Off Limits

Aftermath

Carol sobbed running for her. Daryl grabbed Carol holding her down.

Shane tried to hug me. "Don't you touch me."

Dad walked up to her aiming his gun. He shot her in the head. Carol ran to the RV.

Beth went to her mother. She wasn't down. She grabbed Beth. We had to pry her off.

"We been out there looking and she was in there all along?"

"I didn't know." Hershal said "Otis put them in there I didn't know she was in there."

"That's bullshit man y'all knew." Shane yelled.

"We didnt know." Maggie said.

"I dont care what you believe." Hershal added.

"Everybody calm down." Dad said.

"Get him off my land I want him out."

"Let me tell you something man." Shane went toward Hershal.

"Hey don't touch him." I said smacking Shane across the face. "Haven't you done enough."

"I mean it Rick I want him gone." Hershal said again.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Daryl almost died looking for her Rick, Emma and he knew."

"He didn't know." I said.

"He's not like that." Dad added.

"What happened to you Shane?" I sobbed walking away.

I heard Shane and dad yelling then saw Shane walking away.

I went to the barn covering Sophia and Hershal's family with covers.

"I thought that I'd find her."Carl said.

"I know we all did."

"No I thought it would be me I'd find her. Hiding in a cave or tree or something and she'd be ok."

"I'm sorry Carl."

"He did the right thing....shooting her so she didn't have to suffer."

I pulled Carl to me letting him cry. A few minutes later Lori came. She took Carl back to the tent with her. I sat there next to Sophia's body thinking about what Carol must be going through.

Shane bent down beside me trying to put his arm around me. I jumped up.

"Don't touch me. Don't you ever touch me again."

"Damn it Emma,I did what had to be done." He said grabbing my upper arms.

"Get off me Shane. Don't touch me." I yelled.

Dad came running over. Lori and Daryl close behind him.

He pushed Shane back. "What the hell are you doing?"

Shane looked at me standing close to Daryl.

"Nothing man." Shane said walking off.

"Keep your hands off my daughter Shane." Dad yelled.

We had a funeral for Sophia,Annette and Shawn. Beth was semicomatose and Hershal had ran off.

Dad and Glenn went into town to get him. Lori had went looking for him. Shane went looking for Lori finding her after she had wrecked her car.

Later that night while sitting on the porch. Shane tried talking to me.

"Emma we need to talk."

"I got nothing to say Shane."

"I love you Emma I wana fix this."

"There's nothing to fix Shane."

"You don't love me anymore then."

"I love who you were Shane. This new Shane I don't know him and I don't want to. Whatever we had is done. Now please leave me alone."

He stood there a few minutes before walking off.

"Are you okay?" Maggie asked. Coming outside.

"I dono." I cried. "I know you don't like him. But he wasn't always like this. He use to be such a good person Maggie. I miss that. I miss him. Who he use to be. I love him but I don't want to anymore."

She hugged me not saying anything. She never once said something bad about him. She comforted me. Knowing what he had done. I loved her for that.

The following morning Glenn, Hershal and dad finally came back with Randall. A kid who's group had attacked them. Hershal fixed the wound on his leg.

"I repaired his calf muscle best I can. He'll be laid up about a week." Hershal said.

"When he is fit we give him a canteen take him out to the highway and send him on his way." Dad said.

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked.

"Just gona let him go? He knows where we are." Shane said.

"He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a threat."

"Not a threat? How many were there? You killed 3 of their men. Took one hostage,but they just aint gona come looking."

"They left him for dead ain't noone looking."

"We should still post a guard." T-dog said.

"He's out cold right now will be for hours." Hershal added.

"You know what I'm gona go get him some flowers and candy............Look at this folks back in fantasy land." Shane scoffed.

"We haven't even dealt with what you did in the barn yet. Now I wanted you gone Emma and Rick talked me out of it. That doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor. Keep your mouth shut." Hershal said.

Shane walked out slamming the door behind him. I followed him out. Calling his name.

"What is going on with you? What happened to make you this way?"

"I'm just trying to protect you Emma. All of you."

"That's not what your doing Shane. Your isolating yourself from everyone. Keep this up and none of them are gona want you here."

"I don't care what they think Emma. You and Carl are the only people here I give two shits about."

"What about dad?"

"Things change Emma. People change."

"What happened with you and dad Shane? Something happened that day Daryl got hurt. You and dad argued. You haven't been the same since. Talk to me Shane what happened?"

He downed his head.

"Shane I'm trying to help you. Please."

He came closer grabbing my face between his hands.