TWENTY NINE.   NOBODY'S PROMISED TOMORROW

Mia didn't know Bob for very long but she knew him enough to know his heart. He was funny, he was loyal, and he loved until the very end. Seeing him slowly slip away in front of her eyes broke her. Each one of them said their goodbyes, some more painful than others. She sat at the edge of the sofa and they locked eyes. She thought she knew what to say but it all left her. So she spoke what she truly thought. "I'm so sorry, Bob." She spoke and her voice waved.

"What are you sorry for?" He asked her, his voice weak and fragile.

"I could've done something—"

"No." He shook his head slightly, interrupting her. "I was goin' to die anyway. It doesn't matter in what way."

Her eyes watered and she quickly wiped them.

"You're a brave girl, Mia. Don't ever apologize for things you can't control." He told her with a stern look. "It's all going to be okay. You'll be okay."

Mia blinked and put her hand over his. With a final smile, she squeezed his hand. "Goodbye." She whispered and stood from the couch.

Maggie put her hand on her shoulder. As they started to leave the room, Bob said Rick's name. Sasha sat with him on the bed. Rick began to hand Judith to Carl. "No, let her stay. I trust her." Bob uttered weakly.

"I'm right outside." Sasha told him and released his hand. The three of them left the room.

Carl went and walked Judith around the church. Mia stood by her. "Are you okay?" She voiced.

Sasha tried to stay strong. "I have to be. I know what's going to happen." She responded.

"It's okay to be sad, Sasha. You don't have to be brave right now."

"I always have to be brave, Mia. That's how we survive." Sasha said and looked down at her.

She was right. To survive is to always be on your feet, always looking around you. But Mia understood loss. She understood the feeling of losing someone you love. All she wanted was to feel that love again for just a few minutes. "Bob loves you. He's always going to love you until the end. And you love him. Keep holding onto that feeling. You don't have to be brave right now."

Sasha took in her words and she let them sink in. "You're a wise kid." She said with a small smile.

Mia smiled back. "That's how we survive." She repeated her words.

When Rick exited the room, Rick looked at Sasha. "Go be with him." He told her.

She glanced down at Mia again, who nodded her head, and Sasha went into the room. She closed the door behind her. She went and sat outside on the front steps. It was so bright and her Mia felt like she was still in the dark. She inhaled as much air as she could but it just burned. Everything in her burned. She wanted a new body to replace the one she had. One that wasn't damaged and bruised. The body she had before the apocalypse came. Her innocence was floated away in the wind. Sometimes Mia could see her roaming around, playing in the grass or she could hear her laughter. But that's all she could see because that version of her was gone. She was only a memory.

Glenn sat beside her on the steps. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I just feel kind of. . .not here, y'know?"

He nodded. "I get it."

"I'm sorry you had to see that last night," she told him, referring to what happened to the Terminus people.

Glenn only shook his head. "I've seen a lot of things like that. You kind of get used to it after a while." He explained.

The relationship Mia had with him was one she cherished. He was kind to her. Glenn's heart was too good for a world like the one they lived him. She trusted him the way she trusted her father. His protective nature was just like Riley Jones.

Glenn was regretting having to tell her the truth. She still wasn't over what happened and to tell her that him and Maggie were leaving would only make it worse. The three of them had their own bond, something nobody could take away. But she needed to know. "Mia, there's something I need to tell you."

She looked his way.

"Maggie and I. . .we're leaving with Abraham and them." He told her with a frown.

Mia's face fell. "What?"

"It was our deal if they stayed and helped us—"

"You're lying." She interrupted him.

Glenn shook his head. "I'm not."

"You can't leave. Neither of you. Wha—That's crazy." She shook her head in denial.

His frown deepened. "I'm so sorry."

It was as if a truck had just hit her head on. "What—" her breathing increased sharply. Her eyes widened. "If you're leaving, I'm going with you."

"Mia—"

"I'm not going anywhere without you and Maggie!" She raised her voice. He went quiet. "Okay, you two quite literally saved my life. I-I-I thought you were dead after the prison. I thought I was never going to see you again. I can't do that again, Glenn." Her eyes watered.

"Okay. Okay." He quickly said while nodding his head. He grabbed her hand and held it. "Okay."

She inhaled a deep breath. "I've lost too many people already. I don't want to lose you, too."

Glenn almost smiled. Again, he nodded his head. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I promise."

She squeezed his hand tightly. Then, a dreadful feeling entered her heart. She made her decision but what was she going to tell the others? What was she going to tell Carl?

Bob dying changed the entire mood of everybody. Sasha made his grave in sorrow. Tyreese killed him so that she didn't have to. Mia held onto his memory as long as she could. She found Carl on the other side of the church messing with his gun. Her heart plummeted again. "Hey." She voiced.

He lifted his head and smiled. "Hi."

"Where's Judith?"

"Dad's got her. She's sleeping." He slipped the gun into his back pocket. "She's lucky in that department."

Mia slipped out a smile. "Right?"

"How are you feeling?"

She was growing tired of being asked that. "I'm okay." She half way lied. "I just want to forget about it, y'know? Move on."

