Chapter 17

Shane, Rick, Daryl and T – Dog stared at the unknown faces s in front of them "You've got a good thing here" Rick stated cautiously, signally to the motel that surrounded them. The teenage boy with dark brown curly hair and olive skin half smiled and looked to the older man who seemed to be the leader. Kym was a bit older than the rest of the me, probably in his mid 40's ,tanned, very short brown hair and light blue eyes.
"We want to thank you letting us stay here" Rick finished. Kym leant back in his chair, putting his hands together on his lap
"It's not up to me really... can't let you leave when there is a herd outside. I don't want your blood on my hands.
Shane half laughed and replied bluntly "That ain't a herd" . Everyone's head turned in surprise but Shane didn't care "Ya'll know I'm right..." he said to his companions from the farm and Atlanta
"If ya want a herd, ya should have seen the one we encountered on the highway... or on the farm... that out there" he said pointing to a few dead walkers through the window
"That ain't nothing compared to what we've dealt with".
They all knew it was correct, but at the moment they were in their house, and they were going to play by their rules.
Hershel appeared and Daryl shot up from the seat "How is she?" he asked but Hershel said nothing as they walked back to where he had come from. Maggie had closed the door behind her while another woman, with long red hair and in her mid 30's smiled shyly as she let them past. Daryl knew by the look on his face, it wasn't good.
Sam was sitting up against the bed frame, looking out the window next to her in the one of the motel rooms. He slowly walked over to her, knowing exactly what she was going to say

Kym the owner of the Motel had the rest of his people in the kitchen as the Atlanta and farm survivors waited patiently in the lounge room.
"They can't stay here" Kym rolled his eyes to his wife Danielle who had long straight brown hair, average built with hazel eyes.
"I think it's a good idea, the more people, the more protection" the teenager named Dino budded in but backed off when Kym gave him a silent look. Danielle tutted "We are letting them stay here Kym, they seem to know what they're doing with those things, and that's the end of it".
Dino hid his laughter as Danielle said nothing else, walking past her husband and took the red head, named Elyse who had been upstairs helping Hershel with Sam.

Once they had announced they could stay at the motel, they soon found out about the local residents. Kym and Danielle were married and Kym's parents had own the motel, both died and left it to him to manage. When this whole epidemic happened, Dino who was 18 years old had been on a road trip by himself and was staying at the motel. When Kym had gone into town to find out what was going on, it was too late – he had found Elyse huddled in her hair salon behind the counter and brought her back to motel.

By now everyone knew Sam had lost her baby, she couldn't stand the looks she was getting – Sam wanted to shut it all out and pretend nothing had happened. That's how Sam worked, how she dealt with tough situations. Ever since she could remember, Sam would always run away from the problem, would never face up to it – her earliest memory would be from when she was a child, her parents would fight and Sam would run off to her bed room, shut the door and play with her Barbie dolls – shutting out the real world and preferred a make believe one. As she grew up, if it was a fight with her sister or Mum, she would do the same thing – slam the door, ignoring it all, and hoping it would go away. It wasn't a healthy and she knew that, especially after keeping it all buddled up with her sister and Dave.

After the motel people decided the group could stay until they got back on their feet, the Danielle who Sam remembered from the night they'd arrived decided to show them around the motel and set up some rooms. They were all very similar, small yet cosy – the one Sam had decided to have had a double bed in the middle of the room, and off to the side with a small bathroom and kitchen, a dresser for their clothes and a window that overlooked the back of the motel which was bolted down of course.
When Sam claimed the bedroom, the others all nodded, following Danielle to check out the other rooms. Daryl nodded, following behind Glenn and Maggie, until Sam whistled at him
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked with a cocky grin. Daryl looked at Glenn and Maggie, then back to Sam who nodded in the direction of her room.
Daryl hesitated on his feet for a few seconds, tightening his hold on his cross bow by his side and walked in after her. Sam sat down on the edge of the bed, eyeing Daryl as he stood awkwardly in the centre of the room, not meeting her face.
"What's wrong? I thought we might as well share a room together… unless you don't want to…" Sam said feeling a bit heartbroken..
Daryl shook his head and cleared his throat "No, it's just err…." Sam could see how uncomfortable he was but couldn't help but giggle, she'd never seen him this nervous.
"I've never lived with a … shared a room with …. A girl before…"
Sam stood up, walking over to him with a small smile over his lips "it's okay, I've never shared a room with a redneck before…"
She stated with a playful grin appearing over her lips and Daryl rolled his eyes at her terrible joke, but knew she was trying to make him feel better.

