Leaning close to the cradle, Rick reaches his hand in to touch Judith's small one. She looks over at him and grins, tightening her grip on his finger. He smiles and leans in to pick her up; he lifts her into his arms and sits back on the bunk. He pulls her to his chest as he holds her. Leaning his head back, he closes his eyes as he cuddles his daughter.

"You okay," the soft voice asks.

"Come and sit with us," he replies.

He feels the bed depress as she joins him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just thinking about her life, what she will be like when she grows up."

"That's a wonderful thing to think about."

"It's a father's wish for their daughter to grow up to be a strong, confident young woman who knows what she wants from life and takes hold of it. It's a father's prayer that she grow up, find love and be loved in return. That's all any father wants for their little girl."

"I guess this is the voice of reason talking."

"No, more experience than reason. I will tell you, I will be sitting on the porch with a shotgun when she starts dating any boy."

"I can see you doing that."

"I bet your daddy would have had a shotgun on me if I came around you before all this."

"He still does have a shotgun waiting on you."

"I know, but if we had met before all this, I think it would be worse."

"True."

"What do you want for her?"

"To know how much she is loved by so many people, how much her mother loved her and even gave her life for her."

He clears his throat and looks over at her. "You're still here."

"Rick, I'm not her mother."

"You are as far as I'm concerned."

"I don't think Carl feels the same way."

"He will come around at some point."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then it's his loss." He rises from the bunk and holds his hand down to her. "C'mon."

She takes his hand and rises. They walk out the cell together and down the stairs. They walk over to where Hershel is sitting, reading his bible and sipping on a cup of something. "May we join you."

"Of course," he smiles as he looks up. He notices they are holding hands. He closes his bible and reaches for Judith. Rick slides her into his arms as they sit across from him. "I have missed holding this little one. All these extra people, I seem to have a following."

"It's a good thing too," Rick smiles. "It's a father's prayer for his daughter that she grow up, find love and be loved in return. You don't have to worry about Beth … that's been answered."

"By who, you?" Hershel asks.

"No, us … me and Judith," he replies with certainty. "May I have your blessing to love your daughter the way she needs. I will never let anything happen to her."

"I know that," Hershel replies. "I adhere to the right to steal this child whenever I want."

"On what grounds?" Rick asks, looking perplexed.

"Grandfatherly duty," Hershel replies with a straight face.

Beth's hand flies to her mouth as she trembles slightly. She reaches her hand out and takes hold of his. "Thank you."

"I can't wait to see you tell Maggie," he chuckles softly. "Yea, daddy gonna be in trouble won't he." Judith smiles at him as she looks over at Rick then giggles softly. "Yea, Aunty Maggie is not going to be a happy woman will she."

"Aunty Maggie won't be what?" Maggie asks as she walks up. She stops as she realizes what Hershel had said. She sits down and runs her fingers through Judith's hair. "Don't listen to grandpa, Aunty Maggie is just fine with this." She reaches her hand out and grips Beth's tightly.

"Does that mean I can officially start spoiling her?" Glenn asks as he leans over and holds a small teddy bear out to Judith. "This is for you sweetheart." She reaches her hands up and takes hold of the bear and pulls it down to her. She hugs it to her as she smiles broadly. Glenn reaches over and pats Rick on the arm. "Welcome to the family."

"You too," Rick smiles as they watch Judith cuddle the bear.