I'll protect you || twd [Watty's 2k16]

t w e n t y - f i v e

Recap: Peighton and Carl get back from their run to find the house up in flames, but breathe a sigh of relief when watching the other successfully make it out alive.

Song; Stitches - Shawn Mendes

••••

"Peighton, get to the truck! We need to catch up with them!" I shakily stand up straight and follow Carl to the truck, we jump in and he starts the engine before getting in all the way. We speed off after the jeep and Maxwell perks his head up from the smell of smoke. "It's okay bud, they made it." Carl mumbles.

"Let's hope all of them did," I whisper and we pass the road of our house. I really hope they grabbed some of my stuff, but most importantly I really hope they all survived.

Carl hocks the horn as we struggle to keep up to the jeep and gain speed. Suddenly the truck slows down, and a beeping sound goes off in the truck. Carl's head rests on the steering wheel, and he curses under his breath. Tears flood my eyes, "Carl. Please don't tell me we just ran out of gas."

"We ran out of fucking power, Peighton," He whispers. He probably expects me to yell at him, but instead I reach over and grab his hand. "We'll find them," I say quietly as I see tears fall from his eyes.

••••

I wake up from a sudden tongue licking my nose.

(Sorry guys, it's not Carl😂)

Maxwell barks suddenly and I sit up quickly, Carl isn't in the car but I hear talking outside of the truck. I see red hair and immediately recognize Hannah's voice. I open the truck door and whip around the corner to see our SUV and standing beside it are Carl, Hannah and Jake talking.

"Jake!" I scream, and run over to him jumping on him almost knocking him over. "Peighton," he breathes. "You don't know how good it is to see you." I smash my lips against his without thinking and he squeezes me and kisses back instantly.

We pull away and I wrap Hannah into a hug too, we pull away and Hannah's face has a smile on it for once. I smile back and turn to Jake, "So.. what happened?"

Jake groans, "Stella was playing tug-a-war with Keaton and the toy flew into the fireplace causing the logs to roll out and light the wooden floor on fire." I couldn't believe it, but started laughing and so did everyone else.

"We grabbed everything from your room," Hannah says handing me a box. "Did you guys have some success with the food run?" Me and Carl look at each other and nod.

We hook up a pair of claw power transmitters and reboot our truck, Carl and I crawl back into the truck and follow Jake and Hannah to their meeting place for Keaton and Alex. They said the journey back to town would take at least 6 hours so we had to get comfy.

Maxwell was looking out the window, watching everything like a hawk. "Why don't you let him be a real dog for once?" Carl laughed, and I looked at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"Here," he said and pressed a button on his armrest and the window opened. Maxwell stuck his head out the window immediately and his ears got sucked to his head so he looked like a fuzzy rat, Carl and I laughed at him when he stuck his tongue out as we sped along the road.

"So you and Jake are back together then?" He said suddenly, we both stopped laughing. "How am I supposed to break up with him with all this stress in our lives right now?" Carl sighed, "Peighton you cheated on your boyfriend with me, it's either I tell him or you do. I can't live with this guilt, my girlfriend has another boyfriend and I'm just the second choice."

"Who ever said we were dating, Carl? Have you ever thought about this? You never even asked me out before, everybody just assumed we were dating and we just went along with it." I say quietly, "Peighton. I asked you out." He mumbles and I sigh, "You didn't Carl. Jake did."

He leans over to kiss me and I push him away, "Concentrate on driving." He sighs, "Peighton I'm sorry."

"For?" I question, he breathes in. "Making you fall for me, again. I should just leave you be and go find someone else, you have Jake." I lean over and kiss him on the cheek which makes his face go red. "I love you, Carl. Thank you for apologizing."

"You meant that in a friend way, right?" He glances at me and I nod. "You me and Maxwell had a good bonding time for the run, now we just need to go back to reality."

•••

I wake up slowly and see that we're pulling into a farm property. A young man, about 20 opens the gate as we follow Jake and Hannah into the property. I look at Carl and see the smile on his face, as we pull in I see why he is smiling so much. His dad is holding Judith standing on a porch, talking to an elderly woman. Rows of houses are set among the property and families are walking peacefully down the streets. Metal walls are held up by massive pillars.

Carl stops the truck and gets out, running to his dad. They hug and I see Keaton talking to Jake, Alex and Hannah. I jump out and start running,  Maxwell running behind me. I see Stella chasing another dog around the neighbourhood and Maxwell looks up at me as if asking for permission to go as well. I nod and he darts off towards his sister.

I stand on my tippy-toes to give Keaton a hug and go over to give Alex a hug as well. Jake smiles as I walk over and give him a kiss.

The woman that was talking to Rick walks over to us, "Hey guys, I'm Diana. You must be Jake, Hannah and Peighton. Welcome to our happy neighbourhood." I smile and shake her hand, "I'm Peighton." She holds my hand in hers, "So you are the leader of the pack I've been told." I laugh, "I don't think I'd be the leader."

After our chat, all of us head to our own houses. Keaton and I sharing one, I head up to my new room with my bag full of stuff and set up my bedding with the given sheets. I hear a knock on my door and look up to see Keaton, I laugh to myself continuing my bed.

Keaton comes and sits on my bed once I've finished it, "Can we talk?" He says suddenly and I nod, "What's up?"

He sighs, "Carl told me, Peighton. That's what's up."

•••••

CLIFFHANGER

terribly sorry guys, but I hope to see you next week(;

-Kenn