I do not own any of the TWD characters. Yes, I went MIA for a while and so did all of my work. My plans are to do quite a bit of revision on some of them – you may or may not see the improved versions in the future. In the meantime, I've had Shane Walsh on my mind lately. He was, after all, my first TWD crush. Looking back on the whole Rick/Lori/Shane thing I think things went the only way they could've gone for Shane. In a non-walker world though, Shane could have been a terrific husband, an amazing dad, and an all-around fantastic man. In my world anyway. Hope you enjoy, and if Shane and Beth aren't your thing, move on and don't bring the rest of us down.
Then
It was the day before Thanksgiving. The older Shane got, the faster holidays seemed to come around. He wasn't complaining – hell, he loved any opportunity to see his children. He'd often been warned about time flying once you hit a certain age.
Shane and Beth were waiting for their youngest daughter and her family to arrive. Shane stood leaning over the porch railing and staring out into the marsh of Wilmington Island. Beth was humming and rocking their youngest grandbaby trying to soothe the little one who apparently had chosen this visit to start cutting her two year molars.
The tune Beth hummed sounded familiar to Shane and he couldn't help but turn to take in the scene. Shane listened a few more seconds and recognized the song as Brad Paisley's Then. Beth had always been a huge country music fan – Shane more a classic rock kind of guy. They made it work though. If interracial couples could do it, then hell fire, musical genre mixed couples could too. When Shane turned to look behind him, the picture that greeted him nearly took his breathe away. His wife was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. Beth had begun quietly singing the words at this point while the toddler rubbed at the blanket she and Beth were wrapped in.
I remember, trying not to stare, the night that I first met you, you had me mesmerized. And three weeks later, in the front porch light, taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight. I hadn't told you yet, but I thought I loved you then.
Shane remembered back to that hot summer night at Lucy's Diner back in Senoia. Of course, Shane had known Beth for a very long time. He'd played summer ball, little league, and then high school baseball with her brother. But that night, at the diner, at a graduation celebration of sorts, he met the woman – Beth Greene. The Beth Greene that would change his life forever.
And now you're my whole life. Now you're my whole world. I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl. Like a river meets the sea, stronger than it's ever been. We've come so far since that day. And I thought I loved you then.
And boy had they been through it. Ups and downs, the storms of life – real, actual meteorological events and emotional storms. Illness – his, hers, and the kids', injuries – mostly his, Catholic school tuition payments and uniforms, daycare, ballgames, teenage daughters dating, a teenage son driving for the first time, broken hearts - they'd been through it all and still lived to tell about it. Shane realized that all of the really, really hard and ugly things they'd endured together had made him appreciate the good times all the more. The rough times had made them stronger than any other couple he knew of. An unplanned pregnancy and a shotgun wedding usually wasn't a good indicator of a solid relationship. Shane smirked to himself when he realized that he and Beth had proved them all wrong. Rick, Daryl, Hershel, Maggie – all of them. None of them thought they'd survive the first year. Hell, they almost didn't. Every wedding anniversary was reason to celebrate, that's for sure.
And I remember, taking you back to right where I first met you, you were so surprised. There were people around, but I didn't care. I got down on one knee right there and once again, I thought I loved you then.
The getting married part didn't come as a surprise to her since Shane had gotten her in the family way. Shane believed Hershel's actual words were "you're both adults – I'm certain ya can figure out what to do from here". To say that Hershel Greene was fit to be tied was an understatement. Shane, however, was determined to give Beth exactly what she wanted. He knew his girl and he knew that she still wanted that engagement and the excitement of a big church wedding. He would always give Beth Greene exactly what she wanted. Always.
And I can just see you, with a baby on the way.
Oh, and she was the prettiest momma to be there ever was. It didn't take long for her to blossom at all being that she was such a tiny thing to begin with. That fact really put the wedding plans in fast forward. Beth inhaled any and every morsel of food that wasn't on someone else's plate. Sometimes it didn't matter if it was on someone else's plate. Shane snorted when he remembered her asking many times "ya gonna finish that". And damn, if she wasn't cute as shit putting away all that food.
And I can just see you, when your hair is turning gray.
Uhm, no. That's not gonna happen. He's got gray in his hair, but Beth Greene Walsh does not. Shane loves Beth more than life itself but he knows that as long as she has access to some of the best hairdressers in the south, he'll never see her hair turning gray. Not. Gonna. Happen. And that's okay. Even Beth will admit that she is the vainest and most high maintenance person she knows.
Shane's thoughts are drifting all over the place. He glances at his watch and he wonders where the youngest child is and why she's running late. Before he can voice his concern, Preston, their oldest and only boy, steps onto the porch to check on his baby girl.
"Maisey Jo just texted" Preston informed his Daddy. "They just hit the other side of the Savannah city limits."
Shane nodded at his first born. "Good" Shane breathed out. "Wondered what was keepin em."
"Yeh, well" Preston answered. "Dan wouldn't let her drive this time. Said he couldn't afford anymore speedin tickets."
Shane knew exactly where Margaret Jo Ann got that tendency from – Beth Ann Greene. No denying that fact.
"Want me to take her Momma?" Preston asks Beth. "I can put her down for a nap."
"No way" Beth swats at him. "I've got it under control. Don't I Audrey?" she asks the toddler. The curly haired baby continues to suck her thumb and nods her head.
Preston laughs. "Okay" he concedes defeat. "Bring her in if ya need to."
"Mmmhmmm" Beth says non committedly.
The younger Walsh man goes back into the house allowing the screen door to slam behind him.
"Don't slam the door" Beth yells at him after she covers Audrey's ears. The little girl grins knowing that her daddy can still get in trouble.
Beth glances up at Shane and sings the chorus one last time.
And now you're my whole life, now you're my whole world. I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl. We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in and I'll look at you and say, and I thought I loved you then. And I thought I loved you then.
"Love you" she tells the little girl in her lap as she kisses the top of her curly mane – another Beth Greene trait. Shane smiles at Beth.
"Love you too" Beth tells Shane.
"Girl" Shane sighs "I thought I loved you then."
This is one of those stories that's beginning at the end. Next chapter will be Shane "meeting" Beth. Lyrics are from Brad Paisley's Then.