The fire truck and van sped down the dirty, leaf littered roads together. They passed by old car wrecks and wandering walkers on their travels. It was the second day of their five hundred mile journey to Virginia. It held the danger of unknown threats but it equally held the promise of sanctuary within the walls of Noah’s community. They all hoped that the community was still there and they could finally relax.
The fire truck and van came to a stop at the remains of a large car crash. At least ten cars had been involved. The truck and van both needed fuel so Abraham had suggested that they stop to try and extract some fuel from the crashed cars. The plan was quickly agreed to with Rick, Glenn, Daryl, Rosita, and Abraham going car to car in search of fuel.
Carl was with Tyreese as they worked together to feed Judith as a way of keeping her quiet so she didn’t attract any unwanted attention. Most of the others either stayed in the vehicles or kept a lookout for any approaching danger. Jason had opted to sit on top of the fire truck to get some fresh air and keep a lookout. He heard someone climb the ladder on the back of the truck and turned to greet them as they made their way to the top. He was surprised to see that it was the young woman, Tara.
“Hey.” She cheerfully greeted with a smile.
Jason narrowed his eyes due to the sunlight and let a smirk form on the corner of his mouth. “Hey.”
“You okay?” Tara asked the young man with a tilt of her head as she sat next to him.
Jason furrowed his brow in confusion. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’re usually with Carl, that’s all.” Tara commented, having observed their closeness.
“Well, we’re not super glued together.” Jason remarked sarcastically.
Tara smiled and looked down at her feet. “You’re lucky. You both are.”
Jason hesitated. He knew she was referring to their relationship. He hadn’t made the relationship official with a formal statement but everyone was perceptive enough to be aware of it. The darker tone in Tara’s voice told him they could relate.
“Who did you lose?” He finally asked softly.
“My girlfriend. She and I were with the Governor when he attacked.” Tara explained. “I found her body.”
Jason reached over and placed his hand over one of hers. She looked at him as he smiled back at her softly.
“I’m sorry. I lost my boyfriend seven months ago.” Jason explained to her gently. “I know what you’re going through.”
“How long does it take to get through it?” Tara asked him, opening up more than she had done before.
“Forever.” Jason answered honestly. “But you’re with family who you can share that pain with.”
Tara smiled weakly and nodded. The group was one big family and she appreciated them all. She was lucky to not be alone. They all were. Before their discussion could continue a call from Rick signalled that it was time to continue moving.
On the third evening they had stopped off to sleep for the night. While most of the group had secured the perimeter, Maggie was in charge of building the fire. She had successfully done so and was now crying in front of it. She still hadn’t got over Beth’s death. Each day without her little sister in the group after coming so close to seeing her again tore her apart. Jason sat down next to her but didn’t speak. Shortly after that Carl sat with him. Then Glenn sat on the other side of Maggie. One by one each member of the group sat with her around the fire, most of them in silence. Maggie may have lost her sister but she was still surrounded by family.
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FanfictionAfter the fall of the prison Rick and Carl are forced onto the road. While Rick recovers from his injuries, Carl encounters a survivor only a few years older than himself. Despite his friendly nature, this young man hides some dark secrets. Is he a...