𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

I Will Always Come Back

Note: So it's been forever since I last wrote a Carl one shot so excuse me if I'm rusty lol XD I hope y'all like it! :)

I growled in the back of my throat, angrily shoving back the strands of hair that had fallen in my face as I stared down at the crumpled map stretched out before me on the worn, wooden porch. The boards were hot from the sun, the warmth seeping through the knees of my jeans as I knelt in front of the wrinkled paper. In the distance, I could hear the moans of walkers but I ignored it. For now, at least, I was safe. I just had to keep moving. After all, they couldn't have gotten that far from here. Right?

Scanning the page in front of me quickly, I let my gaze wander over the crisscrossing lines that indicated roads, letting my finger trace them as I did.

"If this road leads here..." I mumbled to myself, biting down on my lip in thought.

Suddenly, a floorboard behind me squeaked loudly and on instinct, I let the map flutter to the ground as I spun on my heel, snatching the gun out of my leg holster and aiming it at the direction in which the noise came from. And I came face-to-face with...very beady black eyes. I frowned as the squirrel chattered something at me before scurrying off. Rolling my eyes at my own ignorance, I flicked the safety back on before shoving the gun back into its holster.

I had been on edge ever since I escaped from the prison fight with the Governor. That had been, by my own count, about six and a half months ago now. And by consequence, I was easily startled, had developed a healthy dose of trust issues, and oh yeah, had even eaten a half-molded candy bar when I'd gotten seriously low on food. The thing had white fluffy stuff growing on it and everything. I shuddered at the remembrance of the taste on my tongue despite myself. I had been on my own for far too long.

Sighing to myself, I raked a hand through the greasy strands of my hair before balling up the map and stuffing it into my back pocket. I'd spent enough time here already. If I was correct, and let's be honest, I predominantly was, then I had only a week or so left before I'd catch up with them. My heart fluttered in my chest at the mere thought of seeing them again. Or more importantly, seeing him again. It had been...too long. Too terribly long a time to be away from each other.

I couldn't help but wonder if he had missed me as much as I missed him. We'd been dating for years now. Surely he hadn't forgotten...

Biting my lip to stop the flow of tears that threatened to spill from behind my eyes, I bounded down the rickety steps before beginning my trek down the deserted road. I must have walked for hours, only stopping briefly to eat and then start back again. Finally, it was getting too dark for me to keep going. Not unless, that is, I wanted to attempt to fight off even more walkers in my current tired state. And under the cover of darkness, at that.

The house I stayed in that night was old, abandoned, of course. In a way, it reminded me of the times I'd been with the group before we'd found peace at the prison and we'd had to squat in random houses along the way. Except...except I was alone this time. Without Carl here. Without his arms around me. As I lied down on the worn, moth-eaten mattress that night, in the pitch-black darkness of the house, I couldn't help but let the tears fall.

Hot tears that ran down my cool skin as I tried to even my breathing. But it was useless - I couldn't stop the ragged breaths that passed my lips as I sobbed, clutching the blanket over me tighter. What if I never saw him again? What if he was-what if... I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thoughts. But no. I couldn't think like that. He was strong. He...he was fine. He had to be.

The night seemed to never cease, my mind chasing after thoughts, questions whose answers evaded me - even in sleep. But soon, dawn broke and I was up and out of that house in a flash, back on the road. I grinned to myself as I thought of the last journey I'd been on like this, with a very tipsy Eugene in the back of the group singing "On The Road Again" very loudly and off-key. Let's just say that that was the last time we let him get into Daryl's moonshine stash. I was so lost in my own thoughts, I barely heard the crunch of gravel ahead of me on the path. Instantly, I was on alert, whipping the gun from my holster, effectively flicking the Safety off before aiming it at the sound.

Trees came up around me on all sides, obstructing my view from anyone hiding in the woods. But there was a clear path ahead of me and I could see a few feet into the distance meaning...

"Drop it!" a low voice growled from behind me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, "Turn around! Slowly!"

I cursed in my head, eyes squeezing shut briefly in annoyance before I lifted both hands up, raising the gun above me as I spun on my heel. But I didn't expect the familiar blue eyes that locked on mine, like a beacon.

"C-Carl?" I choked out in a whisper, feeling my heart constrict in my chest from anxiety.

My eyes took in his figure - sheriff's hat askew over now lengthier shaggy brown hair that peeked out from beneath, dirty, stained long-sleeve plaid shirt, and unsurprisingly, dirt smudges on his pale skin. Instantly, the gun dropped from his hand, clattering onto the gravel with a thud. I don't remember my feet taking me to him but before I knew it, my body collided into his chest and I felt myself being lifted up, legs wrapping around his waist as he held me tightly to him. And then came the tears - loud, ugly tears that encompassed me, body and soul as they slid down my cheeks. I buried my face in the crook of his neck then, breathing in the scent of pudding that always seemed to linger on his skin. I could feel his hands rubbing my back soothingly as he held me, making me sob even harder before I pulled away to face him fully.

"You came back," he breathed out in a shaky breath, being the first one to break the silence.

A choked laugh passed my lips as I nodded, reaching out my fingertips to trace his jawline gently, "I'll always come back to you, Carl. Always..."

He shot me a watery smile, tears filling his eyes as I let my own gaze wander over his features once more.

"Gosh, I missed you," I admitted, tears still blurring my vision as I gazed back at those lovely cerulean blue eyes, "I missed you so much."

His warm mouth crashed into mine then, making my heart race a mile a minute in my chest. It was like my whole world spun on its axis, fireworks going off in my head. There would never be anyone like Carl, anyone who made me feel so complete, so at home. And I would always find him.

I would always come back.