Love Quote #34 - "When you love someone, it's something. When someone loves you, it's another thing. When you love the person who loves you back, it's everything."

The Nature of Love

Shane sat in the patrol car, listening to Rick go on about married life: living with Lori and raising Carl. He reached for the French fries that he and Rick had brought at McDonalds. Shane chewed his fries as Rick pontificated about his life. He always considered himself the devilish one, while Rick was the more angelic of their brotherhood and friendship. Total opposites and yet best friends since high school, the two men couldn't be more different.

While Rick was having a passionate night with Lori, celebrating their wedding anniversary, or having a family dinner at Carl's favorite restaurant, (it was always family oriented)—Shane was at the local bar hitting on any woman who caught his eye with the intentions of bringing her back home to his bed. When the morning came and the woman left his bedroom and ultimately, his apartment (because they never made his way into his heart, Shane made sure of that), it was only a day's time before the pattern repeated itself. Shane would slap some breakfast together, shower, dress, go to work with Rick— they were both sheriff deputies—and have a slow boring day or a fast-paced one that was nonstop until he clocked out. When night came, it was Round Two to see which woman would satisfy his lustful fantasies. Maybe if he was lucky, he'd pick up two women tonight, bring them back for a salacious—

"Are you listenin' to me, Shane?"

Shane turned to Rick, who had a serious expression on his face. "'Course I am. You were sayin' Lori made you your favorite dinner last night. Roast beef, beef stew, somethin' like that."

"No, I wasn't sayin' that at all."

Shane stared through the windshield of their patrol car, watching the traffic go by. Today was a slow day. It meant it would take forever for work to end and he'd get home later than expected to get ready for the night. Who knows, the woman he would've enticed would already be taken by another man who made it to the bar before he did.

"Listen to me—you've been jumpin' from woman to woman for years. I know you think you like it, but when's the last time you've been happy? And I mean truly happy."

"I was happy watchin' those legs until you interrupted my fantasy—er, my concentration." Shane grinned as he pointed across the street at a petite brunette wearing a mini-skirt. Damn, what he'd do to sweet-talk that woman, bring her to his bed, strip off her clothes, slide off those bra and panties, run his hands all over her curves, spread her legs—

"I'm talkin' about more than jus' happiness, Shane. Are you at peace with yourself?"

Shane scowled now. There was no way Rick was lecturing him about having "peace with yourself". Although Shane felt no shame about his womanizing behavior, he didn't know how it started. He had always been attracted to girls when he was growing up, and as an adult, he was fond of women from all different cultures. He didn't have the intense need to settle down as Rick had. Sometimes, he thought back to his high school days when that gym teacher—

Shane shook his head, refusing to think about it.

He would never know the full ramifications of the gym teacher's actions, how it molded and shaped him…how it impaired his ability to have stable relationships with women… He had always bragged that he had "hit it with an older chick"…but he never stopped to consider that her actions were abusive due to the age difference and power differential. And Shane would never delve into that part of his psyche—it was dark and fractured. There was no desire to revisit it. It was just as well—he'd continue sleeping with women and discarding them. What was the fun in saddling down with one woman anyway?

"You ain't gonna preach to me, brother—not when twenty-four hours from now, you gonna be sittin' right here tellin' me 'bout you an' Lori arguin' for the hundredth time."

Shane didn't hide his anger. In his mind, he had a right to be defensive. Who was Rick to judge anyway? Especially when things weren't always peaches-and-cream in his marriage. Sure, Shane slept around, but those women could tell him "No" and he'd go onto the next one. He never forced sex on any woman and it wasn't like he was sleeping around with Lori…

Rick sighed, resigned to the fact that he would never be able impact Shane's love life (or lack thereof) in a way that was positive and meaningful. "I'm jus' sayin', Shane…" He shook his head.

"Sayin' what?" Shane glared at Rick now.

Rick looked away, embarrassed that he had brought up his married life and Shane's promiscuity, and how his words may've been misinterpreted as painting Shane's behavior as a problem. It was obvious to Rick that Shane saw no wrong in having multiple female partners and never settling down to have a stable fulfilling relationship. He didn't intend to shame his brother and best friend. He just wanted Shane to know the joy of sharing in a relationship—of being with someone who had your back, no matter how bad things got. Of having both a lover and a best friend. As much as Shane bragged about having more sex partners in one week than Rick had in his entire life, Rick knew he wasn't happy. None of these women—no matter how good the sex was as Shane claimed—were of any substance. They wouldn't be with Shane for the long haul. Rick sensed Shane's yearning to connect with a real woman, someone with both beauty and brains, strength of character—because whoever Shane ended up with had to be strong to accept him at his best and worst moments.

"I guess you done preachin', Reverend Rick?" Shane chuckled since he was the one who usually jokingly referred him to himself as "Reverend Shane".

Rick turned in Shane's direction now. He spoke his next words slowly and deliberately, hoping they would remain in Shane's mind, pierce his heart, and etch their meaning in his soul.

