Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead

Chapter 4: "We're not okay"

Carl kept driving at a smooth pace, which Rick was pretty relieved about. Every once in a while he dropped instructions or advice about driving, and Carl took his words without retort. After a while they fell in silence as they knew they were nearing the prison.

Carl kept his eyes firmly on the road while being fully aware of his dad tossing him concerned looks. He wished he would stop. He was trying hard to maintain some confidence that he could role-play as him

Soon enough the gates of the prison came into view, and Carl felt his stomach drop. He glanced over at his dad and saw him staring at the prison with an obvious nervous expression. Carl turned away just as he saw the majority of the group coming up to the gate to open it and greet them. Carl couldn't help releasing a shaky breath.

"You're gonna be fine," Rick told him. Carl came to a stop as he waited for Carol and Beth to open the gate. "Hey."

He turned and looked at his dad. He hated how scared he was starting to feel and wondered if he should take his advice on letting Hershel lead.

"You can do this," Rick continued.

"Yeah…it's just…just…what do I say," he asked, feeling pretty frantic as he slowly drove into the compound.

"How about hello?"

Carl turned to him with an annoyed expression from hearing some levity in his words.

"I could use some good advice here," he whispered, feeling somehow the others would hear him if he spoke louder.

"Just do what comes natural. I'll try to do much of the talking when I can. You'll be okay."

Carl found himself lost in looking at his dad that he was startled when Daryl came over and rapped on the window. Carl, still feeling extremely nervous, opened the door and stepped out, while his dad did the same.

"Been gone a while," Daryl noted. "Thought you two might've gotten eaten."

Carl gave a slight drop of the head as he proceeded to imitate his dad.

"Yeah well, ran into a little incident with another car."

"You were attacked?" Carol asked, concerned.

"No, just a near run-in on the road. We're fine though." Carl looked over at his dad who he saw was watching him intently before Michonne came up to him.

Carol opened the backdoor to fetch the few supplies they could find while Daryl headed to the trunk. Carl popped it open for him and started helping him remove a few boxes of canned food.

"Had any run-ins with walkers?" Daryl asked.

"Just one," Carl said as he thought about the dead walker he had seen near the car. He briefly wondered how different it would be when he had to take on one in his dad's body.

Daryl gave a nod and followed behind Carol who was heading inside.

"Looks like you guys found a lot," Glenn commented as he walked up to him and gave him a pat on the back.

"Yeah, we got lucky. Should keep us going for a few weeks."

Glenn turned and headed inside with Maggie by his side, followed by Michonne, leaving Carl alone with his dad.

"So far, so good," said Rick as he walked up to him.

"So far, easy questions." Carl dropped his voice as he continued. "You really think we can pull this off?"

But Rick's attention had turned to the prison's entrance where he saw Michonne waiting for them.

"I think we'd better, least we get exiled for being insane. Come on, dad."

Carl followed behind him. When he reached the entrance where Michonne was waiting, she gave him a concerned look.

"Are you sure everything went okay?"

Carl felt, from the way she was looking at him, he had somehow been caught. He tried to keep his expression normal, but it had dropped at the question. He looked over at his dad who had stopped in his tracks to watch and possibly intervene.

"Yeah, yeah…everything, went good."

When Michonne didn't look convinced, Rick spoke up.

"He was just a little shaken by the near accident on the road. He and my wi,..uh mom were in one once."

Carl looked at his dad who simply gave him a 'just follow my lead' kind of look. Carl looked back at Michonne who had a curious frown on her face as she looked at his dad. She turned back to him.

"Okay, just as long as you're okay."

"I'm okay," Carl answered tiredly.

She nodded and quietly walked away from them. Carl looked at his dad and gave a slight shake of his head.

"But we're not okay."

"No," Rick agreed. "Come on, let's go put these things away."

Once again Rick led the way to the storage for their supplies. Carl didn't have to worry about answering tough questions. He avoided it by making the excuse that he was tired and he just wanted to rest.

So he traveled to his dad's cell and immediately laid down upon it on his back with an arm thrown over his face.

After a while, Rick approached him. Carl looked up, sensing his presence.

"Are we alone?" he asked. Rick nodded, but said nothing else. "What's wrong? Other than, you know."

Rick briefly dropped his head in thought.

"I was thinking, and hoping we'll go back to normal if we fall asleep. Everything resetting like it's supposed to."

"I hope so," Carl said with a sigh. Rick started to walk away, but Carl stopped him. "Hey, there's nothing going on tomorrow that I should know about, case we, don't switch back."

Rick shrugged.

"Just a normal day, for the others anyways."

"I want it to be normal for us."

"Me too son."

Rick walked away, leaving Carl to hide his face behind his arm. He headed up the stairway where he saw Beth rocking his daughter in her arms. Rick paused at the top and just watched them.

"Oh hey, glad everything went okay," Beth said when she noticed him standing there.

For a minute he just stared at Judith before nodding.

"Everything alright?"

"Y-yeah. I'll take Judith for a while."

"It's alright I got her. Your dad looked pretty tired so-"

"Beth," Rick interrupted, a little more sternly than he intended. "I want to. I need to."

Beth looked taken aback by his sudden insistence and serious expression. Catching this, Rick softened his expression.

"Please."

Beth looked down at Judith then quietly handed her over. Rick took her, then turned and headed back down the stairs.

After glancing up to make sure she was out of earshot, he looked at Judith who was watching him.

"Hey…it's me, dad," he whispered. "I know I look different, but it's me."

When he made it all the way down, he headed for the cell right next to Carl's. For a minute, he couldn't help staring at the snoozing figure of his son as he wondered how he was supposed to play as a parent to his own sister. He knew he could pull it off before the others, but it scared him to think they may be stuck in each other's bodies for so long that he'd never have the chance to truly be Judith's father again.

He settled in the cot and held her close as tears surfaced in the corners of his eyes.

"Could've been worse," he said quietly. "But I'm still here. Carl's here. He might have to be a father to you, for as long as this last, but I'm still right here."

He held her close as he felt a release of some of the pressure and fear. Her little hands waved about slightly before they reached out to his cheek. Rick took her hand and thought of Lori. He wondered how she would have reacted to the switch.

Rick moved further into the cot, leaning his back against the pillows as he prayed things would go back to normal the next day, for his children's sakes.

I imagine it'll be kind of evened out possibly when switching the point-of-views between Rick and Carl. I do favor writing from Rick's perspective in Carl's body, but I know I also need to explore what's happening with Carl. Their reunion with the group went simple enough, but will it stay simple as I doubt Rick's going to get his wish that they un-switch.

More to come so keep enjoying