A.N.: Uhhh...hi.
So, I was really bored and decided I wanted to take a turn with this story, especially after seeing the season 4 trailer. I thought about where I want to take it, and this takes place between seasons 3 and 4 anyways and Merle is still alive so it's about as A/U as you're gonna fucking get. I appreciate people liking that I'm steering away from romance, I want to put some fresh air out there with something that focuses more on Carrie's life and her place in the new civilization. I could use some ideas that DON'T involve her getting with Merle because I'm a tad sick of writing romance and smut at the moment.
Thanks x
4: Parade
Will you...defeat them?
Your demons...and all the non-believers...
the plans that they have made.
Because one day, I'll leave you...
a phantom...
to lead you in the summer...
to join the black parade!
- My Chemical Romance
"So let me guess...this place is almost cleared out to?" Carrie groaned, her hands rubbing over her arms in a desperate attempt to keep warm in the surprisingly chilly morning. The previous days had been pretty warm and she was grateful that the tank tops and shorts had been worn out. How she had gotten by flesh eating monsters in those clothes before still had her questioning her luck, and her stupidity. In a pair of black jeans and a red shirt she had been trying to spot a jacket for a few runs but hadn't come across anything as of yet.
This had been another place they had swept through and found little to nothing. In Carrie's hand was a wooden bat that had seen it's better days. Her hand had wrapped sternly around it, colliding with with a shelf in the small convenience store to knock back a walker that she spotted between the shelves.
As she watched it squirm to try and move out of it's tight hold she turned on her heel and walked over to join the group she had gone on the run with. Daryl, Merle, and Tyreese.
"Why isn't Michonne with us again?" Carrie mumbled, both of their lines of vision directed to Merle packing up the vehicle and Tyreese backing him up.
"Cause." Daryl muttered, a disappointed tone peaking over the otherwise dead silence. "'Parently Miss Badass got sick before any of us. Talk about bein' the big shit."
Carrie shrugged and glanced around for anything else that could be picked up. "We cleaned this place out. Where the hell do we go next?"
Picking his teeth he growled when Carrie swatted his hand. "That is a disgusting habit. I'm surprised Carol hasn't found a damn water squirter and soaked your ass."
"You sayin' I'm a dog?" She shrugged, giving him a small smirk in response. "Sunshine, ya best watch your mouth." He replied smugly. "I may be a dog, but I got a bigger one I can sick on ya." A twisted grimace would tort her lips at the mention of Merle. Daryl gave a short laugh before adjusting his crossbow.
Lips pursed she shrugged and spotted a walker moving around in the shadow, but something about it had caught her eye. It was a man, a younger one at that, with a decent build, but the contour of it's top half had her attention. Moving over she snuck up behind it and as Daryl whistled it over she brought her bat up. With a strong swing she sent it's head into the wall. A small splatter of blood and flesh hit the cement as it staggered before she swung again. An indent had formed in it's head after the third swing as she smashed it to the wall and jutted her hip against it. Luckily it hadn't been one with much muscle on it and it seemed to have been walking for a while.
After a sixth hit she watched it collapse and sent her bat against his face, letting the splatter hit the wall once again. "Finally." She muttered. With a deep breath she pulled her shirt up to wipe any splattered blood off, happy that she had only gotten a bit on her cheeks and brow. "Bout damn time I find one." Kicking it forward she grabbed it by the collar and slid it down and off it's arms. Struggling she yanked it off, forcing the man's shoulder out of it's corroded socket. "Damn pain in my ass."
Standing up straight again she had scene the men staring at her, somewhat disturbed at her attack on the man. "What? Y'all got jackets..." She whispered. "I'll clean it up when we get back." The leather jacket was old school with a bomber styling and lined on the inside. "It's stinks like god knows what but I think Carol can help me with it, if she ain't busy teachin' the kids."
