This chapter is a little into the future.
Not far.
Just a little.
And it will be really sad, sorry for that :(
But I hope you enjoy xoxo
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[Paytons POV]
***Three days later***
'-May their bodies be commited to the ground, as one, forever, may they rest in peace.' Eugene finished.
I held tighter to little Luke in my eyes as he cried even harder into my shoulder.
Scott and Matt nodded in respect then stepped forward, lifting the bodies up and then down into the big hole that I had spent my entire day digging yesterday.
When Tea and Leos bodies were down they straightened and nodded, repectfully again before each taking a shovel and preparing to fill the hole back up.
Not before I did an old tradition.
I grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and just threw it into the hole, I nudged Luke and he did the same.
Then Charlotte, Daryl, Eugene and then the rest of the group.
I turned with Luke on my shoulder and jogged back into the house, up to the attic and placed him down on my bed, bending down and removing his shoes.
He continued to cry and no way did I blame him.
'Is there something you would like me to say?' I muttered.
He froze for a second then nodded. 'Can you tell me you love me and give me another hug?'
I winced but pressed forward, hugging him tightly and kissing his forhead. 'I love you. So did they.'
He winced louder than I did and I quickly felt my shoulder become damp. 'I wish they didn't have to... go. We were all such a good team... And surviving so well...'
I nodded. 'I know, Luke. But the thing about fate is, it doesn't know how we work. It gives us all these awful things that make us cry, scream, almost give up on everything, then one things comes and fate thinks that, that one thing will make up for everything. And its right. Once you find your one good thing, all the awful things seem stupid.'
'Mummy and Daddy dying aren't stupid.'
'Oh no! Of course not! But the one good thing helps you through, to help you deal. I think people call it your true love.'
'Are you my one good thing to help me through?' He muttered.
I smiled weakly. 'I plan to be, now come on, I want to teach you how to play piano, its a fun thing to be able to do and its fun to mess around when you're bored and brimming with emotion.'
'Ok.' He sighed.
'Or... We can go to sleep...' I whispered.
He nodded. 'That sounds better.'
He then jumped off my bed and jumped over onto his that Daryl kindly moved up here the day Tea died.
I gulped and jumped into my own bed.
And in seconds.
I was asleep.
[Charlottes POV]
I stayed to the very end of the cermony and after and just sat on the logs.
I stared, tears dripping down my cheeks as Matt and Scott piled the last bits of mud into the hole. Then patted down with the spades, before turning and heading inside.
I wiped my eyes and stared at the grave.
I didn't speak.
I didn't think.
I just... Stared.
Suddenly, I felt movement at the other end of the logs and noticed Eugene plonk down, he turned to me and smiled weakly, I didn't smile back.
After several minutes of silence he finally spoke.
'Charlotte... Listen I-'
'I was with her, ya'know. She told me she wanted to die straight away, to be with Leo, she didn't cry, she didn't look pained. She looked... Strong. She didn't fear death. The only thing that saddened her was the fact she had to leave Luke. She wasn't afraid because she had her Leo waiting for her, for eternity. She believed in life after death, life with Leo, after death.' I sighed and stood to my feet. 'So don't you dare tell me, don't you dare, say that Love does not make you stronger.'
He stared down at the floor.
'I feel stronger than I have in a long time, and do you know why Eugene?!'
He looked up at me, his cheeks wet. 'Don't say it, Charlotte.'
'I fucking love you!'
He growled as he stood to his feet, his height making him tower over little me.
Damn my shortness!
'I fucking love you too! But I don't want to loose you!' He snarled and pressed me against him tight. 'I can't loose anyone else, its all to much.'
'You're never going to loose me, Eugene. I love you. I always will. You're the one I saved myself for all my life. I will always fight for you, I will always win!'
Then before he could pull away, I pulled his head down and crushed his lips against me.
We held each other for what felt like hours and when we pulled away both our cheeks were soaked in tears.
'I will always fight for you too.' He whispered. 'I will always come home at the end of the day and kiss your soft lips, touch your sweet body and always whisper ''I love you'' I'm sorry, I should never have tried to push you away.'
And we kissed all over again.
*** 1 WEEK LATER ***
The group, had returned to normal, of course minus a couple of members but it was the same.
