Missing Pieces

Chapter Six

Carl moved through the room, pointing at random objects and explaining why they were important. When he was younger, Carl would always do things like this. He was very excitable and he always took care of his toys. For hours, Carl would go from wall to wall, picking up and showing Rick anything he adored. Lori always said he was too preoccupied by the objects, that owning too much would be his downfall once he was older. Rick always disagreed. Loving those things made him human. And thankfully, it kept him human too. With each object, Carls face would light up with a different shade of joy as he began to explain how he got it and why he kept it.

Rick followed him around the room, more focused on the happiness that shined out of him than what he was actually saying. Carl had one bullet from when he was shot the second time. It was in his arm, a small graze really, but big enough for there to be a scar. Carl said as soon as he realized what happened he rolled over and grabbed the bullet. Said that he was gonna start a collection of all the things that tried to kill him then failed. A darker part of Ricks mind wondered how many people would be put in Carls collection. But his son wasn't that evil. His son wasn't Negan.

"So..." Rick cut Carl off before he could start telling the story of how he found a slow globe for Atlanta, Georgia and how he kept it from when the apocalypse began to now. "You and Negan don't have matching tattoos? The same way your mom and I didn't?" Most people who found their soulmate were happy. The tattoo wasn't the reason they were happy, though. They just let the tattoo rule how they handled fights with their soulmate verses anyone else. It was rare that soulmates relationships failed, but it wasn't unheard of.

"Yeah," Carl nodded, shrugging. "He has a knife tattoo. But he said he would never listen to it. His first wife, the one his bat is named after-" Christ, Rick thought. Could Negan get any more crazy? Carl smiled at his reaction. He must have been making a face. "They weren't soulmates. She had a shark tooth tattoo. They were happy for the most part but..." Carl shrugged once more. "Being in a relationship with someone for a long time is tiring. Especially when they don't do what you want. He had a mistress, but I'm not surprised. He's not one to be tied down."

"But he lets you tie him down?" Rick asked, peering out the window. Men were outside, feeding the zombies that were chained to the gate. "You the exception or something?" Rick knew Carl wasn't stupid. Carl had to know that Negan wasn't going to let some sixteen year old change him. Negan shouldn't even be with Carl, but Rick wasn't going to bring it up yet. He didn't have room to either, especially considering his son was his soulmate. Rick was going to take that to the grave, though. As long as Negan treats Carl good, that can be Carls husband. It'll make him happy. Rick wasn't here to ruin everyrhing he built, anyway. He was just there for his son.

"His crazy matches mine, that's all. He hasn't cheated since he beginning of it all..." Carl looked up at his dad, chewing on his lip. "We've been together for two years." Rick wanted to vomit. His son had been with a grown man since he was fourteen. "And we make it work. Together we've fixed this place. We still have a ways to go but-" He turned and looked out the window smiling proudly. "We save people. We're the saviors, dad. I help people the same way you always did." Carl was obsessed with being like his dad and saving people when he was younger. It was heartwarming knowing his son still wanted to be like him. "Plus, we're happier than you and mom were."

Rick nodded, looking down at his son. It was complicated. Beyond complicated. They hadn't seen each other in eight years, they had things to talk about. They also had matching tattoos, which made Rick even more conscious of all of his movements. His tattoo was on his thigh, which meant no changing around Carl. "I'm glad," Rick lied. He was good at it. "I'm glad you got someone who protected you and made you feel loved. I'm glad... I'm glad he saved you when I couldn't."