One more chapter to go.
…
Nine. Home.
Six days. It had been six days since they had been gone and her body was itching all over as if her insides were attempting to crawl from beneath her skin and escape. She didn't even know what to do with herself anymore. She cleaned the cabin and the treehouse from top to bottom until everything was practically sparkling. She had pulled weeds and plucked vegetables and cooked breakfast and dinner every day and chased after the twins. She had done everything she could think of to keep her mind busy and occupied because if she allowed herself a moment – just a moment – to sit down and think about Daryl and Eli and the rest of her family, somewhere out there, she wouldn't be able to breathe.
Anna seemed to be thinking the same thing; keep herself as busy as possible so it left little room to do or think of anything else. With all of the sheep, goats, chickens and still trying to tame Jasper the horse, Anna's days were more than filled with chores. She had had a small bout of morning sickness each morning, but one of Beth's teas always seemed to set her stomach right again and except for an afternoon nap Beth made her take, she was the same as always. It was still amazing to Beth that Anna, their little Anna, was actually nineteen now – at least – and now she was going to have a baby.
Beth was already taking stock of everything she was going to need for the delivery. Anna had helped deliver all of her children. Years ago, when she had been giving birth to Eli and he had been turned the wrong way, Anna had used her little hands and had turned him the right way so Beth could push. And then with Ruby… Anna always did everything she could do to make sure that Beth and the babies made it through the labor, alive and healthy. And Beth knew that she would do anything in this world to do the same for her.
After cleaning up from breakfast, Beth checked the diapers on Jack and Ceci, seeing that they were still dry and she took a cloth, wetting it from the hand pump in the sink and then began wiping at the blueberry stains both had around their mouths. Jack giggled, but Ceci tried turning her head one way and then the other to get away from the cloth and Beth smiled at both reactions. They might have been twins and just a little over a year old, but their personalities were already taking hold and shining forth and Beth already knew that they weren't going to be alike in many aspects.
If a baby could be a deep thinker, that would be Cecily. She had her screaming fits like any baby, but sometimes, she sat there with the slightest furrow in her brows as she watched everyone and everything around her and it was as if she was trying to work things out. Jack, on the other hand, was always smiling and laughing and seemed to find nothing, but amusement with everything around him.
Already, Beth couldn't wait to see them grow and see if these personalities changed.
Once their faces and hands were wiped clean, Beth lifted them from their highchairs and set them on the floor, the baby gates already up, keeping them confined to the kitchen. She then took her journal and sat down at the table, slowly turning through the pages. She had her personal journal on her desk up in their treehouse that she wrote in diligently every night before bed, recapping all that had happened to her and her family that day, and then she had this journal. It had taken her years and she was still adding to it, the pages filled with all sorts of things – sketches of plants and leaves and roots and berries, listing what each one was and what it could be used for – either food or medicinal or both. With a red colored pencil, she had made note when something was deadly and should be avoided. She had even taped samplings of things to the pages in case her sketches weren't enough.
Her recipes for her breads and cakes and soups were written out on the pages as well as well as how to can everything that they grew. This journal was probably the most important thing in the cabin, in her opinion. If they ever had to run from here for whatever reason, this would be the thing she would grab after her children. This journal helped keep them alive and it would continue to do so even after she was gone from this world.
Picking up a pen and turning to the next clean page, she began writing out the recipes that she had been working on over the past few days; the recipes that she and Anna decided were keepers. With the geese they now had, laying eggs every day, Beth was able to experiment making all sorts of things. Making pasta with a goose egg had given her the opportunity to make more pasta than she usually was able to with chicken eggs – one large goose egg to three chicken eggs – and Matt's comment from days earlier rang in her ears.
They really did almost have too many eggs now and it was a wonderful problem to have.
She thought of Paul and Samantha and she knew Daryl had made sure that they had left, but now, she wondered if maybe they couldn't have stayed. Maybe they could have fixed up the roof on the church and made it livable. Maybe Paul and Samantha could have discovered something useful they could do – something that Beth and the others couldn't do – and then they could have been neighbors, setting up a bartering system, exchanging eggs for something, and there could be the start of a community...
