⇞ wrap your arms around me ⇞carl grimes

Birthday

A/N this takes place back to the present.

"thank you" I said to Rick as he gave me his jug of water.
"2 days left of water, lucky it's cooled off a bit.. but " Rick stopped as he turned around, and I turned as well.
Seeing Carl and Michonne balancing themselves on the tracks, steady eyes focused on the rusty tracks.

"couldn't beat me, so you had to go for michonne"? I chuckled and smiled at him.
"I blame the wind for that one, bails"! He said moving his arms around, almost losing his balance.

"Was that the wind, Carl"? I smirked and took another sip of water.

"I'm still winning this bet, it's for one of michonne's candy bars, not your fruity peaches"! He smirked and almost lost his balance.

"spoke to soon my man". Michonne said with her eyes still steady on the tracks, chuckling.
"this might go on a while, well bailey and Carl's didn't. But maybe we should speed this up"? Rick implied.

"yeah, yeah you're right. we shouldn't be fooling arou- CARL" Michonne yelled, trying to scare him off the railing. But only making herself fall and Carl chuckle.

"hey, look who finally won"! I clapped sarcastically
"pay up" Carl smiled and tossed out his hand to Michonne.

she smiled and reluctantly pulled the two candy bars out and showed them.
Carl inched his hand to the Big Cat and Michonne nearly let out a whine.
"Hey hey, you said-
"Winner's choice I know". Michonne interrupted him as she handed over the chocolate bar and put away the other one.
" well it's yours, fair and square". She said and as she turned around back to Carl he offered her half of the big cat.

"C'mon, we always share". He smiled at her and she took it thankfully.

"That was sweet". I smiled at him, and he looked my way with one of those smirks he developed over the past few days.

I'd have to admit, the more time we spend on the road together, the more that draws me to him.
I mean how could I figure about the kiss at the gas station, the prison encounter, or the feelings he confessed for me back at the house in front of the fire.
Maybe he forgot about it..

"iSpy something green" I said as we continued down the tracks.
I turned to look at Carl who'd been treading behind cleaning his gun, and he gave me a "are you serious"? Look.

"Come on, please. When lizzie and Mika first came that's all we'd ever play and I want to". I gave him puppy dog eyes and he huffed and shook his head no walking past me.

I rolled my eyes and continued walking.

"We'll set up here for the night, hit the tracks in the morning"? Rick asked, talking about an old country home that looked as though it was only standing on it's luck.

"Hit the tracks". I chuckled and walked past him.

The darkness of the night had fallen on us really quickly and Carl and I were the only ones awake, keeping watch.

Carl laid flat on his back, looking up at the ceiling while I had my back propped up against the wall under the window.

"You know what tomorrow is"? I asked him breaking the tranquility.

"Hmm".

"Your birthday". I said emotionless.

"Oh yeah". He said emotionless as well, then his eyes grew big and he stood up.

"Your birthday is a day before mine". He said standing up on his knees.
I just nodded.

" oh c'mon, don't be mad how could you have expected me to remember birthdays. I didn't even know mine was tomorrow".

"But I remembered". I said not really even looking at him.

"and I'm not mad". I added obviously pissed off.

I got up to go and lay down on the pallet I made near Michonne and as I walked to it Carl pulled me down next to him and I fell to my bottom.

"Stop" I whined at him, and shoved his arm.
He put his hands on both sides of my face and went in.

I then palmed his face without much force, but enough for him to stop and grab his face.

"What's with you huh"? I snarled at him.

"What are you talking about"?

"You and your stupid moods. A week ago you admitted you loved me, right? Then you're hating me the next day and nearly wanting to kill me. Then you're back trying to " love " me again"? I rolled my eyes at him and his stupid unpredictable moods.

"Bailey". He said

"I'm scared okay".

"Scared of what"? I questioned him as he let go of me.

"I feel like anytime I let my guard down and love you, I'm going to lose you and miss you until I can finally be okay. Which would be never. Then when I push you away I feel bad after and think you could be dead any day, thinking you could be dead tomorrow. And I'll either hate myself for missing you or hate myself for not miss you". He confessed and had me speechless.

I put my hand near his ear and played with his hair until he did the honors.

He leaned in and pecked me softly on the lips.

"As long as you're still here, I don't plan on going anywhere". I said and he nodded. Pulling me into his arms, wrapping them securely around my tiny waist.

"Promise"? He asked.

Could I really make that promise? What if I did and something happened to me? I'd not only be dead, but I'd break Carl's promise.

"I promise". I said softly, lied my head in his lap and entwined our two hands.

It was about 6 I'd say and the sun was rising. Carl had fallen asleep and I was near that point. Michonne stretched and hopped up from her pallet.

She noticed mine and Carl's hands still entwined and she smiled.

I rolled my eyes and smiled back.

"Should we wake up the two princesses"? she asked, making me giggle.

"No, all princesses need their beauty sleep".

"Especially ones with beards". She added, feeling Rick's face.

"And ones with weirdly deep voices". I rubbed Carl's bangs, waking him up.

"Morning". He smiled at me, as soon as he saw my face over his. He then leaned up and kissed my cheek softly.

"My man". Michonne said and giggled.

Carl covered his eyes and smiled in embarrassment.

"Happy birthday". I said and actually kissed him on the lips.

Once Rick had woken up, we gathered our things and headed back on the tracks.

"So do you think terminus is real"?

" you mean like a real place"?

" I mean I know it's a real place, but do you think it'll be real as in safe as the map said"?

"We'll find out". Rick butted into mine and Michonne's conversation.

I stopped to pick up the berries growing on the side of the track, I guess they didn't notice me stop. I'd picked them from the stems and set them into and empty container in my bag.

I was walking along by myself not really paying attention to anything but my boots hitting the rocks embed in the the tracks, then I hear growls near me and I as turned around a walker made it's way onto me before I knew what it was.

"Help! HELP! HELP"! I screamed repeatedly and I could see Rick, Michonne and Carl running towards me.

Carl's POV

I hear bailey's real blood curdling cries for help and that alerted me to turn around and run towards her.
I nearly trip over my dad, michonne and my own feet to get to her.
the split second I looked at her I see the walker tear into her neck hungrily and pull the flesh from her neck.

Was this happening?
Was the girl I loved being eaten in front of me?
This wasn't happening..