As Daryl lied down next to Sam who was on her side, he heard Sam sniffling "What can I do?" He asked, feeling helpless.
"Just hold me" Sam replied quietly. Daryl moved in close, placing his hand under her arm just below her ribcage "I love you, with all my heart...you know that right?" he whispered into her ear.
Sam turned over so they were facing each other and she kissed him once, then twice and then she was on top of him, trying to pull his singlet over his head.
"We shouldn't do this..." He said grabbing her arms.
Sam cocked an eyebrow and he sat up with her still sitting on him "Why the hell not? Isn't this what people in love do? I just want to feel something... anything! Make it go away!"
Daryl moved her off him, looking her deep in the eyes "But you're hurting Sam... you're not thinking straight.. I'm not going to take advantage of that."
Sam sighed, pulling her hair back behind her ears feeling embarrassed. Daryl pulled her into his arms and laid back down on the bed. Daryl kissed the top of her forehead and she nuzzled into his chest "I love you" he repeated again and she said it back to him this time, finally starting to drift off to sleep.

Daryl and Rick went with Kym and Dino off to scope out the surroundings of the Motel, to pin point where they needed to have look outs, Sam made her way down towards the dining area where Maggie, Carol and Lori stood in the kitchen with Danielle and Elyse. The three women whom Sam had known smiled gently at her, and she knew exactly what they were thinking, and stormed back up the stairs towards her room. Maggie excused herself and followed her best friend.
"What are ya doing? Checking up on me now? Think I might do something to myself?!" Sam yelled angrily at Maggie as she stood in the doorway.
Sam paced back and forth in her room, determined not to meet Maggie's eyes. She slowly entered the room, making sure to keep her distance as her friend was beginning to deteriorate in front of her.
"Not at all Sam..." Maggie calmly spoke "I just came up here to see if you wanted to talk... "
Sam's head shot up from the ground and there was fury in her eyes
"This is why I don't want to talk about it!" Sam said pointing at Maggie "Because I don't want you staring at me the way you are right now! With pity, like I'm pathetic!"
Maggie shook her head, and took her time is taking Sam's hands "This isn't pity, this is sympathy... its love... this is me trying to be your friend".
Soon enough, tears were flowing down her face and Maggie pulled her in for a hug "I don't know why I'm feeling like this! After all, the baby was conceived by rape... I should be happy it's gone right?!"
Maggie hushed and patted her back softly "But in the end it was another baby, another human life on this Earth and I loved it! And now it's gone!"
Sam sobbed harder into Maggie's shoulders but they were interrupted when they heard a cough. They both looked up and Shane was standing in the doorway now.
"It's our time to go on watch..." he said softly at Sam. Maggie asked if she wanted her to take her shift but Sam shook her head, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"It'll take my mind off everything, I'll be okay."

Shane and Sam walked in silence to their post, both holding rifles in their hands. The night was beginning to get brisk; they could tell winter was on its way. Sam shivered and her teeth chatted as she rubbed her arm with her free hand.
Shane took off his jacket, putting it around her shoulders and began warming her up with his hands.
"I'm sorry about' your baby"
Sam shrugged, she'd had enough of sharing her feelings for one night, deciding to ignore Shane's comment. The minutes passed by slowly, and it got colder and colder.
"I feel numb" Sam said abruptly, and Shane moved forward again, rubbing her shoulders with his hands as she stared at his chest, not blinking.
"No, I mean... I feel numb..." she said meeting his eye and he stopped as the meaning sunk in "I don't feel anything at the moment, just sorrow and grief... and I just want to feel anything... anything else..."
They both stood in silence, looking at each other before Shane moved his hand from her shoulder to the side of her cheek. Sam felt her eyes watering up again, and looked away quickly but Shane pushed her face back towards him... leant it... and kissed her.

To be continued...

Will Sam do the unthinkable and sleep with Shane?
If so,
What will Daryl do when he finds out?

DARYL VERSE SHANE,
it's been a long time coming.

Authors Note - Please review and let me know how this chapter was + would you like mroe interaction with the new characters?

Who feels sorry for Sam? or who is hating her at the moment?

REVIEW! :)