WITH YOU | TWD

A DREAM OR NOT

With a gasp she woke up, covered in cold sweat. A relief washed over her body as she realized that it was just a bad dream. The prison was empty, but she could hear the voices outside.

Habitants of the prison were passing her with smiles, and she tried to reply with the same.

"Sleepy princess is up!" she heard a male voice that she knew very well. Shane was smiling at her with little Judith on his knee. Lori was collecting dirty plates from the table, and Carol was helping her. On the grass was sitting Carl with Sophia, Patric, Lizzie, and Mika. Hershel was standing with Dale somewhere near the table, chatting happily. It was like a perfect, Sunday morning, family breakfast. Glenn was also holding a baby that was laughing to Maggie. Amy was sitting with Andrea and Beth, both girls were talking softly.

"Sleeping beauty is up," Daryl nodded and walked towards her with spread arms.

Without blinking, Charlie wrapped arms around his waist and felt his lips on her temple. She felt confused about what was happening, so more than happy she was to feel a familiar presence. Charlie closed her eyes and decided that what she saw was just a hallucination due to her sickness.

"Mom!"

She automatically turned to the source of the sudden noise. From the gates a small boy was running towards them with two men following him. Charlie furrowed her eyebrows when the kid hugged her legs.

It was awkward, but she leaned in and picked up the boy. He hugged her neck and started talking about his early morning in the woods. But she couldn't focus on whatever the kid was saying, as she was shocked with its presence at the first place.

"Mom," the boy called and took her face between his hands. "Are you listening to me?"

"Mom just woke up," Daryl said. "Slow down."

"I'm listening," Charlie said to the boy. "You were out there? Was it fun?"

"Yes."

"Were you safe?" she asked, looking into his blue eyes. "Who were you with?"

"Uncles."

"Uncles?"

Charlie looked behind and felt her knees turning weak. Finn and Luke smiled to her while approaching them. The second, took her son away and bounced him in the air, and the kid laughed out loud. "This one is something," said Finn.

"Tell me about it," Daryl scoffed. Charlie looked at him confused.

"He's just like his mother," another voice said and she saw Will approaching. "A brat," he stuck his tongue.

"Well," Luke smiled. "Good thing you have no babies," he said to Will with a sarcastic smile.

"Where's uncle Peete?" asked the little boy.

Then Charlie looked in that direction and saw Peete, kneeling on the asphalt, drawing with kids of people from the prison. Once he saw her looking, he looked up and waved happily, showing this angelic-like smile.

"Come on, little one," Will said and picked up the boy. "Have you ordered a flight?" he asked and then imitating the plane, he took him to Peete.

"Your little one is a good shot," said Luke.

Daryl scoffed. "You expected something different?"

"After a father like you?" Luke laughed. Wait...The boy was her actual son and Daryl was his father? Charlie felt that her ground was falling apart under her feet. Suddenly all voices became overwhelming and too loud, especially the one that belonged to Shane.

"Where's Rick?" Charlie asked.

"Rick?" Daryl furrowed his eyebrows. "Who the hell is Rick?"

Reed furrowed her eyebrows and felt the breath getting stuck.

"Everything is fine?" Finn saw her reaction and touched her elbow. Charlie immediately fell into his arms, hugging him tightly as if she wanted to feel his body, his beating heart. Everything seemed to be so real. The warmth of the sun on her face, the touch of her son, the voices were so natural, and yet something was strange. Luke smiled amused in her behavior.

"Little sissy, missed you overnight," he laughed.

"Hey," Finn said softly. "Everything is fine. I'm just here."

Charlie brought him closer to her, and then she froze. She heard him, she felt his defined muscles; however, she couldn't feel his heartbeat. In a second, she pushed him away and looked into confused eyes.

Then she felt tightness in her chest and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Her chest was squeezing as if a piano fell on her from a high building, crashing her underneath. Charlie fell to the ground, and no one helped her. Everyone was just standing around, looking down with confused faces.