Leah Grimes

Chapter 68

"You have three minutes to open this gate, or we start bombing the shit out of you." Carl grabbed our arms, "come on."

Everyone had gathered in front of our house and Carl was packing ammunition and smoke bombs into his bag. "We need to make it look like we escaped out the back. Cut through the woods shut off the lights. Get enough of a lead on them and get away on foot. Grab the guns get everyone here and Leah and I will meet you there." I heard Negans voice again, "I want the apologies to be memorable, and I want Leah on her knees right in the centre of town." Tara stepped forward, "we have guns let's fight them." Rosita shook her head, "he's right, we need to get out first." I watched Michonne sigh, "Carl we can't let them take this place." Carl nodded, "we can. All we need to do is survive tonight. This is my plan and we're gonna do it, you're all gonna do it."

I followed Carl as he led us up to the gate looking down at all the saviours. "Okie Dokie, you brought this on yourself Rick. See I was willing to work with ya, all you had to do was follow a few simple rules. Now I see that's not possible." Carl scoffed, "he's not home." I watched as the saviours all turned their guns to face us. "Holy shit, everybody hold your fire, it's Carl and Leah. Look at you two answering the door like big kids. Daddy's not home huh? Leah you come to beg for your life? Well Ricks gonna get back to a big surprise." Carl glared at Negan, "theirs families in here, kids. Our little sister." Negan smiled, "well that shit just breaks my heart. There's kids at the sanctuary you must have seen them Leah. There was even a little baby at one of the outposts I wonder what happened to her. None of this shit is fair kids, hell you know that, you two killed your own mom. That shits screwed up." Carl nodded, "bad shit does happen, but we can figure this out. We can stop this." Negan shook his head, "oh now you want to talk? See your dad had it that I died no matter what, he gave my people a choice, not me."

"Kill me." Carl whispered. I turned to look at him. "If you have to kill someone, if there has to be punishment, kill me. Not my little sister, not my dad. Killing me will hurt them more than anything." Negan shrugged, "you want to die?" Carl shook his head, "no I don't, but I will. And if me dying can stop this, if it can make things different, for us, for you and all those kids. It'd be worth it. I mean was this the plan, was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?"

"Carl you're not dying for me." I whispered. He looked at me, "just remember what I said last night Leah." I looked down as the trucks from Alexandria escaped out the gate. Negan turned to glare up at us, "what the hell you little assholes. BOMBS AWAY."

I grabbed Carl's arm pulling him down as explosions were set off all around us. I pushed myself down the ladder grabbing smoke bombs carl handed me. We set them off behind us making it difficult for them to see where we were. "Are you hurt Carl?" He shook his head, "I just fell off the ladder." I took one more step and an explosion went off close enough to me that I was thrown back down.

Carl put his arm under my shoulder and we both shifted our weight onto each other. I turned around to see men running all around Alexandria. Most of the buildings had gone up in flames. Carl pulled us behind a building and we both pushed our backs against it. "Leah I'm going to die," he whispered. I turned to face him, "no you're not. We're going to get to the sewer." I watched as he took a step back, lifting his shirt. He had a band aid covering some sort of wound, and I watched as he slowly lifted it. "I got bit Leah." All the explosions and gun shots faded away and the only thing I could focus on was that bite mark.

I took a few steps back, collapsing onto my knees. "No." I whispered. "Carl no." My ears were ringing and I was gasping for breath. He knelt down beside me and I turned my head letting out a sob. I felt his hands on my face forcing me to look at him. "I'm going to get you somewhere safe Leah." I shook my head, "I don't want to go somewhere safe, I want to go where you're going." He sighed standing us up. I pushed my head into his shoulder holding onto him tightly. "I can't lose you. You're my best friend. I NEED YOU CARL. GOD DAMNIT YOU WERENT SUPPOSED TO DIE." He clamped his hand over my mouth and I tried to fall back down but he caught me. "Leah please do this one thing for me. It's the only thing I want right now." I nodded trying to focus on him wiping away tears. He pushed my head into his shoulder holding me tightly, "I'm sorry Leah."