To Be With You | Carl Grimes [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 27: It's Complicated

After Abraham and the others left for DC, we stayed in the church, hoping Daryl and Carol would come back soon so we can move. Rick didn't make any plans for us to leave and try to find them; he didn't want any of us separating and he knew that they'd be back.

I was sitting in one of the pews that night with Judith on my lap. She was fast asleep but I didn't want to put her to bed just yet. She looked so calm and innocent and for some reason it helped me not think of the worst scenarios that could possibly happen to Daryl and Carol.

I looked down at her, rocking her back and forth. I didn't have much experience with babies, being I was the only child. But my mother's sister, my aunt, had a baby when I was twelve years old. I didn't see my aunt, Ashley, a lot; she lived in Chicago so she didn't visit much. She moved there when she met her future husband, and when he proposed they decided to move.

But when she gave birth, my mother decided she wanted to see the baby and her sister. So my mother coughed up all the money we had and we spent a five day trip in Chicago. My aunt named her son Aiden and I spent most of my time with him and her. My aunt taught me how to take care of him, how to change him and feed him and all that. I loved my cousin, he was just a baby but I knew we were going to be great friends. But that went down the drain when we went back home and the world ended.

I didn't want to think of what happened to them.

Someone sat down next to me and I looked up to see Rick. He gave me a small smile, which I returned. I moved my arms for Rick to take Judith but he refused, shaking his head.

"No, you're good with her." he said. "The moment she's in my arms she'll be wide awake."

I chuckled. "Why'd you name her Judith?"

"Carl named her, actually. After his teacher; he loved her." Rick said and I nodded.

"I haven't actually noticed how beautiful she was until now." I smiled. "She has your nose."

Rick shook his head. "She looks more like her mother than me."

I remembered back when I saw the photo of Lori, Rick and Carl back at the prison. Now that I think about it, she looks just like Lori.

"I'm sorry." I said softly.

I glanced away from Judith to see Rick touch his ring gently. He rubbed it and then let go. Then he turned to me and gave me a forced smile. My lips lifted just a bit, but then they dropped. I put my head on his shoulder and he sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

Then the door burst open suddenly, making the both of us jump. Judith stirred but didn't wake, so I quietly moved into the room and placed her in her basket. Then I went back outside to see who opened the door.

It was Michonne, Gabriel, and Daryl...and some other kid who I've never seen before. But Carol wasn't with them.

Everyone soon came to see what was happening, and Daryl went straight to Rick, who was walking towards the kid.

Daryl placed a hand on Rick's shoulder, stopping him. "Rick, it's okay. He's good."

"I'm Noah," the kid introduced. He was older than me, maybe in his late teenage years or early twenties. He was dark skinned, but not that dark. He had baggy clothes and a backpack. He stepped closer and that's when I saw he limped. Maybe he hurt his leg or something.

"Where's Carol?" Rick immediately asked, looking at Daryl and ignoring Noah.

"She-She, um-" Daryl took a breath. "It's complicated."

A few minutes later, Daryl and Noah finished their story.

Apparently after the prison attack, Daryl and Beth got stuck together. They were doing fine until someone snatched Beth late at night and they drove away, with a cross on the back of the car. Daryl tried going after her but then he found us. Then, the night when we found Gabriel, he followed Carol outside. That's when they saw a car drive with the same white cross. The two followed it and they found Noah along the way.