The Sheriff and The Archer

Chapter Twenty: Try To Forget

Long story short: we tied, but that's only because I slowed down once I was fifty feet in front of him.

"Didn't you ever see Zombieland, Sheriff? Cardio. Cardio is the key to survival," I grinned at him through the darkness. I could hear them, I could see them, they just couldn't see us.

"Of course I saw the movie! But that doesn't mean I decided to do a plethora of running because of the apocalypse!"

"Say that again, but say it to my butt because that's all you'll be seeing until you start running!"

I ran as fast as I could and made it to the group first. Carl came in only seconds later, panting as I began to laugh at his lack of running abilities.

"Don't push yourself, Sheriff," I wiped a tear away. Before the two of us could screw around any longer Rick interrupted - more like yelled at - us for being late.

"We're sorry!" The two of us chorused.

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Rick shouted back.

"The only thing he wanted was for everyone to be here by sundown," Michonne reminded us. "He just wants everyone to be safe."

Rick's eyes softened as he relaxed and said, "When I say be here, you be here, Carl, I -"

"I can take care of myself, Dad," Carl spoke in a warning tone and I could tell that this had been an ongoing feud.

"No you can't and I think you've proved that statement enough that we all can believe it. You can't defend yourself, Carl. Get over it."

"I can defend myself! I took care of you, remember? You wanna talk about taking care of people, Dad? You couldn't protect Dale, Andrea, T-Dog, everyone we've lost!" Their deaths weren't his fault...

Carl continued, "MOM! JUD -" Ricks right fist raised in the air. I don't even think Rick knew what he was doing, he let the anger take over and I know from experience that is not good. Just as all four knuckles were coming down to hit Sheriff and probably knock him out I stepped between them taking the punch and body slamming Carl onto the ground.

It didn't hurt. Not the punch, not being slammed into the ground. None of it hurt, and that scared me. I was scared that I was going to - don't think like that. Just don't.

I felt Carl squirm and yell, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Don't. Don't do this. Not now. No. I looked to my right to see Carl beginning to get up. I could see his mouth moving and his face becoming red with fury. He was going to hurt somebody or himself. I was still a little dizzy and I registering things a little slower than usual, but I still gave myself a green light to interfere if need be. Sheriff got half way up before I forced him back down.

"Carl!" he struggled against me. "Carl, stop!" Both of my hands held his wrists down while my knees straddled his hipbones. I raised his wrists and crashed them back to the ground two times prior to him finally shutting his damn mouth. I was out of breath and so was he - both of us just looking at each other catching our breath.

"Just. Stop," I gasped. I pushed off him and stood up. Without Carl even trying to get up I took his hand and pulled him up.

"You guys cannot be fighting when we're about to go invade Terminus. Remember: this isn't our ground, this is theirs. We're the bad guys there. I may know them and they might trust me, but when it comes down to it they could kill me if I try to protect any of you. This is supposed to be fast, easy, so there's no fucking around tonight, got it?" Every single one of them looked at me in disbelief of the authority I took in a matter of seconds. They have no idea.

"We already know what we're doing tonight, we have the outline of the plan, but if this is gonna turn out the way we want we can't have any mistakes... everyone has to know what they're doing at all times. Right now the plan is that we walk to Terminus, check the train cars and then the buildings, we need to be in smaller groups.

"How about Rosita, Eugene, Abraham, Tara, Glenn, Maggie, and I? And then Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Carl, Sasha, and Bob? That way on both sides we have people who know what your missing people look like," I searched in the eyes of the group members for doubt or disapproval and found none of the sort... inevitably, all I saw from Carl was basically 'no. No, never. Not gonna happen, noooooo' look.

He started to physically shake his head, but I looked away so I couldn't see. Rick smiled and said, "Alright. You got yourself a plan, Jade. We just have to work out the little things and then we'll be set." I smiled at Rick and the rest the group. Finally we have a real freaking plan

Ten minutes later everything was worked out and we were ready to go. Everyone had to walk to Terminus and it was already as dark as Gareth's heart, so naturally we were falling over ourselves. After I tripped for the second time Carl came up behind me and took my hand. Thank Jesus that we could see two inches in front of us because he would die laughing at how much I was blushing.

The moon came out at just the right time because we could see the front gates of Terminus, we sighed in recognition of the place and I teared up at the memories. I almost stopped walking You have to do this, Jade. Do it because you know what it's like to lose everyone you loved and you don't want that to happen to them. Just get it over with. Be quick and quiet, go unnoticed. Find them, and then try to forget.

Try to forget.

AHHHHHH they're almost at Terminus! Next chapter they'll be there, but I'm still going back and forth about what will happen at Terminus.