𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝖢. 𝖦𝗋𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍: 𝖨'𝗆 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾

YOU STAND ON THE PORCH watching the group mourn over their recent lost one, a similar ache rooted in your chest—feeling the loss of your stepmother and stepbrother weighed heavily on your heart, even if it wasn't by blood they were still family and you loved them as your own. You watch as Carl rises from his spot and begins to head in the houses direction alongside Dale, you felt sympathy towards the boy—he had just lost his best friend or well his best friend in the apocalypse.

As they walk up the steps, Dale sends you small nod. "They're going to host a service for your mom and brother along with Sophia.." Dale tells you. "Thank you, I'll let my dad know." You mumble in appreciation.

Carl walks over to you embracing you in a gentle hug, "I'm sorry about your family.." He murmurs into your shoulder stroking your back softly. You hug him back leaning your head against the side of his, "I'm sorry about Sophia." You whisper as he grips you tighter upon hearing her name, the pair of you swaying slightly on the spot finding some comfort in the warm embrace. "Thank you, (Y/N)."

Even though his voice is muffled due to his face being stuffed into your shoulder you seem to hear him perfectly, "No need to thank me, Carl.." You mumble into the side of his head. "We're here for eachother." You tell him honestly. You can feel his light smile on your shoulder as he slowly pulls away to reveal his slightly glossy eyes and a small upwards turn of his lips.

You both pull away fully as he blinks the forming tears away, you both bid eachother goodbye before him and Dale enter the house—leaving you alone with your thoughts once again.

...

IT WAS LATER THAT night, a few hours had passed since Rick and Glenn had went out to find Hershel in the town a few miles down from the farm and everyone was setting out the table for dinner hoping for the rest of the evening to go smoothly seeing as everyone had been through a stressful day enough as it was, you were sat at the main table next to Carl and T–dog as Dale placed down a few napkins. Suddenly Shane and Andrea enter the room, "They should have been back by now," Andrea sighs out.

The pair sit down at the dining table as Shane replies, "Probably just got holed up somewhere." He answers hoping to put everyone's minds at ease. "We'll head out first thing tomorrow," He offers.

Patricia and Maggie help bring out the food setting it down on the table carefully as Shane mutters a small 'thank you' before reaching for some.

Carl looks a Shane with a worried look knowing that Andrea was right and that Rick should have been back by now with the others, "Carl, I want you to keep your head up, OK?" He says noticing the boys furrowed eyebrows and how he was lightly chewing on his bottom lip—a habit he would do when he was nervous. "Your old man, he's the toughest son of a—" Patricia quickly cuts him off. "No cussing in the house." She warns him with a pointed look.

He looks at her muttering a small 'sorry' as a small laugh pushes past his lips, "Lori, dinner." Carol calls out waiting for the woman to come out for the meal. "She's not in there," Carl interrupts her as he places the bread on the table, Dale catches his answer with a confused look plastered on his face. "Where is she?" He asks the young boy.

The group grows silent at the new found information, Shane looks around the table for a moment with sudden interest. "Carl, when's the last time you saw your mom?" He questions as Carl thinks for a second before answering. "This afternoon."

Andrea speaks up suddenly, "She was worried about Rick, asked me to look in on Carl." She tells the group. "She went after them?" Dale questions but Andrea buts in before he can ask any further. "She didn't say that," she says as Shane rises from his seat chewing the food that was in his mouth, "nobody panic, she's gotta be around here somewhere." He tells the rest of you as he begins making his way through the house, everyone following suit looking for the woman with slight urgency.

...

YOU FOLLOW AFTER CARL as you both make your way outside, done searching the rest of the house and unfortunately with no luck. "No one in the barn," Shane says walking over to Andrea and Dale alongside you and Carl. "I checked the yards." T–dog says as he walks up to you all. "Where is she?" Carl steps forward with concern, you walk to stand side by side with him as you rest your hand on his shoulder for comfort which seems to help his tense shoulder blades as they relax slightly.

Carol reaches the group, "she asked Daryl to go into town, must've gone herself." She tells us all.

Carl raises a hand over his mouth in worry, both his parents were gone and they could just as easily both be dead. He sighs as he tries to muster up the strength not to cry. "Hey," Andrea says to him gently seeing his current state.

Carl pulls away from her extended arm and runs off back to the house, "Carl!" You yell out to him as you follow after the boy finally coming to a stop as you see him crouched on the porch steps with his face stuffed in his knees with small cries ripping from him. You walk over and carefully sit next to him, "Carl.." You mumble out softly as he raises his head to look at you, his eyes are red and puffy—your heart aching at the sight.

You gently pull his head into your shoulder as small sniffles continue to sound from him as he leans closer into your body, carefully grasping your hand into his own. "They could be dead, (Y/N)." He lets out a small whimper at the sudden possibility.

"Hey," You scold lightly. "Your parents are very strong, I know they're going to be perfectly fine." You stroke the back of his hand with your thumb humming quietly as he let's out light breaths.

"What if they aren't strong enough?" He asks puffing out his rosy cheeks slightly. "Well, I seriously doubt that but if that is the case then it'll be okay, you know why?" You question quietly rubbing your thumb over a small freckle near his knuckle. "Why?" He sighs.

"Cause I'm right here, Carl." You promise him, leaning your head on his. "I'll be here as long as you want me to be." You tell him sweetly as his sniffles die down until the only noise is his quiet breaths, the pair of you sit there for a few minutes as the silence feels comfortable. "Carl?" You calls out softly turning to look down at the boy finding him sleeping soundly, light snores slipping from his mouth making you laugh quietly as you look ahead letting the boy get a few minutes of sleep.

A few silent moments pass before you see Andrea walking up to the pair of you, "Is he okay?" She asks you quietly as to not to disturb the sleeping boy that laid on your shoulder, you nod gently pushing his head up so he doesn't fall. "He's alright, just worried for Lori and Rick.." You murmur as the woman smiles at the both of you.

"He's lucky you're here," You furrow your eyebrows at her choice of words. "What?" You whisper as she lets a small laugh slip her lips. "He's not alone, he has you." She begins to explain her point. "Meaning that he's better than he could've been since you two are going through similar things—he knows that the pair of you can rely on eachother." She finishes.

"Oh," You sit there idly taking in Andrea's words. "I never really thought of it like that, I guess we do rely on eachother in a way.." You mutter glancing at Carl from the corner of your eye with a interested look. Does he rely on me like that..Does he even trust me enough?

"Don't think about it too much," Andrea's voice calls out breaking you from your trance like state, "It was just a sweet thought." She nods before carefully slipping past you and opening the door. "Andrea." Your voice stops her as she turns around, "Is Lori okay?" You ask seriously with mild concern laced between your words, due to your already much taken liking to the woman.

"She's perfectly fine, Shane's going out to bring her home." She reassures you with a soft look, you nod as you turn back around to face the sky. "Thank you." She waves off your appreciation and walks inside the house leaving the silence to overcome you and Carl once again, moments such as these were hard to come across these days especially recently—so you embrace the night sky with a welcoming attitude.

Hoping things run smoothly soon.