» Time Is Dancing « | » Carl Grimes «

» WHAT IT ALWAYS WILL BE «

Holiday Homes

My horse trotted gently down the dirt path, my eyes squinting ahead as the rumble of Daryl's bike went past in a cloud of dust.

"So, he uses a crossbow because it's quiet, right?" Siddiq wondered from my left, his gaze on the tire tracks leading into the trees. "But then his bike makes all this noise. Don't you think it kinda defeats the point?"

I grinned at his realisation, my eyebrows raised with amusement. "You can tell him that, if you want. But he ain't gonna listen." I replied with a chuckle, flicking the reins slightly to keep up with my father. It would've been a strange occurrence for him to trade the bike for a horse these days, even if it was more efficient. The vehicle was almost like an extension of himself, something that made him him.

Despite my deep hatred for Negan, he wasn't the type of person you could ignore easily. Not only were we out here trying to find him, against my wishes, but I also had other motives for the journey. Siddiq told me he was going, so I felt like I should at least keep an eye on him. So far, so good. There was also a few things I needed to sort out at Hilltop, which we had conveniently arrived at.

I swung my leg over the saddle as soon as we were through the gates, greeting Ezekiel in a brief hug before scanning the area. I recognised Yumiko instantly as she paced the porch of Barrington house, a focused expression pulling her lips into a frown until she spotted me wandering over.

"You here long?" She asked, her eyes flitting around the other arrivals.

I shook my head in response. "We were in the area, and I wanted to check up on things." I didn't live at the Hilltop anymore, but I still considered it my community.

Yumiko nodded with acknowledgement, following me as I took a walk around the courtyard. New pens had been built for the ever growing assembly of livestock, and wooden structures dotted the walls as people worked hard within them.

"The tree coming down has caused a few problems, but it's nothing we can't handle." Yumiko relayed, her hands tucked in the pockets of her jeans casually. Her voice lowered slightly, her eyes sweeping once across the area. "There's been rumours it was them."

I chewed at my lip nervously, fearing the same thing. It was awfully suspicious that the tree happened to come down directly on the wall, and the possibility that it was the Whisperers had crossed everyone's mind at least once. With the attacks on Alexandria and most likely Oceanside as well, it had a lot of residents on edge constantly.

"Did you deal with the plumbing problem?" I changed the subject, referencing our past conversations through the radio.

The woman breathed out a light chuckle, her eyebrows raised with amusement. "We're being attacked and you're worried about the plumbing?" She curiously inquired.

I shrugged dismissively, stopping at a collection of tables filled with metal tools. "Someone's gotta do it, right?" I grinned, my fingers distractedly picking at the wooden surface.

"You're acting like it's your job." A lighthearted voice joked, Alden rolling up sheets and papers to my right. "Don't worry about it, I already asked Oscar about the copper."

"I'll leave you to it." Yumiko gave him an approving nod, pacing back to the mansion at the community's centre. That's all it took for me to turn back to the man, a studious gleam in my eye.

"Did you finish it?" I wondered excitedly, practically bouncing on my feet as he rolled his eyes. He bent down below the table, rummaging around in a box until he retrieved two items- a spearhead and a wooden pole.

"The metalwork is done, I just gotta paint the handle." He explained, showing off the detailed engravings on the weapons point. Delicate vines were traced lightly into the metal's base, stretching up to the sharpest edge with expert precision. "I was thinking purple, for Heather, but I wanted see what you thought first."

I analysed the pole closely, my eyes narrowed as I flipped it between my fingers. With my daughter's birthday coming up in a few months time, I figured a gift like this would be appropriate. Something useful, yet personal. A spear was her preferred tool, so it only made sense to give her a new one.

"Can you do pink? It's her favourite colour." I proposed, my grin bashful as I waited.

Alden's soft smile was all the answer I needed, his head nodding gently. "It'll be done in a couple weeks, a month at most." He assured me, returning the items to their place for safekeeping. I knew I could rely on him for the sentimental gift.

The creaking of the gates alerted my attention, my eyes widening as Connie and Magna returned. Between them was Kelly, her arms draped over their shoulders as she struggled to stay awake. Blood dripped down her cheek from a gash on her forehead, a slight limp in her leg as she made her way to the infirmary.

I raced over without a second thought, my mouth gaping as I stuttered for words. "What the hell happened?" I finally got out, my voice raised with concern.

Magna wasn't someone I was particularly close with, but there was certainly a mutual respect between us. This didn't change the fact that every glance from her direction appeared as a glare, purposely or not.

"She was hunting something and got hurt. Let's get her to a bed." She signed the last instruction to Connie, who nodded fervently in response.

I wasted no time in helping them, holding the infirmary door open as they struggled inside. Kelly collapsed instantly, catching her breath as she finally relaxed.

She winced as I gently prodded her ankle, taking note of the swollen area with caution. "It's not broken, that's for sure. But try to keep off it." I advised, my tongue poking from my lips as I focused.

"Thanks, Doc." Kelly breathed out, her joking tone laced with pain as she hissed. As I tactfully wrapped the fresh bandage around the tender area, I looked up at her through drawn eyebrows.

"What happened, Kel?" I mumbled softly, my expression one of encouragement.

Kelly sighed, a hint of frustration behind the sharp sound. "I got lost, it was stupid...it's like it comes and goes, you know? And I can't predict when it's gonna happen until it's too late." She tearfully admitted, her voice weak and her eyes cast to the ground.

I nodded with acknowledgment, tying the gauze in a neat knot. "The change is disorientating, I get that. But you are strong. Both you and your sister, and I know this is not gonna hold you back." I boldly stated, my words firm and reassuring. These women were some of the bravest I knew, it was like nothing could hold them back.

Kelly let out a watery chuckle, her damp eyes meeting mine. "It's a damn superpower, right?" She whispered, a gleam of hope shining through the dim light.

I grinned widely, returning the positive gesture. "Yep. You're always here to save the day."

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I pulled the strap tight on my bag, the handles secure on the saddle of my horse. I wasn't expecting to return home so soon, but apparently there was a case of the flu spreading through Alexandria that we needed to help with.

I heaved myself up from the stirrup, my leg swinging over as I got comfortable in my seat. The roar of a bike shocked the still air, the engine revving as Daryl rolled towards the gate.

Siddiq trotted beside me, his gaze firmly on the man ahead as he frowned. "You know, I think it sounds louder at night." He observed curiously, his wrists flicking the reins in one swift movement as we set off down the dirt path.

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Relatively short, maybe just a filler but I wanted to establish a few relationships here

Thank you sososososo much for 9k reads (and 666 votes hehe)

Q: Thoughts on season ten Gabriel?
A: Sooooo many thoughts I love him now, he's such an amazingly developed character and I feel like his development all makes sense, like there was nothing that made me think 'okay I don't think he would do that'