Survivors Camp: Day 13
The sun was barely rising but Frank was already covered in sweat. He had a strict schedule. He got up every morning at dawn and ran. He had trained in every terrain so he wasn't worried about making noise.
The sweat glistened on his bare chest as the first rays of the rising sun hit him. He took in the warmth and safety those first rays brought.
The sound of a branch breaking behind him broke him out of his revere. Thanking the gun out of the rim of his running shorts he turned around, gun pointed, his finger on the trigger. "Fuck" he said as he saw one of the kids behind him.
"Hey kid, I could of shot you" Frank said returning his gun to its place. "Sorry mister but you look a lot like Shane" the little girl said as she held a doll close to her.
Taking a deep breath Frank went over and dropped to a knee. "What's your name darling?" Frank said keeping his voice calm even though he was still shaken.
"Eliza" the girl said softly. Frank smiled. "Well Eliza, shall we get you back to camp before your family misses you?" Frank said standing up and offering Eliza his hand. Nodding, Eliza took his hand and the two of them headed back into camp.
As they entered, Frank was amazed by the bustling going on. He watched as the women took baskets of clothing to the lake to be washed. Though he thought it was disgusting the men seemed to be just sitting around while the women did the heavy lifting.
Eliza slipped her hand out of his and ran over to her mom and picked up a smaller basket. He noticed that Dinah and Leo were helping as well.
Without a word he went over to Eliza's mom and picked up one of the baskets. The camp seemed to stop as they watched him carry the basket to the lake. Leo and Dinah grinned at each other and followed. The other women laughed and started to follow as well.
After watching the stranger go down to the lake with the women, including Lori, Shane looked over at the tent that Rick was sleeping in. His mind suddenly wondered to another time and place.
King County: the morning Rick got shot
Shane slid into the cop car with two bags of greasy fast food. Handing one of them to Rick, he tore his back open and started taking down fries two or three at a time making Rick laugh.
"What's so funny Ricky?" Shane asked shoving another group of fries into his mouth. "Oh nothin Shane, you just look like like you haven't seen food in days" Rick said laughing.
"Well, my dear Ricky, I could quote about the importance of a man getting his nutrition from the man bible but I would rather teach you another way" Shane said with a carnivorous grin.
Taking Rick's food and throwing it in the back seat along with what was left of his, he turned the other man so his back was against the door and his legs spread over the passenger seat.
Getting on his hands and knees, Shane crawled across Ricks legs until he got to his belt. Unbuckling it slowly Shane heard a small gasp come from the other man. He smiled and continued.
Finally undoing his belt, Shane grinned as wide as the Cheshire Cat himself and flipped Rick over, positioning him on his knees. It was a tight fit turning Shane on even more.
Unbuckling his own pants, Shane pulled Ricks underwear down and making sure Rick was properly lubricated, yes he kept some in the glove compartment, he slammed his hard cock into Rick and thrusted in and out of him repeatedly.
The windows steamed as both men breathed heavily. Ricks hand slid down the steamed window as he grasped for a place to put it.
They kept at it until the radio in the patrol car crackled. Both men jumped and rushed to get into a more settled position before answering.
The memory went blank and Shane was back in the camp staring at Rick's tent.
He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. He was about to get up and go over to the tent when the sound of Lori laughing filled his ears and guilt built up deep in his chest.
The Camp: two days prior
Lori was foraging for mushrooms as Shane watched. Licking his lips he knew he wanted more than those damn mushrooms. When he lost Rick he had allowed himself to turn to Lori as a connection to Rick. It wasn't fair to Lori but hell, she was damn fine and he was lonely.
Sneaking up behind her, he grabs her arm and spins her around for a deep kiss. They embrace like that until Shane pulls Lori to the soft earth.
Removing Lori's clothes happened quickly and his belt unsnapped even quicker.
Pulling her legs apart with the fierceness of a lion, Shane crawled on top of her and licking his way up her stomach, across each of her hardened nipples, up her smooth and tender neck finally making his way to her lips. As his covered hers, his dick found its target.
After working the front, Shane pulled out, took Lori by her hips and turned her over. He then penetrated the back with same ferociousness. His hand cupping her through as he pulled her against him and into a rough but passionate kiss.
After working both ends of Lori, they both collapsed holding each other. Shane stared at the ring dangling from the chain Lori kept on her at all times, except for during sex.
He wanted to grab her by the throat again and ask why Rick chose her but he kept his cool.
Once again the real world infiltrated Shane's memory world. He was still staring at the tent. The tent he wanted to so badly crawl into and hold the breathing person inside.
Part of him was scared though. He had listened for a heartbeat and never heard one. Rick Grimes was dead when he left his hospital room but here he was, alive and breathing.
He was about to wonder off into his mind again when a hand touched him on his shoulder making him jump. He looked back and staring at him was none other than Lori.
"I know Shane. I know about Rick's plan to ask for a divorce. I know how he regretted being to scared to admit his feeling in high school. You should talk to him first" Lori said with a surprisingly warm smile on her face.
Shane felt the water before he realized he had started to cry. Lori wrapped her arms around him until a set of foot steps broke them apart. The new guy, Frank Castle stood towering above them.
