AUTHOR'S NOTES: This was just a thought that came to me whilst half sleeping on a long train journey from Scotland back to London whilst I watched an episode from TWD Season 2 so I bashed majority out on my phone and stole a moment to come on-line and finish it to post tonight, I shouldn't even be here...but I am, wedding preps are nearly done!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors.

Anything in Italics are thoughts

Twist of Fate

Chapter 1

Rick jumps out of his car and races over to the diner trying to avoid getting soaked. He opens the door and sighs with relief, he didn't get as wet as the day before, they were having unpredictable weather recently.

"Mornin' Carol!" Rick calls over.

"Hey Rick, take a seat, I'll be over in a sec!" The head waitress says wiping down the table.

"No rush, I'm not in a hurry this mornin', I have a whole hour to myself!" He grins "You continue with what you're doin'," Rick waves Carol to not rush on his behalf.

Carol returns the smile, glad that Rick gets a bit of time to himself and not rushing around after everyone.

"Good! You work too damn hard, all work and no play makes Rick a dull boy!" Carol pouts back playfully.

"No play, just some peace and quiet thanks!" He shakes his head laughing at Carol, he hasn't had any fun in a while.

Carol snaps her gloves back on, looking determined and begins scrubbing away at something that's latched onto the table and Rick knows if anyone could get rid of rancid stains or marks, it was Carol. She tossed her Ex-husband and threw him to the gutter after he slapped her for the last time last Thanks Giving and he and Shane were able to arrest him and Ed is now serving time for domestic violence he reigned for years. Carol and Sophia had a great Christmas last year, they hosted their first festive holiday as free women with close friends. He remembers leaving that party tipsy, Sophia kept filling up everyone's glasses with Carol's special Eggnog and he was sure he tasted both rum and brandy and a lot of it and he had an inkling Shane may have had a hand at that when nobody was looking.

"Easy on the furniture!" Rick says over his shoulder and Carol snorts.

He makes his way over to the counter and seeing little Mika trying to put coins into the jukebox, he gives her boost up and she slots the coins in and selects her tune.

"Thanks Deputy Grimes!" She huffs tired out from trying to reach up.

She pushes her braid out of her face and looks up at him.

"I like your hair, it's nice, you should wear it like that more often!" She beams.

"Why, thanks Mika," Rick replies smiling.

He always got a compliment from Mika, she was the sweetest little girl in town and Carl was a little sweet on her. Maybe they'd be 'The Rick and Lori Forever' that was supposed to be but unfortunately wasn't to be. Rick wipes that thought from his mind, he didn't want to cast a bad shadow on Carl's future love life, he hoped Carl got the girl of his dreams, Mika definitely seemed to be that girl.

"I like your new bike," Rick points out the door to the pink bike resting up against the door with the gold tassels "I'm guessing your daddy got it for your birthday?" He asks but knowing very well.

Mika has been wishing for that bike for the past six months and Carl was constantly dropping hints to Mika's mom and dad walking around with the catalogue pointing towards the picture saying it was the coolest bike ever. Mika's dad had worried Carl was coloured blind and took it upon himself to speak directly to him about his worry. Rick had just burst out laughing telling Mika's dad those hints where for the benefit of Mika not Carl.

"Yep and daddy took off the training wheels, I can ride two wheels now, I'm caught up with Lizzy and Carl now!" Mika says clasping her hands together.

"That's great sweetheart!" He smiles and looks serious "You wearin' a helmet?" He raises his brow.

"Of course Deputy Grimes, I want to keep my brain in my head!" She shakes her head cringing remembering the safety lesson Shane had given her class.

Shane told them the story of the boy who didn't wear a helmet and he fell over and the medics had to scoop up his brains from the sidewalk back into his head and staple him back together punching the staple gun in the air for the added sound effects. A few girls had puked and the boys were fascinated saying it was the coolest thing they'd heard. That weekend was a busy day at The Sheriff's Office, every concerned parent in Carl's class had turned up not pleased with the safety lesson their children got.

"Good girl!" Rick says patting her head.

The story was gruesome but had actually done its purpose and all the kids were riding around with helmets, although relaying the story to others was like Chinese whispers, there were about fifteen different versions and Karen the Headmistress had made Shane turn up to school and write one hundred lines as a punishment for concocting stories and the children witnessed him standing in the classroom writing on the whiteboard. Shane's teachings were unorthodox but he was good with kids, sometimes Rick thought Shane was still a kid at times, that's probably why they got on so well.

