Disarm ⋙ Shane Walsh ⋙ The Walking Dead

Teen Idle ⋙ t h i r t e e n

It felt like it had taken hours for Katherine to fall asleep. She tossed and turned, but she couldn't get comfortable. She could hear Andrea sobbing over Amy's body all night. Katherine couldn't understand the chaos that occurred at camp the previous night. She was on auto pilot when fighting. She wasn't thinking, just killing. The thought of that made her stomach turn.

Katherine awoke from her light sleep rather early. She rolled around and watched as her father was leaving the tent. Lori was snoring and Carl was wrapped up next to her. "Dad. Where are you going?" Rick paused at the sound of his daughter's voice. "I have to go do something." Kat furrowed her brow. It was hardly sunrise yet, what could he possibly have to do? "Can I go with?" The question seemed to put Rick into deep thought. After a second, he nodded his head. Kat smiled and pulled herself out of her sleeping bag. She brushed off her shorts and grabbed a light jacket to cover up with. Katherine pulled on her shoes and followed her father out of the tent.

Katherine could hear people moving around in their tents, but nobody had emerged besides the father-daughter duo. Kat looked up at her father, thankful that he was back again. She couldn't imagine losing him for a second time. Rick looked down at his daughter and smiled. He threw his arm around Katherine's shoulders and pulled her close to him. Kat smiled. It was like nothing was wrong in the world. "So, what do you have to do, Daddy?" Kat leaned her head on Rick's shoulder. "I'm going to try to reach out to Morgan and Duane." Katherine nodded, vaguely remembering the names.

The duo stopped their short trek at the little area Kat always hid out at. The two could see the sun rising over Atlanta, or what was once Atlanta. "Kat, be quiet okay?" Kat nodded. "Yes, Sir." Rick cleared his throat and and turned on the walkie talkie. "Morgan, I don't know if you're out there. I don't know if you can hear me. Maybe you're listening right now. I hope so. I found others... my family, if you can believe it. My wife and son and daughter, they're alive. I wanted you to know that. There's something else you need to know. Atlanta isn't what we thought. It's not what they promised. The city is... Do not enter the city. It belongs to the dead now. We're camped a few miles northwest, up by a big abandoned rock quarry. You can see it on a map. I hope you come find us. But be careful. Last night walkers came out of the woods. We lost people. Watch yourself, Morgan. Take care of your boy. I'll try you again tomorrow at dawn."

Kat watched as Rick spoke to someone who probably wasn't there. Her father was a man of his word. Katherine was always proud of that. There was hardly an instance where he let her down throughout her entire life. She knew that her father would reach out to this man and his son for as long as he possibly could. Rick sat down and patted the ground next to him. Katherine plopped down next to her father.

"Honey, I need to talk to you about something." Kat immediately knew that this was about Shane. Oh my God. He knows how I feel. "Honey, is Shane making you uncomfortable?" Katherine feigned innocence. "What do you mean, Dad?" "The way he looks at you. He's always around you. That doesn't bother you?" Katherine shook her head. "No. You know Shane and I have always been close. Before you got here, he was protecting me from Merle." Rick seemed to be in deep thought. Did he buy it? Katherine wasn't lying. Shane did keep her safe from Merle, so Rick shouldn't be suspicious. "It just makes me a little nervous. You two hated each other before the world went to shit." Kat nodded. "Yeah. You're not wrong. But Shane helped me and mom and Carl after you were shot." Rick sighed. "In all honesty, I think our relationship started to heal when he walked with me during senior night." Rick cocked a brow. "You and mom got into a big fight and wouldn't go with me." Rick nodded. The memory broke his heart. Rick was so upset that he had let his poor relationship with his wife get in the way of memories with Katherine. Memories he wished her had now. Despite the anger he held towards his wife, he couldn't imagine being without Lori, especially now.

