𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 15 ~ I'll Come Back for You

We waited till the morning but the news wasn't good. Ezekiel vetoed our idea - giving us an excuse as to why he couldn't. And with that, my hopes fell. He did offer refuge for dad, though which surprised me. Not that he'd take it, of course. The group of us shuffled out of the gymnasium one last time before stepping out into the town once more.

Rick and Daryl discussed strategy briefly before we all fell into step together.

"All right, open it up. We're gone," Daryl ordered the men at the gate and slowly, it began to swing open.

Everyone began to pile out into the open field before Rick stopped Daryl.

"You're not," he told him solemnly.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I hung back.

"I ain't staying here," Daryl retorted gruffly, ready to fight Rick on this.

"You have to. It's the smartest play. You know it is," Rick shot back defiantly.

Daryl cussed under his breath at being made to stay.

"Try to talk to Ezekiel. Or stare him into submission - whatever it takes... We'll be back soon," Rick urged, placing a hand on his shoulder briefly to assure him.

He began to walk away then, Daryl sighing behind him, "Come on, Angel,"

But instead of following after him like a good little soldier, my boots stayed rooted to the ground where I stood. When he realized I wasn't coming, he turned back around with a look of confusion plastered to his face.

"I'm not going with y'all," I told him, licking my dry, cracked lips.

"What are you talking about? We need you. You're apart of the group now-" Rick began to say, shaking his head at me.

"-and I'm also a Dixon," I said, taking a step back so that I was now standing next to Daryl, "I won't be separated from my dad again,"

I could feel Daryl's eyes boring into me and when I finally glanced up, I saw a mixed expression of pride and love on his face that warmed me to my core. Slowly, Rick nodded in understanding.

"Alright. If that's the way you feel then-" he began to say when suddenly, the sound of boots thudding across the ground made us all look up.

Running over to us was Carl, his Sheriff's hat skewed slightly on the crown of his shaggy, brown head.

"What's going on? Why aren't you coming?" he asked, uncertainty clear in his blue eye.

"Carl...Angel's staying here with Daryl," Rick told him, shifting in the dirt to face his son.

Biting his lip, his eye met mine, "But why? Don't you want to come back with us? What if-what if the Saviors come and-"

"Carl, I'm gonna be fine," I assured him, starting to take a step closer when I realized there were two pairs of eyes glued to us, "Um, guys? Little privacy?"

Rick shifted uncomfortably and Daryl coughed as they both walked to the other side of the gate, discussing when to meet up again. Sighing, I turned to face my boyfriend and I felt a little crack form in my heart at the thought of separating from him. We hadn't been apart since we began dating - we'd seen each other every day, in fact. Partially due to living in the same house and partially just because we liked being in each other's company.

"Carl, I don't...I don't want to leave you but...it's my dad," I told him, my words soft and gentle, "I can't just be parted from him again. I've lived 19 years without him and just when I finally found him, we were separated. I...I thought he was dead, Carl. I don't want that to happen again,"

He nodded in understanding, his hands coming to rest on my hips as he pulled me close to him. Our foreheads collided gently, skin pressed against skin and I felt a sigh well up from my throat at the warmth of being this close to him. Just being around Carl Grimes was bliss.

"I know you...I know you have to do this..." he sighed, his hand reaching up to caress my cheek, "But be safe, okay? ...I'll come back for you, I promise,"

I smiled sadly, "I know you will,"

Then with a suddenness that now ceased to surprise me, he crashed his lips into mine. His mouth was warm and soft as velvet on mine - like cotton candy brushing across my lips. His fingers traced circles on the sliver of skin exposed beneath the hem of my t-shirt and I breathed out a sigh before he pulled away, leaving me pouting and wanting more. He chuckled softly just as our dads walked back over to us.

"You two be careful, you hear?" Rick reminded the two of us and we nodded.

And with that, they began to walk out the open gates - leaving the two Dixons to fend for themselves.