None of the adults liked the idea of having people around. They had lived in near isolation for so many years that when they did see another person outside of their family, it was almost shocking to the system. They had also all learned the hard way that outside of their family, for the most part, people just weren't to be trusted.
Jack and Ceci were beneath the kitchen table, chattering in their own language as they played with a couple of their toys and with the back door open, a warm breeze was blowing in, swirling around them and rustling the pages of her journal, and Beth could hear the gentle baas of the sheep as Anna let them lazily graze in their yard that day.
Beth stopped writing and leaned back in her chair, turning her head to look out the door.
Please God, bring them home safely, she silently sent a swift prayer upwards.
When her family got home again, Beth never wanted them out of their sights again. Her entire world was here in their home, on their farm, and without even one of them, this world just wouldn't work anymore.
She exhaled a deep breath, closing her eyes, forcing herself to just calm down. Everything was going to be fine. They – even the children – were capable of taking care of themselves and just because they didn't go out there anymore, that, by no means, meant they were rusty. They had all made it this far because they were strong and they were survivors.
They would be home. She just had to have faith and hope and she told herself that there was no reason why she shouldn't have either of those things.
"Ma!"
Beth's eyes opened when she heard her name and felt something hitting her knee. Pushing the chair back from the table, she looked down and smiled when she saw Ceci, the little toddler standing there, demanding her mother's attention. Beth gently pulled Ceci out from under the table and hefted her up to sit in her lap.
"Hi, baby girl," Beth smiled at her and Ceci smiled in return. "Do you miss your daddy and your brother? I miss them, too," she said before closing her eyes and pressing her nose to Ceci's sandy-colored hair.
Eli's hair had been this same sandy color when he was a baby before it began growing darker as he grew a little older. Now, he was her mini-Daryl and she wondered if Ceci and Jack would have their father's hair or if it would remain light like this.
With her eyes still closed, Beth could sense the sudden dimness of the room; as if a cloud had swept across the sun, momentarily diminishing its light.
"Dada!" Jack then exclaimed and Beth's eyes flew open.
She sucked in a breath quickly, nearly choking on it. Daryl stood in the back doorway, his crossbow slung across his chest, the weapon resting on his back, and he was smiling a little as he looked at all of them. Jack toddled out from under the table as quickly as he could and Ceci squirmed in Beth's lap to be put down so she could go greet Daryl, too. Beth set the girl down on her feet and the twins hurried to Daryl as quickly as they could get to him and Daryl crouched down, scooping them up in both arms, kissing their cheeks and hugging them tight. He closed his eyes and kept holding them and Beth slowly got to her feet, looking him over. He was really here and all in one place as far as she could see.
After another prolonged moment of holding them, Daryl crouched down, returning the twins to their feet and he then locked his eyes with Beth's. She could feel tears beginning to brim in her eyes and she blinked quickly so she could try and stop them before any fell. He took one step towards her and that was all she needed him to do. She rushed for him and slammed her body against his, her arms throwing around his neck and holding onto him as tightly as she could and she exhaled a shaky breath when his own arms tightened around her. He smelled like dirt and sunshine and Daryl and she closed her eyes, burying her face in the side of his neck so she could smell him and only him.
"Missed you so damn much," he murmured, his own lips to the shell of her ear, and Beth tightened her arms around his neck in response.
"Mom!" She then heard Eli shout and that was the only thing in the world that could get her to pull away from Daryl.
Daryl turned so Beth could hurry through the door and Eli had just entered through the gate, running and grinning when he saw her, and Beth ran, meeting him halfway. She dropped to her knees and he ran right into her arms and Beth knew that she was probably hurting the boy, but she couldn't seem to ease up on practically squeezing him to death.
First Daryl and now hugging her son, tears escaped and slipped down her cheeks and she knew that now that the dam had opened, there'd be no stopping it.
