A/N: This is the first fan fiction I ever wrote so it is going to be quite over descriptive, My apologies for that. This is a TAWoG one-shot where I got the idea from a dream, and I wanted to record it in a fanfic. It is kinda depressing, but more boring; It contains Carball, and a little bit of Carbert. I know the beginning is EXTREMELY dull as well as the plot, but hey, it was just a little one-shot. It gets better near the end I hope. And hey, no OCs! :D Enjoy!
Update: Thank you so much for the reviews, I certainly didn't expect such good ones. (Or any at all as a matter of fact.) All compliments and criticisms warmed me very much. Also, I went ahead and updated the story based on them, so hopefully it won't be so difficult for future readers. I couldn't make all the improvements, because that's just how bad I am at writing. Other then that, there aren't that many differences. I couldn't fit the Watterson Incident's explanation in the story, but I'll add it somewhere soon. I hope you enjoy reading! :)
A ghost town. That's what it was. Centuries of isolation. The clouds became grey and slow as if stopped by time. No wind, breeze or sun; The atmosphere was empty. Oxygen was crisp, as if each particle was paralyzed and undisturbed. No temperature to feel in your lungs. The air you try to breathe in and out you could not even feel against your face. Even the inanimate objects no longer moved or lived. The town was completely monochrome. Although everyone knows that some people on TV don't grow, they can still be killed. That's what happened to the main protagonists Gumball and Darwin, along with the rest of the Watterson family. Along with the rest of the town. They had all either died one way or another, or moved away. Who would want to stay here without the main attraction, the not-so-normal-family that lived down the road happy and invincible, though it had seemed. The buildings slowly crumbled, the trees silently fell. It was soon Elmore's turn to die.
But all of it was not completely deserted. The still strong standing school defined as Elmore Jr High, once filled to the brim with laughter, mischief, knowledge, love, was still accompanied by two beings stuck in this world. They are eternal in a way that they could not die easily. Perhaps not at all.
Carrie drifted silently through the first story halls, remorseful as if anything else. She glanced at the row of lockers, imagining each of her friends standing by them, laughing, smiling, giddy in happiness. She remembered feeling hateful to each one at the time. Jealous. Angry; most of all, empty. However, it was nothing compared to what she felt now. Regret. She longed to see them bounding across the hallway again playing out their usual antics. Teri would be making her way to the nurse in a fit of worry holding her wrist, or head, occasionally limping. Jamie would be yelling at some poor kid; she was all talk no punch anyway, so Tina would be her punch and Anton the unwillingly third wheel. Alan and Carmen giggling with each other, lost in their own world. William, just watching them and everyone else. What else could the poor guy do? Leslie walking around with Penny, Molly, and Masami talking in the center. Tobias would throw a flirt here and there while making a fool of himself as Banana Joe laughed, cracking a pun. Classical. Carrie broke her trance to the past and came back to the hollow air, still listening to their echoing laughter. She slowly made her way to the hallway window, which featured the playground. She remembered Juke and Rob playing basketball, and The Eggheads loitering around the far side of the building. She remembered talking to them once out of pity, but they came off as self conceited and insulted her. After that, communicating certainly was out of the question. Ocho usually hung out with them too, but due to society's typical implications, he didn't really have a choice. Clayton was the storyteller, usually talking to Idaho and Hector. Sarah was always considered the new girl, no matter how long she stayed here. She would usually pretend her life was a sitcom, or get lost in her locker. Nevertheless, her annoying yet talkative disposition was admirable.
Carrie sighed, depressive. She went over her classmate's names in her head and thought of each of them vividly, missing them. Heck, she even missed Sussie's obnoxious behavior at times. Years of loneliness certainly took it's toll.
"I guess you never know what you have, till it's gone, right?" Carrie spoke to herself. Her voice came out quiet, whispery and dry. It needed laughter. Something she hadn't had in years. She turned around, as her heart skipped a beat, unwillingly she hallucinated the very two people who wouldn't let her rest, laughing with each other. Darwin Watterson and his older brother. She didn't want to remember Darwin, the selfless, cheerful, naive, happy go lucky fish, simply because he reminded her of the reason she was still here. The simple yet agonizing reality of why her soul couldn't be put to rest.
Gumball Watterson.
