Work Text:
The group follows the creepy priest back to his church. You trudge along behind everyone else, too wrapped up in your own head to pay much attention.
The events of the last 24 hours have been crazy: from being trapped in a train car by a bunch of cannibals, waiting to feast on your flesh, to escaping amongst the chaos of explosions and gunfire, and eventually to finding Carol in the woods. The rest of the group was happy to see her, falling into her arms, but you didn’t. You were only able to think one thing when you saw her:
You left us.
Two weeks ago, back at the prison, while you were in quarantine with the rest of the residents who caught the flu, Carol and Rick left on a small run for supplies. But Carol never came back. There wasn’t much time to ask what happened: right after you and the other few who survived got better, the prison was attacked and destroyed, and everyone’s been wandering ever since. All you were told when you asked was that Carol was gone.
But now she’s here, in front of you, walking alongside Daryl. You glare at her back as you walk.
You left us.
The group checks the church to make sure it’s clear before moving inside. You stand outside holding Judith before getting the all clear, and you hand her back to Rick. Everyone trickles inside except you. Instead, you sit down on one of the front steps and close your eyes, taking deep breaths.
You feel her walk up before you see her.
Carol says your name, her voice soft and sad, but you cut her off.
“You left us,” you finally say the words aloud. You hear her sigh, then feel her sit down next to you.
“I know,” she says, sadly. “I had to.”
“Why?” you ask, refusing to look at her.
You hear her sigh again. “They didn’t tell you?”
“No one’s told me anything,” you snap. “I was sick and delirious, and then we were attacked and running. There wasn’t much time for talking. And you were just gone.”
“I’m sorry,” Carol says softly.
“Why did you leave?” you ask again.
Carol sighs again before answering. “Rick sent me away,” she explains, choosing her words carefully. “Because I killed Karen and David.” You gasp, finally looking at her. She has tears in her eyes, but she keeps talking. “I was trying to protect everyone. To stop the flu from spreading. So no one else would get sick.” She meets your gaze. “I didn’t want you to get sick. Then you did, and I-” her voice breaks.
Without thinking, you throw your arms around her. Carol collapses into your touch, wrapping her own arms around your waist.
“I’m sorry,” she says again, her voice muffled by your shoulder.
“It’s okay,” you tell her, squeezing her tighter.
“No, it’s not,” she chokes out.
You pull back, taking her face in her hands. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she just looks so broken.
“It’s okay,” you reassure her, wiping her tears away with your thumbs. “I forgive you, you hear me?”
Carol nods slightly, and sniffles again before you wrap her up in your arms again. She’s back.