TWENTY TWO. we must be killers

An awkward dinner took place a few nights ago, the women of the group cooking up a rather tasty meal for the Greene family. Though, Adeline failed to see the generosity seeing as they were using their food to cook the meal that was supposed to express their gratitude. Laying flat on her back with her eyes glued to the nylon ceiling, she felt Shane shift next to her and tighten his arms around her waist. She had been awake for at least thirty minutes, but she knew the lack of sleep that both she and her husband had been receiving was putting a damper on their moods. Allowing him to get just a few minutes of extra sleep brought her more comfort than she thought it would, even if his arms were secured tightly against her waist and every so often pulling her body closer to his own.

The day was planned to be filled with gun training and more searches for Sophia. The two of them were assigned to go together, and while she laid in the uncomfortable cot she thought of ways to get out of it. Not that she wanted to - but that she needed to. Adeline had noticed the change in Glenn's attitude, and he had mentioned to her that he needed to talk before she went to bed last night. But due to Shane being Shane, he wanted her by his side when he slept. Something about knowing she was safe when she was with him, that he needed to know. The same excuse.

Adeline worried the real reason was that he was afraid she was going to tell everyone about the murder they committed. But, she wouldn't. She couldn't ruin the peace and calamity the group had at the farmhouse. If the Greene family knew about her and her husbands' crime, it would possibly jeopardize the sense of safety and security they had gained. Although she wanted nothing more but to wash away from the sins she was forced into, Adeline zipped her mouth shut and threw away the key. To keep her family and the people she started to care about safe - she would do anything.

"You okay?" The groggy voice of her husband pulled her out of the daydream of security, head-turning to the side with faded eyes. Adeline nodded slowly to assure him, but she knew Shane would be the last to believe her facade because he had to play the same cards as she.

Watching as he uncurled his arms from around her and raised up, he pressed a kiss to her forehead before crawling over her body and standing to the fabricated ground. Adeline sat up and pressed her back against the wall of the tent, "Do you still need me to go with you today?" She questioned in hopes of him letting her stay.

Shane furrowed his eyebrows as he slipped the dark brown shirt over his bare chest. "I don't want you staying here with just them. We don't know what these people are capable of." He replied while grabbing his tan cargo pants and slipping them up on his legs. "You're coming."

Standing up from the cot, the thin sheet fell from her body to reveal her exposed legs. "Yeah, the grandpa and widow's gonna kill me." Adeline rolled her eyes at her husband before curling her fingers around the clean pile of clothes next to the blue crate. The sight of it made her mind flashback to the walker that attacked her back at the quarry, the electrical lantern falling to the ground and leaving her in the dark to fight for her life. Snapping out of the memory, she held the clothes to her chest before turning to her husband. "You don't have to worry so much."

Shane sighed deeply, sitting back down onto the cot to slip his boots onto his feet. Lifting his head, he watched as his wife changed into the long sleeve shirt and tight jeans. His eyes scanning the scabbing scratch marks going down her chest, a certain sense of anger roaring through him as a result. Resting his head in his hands, "It's my job to worry about you. To protect you. Why can't you see that that's all I'm doing here?" He questioned, meeting her caramel eyes.

Adeline stepped closer to him with troubled yet soft eyes, "If killing an innocent man is what that takes, Shane... then I don't need you to do that for me. Your job is to love and to cherish until death. That's what we promised. That's what you're supposed to do." She lowered her voice in a pleading tone. Crouching down to meet his level, she pressed her hands against his knees and met his eyes. "Please don't lose yourself for me."

Standing up, she followed his movements and watched him carefully. Shane looked down to her before wrapping his arms around her frame and pulling her into his chest, bringing his hand to cup the back of her head - he felt her reluctance to curl her arms around his back. But when he finally felt her lift them, hands tightening around the fabric of his shirt - he trailed his hand down to the side of her neck and tilted her head up to his. As he lowered his face to hers, loud strikes like lightning flashed in her mind as his lips met her own.

A breath of shock was caught in her throat, body flinching back and away from Shane as he fired his last bullet into Otis's knee.

Feeling the memory course through, Adeline flinched involuntarily at the feeling of his lips against hers. Quickly recovering, not wanting her husband to think she was fearful of him, she brought her hands to each side of his face and kept him from pulling away and asking what was wrong. The tears in her eyes threatened to fall at the troubled thoughts, memories flashing around her mind. The words pleading her to not feel afraid played like a broken record in her mind as he told her he loved her, a numb response leaving her lips before the two of them made their way out of the tent.

