Sorry this took so long, I have no good excuse, I'm just not feeling it. What with no Walking dead right now and no Carol in the last episode. I hope you like it, please review!
Britta hopped down after him she pulled out the knife she still had from Kiry, but she had a gun she'd managed to pilfer tucked in the back of her jeans and a few clips too. She was wearing three sets of clothes, and had some extra food tucked into her bag and pockets, not enough to look like her bag had anything in it, they were on a run, she couldn't come out with a full bag. She turned on her flashlight and Carl spun around snatching it and turning it off with his hand over the light.
"Wow, no... look it, it's a full moon, we don't need lights, you go shining that thing around the woods and any walkers in a hundred yards'll come runnin." He told her tossing the torch back at her, she held her hands up rolling her eyes, the kid was kind of a spaz.
"Fuck, ya whatever, so ya got any other big rules bein out here?" She asked, she could always use some advice before she left. Carl shook his head shooting down a walker she hadn't even seen.
"Ya, never go out alone, always keep your mouth shut, and your eyes open, you lose focus out here and your dead, ya get me, or should we go back?" Carl asked ripping the bolt out of the walkers head, Britta nodded butting her hands up again and followed him quietly.
"Which keys did you bring?" Britta asked when they got to the cars, she hoped it was the truck, but any one of them would do. He opened the door to the Hyundai waiting for her to get in the other side, she sighed getting in and giving the truck a longing glance.
Carl drove with his hand on the hilt of his sword, now that they finally had a place he'd have to talk to Michonne about training them. She directed him to the pawn shop, but other than that they were quiet the whole way there.
He parked in front of the store pulling the sword out and killed the two walkers that came towards the car. He nodded for Britta to follow him so they could clear out the pawn shop, she did alright for how green she was. They weren't that many walkers here, they must have been drawn away from the area by noise or smell, it made sense that they wouldn't stick around if they didn't find food.
They loaded up the candy and the weapons first, since the pawn shop didn't have any other food, then they started picking through the rest of it. He took all the books, there was one on medicinal herbs in the area that he thought Sophia would like so he tucked that into his own bag.
He grabbed some clothes for each of them, and a hooded coat that would look good on her, and he went over to the jewelry case. They had enough knives, cheap swords, bows, and camping gear, they could use the batteries and the walkie talkies and even some ice fishing gear, but now he had to find something spectacular for Sophia. He picked up a thick gold necklace with a large green heart holding it up.
"What do you think of this?" He asked, Britta turned and looked up from the knife display since she already had half a dozen guns tucked away.
"What the fuck is that, no one would like that, na she's already got a necklace any way, get her a bracelet or somethin." Britta told him rolling her eyes and going back to what she was doing, he frowned looking back at the case, there was a hair piece that was a knife, he took that, but he didn't think it was what he was looking for.
"What about this?" He asked holding out a ring with a beautiful blue stone in a twining silver band, Britta looked over at it coming closer so she could see it.
"It's beautiful, might mean a bit more than ya wanna say, but that ain't up to me." She told him, he frowned, but tucked it in his pocket anyways. Eventually he decided on a thick leather band covered in brass designs and amber jewels with a watch at the center and two wings folding out of the watch face, it almost matched the wings on Daryl's vest, she'd like that.
"We need to get back." Carl told her zipping his bag up, they'd already been gone for over an hour and he had to get back before his watch was over. She frowned stuffing more stuff into her bag quickly before following him out. She grabbed his arm when he went to get into the driver's side.
"Hey, could I drive, I used to love drivin, but I ain't had a chance in a long time?" She asked, Carl looked down at the key in his hands thinking about it for a moment.
"Fine, but don't crash it, if we need to get out of here fast we'll need all the vehicles, we can't afford to lose even one." He told her tossing her the keys, she caught them biting her lip, like she didn't feel shitty enough for taking the car. No, they'd be fine, hell these people made it all the way to the camp, finding another car would be easy.
They drove in silence while she thought about it, maybe once she found her brother and the old gang she'd come back here, bring half a dozen cars. She shifted uncomfortably as they got closer to the road block. She hoped he made it back okay, they were all so adamant about never going out alone.
"Ya think she'll like it?" He asked showing her the bracelet, she looked over at it briefly, it was nice. Not really her style, but the little blond would like it, hell it would be useful, the watch wound up instead of using batteries, all old timey gears and crap.
