Surviving Nyx (C.Grimes/TWD) {{ON HOLD}}

FORTY-FOUR: The Calm

(22nd April, 2012)

"Babe, wake up, we should help your dad with the farming." I whisper shaking Carl awake, he doesn't groan or argue, he gave me a sweet kiss thanking me for waking up. Carl and I get dressed, I slip his hat onto his head, "perfect." I mumble smiling at him, Carl gave me another kiss, we heard Rick leave the cell block. "Come on." Carl took my hand and we jogged to catch up with his dad, Carl opens the door for me like the perfect gentleman. "How chivalrous." Carl winked at me which caused a blush to rise on my cheeks.

"I just wanted to show off my muscles." Carl starts to flex, making me chuckle and play along by squeezing his biceps, "wow." I playfully smirk, Carl laughed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, I wrapped one of mine around his middle of his back whilst the other held the hand of the one on my shoulder. "Hey! You didn't wake me up." Carl yells at his dad once Rick came into our view. Rick smiles looking back at us, "I thought I'd let you sleep in."

I mumble a whoops since I was the one who woke Carl up, "We should help." Carl tells his dad as we reach Rick's side, "good. I've got to go talk to Daryl." Rick gestures in Daryl's direction, "right now?" Carl sounded a little disappointed, I know he wanted to spend some time with his dad. "No." Rick slapped his glove on Carl's shoulder telling us he will soon. "I'll be right back, I haven't had the chance to welcome Daryl back properly." I inform the Grimes men, Carl releases me and tells me not to be long, "I'll be quick, promise." I smile at him spinning around and jogging towards Daryl.

"Dad!" I call him giving him a heads up, he opens up his arms and I run into them, hugging him tightly, "I missed you." I mumbled against his chest, "from what Rick told me, Grimes distracted ya." A blush appeared on my cheeks as Daryl chuckled, "I missed ya too darlin'." Daryl quickly pitched in as we broke the hug, "any complications?" Daryl shook his head no, "you?" I shrugged, "the fence came down, we almost lost Glenn and I lost my boot to a Walker. So, we had a few complications."

Daryl nodded and knelt down to be at my height,"and everything went okay with Carl? No panic attacks or anything?" I smile gently, Daryl knew that this was my biggest fear that my first time with Carl would be overshadowed by my experience on my birthday but it didn't feel that way what's so ever. "He was very gentle and kept asking me if I was okay, and if I was sure I was ready. I felt safe and no thoughts of my rape infiltrated it." I was honest, and Daryl smiled gently pulling me into another hug. "You've come a long way, darlin'. One of the strongest people I know, and I'm happy that you felt comfortable sharing the truth with me. Although from now on can sex be off the table between us? Unless something bad happens." I agree to Daryl's terms knowing how strange it must be for a Dad to speak about sex with his daughter.

I say goodbye to my dad and make my way back over to the Grimes guys. "Two peas in a pod, how symbolic." I comment as I see Rick and Carl eat a pea each from the same pod, Carl and Rick roll their eyes which made me chuckle. "Taste them, you'd know if they're ready." Rick instructs me, I nod picking a pod and dropping a pea in my mouth, I smile informing them that the peas are perfect. I pass Carl the pod that had a remaining two peas in it, he took one and Rick took the other. "We should probably get started on sewing the cucumbers." Rick tells us, Carl grabs a shovel whilst I jog over to grab the seeds near the now burned down pig pen. Carl starts digging the drills whilst I earth the seeds, tucking the seeds in for the spring while Rick just supervises our work.

Michonne and Hershel drive past with walkers on a trailer, ready to be burn in the woods, we jog over to them. "Need help?" I question but Michonne shook her head no, saying that the two of them got it. I nod accepting that two is enough, plus there's still a lot of farming to do, "Naomi is looking for her favourite hairstylist." Hershel informs us, I chuckle as I look at Carl, "you better not leave the princess waiting cowboy." Carl playfully shoves me, "is it okay if we go now dad?" Carl questioned, "I need one of you to stay." Rick admits, I tell Carl to head up without me and I'll catch up with him later.