REMEMBER ME HAPPY | r. grimes

EPILOGUE NO. 1

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— EMERSON LET OUT A BREATH OF RELIEF. She grabbed her clip and placed it in her back pocket as she walked by Carl's room.

"Hey." She said, leaning against his door frame.

"Hey. . ." He sighed sadly.

Emerson sat down beside him. "It's for forever, alright?"

"Yeah, Mom, I know. You've only said this a dozen times since Dad told me we were leaving." Carl snapped.

"Hey, hey. . . Look, kid, I get that you're upset, alright? I really do. Your role is just as important as ours. We all got jobs to do, son." Emerson said as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Outside his cell, Rick stood listening to their conversation. "Yeah, well, I've got a shitty job."

Just as Rick moved to step in, Emerson spoke up instead. "Okay one, there's no need for that potty mouth and two, you do not have a crappy job."

"How's that fair?" Carl began. "You told me that you started sweating at my age. Why can't I?"

Emerson let out a loud laugh. "Carl, let me tell you something. When I was growing up, my parents didn't care whether I was in school, or at a friend's house, or hell, even if I was all the way in Arizona. They were too wrapped up in their own world to tell Silas and I what to do–"

"What are you even saying?"

Emerson sighed, "What I'm saying is that your Dad and I care about you. Your job is to protect Hershel and the others. Our job is to protect you."

Carl sniffled and wiped his nose. "Alright."

"Hey, you two." Rick said as he walked into the cell. "You guys ready?"

Carl didn't say anything, but walked out of the cell with his duffel bag on his shoulders.

Rick sighed as his son pushed past him.

"He'll be okay." Emerson confirmed as she wrapped her arms around Rick.

"It's easy to forgot he's still a kid." Rick said.

"Sure as hell doesn't act like one." Emerson snorted. "He'll be alright."

Rick didn't say anything as he grabbed Emerson's hand and walked out of the cell.

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"You all can enter through here and that'll take you to D Block. Carol will meet you there to help ya'll get settled in." Emerson announced to the Woodbury group. "We're so glad you guys are here." She finished with a smile.

A few of them passed by her and smiled as she led them into D Block, and others stopped to say Thank You.

Rick watched her from afar as she greeted the new people and smiled. He sure was lucky.

When she finished, Rick walked over to her. "So I'm thinkin' we finally make that bunk bed into one bed." Rick told her.

"About damn time." Emerson laughed.

"This is good, right?" Rick asked her. "I mean, everyone from Woodbury coming back with us."

Emerson looked up at Rick and smiled, "Yeah, Rick, this is good."

Before Rick could reply, Emerson spoke up once more. "Oh before I forget," She suddenly reached into her back pocket and pulled out a piece of tissue paper. "Open it."

Rick looked at her skeptically. He grinned as he was began opening the package. His smile only grew once he realized what was inside.

+ Positive

"Surprise!"

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