"Hey I hear your supposedly the man around here Walsh, if your so manly why the hell aren't you helping the women carry those baskets asshole" Frank said pulling Shane up by his collar and shoving him. "You can have a good fucking cry as soon as those baskets are brought up. Oh and where do I find a man named Ed?" Frank said as he pushed Shane towards the lake. Both Lori and Shane pointed towards one of the campers and headed towards the lake.
As they walked they heard shouting and then a gun go off. The whole camp stops and looks toward the camper. Carol started to run to the camper but gets stopped by Daryl who tells her to wait.
"Sophia was in there" carol says as she try's to get Daryl to let go. Suddenly the doors swing open and Frank emerges with Sophia tightly in his arms. "The asshole was trying to touch her so I put two in his skull" Frank said as he handed Sophia to Carol who had ran up to them after finally breaking out of Daryl's hold.
No one spoke. It was quieter than Sunday prayer. Frank lowers his head and starts to walk away, feeling as though he might have just made enemies of this new group.
He stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. Looking up he sees Carol looking right at him. "Thank you for saving my little girl just now" Carol said, her voice cracking from screaming. "I do the things others can't, that's my worthwhile in life" Frank said and headed back to the tent he shared with Dinah,
Laying down, Frank placed an arm over his eyes but smiled when he smelled the familiar scent of Dinah's perfume.
"Hey, they want to throw you a party Castle" Dinah said teasingly as she strategies his legs. Frank reached up and pulled Dinah down for a deep kiss, his hands exploring every inch of her body. He was just about to take off her shirt when someone screamed. "God fucking dammit, I will get to fuck my wife" Frank said kissing Dinah again and the two left the tent with Dinah trying hard not to laugh.
Rick also emerged from his tent. He knew that scream. It was Lori. "What's wrong Lori?" Rick asked as he ran up to her. "Walkers were in the river, Sophia was already scared from everything with Ed, I'll catch you up later," Lori said as she saw the confused expression on Rick's face and continued "Sophia ran into the brush to hide and Carl followed her. Both kids are now lost out there with walkers trailing them" Lori finished, her breathing hard and looking like she was about to faint.
Rick held her close and said "I will take the men and we will look for her. The rest of you stay with the camp and the other kids". "Hell no, I'm going too" Dinah said as she cocked her firearm. "Don't mess with her, she'll kill you" Frank said getting a smirk from Dinah and billy nodding in agreement.
Kissing Lori's cheek, Rick, Shane, Frank, Daryl, Billy, Jim, and Dinah grabbed guns and headed out to find the missing kids.
Somewhere in the forest
Carl caught up to Sophia and grabbed her by the hand. Sophia turned and her and Carl held each other. Bending down, Sophia and Carl kissed each other deeply.
"I've always wanted to do that" Carl said shyly. "So have I, and my hero definitely deserved that" Sophia said and they both laughed.
Suddenly the branches rustled and both kids stopped, frozen in their tracks. Carl found the energy to move in front of Sophia and holding a branch he knew would do nothing he waited for whatever was causing the rustling to come out.
Suddenly a man in a police uniform stepped out from behind the brush. He stopped when he saw the two kids. "Are you two lost?" The man asked with worry. "We ran when walkers appeared at the lake" Sophia said bravely.
The man smiled. "My name is Brett Mahoney, I'm an officer with the New York City police department. Let's stick together and find our way to safety alright" Mahoney said calmly.
They nod and Mahoney asks "are you two alone"? They shake their heads no and Carl says "we ran from our camp but we don't know how to get back".
"Don't worry, I'll protect you two and help you find your way back, just stay close" Mahoney says and the two kids gather in close.
Taking a deep breath, Mahoney listens and soon he hears what sounds like footsteps heading their way. Pushing the kids behind him, Brett gets ready to shoot.
The footsteps got closer making Brett a little less confident but when he saw the skull through the brush he wished he had shot. "Is that you Castle?" Mahoney shouted.
And just like he expected, Frank stepped out of the brush, his gun focused on Brett. "What are you doing out here Detective?" Frank asked. "You should be glad I followed your trail to this area, I was here to save these two" Mahoney said and Carl and Sophia stepped out from behind him.
"Right place, right time like always Mahoney" Frank said and the group headed back to camp as silently as possible as not to attract the walkers from earlier.
As soon as the kids were safely back in camp, everyone sat down and took a deep breath. They all knew how badly that could've ended for the kids and for them but it didn't. They live another day and to that they all had an afternoon beer.
That evening, they all sat around the fire eating a buck that Frank had hunted that afternoon. Shane sat off to the side and watched the activities of more like he watched Rick.
Rick kept glancing his way but held tightly to Carl who hadn't left his side all day after getting lost. Even though he was starting to dislike Frank, who he felt was trying to take his place as leader, he had to admit that he was a damn good shot, cook and great with the kids.
As Shane stood to excuse himself he felt someone behind him. It was Rick. "Let's talk privately" Rick whispered in Shane's ear and the snuck off to Shane's tent.
They heard Dale raise a toast to Brett and the others for saving Sophia and Carl but they had their own shit to clear up.
"I talked to Lori and as soon as Carl isn't so shaken we are going to tell him about us, that is, if there still is an us" Rick said his voice audibly giving away how afraid he was. "Also, I know you fucked Lori and I'm not angry" Rick said trying to lighten the mood a bit.
Instead of an answer, Shane pulled him in for a deep kiss and before they went any further he whispered "I'll always want you and we will give Carl all the time he needs" and with that Shane turned off the lantern and had their own return party for Rick.