SUMMARY: Carol and Ezekiel have to survive, cut off from the Kingdom.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of The Walking Dead
RATING: T+
PAIRING: Carol/Ezekiel
ON THE RUN:
The night was finally over, but the tension remained. Dawn was breaking, signaling to the remaining inhabitants of the Kingdom that they should be ready to move out. Carol had told them all to take only what was strictly needed. Yet, they still had no plan of action. Ezekiel hadn't decided on where they would go. She still had time to talk to him. There wasn't enough light to travel by given that they had children to mind while on the road. It would be hard enough to them, but harder for Carol. She was trying so hard not to think about Sophia.
Ezekiel stood on the porch, his eyes glued to the road running in front of the small cottage. This night had been one of the toughest he'd ever seen his people go through. Each noise had been amplified by the darkness, ramping up the tension, and jangling even more nerves. Behind him he heard soft footsteps on the weathered wood. "Carol, are our people ready to move soon?" he asked without turning to her.
Carol sighed, going to him, and placing her hand on his back where her fingers curled into his shirt. "Yes, but we haven't talked about where we're going." His right hand reached back and touched her hip, urging her to move closer to him. "If you're open to it, I do have a suggestion for you."
Ezekiel smirked, "Of course you do."
"We should go somewhere the Saviors are afraid to go…" Carol started to say, but when Ezekiel turned to look at her, she stopped talking. His eyes conveyed his apprehension.
"I have a fear of what your potential suggestion could be," Ezekiel quietly said.
"The city isn't that far from here, and we can be there just before nightfall. We know the Saviors don't venture there, so it's possible they think we're too weak, and that we'll avoid it." Carol replied.
Ezekiel shook his head, a small growl in irritation rumbled in his chest. Even though he knew Carol was right about their destination, he didn't like the danger involved. It wouldn't be like before when it was just Carol and him traveling back to the Kingdom. They would have children with them. That's what worried him the most. The world was even more dangerous to the kids, even in groups with well-armed adults.
"Ezekiel, we're out of options. If we don't leave soon, the Saviors will spill out this way and box us in." Carol was being insistent, she knew it, but it was the only way to make him listen to her. Good people were going to die if they didn't make a move to save themselves.
Ezekiel sighed in defeat. Carol made a good case, a dangerous case, but it was their only viable escape plan. He looked at her, giving her the confirmation she wanted. She nodded, and without a word to him, she went to relay the plan to the surviving force of fighters they had. Ezekiel glanced down at Shiva to see her knowing tigers gaze already on him. He rolled his eyes at his wild cat. This would not be an easy journey, and harder on the children with them. He couldn't linger in contemplation. A plan had been made, and he needed to put it into action.
Mid-day came and went with the caravan of Kingdom residents slogging through the vast expanse of trees. The remaining fighters walked an equal distance apart while the civilians were in the middle, easier to protect from the wasted, or from other human's that could threaten them. Ezekiel was at the head, with Carol to his right, and Shiva between them. Jerry was to his King's left, his eyes peeled for danger. Their entire company was silent, not even the children dared to speak. In truth, they were all on edge. Every sound was amplified, making them all jump.
"We should think about stopping within the hour to let everyone get some rest. It's quiet and we can afford the time," Carol said. She glanced back, seeing that their pace had slowed considerably. The children and the older folks were getting tired. The pace had been harder than she meant it to be.
Ezekiel nodded, holding up his right hand, his fingers curled into a fist. It was the silent signal for everyone to stop where they were and hold position. He then brought his hand up to touch his left shoulder. The pain had been manageable, but it hadn't gone away. "We will hold here, let everyone take respite and quench their thirst."
Carol situated her rifle strap across her body and then motioned for Ezekiel to follow her. They put a little distance between them so what she had to say to him wouldn't be over heard. "We should change your bandage while we're stopped. I don't know when we'll get another chance." They walked a good distance away from the others just in case.
Ezekiel growled in frustration but nodded his consent. He was angry at himself, at this situation, and at the Saviors for being brutal, entitled malignant cancers on an already dying world.
"Don't growl at me," Carol said lightly.
"It's not you," Ezekiel replied quietly. "Did I make a mistake in allying my Kingdom with Rick and the Hilltop?" This was not the first time he'd thought this question since the war began, but it was the first time he'd given it voice. Carol wasn't just any woman, she was a fighter, and she knew how to win.
