Summary: When Daryl defends Charlene from his father's unwanted advances, they are pulled into a painful misunderstanding with the law and Will Dixon. Daryl/OC, Rick/Beth. AU at first but then moves into ZA. Co – Written with alycenwonder. Rated M for violence, language and sexual scenes.

Special Thanks To: Daydreamer123, Quest, Guest, WalkingPotterGirl14, Kima Wolfwood, jeanf and missy7293. You people rock. Read alycenwonder's story, A Walk In The Dark.

Warning: This chapter has rape and mentions of past attempted rape.

Carrying On

Chapter 12


"So what's happening Rick?" Glenn asked as they sat down to eat.

"Today, we'll look for the infirmary and the armoury." Rick said and they all nodded in agreement.

"What about me, dad?" Carl asked eagerly.

"You need to stay back, if anything happens, you'll be the last man standing," Rick said, and Carl nodded hesitantly.

"I can do that." He said pulling down his cowboy hat.

"I'm in," T-Dog added.

"Be careful, daddy," Beth said quietly as she hugged Hershel.

"Be careful, Daryl." Charlie said to Daryl quietly as she watched him grab a flashlight. "I'll stay here with Lori, just in case." That way if something happened Lori and her baby could stay safe.


"Does that hurt?" Charlie asked Lori, pressing on her stomach. She felt the tightening of her abdomen followed by a quick release.

"Yes, it hurts." Lori winced, gripping the table she lay on. "I'm, pretty sure it's labour."

Charlie was sure it was to. But she was also worried. She could tell the baby hadn't turned properly. She couldn't risk giving birth like this.

"Beth, get my medical bag, Carl can you get some towels and Carol I need clean water." She instructed. Lori's was definitely in labour. Her contractions not far apart in such a short period of time.

"It hurts." Lori whimpered grabbing Charlie's hand tightly in pain until the contraction passed and she could breathe again.

"I know, don't worry Lori, it's going to be okay." Charlie said praying it would be. Beth and Carol came back with the items she had asked for as Beth seeing Lori.

"You need to let me have a look." Charlie told her, laying Lori back once again, having moved the woman onto a small bunk in an empty cell.

"Mmmm." Lori didn't answer, just did as she was told.

Charlie took a look under the hood. She was dilated fully but Charlie was even more worried as she removed her hand. "Is that blood?" Beth gasped, looking down at Charlie's hand.

"Okay. Beth we need to try to turn the baby. I can do that by moving Lori's stomach. It could work but I need your help." Charlie moved to Lori's stomach and showed Beth where to press down. But after ten minutes it hadn't worked. "This isn't working." Charlie grumbled.

"Just do it." Lori said, knowing what had to be done. "Please."

"Lori... This place isn't sanitary, you might not survive, and there would be a high chance of infection not to mention internal bleeding." Charlie told her. "We need to get back to the cells and..."

"No, look... It doesn't matter." Lori told her. "We need to get the baby out now. I know what it means, I know I won't survive, but I need you to save my baby. Carl has a knife, you can use that." Carl crawled over to his mother. "Promise me that you'll stay strong and won't let this world beat you. You'll do the right things; it's so easy to make the wrong decision now. But you are so brave and so smart and I am so proud of you," she said tearfully, as Carl felt bad for a second and leaned down to hug her.

"Take care of your father, and your brother and this baby. I know Rick and I don't see eye to eye anymore, but he's not a bad man," she said before looking at Charlie.

"I need you to do this for me now," she said quietly. "Please... before it's too late for the baby as well."

"Carol," Charlie said, trying to keep her voice steady, "I need you to move over a bit and hold Lori's shoulders down very firmly. This is going to hurt when I do this, and if she jumps or moves I could accidentally cut too deeply or I could harm the baby..." She nodded and moved into position.

Lori looked up at the ceiling dreamily and murmured, "Good night, love."

Charlie stripped off a sheet and handed it to Beth. "Here, please use this to wipe the blood from the wound as I cut so that I can see." She took a deep breath and made the incision in Lori's abdomen. The woman's screams made every hair on Charlie's body stand on end. It was almost unbearable.

Nevertheless she parted the flesh along the cut line open slightly and reached her hands in. "The cord's wrapped around the neck, hold on," she said to Carl. She reached further in and the others saw her arms moving around at the shoulder. "There we go," she said almost to herself.

She pulled back and brought a blood-covered infant out of Lori's womb. The baby remained limp and silent. Charlie cradled it in her arms and placed her mouth over the baby's nose and mouth and alternately sucked and spat out the fluids that blocked the child's airway.

"Alright, the baby's breathing." Charlie said quickly. "We need to get out of here and find the others, she needs formula or something, let's move." she said as she wrapped the baby up in her jacket and got up.

"What about mom?" Carl asked quietly. "She's gonna turn if we leave her."

Charlie gave the baby to Beth as she walked to where Lori was.

"No," he said firmly. "I have to do it."

Charlie, Beth and Carol stood just outside the door with their backs to the boiler room. The gunshot startled the baby and she began crying again.


