Carol shifted the pack on her back and kept walking down the tracks. Tyrese was taking his turn with the baby so she was on point, ready to pull her knife at any moment to defend her little family. She was still in awe that he could forgive her for what she had done, but he had and he even started joking with her and talking to her normally again the next day.

They had seen the signs for Terminus for miles when they came across one with a note written in what looked like blood on one of them. When they got close enough she felt a spark of hope light in her chest. Maggie was alive, maybe Glenn too.

Tyrese looked at her and smiled. "Lets go, we know where part of our family is."

Carol nodded and they started walking again, this time a little faster and with a lighter heart.

They had been walking for an hour or so more when they came across a grey car with a cross in the back window. It was parked in front of a small but well fortified house. The car itself was still cooling down so they knew there was at least one person here. They decided to take a chance and maneuvered through the traps and alarms. When they got to the front door Carol called out.

"Anyone in there? We are friendly. Hello?"

She braced herself when she heard shuffling a heavy thud and then quick steps to the door. She was shocked when Beth opened the door covered in blood with a knife in her hand bounded down the stairs.

"Carol! Tyrese!" She hugged them both as she started shaking. " I had to. He had me tied up. I got free, found a knife. He was about to shoot you through the door. I had to."

They both looked past Beth to the man who had obviously been stabbed through the skull lying on the floor with a shotgun next to him.

Carol held beth close, "We know, we understand. Its ok, you did what had to be done."

Beth nodded. "I'm gonna go clean myself up. Feel free to grab anything we will need. Gotta admit smaller groups are easier to work with, gonna be nice just the three of us." She turned to go inside but Carol stopped her.

"Four." Beth frowned but as Tyrese shrugged off his pack and pulled the fabric covering Judith's head her eyes lit up and tears welled.

"Oh! Thank God!" she sank to her knees and started giggling and crying.

Carol and Tyrese smiled as Judith smiled sleepily. "Lets get you cleaned up, sweety."

The next morning they were all cleaned up, fed, packed and ready to go, they headed back to the railroad tracks and started once again for Terminus.

As they walked Tyrese and Carol relayed their story to Beth.

"I am so sorry Carol." Beth said at the end of the tale.

Carol nodded and looked at Beth. " How did you end up where we found you?"

Beth looked at her feet and Carol could tell she was trying to put everything together in her head. "Maggie went looking for Glenn and then I realized that the kids hadn't made it to the bus so I tried to find them. I guess you did that Ty, but I didn't know." She took a breath and continued. "There was so much smoke and walkers and fighting everywhere. I got lucky and ran into Daryl. We got out together, ran until our legs gave out . We rested for a while, then made our way into the forest, made camp. But we moved on again. Found this shack, it brought up some bad memories so we burnt it down." Beth stopped to think.

Carol smirked, "Wow, we were so close to you and didn't even realize. We saw the smoke and headed away from it."

Beth sighed, "Maybe if we had all found each other, what happened next would have turned out differently... We found this funeral home. It was clean like someone would be back soon. Well stocked and fortifiable, so we decided to stay for a while. I had hurt my ankle in a snare a bit before we found it so the timing was perfect. The second night we were eating, Daryl was in heaven with pigs feet and a jar of grape jelly." She chuckled painfully "Earlier in the day a dog had come up to the door. When Daryl tried to let it in it ran. We thought it was back and he went to give it another chance. I dont know what happened exactly but he started yelling my name and I came running around the corner with his crossbow. There was a herd of walkers all pushing through the door. I tossed his bow to him and he yelled at me to run. I didn't want to but I did what he asked. I don't know if he is ok now. I think I heard him yelling my name as the creep who grabbed me drove away but I'm not sure." She took in a shuddering breath.

Carol held her hand as they walked. "He'll be ok honey, he's Daryl. He may never stop looking for you, but he will be alive and well."

They came across another Terminus sign. Tyrese looked at the map and smiled, "Two more miles. We will be safe soon."