Climbing in the back door of the jeep she fell in next to Tyreese as Daryl and Merle climbed into the front spots. Something Carrie had noticed was that Daryl, the 'good brother' as many of the group liked to call him, was one pissy backseat driver. Before they had joined up with the Atlanta group, Daryl had driven everywhere. But that was because Merle had been coming down off a heat induced fever and was sick as a dog, and probably higher than a kite from the stories she heard. Now that Merle was...as close as normal that he was going to get, he drove. He drove with one hand. Worst of all, they let him be the one to drive. He knew how to get out of a tight situation in a matter of seconds, even when they didn't have that time to think.
"Hey I was wondering..." Tyreese asked, nudging Carrie's shoulder as he fixed his cap. "Why didn't you take Milton up on his offer? To teach the kids?"
Carrie's brow rose, shocked that he would even ask. "I took Milton up on his offer to help him out. I go out and do research and report back to him. I didn't want to teach the kids and start that up because I just don't like kids." Turning to face him she rested her arm on the side of the door. Deep down she knew that Carol was the better one with children, and she needed to interact with kids again. Carol exuded the motherly instinct that had been contained since Sophia and helping to teach and get the kids to understand their new world was the best possible option.
"Can ya slow the hell down man? Bat outta hell." Daryl's voice bowed with a large growl when he thumped Merle in the arm.
Merle's icy glance cut to him as he hit the break and motioned with his hand over the wheel to put the vehicle in park. "Ya wanna keep barkin' at me lil brotha? That's all ya been doin' lately! Flappin ya god damn gums like you're Rick! Obviously ya aint!"
Carrie sat frozen at the one thing no one else picked up on. He...he called him Rick. Every other time it's been officer friendly.
What the hell is going on?
"I don't wanna do shit Merle. Ya just driving like a damn maniac and the shit gets old man, don't be startin' nothing."
Merle slammed his forearm on the steering wheel, just missing the horn by the grace of god. "Derle I know and they know ya been kissin ass since ya got to the prison and they wasn't even there for it! Ya want me to whoop ya ass or do ya wanna shut the hell up?"
"You shut the hell up!"
Pushing off his seat Tyreese moved to intercept their argument. "Come on you guys, there's no need for this."
The older Dixon turned slowly to face him, a dark scowl written across his face as he scanned Tyreese and Carrie sitting behind their fuming discussion. "If ya know what's best for ya spear boy, ya'd shut your ass up." In his short exchange he saw Carrie's brown eyes tilt up and her head fall back. "What's a matter lil girl? Too much man in here for ya to take?"
Frustrated with their hold of tension Carrie leaned forward like Tyreese, hands folded together between her knees they noticed her leg begin to twitch. "If y'all are gonna act like bitches, take it outside the damn car.." She growled, her voice growing louder. "Or you wait till we get back to the fucking prison so until then both of ya just shut the fuck up and drive!" Kicking Merle's seat she threw open the door, grabbed her bag, and threw the door shut behind her. One thing Sasha had taught her was that Tyreese didn't like when the ladies were upset because of the guys. He really was a gentleman caught in a group of fuck ups and Carrie felt awful.
If it was different world, a different time, she would have swooned head over heels for the former football star.
Bat in hand she shrugged her bag on her other arm and gripped her bat as she walked past the vehicle to catch a glimpse of the guys watching her and forged down the empty road.
Apparently it had been quite some time because the light had moved a bit across the sky and when high beams came up behind her she was ready to fight, only to find Merle rolling down the window with a busted lip and black eye forming. "Get in the car."
"No, fuck y'all. Did ya boot Tyreese while your racist asses were at it?"
Daryl leaned over, head tilting to the back, his face was just as fucked up. He had a huge bruise on his cheek and swelling on his nose. "He's still in the back."
"Sadly." Tyreese grumbled. She couldn't make him out but he sounded just as annoyed as she and Daryl were.
Merle immediately brought his hand up over his face and threw the door open. "Ya gonna keep throwin a temper tantrum or are ya gonna get in the damn car? We don't got all damn day! You throwin a piss fit is just takin up our time!"
