I do not own any of the TWD characters.

Shane Says Goodbye

and

Sam Has an Announcement

Beth didn't know when she'd ever been more mentally exhausted than she was right at this very moment. The meeting, if that's what you call it, with Shane was beyond anything she would have ever imagined. Beth had wondered when they'd even had an opportunity to come up with all of these stipulations that Shane was going to have to abide by. Yes, Beth was still mad and hurt about what Shane had done, but she found it hard to believe that they were all but banishing him from her life – his life, his home, his child.

Accepting a job nearly five hundred miles away, allowing Negan's legal department to handle Shane's side of the divorce, advance notice if he were to travel out of the state of Florida to visit Judith, advance notice AND permission to visit Annette – Beth paid attention for as long as she could to each individual requirement that Shane was agreeing to. She really couldn't believe that he was being as agreeable as he was, but Beth could see it. Shane was defeated – he knew that he couldn't take on all four of them. Rick and Daryl didn't say much as Morgan and Negan did most of the talking. Beth said nothing but the tears dropping onto her lap from time to time did not go unnoticed by Shane, or anyone really.

"You have anything to add Beth" Morgan asked when he'd finally quite talking at Shane.

"What?" Beth asked confused.

"Do you have anything to add" Negan restated. "Anything you want him to do or not do?" All eyes were on her.

"No" Beth sighed. "I think ya'll just about covered everything." Beth looked into Shane's eyes. "Just" she hesitated.

Negan picked up a pen, ready to add to the list he had in front of him.

"Just, take good care of Judith – don't disappear from her life" Beth stated.

"I believe that's included in make timely child support payments and meet scheduled visitations" Negan pointed to the paper.

Beth shot Negan a look. "And, find some happiness Shane. Please."

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As soon as they stepped out of their vehicles, the smell of home slapped them all in the face. The holiday aromas only grew in strength the closer to the back door they got. Beth inhaled deeply while taking in the back yard of her childhood home. The pool area was a little depressing as it always was this time of year. Beth remembered it made her sad to see a heavy dark green tarp in place of the crystal blue water that was present during the warmer months. Beth, shrugged her shoulders and wiped at her nose with a tissue, realizing that was probably the least of her worries at the moment. They were all going to have to make it through the night with Shane.

Carl greeted them from the screened in porch, offering to help with luggage and other things. Rick jerked his head toward the driveway, wordlessly indicating to his son that there was plenty more to be carried in. Shane trudged behind Rick with his arms loaded as well. He and Carl grunted at each other in passing. Beth wondered if Carl knew that Shane would soon be leaving for another state – a job waiting for him in southern Florida.

Carl stopped walking long enough to greet Beth with a hug and a kiss to the cheek. "Hey Beth – missed ya" Carl said.

Beth blew her nose into the nearly used up tissue. "Missed you too guy. Doing alright?" she asked him.

"Yeh. You put on some weight hadn't ya?" he asked. Honestly, the boy didn't mean anything by it – he really didn't. Carl was simply stating the obvious. Daryl and Beth stopped dead in their tracks, as did everyone else. The men in the group had been around long enough to know that you didn't ask a woman if she'd put on weight. It didn't matter if she'd ballooned up bigger than a beached whale – you sure as hell didn't mention it.

Morgan turned around to look behind him. "What the hell that boy just say?"

Negan, for once in his life, seemed to be a bit flustered. "Uh, nothing" Negan answered Morgan. "Keep walking Old Man, get on in the house."

Shane sputtered and fumbled for words but nothing would come and finally Rick said, "Carl, Son, that's not very polite."

"What?" Carl asked. The boy truly didn't understand. Oh, to be young and that damn dumb thought his father. "Sorry Beth" Carl finally muttered, figuring he'd just go ahead and apologize even though he had no idea what everyone was so worked up over.

"That's okay" Beth told him. "I've got a cold. Maybe my medicine's got me a little puffy or something."

Daryl rolled his eyes. Good save Baby Girl he thought to himself.

There wasn't much time to stew over that little incident because at that moment Annette hit the back porch with both feet running. "Bethie" she squealed. "Get in this house. Lucille told me ya had a cold and an earache. You get in here right this minute – I've made some peppermint tea for ya."

Beth broke out in a smile. Home. She was home and her Momma was going to be taking care of her for the next couple of days. It wasn't that Daryl didn't take care of her because he did – damn good care of her, but it was just something about having your momma around when ya didn't feel good.

Beth's eyes twinkled when Daryl smiled at her smiling. "Go on" he told her. "Get in there – let ya momma fuss over ya – big ole baby" he teased. Beth pushed ahead of everyone else to walk into her Momma's open arms.

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"Supper was amazing Ms. Annette" Shane wiped his mouth with the napkin. "As always. Thanks for havin me for Christmas dinner – pretty quiet at my place right now."

"Oh Shane" Annette gushed at his boyish charm. "Ya know we love havin you. I still can't believe Lori up and took Judith - went to her cousin's place in Savannah for the holiday."

No one responded. Shane looked as if he wanted to speak, but Annette cut him off.

Looking around the table, Annette began talking again. "I mean, they've never spent any holiday there. Why she chose Christmas to go and visit is beyond me." Annette glanced at Morgan who simply put his hand on top of hers. "Why would she do that?" Annette looked at Rick and then realized that Rick wouldn't have an answer to the question nor would he care.

"Well" Shane cleared his throat. "I was gonna wait till maybe dessert or something, but I guess now's as good a time as any."

