Ride or Die
Hand in mine, into your icy blues
And then I'd say to you, "we could take to the highway
With this trunk of ammunition too"
I'd end my days with you in a hail of bullets
I'm trying, I'm trying
To let you know just how much you mean to me
And after all the things we put each other through and
I would drive on, to the end with you
A liquor store or two keeps the gas tank full
And I feel like there's nothing left to do
But prove myself to you and we'll keep it running
My Chemical Romance "Demolition Lovers"
Andrea stared at the pregnancy test strips she had placed on the bureau. For the past hour, she had been focused on them. During that time, she had radioed for Shane to come back to The Sanctuary when he didn't return right away. She was about to radio him again when he rushed into their apartment and quickly slammed the door behind him. Andrea offered a small smile, relieved that he had returned. She glanced at the pregnancy test strips again and wondered if she should be happy or sad about the results.
"What happened out there?" Andrea wasn't sure she really wanted to know, although she had a gut feeling that Shane saw horrendous things in the past several hours—and that he may never talk about it.
Shane started searching their apartment, momentarily leaving Andrea by herself to continue pondering over the test strips. "Did you grab any supplies for us?"
Andrea left the bureau and opened up her duffel bag. "Food, our weapons, and some extras." She took out Sweet Piece and Lock 'Em Up—their firearms. "I found them in the armory."
"You gotta be shittin' me—they were in there the whole time?!"
Shane never realized their weapons had been confiscated. Unlike Woodbury, where he had been focused on getting his Mossberg 590 back, he had been distracted at The Sanctuary with Negan's tests. After being promoted to his lieutenant position, Simon had gave him a Glock 20 and AR-12 shotgun. Andrea still had the bolt action sniper rifle she had first chosen at the armory.
"That's not all." Andrea took out the red-handled machete. "Remember this?"
Shane took it from her and held it up to the light. "That jackass who stole our ride an' took our supplies waved the same damn machete in our faces."
Andrea nodded and reached into the bag. "I found our knives, two flare guns, a map—" She gave one flare gun to Shane.
"Thanks." He examined it before putting it away. "What's this 'bout a map?"
Andrea unrolled the map and handed it to Shane. "Look how close we are to Maryland."
Shane took the map and was about to lay it flat on the bureau when the pregnancy test strips caught his eye. His mood immediately darkened and he dropped the map on the floor. "What's this, Drea?" He held up the pregnancy test strip. "What were you doin' while I was gone?"
He knew what they were, even as he shot questions at her.
Andrea met his eyes that had taken on a glazed look.
"I was afraid—" Her eyes landed on the test strips clutched in his hand and then flickered back to him. "I wanted to tell you, but then Negan came and you had to leave."
"You got two pregnancy tests here."
Andrea shrugged, although she knew the answer. "I wanted to be sure…" Her voice trailed off. She wasn't sure how to interpret Shane's facial expression. Sadness, fear, shock…and even a brief hint of happiness flashed in his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking and hoped he wasn't angry with her.
Shane stared at the pregnancy test strips. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. Instead, he forced himself to ask the question, although he wasn't sure what he would do with the information once he knew the answer. "Are you pregnant, Drea?"
"No, I'm not…thank God…" She shook her head and then peered at him. "I'm not pregnant."
"You don't want kids?"
She was surprised to hear the bend in his voice. "We never spoke about it before, but no…I don't want any…at least, not now." Andrea felt it was necessary to add that last part to take the sting off her words.
Shane was quiet as he sat down on the bed. Questions flooded his mind when he stared at the pregnancy strips. They were the same questions he had during his walk back to The Sanctuary…and the same questions that had haunted him ever since he left the farm with Andrea. His and Lori's baby…did they have a boy? A girl? What about names? Was Rick caring for his baby boy or baby girl as though the child were his own? Was the baby even alive? What would he or she look like? Would the baby have his fiery personality and Lori's looks? Or would it be the reverse with the baby having Shane's physical appearance and Lori's character? Would Carl like having a little sister or baby brother? He smiled when he imagined Carl as a protective big brother.
Shane's silence was maddening for Andrea.
"I don't want to raise a child in this," she said, gesturing to the small apartment they shared. Spying the abandoned map on the floor, she bent down and snatched it up. They couldn't leave The Sanctuary without it; it was their ticket to Maryland. She folded it and placed it in her pocket for safekeeping. "How can we have a kid in a world overrun by the dead where it's never safe? We can barely take care of ourselves much less a baby…" She paused, as she considered what she wanted to say to help him understand. "I was afraid and checked twice."
"You wanted to be sure?" Shane tried not to sound sad. He had never thought about it until now: he would be thrilled to have a baby with Andrea. The child would be conceived in love. Not like the complications with Rick and Lori. He would do anything and everything in his power to ensure Andrea and their baby was safe.
Andrea watched as Shane turned over the pregnancy test strips, as though looking for another answer. She wondered why he sounded disappointed when it suddenly hit her: Shane was a childless father. The moment he found the pregnancy strips, he was reminded of the baby he and Lori conceived. Shane didn't know if his baby was a boy or a girl, dead or alive…He never had a chance to hold his own baby, he would never know what she or he looked like, or how his life would've changed once he was a father.
She remembered her friends in the law firm she worked at. Some had started families and they always told her that not only did their lives change once they entered parenthood—but having children changed who they were. She wondered now if Shane would've changed if he had stayed with Rick's group to raise his and Lori's baby. At the same time—and Andrea knew this was selfish of her—she wished he wouldn't dwell on it. There were too many unknowns and too many what-ifs. Too many questions. The only time Shane spoke about his unborn child was after they had escaped Woodbury. Other than that, it was a topic he never brought up and one that she never broached.
"I thought it was best…" Andrea's voice trailed off as she went to sit next to Shane. "Maybe one day when we have our own place, when it's safe, when the world's what it used to be—"
"That ain't ever gonna happen, Drea." He didn't look at her. "The world won't go back to what it was."
A long silence passed between them. After several minutes, Shane finally put down the pregnancy strips and glanced around their apartment…today was their last day here. Andrea had put their bags together and he wanted to get to the back of The Sanctuary where all the motorcycles, cars, vans, and trucks were parked. They needed to get there before Negan returned. It was time to go—Andrea's pregnancy scare held them up long enough.
"We gotta get goin' before he comes back. You ready?"
Shane bolted from the bed and reached down for the shoulder bag that she had packed for him. He went to the door and peeked outside. No one was around. They could make a dash for it—go to the back of The Sanctuary and take off on one of the motorcycles. Shane had spotted one that he knew would be perfect for their escape.
