Bitter & Sweet (A Carl Grimes Fanfiction)

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"That was stupid," Rick told Carl after they slaughtered every last one of those men. "Yeah," Carl looked down at Gareth's body, "it was." Sam kept her head down, she felt like a small child in trouble. "Are you even listening? You could of gotten yourself killed." Carl nodded, oh he knew, he knew that, "I know Dad. But you don't understand how important that was, to me, to Sam," Carl looked down, it was important to kill someone. That's the world now. "I don't care, he would have died anyways. You didn't have to kill him, you shouldn't have been the one that has to do that. Let us handle it, we're the adults, you're the kid." The kid, cause I'm such an adult, Sam thought. "There are no kids in this world dad," Carl didn't say anymore, he picked up the knife cleaned it off and gave it back to Sam, Sam gives him his gun back, "don't have to worry about him anymore." He told her as he slips his gun back in its rightful place. And she smiles at that. Cause they don't, have to worry about him anymore.

Rick shakes his head, he couldn't argue with what his son said. He couldn't argue with the truth. Instead of saying anything else to the rest of his members, he follows his son inside the small office. As the others dragged the bodies out.

The next morning, it was time for Bob to go. Everyone was saying their heart-warming goodbyes and leaving the room. After Maggie told him he would always be with them, Bob looked at Sam, he smiled. She smiles back to be nice, "they're good people, you can trust them with your life. They won't let you down." Sam nods, earning a smile from Carl. She didn't know what to think since his dad tried to trade her off last night, but she let it slide. "Rick," Bob stops him before he can give Judith to Carl, "No. Let her stay. I trust her."

So Sam and Carl go out the door. Bodies gone from the church, being burned outside. Carl and Sam go outside with everyone else when it's time to bury Bob. Afterwards Abraham decides it's time to go, taking Rosita, Maggie, Glenn, Tara, and 'their mission' with them. There's no need for goodbyes.

Days pass, nothing new scavenge for food, warm fires outside, talking and joking around. Sam and Carl spent most of their time together, when bored they made-useless but still- weapons, played tic-tac-toe in the dirt and any other kind of useless game to pass the time. When the group went on runs, Michonne would bring backs comics and books and toys for them and Judith. One day, Daryl comes back with a friend, who goes by Noah, saying that they found Beth; someone Sam never heard of but apparently is Maggie's younger sister; and Carol was taken by the same people. And like Sam expected they were off to help their people. Gabriel, Michonne, Judith, Carl and Sam were left behind.

The day the group leaves is a quiet one at the church. Sam sits behind Michonne reading one of the books she got her, glancing up every now and again along with Michonne to see what Carl was up to. At that moment he was laying weapons in front of Gabriel setting down his gun last, "pick one." Gabriel just shakes his head and continues scrubbing 'the Lord's floor'. "You need to learn how to defend yourself." He stops scrubbing and looks up at Carl, "Defend myself? They said they'd go."

"They were liars and murders," Sam knew he wanted to say more. "Just like us," Gabriel pointed out. "We protected ourselves. They wanted us dead. You're lucky your church lasted this long. You can't stay in one place anymore, not for too long." Sam looked over at Michonne, who looked back but before they could make eye contact Sam went back to her book, "and once you're out there. You're going to find trouble you can't hide from. You need to know how to fight." Like actually putting 2 senses in Gabriel listens picking up the machete, "good choice, but you're not holding it right. You've got to be able to drive it down," Sam thought he should of stopped there, no detail for this sensitive man, of course he didn't though, "cause sometimes their skulls aren't as soft and you need to be able--" Gabriel holds up his hand and swallow, "I'm sorry. No. I need to lie down."

Carl nodded like he understood, truth be told though, he really didn't, because he could kill people, bad people, but people nevertheless. When he looked over at them Sam shrugged in a way of saying 'you tried, his loss'. He nodded, gathering up the weapons to put away.

The next day Gabriel went out for a few hours. When he came back he was banging on the door, "please don't leave me out here, please," Carl, like always, doesn't hesitate, Michonne gets up after him handing Sam Judith, "Carl! Michonne! Sam! I had to see it I know now! Let me live with it!" Michonne grabbed her sword, Carl was out the door, "wait!" Sam stands at the door and watches Carl struggle to get the piece of wood nailed to the doors off, Michonne ends up getting it letting Gabriel in but also a dozen and more walkers. "Get back!" They run back to the room, putting a chair in front of it, "that's how I got out," he points, "crawl under to the back. Go, take the little one with you, and go." Gabriel crawls out moments after, "I can't run anymore."

"We're not running." were they going to fight for this place? Sam gave Gabriel Judith so she could help, she took the machete from him, he doesn't resist. Sam follows Carl, she hasn't killed a walker in ages it felt like, she hoped she could still do it.

"Where do we go now?" Carl asks when one of the boards breaks off, before anyone could answer a vehicle approaches, it's a fire truck but with their people. Maggie hugs Michonne when they get out, "you're back." Sam watches Abraham stay in the truck. "Eugene lied. He can't stop it. Washington isn't the end," Sam knew it, "where is everybody?" Michonne suddenly lets it click in her head and looks at Maggie, "Beth's alive. She's in a hospital in Atlanta. Some people have her but the others went to get her back." Maggie's face falls, "do we know which one?" Michonne nods smiling, "Grady Memorial." Maggie laughs of happiness, "oh my god." She hugs Glenn. "Let's blow this joint, and go save your sister," Tara suggests.

When they get there Carl, and Sam are ordered to stay inside of the truck with Judith and a still passed out Eugene. "You'll love her, Sam,"
Carl smiled, "she great." Sam smiles back, believing him. They watch as their people file out, but Sam doesn't see any happy faces coming out nor any new ones, her heart sinks. It never ends good. Daryl comes out last after Tyreese and Carol, holding a little blond girl. Her body is lifeless. Sam squeezed Carl's hand when he realized who it was. She turned him around, like she had of her-7 minute younger but still younger-brother when their dad got bitten and eaten alive in front of him. She held him close to her, her hands over his ears as their dad got ripped to shreds by snarling teeth, she watched. She held Carl close not letting him see. They weren't just minutes apart they were years, he was so much younger than her, making Sam want to protect him more. Carl let her hold him, as he let a couple of tears slip.