In Another Life
He looked so pale.
That was all she could think as she looked down at Ricks unconscious form on the bed. It was to be expected, the logical part of her brain told her, repeatng what the nurse had said about an hour ago.
"He's lost quite a bit of blood, and the bullet pierced his lung." The nurse told him ,"He's not woken up since we had him in, yet."
Andreas eyes filled as she looked down at him and the nurse beside her gave her a sympathetic look, but a curious one, nonetheless.
"You're not his wife?" She asked and Andrea shook her head.
"N-no..." She said, reaching up to wipe the tears from beneath her eyes. "I'm...I'm no one. Just a friend."
The nurse, a woman of about fifty with short, whiteblonde hair, gave her a knowing smile and took her hand, patting it lightly. "He'll be back to you soon, love, I'm certain." She told her and then left, leaving Andrea with the unconscious Rick Grimes.
It was nighttime and Andrea strolled around his bed to pull closed his curtains. It wouldn't bother him now, she was well aware, but she just wanted something to do. Visiting hours had been over a while ago, but Andrea had known that his wife and son would be with him, so she'd left it until the evening to come and see him.
"I'm sorry it's so late, Rick," She told him, sitting on the chair beside his bed and holding his hand, pressing her lips to his knuckles, "But I had to come and see you. I couldn't not after..." Tears halted her speech and she paused for a long time, knowing there were things she should have said to him when she had the chance. "I never told you, Rick. So many things. It seems strange because...because we've known eachother for such a short time yet I feel you know me better than anyone in this world."
There was no response from him; she didn't expect one, but she couldn't seem to stop talking.
"This isn't fair. How can I have found you, just to lose you now? You're the most amazing man I've ever met and...and I know we've only know eachother for a week, but..oh, I sound like a lovestruck teenager."
"Who are you?" A voice came from behind her and, quickly wiping her eyes, she turned to see a tall, dark haired man in the doorway, holding a styrofoam cup of something hot.
"I'm Andrea, just a friend." She told him, turning back to Rick.
"Shane." He said, walking around the bed and taking the seat opposite her.
Andrea glanced up at him, remembering what Rick had said. "I took it to Shanes when Lori kicked me out one night." So this was the friend to whom he ran when things with his wife were rough. Shane looked at the cup in his hand, then at her and, seemingly thinking she needed it more than he did, he held it out to her. She glanced up at him, about to speak, when he interrupted her.
"I insist. No offence, but you look like hell." He told her and, smiling slightly, she took the cup. The poignant smell of coffee hit her nose and she was even more grateful.
"Thanks." She said, giving him a slight smile. He nodded back, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, and looking at his friend with a pained expression. Andrea regarded him over the rim of the cup as she sipped, noticing the weary look in his eyes.
"I could have stopped it." He said, more to himsef than to her. She was still looking at him as he put his head down, his hands raking back his hair in apparent distress. "I could have stopped it, dammit."
Andrea didn't know if he wanted, or was expecting him to respond, but she didn't feel like she could let the comment go unnoticed so she cleared her throat softly and spoke. "I'm sure you tried. From what Ricks said about you," Which wasn't much, truthfully. "You guys are pretty close."
She didn't have to worry about being wrong in that aspect; no one but a best friend would stay at a persons hospital bedside this late. Shane, however, scoffed and put his hands over his mouth and nose, shaking his head.
"What?" She asked, curious about what had him so distressed. He looked at her for a minute, his eyes wide and honest, then he shook his head.
"I just haven't been the best friend to him, lately." He told her, "Done some things I 'ain't all that proud of."
Andrea nodded, understanding what he meant. Even if the night she and Rick had shared was one of the best of her life, that didn't mean she was proud of it. She wouldn't change it for the world, but she wasn't particularly pleased with either of them for allowing it to happen. Ricks poor wife, who had been at his bedside all day, was completely oblivious to the infidelity of her husband. The thought made Andreas cheeks burn. Scarlet woman.
"So," Shane said, trying to hide his suspicious tone, "How do you know Rick?"
"Oh..." Andrea said, pausing for just a second too long, the question having caught her offguard, "Just from around."
Shane nodded but she could see he wasn't content with the answer.
Andrea. The name Rick had said before he lost consciouness. Shane scrutinized her out of the corner of his eyes, while her own eyes were pained and glued to Ricks face. She was emotionally attatched, he knew that much. She wouldn't be here if she wasn't, just like he wouldn't be here if he wasn't harbouring an all consuming love for his best friends wife. Guilt constantly threatened to consume him and more than once. he'd told Lori it was over, only to have her tempt him once more. Shane never was very good at avoiding temptation, or fighting it, for that matter. When a woman, especially a woman like Lori, offered herself to him...not once in his history had Shane been able to say no.
The question was, he thought as he pulled himself away from thoughts of Lori, just how attatched was this Andrea person. Was it possible that Rick had been as unfaithful as his wife?
Shane wouldn't blame him, he thought. She had tear tracks down her face and her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she was certainly hot. Blonde; Shanes normal type. Lori was the exception. It was that moment she chose to stand up and start pacing the room and Shane got a nice view of her perfectly toned behind through her trousers. Rick sure had made a good choice in this one, he thought.