(spoilers for both Mitch and Kaylee's finales because I am In Denial)

Zach dropped down onto the front porch steps, begrudgingly setting a bowl of dog food next to him. He whistled and the light footsteps of his their Charlie's dog came running from the back of the house.

He bounded up the short distance and nudged at his legs before lapping up the dry food. Zach laid his chin in his hand propped up on his knee and huffed out a long breath. "Stupid dog," he muttered.

"He can understand when you call him that, you know."

Zach's head snapped up. A very tired looking Charlie hovered by the front gate, glaring at the space above his head. He didn't stand or even move at all as she walked inside and stopped just a few feet short of him.

He took in a deep breath and tried to think of something comforting to say. Something that conveyed how worried he had been, that he was sorry, that he did care about her. That she was the last person on this death-scorched Earth that he cared about.

"You're here," was all that came out. Charlie's face hardened and he winced.

She averted her eyes, staring emotionless at the ground. "I didn't come back for you. I came back for Danny." Said dog perked up at his name and barked happily, panting. A small smile struggled itself onto her face but everything about her looked strained and it quickly fell away.

Still refusing to look at Zach, Charlie patted her leg. "Come here, boy. Here, Danny."

Danny jumped off the porch steps, running up to her. Zach watched him go, an unwanted and bitter twinge plucking at his heart that he dutifully ignored. Charlie bent down to pat him but didn't get the chance. He pawed at and tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the food bowl sitting next to Zach.

Zach groaned, picked up the bowl, and tossed it onto the ground in front of him. The kibble inside scattered but didn't bounce out. "Go on and take it, you mutt."

He barked and ran around Charlie, nudging at her legs. "Fine, fine!" She stomped over and sat cross-legged next to the bowl. Danny yipped and finally plopped down to finish up the food.

Zach chuckled despite himself. "He missed you."

"Yeah, well," Charlie said quietly, "glad someone did."

"I never said I didn't."

"I'm not arguing with you over it again."

Of course. He rubbed his thumbs into his aching temples. "I mean it. I.. you caught me off guard the other day. After everything that happened, I was freaked out and not thinking clearly about anything except getting away from Safe Haven."

"So was I!" Charlie yelled. She glanced warily at the house as if zombies or Bryan would suddenly run out. "You think I wasn't freaked out? I watched one friend get blasted to death right in front of me then my best friend fall off a building and I was the one who caused it!"

"Charlie-"

She stood up abruptly and Danny barked in protest. Her hands balled up into fists and her whole body trembled. "I had to shoot my own parents! I tried to get past it but noooo, every day I wake up I just remember pulling that damn trigger twice. Zombies or not, that's going to haunt me for the rest of my probably short-lived life."

Zach's heart wrenched. "Don't say that-"

"What? Don't say what, Zach?!" Charlie demanded, no longer caring how loud she was. "That I might not reach old age like I should've? That I might not even live to turn 19? That, God forbid, I die or get turned like my parents and best friend and have to either walk the Earth dead or be shot to get put out of my misery?! I can't ignore that fact and neither can you. Everyone I care about has had to suffer through it so what are the odds I won't?"

Tears pricked at the edges of her eyes. She pressed her lips together and set her jaw, very clearly trying to fall apart. Zach sighed and gently tugged her shoulder. She tried to step away but he pulled her into a one-arm embrace and hugged her as tight as he was mentally able to. "I'm really sorry, Charlie."

She sucked in a shaky breath. There was a beat of soft, restful silence. "Stop making it hard to leave you again," she said through gritted teeth. A familiar quivering was in her voice and Zach patted her back. The small act seemed to be enough to push her over the edge and she finally broke.

A sob escaped her mouth and Charlie buried her face into Zach's shoulder as she cried. "I don't know what to do, Doc. Ness and Marshie are dead, Nick's gone I don't know where. I- I wanted to go off on my own but it's like I can't be alone."

Danny nipped at their ankles until he wiggled himself between them, draped across their feet. Zach's fingers fidgeted, reacting poorly to every move he made. He settled for gripping her shoulder in as much of a passive way as he could manage. "We'll figure something out."

Charlie sniffed. "We?" she asked, barely audible through her sobs.

Not for the first time, he cursed every higher being he could think of in her place. For putting any of this on her, for making this smart but young child have to grow up so fast. That the thought of her venturing out on her own was a plausible one, something that would've been preposterous before. Every pain she cried out and every trauma etched into her eyes was a reminder that the world was unforgiving and he wanted to kill Ironwood all over again in every possible way for it.

Fire burned in his throat and Zach bit his lip as it shot up to his eyes. He could feel tears threatening to spill and he wiped them away. Charlie glanced up, face red and cheeks covered in tears. "You-you're not allowed to cry right now. Got it?"

If you cry then I'll break more went unsaid and Zach just nodded. She completely collapsed against him and he hesitantly wrapped both his arms around her. Blinking the stinging pain away, he held his assistant friend while she cried her weak heart out.