Onto the second half of the story...! Thanks for reading! :)

The sun had just come up. Carol stood on the front porch and enjoyed the air of the the cool summer breeze. It was truly a beautiful day outside. One of those perfect summer days.
She smiled and took a deep breath taking in the summer scent trying to enjoy the moment. One of the very few beautiful moments in this world.
She felt a hand touch her upper back.
"Carol, daddy needs us."
She turned and nodded to Maggie. It was time.
She followed Maggie up the stairs.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Carol cringed at the sounds coming from the bedroom. Screams of pain. Screams of fear.
Maggie opened the bedroom door.
Carol walked to the side of the bed and held Lori's hand.
"You can do this."
Lori tried to give Carol her best smile, but she wasn't fooling anyone.
Hershel looked at Lori. "Lori you are one of the strongest woman that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and this baby is lucky to have you as a mom. Now I'm going to have you start pushing on the count of three."
Carol looked down at her friend, her best friend. Lori was terrified and she knew that. She couldn't even begin to imagine the things that this woman had been through.
"Lori trust me." She gently squeezed her hand.
Lori nodded.
"Alright... One, two... Three."
Lori started to push.
"Ahhhhhhhh! Shit... Oh god!"
"Keep going Lori you are doing amazing."
"Ahhhhhh!"
"I see a head. Come on Lori you're almost there!"
Lori's face turned bright red as she gave a few more silent pushes. She was determined to get this baby out.
Carol looked down and saw the most beautiful sight. A precious little baby girl, so innocent, untouched by this cruel world, so perfect.
"Lori it's a girl."
Carol put her fingers through Lori's hair and kissed her forehead. Maybe everything was going to be okay.
Lori smiled and mumbled a few words. "A g..girl... Ohh... My b..baby girl..."
She drifted off.
"Shit Maggie Carol! She's bleeding."
Carol didn't know what to do. Everything was happening so fast. Maggie and Hershel were running around the room grabbing gauze and anything to stop the bleeding. She heard them yelling at her for help but everything had stopped for her. It was like time had been paused.
"Lori?" Carol whispered. "You can't leave us damn it! No you can't do this Lori!" She was now screaming and sobbing.
Maggie touched Carol's shoulder. "Carol! We need your help to stop the bleeding."
Hershel felt Lori's pulse and shook his head.
"She's gone."
Those two simple words, she's gone. She knew it would happen but it still hurt like hell. She had just lost her best friend.
The baby started crying and Carol snapped back into reality. She had made a promise to take care of the baby and she intended to keep that promise.
Carol picked up the crying baby and walked out of the room. She couldn't handle watching Maggie make sure Lori didn't turn.
Carol rocked the baby gently.
"Shhh it's going to be okay sweetie. Shh I am going to take care of you."
She looked up and saw Daryl standing in front of her staring at her.
"If you've been standing here I assume you know what happened."
"Yea... Rick asked me to come up here and check on things... I... I don't know what to say."
"Just hold me."
He wrapped his arms around Carol as she sobbed on his shoulder. He tried his best to keep his composure but he let a few tears of his own fall.

Rick walked around the porch in circles with his hands behind his head.
Carol stood in the doorway holding a baby, his baby. When he saw her he dropped his arms.
She shook her head.
Rick didn't think before he dropped to the ground. His sobs echoed throughout the house.
"NO!"
"Rick... I... I'm so sorry."
"NOOOOO!"
Carol started crying again. She couldn't do this. It was all too much.
Carl watched his father, sobbing, broken apart. He just stood there and watched. Carl was in shock, he didn't believe this was actually happening.

Maddie ran inside past Carol. Daryl followed her into the kitchen. He watched as she sat down and started to cry.
"Maddie?"
She looked at him and quickly looked away. She didn't want him to see her crying.
"Maddie what's wrong?"
She looked at him and didn't say anything.
"Maddie.."
"I hate this."
"I know... I hate death too but there's nothing we can..."
Maddie interrupted him. "No I hate life... Living like this."
Daryl was taken back. He had no idea what to say to this child. He couldn't blame her for saying that but he wished she hadn't. He had thought she was happy. He had missed it, he hadn't seen that she was upset. He was pissed at himself. He should've seen it this whole time.
"Maddie..." He had nothing to say.
"I don't want to live in this world anymore. Everyone is dying."
"Ya know that ain't true. That baby... She's a sign of hope. Hope that new life can begin."
"Yes but she is going to have to live without a mommy. And I know what that's like... It stinks."
Daryl shifted uncomfortably. What could he say to make this young child feel better? There was nothing.
"I know Mads, I know."
She gave him a sad smile. "Thank you for taking care of me."
Daryl looked at her surprised by that.
"Of course. Me and Carol wouldn't let anythin bad happen to ya."
She nodded. "I know."
"How about we go work on your shootin later? Get your mind off things."
She nodded.
Daryl knew that this child was not shielded from the world any longer. She knew the truth and the darkness that came along with that.