"What happened out there?"
Shane turned around slowly to face Andrea. She stared at him, waiting for him to tell her what she already knew—someone in Rick's group became Lucille's victim—they were bludgeoned beyond recognition. Blood. Crushed bone. Gray matter.
"Shane. What happened?"
He shook his head as he shut the door. What he saw hours ago would haunt him for the rest of his life. Shane could try to find ways to rationalize, justify, and excuse Negan's brutality, but the God honest truth was there was no rationale, no justification, and no excuse for bashing in Glenn's head. There was no real reason for killing him in front of everyone—especially Maggie. Now that it was morning and he had more time to reflect on everything, Shane felt the same about the man with the red hair…he had been the first victim…but Glenn—
"Negan said he planned on cornering Rick's group." Andrea's tone was venomous.
"He did…"
"And?"
"An' he trapped them…killed two of 'em with Lucille."
"Who did he kill?"
Shane averted his eyes from hers. His hand reached for the door again and then dropped to his side.
"Some ginger military guy…an' Glenn."
He finally met her eyes and was surprised to see tears rolling down Andrea's cheeks. Andrea quickly wiped them away as though not wanting Shane to witness her grief. Seething anger abruptly replaced her genuine sadness.
"What's wrong with you?! Don't you feel anything anymore?"
Shane shrugged. "It's fucked up."
"'It's fucked up'?!" Andrea left the bed and approached him now. "What the hell is wrong with you, Shane?!" She hit him on the chest—and kept hitting him as though he were a punching bag.
Shane snatched her wrists and squeezed them hard. "Stop hittin' me." He released her and remained with his back against the door. "Nothin' coulda been done to save either of 'em."
"No—you feel nothing!" She rushed at him again. "We knew Glenn from when everything first started! I don't know about the other guy, but that's just as messed up." When Shane didn't respond, she lashed out at him. "Why don't you care?!"
He sighed, exasperated, while rubbing his head. "I don't know what to feel, Drea! If you cross Negan's path, which they all did, then they gotta pay the piper with their own blood."
Andrea's chest heaved as she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. "Who else was there?"
"Rick….Carl…Daryl…Michonne…"
"What about Maggie?"
"She was there…she was devastated."
His deadpan voice frustrated her. "Of course, she was! Didn't you try to stop him?!"
"I ain't stupid an' I ain't beggin' for a romantic getaway with Lucille. I had you to think 'bout."
"Don't you dare use me as an excuse for refusing to step up!"
Shane hit the adjacent wall with an open palm. "What'd you expect me to do, Andrea?! If I tried to stop him, I woulda been the one gettin' Lucilled! I wouldn't be here talkin' to you if I played Shane-Saves-The-Day. The right choice is still the one that keeps me an' you alive. I made a choice, Andrea—an' I chose you!"
Andrea was quiet as she watched Shane go over and pick up her duffel bag. A random thought occurred to her. She still hadn't fully processed what Shane had revealed to her—that one of the first people she had met when everything went to hell was now dead—brutally murdered in front of the woman he loved. Then she wondered about Dale and Lori. Why hadn't Shane mentioned them? She asked him this.
"They weren't there."
"Are they alive?"
Shane handed the duffel bag to her. "I don't know…I jus' know they weren't there. Neither was Carol or T-Dog, Hershel…an' a few others like Patricia, Jimmy, an' Beth. "
Andrea took it from him. Opening it, she found Sweet Piece and checked to see if it was loaded. It wasn't and she quickly put to practice what Shane had taught her over a year ago when preparing her gun with ammunition. When she was done, she placed it in her thigh holster.
"I guess we'll never know what happened to them."
Shane didn't answer as he opened the door and stuck his head out again. When he turned back to Andrea, she saw the sadness reflected in his dark eyes. Right then, she knew he wished he had the power to stop Negan from killing Glenn and the other man, but as he told her, doing so would've been far too risky. It would've resulted in his and her deaths or something far worse that she didn't want to think about… Then again, what they were doing now—
"You were wrong 'bout me when you said I was a 'better man' for not givin' away where Michonne or Rick's group was hidin'."
"You mean when The Governor's jerks were torturing you for information?"
He nodded. "I didn't know where they were, so there was nothin' to reveal. They coulda still been at Hershel's farm for all I know." Shane checked his firearms and knives to make sure he was ready to go.
"But—"
"I'm not a good man, Drea…I let him kill Glenn."
Andrea stood near Shane now and noticed how he avoided looking at her. He was at the door waiting for her. For some weird reason that she couldn't explain, Shane was stalling. Didn't he want them to leave as soon as he returned? Maybe it was the emotional weight of everything that was slowing him down. Seeing Rick and Carl again after all this time, watching Glenn get murdered in the most horrendous way, Andrea thinking she was pregnant only to be reminded of the child he would never know…
Or maybe she was the one afraid to leave…
"It's not your fault, Shane…he would've killed them even if you weren't there." When he didn't answer, she gently took his hand, interlocking her fingers. "Does Negan know you left?"
He opened the door again and looked past her, giving their apartment one last look. She knew from Shane's non-response that Negan had no idea that he had abandoned the Saviors. He had left without Negan's permission which could result in any punishment. A week isolated in a tiny cell. Forced to stand guard for The Sanctuary three days straight with very little food and water to sustain him. Public humiliation/mutilation in front of the entire community.
"You could've kept pretending to go along with everything. Negan said—"
"Fuck what Negan says an' fuck his bitch-ass bat."
Andrea put her hand over Shane's mouth. She removed it and kissed him. Shane returned the kiss half-heartedly.
"Remember what I asked you before?"
She nodded.
"I'm gonna ask you again 'cause we don't got much time…do you wanna leave?"
Andrea's face paled and Shane thought he saw her trembling. "I told you we can't leave here…" She was contradicting herself since she had spent the entire time he was gone packing their belongings. Now that it was really happening, she didn't know what else to say. "We can't walk out of here."
"We can ride out."
"Ride?"
"He's still out there with Rick. This is our chance, Drea. I went to where he stashes his wheels. We get on a motorcycle an' drive off—never look back."
"Drive off into the sunset?" Andrea asked, remembering Shane asking her sarcastically in the cemetery if they were going to sail off into the sunset. That time seemed so long ago. So much had changed. They weren't the same Andrea and Shane who had left the farm, carefree and eager to find their own path in the world. Now they were tougher and wiser. Now they had each other…and only each other.
"That's the plan, darlin'. It's gonna work out for us, you'll see."
She shook her head and cursed at herself inwardly. She was afraid this would happen—that at the last minute, she would back out of Shane's plan to escape The Sanctuary.
