Found Book One

Wake Up

Light breaks over the blood soaked town, after the remaining sweep for walkers everyone sits at the infirmary.

Denise and I tend to people who were injured while fighting for the town, Carol is sitting on one of the beds with Mika in her arms.

There's a line of people out into the street. Some are just sitting on the porch to hear news about Carl.

Rosita comes into the building with Tara at her side. Tara sighs and rushes to Denise who is washing her hands for the next procedure.

Rosita stares as Tara hugs her girlfriend, I grab her hand, she turns her attention to me.

"I'm so sorry," she says, I shake my head. "Rick's in there. Carl's still asleep though," I tell her. Heavy footsteps draw my eyes to the porch, Daryl runs over the porch and into the house.

"Daddy!" Mika squeals, Carol runs up next, he takes the girl and the woman into his arms. I exclude myself from the reunion, "He's still asleep," Michonne says.

I lean against the wall beside her, "I know," I whisper. Michonne places her hand on my shoulder. She walks away and I'm left staring at the door to the room Carl is in.

"Lainey Bug?" Daryl's voice whispers from behind me. I turn around, "I won't get to say goodbye," I say looking up at my father.

"He'll wake up," Daryl says, I close my eyes feeling stupid, "I just want to say goodbye ," I mumble.

Strong warm arms engulf me in one swift motion, I snuggle into his chest, "He'll wake up," Daryl whispers. "Elaine," Rick's voice draws from behind me. Daryl lets me go and I turn to the father of the man I love.

Rick shakes his head, "Go," he says pointing to the door. I bite back my tears and walk toward the room.

I glance back at Rick and Daryl. Rick pays me no attention and Daryl is comforting him. I smile sadly and take a deep breath, trying to muster up all my courage to walk into the room.

When I open the door, I move on instinct to his bed. I kneel next to it completely ignoring the chair.

It's almost been 24 hours, tears that I've been biting back flood to the surface, "I told you," I whisper taking his hand.

I press my lips to his pale skin, "I knew something bad was gonna happen, and that's why I couldn't say it," I sob.

"I love you Carl. Please just come back to me, I need you to look at me like that one last time."

Sobs are tumbling out of my lips now, "I-I love you, Carl," I whimper. I bury my face into the mattress my fingers still wrapped around his hand.

I feel a hand on the back of my head. I don't sit up, too scared that it might not be Carl's hand.

I jump when his hand squeezes mine. I sit up to see a smile on his face, "I love you too," he whispers.

"And I was never gonna stop." I jump up, a happy squeal leaving my mouth. "Don't ever do that again," I say moving to sit on the bed. He grabs my face with his warming hands.

"I'm not planning on it," he says bringing me forward. I comply and move to kiss him.

Our lips meet and our tongues tangle like they haven't touched in years. "I need to get your dad," I say against his lips.

Carl nods and lets me stand up, I turn to the door and open it, Michonne and Rick turn to me. "He's up," I say, Rick looks up at the ceiling before regaining his composure and turning to Michonne.

He lifts her up into his arms with a happy sob, she wraps her arms around him. I spot Judith in Daryl's arms, I move forward and take her from him.

"Let's go see your big brother," I tell her. "'Arl?" she asks me, "Yeah, 'Arl," I say walking into the room with her on my hip, "Look who I brought," I say opening the door.

Denise turns to me from her spot on Carl's bed, "I was just checking out the stitches," she says. Carl is covering his eye socket with his hand.

I give him a reassuring smile but he keeps his hand over it, "Bandage," Denise says simply.

Carl closes his eye and lets his hand fall, I walk over and sit in the chair, I stare at him only because I want him to look at me.

I reach out and take his hand, Judith grabs his pointer finger with her small hand, "I wove you 'Arl," she says causing him to open his eye and look up at her.

"I love you too, Jude," he says, I smile. "Hey," Rick says as he opens the door, Michonne has the widest smile on her face that I've ever seen. I stand up.

"Where are you going?" Michonne asks as Rick goes to the other side of Carl's bed. "I was gonna go, let you guys have your time," I say, she pushes me back down in the seat.

"Your family, now sit and be happy with us," she says, pulling me close to her for a hug. I hug back one armed, "Is Maggie okay?" I ask.

"I haven't seen her since she climbed up onto the watchtower," Michonne glances to Carl who is all bandaged up and talking to his father.

"She's on the porch with everyone else," Rosita says from the doorway. "I need to go see her," I say standing up, this time I give Judith to the woman that she sees as her mother. Carl nods when I look at him.

"Maggie?" I ask, walking onto the porch, I hear a sigh, "I wanted to go with you, I knew that you needed me," I say as she walks toward me.

"You did what you could and I'm glad Rick did the same, because if he didn't you'd probably be dead," Maggie says.

I nod and sneak into her arms, "Is everyone okay?" I ask. She nods, "We only lost three," she says in a saddened voice.

I pull away to see everyone looking at me expectantly, "Carl's awake," I announce.

Smiles and cheers erupt over the crowd. "I'm glad you're alright," Enid says from behind Maggie.

I let go of the taller woman and move to the girl. I grab her arm and pull her off the porch with me. When we're a safe distance away I let go of her.

"Where the hell were you? We needed you and you left." Anger seeps from my voice and she grabs my arms. "I- what happened to Carl?" she asks looking down at her feet.

"Ron shot him," I say, Enid looks up at me. "Ron's dead. Isn't he?" she asks I nod but she doesn't look sad.

Instead she smiles and moves forward, her lips brush mine. I flinch away. She stares at me for a moment. "Thank you," she whispers before turning and walking off to who knows where.

I stand there for a minute, "Elaine?" a voice says from behind me, I turn to see Daryl.

"Dad," I say, "Are you okay?" he asks. I nod, "Yeah, Carl's awake. And you're back home," I say with a smile.

"Denise needs you," he says, I nod and he throws his arm over my shoulders, his face contorts in pain.

I push his arm off of me and look up at him. "You okay daddy?" I ask him, the man nods and I shake my head.

I walk around to his back, blood is leaking from under his leather vest, "Come on," I say pushing him ahead of me.