Glenn couldn't help but to laugh. Glenn thought about the rooftop. All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and son. It looked like Rick was going to have to be something else, because he had found them. Of course that was what Rick had wanted all along, to no longer be the man looking for his wife and son, but to instead be the father to his son and the husband to his wife. Glenn was glad that his new friend had found that peace. Rick had a way about him, a demeanor that put people at ease. When Glenn had tried to explain himself in the basement at the department store and Andrea had almost bit his head off Rick had quickly defused the situation and then helped Glenn get to where he needed to be. Rick was just as capable as Shane or Morales, but unlike them he took Glenn seriously, treated him as an equal. That could have been because Glenn saved his life, but the way he treated that hysterical boy made Glenn think it had more to do with the fact that Rick was just a good guy like that. Glenn walked over to Dale with a big grin on his face. "It's kind of like a miracle isn't it?" Glenn asked

"I'd have to agree son, only I'd take out the kind of," Dale replied.

"What are the odds?" Andrea asked. "What's the chance that he would find them here?"

Before any of them had a chance to respond Ed Peletier walked past and in the process bumped into Glenn hard enough to make him stumble. "Excuse you," Andrea said.

Ed turned. "You got something you want to say to me?" He asked.

"You bumped into Glenn, you owe him an apology."

Ed snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to hurt the chink's feelings."

"What did you just-"

Andrea was cut off by Dale. "Andrea," he said as he put his hand on her arm.

"It's all right Andrea," Glenn said. "It was an accident."

Andrea snorted in disbelief as she watched Ed walk away. "Do we have any roofs we could leave him on?" Amy admonished her sister for saying something like that and Dale sent her a disapproving look, but Glenn couldn't help but think that Andrea was probably right about the second-least-popular, the least popular now he supposed, member of the group. Ed wasn't particularly helpful around camp and everyone knew that he bullied his wife. The extent of that bullying was something Glenn never let himself think about for too long.

"Come on," Dale said. "Let's get these supplies to the RV."

Glenn was too busy helping Dale to focus on what was going on with the other members of their camp, so he was caught unawares when conflict inevitably broke out again. "Man you have got to be shittin me. I know you did not just say what I think you just said."

Glenn's attention was immediately captured by the confrontation going on between Rick and Shane. Lori and Carl were standing behind Rick, but everyone else was giving the two men space as they verbally duked it out. The only other person anywhere near them was Daryl, who was still standing next to the water. "Shane I have to do this. I can't leave a man to die that way."

Is he talking about Merle? He can't be.

"The hell you can't. Merle made his bed. Let him lie in it."

"That's not the kind of man I am Shane. It's not the kind of man you are either."

"So you're the kind of man that would abandon his family after he just got them back?!"

That's harsh.

"I just got my son back. How can I let some other little boy be made an orphan after I was just reunited with mine? It isn't right. I have to go back. What happened to Merle is my responsibility and I have to make it right." Rick's voice was firm and unyielding. Glenn found himself impressed by the tone even if the words themselves had no meaning for him. Merle had gotten what was coming to him. Glenn honestly believed that. What was Rick thinking?

"The ability to knock some woman up doesn't give a person's life inherent value."

Wow, now that is harsh.

"No, being a human being gives his life inherent value. Shane, I know you don't want me to put my life at risk, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I caused another person's death this way. Besides, it isn't just Merle." Rick paused. "I cleaned out the weapons locker at the station before I left town. I had a small armory with me in Atlanta and all of those guns got left behind when I was cornered by walkers. I don't know how many guns we have at this camp, but I'm going to guess the number falls somewhere around not enough."

Another heavy silence fell on all of them. The bag of guns by the tank, we could use those to make the camp safe. Oh man, I completely forgot about them. But that street was swarmed.

Shane finally replied. "It's a damn shame you dropped those guns, they would have been a real asset to the camp. But if you go back there by yourself you'll be dead and not only will we not have the guns, but Carl won't have a father again. Think about what you're doing man."

"I wasn't planning on going alone," Rick said.

"Is that right?"

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.

"That's right."

"You want to risk somebody else's life too? Who?"

Not Glenn. Don't say Glenn. Glenn, who's Glenn?

Rick looked directly at him. Glenn sighed. "Man, you suck."

