What If... a TWD Tale

Chapter 2~Reconciliation

Shane reached out a cautious hand and took a firm hold of Ricks'. The rest of his group gathered around them as Merle, Oscar, and Daryl stood behind their leader. The Dixon brothers were the only ones to recognize Rick's old friend from the farm. They didn't know who the others were.

Rick wasn't sure how to start, so he let go of Shane's grip and hooked his machete back onto his belt. Without a hint of how he felt, he told him, "Thank you for coming to our rescue. I didn't thank we were gonna make it outta there."

He turned around and waved toward his group, "You know Daryl and Merle. You should remember them. And, this is Oscar. Oscar, this is Shane Walsh. He was with us before we met you at the prison."

Bringing up Shane's leaving made Rick remember his resolve, "I didn't thank I'd ever see you again. How did you get here? Who are your friends?"

He looked directly at the woman with the sword.

Rick was unable to read how Shane was taking this reunion since he hid behind his sunglasses and he hadn't said anything besides calling out his name. While there was an awkward silence between the two men, he was distracted by two other people coming out of hiding behind the trees that surrounded the store.

A tall, dark male who looked to be in his mid-thirties and a young boy about the same age as Carl. The rest of Shane's group kept an eye out for any other walkers while they spoke.

Rick couldn't help but let his focus continuously stray back to the woman with the sword and the little boy who had put away his knives and now hung onto her leg, watching him with big warm hazel eyes. Rick's own bright blues twinkled as he gave him a huge grin and a wink before turning back to Shane.

Shane still showed no emotion but when he pulled off his glasses, Rick saw everything he needed to see. There was joy, a hint of fear and surprised relief in his former best friend's damp, brown eyes, "Rick... I found you." His voice deepened when he asked, "How's everyone?"

***

Rick looked way different from the last time he saw him. He sported a full beard with a few strands of grey throughout. His dark brown hair had grown longer in the back, past his collar. Before everything went to shit, Rick always maintained the clean-cut choir boy look. Now, his face had hardened, there were crinkles along the corners of his eyes. He was leaner, more cut. The one thing that stayed the same, those clear blue eyes of his.

Another thing that changed... when he saw Rick fighting the dead.

The man was brutal.

Rick was a good fighter before, but he handled his fights by the book and was gentlemen-like. Now, he looked like he could really fuck some shit up. His buddy looked like he had gone through hell over the past year. Shane sure was happy to see him alive and still kicking ass.

But first things first.

He needed to know how Rick felt about seeing him again.

He didn't have to wait long. As soon as he took off his glasses and Rick could see the entirety of his face, Rick pulled him into a bear hug.

The rest of Shane's group released a sigh of relief, not sure what was going to come out of their tense meeting. Seeing that everything was cool, they all waited patiently for their reunion to conclude, while keeping a sharp eye out for any other dangers.

Rick pulled back, slapping a hand on Shane's shoulder and wiping his own tear that ran down his cheek. "We've lost three people since the farm, Shane. Everyone else is with us."

The mysterious woman quirked her head to the side with curiosity as she watched them closely.

Shane remembered Rick's question, "Our truck broke down about an hour away from here and heard the shots from the road after we spotted a building through the trees."