Threads of Fate Across Universes

The tension in camp hadn't exactly settled, but people were learning to live with it. Days passed, and while Lori kept her distance from Shane and Elio, her eyes burned with judgment every time they were in the same space. Rick, on the other hand, seemed stuck in limbo—watching, thinking, but not saying much.

Shane acted like he didn't give a damn, and Elio? He thrived in the discomfort, making a point to be even more affectionate when Lori was around. A hand on Shane's arm here, a teasing whisper there—he wasn't subtle, and it was driving her up the wall.

But none of it seemed to faze Carl.

The boy had been watching everything unfold with the kind of quiet intensity only kids could manage. And today, as everyone sat around the table to have breakfast, Carl made up his mind.

He needed to talk to Shane.

Carl pushed himself up, brushing the dirt off his knees before walking over to where Shane and Elio sat, the two of them deep in conversation over something meaningless. He opened his mouth to speak—

Lori: "Carl!"

His mother's sharp voice cut through the camp, making the boy wince. Lori stormed over before he could take another step, grabbing his arm.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Carl: [frowning]. "I was gonna talk to Shane."

Lori: [scoffed, shaking her head.] "No. Absolutely not."

Carl's: [face twisted in confusion.] "Why?"

Lori: "You just don't, okay?" She snapped, her grip tightening just a little. "Come on, you should be getting ready for bed."

Carl: "But—"

Lori: "No buts."

Carl clenched his fists but didn't argue. He knew that tone—there was no winning against it. His mom dragged him off, and Shane, who had been watching the whole thing, exhaled heavily.

Rick, who had been standing nearby, didn't miss the disappointment in his son's face. After a moment he followed his wife and to the RV Shane had let them stay in because of Carl, and stood outside. 

After waiting for minutes, Rick watched Lori leave the RV alone, which meant that he could have a talk with Carl. 

Opening the door quietly, he walked in and saw Carl sitting on his bed with a frown on his face.

Carl had heard the door open and looked up to see his dad moving into the room.

"Hey, Dad."

Giving him a half-smile as a greeting Rick walked over to sit beside Carl. He wasn't sure what to expect in the conversation He wanted to have but as the argument between Shane, Elio and Lori had had just after he had joined the camp. 

"What's up, buddy?" Rick forced a small smile.

Carl shifted uncomfortably. "I wanted to talk to Shane, but Mom wouldn't let me."

Rick's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Carl scuffed his foot against the dirt. "She told me to stay away from him. Said he wasn't good for me anymore." His small fists clenched. "But that's not fair! Shane's been there for me. He kept me safe. He taught me how to shoot, how to be quiet when we needed to be. He made sure I had food when we didn't have enough. And he always told me everything was gonna be okay—even when I could tell he wasn't sure himself."

Rick swallowed hard, listening.

Carl's voice grew more heated. "And now she acts like he's the bad guy! I don't get it. She said you were dead. Shane believed it. And now she's mad at him for falling in love?" His face scrunched in frustration. "That's stupid! Why is she doing this?"

Rick didn't have an answer.

Carl's gaze hardened. "She's been lying, too."

Rick's stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

Carl hesitated, then glanced around to make sure no one else was listening. "I've heard her. She tells people things about Shane that aren't true. That he's dangerous. That he was controlling. But I saw what happened, Dad. I was there. He never hurt us. He only ever tried to help." His small hands curled into fists. "She's making people hate him, and it's wrong."

Rick exhaled slowly, staring at his son. Carl was young, but he wasn't blind. He saw things, heard things. And he was asking the same question Rick had been struggling with—why was Lori so determined to paint Shane as the villain?

Before Rick could say anything, a loud voice broke through the camp.

"Where the hell is my brother?"

Rick shot to his feet, out to the door of the RV turning toward the commotion. Daryl Dixon stormed into camp, his face twisted with rage. His crossbow was slung over his shoulder, but the tension in his stance made it clear he was seconds away from using it if he didn't get answers.

