It was about a week into the process of clearing the streets and the lake of walker bodies. Their corpses were littered everywhere, it was a disaster! Although, Rick predicted they only had about a week left before all of the bodies would have been burnt in piles outside the walls of Alexandria. The only casualties were the Anderson family and a couple of other people, but for the most part they got out unscathed.
Carl was in his room most the time since his accident, he'd stare at his eye and cry from the other, devastated about what had happened. However, whenever Brooks would come and check on him (multiple times a day) he'd smile and forget about his worries. Every time she saw him, she made him feel that little bit better about himself, and slowly his pain was fading away.
Although, while Carl was in his room, Mickey was trying to make his move on Brooks. She felt very uncomfortable every time he did so, he flirted with her all the time, despite her saying no on numerous occasions. She shot him down every time, but he took that as 'try harder next time', and never really let up. He'd shamelessly flirt with her if she was with Sophia, or Enid, but if she had any men around her then he never would. So, for the most part she tried to stick with her dad, or Daryl, even Cam, too... Although, him and Rosita snuck off a lot, so he wasn't always a viable option.
Despite all that though, Brooks and Carl had decided to go on a run together. Just the two of them. Alone. For hours. All day. "Ya know, maybe I should just come with you." Merle said, as he escorted them both to the gate.
"Dad, we'll be fine. We can both handle ourselves out there." Brooks responded, laughing slightly. Brooks knew Carl needed to get out of Alexandria, from the double takes, and the strange looks. She knew he needed some freedom, but she also knew that they needed all possible hands on getting the walker bodies out of their community, so it'd just be the two of them.
Merle grumbled under his breath, stepping over the corpse of a walker. "I know." He mumbled, before continuing. "But maybe Soph can go with you? Or- or Cam? Rosita? Rick? Daryl?... Me?"
"Merle, you don't need to worry. I won't let anything happen to Brooks." Carl offered him a comforting smile. When Merle's eyes met Carl's, the Dixon narrowed his in a threat. Carl swallowed thickly and nodded, the small interaction going unnoticed by Brooks Dixon. They stopped by the gates, where Cole was guarding them.
Brooks looked up to her father, and went on her tip toes to kiss his cheek and hug him tightly. "We'll be back before sundown."
Merle smiled, and kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl." When Brooks pulled away from him, Merle allowed his hand to go forward for Carl to shake. "You're a good kid."
Carl couldn't help but blush and smile in appreciation. "Thank you, sir."
/----------\
Carl was driving them to the large house Cole had recommended. When he was on his own, he came across it and looted it, but only took what he could take in his one bag. He couldn't stay more than one night, because before Alexandria he was too scared to stay in one place for too long. Apparently, there were plenty more supplies there for Brooks and Carl to take.
Brooks had her window down, the map on her lap, her right arm hanging out into the open breeze. Back in Black was playing quietly over the radio, making Carl tap his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat. "How's your lack of eye today?"
Carl grinned and sighed. "I'm okay. Just glad I can still drive."
Brooks hummed and nodded. "Daryl taught me to drive if you need a break."
"God, you on the road is a scary thought."
"Hey!" She laughed, shaking her head.
Carl smiled too, happy that he could make her laugh. "How long's left?"
"Mm." Brooks hummed, looking down to the map. "Three clicks."
/----------\
Brooks and Carl finally arrived to the large house, which was more like a mansion. It was off the road, the path grown over, so it was no surprise that Cole was the first person in the end of days to find it. Brooks and Carl had to leave the car on the road, but walked into the forest, following the instructions from Cole. Carl had a machete in his hand, Brooks was armed with Hershel's gun and Marliya's knife as they approached it.
It was three stories tall, green vines and moss growing over the red bricks. It had a large white porch, and white pillars to help stabilise it. "Woah." Carl let out, smiling as the bright sun in the clear, blue sky reflected off of the in tact windows. One or two of the windows were broken, but nothing that wasn't expected.
Both Brooks and Carl approached the house, and she pushed him behind her as she pulled down the handle and opened the creaky door. "Walkers! Ya in there?" She loudly call out, also loudly stomping her foot onto the ground.
Carl huffed. "You don't always have to push me behind you, you know?"
"I don't always push you behind me." Brooks countered, slipping her gun through her belt while she walked in with her sharp knife in hand. There was no point in wasting bullets here.
He laughed sarcastically. "Yea, you do. You always do it when we scope places out together. I am capable of handling myself, you know?"
Brooks walked into the living room, spotting two dead walkers on the ground. "Well, good for you, Carl. You can kill walkers, nearly five years into the end of the world. Want a fuckin' reward?" It was her turn to be sarcastic as she pushed past him where he'd been waiting in the living room doorway.
