Trying to Make It Right

Arriving and Unexpected Reactions

          As they pulled into camp on the bike there was already a crowd around the van and his cruiser. Rick could see Dale, Andrea, Amy, and T-Dog among the faces gathered, which hurt and made him feel relieved at the same time. He remembered how each of them died, how he failed them, and for a moment it was too much for him to handle. Rick's throat clogged as his eyes started to tear up as the guilt and other emotions he was feeling crashed into him sharply. He knew that Daryl could tell what he was feeling, because one of his hands left the handlebar of the bike and gripped onto his hand tightly, reassuringly and that helped.

        Then Rick saw someone else and he squeezed his lover's hand tightly before letting go of it, not wanting to out them as a couple just yet and knowing Shane would be able to see it if he didn't put some space between them. Shane turned then, looking up to see who else had arrived in the camp but he froze in shock and his mouth dropped open slightly as he saw them. Rick could see a sudden sheen of tears forming in the other man's eyes clearly as he stared at him, and Rick felt a stab of pain in his heart as he straightened up from leaning on Daryl.

       How ironic was this? Before, in the future that he had live, he had all but ignored Shane and how his partner had reacted to his sudden arrival in his camp. He'd been too caught up with Carl and Lori at first, and then after he'd been too caught up in other things. Things like surviving and seething silently over the fact that he could tell Lori and Shane had been sleeping together. But as he looked at Shane now? The man cared that he was alive, and Rick could almost see the guilt of leaving him behind crashing into him. Well at least he had something to work with now, somehow he didn't think it would take much to get his self proclaimed brother's sanity stabilized if he still cared about Rick this much. Or that's what Rick hoped, but he had to act now before Shane felt rejected or ignored. Batter up! It was his time to act it seemed.

        "Shane you dog, step away from my cruiser! I didn't say the crazy bunch I rescued from the store in town could raid my supplies just yet so cool your horses before you start helping yourself." He shouted cheerfully over the noise of the bike as Daryl slowed and parked finally. Everyone who was gathered around the already parked vehicles looked over to them, curious as to what was happening and who he was. Rick saw Morgan's fist clench from the corner of his eye and winced inwardly. The Doctor had been talking to Shane in a friendly manner just minutes before, his partner must have recognized the cruiser had come from their station and had approached him to ask about it. After Daryl's little announcement Morgan was more then ready to hate the other cop for sleeping with Lori, or so it seemed

      Rick resisted a grimace as Morgan's demeanor finished it's transformation from friendly and pleasant to dangerous and his friend looked like he was seriously contemplating throwing a punch at his partner. Well maybe more than a punch.. Alright, so he'd have to make sure that no one blamed Shane for sleeping with Lori and that included Morgan. The other man had already proved he had a bit of a temper, both in this time frame and the one that hadn't happened yet so Rick would have to keep an eye on him, if only for Shane's sake. And if the others saw he didn't blame Shane that would do miracles in preventing sides from being formed and tensions rising. Hopefully.

        Shane's mouth closed quickly and Rick could see him swallow hard a couple times as his eyes darted frantically over Rick's form sitting on the back of the bike. He looked utterly bewildered and disbelieving of the fact that he was really there. That he was alive. Rick didn't see Lori or Carl yet, for which he was grateful. He needed to start dealing with Shane before he dived into that emotional well and to do that his partner needed his full attention. Something the other man hadn't had in the other time line.

       "Rick?" He murmured finally, his eyes wide and his voice cracking as he spoke. Those same dark eyes narrowed as looked over him again though- focusing on his arms that were still wrapped around Daryl and the fact that he hadn't let go yet. Rick felt a flash of alarm go through him as he realized Shane was thinking the correct thing as he took that in. Shane was assuming that he was attracted to Daryl. Shane who knew him all too well the way that his tastes ran considering that they had grown up together and he knew the signs first hand.