Shane stepped forward, already bracing for the confrontation. "Daryl—"

"Don't Daryl me!" He stomped closer, eyes darting between them. "Y'all left him? Just like that?"

Rick quickly stepped in. "We didn't have a choice. We were outnumbered, and he was dangerous. He was—"

Daryl got in his face. "He's my brother."

Shane held up his hands. "Look, we were gonna go back. We are going back. But you need to calm the hell down."

Daryl let out a bitter laugh. "Calm down? My brother's probably lyin' in some alley, bleedin' out, or worse—bein' eaten—and you want me to calm down?"

Glenn, standing nearby, shifted uncomfortably. "We really are going back, man. We just needed to regroup."

Daryl looked around, eyes filled with barely restrained fury. Finally, he exhaled sharply. "Fine. Then let's go."

Rick nodded, glancing at Shane. "Get ready. We leave in ten."

Elio, who had been listening quietly, stepped closer to Shane. His expression was unreadable, but his hand brushed against Shane's briefly before he stepped back. "Be careful."

Shane gave him a look—half a smirk, half something softer. "Always am."

Elio scoffed. "That's a damn lie."

Shane just chuckled as he grabbed his gun and attached his tomahawk to his waist and followed Rick and the others toward the truck.

Back to Atlanta

The drive was tense. Daryl sat up front, gripping his crossbow tightly, while Rick, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog sat in the back. No one spoke much, each lost in their own thoughts.

When they reached the rooftop, they found only blood and a severed hand.

Daryl's face contorted with rage and pain. "Son of a bitch."

They searched the area, tracking Merle's blood trail, but he was gone.

After searching, Shane went out on his own. On the way he had seen a shop that he recognised from a newspaper just before everything went to hell. It was a place used for dealing under the counter weapons. Guns, knives even the occasional sword. 

He got to the shop it was still locked up for investigation because of this it seemed like no one thought the police wouldn't take all the food and other bits away As evidence.

After breaking the glass with his tomahawk and opening it up from the inside, he moved it forward and close the door behind him making sure no one could follow. He looked around for anything that could be helpful. After making his way behind the counter at the far back of the store, he felt something hollow beneath his feet. He moved A rug out of the way Opening his eyes to what could only be described as a bunker With a ladder leading down. Moving down The ladder into an open space. Shane looked around for a light switch after A few taps against the wall looking for a switch the lights came on. They seem to run on their own electricity. 

In the investigation, the police could never find where they were starring the weapons. It seems like the rest of the Atlanta police Department was really incompetent. All around him was guns, ammo and Blades. Moving forward to appraise everything he saw duffel bags to the side of the room. He made his way over to them to put all the weapons in them and get them back to camp grabbing the handles. They seemed heavier than they should've been opening them up to see what was inside you found kilos of cocaine. 

Not needing the drugs, he took him out of the bags and ruined them opening them up and pouring water all over them. He went over and put the guns and weapons in his bag. After everything was in them And checking nothing else was a value to Him, he made his way back up the ladder. 

There was room left in the bag so when He got back to the shop floor he started stuffing them with food. Suddenly there was a noise Coming from outside the shop. He needed to hide these things there was no way Rick would let them Him keep these things for him and Elio. 

Just at that moment 'Ding' the Familiar sound echoed throughout my head. 

'Congratulations to Shane Walsh For taking something that isn't his. Reward: inventory.

Elio had told him how he got his, but he wasn't sure he believed him. But now his theory makes sense. We can have the same achievements but We each have to unlock the achievements on our own. 

After retrieving Rick's bag of guns, they encountered the Vatos, a group protecting an old folks' home. A brief standoff ended peacefully when Rick realised they weren't a threat.

Moving back to reality Shane turns to see Rick 

Rick: [eyeing the shop and Shane] What are you doing? 

Moving around so he could have both the door and Rick in front of him.

Shane: I recognised the shop walking around and thought we could use the extra food but I've got no bags.

Rick: [surprised] good thinking, I think we have some empty bags in the truck. I'll get the others and meet you here with the truck.

