Serendipitous

44.

  "So that was Noah's biological mom and half sister?" Shane questions, his voice has some concern in it. I watch his brown eyes turn sympathetic, they trace my face for my answer.
"Yes. At first thought there was just no way, but judging from the look on his face..." My voice goes quiet, I can't believe this myself. Maybe assuming Noah's mother had been dead wasn't the right thing to do, but when the world ends and becomes plagued with dead drooling cannibals what else could I have assumed? "I guess I just thought she was dead. But of all places she happens to appear here."

"It's a strange and cruel world." He mentions, the brief pity for Noah staying in his eyes.

"I had no idea." My voice is now a hush, but I realize this must be somewhat of an awkward conversation for Shane and I to have; given what happened the day of our wedding with Noah. I realize I haven't even had the time to ask him about what went on between the two of them after I left. Maybe now would be a good time to ask seeing as how brining up Noah wouldn't be random. "Hey... What happened between you and him?" The softens of  my voice isn't from being sheepish, more so nervous about the answer. Shane keeps his features gentle toward me, his eyes part from my gaze as he focuses heavily on the floor for a moment. Maybe he's trying to think of how to word all of this, or maybe it was unpleasant and he doesn't want to upset me.

"After you left I told him to stay away from you, and if he couldn't do that then to keep his distance given we're all in here together." The sharp jawline tightens briefly, Shane harshly stares at the floor. A small exhale coming from his nose, he seems to be hesitating before looking back up at me. "Did anything happen between you two before- before I-" He stops mid sentence as if afraid to hear my answer. Shane's brown eyes tell me everything; he's afraid right now. My brows crease together while I hurriedly shake my head and lean my body into his chest, I can feel a heavy sigh of relief come from him.  The warm strong arms lock around my waist, I close my eyes for a moment.

"There were nights when I would cry for you, he was there for me. Nothing like that ever happened, the most we have ever done is hug; but like I said it was always when I would be found crying about you." I promise him, my face peering up at his.

"I believe you."

"I'm sorry all of this is happening. I just thought we were friends... After you came back he started acting strange." Maybe Noah and I just weren't meant to be friends, perhaps he was only supposed to be in my life for a season.
"This isn't your fault; stuff like this just happens." Shane soothes. A tender kiss is placed on top of my head, the warmth from his lips relaxes me.

"Are we okay?" I ask, worry lingering in the back of my throat.

"Of course we are okay." He comforts, "Nothing could ever change the way I feel about you." I smile up at him from hearing his honeyed words. He can be such a romantic sometimes.

"Cheese ball." I tease grinning, earning a laugh from him. The sound of his laughter makes me feel like I am at home, it makes me feel a happiness that I thought I would never have again. "Nothing could change the way I feel about you either." I confess suddenly; Shane's tender expression makes my heart want to melt like chocolate.
Our tender moment lasts when he pulls my body into a spooning-like position onto the bed with him. The embrace of his arms around me makes me feel so safe, just like it did when we were back at the house on the open land when the walkers first came, when they first bombed Atlanta and I thought we had lost absolutely everything; but we still had each other.

Shane's P O V

Falling in love with Molly wasn't something I had planned out in my head; it wasn't on a whim either. Falling madly in love with her was something that happened the same way you fall asleep, slowly and then altogether.
When I thought about what other people—her parents more so— would think, she would prove otherwise about when to not care about the approval of others. Through the weeks and months of battling with the feelings that began growing spontaneously for her; I tried to make these feelings go away that I would feel when she was around, but Molly soon consumed my mind even when she wasn't near.
I've always thought she was attractive when she grew up, if I occasionally saw her during a holiday dinner when Rick invited me other. Her long hair, the way her Fiji eyes lit up a room when she spoke about something she found intriguing. Then Rick asked me to watch after Carl while he and Lori went away on a small trip; they had been having marital problems which Rick wanted to work on, he didn't want his marriage with Lori to end.