Longest chapter I've ever written omg. I actually had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope you guys like this chapter!

Enjoy!

Her eyelids fluttered open to reveal a familiar ceiling. It was pale white, with a single stream of sunlight beaming across it.

Ugh, why did her head hurt so bad?

The effort it took to turn her face was slightly difficult. The living room was the same as ever, but Carl was sitting right beside her.

A jolt of surprise fluttered through her. He stayed beside her this whole time? He was asleep, leaning his head against the armrest by her head while his feet spread out before him.

'Wait, what the hell even happened?'

"Carl," she spoke, her voice raspy in her throat.

He jerked up, swiveling his head to face her and reveal his concerned, bloodshot eyes. "You're awake."

"Am I really?" she teased, trying to sit up. He scrambled to stop her, holding her shoulders back against the pillow.

"Don't get up. You need to rest."

"What happened?" she winced.

Carl sighed, sitting on the edge of the couch by her waist and scrubbed at his grimy face. "You hit your head. Concussion."

"Oh," she frowned. She remembered the pain of hitting her skull on the cement wall, the dizziness that came with it afterward, but she didn't think it was that bad. "How long was I out?"

"Two days," he grumbled.

"Seriously?" she gaped. "Damn."

She relaxed back, shutting her eyes for a moment. Her head throbbed, but she felt okay enough to function. She's hit her head before, but figured it had to do with lack of water and proper nutrients that made her so lightheaded.

"Geez, Ash. I thought you died," Carl murmured quietly. She cracked an eye open, seeing him avoid her gaze and stare at the floor.

Ashley didn't think twice before she reached out and laced their hands together. He blinked down at it. "I'm okay," she promised. "I'm alive."

"I know," he squeezed her fingers for a moment before slowly letting go.

They sat in peaceful silence before the other two in the house entered the room.

"We heard your voice," Rick said, standing beside them. "You okay?"

"I'll live," Ashley nodded.

"Carl told me what happened," he continued, a small frown line making its way between his brows. Ashley could see the conflicting emotions in his expression. He didn't know whether to be relieved or angry.

"Let's just hope they don't get into another situation like that," Michonne commented, laying a hand on Ashley's shoulder for a second.

"It was pretty stupid," Rick scolded, "but like I said before, you two make a good team."

Ashley gave them a small smile, feeling drowsiness slowly seep into her system. Carl noticed immediately.

"Get some rest. You gotta heal."

"But-"

"I'm not moving."

Ashley smiled softly, feeling Carl's fingertips trace patterns on the back of her hand before letting sleep take over her.

Like he promised, Carl didn't move as she slept, and neither did Michonne. His dad left to do something else in the house.

Ashley's breathing was faint, but thankfully steady. He remembered the moment she fell, remembered the rush of fear in him as she nearly hit the floor before he immediately reacted and caught her. He couldn't recall the last time he was so scared for someone else besides Judith.

His dad had been indignant, shooting off questions about where they went and why they were so bloody. Carl shouted at him to shut up with his scolding and help Ashley.

God, he really had thought she died. Her breathing was so light and she was covered with Walker blood and she wouldn't wake up.

The whole time he was next to her. He waited those 48 hours for her to release her last breath and make the transformation into a Walker. Carl already knew it would be as hard as it was for him when he thought his father turned into one.

He watched her sleep peacefully. Little puffs of air left her partly open lips, and the crescent shape of her dark lashes spread over her bloody cheeks. They really needed to clean themselves up soon.

"You doing okay?" Michonne spoke up from the recliner chair beside him.

He didn't remove his eyes from Ashley. "I'm fine. It's not me I'm worried about."

"You care about her," she continued simply.

He nodded, trying to find his words. "I…I don't really know why, but I do. I just- I have this urge to protect her, you know?"

She smiled at his words and he felt the need to continue speaking. If anyone understood him, it was Michonne.

All his thoughts poured out of his mouth. "I made myself hate her at first because I just needed something to be mad at. But…I can't be mad at her. I- she helps me feel better about everything. I can't…I mean I just don't want-"

"You don't want to lose her, too."

"Yeah," he finished quietly. Michonne leaned forward, tugging Carl toward her in a tight hug. He gratefully embraced her back. Ever since the prison, Michonne had taken the mother role in Carl's life. She was one of the only people he could talk freely to. Other than Ashley now, of course.

When they pulled back, Michonne stood, dusting off her pants. "I'm gonna head upstairs to sleep a bit…see if there's any books I could read, too."

