Darker Skies *The Walking Dead*

Chapter 10

More slamming doors. If Carl doesn't stop it a zombie is going to attack them. Skylar was getting sick of the rude awakenings too. Carl had just stormed passed her, into the living room, threw something onto the ground by the sleeping Rick and started to talk.

"I still know how to survive." By his tone, he was very angry. He wasn't yelling though, but his voice quivered and broke into different octaves. He continued to say he still knows how to survive, it didn't matter that they were "playing farmers".

"Carl, what's wrong?" Skylar dragged herself across the wood floor to get a better look at what Carl was doing. He, she guessed it, ignored her to keep going on his rant.

"I don't need you anymore." Carl practically whispered it. "I don't need you anymore!" He then screamed, making Skylar jump.

"Carl!" She didn't want him to call attention to their hiding spot. "The zombies!"

"You couldn't protect Judith," Carl was still on a roll. "You couldn't protect Hershel or Glen or Maggie, or Daryl... Not even Mom." Skylar felt her heart twist in pain for Rick. Maybe he was in a deep enough sleep he wouldn't be hearing the abuse Carl was shouting. "You knew he was out there, but you kept us locked in a literal prison! You didn't care! You were waiting and you let everyone down. They counted on you, but now? You're nothing." He turned on his heel with his fists clenched tight and stormed to the kitchen to grab the bag that had the last of their food. He poured it out and walked to the door again but stopped.

"I'd be fine if you died." Skylar whimpered when he said it. He couldn't mean that. He loved his dad, he looked up to Rick. He was always talking highly of his dad with Skylar and Skylar really liked him too. Sure, since she's shown up to the prison she's been through a lot more exciting things than when she as just by herself.

She decided to crawl to Rick, sitting in front of his face on the ground, her head laying next to him. His breath was so soft she had to put her ear to his slightly open mouth to hear the raspy breathes. He wasn't looking any better than yesterday. She ran her hand through his greasy gray hair and grabbed his hand that couldn't hold her back. She can do the opposite of what Carl did.

"Thank you for finding me. Thank you for taking me in and treating me like your own." It was kind of weird talking to Rick like this, but she had spent so many years with him that it also felt sort of natural. She knew she loved Rick like she loved her own dad. And if he didn't make it, the last thing he needed to hear was that he wasn't loved. Skylar continued whispering how much she loved Rick and going through memories of the old days until she fell asleep when the sun started to set, hours after Carl left. Her last thought before she fell asleep was, If he doesn't come back, he doesn't come back. It happened, get over it.

~~

When Skylar woke up again, it was dark. She was laying on her back staring up at the ceiling. Someone was snoring above her. But it sounded more like regular heavy breathing than a slow snore. She remembered Rick was there when he swung his arm out from where he was laying on the couch.

"Skylar, get back," Carl was sitting in front of the chair he had been sleeping in. She didn't understand why, but she did as told. Rick's breathing was more ragged and louder than it had been when she was talking to him. It was like a zombie. The realization hit Carl and Skylar at the same time, both taking a sobbing breath when he rolled off the couch and slowly moved to face them. Carl reached for his gun and aimed it at Rick's shadowed form on the ground, his broken hand extended toward them. Carl's sobbing was louder than Skylar's, much louder, and his hands were shaking. Skylar didn't know what to think, but she couldn't look away. Rick had a shadow over his face, but she could clearly see her mother's bloodied and gaunt face. She put her head down in her arms and whimpered.

"I can't," Carl moaned and lowered his gun. "I'm sorry." They continued crying, both waiting for Rick to bite them. Skylar wasn't ready. She didn't want to keep living with her nightmares, but she didn't want to be a zombie. She didn't want to have chunks of her body eaten off by Rick.

"Carl," a very low grumble spoke through the ragged breaths. "Skylar." Carl hiccupped and sobbed more, Skylar was too busy wailing to understand he said their names.

"Carl." Rick tried again, louder. "Don't go outside. Stay safe." Skylar heard him through her own voice and was too shocked to continue her crying. Rick spoke, he wasn't dead. But he definitely wasn't awake anymore. His hand was still stretched out but relaxed. Carl crawled to him slowly and gently rolled Rick onto his back, then lifted his head into his lap. Carl was crying softly as he put his forehead to Rick's. Skylar slid to Carl and put her arm around him. Then he did something unbelievable; he fell into her. He twisted so he could put his head on her shoulder and bawled while she rubbed his back. And they stayed like that for the rest of the night.

~~

Neither kid slept or talked through the night. They wrapped Rick in blankets they found around the house and shared a blanket on the couch, sitting up with their legs tucked to their chest. Skylar didn't know how long she cried, but her eyes were so puffy she could barely see and her head hurt almost as much as it did when she was thrown by the explosion. But she didn't have any complaints about being next to Carl. Sure, he was being a mean person, but they both just had a traumatic night and needed each other. Carl seemed to have finally accepted that she's here and not leaving.

It was late morning when Rick started to move. No one spoke for a while until Carl told his dad he went out and got food. Rick was mad when he heard that Carl had left Skylar alone and went out alone, almost getting hurt. But he couldn't help but laugh when Carl also admitted to eating 112 ounces of chocolate pudding. It was nice being able to talk and have no tension.

"You're a man now, Carl," Rick said when they stopped laughing. "You're a woman, Skylar. And I am so sorry." Skylar didn't understand why he was sorry. She knew she had to be a grown up right now, she was ready to prove herself to Rick because she couldn't prove it to her parents. As Rick was hugging them, a knock on the door made them jump. Rick motioned them to be quiet and managed to pull himself up to get on the couch and look out the peephole. Skylar saw him smile wide and he started laughing. She thought he finally lost his mind.

"It's for you." He nodded towards Carl.