Don't be afraid. It's stupid to be afraid. He's not going to hurt you, he wouldn't do that. The reminder was the only thing heard in her head as the two of them reached Rick and Jimmy who stood around the abandoned car with a map sprawled out before them. Wiping away her thoughts, she leaned her weight against the car and avoided her brothers' worried eyes that glanced between herself and her husband. "You okay?" Rick questioned, shifting on his feet.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Adeline faked a convincing smile, crossing her arms over the hood and looking to the county survey map. "So what's the plan?" She inquired, changing the subject as Shane whistled to Glenn to make his way over to them with the basket of fruit he held.

"Well, the creek flows south, past the farmhouse Daryl found." Her brother continued after a reluctant look, trailing his finger against the map. "Maybe Sophia dropped the doll there, the current brought it downstream." He hypothesized while examining the paper.

Shane furrowed his brows while rubbing his shaved head, "So what, you think she took this road here and then went north?" He questioned while pointing to the river displayed on the map.

Rick nodded his head in confirmation before looking to Jimmy, "What's up that way?"

The teen leaned his head against his hand, "A housing development. It went in maybe 10 years ago."

"Take a run up there after gun practice." Rick instructed his words to his friend, "I'll hold down the fort here, but take backup. After what went down with Daryl, I don't want anyone going out alone. We stay in pairs." Just as Shane went to pick Adeline to go with him, her brother interjected. "And not her. Hershel said she needs to stay off her ankle," He insisted - his grip on his trust for Shane beginning to loosen. "See how they do on the range, then take your pick."

A nervous Glenn approached them with a basket of assorted fruits, resting it on his knee. Taking two apples, making sure one was green for his wife, Shane handed her the brightly colored fruit before taking a bite out of his own. Adeline rubbed the apple against her clean shirt, watching with concerned eyes as Glenn looked to her with what looked like a scream for help. Pausing, he glanced behind him where a sharp-eyed Lori stood underneath the shade of a tree which caused him to turn back and cast his head to the ground.

"My binoculars," Shane spoke up, noticing the stare the two shared as he motioned to objects on Glenn's shoulder. The boy stammered nervously, placing the basket of fruits onto the ground to hand the ex-cop the item. "Okay, bye." He mumbled while walking away quickly from the four.

As Patricia and Beth approached Rick with careful eyes, Adeline looked over to the RV and noticed Carl himself leaning against the camper. Pushing her body off of the hood of the car, she limped over to her nephew with a wide smile - "You have got to be the strongest kid I know." The words left her lips, alerting the kid of her presence. "Shot, what, five days ago? And you're already up and walking?"

Following his aunt, Carl thought through his options. "I want to learn to shoot. Can you get Uncle Shane to teach me?" He was quick to say - catching the woman off guard. Adeline furrowed her brows before leaning against the front of the RV, "Have you asked your dad? Or mom, for that matter."

Approaching footsteps coming from Shane caused their heads to turn, a smile lacing Carl's lips at the sight of his uncle. "Well, I thought that maybe you and Uncle Shane could talk to them about it. They listen to you two." He hoped with expecting eyes.

"We'll see, okay bud?" Shane assured with a chuckle, leaning against the RV with his wife. As Carl turned to walk away from the two with disappointed eyes, the sound of metal clinking underneath his shirt caused his aunt to turn her head. "Hey," Her voice caused the boy to stop and look to her nervously, glancing at her hand she held out. "Come on, give it up," Adeline instructed, watching as he sighed defeatedly and lifted his shirt to reveal his bandaged side and a small pistol tucked into the side of his pants.

Seeing his wife take the gun into her hands, Shane stood up to go retrieve the boys' parents. Adeline wrapped her hand around his shoulder and led him to the picnic table, she saw his eyes turn down in a sad motion. "Hey, don't worry. I won't let them yell at you." She assured with a small smile, pulling him into her side as they sat down on the wooden bench. "Next time, come to me before you pull a stunt like that, though. I'll be sure to tell you it's not a good idea." She whispered, making sure she scolded him slightly to let him know what he did wasn't smart.

Rick approached the two with Lori, Shane, and Dale following close behind. Standing up from the bench, she smiled softly at her brother before walking away and allowing them to argue about it. She knew what she had to say wouldn't matter, and talking to Lori would only cause her to near the edge even more. Adeline trailed her way over to Daryl Dixons tent with reluctance, hands curling around the nylon flap - clouded eyes meeting the man's as he peeked up from the spot he laid in.

