Till I Die (TWD/Carl Grimes)

Chapter 39: Home sweet home.

I held my sweaty hands in fists. Im so nervous...I'm home, back with the ones I love, back to Carl, AnnaBeth, Autumn. "This is it. Home" I Smiled up to the tall, blond fourteen year old Pretty Boy, Aka, Archer Hood. "You live at a prison? Sweet. How many are there of you?" he smiled at the building we stood in front of. "Well... Myself, Daryl, Carl, his dad Rick, who's also the leader of the group, Autumn, my sister, Carol and her daughter, Sophia, my best friend AnnaBeth, her boyfriend Lukas, Michonne the ninja chick, Hershel and his two daughters, Beth and Maggie, Glenn, Maggie's boyfriend, and the new member of our family Judith, Rick's daughter. I think that's everyone... so that's one...two...three..four... fourteen counting myself, hope I didn't forget anyone oh and fifteen counting you, if you pass the test" "I noticed you didn't count Merle, ain't he Daryl's brother?" he asked. "Only threw blood pretty boy" I pointed out. "It's still Archer, and test? What kind?" he asked. "just a few question Rick will ask"

Once Daryl was able to get us in the gate, we were freezing, if you looked close enough I'm positive there are icicles hanging from my nose. "Daryl, Merle..." I whispered. "He's my brother, I ain't leaving him" Daryl whispers back. I sighed, should of seen that coming. I took a deep breath before I opened the prison doors. "Get down!" Merle shouted has he pushed me to the ground. Smoke was everywhere and bullets are flying. We just entered a war zone.

We locked ourselves in one of the small offices. "Shit, what do we do? What about Rick? Judith? Carl?" I almost shouted. "Sh! we'll figure this out. we just need to keep our heads" Daryl's southern voice whispered in the darkness. "Daryl, I'm scared for them, for us. I have no doubts this is the Governor." "She's right, this must be him. I mean, he's the groups only enemy. But Maxie here... she's got many" Merle said, I could practically hear that crooked grin. "Shut the hell up, this is the Gov." Daryl snapped. "Check this way!" Phillips voice shouted over the gunfire. "Find Maxie! kill everyone else!" he added. I felt my whole body shake and I felt terrified. What if he's already killed someone? Getting up I began feeling around the walls, finding the door I opened it, peeking out. Its clear. "Ok. Cover me" I said out of the blue, dashing out the door. "Maxie! come back here!" Daryl shouted.

I'm going to kill the governor.

I snuck around the prison till I retched my cell. looking around I finally found my backpack. Hearing foots steps I slid my backpack across the floor and it landed under the bed, I joined it. I made a face of disgust because it was so dusty. "This rooms clear!" A male shouted. "All the rooms are, this prison is clear" "No! search again!" Phillip yelled. I flinched and went further under the bed. hearing the bed creak I stopped. I looked over to see that the Gov sat in the bed. I'm hoping with all this gunfire I could open my backpack and get my gun. Un-zipping my backpack, I dug threw it till feeling my hand on the handle. Pulling it out I looked for how much bullets it had. Three, but it will work. "Maxie are you in here-" Daryl yelled, dashing into my room. He froze when he saw the Gov. "Well, you must be Daryl. The girls father right?" The gov said, probably smirking. "One could say that. I'm more like the Father figure, now, get out of our home" Daryl demanded, pulling out his crossbow. The bed creaked again and Phillip now stood in front of Daryl, holding a gun to his face. "No!" I whispered with more anger than sadness. I used the wall to help push myself from ender the bed. "Phillip!" I shouted from behind him, my gun tucked on my side in my sweats, pocket knife in the other. "Maxie run!" Daryl shouted. "No. No more running." I snapped, not meaning to of course, I'm just so done with running like a cowered.

"Clear out men, found what I need. get the trucks ready" Phillip said into a walkie-talkie. "come on now Maxie, its best we go now." "I'm not leaving!" I shouted. "Yes, you are. Or else" he said, turning back to Daryl with gun still in hand. "Don't hurt him- he's closet thing I've really had since, well ever" I mumbled. "How sweet. come then and he'll be spared" this guy talks stupid. "Well your majesty, one more thing" "wha-?" he turned back to face me and I let out a battle cry has I leaped towards him, knife in hand. it struck him right in his left eye and he screamed and pushed me away harshly, slamming my head on the corner of the nightstand and I blacked out.

