revenant|c.g.|

xlv

one month later

It was a soft and silent day as the sun began to set, the wind soft against the leaves as it blew softly. Many would say it was a beautiful sight, especially with the river flowing through the scenery. However, the people that had stood there just weeks before saw the true horror that had happened there. Not only had the communities lost the bridge, but they had lost one of the great leaders of the Militia. Michonne had lost the love of her life. Carl and Judith had lost their father. The only light that had arisen from the tragedy was the knowledge that Michonne was pregnant, the legacy of Rick Grimes continuing even if he wasn't there to see it.

The scene was disturbed as two figures trudged through the undergrowth, their silence deafening. Their hands were intertwined as they approached the area that housed the tragedy from that fateful day, their grips tight as they seemingly ground themselves by touch. The taller of the two wore a hat, his broad shoulders hunched as if in defeat. The smaller figure beside him was pressed against him, almost as if she was supporting him. She felt as if she was, but she never complained because the boy besides her had never been so silent and so... defeated. This boy, who gave her so much hope, had none left.

"Jo? Carl? What are you two—" The gruff man made his way to the two, silenced as Carl peeled away from the girl beside him. As the man tried to stop him, Carl shrugged him off. "Kid, you don't gotta—" Carl shook his head. "I have to see it, Daryl. I— I have to—" he let out a shaky breath before continuing on. Daryl could only make his way to the girl's side, the two watching as the boy they cared about staggered closer to the water.

"How's he holdin' up?" Daryl asked, looking down at her to see the disheartened look on her face. "Not good. He's barely talked, barely ate. He can barely sleep more than an hour or two before he screams himself awake, calling out for him. He's— he's hurting."

Daryl's gaze softened at the girl's words before he placed a hand on her shoulder. "And you? Are you doin' okay?" Clary waved his worry. "I'm not the one that lost their father. I—" Daryl's grip became firmer. "Jo, I'm worried about you. Kid, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you look like shit." Clary let out a soft laugh before shrugging. "I've just been so worried about him that I can't worry about myself. I stay awake so I can watch over him, make sure that I'm there when the nightmares get to him. I'm staying with him as much as I can because I'm scared that he could—" Clary didn't finish the thought, but Daryl understood.

The two were silent before she sighed. "It's been hard. Solaris has lost its Second Commander for the time being, and maybe even its Commander. I'm lucky that Tris and Leon are helping me to take care of things but... it's been hard." Clary took a deep breath before turning to him, no longer wanting to stay in her thoughts. "Are you okay? I know you saw Rick like a brother." The man nodded softly. "I haven't found his body yet, and I won't stop until I do. But I ain't gonna just accept he's gone, not until I see him."

As Daryl looked at her, he could see the unsureness of her gaze as his voice wavered. "I know you think I'm crazy—" Clary shook her head. "Not at all. I think that, if anyone can find him, it'd be you. You just gotta take care of yourself." Daryl nodded softly in agreement before the two looked back to Carl to see him seated at the bank. "I should get back to Alexandria, let Michonne know I didn't find anything. You two gonna be alright?" Clary nodded her head. "Yeah, we'll be okay. Say hi to her and Judith for us." Daryl gave a nod, gripping her shoulder gently before departing.

With one last look at the man, Clary made her way over to Carl before sitting down beside him. As if on instinct, he reached for her hand, which she allowed him to hold immediately. However, her gaze shifted as his other hand fell over her arm to trace her tattoo with his finger. "I— I remember you told me about the palm frond on our first run together. How your friend had chosen it because she believed you to be one of those that would never die."

Carl's gaze never waved from the river, but his hands traced over the frond as if he had memorized its placement upon her body. "I always thought that about my dad. I mean you— you never think that your parents can just go like that. You think they'll be around forever... until they're not."

He let out a shaky breath. "I— I never thought that he— I thought he was one of those people. He was just always so strong that I thought he was one of those that would never go." Clary's face softened before she nodded her head softly. "Your father was a damn good man and leader, but an even better father. He was so proud of you, Carl, anyone could see that." Carl allowed himself to look at her, tears welled in his eye.

Carl admitted to himself every day how lucky he was to have Clary beside him. He had been ready for her to leave him, especially with how his grief had caused him to not be the Second Commander he was supposed to be. But she didn't.

Instead, she dropped everything for him, to be beside him. She took care of him, made sure he ate and showered and slept. Even though he wouldn't talk, she would tell him with soft words about the day no matter if he didn't listen. He also knew she would lull him to sleep because he couldn't allow himself to if her soft hums didn't fill his ears. He never thought he could be so dependent on one person, but he was. He is. And the girl he loved took that task gracefully and without frustration or anger or annoyance, only love.

"We'll have to go soon," Clary said softly, hating to disturb him as he mourned. But Carl understood as he nodded his head softly. He knew how she would do anything and everything for him, but she also had a community to think about. "Just five more minutes." Clary smiled softly before nodding her head. "Five more minutes," she agreed as she looked at the water.

At that moment, it didn't feel as if they were the two leaders of a community, the world weighing heavily on their shoulders as their hearts weighed heavily with the loss of the people they loved. It felt as if maybe it could have been the world before, just two love-ridden teenagers sitting by a river as they found comfort in each other.

But they weren't.

One was the son of a fallen leader, the pressure to be everything he had been now crushing him even more. He was the man to his family, and while he wanted to be there for them, he had his people to think about. He had the girl he loves to think about.

And, just as he was, she was not just a normal teenage girl. She was a Commander, becoming a leader to her people at an age where she wouldn't have even been done with half of her high school years and remaining in that position as time progressed. She was a fighter who had to think of her people and the family she had come to find.

That weight of the world on their shoulders would never dissipate. It never could. But they had each other, and maybe that would be enough.