The Walking Dead Imagines (Requests OPEN)

[Carl Grimes] Stronger Than That

PROMPT:

Carl makes you realise something you should have realised sooner.

[requested by nerdalot]

Why do we do the things that we do?

Why do we do it?

Why don't we love each other and ourselves infinitely? What went wrong in the making of mankind that allowed us to be such hateful people?That allowed us to change and adapt to situations we never should have? What do we fight for anymore?

He should never hit you. She should never hit you. You should never stand before the person you trust and love and allow them to hit you - or hurt you in any way. Pain, it is never something we deserve to feel- and it is not something we should put ourselves in the path to feeling. But how, how can someone you love and trust cause such pain?

Then it comes down to what we're fighting for...and I suppose everyone is fighting for their own reasons. They all bear their own scars and their own issues. We never know what baggage others carry around. We don't. But that does not give them ANY right to hurt you. It should never. Nobody is allowed to do that. Nobody. Not even yourself.

So why? Why do we put up with such things? What inside us makes us so hungry for life that we decide to put up with such things? And even more important, why can't we realise that when we do put up with these things, we are not even living?

There are all of these questions that we have; and no matching answers. All we know is what we know and all we know to do is all that we have been wired to do. So why? Why? Why is such a pattern woven into our paths?
"Y/n?" Carl knocked on the door, watching you from the frame of it. You looked up, placing the old book in your hands onto the table.
"Carl?"
"I know what he's doing to you."
"What?"
"Come on Y/n. You're better than this?"
"Better than what?"
"You let him hurt you. You let him manipulate you into thinking you need him. You don't. Come on, what the hell?" Carl's voice is angry but even though it should, it doesn't make you scared.
"What are you talking about?"

Carl slides onto the sofa next to you, glazing his eyes over your tired ones, your slouched body and your bare arms.

"I...I know you're getting hurt." Carl finally says. You nod, shutting your eyes and letting out a long breath.
"Oh."
"Why? Why are you letting this happen to yourself?" Carl asks. He means to be gentle - but his body is racking with fear. He wishes he could turn back time and reverse everything that's ever happened to you. He wishes he could fight all of your demons.

"So it's my fault? I don't know, things just happen?" You shrug your shoulder, praying that Carl will leave the subject alone. He won't. Of course he won't. He's Carl Grimes.
"No...of course it's not your fault. Just...just talk to me?"

You close your eyes, picturing the charred and burnt remains of a forest after a fire. You remember trudging through it, next to him. Bruises on your arms, tear strained cheeks.
"Before I came here, I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want to do it by myself. I'm not strong enough to fight. To take care of myself. He took care of me. I knew I couldn't leave. I wasn't enough. I wasn't enough and I needed him. So I let him slide. I just knew that I couldn't do this by myself."

Carl curses to himself.

"Not enough? God Y/n. Listen? How could you ever think that?!" He asked you. You cowered.

"I don't know...I just did..."

Carl took in a deep breath. "Can I tell you something? You, you right here? I want to tell you something and you have to listen to every word. Here me say it, please?"

You nod, feeling your chest tighten.

"When I was little, I use to want to do things. Run fast, beat my cousin in checkers...stand up to that bully in school. I use to tell my mother 'I can't, I can't'. My mother took me by the shoulders and shook me. She said 'You can't? Of course you can? You're you! You were born with this power inside of you...and it never fades. You think you can't do it but you can. You gotta realise this power inside of you. It will never leave you.' and I never believed her until now. Until I come face to face with walkers. I see death everyday. I feel death. I feel pain and I say to myself 'I can't. I can't.' and then I hear her say 'Realise the power inside of you'. You can. No matter what you're afraid of, you can. You will never be alone. Even if you're by yourself in the middle of nowhere you'll never be alone- because you have the greatest power and the greatest tool of all time...yourself."

"You'll understand how capable you are. How strong you are. That power inside of you. It never fades. We forget that it's there - but it's always there. I just want you to understand that you carry with you everything you need to survive. You are all you need. You don't need that asshole. You don't need a knife. You don't need a friend to hold your hand. You don't need me, you don't need this place. You need yourself. You need yourself. All you need, is yourself. You can fight any problem, anything."

"You have enough strength inside of you to deal with anything. You have all the strength you need right inside of you. You don't need anybody to push you down. You don't need them. All you need is yourself. Don't lose sight of that. You can never lose sight of that."

Carl takes your hand, watching your eyelashes flutter.

"You have all the tools you need to survive within yourself. Nobody has the power to undermine you. Nobody has the power to make you feel less than you are. If somebody loves you they will never hurt you. They wouldn't dare think about it. Y/n you have to realise that right now, you get to decide. Are you going to use that power inside of you and fight this problem? Are you going to finally achieve the respect and the happiness that you deserve? Because you can. I know you can. You have all of the tools you need right inside of you.

So yeah. I know I got a little carried away but I want you to know that this speech not only came from Carl Grimes and me - but everyone else. If you're dealing with someone toxic who is hurting you, you need to get rid of them - and that there are people who can help you and most of all, that you can help yourself. You guys are worth it. You are worth it. Nobody gets to hurt you. I don't care who you are, what you've done or where you come from. You still deserve the best.

Jo x

My messages are always open for those who need support or those who want a chat. I am more than happy to talk to you. I would love it.