Love Quote #19 - "Sometimes, you need to run away to see who will follow."
To See Who Will Follow
The moment Shane saw Rick exit from the truck, he knew his days were numbered. He didn't want to believe it, but it became absolute truth once Lori forbade him from talking to Carl and blamed him for leaving Rick in the hospital. It didn't matter that he had gotten her and Carl to safety. Nor did it matter that she had started a relationship with Shane. What mattered now was that her husband was back and she didn't need (want?) Shane anymore.
During the time between escaping CDC and traveling on the road, Shane decided to leave the group. It would be difficult, but ultimately, it would be the best thing to do. He could put distance between himself and Lori—as well as Rick. Being far from Lori would hopefully dim the feelings he had for her and removing himself from Rick would taper down the jealousy that was eating away at him. For a brief wishful moment, he wondered if Lori would leave with him, but quickly realized how foolish this was. Of course, Lori wouldn't leave with him. Hell, she didn't even want to speak with him when Rick miraculously showed up at their camp. So that was completely out of the question.
Andrea was the last person he expected to follow him. He had nobody and neither did she. Well, she had Dale, but they hadn't been getting along lately. In time, Shane would find out why, but at that moment in the cemetery when she proposed leaving the group together, he wasn't concerned about why she wanted to leave. He was only focused on himself. In Shane's mind, their interactions were far and few. He didn't understand why a brief conversation in Dale's RV where he showed her how to clean and disassemble her gun meant so much to her—but then again, Shane wasn't ready to admit their interactions that day brought him comfort since he felt rejected by Lori.
So later on, when she followed him outside of Hershel's home and gently (but firmly) confronted him on what he did right—as well as what he did wrong—he thought aloud about how he should've left with her when he had the chance. Shane had come a long way since that time in the cemetery when he first brushed her off. Now he had someone who cared enough to remain by his side; whereas before Lori was quick to abandon him when Rick returned.
To his surprise, Andrea offered to leave with him. If Andrea was the only one who followed him, then he felt relieved knowing that he wasn't completely alone in the world—he didn't have to continue living a lonely existence. He had Andrea, and Andrea had him. They had each other. They could run away together and never look back—and they did. Months later, while watching Andrea sleep curled up in the backseat of their Hyundai, he realized he had ran away to get away from everyone—and to see who would follow him.