"Alright."

Soon, it was just Ashley and Carl.

He glanced back at her, frowning at the streaks of dirt and blood coating her features. He still couldn't fathom that after all they went through two days before, dealing with countless Walkers in a dingy basement, the only injury Ashley received was from him.

On the way home from it, he briefly pondered about why the shop looked so clean and Walker-free, yet the basement was crawling with them. Then, he realized they were probably locked down there once the outbreak started, undoubtedly infected. People were pretty oblivious back then.

The skin on the back of her hand was soft as he stroked it lightly with the pad of his thumb. He was glad she woke up. If she hadn't…well it was yet another person Carl cared about that died. And it would be his fault.

Frustration flooded his mind. He hated living in this world. He hated the Walkers, he hated what it forced people to become.

He hated what he had become. Carl knew better now. He understood that his merciless thinking at the prison was wrong. Sure people had to be strong to survive, but it wasn't the only quality that a person had to possess if they wanted to go on. People needed to have faith. They needed to be trustworthy. How else would they rebuild this world? On hostility?

He knew this, but he still had these thoughts…

When he felt the small hand under his twist around to grasp his loosely, he knew, in the end, they'd only be temporary.

"Like this?"

He held up his clenched hand for Ashley to observe, one of her blades grasped tightly.

She looked at it with pursed lips, tapping her chin. "Keep your thumb over the top. And don't hold it so tight or it'll ruin your release."

He fixed his error, glancing down at his hand as he awkwardly held it. He was used to shoving knives with force, and that required little skill when it came to how to hold it, but throwing them? It was trickier than Ashley made it look.

Once she had completely healed three days later, and his sprained ankle was sturdy enough, they decided to spend their days outside in the backyard. He was determined to learn how she threw the knives so easily. The skill was useful: it was quiet, quick, and didn't need be reloaded like a gun. And you saw tons of them in houses, so the supply was nearly limitless.

"Better?"

"Much," she smiled. "Okay, so it really depends on the type of knife you have. If the handle is heavier than the blade, you have to throw it by the sharp side, which I try to avoid."

"Why?" he wondered.

She gave him a wry smile. "You think I'd want to cut my hand off if I grabbed it too fast? So, if you're looking for one, take the ones with heavier blade sides. All about the right balance and stuff."

Interesting. "Okay, next?"

"If it's close-range, you have to flick your wrists much faster to make it spin. If a Zack is really far, don't bend your wrist at all and use more of your arm."

She showed him the movements, aiming at the tree across the yard where they placed a chalk-drawn target in the center.

Her knife released from her hand, spinning swiftly and slicing through the air until it impaled straight into the center of the target.

A low whistle was heard behind them. Carl looked over his shoulder, seeing his dad and Michonne plopping themselves on the porch steps, simply watching them.

"Impressive," Michonne munched into an apple.

"Thanks," Ashley murmured, handing Carl a medium-sized knife with a dark blue handle. "You try."

"Um…okay," he muttered, testing it out in his hand. Now that she pointed it out, he really could feel the weight difference on each side of it. If he tried to balance the knife in the center, the blade side would tip over. He understood which side he needed to grip.

With a deep breath, Carl focused his gaze on the white target, burning his eyes into the center. The backyard was quiet, edgy with anticipation, and you could cut the sudden tension with a knife. Pun intended.

Left foot forward, shift weight to the front and…release.

Carl felt the blade soar from his hand, spinning crookedly until it disappeared over the fence behind the tree a good ten feet to the left.

"Fail," Michonne catcalled.

Carl stuck out his tongue over his shoulder, which she gladly returned.

"That sucked," Carl sulked, turning back to Ashley. He could see her trying not to laugh at him.

"No, don't worry. I was much worse at first," she fought down a smile, but her gray eyes twinkled. "Okay um…have you played baseball?"

Carl blinked. "Um yeah. Little league a long time ago. Why?"

"You're throwing it like a baseball," she explained, motioning with her arms. "Don't think of it like that or your arm's gonna go across your body. Go straight down…like chopping wood."

She handed him another one, slightly heavier than the first, and Carl inhaled slowly. He could do this…it wasn't hard.

He set up his feet, remembering to think about chopping wood…straight down…

"Relax your hand a bit," Ashley suggested softly, placing a soft hand over his. He tensed at the close proximity of her, feeling her body heat, but she was quickly gone again.

'Focus,' he muttered. He glared at the target, preparing for his throw.