Carrie bit back tears as her mind projected the cruel reality in front of her. The two brothers ran off down the hallway racing each other to lunch. They turned the corner and disappeared, their laughter trailing away after them. Carrie closed her eyes, listening to the audio that continued playing in the darkness of her mind. The sudden crash, mixed with sirens and then followed by the heart monitor emitting a long, dreadful beep. She buried her face into her hands and broke down, feeling disoriented, her stomach churning and her face burned in her palms. She had developed feelings for Gumball shortly before he died, and that was the gist of it. The event took it's toll on Carrie, as she never got to confess. She had anxieties, hopes that he would visit her as a ghost, but he never did; her spirit couldn't be put to rest until she had confessed to him, leaving this world without any worries. It was the only way she could truly die, and join everyone else. Her family had already been advised to sleep, as Carrie didn't want to have them suffer for her. So she stayed in Elmore Jr High, refusing to leave and hoped he would come to meet her someday, at least once. She revised her words each day and waited, but as decades turned to centuries and centuries to millenniums, he never came. Her hope began to fade and she decided to simply try and forget him. After all, she couldn't age, so she had an eternity to try. But after all possible attempts it just wouldn't happen, and she felt like her sanity was slowly slipping away...
Carrie wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and phased through the roof to the third story of the building. Immediately, she found herself in the library of the school. She looked around the dark, musty room, as the grey light from outside streamed through the windows, revealing the floating paralyzed dust to the area. The library always used to have a studious atmosphere, relatively blissful. Now it was dead and colorless, like everything else. She scanned the aisles, and smiled as she saw her remaining companion sitting with his back to one of the bookshelves. She approached him quietly as he read an old non-fiction book, and sat down beside him, resting her head against his cold metallic arm. He glanced to his side and noticed her.
"Hello Carrie." Bobert greeted her quietly, patting her head.
"Hey." Carrie replied weakly, smiling.
Since every other organic peer of theirs was long gone, they found comfort and companion ship in each other, and Carrie could vent out her feelings to him, keeping her sane. Bobert ran on electricity, and there seemed to be a lot more since the rest of the city wasn't using it, so he wasn't going anywhere. And we know of Carrie's situation. None of them had to eat, so that was another positive trait. Both were eternal.
"Oh, Carrie, did you know that donkeys kill more humans annually then sharks do?" Bobert inquired.
She looked up at him, surprised. "Really? That's weird... I never really trusted that 'Daisy the Donkey' show anyway, always thought it was strangely too happy, so I guess it makes sense."Carrie looked outside the window, as the atmosphere began to dim around them. "Whoa. What's the time?"
"7:43pm" Bobert informed her. Carrie sighed. Why did she even care anymore? She floated up and made her way to the couch at the far end of the room, as he followed. Breathlessly, she slumped onto the couch and closed her eyes.
"...I really wish he didn't keep me waiting..." She thought out loud.
Bobert turned to her. "I see that the memory loss method has failed."
Carrie opened her eyes. "Yeah, it did. Where did everyone else go? Why did they forget about me?" She faced him, her voice still whispery. "About us?"
"...I wish I knew, Carrie. Perhaps they haven't. After all, How could they? There must be an explanation..."
She laid herself down on the sofa shuffling restlessly."Explanation? Like what?"
"Perhaps they simply cannot visit us, against their own will due to some reason, although even I'm not sure."
She got up holding a cushion and buried her face in it. "I can't believe this. This is so unfair. What do I even see in him? What could I possibly like about Gumball, of all people?..."
"You and Penny." Bobert added.
"Oh yeah... She liked him way before I di-..." Carrie abruptly stopped speaking, muffled by the pillow.
"...Carrie? Are you alright?..."
She looked up at him, face filled with worry. "Y-you think that... That now he's with her, he purposely isn't trying to see me?... A-afraid that I'll interfere? A-and, he told everyone else to stay away too?!"
"Oh! Now we have a lead!" He jumped up cheerfully.
Carrie dropped the pillow, her expression filled with horror. "N-no! That can't happen! If that really is the situation, I-I'm trapped here forever!" She exclaimed, terrified of her predicament yet managing to find her voice again.
Bobert stopped celebrating and looked at her. "Do not worry Carrie, it is only a mere prediction, we do not have evidence yet to prove it. I do not see Gumball as that type of peer." He patted her back comfortingly.
Carrie began to cry, tears streaming down her pale cheeks, as she thought of her worst case scenario immediately, of never seeing her family or the rest of her friends ever again. Of never seeing Gumball again. Of both her and Bobert being completely isolated in this world. She felt, well, abandoned.
"Do not cry Carrie. It really is an unlikely assumption. And that is all it is." Bobert reassured, and gave her a sanitary tissue.
"B-but they both like each other, they've gotta be a couple by now..." She wiped her scarlet face and blew her nose.
"That does not mean they would abandon you here. They simply could not." He said, brushing her hair to the side.
Carrie stopped, and smiled. Upon thinking about it more clearly it would be quite an out-of-character thing for Gumball to do. He wouldn't leave his friend to suffer this way, even for Penny. She leaned back and closed her eyes. Yes, it was his character. She could never explain why but something about his general personality, perhaps being reliable, warmed her. There was just no explanation to why. She swallowed her anxieties and looked around the room.
