Innocence Lost (Negan x OC)

honor

My world got hazy when I saw the mark. My vision blurred and bile rose up my throat. Carl covered the bite with the bandage and his shirt fell back on to his torso. My legs shook underneath me and I didn't even flinch when another explosion rattled the tunnel. Chunks of concrete rained down on everyone and gasps filled the small area.

Carl looked up to me with a lazy, painful smile on his pale face. My hand went to my mouth to cover the horrified expression my face was holding. Tears flooded my cheeks and fell to the dusty ground below me. My eyes flickered over to Rick and his face held that look that made me realize things were fucked. He looked like he was going to pass out right then and there. His eyes trailed from Carl to me and he looked absolutely broken. The blue in his eyes was dull and gray. I

I kneeled down slowly next to Carl and I grabbed his hand in mine. His hands were clammy and hot. I felt Rick kneel down next to me and I looked to him swiftly before settling my focus on the dying boy in front of me.

"I-I don't-" Rick stumbled and Michonne looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Dad." Carl tried to snap Rick out of his grief filled daze. How long had it been since Carl got bit? Did it happen recently? Was it during the attack?

Unanswered questions flooded my mind and I needed to know, but I couldn't speak. I was still frozen in shock. I couldn't lose another person. I couldn't lose him. He was my brother. He was my best friend. I couldn't lose Carl.

"How.." Rick choked out and Carl smiled weakly at him. He didn't seem scared. Carl seemed almost at peace.

"Dad... It's alright. It's gotta be. I wasn't sure if you'd make it back before.. But just incase, you know..." I choked back a sob when Carl pulled out a small stack of folded letters. On the top in sloppy handwriting, 'Dad' was written. Rick shakily took the papers from Carl and sifted through them. The second letter was labeled 'Michonne' and the third was labeled 'Carli'. About a dozen letters were there.

I looked back up at Carl with tears clouding my vision.

"I wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye." He said and I felt his hand give mine a small squeeze. A sob escaped my mouth and I squeezed his hand back.

Rick covered his face with his hands and looked around painfully.

"No. It's them. It's them." Rick repeated angrily. He looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel with his jaw clenched. "They... They don't..." Rick stuttered.

"It wasn't.." Carl said while grabbing Rick's hand.

"Carl. No." Rick said while shaking his head. Rick started to stand but I put my hand on his shoulder and brought him back down. He looked at me and then back to Carl.

"I got bit. I was bringing someone back. His name's Siddiq. We saw him at that gas station, before... It wasn't the Saviors. It just happened. I got bit." Carl said and Rick looked around the tunnel. His eyes landed on an unfamiliar face and his gaze stayed there.

The man, who I presumed to be Siddiq, was sitting against the tunnel wall. I looked back to Carl and he smiled weakly at me while nodding.

Explosion after explosion sounded above us. I gritted my teeth at the thought of Negan demolishing my home. Carl groaned in pain and I looked to Michonne. We must've both had the same idea because we helped Carl reposition so that he was leaning against the wall more.

"Better?" Michonne asked while moving a strand of hair out of Carl's face.

"Yeah... thanks." He said softly. Rick was still in shock and he looked at the wall in thought. His head and mine snapped to the side when Siddiq walked over to us.