Payton taught the children lessons in the morning while the men went on patrol around the permimeter, Daryl built the fence higher and stronger every day for hours, then in the afternoon Payton put her knife and axe skilled to good use and helped cut dead trees and things for Daryl to use.
Eugene traveled around with the men most of the day so me and the women tidied and cooked.
We all had desegnated areas.
I tidied the kitchen and dining area.
Mary-lou and Denise tied the rest of the first floor.
Dayla tied the second floor bathrooms and the childrens bedrooms.
Carla tied the third floor bathrooms and cleaned clothes out of the adult bedrooms.
While Payton when she returned home was given the job of doing the attic. Its dusty and all that anyway so all she has to do is clean out clothes and food wrappers ETC
Then on Sunday its laundry day, where all the women and children go to the pond out back and clean the clothes and dry and stufff.
Its always a lot of fun because the children always start splash wars and we all always end up going in soaking wet while Payton and I make our world famour Lemonade/Coke/Fanta bomb drinks. (Our own little creation)
'Charlotte?' A quiet voice muttered as I wiped surfaces down in the kitchen with a wet cloth. I turned quickly and saw Luke standing there holding his new Teddy.
It was Paytons but she gave it to him and he hasn't parted with it.
'Yes?' I smiled.
'Payton said have you got any vinegar and bi-carbonated soda?' He smiled weakly. 'She wants to do a science experiment.'
'Oh.' I smiled. 'I'm not sure.'
I checked in the carboards and was happy to find vinegar. But the bi-carbonated soda, no such luck.
'Sorry hun, none of the soda, tell Payton to improvise, shes good at that.' I lied.
I gave him the vinegar and he jogged back to the living room.
I was lying, Paytons horrible at improvising, she'll probably just throw the vinegar in the air and say ''Then it would have exploding like this.'' or something like that.
I chuckled at that thought and continued to clean when I suddenly heard cheering from the front room.
Only seconds after that, Payton stormed in, angry but she couldn't help but smile.
'I had to ''improvise'' so I threw it into the air and didn't realise it was open, then it landed on my head and the top actually came off.' She growled and only now did I realise the brown liquid dripping off her hair and cheeks. 'I hate you, so much sometimes.'
'No you don't.' I chuckled.
Suddenly, the door slammed and unlucky for Payton, all the men walked in, sweaty, dirty and looking extrememly tired and hungry.
They all took one look at me Payton and snorted in laughter, then one stepped forward.
'Oh, Payton. We just shouldn't leave you alone.' Daryl chuckled.
'Piss off! Its your fault for not having any bi-carbonated soda!! If you had it, this wouldn't have happened!!!' Payton snapped.
'I'm pretty sure it would have.' He chuckled.
'I swear to god I will rip your balls off and feed them to the walkers.' Payton screamed and stomped her foot down.
'Ohh, touchy, I'm almost offeneded.'
'I'LL KICK YOUR ARSE ANYDAY, COWBOY!!' She screamed and before anyone knew it her leg left the ground up and before anyone could react her foot connected with Daryls areas and he fell down to the floor.
Ouch.
I burst out laughing instantly as did Payton, while all the men looked vexed.
'Not cool, Payton.' Matt gulped.
'Thats just... The pain Daryl is going through equals about 400 labours for you women.' Eugene gasped.
I snorted. 'I doubt it. You haven't felt child birth.'
Payton turned and laughed. 'Neither have you.'
'Well neither have you.' I snapped back.
Payton just looked at Eugene and shrugged. 'I know how much a kick in the goolies hurts a man, I used to do it when I was a teenager for fun. But Daryl deservs it.'
Eugene smirked. 'Least he doesn't smell like chips.'
'No. But you smell like fish fingers... If you know what I mean, wink wink nudge nudge!' She laughed and turned back to me then to him, then to me again.
'Thats gross, Payton.' I growled as I understood.
'Oh whats that I don't hear? DENIAL!'
'Go back and teach the damn kids.' I chuckled and threw the wet towel at her. She caught it in her right hand and threw it back instantly, she stepped onto Daryls body, as he still rolled around the floor in agony and the group of me parted as she paused.
I kinda expected her to turn back and slap her arse or something.
But I guess that'll come later when Payton makes a bigger ''own'' on these silly men.
I look forward to that.
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There we go.
Its a bit wierd how in a week the group completely got over Tea and Leo.
But I guess thats how these people roll.
Idk.
But anyway, yeah, I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next chapter xoxo