Chapter 7: New Home

"T-Dog, let me look at that arm," Vanessa said. T-Dog cut his arm on a piece of metal from a car, during the herd attack. The rest of the group went to search for Sophia. Shane insisted she say, reluctantly she did. "We've got to get you some medication or this is only going to get worse."

"I know you didn't just stay behind to look at my cut, what's the real reason?" T-Dog asked.

"I'm curious about this too," Dale admitted.

"Shane didn't think it was safe."

"Sure," the two men laughed.

"Dale shouldn't you be working on that hose?"

"Truthfully, it's fixed. I just wanna hold off on the 'needs of the few vs. the needs of the many' speeches as long as possible."

"That is one tricky hose," T-Dog grinned.

"Very," Dale agreed. Vanessa smiled at them. Outside of those previously among her family, this is the first time she's felt like part of the group. "Vanessa, you never answered the question," Dale pressed.

Vanessa sighed. "I'm pregnant..."

"I get it now. That's why we're here. They think we're the weakest," T-Dog said. "We should just take the RV and go. Just go down the highway and leave."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Dale asked.

Vanessa felt his forehead, it was so warm, it almost literally burned her hand. "His fever got worse. Dale see if you can find something for him."

"I'm on it," Dale said.

They didn't find anything for T-Dog. Not long after, Daryl, Carol, Glenn, and Andrea returned from the woods.

"Where's everybody else? Where's my sister, Shane, Carl, Rick?" Vanessa asked.

"Some chick came runnin' up on some horse. Tol' Lori Carl'd been shot," Daryl said.

"Oh no! No! Is he...alive?"

"She said he was."

"I've got to go to them," Vanessa grabbed her and Shane's bags, she didn't have a plan but, her nephew was in danger.

"And what do you think you're gonna do, running out there blind?" Dale asked.

After, a bit of discussing, it was decided that Glenn, Vanessa, and T-Dog would go and find the rest of the group in Carol's Cherokee. Daryl, Carol, Dale, and Andrea all stayed with RV on the highway. Glenn drove, Vanessa sat in the passenger seat, looking nervously at the passing landscape, T-Dog sat in the back seat holding his arm. It was dark when they finally arrived at a farm, the mailbox said 'Greene' on it. Vanessa kept her bags in the car, when they all got out.

"Do we ring the door bell or..." Glenn trailed off.

"Man, none of that stuff matters now," T-Dog replied. They walked up onto the porch.

"Did you close the gate on the way in?" a voice asked. They turned to see a brown-haired woman, a couple of years younger than Vanessa.

"Uh, nice to see you again," Glenn said with a flushed face. "We met earlier...briefly."

"I don't mean to be rude, but where's my nephew, Carl?" Vanessa asked.

"In the house, first room on the left. I'm Maggie by the way."

"Vanessa. And, thank you," she rushed into the room. She was met with the eyes brown eyes of Lori, and the blue of Rick's. Lori ran to her feet and hugged her sister tightly. Lori sobbed. "Will he be all right?" Vanessa turned towards Rick, still hugging her sister.

His eyes swam with tears. "Shane and their man...Otis went to get supplies to operate. They should've been back. Hershel says he may have to operate without a respirator."

Vanessa began to cry as well. She could lose her only nephew, and her unborn child could lose his or her father. The three sat by Carl's side. Until the sound of tires on gravel invaded their ears. They all ran outside. The door to an old blue pick up truck opened. All that was seen at first were brown combat boots. The door shut, and the man closed the door to the truck, and began to move forward. It was too dark to see the face, but whoever it was, had a bad limp.

Bloodied tan colored pants were tucked into the combat boots, and the top of those tan pants was covered by a bloody black T-shirt. As soon as Vanessa saw his face, she ran as fast as her legs would carry her to his arms. Shane's mood instantly became better, he held the one he loved tightly, but without hurting her in her fragile state. She cried freely into his shoulder.

"I was scared that I had lost you," she sobbed.

"Don't worry about that Darlin'. I'm here," he buried his face in her hair. "I'm here."

Shane gave Carl's supplies to Hershel. "Otis?" he asked. Shane shook his head. "Not a word to Patricia, I need her. Maggie, show him to the shower."

"Do you want my help? I'm a doctor."

"No, Patricia and I will work together just fine."

While Shane showered, Vanessa brought their bags into the room Maggie said they could sleep in for the night. She got out an outfit for him and brought it to the bathroom. Steam escaped the room when she opened the door.

"Shane," Vanessa called to him. "I'm gonna put some clothes for you on the sink."

"Okay," Shane replied. He needed to be alone, he was punishing himself, feeling he didn't deserve to be with Vanessa right now.

"Our room is the the one to th right of here."

"Okay."

Vanessa left the bathroom, and went back to the bedroom. She considered going down to see Carl, but decided to give Rick and Lori some time alone. She dressed in a t-shirt and sweat pants, and put her long hair in a braid.

The door opened and Shane walked in. He was different though. His black sweat pants, and his gray shirt looked the same but his hair, was gone. Other than looks, he was stressed, when he walked through the door, he didn't so much as give Vanessa a second look. He just took a seat on the bed and held his face in his hands.

Noticing the stress radiating from Shane's body, Vanessa crawled across the empty side of the bed and sat behind him. She massaged his knotted shoulders. He didn't so much as flinch, he just sat there, seemingly numb to her touch.

"What's wrong babe?" she asked. He gave a quick shake of his head. "Lie down and I'll give you a massage." he did as commanded. She took off his shirt and let her hands get to work on his back.

"I'm fine," Shane tried to reassure her. "It's just scary to see someone get taken by those things. I was afraid I'd never see you again, or see our baby grow up."

"You're safe now. That's all that matters," she planted a kiss on his shoulder. "I love you," he moved into a sitting position, and pulled Vanessa so she was straddling his lap.

"And I love you," his told her with a smile. But his brown eyes told everything. I'm not fine. But I'm not ready to share. So instead of arguing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He gripped her waist, pulling her closer. "I don't deserve you," he told her.

"That's where you're wrong," she kissed him again. "There's nobody else I'd rather be with. I would only want to carry one man's child, and that's your's."

"Really? You could have any guy you want..."

"Don't give me any ideas," she grinned. He cupped her face and kissed her deeply. Shane laid back, pulling Vanessa with him. She ran her hands under his shirt, feeling his toned chest, before she pulled his shirt off over his head. She moved her lips to his neck, she nipped and kissed at his sensitive skin. He let out a moan.

There was a knock on the door. They both jumped out of their skin.

"Ju-just a minute," Vanessa jumped up. Shane groaned and too got up from the bed. He limped over to the door. It was the first time Vanessa noticed his ankle. "Shane, what happened?"

"Jumped out of a window, to get away."

"What!?"

"Am I interrupting?" a young blonde girl asked. She couldn't be more than seventeen. If it had been Lori or Rick, Vanessa and Shane would've let them have it.

"Nope," Vanessa lied, trying to smile.

"My dad just wanted me to let you know, Carl's operation went well, and he should make a full recovery. And, my dad wants to see you," she pointed to Shane. "He wants to take a look at your ankle."

"Okay," Shane said. "I'll be down in a minute."

She nodded and left the room. Shane kissed Vanessa.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Nah, that's okay. You need your sleep, for the baby," he kissed her for head. "Night."

"Night. Love you."

"Love you too."