He was home. He had gone out on a run and he was home now, fine, and over her dead body would Beth ever let any of them ever leave ever again.
She began loosening her arms and Eli pulled his head back, looking at her with a grin.
"I'm starving," he said and she burst into laughter even as tears still ran down her cheeks.
"I'm going to make us a feast tonight," she assured him.
Everyone was back. They got the donkey and the wagon – filled to the absolute hilt – with supplies into the yard and the gate closed and locked heavily behind them all. They were home. Matt unhitched the donkey and Aaron had already gotten him a bucket of water, the donkey lowering his head and beginning to drink greedily.
Beth and Anna hugged everyone and everyone hugged Beth and Anna, tears and smiles and promises to never leave flowing from everyone. Spencer had been shot and when she saw his shoulder in a sling, Beth immediately went into doctor mode, not even looking at what had been brought back from Crispin in the wagon. She ushered him towards the cabin and then made Aaron and Rosita come, too, so she could look over them as well.
"Is anyone going to tell me what happened?" Beth asked, once they were all sitting in chairs at the kitchen table.
"No."
"No."
"Nothing happened," Spencer was the one to say. "I fell."
Beth raised an eyebrow at that. "On a bullet?" She asked dryly as she gently began to unwrap the sling.
"Weirdest thing, Beth," Spencer grinned and even though he had been shot, Beth was just so happy that they were all home, and that Spencer was there, grinning, she couldn't stop herself from smiling and rolling her eyes.
Rosita told her all that she and Daryl had done and Beth nodded, those being the exact same things she would have done for him and thankfully, it didn't look infected or getting to be that way. Rosita's stitches were tight and neat and they had been keeping it clean.
Next, she looked at the head wound on the back of Aaron's head and sifting through his hair, she saw that there had been a cut, but it hadn't been serious enough for stitches. They had cleaned it and that had been it. It was still a little tender though. And the bruise on Rosita's cheek was fading and only faintly visible now. She made willow bark tea for all three to help with the various aches and pains.
"Mom!" Eli cam hurrying into the kitchen and even though he was shouting and she knew she should remind him that he couldn't do that, she was just so happy that he was home, she could burst into song at the top of her lungs so she wasn't much for lecturing right now.
Eli grabbed her hand and began pulling her back outside where Daryl, Matt and Anna were standing at the wagon. Each time Anna made a move to pick something up, both Daryl and Matt seemed to instantly lecture her about lifting heavy things before one of them took it from her hands. It looked as if Anna was ready to snap both of their heads off.
Daryl turned his head when he saw Eli pulling Beth to the wagon and he gave a little smile, one Beth happily returned. She knew they had only been apart for six days, but it had been years since they had spent any significant time apart and her chest still ached from the amount of which she had missed him.
She went to him now and slipped both arms around his waist and if Daryl was surprised with the affection, he didn't act like it. Instead, he dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders and gestured his other hand towards the wagon.
"Take a look," he said.
Beth did and saw boxes and plastic containers filling every inch of the wagon.
"Plenty to go through and catalog," Daryl said and Beth nodded in agreement, her mind already racing with possibilities of what they had found in Crispin and brought back with them. "But first, got you a present," he said and Matt was smiling as if it was some cue and he walked to the front of the wagon, searching for something in one of the boxes.
"Daryl," Beth let out a little laugh as he covered her eyes with one of his hands.
"Alrigh'," he said. "There was a bookstore in town and we looked this up in a book, jus' to make sure. The instant kind, if it's stored tight and dry, it has a shelf life of forever."
Beth had no idea what he could possibly be talking about, but her stomach began fluttering with anticipation because suddenly, it could be anything. Anything in the world. What could possibly have a shelf life of forever?
"Hold out your hands," Daryl said, his hand still over her eyes, and Beth did so without hesitation. She couldn't help, but be excited. Daryl had bought her a present and it had to be a good one if he wouldn't let her look at it. Whatever it was, it was in a plastic container and had some weight to it. "Alrigh'. Take a look."
He removed his hand and Beth's eyes instantly blinked open to see what was in her hands.