Carol stripped him of his jacket, his armor, and unbuttoned his shirt to check the bandage on his chest. There was no blood, and the drainage had slowed to barely anything. The gauze served to keep dirt out of the wound. "We're doing the right thing," she said, feeling the need to reassure him of that.
"And yet, I feel as if we are walking into a well laid trap," Ezekiel replied. He couldn't shake this feeling that trouble was waiting for them once they reached the city. And it wasn't the wasted he feared. It was the Saviors. Gavin, the man he'd been dealing with was no fool. He might divine that Ezekiel had led his people into a dangerous area just to hide. How many more of his people was he going to lose?
"I know," Carol nodded in agreement as she rebuttoned his shirt. She stopped when his hands came to rest over hers. Just last night they were in bed together feeling everything the human body could feel when it was linked to another person. Ezekiel was everything she had hoped to never find because it meant she would have to traverse the dark parts of her soul in order to keep him, and others safe. Except, now that she had let him in, she wasn't going to lose him. Looking into his eyes, she saw the fear he wasn't going to give voice to. "You listen to me, and you understand what I am about to tell you," Carol said firmly. "I will do whatever it takes to keep you alive, to keep your people alive, and even though I will do unspeakable things, I will do them for you." Before he could say anything, and before anyone came looking for them, she took this second to kiss him gently. And in another second, the kiss as over.
Ezekiel rested his brow against Carol's knowing why she had kissed him. She'd done it to distract him, and to give him confidence at the same time. "You are a rare woman," he whispered. He couldn't keep his heart from beating faster at her words. She was unlike anyone he ever thought he would meet in a world filled with the damned. Yet, somehow, she crossed his path, and he made sure she never left.
"I don't want you to die," Carol replied and then kissed him again She couldn't lose him. Not like she had lost so many others in her life. He meant more to her than she ever thought a man could. Every day she was surprised by how much she came to care about him. Then, she was face with the very real possibility of losing him, that it made her hold tight to what they had.
"Then I shall endeavor to remain in this world," Ezekiel said to her. He kissed her lightly before they went to rejoin the others and continue on their journey.
They didn't find a decent building until the sun started to sink below the horizon. It offered them relative safety and a good vantage point to repel would be invaders. Staying in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city wasn't the best option, but night was falling, and their entourage had to stay somewhere. They had children traveling with them, and by now they were all tired. "Jerry, Daniel, come with me." She made a move to step away from the group, her gun raised, when Ezekiel stopped her with his hand on her arm.
"No," Ezekiel said firmly, "Morgan will go in your stead. You stay by my side." He knew eventually she would walk right into the mouth of danger, but today he would stop her from taking any risks.
Carol should have expected his reaction, and she should have gone anyway. Yet, the way he kept his hand on her arm had her obeying him. There were going to be times when she couldn't go blindly into danger just to suit her need to be somewhere else. She had allowed herself to fall in love with him, and that meant being with him. She'd been alone in the world for long enough.
The minutes dragged on, fraying the nerves of those waiting outside, even Ezekiel. He could feel the tension of his people bleeding into him. Mutedly, he heard bodies falling, but no sounds of men dying. A small amount of luck still remained with them as moments later, Jerry appeared in the distance, blood stained, but alive, and he was waving them to follow. It was clear. "Small miracles," he muttered before setting off towards the open doors, and Jerry's eternal smile.
This time, Carol advanced ahead of Ezekiel. It was a small way she could protect him while they were out and about in dangerous territory. Threats could come from any direction, and he was in no fit state to fight effectively. She had her gun raised and her eyes were scanning for any new threats until she was standing beside the warehouse door, letting the others get inside before she dared to follow. Once inside she ordered, "Bar the door, and set up watch posts."
Ezekiel marveled at the way Carol took charge, even though she claimed many times not to be a leader. She certainly was giving them like she was in charge. He'd nearly been crushed under the weight of ruling the Kingdom during the early days when he'd lost so many people. Even though he found a way to rule alone, he was seeing he couldn't do it alone forever. Carol was perfect for him in ways he'd not known he needed in a woman. Then she came into his life, and he wasn't going to lose her.
Carol couldn't help but notice the way Ezekiel was looking at her. She didn't have the luxury of being able to stop and contemplate what it was that had occurred to him. They'd been ousted from their home and there was the threat that Saviors could be coming for them. So far in this ramshackle, run down industrial building, they controlled two floors. The woman and children were cloistered on the second floor with guards. She didn't have time for them to be sharing meaningful looks. "Maybe you should go upstairs," Carol suggested.
"For what reason?" Ezekiel asked. Though, he knew her train of thought regarding her comment. His shoulder.
