I Promise (Carl Grimes)

You Promised

"You and Beth sleep while me and Carl take watch. Don't even try to argue. You two have been living in the woods for weeks while we've been sleeping in almost every day. Get some rest." I told them. Daryl tried to say something but I cut him off. "Sleep. Now." He sighed and laid down next to Beth. It was about 5:00am and Carl and I were still taking watch. He stared at me for a while like he was trying to figure me out. Like I was a puzzle or something.

Carls POV:
I've got to do something. I can't let her slip away. I've seen it happen before with Shane. There's something that's got to bring her back to reality. Wait, I know. Why didn't I think of this earlier? I'm gonna tell her I love her. "Brooke, I love you." Her head shot up and she glared at me. Though for a moment, I thought I saw her eyes twinkle. "No you don't. You're just a hormonal teenager like you said so yourself." I felt my heart shatter. "I think we need to break up." She said breaking the silence. "W-what? No. No! You said you wouldn't leave me. You promised! Please don't. Oh god no! Please. Please!" I sobbed. "I'm so sorry." She said walking off into the woods.

Brooke's POV:
I'm leaving them. I'm going back to my old ways, only this time I'm alone. No Carter. I didn't want to leave them but I can't handle another death. Especially Carls. And I love him back. Very much. I turned around when I heard the sound of the walkers. Sure enough, it was them. Eight of them all making their way to me. Ugh. I just rang the dinner bell. I was cornered at a tree with no where to run. One by one they all fell to the ground. I looked up and immediately knew I was dead. "Is heaven nice Rick?" I asked with tears running down my cheeks. "Brooke, you're not dead, nor am I." Rick said. "But I saw you die. The Governor stabbed you! You were dead, you died!" I yelled crying into my hands. "Michonne saved me. He missed my heart. I'm very thankful." He smiled and I ran into his arms hugging him tightly. "Where's Judith and Carl?" He asked with a worried expression. I told him what happened. Judith, the rehab center, Julie, finding Beth and Daryl, Carl and me getting into a fight. After I was done Rick took a deep, shaky breath. "When was the last time you saw them?" He asked. "A few hours ago. They're probably gone by now." I said looking down. Rick ushered for me to sit down next to him. "I do love Carl Rick." He shook his head. "I know. I believe you, but let me explain something. He needs you. You're what keeps him going, and with out you.. well I'm afraid he'd let the world get to him. After all the wrong that's happened in this world this seems like the right thing. He needs you." Rick said smiling. "I need him too."

Carls POV:
"What do you mean you do know where she is!?" Daryl screamed in my face. "I don't know! She ran off when I told her that I love her, and then she broke up with me." I said the last part quietly. Daryl and Beth looked at each other and then at me. "Pack your stuff. We're going to find her." Daryl said grabbing his crossbow.

We've been walking in the woods for about an hour, and we weren't any closer to finding her. "Maybe.. Maybe we should just stop. She obviously doesn't want to be with us." Daryl stopped dead in his tracks and looked me straight in the eye. "What the hell did you just say? Let me tell you somethin bout love. That whole 'if you love something set it free, if it comes back to you it's yours' is bull shit! You know what real love is? Real love is going after that girl! Making fun of each other then laughin bout it! Taking stupid pictures of each other! Kissing her when she's mad and comforting her when she's sad. Man it's time to grow up! No more kid stuff. Now go after her!" Daryl yelled. I nodded my head and ran off into the woods. Daryl's right. It's time to grow up. No more kid stuff. When Daryl said that it made me think of my dad.

Flashback:
I was sitting in Hershals barn alone looking out the window at the sunset. "No more kid stuff." My dad said walking up and handing me a gun. I gave him a confusing look. "You need to be able to protect yourself." Rick said. "I'm not ever touching another gun again. It's my fault Dale is dead. If I would've shot that walker he'd still be here!" I yelled. "Don't talk like that. Listen, people are gonna die. I'm gonna die.. moms gonna die.. and yet, there's no way you'll ever be ready for it."
End of flashback: