western nights ( shane walsh )

2.17 ; warnings

                                                             Shane stood beneath the stream of water in the shower, the sound of it cascading drowning out the world around him. Meanwhile, Natalie poured her heart out in her bedroom, the weight of her words echoing through the silence. She battled to hold back tears, not wanting to succumb to the emotional storm that threatened to engulf her.

Simultaneously, Rick engaged in a conversation with Lori elsewhere, their voices carrying the weight of the unsettling revelation that had unfolded. The air in the house was thick with tension, each person grappling with their thoughts and emotions in the aftermath of the revelation.

Tears were filling inside of Natalie's eyes. "Did you have sex with Andrea?" Her words were blunt, biting down her lip trying to hide the tears that couldn't hide. 

Shutting the door behind him with Natalie watching "You've been sleepin' around with Glenn don't put this all on me, now; Natalie." Chuckling as if he didn't do anything. 

"I-" Stumbling over her words standing up with her arms crossed looking off and trying to see what he was talking about. "I'm not sleeping with Glenn, Shane-"

"Don't go lyin' to me." Shane raised his voice a little, "You've been sneaking around with him whispering..." 

Not being able to stop the words trying to come out of her mouth. "I'm pregnant Shane...." Anger wrestled inside of her staring at him with tears in her eyes. "Glenn has been fucking helping me with it while you've been fucking around. I don't care what you do while I'm pregnant with this baby, but when it shows up..." 

"Oh my god." Shane stumbled holding the side of his mouth. "You...You're pregnant..." Staring at her he didn't know what else to say; blinking away and then not moving his eyes off of her. "We're having a baby, man- uhm...It's mine ri-" 

"Shut up" Natalie shook her head. "I never...I never laid a hand on anyone else..." 

Shane ducked his head down biting onto his lips. "Rick isn't meant for his world Natalie," He brought her dad into the conversation quickly causing her to look away trying to hold in her careful laugh of annoyance. "I've saved your life, and your families- Natalie...don't let one little stupid thing slip your mind...Yes, I couldn't save Cassie-" Grabbing onto her face so that they could face each other. 

"I'm going to be there for that baby Natalie, and don't doubt that." Grabbing her and kissing her, Natalie wasted a couple of seconds before kissing him back. 

There was this force that he held on her, a stronger hold than she had ever thought. Natalie and Shane had pressed harder into the kiss, with Shane holding onto the side of her stomach. "Rick knows...." Confessing to him. 

Almost like a trigger was blown, he stared at her Natalie bit her lip that had his spit on it feeling the pressure of her lip being wet. "Rick knows..." Repeating and holding onto his shoulder, Shane didn't say anything just nodding his head. He wasn't scared of Rick or the things he could do. 

He was nodding his head rubbing the scruff that was on his head trying to process all of this. 

‎𓇻

The next morning everyone was silent sitting around their campsite tension flowing through the area. Carol was bent down messing with the eggs that had been cooking over the fire for those who hadn't eaten yet. Natalie crossed her arms wearing a sweater and shorts trudging through the slow cold in the area. 

Shane finished the peace of sausage on his plate eyeing Natalie walking towards the group. But her eyes didn't match his looking at Rick who stared into the fire not saying or doing anything.