Three Empty Words

Chapter Four

"This is the world you've created. The product of what I've become. My soul and my youth. Seems it's all for you to use. If I could take back the moment. I'd let you get under my skin. Relent or resist. Seems the monster always wins" ~Starset (Monster)

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Thea's PoV

The morning of the third day since the incident counted as another day of being alive, while my friends weren't. I knew most of the people in Alexandria didn't get much sleep last night, because of the party that Rick decided to organize. Long story short: it wasn't much of a happy party.

Carl stayed the night in my room instead of his. Rick hasn't been much of a stickler for the rules involving his son and I's relationship. It's not like we were trying to exploit his leniency; we just grieved better together.

By the time the two of us were ready to leave the room and go to work, it was late morning. We stopped by Judith's room to say hello, before leaving, but we found Rick already with her. He had her cradled in his arms, bouncing her up and down. He looked the two of us over carefully when we entered the room. I wouldn't blame him for his scrutinizing look. My hair was tossed up in a messy pony tail, my grey tank top was hopelessly wrinkled with Carl's white and gray flannel thrown over top. My eyes probably had bags big enough to make it seem like I had two very black eyes. I probably looked as dead as I felt on the inside. It felt impossibly unfair that Carl practically looked flawless.

"Good morning." Those were his only words. Carl didn't respond to his morning greeting and neither did I, but we had our own different reasons on why. "You two should stay in today. There's some things I need to take care of."

"What kind of things? Haven't you done enough?" Carl snapped out of the blue. I harshly elbowed him in the ribs and sent him a glare. He grunted and shuffled away from me. Rick's face fell, his eyes taking on a glossy shine.

"We're not going anywhere, Rick," I reassured him, speaking up for the both of us. Rick nodded his head in thanks and carefully put Judith back down in her crib. Carl opened his mouth to protest, but I grabbed his elbow and hauled him out of the room. I didn't say anything until we were both back in my room, and the door was securely shut behind us.

"What the hell, Thea?" he grumbled, moving to sit on my bed. He lifted up his shirt to check his ribs where I hit him and sure enough, a bruise was forming. He put it back down and gave me a glare, but it had no effect. Not when his blue eye practically glowed in the dim lighting. It always looked its best when he was angry.

"Don't you think your dad has been through enough? He doesn't need your rebellious attitude on top of it," I scolded. He scoffed and got up, walking over to the only window in the room. He moved the curtain to the side to peer out.

"I'm not being rebellious. We're not little kids anymore. We can help, even with the current situation," he explained. I sighed and met him at the window. I slipped my arm around him, my hand gliding under his shirt, fingers lightly brushing his ribs. I felt him shiver underneath my cold touch.

"I'm sorry," I breathed, moving the curtain farther to see out. I watched as Rick walked out the front door, down the porch steps, and down the road. "We don't have to stay in the house, but we're going to stay in Alexandria. We'll make rounds to Spencer's house, the food and gun storage, and the infirmary. Just to make sure everything is safe and secure. Deal?"

"Deal," he agreed and turned on his heel to once again exit my room for the second time this morning. About to follow him out, I hesitated and grabbed my gun that sat on the dresser. I hadn't been carrying it around, but today I felt like I needed the extra security it brought me.