Dreamer

Chapter Four

Chandler's POV (Conversion between Shawn and Chandler while Tia was changing)

I shift awkwardly on the bed after Tia shut the bathroom door. Shawn was on the other bed, he seemed angry. "So, Shawn, how do you know Tia?" I ask him, just trying to be polite. "We met on a plane, and she's mine. Don't get too attached. She's moving in with me tomorrow." Shawn says protectively. "Woah, Shawn, I'm not into her like that." I defend, even if I'm not sure if that's a lie or not. "I don't care. You just take a huge step back and leave Tia alone." Shawn demands, and I narrow my eyes at him. He then stretches a bit, showing off his muscles. "Unless you want to deal with me." Shawn says, trying to give an alternative. With that, Shawn and I both turned our heads to look at Tia as she walked out of the bathroom. Tia walked out in a pair of black sweatpants and a hunter green hoodie. She also had on a pair of white socks with blue stripes. She dropped a bag on her dresser, and then sat down beside Shawn. Tia crosses her legs, shifting uncomfortably. "So, um..." She starts, clearly unsure of what to honestly say to end this tension. So I said something. "Are you still going to watch The Talking Dead tonight?" In which afterwards she responds with a nod, and then I earn a glare from Shawn that I assume she didn't see. "Yeah, I am. I have mixed feelings about tonight, but I'm still going." Shawn scoots closer as Tia says this. "Mixed feelings?" He asks her, his voice full of concern I doubt she noticed. She was clearly lost in thought as she halfway listened. "I'm a huge Carl girl." Well, I now have to leave after her response. "It's going to be extremely difficult watching him go." Does she like me? Maybe I did lie earlier... "I've grown up watching Carl grow with me." Is this a crush, or more of a brotherly feeling? "When he lost someone, I lost someone too. " Brotherly feeling. " When I saw Carl was bit..." Maybe not? "I felt like I was losing a piece of myself." Definitely not, but please don't cry. "I know I need to say goodbye, so I need to watch the episode." You don't have to say goodbye to me. You don't, we can be friends... Maybe more, Tia... Just leave Shawn... "I don't want to say goodbye, though..." Then don't... Oh, Tia, please don't cry... "It's almost too much." She obviously felt awkward saying that, and I understand why. I play Carl. Shawn wrapped his arm around Tia, and she leaned against him. I get up off the bed, jealousy coursing through my veins as I rushed out of the room. "Chandler! Are you okay?" She asks, a light pressure on my shoulder as she asks. My heart ached as she asked me that. I wished she felt the same way. Tia meant the world to me, but I had to push her away. "I'm fine, just go back to your boyfriend in there." I snapped harshly, hating myself for being mean to her. It hurt more as I turned to see her jaw was hanging open. "Shawn isn't my boyfriend, Chandler, I just met him yesterday on the plane here." She says gently, and the light pressure disappeared. "Don't lie to me, Tia." I snap again, moving to leave. "I'm not lying..." She says weakly as I walk to my room. "Shawn says otherwise!" I say, faking an annoyed sing-song voice. I unlocked the door with my key card, throwing it open. I heard Tia knock on her door, and it opens instantly. Shawn was listening! Before my door closed I heard Tia angrily ask Shawn what he told me. I fell back against the door, tears welling up in my eyes. The cool wood was pressed against my bare skin, causing me to become very cold, but I didn't care. My heart was broken.

