𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 12 ~ Fine, I'll Compromise

The next few weeks were bliss - Carl was the sweetest fiancee I ever could have asked for. He waited on me, always asking if I needed anything, cooking me food, helping out with Winnie. In short? He was the perfect father-to-be as well as husband-to-be. I didn't deserve this much happiness but somehow, God had blessed me with this beautiful man who loved an imperfect person perfectly. And I couldn't be more thankful for that.

The whole town had been preparing for the war against Negan though this last week so that kept him busier. Even though I had urged him to take a break from pampering me so that he could help the town out more like he'd wanted to, he still kept on catering to me. Maybe it was a bit selfish to admit but I loved him for that, too. Meanwhile, Rick had went back out like he'd promised to search for more guns. Thankfully, he was able to find more, adding to the numbers. Suddenly, Winnie gurgled from the floor in the living room and my eyes flitted over to her from my spot on the couch.

I smiled when I saw her playing with the toy Carl had gotten her - a worn, little doll. She hugged it tightly and when she saw me watching her, placed a kiss on its hair as a mother would. I laughed at my silly little girl, shaking my head just as Carl came bounding down the stairs, dressed in a dark gray t-shirt underneath a brown plaid long-sleeve shirt and jeans. His familiar sheriff's hat was placed atop his head, slightly askew as always.

"How's my lovely girls this morning?" he smiled, pressing a butterfly kiss to the top of my hair before doing the same with Winnie.

She grinned up at him as he walked to the kitchen to grab an apple off the counter. I frowned, twisting around in my seat to watch him.

"Is that seriously all you're going to eat for breakfast?" I asked, arching an eyebrow at my fiancee.

He smirked, shrugging at me, "Quit worrying about me. I'll be fine,"

My frown deepened, not happy with that answer.

"Carl-" I started to protest but he just smiled and brushed past the couch, apple in hand as he walked to the door.

Quickly - but not too quickly because of the baby - I got up from the couch and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, pulling him back slightly. He glanced my way and sent me a small smile, ghosting a hand across my cheek gently.

"Babe, I'm good. Really," he told me but I just shook my head at him.

"No, it's not that. Although you should be eating more than just that. I..." I faltered then before taking a breath and continuing, "I want to come with you,"

This time, he was the one to frown.

"What are you talking about? You know you can't in your condition," he insisted, crossing his arms over his chest indifferently.

I rolled my eyes. I recognized that look - the Grimes defiance look. I'd seen it way too many times on Rick's face before.

"It's not a condition, Carl," I growled before softening my tone as I'd noticed Winnie glancing our way, not wanting her to see us fight, "But I'm capable of taking care of myself. I went on supply runs before when I was pregnant. I can do it again,"

"No, you can't," he said, his tone stern and leaving no room for discussion.

Too bad I wasn't the type to listen to others, though. Come to think of it, I don't think any Dixon did.

"Yes, I can. And yes, I will. I'm going with you," I told him, raising my chin up in defiance.

"Angel-" he said with a warning tone but I cut him off.

"Carl, I can handle it, okay?! I can! I could take down any walker that came my way while pregnant and I can do it now, too!" I said insistently, irritated by his seemingly lack of faith in me.

"No, you can't! Because you have something now that you didn't then!" he shot back, the anger now having left his voice but was replaced by another emotion I couldn't put my finger on exactly.

"And what's that?" I asked, throwing my hands up in exasperation before letting them fall to my sides.

Instantly, he cupped my face in his hands and lowered his voice so that he was speaking softly.

"Me," he whispered simply.

His blue eye radiated with such love, it made me weak in the knees just to gaze into it.

"And my love...and my baby," he continued softly, letting a hand rest on my stomach gently, "I would die before I let anything happen to either of you. And the idea of you going out there in that mess? Pregnant?... It scares me more than anything. So no...I don't want you going out there,"

I sighed deeply but didn't push him on it, caressing his hands that were still attached to my face, leaning my forehead on his.

"Okay..." I agreed softly, gazing up into that ice-blue orb, "I won't go on supply runs with Rick and Daryl while I'm still pregnant... I won't go any supply runs at all,"

Carl breathed out a sigh of relief, smiling slightly before I continued.

"Unless-" I started and he groaned, tilting his head back so far, his sheriff's hat nearly toppled off him, "You're there with me,"

I shot him a cheeky grin and he just shook his head at me. But slowly, it melted and was replaced by a smile of his own, rolling his eye in defeat.

"Fine. But only if you're with me," he said and I nodded, grinning like a mad woman as I pressed a light kiss to his lips before we were broken apart by a knock at the door.

On the doorstep was a woman who lived nearby to us and I let her in graciously, thanking her for babysitting before Carl whisked me out the door after him. The trucks were just rumbling down the road when we made it to the gate and Carl pulled it back to let them through. Tara climbed out of one of the trucks gingerly as the engine turned off and walked over to Carl, handing him a lone letter. Michonne and I gathered around him as he opened it, reading the words on the paper over his shoulder. A sigh escaped her mouth once she'd finished reading it, glancing up only to share a worried gaze with the two of us.

The war with Negan had officially begun.