"Ya it looks like her style, ain't really my thing, but she'll love it." Britta told him, he chuckled looking down at the watch twisting the little gear to make the watch tick. She pulled the car to a stop in front of the barricade, Carl hopped out grabbing his share of the bags.
"Turn the car off you're wastin gas." Carl told her, she pulled out her pistol with a deep breath and aimed it at Carl.
"Sorry kid, but I ain't comin back, I got places I need to be, and there wasn't no way I could get there 'till y'all brought me a ride." She told him sadly, all he could do was stare, for the first time in a long time he'd let himself just trust someone, with no reason for it and she'd betrayed him. He took a step back and she pulled out speeding away.
He was in so much trouble, he'd left in the middle of the night, with someone they didn't trust, and now she'd done exactly what they were afraid of. He pulled out his knife and started walking home, he could have shot out her tires, but what good would it do to keep her here and destroy the car.
He rammed his knife through a walkers head irritably, how was he going to explain this to his dad, or better yet how could he explain it to Sophia. She was mad enough already without him telling her he'd let Britta run of with their car and supplies. He hurried over to another walker that he probably could have avoided slamming his knife into its skull.
He climbed up onto the wall with the rope ladder and pulled it up after him, he sat on the wall for a second trying to decide what to do. He sighed climbing down to find his dad, he was in so much trouble.
Rick had decided the party should be tomorrow night, they needed to get settled in first, he looked around the building he was staying in, they'd moved beds into the two different rooms, but it hadn't been decided who would get to sleep where.
"What do you think, you want your own room, or do you want to share with me." Rick asked Michone as she walked in behind him, part of her wanted the privacy, but sh wasn't sure she could pass up the chance to share a room with him.
"I think we should share, we need a room for Judith." Michone told him, he smiled knowing she was right. Her sleeping a couple of feet from him was a great bonus.
"Then it's settled, I thought you were on watch tonight." Rick asked when he realized it was much too early for her to be back. Michone shook her head pulling off her sword.
"Carl took watch, I think he and Sophia are fighting." Michone told him, he frowned, why would Carl take watch instead of dealing with his problems. It was already late, Rick turned to leave, he wanted to talk to him. Rick had wasted too much time holding onto things that weren't important, he knew how much it could hurt him.
"Dad?" Carl's voice called out from the other side of the door with a knock, he sounded a little worried. Rick smiled apologetically going over and opening the door.
"I thought you were on watch, did something happen?" Rick asked, Carl pulled his hat off running his hand through his hair.
"Um, ya we definitely do... I ah, Sophia's mad at me, and..." He started, Rick put his hand on his shoulder, he didn't have to crouch to look him in the eye anymore.
"Son, what happened?" He asked plainly, Carl sighed giving his hair one more pass and putting his hat back on.
"Brittany's gone... I... I was stupid, she said there was a pawn shop no one had hit, and there was, but... Dad she took the car... I didn't she pulled a gun on me... didn't even know she had one again... I'm sorry." Carl hadn't sounded this scared in a long time. Rick tried to piece together what Carl was saying, he took a deep breath to keep his tone even.
"Are you sayin you took her to the cars, that you went on a run while you were supposed to be on watch without tellin anyone where you went, and on top all that she stole one a our vehicles?" Rick asked, Carl looked like he might actually cry, he'd failed them all so completely.
"Ya." He whispered unable to meet his gaze, Rick let his hand fall off Carl's shoulder taking another deep breath..
"Why would you go anywhere with her, especially in the middle of your watch, what if somethin had happened?" Rick asked, Carl scuffed his feet against the floor, he'd rather his dad scream at him, when he was calm like this Carl knew he was in deep.
"I just... I didn't want Sophia to be mad anymore." Even he knew how stupid he sounded right now, but it was all the explanation he had.
"And you thought the answer was to run of with some other girl in the middle a the night?" Rick asked, Carl finally looked up at him.
"No, I... I wanted to get her somethin nice. Look I know it was stupid alright, I know. I'm sorry, but it's done. I don't think we can track her once she's of the dirt roads, what do ya want me to do Dad, I made a mistake, I just wanna make it right." He said remembering what Kiry had told them, he just hoped he hadn't just made the mistake that got them all killed.
"Nothin to be done tonight, but you better finish your watch, and when you're done you can tell Liam what happened, maybe he'll know where she might go and if she'll be a threat. Look I get wantin to make it right,
and I'm proud of you for tryin to do that, but I need to know you won't abandon your post again. We all count on you." He said seriously, Carl nodded looking guilty.
