Fall was coming fast! The long hot days quickly turned cooler. Rick worried that everyone wouldn't be ready. "We've got to get crackin." Rick thought as he walked through the woods. Everyone was getting antsy about the cold weather coming. As he walked the sound of leave crunching stopped Rick dead in his tracks. He took a deep breath and followed the sound. Surely no walker would come out this far. After a few more steps he came across a woman with dirty blonde hair standing alone. Her back was turned to Rick. She didn't move. Rick figured she probably thought he was a walker too. "Excuse me ma'am. I'm a police officer. I won't hurt you." Something about her was strangely familiar. She stood still not moving a muscle. "You bit?" Rick shook his head, "No. Why don't you turn around here and we can talk." She started to turn and Rick felt sadness and shock when he saw her face.
"Hailey?" He gasped looking at his little sister's face. Rick thought she would be dead yet here she was in front of him. Her face mirrored his expression. "Rick! Oh my god!" She ran to him jumping in his arms. Rick held her tightly before kissing her forehead. "Oh Hailey I have been worried about you. Why did you stay away from us for 4 years for? Was it Shane?" Hailey sighed thinking about her boyfriend who she still had some sort of feelings for. She looked at Rick sadly. They had always been close throughout childhood. He was a couple of years older than her but treated her like a princess. "In some ways…There's a lot to explain Rick." He looked at her carefully. Rick had enough common sense to know that there was an underlying meaning to her words. "Tell me everything than you can come back with me. Everyone will be glad to see you." Hailey sighed, "I can't tell you Rick but I can show you. Lexi its safe." About that time a little girl stepped out of a bush. She couldn't be more than 4. Rick looked at her with an open mouth. She was small with brown hair and brown eyes…Shane's eyes. Rick looked at Hailey sadly, "Hailey why didn't you tell me? Does Shane know?" Hailey shook her head. "The day I was going to tell him I caught him kissing Tina Felton. That's the day I left." Lexi looked at Rick with a wary expression, "Who is he mommy?" Hailey smiled knelling down beside her daughter. "Lexi this is your uncle Rick. He's my brother." Rick smiled knelling down in front of her. She sure reminded him of Shane. "Hi sweetie. Boy you sure are pretty." She smiled walking to Rick wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you for finding us." Rick looked at his sister. "Come on you are coming back with me."
It took Rick some time to convince Hailey to follow his especially when he said Shane was there. "Shane's my daddy right?" Lexi asked as they walked through the woods. Hailey kissed her daughters little cheek. "Yes." Rick looked at his niece sadly. She was more than met the eye and obviously smarter than your average 4 year old. Rick stepped into try to get her mind off of the father she didn't know. "Lexi your Aunt Lori and cousin Carl will be very happy to see you." Lexi grinned, "Yay I can have someone to play with!"
As they got back to Herschel's farm Lori came running out to meet Rick but froze when she saw Hailey. She took off down the steps and ran to Hailey who eagerly hugged her sister in law. Lori wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at little Lexi. "Oh I want to kill him now. How could he not want this precious little angel?" Hailey looked at Lori sadly. She had never told Lori and Rick about Lexi because she didn't want Shane to know. If he was going to cheat on her with some whore than he wouldn't care if they were having a child so Hailey didn't say anything. Lori smiled looking at Lexi, "Why don't you come inside with your Auntie Lori and let me get you something to eat?" Lexi looked really happy at that. "Yes please." Hailey smiled as she watched Lori carry Lexi into the house. Rick smiled, "Come on sis. Let's go over here and talk. I want to hear everything you have been doing this past 4 years."
Shane was worn out! He had spent most of the morning collecting water. He was thankful it was getting fall. The whole damn summer was to hot! He was looking forward to nothing more than a nap or drowning himself in spring. With a groan he walked into the kitchen where everyone was standing around. "Hey look we can all fit in the kitchen what do ya know." Everyone turned to look at Shane when he started talking. They all looked like someone had died. Andrea was holding a little girl on her lap. Shane frowned. The kid looked familiar. She didn't even look up at him instead was focusing on the pudding Lori was feeding her. "I think I will like it here. You all keep feeding me yummies." Lori stood up looking at Shane. "You big bully I am going to kill you!" She flew at him but was caught by Rick. "Lori he don't know!" Shane was totally confused. "What the hell did I do now?" He said angrily. The little girl look up. "Who is he?"." Her voice was smooth and she looked at him like she was surveying a bug. Shane frowned, "Who are you?" About that time the door opened and someone he thought he would never see again walked in. His hear stopped seeing Hailey's face. She still looked so beautiful but froze when she saw him. Hailey looked at the face of the man she loved and had the strange want to run…as fast as she could. He still looked amazing…still had the body of a god." Shane stepped forward, "Hailey? How are you?" She shrugged, "Hello Shane." The little girl on Andreas lap jumped off and looked right at Shane. "Mommy?" Hailey looked at Lexi with a panicked expression. Rick quickly picked Lexi up, frowning at Shane, and walked to the other side of the room. Shane couldn't move when the little girl said mommy. "Mommy?" He questioned looking at Hailey with a frown. Hailey took a breath. "Yes. Shane this is your daughter Lexi."