Walking Dead: Building Your Own Hope
Chapter 14 of my Walking Dead story, enjoy.
Reviews:
Wolfgirl2013: Thanks :)
Boris Yeltsin: Yeah, sadly so.
Parent12D: Thanks, yes indeed. Yeah, things have gone well and they've parted ways, for now. But yeah, things are looking pretty grim, what could this be and what is going to happen, we are about to find out.
Now onto the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Walking Dead or its characters.
Season 2: Episode 14
Finally, after a stony silence, Lori spoke up.
"It's true, Shane has been coming around here a lot lately." She admitted. "He's also been quite frustrated and angry lately too, as I've always made my stance on many of the things he's complained about, typically the opposite of his view."
Rick nodded. "That explains the change in his personality lately...but why?"
"It's all to do with quite possibly my worst mistake ever." Lori said with a distasteful expression. "It happened when you were in a coma Rick."
Rick nodded, listening while Carl tensed, clearly already guessing the worst.
"Mom, you, you-"
Lori sighed and continued. "I don't know if it was fear, loneliness or something like that but...It's true. I...I slept with Shane."
Carl flinched, horror struck while Rick's eyes widened, but he kept his cool and sent Carl a warning glance.
"Lori, you…"
She shook her head. "He certainly seems to have felt there was more in what happened than there was. I was desperate, lonely and that's what happened. I bitterly regret it to this day and have been trying to find some way to make amends and fix things...as much as I possibly could."
She went quiet for a moment and Rick seemed to be struggling.
Carl had no such troubles. "How can you possibly fix that, you betrayed Dad, you...you seriously had an affair mom, that's-"
"It was one time and I've bitterly regretted it since, Carl." Lori explained. "I regretted it right after in fact. It was a mistake and I've told Shane that plenty of times."
"And he just doesn't listen." Rick murmured, shaking his head.
Carl turned to him, shaking his head. "Dad, you…"
He could hardly get the words out.
What didn't help was that Rick seemed to compose himself, didn't look betrayed or anything this like that. He simply looked over at Lori and asked firmly.
"So, all these visits he's been doing, he's been trying to get you to leave me for him?"
Lori sighed. "Yes, when he's not complaining about things like that FBI Agent Michonne getting involved in the case. I've rejected him every time."
"Did Shane…?" Rick began before pausing then clearing his throat. "Is it at all possible that Shane manipulated you at that time, that he-"
"Dad, you can't be serious, this-?" Carl burst out.
But then Lori spoke up and her words stopped even Carl's outburst.
"Don't try to detract from the terrible thing I've done to you Rick, manipulation or not, I betrayed you that day and out of shame I've hid it and tried to just quietly fix things...but now that's no longer possible." She said, tears in her eyes.
Rick sighed and stood up, crossing over to the sofa and sitting down next to Lori.
"Lori, look at me." He said, when she did he gently reached out to her. "This is of course, something that's not going to be easy to overcome...but we need to look to the future and we can't face that unless we do so together."
"Wait Dad, you're...just gonna let this go?"
"No Carl, I need to talk to Shane tomorrow, to the chief. He can't keep acting the way he is." Rick explained. "And before you ask yes, I forgive your mother. Don't you see she's already punishing herself for this, that's more than enough to convince me to trust her."
Carl trembled and then shook his head. "Well sorry, it's not enough for me."
With that he turned and ran off, leaving the house.
"Carl!" Lori cried out.
Rick gently held her. "It's okay...give him time."
She sniffed but relaxed into Rick's arms while looking out the window, wondering where Carl could possibly have gone.
XXXXX
Walking down the path, still in shock at the reveal of his mother and the way his father reacted, Carl couldn't get his mind to calm down. He felt overwhelmed, unsure, lost.
'How could, how could she, how can dad even…?' He wondered in dismay.
Unable to help himself, he sought to the only help he could in this situation. He pulled out his phone and quickly texted Jamie.
"Hey, are you busy?"
He waited for a moment, until Jamie replied. "Just at the library, everything alright?"
Carl sighed and quickly texted his reply. "I need to talk, something's happened and I don't know how to even think about this. I need you."
"Dude, you realize what you just typed. Regardless, come on by the library, I'll be outside." Jamie replied.
Carl did realize and blushed but he took some solace in Jamie offering to help and quickly pocketed his phone and hurried to the library. Sure enough, when he arrived, he saw Jamie seated outside, waiting. Seeing him as he looked up, Jamie offered him a reassuring smile and patted the bench next to him. Carl sat down.
"So...what's bothering you?"
Carl took a shaky breath before telling Jamie the whole thing, everything that had been revealed, his father's reaction, everything. By the end Jamie was wide-eyed and immediately hugged his boyfriend.
"Oh Carl, that's...that's crazy." He said. "I can see why you're worried, but...listen, your parents are adults, I'm sure they know what they're doing."
"But don't you see, this isn't, I can't just-" Carl stammered.
Jamie shook his head. "I know dude, I know, I'm just trying to help you. But don't worry, regardless of how you feel about this, you'll have me. I promise."
Carl sighed in relief and relaxed into Jamie's arms, just relieved that he was there. Maybe, just maybe they'd figure something out, maybe they'd manage to come out soon, right now, all that mattered was he was there for him.
What neither boy was aware of at that moment however, was someone in the shadows stood, watching them as they did this.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.
