Life Hurts but Heals

Chapter 23- The Truth

When Carl finally pulls me back up, he asks, "That's your father? That's Rick's best friend...

"How long have they been friends?"

"About as long as I've been alive."

I come to my senses, but when Marvel came into the hospital, he said he never saw the man before, and Rick worked at the prison... That doesn't make any sense.

"Hey," Carl takes my chin into his soft, gentle grasp, "we're gonna figure this out together. I will never leave your side."

He wipes a tear that is running down my cheek, and I wrap my arms around his neck. He's so much warmer than at the hospital.

I place my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat, and his heart is beating rapidly. He's alive.

My tears of sadness turn into tears of happiness. I shouldn't be sad about my father being a jerk and leaving my family. I should be the happiest girl in the world knowing that the man I love is alive and healthy again. I missed his sweet touch, and I don't know what I would do without it.

"I don't care about my father. If he actually cared about me, he would have stayed and took care of us, but he never did, but you've stayed by my side the entire time, and I'm so glad I have you."

"I'm glad I have you, too," he kisses the top of my head and repeats, "I'm glad I have you, too..."

I look up at him and smile, and he smiles back. It makes me happy.

"I want to go home," I say laying my ear back on his chest and skimming his arm with my arm.

"Yeah, I'm hungry."

We lace our fingers together and start to walk back to the house leaving Rick, my dad, and Daryl alone.

"Wait!" Daryl shouts, "What about me?!"

"Rick," Carl shouts in response, "you're welcome to come, but traitors are not. So you can leave your friends here..."

I smile and look back, and Daryl looks at me with the begging eyes, but I just turn around and smile, then turn back.

"What happened to being my best friends?" Daryl questions.

Replies Carl, "They left when your life did."

I smile and kiss him on the cheek when he turns back around. He smiles and holds me closer. We stay like that the entire way to Chan's.

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"Oh my gosh, Carl!" shouts Chan when we walk in.

He lets go of me and gives Chan a man-hug.

"So," says Chan, "I see that you are a lot better."

"Yeah," replies Carl, "whenever they injected that medicine you guys got, it let me breathe a lot better. I haven't felt better."

"Wait, you know about that?..." I question.

"Of course. Do you think that they would tell you but not me?"

"Well, that's kind of what I was afraid of..."

She grins, "Well, I wasn't worried at all because I knew my amazing girlfriend and brother would come to my rescue."

"Well, as long as you're okay, I can sleep at night."

And our lips connect for a few seconds until I pull away, feeling bad about Nicole. I can't believe Daryl would do that to her...

"Carl," I say desperately, "what are we going to do about Nicole?"

"Okay, tell me everything that happened between Daryl and Nicole."

And I explain everything to him, and about the time I'm done, I see and hear something in the woods (to my right).

At instinct, I charge into the woods.

"Nicole! Nicole!" I shout.

I jump over many limbs and and trip over logs, but I'm still going.

I turn a corner and find it was only a rabbit playing with a carrot.

My hope has turned to a frown, and I turn back to the pavement road.

When I'm finally out of the woods, I see Nicole has a knife to Carl's neck.

"I told you that I was coming for him..."

"No! Nicole, I have to tell you something about Daryl! He lied! He's still alive! He did that because he thought you loved Chandler more! Please, I've been looking high and low for you to tell you."

"I don't believe you."

"Come with us, then," says Carl cautiously, "We just saw him, and I'm sure he would still be there."

"Okay, but if you try-"

"We won't," I reply, "I promise."

She calms down and releases Carl.

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About 15 to 20 minutes later, we spot Daryl's car in the exact same spot.

Nicole charges for the car and shouts, "Daryl! Daryl! It's Nicole! Please, speak to me!"

Daryl runs out of the warehouse, "Nicole!"

An they land into each other's arms. Nicole tackles Daryl, but stares into his eyes and kisses him.

"I've missed you so much," says Nicole.

Replies Daryl, "I've missed you, too."

"Well," declares Carl, "I think we should give them there moment. I'm hungry."

"Okay."

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We walk back to Chandler's house and fix some waffles. It may be lunch, but I'm in the mood for waffles.

Carl and I sit across from each other while we eat. Every once in awhile, one of us will give the other an excuse to look away so they can steal a piece of the other's waffles. Carl tricked me the first time.

After we're finished eating, we watch about everything on every channel about five times until I suddenly get worried about Nicole and Daryl.

"Where do you think Nicole would be right now?" I ask Carl.

"I don't know," he replies as he puts his arms around me and stares into my brown eyes, "we banished them. By trust me, they'll be okay."

"Still, I'm gonna go find them. You coming?"

"Nah, I wanna stay here. I haven't say down on a couch in forever. I'm staying."

"Okay, be back shortly."

And I walk out the door.

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I start singing Animals by Maroon 5 when I pass the hospital. Carl left his hat there.

I pull into the parking lot and retrieve his hat. It looks like no one has touched it. It looks perfect and it hasn't been moved.

As I walk out, I see a familiar face, or faces. Nicole is sitting on the hospital bed holding her stomach with Daryl by her side.

I knock on the door patiently, and Nicole sees me through the tiny window sealed in the door.

"Let her in," says Nicole.

The nurse nods and lets me in.

"Nicole," I ask quietly, "what's going on?"

"I-I-I'm pregnant..."

My jaw drops down to the floor.

"Chan's or Daryl's?!" I ask.

"I-I don't know..."