Beauty in Death - The Walking Dead

-twenty three-

Claimed

(A/N: Credit for the edit above goes to lovelymaddiegurl980 be sure to read her stories and follow her, she's fantastic!)

The next day, when Carl saw Chloe in the dining room with a bowl of cereal in front of her, he smiled and went to sit next to her. He wasn't exactly sure what their two kisses from the previous night meant. Were they together now? Or was it just a one time thing?

When Chloe looked up and smiled at him, he went and sat down next to her at the head of the table. "Sleep well?" She asked him.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

Carl grabbed himself a bowl and poured a bit of cereal for himself. They would have to eat it dry, unfortunately, they didn't have any milk. Carl wondered if there would ever be a day where they could have milk and cereal again.

When Michonne walked into the room, Carl looked up at her and couldn't help but laugh. Chloe looked, too, and giggled a bit.

"Do you two have something to say about my extremely comfortable and attractive shirt?" Michonne asked the two teens. Chloe shook her head and returned to her cereal, but couldn't help but to continue to laugh.

Carl shook his head as well. "No, uh, it looks—" He laughed. "It looks great. Oh, uh, you missed a..." Carl pointed to an button on her shirt that Michonne hadn't buttoned up.

She looked down and fixed it and then sat down at the table. She began to pour herself a bowl of cereal and then handed both Chloe and Carl a bottle of water. "Wish we had some soy milk," Michonne said.

Chloe looked up at the older woman and wrinkled her nose. "Are you kidding?" She asked.

"Seriously?" Carl added.

"Yes, seriously!" Michonne replied. Carl looked absolutely disgusted. "Have you ever tried it?"

Carl laughed. "My best friend in the third grade was allergic to dairy, and every day he would bring this soy stuff to lunch."

"Uh-huh..." Michonne said.

"So I tried it."

"And?" Michonne urged.

"I threw up!" He laughed.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at him and laughed. "Oh, come on, there's no way that's true!" She exclaimed.

"Okay, so I almost threw up." Carl shrugged. "Same thing!"

"Not really, but whatever you need to tell yourself." Chloe pat his shoulder. Carl playfully shoved her off.

"It was so gross!" Carl continued.

Michonne and Chloe both laughed. Rick could hear them from the kitchen, and he couldn't help but smile. He hadn't heard his son laugh in quite a while, he wasn't sure if he was ever going to hear that sound again. He was glad he got to.

"I would rather have powdered milk, than have to drink that stuff again!" He exclaimed. "I would rather have Judith's formula—" Carl suddenly stopped laughing and looked down. Chloe frowned, as did Michonne.

"I'm gonna go finish my book." Carl got to his feet and left the room. The mood of the room had suddenly been altered, and Chloe didn't like what it was now.

She offered Michonne a friendly smile before going to follow Carl up the stairs. He was standing in the middle of the teenage boy's old room when Chloe found him. She approached slowly. "Carl?" She reached her hand out and rested it on his shoulder.