"I know I already owe you more than I could ever repay, but you know the way and you're the fastest. In and out, just like you said. We leave first thing in the morning, grab Merle and the guns, and then we're back here in time for lunch." Rick sounded so confident that Glenn almost caught himself nodding along. "If you don't feel comfortable with this then I completely understand, but I would really appreciate the help. What do you say?"

How do I say no to that? Can I even say no to that? Oh geez.

"You won't be alone either way," T-dog spoke up from the crowd. "I'm coming too."

"T," Shane said. "The hell man?"

"I played my part in what happened to Dixon. I had the key. If I hadn't of dropped it he would have come back with us." T-dog took a deep breath to brace himself. He looked directly at Daryl when he spoke next. "I'll bring your dad back."

Daryl's eyes grew wide with shock. "Why?"

T-dog sighed. "I'm not even sure I know myself. But I will bring him back."

Another tear sprang to Daryl's eyes and he brutally eliminated it with the heel of his hand, rubbing until Glenn wasn't sure if it was the tear or the eye he was trying to destroy with his vigorous efforts. Finally he lowered his hand. "Thank you,"

Shane looked at Glenn. "You're too smart to go on a suicide mission like this."

"I've been questioning my intelligence more and more lately," Glenn said. "I'm in."

When did I become such a dumbass?

Lori came to a realization. This isn't actually happening. I'm dreaming. But was it a good dream or a nightmare? This is good. Of course this is good. My husband is alive. He was leaving her though. He was leaving again and maybe this time he wouldn't come back. Maybe this was all some cruel joke fate was playing on her. It doesn't matter though. You'll wake up soon and it will have all been a dream. Rick will still be dead. So just enjoy him being here for now, because you might not ever get this dream back. Lori shook her head. It was real. She was in her tent with her husband and her son was sleeping a few feet away. Her family was back together, but soon it would be ripped apart again and it was all real. "You can't."

Rick stopped getting undressed for bed. "Lori I-"

"I don't want to hear it." She let out a bitter laugh. "I don't care. You can't make all my dreams come true and then rip them away from me like this. It's beyond cruel."

Rick put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. Lori removed her necklace and then took Rick's wedding band from it. "This is all I had left of you. This and Carl were all I had to remember you by. I'd offer it back to you, but you're going off to get yourself killed tomorrow and I don't want to lose one of the last pieces of you that I have left. So I'm going to keep it."

For a moment Rick was stunned into silence and Lori thought she had achieved some kind of victory. Then he smiled. "What about the photo albums?" He asked

First Lori was confused, then she was mad, then she wanted to cry, in the end she just burst into laughter. She put her hand over her mouth so as not to wake Carl. "How did you-"

"They were missing from the house. That's how I knew you were alive."

Lori laid her head against Rick's chest. He wrapped his arms around her. "Baby I don't want you to go. I don't want to fight with you about it; I want you to just not go."

"What would I tell Daryl?"

What will he tell you? Lori silenced the voice in her head.

"It would be unreasonable for him to expect you to go back for his father after everything that happened in Atlanta. You can make him see that. Merle Dixon isn't worth it."

"I already said I would go. T-dog will go one way or the other I'm pretty sure and there's no way I'm letting him take the risk by himself. Besides," Rick hesitated. "Merle isn't the only person I'm going back for. Guns weren't the only thing in the bag I dropped in Atlanta."

Lori turned so that she was facing Rick. "What are you talking about?"

Rick sighed. "There's a man I owe a debt to. He saved my life. He told me about the refugee center in Atlanta and was going to follow me there with his son after he… took care of something he needed to do. We were going to use a pair of walkie talkies to meet up once he got close to the city. If I don't get the other one from the bag I dropped I'll have no way to warn him about what's waiting in Atlanta. He and his little boy will probably die. That will weigh more on my conscience than Merle Dixon ever could. This is a good man. I can't abandon him."

Lori sighed. She knew when she was beaten. She put Rick's ring in the palm of her hand and then wordlessly held her hand out, offering him the golden band. "I thought-" Rick began.

"You're coming back this time too. I know you are."

Rick could hardly contain his joy when he took the ring and put it back on the finger where it belonged. His lips were on hers less than a second later. All he wanted to say was thank you, but he didn't have the words. All she wanted to say was hold me, but she didn't have the words either. They used their bodies instead. This won't last. You better enjoy this now, because he'll never touch you again, won't even look at you, when he finds out. He will find out. If it weren't for that damn boy everything would be fine, but he will find out. This won't last.