This time, he was much more successful. The knife sailed straight, heading right for the tree. The butt end of the knife hit the bark above the target, bouncing off toward the grass with a distinct thump. It didn't stick, but it was much closer than before.

"Nice!"

He turned to Ashley with a wide grin, meeting her own proud smile. "That was awesome!"

"Soon enough and you'll be better than I am," she teased, playfully shoving his shoulder. "But if you wanna be a ninja knife thrower like me, you gotta lose the stupid hat."

"I believe that used to be my stupid hat, young lady," Rick commented wryly from the steps.

Carl smiled. "Sorry, me and the hat are a package deal."

Ashley rolled her eyes, but quickly darted an arm out and snatched it right from his scalp, plopping it on her own. "Just kidding, I like the hat."

Laughter bubbled in Carl's chest, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. "Hey, give it!" he called spiritedly, chasing her around the backyard when she scurried away.

He briefly noticed his dad and Michonne going back inside. When he neared Ashley by the target tree, he stumbled on a root, feeling a sharp pain in his healing ankle. He hissed, ceasing his running to check his foot.

"You okay?" Ashley quickly sobered, rushing to kneel by him. Their little chase was quickly forgotten.

Carl nodded, his face scrunching up. "Yeah. Just put weight on it weird. I'm fine."

"I'm sorry about your ankle," she mumbled, helping him walk back to the porch so they could sit.

"Hey, no, it's not your fault. I blame the stupid Walkers for it. It's me who should be sorry about your head."

She unconsciously touched the tender spot at the back of her skull. "Well, I should thank you for that. Otherwise, I'd be that Zack's next meal."

They were quiet for a moment, simply sitting on the steps and enjoying the warm, Georgia air. It was nice, Carl thought. He hadn't felt this relaxed since the prison. A part of him wondered if they should stay at this house forever. It was somewhat secure, and they could handle the food problem if they searched hard enough. He liked it here. With Ashley, especially.

"I'm hungry," she said after a few minutes. "What's for lunch?"

"Apples," he chuckled.

"Come on then, let's go inside. Race ya to the kitchen!"

"Hey, that's not fair. Cripple here!"

"I can help, ya know."

"I got this," Carl called over his shoulder to Rick, before turning to place his attention on Ashley. After a successful day of teaching Carl the art knife throwing, she could safely say he was a natural. Well, once he stopped whipping the blades like he was throwing a touchdown.

It took a few weeks to train herself, but either Ashley was an amazing teacher, or Carl was simply good at it, because after a day and a half of practicing, he could hit at least the outside of the target.

He told her that morning he needed a break, and took it upon himself to suggest teaching her how to use a gun.

The metal felt cool against her skin, and it was much heavier than she had anticipated. Nevertheless, she was determined to learn how to use the most common weapon in this world. She knew Carl felt like he owed her.

"Is this the first time you've held one?" he wondered, coming to the conclusion by merely observing her with it.

Sheepish, she nodded, clumsily grasping the gun in her fingers, avoiding the trigger. Knowing her luck, she'd accidently set it off and blast one of their feet off.

"That's okay," Carl shrugged, stepping closer. Rick was the only one there with proper training, but he knew his son had enough practice to be able to teach Ashley herself.

"Wait," Michonne spoke up from her position against another tree. She was sharpening her sword, soaking up the sun. "Should we be firing back here? Could be Walkers around."

"I didn't think about that," Rick scratched at his scruffy beard. He glanced at the two of them standing in the middle of the yard. "Sorry, kids. We shouldn't risk it."

Ashley bristled a little at being called a kid. She wasn't a child anymore.

Carl crossed his arms, shifting the weight off his wrapped up leg. "What about that open field a few blocks away? By the stream? We'd see a Walker coming and have time to get away."

Ashley could tell he really wanted to teach her how to shoot. She piped in, "And we could clean off this gross blood and dirt with the water. We'll bring back some more, too."

Rick considered it, and after an exchanged glance with Michonne, who shrugged, he finally relented. "Fine. But stay together. And be back by sundown. No exceptions."

"Yes, sir," Carl grumbled. He gently grabbed Ashley's arm and pulled her inside. "Come on. I'm dying to get clean."

Ashley rolled her eyes when they made it out the front door, after of course, making sure it was clear. "I thought boys liked getting rolling around in the mud and stuff."

He raised a brow, shooting her a sidelong glance. "I don't think that includes getting bathed in Walker guts."

"True. But thanks for getting it all over me, too," she teased, flicking down the brim of his hat.