Stepping into the tent, she crossed her arms at the redneck. "You look shitty." Adeline commented, grabbing a red crate that sat on the edge of his cot and sitting down onto the grated surface. "How's the wounds?"

Daryl scoffed, tossing a small ball up into the air before catching it swiftly. "You're one to talk. Ain't you had the same limp for two weeks?" He retorted, motioning towards her stretched out leg.

At his words, she laughed underneath her breath while leaning forward to rest her elbows against her knees. "Hey, it's getting better." She defended, "I can actually walk on it now." Adeline added. "Glenn's carrying around a basket of fruit- figured I'd bring you something." She spoke up, tossing him the green apple she had held in her hand.

Catching it in his free palm, Daryl threw the bouncy ball into the floor. "Good choice, greens the best." He stated as if it was a fact, taking a large bite out of the fruit. "That all?" He retorted with sharp eyes, careful to avoid his side as he sat up to look at the brunette.

Adeline shrugged, "I guess so. Came here to wait for the rest to leave." She informed. "They're gun training today."

"And you ain't?" He was quick to question.

"Didn't want to. Not today, at least." She explained, patting her hands against her knees before standing up from the uncomfortable crate. "Whenever you get some better seats in here, I might come back." Adeline joked while moving the object back into its original place. "Don't rip your stitches," She added, curling her hand around the nylon flap of the door.

"Don't sprain 'yer ankle!" Daryl called out after her, mumbling a small again underneath his breath that she caught just as she slipped out of the tent and back into fresh air.

Nearing the cars that started to pull out of the driveway, Shane caught his wife's eyes from where he stood next to an open trunk. He watched as she crossed her arms and approached an awkward standing Glenn, "You two coming?" He interrupted- the boy not yet noticing the woman behind him.

"Uh, no. I gotta find... Adeline said she was gonna, teach me how to bandage wounds. And I gotta help Dale clean the uh, the spark plugs on the RV. I should probably go look for them," Glenn stammered out, waving his hand in the air as the Grimes girl placed her hand on his shoulder from behind him.

He jumped in fear at the touch, whipping around to find the woman who stifled a laugh. "Looks like he found me," Adeline stayed while casting her eyes to her husband. "You go on ahead, I'm gonna hang back."

Shane reluctantly shut the open hatch of his vehicle and looked to his wife - "He's a good learner!" Dale shouted out, approaching Adeline and Glenn with a smile. The three of them watched as the ex-cop shook his head before sliding into the drivers seat of his car and twisting the keys into the ignition.

Waiting until he left, the nurse and elder turned to Glenn with expecting eyes. "Bandage wounds?" Adeline questioned with furrowed brows. "What's going on?"

The boy sighed and faced the two, "You guys know things. So... what if somebody told you something that somebody else should know-?"

"Glenn, stop being dramatic. Spit it out." Dale interjected, gripping the strap of his rifle.

Taking a breath, the words spluttered out of his mouth in an unprecedented manner. "There's - there's walkers in the barn and Lori's pregnant." He stuttered, the information causing Adeline to immediately turn her head to the ground and hide the wave of tears that threatened to pool over.

The revelation of walkers being in the barn seemed to not even bother her as she walked away from the men and made a beeline for her tent. "Just breathe," Adeline whispered, holding her hand to her stomach as she slipped through the nylon fabric.

The realization that it was completely impossible for that baby to be her brothers made her falter to the ground, knees tucked to her chest as she held in her cries. The curse that wavered down upon her caused her fears to become true - infertility was something she had dealt with. The thing about herself that she hated more than anything. Her inability to give Shane and herself what she wanted was something that haunted her before the world ended, and even after, it continued to nag at her mind like a painful reminder. The baby she could never have - the child she could never bear.

Adeline Grimes blamed herself for these faults, she curled her hand around her head and tucked it in between her knees. Choked sobs left her lips - body rocking back and forth as she pressed her back against the cot. A numb pain greeted her - the constant reminder that she wasn't enough ringing bells in her mind. Why wasn't she enough?

Sitting on top of the RV, Adeline decided on taking over Dales watch shift to get her mind off of things. The older man sat next to her, his worried eyes glancing over to the red rimming the base of her eyes. "You know, what I said back at the quarry... about it being your fault to Merle Dixon getting left behind." He started, causing the woman to meet his stare. "I didn't mean it."

