Weak//c.g ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Seven

MEADOW FLETCHER'S POV
August 10, 2021

WAKING up next to him every single morning felt wonderful. It was like a high that would wash over me. A high that I never wanted to stop, a never ending high. The smile on his face grew wider, the sun shining brighter. The wrinkles on his cheeks, the divots of the scar underneath his wrapped eye. My hand touched his face, he was warm. "Morning." He whispered, his voice deeper than usual. "Mornin'." I grinned, the high was wearing off. I pressed a kiss on his lips, "I have to get to the infirmary in a bit," I whispered. He nodded his head, understanding.

I sat up, throwing on a t-shirt and jeans. His arms wrapped around my waist as soon as I was trying to put my socks on, "Do you mind, Mr. Grimes?" I asked, a breathless laugh left his lips, "No, I don't think I do, Mrs. Grimes." I rolled my eyes, slipping my socks on my feet, "I'm sure your Dad would like to see you before you go off to work." Carl said, pressing a kiss on my arm, "Maybe."

P R E S E N T  D A Y

SLEEP wasn't in my vocabulary these past few days. My hammer clanged against the the metal, Rick touched my shoulder, "I have one more nail," I said. "Good, we meet with the others in twenty." I nodded my head, the hammer connecting with the last nail.

"When I first met him, Jesus said that my world was gonna get a whole lot bigger. Well, we found that world." Carl helped me tighten the straps of my body armor. We were listening to Rick give a speech to all of us, "We found each other. That "bigger world" is ours by right. That we've come together for it, all of us." My mom was with us, she squeezed my shoulder, I grinned. Holding her hand, "It's that much more true, it's ours by right. Any person who would live in peace and fairness, who would find common ground, it's their right, too. But those who use and take and kill to carve out the world and make it theirs alone," Rick paused, "We end them. We don't celebrate it. We don't have shame about it, either. There is only one person who has to die and I will kill him myself. I will. I will." Rick paused again, looking around at us, nodding his head.

"But if it's the others, the others who prop him up, stand by his side, even those who just look the other way, so be it. Then, we keep making the world bigger. Together." "Together. Bound forever! To quote The Bard, "For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother."" Ezekiel patted Rick on the shoulder, a smile wide on his face, "For she today, my sister." Ezekiel looked at Maggie, giving her a side hug. Shiva roared in agreement. 

"We've practiced. We've been through it over and over again. We all know the plan doesn't end this morning. That we may have to live in uncertainty for days, maybe more. That we have to keep our faith in each other. If we can hold on to that with everything we have, the future is ours. The world is ours." Maggie ended the speech. "I need to talk to Rick real quick, I'll be back." I nodded my head. My mother walked away from Carl and I.

I looked at him, "We'll find each other if things go bad." Carl said softly, his hand grazing over mine, "I know, we always find each other." I whispered. "Always." He brought my hand up to his face, pressing his lips against it softly. "If things go south today-" "They won't" "But if they do," I paused, kicking the dirt with my boot, "I want you to know that you have been the greatest person I have ever met. You've been my best friend and I love you." Carl grinned, "We'll talk after."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You didn't say it back?" I questioned him. "Say what?" He asked, innocently. "I love you." Carl ignored me, patting me on the back, "Gives me something to fight for, motivation." "Not even a kiss?" He shook his head, "We'll talk after." He repeated himself. "Stop being stubborn, Carl." I pursed my lips together, "Just on-"

"It's time!" Rick yelled.

I gripped the steering wheel, Carl and I drove back to Alexandria in silence. The gate slid open, Michonne grinning at the both of us, "This is your guys' show," I nodded my head. Shutting the engine off, "I love you, even when you don't make sense." I said, getting out of the car. Carl got out of the car, that stupid grin never leaving his face. 