"He'll kill us, Shane. He'll kill you and throw me in his harem."
"That ain't gonna happen. We'll get far from him an' this hellhole." He stepped out into the hallway and held out his hand, expectantly.
Andrea took his hand and then closed the door. They didn't plan on returning. Her heart hammered against her ribcage. What if they ran into Laura or Arat? She said nothing as Shane led the way to the back of The Sanctuary. The building was an enormous factory with numerous floors, elevators, staircases, and hallways, but Shane knew his way around the inner gray maze. As they walked through the silent building, Andrea thought she heard a door close, but when she looked around, no one was there. She kept following him and tried not to worry too much. If anyone were to rat them out, it would be Laura, since she had run into her hours ago. It was better not to get anxious about anyone seeing them. They had to keep going so that in a few hours, their lives as Saviors would be nothing but an awful memory.
Soon they exited the building and entered the area where Negan stored his vehicles. Andrea waited for Shane to return as he went to the closet where the keys were kept. He came back and they scanned the area. Most of the cars and trucks were gone, since the Saviors had taken them out the night before in order to participate in Negan's plan to corner Rick's group. There were several motorcycles and two vans. Walking past several motorcycles, Shane stopped at a silver one.
"I know we said no more groups, Shane, but maybe we should stay somewhere just for now."
Shane was putting their bags in the motorcycle's trunk when he looked up at her, a puzzled expression on his face. "Stay where? We ain't leavin' tracks."
"I was thinking about The Kingdom. King Ezekiel might let us in."
"He may not if he remembers you came there with Gavin to take his supplies."
She knew it was far-fetched, but she didn't like the idea of being out there in the open. It would be too easy for Negan to track them down—that is, if he noticed their absence. "What about Rick's group? Didn't Negan say he lives in a settlement in Alexandria?"
"I ain't goin' backwards an' I can't look him in the face…not after tonight."
From the quiet way Shane spoke and how he avoided her eyes with his last statement, she decided not to press the matter.
They walked side-by-side as they left the outside garage. The Sanctuary loomed behind them and Andrea noticed dark storm clouds rolling into the sky. She didn't want to take the changing weather as a bad omen. They had been lucky so far—very few Saviors were in the area and they hadn't run into them. Despite the clouds, the sun still hung in the sky and greeted the world with a new morning. Negan still hadn't returned with the Saviors. He was probably still out there at that clearing, taunting Rick's group—or on his way back. Shane adjusted his Mossberg 590 and Andrea fixed her bolt action sniper rifle so that it was strapped to her back. She started to reach for Sweet Piece—the gun was tucked in her thigh holster. At first, she thought it wouldn't make sense what she was thinking—then she thought better of it and grabbed it. Something told her she would end up using it before the day was over. Shane got on the motorcycle and waited for Andrea to mount behind him.
"Are you ready?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Yeah." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Let's leave this place for good."
"We gonna go 'round the backroads."
Without another word, Shane started the motorcycle and they rode out of The Sanctuary. He glanced at the side view mirror noticing how the giant factory shrunk as they put more distance between themselves and their last residence. They were about a mile away and surrounded by thick forest when they heard Shane's walkie-talkie crackling. Shane slowed down and stopped the motorcycle.
"What're you doing?" Andrea's urgency wasn't feigned. "Keep going, Shane! The further and faster we get away, the better."
Shane flicked on the walkie-talkie. "It's connected to Negan's, so we'll know where they're at."
Based on what they heard next, it became apparent that they had left The Sanctuary just in time. Negan's familiar deep voice boomed over the walkie-talkie—and he didn't sound happy at all. If anything, his monologue indicated that he knew what Shane and Andrea were up to and that he didn't intend to let them get away with walking out on him and the Saviors.
"Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo! I just came back from the best night of my life. Not one, but two of Rick the Prick's pals got their skulls crushed. Most beautiful sight I've seen and you better fucking believe that the rest of his group will fall in line now. We even took back their precious Daryl to see if we can break him into the Saviors. But all is not well, because when I came back to my humble abode, I found some unexpected changes. What the fuck did I find? Thanks to Laura, I found out the fucking truth: Romeo has eloped with Juliet! Not only has he left with her, he treated himself to a fucking five finger discount on my supplies. You heard fucking right. Shane Walsh is a backstabbing fucking lowlife thief and so is his sniper bitch, Andrea Harrison. So I'm sending out my best men to hunt them down and drag their disloyal asses back here where they'll get the honor of meeting Lucille! But Lucille's not very hungry, she's just dined on the widow's husband and the ginger. So she'll just take a lil taste from Romeo and Juliet. From there, we'll chain them on the fence, side by side, dead yet alive, alive yet dead, so that they serve as a fucking warning to all of you that you will not steal from me and fucking get away with it!"
Shane's head hung between his shoulders. When Andrea glanced at him, she knew he was overwhelmed with guilt for not stopping Negan. She couldn't allow him to dwell on what he wished he had done—they had to leave now! Her instincts had been right, especially after hearing a door close in The Sanctuary—Laura had ratted them out to Negan. Every minute counted and every second they wasted not moving gave the Saviors more time to capture them. The familiar rumbling sound of motorcycles confirmed her worst fear.
"We gotta go, Shane!" She squeezed his waist. At that instant, a motorcycle burst through a group of bushes on the side of the road. "GO!"
"Hold on tight, darlin'."
Shane gritted his teeth and his hands gripped the handlebars. The motorcycles' roaring and buzzing was all he needed. Shane slammed his foot on the gas pedal and raced down the road. Behind him, Andrea grabbed his waist and held on. When she glanced over her shoulder, her chest tightened like a snake had encircled her torso, constricting air.
Four Saviors on motorcycles trailed behind them.
The droning of their engines blasted her ears. She thought it was fear that amplified everything, but when she looked again, the saw that the Saviors were gaining on them. Shane suddenly swerved to the right on a dirt road. The tires squealed and Andrea kept her left arm clamped around his waist. She managed to ready her handgun and just in time as one Savior rode up right alongside them. There was no time to hesitate or to think. She only had time to act. Andrea aimed at the Savior and shot him off his motorcycle. The explosive sound of the gunshot was drowned out by their motorcycle's engine. Shane pressed down harder on the gas pedal. They charged down the road, trying to escape the three trailing Saviors that now sped up to catch up with them.
