Here We'll Remain>>C.G

Part 5

Thea's PoV

    I couldn't sleep that night. The anticipation of what Rick will say was driving me mad.
     

     Will he reject me because to him I'm just a teenage girl with parent issues?

     Or will he accept me because I know how to survive.

     Either way, I'm sure Carl would stick by me.

    When light began to shine through my window, I got up. I couldn't stand to be in bed any longer. I was too worked up about the Rick thing. I needed to clear my head. 

      I grabbed my knife, had a quick meal in the kitchen, and then made a beeline for the unguarded wall. I went up and over without any trouble.

     I walked to the part of the woods that I had cleared and set up a perimeter of cans. With it being walker free, it was very peaceful. 

     I sat on the fallen log to relax and sort things out.

   Of course, that was interrupted. Will I ever get some peace and quiet?

     The leaves to my left started crunching as they were being walked on. I stood and drew my knife.  When the culprit of the noise appeared, I groaned in frustration. 

"Will you stop following me?" I exclaimed, exasperated.  I put my knife away and plopped back down onto the log. Carl chuckled as he ducked under the strand of cans and sat beside me. 

"What brings you out here?" he asked. I should be asking him that. I sighed.

"I came to clear my head and relax. That got cancelled when you showed up," I said half-heartedly. I've grown quite used to having Carl around.

"Well, now that we're out here, why don't you tell me about yourself," he smiled. I rolled my eyes. How cliche. I bit my lip. I was hesitant to share anything about me and my life, but maybe I owed him that much. Especially after his speech last night. 

"Well, in the beginning I was with my dad, step-mom, little sister, and a few other family members. We lived in a town called Woodbury. It was peaceful and secure, but then the Governor showed up and took over. He had everyone fooled, but I knew what his game was. He was sick. He was hellbent on destroying this neighboring group, which turned out to be your group. He had everyone convinced that they attacked us. All they were trying to do was get their people back: Glenn and Maggie. He started a war. 

"I tried to convince my parents that he was a bad guy, but they didn't believe me. They believed The Governor and joined his fight. I escaped with Rick when they came for Glenn and Maggie, but I lost them in the darkness on the way back to the road. I couldn't find the prison and I couldn't go back to Woodbury.  For a year I roamed the woods, but I couldn't bring myself to wander very far away from the gates of Woodbury. It was only so I could check on my family from time to time. Turns out, leaving was a good idea. Woodbury was torched and all the residents were taken to the prison. I could've met you sooner if I went back.

"Later on, I was captured and taken to a place called Terminus. I escaped though, when the whole place went down in flames from an explosion. I was on my own again. A few weeks later, I came upon Alexandria. After my past two experiences, I would have kept walking, but I figured I had lost everything anyways; I might as well go. The worst thing they could've done is killed me. At that time, maybe it was the best thing. So I went in the gates and they turned out to be different. I decided to stay. I wasn't going to stay permanently, but with your group showing up, I think things will be different. So I'm going to stay. You know the rest," I told him. That was my life. He now knew everything. 

    My eyes stung, but I refused to cry. My hands ached from me clenching them so tightly. Carl had a look of sadness and anger etched on his face. 

"You were there the whole time. You've practically been in front of me this whole time. The group The Governor was fighting; that was my group. Terminus blowing up was thanks to Carol. She did it save my group that they captured. I-I'm so sorry, Thea," Carl said ,choking up. I stared at him dumbfounded.

    I can't believe that he was so close, yet so far. Maybe if I went back and got on that bus the other group was using to take the residents to Woodbury to their own place, I could've met him sooner. Maybe my family would still be alive if I were there to protect them.

    I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts. I had to believe everything had happened for a reason. 

"I guess I should thank you, then. You've indirectly saved me from become human barbecue to those cannibal assholes," I said, putting a smile on my face. Carl reached over and placed his hand on top of mine.

"You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad you're alive now and I had the chance to meet you. I swear to protect you from now on. So you don't have to go through that pain ever again," he said sincerely. I grinned and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'm going to thank you anyways," I whispered. I got up before he could reply and began to walk back towards Alexandria. I heard his footsteps follow behind me. 

     We made it about 20 feet away from the clearing when I heard the unmistakable sounds of walkers. It sounded like there was a lot of them. I looked around and recognized my surroundings. I put a finger to my lips and motioned for Carl to follow me.

     I led him to a nearby tree that held a narrow crack in it, but large enough for Carl and I to squeeze through. It was still a tight fit to say the least. Carl had to take off his hat for him to fit. We stood with our chests pressed together as a herd of about ten walkers roamed right outside. 

    I felt Carl's hand attempt to grab mine before he shied away. 

"I'm not afraid," I whispered. He turned his head away from the passing walkers to look at me. 

"I know," he said quietly. I bit my lip as I stared at him.

"But you are. Maybe not of them," I motioned to the walkers, "But of me," I said as equally as quiet. He shook his head and stared into my eyes. 

"I could never be afraid of you," I pressed myself impossibly closer to him.

"Prove it," I said lowly. He didn't take his eyes off me when he grabbed my hand and leaned his head forward. I felt my heartbeat pick up, and my eyes fluttered closed when I felt Carl's lips on mine. They were much bigger than my own, but he was so gentle. I rested my free hand on his neck as he continued to kiss me. 

     My mind grew fuzzy as the feeling of pure bliss took over my body. Although on clear thought cut through my brain. 

    I liked Carl, and neither the end of the world nor my past was going to stop me from being with him.