“You thought I was dead?”
SUMMARY: You and your boyfriend Carl Grimes are out scavenging for Negan’s group, out on the hunt you are overrun by walkers. Carl seems to disappear after creating a bunch of noise to get the walkers away from you.
NOTES/WARNINGS: blood, walkers, kissing, angst, possible ooc, y/n used, teasing, reader is maggie and glenns adopted kid, death being “faked”, fluff, reader is shy and a very big overthinker.
When you first met Carl, you two were young. At first the two of you were shy near each other because you were kids but overtime he became your ride or die.
Growing up in such a ruined world was terrible but it was nice to have someone on your side. He was kind but grew older and started to have a little— dominant personality? but still kind. At least towards you. Y’alls group has been in alexandria for about a year now and things have gone wrong. You’ve lost your father figure, places have been getting raided, and now the place “belongs” to a guy named Negan. Yet you and carl still stand as strong as ever.
To you personally, Alexandria is a fun and somewhat safe to be in..but the people aren’t experienced enough with the outside world. You’re afraid that being around them too much will make you get comfortable and eventually lose the skill you gained from living. This conversation has been brought up to Carl many times, he agrees. Thats why you two go out on runs secretly, like now.
You had your head back and staring up at the roof of the ceiling. This was something you mostly did when you were nauseous but know you tend to do it randomly. On your left was Carl, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gear stick. You’d never admit this out loud but Carl was extremely fine to you.
Almost anything he did had you blushing. Perhaps he grew out of the shy phase but at times it came back to you, even just thinking about him can get you flustered.
“Y/n.” You slowly turned your head in confusion.
“I’ve called your name three times, you alright?” His eyes were focused on the road but he was definitely trying to get a glimpse of you.
“Yeah. Yeah sorry i was just..thinking.” “About me?”
You looked towards the window, not wanting to reply. In response to your little movement, Carl laughed and reached for your hand, holding it tightly.
“I saw you blushing. Don’t think there’s anyone else you’d be thinking about right?”
You let out an irritated noise but still smiled. Carl could read you like a book. he knew what your expressions meant, and certain movements— somehow.
“I’d love to mess with you more but..we need to get more things for Negan.” His little jokingly voice was gone in almost in instant when he was talking. The mention of Negan made you blood boil but this was how you guys had to live now, especially since killing the guy would result in more consequences.
Carl looked over to see your face but you remained blank. He pulled over at a small store and turned to face you. “If you really don’t want to help out then i can go in alone, Alright?” His voice softened as she leaned over to plant a small kiss on your head.
Part of you wanted to go in just in case something happened- but you could never do anything for Negan. You stayed put as Carl got out to investigate the store. The most you did was keep a lookout. During that lookout, you noticed a few walkers making their way in your direction, nothing you couldn’t handle.
You reached into your pocket and pulled out your knife, then opened the door. Big mistake. The walkers weren’t focused on you, just moving around. Once you fully got a look you noticed a bunch more on the way. You slowly started to get back into the car but you remembered Carl who was still in the store, completely unaware of what was going on.
You thought fast and ran into the store to see him putting a bunch of things into a cart. He seemed to have heard you because his head turned almost immediately.
“Babe?” Genuine concern was filled in his voice.
“Alright..let me just grab-”
“CARL! NOW.” You didn’t mean to yell, but you couldn’t risk anything. You grabbed carl’s arm and pulled him towards the outside where a bunch of walkers were now facing the two of you.
Your body seemed to have stopped. Frozen in fear. Even if you guys made it into the car, you were going to be surrounded any second now. Carl noticed and shook you then practically dragged you to the car. Both of you quickly got in and he threw the things into the backseat before starting to drive. The “predictions” you had unfortunately ended up being correct. Right before the car started to move, the only gap you had was covered by walkers.
You gripped onto your knife tightly, honestly starting to accept this as your end because at least you’d be with the love of your life..right? No. Before you knew it the car started moving— really fast. Whatever plan Carl had almost worked but when he was driving he hit a bunch of so walkers. Some got stuck in the tires and most of the blood started to cover the windows making it impossible to see. He kept driving though, not wanting to get stuck. It worked for a little but once carl used the wipers for the car, the only thing in y’alls view was a tree incoming.
The car was moving too fast to just stop. He tried to move the wheel but it was too late. In only a matter of seconds, the car was crashed into a tree sending you into an unconscious state immediately.
It’s almost as if you were designed to make it out because you woke up not even 5 minutes later. You coughed and spat out blood, a part of the car was stuck in your arm but thankfully not deep. However, next to you sat your boyfriend who looked ruined, but alive. Carl had blood nearly all over him- some yours, some his, and some walkers.
He looked over at you right as you looked at him, tears immediately forming in your eyes. “Carl…?” For a moment, whatever noise you heard went blank and it was just the two of you. You were so locked into his eye you didn’t even realize he leaned in to kiss you.
It was small but still happened. Unfortunately you weren’t given the chance to kiss him back before he turned and started kicking his side of the door open.
“Hey..Hey what are you doing! My side has left walkers we can run out over here!” Your words seemed to have made carl tense up a little but he didn’t stop.
“Just trust me!” He yelled as he finally got the door open. He turned to you. “run. run as far as you can get but make sure you get back to alexandria.” The boy gave you a confident reassuring smile before running out. As he ran he screamed for those stupid things to come get him.