Everyone at the table was quiet. It seemed that they all knew what was coming. Everyone except Lucille and Annette that is. "What is it Shane?" Annette asked as she looked around at everyone again. She noticed that Beth hadn't eaten much and the girl was staring into her mashed potatoes with watery eyes. "Someone better tell me what the hell's goin on here."

"Ms. Annette" Shane began. "Lori and I are separated." No response from anyone at the table except a small, almost unnoticed gasp on Lucille's part. Annette only blinked at Shane.

"Well, that's absurd" Annette stated. Still, you could hear a pin drop in the dining room. Andre could be heard in the kitchen. The boy had gone in there looking for some more rolls. "Shane, that's just ridiculous. Everybody hits a rough patch now and again – just fix whatever it is and move on. If not, tough it out like the rest of the world."

"Can't be fixed" Shane responded. "We tried – just too much to try and conquer. I've taken a job down in Clearwater – Pinellas County Sheriff's Department. I start at the first of the year. Lori and Judith'll be on back from Savannah when I leave."

Annette was flabbergasted to say the least. "Why, this is the silliest thing I've ever heard" she sputtered. "Wait a minute" Annette pointed her spoon at Morgan. "Clearwater. Mo, don't you have a condo in Clearwater?"

"Shane's actually going to be staying there until he can find something he likes" Morgan replied.

"Oh" Annette said. "You knew 'bout this Morgan?" Annette appeared to be a little hurt.

"Yes, Shane came to me when he'd first heard of the position down there" Morgan had an answer for her immediately. Smooth thought Daryl. "Shane knew I spent time there and wondered if I might be able to help out in any way. Of course, I was happy to help in any way I could." Morgan placed a kiss on Annette's hand and smiled at Shane.

Annette was almost shocked into silence, but not quite. "I don't know what to say" the lady finally whispered. "I'm sorry Shane. We're gonna miss you so."

Michonne stood and announced that she would bring dessert back in after checking on Andre. "Surely it doesn't take that long to fetch a roll." Laughing nervously, Michonne made a quick exit.

"Momma's right" Beth finally spoke up. "We will miss you, but everything'll work out. You'll see." All of the men at the table turned to look at Beth. Shane especially taking her in – after all, it would more than likely be the last time he would ever set eyes on her again. "Time and distance usually makes all things, anything really, better – forgiven. You'll see." Beth stood abruptly. "I'll go give Michonne a hand."

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"Ya'll want some more boiled custard?" Annette asked as she stood there shaking the gallon jug of thick white liquid. "Best I ever made" she observed.

"No Mam" Daryl answered while rubbing his belly. Beth wiped the remainder of the whipped cream out of her husband's beard. "Think my limit is two glasses" he added.

"I should say so" Beth teased.

"I ever tell you coconut cake was my favorite?" Morgan hugged Annette from behind.

"Nope" Annette giggled. "Lucky guess" she said.

"Can we open presents now?" Andre begged.

"I'd say we're gettin pretty close Little Man" Rick picked the boy up and carried him like a sack of potatoes to the family room where Michonne had been on diaper duty. Baby Lila had slept through supper and was now enjoying some mashed potatoes and smashed peas.

"Well, we have a tradition that started when I was a little girl" Beth stood in the center of the room.

"That long ago, huh?" Carl teased. Beth picked up a pillow from the arm chair nearest her and tossed it at Carl's head.

"Hush up" she hissed at him, still slightly pissed about the weight comment from earlier. "As I was saying, it's a tradition Maggie and I started many years ago." Beth stuck her tongue out at Carl. Daryl smirked to himself. Thata way Baby Girl – be the grown up here. "Since we knew that our Momma was the glue that held everything together, we always made her something special for Christmas and she got to open that gift first, before anyone else got to open anything up.

"Awwww Man" Andre whined. Beth smiled remembering just how Andre felt.

"Now, Andre" Beth spoke again, "I think you made something for your momma."

That brought the young boy around and he jumped up to retrieve a package from under the tree. "I did" he said excitedly. "Here ya go Momma" he said as he handed it to Michonne. "It's from me and Lila – we love you. Thank you for taking such good care of us."

Collective ahhhs were heard from around the room. Michonne opened the gift to find a slightly crookedly made pot holder and a picture made with both his and Lila's footprints that had been framed.

"Oh, my" Annette bragged on Andre's gift. "You can never have too many pot holders. Lord knows I've burnt my share of them up in the kitchen." Annette laughed and winked at Beth.

"We're not done though" Beth interrupted. There are a few more mothers in the room. Lucille looked around nervously before Daryl handed her a package at the same time that Beth handed her mom an identical package.

"Now, ya'll gotta open them at the same time" Daryl instructed. "Don't want nobody to get pissed off 'bout anything." Sam chose this time to wake up from his nap to see everyone had joined him in the family room.

Annette and Lucille smiled at each other, both wondering what in the world it could be. Each lady began to pull at the paper, pulling at ribbon and tape. Annette was the first to get her box open, but she was patient enough to wait on Lucille. They each pulled back the single layer of tissue paper at the same time.

Inside the box was a frame with a picture of Sam. How odd thought Lucille. I like Sam and all, but, just, how odd. Annette must have been thinking along the same lines so she held the picture a little more closely so that she could read the sign hanging around Sam's neck.

"Mom and Dad are getting me a human" Annette read out loud. Still, neither lady caught on. Negan slapped his leg and laughed out loud.

"Read it again" Negan told Annette.

"Mom and Dad are getting me a human" she repeated and then looked up at Beth.

"Oh my" Lucille got out before she started to cry. "Oh my" she repeated.

"Look at the back of the picture frame" Beth told them. The grandmas to be turned the frames over to find an ultrasound of Baby Dixon.

"Just a little something we made" Daryl was beaming.