The Sheriff and The Archer

Chaper Nine: Cut Off My Fingers

By far my favorite chapter (so far haha)

"They are so cute!"

"They are like mini Maggie and Glenn!"

"They are not like us!"

"My son better not have corrupted that girl."

"Oh, shut up, Rick. Jade wouldn't dare let him that close!"

"I think she'd kill the little shit if he tried."

"I wish I had my iPhone so I could take a picture."

"I don't think any of us will be forgetting what this looks like anytime soon."

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing it again!"

Then laughter. What the Hell? My green eyes shot open and I sat up - or... tried to. Something was holding me back. I looked down at my stomach to see an... arm? I peered farther to my left to find the owner. Carl. Wait, Carl? Then I looked at our legs, all tangled. We were as close as could be - oh my God! Oh my God, oh my God, oh my GOD! Carl and I are spooning!

I screamed a little before stumbling up from the carpet and taking a good five steps to my right, away from Carl and away from the group who were finding the whole situation just fucking hilarious.

"We - I - Nothing happened, I swear!" I was at a loss for words and boy, was I screwed. I needed backup, which meant I had to wake Sheriff up.

"Carl, wake up!" I shouted, but still didn't move any closer to the sleeping fourteen-year-old.

"Carl, we're making pancakes!" Nada. Zip. Zero. Nothing.

I groaned before using my last resort, "Carl! There are walkers!" Sheriff sprung up so quickly that it scared me (and I think everyone else too). He reached to his hip, no doubt looking for his gun that laid useless on the floor. In the rush his hat had fallen off, giving me a glimpse of his hair. It was a little greasy as expected, but it was also scruffled and made him look, well... ho - nevermind.

"Seriously?" I grinned. He turned around to face me, "You wake up to that?" he shrugged before leaning down and picking up his hat and gun. Everyone else just gawked.

"Reflex, I guess," He answered.

"No kidding," he laughed. We turned our attention to the adults.

"What are y'all doing just standing there like walker bait?" The nickname seemed to trigger a memory for some of the group while other looked unfazed. "Shit. I mean - uh... crap. Sorry, Glenn."

They all sorta nodded before Maggie started giggling. Then Daryl started to laugh, Rick and Carl joined shortly and soon the four of them were laughing at Glenn's expense.

"You'll always be my little walker bait," Maggie kissed Glenn's cheek before walking towards the door. "We got breakfast to make, don't we?" She smiled.

Everyone headed downstairs except for Michonne and I. Really, I was just trying to wait and check out a few books, but Michonne looked like she wanted to talk to me.

"Jade?" I picked up my bow and quiver and slung them across my body. She sat down on the couch and motioned for me to sit as well.

"I want to say thank you." Wait what? "You know, on Carl's behalf. The group also because you sorta saved our asses, but mainly for Carl."

I said that only thing that came to mind, "Huh?"

"After his mom..." We both knew she didn't need to continue on that subject, "His dad sorta checked out for a while and Carl became cold. Like uh, a shell of the old him. Since his dad is all good now, we've been trying to help him snap back -"

"You help him. You make him better, he told me." She smiled.

"Sure, maybe I help him, but it's you who makes him better. Listen, even the first day you met us, he was snappy, rude even. Have you noticed how Carl's no longer like that? He's happy now. And I can tell, he's happiest around you. Nobody can make Carl laugh can, okay some people can, but not like you.

"He's content now. I'm starting to think that all Carl needed was someone who's truly there for him. I may be totally scaring you because you've known him for less than a week, but the changes are noticeable. He's a lot better now.

"He let his guard down as soon as we left Terminus. When you and Tara finally showed up after getting all of that water Carl relaxed. His shoulders loosened and the grip he had on his gun went away. I can't just say that because everyone was back, it was because you were back. He trusts you. He cares about you. He wants to be your friend.

"Carl's been through too much. Even if it's the Apocalypse, that boy has lost too much. I don't want him to lose you, because you two are gonna be friends for a long, long time. I can see it now. And sweetheart... maybe you'll be more than friends."

"Michonne!" I gasped.

"It's true! I see the way you two look at each other!"

"As if!"

"But really, you've helped him." We stayed silent for a little bit. Albeit small, I decided to tell Michonne something.

"You guys don't know how I used to be. I lost one too many people and I just... snapped. I wasn't myself for a long, long time. You guys don't know how much you've helped me. I feel like I'm actually living again. I couldn't thank any of you enough for that. Carl - Carl has helped me a lot though. Last night I had a break down and instead of going to find one of the girls or something he helped me... If you tell anyone, especially Carl that hr helped me, I'll steal your sword and bury it so you'll never find it again," I threatened.

"Yeah, right," she strung her arm across my shoulders as we headed for the door. When we walked out I saw none other than dirty, little Carl. The asshole eavesdropped! He stood on the steps, against the wall, his arms were crossed and he was whistling like we weren't even there.

"Look at the idiot," I point out. Michonne looks, "He thinks that by acting casual, we won't notice that he's actually a bumbling monkey."

"Would you like to send him back to his natural habitat?"

I cock my head to the right and study Carl up and down, "Nah. He wouldn't know how to survive, I'd feel like I killed the poor thing myself."

"Woah, woah, woah. Ladies, don't give me the third degree!" Carl put his hand up, like he was telling us to stop.

"What's the verdict, Judge?" I ask.

"Guilty. Carl Grimes must take watch tonight... all night."

"What? Michonne, please!"

"That is Judge to you! Hush, Sir. The decision has been made and it is final," I tell him.

I really love this chapter. Actually, it was so long I decided to split it in two and make another chapter haha