Chapter 2: Confessions

Friday night came. Rick had been getting better in the hospital, but was still in a coma. 'Nessa was getting ready in her room for her and Shane's first date. As he promised helped her get her car fixed. Vanessa put on her favorite black dress, it came just above her knees. It wasn't too tight but wasn't too loose either. She curled her long dark brown hair, before putting on the smallest amount of makeup, just to highlight her features.

She went to her closet for shoes. She had always loved shoes, that's why she owned almost a hundred pairs. Vanessa decided to wear a simple pair of black wedges. Next, she went to the kitchen and fed her German Shepard-King. He was named that because when her and Shane were playing mini golf one time, he found a young puppy in the castle whole. The door bell rung, 'Nessa's heels clicked as she walked down the hall to get the door. She was expecting Shane, even though it was only six fifty. But, instead Lori stood in the doorway with Carl.

"You look pretty, Aunt 'Nessa!" Carl hugged her waist tightly.

"Thank you Carl," she kissed her nephew's forehead.

"Going on a date?" Lori asked with a smile.

"Yes, actually."

"With who?" Lori asked curiously.

"Shane."

"Oo. I just wanted to pick up Carl's shirt he left here when he slept over."

"Okay, come in. I'll get it." Lori heard the clicking of heals as 'Nessa went to the spare bedroom. The door bell rung again. "Lori, can you get that?" she called.

"Yeah," Lori walked over to the door and saw Shane, clean-shaven, in a dress shirt and slacks. He even had a bouquet of red roses. "Wow. Look at you."

"You think she'll like it?"

"She liked you back in high school, with that awful hair. You'll be fine."

"Hey," 'Nessa said when she walked back into the room. She put Carl's shirt on Lori's shoulder.

"You look beautiful," Shane smiled at her.

"You don't look so bad yourself," 'Nessa nudged him playfully. Lori noticed the slight blush on Shane's face. He never blushed. That was like one of the rules of being Shane. He never got embarrassed or nervous. "Are these for me?" she pointed to the flowers.

"Yes they are, here you go."

She took the flowers gratefully. "Let me go put these in some water."

"I think it's time we left," Lori said, pulling Carl out the door with her.

"Bye guys."

Vanessa put the flowers in water, and set them on her kitchen island.

"You ready to go?" Shane offered his arm to 'Nessa.

"Yes," she took his arm. "Such a gentleman."

They walked out to Shane's black jeep and he opened the door for her.

"So where do you wanna go?" he asked. She looked at him and smiled.

"Why don't we get a pizza and rent a movie, then relax at my place?"

"That's a great idea," he smirked.

"Not like that you perv!" she smacked his arm.

"I wasn't-"

"Yes you were."

They went to the local pizza place and ordered a large pepperoni pizza, then rented a comedy movie and went back to 'Nessa's house. They got very cozy on the couch. Shane wrapped his arm around 'Nessa's shoulder and 'Nessa rested her head on Shane's chest.

"Y'know, I've always had a crush on you," Shane said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I thought you were so beautiful when you walked into my health class."

"You caught my eye that day too. Maybe it was that awful thing you had going on with your hair."

It was the first day of school for Vanessa. She'd just moved to King County with her dad. The first day of high school. She knew absolutely no one and was scared. She left her long dark brown hair down, it cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. Her first class of the day was health. After some trouble with her locker she came into class-late. The teacher glared at her when she walked in.

"Are you Bernadette Winters?" the teacher asked.

"Yes, but I go by my middle name-Vanessa."

"Have a seat there," she pointed next to a boy with a mullet.

He gave her a goofy smile. She smiled back. Shane looked at this new girl, she was nothin' like any of the other girls here. She was beautiful. Her eyes were the bluest he'd ever seen. Vanessa took her seat.

"Shane Walsh," the boy said.

"Vanessa Winters."

"Whatcha got next?" she handed him her schedule. "Well, 'Nessa-"

"'Nessa?" she asked with a smile.

"A nick name. You're a freshman?"

"Yeah. Wha 'bout you?"

"Senior," he replied. "Well, we do have the same lunch. Are you new?"

"Yeah, just moved here from Atlanta."

"Why don't you sit at my table for lunch?"

"Sure."

That's what happened everyday for that whole year.

"You're the reason none of my relationships never lasted," Shane said suddenly. "They were always jealous of how I was with you, how I greeted you."

"We just hugged," 'Nessa laughed. "I was jealous of your girlfriends."

"You were?"

"Yes."

He kissed her, deeply on her lips. She didn't object, but kissed him back instead. Their hands tangled in each other's hair, Shane eased 'Nessa back onto the couch. His hand worked its way up her dress resting on her inner thigh. He licked her bottom lip she allowed him entrance without hesitation. She moaned as he explored her mouth. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his dress shirt. He lifted her up and unzipped her dress.

