•Timeless || Rick Grimes 1•

XIX. Better Angels

Shane reached the house, his hands buried in his pockets. "Hey man you seen Carl lately?" He asked.

"He's inside with his sister's." Rick said as he folded up the map and placed it in his back pocket.

"Okay I wasn't supposed to say anything, he was out at the swamps yesterday and he came across a walker stuck in the mud." Shane said. "He got scared, ran off."

Rick looked down for a moment, one thought crossing his mind. "The same walker that killed Dale?" He asked.

Shane nodded in confirmation. "Thats the one."

Rick sighed and looked out into the field. "I'll have someone talk to him."

"Look I think he wants to talk to his father." She shook his head in disagreement with Ricks words.

"Well I need this Randall thing done already." Rick said harshly. He was sick of Shane trying to tell him how to parent.

"Man that needs to wait. Okay?" Shane narrowed his eyes.

"It's my call." Rick clenched his jaw.

Shane looked away for a moment. "How about I ride out with Daryl? Be good for us to spend a little time together." He changed the subject.

"Nah, I need you here." Rick tilted his head to the side in a sarcastic manner.

"Don't think I'll handle it right huh?" Shane scoffed.

"Didn't say that." Rick shook his head.

"What did you say?" Shane asked before pulling his gun out of his pocket. "You know your son, he gave me this." He held up the gun before placing it on the raling infront of Rick. "You get that back to Daryl huh?" Shane scoffed and started to back away. "Freeing that prisoner, more important to you then those four kids in there."

Rick watched Shane walk away with a clenched jaw. This man was really pushing his buttons and was about to put him on edge.

Shane Walsh had changed, and it wasn't for the better.

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CARL JUMPED A BIT when he heard someone climbing the latter to get to the hayloft. But he called down when the person sat next to him and he realized it was just his father.

"Maggie said you'd be here." Rick broke the silence.

"Told her I would stay on lookout. I get tired of helping around the house" Carl shrugged.

Rick nodded before pulling out the gun Shane had given him and holding it out for the younger boy. "Take it." He told him.

Carl looked from Rick to the gun several times yet made no move to take it.

"What happened to Dale." Rick started. "Had nothing to do with you."

Carl shook his head in disagreement. "He-he died dad."

"Yeah." Rick nodded before looking down. "Feels like there's alot of that going around." He said before looking back over to Carl and placing his hand on his shoulder. "Thats why I need you. No more kid stuff. I wish you could have the childhood I had, but thats not gonna happen. People are gonna die. I'm gonna die. Shane. Daryl." He looked down thinking of his nexts words, it would hurt to say it but he knew it needed to be said. "Hope." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "There's no way you can ever be ready for it. I try to be but I can't. The best we can do now is avoid it as long as we can, keep one step ahead. I wish I had something better to say, something more profound. My father was good like that. But I'm tired son. And one day, one day I'm not gonna be here to protect you and your brother and sisters. Your gonna be all eachother have left. So please." He held the gun out again. "Take it."