Code note: Hello all, it's been a minute and I am sorry. My laptop is slowly dying and then I lost wi-fi for a while during the thunderstorm. Life has gotten crazy and I thought why fight it when I can embrace its madness. I have not been responding to your comments/reviews and I am sorry about that, will try to correct that. If you were wondering what happened to Codename-m.e on tumblr, well I delete it. You can find me on twitter (em29me).
What did you think of Chapter 7, (yes it says 8, my fault will fix that) Carl is now a werewolf. Spooky…
Now about this chapter; Siancore thought it was good to break this chapter into two parts and I agree.
"The Rhythm of The Night" part i
Slowly sailing above the night sky, the fullness of the moon and the hazy fog casts an eerie glow on somber crew on deck. This all hurts the crew very much; some of these men did not have family and Rick, his son Carl, and Daryl were their family and it pained them. Most were there when Carl was born, Rick came on deck to introduce his first born, gave them all an extra pay and handed each man a bottle of whiskey. Oh they celebrated well that evening.
They were all there for all or most of his birthdays and they all had some kind of advice for his first day at Flight Academy too. Yeah, the loyal and dedicated crew of The Bandit Hunter was somber at present; a few tense and silent, but they were all prepared as they waited patiently for signs of activity below. And when it happens, when they hear the agonizing screams from Carl, and they all look to each other.
"Look sharp people," Abe says, as he hops off the plank he was standing on and readies his gun, "We need to make sure no one comes out of that room."
The plan was simple: Rick would not risk anyone else getting hurt in the process. Keep the situation contained, he said over and over again, No one gets in and no one gets out, if anyone gets out kill them; him included.
During the course of the long night, no one on that ship slept as they waited for the end of darkness. But at last, dawn broke and it happened right at the moment the first light broke through the windows of Carl's cabin. Everything they had witnessed the night before was now done in reverse. They all stood there seeing Carl as he was once again, they watch as he changes back and everything that had happened the night before was like looking at it on repeat, but in a backwards manner. Even the reappearance of his flesh; the hair follicles getting smaller and smaller and in its place was skin.
There was a significant amount of relief in the room. Michonne would never forget Rick's tears. It was her to wipe them away when she was able to get him off the floor. She will never forget the screams and the way each bone cracked and dislocated from Carl's sockets.
Of all the books Daryl had poured through, reading and researching could not prepare him in what he, and they, had all witness. He realizes they need to document what happened for posterity. He places the safety back on and holsters his gun and faces Jesus and says as much, "We need to document this."
Jesus agrees as he sits back down in the chair. A thought crossed his mind about how well the cell would hold; he was confident that it would stand, but there was moment during the night when the werewolf had rammed itself so hard he thought he saw a piece giving way. He will have to survey for any damages and fix them immediately as they have a few more nights of this.
Rick stood up staring at his son as he lays there in a fetal position in silence. "Open it," Rick says quietly.
"Rick, we should wait just until the sun has fully come out," Daryl said while glancing at the window.
Rick grip the bars tightly, "I said open it."
Jesus gets up from his seat and walks over to the door of the cell, he was the only one who had the access code and he discreetly punches the series of numbers in. He then moves back so that Rick can enter. Rick squats down and calls out to Carl before reaching out and shaking him gently. Dreading the worst, Jesus didn't know he was holding his breath until he heard Carl's distinct voice.
Both stand up off the floor, Carl stretches, and an unmistaken crack is heard throughout the room, they all got tense at the sound.
"Well I guess you guys survive the night." Carl was trying to make light of the situation but if only he knew how scary the night was.
Shit, one night down how many more to go. If I survive this I'm going to ask for another raise and a much needed holiday, Jesus thought as he watches father hugs son.
"Do you remember anything?" Daryl asks as he makes his way inside the cell and hands him an over shirt.
Carl thanks him. "I remember my bones breaking and the pain." He stops to put the shirt on, "That's pretty much it. What happened?"
He didn't get an immediate response.
"You became a werewolf Carl, it was…" Michonne begins, but stops and hugs herself again. "I'm really glad to see you as you again."
"So what did I look like, I mean sure a were is a were but anything different or new," Carl was truly curious and interested to know because he doesn't remember anything else about the night.
"Your eyes glowed this yellow, your fur was a dark brown and you were huge, like really big man," Daryl tries to emphasize the height by raising his hands up and down and sideways.
They omit sharing anything else as agreed upon.