Katherine held a smile on her face as she was lifted into the air. She grabbed her right leg and went into a Bow and Arrow. "Are you ready!" She yelled into the crowd. Her squad yelled at the crowd to get ready for a cheer. Their quarterback, Tyler, was about to throw for his 100th touchdown of the season. Katherine was intent on hyping up the crowd as much as possible. The Kings County Wildcats were gonna make it to state. They had to. This was the last regular season game. The make it or break it game. Kat was now on the ground with the rest of her squad. It was time. "EVERYBODY! RUMBLE!" The squad then broke out into a ridiculous cheer and the crowd was eating it up. As Kat was preforming the dance, she looked into the crowd, hoping to see her family. She wanted to cry when she realized that they weren't there. She continued searching, hoping that Shane was there. He was supposed to escort her across the field for her senior night. Her big, gold eyes finally landed on the man. He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up, as if to let her know that she was doing great. The Grimes child beamed back at him.

The King's County Wildcats ended up losing. It was a bittersweet feeling for Katherine. Tonight was the last time she would cheer at a football game unless she made the squad at Penn State. All of the seniors were lining up by affiliation. Football players, then cheerleaders, then band, then color guard, and then drill team. Everyone had their escorts. Everyone but Katherine. She was mentally cursing Shane. This was so embarrassing. He had been in the stands. Did he leave? Was this his way of punishing Katherine for being such a bitch? "Alright! Is everyone ready?" Katherine began to tear up. She was going to be by herself. The girl was lost in her thoughts when she felt someone lift her up from behind. She struggled against the man's grasp, but calmed down when she heard a familiar laugh. "Sorry, Baby Girl. Had to take a work call." Kat was released from Shane's grasp and she sighed. The Grimes child turned around and slapped his chest. "Fuck you, Shane!" Shane smirked at her. "Maybe when you're finally 18." Kat's face flushed a bright red and she rolled her eyes. Shane just laughed. Kat hadn't realized that the line was moving until she heard her coach yell at her. "C'mon, Grimes! We ain't got all night!" Kat turned and grabbed Shane's hand, dragging him along. 

After about 20 minutes of football players being called, it was finally time for the cheerleaders. Kat waited anxiously in line with Shane. Despite being captain, she was last. Kat and Shane stood in a comfortable silence. Her coach then nodded for her and Shane to step forward. Shane linked arms with the girl and smiled down at her. "C'mon, Baby. Time for you to shine." Kat smiled up at him and the two began to walk the field. "Cheer captain, Katherine Grimes. Escorted by friend and Sheriff's Deputy, Shane Walsh. Katherine is graduating Magna Cum Laude and has committed to attending Penn State. Go on and make the King's County Wildcats proud, Katherine!" The duo stopped on the 50 and were posed to take pictures. Katherine was handed a sash with her title on it and a large bouquet of roses. She and Shane smiled. As thankful as she was for him, she desperately wanted Rick and Lori to be with her. 

Shane walked Kat out to her truck after everything was said and done. "Look, Baby Girl, I know you want your mama and daddy here, but I did my best." Kat threw her arms around Shane's neck at this statement. "Thank you for everything, Shane." Shane hugged the girl back. The two pulled back but didn't release one another. Shane stared down into her golden eyes and she stared into his chocolate colored ones. Before either of them knew what they were doing they began to lean in. Katherine and Shane were millimeters apart when Katherine heard someone call her name. "Kat! We're going to Whataburger! You coming?" Kat yanked her head away from Shane and yelled back a yes. Her heart was in her throat. She almost kissed Shane. The two stared at each other for a moment before Kat turned and jumped into her truck. "Thank you for tonight. See you later." Her face was bright red as she started her beautiful Ram. Shane just stood there. He didn't know what just happened, but he knew he didn't want it to stop.

Kat was pulled from the memory when Rick threw his arm around his daughter. "Look Kat, I love you. More than anything. You and Carl are the most amazing things to ever happen to me. I just want you to be safe." Kat nodded at her father. "I love you too. I am safe. Nothing is going on." "Lets go back to camp, Kiddo. We got a lot to do." 

A/N: Thank you so much to @_HotGirlScott. I love it! Also, I have no idea if other state's have Whataburger. But tbh, I love it. Texas is truly the best! Haha! What're y'all favorite fast food restaurants?