Threads of Fate Across Universes

(Rick's POV)

Rick had seen a lot of shit.

People killing people. Walkers ripping folks apart.

But this?

This was something else.

Shane and Elio weren't fighting. They were erasing the dead.

Shane crushed skulls like they were made of glass, sending bodies flying with every punch. Elio's axes were floating—moving on their own—cutting down walkers in a blur of steel.

It was inhuman.

No—impossible.

The last walker dropped just as the sun started to rise, painting the camp in a golden glow.

And Rick?

He had no words.

Only a deep, twisting feeling in his gut.

Because he'd trusted Shane his whole life.

But this Shane?

This was not the same man he knew.

And Elio?

He had never trusted him.

Rick's jaw tightened. His fingers curled around his gun. He didn't raise it—but he felt the weight of it.

Because if Shane and Elio were no longer just men—

Then what the hell were they?

(Back to Elio's POV)

Elio exhaled, the rush of the fight still buzzing in his veins. The camp was silent—everyone too stunned to move.

Then—

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Lori's scream shattered the quiet.

She stormed forward, eyes wild, face red with fury.

Shane barely had time to pick up his kukri before she was on him.

"What kind of freak have you brought into our camp?!" she shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at Elio.

Elio blinked. "Uh—"

"You!" she turned to Shane, glaring. "And you! What the hell was that?! You just—you—" She gestured wildly at the massacre around them. "You're not even—human! And him—" she jabbed a finger at Elio. "That thing—his weapons were flying around! Like—like—"

Shane's jaw tensed. "Lori—"

"No! No, don't 'Lori' me!" She turned to the rest of the group, her voice rising. "Did you all see that?!"

People hesitated.

Then—Carol, surprisingly, stepped forward. "They saved us," she said, her voice quiet but firm.

But Lori laughed—a sharp, bitter sound. "Saved us? Are you kidding?! All those walkers were after them!"

Silence.

Lori's eyes flashed.

"All of us?" She shook her head. "We weren't even targets. We were just in the crosshairs."

Elio's stomach dropped.

And looking around—he saw the shift.

People were thinking. Realizing.

The walkers hadn't come for the camp.

They had come for him and Shane.

Elio's fingers tightened around his axes.

Shane's stance shifted—just slightly, just enough for Elio to see the tension rolling off him.

Rick's gaze flickered between them, his jaw set.

And in that moment—Elio knew.

They weren't just the camp's protectors anymore.

They were something else.

Something dangerous.

And people were starting to fear them.

The air was thick. Heavy with something worse than fear.

Suspicion.

Elio felt it pressing down on him, sinking into his bones. The weight of eyes—watching him, judging him.

And Lori?

Lori was thriving on it.

She turned in a slow circle, arms outstretched. "Go ahead! Someone tell me I'm wrong! Tell me what we just saw was normal!"

Silence.

Then—Dale, clearing his throat. "Lori… it was unusual, but—"

"Unusual?" Lori snapped, rounding on him. "It was inhuman."

Elio felt a flicker of irritation. "I have a name, you know."

Lori's glare snapped at him. "And what the hell are you, huh? Because you're not normal. You knew those things were coming, didn't you?"

Elio exhaled through his nose, keeping his face carefully neutral. "I didn't 'know'—" (not that many anyway).

"Bullshit."

His jaw clenched.

Lori turned to the group, her voice rising. "He knew! Those walkers didn't just come out of nowhere. They went straight for him! And for Shane." She gestured wildly at Shane. "And now—now he's punching heads off like he's in some damn superhero movie?!"

Shane bristled. "You're not making any damn sense."

"I'M MAKING PERFECT SENSE!"

Elio felt the shift again.

People were listening to her.

Processing.

It didn't matter that he and Shane had just saved their asses.

People feared what they didn't understand.

Elio saw the way Carol hesitated, clutching Sophia closer. The way Dale's brows knit together. The way T-Dog looked between him and Shane, uncertain.

Even Andrea, still grieving over Amy, had gone rigid, her gaze flicking over him like she was seeing him for the first time.

And Rick—

Rick was watching.

Silent. Calculating.

That was worse.

Lori saw it too. She pressed forward, eyes burning. "Do you even care that you put Carl in danger? That you put all of us in danger?"

Elio's patience snapped. "The only reason anyone is still breathing right now is because of us."

"Yeah? And what are you, exactly?"

Elio went still.

A slow smirk curled at the edge of his lips. "Stronger than you."

Lori's face twisted.

"Elio," Shane warned, low and sharp.

But Lori was already pressing forward. "You think that's funny?" she spat. "You think you can just play hero, and we'll all ignore what we saw? We'll all pretend that you're just like us?"

Her voice cracked.

"You're not."

Elio's stomach twisted.