One accelerated and attempted to cut him off. Andrea's breath was yanked from her lungs. Cold metal pressed against her fingers and chilled the palm of her hand. Loud popping noises filled the air, followed by screeching and skidding. A loud yelp was suddenly cut off. Looking to her side, she saw a blur of metal and a young man rolling over on the ground. Shane flew by the disorganized sight. It happened so fast that Andrea didn't realize she had shot the motorcycle's front wheel, causing it to crash. The Savior had been thrown off and was now trying to recover.
There were only two left.
Shane was riding the motorcycle very fast. Andrea thought he intended to break the speed limit. Instead, he made a sharp right turn into a junkyard. Darting around heaps of garbage, Shane kept driving. She realized he was trying to lose the two Saviors amongst the mountains of trash. Discarded furniture, plastic items, hubcaps, worn tires, torn clothing, and tons of other debris made up the garbage piles. Without warning, he slammed the brakes and Andrea's body lurched forward against his. Shane dismounted and pulled off Andrea before she realized what he was doing.
"We gotta split up. There's two of 'em an' two of us—"
Andrea shook her head, shocked at his suggestion. "No, we can't! Shane, NO!"
She didn't want to argue with him and draw attention to themselves. All the same, she was terrified of leaving his side and when she looked into his dark eyes, the same enormous fear was present for him too. How could he even think of splitting up in a time like this? In the background, she thought she heard a motorcycle racing up and down the area. They were being searched for and once they were captured—
Shane interrupted her thoughts. "You gotta hide, Andrea, an' put your sniper skills to work. Take out one Savior, leavin' one behind. You got it?"
Andrea nodded. "Yeah, but—"
"I'll stay on the ground an' get the other. It's jus' for now."
"What if—?"
Shane faced her directly. "No what-ifs. We ain't thinkin' like that or entertainin' negative thoughts. We'll be together again—look!" He pointed ahead and Andrea turned to see what he was directing her attention to. It was a car carrier trailer. There were three cars latched to the carrier trailer's first level and four cars attached on the second level. "You can hide in one of those cars. Get to the highest car an' climb in. I'll be right behind you."
"Do you…" It sounded childish, but she needed to be reassured they would come out on top, that they would be okay. She almost wanted him to remind her that they could still live a happy (if not bittersweet) life in Maryland even after all this. That every trial and tribulation they had gone through to get to this point wasn't in vain. That they were still together and it had to mean something. "Do you promise, Shane?"
Shane looked at her for what seemed like several minutes, although it was only a handful of seconds. "I promise you, Drea, that I'll find you when this is over. We—" He stopped when he heard a motorcycle's engine cut off. From deep within the junkyard, he could hear the plodding of footsteps. "We gonna make it, but we gotta split up for now." When she didn't move, he sighed and rubbed his head in a swift motion, his anxiety level was as its highest. "I love you—I always will an' you know that for a damn fact." He pushed her ahead. "Now go!"
Andrea stared at him and before he could shove her away again, she grabbed his collar, bringing him close to her. Shane didn't stop her and he didn't resist when she crushed her lips against his. It was over as quickly as it had started: Andrea pulled away, knowing they had very little time left. She had to hide until Shane told her it was safe to come out.
Ignoring how her heart lodged itself in her throat, Andrea dashed to the car trailer carrier. She didn't think, she just acted. She was about to go up to the second level where the cars were higher off the ground and thought better of it. In case she needed to run out fast, it was better for her to stay close to the ground. Andrea debated in her mind and went with her first instinct: she climbed to the second level. She'd be able to see more of the junkyard and take out one of the Saviors (or both) as Shane suggested.
The whistling started at the same instant that she yanked open the passenger side door of a blue Honda Accord. It was the same distinct whistling she had heard when Negan first invaded The Hilltop. At first, it sounded far away, but as the whistling grew louder, she knew whoever it was, was getting closer. She was determined not to let it distract her, but she couldn't stop herself from looking frantically over her shoulder. The whistling was shrill now and Andrea got right in. She closed the door—but not too loudly. There was no telling where the two Saviors were and she didn't want to draw attention to herself. After crawling into the backseat, Andrea was able to see from the window what was going on. As she expected, there was a decent view of the junkyard and her eyes scanned the piles of debris, searching for Shane. She thought she saw him and was excited—until her heart sank when she realized it was Gavin.
Gavin was walking slowly around the piles of garbage and kicking aside old used computers and discarded pots and pans. She could read his worn expression: Gavin was tired and frustrated. It was obvious he'd rather be elsewhere than hunting down Saviors-turned-fugitives. During the times she went out with him to The Kingdom (along with Molly, Paula, and Michelle), Andrea knew Gavin to be calm and level-headed. He behaved respectfully towards King Ezekiel and his people. If there was any decent Savior in Negan's group, it was Gavin. Even so, she knew Gavin had a job to do and nothing would stop him from doing it. She glanced around the junkyard again, unable to find Shane, when white light blinded her eyes. Andrea ducked and waited several moments. When the light disappeared, she looked out the window again. It was the other Savior who had shone the flashlight through the window. She hoped he didn't see her—did he? The temptation to leave the car was too great, but Shane told her to stay put. And why did that Savior use a flashlight anyway? It wasn't night outside, although the storm clouds hovering over had darkened the area.
The whistling stopped and started again. It took all of Andrea's willpower not to cover her ears. They're hunting him down, trying to draw him out, Andrea thought. She didn't want to imagine the worst possible end result of her and Shane running away from The Sanctuary. On a slight whim, she looked outside of the window and was thrilled when she saw Shane walking around with his Glock 17 drawn and ready to shoot. Around the corner, behind another mountain of garbage was one of the Saviors in charge of turning Shane over to Negan. Something about this Savior was different and Andrea saw it right away. There was no time to waste and she quietly opened the window. Thankfully, the car was an old model and required her to manually open the car window. As soon as she could, Andrea fit the barrel of the sniper rifle to see if it would fit—it did.
Keep both eyes open, Drea. The Savior entered her focus—he was several feet in front of Shane. Just as she pulled the trigger, the Savior collapsed to the ground. Shane's actions were faster than she could process: he snuck up behind the Savior, grabbed his neck and twisted it. The Savior's finger involuntarily pulled the trigger on his gun when he dropped to the ground—dead. Just as quickly, Shane crouched over, pulled out his knife and jammed it in the man's head. A sharp gasp escaped from Andrea and then she breathed a huge sigh of relief. Of course, Shane got to the guy first—and he had put him down so that he wouldn't reanimate! It wasn't Gavin, but Andrea had a weird feeling about the other Savior. It didn't matter now that he was dead. Against her better judgement, Andrea grabbed her bolt action sniper rifle and left the car. She climbed down to the lower level and went inside an abandoned silver Volvo. Crouching in the passenger seat, she waited several minutes before the front door on the driver's side opened and slammed shut.