Charlie paced anxiously as the small baby girl screamed in her arms. The group hadn't returned yet and Charlie worried that they might not be back. "That's them!" Carl said, pointing towards a door to another part of the prison.

"Is that?" Rick said stopping ten feet away from Charlie. His face went to the small child in her arms and then to Carl. "Where is your mother?" He asked. Carl shed a small tear and looked to the baby girl. "No." Rick said shakily. Then he did something no one expected.

The man dropped to his knees, face in his hands. And he cried.

Rick sniffled and then looked down at Carl's resolute face "No, no, no…." Carl walked stolidly past everyone and into the prison without speaking.

Charlie watched Rick break down in front of all of them as she rocked the softly snuffling baby. Daryl wordlessly came over and pulled her into his chest as she felt tears swim down her face. There had been no other options. She did what she had to do. People sometimes had to die in order for others to live. It was part of her job.

They all watched in a grief ridden silence as Rick broke down, rolling and sobbing on the floor like a wounded animal before jumping up and grabbing an axe. They watched in horror as he stormed into the part of the prison that led to where Lori had died.

"Let me see the baby." Hershel asked softly and Charlie gently placed the baby in his arms as he and Carol along with Patricia looked over the newborn baby.

She's healthy enough but she needs formula or she won't survive." Hershel told them gravely. Charlie had figured as much.

"We ain't losin' anymore people." He said firmly. We need to head into town.

"Glenn and I are comin." Maggie said, grabbing her jacket. "You'll need us."

While Daryl, Maggie and Glenn had gone to get formula, Charlie and Beth cleaned up the baby and made sure she wasn't covered in afterbirth. Beth got out a baby onesie with butterflies on it that Lori had carried around.

They dressed her and made sure she was clean and had a diaper on as she cried softly, clearly hungry. Charlie tickled her belly, trying to distract her with Beth.


Glenn, Maggie and Daryl pulled into the small town around mid-day. They weren't sure just where they would look but figured once there they would find somewhere.

"There's a day-care." Maggie said pointing to a small house in the middle of a down town street. It looked old. A heritage house with a past. A little white picket fence stood tall and proud. "I think we should check it out."

They opened the gate as they headed inside the day-care. They looked around the rooms for any walkers that might be around, they only found two nursery teachers.

After taking them out, they headed into the kitchen where they grabbed all of the formula and saw names on the wall.

Sophia.

He felt a wave of sadness hit him as he looked at the name. Distracting himself he found cans of formula and heard something in one of the cupboards, he opened it to reveal a possum.

Thinking quickly Daryl stabbed the thing right in the face. It shrieked loudly before dropping from the high cabinet to the floor with a loud thud. "What the hell was that?" Maggie asked, raising her weapon towards the sound.

"Dinner." Daryl laughed, grabbing the thing by the tail and holding it up for the two to see.

Maggie looked at him and tilted her head to the side. "Really?"

Daryl shrugged, "We ain't got much else." He said pleased to see a smile bloom on her face as they grabbed the supplies and got on the bike back to the prison.

As soon as Carol let them in the gates, they hurried back into the prison. It had already started to get dark, they had been away for a couple of hours. They headed back to the canteen. Daryl took the baby from Beth who had been rocking her, as she went to boil water for the formula. When it was done she mixed some and handed it to Daryl... Everyone, aside from Charlie, looked shocked as Daryl started to rock the baby and smiled as he gently gave the bottle to her. Daryl looked at the others with a shit eating grin as the baby settled down. "She got a name?" He asked Carl. He knew what he would call her... Little Asskicker. That is what she would become. He would make sure of it.

Carl gave a small shrug and turned away slightly. "I thought maybe Amy... Jacqui," he began, and Charlie smiled sadly at the names of the people they had lost. "Or Sophia... Lori..."

"What about Lil' Ass Kicker?" He asked, and everyone smiled properly for what felt like the first time in ages. "Lil Ass Kicker? Ya like that? Ya like that, sweetheart?"

"Guess we found us a baby whisperer," Hershel exclaimed, continuing to be surprised by Daryl Dixon.

Charlie smiled as she watched Daryl bond with the baby, it was really beautiful. "Where is Rick? It's getting kinda late to be out in the other cell blocks."

"I'll go check on him." Hershel told her, touching her shoulder with a smile. "You stay here and take a break. It's been a long few days... You did good."

Charlie smiled back. It sucked that Lori had lost her life but she had done all she could do. This had been the only possible outcome of all this. There was no other way... At least something sweet and small had come out of it.

"Wanna hold her?" Carl asked with a small smile as he stared back at Charlie.

Charlie gave him a soft smile. "Sure," she said softly, as she saw Daryl come over and gently place the little one in her arms. "Hey, Lil' Ass Kicker," she said smiling as the baby reached up and tugged on her hair. Its eyes were so big she thought as she stared back at her.

She smiled at the beautiful little baby girl and rocked her gently as she cooed happily at her, her blue eyes sparkling. Little Ass Kicker snuggled into her happily and she stroked her soft tufts of red hair gently.

