༘ ⊹ ࣪ ˖𐙚❙ 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓. the walking dead₁

𝐱𝐱𝐯. 𝐢 𝐚𝐢𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠

"And Shane." Rick added. "We'd have lost Carl if not for him." Dale nodded before stepping forward to hug Rick as Carol hugged Lori and Andrea hugged T.

"Okay, let go." Charlie mumbled, patting Josh's shoulder and he pulled back, letting her fall back on her heels and she groaned a little as he placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry."

"No, it's alright." She smiled up at him before making her way over to greet the others – she hugged Carol and Dale, got a simple nod from Andrea, then she made her way over to Daryl. She stopped in front of him, her eyes squinted against the sun as she looked up.

"You alright, princess?" He asked, his eyes moving to her arm that was in the sling.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I'm okay."

"Good." Is all he said and she chuckled as she moved to stand next to him before she leaned against his bike – sitting sideways on the seat.

"How'd it happen?" Dale asked, looking over at the girl before looking at Rick again.

"Hunting accident." Rick answered. "That's all – just a stupid accident."

"That doesn't matter." Charlie spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "What does matter is that Carl's gonna be okay."

"And that you're okay." Mason added. "Even though you won't rest. You annoy me." He muttered and she grinned over at him.

"I know."

>>>>> • <<<<<

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ CHARLIE STOOD NEXT TO MASON, her right shoulder against his chest as she leaned against him. Not far from them, Daryl stood with his arms crossed over his chest, next to him was Glenn, then Josh, Dale, Shane, then Rick and Lori. Carol and Andrea stood a little to the right of Lori and Hershel and his family to the right of Andrea.

Charlie watched as Beth moved towards the mound of rocks and picked up a rock from the wheelbarrow before placing it on top of the pile then she walked over to her family and Jimmy, the boy that had been staying with Hershel, stepped forward.

"Blessed be God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Hershel stated as he closed his Bible. "Praise be to him for the gift of brother Otis. For his span of years, for his abundance of character; Otis who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank you, God, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived, in grace. Shane, will you speak for Otis?"

"I'm not good at it." He shook his head – which he had shaved. "I'm sorry."

"You were the last one with him." Patricia's voice creaked with her tears. "You shared his final moments. Please. I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning."

"Okay." He mumbled, his voice low and Charlie watched him – he hadn't really been himself since he got back the night before and she was worried about him. "We were about done. Almost out of ammo. We were down to pistols by then. I was limpin'. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. We've got to save the boy see, that's what he said." Charlie's brows pinched and she stood up straighter, never looking away from her brother. "He gave me his backpack. He shoved me ahead. Run he said. He said, I'll take the rear. I'll cover you. And when I looked back. . ." He looked over at Patricia before he limped forward. "If not for Otis, I'd never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis. He saved us both." He turned to Patricia. "If any death ever had meaning, it was his." He finished before placing a rock on top of the pile.