-That Night at the Very Beginning of The Talking Dead-

Tia's POV

I sit quietly in my seat, my gauze bandage sticking to my face because of the tears streaming down it. Shawn was trying to console me as I sobbed. I kept pushing him away though. He lied to Chandler. I wouldn't have let him come tonight if I didn't need a place to stay. Chris came out on stage, and everyone started clapping. I followed suit, despite my tear stained face. "Hi, my name's Chris Hardwick and welcome to tonight episode of The Talking Dead! Of course tonight's special guests are Chandler Riggs and Scott Gimple." Everyone cheered for Chandler and then booed for Scott as he walked out. Chandler and Scott walked out smiling and waving at everyone. Once they sat down Chris greeted them both warmly, and they both say their hellos. When Chandler looked out into the audience he and I make eye contact, but it's super awkward. All through out the show Chandler is spacy, giving half hearted answers. He keeps this fake smile on his face and refuses to even look at Scott. We both blame him for Carl's unnecessary death. They strayed way too far from the comics this time. Way too far. "Alright, so we have fan from the audience here to ask a question." Chris says, and then gets out of his chair. Chris runs over to me, pulling me out of my seat. We walk back on stage, and I stand in front of the microphone. I hadn't prepared a question, I had completely forgotten about this. "So, tell us your-" Chris starts, and then Chandler interrupts. "Tia?" He asks, shocked by my tear stained face. "Hi, Chandler.." I say shyly, shocked he admitted to knowing me. "I didn't think you were still coming tonight." He says, and I awkwardly shift. Awkward place to have a conversation. "Well, um... This is why I'm in L.A." I admit, and Chris interrupts. "You two know each other?" He asks, and we both nod. "So, um.. Do you have a fan question?" Chris asks, reminding us both we're on television. I nod, knowing what question I want to ask, one that was for the both of us. "My question is for Scott." I state, looking over at Gimple. "Scott, in the comics Carl played a huge role in the character development for Negan. Also in the comics, Carl did not have to die in order for Negan to live. There are many ways in which this could have played out differently. For example, instead of Carl dying he could've still been bit, but had his arm cut off. Like Rick did in the comics. Before cutting off his arm someone could have used a camera to take a picture of Carl with the bite, sent it to Negan, and told him Carl was dead as an attempt to make him stand down. It could have also made Rick realize that he needs to start listening to Carl, and take into account as to what he has to say. With that in mind, I also have heard whispers since season two that you and Chandler didn't really get along. Even so, you have claimed it isn't personal, but with the timing of everything, it is almost impossible not to be. Just turning eighteen, parents can no longer do anything, and right when Carl becomes extremely important in the show. Right when Carl is having a major character arc. So, my question is, Scott, why did you really kill off Carl?" I finish my rant, leaving the audience in silence. I left Chandler in silence, and I could see him looking at me. I could feel how thankful he was for me asking that question. Then I listened for Chris, and for once, even he was silent. Then I listened for Scott, who I had been watching through my rant. Scott was speechless, and through the entire rant you could tell he was uncomfortable as I put him under that microscope. I had disproved his cover story at every angle. I crossed my arms, waiting for an answer. "You're a Carl girl. You're just looking for reasons to hate me." Scott says, smirking at me. "No, I'm not. Am I a Carl girl? Yes, but if I were looking for reasons to hate the person that killed him off I would also hate Robert Kirkman. Seeing as this is his show, and he is the person who wrote the comics it only seems fit that he has the final say, so if what you were saying is true I would hate him as well. I do not hate him, therefore your statement is false." I say, again shooting down his defense. Scott again goes silent, along with everyone else as they stare at me. Seeing as I have anxiety, on the inside I am having a complete melt down, but on the outside I'm 100% calm. After a few moments Scott speaks. "Well, young woman, you may say that I had a grevance towards Chandler, but in reality you're going off tabloids and internet blogs written by people who have no inclination of what goes on while we're on set. As for the script writing teams, yes Carl survives in the comics for a meaningful time, but as we have shown before we do hold true to the comics, but in a way that can keep the series going, as we have more options for the characters this way, a new way to open up Rick's side to loss and sadness, same way we explored when we wrote out his wife, the  mother of Carl. Yes, we want the viewers to be content, but at this point, we are trying most to keep the show running, and keep the actors in business for as long as possible. With Robert Kirkman, you would need to also get his two cents on the matter. Without that, you have no justification to why we decided to kill off Carl, because he may not be a writer on the show, he still has a screen credit for the program, so he could have chosen a different route. To my knowledge, he never spoke in his behalf of the show. We would still enjoy your worship of the show, but at the same time, I would also enjoy you to open your mind to new ideas..." Scott ranted, I then rolled my eyes and started to disprove what all he said. "The 'grievance' you had from Chandler was not from tabloids or blogs or anything. I heard the whispers from other fans that had pointed things out between the two of you. Things that made it obvious the two of you didn't get along. For example, in a panel Chandler had said that the two of you didn't get along. Later, when it was brought back up and was said to be a joke, the answer didn't seem whole hearted or genuine. In other words, a lie and/or cover up. As for Carl living in the comics for a 'meaningful time,' I do believe you need to catch up. Your boss writes them, and seeing as you are one of the main writers of the show, you should probably know them better than you do. Carl is still alive in the present. Along with the comics, Rick loses Lori and Judith while leaving the prison. So, yes, loss is a big part of Rick's character development, but that could have been properly explored if he were to have dated Andrea like he did in the comics, and then lost her. Or, he could have lost Carol to suicide back at the prison, like in the comics, or instead of the prison, Alexandria to make it more meaningful. Another option could have been Daryl. He wasn't even in the comics. As for the viewers being content, those who didn't care for Carl all too much have been in an uproar about Carl dying. By doing this, you have brought the show closer to an end. as Negan said, "Carl was the future." Carl was literally the future of the show. The actors are eventually going to be old people surviving in the apocalypse with babies they've discovered or small children they had late in life. As for Robert Kirkman, I know for a fact he sometimes helps write the script. I also know that his favorite character was Carl, he has said so while he was sitting right where you are, and he has also said so while he was in a panel. I have looked for 'new ideas' as to why Carl died. None of them make any form of sense, what so ever." I finish, and before Scott can continue Chris again stops conversation. "Wow, okay. Um, that was an interesting view about the show. So, thank you for your question, Tia. We actually have something for you." Chris says, getting up. Scott and I glare at each other, and then Chris comes back with an autographed Carl hat. I took the hat I currently had on off of my head, and then put the new one on. Chandler got up and gave me a hug. I hugged back, and then Chris told us that we looked like twins. Chandler and I gave each other funny looks, and then gave Chris the same look. "Alright, folks! Tia is also our cosplay of week, and our fan art of the week!" Chris said, and my painting popped up on the screen. (A/N: Painting on first page) "Goodnight, everybody!" Chris said, waving at the crowd.