"Hey! I remember saving your life by doing that."

"You did," Ashley's tone grew soft. She knew he saved her. It ran threw her mind every moment of the day. Even with a messed up ankle, he did whatever he could to protect her.

"Hey, c'mon now. No more sad stuff, right now. Let's just teach you how to shoot, and we'll be squeaky clean right after."

"Right," Ashley snickered, helping her limping companion toward their destination.

"This is beautiful," Ashley murmured in awe. And it was. The field was filled with light green grass that reached their knees, swaying lightly with a mid-afternoon breeze. It wasn't too large, since they were still in a small town, but it stretched on for about a quarter-mile until the beginning of the forest.

A sweet, flowery scent wafted through her nose, and Ashley inhaled it gratefully. It smelled fresh, like spring… She loved it, especially considering they all smelled like dried sweat and Zacks for the longest time. The aroma flooded her lungs, something she was entirely thankful for.

"The stream's over there by the line of trees," Carl spoke, shaking her from her little stupor. She blinked, nodded, and followed him across the field.

Her fingertips traced along the grass. It tickled lightly, making a small smile spread over her lips.

Ashley rose her gaze to Carl walking ahead of her. He was still limping, a slight stagger in his gait, but he was determined to hide it as best he could. He was so stubbornly strong-minded.

His flannel shirt was ripped and filthy, the colors barely visible beneath the dirt and blood. Even the hair peeking from beneath his hat was stringy with grease and filth. She knew the duffel strung over his shoulder was stuffed with new clothes for the both of them.

"Here," he paused. They stopped at the edge of the field, and the long grass disappeared. Ashley's boots sunk a little into the soft ground, the sound of running water filling her ears.

A few yards away sat the stream, a few feet deep by the looks of it. The dark tree line loomed beyond it, several tree trunks making the perfect target for them.

"Perfect," she smiled, dropping her bag to the ground and pulling out a gun. She didn't know their specific names, but figured Carl would inform her soon enough.

"Ready?" he could see the excitement running through her, she had no doubt.

"Are you kidding? Oh man, I was born ready," she hopped on the balls of her feet, rolling her shoulders. Carl laughed, a rich sound that tickled her chest.

"You gotta calm down," he chuckled. "Come over here with your gun."

She strode over, standing beside him.

"Okay, so the first thing about guns is that it should be your very last option," he said seriously. "Don't shoot unless you really need to, got it?"

"Got it, sheriff."

She could see his lips twitch, trying not to smile.

"Keep your arms steady, and your hands not too tight," he stood behind her, lifting his arms to wrap around and show her the correct movement. It took all her self-control not the shiver at his close proximity.

Jesus, since when did she turn into such a teenage girl?

"How's this?" she murmured softly.

Carl's eyes trailed over her, observing in his icy blue gaze. "Yeah, you're good."

He made a couple more adjustments to her hands, giving her advice and how to operate it, before deeming her ready to try.

"See that trunk over there?" he pointed, motioning toward a certain tree across the river. It was obvious which one. It stood thicker and darker than the others around her.

Ashley nodded, her lips set in a hard line of determination. She slowed her breathing, using techniques for knife throwing when it came to calming down. Her eyes burned into the bark, lifting her gun at eye-level.

She steadied her hands, hovering a trembling finger over the trigger. She wanted to make Carl proud of her.

BANG. The sound resounded loudly throughout the field, making her jump a little. A split second later, and the sound of splintering bark.

"Damn," Carl mumbled from behind her. "You got the edge of the tree. Nice job."

Her chest swelled with pride. Sure, she was good at throwing knives, but she had always been wary of guns. Carl quenched that caution quickly.

"You're a good teacher," Ashley turned around to smile up at him. Carl peered down the brim of his hat, cyanic orbs twinkling. Tension sparked between them. It felt tangible to her, making her skin tingle with something. Really, this stupid feeling she got around him was starting to annoy her.

"Come on, let's work on your aim a bit. Everything else looks pretty good," he blinked, shaking himself from whatever stupor she had been in as well.

"Right." Throats cleared, they did just that.

Ashley practiced with Carl until her arms hurt and the bullets made contact with the tree every single time. Luckily, Rick had found a box of ammo, so they had enough to spare for now.

"I think you've got it," Carl nodded.

"I can get clean now?" Ashley turned to him excitedly.

"Yes."

"Woohoo!" she cheered. She didn't think twice before she ripped off her disgusting tank and jeans, sprinting for the water. Carl called out her name with laughing disbelief.

