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Forever Rising Phoenix	By : ImagineLayla131 Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 7147 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH THE WALKING DEAD FRANCHISE. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY FRANK DARABONT, AMC, ROBERT KIRKMAN AND TONY MOORE. NO MONEY/PROFIT IS BEING MADE OFF OF THIS FANFICTION!

Chapter List
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solely focus on Carl here, the next one will be about Delilah and Daryl. I know that I already used a Lori dream sequence in Chapter Six, but I thought it was fitting for both Rick and Carl to have different versions of the dream, even if the message she's trying to convey is the same. Again, another sweet moment, because things will really be up in arms by Chapter Thirty!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR HAVE ANY AFFILIATIONS WITH THE WALKING DEAD FRANCHISE,. ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY FRANK DARABONT AND AMC (TELEVISION SERIES), ROBERT KIRKMAN AND TONY MOORE (COMIC BOOK SERIES), RESPECTIVELY. I ONLY OWN MY OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS AND CHARACTERS.
Chapter Twenty Four: Embracing Epiphany
"I told you, Daryl helped also. He actually got in here ahead of me and pulled Tyler off of you. We both heard the song in the stairwell. Daryl was already two floors ahead of me, on his way to apologize to you for his behavior earlier. He's like my brother, Delilah. Give him a chance."
Rick drifted off to sleep as Delilah's eyes flew open, processing the information he had just revealed. She couldn't help but wonder if she had misjudged Daryl after all, if there was more to him than one would think.
CARL'S ROOM, 11:40PM
Carl had been in his room for two hours, seriously thinking over all the events that happened throughout the day and into the night. Madison really spooked him by hitting the nail on the head about his attitude. Perhaps he had been a little egocentric, puerile, and unappreciative… Ok, maybe a little was an understatement, it was more like a lot. Carl was actually kind of embarrassed about his behavior and actions, punching his dad in the face and calling Delilah a whore. Although it was in the heat of the moment, they weren't justifiable. Rick was obviously aware of the crush, but he was right when he said Carl knew nothing would ever come of it, his dad had the advantage of age on his side, even though the age gap was almost two decades.
Did I think this wasn't ever going to happen, that Dad wouldn't eventually move on from Mom and find somebody else? With everything that's happened since her death, I really didn't bother giving it much thought.
Delilah was owed a sincere apology, big time. He yelled at her, called her names, and what did she do? She didn't even fire back, she was gentle and understanding, anybody else would have been pissed off. Not only that, but she really had done so much for him and they weren't even family. Delilah risked her life going back to the walker infested prison just so he and his sister would have a photograph of their mother, and that wasn't something a selfish person would do.
It's not just that he's with her, it's that she's not Mom. I know she's not trying to be, but this feels weird.
Carl looked down at the picture and how happy they once were. The more he looked at it, the more he missed her, and the more he thought of how Judith was never going to get to know her, she would only know void fillers like Delilah or whomever his dad ended up with. He knew he had to understand the relationship and that there was nothing that could be done to separate them, but why did the realization have to hurt so bad? He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, pondering for an answer.
TEN MINUTES LATER
Light blue skies adorned with pillowy, almost translucent white clouds were keeping the gleaming sun company in the afternoon heavens that reflected off of the shiny green grass. The soft sounds of a cow and chicken could be heard, along with a faint banjo playing set the tone of this rustically tranquil ranch atmosphere. Carl woke up to not only find that he was underneath a shady oak tree instead of his bed, but he was now wearing a blue, black, green, and white long sleeved flannel shirt with a black T shirt, blue jeans, and his trusty cowboy hat. He looked around, completely confused, and got up, walking towards a white picket fence surrounding a field and recognizing a dark blood orange farm house.
WAIT A SECOND, IT'S GRANDPA CAMPBELL'S BARN! WE USED TO SPEND WHOLE SUMMERS HERE WHEN I WAS LITTLE, BUT WHY AM I HERE NOW?
"Carl!"
He turned around and let out a silent gasp, blinking his eyes repeatedly to make sure they weren't deceiving him. "Mom?"
Lori was in the middle of the field, trotting up on Jagger, the wild buckskin Prezewalski horse she tamed when she was Carl's age and that passed away not long before the outbreak, he was always her favorite horse. She had on a sleeveless purple, blue, and white flannel shirt with dark blue jeans and black cowboy boots, it was the outfit she was wearing the day she died. Carl stopped blinking and a huge smile spread across his face as happy tears stung his eyes.
"MOM!"
He hopped the fence and ran at stallion speed, toppling Lori to the ground with a hug just as she had gotten off the horse.
"Whoa!" She laughingly said as they fell to the ground, embracing the other one as tightly as they could. Mother and son reunited at last. Lori stood and pulled Carl up with her. He was at a loss for words, this all felt so surreal, as if it wasn't a dream, that for one moment, she was really back. All he could do was stare at her, until Jagger started nuzzling his hair, making him laugh.
"Hey, boy." Carl petted his head as Lori stroked his mane, watching her son looking around. "Mom, what are we doing here? Are we in heaven?"
"This was always your favorite place as a child, and now it's the one place you can think back on to remember how the world used to be, so this is what you think heaven looks like."