Carol sat in the living room and rocked the baby in her arms.
Maggie and Glenn had went to the town a few hours ago to try and find some baby formula.
The baby girl started to cry.
Carol closed her eyes, she was exhausted.
"I know your hungry sweetie, food will be here soon I promise."
She rocked the baby again.
"Please stop crying sweetheart."
Carol leaned her head back again the chair.
She felt a hand rub her left shoulder. She looked behind her and saw Daryl standing over her protectively.
"I can take the baby, how bout ya go an get some sleep."
She loved that he cared so much.
"Are you sure? Aren't you taking watch?"
"Carl insisted that he take watch duty... I tried to protest but I can't reason with that kid."
"He needs some space. He just lost his mother."
"Ya I get that."
She smiled. "Of course you do."
She handed him the baby and went upstairs.

Daryl went into the kitchen and found Rick sitting at the table staring at the wall. He looked like shit.
"Rick?"
He continued to stare at the wall.
"Do ya wanna see your kid?"
Rick turned to looked at Daryl who was holding his baby.
"It's a girl."
Rick stared at the little baby, wrapped in a small blanket.
"A girl?"
"Ya."
Rick nodded. "Hmm."
"Ya wanna hold her?"
He shook his head. "I can't. I can't even look at her Daryl."
"Rick it's your daughter."
"All I see is... her when I look at that baby. I don't want to hold her because I know... I know the pain I will feel." He started to cry.
"Rick... It don't have to be like that. Lori wouldn't want this."
Rick turned bright red. "THE HELL YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT LORI WOULD'VE WANTED! Fuck you Daryl! Fuck you!"
"Damn it Rick! You need to snap out of it. You have two fuckin kids ya gotta raise. They already lost their mom and they can afford to loose their dad too!"
Rick fell silent. Daryl was right. He just didn't know how the hell to be a father to the kids that would forever remind him of her.
Daryl stared at Rick for a while longer and decided to leave the room. There was nothing more to say.
He knew someone that would actually want to meet his little sister.

Carl stared out to the distance, looking for walkers. He was trying to keep himself distracted. Carl had promised himself that he would be there for his dad and his little sister. He wouldn't go off the deep end like Rick. He couldn't, there was no time for that.
"Carl?"
He turned around and saw Daryl holding his little sister.
Carl smiled.
"Ya wanna hold her?"
"Yeah."
Daryl placed the small baby in Carl's arms.
Carl smiled at his little baby sister. "Hi, I'm Carl and I'm your big brother."
"You should think of a name for her." Daryl suggested.
"I was thinkin Judith... My mom always liked that name and I really like it too."
"I think that's a great name."
Carl nodded.
"You wanna watch her for a little bit? I think I'm gonna go get some rest if that's okay?"
"Yeah I would love that."
Daryl smiled and walked away.
He walked upstairs into Carol's room. He needed to be close to her.
He opened the door and stared at her. She was fast asleep, so beautiful.
He closed the door behind him. He snuggled in bed next to her. She moved around a bit as he put his arms around her, kissing her neck.
"I'm here baby... I'm here."

Carl sat on the front porch holding his baby sister. She was the most beautiful baby that he'd ever seen. She gave him a sense of hope that new life was possible and it was possible to be happy again. Judith brought him that happiness.
"Carl?"
He smiled at Maddie.
"Hey Maddie."
"How's the baby?"
"She's good, I named her Judith."
"That's a really good name, I like it."
"Thanks."
An awkward silence fell between the two of them. There was a big elephant in the room that they were both scared to bring up.
"I... I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your mom."
Carl looked at the ground as his smile faded away.
"It's okay."
"I know what it feels like, I know I was really sad when my mommy and daddy were gone."
Carl nodded his head. She did know what he was going through except she had lost both parents...
Maddie continued. "If you need to talk about it I can help if you want."
Carl laughed softly. A six year old was trying to help him and somehow he found that kind of funny.
"Thank you Maddie, I will let you know if I ever want to talk."
Maddie smiled proudly and nodded her head.
It felt good to help people. Maddie wanted to help this group, her group. She knew she could do so much to help and she was willing to do that.