Love Hate (Carl Grimes)

chapter sixteen // bulletproof

**Warning** The following contents sadly only happens in stories and is probably reaallly cheesey... [did your dirty minds think this was a smut warning? xD]

Rose's POV:

My eyes flutter open to the feeling of someone playing with the ends of my hair. The feeling is quite comforting, so I lay still on the person's chest.

"Good morning." Carl's voice whispers.

Oh, that's right. I feel asleep with Carl last night.

We lay in silence for a while as Carl continues to twirl my hair.

"Daryl came in a while ago," he says, breaking the silence. "He told me what happened. . . .with Cammyla."

I feel a lump form in my throat and once again my chest constricts. I clutch the fabric of his t-shirt and squeeze my eyes shut, for I can feel tears stinging them.

With a shaky breath, he continues, "I'm sorry. Is that why you did it?"

I lay in the same postition and try to keep from breaking down again, focusing on his heartbeat and warmth radiating off his chest.

"Okay. We'll talk about it when you're ready." With him playing softly with my hair, I'm able to keep any tears from falling.

In the short silence that follows, light footsteps echo off the prison walls, coming towards the cell we are in.

I lift my head from its place next to Carl's and look towards the covered doorway. After a couple seconds, a petite shadow appears behind the sheet.

"Carl? Rose?" Beth's soft voice calls through the curtain.

"Come in, Beth." he tells her.

She slowly pulls back the cover and walks in, a strip of sunlight following her. In her hands she is carrying folded up clothes. "My daddy said he wants to check up on you. See how your wound is doing."

I feel his head slightly nod. "Okay, well can he come in here? I don't want to leave Rose."

Walking closer to the cot, she says, "I was actually going to take her to the bathroom to get washed up. Get her something to eat afterwards."

"But-"

"Carl," Beth cuts him off. "You need to get that wound checked. Rose needs to get cleaned up and eat something."

Wow, they're conversing as if I'm not here.

Carl hesitates a moment. "Alright. But only to the showers and straight to the cafeteria. I'll meet you there."

So I'm his priority now?

Beth nods and turns to me. "Do you need help walking?"

I shake my head no and quickly pull myself out of Carl's grip. Beth starts walking out of the cell and without looking back, I follow her.

As we are walking, every so often she will look back to make sure I am still here but I ignore her. Instead, I focus on my surroundings. We are walking through the tunnel connecting cell blocks and other buildings. The halls are dingy and poorly lit with lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

In a matter of minutes, we reach the bathrooms. Beth turns around and stands at the doorway, handing me my clothes while I walk through.

"I'll wait out here while you wash up." She says, walking out of the doorway and into the hall again.

With a sigh, I head over to the closest shower, set my clean clothes down on a small wooden bench, and begin to peel off my dirty and grimy clothing.