Found Book One

Coming Back

"What are you doing here?" a soft woman's voice sounds from behind me. I open my eyes and sit up slowly to stare into my sister's blue eyes. "Mom?" I ask as I sit up, she grabs my arms like she used to so she can pull me to my feet. My dress mirrors hers. They are both made of white silk and lace. "You look so beautiful," she whispers, I hug her. 

"Please don't cry," I mutter against her shoulder, "I'm sorry baby," she says as she pulls away. We stand almost face to face now, I push the blonde hair away from her face and she does the same with my curly red hair. "You should get back," she whispers, "I don't want too," I mumble. My body feels cold, I look down at my body. 

There is blood leaking from the bullet hole in my stomach. Lily grabs me and gently lowers me to the ground, "Tell Daryl I love him, your brother too," she says. I look up at her from my spot in her lap, "I want to stay here with you," I say. "No baby, you have a family to take care of," she says. "Tell daddy I love him," she says again.

I gasp as my eyes shoot open, "Dad!" I yell before I can stop myself. I look around and remember where I am. Quiet conversations filter through the congregational area.

I tilt my head and sit up, "Eli, baby lie down," Michonne says. She pushes on my chest to get me to lie back down.

I nod and stare up at the ceiling. "W-where's Carl? And my dad," I croak out. Michonne points to my right, I smile toward a sleeping Carl. "Take a drink," Michonne whispers handing me a bottle of water.

I take a sip and smile at her, "Where's my dad?" I ask looking down at the bandages wrapped around my middle.

"He didn't come back last night," she whispers wiping my face with a damp cloth. I close my eyes, "Do you know where he and Carol went?" I ask she shakes her head.

"No but neither have been back. Carl calmed Mika down last night." Michonne points back to Carl who has my sister snuggled in his lap. They are covered in blankets that I didn't notice the first time.

She smiles and Rosita taps her shoulder, she takes the darker skinned woman's place with a smile. "I knew you'd wake up," she states, "Now let's look at what's under those bandages," Ro says folding the blanket down.

She unwraps the bandage and looks down at my stomach, "Just so you know, you are the luckiest girl I've ever met. The bullet went straight through you but missed both your lung and kidney," she says.

"I-is she awake?" Carl mumbles rubbing his eyes, "She's awake baby," Michonne says standing up. Carl sits up shaking Mika to wake her before lifting her off and crawling over to me, he grabs my cheeks and kisses my face.

I laugh, "Am I allowed to sit up?" I ask, Rosita smiles, "Of course you can, but wait another day to start walking again we don't need you tearing out your stitches," Rosita says.

"I'm so glad you're back," Carl says helping me move to the side to lean against the front pew. "I am too," I mumble looking around the room.

"Daddy and Carol wouldn't just leave. So where are they," I say to the people in front of me, "I think they got taken," Rick says from the doors, "They got taken?" I ask in shock.

He nods, "Bob too," I look up at him again, "Is Sasha okay?" I ask he shakes his head, "Tyrese has been trying to talk to her since you got shot. 

That's when we realized that he was gone." I shake my head and turn to Carl as the adults talk some more, "I remember what you said to me when I passed out," I whisper.

"But the last time I said that I had to kill my sister," I mumble, he presses his forehead to mine. "I know, and you don't have to say it until you're ready," he tells me with a smile, I bite my lip as he stares down at me.

I glance behind him and chuckle when I see Mika lying on the floor, he turns his head to see what I'm staring at.

"She stayed up all night. Mostly crying, it took me and Rosita more than an hour of convincing before she actually believed that Daryl and Carol were okay and that you were gonna wake up," he says looking back to me. "Then she just kinda shut down and slept," he says.

"Can you wake her up?" I ask with a small smile, he nods and pokes the eight-year-old's shoulder, she shoots up with her eyes wide open. "Eli!" she squeals crawling over to hug me, she wraps her arms around me tightly, "Mika, n-no hugs yet," I groan pushing her off of me.

"Sorry, I was just really worried," she mumbles. "It's fine I was worried too," I say looking over to Carl. She looks over at him too, I find his eyes are dancing over my face. 

"Stop moving," he whispers, "Why?" I ask he smiles and grabs my cheeks. "I'm trying to count your freckles," an involuntary grin slides onto my face.

"You don't have to look at me like that anymore, you are never gonna lose me," I whisper he chuckles at my statement. "I don't know that so, it's never gonna change," he retorts, I press my lips to his, "Just shut up," I mutter against his lips.