Inferno

seventeen.

"I...thats not really helping me, Ricky." Samantha stated, wiping at her nose.

"Jean was out, and despite Shane not wanting to watch over you she still left him in his care - you were only a few months old, and we were just fifteen," There was a hint of a smile on his haggard appearance. "I was over that night, when you started wailing so loud I couldn't even hear the television. I begged Shane to go comfort you, yet he downright refused," Samantha only stared, small shaky breaths leaving her parted lips. "But then he gave in and he went to you. As soon as he picked you up, you stopped, as if he was all you ever needed - as if he was the solution to all your problems,"

Rick could faintly remember when he entered Samantha's nursery, the walls painted of violets and pinks, pictures of a ghost of a family that was split apart because of a tragedy.

"I've never seen Shane cry before, not even when he was at your parents funeral - but as soon as you stopped, reality hit him harm. He couldn't take out his grief on you, he made a promise that night, he said.."

"My sister, my responsibility," The fifteen year old Shane Walsh murmured, smiling through the choked sobs that left his lips and for a second, his baby sister seemed to smile back.

Samantha was at a loss of words. She remembered the story her grandmother told; how they were coming back to the hospital after her mother gave birth; how it was raining hard; how the drunk driver stuck her parent's vehicle; how she was the only survivor.

She couldn't believe it. Shane had hated her, took out his grief on her, because he couldn't fully comprehend that his parents were gone. This made her feel even more shameful about her past, her veins being consumed by a dose of self hatred. Samantha had put her brother through so much trouble and constant battle in the past.

She wouldn't blame him if Shane even resented her a little for that.

"Why," Samantha was struggling with her words. "Why are you telling me this?"

"When Shane makes a promise, he's hell bent on keeping it," He informed, reaching forward and ruffling her hair. "Don't worry about him, he's strong."

Samantha nodded, staring back into the darkness of the farmland. She thinks at that point they were both enjoying the fresh air. It had been too long since they haven't smelled decay.

"Carl wanted to be you for Halloween." Samantha mentioned, a grin slowly growing on her lips.

A smile blossomed on his face like a flower on spring day. "Really?" He asked.

Samantha nodded. "He said he wanted to be you when he grows up, make you proud."

The smile he wore definitely belonged to that of a father - it was so loving, it making her heart warm up. "He already does, every single day."

Samantha grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "He's going to make it through this, okay? He's just like you."

"I know."

She turned to look back at the stars. "You both been shot, so he's almost just like you," Samantha noted. "All he needs is your hat."

"We should create a club." He joked.

Any conversation was cut off by a sound. The two turned to the darkness and caught lights heading their away - headlights. Samantha jumped from her seat as the vehicle rolled up, her best friend and Shane jumping out.