cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

46

DARYL AND CAROLINE SPENT THE REST OF THE NIGHT IN THEIR CELL.

Caroline stroked his hair as his head laid on her chest.

They didn't speak. They didn't need to.

Caroline understood what he was going through. She just needed to be there for him.

And tomorrow, they'll take down the Governor.

"I wish I could've protected him from that pain of loosing family. I should've done more. But what's done is done. Merle died a hero. He took down many of the Governor's fighters. He gave them a chance. And for that, the entire group will be forever grateful."

The next morning, they began packing up their things. Caroline was sitting in her cell after Daryl had left to pack up his bike. Maggie walked in, smile on her face,

"What's got you so happy?" Caroline smirked,

"This." She held out her hand to reveal a ring.

Caroline gasped, "No."

"He proposed yesterday." Maggie grinned.

The blonde stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around her friend, "Oh, my god, Mags, that's great!"

"I just hope we survive today so we can have a wedding." Maggie replied,

"Trust me, we're gonna have a huge wedding! Cake and all." Caroline smiled, "I needed this news, Maggie, thanks."

"I think everyone needs it." Maggie smiled sadly, "Now why are you taking so long to pack?"

"I was so happy for them. It brought some light on this dark world, this dark situation. I just couldn't wait to plan a wedding."

Caroline had just put her bag in the back of the car before looking over at Carl.

His dad reached for him, but he yanked out of his hold.

He was mad. He wanted to help bring the Governor down, but was instead tasked with hiding in the woods.

Caroline held a jacket in her hand, walking towards Daryl. She squeezed Rick's arm, silently letting him know she'd take care of it before reaching the hunter,

"I know you like showing off the guns, but we can't have you catching a cold now." She smiled softly, standing behind him and helping him put on the leather jacket,

"Restricts my arms." Daryl mumbled,

"Deal with it hotshot." She kissed his cheek before going to sit in the car with Carl,

"I understood how he felt. To Rick and Daryl, I'm still too injured from my fight with the Governor and my accident in the watch tower. I'm not at my best. But that doesn't mean I couldn't help out."

She looked back at him, "Thanks for helping me out."

The younger Grimes stared at her in confusion,

Caroline smirked, "You think I can watch over these guys without your help?" She turned in her seat, "Carl, I know you want to help here, trust me, I do, too. But if we were at the prison, there would be no one taking care of your sister. Or Hershel, or Beth. If one of the Governor's people came upon them and killed them, we'd never forgive ourselves. So don't think that your dad is just casting you aside just cause you're a kid." She squeezed the younger boy's hand, "You're a great shot, and this is where you need to be."

Carl nodded, tears in his eyes before he went back to staring out the window.

Hershel hopped into the driver's seat and Rick looked over at her, nodding before knocking on the car twice, signalling them that it was time to leave.

Daryl walked over to the door and opened it, "See you on the other side." He muttered, leaning down to kiss her one last time.

"Go kill those sons a bitches." She smiled, "Make 'em regret crossing a Dixon."

"Hopefully, we'd see this place again. It's our home, and we're not giving it up without a fight."

Hershel parked the car in the woods and they began to place broken branches and such on top, to make it blend in with its' surroundings.

Carl and Caroline stood on watch while Hershel, Beth, and Judith stayed in the car. It wasn't long before they heard the sounds of gunfire. It lasted for what seemed like forever before it all went silent.

They heard heavy breathing to their right and Carl raised his gun as someone ran into their field of view, "Woah, woah, woah, don't shoot."

Caroline turned to see a boy not that much older than Carl standing there, holding a gun, "Drop the weapon." Caroline ordered, holding up her own gun,

He nodded, "Sure." His eyes kept moving back to Carl's, "Here, take it." He moved the weapon towards the Grimes boy,

Caroline's eyes widened as Carl pulled the trigger, "Carl!"

The boy stood there, eyes wide. He was surprised too at his own actions.

Rick radioed in, letting them know it was safe to come back to the prison.

It was a silent drive back to the prison. Everyone was still in shock about what Carl had done.

He had murdered a kid.

"It was one thing, killing a walker. It's another thing, killing someone who was trying to kill you back. Survival of the fittest, you know? But it's a completely different thing when it comes down to killing someone who wasn't even a threat. That boy was putting his gun down. He didn't want to be there, he was just as much as a victim of the Governor as we were."

Once they pulled in, everyone gathered to bring the bags back inside. Daryl came over to grab her bag, "Everything go okay?"

"Um," Caroline glanced over at the boy who was walking away, "I'll tell you about it later."

She walked inside to see Hershel already talking to Rick. The leader looked over at her and walked over, "Did Carl have to shoot?"

Caroline shook her head, "The kid was handing his gun over, Rick. I'm not even sure Carl wanted to shoot him. He was just as surprised as the rest of us when he pulled the trigger." She stepped closer to Rick, "That kid couldn't have been older than sixteen, Rick. He killed another kid."

Rick nodded before walking away.

Soon, Daryl, Michonne, and Rick left to finish it off. The rest stayed back incase the Governor was hiding out, waiting to attack.

Caroline went back up to her cell and began unpacking. Eventually, she just sat on the bed, staring at the wall.

She was broken out of her trance by the sound of sniffling in the doorway. Carl stood there, wiping at his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." He muttered,

Caroline held out her arms and he ran over, crying into her shoulder. She took the hat off of his head and stroked his hair, "I know, kid. I know."