Alone & Lost

17.) Me Too

The Vatos quickly realized that they could not win against them.

They either all died or ran away.

One was left standing.

***

Navy watched, her eyebrows furrowed when she spotted tears falling down her dad's cheeks. He was hugging a man, with long brown hair. When he turned to look at her, his one eye gave away who he was.

"How...?" Navy trailed off, approaching the living room to see Rick.

"I'm immune, I guess," Carl shook his head. He looked towards the group around him. "You guys left me at that tree, my favorite tree. I... I felt myself falling asleep. But when my eyes closed, I woke up the next morning. I didn't know what happened, at first I thought it was all a dream, but I realized it wasn't. I figured maybe there was a cure or something in the air, I wasn't sure. I tried to find you guys but Alexandria wasn't standing. I got lost and the Vatos found me. I didn't know they were bad people. The scientists there told me I was immune, something about my white blood cell count or something... they wanted to do a shit ton of painful tests but after they sliced my back open and had multiple walkers bite me, I drew the line. I escaped, they took me in as a prisoner. I then heard the name Daryl, and how they were attacking a community named Alexandria. I told them I would help if they let me out, and they did. They're just that stupid."

"Oh my-" Michonne was cut off as she pulled Carl in close. Rick looked at Navy, smiling and pulling her in to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Carl and Michonne separated from the hug, Carl looking at Rick and Navy.

"This is Navy," Rick introduced. "She's um, she's like your sister. She-"

"She's my sister," Judith told him, smiling. Navy looked at Carl, who didn't hesitate to hug her too. Navy rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him.

He smelt like Rick.

***

"I want to help with a cure. I just... I didn't know how much longer I could survive that pain," Carl shook his head, stuffing his face with chocolate ice cream.

"There's ways they could've done that without the pain. It would be slower process, but it would've been better," Navy told him.

"Navy's one of the doctors. She's a good one," Saddiq told Carl.

"Well if you know what to do, go ahead. Just... I don't want-"

"I won't do anything you don't want," Navy told him.

"How about we wait until I believe this is real to do tests," Rick suggested. Navy showed a small grin, a fake one. Henry and Daryl eyed her, seeing straight through her.

Although she was happy that Carl was back, she felt like the black sheep in the family. She's so used to her "siblings" growing up with her. Judith and RJ grew up thinking of her as her sibling. Rick had always referred to Carl as her older brother, whenever they recalled memories of him. She thought of him as that, too. One of her biggest dreams was to have an older brother that's protective over her, that's close to her. Now, Carl is here, and he doesn't feel like that anymore.

But she isn't complaining. She was happy that Rick and Michonne and Enid and everybody else have him back.

***

"And after he saved me, after we escaped that community, he just always seemed like a father figure to me. Back then Negan wasn't really a good man. He's changed, but I've just recently started talking to him again. Anyways, Judith and I grew a bond instantly, RJ followed after his sister. Michonne... I call her both mom and Michonne. It varies," she shrugs, seeing shut a cut that Carl got while fighting. "It just feels weird. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to have you here. Whenever Dad recalled a memory of you, he'd refer to you as my brother. And I thought of you as that, too. It just feels different having you here," she offered a small smile before wrapping a bandage around his waist.

"Do you want that?" Carl asked, looking at her.

"What?"

"An older brother. Me being your older brother."

She shrugged with a small nod. "Yeah, yeah. It just doesn't feel like that, that's all."

"I don't know you that well, but I think I can get to. If my Dad says you're a good person, then I know you are," Carl looked at her. "You have the grimes look anyways. Dark hair and blue eyes."

"But Judith-" she cut herself off. "Oh. She isn't-"

"She's a half sister," Carl smiled.

"Yeah, right."

"I meant you look like me and Dad, you fit in."

She smiled softly, taping the bandage down.

"So does this mean I'm an uncle?" Carl asked her, trying to make her feel a little more comfortable around him. He could sense she was still a little on edge.

She smiled, nodding. "I guess so," she looked at him.

"How old are they?"

"Sam is 3 and Elle is a newborn." She went into the cabinets to take out a clean shirt. "Elle's full name written on her birth certificate is Darelle-"

"Oh my fuck..." Carl muttered. "After Daryl?"

"Yup. Not gonna lie, I did if halfly just to annoy him, but I wanted to honor him somehow because if it wasn't for him then neither me or Elle would be alive."

"So she's also like a D.J."

"That too," she grinned, handing Carl the clean shirt. "Even if I seem on edge... I'm glad you're alive. I'm glad your back, seriously."

"Thank you," Carl nodded, slipping the shirt up and over his head. He hopped off from the hospital bed, nodding. "I am too."