Carol had just started folding when she saw Rick Grimes exit his tent. She waved him over and he obligingly walked to where she was. "These should be dry by the time you get back; do you want me to give them to your wife or just put them in your tent?"

"You washed my clothes?"

"As well as I could."

"That was very kind of you, thank you."

Carol smiled. She wasn't used to appreciation, and she knew it was likely to be a long time before she got any again. "It was no trouble. I had to do our stuff anyway."

"You're Sophia's mother right?"

Carol nodded.

"She and Carl seem to get along pretty well."

"She likes having other children to play with," Carol said.

"Do you mind if I ask you for a favor?"

Carol squashed the rising sense of apprehension in her gut. "Of course not," she said.

"Daryl, Merle's son, do you think you could keep an eye on him while we're gone? I know the kid must be having a tough time. Maybe you could help him stay out of trouble."

You can't even keep yourself out of trouble you stupid bitch. You can barely keep your own daughter safe. If this man knew the truth about you he wouldn't be asking you to do this, he would be telling you what an awful mother you are. As it so often did, Ed's voice followed her around even when Ed himself was nowhere in sight. "Of course I will."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"You don't have to thank me. It's the least I could do for the poor boy."

"The least you could do," Rick said "would be nothing."

Carol watched Rick walk away. That's a good man. He'll keep his son safe. He'll probably look after that other boy too if his father can't be found. Why couldn't my poor Sophia have a father like that? Of course she knew the answer, and Ed's voice was only too happy to remind her of it. Because you married Ed you stupid slut. That's why.

Dale sighed in frustration. "It's a goner."

"Yep," Jim spoke in the same casual manner about the RV as he did about everything, and it was only Dale's extensive knowledge of the younger man's body language that allowed him to pick up on how upset he was. It was all in the way he crossed his arms.

"I don't think more duct tape will do the trick this time," Dale said.

"Excuse me,"

Dale turned around. When he saw who had come to see him he smiled. Dale had nothing but good feelings toward the newcomer. "Officer Grimes, how can we help you?"

"First of all, you can call me Rick."

"That's easy enough, but a first of all usually comes with a second of all."

Rick chuckled. "Bolt cutters, I hear you have some."

"I might. May I ask-"

"Mr. Grimes,"

Rick turned around. Daryl was standing there with his crossbow over his shoulder and a determined expression on his face. "Hey Daryl, is there something I can help you with?"

Daryl shook his head. "I want to go with you, to look for my dad. I'm a good shot; I've taken down hundreds of squirrels with my crossbow. Plus a bow is quieter than a gun so I can take walkers down without drawing more. I'm fast; I won't slow you down."

Rick smiled at the boy. "I appreciate the offer, I do. I think you should stay here though."

"I can help," Daryl insisted.

"I believe you," Rick said. "That's why I need you to stay here. I'm already taking two able-bodied men out of camp. We can't spare more. You need to be ready to defend the camp if walkers get up here. I promise you that we'll be back with your dad before nightfall."

"I could go with you, and Glenn could stay. I don't think he really wants to go anyway."

"I need Glenn. He knows the way; you don't," Rick said.

"I could take T-dog's spot."

"T-dog has to come too. I already promised him he could. He feels responsible for what happened to your dad and wants to make it right. You can understand that can't you?"

Daryl hesitated, but then he nodded. "I could go with them, and you could stay here with your family. I bet your son would be really glad if you decided to stay here."

Rick smiled. "It's very kind of you to offer. But I have to go."

"You don't have to."

"Yes I do."

Dale watched Daryl bite his lip. The boy was clearly in intense thought. Rick waited patiently for his response. "I guess you do. Are you sure I need to stay here?"

Rick nodded. "I'm positive."

"Okay," Daryl said. "I'll stay." Dale watched the boy walk away. His shoulders were slumped in disappointment, but he had agreed to stay. Dale was impressed.

"My oldest was the same way," Jim said. "He wanted to be a part of everything. He told me once that if he wasn't there to supervise me I would screw everything up."

Dale was stunned that Jim had opened up about a topic he had previously been mostly silent on. Dale was one of the few people in camp that even knew about Jim's family, and here he was opening up about it in front of a stranger. Rick nodded in understanding. He knew enough not to press for more information. This guy knows people. He knows what the hell it is he's doing. We might have a real shot with him. "So about those bolt cutters," Rick said.