Stay with me • Shane Walsh

"Whatever happens," he said into my hair, "I'm right here. You're not doing this alone."

Shane Walsh, a former sheriff's deputy, is a protector by nature, always carrying more weight than he needs to. But in this broken world, and in their fight for survival, keeping his best friend and former partner's daughter, Sloane, safe becomes his ultimate priority. What starts as quiet, shared moments in the middle of chaos slowly shifts into an intense, complicated bond that will redefine their entire future.

Sloane Grimes is a survivor. She gets by on the skin of her teeth most of the time, and she's always been just fine living that way. She finds herself alone at the beginning of the apocalypse, separated from her family, believing them to be dead, her world turns upside down when she stumbles straight into Shane's group, reuniting with her mother and siblings, and reigniting her hope of finding her father alive. Shane quickly becomes her anchor, and as the two grow undeniably closer, she realizes that barely surviving isn't sustainable long-term. She needs something-and someone-worth living for, even if falling for her protector is the last thing she ever expected.

AUTHOR'S NOTE & CHARACTER DISCLAIMER
This story does take place directly in The Walking Dead universe and pretty much follows the main storyline (quarry, farm, etc) And the show's core cast (Rick, Lori, Carl, Glenn, Daryl, Dale, etc.) will mostly all be present and integrated into the story.

Shanes character: the Shane in this book keeps the canon background as the show (ex-deputy-he is fiercely protective, tactical, a badass survivor, and the first to adapt to this world) However, my version of Shane doesn't descend into the unhinged, villainous path seen later in the show. He remains a grounded, steadfast anchor and a safe space for Sloane.