"Andrea?"
"Shane!"
"Shhhh!" He held a finger to his lips. "Gavin's aroun' the corner, but he ain't see me. I shoulda let his walker friend go after him."
Andrea was relieved that the other Savior hadn't killed Shane first. On the other hand, she knew she could lose him at any moment. "I got this—I can put a bullet in his head and that's it—no more damn Saviors."
"Ever hotwire a car, darlin'?"
"I've never done it." She shook her head, confused. Why was he talking about hotwiring a car when Gavin was still hunting for them? "I'm glad you're still here."
"I told you I would be—let's focus. What'd you know 'bout hotwirin' cars?"
Andrea shrugged. "Not a damn thing." Nervous laughter escaped from her. "I thought you wanted to go after Gavin."
"We gonna run him down once I find these wires an' hightail it outta here."
Shane removed the plastic cover from the steering column to find the wires. The car was an older model, so it made it easier. Andrea watched him work. She didn't know how to do what he was doing, but she was glad he was doing it. It didn't matter if they ran over Gavin. Andrea figured it was his fault because he knew how bad Negan was and still went along with it. She agreed with Shane: he should've let the dead Savior reanimate so that it could go after Gavin, but she figured he wanted to find her first. Thunder rumbled loudly; the storm was right above them. Andrea hoped he would finish soon. Every second that ticked by was a second that they couldn't spare. She watched Shane work on the wires and saw a devilish grin flash across his face. She knew that look too well and tried to hold in her excitement that he was almost done—when suddenly the driver's side door was flung open.
Before Andrea could react, Gavin dragged Shane out and slammed the door. He hadn't seen her, but he had Shane and that meant being turned over to Negan. She didn't want to imagine what punishment Negan would come up with. Andrea thought fast of what she had to do before it was too late…
oOo
Shane hadn't seen or heard Gavin sneaking up on him and the surprise attack threw him off guard. He looked up to see Gavin towering above him. Just as quickly, he was yanked forward and slammed against the car carrier trailer. The back of his head exploded with pain when he hit the vehicle. It felt like a migraine had wrapped itself around his brain. He thought he heard thunder booming over them. The damp smell of rain was in the air and he wondered why his senses were heightened. For a moment, he had to remind himself of where he was and how he got there. He and Andrea had escaped The Sanctuary—only Negan had found out and sent his men to track them down and bring them back. Andrea took out two of them when they were on the motorcycle and he broke a third man's neck.
That left only Gavin.
Shane hadn't worked with Gavin; Andrea knew him better. Based on what she had told Shane during their late night talks in their apartment, Gavin wasn't so bad. He didn't act like he enjoyed being a Savior and that he only did it to survive—but he was still a Savior and loyal to Negan. At the end of the day, Shane knew Gavin's loyalty would result in his and Andrea's capture. Once captured, there was no telling what Negan would do to them. Shane instinctively knew Negan's punishment was far worse than what he had overheard on the walkie-talkie. He didn't have time to think on it as Gavin punched him in the nose.
"I don't usually resort to violence, but in this case, it's warranted." Gavin's voice was feral. "You and your lady-friend took out three of my guys back there."
"That's what you get for not mindin' your damn business." Shane wiped the blood trailing from his nose. "You coulda went back to Negan an' made up some lame-ass lie that we couldn't be found—or that you found us dead an' had to put us down."
"I believe honesty is the best policy."
"Then be honest an' tell him we ain't comin' back unless he wants his precious Lucille reduced to firewood."
Gavin laughed and at that moment the sky broke. Rain pattered down on him and Shane.
"I'm only gonna ask you once 'cause I'm not making this harder than it has to be."
Gavin whipped out a 9mm handgun and pointed it directly at Shane. In retaliation, Shane drew out his Glock 17. Gavin's eyebrows rose in shock, but he didn't back down.
"You were sayin' somethin' 'bout askin' me a question?" Shane was still on the ground, but now that he had his own gun drawn on Gavin, the situation was balanced. Fair. If Gavin started to pull the trigger, Shane would waste no time in shooting him in the face.
"Drop it, Shane," Gavin demanded.
"You first."
"I asked first."
"That wasn't a question—that was a command…an' I'm done with takin' commands." Shane breathed heavily. His heart banged in his ears and he looked past Gavin, searching for Andrea. He thought he heard a car door creak open and quietly close from above him. Keep talkin', jus' keep Gavin busy.
"I don't like this, but I'm doing what I'm told."
"Jus' followin' orders?"
"Right, so if I kindly ask you to drop the gun, get on your stomach, and put your hands behind your back, just know this isn't personal." Gavin had a weary voice that sounded like he was tired. The anger he had exhibited earlier had faded away.
"I ain't givin' up."
"Don't make this hard." Gavin sighed. "Don't be difficult. He wants you alive."
"That ain't what I heard on the walkie-talkie."
"Dead or alive, same with her. Where's your better half?"
Shane smirked. "Right behind you."
Gavin's face paled when he heard the metallic click behind him. He slowly raised his hands over his head. "I'm just the middle man."
"That you are," Andrea growled. "And you'll be the dead man if you don't back off Shane."
Gavin backed off silently while still keeping his hands raised in the air.
"Drop the gun and kick it to me," Andrea demanded.
Gavin looked from Shane to Andrea and back to Shane again. "Your woman always gives the orders, huh?"
"She ain't playin' with you. If I was you, I'd do as she says—her marksmanship puts men like you to shame." Shane grinned proudly at Andrea, who smiled widely in return.
Gavin didn't protest as he lowered his gun to the ground and kicked it to Andrea, who snatched it up. Now holding two guns at Gavin, Andrea motioned for him to step away from Shane.
"We're gonna make this real easy for you," Andrea said. "I'm sure Shane will agree with me on this."
Shane nodded. "You got a choice—get gone an' act like you never found us—or Drea shoots you up so that you drown in your own blood."
Thunder crashed above them and the light patter turned into a downpour. Gavin said nothing for several seconds. Andrea and Shane were under the same impression that he had no intention of lying to Negan. Then, much to their surprise, he offered them a compromise.
"I'll let you both go, but if I do, you need to get the hell out of here today. Not tomorrow, not next week—today."
"We ain't arguin' with you," Shane said as he stood up now.
"What do you need from us?" Andrea asked. "This is too good to be true."
"I need to show Negan proof that you're both dead, so that he won't keep trying to hunt you down." Gavin sighed. "You know damn well that Negan won't give up until you're dragged back to him and chained to the fence as rotting walkers."
