Disclaimer:

Carol Peletier, Sophia Peletier, King Ezekiel, Henry, Jerry, Shiva, and any other recognizable character or plot of The Walking Dead belong to AMC Network and Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics and Robert Kirkman.

In no way is the author claiming ownage of any of the characters nor is there any economic/monetary gain at any time. The author is extremely respectful of the original creators and is willing to take down this work of fiction if requested.

No copyright infringement intended.

Original characters are the property of the author.


Chapter 5: Shelter


If anyone walks in looking for Shiva they'll find her in the middle of nothing short of a pile of humans and tigers, both the living and the plush kind.

Carol had completely broken down, burying her face in her daughter's body, silent tears morphing into sobs she couldn't seem to control. Sophia held onto her, crying as well from both the remains of her fear of loud voices and the mere fact that her mother was crying. Shiva had curled at Carol's feet, her face resting on Carol's legs as she kept close watch. From there, and purely on instinct, Ezekiel had embraced all of them, pulling both mother and child against him. Eventually, Carol's sobs had subsided to occasional hiccups which were pressed against Ezekiel's uniform and Sophia had ended up resting her head and back against Ezekiel's chest, her tiger plush all but forgotten as Shiva had made her way to the little girl's lap.

They haven't moved since then.

Neither adult has talked.

"It's otay, Mama." Sophia says softly, her hand raising to gently caress her mother's cheek as if giving permission to Carol to finally spill everything.

"You can talk to me, Carol." Ezekiel's grave voice tells her. She doesn't even look up at him to know that he's willing to listen to everything she's got to say, everything she's suffered thru. "No matter what you say, you are safe here, always will be."

There is no doubt in her mind that with Ezekiel she and her daughter are safe. Many times she has tried to tell everything to someone, to anyone who would dare listen, but something has always held her back, tying the words into a knot inside of her throat, making her heartbeat so wildly she has feared she'll have a heart attack. Somehow with Ezekiel none of that happens; there is no knot in her throat and though her heart beats fast it doesn't bring the beginnings of a panic attack. She buries her face against his chest once more, taking comfort in his scent, before taking in a deep breath.

"I used to be a ballet dancer. I was on my way to being a Prima Ballerina, had made a name for myself, which made other dancers from the company dislike me." She finally whispers. "I met Ed during a tour, he waited at the dancer's exit after the show and told me how much he had enjoyed my performance. He asked me out on a date right there and then and I... I should have said no, but I was lonely and tired and not listening to my brain."

That was the easy part of the story, the foundation to the years of abuse she had suffered, and yet the hardest to explain. How could she help Ezekiel see how naive and young she had been, how much she had craved love and attention back then? She had been a good dancer, but a dancer that knew that once she reached a certain age she would have nothing else to show but bad feet, memories and a name which would be erased by the next Prima Ballerina. She was terrified of ending alone, of having no one to love. Suddenly Ed had been there and despite there being red flags, Carol had wanted to see the beauty and live the fairytale her mind had conjured up.

"He was charming and caring and seemed to like me. I was homesick and he listened to everything I said, even to the dancing bits... he seemed interested in me and not the dancer. By the end of the night, he was holding my hand and asking when he could see me again."

"He enthralled you." Ezekiel's words were not in an accusing tone but they drove a dagger through her heart. "He saw your loneliness and latched on to it."

"He was there every night. We were staying at a big city, tickets were supposed to have been sold out, but he was waiting for me at the dancer's door after every performance. By the time we moved to a different city I was in love with him, or at least I thought I was."

She pulls back from his embrace, sighing as she rests back against the wall. Her hands raise to quickly wipe away her tears, wincing when she brushes over her swollen eye. She tries to breathe through her nose but finds it clogged, the tip of her nose bright red. She takes a moment to watch Sophia rest comfortably in Ezekiel's arms, her eyes growing heavy.

"We spoke on the phone every night after we moved. I stopped focusing on dancing and started channeling all my energy on him. On our way back home we had a one-night engagement in a nearby city and suddenly he was there, he told me he missed me, begged me to stay with him. I was so stupid."

"No, you were in love." Ezekiel defends her. "You were tenderfoot and in love."

"And stupid... he asked me to marry him, right there and then, and I said yes, I didn't even think about it." She turns away from him then, raising a hand to gently brush away another tear from her bad eye, her fingers taking the time to press against the swelling skin, trying to judge how bad it is. Her eye is almost closed now and from what she feels she can only guess it looks terrible.

"I went back home, told my parents I was getting married, quit my job at the company, and moved to Georgia with him. Everything was great the first couple of months after we got married and when I fell pregnant he seemed to be ecstatic, but I had complications on the fourth month and the baby..." Even now her breath gets caught in her throat at the memory of the child she lost. Her heart aches like it ached the day she woke up to find her thighs drenched in blood. "That's when it started. He started yelling and throwing things. It happened so fast, the change, that I was blown away and blind sighted. I didn't know what to do, how to react. My parents had been so mad at me for quitting my career that they had stopped talking to me so I couldn't even reach out to them. The shouting quickly escalated to hitting, always were it could be covered, always without an explanation. Every little thing I did threw him off. I was a bad wife, a bad woman, a bad mother and... as it turns out I was a bad dancer, or so he thought. Turns out it had all been a dare from his friend; to get one of the dancers to fall for him. When he'd accomplished that, he had been further dared to propose, then to get married. He... he never loved me and now he was stuck with me so he decided he was going to get his money's worth for all he had ever spend on the dare."