Carl then brushes the hair away from his face and everyone was taken aback by the mere gesture, maybe he forgot about the raw scars on his face but then the next request he made really threw them off. When he faces and asks Michonne if she could trim his hair later that day.
"Absolutely, I'll get it set up right away before you change your mind." Michonne was surprised and happy that he was ready to share a bit of himself instead of hiding behind all that hair.
Carl inhales and exhales slowly and walks out of the cell, stretching along the way, "I feel so different, like I'm awake, aware and alert. I can hear so perfectly and my vision is that much clearer. I'm also famished. Please tell me Eugene has something, I feel like eating some steaks."
They all exchange wary eyes between one another.
Rick stops walking, "Steaks? Really? No more meat pie?"
Carl shakes his head, "Nope, I feel for a juicy steak with all the fixings too, have him fix a few mediums for me."
This is good, I think. Medium is sure as hell better than watching him eat raw meat, Rick thought.
"I'll send word for Eugene to make you a few," Rick says.
They all stood there in an awkward silence.
Okay folks, you can leave me alone now, Carl thought as he watches and waits for them to leave his room, but no one makes a move for the door.
Carl rolls his eyes, "Dad, I'm good. Daryl, Michonne. Jesus. Guys I am good. I'd like to clean up. Hopefully food will be here and Michonne you can cut my hair. Yes?" Carl says and smiles warmly and reassuringly.
Jesus was the first to leave, Daryl was not far behind him, then Michonne, but Rick stood there eyeing his son for a moment. His hand was rubbing at the stubble across his jaw line.
"Carl are you sure you don't remember anything?"
Carl purse his lips and shakes his head, "I really don't dad, sorry."
"Well maybe that is for the best," Rick makes his way to the door but then turns around, "You said something about being in another place."
"Another place?" Carl crinkle his forehead, "I really can't remember anything dad."
Rick accepts his response, "Okay, I'll have Eugene cook some steaks up for you then."
His dad finally left the room and Carl tries to avoid looking at the cell, but instead walks over to it and stares.
"You can come out now," Carl says to the person in the room.
"The girl steps out from the shadow and laughs, "How did you know I was here?'
Carl faces Enid and sniffs the air, "Your smell, you all have a different scent. I knew I wasn't alone."
"I smell? Well that can't be good." Enid steps back.
Carl laughs, "No it's not a bad scent, you smell like oranges and the kitchen, flour seasoning and meat." Carl smirks as his eyes glow and he leans into her and pretend to take a bite out of her.
Enid jumps back, frightened by the action and those glowing eyes of his; she tries to smack him on the shoulder which he easily blocks, "That wasn't funny Carl; I was here the whole time. I saw you turn into a werewolf."
Carl makes his way to his trunks looking for something to wear, "Oh, I know you were here the whole time."
Enid watches Carl and this sudden air of confidence of his, "I heard you talking to yourself too."
"Was I? Did I answer myself too?"
Enid pauses, "I, I don't know. It was quite perplexing."
Carl looks her way for a moment before pulling things out of his trunk, "Guess I'm going crazy."
Enid walks over and sits in the chair at his desk, idly playing with his compass, "Add crazy plus being a werewolf to the list." She looks up to see Carl frowning at her.
"Sorry," she said quickly but she was still playing with his compass, a gift from his dad for passing his first flight course.
"Can you put that down before you break it," Carl was annoyed now, "Why they don't know you're on the ship yet is mind boggling. Daryl is slipping; he thinks it's a bad omen to have women on the ship."
Enid places the compass back on his desk, "Michonne is on the ship. I see no omen." Enid indicates the obvious.
That was Daryl's thing, it did not mean his dad had to abide by it. "She is on the ship because of documents stolen from her and other reasons too, I guess."
By inviting other reasons in the conversation was enough for Enid to encroach more on the matter, "She has really taken to your dad and he's taken to her too, don't you think?"
Aware she had approached this topic delicately she was expecting a response from him on the matter but Carl offers nothing.
His stomach grumbles loudly and Enid giggles, "Well at least there is your appetite."
Carl frowns, "Yes, there is that." Holding his clothing in the air, "Well I am about to get cleaned up here…"
Enid takes the hint and walks to his door but stops and turns back around, "It was fascinating to see you turn into a werewolf, Carl. I felt you were in there somewhere."
Carl didn't understand that last comment Enid made but she left his room before he could ask her what she had meant.
