The Walking Dead belongs to AMC, the writers, creators, and actors. I own none of them.
A walker stumbled out of the trees, growled and came at them arms raised. Harley leapt forward and plunged his bayonet into its head. The group walked by as he fought to yank his weapon free. He pulled it free and wiped it on the grass growing near the tracks. Then he walked at a fast clip back up to the front line.
Billy pulled a package of nuts from his pack and offered it to Michonne. She shook her head, so he offered it to Carl, glancing back to be sure she was watching him. Tony pulled a bottle of water from his pack and handed it to Carl.
"Your men are courtin'," Rick observed.
"Can you blame them?" Joe replied.
Before Rick could answer, Daryl stumbled slightly over the uneven ground. He caught himself on slightly bended knees, keeping Beth against his chest. He took a breath then started walking again. Rick and Joe hurried to catch up to him.
"Daryl," Rick said catching his arm. "Let me take her for a bit. Catch your breath."
"I got my breath," Daryl growled.
"Daryl, you're exhausted. Just let me take her for a minute or two."
"You can barely walk. How many ribs Joe break?"
"None, just bruised. Come on Daryl."
"NO!" Daryl snarled. "You want to take her from me, Rick? Want to try?" He was standing in place, panting.
"How 'bout me?" Joe said. "My ribs are fine, ole' Ricky here never got near'em. And I know the rules. I made the rules. You claimed her. I can't take her from you, but you could give her to me for a bit. Won't change anything except you'll be ready for the fight that's comin'." Joe held out his arms.
The others had come back to watch the exchange. Daryl's breath hitched. Then he stepped forward and gently transferred Beth to Joe's arms. But as soon as Joe gathered her close, Beth woke up, startled and scared.
"It's OK, you're OK," Daryl soothed.
Beth looked from Daryl up to Joe, who smiled at her. "Hi Beth. I'm Joe. I'm a… friend of Daryl's. OK if I carry you awhile?"
"I can walk," she replied.
"No," Joe shook his head.
"Give her back," Daryl demanded.
So Joe transferred her back to Daryl's embrace.
"Joe, I think there's a good place up here," Tony said. "I found it."
"I found it," Billy repeated in a mocking tone.
"Shut up," Tony growled.
"Make me."
"Boys," Joe sighed.
Carl laughed.
"What're you laughing out, little punk?" Billy snarled.
Carl just snickered and shook his head. Michonne met Rick's gaze and rolled her eyes.
*x*x*x*x*x*
Carl wasn't laughing a short time later. He was furious. "I can't believe you're leaving me behind. Again. I thought we were past this!"
Rick gripped his shoulder, "Carl we cannot take Beth back in there. And I can't leave her here without someone I trust to protect her. Dan's staying behind too. But I need you to watch him."
"Carl," Daryl walked up to them. "I need you to do this. I need to know she's safe. And I need to know… if we don't come back, that you'll take her and go. Follow the tracks back to a place where it crosses a road that splits in two. If you follow the road back away from the tracks, you'll find a cemetery and a funeral home. That's where they took her from. It was stocked, food, water. Take everything that you can carry and then keep moving. Find a safe place and hole up. You do this for me Carl. You take her and keep her safe for me. OK?"
Carl nodded. He blinked rapidly. Then he asked, "What about Dan?"
Daryl looked to Rick. Rick nodded. Daryl touched the gun strapped to Carl's waist. "Take care of him first."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Beth was still shaking. The small train stop was dusty. But it was boarded up securely. The only walker inside had been back behind the ticket counter, dispatched easily by Michonne. Best of all the stairs leading up to the building had collapsed. It took some effort to climb up but it meant that walkers wouldn't be able to get in as easily either. Beth was sitting on a row of chairs, wrapped in everyone's blankets.
Daryl stooped down in front of her. He had reluctantly taken back his jacket and vest. "It's going to be OK. Carl's here. You'll be safe until we get back."
"Promise me you'll come back."
"Beth."
"Promise me Daryl Dixon. You'll do what needs to be done, then you'll get out and come back to me."
He cupped her face in his hands, then leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I promise," he whispered against her skin.
He pulled away, clenching his jaw. He turned quickly and walked away, pausing only as he reached the door. "Beth. You said she. She took you. She… gave you shots. What is her name?"
"Mary. She said her name was Mary."
*x*x*x*x*x*
They just walked in the front gate. There was something roasting on the barbeque, making them all feel nauseous. A single woman greeted them. "Welcome to Terminus. You all look tired. You've come a long way. My name is Mary."
"Mary?" Daryl stepped forward.
"Yes," she gave him a radiant smile. "Yes son what do you need?"
"You took someone. Someone that belongs to me."
"That makes you a thief," Joe said. "And we do not abide thievery."
Daryl launched himself forward. With a roar, a few men and a multitude of women poured out of the buildings surrounding them. With wide grins, Joe's men launched into the attack.
*x*x*x*x*x*
"Come on, move, move, move," Rick demanded as he threw open the gates keeping the men locked up.
"RICK!" Glenn cried. "Oh my God, Rick! Maggie. We have to get Maggie."
"GLENN!" Maggie could be heard screaming over the violent confrontation going on. She flew into his arms.
"Let's go!" Rick commanded. "We gotta go."
