» Time Is Dancing « | » Carl Grimes «

» OPEN YOUR EYES PT.1 «

Whisperer/Slaughter

"...And they all lived happily ever after. The end." My eyes fluttered open at the sound of Siddiq speaking, the snap of a shutting book following.

"What about the kids on the island?" A small voice asked, the words scratchy and weak. Heather snuggled into the man's side, her eyes half open as she gazed up at him.

"They were happy, too. They left the island and found their families." He reassured her, a soft hand stroking the hair around her shoulders.

I twisted my body around to find Siddiq perched on the edge of the bed, one leg propped up on the mattress as my daughter curled against him. It was no surprise that she woke up before me, I just didn't expect to find Siddiq here.

Heather had crawled into my bed last night in tears, her hands clutching at her stomach as she gasped for breath. Her symptoms were relatively mild, just stomach cramps and a fever, but the pain came in unexpected waves. I didn't hesitate to pull the blankets back, allowing her to settle her head on the pillow as it soaked up her tears.

"Morning, Mom." She mumbled as cheerfully as possible, her once pink lips now dry and pale as she subtly smiled. My arms stretched above my head as I sat up, my lips meeting her hair in a light kiss before I got out of bed.

"Morning, baby. You finished the book?" I asked, knowing she had been reading it for several weeks. She was far more articulate than I was at her age and probably could've read it in a day, but she preferred the activity when someone was beside her.

Heather nodded gently, her small fingers flipping the pages absentmindedly. "You missed the end." She pointed out as she held the book up, allowing me to take it into my own hands.

"It's okay, I've read it before." I assured her with a smile, my eyes scanning the front cover fondly. The black swirls of the title and soft gray background would always bring me a feeling of joy, and I was glad I could pass it down to my daughter. "Did you say thank you to Siddiq for reading with you?"

Heather shuffled uncomfortably, her fingers wringing together as her gaze went to the ceiling. "Thank you, Siddiq." She drawled with exasperation, her voice small and awkward.

Siddiq ruffled her hair gently, his teeth bared in a grin. "No problem, kid. Why don't you get some sleep, I'm gonna go talk to your Mom." He suggested, tucking the blanket under her chin as she settled down.

My fingertips wrapped around the hem of my T-shirt nervously, my stare focused on them as two feet stepped into my line of vision.

"Daryl came by the infirmary, he said he wanted you to see something." Siddiq started, his voice quiet so the sleeping girl wouldn't be disturbed. "I just came to tell you, but Heather wanted me to read her story."

"It's cool, she's always awake before me, anyway." I shrugged, my arms folding across my chest as I leaned on the doorframe. My eyes trailed up to the bed, following along the sheets and wrinkles until they landed on her pale face. Her eyelashes fluttered over the purple smudges on the lids, her sleep restless and uncomfortable. The occasional whimper fell from her lips as her whole body tensed, her eyebrows creasing as though she was in pain. And she was, because of this damn illness.

"You okay?" Siddiq whispered, his hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. I startled at the feeling, brushing off the embarrassment of how easily I flinched. Maybe I was having a bad day, or maybe Negan was right- we had been drifting recently.

I blinked away the train of thought, my lips perking up in a weak smile. "I'm just worried about her...And you. When was the last time you slept?" I wondered, noticing the heaviness of his eyes and the distance in his stare.