Shane and Andrea glanced at each other. It was a weird suggestion, but if it meant Negan wouldn't ever search for them again, then all the better. They didn't want Gavin to decide what this "proof" would be—a severed finger, a sliver of their skin, or some other dismembered body part—so they took it upon themselves to decide what it entailed.
"That's easy." Shane pulled out a swatch of his hair.
Andrea yanked out several strands of her blonde hair. "Here you go."
They gave their removed hair to a baffled and speechless Gavin.
"Now he'll have proof that we're both dead," Andrea said.
Gavin walked backwards, still watching them. "Of course, what's Romeo without his Juliet?" He shoved their hair in his pocket, looked back once more and then mounted on his motorcycle.
Andrea and Shane watched Gavin drive out of the junkyard. Just to ensure that Gavin didn't have second thoughts, they both shot in his direction at the same time. It had the desired effect as Gavin sped away, determined to put distance between himself and them. When they were certain he was gone, Andrea and Shane walked in the rain, hand in hand, and found their motorcycle where they had left it. Without a word, Shane got on and Andrea mounted behind him. They drove out of the junkyard, shocked that they their lives had been spared, and thankful that they were still together after that close call with death.
oOo
The pouring rain sloshed against the windows of the abandoned motel. A flash of silver lightening forked across the sky followed by the crash of thunder. Despite the terrible weather, the walkers were not deterred. Nothing would distract them from knocking against the glass. It didn't matter that the room's curtain blocked their view of the two occupants inside. What mattered was there was a meal inside that room they wanted to devour.
Shane was oblivious to the walkers pounding on the window. He heard them, but he treated them like white noise in the background. Andrea was his main focus. He stood in the middle of the motel room, holding her in his arms. She had embraced him the moment they found the temporary shelter and hadn't released him. He thought he heard her muttering something, but her words were incoherent since she kept her face buried in his chest.
"Sssshhh…ssshhh…" Shane caressed her back and tried to ease her sadness.
He glanced at the dresser blocking the door to keep the walkers out. There weren't many walkers out there, but he knew if they kept banging on the windows it would attract more of the undead. He was glad that the motel they were in had a connecting door to the next room. That way they wouldn't have to go out through the front door. They were on the first floor which was good. They could run out of there as soon as the rain stopped. Their motorcycle was parked outside and they had to get to it quickly if they wanted to continue their journey.
"I almost lost you," Andrea whispered.
"What's that?"
"Two times…I almost lost you." She lifted her head and looked at him. Just the sight of Shane's dark eyes mirroring love choked her up. "Almost…"
He smoothed out a tear on her cheek with his finger. "You ain't lose me. I'm right here with you, Drea. Always have been."
Andrea shook her head. "You were gone. First with Negan, and then with Gavin."
Shane realized what she was referring to. He had almost lost himself when he was a Savior under Negan and Gavin had nearly killed him. He thought about what he could say to reassure her that he'd always be there with her. What would he do differently from now on to make her know for certain that they'd always be together? He didn't want her to worry about them being separated again or him changing into someone he wasn't. Shane thought of everything they had went through from the moment they drove away from Hershel's farm to where they were now, standing in a motel room together.
"Drea…listen."
As she looked up, he caressed her cheek. She waited to hear what he had to say.
"From now on, no groups. No settlements. None of that. Jus' us."
"You said that before."
Her eyes were downcast now as guilt flashed through her. When they had found Morales' group and Woodbury, she had wanted to stay. At The Hilltop, she was divided, but at The Sanctuary, she knew she didn't want to be there. In her mind, the abandoned house was the best shelter they had ever found and she wished they could find a place like that again.
"Look at me, darlin'." His tone was soft, but firm. He waited until she faced him to continue. He needed her to know that he meant business. "We left on our own to be on our own. That's how it's gonna be from now on. We gonna leave here an' drive till we find our own place."
Andrea stared at him, not fully believing him. Shane instinctively knew what she was wanted to hear—what she needed to hear.
"I won't go out there by myself anymore. When I left you alone to get us food an' meds…when I met Jesus an' that whole domino effect with us at The Hilltop an' then goin' to The Sanctuary—that's a done deal. From now on, we stick together no matter what. If we go out for supplies, then we go out together—even if one of us ain't feelin' well. That way if one of us goes down, we go down together."
"We'll never separate again?"
"Never. You an' I will always be together."
Andrea thought about how just hours ago they had stolen one of the Saviors' motorcycles. It was their only possession now, save for the clothes on their backs, weapons, food, and flare guns that they had taken from The Sanctuary. She had also found a map that she had showed him earlier which helped them get away and would direct them of where to go next. It was folded up and stashed in her pocket. Other than that…they had nothing. The refrigerator in the motel room was empty save for a moldy sandwich and half a can of beer. They needed more supplies, but would use what they had gotten away with. Right now, they had each other and that was the most important thing.
She stepped away from Shane and went to sit on the bed. As she did so, she thought she heard rumbling thunder only it sounded far away. The storm was moving from their location and even the rain had calmed down to a gentle drizzle. The walkers still knocked on the window. She turned when Shane sat down next to her.
"I'm glad you're with me. That nonsense you said about me being happier with Rick—why did you say that?"
"I told you before, Drea. I never wanted this for you."
The first time he had told her those words, she didn't have an answer for him, but now she did.
"I wouldn't be alive if I had stayed with them. Neither would you…" She sighed. "We'd both be dead."
"I guess you right 'bout that."
"No guessing. I know it." Andrea noticed he was staring off to the side, a subtle way of avoiding her. She turned him to face her. "It's true: we both know that we couldn't stay in that group. We had to leave and we did."
"You right, Drea. We did what we had to do an' we did."
"That was then and this is now." Andrea thought about what they needed to do going forward. She was certain he would agree with her. "We need a solid plan before we leave here, Shane."
Shane brushed strands of blonde hair behind Andrea's ears. He loved the softness of her hair. "I've been thinkin' 'bout that an' I got some ideas."
"I'm listening."
"Let's find us an apartment complex." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "A high-rise. Clear it out, unit by unit. Live on the top floor, maybe the penthouse."
Andrea looked unsure. "That's ambitious."
"We can do it, darlin' 'cause we got each other. You said it yourself—all we need is each other."
"I did."
"Our mistake was joinin' all these groups. Time for us to jus' be on our own. That's why we left the farm."
She nodded. "You're right."
"Think of all the supplies at our disposal." Although Shane was excited for what lay ahead, he looked as though he was tired of carrying the world on his shoulders. He needed to clear his conscience. "I never meant for you to be afraid at The Sanctuary—"
"Forget Negan. Forget all of them."