"Please tell me he didn't..." Ezekiel interrupts her but doesn't dare say the word 'rape' in the hopes that it hasn't happened.

"I am his wife, I have to do as he pleases." It's her way of answering his question without saying the words, without confirming his suspicion. "The beatings continued every week then every day. I had to visit a different clinic every time until there weren't any left. Then I simply learned how to patch myself up. I wanted to leave, I prayed for the strength to leave him, but I was so dependent on him that I simply couldn't. I had no one to turn to, no one that would care. Then I fell pregnant again, the beatings stopped until we found out the baby was a girl; Sophia. He wanted a boy, he told me I couldn't do anything right, so he beat me so I would learn."

"Sophia a girl." Sophia's soft sleepy voice and the sigh that follows brakes Carol's heart even further. Her daughter knows why her father dislikes her so much; because she is a girl. There is nothing Sophia can do to change that even if she wants.

"The most beautiful girl," Carol assures her, gently caressing her daughter's cheek. It brought out a small smile from Sophia which quickly turns into a grin with Ezekiel's words.

"The most beauteous Princess in the land." He adds, his eyes landing on her daughter who gives a little smile before her eyes grow heavy once again and she cuddles down on his arm with her back towards it and her face pillowed against his chest.

"I almost lost her." Her heart races and her stomach drops as she remembers the night he pushed her down the stairs. It had triggered her labor at eight months, prompting her to drag herself from the bottom of the stairs as soon as she regained consciousness and drive herself to the hospital. "I almost left him then. I had made up my mind; as soon as my baby was healthy I would leave him, find a woman shelter and just disappear. He wouldn't be able to find us. I actually did it, but I was wrong. He found us."

"How did he find you?"

"I don't know," she admits. "One night I woke up because Sophia hadn't cried for food and I found him holding her, feeding her. He told me that I had two options; I could go with him and play happy families whenever he damned pleased or he could bring up child kidnapping charges on me, kill Sophia and once they found out my daughter was dead I would spend the rest of my life in prison. I had to leave with him, I didn't care about the prison but I couldn't let him hurt Sophia."

"You did the correct thing, Carol," Ezekiel whispers to her. Carol turns to look at him, more tears falling down her face which he gently wipes with the back of his fingers. "You had to protect Sophia, that was all that mattered."

Her chin starts quivering again and before she knows it she has pressed herself against Ezekiel's strong frame once more. "He never touched her, I swear. I would always stop him before he could get to her."

"Divert his attention to you," Ezekiel whispers against her curls. "Tell me, trust me; what has he done?"

Carol pauses, not knowing if she can tell him. She knows Ezekiel feels the same attraction she feels for him, but he doesn't know the extent of Ed's cruelty, he doesn't know her body carries the evidence of his anger. Part of her is worried that if he finds out he will be disgusted, just like she is every time she sees herself in a mirror. The other part, the part that reaches out to him subconsciously, trust him enough to not hurt her that way. It is that part that prompts her to tell him.

"There's been slapping and punching, that's when he's in a 'good' mood. He's... he's put out cigarettes on me, he's used knives to carve... words on... me. He's broken my arms more times than I can count, my fingers. He... made sure I would never dance ballet again by breaking my feet and legs. He punched my jaw out of its socket, broke my ribs, there's been more bruising than I care to count, swollen eyes, busted lips. This..." she says as she motions to her eye and arm. "This is nothing."

Ezekiel remains quiet for a long time after. Carol bites her lip as her mind tells her, in Ed's horrifying voice, that he's disgusted with her now, that he can't wait to have her as far away from him as possible, she's about to pull away when she suddenly feels a drop of liquid fall on her forehead. She quickly looks up and gasps when she finds Ezekiel crying. Why is he crying?

"I'm so sorry." He whispers. "So sorry you and Sophia have had to go through this. You don't deserve this, neither of you do. I could go right now and show him what we do with men like him, kick his ass and let him crawl to the hospital."

It's the first time she's heard him talk like a normal human being, without the adornment that his words usually contain. She likes it, as much as she likes his flair. Even Sophia has noticed a change for she turns to look at him with half concern that something is terribly wrong and half-amused tinged with deep sleep to hear him talk so differently. She'll have to ask him why he fakes his way of speaking on a later day.

"He's not worth it."

"He isn't, but you are," Ezekiel whispers and it takes all her strength to not kiss him. "You are worth defending, you are worth loving, Carol."

"I'm not." She corrects him automatically. "But thank you for saying it."

"You are." He repeats. He tilts his head back prompting her to tilt her own. Ezekiel looks deep into her eyes. She can't help but see the love that shines in his, a love so young and tender yet so strong. "You are, Carol." He leans forward and presses a kiss on her forehead, a couple more tears falling against her forehead. She leans forward once he pulls away, her skin searching for the gentle touch of his lips.

