𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 20 ~ I'll Stay With Him

"Is that better?" I asked him quietly and he sighed before replying.

"Yeah. Thanks..." Carl said tiredly, glancing up at me.

His blue eye bored into me, seeing right through me to my very soul. He'd always been able to do that -know exactly what I was thinking. No matter if it was something trivial or something major...he just knew. Somehow. Gently, he squeezed my hand and briefly, I mustered a smile down at him.

"I, um, I got these," a voice broke in then and we all glanced up to see Siddiq nearby, holding out a bag of medicine, "They're over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. They'll, um...they'll help a little with the fever. They did for my mom and dad... Please take them. Your son - he should have them,"

"You're a doctor?" Rick asked him, eyeing the Middle Eastern man warily.

"I was a resident before... Yeah," he answered him simply.

"Your name is Siddiq?

"Yes,"

Rick's head turned to Carl then, tears still locked in his eyes, "Did you know he was a doctor? Is that why you brought him back?"

"He wasn't gonna make it alone. He needed us... That's why," Carl breathed out slowly, his skin growing paler as he got sicker and sicker.

"He was the one at the gas station," Rick said with realization.

But before he could say anything else, an explosion rocked the tunnel from above us and the walls shook loose some rocks. On instinct, I threw myself on top of Carl, shielding him from the falling debris. However, the clouds of dirt that had been stirred up got into his lungs and he started coughing uncontrollably.

"Water! Give him water!" I shouted over my shoulder.

Quickly, a cup of water was passed to me by Michonne and Rick and I helped him tilt his head up enough so that he could drink.

"Easy. You got it? Slowly, slowly..." Rick shushed his son as I stroked Carl's hair soothingly.

As soon as the cup had left his mouth, he took in a ragged breath and I felt tears well up in my eyes once more. I felt so-so-so powerless, so helpless... I couldn't stop this. Of all the things we'd fought against, all the times we'd beaten the odds...this wasn't one of them. I couldn't fight this, I couldn't take this away or make it better... With my fingertips, I brushed the sweat-drenched strands of hair away from his warm forehead.

It was almost more than I could bare - to watch him suffer like this. He didn't deserve it! I felt my chest tighten with anxiety at just the thought of...of... I couldn't even think it, much less speak it... The explosions overhead had stopped by now and dad had went to check outside to see if the coast was clear for us to get out of here. But as I glanced back down at my beloved fiancee...I knew not all of us would be making it out of here tonight.

Daryl came back then and I could see him talking to Michonne, the both of them wearing the same serious expression before she walked back over to us. Slowly, I slid Carl's head off of my lap to stand up in front of them.

"The Saviors are gone. We can get everyone to Hilltop. We can get you two there," she spoke, directing her words to me.

"Carl? No," the older Grimes shook his head adamantly.

"Daryl can get one of the cars-" Michonne began to protest, her face turning to him but I cut them both off abruptly.

"Carl won't make..." I began to say but choked on the words in my throat so I started over, "He can't leave here. I have to stay with him,"

Michonne gazed down at me then, tears filling her eyes at my declaration, "The three of us will stay,"

My gaze traveled then to my little girl still being held by Tara then, her small cocoa-brown eyes locking onto me.

"Will you-" I began, sighing when I couldn't get the words out before finally my voice broke with emotion, "Will you take Winnie? She needs to be there. If she...happens-"

"I'll take her," a familiar, raspy voice interrupted me and I glanced up into the face of my father, relief washing over me, if only slight.

He stepped to me then, briefly placing a hand on my shoulder, "I'll get her there. I'll keep her safe...I got this,"

I smiled through the tears in my eyes, gratitude etched on my face, "Thanks, dad,"

"Let me say goodbye," Carl's voice cut in weakly and I glanced back at him.

His eyes were glued to Winnie and I smiled sadly before the three of us helped him to a sitting position against the wall. Our daughter watched him intently as she sat on my lap, the little brown curls in her hair framing her face.

"You be good, okay? For your grandpas. For your mom. You gotta honor her. Listen when she tells you stuff," he breathed out, his voice weak and tired from the fever taking over.

I felt my heart clench in my chest and I stifled a sob with my hand at his words.

"You don't have to always. Sometimes, kids got to show their parents the way," he half-chuckled before continuing, "I love you, Winnie. You'll always be my little girl..."

A tear streaked down my face and I brushed it away with my thumb as I struggled to keep the rest of them at bay behind my eyelids. Carl reached out beside him then and slowly, took up his brown sheriff's hat in his hands. It was old and worn now, the edges frayed from wear. But I'd always loved seeing him in it. In fact...he was wearing it when we first met. All those years ago...

"This was Dad's before it was mine. Now it's his..." Carl said softly, holding it out to me take from his waiting hands as the tears trekked down his face, his eye gazing at my stomach, "I don't know. Just-just having it and it always kept Dad with me. It made me feel as strong as him. It helped me. Maybe it'll help him, too,"

A loud, hiccuping sob ripped free from my throat and I gave out a slight chuckle at the end, "You're so sure it's a boy?"

Weakly, he shot me a small smile, nodding.

"It better be. I already have a name picked out, remember?" he smiled before wincing from the pain.

I sniffed, hot tears slowly rolling down my cheeks as I thought of those days sitting on the porch, picking out baby names with him. Winnie still gazed up at him and I couldn't help but be proud that she has such an amazing father as Carl.

"Before Mom died...she told me that I was gonna beat this world. I didn't. But you will. I know you will." Carl continued, his eye connecting to his baby girl.

Beginning to cry, she held out her hands, reaching for him, "Daddy!"

Daryl came over then and I passed her to her grandfather who patted her on the back, bouncing her lightly in his arms while shushing her, "Here we go..."

I bit my lip, the tightness in my chest making it hard to breathe as he continued.

"These people. You saved them all... That's all you, man," Daryl spoke quietly, his word directed towards Carl.

Carl nodded slightly, shooting him a sad final smile before he and the others made their way out of the tunnel. 

They would never meet again...