Karma // 10k Fic // Completed

Looking Out For Her

10k POV

My best friend is gone. I told Cassandra my name. And now she's just one of Murphy's z's. She could've made it though. She could've had a life. Now she's not even herself. We turned into a bridge and the car flipped over.

I opened my eyes once I regained consciousness. I threw my duffle bag out the window and pulled my body out. Doc and Warren joined my side. Each staggering a bit.

"Karma" Her name fell out of my mouth and I dove back to the ground ignoring the glass digging into my knees. I tugged her limp body out the car and looked her over. Her lip wound reopened and she had blood falling down her face. I sighed and picked her body off the ground.

"Is she okay?" Warren asked. I just nodded not trusting my voice.

"She protected me. Threw her body over mine. Poor kid took the worst of the crash." Doc said. I glanced down at the passed out girl in my arms. Her curly hair against her face. She looks so calm and peaceful. I haven't seen her like this in a long time. I think the last time she let her body rest was back at the Sisters of Mercy camp. Doc is alive and pushing through for now. Warren is letting him lean on her for now. Hopefully we don't encounter any z's because we have both our hands full.

"Holy shit. Is that snow?" Doc asked.

"Nah, that's not snow. That's ash. Radioactive fallout." Warren said. We stood there for a moment catching our breath. Looking around for anything we can use against the radioactive air, we took scarfs and wrapped them around our faces. I wrapped my brown scarf over Karma's face, knowing it provided more protection than the ones we found. We left the bridge and began walking through the fallout. We wrapped the outer exposed parts of our bodies and pressed on. Doc limped as much as he could. Before coming to a stop next to a pile of blown over rubble.

"What is it?" I asked as she knelt beside him.

"The bleeding stopped, but just go. Find me a hole to crawl in. Leave me a weapon and some ammo." Doc said.

"Hey. Nobody's leaving you here to die. Here, take the last of the water. Go on. Pretty weak myself." Warren said handing me the bottle of water. I sat down Karma's body taking a break for my arms. I handed the bottle to Doc and he drank the last of it.

"We wait here too long, we might be too weak to go look for help. I've only got a day in me without water, if that." Warren said.

"Well, I don't think I'm going anywhere, Chief," Doc said. I put my hand on his shoulder to keep him upright.

"10K, you stay here with Doc. I'm going to see if I can find food or help while I still got the strength. If I'm not back in 48 hours, you're on your own." Warren said tired and out of breath.

"Good luck," I said.

"Thanks." with that she walked away. I took a tired seat next to Doc's feet and Brought Karma's head into my chest.

Please wake up.

I closed my eyes and rested my body. My hand in her hair.

"You really care for her," Doc said. I opened my eyes and looked at the girl in my arms.

"I don't know what it is. She can protect herself so why do I feel the need to?" I asked.

"It's because you like her," he said. Resting his hand on my shoulder. "There's no shame in liking someone. You know we were all placing bets on if you were gonna choose her or Cassandra." He told me.

"You were?" I asked. Looking up at him.

"Yea, my bet was always on Karma though. So was Warren's and Addy's. Murphy thought you would choose Cassandra though." Doc said. I just looked at the passed out girl in my arms. 

"What if she doesn't like me?" I asked. 

"Son, you can't look at someone the way she looks at you and not be in love with them," Doc said. She stirred in my arms before her eyes fluttered open.  she looked around before her eyes landed on mine, already looking at her.

"Where's Warren?" She asked her voice hoarse. 

"She went ahead. Are you feeling okay?" I asked her. She nodded but groaned when she went to move. "Hey, don't. I got you" I said pulling her back to me. 

"Are those lights?" Doc asked making me look up from Karma. I glanced through my sniper scope and saw a radio tower. 

"Yeah, come on. Let's go." I lifted Karma off of me long enough to stand, she groaned at the pain and my heart clenched. I picked up her light body and Doc leaned against me to stand. We began making our way towards the signal. When we got there the place was littered with cars and trailers. 

"Karma. I need you to wake up" I whispered to the beautiful girl. She nodded and I slowly put her down. I didn't want to let her go. The heat from her warm body left me and I climbed on top of a trailer. Doc and Karma joined me. A gunshot went off drawing my attention to the left. Addy and Mack were trying to get a Zombie off of Mack. I lined up my sights and fired.

"Three thousand ninety-nine!" I said as they looked over to us. 

"We saw your signal" Doc explained. They just stared at us not believing it's actually us. Mack hooked up a trailer to the back of his ATV.  I climbed off the roof and set my gun on the ground. Doc helped Karma down the ladder a ways before she slid down herself. She doesn't have any visible injuries. Why does she hurt so much? Doc is the next to come down and I helped him since his arm was giving him pain. 

We loaded up into the trailer and were on our way along the road going back to where Warren was. There was a person standing on the side of the road and as we got closer I could make out her figure.  She climbed in and handed us some medical wrap for Doc. Karma took it and pushed off Doc's flannel. she began wrapping his wound, going around his torso and shoulder to provide strength. 

Welcome to Cheyenne Wyoming.