Madeline and Shane walked back into the house holding hands. Lori looked up as they walked in. She and Rick both stood rushing to their daughter pulling her into their arms. "Oh baby thank god you are ok!" Lori said in-between sobs. Madeline shrugged away from her mother as Rick held her in his arms. He looked at his daughter sadly, "Honey I am so sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have lost my temper." Madeline smiled kissing his bruised cheek before picking up Emily. Shane stood not even looking at Rick It was painfully obvious that they were not on speaking terms. Madeline sighed sadly as she walked over to Shane putting Emily in-between them. Shane's eyes softened as he picked up his daughter kissing her little cheeks. She smiled as his face touched hers. "Love that smile." Shane whispered softly.
The next few weeks were hard on everyone. Shane and Rick's feud seemed to be getting worse and worse. Madeline felt like she was trapped in the middle of a storm she couldn't control. She begged Shane to try to talk to Rick, "Please Shane…I know your ideas survival is good and dad is stubborn but if you would just talk to him! I can't stand you two fighting like this." Shane looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry Maddy. Rick isn't the person I used to know anymore. He's different."
The next evening Madeline, Jenny, and Carl sat outside on the back porch looking at the sky. "I miss home." Carl said in a hushed tone. Madeline nodded gently hugging her little brother. She knew how much he missed the normal. Hell, she did too. Nothing was normal. Jenny smiled at Carl, "Well little buddy maybe someday you will get your wish. Just keep praying." Carl nodded as Shane and Rick walked out the door. Madeline stood up, "Where are you two going?" Shane looked at her darkly. There was something different in his eyes…something almost sinister. "We are going to talk. Stay close to the house." Madeline frowned, "I'm coming too." Rick shook his head. "No baby. This is between Shane and I. Everything will be ok right Shane?" Shane frowned not looking at Rick, "Fine." He repeated almost robotically. He gently touched Madeline's cheek and followed Rick into the woods. Madeline looked back at her brother. "Carl do you want to go play spy?" Carl nodded and followed his sister into the woods.
They walked in silent until they heard Rick and Shane yelling at each other. They watched in horror as Shane pulled a gun on Rick. Madeline put her hand on Carl's shoulder and leaned down, "Stay my godhere unless I yell for you. Deal?" Carl frowned looking at his sister nervously. The look on her face was almost frantic. "Deal. Madeline be careful." She nodded and ran out of the woods. "SHANE NO!" Shane and Rick both turned seeing Madeline. Rick quickly looked at Shane, "So are you going to do this in front of her? Do you really want to do this Shane?" Shane didn't drop the gun but instead stepped closer. Rick turned pulling a knife and sinking it into Shane's chest. Madeline screamed. "DAD what have you done? SHANE!" She ran past Rick to Shane who was laying on the ground clutching his chest. She frantically ripped part of her shirt putting pressure on the wound. "Oh my god no! Please baby stay with me!" She whimpered as blood began to ooze out of his mouth and nose. Madeline trembled crying, "Please Shane dontt leave me now. I can't do this! Emily needs you." Shane's brown eyes rolled up to hers as he tried to say something. Madeline sobbed like a baby. She gently touched his face. "Don't try to talk. You are going to be ok. Please be ok." She whispered leaning down kissing his lips softly. She watched sadly as he stopped breathing and his eyes became still. Madeline fell back her eyes wide in panic. "Oh Shane no! I need you." She looked at Rick angrily, "KILL ME NOW." Rick frowned as she stood up. "Sweetie I can't. He changed…" Madeline was furious. She had never been more angry at someone in her life. Her father had taken the love of her life and the father of her child from her. She trembled in anger, "I don't want ot go on without him!" Madeline didn't notice Carl step out of the woods. Rick did however, and walked closer to his son. "Carl…" Carl's eyes widened, "Uh dad…Shane…" Rick turned in horror to see Shane reanimated but as a walker. "Oh fuck." Rick muttered as he looked at Madeline's face. She stood still as a statue but began to speak, "Shane." Her voice was eerily calm. Zombie Shane turned looking at Madeline. "Shane…kill me. I don't want to go on without you. You are it for me. I told you a long time ago if this silence takes you I want to go too. It's time for you to fulfill your promise. I'm not scared…I will be with the real you soon." As the tears rolled down her cheeks Shane inched closer. His eyes had lost their chocolate brown color and had the vacant glazed over gaze. Madeline closed her eyes waiting for Shane's teeth to sink into her and rip her apart. However a gunshot going through the air made her snap them open. She looked to see Shane lying on the ground. "FUCK no!" She spun around to see Carl with his gun out. Madeline turned and ran back to the farm as quick as she could leaving Carl and Rick looking at each other in a horrifying silence.
When Madeline walked back into the house Lori and everyone froze when they saw the blood on her clothes. "Honey?" Lori whispered standing up. Madeline held a hand up, "Dad and Carl killed Shane. He turned into a walker…I'm alone now." Her face was vacant and she looked almost walkerish herself. Lori put a hand over her mouth. "Baby…please." She went to touch her daughter but Madeline jumped back. "I got to get away from here…please don't come after me!" She backed out of the room trying to avoid all of her friend's eyes before running out of the house. She turned to see her father coming out of the woods with Carl who was screaming for her. Madeline quickly got into the Hyundai Shane had been driving and drove off as quickly as she could.
Rick stood frozen watching his daughter speed away. This had to be one of the worst days of his life. He not only lost his best friend but his daughter as well.
