[Audio to Accidental Video] Merry Christmas, here's your sermon...

[stole_the_coop]

[Shane and Rick have gotten some Christmas Spirit and decided to include Daryl, so a quick audio transmission that is far from private is made.]

Hey Daryl, get your ass on over here, we're just crackin' this bottle of whiskey open.

[Shane believes he's shut off the device at his side as he sits it down, but has in fact left it on as he continues

Comments

[Video]

[organics_only]

[She normally wouldn't care too much that there were men being drunk asses...except that she had to listen to such a crude 'sermon' if it could even be called that. Really, her blouses may be low cut, but it wasn't like she was advertising anything.]

If you're going to be so crude, the least you could do is make sure that your phone is off.

[Her tone isn't too harsh though. There is no hope for any man to be a decent human being, why should she expect that from these two...though, she DID have hopes for Rick.]

[stole_the_coop]

Yeah, can't be easy. [He knew it wasn't, he thought about those left behind everyday, especially Carl, just like he knew Rick did, they were his family too to Shane, he had kept them safe and was worried now that he was not there to do it.]

I bet she gets that from her momma. [Shane took a drink of his water, eyebrow curved upward.]

Some, Rick's got a boy, I had plenty of time hangin' around with him. Carl, he's a good kid.

[organics_only]

It's hell. [Every day, she wondered if her family was okay. If they were looking for her and what they were thinking when they couldn't find her.]

Ah...Rick mentioned that he had a son. I just wasn't aware that you were close to his family as well.

[Family had been one of the first things that she'd talked about with the man. It was easy to tell that Rick was devoted to his Lori and Carl...it was something that she was relieved to see.] That's it though? No...Little Shane's out there by six mothers? [It was said with a chuckle. Honestly, that was all they needed to make this a morning talk show.]

[stole_the_coop]

Me and Rick grew up together, hell I knew him before he knew Lori or even knew what to do to make a baby. [Shane grinned, they were good memories, before the world went to hell. Having a friend who was more than a friend, a man who watched your back, your partner. It was an easy relationship that left them both able to fall into old habits easy, when not surrounded by walkers.]

We went to school together, then both went on to become deputies. I remember the day Carl was born, never seen Rick so happy.

[organics_only]

[It was good to see someone with good memories of home.]

It's good that you two have managed to stay friends for so long...most people lose touch as they grow up. When they make new connections, they leave their old friends behind and hardly see them anymore.

[Hell, she didn't even really talk to anyone from high school anymore, much less remember anyone that she'd grown up with. He was either from a small town or just held his connections close.]

That's only to be expected though. As you grow up, interests change. The fact that you two stuck it out is nothing short of remarkable. [Smiling to herself, she knew what he meant. Anytime that Rick so much as mentioned that boy, his face lit up like a child on Christmas.] I don't doubt that...having a baby is usually a joyous occasion.

[stole_the_coop]

Not where we're from, small southern town, everybody knows everybody and everybody knows ya business for the most part. Hech, ya can run into the girl ya nearly knocked up in high school with her husband and three kids on a regular basis. Kinda keeps ya close to 'em all.

[But his eyes averted and there was a sense of sadness, he had to accept it, other than Carl, Lori and Rick that life was gone and everyone in it. He had watched the H Bombs drop, he had seen the end of it all. If they weren't dead, they were Walkers, either way it went, those people were no longer a part of the story.]

Yeah, was pretty cool, all red and scrunched up lookin'. still a cute kid. Ya know what ya havin', boy or girl?

[organics_only]

Ah~. I can't say that I've ever really lived in a town that small. It sounds nice though...you know your neighbors and not as much crime as the larger cities. [There was the small issue of not as much privacy, but that was a small price to pay to not have to worry so much about your kids going out.

Of course...from what she heard, his town got a lot smaller.

Smiling, she shrugged her shoulders in answer to his question.]

I told the doctor that I didn't want to know the sexes... [Not to say Ben didn't keep pressing to know. She wanted to be surprised though] Personally though, I'm hoping for one of each.

[stole_the_coop]

There's enough crime to need sheriff deputies, one asshole even shot Rick not too long before it all went to hell in a handbasket. [A whole lot smaller, as far as Shane knew the population had dwindled down to just the four of them and it was not going to be increasing anytime soon.]

A boy and a girl huh? You're gonna have your hands full. Ya know, ya have them around this place, I wouldn't mind helpin' out. I like kids. [Shane wasn't sure how he would feel if it was his child, if it would be better to know or not know. He did know a mother needed help with raising children and he was willing to do that if it came down to it that the babies were born here.]

[organics_only]

I didn't know he'd been shot...that's part of the job though, right? The first line of defense between innocent people and the scum of society?

[Not that she wished anyone to be shot...it was just to be expected if you were in a law enforcement profession.

Quirking her brow, she stares at him for a moment to see if he's joking. Not many men would willingly offer to help with kids if they weren't theirs. Not seeing any joking or deception, she smiles slightly and nods. If she had them here, it would be a lot for any one person to handle.]

I think I'd like that. I won't burden you, but I'm sure there will be some times that I need a little help.

[Or a lot.]

[stole_the_coop]

Sure is, we're sworn to serve and protect, that's what we do. Just hard to watch it happen.

[He blames himself honestly, thinking that if he had some how, some way just paid better attention maybe it would not have happened.

When she accepted his offer of help his smile was a genuine one if a bit crooked.]

Don't ya worry about burdenin' me, I ain't doin' much round here but twiddlin' my thumbs.

[organics_only]

That's understandable. I couldn't imagine having to go through something like that...but at least he's okay now. Right?

[Rick was safe here...she'd give the author that.

She wasn't sure that was really for the best though. You could be behind bars for the rest of your life and be safe...but you miss out on the rest of the world.]

I can't help but worry. It's just...I'm not used to having to ask for help.

But regardless of my feelings on it, I'm not going to be proud and deny my children. It's going to be hard enough for them being here, I don't see why they should be denied anything else that I can give them.

[Including someone else they can turn to. If anything ever happened to her, or if they just needed someone else to turn to, she needed to know that there was someone else here for them.]

[stole_the_coop]

As okay as he's gonna get, yeah.

[When the world was kill or be killed, you against the Walkers a cage, gilded or otherwise might be a better option.]

We all gotta start some time right? Bein' independent, it's necessary but every once in awhile everyone needs a shoulder or extra set of hands. Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

[Shane was brash, he could be vulgar, he could drink more than he should. But when it came to children, he was a good man, he did not behave inappropriately or set a bad example, he would do his best to be a good influence on them.]