Shane continued as though she hadn't said anything. "That time when you said you ain't sleepin' at night. I'm the one that made you go there."
"No, Shane. I had a choice and I chose you." Shane's eyebrows rose and Andrea nodded. She had repeated his words back to him. They were on the same wavelength. "I chose to leave Hershel's farm, I chose to leave Woodbury only when I knew I could force The Governor into freeing you, and I chose to leave The Hilltop with you. Those were all my choices."
"You sure?"
"Of course! I could've stayed at The Hilltop."
"Why didn't you?" Shane was surprised although he knew this wasn't a completely new revelation. He knew Andrea didn't want to leave The Hilltop, but he never fully knew why Andrea chose to sneak into The Sanctuary with him.
"Because I made a promise to you way before we left the farm—it goes back to the cemetery. If you let me come with you, I would be there for you just as you're there for me. You'd protect me and I'd cover for you."
"An' you have, Drea. More times than I can count."
"There was no way that I'd let you go to The Sanctuary by yourself after what Negan had done to that kid—just like you refused to leave me in Woodbury because you knew Philip was no good."
"What 'bout The Sanctuary?"
"I hated it there, but that's not the same as me saying I don't want to be with you. Two different things. If I had to be there, I'd only be there with you. No one else."
Andrea reached for Shane's hand and held it in hers. As she spoke, she admired the rough feel of his skin against hers. She treasured the calluses in his hands because they told a story about who he was, what he had been through, and where he was going in his life. Shane never gave up on what he wanted. He wasn't afraid to get in the thick of things, no matter how bad they were. She appreciated that about him and it was why she remained with him.
"I'm a woman of my word, just as you're a man of your word, Shane."
Her mind flashed back to that moment when she was straddling him in the Hyundai. They had just left Hershel's farm and she couldn't contain her excitement or desire for him at the time. She remembered he had asked her if she'd ride with him no matter what. She had answered his question with a question and then kissed him to seal the deal. It was a real promise and she knew in her heart that it was the same for him too.
"You ever regret bein' with me?"
"Why do you ask that?" She felt both curious and frustrated that he would ask her now after everything they've been through, but more so the former than the latter.
He heard it and responded likewise. "I wanna know." He looked at her now, serious and wanting to be sure of where she stood.
"I never have. We've gone through hell and back, you take the good with the bad, Shane. The easy times with the hard times. That's what it's about."
"You right. Jus' makin' sure."
Andrea was about to answer when she heard the tinkling sound of glass shattering. She whipped around in time to see two walkers fall over into the motel room. Andrea reached for her gun in her thigh holster and shot both walkers in the head. Blood sprayed the tan carpeting as they collapsed on each other.
"You helped me to live again when you taught me this," Andrea said, turning to Shane who now reached for his machete as three more walkers shambled inside. "Dale got me out of the CDC for himself because he didn't want to be alone in this world."
Shane swiped his machete at one walker across the neck. It toppled over and hit the ground. Wasting no time, he slammed the edge of the machete into the second walker's head and kicked it in the stomach, causing it to knock the third walker down. He quickly put down the third walker by jamming the machete straight through its face.
"We gotta get the hell out of here."
Andrea turned the doorknob that led to the adjoining room. It wouldn't open so she shot the door. Wasting no time, she kicked it open and Shane rushed behind her. They slammed the door shut. Andrea held it in place as Shane pushed the desk as a barricade. It was just as well since a lone walker came wandering into the room they had just been in. From the room they were in now, they could hear the walker's faint growling and frantic pacing.
"We ain't got much time left," Shane said as he raced to the next adjoining door. He tried opening it and this one gave way. "Alright, one door's workin' for us. You were sayin' somethin' 'bout Dale?"
Andrea nodded. "I was just saying that I'm not mad at him anymore for what he did. He needed a reason to live, just as you and I do. You taught me to protect myself, Shane." She stared down at the gun in her hand that she had just used to bust open a door—Sweet Piece. "You gave me something to live for. No one in that group did that, not even Dale."
"Ain't a big deal, Drea. Everyone should know how to protect themselves." Shane was now searching the refrigerator for food. His face brightened when he found an unopened plastic container of chocolate pudding. "Catch!" He tossed it to her and then went to the windows.
"Thanks." Andrea scooped out the pudding with her fingers and ate heartily. "The rest is yours."
Shane shook his head. "Nah, finish it."
"I'll save it for you." She shoved it in her pocket. "No one in the group did that for me. They went on with their lives after Amy died, but you were there and I'll always be grateful to you for that." Andrea met his eyes. If she didn't know better, she'd say Shane's eyes appeared glassy. It was obvious that he was touched by what she was telling him. "It's the reason why I'm alive today. You empowered me to be a fighter. It's what kept me going all this time and it gave me the option to join Negan's army instead of going in his harem."
Shane drew the curtain over the window when he turned to her. Based on the location of the sun, he could tell it was late afternoon. From where he stood, he could see their motorcycle outside several yards in front of the motel. Shane figured he could use the flare gun to distract any stray walkers in the vicinity. They needed to get back on the road before night fell. First, he wanted to address her.
"I'm grateful for you too, Drea. You helped me deal with the Otis situation. No one knows the full story—the whole truth an' nothin' but the truth of what happened that night—not even Rick. Only you."
Shane took Andrea by the hand and led her into the next motel room. He continued talking even when he felt her hand squeeze his.
"I still have nightmares 'bout what I did to him, but I can forgive myself now. I'm thankful you helped me deal with it. I needed to tell someone what happened without worryin' 'bout bein' judged." He released her hand and turned to face her. "Lori an' Dale were suspicious an' Rick threw it back in my face although he said he woulda done the same thing. I never wanted to kill him. Hell, I never wanted to be a killer." Shane noticed some of her blonde bangs fell over her forehead and he brushed them aside.
"I know." Andrea searched his dark eyes that held sadness and regret. "It's not who you are."
"But it's who I need to be to protect you, Drea. I would do anythin' for you. I want you to hold that close to your heart an' never forget it."
"I won't." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly. "And I never want you to forget that you have a partner for life."
Andrea saw her reflection in his eyes and Shane saw himself in her eyes. They knew that no matter what happened that they would always honor the promise they had made to each other when they left Hershel's farm. Their oath had started in the cemetery when Andrea first brought it to Shane's attention that she was willing to leave with him if he was open to it. Nothing would break their promise to each other. There was no exact word to describe what they had. Many had labeled them as friends, lovers, partners, fuck buddies, friends with benefits, "Pussy for Protection" as Negan so famously phrased it, and at one point: husband and wife.
