All I Wanted

Chapter Four

Yasmin woke earlier than she thought she would, smiling at the fluff of brown curls resting on her chest and the feeling of a little body curling into her side. Her boys. Carl must've moved early in the morning, after she and Rick had fallen asleep. She softly nudged Rick off of her before waking Carl.

"Mijo, time to wake up," she whispered.

Carl grumbled slightly before getting up and dressed. Yasmin helped tie Carl's shoes before pushing him out of the tent.

"Go find Sophia and Carol but stay in sight of Dale, okay?"

Carl nodded, bounding off. Yasmin quickly changed into a white tank with a flannel and some jeans, lacing her shoes in record time. She pulled out a pair of clothes and shoes Carol had prepared the night before for Rick. Yasmin couldn't be more grateful for the woman.

Yasmin busied herself with chores, waiting impatiently for Rick to wake up. The fact that she had let him sleep at all was shocking. She tried telling herself that she had waited this long, a few more hours wouldn't kill her. It didn't ease the urge. As she was hanging clothes on the line Rick had just woken up and was searching for her and Carl.

"Morning, Officer," she teased, grinning at her husband.

Rick's cheeks hurt from smiling as wide as he did. He sauntered towards Yasmin.

"Good mornin', my love," he sleepily muttered.

Yasmin watched Amy and Adrea make eye contact before wandering off to give the couple privacy, giggling as they did.

"You sleep okay?" she asked.

"Better than in a long time," Rick mused, observing the camp.

"Well, I didn't wanna wake you. I figured you could use it, no matter how much I just want to be glued to your side," Yasmin joked.

Rick softened slightly at Yasmin's joke, leaning in to kiss her.

"What's up?" Yasmin whispered as she pulled away, picking up on his hesitant behaviour.

"I've been thinking about the man we left behind," Rick almost grumbled, watching Yasmin's face fall.

"Well, if it's eating you up that bad, you've gotta get him," she sighed, somewhat reluctant.

She didn't want Rick to leave again. Not in a million years. She knew, however, that once his mind was set on something he wouldn't give up. That's how they landed their first date, and then the multiple after that. Rick went to respond but the sound of Shane peeling into the quarry in a Jeep with the water supply cut him off. The two made eye contact, Rick waving at his ex-partner. He didn't notice the lingering gaze Shane had on his wife.

Yasmin thought for a second, trying to find a way to talk with Rick without getting heated when she heard Carl scream.

"Carl?" she yelled as she sprinted in the boy's direction, Rick not far after her.

"Dad! Mama! Mommy!" multiple children called for their parents.

Yasmin called for Carl again, pushing herself even faster. She could hear the blood in her ears as tears welled in her eyes. She hadn't felt that scared since the day everything crashed down. Rick got to Carl first, guiding him and Sofia to Yasmin until Carol came to get her daughter. Yasmin inspected Carl, searching for bites or scratches. When she found none, she hugged him close to her chest, sobbing. If Carl died, she didn't know what she would do.

"Please, please, please never go off into those woods again. Not without an adult. Okay?" Yasmin demanded.

Carl nodded into Yasmin's shirt, clutching the fabric between his hands tightly. Yasmin kissed the crown of his head, picking him up and heading for the RV to comfort Carl away from prying eyes. She wouldn't admit it, but she was terrified. She didn't want to even entertain the idea of losing Carl. Yasmin would have been content to stay in the RV with Carl but Daryl calling out for his brother compelled her to leave the RV. She knew nothing would happen to him if she stood by the door.