Chapter 41: Arguments
KPOV
~7 months ago~
"Hey," I called softly to dad, he was stood up straight and with his back to me, Judith being rocked in his arms as he fed her. Walking towards him, I took quiet steps as to not startle my sister and smiled at the pair of them. The moonlight shone through the windows and soft snores filled the cell block.
"Hey Kitty Kat, what are you doing?" dad asked as he turned to look at me, a smile playing on his lips as he looked up at me. Blue eyes flashed up to me but trailed down and landed on Judy. The sight warmed my heart. Reminds me of when Carl was born.
"Just wanted to see what you were doing and...is something wrong?" I asked him, worried and curious as to the expression that clouded his face. His eyes blue and filled with something that made my stomach curl. His jaw clenched, his eyes dark and there was sorrow behind them that hid deep within. Something is very wrong.
"No, just...well, Carl's been a little upset some days," Dad pointed out to me, like I hadn't already known this. He's a teen, he gets moody and it's just what he'll be like for a long time now. There will be days he's good, days where he hates us and days he just doesn't want to do anything. It's just what happens. I thought, wanting to shrug to myself in my own thoughts.
"What do you mean?" I asked him a little curious. Something about the way he spoke didn't seem right, felt as though he was worried over what could have been happening. His eyes glanced up to meet mine, quickly he moved his head and sighed at the same time. Not meeting my gaze. Or keeping eye contact for a long period of time.
"It's just me and my thoughts," he tried to brush off. His tone was giving me the sense that he was repressing something and I didn't know what he would want to be keeping from me. We always tell each other everything. Why is he holding back on me now?
"No," I disagreed, calling him on his bullshit. I knew him better and he should have known that by now. "I want you to tell me dad," I tried to encourage him, not liking him keeping something from me. Knowing that it could drive him crazy if he didn't talk to someone about his problems.
Dad gulped a long, hard lump that had formed in his throat before he nods, turned his head and met my eyes. Blue clashing with blue in the darkness. "It's stupid but...there are days that I talk to him and it seems like all he does is hate me," dad spoke, his eyes connecting to mine and holding my gaze. Never wavering and his expression serious.
"What do you mean?" I asked him, Judith made a babbling type noise, suckling on her warm milk that she liked to have during the night. It made her sleep better and calmer. The sound made me smile and look at her, I could tell there was a gleam and admiration on my face and in my eyes, because when me and dad looked back at each other...we mirrored the same expression. He chuckled softly as I laughed quietly. My little princess.
Getting back to the issue, Dad's face hardened and his jaw clenched, the muscles rippling at the effect and making me take a deep breath. I could sense how tense he was about this and it made me feel equally as tense. "He looks at me, like he blames me for something," dad revealed to me which made me become curious and more confused than before.
"When did this happen?" I asked him, concerned about what was going on with my family and why my dad would think such a thing about Carl. Carl doesn't hate him. It's just his hormones acting up, it always is. We all know that! At least...I hope we do. I hope I'm right this time.
"Ever since your mom died," Dad spoke to me, his tone was one of pure seriousness. His eyes distant while he looked at me and when he finally finished telling me, he was somehow pulled back to wherever he had gone. His gaze connecting to mine, his face hard and his eyes sad.
"I feel like you've seen him act like this before," I hinted, curious as to how he had suddenly gone to another world without a warning. He looked like...he was remembering something, or at least he had remembered a moment that made him go to that place. He's seen Carl this way before, I can sense it.
"Yeah, he has..." Dad agreed, nodding and looking around. "He was acting that way when he thought you died," he explained, making me look to him sadly. My mind wandering, along with my eyes as my brows furrowed and I realized why he would say that.
"Except...it was directed to mom and not you," I said, more as a question than it was a statement. Knowing my brother, my mother for knowing I had ran after Carol to save her, for the fact that I was still alive and Carl would always be my best friend, and brother. I knew that Carl would react in such a way towards our mother and my supposed death.
"Yeah," Dad ageed, a solid nod to his head confirmed it along with his verbal response. My eyes were focused on him, the way he kept his ice blues on mine and his jaw clenched. The gulps he would take, rippled under his skin and made me feel his stress and worry behind his eyes. Hidden deep in his head.
"Dad...we'll figure this out," I tried to comfort him, knowing he would want the support that I could provide at times. Knowing he needed to be reassured that he was going to be okay with Carl. "Don't worry," I tried to encourage him, placing my hand on his shoulder and giving it a small squeeze between my fingers and palm. My lips curving in a sickening sweet smile towards him.
Dad took a deep breath, sighing out and glancing up at me after looking down at Judith who clutched my finger as she drank her warm milk. Making me glance down at her and giggle. So sweet. My little dumpling. "I can only hope you're right," Dad said with a nod and a look aimed in my direction.
My gaze would swap from Judy to dad every few moments. A smile placed on the curves of my lips as I stared down at Judith and would wriggle my finger that was in her grip. "I'm going to go to bed," I told dad after a sigh, my eyes meeting his at the same time and smile still planted to my lips. "Good night," I spoke, reaching to my tip toes, I leaned up and tilted my chin up so I could place a kiss to his cheek. Sighing through my nose before I pulled away and smiled up at him.
"Good night," Dad replied, nodding and keeping his eyes on me. The way he looked at me in that moment, I could tell her was at peace while he was in the dark, with me and in the peace of the ones he loved. Even with the struggles that could occur between family, especially between a parent and teenage child.
I began to walk towards my cell, remembering something, I turned and looked at him. "Just so you know...it wasn't your fault, or mom's," I began to tell him. "There was nothing either of you could do," I told him with a small, sad smile. "Not for my death or hers," I tried to comfort him, but he stayed silent and with a glance at the ground, I nod once and turned my back from him. Leaving, I headed for my cell and laid my head to rest, all while dad was left to think in the dark and eventually go to sleep.
Present day...KPOV
"Stop," I called to Carl, we had been walking for more than two hours, daylight was burning and Carl was ahead of myself and our limping father. Dad was stumbling around, limping and he suddenly fell to the ground with a grunt, Carl didn't stop, but I hurried to get to Dad. Ducking to my knees, to help pick dad up and support him to get onto his knees and straighten up. "Carl, please," I pleaded, my hands resting on Dad's sides, carefully I tried to bring him back up to his feet and ignored the pain in my side.
Carl stopped at my beg, turning he looked at me and watched while I moved Dad to stand up. Letting him support me, carefully and gradually, I lead him to a nearby car. Letting Dad sit down on it, I pulled away carefully and checked his expression as he watched me. Carl stopped but he sighed and watched us, an annoyed expression on his face. "Dad...let me check the wound," I pleaded to him while I glanced down at his leg.
"I'm fine Kat," Dad tried to excuse himself, that it was all fine and that he could actually keep on his feet. He's crazy, he's not going to last if he keeps limping and if he doesn't do something to stop him from feeling the pain in his leg. I mean...he was shot, wasn't he?
"No, you're not," I disagreed and moved to get onto my hands and knees, I glanced up at Dad and saw him glare at me slightly. Reaching up, I went to pull up his pant leg and he took hold of my hand, trying to push it away from inspecting his injury.
"Katherine," Dad growled darkly, his tone was one of scolding. As though he didn't want me to check his leg and see what I could do to prevent the pain for being too much to him. To see if I could help him in any way possible.
"Stop it," I scolded him in return, he sighed and let go of my hand. His head tilting skywards while his jaw clenched. Raising his pant leg, I saw his wound and saw that it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it. "Shit..." I cursed, seeing that the skin was blackening, the blood becoming dry. An unclean scab wound would appear if I didn't dress it properly. He didn't have a shot in his leg, it had only brushed past his calf. "We need to try and stop the blood from circulating so much," I spoke and looked at Carl, then to Dad.
Carl gave me a look that told me he didn't want to deal with this, Dad's head shook as he took in my words and looked down at me. "No, I'll be fine," Dad tried to make me forget about his wound that could get infected and cause dad to possibly fall more repeatedly if it didn't become healed or fixed accordingly.
"Don't you dare start with that," I growled up at him, hating him disregarding that he was in fact injured and only playing a stubborn tough-guy bullshit. "You're not okay and I'm not going to let you wander around without being treated," I stated to him. "We can cut the circulation, but I need to get something to tie around your leg," I explained as I looked around for any materials I could use.
"What? Are you kidding me?" Carl growled at me, his hair stuck to his face from the sweat and his hat sat on his head, big and proud. He stood far away from me, his eyes hard and his stance was one that emitted he was annoyed. "Kat, your wound is a whole lot worse than his," Carl tried to convince me to focus on myself before Dad. Not a chance baby brother. You two are always going to be before me.
"He's right," Dad agreed with Carl, his voice was raspy and tired. Evident that he was hurt enough and more damaged than me with his wheezing. "Kat, you need to take care of yourself before even worrying about me," Dad said, it made me remember the pain in my side, even more that I could feel it no longer with pressure added to it. Letting it be free to bleed a little while I attempted to get my father fixed.
I looked around, staying silent and noticed how dad's shirt was almost destroyed. How it was all broken up and torn. "We can use your shirt," I said, ignoring their concern and trying to get dad fixed so we could continue our journey. So that dad could feel a little more at ease with walking, not putting pressure on his bad leg like he had before.
Getting up, I reached to check dad's shirt, seeing the ripped up cloth, I took hold of one shoulder and ripped the part of the arm off. "Kat, what are you do-" Carl asked me a little incredulous by the tone of voice he used. Moving to be on my knees, I pulled on the torn off cloth in my hands and wrapped it around dad's leg. "Great," Carl muttered with a flopping of his arms in aggrevation.
I ignored Carl's complaining and continued to do my work, dad's pant leg pulled down and tied his ripped cloth around his leg. "Here, this will do for the time being, we're going to need to look around and when we find somewhere safe, I'll patch you up," I say to dad, my eyes meeting up to look at him and give him a small nod.
"Kat, you'll patch yourself up before me, promise me that," Dad wheezed out, his breath was labored and he honestly looked like shit. His wrist was bleeding from the punches he had been giving the Governor, his lip busted, teeth bloody from a possible cut inside his mouth. His eye was swolen from the punches he had taken to the face, his leg now was tended to at a minimum standard currently. "Promise me," Dad tried to make me, his eyes on me and his voice was strong in his weak position.
I didn't want to agree, I stayed silent for a few moments. Not answering him the first time, I looked down and gradually flashed my eyes up to stare up at him. "I...promise," I agreed with him to appease him. I hope he knows I won't, even if I have promised him.
Gradually, I got to my feet and looked at Dad and Carl. Dad no longer limped like he did before, but he was still busted to hell. Carl gave me a sad look, shaking his head as though to throw out a thought from his head, he glared at me and dad. "Come on, we haven't got all day," he ordered and turned, he lead the way as we followed far behind him. My hand reaching out to add pressure against my side once again, the pain making me shut my eyes. Forcing myself not to wince or show pain to my father or brother.
RPOV
"Carl, slow down," I pleaded, after Kat had fixed me up a little, we had continued to walk. Carl was ahead of us, Kat behind me as I would limp and watch Carl make his way ahead. "Carl, stop!" I demanded this time, Carl didn't want to stop the first time, this time he stopped in his tracks. Standing still, but he never turned back to look at me and Kat. Didn't even flinch, or tense a muscle. He was cold, I could feel it. "We need to stay together. We got to find a place with food, supplies," I told him, my breathing heavy and I was walking closer to him.
Getting closer to him, I reached out my battered hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Hey," I said at the same time, he slowly turned his head and Kat was getting closer to us. "We're gonna be..." I went to say, but the way he looked up at me, I could feel the coolness in his eyes. The tension that had strained against his skin when I touched him. He wore the same expression he wore when he thought Kat died, the same one he would give Lori, the same he gave me and I feared whenever he would look at me since Lori's death.
The crows cawed, Carl ignored me and Kat was making her way towards us. Stopping beside Carl and he simply turned his head away from me and looked ahead. His foot coming up infront of him, his other foot following after it as he walked away from us. Without a word and never turning back to check up on either of us. I could tell he hated me, just by how he looked at me. He blames me for something. Probably everything.
CPOV
Reaching a shack, I kept walking, I didn't want to stop and I wouldn't. If it was just Kat, I would have but...she was being stupid. She was being reckless back at the prison, running off to save dad like she did. Almost getting killed during the process, but...she still cared about Dad. Keeping him safe, getting him out of there and fixing him up. After everything he's done. "Wait outside, okay?" Dad asked me, my gun was raised and I was ready to shoot. Kat had her gun out, as did dad but while Dad opened the door to the shack, I was ready to burst inside and check out the building. "Keep watch and look after your sister," Dad suggested for me to do.
