Forever Unfinished // Carl Grimes

Epilogue

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You keep me alive,
On the edge of tonight,
Chasing tomorrow,
With fire in my eyes,
You're like a siren in the dark,
You're the beat playing in my heart,
You keep me alive,
On the edge of tonight

The Edge Of Tonight
- All Time Low

Stars shone through the blackness of the night sky, a cold breeze blew through the air, raising goosebumps on her scarred skin. She sat on the edge, once step between life and death, it was were she felt most calm.

It reminded her of her mortality.

She pulled her hoodie tighter around herself, a chill running down her spine. The last couple of weeks had been a paradise, safe and calm. She felt like she was finally able to relax. The weight of leading a large group of people always loomed above her, but it wasn't as hard as she thought. People could take care of themselves, they just needed to know that they had someone to look to when they couldn't.

"You'll catch a cold up here. Winter is falling y'know," His voice rang clear through the silent night air, still, he caused her heart to skip a beat. He draped a blanket over her shoulders and passed her a steaming cup of tea. One of the perks of solar panels: Hot water.

"How'd you know I'm up here?" Lauren asked, graciously accepting the hot beverage. She glanced over to him, his blue eye shining in the moonlight.

"This is where you come to think," He said softly, his voice the music of her soul, "And you never bring a coat anywhere so I knew you'd be cold."

"Fighting in a puffy coat is highly unaffective," Lauren chuckled, taking a delicate sip of the tea, "But thank you."

"We've been through so much the last few months," Carl streatched his arms out, a yawn escaping his lips, "It's hard to believe we're still alive."

"We've got so much more to do," Lauren replied, her voice as soft as the gentle breeze, "So much more to see."

"You get really cryptic after midnight," Carl mumbeled with a laugh, coaxing a smile onto Lauren's face. She rolled her eyes at him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know."

They sat there, on the edge of the building. She felt like she was sitting on the edge of the night, watching the twinkle of the lights that never dimmed. Her breathing fell into rhythm with his, their hearts beating as one.

"I never understood love. We invest so much in one person, handing over our delicate hearts to the mercy of someone else, without a guarantee or unbreakable promise," Lauren said after an eternity of silence, "We dig our own graves.. and we climb into them willingly."

"It dosen't always end it heartbreak," Carl said softly, "Love is something you don't realise you wanted until you had it. When it's gone, it's different. You realise what you had. Being in love teaches you things you didn't know about yourself, it shapes you."

"It does," Lauren smiled softly, "I understand now why people crave love. It is the best emotion, but also the most dangerous. In this world, it's life and death."

Silence loomed over them both as they just enjoyed eachothers company, no convirsation needed to entertain.

"I am in love with you, Carl Grimes," She said suddenly, as if she felt like she needed to tell him, and tell him as many times as possible, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I love you more than life, Lauren Dixon," He said, gently squeezing her hand which rested on the concrete, their legs dangling over the edge of tonight, "Without you, I'm not alive."

In the world they lived in, each time they spoke could be their last. Telling eachother what they felt was as essential as breathing, each word, would be written on their souls and would remain there forever.

"Our story will never end,
It will remain Forever Unfinished."

"In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living."
- Robert Kirkman

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