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Memory Lane

Hey y'all. Above is a compilation of Lori Grimes and Carl Grimes. Hope you enjoy!

"Okay, Enid. Just calm down, now," Denise soothed.

"I can't calm down! My best friend is dying!" Enid screamed as she tried to get up again.

"He's not dying! He just had a concussion and a seizure," Rick said while pushing Enid back down on the hospital bed. His face was, however, greeted with the front of Enid's hand.

"Well it's pretty close!" Enid yelled. "And let me guess; you had to give Carl blood because he almost died from the gash in his arm?!"

Rick had a puzzled look on his face. "How could she have known?"

"Judging by the silence that just followed my question, I'll take that as a yes," Enid said with a tad quieter tone in her voice. "Now, let me go see him!"

"No, Enid! You have to rest! Plus, we need to know exactly what happened last night," Denise snapped.

Enid sighed and calmed down a bit. "Alright," she said. "But under one condition."

"What's that?" Rick asked.

"Let me see Carl."

"Hmmmm...fine."

Enid smirked at her victory and then proceeded to tell of the previous day's events after she called Michonne over to listen as well. Enid hadn't forgotten Michonne's request to know what had happened.

After Enid had finished, she looked up at Rick's open mouth and Denise's widened eyes. Michonne stood with gritted teeth and hatred in her eyes for the people who'd done this to them.

"And Fawn's from that group?" Denise asked after a moment of silence.

"Like I said, she had nothing to do with it. So, can I go see Carl now?" Enid said exasperated.

"Go," Rick said, nodding towards his son.

Enid jumped off of her bed and ran to Carl. She stopped by his side and sat down in the chair Rick had been using.

"C'mon, guys," Michonne said to Rick and Denise. "Let's give them some room." The others followed her out of earshot.

Enid watched as they left, and then stared at Carl. She sighed.

"Look, I'm not one for speeches, but I need to get this off my chest," she began. "You're my best friend. Before all of this, the end of the world, everything, I didn't have many friends. And those I had–they're gone now," she started to cry as the memories of her past life started flooding in.

"You're so much more than any of them, though. I knew that they'd be gone in a minute if I did anything wrong. So, I tried to be perfect. Now, I'm trying to be strong–for me, for this group, for Alexandria...for you."

At this point, Enid was trembling and a few tears rolled down her tan skin and into her long, brown hair. She reached in front of her and took his hand in hers while she whispered.

"Carl, I...um... I haven't told anyone this in a long time, but... I l-love you and I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you."
She choked on the last few words before tears silently streamed down her face. She made no noise, no movement. She just looked at Carl with the most tender and loving eyes she had in her.

"Please," she whispered. "Please, don't leave me. I know that Denise and this IV is keeping you alive, but I think you're the only thing keeping me breathing."

She looked down at her lap from the emotional intensity of this moment. Tears still streaked her face as she gently rubbed the top of Carl's hand with her thumb. Suddenly, a shudder came from his lips. The young sheriff's eyelids opened a crack and closed a few times before his eyes were fully open.

"Carl!" Enid whisper-yelled. She laughed with joy as a smile stretched from ear to ear on her face. She got up out of her chair and leaned over her friend as she brushed the hair out of Carl's eyes.

"E-Enid?" he weakly said.

"Shh. It's okay. It's just me."

"What happened? Where's my dad?"

"He's out with Denise and Michonne. I'll go get them."

"No," Carl told her. "I'm feeling...I'm fine."

"You just had a seizure and now you're awake. I'm going to get Denise," Enid said, regaining her stubbornness.

"Wait. What's this?" he asked, reaching up to touch the bandages around his head.

"It's a bandage, you idiot," she joked said.

"Wow. Really?" Carl replied in the same tone Enid had used.

Enid sighed and left to go get Denise.

"You're so stubborn," Carl whispered under his breath.

"I heard that!" Enid called back.

"Eesh," he chuckled.

A minute later, Enid returned with an excited Rick and a worried Denise. Rick ran over to his son.

"How are you?" Rick asked.

"What's his name?" Denise asked Carl, pointing to Rick.

"Rick," Carl replied.

"What's my name?" she asked.

"Denise, I'm fine," he sighed.

"No, you're not," Denise scolded. "You have a concussion. That's why you had a seizure."

Carl glared at her. His heart was beating out of his chest, however; it was from the anger, nervousness, and fear in him. All these mixed emotions made him stay quiet. Although Carl didn't always listen to his parents, he did obey his mom when she told him something he never forgot. The memories came in like an unexpected tornado.

"But mom! He called me a wimp!" Carl cried.

"I know," Lori soothed. "But you didn't have to say those nasty words back to him," his mother scolded with sadness on her face.

Carl huffed and flopped onto his bed with his arms crossed. "Well, what do you expect me to do?" he asked angrily.

Lori sat down next to him. She exhaled deeply. "You can keep your mouth shut."

Carl opened his mouth to say something, but Lori stopped him.

"Carl, you're my son. I expect better from you...even if you're only ten. I know you're upset, but the next time someone calls you a name or does something to anger or annoy you, walk away. Only fight back when they attack you or you know for a fact that the other person is going to hurt you," Lori explained. She leaned over and kissed Carl's forehead. "Son, I love you. Try to do better next time."

"I'll try, Mom," he responded while his mother stood up and started to leave the room.

"Oh, and I expect you to apologize for what you did. Okay?" Lori asked before she left to go make dinner.

"Okay," Carl smiled.

"I love you," Lori smiled.

"I love you too!"

Now, he was back in reality. The memory saddened him. He hadn't thought about his mom in a couple of days. But now...now he was back in the infirmary-facing his problems. He didn't like looking weak. He had to retain a strong image. He had to stay strong for the others. Even when they all got weak, he could be strong enough to pull them through any situation. So, he had to stay brave and courageous for the others, for Alexandria, for Enid.

Sorry about such a long chapter. Hope you liked Enid's monologue and Carl's memory!