"Bedroom," she managed to say against his lips. She wrapped her arms around Shane's neck, his around her ass. The back of her dress hung open as they made their journey. Once they arrived in Vanessa's room, Shane put her on the bed, less gently than he would've wanted. 'Nessa got tired of Shane's shirt and ripped the last few buttons off. He smirked at her, when he slid her dress off.

He loved her candy apple red bra and panties. His lips attacked her soft neck, he loved her scent-coconuts. Her moans only made taking things slow harder. 'Nessa's fingers felt their way around Shane's chest, stopping at his tattoo.

"Lil' Bird?" She asked.

"Like Bernadette, I was eighteen," he laughed and went back to kissing her neck.

Bark! Bark! This sound woke Shane and 'Nessa from their slumber. They'd had a busy night the night before.

"I'll let you out in a minute King."

"What time is it?" Shane asked sleepily.

"Quarter 'til seven. I gotta get up."

Shane groaned before letting her out of his arms. 'Nessa stalked into the kitchen and let King out the back door. Then, she went to her dresser in her bedroom, still wearing Shane's dress shirt. She pulled out a pair of sky blue scrubs. Arms wrapped around Vanessa's waist, kissing her neck.

"You realize I got my name changed to Vanessa Bernadette Winters before college."

"Yeah. But I didn't feel like gettin' the tattoo removed. Plus it was still part of your name."

She opened her underwear drawer.

"Oo," he picked up a black lacy thong. "Wear this. Then come over to my place later," he smirked against her neck.

"Okay," she said, picking up the matching bra.

"Okay?"

She smirked at him and headed to the shower. He followed her like a puppy.

"I'll see ya later, when I come and check up on Rick," Shane said, as he kissed 'Nessa's lips in her driveway.

"Okay. I look forward to it," she winked at him and got into her car, they drove their separate ways. Shane arrived at the poice station right on time. He didn't stop back at his house to change, so he has to use the extra uniform he keeps in his locker.

"Look who's takin' the walk of shame," Leon says with a smile. "Who's the lucky lady this time?"

Shane smirks. "Vanessa."

"Vanessa with the nice rack, Vanessa?"

"The one and only."

"Lucky bastard. She is damn fine."

Shane just laughs, and gets dressed. All of they guys at the station including Rick always loved when Vanessa would stop by. She was usually dropping off some lab work from the hospital. To this day neither she or Rick had ever told anybody what happened between them. They didn't mean for it to happen. Carl was four, Rick and Lori had argued all the time and Rick was ready for a divorce.

Rick knew there were only two people he could ever talk to about anything-Vanessa and Shane. Shane was at his grandmother's funeral in Florida and wouldn't be back for three days, so he had Vanessa come to the station and meet him in his office.

"What's going on Rick?" she asked taking a seat. Today, since it was summer in Georgia, she'd worn daisy dukes, flip-flops, and a tank top with a plunging neckline. Even though Vanessa was Lori's sister, she never told her any of the secrets Rick told her, and had given him advice.

"I think I'm gonna divorce Lori."

"What's going on between you two now?"

"We argue all of the time, she just doesn't get me at all. We can't agree on how to raise Carl. And he hates her."

"How do you know he hates her?"

"He said it. A lot. And look at this," he got out a picture from his desk. It was a drawing of Carl, Rick and Vanessa.

"Oh my God..." Vanessa said.

"I know," he looked up at her and kissed her. One thing led to another that day in Rick's office, and they never spoke of it again. Both of them were too embarrassed, neither of them told Lori, and never planned to.

"'Nessa," Vanessa jumped at the sound of Shane's voice.

"Shane yo scared the hell outa me!"

"I'm sorry, babe."

"Babe? This is getting serious," she joked.

"I want it to."

"So am I your girlfriend now?"

"If you wanna be."

"Then that's what I am," she wraps her arms around Shane's neck and kissed him.

"So what were ya so deep in thought 'bout?"

"The past..."

"What about?"

"Okay, I'm gonna tell you something, Rick and I promised to take it to our graves, but I can't hold it in any longer."

"What is it?" Shane tucked a strand of Vanessa's hair that had fallen out of her pony tail behind her ear.

"Well, a few years ago...Rick and I...we...we slept together."

"He told me 'bout that once when we were drunk."

"Son of a bitch," she cursed. "We said we'd never tell anyone! Including you!"

"You just told me didn't you..."

"That doesn't count."

He kissed her cheek.

"It's not a big deal. I didn't even believe him 'til you just confirmed it."

"Damn it."

"I'm not gonna tell anyone. I'll take it to my grave."

They kissed again.