Rick and Mika high five each other and then she retreats back to her table, her parent's wave to Rick and he tilts his hat back in response.

Rick takes his usual stool happily thinking today was going to be a good day.

"What can I get ya deputy!" The waitress asks enthusiastically getting to the counter first seeing Rick before Carol made her way over, she was still scrubbing away.

"A...Pumpkin Muffin and strong black." Rick orders with a smile putting his hat down beside him on the counter.

The young blonde woman sitting in the stool next to him turns around to face him biting into a muffin. Rick turns his head to look at her. The woman peers down at the muffin in her mouth and looks up to him with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry Rick, I just sold the last one!" Tyreese says walking over behind the counter.

The young woman covers her mouth chewing fast, her bangles clink against one another. Rick watches and once she swallows as quickly as she can, she puts the muffin down on her plate and cuts it in half, lifting the bigger whole half and turns to Rick.

"You can have half!" She offers.

Rick smiles looking at the half muffin.

"It tastes better if shared!" She promises.

"It's ok, I'll just order something else, you continue, you seem to be enjoying it!" Rick lets out a little laugh when he looks at her, he sees the crumbs around her mouth. "You've got some on," He lifts his finger up and wipes the side of his lip.

She looks up at him shrugging and shaking her head not understanding.

"Here," He points again "crumbs," he clarifies.

"Oh!" The woman says embarrassed and starts wiping dramatically.

"It's on the other…" Rick tries to tell her but the noise of the teenagers behind him cover his voice.

Rick grabs a napkin from the silver holder.

"May I?" He asks holding the napkin up and Beth nods looking at his hand cross eyed.

He leans over watching her eyes amused and cleans off the crumbs and hands the napkin to her.

"I'm so embarrassed!" She blushes smiling looking down into the napkin.

Seeing the clumps of crumbs and a pumpkin seed, she cringes. Dusting the napkin so the crumbs fall on her plate, she turns away from him and wipes her face just to be double sure, she faces forward looking embarrassed.

"Don't be embarrassed, I used get the pumpkin seeds stuck in my beard all the time. I only noticed it when I was running through witness statements with The Sheriff and the local Public Prosecutor and a couple of seeds dropped onto the paper we were all hunched over, we only had one copy and they stared at my beard thinking I was harvesting for winter or something…now, that was embarrassing!" Rick laughs.

Remembering that happening and the reason why he has stopped allowing his stubble to grow too much, two days max and then it's the razor. The divorce era, he let himself go completely, Shane and Leon were ordered to hold him down whilst The Chief shaved off the nest he was sporting. He felt naked for the first day rolling his eyes every time someone gave him a compliment.

"You win!" She giggles looking at Rick in his uniform.

Rick chuckles exhaling out, those were some tough days, he's come a long way since then and actually looking back in the mirror, he realised why everyone was looking at him like he turned into a mad man but once the beard came off, the women came flocking in all directions and he had kept his head down as he wasn't ready for that kind of attention, baby steps until he was ready.

"Teeny tiny baby steps!" He mouths.

The woman is still giggling watching his face, he wondered what face he was pulling because she tries not to look but sneaks a peak at him and erupts again.

Rick grabs the napkin holder and takes a look at his reflection on the silver. He has this what Shane calls, "These Sheilas are crazy, run the hell outta here!" look on his face and he frowns great! He turns back to the woman, she had a very distinctive giggle and nobody at 8am giggled like she was! Everyone was still trying to wake up, her giggle had completely woken him up now.

"Yep, The Sheriff still teases me about it now and again, it's hard to keep up the look of professional, hard and intimidating to the newbies when the oldies enjoy trying to make me squirm in front of them and now you…GREAT!" He shakes his head tossing the napkin holder with a huge grin on his face.

The woman sighs looking at the deputy realising how very handsome he is and his smile was dazzling and his little tantrum grumpy face he pulled for a mini-second was very cute. She couldn't help but look at his face whilst he leant sitting next to her looking at his hands. Hands which looked strong was what she thought.

"Take the half, you don't have your beard, The Sheriff won't have reason today to tease you, your all baby faced and also I don't know anybody else who likes Pumpkin Muffin-" Beth is interrupted.

"I only have one customer who eats Pumpkin Muffin and I considered discontinuing making them but Rick here threated to put my ass in jail if I dared, so you can thank him that you found one in here and if you're sticking around town, let me know and I'll actually have a legitimate reason to get up at 5am and bake these!"