In the end, labels didn't matter—only their love did.
"It's like I told you that day: put a gun in my hand, and I'll cover your ass," Andrea said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"An' I'll cover yours." Shane whispered back.
After all this time, they had come to accept certain undisputed truths about each other. Shane couldn't go at it alone. He needed Andrea by his side to balance him, to quell his temper, to love him when he was at his supreme best and absolute worst. She knew she needed Shane as well. Andrea needed to know that Shane respected her independence and her desire to make her own choices. Most of all, she wanted to be her own agent in this world—and she desired companionship. Wanting to be independent with her choices didn't mean she wanted to be alone or that she rejected love.
He gently let her go and she watched as he went to the window to check on how it was outside. She noticed it had completely stopped raining.
"Still got the map?"
Andrea took it out to show him. Shane studied it and then nodded. She folded it up and put it back in her pocket.
"We got this, Drea. On the count of three, we gonna run through this door. The walkers are out there, but I got our flare gun. I'm gonna fire it to distract them. You run to our ride an' hop on it, I'll be right behind you. Got it?"
"Yeah, we're gonna find that route?"
"That's the plan, darlin'." When Shane had said those words earlier, she hadn't been so sure. This time was different—they had escaped the Saviors and the only thing left to do was execute their plan to find the main road and drive off to their destination.
Andrea took a deep breath and opened the door that led to the outside. She looked at Shane and he nodded.
"One…two…" She started.
"Three!" He finished.
They burst forth through the door and headed straight for the parking lot. Shane fired the flare gun and just as he predicted, it drew the attention of walkers. Andrea ran to their motorcycle. Just as she sat down, Shane got on the seat in front of her. Andrea wrapped her arms around his waist. On the other side of the motel, a small group of walkers slowly turned in their direction. They growled and snarled as they staggered towards Shane and Andrea and at the same time he put the motorcycle in drive mode and floored the gas. In no time at all, he sped down the road, leaving the motel behind.
They privately reviewed in their minds everything and every person they had met along their journey. With Rick's group, they were the outsiders. Morales' group was inexperienced. The Governor manipulated them against each other. Joe's group wanted to lay claim to everything and everyone that wasn't theirs to claim. The Hilltop was decent: Jesus was a good guy, Gregory was a prick, but they were at the mercy of the Saviors…which led to the last group they ended up in. Joining Negan meant they would be alive, but lifeless. Going against him meant they signed their own death warrants.
Through it all, they discovered they were better and stronger when they were together. If there ever came a time when they were involuntarily separated or killed—from a walker or a human being—that would be different. As the saying goes, they would cross that bridge when they got to it. Right now, all they needed was each other. Their love and desire to keep each other safe would keep them pressing forward. In time, they would find a permeant home to live out the rest of their lives in peace.
From now on, it would be only them.
No more Negan, Simon, or other Saviors. Good-bye to The Sanctuary. They were rid of Gregory, Jesus, and The Hilltop. No more running into rapists and predators. They had seen the last of Philip Blake a.k.a. The Governor and his lieutenants, Merle and Martinez. Woodbury was their past. Hershel's farm was a memory now. Lori and Rick were from days gone bye as was Dale. Walkers were around, but they knew how to deal with them—the initial terror when running into the undead had subsided and they had adjusted to living in their fallen world.
They only needed each other.
Where they had been and where they were going brought about a peaceful and thoughtful silence. The only sound was the rumbling of the motorcycle's engine. Shane gripped the handlebars tightly and relaxed when he felt Andrea's arms holding him. Having her arms wrapped around his waist and her head resting on his back made him feel secure and he knew she felt safe. He was tempted to stop driving so that he could turn around to hold her, but he had to keep going for both of them. They were so close and when they finally found what they were looking for, they would have all the time in the world to spend with each other.
The storm clouds broke up and drifted aimlessly, releasing the sun. A cool wind whipped around them and quieted down. The sky painted itself with splashes of warm reddish-orange colors as the sun began making its daily descent to the horizon. They drove by a sign that indicated a rest-stop was only three miles away. It was perfect timing. They could stay at a rest-stop to get some much needed sleep for tonight. Tomorrow, they would find the home they always wanted. The plan was feasible: find a high-rise or an apartment complex with ample amount of supplies in each unit. For now, they would enjoy each other's company as they traveled.
They passed by more road signs and at first, they all seemed the same until Shane pointed ahead. When Andrea looked up, her heart thudded with excitement. They saw it at the same moment: a large yellow and white sign with a state flag and flower. It was like a billboard, they couldn't miss it due to its large size and the bold message in all capital letters. As they got closer, they were able to read that the province was founded in 1634.
Shane and Andrea were still driving at a steady pace when they rode past the state border sign: MARYLAND WELCOMES YOU! ENJOY YOUR VISIT!
~The End~
Author's Notes: I can't believe I've reached this point, but here it is. About two and a half years ago, two friends suggested I write a fanfic about Shane and Andrea leaving Hershel's farm. Back then, I had no ideas and my mind would draw a blank when I tried to brainstorm the story. It wasn't until I wrote Mirror Image that the ideas started to fall into place. This is the final product. I'm greatly relieved and happy that this story is finished, but I'm also sad because I loved writing it. It was a lot of fun to imagine how Shane and Andrea would've interacted with each other (and also the many characters that they meet along their journey). Their deaths happened in the earlier seasons, so their potential to grow as characters and also as a couple was never fully realized. The most exciting thing about this story was to write about how their connection and relationship evolved, as they are my OTP (One True Pairing) and this is the first time I wrote a fanfiction soley focused on a relationship. It helped me to leave my comfort zone and grow as a writer.
I want to thank all the readers, reviewers, those who placed this story on their favorites and alerts - it means a lot to me. Thank you. Writing this story taught me a lot about relationships, the give-and-take, finding that special person who matches you, who helps you to grow and bring out the best in you. During the course of writing this fanfic, I met my best friend and partner for life, Corey. Writing this fic also helped me to type again, as a portion of it was written when I had broken my arm and had to heal from a terrible triad elbow injury. I had to train my left hand to type again on the keyboard and this wasn't easy. Through it all, it has been an awesome adventure, and it's not over yet. I'm working on writing more Shandrea fanfic and I'm hoping to post That's The Way Love Goes in 2020. This is a Live Journal 50LoveQuotes challenge, which will have fifty fics written about Shane and Andrea based on fifty love quotes, some of which take place during the events of this story.
Thank you for coming along for the ride.
-Sassy Lil Scorpio