The Return of Shane Vol 3: The Walking Dead (Final Cut)

"Rick"

Chapter 1

Everything was about Rick. Rick's uniform, Rick's mother, Rick's pride—Rick, Rick, RICK! Even after the world was flipped upside-down, and the dead were walking, it was still all about Rick. Lori didn't understand how Rick, his hands covered in death, was still so magnanimous. Even in Rick's darkest moments, he somehow maintained his nobility. That innate goodness was what drew her to him in the beginning.

Lori and Rick were locked in a strong gaze. His face had softened and his blue eyes yearned for his wife again. He missed his Lori. They had been embroiled in an icy standoff throughout the duration of her pregnancy, due to Shane's ghost hovering over their marriage.

In this moment, the husband and wife could only think about each other. Rick was ready to move on. Lori was due to give birth soon, and Rick knew his cold war with her needed to end. But Rick was sensitive; his ego had been injured in a fashion that couldn't just be undone. His hostility towards Lori was justified in his eyes; he figured at the very least, he wanted her to feel the hurt she had delivered to him. It was childish, but Sherriff Grimes felt that it was just.

Lori was amazed by Rick. His development in the last year astonished her. As much as he rejected her, she found herself even more drawn to him. He was nothing like the Sherriff Grimes that had policed Kings County, and he was lightyears away from the shy Ricky Grimes she'd met at Georgia State.

Georgia State had been a unique choice for Lori; her family had a level of affluence, but she'd purposely chosen Georgia State for three reasons: it was in Atlanta, it was a cultural melting pot, and there she would finally be away from her ever-watchful father. Lori Madison's family had actually moved from Maine, when she was ten years old, to the rural south of Savannah, Georgia.

Lori had been focused on getting the hell away from Donald Madison, and vanishing into the crowd in Atlanta seemed like the perfect plan. Lori's outgoing personality and beauty made her very popular on the campus of GSU. She'd enjoyed the night life, had yearned for the electric lights of Peach Tree Street.

Lori remembered one night when the sun had recently sunk, leaving the sky with traces of mauve and orange. Surrounded by her equally beautiful and anonymous friends, Lori Madison swayed her petite body to Mariah Carey's "Fantasy." The girls were enjoying a break from classes at the high-end tavern located in the heart of Downtown Atlanta. It was only 7:54 PM, so they were just getting started. After three drinks, the girls had planned to get some quick food to balance out the liquor, then change and head out to the ritzy nightclub, Kisses.

Lori was in her prime.

But hidden by the bar, two baby blues watched her from afar. His face was softer then, free of scruff and the lines of time. His skin was baby soft; in 1996, Rick Grimes had struggled to grow facial hair. His dark hair was low, but soft, boyish locks still sat upon his crown. He was innocent in those days; a complete contrast to the man he was today.

The roundness of his pink lips stretched into a smirk when Lori's eyes met his. He nervously looked away; he knew a girl like Lori would never want a guy like him. No way is she looking at me, thought Rick as he took a small swig from his Bud Light. But Lori was looking at Rick; there was something simple but very beautiful about him. And what made Rick even more sexy was that he had no idea how attractive he was.

Lori didn't cave to social norms back in those days—she went against the grain. Her long, raven locks were teased into curls, and like the enticing maiden she was, Lori shook her beautiful hair invitingly. But Rick stayed seated by the bar and absorbed the sight. He admired the tight jeans and dark halter top that she wore now, but he appreciated the Lori that he saw on campus, during the daytime, as well.