Michonne was busy concentrating on getting Carl's hair cut just the way he wanted. Yet, with a purposeful, though slight slip of her hand, she had no choice but to take a little more from each side and from the front too. She had gone a little higher than he had initially wanted.
"Aww so handsome, look at those eyes," she says, taking a step back to look at her handiwork from all angles. Feeling satisfied, Michonne removes the pieces of cloth from around his neck. With a huge smile on her face she reaches for the mirror and hands it to him.
She silently observes Carl while he moves his hair forward and backward; she saw that it barely touches his brow. He then rakes it away from his face again.
He places the mirror back down and stands up from the chair, "I really thought you'd mess this one up," Carl said teasingly.
Michonne helps Carl pick up his hair around the chair, "What! No way. I am good at what I do."
"If you're so good then how come dad's hair is the way is it?"
Michonne laughs, "You'd be surprised how much care your dad takes on his hair when he's out and about in public. He, how do you call it? Man-scapes, like the professionals at those bath houses."
Carl thought that bit of information regarding his dad was funny and laughs; he stops when he hears the meal cart outside and gets excited.
"Come on in Genie boy, I am starving," Carl smiles as he eyes the cart. Eugene enters pushing a cart with their mid-morning breakfast. He reaches for each tray of food and places it on the table.
"You really do amazing things Eugene; your meals are truly sublime."
Eugene eyes Michonne, wondering if she had anything to do with this praise. She shrugs her shoulders, "Sublime sir? Really? Well, thank you," Eugene beams.
'Those steaks do look good. It's sure better for all of us to see this instead of all that blood in those meat pies.' Michonne thought as she eyes the piece of steak on Carl's plate.
Eugene places a tray across from Carl, "Ms. Brownfield, the Cap mention something about your stomach in knots so I thought you might want something light."
Michonne thought back to the werewolf eating its own flesh and purses her lips together, swallowing slowly.
"What's wrong with your stomach? Are you airsick?" Carl asks.
"I'll be all right."
Michonne watches Carl shrug his shoulders and cut into his piece of meat.
"I really hope Grimes didn't give you any grief about it, because I really am fine."
Eugene smiles, "It was like any other day, boot stomping, the whole lot." He does his best to mimic Rick's request, but it fell short. Both Michonne and Carl got the gist and still smile.
Michonne and Eugene speak lightly of what plans he has for the rest of the day, not wanting to lose anymore daylight. He tells them to enjoy their midday breakfast and leaves them.
Carl eats in silence, noting that Michonne has yet to uncover her dish; he surmises that her thoughts are somewhere else.
"Thought my dad was going to keep me company too."
"He is; he is going over the rotations log. Some men are due to return home for a week. Need to make sure we're covered," she says.
Carl nods his head; he was all too familiar with the protocols. It was mandated for only a few days by the military, in case they needed aide from any and all airships, but his dad felt a few days was an insult and gave his men a full week with pay.
Carl stares at the door, "Speaking of dad…" he trails off.
Then came a knocking at his door.
Daryl enters the room with Rick close behind. Rick, too busy looking at some kind of paper in his hand, runs right into Daryl.
"Sorry," Daryl says as he walks further into the room. Daryl gives Carl's new haircut a once over, then a nod of approval, "You did that?" he asks Michonne.
"Why so surprised, Dixon? Of course I did that," Michonne answers.
Rick was busy looking over the changes Daryl had made to each log, and was about to make a suggestion to him when he saw his son for the first time since dawn. His hair was away from his face; the scar wasn't as red and not as prominent. It was healing decently.
'Well I do have to give it to the asshole ship doctor; he did one hell of a job fixing Carl's face.' Rick thought as he makes his way over to the table and sits down.
Taking in this new look of maturity, Rick realize that he wasn't looking at a ten year old anymore, and got sad for a second.
"There is the Carl, older, but still the Carl I know and remember," Rick says as he gets comfortable in his seat, "I hope you don't mind us having the meeting in here Carl; I think you should know our next course."
"I don't mind if you don't mind my suggestions," Carl says as he tilts his head to the side, a complete mirror image of his dad.
Rick chuckles, "Not at all. You know what," Rick slides the paperwork over to Carl, "Those are the rotation logs, ledger books," he slides a thicker packet over, "And there are some investments the Governor of New York wants us to look at."
Carl is shocked that his dad actually wants his opinion; he is also very excited, "Really?'
