Meet Again (Part 1)
The Walking Dead
Request: Can you write a fic where Shane doesn't die? Like he goes off on his own and meets up with Rick's little sister? The groups eventually meet up and the past comes back like a slap to the head.
Summary: You never expected to see your brother again. Now here he is. This is your chance to have your only family member back. The only problem is what bumps will come up along the way?
Rating: Mature for later chapter
Warning: Doesn't follow the show!
Pairings: Shane Walsh/Reader
AO3 Link: Meet Again Part 1
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“It’s fucking cold.”
That had been the thought going through Rick’s mind the most. It was nearly December, and being on the road was difficult. After a series of near death experiences and meeting various psychos along the way, finding a new home was the one goal that Rick was trying to achieve.
Glancing over his shoulder, he met Michonne’s gaze. Neither had said it but they both knew it was time to find a safe place to lay low. Wandering through the woods wasn’t doing anyone in their group any good.
“Its too quiet”
Carl commented in a low tone. Rick met his eldest son’s eyes with a nod. Carl was right. Things had been too quiet, and it was beginning to become unnerving. Rick hadn’t been used to quiet. Quiet was a forgotten concept for everyone in the group.
A rustle in a nearby bush made everyone freeze. Rick’s hand immediately went to his gun.
There goes the quiet.
Rick thought coldly as Carl shoved Judith behind him.
“Are you bit?”
A voice called from the bushes. Rick frowned, turning his attention back to Michonne. It wasn’t often when they came across another living person. Usually, when they did, it wasn’t good.
“I could ask you the same question.”
Rick replied. A hooded figure stepped out from the bush.
“I’ll be damned. Rick Grimes.”
Rick stepped back.
“Who are you?”
He questioned as the hooded figure chuckled.
“Someone you know well.”
Rick watched with wary eyes as the individual lowered the hood. The moment Rick’s eyes met yours, his mouth dropped. He thought you were dead. He knew you were dead…yet here you were.
Everything about you was mostly. Like everyone else, it appeared that you had been seeing too many cold winters.
“Y/n!”
Rick could barely get it out. His sister…his baby sister. You quickly closed the distance and threw your arms around your brother’s shoulders. It took Rick all of three seconds to hug you back before Carl wrapped his arms around you from behind.
“Aunt Y/n, you're alive!”
You, meanwhile, closed your eyes savoring this moment. This was the moment that you had been dreaming of since everything changed…the moment that you had been praying for.
“Where have you been?”
Rick asked, cupping your face. You shrugged.
“A bit of everywhere. I have a group not far from here. It's worked out enough. I thought you were dead…but you’re here. Shane told me…”
Rick rolled his eyes.
“Well, Shane was dead wrong.”
Rick watched as an unreadable expression crossed your face for a moment before being pushed aside.
“All I care about is that you are alive.”
You replied before turning back to Carl. Your sweet nephew. He had grown so much from the last time you had seen him. Carl now stood taller than you with long hair.
“Look at you! You’re nearly grown.”
Carl shrugged, giving you that same smirk that Rick used to.
“I’m still me.”
He commented, not flinching when you kissed his cheek.
“Yes, you are. I’m so damn sorry I haven’t found either of you before now.”
Rick suddenly remembered the rest of his family. He knew there was a lot to catch up on. So much had changed from the last time that he had seen you a few years before.
“Y/n, a lot has changed. I would like you to meet my wife, Michonne.”
Rick moved aside as Michonne stepped up. He expected your confused expression. If you weren’t confused, he would have been worried.
“Lori died.”
He added. As Rick expected, you didn’t look the least bit upset with this news. It was no secret to Rick that you despised Lori. You had never liked her from the moment that you were introduced.
“Oh…what a shame.”
You replied before turning to Michonne. She watched you with a wary expression on her face before speaking.
“I have heard so much about you. It's a pleasure.”
You nodded, not blaming her for being wary. If the other woman wasn’t wary, you would have been worried about her. One didn’t just run around trusting people anymore. That’s how you got yourself killed.
“Hopefully, we will get to know each other.”
That wasn’t a lie either. Michonne had heard Rick say your name so many times. He had always said one of his biggest failures was not finding you. The subject had been something that Rick blamed himself for.
“She was the best little sister. Y/n was a handful, but she always had my back. If someone said anything about me, she would probably try to fight them…and win.”
Michonne internally smiled at the thought before shaking your hand.
“Hopefully, yes.”
Rick then reached out for Judith.
“You have a niece, too. This is Judith. Honey, this is your Aunt Y/n. Why don’t you come say hello?”
The moment Judith stepped out, you felt your mouth drop. You knew those eyes…Shane’s eyes.
Holy hell, its true.
You thought before swallowing the thought aside before kneeling down.
“Hi there.”
You said with a smile. In all of the years that you had been living, you had wanted a little niece to play with. You had your perfect nephew. Now you needed your perfect niece…and you got her.
“Hi.”
Judith replied before stepping back to Michonne. Carl went back to Judith and held his arms out.