Carl licked his lips in irritation, following her as she headed into the kitchen. "I'm sick of everyone treating me like I'm some kind of baby. When those people with the W's on their forehead attacked Alexandria? I killed two guys to protect Sophia and Judith. I've got blood on my hands, too."
While opening the cupboards and bringing out all the canned food that she found, Brooks couldn't help but laugh. "Woah, you killed two people in self defence? Bravo, Carl. Nice work, I've killed twenty people. We are not the same. Finish up here, I'm gonna go see what I can find upstairs-"
"Stop telling me what to do, you're so bossy."
"And maybe when I come downstairs you won't have this bitch ass attitude with you anymore." Brooks continued on, as if he'd never spoken, before she headed upstairs. Brooding in the kitchen, Carl set his jaw... But, he did do what she said. He pulled together all the food and bottled water, before he heard it.
A low grumble, like that of an engine? It was distant, though. Was somebody stealing their car? Grabbing his gun again, he headed to the front of the house, and peered out of the window. His heart dropped down to his stomach, as his eye widened. There were five men, all wearing dark denim and black leather. They were grinning and talking to each other, and all of them were armed to the teeth. Carl didn't look at their faces. What they looked like didn't matter to him in the moment, it was their machinery that spooked him.
Cursing under his breath, Carl bolted to the steps and ran up them as quick as he could. He'd barely turned right into the landing when he heard the front door creak open. Carl's eyes scanned the area, before he ran into the room with the only open door to find Brooks with her back to him. She was standing in front of an open wardrobe, holding up a dress that seemed to be in Judith's size.
The room was clearly that of a toddler's. A Disney Princess bed which would've had most people's feet hanging off the edge, toys sprawled everywhere, pictures of random animated characters were all around in pink, princess frames. There was also the odd toy truck in with the Barbie Dolls, as if that toddler wanted a Bob the Builder and Barbie crossover.
Before Brooks could turn and say something to him though, he was running towards her. He pushed her into the wardrobe, and shut the doors behind them, just before one of the men peaked their heads into the room, only briefly scanning it, before leaving. Brooks hadn't said anything, because she knew it was Carl who shoved her into the wardrobe, and she knew for good reason.
She turned around though, barely having enough room to do so. Her back was against the back of the wardrobe, and Carl had turned to face her, his body flushed against hers. She'd been peaking around him, able to see through the tiny gaps in the door that there was a man there. Brooks held her breath, before looking up into Carl's eye. His Adam's apple was working double time, his palms leaning against the wood on either side of her head.
"There's five." He whispered so quietly, she could barely hear him, despite the fact they'd never been so close. There wasn't enough room for him to take a step back, his body was completley pressed against hers.
Brooks licked her lips, once, twice over, getting his eye's attention. "I could take them." Brooks said, because of their proximity, he could feel her breath on his neck.
"No." Carl quickly refused, but managed to keep his voice quiet still. "They could just be looters. They'll just take the food and go."
"I don't wanna wait in this wardrobe forever." Brooks hissed, trying to find a way to move her body from his.
Carl shifted his legs, trying to stop what he could feel happening.
'Not now' he thought to himself. 'God, please, not now!'
"Want me to sneak out and go hide somewhere else?" Carl offered.
Brooks rolled her eyes, appalled by the suggestion. "Of course not, you fuckin' idiot." She couldn't help but ramble then. "Is that really what you think of me?"
"Brooks-" Carl started, hearing more footsteps coming upstairs.
"I mean, you seriously think I'd want you to go risk your life because I'm inpatient?"
"River, shut up."
Brooks gasped. "I cannot believe you, right now, I mean-"
She couldn't say anymore. Not because they'd been caught. Not because she was scared. Not because he told her to shut up. Not because he'd put his hand over his mouth to keep her quiet... Because, he'd put his lips on hers to keep her quiet.
The men were in the room. "They gotta be in the house somewhere."
"Intel must've been bad." Another man had said.
Neither Brooks nor Carl had heard them, because they were too busy being teenage idiots. His hands were on her waist, hers in his hair because he'd left his hat in the car. She was up on her tip toes, pulling him closer (not that it seemed possible because of the close quarters) and then on her lower stomach she was feeling what Carl was trying to prevent, but she didn't say anything. Brooks didn't do anything to embarass him, or make it worse, they just held each other and kissed. Years of pent up anger towards each other, which turned into childhood crushes, which turned into tension, then back into anger within the past ten minutes all came out with one dangerous action.