"When you love someone, it's something. When someone loves you, it's another thing. When you love the person who loves you back, it's everything."

Shane nodded seriously at first and then a mocking smirk spread across his face. The way Rick said "something", "thing", and "everything"—the words always had a distinct thang sound. He couldn't contain his hilarity anymore and busted out laughing.

Rick didn't get angry; he simply remained calm and resolved. "Not surprised that you'd laugh. One day, I hope you understand, Shane."

"Yep, an' I hope I get laid tonight."

Rick didn't respond as he turned on the police cruiser and pulled away from the sidewalk. Time to take a drive downtown and see what was going on there. He turned on the radio to ignore Shane's mocking laughter. He knew that although Shane laughed now, one day, he would remember his words…

oOo

"When you love someone, it's something. When someone loves you, it's another thing. When you love the person who loves you back, it's everything."

Rick's words were truer than Shane realized that day. So much had changed since then. Images of what had transpired after that time flashed through Shane's mind… Rick getting shot by escaped convicts when he and Shane pursued them. Society collapsing when the dead began to walk. Rushing Lori and Carl to safety. Having an affair with his best friend's wife. Rick showing up at Shane's camp. That moment when Rick looked at him as Lori and Carl hugged the now-found Grimes—Shane knew this was the beginning of the end—and the beginning and the end. The beginning of growing tension with Rick and the end of what he had with Lori. As time went on, Shane knew it would be best if he left the group, but the most surprising thing was finding out he wasn't alone…

Andrea was the other loner in the group.

Shane eventually formed a steady friendship with Andrea that proved to be more give-and-take than what he had with Lori. Shane gave Andrea shooting lessons, and in turn, Andrea was honest with him. She was the only one in the group who sought him out and showed him understanding—especially when it came to eliminating threats like Randall. Shane had wondered what would happen if they left the farm together—since Andrea made it known in the cemetery that she'd want to go with him if he ever left the group. Wondering about it aloud prompted Andrea to challenge him to back up his word: leave Rick's group forever and never look back. Andrea was right, although Shane didn't openly admit it at the time. There was nothing tying him there anymore. Well, there was his unborn baby, but both Rick and Lori said the baby was Rick's—and that Shane would never be part of his young one's life. So now, he could cut all ties with his past life and start a new one with Andrea as they began their journey to Maryland.

At first, Shane had kept Andrea at a distance, but after going through hell when running into other survivors—Morales, The Governor, the Claimers—he finally opened his heart to the possibility of having a relationship with her. A shared love and mutual friendship had formed—they enjoyed spending time together and they knew each other well—strengths and weaknesses. Andrea and Shane had seen the best and worst in each other time and still wanted to stand by each other's side. A solid relationship had developed between them.

Presently, Shane was sitting up in bed, his back against the bedrest—he was in the bedroom of the house he and Andrea had found four days ago. It wasn't too long after losing the Hyundai and supplies after running into Joe and Claimers that they had made the discovery. They had finally settled down. There were supplies in the home to last for some time, he had burned the family of corpses that he found in the basement, and he was thinking of how he could make their new home secure. But it wasn't lack of supplies or worries about security that kept Shane awake after two in the morning… After a restless night, Andrea had finally fallen asleep a half hour ago. She had twisted and turned in bed, broke out in a cold sweat and coughed constantly. Now she was sleeping soundly and Shane thought it was best to stay awake in case she needed anything—a cup of hot tea, cool compress, Tylenol...She had been sick before they found the house. Whatever made her ill wasn't showing signs of letting up.

You were right, brother, Shane thought as he watched Andrea sleep on her side. Lovin' the person who loves you back is everything. And this time, Shane didn't laugh when he thought about how Rick's Southern accent came out when he enunciated the word "everything". Instead, he thought about his brother's wisdom—because Rick knew what he was talking about—and he considered how shallow his "love life" had been until he met Andrea. It was more accurate to call it his "lust life", since prior to forming a bond with Andrea, Shane had made everything be about himself, how much pleasure he could get from countless bed partners.

None of that compared to what he had with Andrea. With Andrea, he had found someone who he could confide his darkest secrets. He had someone who loved him enough to be honest with him and call him out when he was right—and when he was wrong. And he had someone who promised to always be there. Rick had wanted Shane to find his peace and he had—with the woman he least expected to find it with. Shane was glad he remembered this particular conversation with Rick. He knew Rick would be shocked—and definitely happy—to see how far he had grown in his relationship with Andrea.

Just then, Andrea stirred. She turned over and her eyes blinked open. Squinting, she tried to focus on Shane. She opened her mouth to talk and started coughing. Shane wasted no time in gently lifting Andrea upwards and situating her so that she laid her head on his lap and then went right back to sleep. Shane sighed as he held her close to him. He never imagined he'd stay up all night to watch the woman he loved, but knew he'd always be grateful that he had learned what it meant to live out Rick's words.