𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐖𝐀𝐘| Beth Greene| Cyndie

LV. 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞?

"Why'd you adopt three kids?" Carl blurted it out as he sat next to Austin. "Do you really like them that much?"

Austin turned his head. "They're young, like how we use to be. I know they're scared and I was the first person they came to. I had to."

"But are you even ready to be a Dad?" Carl gave him a concerned look. "What if you meet someone and have another?"

"I can promise you, I won't do that." Austin kept his voice low to avoid Maggie hearing. "I'm not their Dad, i'm just taking care of them. What's wrong? You didn't like them?"

"I do like them, i'm just worried about you." Carl pointed out. "You just got better."

"Carl, I don't think I have much of a choice here. We had parents we felt safe with, all things considering. They don't." Austin looked his way. "Can you even image what they're feeling like?"

"I'm not talking about them, i'm talking about you." the younger Grimes tried to get his point across more.

Austin inhaled. "Carl, i'm okay. They're good for me, I can feel it. If it gets too much, we have a whole community to help out. I want you to get to know them better, I think you'd bond."

Carl laughed. "What's up with the one shoe thing?"

"I have no idea." Austin admitted with a laugh. "He doesn't talk much, you know? Levi. I think the shoe thing, I don't know, maybe it comforts him? I haven't figured it all out yet. Natalie and Luke are much easier to read."

Carl shrugged. "They seem like they like it there. I don't want you to go and forget about me though."

"Are you kidding? You're my original kid." Austin put his arm around him. "No one will replace you. Plus, I couldn't forget about you even if I tried. You've got too many stories on me."

"True." Carl laughed slightly as he pushed his arm off.

Abraham hit the breaks hard, making Carl and Austin stand up. They stared at the grouping walkers lining the road. Rick inhaled deeply. "Can't go through it. Can't risk the RV. You stay behind the wheel, just in case."

"You need me?" Austin looked at his Dad.

"Yeah." he nodded. "We'll clear it."

"Show time." a smile spread across his face, grasping his knife and following his Dad off the bus. "Just cover me and I can stab, avoid all the noise."

"Yeah." Rick nodded.

"Putting together a red rover like that takes people." Eugene admitted as he stared at the chained together, lined walkers. "A lot of em."

"God damn." Austin cringed at the chains through their abdomens. "Cover me."

"Got you." Carl nodded as Austin went down the line, stabbing each and every one of them until he ended up like how he always did when his emotions got the best of him, covered in walker blood.