Didn't See That Coming | The Walking Dead(1)

Part 28 (Highway Reunion)

CJ had spent most of the car journey with Carl resting by her side with his head on her arm. None of them spoke for the whole car ride, all of them lost in their own thoughts. Hershel was thinking of Beth and Maggie, hoping and praying that his two daughters had made it out. Rick and Carl both thought of Lori and the baby. CJ thought of everyone. Glenn, T-Dog, Carol, Daryl... She worried for him more than the others. They all went off either in pairs or groups but he went alone. No one to have his back.

The pain from her ankle was still radiating up her leg. She just hoped it was just a sprain and nothing more serious. There was no time to be seriously injured right now. Even though it should've been the least of her worries, she couldn't help but feel disappointed about her swords. In all the mess and the panic of escaping, there was no time to pick them back up off the ground.

It was daylight by the time they reached the highway. They all got out of the truck, CJ using the empty shotgun as a support as she tried to step out of the vehicle.

"You need to sit down, Clara-Jane," Hershel told her. He took her free arm and lead her to sit down on the hood of of the the abandoned cars.

"It's not that bad," she replied unconvincingly. It was pretty obvious she was lying when Hershel went to examine her injury and she winced in pain.

"It's just sprained," he informed her. She nodded in relief that it wasn't anything worse. "Any other day, I'd tell you to rest it."

"But that's not really an option today," she chuckled dryly. "I'm okay."

Carl and Rick walked slowly over to the car that was still stocked with the supplies that CJ and Carol had left for Sophia when she first disappeared. None of the other's cars were there.

"Where's Mom?" Carl asked his father. "You said she'd be here! We gotta to go back for her."

Rick held his hand out to his son. "Carl-"

"No! Why are we running? What are you doing?!" Carl exclaimed, cutting Rick off before he could speak. "It is Mom. We need to get her!"

"Shhh you need to be quiet," Rick whispered, putting a hand on Carl's shoulder. "Alright? Please."

Carl sighed and looked away from Rick for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "Please. It's Mom," he repeated quietly, close to tears.

Rick looked over at Hershel and CJ for a second before kneeling down to Carl's level to look him in the eyes. "Carl, listen-"

"No," Carl muttered as he walked away angrily.

Rick went to follow him but CJ held her hand up as she slid off the car bonnet. "I got him," she said softly. Rick sighed but sent her a nod before turning to talk to Hershel.

She hobbled over to Carl and sat next to him on the front of a truck. "It's not fair," Carl shook his head. "Mom is missing and he doesn't even care."

"Now, kid, you know that's not true," CJ replied. "When your mom had to leave without you, she had to have faith that you were okay, that she'd find ya. You gotta have that same faith that she'll get here. That they'll all get here."

"But... but what if they don't ?" Carl asked. "What if no one else made it and they're gone?"

CJ sighed to herself. The same thoughts were in the back of her mind too. "Then we'll work it out," she said. She didn't want to lie and assure him that everyone got out when they had seen no signs of anyone since they drove out of the farm's gates. "I'll help you out, the same way you helped me by killin' those walkers last night. Thanks for that by the way," she nudged him gently.