Almost Broken: Carl Grimes fanfic

Chapter 24

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-Rylie's POV-

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After 20 minutes of running, Rick slows down by a bridge. I go over and sit down by a rock near the beginning of the bridge and go into a ball.

I sit there, staring at the ground and my eyes start watering again.

"Rylie? You okay?" Michonne asks, squatting down to my level.

I sniffle and look up at her.

"I left Hallie- again." I answer, then out my head back down on my knees.

"It's not your fault. You both got separated."

"I could've pushed through the walkers. I could've pushed through them and gotten to Hallie but it's like I couldn't get myself to do it." I cry into my knees and I feel someone's hand rubbing my back. I sniffle and lift my head to look up at Rick and Michonne looking at me. I figure out that it's Rick's hand rubbing my back. I see Carl sitting on the bridge, almost in the same position I'm in, only more relaxed. His arms are just simply resting on his knees whereas mine are wrapped around and clung to my knees.

In a way, he looks almost more broken up about all this than I am and I can't even imagine why?

I look back up at Michonne and Rick and give them a small smile as I stand up. I sniffle as I walk over to Carl, and thankfully neither Rick or Michonne follow.

I sit down next to Carl and he does a quick glance my way before staring back at whatever he was staring at.

"Carl?"

I wait for his reply but all he does is keep staring and just gives me a little "mmhmmm?"

"What's going through your mind right now?" I ask, him still not looking at me but off in the distance.

"How beautiful it is out here," he says and instead of looking at him, I turn my head to look at the amazing view in front of us.

"-and how it never lasts." He quietly remarks and my head snaps back to him.

"Why would you say that?"

"We had Hershel's farm and it seemed like the most beautiful place on earth at the moment, then it was ripped from us. Then we had the prison, and soon enough, it went to hell too. Then I got to kiss you finally, only to have the moment ruined by almost having a death sentence. Anything good in this world gets ruined completely and I can't stop it. I can't stop me.." He trails off and I'm completely taken back by his words, but it doesn't phase me.

Maybe he finally understands what I've been saying since day 1; don't get attached... Although now that I have gotten attachments, I wouldn't take it back. These people are like my family, I care about them more than my own life... And I don't know how to handle that.

"I'm still here though." Is all I can think to say.

When he doesn't answer me, I speak again.

"I wasn't ripped away, I'm still here, I didn't leave..."

"you did once."

"I came back."

"You've actually left more than once." He says almost carelessly, ignoring my last statement.

"What do you mean? I've only left the prison."

"I mean you've left me. You let me like you and then you ripped it away from me."

I bite my bottom lip and move to face him, now on my hands and knees leaning toward him. His head is down but I scoot up now on just my knees and I use my now-free hands to move his head up. I'm just inches away and I smile as I see the dark blue appear in his beautiful crystal blue eyes. I lean and smile into the kiss. This kiss is less passionate than the first but it definitely got his attention like I wanted it to.

"I'm not going anywhere this time. And you promised me you'd keep me safe and I'm holding you to that okay dork?" My words pull a little laugh out of him and I giggle.

"Come on, we should probably go check up on your dad and Michonne." I say and stand up. I reach my hand out for him to grab and I help him stand. It's weird being on the other side of that gesture. We both head over to Rick and Michonne who are still quietly talking to one another.

"Hey you two okay now?" Michonne says as we walk up. I nod and give her a small smile and Carl just nods.

"So what are the plans?" Carl asks.

"Well..." Rick starts and then looks around hesitantly. "It's gonna be dark soon which means we need to find somewhere to hold up. The rail road tracks are past this bridge, I say we follow it until we find something suitable for tonight."

"Works for me." I say. Even though I'm only half way okay with it. I want to go find Hallie and figure out where they went but it's been hours since that herd came through, who knows what direction they went in.

We all grab the few things we have with us and head over the bridge and we pass the beautiful view, leaving it behind like Carl had said.

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We walk for a couple hours when we come across a sign on the tracks.

"Terminus." Carl says,

"Those who arrive...survive?" I finish his sentence, I turn around and look at Rick.

"If Hallie had seen this they'd go." I say.

"And everyone at the prison, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl?" Carl adds on.

I can tell Rick is thinking about it when he pursed his lips and rocks back and forth on his heels.

"Come on, we got nowhere else to go. Might as well." Michonne reasons.

"Alright. To... Terminus I guess." He says and we make our way.

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The railroad ends up next to a road and we stop an unlocked truck.

"We can sleep here. I'll light a small fire, me and michonne will take watch. Rylie and Carl, go ahead and get some sleep in the car." He dismisses us. We nod and put our stuff in the truck. We both get in the back and close the doors.

I lean against the closed door as Carl sits on the other side. I feel him lean over and him tug my arm over to lean against him. I lay my head on his chest and he strokes my hair.

"I hope she's there." I say quietly.

"I hope they're all there." Carl says catching on to what I was saying.

"What if they're not?" I look up at him.

"Then we'll look for them."

"It's not gonna be that easy."

"Losing people we love is never that easy. That's why we put up a fight to find them." He whispers. I look out the wind shield of the truck and see men I've never seen before. I quickly move off Carl and hop out of the truck, him following.

"Rylie, Carl no-" Rick starts to say but he gets cut off.

"Looks like we finally found you asshole." The gray haired guy says with a gun to Ricks head. I freak out for a brief second when I feel buff arms wrap around me, keeping me prisoner and I know that we just walked into a shitload of trouble.