Forever & Always (Shane Walsh: tragic love book 3)

Back In Black

Ericka's pov

It was dark out when Daryl and I were making our way back to the cabin when we heard a noise from behind us, it was Beta following us with a bunch of walkers.

"What the fuck?" Daryl says looking at me in disbelief . "I killed him, he went down the elevator shaft."

Daryl and I ran quickly into the woods when we ran into Negan and Carol. Maggie had radioed Carol and told her what happened back at the hospital. They had killed some walkers that Beta had led to the cabin along with Elijah and Maggie when they were out looking for us.

"I had Alpha's head on a pike, it's not there anymore." Negan tells us

"Yeah, that son of a bitch sewed Alpha's face to his mask, he's wearing her." Daryl answered

"I got an idea. Ladies head back with Maggie, Daryl let's end this asshole." Negan says handing Daryl a mask

"Who the hell is playing AC⚡DC?" I ask Negan and Carol

"Some others are leading parts of Beta's herd away with the music." Carol answers

"Plus, AC⚡DC  is badass." Negan says as he begins to walk away

"Be Careful." I say turning to Daryl

"You too." He says pulling me into a tight hug, he kisses my forehead and runs off with Negan.

After what seemed like forever Negan and Daryl made it back to the cabin. Maggie questioned why he was out of his cell, that's when Carol and I told her everything that has happened. Maggie looked at us and pulled both of us in a group hug. Daryl walked up to her and hugged her as well, as we left the cabin Maggie ignored Negan.

One month later (Ericka's pov)

"Who else is going?" I ask Daryl about his mission

"Me, Maggie, Alden, Gabriel and Negan." He says surprising me with the last name

"Wow, I'm surprised Maggie is letting Negan tag along." I tell him as I get the kid's clothes ready

"We need the food and Maggie said so herself Meridian, has a lot of it still, we need the help." He tells me as he wraps his arms around my waist

"Ok, just be careful please. I'm stressing enough as it is with helping with the repairs here, I don't wanna stress about you guys out there." I say wrapping my arms around his neck

"I've been thinkin'." Daryl says looking me in the eyes as he places his fingers under my chin. "You wanna be my girl?" He asks as a smirk grows on his face.

"Daryl." I say looking at him while my hearts racing and I have butterflies in my stomach. He leans down and kisses me softly, full of passion. We parted so we can breathe and I answered, "I'd love to be your girl."

A few hours later

I kept replaying what happened earlier in my head over and over again. I was happy, I had a smile on my face, I was on cloud nine.

"Hey guys how was school?" I ask the kids. Judith and RJ said it was fine and good, Shay ignored me.

"Shayna come here please." I say calling my daughter over

"What's wrong bug?" I ask her as she had an upset look on her face

"I saw you and Uncle Daryl kiss this morning... Is he gonna be my new daddy? Cause I don't want him to be, I still want my daddy to be my only daddy." She tells me with tears in her eyes

"Oh bug, nobody will ever replace your daddy not even Daryl." I tell her, "Daryl and I like each other alot but nothing's gonna change, I promise."

"Do you even love my daddy anymore? You don't talk about him anymore and you put his picture away from your nightstand." She tells me as tears are now running from her eyes

Ever since I went to visit Shane's grave when Alpha died, I hadn't hallucinated him or heard his voice. I took that as a sign that I need to let him go so I slowly started putting things away like our marriage certificate Deana made us when we first arrived to Alexandria, notes I had saved from when he went on runs, drawings he did with Shay were no longer on the fridge, I even hid the dresses Nabila made for what was supposed to be our vow renewal.

"Shay, listen to me. I will always love your daddy, he is my first love but sweetheart he's not coming back. We have to move on, and I know it's hard but he wouldn't want us still sad that he's not here anymore." I tell her kneeling to her level and holding her little hands in mine. "Your daddy is our angel, he's watching over us always. Remember when I told you I would sometimes see or hear him?" I ask her as she nods, "Ever since we got rid of Alpha and Beta, I haven't seen or heard from him at all. It's been a little over a month bug, it's a sign we have to let him go."

"But I still hear and see him in my dreams, I can't let him go." She says as her lips quiver, "daddy told me he still loves you but he's upset with you and I am too right now, mama. I want Uncle Daryl as my Uncle, and my daddy to be my daddy." She says moving her hands out of mine and running to her room in tears.

I was in shock at her words, why would Shane be upset with me? I helped avenge his death, this doesn't make sense. When Shay first confided in me she dreams of Shane I was happy he's contacting her and not just me. Growing up in a Mexican Catholic household, I was told loved ones who passed will always leave signs and all my life I believed it and still do. I see signs from my mom, Shane's mom Linda, hell even Lori now and again but Shane stopped reaching me even though I still go at night to visit him, and I still wear my wedding ring and his 22 necklace.

"Hey prima, how do I prop myslef  again?" Rosita asks me while holding a crying Coco. Rosita gave birth three days ago and I've been showing her the ropes of being a new mom and of course she's a natural.

"Everything with Shay ok?" She asked me. "I heard your conversation."

"She thinks Daryl's gonna replace Shane as her daddy now that he's officially my boyfriend." I say tossing my head back on the couch.

"She'll come around prima, she just misses Shane." She tells me reassuring me that things will be ok

"I miss him too but I feel at peace now that Alpha and Beta are dead I finally accepted he's gone, I have closure. It took months but I'm starting to move on." I say with a sigh

"You moved on and Shane's jealous you're with Daryl." Rosita says jokingly which causes me to giggle

"Maybe that's why he's upset with me, according to Shay that is. I don't know, I'm just happy Alpha and Beta are out of our lives." I tell her as I help her get up from the couch to lay a sleeping Coco in her crib

"Let's hope we don't have to kill anyone else for a long awhile." She says

"Let's hope there's no new war with another group." I tell her as she smiles and walks away

Afterwards I went to go pay Shane a visit.

"So I think you know by now Daryl and I are together." I say placing my hand on the grass of his grave marker "Amor, I will always love you and I promise he will never replace you, I just hope that's not why you're upset with me and haven't sent any signs... Visit me in my dreams please, I need to see you and hear your voice, it's been a while." I say as I get up from the ground. "Please let me know if I moved on too fast and I made the right choice with Daryl. Te amo, amor."