"You keep watch with Kat," I growled darkly, not liking how he was treating me as though I was a child, like I didn't know how to defend myself and as though he could even move. He's having trouble being on his feet, I'm not letting Kat go in there and I won't let dad go in alone. "You can barely stand," I reminded him. "I'm not gonna let you go in there alone," I told him, trying to make it seem like he was either going to let me go in there, or I wouldn't let him enter at all. He said it...we need supplies.
"Excuse me?" Dad asked me a little surprised, as though I had just insulted him and I might have, but it was all in good truth. He can hardly see out of one eye, not to mention...he had a fist fight with the Governor, almost had Kat killed and now he thinks he's going to be all macho? He can't even walk in a straight line, he's not going to be able to fight against walkers in his condition.
"We've done this before," I reminded him pointedly. "I'm gonna help you clear it," I informed him, he would have to let me help him. Even if he didn't like the thought of it, I wouldn't let him do it alone. "You should just let me do it myself," I grumbled at him, but I knew he heard me and I didn't care.
Dad sighed, taking in my words and letting them sink in before he slowly opened the door. "Let's go," he told me, doors creaking while we walked inside. My gun raised while we walked inside, the thumping of my heart thundering against my ears and the faint, distinct sound of pounding against a wall alerted me. "Kitchen's clear," Dad said to me. Entering a room, we heard the sound of snarling and loud thumping. A walker made its way towards us, growling and decomposing in a weird way. "That might be all that's left," Dad said, pointing to the shelf that was hung up on the wall.
There was a barrier of chairs stacked up, blocking the walker from escaping it's confinement and it tried to get to us. But it couldn't. Raising my gun, I aimed for its head, squinting while Dad looked around for possibly anything he could use against this big walker. "I can get it from here," I told him, feeling confident that I could shoot it down from this distance.
"No," Dad spoke firmly, stopping me from firing the shot at the walker that was forcing its way towards us. Trying to push down the chairs with his huge body and not effecting the stack in any way. "No, it's weak," Dad pointed out as I looked towards him. Noticing that it must have been weak, seeing as it was trapped, no food and it couldn't push down the chairs with all the effort he was putting into it.
"I'll draw it out," Kat said, suddenly appearing out from around the corner, her hand resting on her side and she made her way towards us. I went to protest, but she had already began to pull chairs out of the way. "Stay back," she alerted us, Dad had an axe in his hands and I simply watched Kat pull out the stacks of chairs with her one, good hand that wasn't clamped against her side. The furniture rumbling as they fell to the floor.
Picking up a paper while the chair pulling began, I read a note that was placed on the side, resting atop a table and it read: 'Please do what I couldn't - Joe Jr'. The walker stumbled out, Kat quickly moved away and the walker began to shuffle his way towards Dad. Dad hacked the axe into its head, but the walker didn't drop or stop moving, he was still alive. "Damn it," Dad swore, instantly, I reaised my gun and aimed. "Don't," Dad tried to prevent me from shooting, but the gunshot echoed in the room, the walker falling to the floor dead. "I said not to," Dad growled at me as he glanced at me.
"You couldn't do it with the axe," I shouted at him, frustrated with him and his tone towards me. He always treats me like a child that doesn't know anything, I saved his life and all I get are screaming disapproving comments from him. I don't need lectures, I've had enough of them and I only did what everyone else would for their family.
"I had it," Dad shouted at me, Kat just stared at the pair of us, wide eyed and in shock from the whole scene that played out in front of her. His breathing was heavy as he stared at me, in shock and suprise from what I had done. "Every bullet counts," he reminded me one of the lessons I had been taught over and over again in this life. "What if you needed that one later?" he asked me, his voice muffled from the swelling that was evident from a punch to the jaw given by the Governor.
Dad turned his back to me, glancing at Kat as he pulled out the axe from the skull of the walker I had just killed. "See what you two can find," Dad suggested to the pair of us. "Then let's move on," he said, as though he was still the leader and making me sigh while I made eye contact with Kat. This was when we all went searching for whatever was useful. Food, medicine, lighters, toilet paper, drinks, alcohol, ammo and weapons. "Kitchen wasn't empty after all," Dad grumbled to me and Kat as we all met up to show what we found. "My haul," Dad said as he showed us what he found. "You, Kat?" he asked her.
Kat showed us the average bag of food and other supplies she found, her eyes then turning to look at me and a small smile formed on her lips. Her expression was always one of peace and gentle beauty, it was a face I had missed so many months ago. The sweet face of my sister, my best friend and my protector. "What about you, Carl?" she asked me, her bright blues full of curiousity.
Tipping the bag over, I showed them the bag of food and other supplies I had found. The table filled with all of our things, but evidently, mine was the biggest haul out of all of us. Dad's was the smallest, Kat's was medium and mine was the large version of this small competition. "I win," I said to them proudly.
RPOV
I kept repeating 'Hey' to Carl when we reached a few houses, we had spent at least an hour walking and we hadn't come across a house in all the time. Carl had lead us again, Kat and myself carried the bag of supplies we had found back at the shack. "That one's as good as any," I said, Carl stopped and we all looked towards a house that was one of the first ones on the street. The door bammed and creaked when we entered. Kat and myself placed the bags beside the entrance as we walked in, our guns raised as we wandered around, finding no trace of walkers so far. "Carl," I called to him, seeing he was about to go up the stairs without me.
"I got it," Carl responded, annoyed and angered with me as he spoke. "All the doors down here are open," he informed me, as though he was trying to give me comfort from this fact and I could see Kat round a corner, witnessing the exchange between myself and Carl.
"Just stop!" I ordered from him, his gun was raised and his back was to me. This only made him lower his gun, turn to look at me and sigh. He looked like he was about to tell me something I wouldn't like, something that could possibly start an argument over a topic, but then he began to pound the wall and scream.
"Hey, asshole!" Carl shouted. Thump. "Hey, shitface!" he called out for walkers, but I sensed something else was triggering this type of response out of him. He didn't notice Kat beside a doorway, but I could tell he didn't care and he was angry. Thump. "Hey-" he went to scream out something else. Thump.
"Watch your mouth!" I shouted back, not liking his tone and the way he was throwing insults for no reason. What has gotten over him? Does he hate me for something? What the hell is going on? Is he saying these things to me? Or is he saying it to piss me off?
"Are you kidding me?" Carl asked me a little incredulous about my choice of words or possible scolding. "If there's one of them down there, they would have come out," Carl told me which made me sigh, he then walked past us after glancing between me and Kat, heading up the stairs and continuing the house check for walkers.
KPOV
So far, the journey since leaving the prison was one of intense moments that made me feel uncomfortable. Dad was angry, Carl was angry and they both seemed to be arguing and treating each other terribly. Carl had some points, but so did dad and I didn't like that they were both being mean to one another. I wouldn't tell either of them off, I just stayed silent and didn't put myself inbetween them. It wasn't my duty to get between them, my duty was to keep them as safe as I could with my condition.
"I tied the door shut," Carl said, we had searched the house and found any other sources we could. It was beginning to get dark, Carl had found a cable from a TV, wrapping it around the door and forming a tight knot.
Dad suddenly began to push a couch towards the door, I leaned against the door frame and stayed silent, sensing the tension once again and not wanting to butt inbetween them. It wasn't my call and I couldn't do anything, they needed to argue it out and get what they were holding off of their chests. "We don't need to take any chances," Dad informed him, the pair challenging one another.
"You don't think it'll hold?" Carl asked Dad a little hurt by the insinuation that the door wouldn't hold shut with his knot. Well...walkers are stronger when in huge packs or herds, has he suddely forgotten that? Or do we need to remind him of what happened on the farm?
"Carl," Dad growled back, unhappy with how they were possibly always trying to be more clever and dominant over one another. Carl needs to back down a little, he's being rude and disrespectful towards our father. He's our dad and all he keeps doing is challenging him. I don't like this.
"It's a strong knot," Carl said to him while Dad looked to Carl, looking exhausted and as though he was defeated by Carl. "Clove hitch," Carl told us, naming the type of knot he had done on the door. "Shane taught me," Carl pointed out who his teacher of the said knot was. Making me remember of the pair of them learning to tie knots. "Remember him?" Carl challenged, making my stomach clench in an uneasy way. Flashes of distant memories invading my mind, of so many good and bad times with a man I once saw as an uncle.
"Yeah, I remember him," Dad agreed, knowing that it was hurting him just by the mention of Shane's name. "I remember him every day," Dad revealed to Carl. Making me frown and look away. "There's something else you want to say to me?" Dad questioned Carl, but they both stayed silent and began to shove the couch against the door. Blocking walkers from entering it as easily as they would of been able to. Dad began to wheeze as he took off his belt and sat down on the couch. "This'll have to do for the night," he told us tiredly.
Getting up, I sat beside them and watched as Dad pulled out a bag of food and offered it to us. "You gonna have some?" I asked him, curious as to what he had planned with that bag of food, trying to figure out what was inside of it. Is that...cereal?
"You two should eat," Dad informed us which made me sigh. Carl too looked at Dad like he was being stupid. I'm not eating anything if he isn't. Carl needs the food more than us, I don't need it. I will only have food when I know Dad is okay.
"We should save it," Carl said smartly, but going against what Dad wanted for us. Frowning, I watched as Dad tried to open the packet with a small struggle. Carl had gotten up to fix up something from the couch, busying himself while Dad grunted, pulled and a small pop escaped from the packet he had opened.
Dad looked at me, offering me the food, but I stayed silent and looked away. Glancing at Carl and indicating to Dad to go up to Carl to ask him if he wanted any, knowing somehow that Carl would possibly decline. Dad got up, shuffled over to Carl and showed him the contents within the bag. "Hey," Dad called to him.
Carl looked to the bag, then up to me and averted his gaze away from the food, myself and dad. Keeping his eyes on what he was setting up on the opposite end of the room. "I don't want any," Carl grumbled, being stubborn and unkind to dad.
Dad became tense, throwing the bag to the floor, he looked at Carl and began to walk away. "Eat it," Dad growled, pointing at the food that was now laid out on the ground. "Now," Dad spoke in a threatening tone. "Both of you," he said, a small wheezing sound escaping him as he turned to look over his shoulder at me, all before he turned his head towards the door and moved to exit towards the stairs. Heading upstears as the wheezing continued from him. Staying silent, I pondered in my thoughts as I heard a door open and shut, Carl sighing and stopping what he was doing to look at me. The pair of us speechless as we processed everying in our individual ways.
RPOV
Carl had gone upstairs to find something and had also checked to see if there were any walkers around that we weren't aware of. Seeing him tie the door, I saw Kat was stood to one side, her hand no longer clutching her side and her eyes curious, watching us. I grumbled softly, pushing the couch and positioning it to be pushed to the door. "I tied the door shut," Carl pointed out to me, the look in his eyes was one of incredulous.
I stopped what I was doing, looking at him exhausted and irritated by his attitude towards me, he acted as though he didn't know what else he could be doing and it made me even more mad than before. What has he got against me? I can tell he's angry at me over something. "We don't need to take any chances," I informed him, trying to make him see some sort of sense towards what I had meant.
Carl looked at me, taking a long sigh and staring at me directly in the eyes. "You don't think it'll hold?" Carl questioned me, making me feel quite stressed and I wanted to get whatever he was holding back out of him. Walkers could come down and break this house down if they are in huge numbers, doesn't he know I'm doing this to keep him and Kat safe?
I didn't know what else to say to him. Taking a long gulp, I looked to him and felt myself want to give up when it came to Carl. "Carl," I spoke firmly, not wanting an argument to come out of this all. I continued to push, but Carl wouldn't move from his spot beside the door and in front of his knot.
Carl looked at me like he too was annoyed, angered by something he was holding back and upset over something. "It's a strong knot. Clove hitch," Carl informed me what he thought, making me stop, straighten up and look at him. "Shane taught me. Remember him?" Carl asked me, his look was one of a challenging nature, one I wasn't very pleased with.
I stopped what I was doing, looking at Carl directly in the eyes, a small twitch in his told me he still hadn't forgiven me for many things. "Yeah, I remember him," I informed him. "I remember him every day," I told him honestly, knowing I would wake up and remember him, remember how he was once my best friend, seeing visions of him when I was losing my mind and never forgetting how he had changed so drastically through the shit that had only begun to hit the fan. "There something else you want to say to me?" I asked Carl, tilting my head a little in curiousity, wondering if he would judge me for anything else or bring something up to try and hurt me in some way.
Without a word, he walked over to the couch, helping me push the furnature against the door while it rumbled along the floor. Trying to regain my breath from pushing the couch, I clutched my side and began wheezing from the pain and sudden inability to breathe. "This'll have to do for the night," I told both Carl and Kat, all while I undid my holster belt and placed it to the ground. Sitting on the couch, trying to add weight and to rest at the same time. Keeping Kat and Carl safe, while trying to become comfortable for my own sake.
Kat sat down, as did Carl and all I could do, was pull out a bag of cereal, offering it to both Carl and Kat. Kat stayed silent, moving her head to look at Carl, trying to be sercretive, but I knew she wouldn't have any unless there was something else she could do, either she wouldn't eat until Carl did, or she wouldn't eat until I was patched up. "You gonna have some?" Carl asked me and Kat.
"You two should eat," I tried to point out my views. Offering it up to the pair of them again, giving Kat a look saying 'take it'. What is wrong with him? Carl seems so...distant and angry towards something. Is he mad at me for something I don't know? I wish he would tell me. Kat looks really uncomfortable right now.
"We should save it," Carl suggested, going against my own idea and making me clench my jaw. Taking a moment, I thought over my decisions and thought over what I could do, what would be the best response while Carl was fixing something, stood up and fiddling with the couch. Kat sat beside me, silent and unmoving.
Pulling at the packet, I kept pulling and gave out a grunt as I forced it opened. Offering the bag to Kat first, she stayed silent and kept her eyes on Carl. She looked like she was placed in an uncomfortable situation, staying silent and not uttering a single word. Taking her hint, I got to my feet slowly and offered the bag to Carl, who kept his back to me once more. "Hey," I suggested to him raspily, he didn't say anything, he simply stopped what he did and looked at me.
Carl looked like he didn't want to be bothered, like he was angry and exhausted from all that had happened recently. "I don't want any," Carl informed me, like a child having a tantrum, making me throw the food to the ground forcefully, pulling a muscle and holding in the groan of pain. I could feel Kat's eyes on us as we interacted this way.
"Eat it," I growled to him, not wanting him to go against me this time and proving to him that I was the one in charge now. I am only trying to protect them, keep them safe and keep their best interests first. I'm not as important as they are. "Now," I demanded of them, pointing to the packet of food that was now laid out on the ground. "Both of you," I spoke firmly before I looked back, over my shoulder and at Kat from the corner of my eye. Walking away, I was wheezing and headed up the stairs, checking out the injuries and using the privacy of the bathroom that was upstairs. Shutting the door, I felt relieved to have this time to myself, not worrying over my children and focusing on the damage I had taken from the Governor.
CPOV
I had checked upstairs, checking to see if there was any walkers around, along with if there were anything we could use to shut the door, protect us and keep walkers out of the house we took shelter in. Finding a cable from a TV, I began to tie it, remembering each step Shane had done for it and taught me. I could hear the sound of a huge piece of furniature moving behind me, looking back, I saw Dad was pushing the couch towards me and the door. "I tied the door shut," I growled at him.
Dad ignored me, he continued to push and didn't look up to stare at me, to catch my angry glare, my eyes focused solely on him as he pushed, shoved and grunted while moving the couch. "We don't need to take any chances," Dad said, making me feel like he didn't trust me and my choices. Didn't trust that I could keep us safe. I can keep us safer than he ever could.
I felt like I was being tested, he didn't care and all he did was continue to make me feel like I was dumb or unappreciated, trying my hardest to keep them both safe because of dad's mistakes. "You don't think it'll hold?" I asked Dad, feeling a little skepticle because I knew it would.
"Carl," Dad said as quickly as I spoke, hitting me faster than a bullet could, I was surprised by his sudden angry response. Loud and harsh, Kat was watching us, I felt sorrow and fear for her. The wounds she had gained from the Governor was more than concerning, she had almost died because of him and Dad. So stupid.
"It's a strong knot," I stated back, angered and losing my patience in seconds. "Clove hitch," I informed them of the knot I had made on the door, locking us in and keeping us safe. "Shane taught me," I reminded Dad, putting emphasis on Shane's name. A man myself and Kat had loved like an uncle. "Remember him?" I asked Dad challengingly. Another person Dad has killed, just like he killed multiple others without even attempting to kill them by his own hand.
Dad stopped what he was doing, standing straight and looking me directly in the eye. "Yeah, I remember him," Dad confirmed. "I remember him every day," Dad spoke with a small nod of his head, his eyes were dark and I could sense something hidden behind his eyes. Pain, sadness and other things I couldn't put my finger on. "There something else you want to say to me?" Dad asked me a little curiously, challenging me in return and I stayed silent. Pushing the couch whilst it rumbled loudly from the contact it had with the floor.
When we had finally pushed the couch against the door, making sure it was secure and all I could hear was Dad's wheezing as he slipped off his holster belt. Placing it on the ground, he went to take a seat on the couch and spoke. "This'll have to do for the night," he told us, already making the decision that this was going to be the place we would stay for the night.
Dad reached for something, fishing something and showing it myself and Kat. Kat had gone to sit beside him, I too took a few moments on the couch, but decided it best to stay stood and gather a pillow, along with a blanket for my sleeping area. This way, I could keep an eye on both Dad and Kat, while keeping away from them and use the blanket for if it got cold. "You gonna have some?" I asked Dad as he offered a packet to me, after failing to give it to Kat.
Dad gave me a look, Kat sat silently and hadn't said a single word throughout the entire time we were discussing the whole issue on safety within the house. Listening carefully at mine and Dad's exchanges. "You two should eat," Dad said as though we were his priorities. He's being an idiot if he thinks we don't care about him, well...at least Kat does. Myself, I'm not sure what I think.
Ignoring him, I thought of something either Kat or Dad would say about the food Dad held in his hands. They would want us to keep it, to save it for later and to not be dumb in eating it. We need it, in case we don't find any food next time. Think about last time, we had a stupid can of dog food and Dad wasn't going to have us eating that crap. "We should save it," I suggest boredly, sighing and continuing with my attack on the couch.
Dad ignored me, instead he decided to open the packet, hearing the strain Dad was having against the packet, he grunted softly and the sound of a 'pop' told me he had finally opened it. He tried to offer it to Kat, but from the corner of my eye, I could see that Kat was still watching me and wouldn't move from her spot. Dad got to his feet, stepping closer to me and stopped beside me. "Hey," Dad spoke, offering me the packet he had opened against my warning.
Why can't he listen to me? At least once. Please?! "I don't want any," I told him, being stubborn and not following his idea for me to eat something, ignoring him and deciding to stand beside my broken advice. He acted in a way I would have expected a child to act.
Like a big baby, he had probably grown tired of my stubborn way of reacting towards him and the food he was offering. He threw the packet of food to the gound, the packet landing beside my feet while the food spilled across the floor. "Eat it," Dad growled at me. "Now," Dad ordered of me and Kat. "Both of you," he spoke, turning his head to look over his shoulder, glancing at Kat and turned his head once more, only to look ahead and wheeze while walking up the stairs. Leaving myself and Kat in the silence of downstairs, his wheezing audible while he shut the door behind himself and left myself and Kat alone. Jesus Christ...
KPOV
While dad was laid out on the couch after he had gone upstairs, I decided to walk my way towards him and to check his injuries. "Carl, I'm going to need some alcohol, some thread, bandages, band aids, painkillers and a needle," I told him, examining Dad while I was already judging the damage and what it would take to repair him. "A clean one," I said, looking directly at Carl and into his eyes.
"Got it," Carl agreed, a solid nod as he turned to walk away and suddenly turned back to glance at me. A curious look colored his face, his brows creased above his eyes and his eyes turned into slints. "Wait...is this for you or dad?" he asked me, his voice low and his face dark.
"For dad," I informed him, quickly answering his question and keeping my eyes on him. He looked annoyed, as though he didn't want to look for anything that was for dad. "I'll need a lighter, some cloth and a lot of alcohol," I told him honestly, already knowing how I would patch myself up. I'll use as little resources for myself. That way, I can use the important sources for dad.
Carl gave one solid nod, turning and moving away from me to go search. "Got it," Carl said as he walked up to us, his hands were full with whatever was in the small bag he had. Offering it to me, I looked around and saw that there was everything I listed. "Everything you asked for," he said with a small smile that pulled at one side of his lips, my eyes glancing up at him and catching the smile he gave me.
"Thanks Carl," I answered him, his eyes were glued to me before he moved to sit down on a matress. His eyes were on me, watching me with every movement I did and his face grew to be one of curiousity. Moving to sit straight, on my knees and beside dad who laid on the couch.
Carefully, my fingers moved to take off his shirt and to show myself the injuries he had gotten during the fight with the Governor. "What are you doing?" he asked, trying to pry my hands away from his shirt and to take my hands away from his body. To stop me from helping him to recover.
"Fixing you up," I informed him in a statement. I'm going to fix him, even if he tries to deny it all he wants. I'm going to fix him. His eyes locked with mine, he shook his head and grasped my hand tightly in his. This was to tell me that he didn't want me to continue. To patch him up.
"Don't," he growled, flinching and his jaw looked like it was starting to swell. He wasn't in good shape, at all and he knew it. "You should fix yourself up first," he pleaded, his tone was sad and his eyes were focused on me as he spoke. It's my job to fix you up dad. Please...let me do this for you. Can't you see the pain behind my eyes? I can't stand seeing you in pain and weak like you are right now.
"You need tending to," I said, my voice was strong but I felt the lump building in my throat. I couldn't stand the thought of dad ignoring my plea and not wanting me to help him. Please...let me help you. I can do it. I don't want you in pain, that type of recovery could kill you dad.
"You promised me," Dad said his voice was angry, sad and secretly pleading too. Neither of us are going to back down...are we? I could sense Carl watching us, his head was turned to look at us and his eyes focused on the pair of us, I could feel his stare burning into my back.
"I'll do it, straight after I fix you," I told him with a small smile, nodding and giving him a look of reassurance. I didn't want him to hurt any more, I wanted him happy and safe. To not feel pain and to heal properly. "I promise," I said to him, my voice strong and honest. I'll fix myself, but only when I know I use the stuff to fix him first. That way, I don't use up the sources and can let him use it before myself.
"You've promised me the first time," Dad grumbled, his right eye was having trouble staying opened with how it swell and grew from the punches. My worry was peaked, but I knew I needed to fix him and make sure he was fine. So we could all get some rest, get better and eventually find the others. I have faith they're alive.
"This time, I promise it for real," I told him honestly. My eyes were sad and honest as I looked up at him. No contemplation was made as I spoke to him. I needed him to know that I meant it. That I meant every word I spoke to him. "Now please...let me fix you," I pleaded to him, my eyes focused on him and a smile growing along my lips.
Dad studdied my expression carefully, his eyes glued to mine as he searched my face for answers. "Fine," he agreed, slowly nodding and his jaw slack, but if I knew anything...it was that if he could move his jaw, he would be clenching it. His eyes were on mine, but I knew he wanted to look away, but it was difficult with his swollen eye.
Fixing up his body, I had cleaned up his wounds using a cloth and some of the alcohol. Sowing his leg up, I gave dad some pills and kept going, even while he would groan and cry from the pain of my stitching. He looked better, the swelling of his eye was still there, but any cuts I found, I cleaned them and stitched some. I had checked his hand, placed new bandages and placed band aids over any small cuts.
Checking his mouth, I inspected the damage and sighed. His jaw was busted, it needed to go back to it's normal state again, one side of the inside of his cheek was busted. Cut, bloody and had affected some of his teeth. "This is going to sting a little," I told him, offering him some of the alcohol. It's going to hurt like a bitch, but he needs to drink some.
He took the bottle from me carefully, with a nod he threw the bottle back and chugged some of the drink, using it like a mouth wash and groaned. His face contorting to an expression of pure pain and pushing back his need to scream. "Jesus," he cursed after he spilled the drink into a bowl I placed beside the couch, he leaned back down and sighed. He looks better. Much better.
"I told you," I giggled, enjoying seeing his slight pain, but knowing that the work I had done on him was worth his slight hurt from the drink. Hopefully, he'll heal quickly. All the cuts will now be disinfected and hopefully, his fever will go down from the wound he gained from the shot to his leg. All patched up, ready to rest and soon to go.
During my work on Dad, Carl had sighed and walked out in frustration. Leaving to go upstairs or wherever he had wanted to go. Finishing up dad, I got to my feet and walked towards the corridor. Ready to fix myself and limping around from the pain in my side. "Kat, you should have fixed yourself first," Carl said suddenly behind me, making me jump, turn to face him and gasp as I placed a hand over my heart. "Left him last," Carl continued, only to make me look at him confused and unsure of what he wanted me to do exactly.
"Why are you saying that Carl?" I asked him curiously. Tilting my head a little, my hair felt heavy as I moved my head. The hairs in my band was covered in grass and pieces of grass, leaves and other things were nesting in my hair. Walking towards Carl, I was surprised to see his leaning figure against the door, watching me intently as he spoke with honesty in his voice.
"Because your injury is worse," Carl pointed this out as though it was a fact. He acts as if I'm being stupid. Sighing, I didn't like to see Carl this way. He's my brother. I won't disagree with him all the time, but I won't let him target dad as the bad guy. He's our father and I love them both, more than myself.
"No injury is worse," I stated to him. Every injury and wound is bad, for every person and in any situation. "I can fix myself," I told him honestly, nodding and keeping my hand over my wound. "Dad can hardly do anything," I pointed out, wanting him to see how it was like. We both glanced at dad who was laid out on the couch, arms over his stomach and eyes shut. His mouth slightly agape as he slept.
"Yeah?" Carl asked as he turned his head to look at me, his eyes hidden in the growing darkness and behind his big sherrif hat. "Well, I had to say this, but...neither can you," Carl told me, making me feel slightly offended, but I knew it was all out of concern. "Don't know why you even went to rescue him in the first place," Carl said in a dark tone, as though he hated the thought of our father breathing.
"I wasn't going to let dad die," I told him slightly angered with his tone. I'm not going to let him or dad die. I've already failed...so many others. I won't fail them. Never. I'd let myself die before I let that happen. He's my brother, it's my job to keep him protected and dad...he's the man who made me who I am. I'll always defend and protect him, just as he did for me while I grew up to be the woman I became.
"Whatever," Carl grumbled before he entered the living room, went in and slumped himself onto the matress. Sighing, I took in his words and looked down. We're all...so broken. Taking a long gulp, I walked towards the kitchen, taking hold of the bag and the remaining contents. Sliding down the kitchen wall, I glanced over my shoulder and saw Carl was laid onto the matress, his back to me and dad.
With a deep breath, I opened up the bag, rummaging through the bag and finding what I needed. First, I pulled out the bottle of alcohol, along with the lighter. Placing the lighter to one side, I brought the bottle to my lips and pulled the cork off with my teeth. Spitting it out, I wrapped my mouth around the head of the bottle and took a long gulp of wine. Sighing, I placed the bottle to one side and slipped my knife out of my holster slowly.
Picking up the lighter from the floor, I opened it and flicked my thumb to light it. Lighting the flame, I watched as it flickered. Red, orange and blue flicking and licking at the growing darkness that surrounded me. I brought my knife above it, watching the flames touch the knife softly and make it begin to heat up. Gulping, I swallowed my fears and kept my face stern. Emotionless, I stabbed myself in my side. Where the Governor dug his knife into my side, cutting deep into myself and making me gritt my teeth. Groaning in a small scream, I pant and pulled the knife out of me once more.
The fire from the knife tore me inside, curing my wound and making me gasp from the pain. Blood seeped out of it for a moment, but quickly, I took hold of the cloth and poured wine onto it. Placing it over my wound, I pant and tried to focus on my breathing. Forgetting the pain that coursed through me. Taking a needle and thread, I began to stitch myself up and whimpered silently to myself as I would wince with every pull and piercing of the needle.
When I was done, I tied up the stitch and ripped the thread from my side to secure it. Taking another sip of the wine, I slouched against the wall and sighed. My breathing slowing, I felt my head slowly spin and my eyes gradually shut. Fighting the urge to submit myself to the darkness, I relaxed and eventually, fell into a deep sleep. Exhausted.
CPOV
Witnessing Kat work on dad, it was impressive but it was stupid. He was the reason Kat was injured and because of people dead. When she was done, I stalked up behind her and leaned against the door frame. "Kat, you should have fixed yourself first," I called to her. "Left him last," I tried to explain as briefly what I was thinking about Dad and her help.
"Why are you saying that Carl?" she asked me, her head tilting a little to the side as she squinted her eyes slightly. It made me feel like her baby brother again, but I knew that in this very moment, she meant more to me than what dad did. She's my shadow. My best friend. She's what keeps me sane, alive and...human. I don't want to lose her.
"Because your injury is worse," I told her truthfully, concerned for her cut and knew what it looked like. The pair of them could hardly walk, but at least dad didn't have a life threatening wound like Kat does. She needs to fix herself, or so help me...I would if I could. I'd force her ass on something and stitch her up like she was to dad.
"No injury is worse," she told me, showing me her wisdom and making me sigh. "I can fix myself," she informed me, making me look at her with slight confusion. Our eyes glued to one another as we spoke from one to the other. "Dad can hardly do anything," Kat informed me which made me think about all that has happened to us in the matter of a few hours. Days.
"Yeah?" I questioned her, my head had turned to look at her after glancing at dad on the couch. "Well, I had to say this, but...neither can you," I informed her, dad's peacefull sleeping figure no longer in pain, but Kat could hardly stand. "Don't know why you even went to rescue him in the first place," I grumbled, but knew she heard it as there was venom in my voice.
"I wasn't going to let dad die," Kat stated, which made me feel sightly annoyed and upset. He doesn't deserve to live, not after all he's done to us and this family we once had back at the prison. We've lost so much, yet Kat still has so much love and faith in him.
"Whatever," I growled, moving away from her and towards the room where dad laid on the couch. Laying on the matress, I turned to keep my back to Dad and my hands tucked under my cheek as I tried to sleep. My legs curled in slightly, hearing Kat's cries and sighs as she fixed herself. My jaw clenching, not liking the sound of her pain and not wanting to hear, but something in me didn't want to stop, not until I knew she was calm and in her version of peace.
Waking up, I wiped at my eyes and groaned, sighing, I had turned to lay on my back. Taking in the silence, I got to my feet and headed for the kitchen. I found Kat on the ground, she looked like she was asleep against the wall. Her hair a mess, her eyes shut, face a little pale and her shirt ripped where the stab had sliced through her shirt. A blood patch outlined the cut, my eyes sad as I pulled out three bowls, I poured a bowl for myself and thought over it. Deciding to pour both Dad and Kat some of the cereal we found, I smiled down at Kat's sleeping form, I could see she was breathing, but her knife was placed on the ground, bloody and her hand resting over her wound. Looks painful...I hope she's okay.
After halfway finished with my bowl of cereal, I decided to go upstairs and search for a book I had seen on the bookshelf, one that looked interesting enough to read and possibly one I could discuss with Kat later. Reading a few chapters, I thought over my options and felt the need to go searching for some supplies. To wake up Kat and Dad, to head out and find some more supplies, things that could help us live. Anything. Taking my bowl down with me, I found that Dad was still sleeping, as was Kat. Dad, on the other hand looked like he was more than asleep, as though he was unconcious or...dead.
"Dad?" I called to him a first time, hoping for a response and gaining none. "Dad?" I tried again. Kicking at his foot, hoping he would wake up and start shouting at me, or at least do something. "Dad, wake up," I called a little softer, getting to my knees beside him and placing my bowl to one side of the couch on the ground. "Wake up. Come on," I tried again, shoving him and shaking him lightly. "Dad, wake up!" I shouted a little louder, gaining no response from him. "Wake up," I said with a louder voice.
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" I kept shaking him, trying to get him to respond and wake up from whatever state he was in, instead I heard the soft, tired moans of Kat as she slowly woke from her slumber. A thudding at door, the snarling of walkers was the reaction I got from my elevating shouting at Dad, who didn't respond, no matter how much louder I got. The door handle jiggling while Kat slowly shuffled towards us, her eyes were dull and tired, her face pale and she looked like she was getting worse. The snarling and thudding continued, the snarling louder while I got to my feet and stared at the door.
Kat grunted, she wiped at her eyes and clutched her side. Walking to me, she moved to check dad and saw how he was. "I think he's passed out," she suggested from her estimate and examination of his body. "It won't last long, it will pass and he's only unconcious for a few hours," she told me, as though I knew what she was talking about. "Jesus," Kat cursed, jumping slightly at the sound of walkers slamming against the door, pushing dad a little as he laid out on the couch. Never moving.
"I'll handle this," I told her, giving her a solid nod and pulling out my gun. Moving to look to the window, I saw there was two and knew it would be easy to handle. Knowing they didn't see me, I slipped past her and went towards the back door.
"Carl," Kat called out for me, turning to look at her, our blue eyes connected in the way only ours could connect. She's got a hold on me, she's my best friend and I'll do what it takes to protect her. Just like she's been protecting me all of her life. "Stay safe," she pleaded for me softly, making me feel a pull on my heart strings.
"I'll be fine," I reassured her, nodding my head and giving her a small smile that tugged at the corners of my lips. I hope I can keep her safe. Even dad. I can do this. I know I can. Without another word, I sneaked out the door and walked towards the front door, seeing the two walkers clawing at the door that kept my sister and father safe.
Placing my hat on my head, I grabbed my gun and left out the back door. Sneaking my way towards the front door, I was a little disappointed to find only two walkers banging on our door. Checking to see if there were any walkers about to get the jump on me from behind, I looked and listened. Turning my head to the two impatient walkers, I stood firm and kept my eyes on them. "Hey, you!" I called to them, both of them turning to glance at me and snarling in my direction.
"Fresh meat right here," I declared to them making sure I had their attention drawn to me, not to Kat or Dad. "Come and get it," I instructed, gesturing for them to follow me as I walked backwards. "Let's take a walk. Keep up," I told them, the pair of them following me while their arms waved around beside them and their eyes were focused on me. On their dinner. "That's it. Keep coming. Very good," I taunted, poking a little fun at them as they followed me dumbly, looking back and keeping myself safe while drawing the walkers away from the house Kat and Dad were safe in.
"Come on, keep coming. Come on," I called to them, making kissing noises to keep their attention on me. The walkers snarling as they followed, when I looked back and turned my head to watch the walkers, I realized one had averted their attention from me ever so slightly. "Right here, look at me," I called to the walker that had looked away from me. "There you go," I said a little proudly when it finally kept its eyes one me once again. "Come on. That's it," I kept coeing them. "Just a little farther. Come on," I said, a little proud that we were further away from the house, enough to kill the walkers and not draw them to the house we had set camp in for the time being.
Looking back, I had kept walking and noticed that no walkers were behind me, but a few steps closer had an incoming walker snarling at me, making me turn quickly and look at him. My eyes wide as I swore, "Oh, shit," I whispered. The walkers growling wildly as I tried to push the walker away from me, he took hold of me and I tried to shake them off. Grunting as I did so, the other two had grabbed at me and eventually pushed me to the ground.
Raising my gun a little, I knew I wouldn't get the shot at this angle and close proximity, crawling backwards, I kept my eyes on them as they became closer and began to get on their knees. Ready to bite me. Gunshots echoed, one of them was killed. The second, killed. The third one took a few more gunshots, trying to get out of the piles of bodies that fell ontop of me. Panting, I lowered my gun and tried to steady my breathing, holding onto the walkers as they all weight on me. Something caught my eye, looking at one of the walkers I had shot, I saw small, disgusting worms wriggle out of it's brain. Groaning, I attempted to push the walkers off me, instead I pushed myself out, from under them and crawled away from them.
Getting to my feet, I threw up and saw how the cereal had flooded from my mouth, landing on the ground in a huge puddle. Picking up my cap that had fallen during the attack, I felt proud of the pile I had faught against. No one would have expected me living, after a struggle like that one, kicking and shooting my way to being safe. Placing my hat on, I looked down at the pile of bodies blankly. "I win," I growled at them, feeling the need to remind myself that I could still survive, that I knew I could have died, but I kept my head on and I didn't do something stupid. I got out of the mess. "Cool," I said with a nod, realizing I was alone on the street before I made my way back to the house, taking the empty street and enjoying the peace of it all.
KPOV
Sitting down in my regular spot, I sighed and thought over everything that happened so far. So much has changed. Things just...flipped. We were happy, safe and then...the Governor showed up. Ruined everything for us. All we had built, all we prospered from and crushed it in seconds. Hershel...His memory clouded my thoughts, how he was so kind and hopeful. How he cared for my brother and every individual that was inside those prison walls. Behind those fences.
They're family too. I finally realized. Maggie. Sasha. Glenn. Carol. Tyreese. Beth. Bob. Hershel. Judith. Dad. Carl. Daryl...Michonne. All the names had meaning. Small memories fluttering into my mind and making me smile from sadness.
~Maggie~
"She's sweet," Maggie said as she walked closer to me, her hand resting on my shoulder as she looked over my shoulder to look down at Judith that was in my arms. Her smile was warm as she looked down at my sister, her hazel eyes bright as the pair of them connected through eye contact. "Looks a lot like your mom," Maggie told me as she looked up at me, her smile now aimed at me.
"Yeah," I agreed, looking down and feeling comfort from the hand that rest on my shoulder as she stood beside me. Laughing through my nose when I saw Judith make silly faces at me. "She does," I said as the image of my mother flashed before my eyes.
"Your mom...she'd be proud of you," she told me, her voice soft as she kept her eyes on me and her hand gently squeezed my shoulder lightly. "You know that, don't you?" she questioned me, her head moving a little to look at me directly in the eyes.
"I hope she is," I spoke, feeling a heavy anchor pull down on my heart. "But I wouldn't blame her if she wasn't," I revealed briefly to her, not wanting to make a huge scene but know what I felt in my heart to be true. I've done some bad things, maybe mom can forget those and maybe...she wouldn't.
"She is," Maggie said firmly, shaking me slightly and making me look at her and only her. "Don't ever doubt that," Maggie said, looking up at me slightly from beneath her lashes, making me smile and nod. Not wanting to disagree with her further.
~Sasha~
I was walking towards the farm we had made, passing Sasha after ruffling Carl's hair with my fingers playfully. "You know," Sasha began as I walked past her. "You and Carl are sweet together," she told me as we walked together, making our way towards the gate.
"Is that when we're sweet or when we're not at each other's throats?" I questioned her with a smirk, putting on my gloves and smiling down at my gloved fingers that wriggled inside the plastic feeling.
"Every brother and sister have their fights," she informed me wisely. "Hell I've had arguments from here to forever with Tyreese," she told me honestly which made me realize she was right. "It's just what siblings do," Sasha said with a smile and shrug, her eyes on Carl who was smiling to my dad.
"You can choose your friends," I began with the famous saying that everyone in the world knew. "But you can't choose your family," I said as Sasha joined me, both of us laughing and smiling. Her teeth wedged her bottom lip between them as we continued to walk.
"Ain't that right?" Sasha asked me with a wide smile. "Still, I don't think I could ask for a better brother," Sasha spoke as she looked over to Tyreese who was helping out with the cluster at the fences, they had been building up but we knew that Tyreese only did that to get closer to Karen.
"Neither could or would I," I agreed, my gaze flashing towards my sibling, a proud smile glued to my face as I stared at him and Dad getting to work. Carl was always hard working, but he was also good at having fun while doing it. He seemed happy, which always made me happy.
~Glenn~
"Boo!" I heard a voice boom behind me, making me jump and clutch a hand over my chest. Trying to steady my fast beating, heavy breathing heart and gathered up my emotions. My eyes on Glenn as he appeared beside me.
"Jesus, Glenn," I growled, surprised he wanted to scare the living day lights out of me. "What are you doing?" I asked him curiously and slightly worried. I was stood in the guard tower, I was focused on my watch, that I hadn't noticed him enter and shut the door behind himself.
"It's my turn to take watch," he told me which made me smile and shake my head at him. He always would try and scare me, one way or another and he knew how to. "How are you feeling, since...you know?" Glenn asked me, his hands were shoved inside his pant pockets, his eyes on me but slightly lowered.
"Andrea's death?" I asked him, being blunt about it and not going soft about it. I wasn't going to show him all of my weakness, but he knew enough about me to know I cared about Andrea as though she was my sister. "I don't want to talk about it," I told him gently. It wasn't his fault Andrea died, but it was still too sore a scar to open.
"Hey, she meant a lot to you...we all see that. We all know that," Glenn spoke kindly, his voice gentle and soft as he stood beside me. "She meant a lot to all of us too," Glenn pointed out, as though I didn't already know that which made me sigh.
"She died for us," I pointed out, making him remember her sacrifice in trying to save me and to make me save the others. Giving them the information they needed while Andrea was chased down by the Governor, as both Tyreese and Andrea had told us.
"And we'll never forget that," Glenn spoke quickly, telling me as quick as a bullet being fired. "We can't blame ourselves over what happened," Glenn said which made me nod, gulping and thinking of Andrea. How she wouldn't want me mourning her forever, how she would want me to pick myself up and continue with my life. "It will consume you with guilt Kat," Glenn revealed to me which made me look up at him. Our eyes connecting as we spoke to one another.
"I know," I told him, nodding and smiling at him. Without a word, both of us smiled and pulled each other into the other's arms. Our arms wrapped around each other tightly as we sighed and held each other for a moment. "Thanks Glenn," I spoke in a soft whisper to him. Pulling away, the pair of us smiling.
~Carol~
"Hey Carol," I spoke softly, as not to scare her as I approached her, she held Judith and was rocking her gently while feeding her the milk she needed. My smile wide as I saw the pair of them together. Carol was always like an aunt to me, more so when I saw her relationship with my mother grow.
"Oh," she said lightly with a smile curving the edges of her lips. "Hey," she greeted me as her eyes fluttered up from me to my baby sister. "You want to hold her?" she asked me curiously with a playful, cat-like gleam in her cool blue eyes.
"Yeah," I said with a nod, always willing to take hold of my sister. Remembering the times I held Carl in my equally as small arms. "Sure," I said, with a small laugh she passed me Judith slowly and I took her into my loving arms. Staring down at her beautiful face as she played with a small toy in her hands.
"You look so much like your mother," Carol said to me with a warm smile, her eyes looked at me with admiration and something that made me feel like she meant what she said. As though she was looking at a memory or some sort of ghost in front of her.
"I do?" I asked her, a smile on my face as I looked up at her and then back down at Judith. Judith playfully took hold of my necklace, swaying it a little in her hand and making me giggle at her actions. It then made me remember the replica necklace I wanted to get for her, one that would match the rest of us.
"Yeah," Carol said with a warm, motherly smile that showed me that she honestly believed I looked like my mother. "You know...she told me so many stories about you," Carol said, putting emphasis on 'so'. "About when you were a child," Carol revealed, which made me groan and roll my eyes.
"Oh no..." I grumbled, not liking the sound of the embaressing stories my mother must have revealed to and shared to Carol. Wondering of the horrors she must of heard about myself and about what other things I've been through as I grew up.
"Yep," Carol said, popping the 'p' with a playful tone in her voice. "I admit, I loved little SuperKat and DuperCarl," she spoke, reminding me of the years that I would play with Carl, when we would pretend to be superheroes and he would only want to play this game with me.
"Great," I laughed out, rolling my eyes but remembering fond memories of these times in my life. No matter how old I was, we were always playing this game and I always loved how he liked to play the game with me. I loved seeing Carl smile, I still did.
"She told me that, no matter what the story was...the pair of you always saved the day," Carol spoke with a small giggle, a smirk playing on her face as she spoke of the fond memories I shared with Carl and my father, and now Carol. "But you also saved each other," Carol revealed which made me look at her, really hitting home inside my heart and soul.
"Yeah," I agreed, my expression serious as she smiled a pursed lip smile towards me. Making me clear my throat and look down at Judith. Running my finger along her lip, wiping away drool and smiling down at her. "We still do," I told her which made me reflect on how Carl saved me each day, just by him breathing.
"I believe that," Carol spoke which made me look up at her and smile. Being pulled into the silence, of the comfort we both shared and care we held for the small bundle in my arms. A bundle that came from my mother, a woman who had passed but has never left us.
~Tyreese~
"Tyreese," I called after him, he was wiping his hands and he looked busy. Anxious, as though he was ready for something and it made me smile slyly towards him. "What are you doing?" I asked, placing my hands playfully behind my back as I took slow, playful steps towards him.
"Going to go look for Karen," he revealed, but it was obvious by the determination that was in his eyes and the huge smile that grew on his face at the mention of Karen. It could have also been the fact it slipped from his lips, possibly comforting him and enjoying the sound of it coming from him.
"Oh," I said with a bright smile covering my face. "Lovers huh?" I spoke with a wriggle of my eyebrows in his direction, laughing at the thought of him and Karen. We all knew he was crushing on her, but only gradually she got closer to him and began to like him too.
"No..." Tyreese said in an equally playful tone, a wide smile appearing at the edges of his lips as he spoke to me.
"You can't keep secrets from me, Ty," I poked at him, poking his chest and laughing at this small, childish action I directed towards him and watched as he placed the cloth back into the water bowl, clean and taking blood of his hands and out of the cloth.
"You know me too well," Tyreese agreed, we had all grown fond of each other and we were all becoming used to one another as a huge community. And family. "Hey, am I going to go back to the cell block soon, only to find you and smooching soon?" he asked me with a sly look in his eye.
Gasping, I blushed a furious red and my eyes widened. Jaw dropping as I gasped and looked to Tyreese. "Excuse me?" I questioned him, shocked he would say such a thing and playfully shoved him. "No!" I declared while he stumbled and laughed at my reaction.
"You say that now, but give it a few more weeks," Tyreese said with a teasing wink, his head tilting a little as he winked at me. Controlling my blush, I shook my head and looked at him with a wide smile. Knowing that Daryl didn't see me that way, nor I him. No matter how attractive he was.
"Whatever," I mumbled to him. "Go find Karen," I told him with a playful shove, making him move quicker and as he did, he didn't protest. He only laughed and raised his hands up in surrender.
~Beth~
"Kat?" I heard a small voice call after me, I was heading towards my cell when I heard the small, innocent voice of Beth call out to me. Quickly, I stopped in my tracks and turned to her. She was holding Judith in her arms, rocking her as she fed her.
"Yeah?" I asked her, walking towards her slowly and watching her curiously as she glanced down at Judith, hoisting her so that Judith was more comfortable on Beth's hip.
"Take Judith for a minute?" she asked me, carefully holding out Judith and giving me a pleading look in her her eye. The type of look she knew I couldn't deny.
"Sure," I agreed, taking hold of Judith and making sure she balanced on my hip comfortably. "What you got there?" I asked Beth curiously, looking at her as she dipped her hands into her back pockets and searched for something in them.
"A present..." Beth told me which made me look at her curiously. Carefully she pulled out a small parcel that had three parts to it. "Heard it was your birthday, but I wanted to give you your present before your party," she informed me which made me even more curious as to what it was.
"What is it?" I asked her, the way she glanced up at me shyly, made me realize just how sweet and innocent she was. Almost like a flower that should never be pulled out from the ground. That if it was plucked, it would decompose and shrivel into nothing.
"Open it," she suggested, handing it to me and carefully taking Judith out of my arms to allow me a chance to open the present and see it. Breaking the paper, I pulled out the string that had been made into braids, with my name on it, but on the back it had said the names of my family. It read, 'Lori, Carl, Rick + Judith' which made me smile and was perminant behind my name. I then saw different colors of the same bracelet that was made.
One of them was designed for Carl, another for my dad and one for Judith. Judith's was evidently smaller and it made me look at Beth curious. "Don't worry, it can be adjusted for when she grows," Beth reassured me which made me smile. We all had our own bracelet that had all of our names on it. "I asked Michonne to find it for me, that I knew you wanted something like this," Beth told me, which made me smile and nod. Tears forming in my eyes as I looked to her.
"Yeah," I agreed with her. "One for me, one for Judith, one for Dad and one for Carl," I said as I picked every bracelet and saw how we could all be joined in this individual and sweet way. "It's perfect," I told Beth with kind eyes and a warm heart. "Thank you, Beth," I spoke with a small nod, clench of my jaw and smile coloring my features, in my eyes and in the softness of my expression.
"You're welcome," Beth said which made me smile and nod. Sliding my bracelet on, I looked at it and smiled but I then walked over and tied Judith's which made my heart pound harder at the admiration I had for Beth. For giving me such a sentimental present which would keep me connected to my family, even when I was gone and searching for the Governor or supplies.
~Bob~
"So, can you tell us anything Bob?" I asked him, we had met and had tried invited him to join us. He had passed our test, now riding in the back seat of the car as I sat in shotgun with Glenn beside me. Driving us back to the prison and Daryl rode in front of us on his motorbike.
"Yeah, I'm not used to being in cars again," Bob spoke, looking around and getting comfortable in the back seat. Making me look at him and then to Glenn. Both of us giving each other a look of pure curiosity and Glenn gave me a small shrug.
"Oh," I said, forgetting that not everyone could find working cars or any type of comfort we took advantage of in the time where surviving was getting jobs, having families and something to wake up to. Routines. Now, everything was spontaneous and we had to fight to survive.
"And I'm hungry," Bob told us honestly. Making me and Glenn laugh, both of us bursting out while Bob just looked at us like we were crazy. We knew Bob was going to be okay, because there were some that would tell us this but it was only subtle, Bob...he straight out said what he was thinking and feeling.
"At least you're honest," Glenn said while he turned his head to smile at me. He then looked into the rearview mirror and smiled to Bob. Clearly amused by the way Bob spoke and how he acted around us, how he was honest and he was straight to the point. Blunt.
"True," I agreed, a wide smile pulling my lips and stuck onto my face. Enjoying the sense of relaxation and peace, usually we were worried with the types of people we picked up, but with Bob...something about him made me feel like he was an okay guy. My gut was telling me he was going to be a good asset to our group.
