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"You don't need to do this," Carl glowered bitterly at the ceiling.
The siblings laid side by side on the girl's mattress, gazing at the specks of dust that tumbled delicately from the ceiling. They were having a conversation about life back at the farm until Carl abruptly switched the topic.
They had just finished stowing away her belongings. She didn't pack much, just a tiny knapsack filled with her basic necessities. She brought a lot of clothes along, not wanting to wear anything Negan chose to supply her with. She'd changed from her dirty, raggedy outfit, into one of Ricks old, oversized tee shirts and a pair of leggings. It brought her a sense of security when she wore his clothes – something she was very much in need of.
"Carl, you know I do," Vada frowned, turning to her brother who held a distant and unnerved look.
She'd told a couple of her closest friends already, such as Rosita and Olivia. As angry as they all were, everybody knew she needed to take the offer. Of course, they would have never admitted it, but she didn't need to hear their thoughts to know what they were thinking. She had never been a selfish person anyways. She would have gone whether they wanted her to or not.
"I hate him," His voice went dim as he flipped on his side, gazing at the wall with sheer frustration.
"I don't blame you," A playful chuckle escaped her lips, a desperate attempt to lighten up the dark atmosphere that surrounded them.
When he said nothing, she decided to break the silence, "Carl, I'll be fine. I'll be back."
"Why do you keep saying that?" He sat up angrily, glaring ahead, "Why do you think he would let you come back? It's false hope."
She stayed silent. She hadn't thought about that. She'd assumed she would return eventually — the thought of staying permanently hadn't crossed her mind.
"Maybe he wouldn't," She nodded her head, shrugging, "But think of all the things we've been through so far. What makes this any different?"
"His army of men," He narrowed his eyes, "Even with us and Hilltop combined, we would have nothing on them. We would die."
"That's never stopped us before, has it?"
She laughed sanguinely and slid off the bed. Tossing the bag around her shoulders, she frowned disapprovingly at the teenage boy.
