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

Part 96 (It Was All For You)

The blood drained from CJ's face as her eyes were locked onto the wound her Carl's stomach. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. Tears were flowing down her face as she slowly shook her head.

"I... I don't... No... No, no, no."

"Please don't be mad," Carl mumbled painfully.

His voice was like a switch being flicked in her head as she was brought back to reality. Her eyes met his, and she cupped his burning cheek in her hand.

"I could never be mad at you," she whispered, her voice broken as she tried to stop herself breaking down in front of Carl. "Ever. You hear me? Never."

A tear ran down his cheek, and CJ wiped it away with her thumb. She looked into his eyes, and barely even heard the footsteps approaching until there were two shadows looming over her.

She turned her head just enough to see Rick and Michonne crouching beside her. Rick had a haunted look on his face the second he saw the bite on his son, whilst Michonne's eyes were wide with shock at the sight.

Explosions were still going on overhead, and dust was crumbling from the ceiling, but none of them cared. None of them could even hear it in the moment.

"Dad..." Carl breathed.

Rick's eyes were glossy as he shook his head and whispered. "I... I... How?"

"Dad," Carl repeated. "It's alright. It's gotta be." He panted out short breaths, and CJ brushed his hair away from his face. "I wasn't sure if you'd make it back before... But just in case, you know?" He shuffled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of papers. Letters. "I wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye."

Michonne couldn't find her words as she took the letters from Carl.

"No..." Rick shook his head. "It's them... It's them. They... They don't... It wasn't..."

"No," Carl whispered. "No, I got bit. I was bringing someone back. His name's Siddiq. We saw him at that gas station before... It wasn't the Saviors. It just happened."

CJ couldn't hold back her cries anymore, and her body jolted as she quietly sobbed. "Carl... I... I should have gone with you, I should have..."

"I got bit. It's okay," Carl whispered, looking at her. "I got bit."

He started breathing heavily, and CJ was quick to put her hands on his shoulders and help him lie down on the cot. Rick was beside her, and he lifted Carl's legs, so he was lying down flat on his back. CJ took a rag from her pocket and gently patted Carl's face to wipe away the sweat.

"Is that better?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he breathed. "Thank you."

The man CJ and the others now knew to be Siddiq came over to the cot. "I, um... I got these," he began, holding out a pill bottle for Rick to take. "They're over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. They'll um... They'll help a little with the fever. They did for my mom and dad. Please take them," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "Your son... he should have them."

Rick looked at Michonne, who nodded her head and took the pills from Siddiq, passing them to Rick.

"You're a doctor?" CJ asked.

"I was a resident... Before," Siddiq nodded. "Yeah."

"Your name's Siddiq?" Rick questioned.

"Yes."

Rick looked down at his son with a soft expression as he asked, "Did you know he was a doctor? Is that why you brought him back?"

"He wasn't gonna make it alone," Carl mumbled, shaking his head. "He needed us. That's why."