Shane: Mmhmm.

Relieved that Rick is gone for the moment Shane starts loading food into his new 'achievement' when hears movement.

It's too soon for Rick and the others to be here and I don't hear the truck.

Staying alert Shane moves out the shop. Using a Kukri he got from the bunker instead of his usual tomahawk. 

Outside he can see 3 different groups of walkers approaching him. Each group had around 4-7 walkers.

Shane decided to go after the first and smallest group closest to him. 

With a fast speed, Shane was on top of them in moments. He raised his weapon slamming the blade into the first walkers temple, pulling it out just as fast, moving to the next as the walkers body fell to the ground so did the second and third. And with a big slash of his blade the fourth walkers head fell to the ground. 

The battle couldn't have lasted longer than 7 seconds with just over a second a kill.

Shane continued to dispatch the following 17 walkers before he looked around and heard the rumble of the truck engine coming towards him. 

As he was making his way forward towards the truck more walkers replaced the groups before them almost double in size. 

Despite the loud noise all the walkers ignored the truck. Their eyes were all trained on Shane not moving an inch. 

As they started to encircle him Shane made his way through an opening and bolted towards the truck. He threw his knife behind him and it disappears with ripples in the air around it.

Shane ran so fast that the others could barely see him. He then jumped an entire 3 meters as if it were nothing and landed on the roof. 

Shane slammed a hand down on the roof, almost denting it. 

Shane: [shouting impatiently] What are you waiting for drive.

After driving away from Atlanta and got away from the herd in the making, the truck stopped at the 'see you again' sign on the edge of the city.

Shane climbed down from the roof and stared in the direction of the city feeling a bit shocked. 

Glen fell out of the back seat onto the pavement because of the speed and awkward position he was getting out the vehicle in.

Getting up he made his way over to Shane and whistled. 

Glenn: [with his hand on Shane's shoulder] I've never seen those freaks move like that. What the hell did you do to piss them off?

Shane thinking to himself about the only reason he was different to everyone else. Shane responded.

Shane: I don't know. But I think I'll take personal offence to it. 

Shane smirked and shrugged it off but he was definitely going to bring this up to Elio later.

Rick looked at Shane like he wanted to say something but wasn't ready to speak to the man who was sleeping with his wife when he was 'dead'.

Getting back in the truck they saw they were about to run out of gas. 

Daryl: I saw a gas station on edge of town we should make a run back it'll save us time.

Everyone agreed and they went back. Even more cautious than the previous time. 

When they got to the station Glenn walked around back to take a Wizz. As he was walking back something caught his eye multiple walkers dead. I mean deader than dead. Blood still flowing from their heads.

Glenn walked back to the front of the gas station to get everyone's attention. 

Glenn: Guys! You might wanna see this.

Daryl was the first to see the walker then Rick followed by Shane. 

Daryl bent down to inspect it with his hunting skills. 

Daryl: it's new. The bloods not dry. And whoever did it is strong one clean stroke in all three of them. 

An engine noise started coming from in front of the station. 

Shane with the best senses ran off with a quick "shit" loud enough for the others to hear. 

When Rick Glenn and Daryl made it round the corner they saw Shane running at the same speed as truck. Just as he was about to get hold, the truck accelerated again.

Shane: [speaking loud enough for the others to hear 20ft back] That bloody asshole. It was Merle the ass must have been following us this entire time.

They stood around all equally looking pissed. Daryl more so than others. He knew merle knows he was with them and he still stranded them. 

After minutes of sitting around feeling sorry for themselves Rick spoke up taking action like he usually does. 

Rick: Well we better start walking back. There's nothing else here we can use. And the suns going down. I don't really wanna be out in the dark with how erratic those things are behaving.

The group made there way back to the camp switching between running and walking as fast as they could. 

It was dark now and they weren't too far. Making it close to the top of the road into the camp. 

Just as they were about to start jogging again they heard a gunshot and screams echoing in the air. 

Instantly they all sprinted to camp