Hard Candy [Carl Grimes/The Walking Dead]

Celebrations

I wake up with a kink in my neck from sleeping with my head rested on Carl's chest all night. Yawning and stretching out, I remember what an important day this is: Carl's nineteenth birthday. I smile at the love of my life's sleeping form. His cheeks are still rosy why the rest of him is pale, his dark hair still perfectly touseled. He looks no different from the day I met him. He's still perfect, still mine, and I love him!

Leaning down, I gently place a kiss on his mouth, trying to wake him. He doesn't even stir. I kiss him again, this time covering his whole mouth with mine and remaining there to block out his air. He tastes like toothpaste.

"ACK!" He tries to inhale but finds he can't. Coughing, he sits up and swings his eyes over to me, glaring accusingly at me. "You tried to kill me," He exclaims.

I chuckle. "On the contrary, I was trying to wake you up. It's your birthday! No sleeping in today."

He runs his hands through his hair and looks at the clock. "It's seven in the morning," He protests.

I nod. "Correct. Which means it's time for breakfast. Everyone's waiting. I made waffles and pancakes just for you." I hop off the bed and tug his arm. "They're bad cold. Hurry up!"

We get downstairs a few minutes later. I peer around the corner and nod for Carl to come in. Confused, he wanders into the living room.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouts. Daryl fires a confetti cannon and Judith runs up to him and grabs onto his leg.

Carl looks like he's ready to keel over. I grab his arm to steady him. "Surprise!" I sing. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone cries.

It takes a while to get Carl caught up and calmed down. I had instructed the group last night after dinner to run down to the basement and fetch the streamers, balloons and confetti and throw Carl a surprise birthday party. I felt awful about forgetting, so I had to make it up to him. I really couldn't imagine going so long without anyone remembering or caring about your birthday.

Judith especially loves the new decor. She picks up a handful of balloon by the strings and runs through the kitchen and dining room, trailing them behind her.

As we all it down to a breakfast of waffles, pancakes and fresh fruit, Rick proposes a toast. "To my son, a man now, who's overcome many more tragedies and obstacles than a teenager should be going through, and lived to tell about it." Everyone chuckles. Rick raises his glass. "To Carl. You'll be a leader some day, son, and a good one at that. To Carl!"

"To Carl!" Everyone clinks orange juice.

Afterward, we spend a good four hours playing Hide-N-Go-Seek, Twister, board games, and even taking whacks at a piñata filled with caramel squares and unused bullet shells. I've been to many a party in my eighteen years, but never have I seen such a gathering of people so in the spirit it's as if it's everyone's birthday. It's a nice sight, seeing so many people laughing and smiling.

As I help Beth and Carol tug down streamers, Rick makes an announcement. He holds up his radio. "I've found a connection. We've connected with more people all the way in Alabama." Everyone starts chattering in shock and excitement. Maggie steps forward. "What are you saying, are we going there now?"

"I don't know. Should we? On any usually circumstances I take a road trip to pick up people who may easily be dead by the time we get there," Rick stops and looks at me. "although you never know, maybe they have answers, maybe even a cure. I heard children yelling in the background when we were transmitting back and forth. We need to try for it," His gaze shifts from me to Carl to Judith. "for the kids at least."

And so it's settled. There's no time to waste, says Rick. The group decides to leave right before sundown. Well, not all of us. He insists that Carl, Beth, Judith and I stay. To watch the base, he says, and also to let us know if there's a problem and we have to evacuate. I tell him we'd head to the high school if there was ever such a problem. He nods, and then hugs Carl first, then me, and then picks up Judith and kisses her right on the nose. She squeals. Smiling, he picks up his bag and he and the group head off.

Right after, Beth decides Judith needs a bath, so we all trek upstairs, Carl and I heading straight from the playroom.

We play COD for a while, before Beth comes in to tell us she's putting Judith to bed and might go to bed early herself and if there was trouble just to scream. "Sure thing," I nod, and Carl resumes our game. Out of the corner of my eye I see Beth smile.

Around 1 am-ish, we're watching Catch-22 when Carl asks if I've finished the comic.

"Oh yeah!" I exclaim. I run into my room and pull out the slightly crumpled papers from beneath my mattress. I return back and them to Carl, who couldn't have looked more overjoyed if I had handed him a gold bar.

"Wow!" He says, flipping through the pages. "You did not make this."

"Hmmph," I pretend to be offended. "You don't think I'm good enough to make that?"

"Nononono. I mean, it's amazing. You're amazing. This is better than I could have hoped for. I especially like the attention you paid to with the guts," He smiles.

"Glad you approve," I reply. "I was up half the night while you were sawing logs to finish it."

He laughs. "I don't snore."

"Yeah, you do."

He shrugs. "Well, it's perfect. Thank you."

"You are so welcome."

He yawns. "Speaking of sawing logs, I'm tired after all that celebrating. Can we call it a night?"

I yawn too. "Yeah. We can finish the movie tomorrow." Then I remember. "But we're not done celebrating."

"What do you mean?"

I turn around and kiss him. His hands meet around my waist as he pulls me closer. Suddenly I raise my hands to his chest and shove him back. Hard. Like the time after I caught him on my iPod, but this time I know where I'm going. He makes the same face he did that day, only now his eyes are much, much wider, as if asking if I know exactly what I'm doing.

Oh, you bet I do.

He's trying to sit up but I don't give him the chance. I push him down again and fall on top of him, knocking off our hats. I'm kissing him madly now, our mouths and lips and tongues intertwining in a desperate battle as our hands claw at each other's backs and arms.

No. Not here. Not so close to Beth and Judith.

Breathless, we pull away at the same time he does, and we take a moment to catch our breath.

As if reading each other's minds, we get up, hand in hand, and walk into my room, shutting and locking the door behind us.

Warning: Very mature content ahead. Viewer discretion is advised.

- Rita