Long Way Home (A Carl Grimes Fanfic)

44: Home

After a nervous night, I awoke, the remains of the group still asleep, so I decided to take watch.

My stomach was tight and full to the brim of butterflies, because I'm stuck. I can't be with this group, but I can't go back to the Governor.

I felt a pat on the back, and swung my body round to be greeted by Carl. "Hi." He said, putting on the same smirk he made in that Spanish Class when I first met him.

"Hey." I say, cutting open a tin of sweet corn.

"So.." He says.

I giggle slightly.

"That's the first time I heard you laugh, in what's felt that years." He says, smirking slightly.

"Remember when we first met?" I ask, still opening the can of sweet corn with my knife.

"The day this all started how could I forget." Carl jokes. "Do you want some help with that?" He asks, looking down at the can, and I nod, handing him it.

"It's all so crazy." I say, looking out for any oncoming walkers through the woods.

"What is?" Carl asks, confused.

"Today, will be the last day I see you." I reply softly.

"What?" He says, dropping the tin, causing the tiny segments of corn to drop into the dusty mud.

"I can't stay with this group, I'm too much trouble for you." I say, trying to make Carl understand.

"But..what about, Sophia, she's your best friend, Daryl..Glenn..Maggie.." Carl begins the list of everyone I've hurt. "What about us?" He says, holding my hands.

"I don't know."

//

Once everyone had awoke, and a new cans of corn had been opened, I grabbed my bag, and stood up, causing the group to go silent. And that was very rare.

"Where are you going?" Rick asks.

"Home."

I ventured through the woods using a cracked compass to navigate back into my hometown.

The walk was long and tiring, but I finally made it, with minimum walker kills and ammo lost, I stood outside my front door, the ruby red door had been cut and stained, almost falling away from the hinges.

It was a long way home but I made it.

As I stepped onto the gravel in my front lawn, I was interrupted.

"You aren't going any where without us." Rick says, the whole group standing behind him, with accepting smiles on their faces.

I run into Carl and Sophia's arms, and in that moment, I knew, I had a family unlike any other.

//

The End.