"...I wish I never hated any of my classmates over something so insignificant. It's not their fault that I don't have a body, or can't feel; can't eat. It's funny, I used to think it was..." She confessed. "I hate myself so much because of it. Especially when I tried to steal Gumball's life, for food..."
"...Your not the only one who possessed his lifestyle and still regrets it, actually..." Bobert quietly admitted.
Carrie looked back at him comfortingly, holding the tissue he gave her close. Always looking at how different she was from everyone, she forgot to notice the similarities. The small hidden comforts, until now.
"...William couldn't eat either." She said, remembering the small psychic eye with wings. "He couldn't speak too."
"At least we can." Bobert replied gratefully.
"...And he didn't have any friends." Carrie began to feel sleepy. She yawned and laid down. "I wish Gumball would come sooner, maybe tomorrow if ever." And she soon fell asleep, clutching the tissue close to her face.
Bobert got off the sofa and began to slowly walk out of the room. He replayed their conversation to himself in his mind and decided that the probability of Gumball ever showing up was, well, 0000000.1%. If he couldn't come sooner, then why later? Bobert stopped walking and looked down. The only positivity in this situation was that Carrie could stay with him, forever. He turned around to look at her, realizing that it wouldn't be worth it. She wasn't happy, and staying here would only make her more regretful.
As he continued listening intently to their talk, he came across the topic in which they compared each other. And that's when it hit him. He realized what he was going to have to do to free her, even though he despised the idea itself; it wasn't honest.
"Anything." He thought. "I'll do anything, for Carrie."
And with that, he ran out of the room.
-The following day-
Carrie stirred from her sleep. The room was grey once again, slowly getting brighter. She looked around the area briefly and noticed that Bobert wasn't beside her, or anywhere in the room. A little surprised, she decided to search for him; floated through the floor, searched the hallways, cafeteria, gym, and checked each and every class. Even after waiting half the day, he didn't return. She began to feel slightly insecure. "Where... he couldn't have left the school without telling me." She glanced out the window, a familiar feeling of negativity returned overwhelming her many years of fear and sadness.
"...He must have. He must have even left Elmore. Like everyone else."
She briskly flew over to one of the upper classrooms, and slumped at the front desk chair. She remembered telling Bobert how persistent she was in not leaving this school for Gumball. Carrie closed her eyes and dipped into the monochrome memory. He was so comforting; his monotone voice gentle, and his words sincere.
"It's alright Carrie. I'll stay with you."
As the memory faded into white, she opened her eyes again, feeling angry and betrayed. Even more enraged with herself for giving up on him so quickly. She looked down at the tissue in her hands. Her only companion for so long, with his endless patience. He would listen to her for hours and he would let her shout, and cry. Her sanity was stabilized and secure, until now. How was she going to manage without his company? Carrie looked around as the room began to grow dim, her face subsided from anger to sorrow. "There's nothing I can do but wait. Wait another day..." She said quietly, as her eyelids slowly drooped as she began to drift away sleepily...
"...Hellooooooo?"
A small, childish, echoing voice flowed through the hallways. Carrie quickly jerked back into consciousness, dropping the tissue onto the table and looked towards the door transfixed, eyes wide with hope. Her heart began to beat fast in excitement, yet scared and shaken waiting to see Gumball run through the door, smiles and everything. She watched in suspense and waited, yet no one came. Her face slowly drooped and she slumped back onto the chair. "...I'm hearing things. I'm going... crazy." She said in a small unstable whisper. She held her head in her hands, bowed her head down, and closed her eyes once again hearing the dreadful voice calling out her name.
"Caaarrieeee~"
It echoed on.
"Caaarrieeee~"
She could feel her mind going blank and disoriented. The voice began to surround her, it called for her multiple times and it got louder and louder; she began to slip away...
Suddenly, it was quiet and dark.
"...Carrie?"
The voice was loud, clear, questioning, and right in front of her. Despite being afraid, she slowly looked up in disbelief. A spurge of happiness and relief shot up her as she saw a (robot with a paper tail and ears, painted on face, and a Gumball voice recognition. Nobody ever noticed the difference then, so why should they now?) concerned, caring face brightly glowing in the darkness, standing on the table in front of her.
"Gumball..." She whispered happily, her eyes filled with tears. It was almost unbelievable, as if her wish yesterday with Bobert was granted. She backed up in her chair still unable to contemplate the reality. He looked more opaque and solid than she had imagined probably because of the darkness, but despite all that, he was standing right in front of her. Her Gumball.
"Hi, Carrie." He said quietly, extending his hand for her to take. She looked at it and realizing that she had to maintain her composure and confess, without terrifying him in the process. She took it and raised herself up, transfixed to his glowing face and his eyes...
She quickly snapped out of her trance and decided to get to business. "So, I see you finally decided to visit." She said, mildly sarcastic. Gumball scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Sorry, I was waiting for you to show up. I don't get it, you're already a ghost, and your parents are up there. So there's no reason for you to stay down here. Why can't you join us?"
