Maggie, Glenn, Carl, and Daryl have gone on a supplies run. Rick, Hershel, and Carol are outside on walker watch.

If anyone cares, lyrics are from a Jewel song.

Pulse

Rick wipes the sweat from his brow and then scans the horizon for walkers. Nothing. Nothing, but the smell of rotting flesh and the sound of mosquitoes buzzing. He looks to his left and sees Hershel and Carol sitting in chairs talking.

Rick loudly whistles to get Hershel's attention. When Hershel glances over, Rick makes a drinking motion with his hand, and Hershel waves him away. Rick makes the trek back to the prison, gun slung over his shoulder.

Inside the prison, Rick guzzles some water and lays down his gun. He wants to see Baby Judith. As he walks to the cells, he hears Beth singing a lullaby.

No one in today's time sings, really. It's a rare treat to hear. Plus, Beth aint a half bad singer. She is also the unique age where she's old enough to remember life before the walkers, but is still young enough to crave and expect a better future. Most adults are too jaded to sing; the young kids like Carl don't know what songs to sing because they've never heard them.

And when you cry

I'll be there, baby, telling you

You were never nothing less than beautiful

So don't you worry

I'm your angel standing by

Rick silently walks a little closer and can see over Beth's shoulder that Judith is asleep. The sun is peeking through the windows. Rick's eyes blur the scene and all he sees is a silhouette of mother and child.

Beth cradling Judith. The sun cradling Beth.

Beth senses Rick behind her and abruptly stands up as she stops singing.

Rick breaks the silence. "Ha, you didn't have to stop." He shifts his weight. "That was real nice, Beth."

Beth smiles and says, "Thanks, Rick."

Rick looks at Judith and beckons for Beth to bring his child over. Beth obliges as she walks over to Rick and stands on the tips of her toes as she protectively hands over the child.

As he gazes into his slumbering baby, Rick tells Beth, "You know, she has no idea what a walker is."

"I'm not so sure I really understand them either," Beth says as she tries to lighten the mood.

Rick smiles. "There's not too much to understand." He turns around and lays Judith down in the makeshift cradle Hershel and Carol made. He turns back to Beth. "You know, I've been thinking a lot about the unfair position that you, Maggie, and Carol have been put in as the caretakers for Judith and—"

Beth interrupts, "Rick, stop! We all love and care for Judith and would do anything for that baby. No need to apologize."

"Yeah, but she's not your responsibility. And with Maggie and Carol always leaving now these days, it's just you and Carl. . . . I don't know Beth, I just feel like you're losing your childhood and not living life."

"Rick, what life do Carl and I have? What would we do if Judith weren't here? Carl might be into killing walkers, but that's not me. I'd probably just be in this prison staring at the walls if it weren't for Judith."

Rick presses his lips together, shakes his head, and moves his gaze to his boots.

Beth continues, "Or worse, I'd probably be dead. Have you seen me kill them? Even through the fence? It's ugly."

Rick looks back up at Beth and smiles, "Yeah, you're pretty bad."

Beth lightly laughs. She then bows her head slightly as she turns serious. "Rick, I know this will sound weird and creepy. But Judith is so dependent on us and, I don't know, it's a miracle, Rick. A miracle that we can still provide for her." Beth pauses as she slides her hair behind her ear and looks up at Rick. "She gives me hope."

Rick must have been holding his breath, because he feels the need to take a deep inhale.

Beth continues, "This world is so ugly and rough right now. It's nice to have something innocent to remind us that the world isn't all bad."

Beth's statement draws a heavy weight down on Rick's chest. Beth. This innocent person who reminds him the world isn't all bad. The burden of Beth.

As teenagers often do, Beth tries to fill the awkward silence with some even more awkward words. "Plus, she's so soft."

Rick stares into Beth's eyes as he uncrosses his arms and walks over to her. Beth stands frozen as Rick stands about as close as he ever has to her. He bends his elbow as his starts to curl his hand into a light fist. Against his better judgment, Rick lightly brushes the back of his knuckles on Beth's cheek. She closes her eyes for a second to calm herself down. As she opens her eyes back up, Rick pulls his hand away. They hold each other's gaze for a moment. Rick drops his head and turns to head back to the fields. As he grabs his rifle, the thought pervades his mind: I shouldn't have done that.