It wasn't the words.

It was the way she said them.

Not just anger.

Disgust.

As if he was something other he knew she wasn't reacting this way to just his abilities, she was reacting to who he was with Shane.

Shane stepped forward, his presence heavy, protective. "That's enough."

Lori laughed—bitter, sharp. "Is it? Because I don't think it is. I think we deserve to know exactly what the hell we're dealing with. And if you don't like that—" she looked around, voice turning cold—"then maybe they should leave."

The words landed.

Thick. Unspoken.

A challenge.

A line in the sand.

Elio felt it.

Shane felt it.

Rick definitely felt it.

Elio's fingers itched around his axes. He had expected fear. Had expected questions.

But this?

This was the beginning of something else.

A fracture in the group.

A crack that wouldn't just heal.

And Elio knew—deep in his gut—that once this started, there was no going back.

No matter what happened next.

Elio stared at Lori, at the way her arms were crossed, her chin lifted, like she had already won.

He exhaled slowly.

Then he turned to Shane. "Let's go."

A ripple of shock passed through the group.

"Elio—" Dale started.

"No," Elio cut in, his voice cold. "I'm not doing this. I just killed a hundred walkers. Saved all of your asses. And the thanks I get is this bullshit?"

Lori scoffed. "We're being realistic—"

"No, you're being cowards," Elio snapped. "You're scared of me, so instead of trying to understand what happened, you're throwing me out like I'm some kind of monster." He let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "Guess what? I'm not the one who left a man to die on a rooftop. I'm not the one who shot a guy and didn't tell anyone. I'm not the one lying to my own damn husband."

Lori's face—

Shane barked a laugh. "Damn, Elio. Goin' for the jugular, huh?"

Rick's jaw tightened. But he didn't deny it.

Elio sighed, shaking his head. "Come on, Shane. We're done here."

Shane hesitated. Just for a second.

Then he nodded.

They turned to leave.

But before they could take two steps—

"I'm coming with you."

Everyone turned.

Carol.

Her eyes were red, but not from crying.

From anger.

Lori frowned. "Carol—"

Carol snapped.

"Shut up."

Lori actually flinched.

Carol turned in a slow circle, looking at everyone. "Ed is dead."

No one spoke.

She exhaled sharply. "And do you know what? I don't care. I should, but I don't. Because all of you—" her voice shook, but she pressed on, "all of you knew. You heard what he did. You saw what he did. And you did nothing."

People looked away.

She let out a bitter laugh. "The only people who ever stood up to him were Shane—" she turned to him, eyes burning—"and Elio."

Elio stiffened.

Carol took a deep breath. "I owe them my life. And now that Ed's gone, there's nothing holding me back." Her voice rose. "I don't want to stay here with people who looked the other way while my husband beat me."

Silence.

Then Carol turned to Elio and Shane.

"Please," she said, quietly. "Take me with you."

Elio looked at Shane.

Shane looked at Carol.

Then Shane nodded.

Elio smirked. "Let's get the hell out of here."

They turned again—

"I'm coming too."

Everyone froze.

It was a child's voice.

Elio turned—

Carl.

Lori gasped. "Carl, you are not—"

"Yes, I am!" Carl shouted, fists clenched.

Rick stepped forward. "Son—"

"No!" Carl's voice cracked, but he didn't back down. "You always say we need to be strong. That we need to survive. But Shane—" he turned to him, eyes wide and desperate—"Shane has always protected me. And Elio—" he turned to Elio, his voice soft—"Elio saved us all. He saved Sophia. And Mom is just mad because she can't control them."

Lori blanched.

Carl turned on her. "I know what you've done. I've heard you lie to people about Shane. About Elio." His voice lowered. "I heard you talking about getting rid of them."

Lori's face drained of color.

Rick whipped around. "Lori—?"

Lori's mouth opened—but no sound came out.

Carl looked back at Shane. "Please don't leave me."

Shane's whole body tensed. His throat worked, his fists clenched, and for a long moment—he didn't speak.

Then he exhaled.

And got down on one knee.

"Kid…" His voice was rough. "I love ya. But I can't take you from your dad."

Carl's face crumpled.

"But listen to me," Shane said, gripping Carl's shoulders. "You are strong. Stronger than you even know." He swallowed. "But you gotta be strong here, okay?"

Carl's eyes burned with unshed tears.

Shane pulled him into a hug. "I ain't never gonna stop looking out for ya, ya hear?"

Carl clutched at him, shaking.

Then he pulled back, nodding quickly, wiping his face.

Shane ruffled his hair. Then he stood.

Elio sighed. "Alright. Time to go."

Carol took Sophia's hand. "I'm ready."

Shane and Elio turned their backs on the camp for good.

And this time—

They didn't look back.