Carrie looked down, her cheeks slightly pink. "Now I can." she whispered quietly. Surprisingly, Gumball didn't question it. He just looked down in guilt. "I'm so sorry, Carrie. I'm sorry for dying on you, and everyone else; I'm sorry for not visiting either. I guess I should have thought about it more..." He said, and took ahold of her hands as she turned scarlet red.
"...Let's go, friend. You don't have to be alone anymore."
Carrie flinched. Friend? Unfortunately, it couldn't happen. It wasn't that easy.
"...No..." She said softly, glancing downwards.
"What? Why not?"
Carrie looked up at him. "W-we... We can't be friends, Gumball." She explained, raising her voice. Hesitantly, she slowly pulled her hands away from his grip and looked to the side. This was it.
Gumball drooped sadly. "I'm really sorry..."
"It's not that. You're forgiven and I want to be with you, but... Not as friends,..."
Oddly, Gumball just sat down on the table in front of her like a kindergardener student in front of a teacher. Carrie sat down beside him close, and with a deep breath, finished her sentence.
"...As something more." She whispered.
"Oh. Cool- Wait what?" Gumball realized, still processing her hint. Carrie buried her glowing red face in her hands. He had to be so dense, didn't he?
"You heard me Gumball." She floated upwards, looking away from him. "I need you to... Hear me out please." She requested quietly, struggling to speak; flicking her hair up, and then began. "I don't know why, but shortly before the... Incident, I began to notice you. I used to watch you and Darwin during your adventures around the school and I used to think about your actions. At first to me, you were a reckless happy kid. But seeing you help others, it occurred to me that you were more. You were just, different. Different in a way others couldn't be." She turned to look at him, smiling gently. "You were sincere in your own way, helpful in your own way... I-I can't explain it. Maybe it was the fact that you could get along with anyone; everyone. Even an emo ghost like me." She flew closer to him, his eye wide in surprise. "S-so I guess I developed... Feelings, for you. Being with you, I couldn't feel pain, but happiness. I didn't want to interfere with your life, so I just waited or something, and I-I guess I waited too long, because then you..." She sat down in front of him closing her eyes, and holding his hand dearly. "I thought you would visit me, but when the Wattersons were gone, so was the rest of Elmore... But I couldn't leave life until all my troubles were gone and I had to confess to you, but... Oh gosh, it's been centuries. I... I..." She became speechless.
Gumball patted her hand lovingly. "It's ok Carrie. Calm down." Carrie breathed deeply. 'This is it, just say it! There's nothing to lose!' She thought. "W-what I'm saying is... That I guess..."
"I love you."
Gumball glanced at her in surprise. They sat there in the frozen environment, Carrie's face flushed red; small tears began to stream down her ghostly cheeks. She maintained her gaze at Gumball, her eyes darting around his face, waiting for some sign of response. After a moment, he finally stirred.
"...Carrie... No one has ever said that to me." He replied quietly, looking down. 'Really?' She thought. 'What about his family?' Gumball just pulled her close into a hug.
"Thank you."
Carrie smiled and sighed happily, full of relief and resting against him. It felt familiar, almost too familiar. But she didn't care. Her mind was convinced that Gumball had accepted her feelings, and she began to feel light; a heavy burden finally lifted off her shoulders. She felt cold air run through her body and against her wet face. Finally, she could actually feel. Small, white particles floated off her; she was finally going to rest, with her Gumball. She looked up at him, noticing that he wasn't dissolving like her. "Gumball?" She inquired. He looked at her, full of love. "I'm staying... a moment longer. If that's okay." He said. In Carrie's ears his voice seemed to fade away. "Sure. She replied softly. Still resting close to him in her final moments, she glanced one final look at the tissue on the desk in front of her...
...And with that, evaporated into the air.
Bobert looked at his empty arms, and slumped in relief.
"Goodbye, Carrie." He said sorrowfully.
He knew that since he was never alive; had no soul, he couldn't be with her. But it couldn't possibly matter now. She was finally content. Gumball will have some explaining to do, and so will Carrie, but that wasn't worrying, they'll manage. He felt as though his worries were over. He looked around the room, as it grew brighter with the invisible rising sun.
"I was not completely honest, and that is one thing to regret." He consulted to himself. "But there was one thing I was sincere about." Bobert picked up the tissue and held it close, replaying Carrie's 'I love you' to himself in his head.
"No one has ever said that to me."
He looked around him. All alone.
There was no point anymore, was there?
After watching some small video memories of everything he had, his friends, family, and Carrie, the small machine's gears slowly whirred away to a permanent stop. The heat dissipated from his motors, his eye blank and empty. He sat there alone, like a teacher's desktop ornament, with the tissue held tightly in his mechanical claws, never to move again.
But he was happy.
