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 Twenty-Four

 

“Birdie…”

No…go, away whoever you are.  Shane was just gettin’ to the good part.  Mmmm.

“Baby…”

I like the sound of that voice…  Oh my…

“God,” I groaned as I came to, feeling his lips trailing across my hip bones would be enough to wake any woman up.  Dear God, those lips. 

I was blissfully sore this morning, and really not ready for round…well, I lost count.  Seriously, does he think we’re still teenagers? 

“Shane?  I can’t…too sore.”  I moaned. 

When he chucked, I finally opened my eyes.  He was fully dressed and smiling up at me from between my parted thighs.  Huh?

“Just thought you might like some breakfast,” he said, leaning down to kiss the 22 tattoo immortalized on left hip.  “T-dog found some powdered eggs and bacon…you need protein girl…gonna float away on me soon.” 

I smacked his shoulder lightly but he only smiled kissing my skin again. 

“Birdie,” he said suddenly, making me squint my eyes at him in confusion.  He looked nervous again.   “I need to ask you somethin’ serious…but I don’t know how you’re gonna take it.” 

Now I was really confused.  “Shane, you can always tell me anythin’ baby, you know that.” 

He nodded, but still looked like a young Shane Walsh I knew before he went to high school and became the Ladies Man of King County. 

It was eerily silent while I waited and the trepidation within me was building with each minute that he stayed that way.  “Shane, you’re scarin’ me.” 

“Marry me?” 

Say what?

My eyes must have looked terrified as they widened to epic proportions, but I couldn’t help it.  In fact, I think I’m hallucinating.  No, I had to be dreaming still. 

“Say that again, baby.  I don’t think I heard ya right the first time.”

He smirked at me this time, placing another tender kiss over his tattoo.  “Marry me?” 

“But—but, we just…I mean, uh, we just…isn’t that a little fast?”  I was a stuttering, blundering mess and I swore to God and all the little Angels that if this was some trick…I would beat his ass black and blue and toss him Daryl to have some fun with, then possibly a walker. 

He sighed.  “Baby, I’ve wanted to marry you my whole life…and now, we just don’t know what’s gonna happen next.  We don’t have the time to date properly, like I should have done, but I know I don’t wanna die without you bein’ mine.” 

“Baby, I don’t wanna get married cause you’re scared the worlds comin’ to an end.” I said reaching up to cup his cheeks, my eyes going wider as I looked at the ring sitting on my forth finger of my left hand. 

“Shane!” I gasped.  “Is that?”

He nodded, his smile growing even though I hadn’t told him yes.  “Nonna’s ring.”

“But—

“Birdie,” he said softly.  “Birdine Lynnette Grimes, I’ve wanted to marry you since we was 16.  Before Mamma died, she gave me that and told me to choose carefully, but I think she already knew who I had in mind.  I’ve known since the day she put that ring in my hand that it never be on anybody’s hand but yours.  So, marry me, Birdie?”  

Sappy.  Damn rotten, sappy man.  I knew how hard it was for him to talk about Celia and here he was, telling me somethin’ that private…

I nodded.  How could I ever even think about telling him no?  Fact of the matter was, I couldn’t. 

His smile grew exponentially, as he parroted me, nodding his head like a fool.  “Yes?” 

“Yes.”  I told him, pulling him down to kiss his sweet lips.  “Yes, Shane.” 

He let out a loud whooping cheer, probably startling everyone in the near vicinity. 

“But Shane,” I laughed, sitting up to put on fresh undergarments.  I still can’t believe he just proposed while I was butt naked, but I guess that suited him.  “How are we gonna get married, it’s not like there’s a minister traveling around looking for future newlyweds?”

He smirked down at me and extended his hand, pulling me up and flush with his chest.  “I don’t care about none of that, baby.  I just want us to be together.  As long as we know that we will be faithful and true to each other, none of that other stuff matters.  Like you always said “A wedding ain’t nothin’ but a piece of paper and a lot of wasted money.” 

I smiled at him; glad that he remembered that I said that when Lori and Ricky had their big, expensive wedding.  And he was right.  Lori was a damn wreck throughout the entire thing; she didn’t even have fun on her wedding day. 

“Well, Mr. Walsh, do you have a ring?” 

He smirked, stuffing his hand into his pocket and pulling out a modest silver band.  He twirled it between his fingers, letting me look at the simple engravings of the woodland trees and…two birds kissing. 

“Baby,” I sighed all girly and pathetic.  “It’s beautiful.” 

“When I saw this a couple of years ago…I don’t even know why I bought it, you know I hate things like this…but when I saw it…I saw you.” 

“Well, you gonna let me put it on you or what?” 

“Yes Ma’am.”  He saluted and dropped the ring into my hand.  

Gingerly, I placed it on his left ring finger and kissed the knuckles there before entwining his fingers with mine and pulling him down for a proper kiss. 

As his tongue parted my mouth and I reached up to tug at his ink colored locks, someone knocked on the friggin’ door. 

“What?” Shane grouched. 

“If ya’ll want breakfast, you’d better get out here.”  Lori said, sounding about as smug as I’ve ever heard her.  I could almost see her smiling through the closed door. 

“Alright Mom, be out in a minute.”  

As we—or well I—finished getting dressed a thought occurred to me and I gasped and held up my hand—the one with the ring.  “Is this why Carl’s been goin’ on about us gettin’ married?”  The look on his face said it all.  “It is, isn’t it?  This was in the little blue box he was talking about.” 

Shane chuckled, kissing the top of my head.  “Ya’know, Lori’s right about one thing, Birdie.” 

“Oh yeah,” I challenged.  “What’s that?”

“You and Rick,” he laughed.  “You’re both blind.”