"Everybody will move to the sewers if things go bad." I said, everyone looking at me. "The children are already at Hilltop, so are the elderly. It's just us, we have to protect our homes. We have to protect each other. Once you hear him or even the trucks, that's our signal. You will throw the smoke bombs and run to the sewers, we'll wait it out. All of the pantry and infirmary is already down there waiting for us." I paused, clearing my throat, "This is only the beginning, we will win." 

"Okeydokey!" I heard Negan yell, "You brought this on yourself, Rick." I walked towards the ladder, climbing, "See, I  was willing to work with you. All you had to do was follow a few very simple rules! Now- Well, now I see that you got to go. Scorched Earth, you dick!"

"He's not home." I looked down at Negan, all guns were pointed at me, Carl standing next to me. "Oh-ho-holy shit!! Everybody hold your fire. It's Meadow and Carl." I swallowed, my throat felt scratchy, "Look at you two, answering the door like a big girl and a big boy. I am so proud." Negan grinned, "Ricky's not home, huh? Well, I guess he's gonna come back to a big smoky surprise."

"We have kids here, old people. There's families in here! People who are sick! Babies." I shook my head. "Well, that shit just breaks my heart. There's kids at the Sanctuary-"

"We can become a community together! No more of the "We are taking half of your shit." We can build together, Negan. We can have lives. Hell you could even live here. All of you could. Our communities can become one. No more Saviors, no more bullying, and no more killing." I looked at my father, "Mom misses you. Ryan wouldn't want this and you know it, Dad. You can stop this! All of you can!" My father looked down.

"That can't do, kid, you know it. We are too far in shit deep water to pull out of this and forget any of it ever happened. None of this shit's fair kid. Hell, you know that." Negan looked at Carl, "You had to kill your own mom. That is screwed up. Ergo we need someone in charge who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that shit doesn't happen. Oh wait. That's me."

I looked around, nodding my head, "Bad stuff does happen but we can figure this out. Me and you. We can sit down and talk and then I can talk to Rick. We can do that. We can stop this." "Oh, now you want to talk? See, Rick had it that I died, no matter what. He gave my people a choice. Not me." "That's Rick's decision, not ours!" "Well, now we're gonna need a new understanding. Apologies, punish-"

"Kill me, then." Carl spoked up. My face fell, I looked over at Carl. "What did you say?" 

"If you have to kill someone, if there has to be a punishment, then kill me. I'm serious." Negan scoffed, "You wanna die?" "No, I don't, but I will. It's gonna happen, eventually. Maybe from old age, maybe from a gunshot wound, maybe from a walker bite. Hell even a rusty screw. But if me dying could stop this, if it can make things different for us, for you, for all of those other kids, it'd be worth it."

"Was this the plan, Negan?" I asked clearing my throat, "Was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?" Negan's face fell.

People began leaving through the secret entrance, we continued stalling Negan. Negan's radio went off, "We got a convoy out, we're getting them!"

Carl and I ducked down, climbing down the ladder, "Remember, the sewers." I nodded my head, "Oh and Meadow?" "Carl?" "Be safe."

"Son of a bitch!" Negan yelled, "Was that just a play? I thought we were havin' a moment, you little assholes! Bombs away!"

I ran in the other direction of Carl, dropping the smoke bombs. Explosions ignited all around Alexandria, fires engulfing homes. The church was completely destroyed. I ran down the street, nearing the sewer, dropping more smoke bombs. My heartbeat was ringing in my ear. 

A bullet flew into my leg, I groaned, falling down in pain. I breathed heavily, forcing myself to get up, limping. I cried out. I scrambled, opening the sewer lid and closing it. I forced myself down the ladder.

I breathed heavily, moving farther back.

I saw Daryl holding Judith, bouncing her up and down. He looked at me grinning and nodding his head. I limped further down the sewer, everyone patted my back. I got near the end, Carl was sitting on the ground a smile danced all over his face until he saw me limping, "Are you okay?" He got up, I nodded, "I'm fine." I nodded my head, he rested his on my forehead, "We did it, Carl. Us." I whispered. 

"I love you, Meadow."