"Time's passed, Dale. I barely even remember that." She assured with a smile that failed to reach her eyes, fingers curled around the wooden structure of the rifle. "Besides, I could have prevented it but I didn't. I blame myself for that. Even if Dixon was an asshole." Adeline spoke, placing her eyes back onto the empty field.

"I take you as the kind of person who forgives easily." Dale continued, sitting up from his spot at the sound of an approaching car. Placing his hand on the woman's shoulder, he squeezed and met her eyes once again. "Not everyone is worthy of that." He reminded, a small smile resting upon his lips as he trailed down the ladder and left her to her alone with her thoughts.

Adeline knew what the elders point was with the conversation, he was there when Glenn said Lori was pregnant. And he was there before she and her brother rose from the dead, he saw the obvious tension between Lori Grimes and Shane Walsh. Although it was only one time, it was one time too many. Voice coming from the base of the RV caused Adeline to quiten her mind and listen in, peeking over slightly with curious eyes.

"Anything?" Carols soft voice questioned the bodies of Shane and Andrea who stepped out of the light green Hyundai. "Not today." The ex-cop replied in a raspy tone.

"I'm so sorry," Andrea apologized - her face full of embarrassment as she avoided the eyes of Shane. "We'll cover more ground tomorrow."

The obvious blood specks on the woman's chest caused Dale to raise his brow, "What happened out there?"

"The place was overrun." Shane stepped in over Andreas stammers, watching as Carol offered to help clean the blonde up and pull her into the RV which shifted underneath Adeline.

The Grimes sister watched carefully as Dale followed Shane, their voices still in range for her to hear. "Shane, Shane. I was thinking," The elder started as the man hummed and turned to face him. "You've got that nice new ride of yours, plenty of fuel. More than enough for you to get far from here." His words caused Adelines stomach to drop, eyebrows furrowing as she slowly laid the rifle against the top of the RV and neared the ladder.

"What, you telling me to leave?"

"I know you've been planning to. Maybe now's a good time." Dale retorted quickly just as Adeline lowered herself down the ladder and listened closely.

"And my wife, what about her? You think I'm just gonna... I'm just gonna leave her here?" Shane questioned.

"I think that she's better off without you." Dale spoke, their bodies coming into sight as Adeline hid around the corner of the RV and watched the two.

Shane stepped forward, "You think my wife would be better off without me, Dale?" he questioned with sharp eyes. "Why don't you tell that to her, huh? See what she says about that. We put our asses on the line, together to save Carl's life."

"And Otis's." Dale was quick to correct, causing Shane to click his tongue and begin to walk away. Adeline froze up at the mention of the man she had helped in killing, her fingers gripping the side of the RV tightly. "You've been vague about that night, about what happened."

Shane stopped in his steps - "Otis died a hero."

"So you've said."

"A little boy lived because of what went down that night. I think you ought to show some gratitude." Her husband spoke, shifting on his feet to look at the elder.

"I wasn't there." Dale said, only for Shane to quickly agree with his words. "But I was at the CDC. I saw the bruises she had, Shane." A pause in the conversation caused the elder to look the ex-cop up and down, "I know what kind of man you are."

A sudden intensity grew upon her husbands posture, a dark look glooming over his eyes that resembled the same one he had when he shot Otis. This caused Adeline to push herself out of her hiding spot, nearing the two men with careful eyes. "She is my life. That is the woman I love, I love her more than the air we breathe." Shane spoke in a low voice, a dangerous tone lacing his words.

"Shane, come on. That's enough."Adeline started, rushing over to them and curling her hand around her husbands bicep. "Let's just go, okay? Let's go." She pleaded, his body standing still like a statuette as he stared down Dale.

"No, no, maybe... maybe you oughta think that through, Dale." Shane continued, "Say I'm the kind of man who'd hit his own wife. What'd you think I'd do to some guy that I don't even like when he starts throwing accusations my way? What do you think?" He threatened, causing Adeline to push him back and away from Dale.

"I said that's enough," She snapped, her eyes sharp as she held her hands against his chest. "Now let's just go, alright? Forget this ever happened." The pleads that left her mouth made her husband back away, throwing a scoff towards Dale before curling his hand around Adelines wrist and carefully walking away with her at his side.

━━━━ AUTHORS NOTE.
ohhhhhhhh shit, got a lil spicy towards the end
character. unfortunately, she's infertile which means
she cannot have children on her own. that's why loris
pregnancy will have such a big impact on her because
she'll be able to see something she could never have.
㋛
WORD COUNT 3835