The Sheriff and The Archer

Chapter Thirteen: Widow

That night we slept in our cars. The next morning Daryl attempted to wake me and this is what happened:

"Piss off!" I replied sleepily.

He shook me again, "Get up!"

"No..."

"I guess I'll just have to get a gallon of water and -"

"I'm up! I'm up!" I raised my hands and stepped out of the car to see Daryl throwing his crossbow over his back. "My bow is still better than yours!" I shouted over my shoulder and smiled.

"No way in Hell!" He replied, walking past me to the group.

Tara patted the spot next to her so I sat myself down. Daryl took the space next to me and ate a breakfast bar. Tara ate Cheerio's and I stuffed my face with Fruit Loops, the two of them laughed at my antics.

"Shut up! I haven't had this cereal in years! It's freaking good!" Soon the whole group was having a jolly-good-time laughing at me. "I have a feeling that the real reason y'all keep me around is for my idiocy." They just laughed harder. "Assholes,"I muttered as I finished off the box, Tara patted my back like she always seemed to do.

"Okay, okay, everybody settle down. The plan for today is to reach Terminus, see if our people are there, and leave. Everybody got that?" We nodded. "No firing our weapons if it's not completely necessary." He clapped his hands together once, telling us it was okay to go.

"Can - can I have a minute?" I gasped for breath as I asked Rick.

"Sure, but be careful, okay?" He put a hand on my shoulder for a second then put it back on his gun. I didn't reply, which I guess was a little bitchy, but I knew that if I opened my mouth I would say that I didn't want to go to Terminus and I promised that I would... Jade, you promised. Even if it's the last thing you do, you'll get them into Terminus and you will find their people.

As soon as I was concealed by the woods I broke into a run. I ran as far as I could, soon I couldn't see anything because I was crying so much. I tripped over a fallen tree branch and slammed back into the Earth. My cheek burst open. I brought my right fingers up to it and looked down at them to see a red mess. Shit. I pushed myself up against a tree and cried and cried like the baby I was, you'd think I was a newly found widow.

I needed to be stronger. I needed to able to take care of myself. I... fuck... all I wanted in that moment was Carl. I wanted Carl to hold me and tell me it was going to be okay. I wanted him to put his fingers in my hair and tell me things that were utterly unimportant, but at the same time they made everything better. I needed to feel the top of his hat resting on my head. I needed to grip the fabric of his shirt and pull him closer than I ever thought possible. I needed Sheriff. I needed Carl.

And I hated myself for that. I hated that I knew the kid for just over a week and I was already depending on him. I couldn't do this, but I knew I needed to. I couldn't bare the world all alone anymore. I needed this group and I needed Carl.

"Jade! Jade!" I whipped my head around.

"Carl..." I looked to my right. "Carl!" I tried to yell, but to me it sounded like a freaking mating call.

"Jade!" He was getting closer. "Jade, where are you?"

I curled myself up into a ball, "Carl!" I yelled into my knees... probably not a good idea, but I didn't care.

I heard a shuffling coming from my right and then he was there, unwraping me from myself and letting me fall into his arms, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I cried into his chest.

"It's okay. It's okay." He repeated. Over and over, like he was broken. I shook my head and gripped the back of his shirt. He pulled me closer and said, "I'm sorry. I was stupid. I shouldn't have stormed off like that."

"Same." He laughed.

Sheriff released me from the hug, "Same." He echoed. He brought his hand up to my face and wiped a few tears. His blue eyes changed for a second, something showed in them, but I couldn't place it.

He leaned a little closer, as did I. Green eyes met blue ones and suddenly his lips were on mine. He pulled back quicker than I want - expected I mean... it was possibly the most awkward kiss I'd ever had. To put it in one word it was horrible. He never gave me enough time to respond and I was caught off guard.

"Uhh. Sorry, sorry I'm sorry. I uh -"

"Sheriff? Was that your first kiss?" I played with him. Oh my God it was!

"And my last because I'm going to go die now." He started to walk away.

"Carl," I laughed. "Carl, it was fine. It was -" He looked back and in two swift moves he had put his hand inbetween my jaw and collar bone and pushed me against a tree. Annnnnnnnd, we were making out. Before it could get too far his dad called out for him. We pulled away and smiled at each other. Did that just happen?

We walked back to the cars a few feet away from each other and just walked. It was one of those content silences, where you don't really have to talk, you are just fine with being in each others presences.

Today, we decided to do guys and girls cars so I was with Tara, Michonne, Rosita, Sasha and Maggie. Abe and Eugene took the pickup and drove in the middle while Rick, Daryl, Glenn, Carl and Bob led.

"Soooooooo," the girls started as soon as I entered the minivan, all of my things were sitting on my usual seat. I checked to see everything was there before they continued. "What happened with you and Carl?"

"Oh, my God!" I groaned. This was gonna be a long car ride.

BTW the whole scene where they kiss from the awkward part to the great part was from this show. I'll tell you guys the name of it in the next chapter, I forget haha