The iciness of the water felt like heaven on her flesh. Ashley groaned, diving under the water so that every part of her was soaked. God, she could practically feel the dirt washing off of her.

Her sore muscles from the gun's recoil soothed in the water, and for the first time in a long time, Ashley felt fresh.

The need for air became too great after a brief, amazing moment, so she stood up until her head breached the surface. The deepest part of the stream was up to her stomach, but she kicked up her feet and treaded water so more of her could continue to be submerged.

"Carl?" she called out into the warm air. He was nowhere in sight, but a pile of his clothes sat in a pile beside hers…

A sudden splash, and wiggling fingers attacked her waist. She squealed loudly, spinning around to see Carl laughing in the water beside her.

"Carl!" she scolded, but she loved the laughter in his eyes and the easing of his shoulders. This was the most relaxed she had seen him in…well ever.

The moisture seeped into her skin as they washed up, simply enjoying the water and each other's company. Ashley really didn't want to get out. She could stay in this water forever.

Eventually, however, forever didn't last that long. Her teeth chattered after the hour or two they spent swimming, and her fingertips pruned deeply.

Crawling out of the water, Ashley suddenly remembered her brash decision to strip right in front of Carl. Oops.

They were only in their underwear, so Ashley quickly pretended it was just a bathing suit to lessen her embarrassment. Her bra and underwear were nothing special. Simple purple and black.

Carl, however, led her toward a small area of short grass near the edge of the field. It would be a perfect place to sit and dry off before heading back.

She allowed her eyes to wander a little as he strode in front of her. Water droplets glistened off his bare back, gathering at the hem of his boxers. He was skinny, that much was apparent. Well, she figured everyone was now, for food was so scarce. Despite that, she could see the hardening lines across his shoulder blades and back, all from puberty and the daily exercise he got.

Ashley hoped she could blame her stained red cheeks on sunburn.

The grass was soft on her back, and she sighed in relaxation.

Carl plopped down right next to her, their damp arms brushing a little. She stared up at the light blue sky, smatterings of fluffy clouds drifting around. It was so beautiful here…

"Ash?"

She turned her head, seeing Carl already watching her intently. The softness in his gaze was such a contrast to how he used to look at her. Before, God, it seemed like so long ago when she first came across them, when in reality it had only been over a week. He had glared at her with such malice and annoyance whenever she so much as caught his gaze.

Now, though…she couldn't even place his expression.

As if sensing her thoughts, he spoke, "I'm sorry about being so harsh to you before. That's not me…I just-"

"Hey," Ashley interrupted his ramblings. She could see him struggling to find the right words. "I get it. You were upset about your sister. I understand."

He blinked. "You know about Jud-" he stopped, sucking in a breath to calm himself. "Still…it was no excuse to-"

"I was a stranger. You were just protecting your group, Carl," Ashley was determined to make him understand. Really, she didn't hold anything against him.

"But you're not a stranger anymore," he said after a beat of silence. "You're…you're you."

Cue the thrum in her belly.

"So stop beating yourself up over nothing," Ashley reasoned. She could feel the sun warming her skin and dry the water from it. "I'm here now. It's okay."

"Yeah," he said, his mouth quirking up. He clasped his hands over his waist. "And I want to know more about you. About who you were. Are."

And so she told him.

As the sun continued to beat down on them, Ashley told Carl about her life, her interests, her school, where she was when the outbreak began, what she had to do to survive.

She didn't mention him though. It was still a fresh wound in her heart.

Ashley told him about her father. How he used to be a military general and continuously beat into her brain the way to defend herself. He bordered on abusive. Tearfully, she told him about how he had selfishly killed her mother and future little sibling.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," Carl whispered, brushing her cheek.

"He was a jackass, but I guess in some way he helped me learn to survive."

Ashley turned on her side, resting her cheek in her hand as she listened to Carl talk about his life now.

She was thankful for his talking. He could probably tell she wasn't able to continue on anymore. He knew her.

"What happened here?" her gaze caught onto a spot on his stomach. Unlike the smooth, fair skin on the rest of him, this one area was pinkish, puckered into a scar that would most likely last forever.

Her fingertips traced the old wound softly, feeling the slight muscles beneath quiver at her touch.

"I got shot," he murmured. Surprised, she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. They watched hers, trapping her in his icy pools. She was practically drowning. "It was an accident, but it was pretty close. I was twelve, then."

His hair was dry now, and fluffed up a little at the tips. She had never seen how soft it could look.

"How old are you now?"

"Fourteen. Fifteen, now maybe?" he frowned a little in thought. "Yeah, probably fifteen. What about you?"

"Sixteen," she muttered softly, sleepily. Her head dropped to Carl's shoulder, tucking herself into his side. She could fall asleep right then and there, listening to the sound of his breathing, the scent of grass swaying in the breeze. If only the rest of her life could just be this nice…

Movement.

Ashley squinted through the sun reflecting off the rushing water. Everything looked normal, felt normal.

And then the first Zack stumbled out of the forest.

"Zack."

Carl frowned at Ashley's sudden tense voice. Who was Zack?

Then he remembered that was what she called a Walker. He immediately picked his head up and peered across the stream, slightly grumpy over their interruption.

He liked the feeling of Ashley's silky hair across his arm, the weight of her head on his shoulder. His stomach still tingled where she had traced those fingers over his old scar.

He suddenly perked up. "Hey. This is good practice."

Ashley's concerned expression cleared into one that looked more excited. "Right! Hold on."

She scrambled to slip on the new clothes they brought with them, and Carl quickly averted his gaze before he found himself staring. End of the world or not, he wasn't a creep.

"Okay," she said, helping him off the bed of grass so they could watch the Walker clumsily stumble toward the river.

Carl grabbed a clean baseball style tee from the duffel bag, tugging it over his head. "Remember what I told you?"

"I think so," she breathed deeply, focusing on the Walker. Her hair tumbled down her back in waves, and much to Carl's surprise, was actually a deep brown, rather than black.

She pulled the trigger, and he watched the Walker cease its movements for a moment when the bullet lodged into its stomach.

"Close. Keep trying, you got it," he urged.

Ashley huffed impatiently, adjusting her shoulder and lowering her head. Another shot, hitting its shoulder.

By now the Walker was lurching into the water, growling hungrily as its blank eyes zeroed in on them. It fell on its knees, ineptly fighting for balance against the push of water.

"C'mon, Ash," she mumbled to herself. With a final deep breath, Ashley pulled the trigger.

The Walker went down with a splash.

"Nice!" Carl slung an arm over her shoulder excitedly. Geez, she was a really fast learner…

Her smile was huge as she turned to face him, throwing her arms around his neck in her enthusiasm. "Thanks for teaching me!"

Before he had time to appreciate her closeness and respond, he caught sight of the forest behind her.

More were coming. Three…four, they hobbled out of the woods with hungry snarls. Ashley felt him tense and turned around to see.

"Come on," he tugged her arm. "Let's head back."

No need to waste more ammo. He knew she was good enough. And he'd rather not risk anything after what happened in that basement.

"Wait," she stood firm at the river's edge. "I can take them. Let me practice."

"Ashley, no," he pleaded. She was aiming before he could continue.

"You don't think I can?"

"I know you can, but I'd rather not take the chance."

The first shot rang out, and a single Walker fell down with a bloody hole in its temple. Perfect shot.

She made a sound of approval before aiming for the next one. Two more appeared behind the remaining ones. Carl felt nervousness peak in his chest. The gunshots were just attracting more. There might not be enough ammo for any more.

"Ash."

A second one went down. Goddamn it, they had to go now.

"Let's go."

He was about to consider ripping the gun from her tight grasp before she suddenly froze. Her grasp on the gun slackened, and her silvery eyes, previously narrowed in concentration, now bulged.

"What's wrong? Ashley?" Carl shook her shoulder. She didn't budge. It was like she had seen a ghost, she was so pale.

Curious, Carl gazed across the river. Several Walkers were trying to make their way across. The water was only waist deep. If they tried, it was possible to make it over, but so far they were safe. For now.

Still, he had no idea what made the girl beside him freeze up in shock.

His eyes landed on a single Walker, looking slightly different than the others. It was male, with dark matted hair and sunken eyes. It lingered by the river's edge, about to make its way across so the bottoms of its clean jeans got wet. It was that little detail that caught Carl's attention. Clean. This Walker was newly turned.

A single, breathless word escaped Ashley's trembling lips, a word Carl had only heard her utter once before.

"Dylan."

Hope you enjoyed this longer chapter! It was pretty easy-going and action-free so I hope you don't mind that. And the slight fluff was fun to write :)

I won't be able to update for a little longer than last time since I'll be computer-less for spring break:( I'll have the next one up as soon as I can! Like always, I'd seriously appreciate a review! Love you all!