And to think that she had almost lectured Eli about his shouting.
"Oh my God!" Beth screamed at the container of Instant Coffee in her hands, her voice echoing through the sky, and Daryl formed an actual grin and she threw herself at him, her arms around his neck, squeezing him for all that she was worth.
Daryl let out a chuckle and his arms circled around her waist, holding her feet above the ground, holding onto her tightly.
"See?" Eli smiled to Matt. "Told you she'd be excited."
…
As they walked the last leg of their journey back home that morning, Daryl had managed to track and shoot a rabbit, bringing it home for dinner, and after skinning and cleaning it, he rubbed a little salt on the exposed meat and put it over the fire pit in the yard to be roasted.
Beth got started right away on dinner as everyone else unloaded the wagon, crowding everything in the living room for the time being. They would go through everything and Beth would take inventory in her spiral notebook and then things would be stored in the downstairs root cellar or the closet beneath the stairs or taken into their bedrooms.
As promised to Eli, along with the roasted rabbit, Beth began preparing a feast for dinner that evening in celebration. With the noodles she had made with the goose egg that morning, she decided to make cabbage and noodles and she then sent the kids out to pick green beans and potatoes from the garden, roasting them in the oven, and then, for dessert, she was going to bake peach halves drizzled with honey and cinnamon.
Jack and Ceci were following Daryl everywhere, not letting him out of their sights – toddling after him as he walked in and out of the cabin, dropping off a container and then going out to get another one. They tripped as they scurried and Daryl smiled each time he looked behind him and sure enough, they were still right on his heels.
Christ, he had missed them and he knew that it had only been six days, but he swore that the twins looked a little bit bigger to him.
When he came out to the wagon, he saw that Anna was the only one standing there, refolding some blankets as she put them in a basket so they could be washed in the creek later. He paused for only a moment before continuing, coming to stand next to her.
"How you feelin'?" He asked her. Anna's eyes flew to look up at him, slightly wide with surprise, and he couldn't help, but smirk a little. "You've always been shit at keepin' secrets. Ever since you were a little kid. I can also read you like a book."
Anna smiled a little at that and resumed folding blankets. "I'm tired, but I'm good." She paused and looked back to Daryl. "You're not going to kill him, are you?" She had to ask.
Daryl nearly smiled at that and knew why she was asking. He had known this girl since she was six-years-old and she had become his daughter – all of their daughter – in every sense of the word. He loved her like mad and there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect her. It wasn't a secret to any of them just how protective he was of Anna.
It was damn funny to see how Matt had been avoiding his eyes for the past few days.
He dropped his arm around her shoulders and tugged Anna into his side. "Nah, I'm not gonna kill 'im. You're over eighteen and you're married and there's no reason for me to kill 'im. And I guess you love 'im?" Daryl posed the last part as a question.
Anna gave a laugh and a nod. "A lot."
"But jus' be glad that Mulligan isn't here, 'cause we both know he wouldn't be able to make you the same promise."
Anna smiled at that and wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him tightly.
Daryl glanced to the cabin before back to Anna. "How has Beth been?" He asked quietly.
"Missing you and Eli like crazy, but trying to hide it from me," she answered just as quietly.
Daryl nodded. That sounded about right. Beth – even all of these years later – liked to just prove to everyone just how strong she was; as if anyone had any doubt about it. Sometimes, Beth still saw herself as the girl from the farm; weak and not much of a use to anyone. As if there was any doubt that they would have made it this far and this long without her.
Hell, if it wasn't for her, he would have kept sitting on his ass in the woods after the prison, staring into that pathetic little fire and letting the first walker come and get him. Beth had been the one to get him up and force him to walk with her and look for the others. And if she didn't know that, he would walk right up to her right now and call her an idiot.
In a loving way, of course.
Anna gasped when someone began playing music from inside and Daryl gave her a smile.
"Aaron found it and knew we had to bring it back with us," Daryl told her.
