to you to make friends with the worst two out of the group.”  Lori commented with a laugh and I had to agree with her.  If there was a bad-boy in a hundred mile radius—I was sure to find them or vise-verse. 

Then I met Andrea and Amy, sisters who had come by way of Florida like me.  The younger one was a blast but Andrea had snotty bitch written all over her face. 

Goodie.

Then there was the Peletier family.  I loved little Sophia instantly and she reminded me intensely of me when I was her age—shy and awkward—of course I had Rick and Shane torturing the living daylights out of me at the time, so thankfully I grew out of it. 

Carol was a sweet woman and you could just see that she had a good heart, it was written all over her face—I wish I could say as much for her husband Ed.  While I’ll admit that Merle’s eyes lingered on the flesh of my derriere for much longer than was appreciated, it was obvious that he would only make a nasty comment or two and then he’d be on his way.  Ed—on the other hand looked like he wanted to eat me alive—uncomfortable was an understatement.  

“Stay away from that one,” Lori whispered, gripping my arm firmly.  “I don’t know what’s wrong with him but some of us think he beats on Carol.”

“Noted.” I told her, narrowing my eyes at said man.  I didn’t like that bastard one bit. 

As I was introduced to the others, Jim, Jacqui, T-dog…I quickly realized that it might take me a while to remember all of their names.  There were just so many of them. 

“Shane’s going to be so happy to see you.”  Lori commented as we made our way to the tent she offered to share with me. 

My eyes widened.  “Shane’s here?”

She nodded, smiling slyly.  Oh boy.  “Don’t look at me like that Lori.  We’ve talked about this so many times.  Shane doesn’t think about me like that.”

She looked taken back.  “You don’t understand… he was so upset.”

“Well, I am one of his best friends, Lor.”

She shook her head.  “No…no, you really don’t understand.  You didn’t see his face when they bombed Atlanta…he scared me so—

Her voice trailed off as the rumbling of a vehicle came to a stop in the middle of camp.  Glenn jumped out, running over to me with looked like some homemade jerky.  “Hey, Birdie.”

“Hey—

“Hey Glenn, what the Hell you doin’?”  His deep, gruff voice grabbed my ears and my attention.

“Is that—

“Uh-hun.”  Lori chuckled, her face the epitome of smug.  Bitch knew how crazy I was about him and here she is laughing at my red face. 

“Tru…go get Papa Walsh.  Go get Papa Hair-gel.”  I coo and Lori snorts.  “Go get’em.” 

Trusty barked loudly and took off at a sprint—at the same time Carl yelled, “Uncle Shane, look!”

My face flamed as Shane’s head jerked up at Carl’s voice.  He smiled at my nephew and then looked utterly confused as Trusty slammed into him—paws on his chest—nearly knocking him over.  At least someone—namely Trusty—hadn’t lost any weight since the apocalypse began. 

“Tru?  Is that you boy?”  Shane said, dropping to his knees.  “Is yer Mama here?  Where is she boy?”  He asked as he rubbed Trusty ears, his eyes scanning the group until they landed on me. 

I gave him a shy smile and a wave.  “Hi.”

“Birdy?”  He asked, looking for the entire world like he had just seen a ghost as he stood and started running toward me.  “Birdie!” 

He slammed into me, picking me up straight of the ground and squeezing me to him. 

“Birdie, Birdie, Birdie.”  He chanted hugging me tighter until I had little left to do but wrap my legs around his hips.  I was pretty sure I resembled a tomato now, so I just burrowed my head into Shane’s shoulder and prayed to God that my face would be normal when he pulled away. 

“When they dropped them bombs on the city…God darlin’, I thought the worst…I thought you were dead…”  He was shaking, and I noticed that the shoulder of my shirt was wet.  He was crying.

“Shuhh,” I soothed.  “I didn’t even make it too Atlanta until after all that happened.  I was on the other side of McDonough when the outbreak hit.”

He just squeezed me tighter.  “God Birdie, I thought…I thought…”

“Hey, I’m still here.”  I told him, running my fingers through his hair.  “I’m here.” 

He pulled back, his dark eyes regarding my light ones before he pressed a hard kiss to my forehead and for just a moment, I thought for sure that he was going to kiss me properly. 

“Uh…I hate to interrupt, but…” Dale started. 

“But you will.”  Shane replied tersely.  I couldn’t blame him for getting snippy, this was kind of a bad time. 

“Forgive me,” Dale said looking sheepish.  “I…we need to gather the volunteers heading to Atlanta.” 

“Yeah,” Shane said, removing the ball-cap from his head and running his fingers through his hair before replacing it.  “Yeah, al’righ.”

He turned to me then and laid a sweet kiss on my cheeks that made my face go all fire-hydrant again.  “I’ll catch up with you later, darlin’.” 

“Okay.”  He smiled at me—that damn cocky smile—and took off at a jog back down the hill. 

Lori laughed at me, shaking her head.  “Well?”

“Well, what?”  I asked sweetly, feigning ignorance. 

“Naw-uh,” She said, shaking her head.  “Don’t you dare pull that with me Birdie-Lynn.  You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Sighing, I turned my flushed face towards her.  “So, you might have been a little right.” 

She scoffed, brushing her chestnut locks off her sweaty neck.  “A little right?”

“Look Lor, just because he got upset seeing me doesn’t me where destined—like I know you’re thinking.”

“Oh Lil’ Bird, you just don’t get it.” She sighed as she walked us to our tent and then she snorted.  “You’re so smart and yet so…stupid, just like…”  She stopped, her words choking up in her throat. 

“Oh Lori…”

She shook her head, wiping her eyes and under her nose, roughly pushing the pain away.  “You know, that first time Rick brought me to your Mama’s Sunday night dinner…I thought you and Shane were married.”

“What?”  My eyes darted into my hairline as my eyes widened.  “Seriously?”

“Oh yeah,” She laughing slightly.  “I didn’t say anything until after we left…and then Rick just laughed.  I mean…he laughed hard, like I had just said the stupidest thing he’d ever heard.  He said you two were more likely to kill each other than you were to ever marry.”  She told me shaking her head at me again.  “We argued for years about the subject.” 

“Lori,” I said, laughing.  “I still think you’re crazy.”