Blake's POV

BANG!!!

I slammed on the breaks when I heard the sound of a gunshot in the distance. I look over at Carl and he had the same worried look as I did.

"Did you hear that?" He asked me.

"Yeah.." I told him as I step on the gas. "Hopefully everything's ok with Joey and Zelda."

"He should have gotten to her by now." Carl said. "As long as she didn't have any trouble getting out."

I push on the gas all the way and watch the meter go all the way past 180. I knew we had to get to the meeting point to pick up Joey and Zelda fast. But since we heard a gunshot coming from the direction, I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I started to slow down the car when I saw figures in the middle of the road. I stopped the car and Carl and I got out to see it was Zelda and Joey. Zelda was on the ground kneeling in front of Joey who had blood coming out of his side.

"Please..." Zelda said with tears running down her face. "Help..."

"Grab the first aid from the trunk." I told Carl before running over to the injured Joey. "What happened?"

"He was shot." She told me as Carl hands her the medical kit. "I can save him." She said as she takes out some gauze and cotton and places it on his wound. "I have to."

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After a while Zelda told us that the bleeding stopped and decided it was best to let him rest. So Carl and I carried him and laid him down in the backseat of the car.

"So, what happened?" I asked Zelda.

"I was stupid." She said looking down at her blood stained hands. "I trusted someone. And he stabbed me in the back."

"Who was he?" Carl asked.

"He was in the cell with me." She told us. "He was the leader's son. He said he wasn't like them. Until he shot Joey."

"Well Joey's still breathing and he should be fine." I assure her. "The best thing to do now is to get back to the bank with the others."

"We can't." She tells us. "They know that's where we were."

"But my dad and the others are all there." Carl said.

"Then we go back and we all leave." She tells us. "Before they come for us."

We went back in the car with me in the driver's seat and Carl sitting next to me. Zelda sat in the back with Joey's head resting on her lap. Then I turned the car around and headed towards the bank.

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After getting to the bank Zelda told everyone about leaving. However since we only had one car that fit around 5 people it would be a bit difficult. So Rick decided to have Maggie and Zelda take Joey, Judith and Hershel go in the car while the rest of us walked hoping to find a place for us to stay.

After a few hours Maggie and the others came back with the car and told us about an abandoned cottage they found. So we followed Maggie in the car until we found the little white cottage. I noticed that there was a pretty big pond behind it.

After we went inside and checked to make sure it was clear of walkers, we figured that it would be good for us to stay here, at least for until Joey is back up on his feet. We carried Joey, who was still unconscious, and put him in the one of the beds.

Since it was getting late most of us found a bed and went to go to sleep. Luckily there were two double beds, so Rick and Michonne got one while Carl and I got the other.

"This place is nice." Carl says as he lies down and stretches in the bed. "And these beds are super comfy."

I smile at him before laying down next to him. And he was right, these beds are super comfy.

"I can't believe we have to go through this again." Carl complained.

"What again?" I asked Carl.

"Finding a group of bad people and having to fight and kill them." Carl said. "First it was Jessica, then it was...your dad..." He said that last part in a sympathetic way. "And I know that's gonna happen with the Blaze Tribe. I just wish this stupid cycle would end!"

"Honestly, I do too." I tell him. "I wish we could just live a happy life where we don't have to kill people or have people killing us. But the truth is, we can't."

"I know." Carl said looking a little sad. "But maybe one day we can. We should get some sleep." He gives me a kiss on the lips before laying down. "Goodnight."

"Night." I said as I lay my head down on the comfy pillow and shut my eyes before falling asleep.

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"Guys, come out here!" I hear mom call out.

I get up after hearing my mom calling us. I see Carl getting up since he heard her too, so the two of us run outside to where mom called us. Most of the others are already out there and we see her standing in front of dead walker with a bloody knife.

"What's wrong?" Michonne asked.

"Look familiar?" She asked gesturing to the dead walker.

We all go over to look at the walker. And it took me a minute to realize that he looked familiar. He was our prisoner/spy.

"He must have gotten caught." Mark said.

"That's not all." Mom said as she removes an envelope that was nailed to his chest. "It's a letter. It says 'To Your Leader.'"

She holds out the letter to Rick as he opens it up and reads the piece of paper. I watched as his eyes scan the paper. When he's done he lowers the paper from his face and doesn't say anything.

"What did is say?" Ted asked.

"Nothing important." Rick said. "Just stuff about how they're coming to kill us and..."

Michonne takes the paper from Rick. He tries to fight her for it, but she wouldn't let him have it.

"Dear leader of the annoying group." Michonne read out loud. "I have come to notice that you and your people have become a pain in my ass. So I am willing to offer you a deal. If you surrender yourself, then as long as your people agree not to get in our way, we will stay out of their way. You have 24 hours to make your decision. Otherwise, it'll be an all our war. Signed Lord Vlad."

"Is he serious?" Mom scoffed.

"Sounds like he's scared." Katie said. "Which means we have the upper hand."

"I'm gonna do it." Rick spoke.

"Are you out of your mind?" Michonne told him.

"If it'll keep all of you safe, then it's worth it." He told her.

"Don't do it Rick." Zelda said standing in the doorway. "You can't trust them. They're a family of liars."

"I made my decision and that's that." Rick told us.

"Like hell it is." Michonne said. "You can't just go and give yourself up. We need you. Your daughter needs you. Your sons need you. I need you, Rick."

"Michonne..."

"She's right dad." Carl said. "I can't lose you."

"Please Rick." I beg him. "Don't do this. We can come up with some other way to stop them that doesn't involve losing you."

Rick looked at all of us and sighed.

"I'm not gonna win this, am I?" He asked with a smile.

"No." Michonne told him with a smile before placing a kiss on his lips.

Since it was still night time we decided to go back to get some more sleep. Carl and I climbed into our bed and fell asleep, hopefully without any interruptions.

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"Get up!" I heard a voice shout.

I jolt awake and looked next to me to see Carl awake as well. We see Michonne standing in the doorway with a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Carl asked.

"Your dad." Michonne said. "He's gone."