Tyreese gives Rick a hard stare and smirks flipping his eyes over to the blonde and winking at Rick, he turns to serve another customer. Rick wonders what that look was for.

"Oh we must share now! I insist, I can't risk being thrown in jail for eating your Pumpkin Muffin!" Beth pleads holding the muffin out.

Rick stares at the half of the muffin and then to the woman. He unclasps his hands, reaches over and holds out his hand and she places it on to his palm happily. He sets it in front of him and plays with it and then pinches a piece off and puts it into his mouth and the corners of his lips turn up.

"I wouldn't have thrown you in jail!" He says and she hears the smile in his voice.

He was actually thinking he was going to offer to buy her another muffin or perhaps dinner once he drummed up the courage.

"I know, I'd just bat my lashes and you'd let me go!" She says tilting her face batting her lashes.

Rick was chewing the cooked dough watching her and wasn't sure what was going on, was she flirting he asks himself. He lifts what he thinks is his coffee and pours it down his mouth and realises he's picked up the Maple Syrup, he swallows and puts it down pulling a face.

The woman smacks her head on the table laughing, she tilts her head towards Rick, he had Maple Syrup dripping off his chin. She reaches over catches it, brushing his chin slightly with her soft finger, drizzles it over her muffin and licks her finger. He watches her in disbelief, did she just eat Maple Syrup dripping off his chin?

"As you like it so much, I just have to try some too!" She laughs taking another bite "To think I was goin' to go straight home and miss this!" She giggles.

Lizzy had come to get the Maple Syrup and looks at Rick.

"Hey Lizzy, what can I do for ya?" Rick asks.

"Are you like eight, did Freaky Friday happen to you and Carl this morning?" She asks looking at him and Rick shuts up "May I have the Maple Syrup if you've finished Deputy Grimes or Carl should I be asking?" She demands running her eyes over Rick's chin and then looking at the woman shaking her head.

Rick picks up the bottle and hands it over and Lizzy takes it not impressed and walks off.

"You're Welcome!" Rick shouts after her.

The girl had attitude, he'd let it slide today, next time, he'll tell her what happens to little girls who sass back to a Police Officers.

"Wow, she tore right into you, pretty scarey!" The woman replies looking over her shoulder watching the moody girl stalking off.

"I'm embarrassed now, covering myself in Maple Syrup and being told off by a twelve year old girl!" Rick says wiping his mouth.

"You still got some!" She gestures whirling her finger around her mouth area but before Rick can wipe it, she reaches over with her muffin and lets it drop on top before it fell onto his pants "Continue!" She says finishing the last of her muffin.

"You're definitely not from around here!" Rick says wiping his fingers smiling, he was a deputy and nobody acted like this around him.

"Nope, but not far – from Linden County, right next door!" She answers taking a sip of her coffee.

"Next door," Rick repeats "Next doors not far!" He adds thinking, fifteen minutes by car if he put his foot down on the gas he calculates.

Rick nods, he knew everyone in his County, she definitely wouldn't have sneaked his radar all this time even if she was new in town, he'd have eventually bumped into her, well he has now, he realised.

"What brings you next door?" He asks once his coffee is settled in front of him, he pushes his hat aside.

"Where do I start!...something happened, that maybe shouldn't have happened!" She replies leaning forward.

Rick takes a look at her noting the hesitation and how her voice went low and regretful.

"Anything you need help with?" He asks just in case she needed help.

"No...it's nothing like that," She looks at him hoping he wouldn't think less of her but she wanted to speak to someone and he was being nice and she doesn't know why she can't just keep her mouth quiet, drink her coffee and be on her way but before she can say or do anything, they're interrupted.

"Rick, sorry I'm late!" comes Shane's voice "Beth!" then follows surprised.

Rick looks at the woman who turns around and he looks over his shoulder seeing Shane walking up to the woman who he now knows as Beth. He now thinks back and then realises that Shane's been going on about this young hot blonde chick he met a couple of weeks ago in Linden County and he's been trying to get her number but she was playing hard to get, he would get her number and Rick realises Shane got her number last night because Shane grabs Beth's face and begins kissing her running his hand in her hair and she holds his arms as she lets him kiss her.

"Hey babe, you left before I got out the shower! You should have waited, I was hoping," He grins and shakes his head, Rick noted Shane was genuinely blushing.

"I get off around 7pm, if you wanted to stick around and we can pick up where we left off from or we could have dinner and I'll drive you home?" He asks hopefully rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs.