"I won't, Dad, I'm sorry." He offered again, Michone came over patting him on the shoulder with what passed for a smile on her.
"She'll forgive you eventually, that girl cares for you." Michone told him, he smiled weakly, he hopped she was right.
Liam laid in his designated bed not far from Beth, he should be asleep, but he couldn't turn his mind off. He'd seen Britta leave, he knew she wanted out of here, and he didn't like where that would leave him here. He didn't need these people breathing down his neck. He didn't want to leg it, he was knackered trying to live like this he couldn't imagine being away from his gaff running for his life.
He pulled his sketch book out of his bag flipping on a book light he had rechargeable batteries for, his pencil hit the paper before he really knew what he was drawing. It turned into his uncles place in Edinburgh, his little pub, that place had always felt more like home then anywhere.
He looked up when the door swung open and Carl came in, he didn't know how he felt about that kid. He seemed decent enough, but he also didn't seem overly found of him, which made it hard to like the kid much.
"Hey Liam, I ah... I gotta talk to you." Carl said when he saw the light on, Liam closed his book setting it carefully on the floor.
"Well crack on then." He said flicking his light off leaving only the dim light of the torches from outside lighting the room.
"Britta, she..." He started, Liam sighed shaking his head.
"She feked off the second she got half a chance leavin me to chance it with you hardchaws." He finished Carl's sentence for him.
"Ya, we were hopin you could tell us where she'd go, if she'd be a threat." Carl continued, Liam snorted holding his hands up in a gesture of unknowing.
"She used to talk about the coast and findin her brother, never got much else, wasn't much for goin on about it. Don't think she'll be a problem." Liam told him, he nodded he didn't really think she would be, but it was good to hear.
"Good, look I'm sorry man, I didn't know she wanted out or I wouldn't have taken her out there, hell if she'd asked Dad probably would have sent her out with what we could spare." Carl said more to himself then anything else.
"Hey, I'm not a waster, or a chancer, I wanna be here. I just hope what that Manky slag did doesn't affect what I got here." Liam told him, Carl nodded clapping him on his shoulder.
"Hey we're good, it wasn't your fault." Carl said dropping his overstuffed bag by his bed and pulling out the things he'd gotten for Sophia. He set them out neatly by the foot of her bed with the watch perched delicately on top. He sat back on his bed watching her for a moment, she looked peaceful, almost happy, he just hopped she'd forgive him.
He fell back into his bed kicking his boots off and let his eyes drift shut, so that for just a little while he wouldn't have to think about how badly he'd fucked up.
"What are you starin at darlin?" Daryl asked without opening his eyes, he could feel her watching him. She reached out brushing her fingers lightly down his cheek.
"I don't know, I don't even know what to call us." She said, he chuckled covering her hand with his.
"Suns just barely up and you're already getin all philosophical on me, damn woman go back to bed." He grumbled clutching her hand to his chest after kissing her wrist.
"It sounds so silly to call you my boyfriend." She told him, he nodded slightly, she was right there, that did sound childish.
"Always been partial to Daryl myself." He mumbled, he'd had second watch, so he'd only just come to bed a few hours ago.
"Hm, this is my Daryl, I like it." She said kissing him sweetly, he moaned brushing his hand over her cheek still only half awake.
"If you're fishin for a proposal, you'll have to wait till after breakfast woman." He told her, she chuckled laying back down on his chest.
"I can wait." She told him before she got up, she went and got cleaned up, she was so glad they had showers again and went to make breakfast and ran into Rick.
"Morning." She said with a smile handing him the first of the finished breakfast, he smiled back taking his plate.
"Morning, will you tell everyone that I need to speak to them, we had a bit of a situation last night, we lost some supplies, Brittany left with them." He told her, she didn't even have it in her to look shocked, they had expected something to go wrong, and as far as bad things went this one wasn't that bad.
"Is anyone hurt?" She asked poking at the food and preying that was the worst of it, they'd had enough bad luck.
"No one's hurt, Carl's a little shaken up though, she used his guilt about fighting with Sophia to get the car." Carol reached over the counter clapping his shoulder reassuringly, he sighed patting her hand and going to his table.
Carol passed out food as people filed in telling them about the meeting. She didn't know how that girl had wrapped Carl up in all this, but she wished she could spare him the back lash. He always seemed to come down so hard on himself, just like his father. It was going to be a very long morning, but hopefully this wouldn't taint everyone's good mood.
