valiant|| the walking dead

five.

CHAPTER FIVE,
a letter from carl
to aiden.

After burying Carl Aiden left Alexandria on foot. In one hand was the letter Carl gave her and the other was his knife that he wanted her to have.

She walked through the woods with tears streaming down her face. She heard snarling behind her and turned and saw at least six walkers behind her. She stopped and pushed the letter in her back pocket. She pulled out her Bowie knife, double yielding.

She bared her teeth as she approached the walkers. She stabbed one then turned and stabbed another. The six were dead before she knew it.

The two knives dropped from her hands and she let out a blood curdling scream. She hit her knees in a fit of sobs. She hugged her arms around her stomach.

She hadn't had the heart to read the letter but in her breakdown she pulled it out. She blinked and wiped her tears.

She opened it up and read.

Aiden,

Your letter and Xavier's were the hardest to write. I didn't know what to say to you. Aiden you're my sister. I wouldn't want anyone else to take your place. I don't want you to cry or be sad. I want— no, I need you to realize this is what was meant to happen. I know you're gonna blame yourself. But you couldn't have stopped me from going to look for Siddiq.

I know, Mom told you to take care of us. To take care of me and Judy and Dad. But you didn't know what would happen. Besides, you have your own family now, too. You gotta take care of yourself and Elliot.

Memories have left over the years. Memories were made over the years. Eighteen years you've been with me. When Shane died and you left I was heartbroken. I cried almost every night worried about you. I thought you were dead. But then we found you in the little cabin and I wasn't that happy in a long time, since Dad found us actually. And then you've been with us ever since. You didn't let your hatred for my dad get in the way (most of the time). You pushed it aside and dealt with it.

I know you, Aiden. I know how your brain works. It works in violent, hateful ways. Ways that not even Shane could imagine. But your mind also works in wonderful ways. Ways that brought you and Daryl together. And now you have Elliot. Elliot Glenn Dixon. I still can't believe you named Little Man the name I came up with. Don't forget the other name incase you have another kid and it's a girl, Beth Rishae Dixon. And if it's a boy, Carl.

After Mom died, you were by my side. You were kidnapped and beaten. Almost killed. And even after that, you were still putting me and everyone else above you. Aiden, you were who I wanted to be like.

The amount of times you've risked your life for me is an amount I could never reach. You are the most amazing person I know. Just a couple weeks ago, when Negan was about to kill me, you said you would kill yourself if he killed me. You put a gun to your head and pulled the trigger. If that Savior hadn't hit your hand you would've died. I would've had to watch you die. I want you to know that if you had I would've never been the same person.

Don't give up, Aid. In all of my years I've never seen you give up. Not when you were shot as a cop or even when Shane died. You've lost so, so much and you've never given up. That's why I wanted to be just like you. Because you're you.