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Chapter 3: "I can, be you"

Rick resolved to leaning against the back of the car, staring at the ground while Carl examined himself in the side door mirror. He kept running his hands down his cheeks as he stared in disbelief at his new reflection.

Neither had said a word since the panic had worn down a bit. Once Carl had managed to get to his feet, after stumbling slightly from unfamiliar legs, he couldn't stop seeing who he now was for himself.

"This is insane," he muttered.

Rick stayed silent. He didn't know how much time had passed since he'd been so wrapped up in the shock of a freaky occurrence. He looked up at the sky. The others would be wondering where they were.

He turned to Carl who was still stuck in the mirror, apparently testing out a few expressions to see if he really was in his body. He was still fascinated seeing his body apparently performing on its own in such a way.

"Carl." He swallowed thickly, still not used to using his son's voice. But Carl didn't turn around. "Carl."

Finally he looked around at him, and Rick was momentarily caught off guard.

"We need to get going."

"Going? Going where?"

Rick shifted uncomfortably upon hearing his own voice being thrown back at him by Carl but pressed on.

"Back to the prison."

"Like this? We can't go back there," he cried.

"Well we can't stay out here. It's not safe," Rick countered.

"I'm not going back there." Carl turned to lean over the car. Rick thought he looked ill and couldn't blame him. "Not like this."

"Carl." He stepped forward but he suddenly lashed out.

"We can't! Not until we change back."

"How can we? I don't even know how this happened, do you?"

They stared at each other for a moment before Carl dropped his head.

"No."

Rick looked away and tried to think of possible reasons for why this happened and if there was any clue to let him know when they would be normal again.

"I don't know how this happened either." He ran and hand through his hair and sighed. "Maybe…maybe somehow that car that hit us…it came out of nowhere, or maybe, just a freak accident."

"How could that car switch us?" Carl demanded. "Are you kidding me?"

"I don't have any better ideas about why, but I do know if we don't get back soon, we'll be in real trouble. And so will the others."

Rick was giving him his best stern expression, but he was certain it didn't make much of an impact on his son who was still quite disturbed.

"What do you expect?" Carl started. "We just walk in there and tell them we switched bodies? You really think they'll believe us? They'll lock us up in one of the cells."

"What did you have in mind?" Rick asked on the verge of becoming quite angry. "We go live off on our own and hope that whatever changed us in the first place changes us back? What about the others? What about Judith?"

Carl looked momentarily stunned as well as ashamed at his words. Then he slumped to the ground and covered his face. Rick hesitated before walking over to him.

"We have to go back. We can't just wait around. And you're right, they won't believe us, so, we'll keep it quiet."

Carl raised his head immediately.

"Dad, you're not saying…are you saying, we have to, be each other?"

Rick couldn't vocally confirm it. He shut his eyes, hoping some other answer would come to him, but it didn't.

"Looks that way."

"I can't…I can't be you," Carl argued as he worked his way up to his feet. He keep muttering it under his breath as he walked away, but Rick grabbed him by the arm.

"Stop! You're not the only dealing with this, alright. And I'll be right there. Til we can figure something out, that's the way it'll have to be. I won't leave Judith. I won't leave the others."

Carl seemed frozen by the words, so Rick let go. He didn't press further. He waited as calmly as he could for his son to come to terms with the new form of life they'd have to assume. Rick knew it wouldn't be so bad for himself, but Carl was a different story. He'd have the responsibility of being the group's leader. The others would expect him to take on any dangerous situations that came their way and make fast decisions.

"It's unfair to you, I know, but I'll be right there," Rick said quietly. "You can do this. But, if things get out of hand, I want you to back off." But then Rick thought of his late wife. They'd done so much to keep Carl safe, and now Rick was not liking the idea of Carl trying to become him for the others. "No…when you get back, I need you to step down. Hershel can lead until I can-"

"No," Carl said interrupted softly. "I can do it. I can, be you."

"Carl, you don't-"

"You said I can do this," he said as he turned around to face his dad.

Both were temporarily caught off guard by the stark difference in their heights now. Rick was not used to looking up at someone, least of all when that someone was his own kid in his own body. The feeling left him a bit disoriented. Carl on the other hand, found it to be a slightly pleasant change.

"Back on the farm, remember, you told me no more kid stuff."

"I think I might have said something a little different had I known this was going to happen."

"Dad."

Rick sighed.

"Alright. Just, don't get in over your head." He turned to the car and slipped into the driver's seat.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Rick looked at him with a curious expression.

"I'm taking us back."

"No, I'm taking us back," Carl declared as he folded his arms. "I'm Rick Grimes now remember. And you can't exactly see over the dashboard and reach the pedals good enough."

Rick sat back in his seat and realized he had a point.

"Dammit."

"Watch your language, Carl."

Rick shot a glare at his son's smug face.

"You watch yours. And don't be getting any ideas about what you can do in that body."

"Like what?" Carl asked, but Rick just frowned.

"Just get in," he said as he climbed out of the driver's seat and walked around to the passenger's side.

After they buckled up, they both sat still for a minute as the thought of what they were about to do sunk in even more. They looked at each other, automatically knowing the same thought and fear was on the other's mind.

"We'll just take it, a step at a time," Rick told him. "For now, put the car in reverse."

Slowly Carl turned the ignition. He felt a jolt of fear knowing he was really going to do this. But he did as his dad told him and shifted gears. He ended up hitting the gas a little harder than he needed to, giving both a big jolt before Carl hit the brakes.

"You're sure you don't want me to drive?" Rick asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Dad I got this," Rick countered. "It's just, driving. I've seen you and mom do it a million times."

"Yeah well, now you're doing it, much too early."

"Hey, I'm forty-two now," Carl answered slyly.

"Only in body. Now, take this seriously. Ease into it slow."

"I know I know," Carl said as he shifted the gear.

"I'd like to avoid any more accidents on the road thanks."

"It couldn't get worse than it has now."

Rick tossed him a look before falling silent and allowing Carl to ease his way back onto the road.

Rick and Carl are heading back. Will they be able to pull off acting like the other in front of the others? Keep reading and I'll update soon.