I Saw The Lights Go Out - Carl Grimes

"Right here." Daryl pointed to the ground while handing Rick a shovel that was hidden under some leaves. Rick began to dig in search for our bags and guns that he had stashed before entering. I had found it odd when he took such a high security measure for our belongings but I was inherently grateful now.

Abraham paced slowly at the back of the group not liking the idea of waiting around Terminus.

"The hell are we still around here for?" Abraham asked annoyed.

Carl left my side walking off towards his father, Michonne followed, too.

"Guns. Some supplies." Rick answered plainly. "Go along the fences. Use the rifles. Take out the rest of 'em." He directed. My eyebrows furrowed at his orders. Why waste the bullets?

"What?" Glenn spoke on behalf of everyone in the group. Rick only paused his digging for a second to look up at Glenn.

"They don't get to live." Rick answered through his teeth before wiping the dirt off of his unearthed duffle bag.

"Rick, we got out. It's over." Glenn said quickly trying his best to reason with him.

I was not going back in there, I trusted Rick to death and he'd become an amazing leader to me but this was already over and done with. If they stepped in my path, no doubt about it, but to walk back in there or reveal ourselves at the perimeter was a death sentence.

"It's not over 'till they're all dead." Rick counteracted checking to see how many rounds he had left in his gun.

"The hell it isn't. That place is on fire. Full of walkers!" Rosita pushed forward ensuring Rick could see the anger in her eyes.

"I'm not dicking around with this crap. We just made it out." Abraham chimed in.

"The fences are down. They'll run or die." Maggie's sweet and calm voice reasoned.

I nodded along with the others. Rick looked around to all of our tired faces. Everyone was exhausted, but alive, and going back in there could possibly change that.

Movement behind Rick caught my eye and my hand found my crowbar in a second. Carol emerged from the trees. She walked toward us with Daryl's crossbow in hand, the one taken from him before we were captured. She was in there? How'd she find us? Where were Judith and the others?

Daryl didn't ask any questions. Instead, he ran into Carol's arms almost knocking her down in the process. He lifted her up a few times as she laughed off the tears in her eyes. We all followed behind Daryl to see her. She looked around at each of us making sure everyone was accounted for while Daryl laid his head on her shoulder. Rick walked up to her confused but relived nonetheless.

"Did you do that?" He asked her referring to the explosion that set us all free. She didn't respond but a sheepish smirk crept onto her face and tears welled over her lashes. Rick engulfed her into a hug. She hugged him back laughing at his reaction.

I hoped she knew well and true that she saved all of our lives, that we were all safe only because of her.

"Come with me, I'll take you to the others." Carol spoke softly, pulling away from Rick and wiping her face. I nodded my head at her when she met my gaze. Then she turned and we all filed behind her through the forest.

Before I could start our trek, Noah's gripped my bicep to tug me back to a stop. The others continued to walk ahead of us just like before. I pushed the thought from my head.

Instead, I turned and stared up at him where his brown eyes were devastated and tired. I hummed to him, my eyebrows together waiting for what he had to say in private.

"Look, Avery. I'm real sorry I left you back there. I though you were behind me but then you were gone. Walkers swarmed the fence and then you weren't with us on the other side." Noah talked slowly in his low voice and looked around completely distraught. "I-I thought I killed you." His head fell as his fingers dug deeper into my bicep clutching me tight. My heart broke at the sight of him nearly begging for forgiveness.

"Noah, I'm okay. I'm here and so are you, we got through that together and we're safe now. It was scary as fuck but I know you didn't mean to leave me, I just got distracted and then there were so many walkers. I found another way out." I tried to calm Noah down the best I could. I knew I would've been petrified if one of the others went missing behind a sea of walkers.

His breathing steadied and his grip loosened on my arm but his head still hung. I pulled him closer to me, looping my arms under his and pulling his upper body toward me. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders squeezing me as tight as possible against his tall thin frame. I laughed and rub his shoulder blades attempting to prove to him it wasn't his fault.

"We should catch up. All that noise is gonna draw more walkers in and I'm too tired to deal with them myself." I said pulling away from Noah with a small smile on my face.

"You're right, c'mon." Noah laughed and walked alongside me in the direction of the others.

Noah's mood seemed to have changed but I noticed he got down on himself more than necessary. When he forgot about the world or was having fun for once he seemed like the funniest, coolest guy to hang around. I needed to remind myself to make Noah happier during the day, he didn't deserve to be down and upset with himself all of the time.

I thought back to the other time he was upset on the tracks and how I did my best to give him advice. He was worried about his family and I told him we could go and find them once we made a home out of Terminus. However, Terminus was up in flames now. The smell of the burning buildings remind me we were back at square one and my plan to get Noah home was up in flames, too.

I could only hope he did not realize what I had. I didn't want him to feel even more hopeless. We'd get him home somehow. I planned on it.

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Another chapter done! I hope I'm not boring you guys with these chapters at all. They're good to binge read but reading these chapter by chapter as they come out might get a little boring. Either way I hope you're enjoying them!

What are your thoughts so far? Do you think Noah likes Avery? If so, would you think he'd ever go for her? When do you think I'll start turning up the romance in Avery's life? Where are they gunna live next? Let me know what you predict!

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