We Can Survive (Carl Grimes Fanfiction)

Chapter 14- You Look So Tired

When Daryl shook me awake and set me on the ground, I smiled shyly. I'd told him I needed a break and had apparently fallen asleep. I guess he took it upon himself to carry me all the way to the prison.

"Sorry you had to carry me. You could've just woken me up." I uttered, somewhat embarrassed. He glanced over at me.

"Yeah, I could've." he said firmly before turning back to face forward. It made me want to cry. I'd been at the prison for little more than a week, gone from it or unconscious more than staying there, and Daryl was willing to search for me and carry me for miles. He really was like a father. He didn't seem to care that we hardly even knew each other.

We entered the clearing surrounding the prison and I started to get excited. I was finally back home! I had no clue when I'd started to refer to the prison as home, but I had. I was content to have a place to call home and at least one person to call family, even if my mom and Renae were gone. Soon enough I'd probably be calling the other people here family. So they can die and leave me emotionally scarred yet again I thought bitterly. I shoved the thought from my mind, much like shoving a person from a building. I planned on never thinking like that again, never seeing that person again. Watching it splatter as it hit the ground. God, I was twisted.

As we approached the gates, Glenn and Maggie tugged them open. I guess Tyrese had come up with some kind of pulley system so only one gate would open at a time. It worked smoothly and efficiently, making invading walkers much less likely. Maggie crumpled me into a hug, Glenn smiling beside her. I was realizing more and more just how charitable and, for lack of a better word, good these people were. Maggie barely knew me. All she knew was I was friends with her sister and here she was squeezing the air out of me and forcing love into me to take its place. When she pulled away, I smiled at her, my eyelids already drooping in protest.

"Go inside, sweetheart. You look so tired." she said lowly. Her voice was less chirpy and humming bird-like than Beth's, but still made me melt. Maybe it was the airy southern accent, I don't know. I nodded drowsily and stumbled off to go inside. Daryl stayed outside to talk to Maggie and Glenn, probably about the past few days' events.

I was immediately faced by Rick when I dragged the door open with intense effort. He glared at me like I had done something to him, then strutted away as if he owned the place, which he kind of did. I shrugged it off, my mind and body being so tired, and stepped inside. I wanted to find Carl first, then Trinity. I knew Trinity would probably make a scene, and I'd probably do the same. I figured she had been as worried about me as I had about her and our reuniting would be filled with tears and joy. I wanted to put that off until after I'd talked to Carl.

I slunk past our cell, not having the heart to look in at Trinity. I knew she'd be there. If not, she probably would've seen me by now. I glanced into Carl's cell, only to see his dad. I kept walking as if I had somewhere else to be and had glanced in by chance. I stepped into Beth's cell instead, where she was playing with Judith with a few plastic cups and a small teddy bear. She glanced up at me and her face lit up. She dropped the cup from her hand and stood to hug me.

She pulled away quickly and said quietly,"You're back!" with a smile before adding,"Carl's in the cafeteria." I grinned at her. She knew exactly who I wanted.

"Thanks," I said shyly. It was kind of embarrassing but also exhilarating that everyone knew about us now. I tripped out of her cell, my face burning, and crept past mine and Trinity's cell yet again. Once I got to the main room, I ran across the makeshift carpet to get to the cafeteria.

I took a deep breath before pushing open one of the doors. Carl hadn't seemed to notice me yet. He was sitting with his back turned, so I crept up on him. I grabbed him from behind and he yelled and fell off his chair. I laughed at him, and when he saw it was me he smiled sheepishly. He stood and hugged me tightly, wrapping his arms around my waist.