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There’s so much blood.
Too much goddamn blood, Carol thinks. It just keeps coming, hot and fast. Spilling over her trembling fingers as they press into his pale skin. Staining her nail beds as she tries desperately to hold him together with nothing more than hope and a prayer until help arrives.
Where the fuck are they?
Sheer stubbornness keeps her blurry gaze fixed on her hands when he speaks. Rasps out a truth that pierces her heart, sure as any arrow from his bow and she’s shaking her head before the words are completely out of his mouth. Biting back a sob when he covers both of her hands with one of his own.
“Too far out. Ain’t gonna make it.”
“No. No. They will. Rick says…” He cuts her off with a pained snort, a feeble flutter of his thumb across her quivering chin that has her tears spilling free.
“Stop.”
“Telling you to hang on? Never.”
“Wasting time. Been too damn much of that already.”
Her eyes finally find his and what she sees in their blue depths? Robs her of her breath. And his last words? Well, they stop her heart long before Rick and Michonne and the rest of them finally arrive.
“Never wanted to fall in love with ya. Just did.”