Carl nodded his head. "Right, yeah. Of course."

She looked up at him and smiled again. His hat blocked the sun from his eyes and yet they were still the brightest of blues. Cold blue but still soft. She loved his eyes. "Carl, there's. . ." It was so painful. "There's something I have to tell you."

His head titled to the side. "What is it? Are you okay?" He quickly asked again.

"I'm fine, I promise. It's just—" she looked down at her hands and popped her fingers. How could she do that to him after everything that's happened? "—I'm leaving for DC with Abraham."

At first, he just stood there, his head still titled. He looked as if he didn't believe her or understand what she said. "What?"

"Glenn told me that him and Maggie are going to DC with Abraham and I-I can't let them go without me. I have to be with them." She explained with a slight stutter.

"You're leaving?" Carl uttered with confusion.

"There's a cure, Carl. We can get it. Eugene can save the world." She tried to convince him. "I have to go with them."

"What about me?" He asked and stood up straight. He backed away slightly. "W-What, it's that easy for you to leave?"

"You don't understand—"

"You're right. I don't." He raised his voice. "After everything that's happened. After everything we've been through. You're okay with abandoning us? Abandoning me?"

"That's not what this is about, Carl!" She matched his tone and stepped forward just for him to step back. "I've lost my entire family. I don't want to lose Maggie and Glenn. I couldn't live with myself if I let them go and I stay here! I thought you would get that!"

She turned around and walked away, her anger levels rising.

"Don't do this." Carl spoke in a quieter voice, more desperate that time. "Don't leave me."

Mia stopped walking. She closed her eyes and tried pushing away the large amount of guilt she was feeling. She turned around again and faced him, seeing that he was on the verge of crying. "Come with me." She spoke.

He shook his head. "I can't."

"You can." She nodded and walked toward him again.

"I won't leave my dad and my sister." He declared and gulped. "I won't leave my family."

Her blue eyes glistened. She never pictured them being in this situation. Mia thought she'd be with him till the end. That they'd never have the chance to find a cure for the world. But they did. Abraham knew how to get them there. She'd be a fool to not be eager to find it with them. "I. . ." She began to say but quickly stopped herself. "You're my best friend, Carl Grimes. That's never going to change." Her voice broke.

Carl clenched his jaw so tight that his teeth almost broke. His throat burned excruciatingly. "You're my best friend, too." He only managed to whisper.

Mia's eyes flickered to the church wall by them. She wiped her eyes and walked away, afraid that if she stayed any longer that she'd burst into tears. She held onto the hope that they would see each other again.

Mia stood close by Maggie and leaned into her side. It was hard having to tell Rick and the others that she was going to DC. But Rick was an adult. He had an adult mindset. He understood the love she had for Maggie and why she decided to go with her. That didn't make it hurt any less.

Abraham held out the map. "This is our route to DC. We'll stick to it as long as we're able. If not, well, you got our destination." Rick took it from him. "Once Eugene gets to the big brains left up there, things are gonna bounce back. This group should be there for it. You should be there for it."

"They will be." Spoke Maggie.

Michonne nodded. "Yeah, we will."

Rick turned to the side and looked at them all. "We will." He confirmed with a small nod. He looked at Abraham and nodded again.

He nodded back, understanding. "Let's go." He announced and walked to the bus.

Carl stood by the church staircase holding Judith. Her heart was still hurting from their conversation. But she didn't want to leave without a proper goodbye. She slipped away from Maggie and walked over to him. He looked at her once and quickly looked down at his baby sister. "I'm sorry." She told him.

"I understand, Mia. I promise I do." Carl responded and looked at her again. He adjusted Judith so that she was on his hip. "It hurts, but, if this is what you need to do then do it." He was saying that but on the inside, Carl was begging her to stay. He never wanted anything more in his life. He cleared his throat over and over again but Mia knew what she wanted, even if it's not what he wanted. So he pretended that he understood so she would be okay with her decision.

A frown curled on her lips. She walked forward again and stood close in front of him. Their eyes met. The words she wanted to say, what she was feeling so deeply, danced on her tongue but she wasn't able to say them. "I'll miss you." She muttered.

He nodded his head and visibly swallowed. "I'll miss you, too." He whispered.

Mia hugged his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. His free arm wrapped around her waist tightly. Carl closed his eyes and felt his lip tremble. He didn't want to let her go. He desperately didn't want to let her go.

She raised her head and whispered in his ear, "I'll find you. Wherever we're at, I'll always find you." She pulled away so that she was looking at him. Their faces were so close and she pressed her hand to his cheek.

Please don't go, Carl said inside his head.

"Mia, we gotta go." Rosita called out.

Slowly, Mia dropped her hand and he felt a cold feeling on his face. She smiled at Judith and kissed her on the top of the head. "Goodbye." She uttered the last time and turned away.

They sat on the running bus looking at their people. For a second, Mia thought about running off and staying. But she knew she couldn't. Mia wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to be strong. She would see them again. They would all be together soon, hopefully in a new and better world.