"Yeah, have at it," Rick raises his hand in the air, "You'll have to know these things anyway. This ship will be yours someday."
"Or, I'll have my own airship."
"Yeah, okay," Rick nods his head slowly, "Or this one."
"Okay dad, sure, sure." Carl, dismissing the whole thing, picks up the rotation log and ledger book and opens them.
Rick looks around the table, "Any coffee?"
"No, no, coffee here. Just tea, this picture of water," Michonne then lifts her tray and raises her brow in surprise; this was certainly not something light, "These delicious breakfast canapés and some fruit crepes…and Carl's steaks."
"Got it covered," Daryl responds, as he gets up and leaves the room.
"Eugene made you canapés crepes? Really? I specifically told him something light. You know, all I had time for was coffee and more coffee." Rick stares at Michonne untouched plate.
Michonne then lifts her fork at stabs at the piece of fruit and crepe and places it in her mouth, "Mmm-hmm and it's delicious too."
"I believe you. Eugene is really spoiling you."
Michonne takes another piece of food from her plate, closes her eyes and slowly chews her it; after swallowing, she opens her eyes, "So delicious, so good."
That small display got Rick uncomfortably hard.
Michonne saw the way Rick's face has gotten all flushed. Shechuckles, "I have no idea why you would think Eugene spoils me. He has amazing culinary skills."
"What will he do when you're not on the ship?" Rick inquires, as he nabs a canapé from her plate.
"The same as always, I'm sure: cooking for you. Or, should I offer him a job in my home?"
Carl is engrossed in the ledger book and tunes their loud voices out, but he is surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation; he looks at his dad first, then back at Michonne, "You're leaving?"
"Eventually Carl. As a matter of fact, I have to head home soon for some ball my mom orchestrated for me, but I'll be back. But, yes. Eventually, once everything is settled and straightened out."
Carl eyes his dad, "Michonne's leaving once everything is settled, Dad? She's leaving, Dad?" Carl stresses on the last two words, hoping his dad picks up on what he was putting out there.
That was not what Rick meant when he said what he said, but he can understand the distress on his son's face; the concern in his voice.
"Carl, what I have learned since meeting Michonne is that I must never tell her what to do and how she is to do it. Michonne knows that she can come and go as she pleases," Rick nabs another canapé from her plate and pops it in his mouth.
"These are really good." Then he reaches for another.
Michonne covers her plate, "No, no, no, get your own." She tries to block Rick's hand from stealing another one. Rick laughs; he managed to get another one.
"Rick!" Michonne exclaims as she smacks his hand.
'Who are they fooling, and in my presence too? This is too serious to be nothing else, but what it really is.' Carl wonders as he observes the most obvious display of affection between his dad and Michonne.
"I don't know, dad," Carl says as he eyes them both, "I'm not sure you'll like that very much, for Michonne to come and go as she pleases. I mean, once she is gone, she's gone and it's done. It really doesn't sound like a stable relationship to me, but to each his own." Carl then shoves a piece of steak in his mouth and slowly chews, "That is really good."
Both Rick and Michonne stop laughing and turn to face him.
"Carl!" says Rick; he has a serious frown on his face.
"Yes, I did say all that, openly and honestly, but remember it's just us three. Better hearing it from me than from Daryl. And you know he'll blatantly point out the obvious and embarrass the both of you."
Rick was about to say something, but Carl stops him, "I'm sorry dad. That was rude of me. I'm sorry to assume the obvious warm and flirtatious nature between you and Michonne, truly sorry." But Carl wasn't one bit apologetic; all he knows was that he was able to get things churning in his dad's mind, and that is the only thing that matters.
Daryl returns with the coffee; he stops when he notices the atmospheric change in the room. There is a satisfied smugness on Carl's face.
Michonne is astonished at this thoughtful expression on Rick's face.
Daryl wrinkles his brow, "What did I miss? No, wait. Should I know?"
"Just this, "Carl pushes the ledger across the table, "Ledgers, barters and deals Daryl, fascinating stuff, boring as hell, but fascinating all the same," Carl answers.
'Thank God. As long it doesn't get in the way of things,' Daryl thinks.
"Well alright then," says Daryl as he hands Rick his cup and pulls his seat out; he sits. "What is so boring and the fascinating? Break it down for us so we understand."
Carl begins with a specific line on the ledger, "If there is anything in that investment packet that involves this line item right here, I say invest."Part ii should be posted tomorrow :)