In the midst of his coma, a few particular moments continue to echo through Rick's seemingly endless dreams...

Detective Grimes II

"Things might get a li'l shifty in there."

Shane was smiling. It was that cocky smile he'd been wearing way more often since being promoted, and as much as Rick hated it, he knew he was probably wearing a pretty similar smirk more often than he'd like to admit.

"That's what yer hopin' for, huh?" Rick drawled, sipping his coffee and resting back into the driver's seat of the parked car.

Shane chuckled and turned his head to gaze out the tinted passenger's side window. "Nah. I mean – it'd be nice ta see some action. But I'm really hopin' I don't gotta take any of 'em out… Lerner'd probably suck my dick if I brought back every last Greene, alive and ready fer interrogation."

Rick had to laugh out loud at this. The thought of Dawn Lerner doing anything sexual just wasn't a thought that he was capable of forming. But then again, Shane's taste in women was questionable sometimes.

"Like you could keep it hard under that kinda pressure," Rick teased, causing Shane to laugh.

"Shit – ya prob'ly got a point there," the olive-skinned man said.

Rick's smile faded and he spoke in a more somber tone. "No jokin', though – we should be prepared. We got no clue how many weapons they have in there."

Shane grew more serious as well and nodded. "Think I ain't ready? I'm gonna have my finger on the trigger after the first step I take inta that place."

Rick shrugged and took another sip of coffee. "Let's not start anythin' we don't have to, though. We need to go in with level heads. Keep our eyes peeled, utilize the backup we got on standby… No need to escalate if they're willin' to go quietly."

"Quietly?" Shane repeated. "Ain't nothin' gonna be quiet about this, Rick. We're walkin' straight into the snake's nest, man. That farm's prob'ly got a quarter-billion dollars an' just as many guns. Even if ya don't think about how outnumbered we are, they're still dangerous. Ain't no way in hell a single one of 'em is gonna wanna come quietly, let alone cooperate."

Rick didn't say anything. He knew Shane was right, but he also knew that if Shane had it his way, he and Rick would be busting down the front door and throwing Hershel Greene to the ground within five seconds of stepping out of the car.

Sometimes he wondered why Shane didn't join the SWAT team or go back to being a regular officer. But he liked being partners with his best friend too damn much to ask.

"Call it my instinct," Shane said. "But I got a feelin' we're gonna have some runners. Best tell 'em ta have the active guys on standby – let's keep those ol' donut-eaters out on the backroads. They ain't gonna be no help outside a their cars."

Rick smirked and said, "Too late, Lerner already assigned everybody. You know I ain't got no say in that anyhow."

Shane grinned. "Fer now. After tonight, though…"

"So you get a blowjob an' I just get more work?" Rick joked.

"Hey – you wanted it."

"Yeah, yeah. Just remember, Clint Eastwood – level heads."

"Ain't no glory in level heads," Shane put on that cocky smile again.

Rick chuckled and pulled his seatbelt across his chest, then turned the key in the ignition and started the car. "Yeah, well, ya can't get yer dick sucked if yer dead."

Rick had to look away and laugh when Shane raised his eyebrows and said defiantly, "Oh yeah? Watch me."

to be continued…