"Oh my God…" Anna covered her mouth with her hand as the record of Almeda Riddle played from inside, singing I Love My Little Rooster, and she felt tears flood her eyes.
Mulligan's family had had one record of the woman singing songs from these mountains, and now, from the sounds of it, they now had another. Listening, it made her chest ache.
She wiped at the tears slipping down her eyes and she laughed a little. "Hormones," Anna said and Daryl smirked, grabbing another container from the wagon.
Just what they needed. Another crazy, hormonal pregnant lady.
Good thing they were all used to it.
…
Eli was calling Aiden, "General", and Beth had no idea why, but she knew that it probably had to do with Spencer, Rosita and Aaron's wounds and as they all sat down together for the first time in six days to eat their dinner feast, she realized she didn't really want to know. Daryl had made a promise to her to keep them all safe and he hadn't broken it and that was what mattered to her. Spencer would heal and they were all back and safe and that was all she had wanted. What happened out there, in the grander scheme of things, did it even really matter?
Judging by the number of boxes and containers piled up in the living room, it had been a good run – better than good – and Beth had containers of instant coffee and the kids all had a box each of chocolate bars and she hadn't gone through everything yet, but there was more food and spices and clothes for winter and not that they were before going to Crispin, but now, definitely, they were going to be just fine.
If they were able to ration this all correctly, the kids would still have some of this when they were adults.
That thought nearly brought tears to Beth's eyes just as she thought of it.
Once they were all done with dinner and finished their peaches, most of them went into the living room to begin going through their loot. Anna stood up with a yawn and Matt was instantly at her side.
"Want to go to bed?" He asked her and Anna didn't even hesitate in nodding.
They left a few minutes later, heading back to their room next to the barn, Matt carrying a box that he had set aside specifically for them – filled with new baby onesies and other clothes as well as pacifiers, a soft fleece blanket and a stuffed lion that rattled.
"Look, mom!" Eli said as she and Daryl began clearing the plates from the table.
Beth looked to see what Eli was holding and she smiled when she saw him holding up a Jenga box. She laughed a little. "I haven't thought of that in years," she said. Eli came and brought the box to her and she took it, looking down to the familiar game. "Your Uncle Shawn and Aunt Maggie were so competitive when they played this game, your Grandpa Hershel threatened to lock it up so they couldn't play it again. It got so bad when they did, they would start throwing the blocks at each other, diving behind the furniture. It was an all-out Jenga war."
Eli grinned. "And did Grandpa lock it up?"
"When they broke a lamp, he definitely did. He put it on the top shelf in a locked box on his closet shelf," she smiled, her mind taking her back to the farmhouse, years earlier. She could all still see them perfectly and she was glad for that because she was always worried that they would begin to fade over time. "And I was the youngest and the littlest so Uncle Shawn put me on his shoulders and had me reach for it and then Aunt Maggie picked the lock. All of that trouble just so they could play it again," she said with laughter in her tone.
Eli kept grinning. "I think me, Aiden and Bee want to try it tonight. Will you play with us?"
"Of course," Beth smiled. "Let me just straighten up a bit more and then we'll play here at the table," she said and he grinned before turning, running back into the living room where everyone else still was, opening the boxes and containers to see everything… they had.
Beth went to the sink and using the hand pump, she began pumping water into the sink.
A bottle of blue Dawn liquid dish soap suddenly appeared in front of her and she looked at it for a moment before she began to laugh. Taking the bottle, she set it down and then turned, putting her arms around Daryl's waist and hugging him tightly. Daryl's arms went around her shoulders, holding her close and tight against him, and his lips went to her hair.
Soon, her laughter had trailed off and her body began to shake and Daryl realized she was crying. He dipped his head down, putting his lips to her temple.
"Hey, now," he murmured to her quietly as she cried warm tears of relief and exhaustion against his throat. "Hey. I'm right here, Beth. We all are. And I promise, I ain't never leavin' your side again."
…
The last chapter will feature some zombie apocalypse homesteading because I know some of you like that.
Thank you very much for reading and please take a moment to review!
