I need you here with me // Carl Grimes [EDITING]

Eight -True.

When I woke up in Carl's bed the following morning after Lori and T-Dog's deaths, I came to the realisation that Carl was no longer lay beside me. Instead I was all alone.

I got up and changed into my old army boots, some ripped black skinny jeans, a dirty white tank top and a black and white varsity jacket Daryl picked up for me when he went on a run.

I walked down the stairs of the prison and the first thing I saw was a tired looking Carl cradling Judith in his arms.

"-This worlds so tough but you're gonna beat it. Everyone here is gonna be your family, we'll always protect you. I'll always protect you'."

"Hey you two." I smiled, "I can take her if you want, you look real tired."

"It's like you read my mind." With a soft smile on his lips he pecked my cheek and walked back in the direction of our cell, leaving me alone with baby Judith.

"You're so beautiful Judith." I poked her small chubby cheek, "You've even got your daddy's eyes." (Lmao which one?)

For a brief moment it seemed as if the new born was smiling at me, even with her eyes still unopened, her small toothless mouth curled up at both corners and a soft gurgle left the back of her throat. She was irresistibly cute.

Suddenly, her small hand reached out for my own and in her tiny fist she grabbed ahold of my index finger.

"That means she likes you." Carol spoke form behind me

For a moment, I found myself frozen on the spot, completely unable to believe that the woman before me was alive. But unlike the dreams I'd had, my eyes weren't deceiving me, Carol was real.

Cautiously, I placed Judith back into the cott Maggie and Glenn had picked up for her, before I turned on my heel and threw myself into Carol's arms.

"I can't believe you're here." I whispered

'"Well you can thank Daryl for that." she smiled

After talking with the older woman for what felt like hours, I found myself heading in the direction of Daryl's cell. I'd grown closer to the older man in only a matter of days, and although he acted strangely around me, I knew I had to thank him for rescuing Carol from her impending death. I had never been more grateful for anything in the world.

"Daryl?" I knocked against one of the bars, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure kid, come in."

"Well," I sat on the edge of his bed, "I just wanted to thank you for saving Carol, she means a lot to me and what you've done for us does too."

"It's no problem, Carol's my friend so I'm gonna keep her alive."

Awkwardly, I leaned in and hugged the older man. I could tell from his response that he was secretly good with children, I'd seen him with Judith, and how he instantly hugged me back only showed it further.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Uh, sure."

"Why do you look at me like that every time you see me?"

"Like what?"

"Like there's something wrong with me."

"Sweetheart I don't mean to do that... Look there's a reason I look at you the way I do but I don't think I can tell you."

"Please, I just want to be friends with everyone here and-"

"Look kid I cant tell you, even if I did you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

"Really, you don't wanna know."

"Just tell me, what could be so bad that-"

"I think you're my kid."

"What?" I let out a short laugh, "what do you mean?"

"I had a daughter. Her mom took her away from me when she was two days old... When she was seven, her mom sent me a picture of her in the mail." He explained, before he produced a torn and crumpled piece of paper from within his pocket. Even as he spoke I couldn't believe it, it couldn't be possible. My biological father had died before I was born, he was lying.

"You're lying, my real dad's dead."

"Take a look would you?"

Silently, he handed me the paper and my eyes widened at the sight before me. It was a picture of myself from school picture day when I was a kid, my then blonde hair was tied back into pigtails but apart from that I looked incredibly similar to as I do now.

"There's no way. Where the hell did you get this Dixon?"

"I told you your Mom-"

"You don't know my mom!" I stood to my feet, anger coursed through my veins like a drug. I was furious. "You're a psycho!"

"Your Mom's name is Jen, your birthday is the 20th of January, you were born at Grady memorial hospital and-"

"I-I don't need to hear any more."

"You gotta believe me kid... Come on, look at us we're the same."

"I'm nothing like you."

Without another word I walked out of Daryl's cell and back to my own. For a short while I lay up on my top bunk thinking and wondering why had my own mother lied to me about a man who in reality had been holding onto the thought of me. I'd never heard her do anything so cruel.

That's if Daryl was telling the truth, but either way I would have no way of ever really knowing.

I could hear Carl's light snoring from the bunk below me and I smiled at the mere thought of the boy on the bed beneath my own. But my smile faded away when Daryl appeared in the doorway of our cell.

"Can we talk?"

"Okay..." I sighed

As quietly as possible I climbed down from the top bunk and closed the gate to Carl and I's cell, leaving Carl alone in the dark room and myself out in the open with Daryl.

"I didn't mean to scare you before-"

"It's okay." I nodded, "If you really are who you say you are then you're gonna have to prove it Daryl, I'm not just going to call a random guy Dad. If you really are my father then you've gotta earn that title, and my trust."

"I can do that."

Cautiously, as if he was afraid I would shatter Daryl wrapped one arm around me in a somewhat awkward hug, one which was interrupted by not only Carl opening the cell door but also Rick who stopped to talk to us.

"Why are you two hugging?' Carl asked

"You finally told her?" Rick smiled

"You knew?" I spun on my heel, glaring at the older man.

"Hey it wasn't my choice to tell you."

"Tell her what?" Carl asked once again

"That she's my daughter."

"Daryl's your dad?"

"I guess so..." I mumbled, ever so desperately trying to fight of the smile that was apparent on my lips

"I'll explain everything later." I whispered in his ear, to which he only nodded.

It was strange, in a single day I had discovered where I really belonged; the prison. Who my real father was; Daryl. And where my true feelings lay; with Carl Grimes.