First fanfic so please be nice :)))

So this fanfic is based all the way back in season 1. It's when Shane, Lori and Carl join up with the others "Dale, Andrea, Carol, Dixon brothers, etc). Not sure how long I'll decide to make it, we shall just have to wait and see. I'm a huge Caryl shipper so this is leading up to Carol and Daryl's first meeting.

So yeah, here goes...

Shane and Lori watched from the highway as the flames, flooded Atlanta, engulfing the skyscrapers as it went. The distant explosions shook their bodies, leaving Lori trembling and breaking up a sweat.

"We should get back to Carl," said Shane turning to Lori, placing his hands on her shoulders and guiding her back towards the road and the car where they'd left Carol to watch over Carl.

Carl ran to Lori when she returned and Lori scooped him up into a hug, feeling a massive wave of relief. Carol smiled at the gesture and Lori thanked her for watching him. Carol was a pretty woman, probably in her early 40s, she had short grey hair and pale blue eyes, she had a dainty build but was of average height.

"You. Let's go." Lori jumped as Carol's husband Ed called to Carol from the drivers seat. Carol, in a panic, rushed with her daughter, Sophia, to the car and climbed in.

"Hey, um Ed right?"

"Yeah," Ed responded in a harsh grunt.

"We're heading to higher ground, maybe to the quarry a few miles from here, it has water and we think it'll be safer on higher ground as we'll have better views of the area." Shane explained to Ed, who was looking emotionless. His eyes drifted to Carol who was sat in the passChapter 1 =enger seat with her head down and hands in her lap, playing with the hem of her top. "We'd love it if you and your family joined us, it seems Carl and Sophia have made friends with each other-" Shane was cut of by the harsh words from Ed's mouth.

"They ain't friends, they've known each other for 10 minutes, hardly call them friends. Now leave us alone," said Ed, starting up the engine of the car. Ed clearly wanted nothing to do with Shane or Lori or Carl. Shane had met people like Ed before. Controlling and unwilling. He feared that Carol and Sophia may not be safe and he wanted to take it upon him to make sure that they were.

"Please, come with us, safety in numbers in this world," Shane continued, ignoring Ed's attempts to block him out.

"Fine. But we keep to our own and you keep to yours." Shane nodded his head and turned back towards Lori and Carl. Carl was sat on the bonnet of the car slinging pebbles with his sling shot. One of the pebbles hit and RV and chipped the windscreen.

"Better watch where you fling those things kids, could take someone's eye out," came a voice from next to the RV. It was an older man, possibly mid fifties, wearing a white top underneath a yellow Hawaiian themed short sleeved shirt. He had a funny sun hat on, a white beard and big black eyebrows and was carrying a rifle over his shoulder.

"Dale, leave the kid alone, he's just having a little fun," said a young blonde woman who was followed by another blonde girl.

"Sorry, it won't happen again," said Lori pulling Carl's arm and making him get off the bonnet of the car. "I'm Lori, this is my son Carl and our friend Shane."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Dale, this is Andrea, Amy and that's Jacqui," he said pointed to the woman sat in the RV.

"We're headed to higher ground, figured the dead may not follow us that far if you and your group wanted to join us?" Shane asked Dale who looked him up and down and was trying to figure out whether or not he could trust Shane.

"I think it sounds like a good idea, better than standing around here on the highway," explained Andrea looking from Shane to Dale to Lori.

"Let's go then, better get moving," said Shane turning towards the car and getting in and starting it up.

Shane's car, followed by Ed's and the RV, made their way along the highway, weaving in an out of parked traffic, they drove along the road for about a mile or so until something brought the cars to a stop. It was a figure, walking along the side of a road, holding a rucksack on his shoulder.

"Stay in the car," Shane said to Lori as he climbed out and removed his gun from his belt. He held up his gun to the figure who was had stopped and started turning around.

"Wait wait wait don't shoot!" Said the man flinging his hands high up in the air.

"Damn could've killed you, I thought you were one of them," said Shane lowering his gun.

"Look man, I've been on my own for days, can I join you, I won't be a burden I promise." Shane was unsure and paused for a moment.

"Yeah, get in."

"Thanks so much man, I owe you! Name's T-Dog."

"Shane."

So that's chapter 1. Please let me know what you think. I'll upload some more later on :)