A Promise-Carl Grimes x reader

"Sophia?"

I was feeding the chickens with a now better Carl and Lori was watching.

"I'm going to go talk with Daryl, I'll uh, see you later" I huffed turning and walking back, my side was starting to hurt but I didn't want to bother anyone with it.

"You sure your ok?" Lori called and I gave her a thumbs up.

Later in the day

"You had a gun on you?" I asked and Carl nodded "that's why the council's formed" he huffed and I smiled "let me talk to them, since I'm like your best friend and all" he smiled and I gave him a quick smile back.

"I think he should learn to shoot" I shrugged and Lori turned to me "hear me out, we live in a world where every corner you turn there's a walker waiting for you, what happened if we get somewhere we think is safe and he turns one of those corners?" I explained and the four adults looked at each other "if it makes you feel better, I want to learn too, I'm not the best shot myself it takes my two bullets to take down one walker" Rick huffed squatting to my level "I trust you enough that if I were to say yes, you would make sure everything is ok?" he asked and I nodded.

He sent me back over and Carl looked up at me "I may have persuaded them" I shrugged and he hugged my tightly "ouch my side!" I exclaimed and he quickly let go "sorry, but also thank you even if they say no at least you tried" he gave me a half smile and I got up "I'm going to clear my mind a little, tell me how it goes" I smiled quickly before walking away.

The sun seemed to be brighter than usual and all of a sudden it got hotter and my head was spinning and hurting all at once, until my vision started to give up on me and black started to cover more and more until I felt the hard ground.

I woke up next on a bed and everything felt normal again "was that a dream?" I asked and Carl shook his head "it's been an hour" he huffed and I groaned "when did you stop?" Rick asked and I blinked my eyes in confusion "stop what?" I asked and a shared look was passed around "stop eating, you're missing weeks worth of nutrients in your blood" Shane said and I looked down.

"we were on the road, and we were running low on food so I stopped eating as much at first, then I stopped in total, when we got here it was just hard to start again" I explained and Shane did the at thing where he sighs and drags his hand down his face.

"everyone get out, I want to have a word with her!" Daryl announced and Lori shook her head "I don't think that's the best idea" she warned and Daryl sat beside me "I'm not killing her, lay off" he grumbled and I laughed slightly.

When they left he turned to me and I looked away "you'll come to me huh?" he asked and I looked away "there are somethings that are harder to talk about" I huffed and he just pulled me into a quiet hug "I know, I know it can be hard" he calmed kissing my head "I'm here for you, I suggest you rest, I'll bring you lunch and dinner" he nodded and I shook my head standing up.

"I can't stay in this man's house anymore, I feel bad" I huffed surprisingly walking just fine "well then let's get going" he huffed and we went outside.

The next day

We were all stood around eating breakfast, Daryl watching me from afar to make sure I was eating.

"Uh, guys!" Glenn announced and we all looked at him "so, the barn is full of walkers" he announced and we all looked up at him, some of us were scared, others angry that we were lied to.

We all moved down to see that walkers were actually in there Daryl and Shane started to argue and I turned walking back up to camp.

"Where are you going?" Carl asked grabbing my wrist "anywhere but here" I huffed and he tightened his grip "do you think Sophia is dead?" he asked and I started to laugh "at this point I'm loosing hope, but something inside of me thinks that maybe there is hope for her to be alive" I sighed and Carl loosened his grip "even if none of them believe it, you do" he smiled and I hugged him.

Time skip some hours

I had been reading I'm a tent for some hours, and honestly I was getting bored so I decided to leave up to the porch and sit with everyone.

Just as I arrived Shane was coming with the bag of guns and he was handing them out.

"You with me?" he asked and I reached for the pistol he was holding out "depends, what's happening?" I asked and he huffed "it's time to grow up" was all he explained and I huffed.

"Oh shit!" T-dog said and we all turned to see walkers being brought to the barn, Rick leading one.

We all started to run down there mainly trying to catch Shane.

My side was hurting as we got down, Carl beside me Shane shot one of the walkers three times and he kept going more, eventually shooting it in the head.

"what the hell!" I yelled and Shane turned to me "look if you want to run back up that hill with the false hope of Sophia being alive you can, but out of everyone here your seem to be the most mature" he huffed and I shook my head "I'm just a kid!" I yelled and he walked over to the doors.

He started breaking the door open and I raised my gun with shaky hands, shooting the first walker that came out, not in the head but the chest before I lowered my gun"i-I can't do it" I mumbled stepped forward.

I started to shoot again and soon enough the walkers were clear.

There was one more, it used it's hand to block the light, but I could still tell who it was, who it still is.

"Sophia?" I questioned, stepping forward and the calls for me to step back faded "no, no" I cried covering my mouth with my hand and putting my gun in my pants, she staggered towards me and I didn't move, I was frozen in place.

My best friend, we both got chased by those walkers, she should have lived not me, she deserved her life more than me "I'm sorry" I whispered before stabbing her in the head, setting her down easily, almost cradling her in my arms as I cried, this is all my fault, if I had just turned around or grabbed he hand, she would be alive.

I heard Carol crying but she seemed miles away, I heard Lori and Carl barely, Sophias voice was the only thing I could hear, her laugh and her asking me if we would be ok, was all I could hear.

"I'm sorry Sophia, I should have turned around" I mumbled as I was pulled away from her, still crying and still feeling the guilt.