Daughter of the Fallen

How It's Gotta Be Part 2

Carl and I climbed the gate as Negan kept calling for Rick.

"He's not home," I stated once Carl and I got to the top.

Negan turned to us in surprise. "Holy sh*t! Everyone hold your fire. It's Bree and Carl, aka leader #2 and son of leader #1. Look at you guys. Answering the door like big kids. I am so proud. Ricky's not home, huh? Well, I guess he's gonna get back home to a big old smoky surprise."

"There's families in here," Carl pointed out from beside me. "Kids. My little sister."

Negan was silent for a moment. "Well, that sh*t just breaks my heart. There's kids at the Sanctuary. You must have seen them. We even had a baby at one of the outposts. I wonder what happened to her." He took a few steps towards us. "None of this sh*t's fair, kids. H*ll, you know that. You had to kill your own mom. That is screwed up."

I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze as Negan continued. I was surprised to find it sweaty.

"Ergo, we need someone in charge who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that sh*t doesn't happen. Oh, wait. That's me!"

"That stuff does happen but we can figure this out," Carl shot back, stepping forward. I was surprised by his confidence. "We can stop this."

"Oh, now you wanna talk? See, your dad had it that I die no matter what? I'm guessing your leader girlfriend did, too. They gave my people a choice. Not me."

I tensed up and crossed my arms.

"Now we're gonna need a new understanding," Negan continued. "Apologies, punish-"

"Kill me!" Carl ordered, making me look at him and shock."

"Carl, no," I whispered, but if he heard me, he didn't acknowledge it.

Negan seemed just as shocked. "What did you say?"

"If you have to kill someone," Carl explained. "If there has to be punishment, then kill me. I'm serious."

"No," I said louder. He looked at me. "I'm not letting you do this."

He looked at the ground for a second. "You can't stop me," he whispered then returned his gaze to Negan.

My heart rate picked up.

"You wanna die?" Negan asked, still surprised.

"No, I don't," Carl denied. "But I will. It's gonna happen. And if me dying could stop this, if it can make things different-for us, for you, for all those other kids-it'd be worth it."

Despite the the tear rolling down my cheek, I was not about to let Carl die. Not when he was the last person that I cared about. Not with how much I and the rest of the group needs him.

"I mean, was this the plan?" Carl asked Negan. "Was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?"

We heard the sound of roaring engines from Alexandria as they crashed through the gates in the back.

That made Negan very distracted and while he wasn't looking, I pulled on Carl's arm and we crouched down so no one could see us.

"That was stupid but amazing," I whispered. "But you're not dying tonight."

He gave a half-hearted nod and as he started to climb down the ladder, Negan realized.

"Son of a b*tch, Bree and Carl!" he yelled angrily. "Was that just a play?! I thought we were having a moment, you little a*sholes!"

"Hurry up!" I whispered to Carl.

"Bombs away!" Negan yelled and moments later, bullets were being shot over the gate and bombs started going off in Alexandria.

I covered my head and looked as Carl fell down the ladder.

"Carl!!" I called in fear. I started to climb down the ladder but it ended up tipping.

I fell on the ground on my side just as a smoke bomb went off between me and Carl.

I hissed in pain as I stood up, but when the smoke cleared, Carl was gone.

Looking around, I called, "Carl?!"

I didn't get a response. Buildings stated exploding around me.

Knowing I had to find the group, I got my gun out and started running.

•••

A few minutes later, I knew the some of the Saviors had gotten in and I was doing my best to stay away from them.

Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks as I saw the group running down the sidewalk towards the meeting place.

A wave of relief came over me and I allowed a smile.

That was quickly wiped away as three more explosions occurred, making my ears ring. Each of them destroyed a house and my worries came back.

"Carl!!!" I screamed, once again not getting an answer.

Tears pricked my eyes. He better be okay.

Suddenly, arms circled my body and pulled me against theirs.

I immediately started struggling as the Savior's hands went to my throat.

"You lose, girlie," he grunted, digging his fingernails into my skin and slowly starting to choke me.

After a lot of struggling, I managed to kick him in his unmentionable area and as he recoiled, I grabbed my knife at lightning speed and put the blade through his temple.

I gasped for air as his fingers left my throat.

I looked down at his body and spat on it.

"Like h*ll, I lose," I mumbled and kept running.

•••

About an hour later, everything had finally calmed down. The Saviors that had gotten in were either killed or they retreated to join Negan outside the walls.

I was completely alone. I had no idea where anyone was.

"Carl!!" I tried calling again, feeling like if I took another step, I'd collapse.

"Bree!" a female voice called.

I turned to see Rosita running up to me.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, Rosita, thank god you're okay."

As she stopped in front of me, I could see that she had a numb expression on her face.

I immediately became alert. "What's wrong?" I asked gravely.

She pressed her lips together. "You need to come with me."

My heart rate picked up. I nodded and followed her down to the sewer.

Everyone was there. All of them seemed okay, yet they shared Rosita's somber expression, making me even more nervous.

I passed a strange man that I had never seen before and I wondered why he was there.

Finally, at the end of the tunnel, Rick and Michonne were crouching next to Carl.

Exhaling in relief, I went to walk up to them but stopped cold when I saw it.

A bandage that once has covered Carl's stomach, was hanging away from it.

A bite.

Carl was bitten.