His mom was right, he always loved Grandpa Campbell's farm, and if this was what he imagined heaven was like, then it was close to perfect. "Who else is here, is Sophia here?"
She nodded. "Yes, Carl, she is, but I'm here to talk about you, honey."
He looked confused. "Talk about me how?"
Lori took a deep breath, this was going to be another difficult yet necessary discussion, but she was glad she was able to bestow her words on the loves of her life, they needed it. "Carl, I know how hard you took my loss, it was traumatizing that you had to be the one to prevent me from reanimating after I died. I've done a lot of things in my life that I'm not proud of, and I know now it's too late to resolve anything, but if there was one thing that I could take back, that would be it. I would take it back to spare you the pain and shock of having to do such a horrifying act to save me."
The memory of that day began playing in his mind. What started out as so peaceful, one minute he was challenging Hershel to a race, ended so dreadfully with the next minute being Maggie forced to his mom's stomach open to deliver Judith. It had been so long since he thought back on it, but it felt like yesterday as tears once again brimmed his lids.
"Why did you have to leave?" He whispered softly.
She felt a knot forming in her stomach at the sight of her baby boy crying, there would never be a pain to match that of seeing your flesh and blood suffering, but she had to be strong. "It was a cruel twist of fate, but it was also my time. I'll never know why, but I will always be with you, regardless that I'm not there physically.
Carl shook his head, letting the tears fall. "I know, but it's not the same, it will never be the same again. We needed you, we still do. It's Dad's fault because he didn't do a good enough job protecting you."
Lori gently frowned. If only he knew that Rick also said things would never be the same, but she didn't like Carl blaming him. "No, it's not, Carl. He did the best he could, and he took this just as hard as you did. Neither one of you deserved this, but you've been given a second chance at happiness."
"You mean with Delilah?"
"I know that it's not easy to see your dad with somebody else, but that feeling will pass and turn into acceptance. After everything you and your father have been through without me, it's hard to trust new people, I understand that, but I can assure you that Delilah is the best person for him to be with. I'm always watching down, and from what I've seen, she really loves and cares about the three of you, helping you become a family again. She's gone to great lengths out of the goodness of her heart, including going down roads others would simply avoid, she did it all for you and Judith."
"You've seen Judith?"
She nodded, a big smile spread across her face. "Yes, I have, and she's beautiful. You've taken care of her so wonderfully, and your dad. All I want is for the three of you to be happy. Just because life isn't how you used to know it doesn't mean that everything from here on is going to be bad. There will never be a single thing that will change the fact that I am your mother, as you are my son, and Delilah knows that. She knows first hand what it's like to lose family and she's not trying to replace me. I'm so proud of you for how you've carried on, but I know you're still broken inside. It's unfair that you were forced to mature so quickly and take on so much, but you can't forget about yourself, baby. Would you say that you're happier now than you were two months ago?"
Carl opened his mouth to speak but stopped, thinking the question over in his head. Not at first, but after Delilah found him and Rick, things got better. They were reunited with the group as well as Judith, he made new friends and didn't have to constantly be on high alert looking over his shoulder for walkers. He nodded. "Yeah, yeah I am. A lot happier, actually."
Lori smiled, run her hand through his hair. "As you deserve to be. Pain is inevitable in life, you know that, but with pain comes joy, and you can't let it pass. The world may be dead, but you can't allow the spirit die of who you once were. Don't be ruled by your pain, be free of it, and Delilah has provided you with that opportunity. I told you that you gotta do what's right, and you know what you have to do next, don't you?"
He nodded again. "Yes, I do."
Her eyes filled with tears at how much her son had grown and how she wouldn't be there to experience the rest of his journey, but she knew Delilah was the next best thing.
"I will always be with you, in spirit and in dreams, on your shoulder, in your heart. When the sun shines, it's me smiling down on you. When the rain falls, it's my tears crying that I miss you. Happiness is right in front of you, take it and run with a smile on your face." She swept him up in another tight hug, both of them allowing the tears to fall at last. Carl knew his mother was right, that he had to let go and continue being happy, especially for his dad. They were alive and well, it didn't mean that they should live in misery, but rather overcome tragedy and emerge victoriously in glee, and why not share it with those around them? Lori pulled back, her hand on Carl's cheek.
"My sweet boy, the best thing I ever did, I love you more than anything." She gave him a big kiss on the cheek and head, along with one final tight hug.
"I love you, too, Mom." He hugged her tighter until she slipped away, knowing it would be the last hug for them. Lori got back on Jagger and rode off, but turned around. "Good night, love." She said with a beautiful smile and turned back towards the field. Carl watched her ride off into the sunset and before everything went to white, he knew what he had to do when he awoke.
AWW, HOW TOUCHING! LORI REALLY DOES WANT HIM TO BE HAPPY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT WITH HER. CARL IS ACKNOWLEDGING HIS WRONGDOINGS AND WANTS TO RIGHT HIS WRONGS, BUT WILL HE? HOW WILL DELILAH APPROACH THE DARYL SITUATION? FIND OUT ALL THE ANSWERS TO THESE AND MORE IN CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE, COMING SOON!
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE STORY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW AND SPREAD THE WORD! NO FLAMES!
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Forever Rising Phoenix