accidental encounter

thirty five.

He laid me on the kitchen table and Carol rushed to my side. She started cleaning up my cuts and the blood all over my body. They all gathered and checked my vitals.

"I'm okay.." I coughed.

Carl ran in the door with Daryl and clung to my side.

"Who did this?!" He was furious.

"Ron and Enid." Rick muttered.

"I'm taking care of them." He turned towards the door.

Rick grabbed his shoulder, "you aren't stopping me dad."

"I'm coming with you."

-CARL POV-

We walked towards the house and knocked on the door. Jesse answered and Rick asked where Ron was. Ron came down the stairs and smiled at me.

He saw y/ns blood on my hands.

He's fucking sick.

I ran towards him and knocked him on his ass. I kicked him in the gut and punched the hell out of his face. I think Jesse was screaming but I was focused on beating the smile off his face. I noticed my dad agruing with Pete and Ron swung hitting me in the face. I stumbled back and watched as my dad threw Pete through the window. He charged and knocked me on my ass and pulled me out the door.

"I'm going to beat you to death Grimes. Just like I'll do to your girlfriend later."

He smiled as I swung towards him, "I'll be doing a lot to her."

I had it.

I saw my dad attempting to kill Pete and figured I'd join in. I kicked his knee out and punched him in the face.

He dropped. Knocked out.

I still continued to punch and punch until someone hit me from behind.

It was michonne.

( end of Carl POV)

I woke up to see Rosita and Abraham sitting around me.

"She's awake." He smiled.

"Ron and Enid they.."

"Carl took care of Ron and Enid slipped away." Abraham interrupted.

"Where's Carl?" I stood up.

"I'll take you to him." Carol walked in the room.

I walked towards a house at the end of the street. There on a bed was Rick and Carl.
He hugged me tight and kissed all over my face.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you." He held me close.

"It's not your fault." I insisted.

As I sat Deanna walked in the room, "We need a meeting tonight. Your group only."

She walked right back out.

"We need a plan. We aren't leaving if they ask." Rick spoke up.

"What will we do?" I spoke up. "They are going to force us to leave."

"Will slit there throats." He was serious as hell.

//

We walked towards Deannas home ready for a battle. If she asked the group to leave then we attack.

"Hello." She seemed off.

"Let's make this quick." She pointed us towards a couch.

"Everyone stays but one more incidence and you are all out." Everyone sighed in relief.

"We have a town meeting tonight, if they express that they think you should be gone... you are all out."

"That won't happen." Rick spoke up.

"Let's hope so." Deanna looked in my direction.

"What about Enid and Ron?" Carl spoke up.

"They stay." She replied.

"Then y/n and I leave." He looks towards me.

"But.." I spewed out.

"We leave tonight, we don't need to be around here." Carl grabbed my hand and walked out the door.

Rick quickly followed, "Carl, what are you thinking?!"

"I want a life for us, so I don't have to worry about people trying to kill her."

He sighed and looked down, "I hope you understand."

We walked towards the house and packed silently. The house was filled with sadness, no one wanted Carl or I to leave.

But Carl's right.

Carl is almost 18 and clearly matured quick. It's crazy thinking of a life without this family I've come to know and grow with.

//

The goodbyes were the hardest.

I watched as Daryl sat on the deck messing with his bow to distract him from the fact that I was just walking away. He was angry with me. Didn't say goodbye and didn't want to speak. He questioned my sanity and hollered for an hour while I was packing. Asking if Carl was forcing me and if I felt unsafe. He hates me now.

The gates opened and closed for one last time on us.

And that's really when it kicked in.

I put my hands in my pocket and pulled out the a small picture I had taken a few weeks ago. The three most important men in my life. And I just left two behind.