"You know the reason," Carol replied quietly. In this place, noise carried, and too much noise would bring danger to them all.
Ezekiel stepped in close to her and kept his voice low, "Given that my shoulder is severely in need of rest, I will heed your sage counsel, and I will retire to the second floor. Even a King must be protected from time to time, is that the point you are trying so hard to make?"
"Yes," Carol said pointedly, and then offered him a small smile.
"Then I shall take my leave, and trust that our defenses are well cared for in your hands," Ezekiel replied. He turned to head towards the stairs before he convinced himself to stay close to Carol. His body was craving her, but they were in dangerous territory, and to give into the basest wants and needs would be ill advised.
After the King was gone, Jerry came over to Carol. Silently he said, "You should go with him."
"Jerry…" Carol started to snap, but one look at him had her curbing her temper. She was tired and when she got like that, she was bound to have a short fuse.
"You two have hardly slept," Jerry kept on. "We've got things down here." This situation was one of hoping and praying they weren't going to be found. If the Saviors left the kingdom empty handed, then they would be the ones to pay the price with their lives.
Carol looked at him, her mouth falling open, and an argument prepared on the tip of her tongue. It all died away. She had to learn to rely on people again. It was hard, and often times, it made her regret staying, but she knew the cobbler obsessed man was right. "The moment there's trouble…"
"Go sleep," Jerry cut in, pointing towards the stairs. He smirked when she rolled her eyes.
Carol was on high alert as she moved silently up the stairs. As soon as her hand stretched out to take hold of the handle, the door opened, and a Kingdom soldier had a light on her. She turned her head to the side automatically as she snarled, "Lower that damn gun." The guard did as he was ordered, letting her pass. First, she checked on everyone, and made sure Henry hadn't run off to do something stupid. Once she was satisfied everyone was accounted for, she went in search of Ezekiel. She found him down the hall in a room with lots of windows. Shiva was curled in a corner watching her.
Ezekiel felt her enter the room. He sat on the ledge, leaning back against the glass, and watched her come to him. Each step she took had her removing weapon after weapon and finally her armor until she stood before him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she stood before his parted knees. He in turn placed his right hand on her hip, leaning into her to rest his head against her chest. Now, he was able to breathe a little easier. "I thought you were set to take watch," he mumbled.
"I was," Carol replied, wrapping her arms around him, holding him against her. "Jerry sent me off but made him promise to send for me should the Saviors show up."
"Of course, you did…" Ezekiel chuckled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Carol asked, pulling back slightly.
"You are a fierce warrior," Ezekiel answered. "There is this drive inside you that craves to fight."
Carol let the fatigue show on her face, "I'm tired of fighting." It was true. Even though the solitary life had been easier, it wasn't the preferred state of her life. Not since Ezekiel showed her a better way to live.
Ezekiel stood up, bringing her in against his chest. Gently, he kissed the top of her head as he held her. He could feel her exhaustion, and he understood it. "Come," he whispered, moving towards the far end of the room. Ezekiel sat own, stretching his legs out along the ledge and resting his back against the glass. He'd wedged himself in the corner of the room. Then, he motioned for Carol to lie down on the ledge and place her head in his lap.
Carol didn't argue, she just did what Ezekiel wanted. She stretched out on the wide ledge and rested her head on his thigh. Almost immediately her body started to shut down as sleep took hold of her. Belatedly, she heard the sounds of Shiva picking herself up and coming towards them. She'd never felt this tired in her life. Some thing in her was always on high alert, waiting for the next threat to come at her, or those she cared about. Those alarms started shutting down one by one. She started living her life from the moment Ezekiel came into it.
Ezekiel stroked strands of Carol's silver hair away from her face while she slipped into slumber. This was the most peaceful he'd ever seen her. Even though danger was nipping at their heels, she relented to him, and to her fatigue. This gave him the small pleasure to be the one to defend her, should the need arise. Then, he turned his attention to the giant cat. Shiva stared at him, and then moved to Carol. Slowly, she rubbed her muzzle against Carol's abdomen, and then made herself comfortable on the floor next to them.
It pleased Ezekiel beyond words that Shiva had so easily accepted Carol. He thought the great cat would hold more reservations where his silver haired lady was concerned, but Shiva knew Carol could be trusted. It was sense that he didn't try to understand, he just accepted it. Ezekiel leaned his head back, turning his gaze out the window so he could watch night descend on the dead city where they had so brazenly hidden themselves from their foe.
TO BE CONTINUED:
