Sorry for the long wait, I don't even know what kept me from writing, but it's probably not a viable excuse, so I won't make one.
Anyone who cares can see the first nineteen chapters for a disclaimer.
Enjoy!
Rick dropped three silencers into his bag along with four various boxes of ammunition.
"Any luck?" He heard Michonne's voice from behind him.
"Got a couple of boxes of rounds, and three silencers." Rick replied as he closed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "All stuck under the counter. You?"
"Water filters and arrows for Daryl."
"Good. Where is Daryl?"
As if on cue, Daryl's deep voice echoed through the warehouse like store. "Rick!" he called, warehouse like store. "Rick!" he called, his voice urgent. "RICK!"
"Daryl?" Rick called back, running towards the front of the store with Michonne on his heels. The archer came into view, standing in the doorway, his crossbow poised, aimed at nothing. "What happened?"
"They're gone." Daryl said, lowing his crossbow in defeat.
"What?" Michonne demanded, pushing past Daryl to see into the truck.
"No." Rick could see from inside the store that the truck was empty. "No no no no no no no." he heard his gun clatter against the hard wood floor and rubbed his hands through his hair, grabbing on a pulling a few strand free. "No! No! NO!"
"Rick!" he barely heard Michonne's voice as the samurai pulled Rick's hands out of his hair. "RICK!"
Rick snapped out of his shock, realising he was laying on the floor. He let Michonne help him to his feet and followed her out of the store towards Daryl, who held a piece of paper and Carl's hat in his hands.
"Wat is it?" Michonne asked.
Daryl sighed and handed the note to Rick, who absently took it, reading the simple words before it floated out of his hands. He reached out for the hat, cradling it against his chest.
Michonne scooped it up off the ground, reading it before looking quizzically at Daryl. "Finders keepers?" She asked, confused. She hadn't heard that phrase since before the apocalypse.
Daryl nodded, recognizing the taunt for what it was. "Joe has them."
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Blake tried to control her breathing as she buried her face in Carl's shirt, willing herself to wake up. Having a panic attack now would not be good.
Carl stared at the roof, listening to Blake's hyperventilating and wishing they were anywhere else but in the trunk of a car. Not six hours ago, Carl had promised Blake that he would protect her, that nothing would happen to her. He hated himself for not being able to keep that promise. If he'd been watching, these assholes wouldn't have been able to sneak up on them. If he'd been quicker to realise what was happening, he could've called for his dad and Michonne. He was just… too slow.
Blake knew what the men were capable of, and she would sooner die than let anything happen to Carl. The problem was, Carl would sooner die than let anything happen to Blake.
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"They cut the damn gas line." Daryl huffed, pissed to no end. "We gotta run."
"Then let's go." Rick growled and grabbed a fistful of the hat that used to be his, not letting that piece of his son get away. Rick and Michonne took off running, following Daryl as he ran down the road, the tire tracks in the slightly soft road leading their way.
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After an incredibly long and bumpy ride in the dark trunk of the car, the vehicle came to a stop, causing Blake and Carl to be pressed even closer together than they already were. The two listened as the engine stopped rumbling and seven doors opened and closed. Both prisoners tensed as they heard footsteps approaching the back of the car, and the trunk flew open. Carl was facing away from the men outside, towards Blake who had been thrown in first, but he heard the hammer of a gun being pulled back.
"Try anything and your girlfriend gets it." Joe almost teased as he grabbed Carl's arm and yanked him out of the car, the teen struggled to get his feet under him as pain spiked through his leg. Carl didn't resist as a different man took hold of his bicep, knowing there was no way he could fight off all of these men, even if he wasn't restrained.
Carl's heart broke as Blake was pulled out of the trunk, her eyes red and face streaked with tears. He could tell she was trying to put on a brave face, but it wasn't working.
The two locked eyes as the group started walking into the woods. Leaving the vehicles made little sense to the teens, but they really didn't have a say in the matter, so they just let themselves be dragged through the woods, a gun pressed to Blake's head the whole time.
Carl's legs were slightly numb from the long, cramped ride in the truck, and he stumbled and nearly fell multiple times before the group reached a small clearing and decided to set up camp.
The kids were moved to opposite sides of the clearing and had their feet bound so they couldn't run off, not that either of them would leave without the other.
Carl and Blake locked eyes, never looking away in order to ground themselves. The only time their stare was broken was when one of the men would walk between them, but every time they managed to get right back to each other's eyes, reassuring each other that they would be okay. They had to be okay.
'Dad, Michonne and Daryl will figure something out.' Carl thought as he held Blake's gaze. She needed him now more than she had ever needed anything her life, and Carl was determined to be there for her. 'They will figure something out. Please. Let them figure something out.'
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Rick, Michonne and Daryl breathed hard as day turned into night and they didn't catch up with the group who had taken the kids. They kept running despite their numb legs, aching chests, and the sweat pouring down their faces. Their adrenaline was fueled by thoughts of what Blake and Carl could be going through as they were running down the road, chasing the ghosts of cars that had driven down this very stretch hours ago.
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Blake kept her eyes on Carl as the man approached him. Her eyes widened as he reached down, cut the rope restraining his ankles and roughly pulled him to his feet. Blake knew what was coming, and began screaming through her gag, trying to remove the attention from Carl.
"Hold up, Dan." Joe noticed Blake's struggling and went over to her, ripping the duct tape off of her face and yanking the rag out of her mouth, snickering the whole time. The teens never broke their gaze. "You have something to say sweetheart?"
Carl knew what Blake was doing and, despite the fear and dread in the pit of his stomach, he shook his head, willing Blake not to do what she was about to do.
There were tears in Blake's eyes as she answered Joe's question. "You don't want him, you want me." She tried to keep her voice as stable as possible. "I'm the reason your friend is dead. He had nothing to do with it. Take me, leave him alone."
Joe chuckled, looking between the teens as Carl violently shook his head. "What do you say, Dan? It's your choice."
The man holding Carl smirked as he thought, a smirk that turned into a smile as he pushed the boy away and approached the girl. "I'll break her in." He sneered as Joe chuckled. Carl lost his balance and crashed back to the ground, another member of the group immediately retying his legs before her could get away. Carl ignored the man who was replacing his bonds and yelled through the gag, pleading with words that weren't heard by anyone but himself.
"It's okay." Blake mouthed, her fear filled eyes never leaving his as Dan dragged her away.
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Carl was paralysed with fear as he waited for what seemed to be an eternity for Blake to come back. They had to be gone for at least a half hour as the teen sat slumped against a tree, helpless and useless. His promise to Blake broke even more with every second that passed.
Finally, the creep dragged Blake back into the clearing. Her face was blank, and wet with tears as he pushed her back against the tree and retied her feet before placing a fresh strip of duct tape across her lip, blocking her from Carl's view the whole time her was in front of her.
When the man stood up and walked away, leaving Blake and Carl in full view of each other, she wouldn't meet his eyes.
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