Our Protector

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We all sat around the fire, Shane had Nick and Blake on either side of him and I sat inbetween his legs with my head resting on his chest. Every so often, when no one was looking, he'd plant a kiss on my head and smile at me. The sheriff man, known as Rick, was explaining how he felt when he woke up out of his coma.That would terrify me, waking up one month into this world. It sent shivers down my back. Shane still had his hand tightly gripping his shotgun, incase of walkers, but it seemed unlikely. The clatter of a log hitting the other fire behind us caught our attentions. Ed, Carol's husband and Sophia's father, had added another log to their family's fire. "Ed, you wanna rethink that log?" Shane asked, "it's cold man, how's about you mind your own business for once?" Ed snapped back. "Cold don't change the rules does it? Keep our fires low, just embers, so we can't be seen from a distance." Shane explained. Ed brushed Shane's comment off causing Shane to rise to his feet and march over to Ed. Blake and Nick slid down beside me, both of them trying to keep awake. After a quick conversation, the log was removed and Shane sat back down. I kissed his cheek when he sat down and he smiled slightly.

"Has anyone given any though to Daryl Dixon? He won't be happy to here his brother got left behind." asked/stated Dale, Grayson scoffed at the question and pulled Christian closer to him. "I dropped the key, that makes him mine." said T-Dog, "I cuffed him, he's mine." said Rick. "Guys, it's not a competition but not to bring race into it but it would sound better coming from a white guy." said Glenn looking at T-Dog. I couldn't help but laugh to myself, Shane nudged me and looked puzzled. "They're fighting over something as stupid as this." I said and he laughed a little. Blake yawned and rested his head on Shane's chest, Nick copied and I leaned back so my head rested on his stomach. "Someone better tell 'im cause that's ma uncle!" yelled Grayson as Christian sobbed quietly into his brother's side. I knew how it felt to lose someone close to you, Shane kissed my head again but Lori caught him this time and glared at me. After a discussion, Shane rose to his feet and picked up both Nick and Blake. "Come on, bedtime." he said and I followed him laughing. "What was it you had to ask me?" Shane asked quietly, he placed Blake on a makeshift bed he'd set up. "Oh, do you think you could..." I paused and Shane looked up at me. He held my hands in his and kissed me again. "Better?" he asked pulling away, I nodded with a slight smile plastered to my face. "Anyway could you maybe be a father almost to Blake?" I asked scared of his response, Shane wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. "I thought you'd never ask." he whispered kissing my neck, "thanks." I managed to breath out.

We entered his tent, I crawled into my sleep bag and Shane rolled over to face me. "Night baby, sweet dreams." he said kissing my forehead before turning out the lantern...

The next morning, I woke up alone in my tent and I began to panic. "Blake?" I said, footsteps approached my tent and Grayson's face appeared. "Calm down, he's with Lori and Carl." he said, I sighed and stepped out. "Shane wants ye to help the woman down at the quarry with the laundry." Grayson explained, "ok." I said and I walked towards Jacqui and the others. "Mornin'." I said grabbing a shirt and wash board, "mornin' what are you doing down here?" Andrea asked. I looked at her with a slight smile, "Shane asked me to help you ladies." I replied and Andrea got back to work. I couldn't help but notice that Ed was watching us. I knew it was because Carol was here but keeping tabs on her 24/7 is a little extreme. "I sure do miss my maytag." said Carol, "I miss my coffee grinder with that built in filter honey." said Jacqui. "I miss texting." Me and Amy said at the same time. We laughed and continued scrubbing. "I missed my vibrator." said Andrea and we chuckled a little. "Me too." said Carol and we could help but brust out laughing.

Ed heard us and decided to investigate. "What's so funny?" he asked throwing his cigarette away, "just swappin' war stories Ed." replied Andrea. Ed didn't look impressed and demanded Carol leave. "She doesn't have to listen to you." I snapped standing in front of Carol, my arm out stretched across her chest in that protective way. "Oh yeah and what are you gonna do about it?" he asked, "I'll knock you on your ass Ed. If you don't like how your laundry is done, do it yourself instead of smoking cigarettes all day long." I snapped. Me and Ed's faces were now inches apart, "Ava, it's ok." Carol said quietly which pissed Ed off to the point where he slapped Carol. I knocked him to the ground and punched his face. He flipped me and I landed on my back. Just as Ed took a swing at my face, something stopped him. It was Nick. "Ed, I'll get my dad over here and then you'll be sorry. " Nick said. Ed pushed the brave ten year old to the ground and pinned him there. I jumped on his back and tried to get him off but clearly he was a lot stronger than me. Shane noticed and came over. Shane threw Ed off Nick and I helped Nick to his feet. As Shane punched Ed's face in, I looked at Nick and made sure he was ok.

"Listen here Ed, you put your hands on my son, your wife, my girl, your daughter or anyone else in this camp, I will not stop next time. You here?!" Shane shouted and Ed nodded. Shane marched over to me and Nick and hugged us both. "I'm your girl now, huh?" I asked and Shane smiled. "Only if you wanna be." Shane replied and I kissed his cheek. "Sounds good to me." I said with my hand on the back of Nick's head. I looked over Shane's shoulder to see Carol crying over Ed, I don't see how you could cry over someone like that. Shane walked us back into camp, Nick ran off to find Blake and the other kids whilst me and Shane walked around. "I need to ask. Are you sure your ok with being Blake's adopted father?" I asked, "of course, I already treat him like my own so why not." Shane replied causing me to smile and wrap my arms around his neck. "Dad!" Nick shouted, "Ava!" Blake screamed and me and Shane sprinted for the boys. "Dad!" shouted Nick again, "Nick!" Shane shouted back. "Blake!" I yelled as I pushed my legs to the maximum. They finally came into sight and Shane caught both boys in his arms. "Here." he said tossing the boys into my arms and following Rick.

Grayson ran over, "Jacqui, take them back to Dale." he said taking Nick and Blake from my arms. He took my hand and we ran over to the others. As we got closer, a walker gnawing on a deer came into sight. I walked over to Shane, he jumped slightly when I touched his shoulder but he relaxed once he accepted it was me. The walker turned slowing to face Rick, it growled and then all the men started beating it to death. Once Dale swung an axe through it's neck, they all stepped back and breathed. Shane grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me gently. "Are the boys ok?" he whispered, "yeah, their with Jacqui and Dale." I explained and he hugged me. A branch snapped and Shane spun round with shotgun at the ready. A tough looking redneck man walked forward. "Daddy!" Christian shouted letting go of Grayson's hand and runing at the stranger. The man caught Christian in his arms and Grayson walked over. The man picked Christian up on his hip and Grayson then hugged him. "That was ma deer." the man said as Grayson stepped back so he could examine the deer. Grayson walked over to me and we stood against a tree. "So, that's your dad?" I asked, Grayson nodded and said "His name's Daryl and my uncle was Merle." I looked at Christian, he had rested his head in the crook of Daryl's neck and had both arms wrapped around his neck.

"C'mon." said Grayson nudging my shoulder, I followed him back into camp and Blake ran at me. "Hey, I'm ok." I said, "where's daddy?" he asked looking at me with his baby blue eyes.

Was he referring to Shane?

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