"Thank you." She mumbles.

In silence, she watches as Sophia's eyes close completely, her breathing evening out as she completely relaxes against Ezekiel. If she ever doubts Ezekiel it will take this image of Sophia trusting him so completely to remind her that he is their safe haven.

"You should leave him." He concludes.

"I can't."

"Yes, you can, Carol."

"No... I... I can't Ezekiel. I have tried and he always finds us. Back in Georgia, he knows everyone. He's a well-respected man in our community, they will either send us right back or tell him where we are." Carol explains panicked. She has tried, God knows she has tried twice since the time at the hospital, even with the thread of him reporting her as a kidnapper, but he always blocks their escape or finds them and it always ends with her daughter's traumatized crying and her black and blue. "He always finds us."

Besides her Shiva instantly raises, her ears pulled back, slightly twisted. Her head bowed low, eyes trained on Carol. She knows she's feeling protective of Ezekiel and Sophia, doesn't like the sudden jump in her breathing or the thunder of her heart or the way her voice has bucked up with fear. If Shiva had been a bigger tiger, Carol would have been terrified, but with her tiny stature, she can't help but feel endeared to her. Ezekiel is quick to make the chuffing sound, his hand reaching to gently caress Shiva and tell her they are not in danger.

"But you aren't in Georgia. He has no knowledge of this land, does he?" Ezekiel replies once he has calmed Shiva, looking at Carol with a calming gaze, no doubt trying to calm the sudden urgency she has been washed over with. He remains calm for her, for her daughter, calm enough that Sophia doesn't even wake, her little snores soft and repetitive.

"I... I don't think so." Carol stammers. "He's never been here since he met me. He's only here because he's looking for a raise. If... if he gets it he will bring us over to live here permanently."

"Then you can leave him." He repeats. "I can provide aid if you allow me the leave to do so. You can hide at my dwelling or I can take you to a woman shelter. You'd be safeguarded in either location."

For a second she allows the thought to circle her mind, the hope of finally being free from Ed warming her, but she quickly shakes it out of her head. "I can't run the risk. If he finds me he will kill me and hurt Sophia."

"He will have to strike me down," Ezekiel promises her with a firm voice that leaves no doubt in her mind that he would lay down his life for her daughter and for her.

"Why?" Carol asks softly, her brow furrowing with confusion as to why he feels so strongly for her and for Sophia. "Why do you say that? Why do you want to help me and Sophia? Why do you offer your home when I'm telling you I would be hunted down by him? You could be in danger!"

"Because..." His explanation is not enough so she presses on.

"But why? I can't offer you anything Ezekiel! Why do you want to help me?"

"Because I love you." He blurts out. It shocks Carol to hear him say those words, and it obviously shocks him from the look on his face. She knows that he is sweet on her but she had no idea his feelings ran as deep as love, especially because they barely knew each other.

"I shouldn't have said that." He mumbles as he shakes his head, the hand that had been gently removing the tears from her cheeks now raises to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I wasn't planning to confess in this manner, especially after I just promised I'd take whatever you offered."

"Ezekiel..."

"Fear not, I don't want wish for you to feel pressured."

"Ezekiel..."

"But you must know someone cares and wants you safe..."

Instead of interrupting him, Carol places a hand on his cheek. Her touch is soft, or at least she hopes it is. It seems to stop him, to calm him, he even presses his cheek against her skin before placing a soft kiss on the palm of her hand. "I'm sorry." He whispers.

Carol takes a peek at her daughter who is still sound asleep before looking up at Ezekiel. "Don't be. I... I don't know if what I feel is love, I truly don't. It's powerful though and so very different to what I felt with Ed." There is a glimmer of hope in Ezekiel's eyes and she finds herself smiling at it. "Don't be sorry unless you didn't mean it."

"I mean it." He quickly assures her. "My love for you is pure and strong, as real as you and I, as Shiva and Sophia."

Carol pauses for a second. Should she take him on his offer of hospice at his home? She hardly knows him but one thing she does know and that is that he has a kind soul. He has shown her this time and time again with each of their visits. She trusts him with Sophia's well-being and that's saying a lot.

"You really would help us?"

"With no hesitation."

She bites her lip, her eyes slipping closed. Back in Atlanta, they have no allies and as she had said, Ed knew everyone. Here they at least had someone who is willing to help them escape the hell they lived in.

"I don't expect anything from you if you accept my aid." Ezekiel finally tells her, perhaps thinking that she was worried he'd want something from her. "You have my word, I would rather lose my honor than push you into something you do not desire."

She gives a tiny nod before sending another look towards Sophia. She is still sleeping but the memory of her little face full of tears, of the fear that shone in her eyes, was enough to help her make a final decision.

"I can deliver you to a woman shelter."

"No," Carol says with a decisive tone of voice.

"Carol you must flee while you can. He will kill you if you don't."

"No, don't take us to a women's shelter. I don't want Sophia to go through the whole process again." She elaborates, her hand seeking his, their fingers intertwining without hesitation. "If the offer still stands, could we go to your home?"

Ezekiel nods right away. "My home shall be your shelter."