Grimes and Dixon

Chapter 10: the church

"why were you out of the church?" I asked Gabriel as we all sat in the pews. Carl arm wrapped around my waist and and I leaned on him.
"I was going out to look for food" he said "I've cleared everyplace. except one. that was the farthest I had gone. I usually stay inside the river"
"where haven't you cleared?" I asked.
"the food bank" the pastor said "we were actually having our yearly food drive the day the world ended. we never got to donate our food"
"why haven't you cleared the food bank?" Emily asked.
"it's over run" he said.
"how many?" Rick asked.
"a dozen or so, many more"
"show us where it is" Rick said. "we will go and clear"
"I'll draw you a map" Gabriel said and turned to go to his office.
"there's no need too" Rick said and out his hands on his hips "you're coming with us"
"b-but you've seen me out there, I-I'm no good" Gabriel said.
"that's why your taking us" he said. he gathered up people to take with him. michonne, bob, Sasha, and Gabriel. the rest of were left behind. my dad, Emily, and Carol went to get water. Tyreese was protecting outside. Abraham, rosita, Tara, Eugene, glenn, Sam, and Maggie were outside working on the bus. Abraham wanted to leave, to protect Eugene from everything. they must be brother or have known each other longer than the apocalypse. maybe I'll never know. we laid Judith down in the back room on a fortress of pillows and blankets I made for her. it was only me and Carl in the church. we'd laid back on one of the pews.

"my dad talked to me" he said, breaking the silence.
"what did he say?" I looked up to him.
"we aren't safe. even if there's a lot of people around or the area looks clear. we are not safe" he said. he pulled my legs over his lap and I sat next to him, my hands rested interlaced on the back of his neck. "I'm going to keep you safe, rayne. no matter what. you any sister are my number one priority to keep alive. even before myself. and I love you, rayne, god I love you. I want to be here all the time so you don't have to be brave"
"c-Carl, we all have to be brave. we all have to stay alive for each other or we will fall apart. I love you so damn much" I pulled his head towards mine. his lips only brushed against mine for a few moments.
"I love you, Dixon" he said. he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in.

Carl's kisses are soft. he doesn't rush into it too fast and he makes sure that you want to before actually kissing you. and his kisses just melt you. I kiss Carl and I feel safe. like the rest of the world around me isn't completely made of flesh eating monsters who don't know what they are doing and people who are only looking to kill everyone in sight. Carl makes me feel brave. and I love him.

Carl slipped his hand under the hem of my teeshirt. I took his hat and laid it on the floor next to us. I laid down on my back.
"God, I love you" he said as we parted. he left tiny kisses on my jaw. just as he re-connected our lips I heard cries from the other room. thanks Judith. I laughed lightly. he smiled at me. he kissed me one last one and let me go check on Judith.

I walked into the room. she was sitting up bawling her eyes out.

"aww, come here baby girl" I scooped her up from the floor. her crying started fading away as I walked around in circles. I walked out the room and back to Carl. I sat back down with him with judith in my arms. I sat between his legs and rested my back on his chest. his fingers traced lines up and down my thighs. he left little kisses on my neck. just tiny, heartfelt kisses.

"if I didn't know you guys" I heard a voice from the door. I flicked my eyes over. Sam. "I would think you two were married with a little baby" I smoked and felt my cheeks go red. Sam sat in the pew behind us. but it didn't stop the tiny neck kisses from Carl.

"are you guys ever going to have a baby?" she asked.
"probably not" I said. I frowned. I've always wanted a little baby of my own. but I couldn't risk bringing a baby into this world. it's not safe at all.

"that sucks" Sam said "you two would have the most adorable baby ever" Carl rested his head on my shoulder and played with Judith's fingers. she little out tiny giggles.

"Abraham wants to leave" Sam said.
"what do you mean?" I asked.
"he says he wants to go to DC. that there's something there" she said "I just don't know what"
"he's keeping secrets from us" Carl said. "I don't trust him"
"you don't trust anyone Carl" I said.
"I do!" he said "I trust you, and Sam and my dad, Carol, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn"
"well that's because they're family Carl" I said "but you don't trust anyone else"
"that's because you ant anymore"

that was true. you can't trust anyone anymore. only close family, and not until you get to know every fiber of their existence.

•~•

we were all eating dinner around dozens of lit candles. Rick sat on the floor and leaned against the fence that protected the cross with Judith in his lap feeding her. I was back between Carl's legs and leaning on his chest. he left kisses on my temple.

"I have an announcement" Abraham said. we all looked up to him. "I have a plan. you see now, Eugene knows a lot of shit. he's a scientist. he can end all of this. and we will be famous around the globe"
"he knows the cure?" Emily asked, almost spitting out her food.
"yes" Eugene said.
"what is it?" I asked.
"classified" Eugene answered. I rolled my eyes.
"but in order to save the world's ass, we need to go to DC. there's a base there with everything Eugene needs" he explained. Judith started baby talking. I smiled along with Rick.
"well" Rick said "if she's in I'm in" we all laughed. thank you baby Judith for making the decision on us going to DC.

•~•

"there's someone" Glenn said, looking out the window "there's someone lying in grass!"
"bob!" Sasha said and got up, running for the door. we all followed her.

"bob!" someone yelled. it was bob, lying the grass. barely awake.
"help me! help me!" Sasha said. Eugene helped her get him inside.
"his leg" I said. his entire leg was cut off and the stump was covered in a bloody bandage.

"get inside! get inside!" Rick yelled and shot walkers one by one. I ran side with the rest of us and Rick quickly followed suit.

"I was in a graveyard" bob said, coming to his senses "b-behind a school I think. it was that guy. Garrett"
"what did he do?" I asked.
"they were eating my leg. right in front of me! like it was nothing!"
"did they have Carol and Daryl?" Rick asked.
"he said they drove away" bob said.
"he's in pain" said Sasha "do you have anything for him?"
"there's pill packets in the first aid kit" Rosita said.
"yes, please" Sasha said quietly.
"no" bob resisted, he sat up. he took the sleeve and pulled it down. revealing a walker bite. "it happened at the food bank"

all of our eyes went wide. Bob and Sasha were in love. bob was one the best people we had in the family.

but bob was dying.