It took you a second to fully register what he was doing. You got out the car and started screaming for carl to come back but he kept yelling at you to run. If there wasn’t so many then you’d stay, but the look in carl’s eye and the pain made you go. You started to move a little but couldn’t fully bring yourself to go without helping, to your horror though..when you turned around you saw only walkers. eating.
The realization hit you. Carl was gone. You let out a loud piercing scream as you sobbed for a while, but you had to go. Your body felt really heavy as you ran but you didn’t stop until you saw the giant alexandria gates.
At the top stood Rosita, she almost mistook you for a walker due to how slow you started to move but luckily she took a closer look before shooting. “holy shit!” Rosita sprinted down the steps and opened the gates before running to help you stand. Others nearby saw how fast Rosita moved and quickly came over just in case there was some sort of problem. which there was.
People started to lift you up to keep your balance and y’all slowly moved towards the medbay. They all asked you a bunch of questions but it felt like there was a giant lump in your throat. You couldn’t talk no matter how much you wanted to explain. Eventually they stopped and decided to get you help before pressuring you with anything else.
It’s been a day since they brought you into the medbay. A day since you last screamed your heart out for the man you loved. You still haven’t spoken a word, just stared off into nothing. People have tried everything to make you talk.
They would’ve went to find Carl but everyone assumed he was out scavenging with Rick and Michonne, and they would be gone for a few days. Hours passed by, some people even went to hilltop to notify Maggie about your condition. If whatever was going on didn’t end then you’d be staying in hilltop until it did. That wouldn’t matter though, nothing could fix the hole that has now formed in your heart.
Another day has went by, it’s now been two and half days since the incident. Just like the other days, you stayed in the medbay staring into a wall, barely blinking, not eating or drinking water. You wanted to die. At some point during the day, you heard voices outside. You ignored them until you heard Rick’s.
You had little time to react before he stepped in. He didn’t look mad but he looked worried based off what people told him. Rick tried a few small words to get you to talk but you now started to feel worse. Michonne who was standing by the others turned to them.
“why haven’t y’all asked Carl?” There it was. All the others started to become confused.
“We thought Carl was with you two?” Voices started to fill the room, everyone was confused on what was going on until Rosita looked at you. “Y/n?”
Finally your emotions came pouring out again. You began to uncontrollably sob and held yourself. Through choked out words you finally told the truth.
“C..Carl’s gone. He’s dead!” The atmosphere in the room shifted.
“What the hell do you mean he’s dead?” Michonne was the first to speak. Everyone soon followed after her and began bombarding you with questions. hurtful ones.
“He saved me. We snuck out and-..he..” You stopped.
There was an ache in your chest. You wanted to think that you were dying and going to be with Carl soon but you knew it was just because you were crying too hard and breathing wrong. It took you a second but you finally looked up trying to get a glimpse of Rick and Michonne.
Both of them looked absolutely destroyed. You could tell that they were trying not to cry but were failing. “I-..I’m so sorry.” You choked the words out then curled up into a ball. You didn’t want to move. Carl should be the one here instead of you. Maybe if you had the courage to get the walkers after you then he could’ve been the one back home.
About an hour went by. Rosita and Olivia were pushing you to move around so you finally got up. You didn’t go far though, just around the neighborhood. People stared, not with hatred but with pitty. News spread around fast that you survived and Carl didn’t.
Eventually your knees started to feel heavy once again. You sat down on the closet bench which happened to be the bench you and Carl sat at a lot. No more tears spilled. Your emotions practically disappeared altogether. You were numb.
You weren’t sure how long went by until yelling built up by the gate. You assumed it had something to do with Negan once more so you didn’t dare to bat an eye. Not while you’re already hurting. You continued to sit there with no movement until you heard footsteps approaching. Multiple. This made you finally look up.
Just in time to lock eyes with the boy who you swore was dead.
“Carl..!?” You practically screamed his name as you ran over hugging him tightly. Next to him was Michonne and Rick who seemed just as relieved as you.
You squeezed onto the boy so hard he let out a laugh that sounded really quiet due to the air you pushed out of him. When you finally pulled back, your face was covered in tears once again.
“What the hell happened to you?” The boy let out another laugh as he wiped your eyes.
Was he serious? Your expression dropped into confusion almost instantly. “I-..I thought you were dead! When i looked back those things were eating something!”
“Me? You thought I was dead?” His voice was filled with amusement and a smirk formed on his face. “I said to trust me didn’t I?”
He did. You started to calm down a little once you replayed the situation in your head. “Mhm..I didn’t think that meant for me to believe you were alive after disappearing.”
Carl seemed to notice how bad it looked from your point of view. He slowly nodded and planted a small kiss upon your head. “Listen pretty girl..I’m not going anywhere. Do you understand?”
You looked up at the guy, locking eyes before leaning up to give him a small kiss. Once you pulled back you held onto him again. “Mmhm.”
“Right. Now let’s get you two cleaned up.” Rick spoke from behind Carl, you honestly forgot him and Michonne were there due to how quiet they’ve been. Rick gave you two a small look but Michonne was smiling.
“Okay..Okay!” You blushed and walked off with three ‘grimes’ laughing as they followed along.
