Beta, by MissMishka
DISCLAIMER: The usual warnings, I claim no ownership of these characters, they are simply borrowed with love and adoration from the original creators to have their stories embellished on a little more than the show may do. Not for any profit.
Shane sat down on the chair without an invitation as Rick settled Daryl on the bed and Hershel moved to begin stitching the redneck up.
Rick hovered like a mother hen until the man came around from his faint and Shane's jaw clenched at the way his friend's tense shoulders eased some in relief at Daryl's stirring.
Since when did they give a damn for poor, white trash drug peddlers like a Dixon, Shane wondered as Daryl immediately asked for the map to point out where he'd found that stupid doll.
But Rick ran for the map like a giddy little school girl and knelt by the bed, lapping the bullshit up as the wounded man outlined the location he'd covered. The redhead cursed the vet more than once for the stitches he was getting and Shane tensed at the fretful way Rick was watching the repairs.
All their lives, it'd been Rick and him. Best friends and partners through thick and thin. Lori had been the only thing to ever threaten it, first when Rick had chosen to marry the woman and now when Shane had come to realize exactly why Rick had made that choice.
There was no way in hell that Shane would allow this lowlife to usurp him.
He rose when Rick did, gritting his teeth and watching as the Deputy touched the redneck's shoulder and praised him for finding a fucking doll. Shane was hobbling around on an ankle that still twinged on him from the actions he had taken to save Carl's life, actions with a tangible outcome, how that outcome was acheived not mattering, while Rick was fawning over this bastard for more evidence of a lost cause.
He was surprised his friend didn't kiss the guy's forehead before they left the room, Rick's orders for Daryl to take it easy were so damned heartfelt that Shane wanted to puke.
He followed Rick out into the hallway, averting his eyes from the way Lori greeted her husband.
"I hate to say it," he said as he closed the door, "but I'm with Hershel on this one. Can't keep going out there. Not after this."
"You'd quit now," Rick turned on him in disbelief. "Daryl just risked his life to bring back the first hard evidence we've had."
"That's one way of looking at it," he argued, wasting hope on the idea he could get Rick to face reality. "Way I see it, Daryl almost died today for a doll."
"Yeah," his friend's voice and gaze edging toward contempt, "I know how you see it."
Shane ducked his head against the lash of that contempt as Rick turned his back on him.
"You know, I'm not out to be a hard case, just being realistic," he tried to state his side to Lori, only to be scoffed at.
The truth of the course needed settled in him at those reactions, Rick turning his back on him and Lori scoffing. Shane felt the realization move through him just as it had in that instant he made the choice to give the Walkers Otis to save himself and Carl.
Time would come that Shane would step up and lead this group again.
He'd spent too damned much of his life following and cowing to the goodness of Rick's heart like a bitch. His heart ached with the knowledge that that last vestige of life before all of this would soon fall to ruin as well, but they forced his hand.
He would pick the time, though, not about to let himself be pushed further down the totem pole by the likes of Daryl Dixon.
Lori left him to stew in the hallway, her last words looping in his head as she stalked off and he leant against the wall.
The regret and disgust in her eyes as she had realized that abandoning a lost child was the least Shane would do to keep Carl and her safe, tore at something inside him.
"My son and I are not your problem anymore. We're your excuse."
She didn't know what she was talking about any more than Rick did. They were his reason. The driving force of his will.
She would understand in the end. They all would when they saw he'd only done what survival called for.
Hershel finally left the room, skirting past Shane with a watchful glance and wide berth, but giving no acknowledgement otherwise. The farmer hadn't had a word to say to him directly since they'd had their little service for Otis and it was no skin off Shane's nose to be on the outs with these yokels,
Daryl twisted on the bed when Shane stepped quietly into the room and his body visibly tensed when the wounded man realized who his visitor was. Those eyes were wary as Shane closed the door behind himself and he relished the apprehension in the other man.
Daryl shuffled to sit up against the headboard, braced and refusing to appear as vulnerable as they both knew he was.
Shane drew the tension out, walking around the bed to gaze out the window at the peaceful, sunlit scene outside. So out of place and set apart from the reality of the world.
Creepy.
"Suppose you think Merle's still out there, too," he finally began, turning to lean back against the windowpane.
He received only a narrowing of those watchful eyes at the taunt, which was a disappointment.
"Maybe after this, we can take whoever you don't get killed with this wild goose chase and head back to the city and look for him, too. Or, maybe," Shane turned thoughtful, "maybe you didn't really care about him. Gave up that search quick enough to save your own ass in getting out of Atlanta."
"Your point gonna be coming up soon or you just looking to put me to sleep with your yammering?"
"My point is you're only as good to us as the decisions you make," his eyes locked with the other man's in silent warning. "Best start thinking a little more clearly before rushing off like you did. Might not be enough thread around to stitch you back together next time."
"Don't go thinking I'll be thrown under the bus as easily as Otis," Daryl said softly, glaring right back.
The door opened before Shane could respond, breaking the stare-off as Carol poked into the room.
"Rick wanted to do some planning before dinner," she said quietly, eyes avoiding direct contact with Shane's. "He's been looking for you."
Doubting it, but seeing no way to challenge the woman for lying, Shane jammed on his cap and began to stalk from the room.
"I'll just leave this open, case you get to needing something for the pain," he heard her murmur to the injured man and turned to glare over his shoulder.
She met his gaze this time, making no effort to hide the fact that she had overheard some of the scene between Daryl and him and that she had indeed interrupted to protect the hunter.
So he had supporters, Shane scorned as he turned away, they were all weak compared to him.
Soon he would be Alpha and put them all in their places.
A/N: Since it was asked, I will say, yes, I see Daryl as a redhead. I know it's more strawberry blonde most times, carrot even in others, but that temper and attitude is redhead and, being one myself, I love that about him. ;-)