𝐷𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑇𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑀𝑒 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑏𝑦𝑒 | 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑑 （𝑇𝑊𝐷）

chapter 9

Carl

I walked into Barrington with Enid in my arms, clinging tightly to me. I head towards the stairs to go help Enid wash up, but am stopped by a very distraught Maggie getting off the couch and heading over to me. Shit. I forgot all about the end of my patrol, and Maggie.

"Where the hell have you two been? Do you know how worried I was when neither of you came home? I heard a gunshot. What the hell happened? Enid baby, what's wrong?" Maggie rushes over to us, raising a hand up to place on Enid's injured arm. 

"Don't!" I quickly warn, not wanting to startle either of them, but not wanting to hurt or set off Enid. Maggie pauses, drawing her hand back and giving me a confused and concerned look, Enid still having her head tucked into my chest for comfort.

"I promise, I'll tell you everything, just please, don't touch her." I plead. I know that Maggie didn't mean any harm and was just worried about her daughter, but I couldn't let her to hurt Enid. I won't let anyone hurt her ever again. 

"Alright. Let's get you upstairs and look at your arm." She hesitantly says to Enid, and I just nod in response for her.

I follow Maggie upstairs to the bathroom and sit Enid down on the toilet seat. I crouch down infant of her and she stares into my eyes. Her eyes were cloudy with tears, and I swear my heart is shattering. How could I let this happen?

"Are you okay to tell Maggie what happened?" I whisper softly. She nods in response, and turns towards Maggie who closes the door, and couches down next to me.

"Don't worry sweetheart, just take your time." Maggie adds reassuringly. Enid nods and clears her throat before starting.

"I finished my shift at the infirmary and went to the forgery to get Tyler to give him a tour of Hilltop. It was getting dark so I tried to finish it as soon as possible, since he wouldn't be able to see much anyways. At the end of the tour I dropped him off to his trailer, and he asked if I wanted to come in. I said no, and he," She tries to hold back a sob, but fails.

"He didn't let me go. He pinned me to the trailer and wouldn't let go. I tried to fight back Maggie! I tried so hard, but he just blocked it! He slashed my arm for trying to scream foe help. He started kissing my neck and cut my shirt open and pulled down my pants. He pulled off my bra, and was reaching for my underwear. He was so close to-" She could no longer hold back to tears. She covered her mouth, and wrapped her arm around her stomach in an attempt to comfort herself. I look down at the floor in guilt, not able to look her in the eyes.

"Shhhh, it's okay, Enid, you're okay." Maggie tries her best to refrain from reaching out and hugging her.

"Before he got to... Carl came and pulled him off of me. He started hitting him and then Tyler said that it was all my fault, and that I was asking for it. Carl pulled out his gun and shot him. Please don't blame Carl! It was all my fault!" She pleads with Maggie, ripping my heart from my chest. My head snaps back up at her.

"None if this was your fault Enid! That guy was a piece of shit. It had nothing to do with you, I promise. It was not your fault." I try my best not to raise my voice and not scare her.

"He's right baby, nothing that happened was your fault." Maggie wipes a tear from her eye. 

"Are you comfortable with me touching you?" Enid nods and Maggie immediately engulfs her in a tight hug. Enid immediately hugs back and tries to stop crying.

"Shhh, it's alright darlin, everything's gonna be alright." Maggie coos.

After awhile and Enid stops crying, Maggie reluctantly pulls away and leans back down to be level with Enid. She grabs Enid's arms, gaining her attention.

"Let's get you washed up so we can look at that injury. You'll feel a little better with a nice warm bath. Less dirty." Enid nods and Maggie turns to me.

"Carl, can you go get some towels, some nice baggy clothes, and the med kit?" I nod and turn back to my girlfriend.

"I'll be right back, okay?" She sniffles a 'yes', and I head to my room. I go to my dresser and make sure to grab my favorite comfy clothes for Enid to wear. I grab an old worn out navy blue hoodie and worn gray sweatpants that Michonne insisted I grab on a supply run a few months ago. I then go to Enid's room and grab a mint green bra, plain black underwear, and some crew socks from the drawer. I then go downstairs to the closet and grab two towels, and the med kit, before bringing everything to the bathroom.

Enid

Maggie helps me out of Carl's shirt and turns around so I can strip off my underwear and climb into the tub full of warm bubbles. She helps me scrub the remnants of his disgusting hands off of my body. She helps me wash my hair and carefully cleans the wound on my shoulder.

It hurt like hell. But she was right, I did feel a little better after scrubbing off his touch. I no longer feel so disgusting in my skin. I was rid of his physical touch... but not mentally. My thoughts were interrupted with a knocking on the door. I want Carl. I need him here with me. I want to feel safe again.

"Hey, it's me. I don't know if you're comfortable or not with me being in there, but I have some clothes and the med kit. I can just give them to Maggie, if you want. Whatever makes you feel safe." Carl says softly from behind the door. Maggie turns to me, waiting for any signal or response.

"You can come in... please, come in." The door slowly opens just enough for him to slip in, before he closes it again. He places the items on the counter and crouches down next to me, slowly taking a seat, trying not to startle me.

"I..." I try to get out.

"Please don't leave me. I don't feel safe when you're not around me." I look up at him, his crystal blue eye staring right back.

"I won't. I promise." He nods, grabbing my hand and interlocking our fingers. I can see Maggie giving us a soft smile out of the corner of my eye.

"I'll let you finish up and head to bed. If you need anything, and I mean anything, let me know. Goodnight, I love you." She gets up and kisses the top of my head before turning on her heel and leaving the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"How are you feeling?" I turn my attention back to Carl.

"I'm okay now. Thank you. I feel a little better now that I scrubbed off his touch, but I still feel dirty. Like no matter how hard I scrub, I still feel dirty in all of the places he touched me." I reply honestly. Carl picks up the damp washcloth, coating it in more soap, wets it, and turns to me.

"Where did he touch you?" I point to all of the spots where I was touched, grabbed, and kissed against my will, and Carl gently ran the washcloth over all of them before rinsing them off and leaving soft kisses on them.

I love him. He makes me feel safe. He makes me feel like my body is my own again, and that I'm still beautiful. He makes me feel clean, and beautiful, and loved.