Beth looks up smiling shyly.

"I've got a graveyard shift, we're short on nurses, maybe another time, I need to go home and get some shut eye!" She replies and then she looks to her side seeing Rick now realising this was the Rick that Shane had spoken of.

"I know, I kept you up all night but I'm not sorry!" Shane gives a chuckle which makes Beth embarrassed looking away from Rick and looking around hoping nobody heard him and then her eyes go back to Rick for a reason she doesn't understand.

Rick and Beth just stare at one another, Shane breaks their line of contact as he puts his arm around Beth's shoulder.

"I guess you guys have met, excellent, my two favourite people!" Shane grins and laughs looking at Rick.

"Maple Syrup! See I'm not the only one who gets it over me!" Shane laughs reaching over trying to take the left overs but Rick leans back letting out a small laugh.

"Yea, just had to try me some Maple Syrup!" Rick jokes as he wipes his chin and takes one look at Beth and then his radio goes off thankfully, he could get out of this awkwardness for a moment or two.

"Excuse me!" Rick says getting up, moving to answer.

Beth watches Rick, he had turned all serious from the teasing guys who sat beside her a couple of minutes ago. She watches Rick as he turns around rubbing his brow speaking into the radio, his eyes catch hers whilst and when Shane turns to follow Beth's gaze, Rick looks away turning back around giving them his back.

"He's the best, you're gonna love him, you'll be spending a lot of time with Rick if I'm lucky. I practically hang out with him every night, have done since we were kids but he and his wife, ex-wife just got divorced and he's kid lives with her!" Shane says taking Rick's seat.

"Yea, he seems great and that's sad!" Beth replies looking over at Shane eating the rest of Rick's muffin and drinking his coffee.

"Shane?" Beth calls.

"Yeah babe!" he answers reaching over and placing the last bit of muffin to her mouth.

Rick turns around watching, it was always Shane the third wheel in his and Lori's relationship, he didn't want to be the third wheel in this. He sighs regrettably and smiles to himself thinking he was silly to have such thoughts. Beth is young and beautiful, the top guy would get a girl like her, Shane always got the girls. If Lori hadn't pursued him in High School, he knew they'd never had gotten together. Here, he wanted to pursue the blonde woman who had been sitting next to him but he was too late, Shane had beat him to her. That was it, end of story before it could even start.

"Rick!" Shane calls over and gestures for him to come over.

Rick puts on his smile and walks over grabbing his coffee back from Shane.

"We've got a call, neighbour dispute," Rick replies.

Shane huffs looking at his watch and looks over at Beth.

"I'll call you later?" He asks.

"I'd like that!" Beth smiles.

Shane leans over and gives Beth a long lingering kiss before getting up and making his way out as his cell goes off. Rick nods turning to follow.

"Rick?" Beth calls out and he stops when he hears his name and he slowly turns around.

"It was nice meetin' you, Shane said how a great guy you are and he's right, you're a real great guy!" Beth tells him.

She felt conflicted watching Shane outside and Rick standing in front of her.

"Same, Shane's only had good things to say about you, it's finally nice to meet the Beth he's been talkin' non-stop about for the past couple of weeks!" He smiles "I'll catch you around maybe girl from next door!"

And with that he gives her a smile, Beth noted some sadness and she felt it as well as she tries to smile back and then Rick puts his hat on tilts his head and turns around making his way out the door. She watches as Shane is in the passenger's side joking and Rick is smiling as he gets into the driver's seat and then they're off with the siren going off.

Beth sits down in her chair staring out the window thinking about the last twelve hours, what has she just fallen into and she wished she knew Shane was a deputy, she would have gathered the guy sitting next to her was none other than Shane's best friend Rick Grimes. She was sure she must have heard Grimes in the last hour but she didn't catch it, she was too busy laughing and joking with Rick.

Her cell goes off breaking her concentration of thinking too hard.

"Hey Maggie…yeah…can I call you later, I need to sleep, my head is swimming with too many thoughts!...love you too!"

Beth goes to pay but the waitress informs her that Rick had already settled her bill before he left.

A/N:- Who Beth ends up with I don't know yet! This fic is going to be angsty.

I ship Brick like anything but I wanted to try Sheth, I toy with them in my fic TRATD and wanted to see where I could go with this! I hope it doesn't blow up in my face. I'm curious if I can write Sheth!

A love triangle between Rick/Beth/Shane!