~Hershel~
"What you reading there?" Hershel's voice called to me, glancing up from the book I was reading in the comfort of my cell, my curtain was drawn but there was a small parting where someone could look inside if they wanted to. Hershel had pulled the curtain open a little, smiling at me and staring at the book I had in my hands, my legs up and crossed on my bed.
"Of Mice and Men," I told him, waving my book around a little and showing him the cover of it, smiling to him as I spoke. His blue eyes glued to me and glancing at the book for a split second, making me feel pleased with how his lips curled in a small smile.
"Oh," Hershel said, as though he should have known better than to ask me. "Carl did say once that it was your favourite book," Hershel revealed which made me laugh. I had heard that Carl was reading the book while he thought I died, that he read a little every night, to understand it and know it off by heart. That way he was close to me, holding me in his memory and actions.
"I do like the author too," I told Hershel with a quiet giggle, shutting the book and placing it to one side, I sat up and spun to have my legs lowered from my bed. Turning my head to look at Hershel who took a few, slow steps towards me and sat beside me.
"He's a good writer," Hershel agreed, sitting down beside me, he picked up the book and gave it a quick glance. "Your favourite quote?" he asked me curious as to what I would say. I had to think over what I would say was my favourite book, reading many books but remembering a few quotes he had said and a few that were in his books.
"I'd have to say..." I began, thinking over what I would say was my favourite quote he had wrote down. "'There are as many worlds as there are kinds of days, and as an opal changes its colors and its fire to match the nature of a day, so do I.'" I said, quoting Steinbeck and remembering how I felt about this. That we all change, depending on the situations, days and how we felt in the times that approached. Which all made sense in days like these.
"You know what quote is my favourite?" Hershel asked after chuckling at my quote. His face turned suddenly serious as he began to speak about his favourite quote. Our blue eyes connecting and never wavering. "'I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart'," Hershel began. Already knowing the quote from one of Steinbeck's books. "'I guess a loving woman is indestructible.'" Hershel said which made me clench my jaw.
"And you, Katherine Grimes..." Hershel said, patting my knee and making me look at him. Subconciously, I had looked away and thought of myself. How I loved my family, more than anything I could have possibly immagined. How I would do anything for my family. "You have a love for your family, which I believe can make you as strong as any other man on this earth," Hershel told me, staring at one another for a long moment as I processed his words, along with Steinbeck's quote.
"Present, future and past," Herehsel said with a twitching smile on his lips, possibly speaking about men from different times. I knew he was right that I would do anything for my family. A family that included him, his daughters and all the others that now lived in harmony under the roof of the prison. He then pat my knee one last time, rose to his feet and walked out of my cell. Giving me much to think about.
~Judith~
Picking Judith up from her cot, I smiled and watched as her hands reached up for me. When I took her into my arms, I stared into her eyes and smiled warmly to her. Rocking her gently and giggling when she would babble or stick her tongue out at me.
Bouncing carefully on the spot, I giggled and watched as she reached up for my necklace. "You want one, don't you princess?" I asked her and laughed. She had been so amused and curious towards the necklace I wore. One that was on both Carl and dad too. The four of us all shared a similar bracelet, but the necklace was more of what we did.
"You know, one day...you'll have one. Just like us," I tell her as I glanced down at the necklace we all wore. Feeling my heart warm when she swayed it in her hand and made me see the words written on it. "You know...I'm going to promise you lots of things," I spoke to her, keeping it private and quiet. "Sometimes, there will be promises I can't keep," I told her, feeling myself become ashamed at the thought. Of things like, she would get whatever she wanted and that type of bull.
"But know this...I promise you, nothing bad will ever happen to you," I told her firmly, I had stopped bouncing on my feet and was now staring into her eyes. "I'm your big sister," I stated, my voice firm. "I'm going to protect you," I said to her with every honest fibre in my body. "Or die trying," I pointed out to her, knowing that what I was telling her was a hundered percent true. "That, I will always promise you that," I revealed to her truthfully. "Just as I promised Carl when he was around the same size as you," I spoke, remembering when Carl was in my arms and how I had promised him the same thing I was promising Judith.
~Rick~
"Jesus," Dad said, walking towards us while me and Carl were looking in the album, but there was an envelope inside it that we were told to never open. "I had no clue your mom had this stored in here too," Dad said as he looked at the pictures and didn't let us see what had been hiding inside the brown enevelope.
"Oh!" I spoke, excited to find out what was inside it. Carl was equally as excited, trying to get onto his tip toes to see what Dad was holding. "What is it?" I asked him, hoping he would show us. Dad's eyes shone bright, his blue eyes were slightly teasing and making me know that there was something embaressing for him in the brown envelope.
"Pictures, of when we were teens," Dad told me which made me smile wider. Dropping the pictures onto the table, me and Carl began to seperate them and look at the pictures, young mom and dad were...interesting to see. Making my eyes widen and my laugh hard to hold back.
"Wow!" I spoke, surprised to find all of these pictures. One of them caught my eye, picking it up, I examined it and stiffled a laugh. Dad had huge hair, the type that made me want to laugh and start impersonating a movie character.
"Woah..." Carl said, snatching it from me as he glanced at it over my shoulder. He was curious as to why my expression had suddenly changed into one of laughter. His fingers curled around mine, before he took the picture from my grip and made me snicker softly.
"Yeah, 'woah'," Dad agreed, he moved away and chuckled. A bright, cat like smile grew on his face and made me want to laugh even more. He wasn't proud, but it wasn't like he could change it now. It must of held precious memories, ones that made us all laugh at how ridiculous he looked.
"Nice hair, dad," Carl teased, showing Dad the picture and poking fun at Dad. Those that watched us, people such as Carol and Beth, with Judith. They had all laughed, along with Glenn and Maggie smiling towards us as we had a funny, family moment.
"Stop," I scolded Carl playfully, shoving him lightly with a bright smile on my face. Our sides bumping into each other as I tried to make him stop embaressing Dad infront of everyone. Knowing it was probably making Dad feel shy, but he just laughed and smiled.
"Sure, laugh it up," Dad grumbled at us, the pair of us laughing while he leaned over and snatched the picture from Carl. Shuffling the rest of them, placing them back into the envelope and getting to his feet. "Evil pair," he teased which made me and Carl turn red in the face, tears in our eyes as we laughed. The rest of our group watched us, laughing and enjoying the witnessing of our family moment.
~Carl~
"Kat!" Carl shouted to me, calling me and running to me. Attacking me in a hug, I stumbled a little and let go of the ice pack that was on my jaw from a punch I had recieved. "Are you okay?" he asked me, muffled by how his face was hidden in my clothes. Ignoring the need to have the ice against my face, I dropped it and placed it to one side and hugged him tightly. My arms wraped around him, holding him to me as I sighed and shut my eyes from the hug.
"I'm fine," I told him, slowly I pulled him away from me and looked into his eyes. "I promise," I spoke firmly, holding his gaze as blue clashed with blue. "How are you?" I asked him, concerned for his own health. My brows furrowed, a sadness clouding my tone and concern filled me for my little brother.
"I'm good," he assured me, nodding and slowly, I walked to my bed and sat down. "You saved me," Carl pointed out and sat down beside me. The bed bouncing a little from the impact, but I was all right with it. Picking up my bag of ice, placing it against my jaw once more and listening to him speak. "Why?" he asked me, concerned and curious for my actions.
"It's my job," I stated to him bluntly. Feeling an ache in my jaw from movement and placed the bag back onto my bedside table. "You're my baby brother," I told him, turning my head to look at him and meeting his gaze. "I'll always fight for you and protect you," I revealed to him in my subtle promise. "I'll always save you," I stated and he stared at me.
"You're the most important thing to me," I tell Carl, my bottom lip trembling as I felt tears threaten to build in my eyes. Biting them back, I wouldn't show him I was weak and especially not towards him. "I won't let anyone or anything hurt you Carl," I promised him. "I'd do anything for you," I stated, unashamed that he was my weakness and always would be. "I'll always watch out for you. Always," I stated, my voice firm and eyes locked onto him as I spoke.
"You know...I won't let anything happen to you either Kat," Carl spoke softly, his eyes light while he spoke to me, the pair of us in the darkness but we could see from the light of the moon. "I'd do the same for you too," he told me with all the honesty in his heart, I could see it. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Kat," Carl revealed to me, making me believe him and clench my jaw. Swallowing down a lump in my throat. "You know that, don't you?" he asked me, his head bobbing a little with his question.
"Yeah," I stated, smiling at him and flinching at the action. "We're family," I pointed out and ruffled his hair, nodding and ignoring the pain of my jaw. Laughing softly, smiling at him and watching him as he tried to get my hand out of his hair.
"Family," Carl agreed, his hand holding mine in his and he stared up at me. A small admiration and acceptance between the pair of us. Knowing that we would fight for each other, stay together and face everything until the end. "It's what we do," Carl said which made me laugh through my nose a little. The pair of us sat there silently, looking to each other but we spent a long amount of time sat on the small roof outside my window, staring up at the sky and staying silent. Enjoying the peaceful silence between siblings as we relaxed with nature in front of us.
~Daryl~
"Hey," Daryl spoke, he had made his way towards me and his hand was gripping onto the leather of his crossbow tightly, his eyes shying away from me whenever I would look at him. We had grown close, but there was still a distance about him whenever we were alone.
"Don't tell me you're going to give me a present too," I sighed, doubting he would give me a present but it seemed to me that everyone was giving me a gift for a day that we didn't even know it was accurate. Looking to him, I saw him become even more shy than he began to be.
"Well, um..." Daryl mumbled, his eyes looking to me and quickly flashed to the ground when I moved my eyes up at him. Staring at him as he stayed planted on the spot, not speaking and not wanting to move from the spot he was on.
"Jesus," I grumbled, rolling my eyes and sighing. Crossing my arms over my chest, I looked to him and saw how he had grown more distant than before. He glanced everywhere, everywhere but not at me. "What is it?" I questioned him gently, not wanting to intimidate him if that was how he felt at that moment.
"Come," Daryl spoke quickly, chewing on the inside of his cheek, I saw him turn and head towards the cafeteria. Following him, I sighed and watched us reach the table where I normally sat at when I would look at the album with Carl and dad.
When we reached it, Daryl stopped and stared down at the table. Getting closer, I looked down at it and saw there was something I had been talking about. Something I had no luck finding during my runs. "Oh my God..." I spoke with a small gasp. "Is that?..." I questioned him, my eyes flashing up to meet his shy ones.
He had been staring at me, but he quickly glanced away when I looked to him excited about the object that was on the table. A slight fear of touching it, worried that it was all an illusion and that it would disappear when I would reach out and touch it. "Yeah," Daryl spoke with a nod, his voice rough as he talked and he kept his eyes on the object laying on the table.
Taking another step, I looked down at the album that was on the table and knew it was one I could fill with pictures of Judith. Seeing as Michonne had got me a camera, while Daryl had found the album I had been wanting. "Thank you," I whispered to him, my fingers tracing the outlines of Judith's name that was on the cover of the album. "Thank you so much, Daryl," I whispered again as I leapt up, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him into a hug.
Daryl's body tensed when I held him, his hands slowly went to hold my upper arms before he slid his arms around my slim frame. "Yeah," Daryl grumbled, his voice low and his body slowly relaxed under my hold. "You're welcome," Daryl said as we pulled away, his eyes shying away from mine before I pulled away and stepped back.
~Michonne~
"Kat!" I heard the familiar voice of Michonne's call out to me, turning back to her, I saw her come up from behind, making me jump slightly and I was growing tired of people in our group always trying to spook me in some way.
"What are you doing?" I asked her curiously, giving her a kind smile and watched as she walked beside me. "You can't just sneak up on someone like that," I informed her, making her laugh and playfully shove my side with hers as we headed to the fences.
"I'm just here to say hello," she informed me which made me shake my head. She had made a good job of saying hello, making me jump and almost lose my heart from the sudden fear she gave me. "I also want to know...have you been making kissy noises with Daryl?" she asked me with a playful smirk growing on her lips.
"Christ," I spoke, surprised to find that almost everyone had believed that myself and Daryl were seeing each other behind people's backs. We had grown close, but Daryl didn't see me in that way and neither did I. Even if I did think he was attractive, sweet and knew how to keep me safe. He made me feel...strange. "Why does everyone think that?" I asked, rolling my eyes at her and the thought of me and Daryl in that way.
"I don't know..." Michonne teased with a hint of playfulness in her tone, making me look at her and glare through slinted eyes. Her laugh was one that filled the air, making me shake my head and give her a disapproving look.
"Shut up," I poked fun back at her, my voice stern which made her laugh even more. She placed her arm over my shoulders, pulling me into her side and bumped heads with me lightly. After this, she kindly placed a kiss to the side of my head and laughed softly. She knew how to make me not hate her for long. I could never stay mad at her.