Outside in the falling light, the survivors of the prison and the military team followed Joe and his men. The others that had been held scattered. A few of the women looked to be very heavily pregnant, but they refused to go with the group.
They jogged along. Greeting each other. Introducing the new faces.
Daryl was out in front. He looked back a few times but was moving intently forward.
"Anxious to get back to Beth," Joe observed.
Maggie stopped dead in her tracks. "Beth. My Beth? Beth is alive?"
"Yeah," Rick nodded, coming back to her. "She and Carl are waiting up ahead."
"Who's Beth?" Abraham asked.
"My sister," Maggie sobbed. "She's alive."
"You have a sister," Rosita snapped. "Wow. You'd think with all the messages you left for your husband you could have left one for your sister."
Maggie shook her head, "I… I never thought…. I never thought she'd survive."
"Underestimating that little darling seems to be a common enough mistake," Joe said.
Rick's jaw clenched and he turned away to urge everyone to keep moving.
"She was with Daryl," Michonne explained as they began to jog again. "He got her out. Took care of her. Taught her. That woman, Mary, kidnapped her. Took her to Terminus. She killed the man who was going to rape her and was able to escape and find us."
"My sister. My Beth."
"Daryl's Beth," Harley scowled.
"What's the hold up?" Daryl snarled. "Let's move."
*x*x*x*x*x*
They were almost to the little station. Daryl pulled ahead again. Then Joe lunged forward and snagged him. "Hold up!"
"What?" Rick asked.
"That isn't Dan. On the porch."
Daryl began to pant. Then Sasha blinked, stared, and screamed. "Tyreese?!"
"Sasha?"
"Tyreese!"
He leapt off of the walkway, landed awkwardly, then ran. She raced ahead, pushing past everyone to fly into his arms.
"DAD!" Carl raced out, leapt and hit the ground, stumbled slightly, pushed up with his hands and raced out. "DAD!" Rick moved forward and caught him. "Dad. Carol and Tyreese came. Dad. They had Judith. She's alive. She's fine. She's inside with Beth. She's alive!"
Rick stumbled forward as Beth emerged from the station cradling Judith in her arms. Everyone swarmed forward, laughing and crying at the same time. Joe and Dan lifted Beth down, still holding the baby.
"There's your Daddy, Judith," Beth cooed. Her eyes went to Daryl then back to Rick as he advanced slowly so not to startle his daughter.
"Hey Asskicker," Daryl grinned. He gently stroked a finger down her back.
Judith grinned right back, babbled at him and kicked her feet. Beth carefully handed the baby to Rick.
"Bethy," Maggie cried, finally getting through the crowd.
"Maggie!"
Maggie pulled her sister into a hug. Glen wrapped his arms around both of them.
*x*x*x*x*x*
It was a tight squeeze inside but they all managed it. Rick and Joe stood behind the ticket counter watching as everyone shared what little food and water they found in the station or brought with them.
Rick watched Beth cuddle Judith to her chest. Saw Daryl come over and lean in to make the baby smile.
"You OK?" Joe asked.
"Got my family back. I'm fabulous."
"Hey," Carol walked over.
Rick gave her a hug. "I didn't have a chance to thank you. For Judy. We thought…."
"Thank Tyreese, he got her out. Along with… Lizzy and Mika." Tears filled her eyes.
Rick squeezed her again, "I'm sorry Carol. For the girls, for whatever happened. For what I did."
She nodded and slipped away.
*x*x*x*x*x*
People began to settle on the floor. Maggie and Glenn huddled together in a corner. Tara had started off by herself but Maggie pulled her to sit with them. Carl and Michonne settled together next to Beth. Judy happily sucked down a bottle, cuddled against Beth. Daryl sat on Beth's other side, his arm behind her back so she could lean against him, the other rested on Judith's tummy holding her in place as the baby played with his fingers. Sasha rested between Bob and Tyreese, clinging to both of them. Dan, Harley, Tony, and Billy had managed to 'claim' enough space to lay down side by side.
Abraham settled Rosita to cover Eugene, then crossed the crowded floor to slip back with Rick and Joe. "Wanted to thank you guys. Can't believe we were almost eaten. By people no less."
"So now what?" Joe asked. "Can't stay here long, we'll be tripping over one another."
"No," Rick said. "First light, we take Terminus. Clear out anyone left there. We claim it."
Joe smiled.
Abraham nodded, "Works for me."
*x*x*x*x*x*
I have seen what man can do Well, won't you take me down to the levy,
when the evil lives inside of you
many are the weak
and the strong are few
But with the water
We'll start anew
take me down to the stream,
take me down to the water,
we're gonna wash our souls clean,
take me down to the river,
take me down to the lake, I have fallen so many times
Yes, we'll all go together, we're gonna do it for the good lord's sake
For the devil's sweet, cunning rhymes
And this old world
Has brought me pain
But there's hope
For me again
Well, won't you take me down to the levy,
take me down to the stream,
take me down to the water,
we're gonna wash our souls clean,
take me down to the river,
take me down to the lake, Tried my hand at the bible,
Yes, we'll all go together, we're gonna do it for the good lord's sake
tried my hand at prayer,
but now nothing but the water is gonna bring my soul to bare,
but now nothing but the water is gonna bring my soul to bare…
Nothing but the Water – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Lyrics by Bryan Dondero; Matthew P Burr; Scott Tournet; Grace Potter