Together ~ A Carl Grimes Fanfiction

Chapter Four

I borrow another shirt and a pair of shorts, and I go get changed. We walk to the cafeteria together, trying to talk and be normal with each other. We can't. And to make matters worse, I can't help but giggle. What is coming over me, I think to myself. Stop it, I warn myself, You've only just met him.

We open the cafeteria doors and I see my family, sitting with Carl's father, Daryl, Carol and Beth, who's feeding baby Judith. "Hi, I'm Rick." says Carl's dad. "Your mom's told me all about you. We could use someone like you here."

"Nice to meet you, Rick," I say, "But I don't see why you'd need me."

"Your medical knowledge. Your mom tells me you wanted to be a doctor, before all of this." Rick says. I still do, after all this shit's over.

"You're probably more valuable to us here, than you realise." Rick continues, smiling.

I smile back. This feels like home already. We're going to be happy here.

******

"So. You wanna be a doctor?" Carl asks me as we leave the cafeteria. We're on fence duty.

"Ever since I was little." I reply. "I just always wanted to help people, so I started studying early." I shrug. It's the truth. I was such a geek back home, always had my head in a book. I was going to go to medical school after school was over. Seb and I...

I shake the memory of home off as we head for the pointed sticks, to kill the corpses. As I stab at them, it feels different. Killing them without being attacked. I dismiss the thought. These are not people. People don't eat other people alive. I keep stabbing.

******

By an hour or so later, we've got rid of about half of the walkers, so we head back inside. I've learned so much more about Carl in the past hour. He's 14 as well, he doesn't really know his dad and his mum died when Judith was born. Baby Judith is his sister. They don't actually look alike at all.

I can't stop thinking about that kiss this morning. Are we even going to talk about what happened? Maybe he doesn't want to acknowledge it. "Wanna play cards?" he asks, breaking the silence.

"What? Oh. Yes." I say. Smooth. We go back to our cell, so that he can fetch the playing cards. I take a deep breath. "Um, Carl?" I start.

"Yeah?" he answers.

"About what happened earlier..." I'm blushing now, but I have yo go on. "Was that good or bad?" I ask. He turns his back to me. Uh-oh.

"Uh, what d'you mean?" he stammers.

"Erm... Was it okay that it happened?" I cringe. This is the first time I've ever been in this situation. Seb and I had been together for as long as I can remember. I don't even remember how we started. No. Seb is dead. Don't think of him. This is about Carl and I. Is there even a Carl and I?

Before I can answer myself, Carl stands up, turns around and I think he's going to walk out, but no. He kisses me! Again! We fall to his bed and kiss for a long time.

After we pull away, I say, "I have to go."

"Where?"

"I've just got to go." Well you don't want to tell a boy you just kissed, that you have to pee.

******

I walk out the cell and turn to my right, towards the toilet and Beth is there.

"So. You and Carl, huh?" My heart is pounding.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I say and continue on my way. She follows me.

"I saw you both, when I walked past." She says.

"Okay, but please don't tell my mum or Rick or anyone. Please!" I beg.

"Aw, of course I won't. Don't worry, sweetie. I got your back!" And she winks. I think I can trust her.

******

When I get back to our cell, I have to talk to Carl. I close the curtain that's supposed to be our door. "If that happens again, we've got to close the curtain. Beth knows." I say. "We're lucky it was her and not someone else." Carl stands to say something, but I cut him off. "So. Where were we?" And I press my lips to his.

For a moment, everything is perfect, and we are the only people in the world.