~Reality~
There was something inside me, I didn't know if anyone had survived or not. But something in my gut told me that they were still alive and that those back in the prison continued to survive. That they were smart enough to survive. I knew, somewhere deep within me that Daryl was alive. As was Michonne. They had to be. They were the strongest people I knew. Without a doubt.
CPOV
Walking in, I took off my small coat off and placed it on the head of the couch. I wasn't sure if Kat was awake or on her feet, but I knew Dad was still asleep, judging by how he hadn't moved and how he was still asleep. "I killed three walkers," I told him, hoping he would and could hear me. Getting no response from him once again, made me feel ignored and caused me to exhale softly.
"They were at the door. They were gonna get in, but I lured them away," I informed Dad of what I had done for him, keeping my eyes on him and seeing him stay still on the couch. Not moving an inch, not even a small twitch of his hand or any gesture to tell me he was still alive, or even breathing. "I killed them. I saved you. I saved you," I emphasised each word down at him, hoping he would wake up and somehow thank me.
"I didn't forget while you had us playing farmer," I grumbled, telling him about the time we had spent in the prison feeding pigs and growing crops. "I still know how to survive," I told him, knowing he couldn't hear me, but hoping he would. "Lucky for us," I mumbled more to myself more than it was to him or Kat, if she was currently listening. "I don't need you anymore. I don't need you or Kat to protect me anymore," I began, feeling the anger and blood boil inside of me.
"I can take care of myself," I stated to him like an insult. He's good for nothing. "You probably can't even protect me anyways," I told him, feeling disappointed in him from his recent actions. "You couldn't protect Judith. You couldn't protect..." I was holding back my anger, sighing at the end, looking to the heavens for some self control. "Hershel, or Glenn, or Maggie. Michonne, Daryl, Kat..." I pointed out to him, listing the people he couldn't protect. Not now, not ever.
"Or Mom," I spat at him darkly, knowing that Mom died because of his stupid actions, along with The Governor. He should have killed Andrew and The Governor the first chance he had, instead he had let them both run free. To kill the ones we loved most. "You just wanted to plant vegetables," I growled at him, unhappy with his choices and letting him hear it.
"You just wanted to hide," I told him. Like a small mouse, doing nothing and always trying to keep away from the things that could hurt us. "He knew where we were and you didn't care!" I stated, knowing he was waiting for the day, dreading for when it would happen and it was all so predictable. Kat told me she knew this would happen. "You just hid behind those fences and waited for..." I stopped and sighed again, holding back all my thoughts and anger as to not offend him. He is still my Dad.
"They're all gone now," I began. "Because of you!" I shouted, angered with him and how pathetic he looked, he had made Hershel die, he had almost killed Kat and it was all because of his stupid mistake. "They counted on you!" I screamed at him, from the top of my lungs. Letting all my anger and opinion come out. "You were their leader!" I yelled at him. Sniffling, I came down from my anger filled high, my mind slowly coming back down from the combustion of emotion I had thrown at Dad. Sitting on the ground, I curled my knees up, wrapping my arms around them and hugging my legs to my chest.
"But now you're nothing," I growled, my eyes turning into slints while I glared at him. Letting a few tears roll down my cheeks, the familiar faces of people I had grown to love, of people I had lost and the people I was with now, making myself sniff and sigh, I got to my feet and wiped my tears against my shirt. The food bags rustling while I picked it up, dumping the food to the ground and looking at what I had for me and Kat to share. "We'd be fine if you died," I spat at him under my voice, my tone dark and unloving towards him. Kat could have been safe if it wasn't for Dad getting shot, she almost died for Dad, we'd be better off without him.
KPOV
The faint sound of mumbling had me open my eyes, getting out of my rest and making me feel hazy. The voice was a small, quiet hum and my head felt like it was swimming. Slowly, I came back to reality and felt the small sting in my side, it wasn't as painful as before and I was begning to feel stronger. "I saved you. I saved you," I heard the familiar voice of Carl's chant, it made me confused as to who he was talking to. "I didn't forget while you had us playing farmer," he said, which made me realize he was talking to Dad.
"I still know how to survive," Carl spoke, making me think about Dad and curious as to if he was awake, but not hearing a response confirmed that he was in fact, still fast asleep. "Lucky for us," Carl mumbled under his breath, I stayed silent and didn't move from my sitting position against the cool wall. "I don't need you anymore," Carl said darkly. "I don't need you or Kat to protect me anymore," he said which made me feel a pang of pain in my heart. Protecting Carl...it's all I know. Does he really not want me around?
"I can take care of myself," Carl said confidently, which made me doubt his words slightly. "You probably can't even protect me anyways," Carl mildly insulted Dad. "You couldn't protect Judith. You couldn't protect..." Carl was getting worked up, holding back what he wanted to say and sighing heavily. "Hershel, or Glenn, or Maggie," Carl began to list off those he believed we had lost during the attack of the Governor.
"Michonne, Daryl, Kat..." Carl said which made me furrow my brows, his voice was one of anger and was all targeted at Dad. "Or Mom," Carl snarled at Dad, which was just another puncture to the wound in my heart. I miss her, so very much. "You just wanted to plant vegetables," Carl spoke disaprovingly. "You just wanted to hide," Carl said as though this was the worst case of the whole senario. "He knew where we were and you didn't care!" Carl began to shout, his anger boiling as I sensed it happening from the sound of his voice.
"You just hid behind those fences and waited for..." Carl was getting riled up, his sigh was heavier this time and I knew he was trying to get his emotions and thoughts off his chest. "They're all gone now," Carl began. "Because of you!" Carl shouted, directing his anger and inflicting all the pain towards Dad, who wasn't concious, so he wouldn't be able to answer Carl back. All Dad could do was stay silent, unmoving and he wasn't able to responde. "They counted on you!" Carl told Dad. "You were their leader!" Carl reminded him, I heard shuffles, before a small thump, the vibrations told me he had sat down beside Dad.
The small sniffles was indicator that he was crying, the sound of his reaction to his words told me he too was vulnerable at this very moment. "But now you're nothing," Carl growled darkly, his sniffles floated to my ears, his sighs were heart breaking and the small sound of food bags rustle, the plopping of items told me he had emptied the bags of its contents. "We'd be fine if you died," Carl said, which made my eyes pop out of my sockets and my jaw slam to the floor. Oh no...
CPOV
Wandering around, I had the bag emptied, ready to find some more supplies that myself and Kat would be in need of, for our journey and for whatever else she would need after she recovered from her injuries. Finding a big house, I thought it would definetly hold some supplies we could use, pulling out a light that was in the ground, I stalked closer to the door. Quiet, as to not make a noise.
I was originally going to use the pointy end of the light, all while breaking the door in with gradual bumps of my shoulder against it. Going with plan B, I took a few steps back and readied myself. Making a run to the door, I used my arm against the door, grunting, I fell to the ground and laid there for a few seconds. You won, door. Sighing, I took a moment to regather my senses and got to my feet. "Damn it," I mumbled under my breath. Going back to plan A, the door successfully opened and squeaked while I opened it.
Stepping inside, I kept my gun ready, aimed and close to firing if any walkers were going to jump at me like earlier. Checking inside, I found a bunch of cans that we could eat, taking them out and placing it all in the bag. I was pleased with the amount of food I had found in the cupboards. Looking up, I found something I hadn't seen since the outbreak, something I would obsess over before the world went to hell, it was staring at me and calling. Moving furnature, I stepped up onto the desktop and pulled the pudding into my hands. Laughing with a soft sigh, I was over the moon to find it. Mmm. Pudding.
Deciding to test my luck, I went up the stairs, the floorboards creaking with every step I took. There was a door, one I had opened slowly and found a dead bird laid on the ground, it looked like it had been eaten and torn by something, making me pant and heart beat faster. Careful, I opened a door, the sound it had made alerted a snarling walker, clawing and trying to get out of the room it was locked inside of. Trying to shut the door on it, his hands were in the way and stopping me from sealing him inside. With enough force, I had broken his hand and saw a bone split his skin. With a forceful shove, he made me fall back onto my back, stumbling out from the room, I had my gun raised and aimed.
Crawling backwards, shots were fired and it hadn't hit the walker. Not a single bullet. Aiming one last time, I shot and it had sliced at his head, only it flew past him and only grazed his head ever so slightly. A clicking sound told me that my gun was out of ammo. Shit. I'm fucked, aren't I? "Oh, shit," I swore when he had fallen to the floor and began to claw at my foot. His bloodshot yellow eyes staring at me, making my heart thunder and body heat up, sweat covering every inch of my skin. I kept kicking at his face, hoping he would let me go and allow me a chance to escape.
"Come on," I hissed, trying to crawl my way out of his grasp. The books piled and pressed to my back were falling around me, making a huge puddle of stacks of books tumble around myself and the walker. "Come on. Come on," I kept squirming from the walker's grasp, his black teeth chomping at me in the air as he stared at me. Hungry for a piece of my skin. Trying to shove the door closed, I was on my feet and I knew it wouldn't work. I had to find an exit. Searching the room, I found a window and ran to it, forcing it open and grunting in my efforts. "Come on," I encouraged myself and the window, praying it would open and nothing happened.
The walker was already inside the room with me, making its way towards me and making me push against the window harder. It wouldn't budge. Picking up the bedside lamp, I slammed it against the walker before it could get its hands on me. We both fell to the ground, the walker taking hold of me as I mannaged to squirm out of his hold, until I felt his hands wrap around my leg and his face come closer to my leg. Whimpering, I kept on trying to get out of his reach, with my efforts, he had took hold of my shoe and I lost it while I got out of the room. Shoving the door shut, it wouldn't close and when the walker went to his feet, I felt panic run though me.
Shoving the books either inside or out of the room, I slammed the door shut and the walker was pounding against the door, I was panting, trying to regain my breath and listened as the door handle jiggled. Grabbing a piece of chalk, I wrote on the door and it said: 'Walker inside, got my shoe. Didn't get me.' I grabbed the pudding, found another way to the roof, sat on it and listened as the walker would growl at me through the window I had attempted to exit from. Eating my pudding, staring at the roads and remembering the time when people filled the streets, when cars were placed in front of homes.
When me and Kat would sit on our roof, our rooms next door to one another and at the front of the house. Some nights, me and Kat would sit out on the roof and...watch the stars. Sometimes we would talk, most times, we sat there silently and said nothing at all. Those times, nothing was needed to be said. Only enjoying the company we shared, something only myself and Kat would do. Especially when we would do it to comfort each other, silently. I missed those days.
Heading back to the house, I found Kat was still sleepy, but she looked healthier. Her skin was returning to a more natural color, her eyes no longer looked tired as I had recalled in the memory of what she had looked like earlier in the morning. Dad was still fast asleep, he looked more dead than he did alive. When it turned dark, I had laid my head beside Dad's feet, waking up from a nightmare, I heard a gasp and sudden heavy breathing. Dad's hand twitched, which made me jump from where I sat and rush towards his gun. The hammer clicked as I waited for Dad to reanimate.
His raspy breathing made me pant, my heart pounding and tears building while I saw him reach out for me. His body rolled onto the ground, the bowl clattering from the impact Dad's corpse made against the empty bowl of cereal I had earlier. My gun was aimed, but my crying overtook my whole body.
"Carl!" I heard Kat's frantic, scared voice call after me, her voice was dry and her body shuffled to get onto her feet. When she walked into the room, she leaned against a wall and clasped a hand onto her side, where her stab wound was. "What's going on?" she asked me worried, her eyes darting between myself and Dad. His hand reaching out for me, his breathing was laboured and I felt my heart sink.
Realization hit me like a thousand bricks, all tumbling ontop of me and crushing me harder than anything you could imagine. "I can't," I said as I lowered Dad's colt, his hand landing on my foot and making me feel weaker than I had ever felt before. "I was wrong," I whispered to his now dead corpse. "Just do it," I told him, knowing that I couldn't look after myself or Kat. There is no way in hell.
"Oh my God..." Kat said a little worried, her tone sad and my tone was one of pure cowardice. I can't do this. I need Dad to keep me safe. I need Kat, they're both hurt, they can't protect me. I can't protect them and I can't protect myself. Kat's words and how she said it made me feel guilty. She deserves better.
"Carl," Dad's voice wheezed out, making my look at him surprised and stop my crying momentarily. He's...he can't be. "Kat," Dad whispered out my sister's name, making me feel...strange. My heart swelled but, I felt a relief, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. He's alive.
"Dad!" Kat called, she had rushed to get beside us, dropping to her knees and clutching Dad's back, trying to get him to get onto his knees, so he could stand up. Here I was, thinking he was dead. Why did I doubt Kat's skills or Dad's strength to come back to us? I feel so stupid. So weak...I'm pathetic.
His wheezing was evident that he was weak and his voice was muffled as he spoke. "Don't go outside," Dad breathed out at us. "Stay safe," Dad informed us, sort of a command but a loving gesture. He wants us to be safe. For our own benefit.
I couldn't hold it, when Dad rolled over, I cupped his face and lowered my forehead to rest against his. "I'm scared," I sobbed, repeating the words over and over again. Not ashamed of Kat seeing how weak I truly was, she had seen me through good times and bad. She's my sister. I'm meant to protect them both, but how can I do that when I can't protect myself? I'm a shame to this family. I'm not a good shot, I can't protect myself and I wouldn't be surprised if Kat hated me...
KPOV
The sound of a gun clicking, made me jump, along with the clattering of a plate being squished on by a thump of a body. What the hell is going on? "Carl!" I asked a little worried, I had gotten to my feet and stumbled into the room. Clutching my side, my wound felt like it had been ripped open, but it was simply a sting that was caused by me moving too quickly. Carl was sobbing, his eyes on Dad, who was reaching out to him, his breathing uneven and it had me a little worried. "What's going on?" I asked Carl a little confused as to what was happening.
Dad's hand landed on Carl's foot, Carl's sobbing controlled him and when Dad grasped Carl's foot, Carl dropped the colt to the floor. "I can't," Carl cried, my heart broke and shattered. "I was wrong," Carl said, making me remember the rant he had given Dad when I had become concious. "Just do it," Carl said to Dad, his eyes were shut tightly and Dad wasn't moving, he was only breathing and clutching Carl's foot. My hand twitched closer towards my gun. I would put my father down...if it meant saving Carl.
"Oh my God..." I whispered, unsure of what was about to happen now, but knowing that I was ready for whatever was about to happen. I won't let Carl die. Not now, not today and not ever. He's my brother. I won't let him get hurt. Not while I live and breathe. It's my job to keep him safe.
"Carl," I heard Dad's voice wheeze out in the darkness. It made Carl's expression change, tears still building in his eyes and his face turned somewhat surprised. "Kat," Dad called to me, making my hearth tunder against my chest. He's alive. Carl...thought he was dead? That Dad was a...walker?
"Dad!" I called to Dad, hurrying to his side, I got to my knees and placed my hands gently onto his back. Carefully, I tried to get him to his knees, supporting him as he did it and kept his hold on Carl's foot. Was Carl going to shoot Dad? Did Carl...give up? What the hell just happened here?
Dad's wheezing was indicator that he was weaker than I hoped he would be, his voice dry and muffled whilst he spoke. "Don't go outside," he advised us. "Stay safe," Dad strained as he spoke, falling onto his back, Carl cupped his face and all I could do was watch while Carl lowered his forehead onto Dad's. His sobs shook him.
"I'm scared," Carl sobbed, repeating the words softly to Dad and making my heart sink. He was still just a kid, living in a world where it's kill or be killed. The way he cried, reminded me of how young he really was. He was growing up, but this world could still frighten the young and it encouraged me more to keep him safe. He's so...innocent, even after everything that's happened. I'll always protect him. Forever and always. He's my brother. It's my duty to protect him and keep him safe. His life is always before my own.
"Carl, help me get Dad back onto the couch, please?" I asked Carl softly, trying to move Carl out of the way and to get Dad back onto the couch. Carl sniffled and nod slowly, wiping away his tears using the material of his shirt, he assisted me to get Dad back onto the couch, so he was laying down and comfortable as he slept again.
When Dad was in place, both us us sat there beside Dad, Carl's soft crying was making my heart ache for him and shatter. He was vulnerable, he was lost and I didn't want him to be hurting as he was. "Shh," I hushed him, raising my hands to cup his face and stared into his eyes. "Hey," I said with a sad laugh, my own tears threatening to escape from the build up in my eyes. Ignoring the need to cry, I chose to stay strong for Carl, wiping his tears and bringing him to rest his head on my shoulder, comforting him.
"Come here," I whispered, being gentle and slow as we moved to get comfortable, lowering his head to rest onto my lap, I laid the back of mine to press against Dad's feet. Carl quietly cried into my lap, his head laid there as his body shook on the ground from his sobs. "We're going to be fine," I whispered, slithering my fingers into his hair and comforting him in this way. A way I would do whenever he felt sad, when we were younger and back in the old world we once knew. "We're all going to be fine," I whispered once again, feeling his pain and staying strong for him. Being his rock as he cried, massaging his scalp and relazing as we both eventually fell asleep in this position, Carl's hands gripping my pants as he cried into them.
When morning came, it was a slow wake up and Dad was the first one to wake us. Making us all sit up and rest our backs against the couch. Carl was the one in the middle, Dad at one end and myself at the other. Carl had told us what happened while both myself and Dad were recovering from the after effect of the Governor's attack. "You shouldn't have risked it, going out there like that," Dad said as we heard about Carl going out for supplies, his encounter with a walker and losing his shoe in the process.
"It's dangerous," I agreed, feeling a pang of shame at the thought of myself not being there for Carl when he needed me most. When he had been all alone, facing walkers after a long period of time not being in this environment as he had been a few hours ago. To think, only two days ago we were at the prison, farming vegetables and sleeping in our own, safe and warm beds. So much can change in the matter of seconds.
"I was careful," Carl told us, glancing between myself and Dad. Dad's blue eyes glanced at Carl, witnessing his expression and the honesty that were held in his eyes. He's telling the truth. Dad gave a nod, looking at me for approval and seeing that I believed him, even if things did go south, he was trying to stay safe. He couldn't control walkers, no one could. Dad scoffed before he looked down at his hands in his lap, nodding and agreeing to Carl's view of the story and his safety in that moment.
"It's good that you found more food," Dad said with a small nod, it was quiet and the sun was up. The heat sticky, our faces covered in the sweat from last night's humidity and from the fact that this weather during this time was sometimes unbearable. How did we survive through this heat? Shit, I prefer the cool showers we used to have back at the prison, but that's not going to happen. Not anytime soon, at least.
"I found even more," Carl began, his voice was one of caution, as though he was worried that we would possibly be mad with him about something. "But I ate it," Carl revealed to us, making myself and Dad's blue eyes clash with curiousity. What exactly was so important that he needs to tell us he ate some food?
"What was it?" I asked him curious, seeing how his lips pursed, trying to hide the smile that grew on his lips. A small flutter of his lashes, told us he was glancing at both myself and Dad from the corners of his eyes. It must be something important he ate, otherwise, he wouldn't tell us this.
"112 ounces of pudding," Carl revealed to us, making Dad chuckle and myself laugh softly. Carl's face lit up with the wide smile that was plastered to his face. His features were the image of youth, proving he was still that young brother that we had missed since the world went to shit happened. He always did love his chocolate pudding.
"I know...we'll never get things back to the way they used to be," Dad began, sounding depressed and sad as he spoke a more serious matter. My brows furrowed into a straight line, my crystals focused on him as I questioned him with a small 'what?'. "I only clung to that for you two," Dad told us. His eyes not meeting either of our questioning ones. "For Judith," he continued to speak.
"Now she's gone," Dad reminded us, making my heart drop to my stomach and the pain grow inside of me. She was so young, so innocent and so...shit. I miss her. She was what gave us all hope. "Kat, you've grown up to be a respectable, smart woman," Dad said as he turned his head to look at me. "A woman your mother would be proud of, hell...she was always proud of you," he said which made tears build in my eyes. She's still a sore subject. I miss mom more each and every day.
"And you, you're a man, Carl," Dad said, moving onto Carl as we both had our turn to be complimented by Dad. "You're a man," Dad spoke of Carl, nodding and agreeing to what Dad had said. He really is. He was looking out for us both, while we had been recovering from our own injuries. He's a better person since they began farming. Carl is respectable now. "I'm sorry," Dad appologized, as though this was all a bad thing.
"You don't need to be," Carl said to Dad, taking the words out of my own mouth. I was proud of him, he had become so mature and grown up. He would care for Judith when I wasn't around. He's my little man, but I feel like Dad is sorry because we both can't be the children we once were all that time ago. The world's changed, so have we and we're stronger because of each other. The sound of knocking made us all jump, Carl had cocked his gun and aimed at the door.
Slipping out my gun, I too aimed and became alert, waiting for Dad who had pulled out his Colt and got to his feet. Looking through the peep hole, he saw whatever was outside and began to chuckle, falling to the couch and got himself comfortable. His laughter shook his entire body as he slumped onto the couch. "What?" Carl aked Dad a little worried by this sudden, unexpected reaction. Is Dad high on the pills I gave him?
Carl lowerd his gun, looked at Dad and we both saw how his eyes darted between me and my young brother. "It's for you two," Dad teased, informing us in a way from what I could gather through his eyes and a lopsided smile that grew on his face. His hair was stuck to his face, but he looked better than he did last time. A small sense of pride was building inside of me. Who or what is at the door?
I hope you liked this chapter! Can I please have 5 reviews for this chapter? It's all I ask for, 5 reviews. I am preparing the next chapter as you're reading this, so the quicker I get the 5 reviews, the quicker I'll write and post the next chapter!
Now...questions and then replies to the reviews
1) What did you think of this chapter?
2) What would you like to happen in the next chapter?
3) Predictions on what will happen in the next few chapters to come?
4) Top 5 moments of this chapter?
5) Top 5 characters you want to see Kat interact with (possibly more?)?
6) Would you like me to do small recaps on what happened in the last chapter. Like 'Previously on The Untold Grimes' and then make a small summary? Or is that too much?
Replies!
redangel2463: Yes, it happened...again. But all with good reason! I hope. We all have our opinions. {Shrugs} We'll see what happens when they meet again. Although, I have said in the past that I won't make them kiss until season 5. So...you'll need to be patient for a lot of things.
EastDenise: Wow! I hope you read it with enough time! She did survive, so far...who knows what can happen in the future? Daryl thinks she's dead but, Kat doesn't think Daryl is dead, or Michonne and well...Michonne's proved one of her theories. We'll see when they get together, because maybe Kat could get captured by Joe's group, or she could somehow get lost, or maybe even possibly die. Who knows?
Panboa: 1) Well, Kat did become reckless and ran after her Dad like that. It's kind of her instinct, she doesn't think first, she thinks fast. This world, it's kind of necessary to think like that, no matter the consequences that she needed to face. Which, for her was the stab wound from the Governor, but she's patched herself up as well as she could with the resources she had. She still puts her Dad and brother before herself, as you saw here too. As for Negan, we'll see. I'm glad you liked the scenes between Kat, Judith and Glenn. She'll hopefully reunite with her sister, but we'll never know. They're both kind of broken, but Kat's broken over her sister and Daryl is broken about everyone. Daryl thinks Kat is dead, but in all truth, she's not and Kat knows Daryl is dead. Even if he was, Kat wouldn't come to terms with it, she would probably only deny it and continue to think he lives. 2) I'm glad those were your top favourite moments, in all honesty, my favourite moment was writing the scenes that Kat was fighting, against those attacking the prison and having those close combat moments. Super fun. 3) We'll see what happens, but in the next chapter, you'll definately see how Daryl is coping with Beth and how Kat is finally getting onto her feet, moving around and discovering new things. {I've already said too much about the next chapter so I'll stop it there} 4) I've minimized the amount of repeated scenes, so there is only crutial moments that I'll repeat like in this one was the challenging, change in Carl and how he was like towards Rick. 5) It was a long recovery, both her and Rick were passed out, trying to regain their strength and let their body do what it needed to for the pair to survive after their repairs. They're recovered now, but it's going to be one hell of an intense chapter next time!
lette1685: I won't lie, it makes me a little upset when I don't hit that mark. But I don't complain, I have great readers and supporters. I only want to know what they think, seeing as I write this chapters not just for myself and the enjoyment I get from it, but also because I want to know what they want out of it. It's their experience too.
LoneWolfAtHeart16: Join the club dear, thanks for your review. Reading what you thought has really warmed my own heart and pulled my lips to form a smile. That's the God honest truth. As for tears, laughter and frustration. I feel all of that while I write, but I felt like Daryl's character doesn't get the writing he deserves when it comes to fanfictions. Some people rush him into relationships, when its all slow and awkward at times. For Daryl and Kat, they have formed a very slow friendship, one that both frustrates them but gives them comfort. They understand each other in weird ways, while every character has different impacts to different characters in multiple ways. I enjoy exploring this side of characters, hitting dark notes and the struggle, along with fears that are faced when there is a walker appocalypse. I appreciate the support and hope to see your review pop up for this chapter and multiple others to come! We'll see what happens, won't we?
Until the 5 reviews and next chapter!
Much love!
HeroJustInTime90 xxx
