Healing Broken Wings [Daryl Dixon] The Walking Dead

Thirty Five| Not Your Fault

🔫Carl🔫

I open my eyes and sit up. The sun is shining through the living room window. I look around and see most of my group still sleeping. I notice that my dad, Daryl, and Carol aren't there. I look and see that Kara didn't come back at all last night.

Her blanket and pillow are still on the floor from where she had fallen off in her sleep. I stand up, rubbing my eyes. I walk over and see Judith sleeping, cuddled up to Shawn. I smile down at them. The door opens, I turn half expecting it to be my father, but instead, it's Kara.

I walk over to her just as she reaches the stairs. "Kara? You okay?" She turns around and looks at me. "Yeah, why?"

"Maybe cause you fell to the floor last night, left, and are just now returning. Kara, you're my best friend, my only friend really, so if you need to talk about anything, I'm here for you." She nods, hand resting on the banister. Now that I'm closer to her, I realize that her shirt's inside out.

"Thanks, Carl, but I'm okay." She turns and heads up the stairs, I let her. Why was her shirt inside out? Was it like that yesterday? I think hard and it wasn't. I shake my head and decide to look for Carol.

I eventually find her in the streets of Alexandria. "Carol?" She looks at me and smiles lightly, not that full force weird housewife smile that she's been doing for the Alexandrians. "Carl, how can I help you?"

"I need to ask you about, Kara. I'm getting concerned about her." I told her about what happened last night, how Kara fell in her sleep, her crying, staying out all night. "I think she's bottling how she feels and if she doesn't say something soon she's going to blow up."

"Oh, well Carl, I don't think I should say. It's Kara's story to tell."

"Please, Carol I'm really concerned." She sighs and looks around before leading me to the sidewalk. It's early so the streets are still pretty much deserted. We settle down on the cement. "Okay, when I found Tyreese and the girls, we traveled toward Terminus. But on our way there we found this grove. With pecans and deer, water, shelter, so we stayed there for a while."

I nod, listening silently. "Just when Tyreese and I had decided to not go to Terminus, we were walking back to the house and a gunshot went off. We took off running toward the house. When we got there, Kara is on the grass, holding her bleeding shoulder, a gun beside her, and Lizzie...."

I look up at her waiting for her to continue. "Lizzie was on the ground with a bullet in her chest. Mica wasn't far away with stab wounds. Kara was so sad and scared. She told us that she and Judith were just playing when Lizzie stabbed Mica. When Kara looked over, going for her weapon, Lizzie lunged at her. Lizzie stabbed her in the shoulder. Kara managed to kick her off, got her gun, and blindly fired, killing Lizzie."

"God, poor, Kara. No wonder she's been having so many nightmares."

"Nightmares?" I look up into her concerned eyes and nod. "Yeah, she's been having a rough time getting a peaceful night's sleep. She fell off the window seat last night and went outside to cry." Carol messes with her "amazing" cardigan.

"Okay, I need to go, but I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Carol."

"Anytime, Carl." I stand up with her and watch her walk away. I turn and walk in the direction of Ron's house. Once I see it, I hop up the steps and open the door, completely forgetting to be polite and knock. I step inside only to freeze when I look up, my greeting died in my throat.

I see Ron and Kara on the couch, making out. At the door opening Ron quickly pulls away, looking at the door with a little fear, but it disappears when he realizes it's me. "Oh, hey, Carl, sorry. What can I do for you?"