They'd tuned out the voices of the men, so were caught by surprise when the closet doors flung open. Luckily for Carl, Brooks was always prepared. She'd grabbed the gun from the back of his jeans, and shot both men in their heads without hesitation... Without even tearing her lips away from his. Begrudgingly, Carl pulled away from the kiss and turned around in surprise when he heard their bodies hit the ground, headshots, both of them. "Is it bad that I think that was really hot?"
"There's still three left." Brooks responded, not acknowledging him as she passed him back his gun and pulled out her own, walking stealthily towards the doorway. She peered right, before focusing left where she heard the yells and loud footsteps of men coming up the stairs. Holding herself so it'd be easier for her to shoot them, than for them to shoot her, she waited.
One man came around the corner without hesitation, and so Brooks put a bullet in his heart. "They killed Braidy!" A man yelled in shock from the stairwell.
"With a name like Braidy, the bitch deserved to die!" Brooks shouted back, grinning to herself.
The unnamed man from the stairwell continued. "Come on out, and we won't have to hurt you!"
Carl couldn't help but laugh. "It's your people which are dead! Not ours!"
"Come on, son, nobody else needs to die today!"
"Then turn around, get in your car, and drive away!" Brooks ordered.
"That can't happen, sweetheart!" The same man spoke. She knew there was one more man, but he'd yet to speak.
Carl leaned forward to whisper into Brooks' ear, and she tried to ignore the shiver that went down her spine as he did so. "Ground's carpet."
Brooks nodded in agreement, not needing anymore words. Before she could go forward, he pushed her behind him and inched into the hallway, earing him a sharp glare though. She knew she couldn't argue, because then the two remaining men would know that they were coming towards hem. "Seems we got ourselves a little standoff!" Brooks called, while still by the door, before going a little further.
"Seems so!" The man yelled, trying to take them by surprise as he jumped out and fired a shot. He missed Brooks by an inch, and so that got him killed by Carl.
"Shit." The voice of the man who'd yet to speak said, before he ran down the stairs and out the front door.
Brooks ran downstairs and fired after him into the treeline, but him, his dark clothes and silver hair vanished with nothing more than a flesh wound to the shoulder. She sighed heavily, looking up to Carl to watch him stab the head of the man she'd shot in the heart. "Inconvenient he didn't turn in time." Carl acknowledged, before walking down the stairs to meet her. "Kill him?"
"Nah." Brooks sighed, tucking away her gun. "Shoulder wound. Ain't no point goin' after the one guy."
Carl agreed, before grabbing her waist and walking her backwards. A grin tugged on her lips as her back softly hit the wall, and she leaned against it, looking up at him. "You manage to piss me off like nobody else can."
Her head cocked to the side as a smirk tugged on her cocky lips. "It's a talent."
"One of many." Carl agreed, leaning his head down and forward, touching their noses gently. "Sorry I called you bossy."
Brooks grinned. "Sorry I called you a good for nothin' waste of space."
Carl's eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't?"
"Oh, did I not say that out loud? Go me, cause I was thinkin' it." She teased him, smiling innocently.
"I hate you." He whispered against her lips.
"I hate you more." She countered, before she turned her head to the side and kissed him. His hands squeezed her waist as hers explored his hair, tugging and pulling gently, making him groan into the kiss. Suddenly, he grabbed the back of her thighs and she jumped, wrapping them around his waist and squeezing him between her legs. She pulled back from his mouth and he trailed kisses to her neck, experimenting slightly to find what had her gasping and tightening her legs. "We- we should go." She said breathlessly.
Carl's head pulled back, staring up at her with wide eyes. "To the bedroom?"
"No!" She laughed in surprise. "God no, we still have to be back in Alexandria before sunset, we have food to pack, and Judith could use some new clothes. And, if that guy has friends nearby they could come back for round two."
"Oh, right, yea." Carl agreed, moving his hands to her waist so that she could jump down from him. Just as she was about to walk into the kitchen, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to look at him. "What does this mean?" He asked. "For me and you?"
Brooks shrugged. "It's whatever you want it to be, Grimes."
He didn't even have to think about it. He didn't even need a second to answer. "I want it to be me and you. Us."
"Then we're an us." Brooks smiled, not really knowing what she was talking about. She'd seen the Sandra Bullock rom-coms, and fantasised about love in that way. Her first kiss being to shut her up so murderous adults didn't catch her in the closet of a dead toddler wasn't how she imagined it, but it was perfect still. "But, if we tell anyone then my dad, Daryl and Michonne would kill you, slaughter in cold blood. And, the rest of pretty much everyone else would be out for my head for stealin' away the Golden Boy of Alexandria."
Carl scoffed. "I'm not the Golden Boy of Alexandria."
"Sure, Ken." She shrugged, taking a step closer and pecking his lips again, suddenly finding the feeling of his lips on hers intoxicating. "Sure."