“Aunt Y/n is the best. She brings great presents and plays the best games. You’ll love her.”
He said softly but loud enough for you to hear. Judith again gave you a sweet smile as Rick reached out to ruffle her hair.
Turning your attention back to your brother, you frowned, remembering that the lot of you were just standing in the middle of the woods. Rick clearly seemed ot be on the same brain wave.
“Are you alone?”
He asked. The last thing that he was about to even think of was letting you get away again. If he did, he may never get you back!
“No, I have a group not far from here. I have been keeping watch. You never know about the characters you see anymore. What about the lot of you?”
Rick shrugged.
“We have been on the move for a while. Staying anywhere too long is a bad idea. There are more people in our group not far from here.”
You glanced over your shoulder, making sure there was nothing that was creeping up on you from behind.
“You could always come to my group with me. There is just one little problem that you and I should discuss first.”
“What is it?”
Rick asked. You let your eyes fall to Judith, who had wandered over and was looking at your shoes.
“There is someone in my group that you probably never expected to see again. Whose name starts with an S and last name starts with a W.”
As you expected, Rick’s face immediately went pale before frowning. Shane….Rick never expected to see his former friend again. Now, knowing that you, his baby sister, were in the same league as the man who caused Rick so much grief, made all the alarm bells begin to sound. Rick reached out and gently pulled you away from Judith’s earshot. He wasn’t ready for his little girl to hear this conversation.
“How the hell did you link up with him?”
You shrugged, trying to think of the best way to explain everything to your older brother.
“I was alone, and he was alone. You find something familiar and just hold on. I know about everything, Rick.”
Rick frowned.
“His truth or the actual truth?”
You crossed your arms over your chest.
“The actual truth. Rick, this world brings out the worst in all of us. Shane is no exception and neither was Lori. Regardless, you are Judith’s father. You are the father that she knows. Yet another example of you being a wonderful man that Lori never deserved in the first place.”
Rick sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Shane won’t want to see me. We nearly killed each other.”
You frowned. Never in a million years did you ever expect Shane and Rick’s friendship to end.
This world brings out the worst in everyone.
You thought before speaking.
“Shane is still a hot head that can be rather unpredictable, but I believe deep down he regrets how things went down between the two of you. Neither of you has ever been great about talking about your feelings, so I only have my good guesses to go on”
Rick chuckled.
“Sounds like you are right, as usual. Is he good to you at least?”
You smiled.
“I love him, Rick.”
Rick immediately looked sick. This was exactly what he didn’t want. Why didn’t he expect this? He didn’t know…but he didn't want to hear it.
“Christ, Y/n.”
You held a hand up.
“Rick, I love him. I have loved him for a long time. I think deep down you know it. He’s been good to me.”
Rick continued to rub a hand over his face.
“What is going to happen when it comes to Judith? He’s going to know that's his kid.”
You shook your head. This would definitely be a rough subject in the making, but Shane had accepted long ago that Rick was Judith’s father. When he told you about Lori’s pregnancy a few years beforehand, he accepted that Rick was the father that Judith needed.
It had taken Shane a long time to be able to say that. It took you beating some sense into his brain before he finally accepted the truth.
“Again, Judith is your daughter. You are her father.”
Rick shook his head, taking all of this in. This was beginning to feel like a fever dream.
“Is there anything else that I need to know? Like anything at all?”
He asked. Rick knew that facing Shane was going to be difficult enough. What was he supposed to say?
“Hey, I bet you never expected to see me again?”
“Hello again, asshole! Fuck you for touching my sister. Prepare to die.”
Rick decided against the latter of the two greetings. If Rick wanted to keep you in his life, insulting and potentially killing your boyfriend seemed like a bad place to start (no matter how much he disliked it)
If there were any more "surprises," Rick needed to be prepared.
“Rick, you have a niece.”
You admitted. As you expected, Rick looked as if he needed to sit down. He knelt down and took a few deep breaths. You had a baby….a baby with one of Rick’s former best friend. You could have ended up like Lori and Rick would have never known.
“Y/n…please tell me everything went okay? You could have died….you could have….”
You knelt down, placed hand on Rick’s face, hoping to comfort him.
“But I didn’t. Everything was just fine except I can guarantee you that I am never doing that again.”
Rick placed a hand over yours and brought it down to hold onto. No longer were you the child who used to chase after Rick. Now you were a grown woman, a mother, in the middle of the apocalypse.
“You’ve changed so much, Y/n. You’re a grown woman. I have missed so much of it.”
You squeezed Rick’s hand.
“You don’t have to miss anymore. Please come back with me? I can help take care of your family. You’ll be safe…the kids will be safe. I sure would love to have a sister-in-law that I like. I’m only disappointed that I didn’t get to punch Lori one good time before she died.”
Rick’s blue eyes rolled up to your face before smiling.
“There’s my wild girl. I think you will really like Michonne. She’s an amazing woman.”
You stood up and held out your hand to Rick.
“I want the chance to find out. Don’t worry about Shane. I’ll handle him.”
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