rag doll | TWD

[69] how it's gotta be

don't blame me --- taylor swift

♮♮♮
[POV]

After Daryl and JJ talked it out in the kitchen, she went upstairs, finding Carl in the corner of his bedroom, sitting on the floor.

"Hey," JJ greeted at the door, slightly knocking on the frame. "You good?"

Carl looked up from his notes, putting them under a blank sheet, nodding, "Are you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Totally." She lied. He shot her a really look. "Okay, maybe not totally, but I'm getting there. Or, trying to, at least." 

JJ walked more into the room, "want some company?"

Carl nodded, sliding over from his corner spot letting his aunt have it. 

"What were you and Daryl arguing about?"

She brushed it off, "we weren't really arguing per se, just..."

"Arguing?" Carl noticed the extremely faded black line across her fourth finger, "What's that?"

JJ looked down at her ring finger, figuring out how she'd explain it to Carl. "Uh- a ring?"

"A ring? That's supposed to be a ring?" Carl joked.

"It's not that bad."

Carl shot her a look. 

"Okay, whatever, wise ass. It does the trick."

"So, it's a certain kind of ring? As in I have to start calling Daryl- Uncle Daryl now type ring?"

His aunt rolled her eyes telling Carl everything he needed to know. 

He grinned, "What did dad say?"

"Nothing...yet."

"Am I the first to know?"

JJ nodded.

"Even before Maggie?"

"Yes, Carl." JJ jokingly huffed. 

"I've never felt so special.""

She rolled her eyes again at her nephew's sarcasm. JJ looked at the sheets of stacked paper and the pen he had been using, letting curiosity get the best of her.

"Whatcha workin' on?"

Carl shook his head, "nothing important." His change in tone was obvious to his aunt and her concern became serious.

"Hey, what was that?" 

"What was what?" 

"Your tone change?" JJ softened her voice, "Is something going on?"

He shrugged. 

Carl looked down at the notes and let tears prick at his eyes. He couldn't cry in front of his aunt, though. He wasn't going to.

"Carl, hey," She turned herself towards him, "what's going on?"

"You cannot tell my dad."

JJ huffed, "what kind of secret we talkin'?"

"An 'I spilled blue Powerade on my mom's new $5000 white couch secret." He softly smiled. It took him a minute, but Carl finally worked up the courage to show his aunt the bite. 

JJ just stared in disbelief. She didn't believe it even though it was right in front of her. 

"It's okay." He assured. 

"I-...Wh-...I don't under-," JJ was speechless. She couldn't figure out how to word her feelings. She was confused, angry, most of all- heartbroken. "How did this happen?"