Carrie turned to face him, throwing the back rear door open. "We woulda been back already if you two annoying bitches woulda just held your damn panties and did this shit in the prison!" Jumping up into the seat she nudged Tyreese to move over and slammed the door shut behind her. "Let's go. They're probably worrying sick and you two acting like bitches only slows us down."
"Watch ya mou-"
"Daryl, just drive man." Tyreese groaned, draping his arms over the back seats as he turned his gaze over to Carrie's cold position.
The drive was quiet until they got back to the prison and after Rick and Carl came out with Milton to survey their haul.
When the brothers emerged out of the vehicle Rick's hand immediately pushed up to his temples. Those two had to have caused some indents to have formed from the headaches they had caused for him. Sasha joined the small group standing together, immediately latching on to Tyreese with a strong hug.
She turned to see Carrie emerge out of the other side and pat Tyreese on the shoulder before throwing open the back.
"Your brother..." Carrie groaned, "is a saint. Never take that for granted." Carrie pulled out a box and handed it to Tyreese and a few bags to Sasha. "You're awesome man."
Tyreese gave her a smile and glanced down to see Sasha giving him a questioning look as a smirk cocked on her lips following between her older brother and the woman walking away. "It ain't like that..." He sighed. "The Dixons were pulling shit again toda-"
"You two got in a fight? On the damn ROAD? What the hell is wrong with you two! You coulda gotten killed! CAROL!" Almost on instinct Carol had already emerged out, hands covering her face and she moved to stand in front of Daryl. "Take care of them. Carl, Sasha, Tyreese, help us unload."
Carol escorted the brothers inside while the others moved to get the rest out of the vehicle, it wasn't as much as Rick had hoped. "Are stocks running low there?"
"Stuff's draining Rick, we can't use that place up much more." Tyreese threw the box over his shoulder and glanced down at the man. "We gotta find a new place and soon to get stuff or we're gonna be out in the dust."
"I know man." Rick lead them inside with Carl following.
Carl adjusted his hat and dropped the bags next to where Carrie was standing with Karen. "Dad, the canned food is gonna be gone sooner or later. We don't have factories anymore. They're right. We need to find a new spot and send a group in to clear the area out. Send a bunch of people from Woodbury-"
Rick turned in shock at his son's statement. "No Carl, we're not gonna do that-"
"Well we can't send Daryl, Michonne, Carrie and Merle in! Or you and Tyreese! Keep OUR group safe above them!" Karen turned to Carrie with a shocked expression and the two ladies in turn turned to Rick.
"Carl..." Rick tried to think of something to say but Michonne had made her way over and nudged Carl.
Her stoic presence had cooled the situation and she pointed toward the doorway with her elbow. "Let's hit the fences, they gotta be cleared a little bit, okay?"
Carl shot a quick glare at his father and moved past the group and with Michonne out the door. Rick rested his hands on his hips and sat down at the table the two ladies were standing next to. The pressure on the outside didn't seem as bad as it had been months before, but they could all tell it was getting worse and worse mentally.
In some sick twisted way, Carrie understood what Milton had said about the governor. He lost Penny, and with the weight of Woodbury and finding out that people were so close in the red zone and intruding on him, he snapped. Of course the man was cruel and sick, but wasn't everyone now? No...they weren't like him. Someone, even with all the people they had all lost, they weren't anywhere near as bad as him. Yet.
"There's a place, that the governor had been looking at." Karen spoke up, hands folded tightly as she glanced over to Carrie who nodded. "I don't know if he's there, that'd be a concern, but regardless, it'd be a great spot to pick up stuff. Walkers are still in there because it used to be a military supply hold location..." She sat down and pushed her attention and courage back up to the tired man. "We'd have to clear it. But if we went in ready for him and walkers with our...best dressed in riot gear and ready to go, we'd have little issue."
Rick's glance had softened to a look of concern and thought followed by a strange understanding. "I'll talk to Glenn and Maggie, see what Hershel says about this to."
The group dispersed to sort out for the evening. Carrie had made her way to help Carol and Beth sort dinner out and help the Woodbury block get ready for their meal. When she returned to D-block she had noticed Daryl sitting and cleaning his bow, stealing a few glances up at the ladies from a distance.