"Maxie, darling wake up, please" Carols voiced begged. I had a burning feeling on my forehead and when I retched to touch it my hand was, not harshly, slapped away. "Don't touch it" Daryl voiced whispered, I think he's worried. "Where's Phillip?" I mumbled. "He's not here. He left" Daryl sighed. I opened my eyes fully. "He-he's still alive?! And you let him get away?!" I shouted, standing up from the bed. My head felt dizzy so I sat down again. "I'm sorry! He took the knife out of his eye then smirked at me, than some guy jumped me from behind!" Daryl snapped. I sighed. "I'm sorry. Just- I'm scared" "sweetie I know. But it's ok, we'd all here together" Carol smiled, carefully pulling me into a side hug. "Now. lets get something to eat" Carol said, grabbing my hand and leading me to the kitchen, Daryl right behind us. Michonne was sitting at the table with Rick, discussing battle strategies. "I saw, wait for the snow to melt. Have a merry Christmas in two weeks and then, when the snow melts, attack. It's easier to travel and safer with the road. So we'll just need to keep watch for the Gov. But don't worry, he won't be back for a while. it will take months for that eye to heal." I but in.
"That- might just work" Rick gave a half smile. "How's your head kid?" Michonne asked, smiling at me. "It's ok. I have a small headache and I'm a bit dizzy if I move around to fast. So great I guess" I joked, smiling.

"Christmas?" Carol asked. "Yeah we're going to have a family Christmas together" "Wonderful idea" Maggie smiled. And just like that everyone entered the room, all sitting at different tables, Autumn bringing in a big bowl of what looked like a breakfast dish, eggs, bacon, hash browns/tater tots . "Whoa! Where'd you get that!?" I gasped, almost drooling at the food. "Your not the only one who looted the apartment" Maggie smiled again. At my table was AnnaBeth, Lukas, Archer (who did pass the test, I wonder what the questions where..), Sophia, who Archer has taken a liking to, I see something between them and I like it! Wait..? where's Carl. "Rick?" I shouted over to his table where him, Hershel, Beth, Judith, Daryl and Carol sat. "Hmm? He's on watch" Rick said. "What? it's storming out there!" I yelled. I carefully walked to my room and pulled on some black wooly leggings before pulling on my favorite blue sweats over them and a red/navy blue long sleeve flannel button up and my thickest sweater, which is also my hunting one so its camo. Dashing out side I began looking for Carl. because of the season it is, even though its about 7:15 it's still pretty dark out, and with all this wind blowing the snow around, I can hardly see, but what spotted my eye was that one guard tower had a light glowing from it. "Thank god" I said under my breath. taking another step, I felt dizzy but I pushed on. I entered the guard tower and the door slammed behind me. "Hello?" I heard Carl shout. "H-hi! Are you coming to eat with us? were having breakfast as a family! And plus, it freezing out! it's starting to storm!" I shouted up the tall set of stairs. Walking up them there was Carl. Sitting, looking at me in disbelief. "Your. alive? Your alive! Maxie!" he shouted at me and I was startled, he got up and ran to me, almost pushing me down the stairs. "Careful!" I giggled, it felt nice to be in his arms again. "Come eat" I smiled at him, grabbing the lantern/flashlight thing and his hand has we walked down the stairs. My head was throbbing think crazy and I was fighting hard to not fall. "Maxie! look out!" Carl shouted. Pulling my head from the ground I looked up to see a figure right in front of me. I let out a scream before just realizing it was just a dog. Wait a dog? what's it doing past the prison gates? how did it get in here? "c'mon!" I said to Carl before flowing the large German shepherd into a section of the prison.

"This must be where Phillip got in..." I mumble. "It would make sense" Carl added. We followed the German Shepherd into a small room that had what looked like pillows all over the floor and on those pillows were two baby puppy's, one male, the other female. "We should get Hershel" I said, Carl nodded and we began, puppy's in hand and the mother beside us, following arrows that Glenn and ourselves have put till we were back at the prison. "Hershel! look!" I shouted. Hershel wobble over to us and was shocked at what we found. "Oh my" he mumbled. "Can we keep them? Please!" I begged like a five year old. "Me and AnnaBeth will take great care of them!" I gave my best puppy dog face. "Daryl? Your the girls- uh- father figure" Hershel asked. "Whatever. AnnaBeth and Lukas are in charge of the girl, Maxie and Carl can take care of the boy and I'll take care of the mama" he smiled. "oh so your a dog person? I asked. "Look at it! it will make a great hunting buddy!" Daryl smiled. "Ima name you... Charming" I smiled, holding the soft ball of fur in my hands. "Charming?" Carl asked. "Yeah, like Prince Charming from a story my mother use to read me" I smiled, not taking my eyes of the puppy. "You mean Snow White and the seven dwarfs?" Carl asked. "No. it was all the fairy tales twisted. Almost like the Grimm tails but not" "Alright then" Carl gave a soft laugh. "Charming and... Loyal" AnnaBeth smiled. "Loyal huh? Alright" Lukas smiled "Charming Loyal... and" She smiled at me, then Daryl "Daryl, what are you going to name the mother?" AnnaBeth asked. "I don't know" he shrugged. "How about... Hero" Carol said, "it fits the theme" "ok" Daryl half smiled, its usual.

"Charming, Loyal and Hero" Hershel said. "I like it"