Thoughtfully, the two teenagers lay next to each other as they looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and the sky was turning a beautiful yellow-reddish colour.

Judith, who was sitting next to Carl on the grass, kept plucking some out and placing it on the quietly rising and falling chest of Carl, who only ever pushed it down with a grin.

Elide was also watching the whole thing with a slight smile on her lips. She was happy, not only because she and Carl finally trusted each other, but more because a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She had never talked about all this with her family before, but now she finally seemed to realise it. Now that someone else knew too.

Carl, on the other hand, didn't feel the same way. He was, of course, also overjoyed that Elide trusted him and that he could do so. But he had been through too much shit for him to say he was perfectly happy now.

"Hey, why's Ron with your dad?"

Carl immediately sat up and stood while he picked Judith up off the floor and looked puzzled at Elide who was also standing up. "I thought he went home earlier."

"I thought so too," Carl replied, now eyeing his father, who had grabbed Ron by the shoulder and was frantically walking towards Jessie's house, where she was already standing angrily on the patio. As soon as Ron was with her, she talked hysterically at him while he just ran past her into the house.

Rick said something else to Jessie before walking to the teenagers who were watching the whole thing.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

Rick took Judith off Carl and kissed him on the forehead. The gesture was just perfect.

"We have a problem," he said seriously.

Elide's eyebrows shot up. "Is it because of Ron?"

"No, not because of him," Rick assured her. "We found countless of walkers in an old quarry and they'll be coming our way very soon."

Wide-eyed, Elide's breath caught. She never had any problems with two or even ten walkers, but with thousands? All running towards home? Carl beside her crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"What's the plan?"

Rick nodded and put a hand on his son's arm. "We'll see later."

He turned and walked with Judith in his arm to the house where Daryl and Carol stood on the patio, both waiting impatiently for the leader.

Carl turned to Elide.

"Are you scared?"

She did the same. "No, are you?"

Carl shook his head. "No. I know my dad can handle it."

Elide was about to retort something else when she saw Enid walking towards the two of them.

"Hey," she greeted Carl while Elide just nodded.

"Can I talk to Carl alone for a minute, Elide?"

Enid's sudden question threw Elide for a moment and Carl also gave her an unknowing look. Elide, to be honest, didn't like the fact that there was anything to talk about alone at all. But what could she say?

Elide just nodded and immediately walked in the opposite direction as she still held back Carl's hand. "Are you waiting for me?" Expectant, Carl looked at her, making it impossible for her to say no, even if she secretly wanted to.

"Okay."

And with that, Elide sat down on the grass, enjoying the gentle breeze of autumn, and closed her eyes.

__

Many minutes passed with Carl and Enid talking, although Elide heard that most of the time they didn't actually say anything. Elide much preferred to concentrate on her quiet breathing and trying to recall some memory of her family. She couldn't help but think of the times Elide and Mason would sit up for hours, both of them talking about all sorts of things, where they wanted to go one day. Just the two of them. No annoying parents and no crying little sister. Lana was her name.

The image of her mother lying there on the bed with countless bite wounds, Lana clutched tightly in her hands...A bullet wound adorned her beautiful face. Elide couldn't imagine what happened then, but she had seen the bloodied gun in her father's hands, who had probably shot himself shortly afterwards.

Lana wouldn't have had a chance of surviving and Elide would never in her life get that image out of her head.

"El?"

Elide opened her eyes and looked up at Carl, who held out a hand to her. Another deep breath from Elide before she grabbed his hand and he pulled her up. There was no sign of Enid any more and it was better for Elide anyway.

Neither of them said anything, but Elide couldn't ignore Carl's scrutinising look. "What?"
Carl didn't give the impression to Elide of wanting to say anything. His blue eyes, looking at her dumbly, flashed something like pity.

Elide turned away and saw Glenn and Maggie walking towards Diana's house. And before Elide could react in any way, Rosita ran up to the two teenagers. "Hey you two. Rick wants Carl to watch Judith," she informed them. Frowning, Carl nodded. "Of course. But why?"

"There's a meeting to discuss further how we're going to deal with this thing about the herd." Right, that's what Rick had been talking about earlier.

"And what about me?" Elide wanted to know when Rosita didn't mention anything about her.

"Rick wants you with him."

Eyebrows drawn together, Elide stiffened. So many thoughts ran through her head at once, but none of them could explain why Rick would want Elide, of all people, with him and not his son.

Carl must be thinking the same thing because he looked at her confused.

"Why me?"

Rosita shook her head. "I don't know, sweetheart. But we should get going."

Elide said no more, nor did Carl, who looked at her again and then went back to the house where Carol was already waiting with Judith outside the door. Elide looked after him for a moment, wondering what was between them now. That silence just now was a little strange.

Nevertheless, she pushed those thoughts aside for the moment and followed Rosita to Diana's house, where more and more people were gathering.

___

I know it's been a lot with Elide and Carl lately and I don't know if you like it better that way, but the next chapters will definitely be more exciting lol.

I hope you're happy with it :)

also I uploaded my new star wars ff 'bout the Mandalorian. so if you're interested in star wars u might want to check it out!<3