"So..." Carol whispered, watching with a concerned expression as she nudged Carrie. "How'd you get the jacket? What went down today?"
"Oh right, I need to ask you to help me clean that thing, a walker came up and I got rid of it and I liked it's jacket sooo..."
"You took it off the corpse? Carrie..."
Carrie sighed, pushing a hand back through her hair. "Carol, please, don't judge me for this. We all need clothes. I know taking them off a body is wrong, it's pretty bad, but it's not like they need to keep warm. They didn't have a burial. They're just a number anymore with clothes that we need."
Silence washed over them for a few minutes before she continued. "Merle drove like a bat out of hell, Daryl decided to speak up...the two got pissy like usual, and started fighting after I had already been walking down the road."
"That's the Dixons for ya. What can ya do?"
Carrie shot a side glance at Daryl and turned to face Carol. "Ignore them. It's nice not having to deal with them all day except for runs. Hopefully I can switch soon with someone from Woodbury or whoever would take my spot."
As her eyes widened Carol stirred the pot of pasta. "You don't want to go on runs anymore?"
Like an insult, Carrie's jaw dropped at the idea. "Hell no! I just don't want to go on runs with them. Merle acts like an asshat, Daryl gets pissy...no offense." Carrie winked at Carol before she stole a noodle from the laydel. "I want to go with...Tyreese...Michonne...and Sasha! I'll bring it up with Rick!"
"Then who would go with Daryl and Merle?"
"What am I? A saint?"
"Sort of...you're the only person besides Daryl and Milton who knows Merle..."
Their conversation was cut short as Merle moved down the steps and sat opposite of Daryl at the table, shooting glares to Tyreese across the room before he turned to face Carrie. "Asshole don't scare me." Carol frowned at the strong yet silent interaction that was brimming the room with tension. She still couldn't understand what happened with Carrie and Merle. Before they had come in pretty close, she knew they didn't fully trust each other, but it was some strange understanding. Then she saw them exchange a quick kiss and was confused even more. When Carrie went after him with Daryl she had come back knocked out and bleeding and Merle had been ranting and the next day...it was all gone.
It had been after being around Beth and Jimmy back on the farm, Maggie and Glenn and Rick and Lori, that cold reality that while some relationships just worked and others worked their issues out, some just couldn't make it. That cold reminder shook her to her core, even scaring her that even if some things tried to work, not everything would succeed.
The group had come in for dinner and of course it was time for Carrie to go out for watch with Maggie, but she had gone for another run but this time with Glenn.
"I'll take Carl with me for watch...if that's okay?" Rick's head shot up, as did Carl's from the table with Beth.
"Um...Carrie I don't know if that's a good idea."
Carrie shrugged, glancing back at Carl. "You wanna be in on my good idea?" He gave a quick nod and got up to jog over. "It won't be any trouble. He's got one hell of an aim and we can hit the fence up. Besides ain't like we got night watch, just evening watch."
"I'll be fine dad." Carl insisted. "I got my gun and we're only a few steps away."
Rick looked around and pointed to the riot gear hanging on the wall. "Put on a vest at least, okay?"
Carrie patted his shoulder and turned him to walk toward the gear. "Let's get you suited up."
"I'm so sick of him talking to me like I'm a child." He sighed. "I don't need to be treated like one. I can go on runs, kill walkers, I can do what's necessary. You're not much older than me!"
Carrie's brow quirked at his sudden outburst. "Dude, Beth is closer in age to you."
"You're only a couple years older than her! You get to go out on runs, Beth is learning to fight...I want to do the same!"
The two stared at each other as she finished tightening his vest. When they went out for the watch it was fairly quiet. But Carrie noticed something. That fire Carl had burning, it was beginning to grow bigger and bigger...and she didn't know how much longer it would be until it fanned into an inferno.
A.N: I want to dive into Carrie's story more than just focusing on romance and I just want to make it more universal. Hope you enjoy. Fav, follow and review x
