Rick walked the chain link fence running rough hands along the bending metal. It had been 3 months since the events of Woodbury and things were finally feeling... routine? Rick searched for an appropriate word. Carl was busy tending to the pigs and despite Ricks best attempt at playing farmer would still find himself pacing the fencing this time everyday checking for weaknesses in their blockade from the Walker swarm. Today though he was met by a friend. A young woman who after he lost his mind so to speak after the death of his wife had taken care of his children as best she knew how.

"Hey stranger" She said with a cheerful smile.

"Hello" Rick greeted her "What brings you out this way?"he asked continuing his pacing along the fencing. Beth joined him.

"Carol told me to take some time off." She informed Rick with a laugh

"I've been meaning to talk to you about all you do for us.. It's good for you to take more time for yourself" Rick stumbled, ashamed of his recent breakdown.

"No, no! She basically had to pry little Asskicker out of my arms!" Beth let out with a smile "I know you got a lot on your mind Rick. " Beth said looking at the ground. "Use me all you want. " She smiled up at their leader up at and walked away before realizing what she had just said.

Rick laughed and kept walking. She was something else all right and if he had his former partners mind he would have made a smart remark but he knew it best to keep it to himself. She was a good friend to Carl and his mentors Daughter. Plus he was old as dirt and a broken hearted widower. She was definitely a rarity in this world and should do her best to steer clear of him. He'd only get her killed.

Hershel sat propped up on his desk. He had cleared out an office and set up a base of operations for the council paperwork. It seemed silly at the time when Glen brought up keeping minutes of each session but now that there were months worth of information to store it all was starting to shape up. They had elected to take names of all camp members and assign them cells. The Woodbury crew had made them look stronger from the outside but most were elderly or children. They had picked up a few survivors in the recent months too so supplies were being stretched. City maps with plans of future runs were scattered on the desk as Hershel did his best to study them.

"Hey Daddy" Beth greeted her father.

"Hey there Bethy" Hershel said warmly "Feels like we haven't spent any time together in ages"

"I'm here now" She replied moving towards the desk. "Judith is a full time job" She laughed

"I know darling" Hershel was proud of Beth for her nurturing nature but it worried him some to her attachment level of the child. To be fair they all loved Judith deeply. To the survivors she was the closest thing they had to hope.

"So I'm thinking of going on the next run. "She shocked her father.

"Absolutely not" Hershel said almost laughing it off

"I am Daddy and I don't mean to be rude but it's not like you can catch me" She challenged her father

"Why?" is all Hershel could muster. In the time since the farm he had found a true wisdom that had always seemed just out of reach preapocalypse.

" So, I can take care of myself. and everyone else" Beth replied with commitment.

"Ok" Hershel said knowing this was important in this world despite his heart screaming at him. "But only with Daryl or Glen" Beth was stunned but she was going to take it before he changed his mind

"Thank you Daddy!" She exclaimed and with a quick kiss on his cheek she was gone.

Hershel knew that life was fleeting especially in this new world and the moments he had ahead with his family wouldn't be spent arguing.

A few days had passed and the run crew was gearing up. Daryl approached Beth with a 9mm in his hand extending it as he got closer.

"Here ya go Blondie" Daryl handed her the gun "Best shoot straight"

"Don't worry about me" Beth replied

" Can't help it with what your daddy said to me" He laughed.

Beth's face flushed, embarrassed by her Dad and she wasn't even in school anymore

" Keep botherin me and it won't be my Daddy you gotta worry about" Beth's southern twang rang out over the start of the motorcycle and she grabbed onto Daryl's waist. Looking to her right Beth saw Rick and Carl working in the garden. Rick gave her a friendly wave and before she could nod back they were off.

"We should be going with them" Carl grumbled at his father

"Why?" Rick asked Carl

"To protect them. Get supplies?" Carl responded unsure of his Dad's simple question.

"Well if we keep this going and get as good as Hershel says we are getting than we won't need to make any runs someday. " Rick smiled at his boy and patted his head with a dirty gloved hand. "Now let me talk to you about cucumbers"