Charlie hummed a lullaby that her grandma would sing to her as a child and Beth joined in, Little Ass kicker cuddled her as a soft smiling Daryl watched his woman bond with the baby.

"Judith." Carl said out of the blue.

"What?" Charlie said startled.

"Her name... It's Judith." Carl said again smiling at the small child. "Dad isn't here and I am choosing."

"Okay." Glenn said softly, "Welcome to the group Judith."


Hershel left the smiling group to enjoy themselves as he went towards the next cell block where Lori had died in a cell. Rick had come for him when he was upset. He owed the man this much.

He found the man covered in blood, his gun lying on the floor along with his hatchet. Rick wore a look of absolute grief on his face as he was held a telephone in his hands.

"Where are you, Lori?" He whispered brokenly. Hershel sat down in a chair and watched quietly. The man was ruined.

"Rick?" Hershel asked gently. The man looked up at Hershel.

"I heard her on the phone Hershel, she was talking to me and telling me she loved me." Rick said bitterly as he looked at his wedding ring numbly. "But I think she loved Shane more."

"My wife loved my best friend more than she loved me, she cheated on me." He said pained. He knew it hadn't really been her fault. She had thought him dead. And once he came back and she knew he was alive she stayed faithful. But it had still hurt.

"Carl and the baby need you, Rick." Hershel said gently.

Rick looked at him, he knew Hershel was right and got up unsteadily as Hershel guided him back to the cell block where the others were and he saw Carl holding the baby quietly.

Beth gently gave him a basin filled with water so he could wash up and he nodded at her, she smiled softly at him. Rick didn't want to go near the child but it was enough to know she was alright.

"Has she got a name?" He asked Carl softly who nodded with a small smile.

"Her name is Judith Grimes."

"She looks like ya." Daryl said from where he stood next to Charlie and Beth.

"Maybe we can go get some air?" Rick suggested. "I'd like to ...ah...see how the fences are holding up." Rick said, looking away from the child.

"Of course! We'll all go Rick," Hershel grabbed his crutches, wanting to be there with Rick. Tomorrow they would have to bury Lori...


Rick got washed and dressed the next morning, it felt nice having a small bath in the river as he saw the others waiting for him at Lori's grave with Beth holding Judith in her arms as she softly cooed. He had to admit the girl was helpful.

They all went outside to where the cross was stuck in the ground next to the freshly dug grave. They watched as Rick walked towards the cross and sat down wordlessly in front of it. Carol went to find some flowers, and came back, placing one down on each grave.

They all stood in a respectful silence for a while when Rick got up and walked to where Carol, Charlie, Beth and Carl stood quietly.

"Thank you, for saving my little girl all of you." He said to them and hugged each of them.

"Thank you." He said to Daryl, Carol, Beth and Charlie, Carl stood beside his father.

"No need to thank us, Rick," Carol said softly. "She's family, you are too," she said as she patted him on the back gently.

That's what they were now. All each other had.

It didn't have to be by blood but they were family and cared about each other, hell they would fight side until all this was over.

Beth sang softly to Lori as the others stood listening. They began going back into the prison as Glenn and Maggie got ready to go on another run and Beth started running a little bath for Judith.

She smiled at all of them, her blue eyes twinkling as she grasped Rick's finger.

"Hey there." He choked out as he looked down at the small child. She really did look like him. That was a relief to him.

When a child is born most say that they are meant to look mostly like their father. This was so that long ago a man would know he was its father and fight to keep it safe. Survival.

"She will be safe Rick. I got her." Beth said happily, knowing that Rick was becoming anxious around the infant.

"I know you will, thank you, Beth." Rick said gratefully as he left and walked around the prison yard. He had time here. Time to think about their next move. But did he want that?

Beth hummed softly as she bounced Judith inside the prison... She smiled as they sat on a bench and watched the clouds through a small window. It was cloudy but not humid as she stroked Judith's cheek. She cooed and grasped Rick Beth's hands.

"You Daddy will hold ya soon. He loves ya I know it." Beth whispered to the small girl. She could make out Rick's figure through the window as he stared out across the open court yard. He was a wonderful, beautiful man. She knew she never had a chance with him. But she cared. Because of that she would help him.

She smiled and rocked Judith gently as she took her to her own cell for her mid-morning bottle.


Daryl and Charlie had decided to look around the prison when they saw a room that held wires and heaters. They cautiously went inside and found only two walkers roaming around aimlessly as they took them out silently and looked around.

"Think we can get them working to have power and hot water?" Charlie asked curiously as Daryl looked around.

"Not sure. I don't think there is power going anywhere these days. We would need to hook up a genny. Don't have one though..." Daryl worried about that. Until they were a little more stable he wasn't sure they could spare the fuel. "For now I say we mention it to Rick. Maybe we'll get lucky and find some way to make it work." Maybe they would find a way to hook up a solar panel? But then they would need to find one... Daryl didn't have the first clue how any of that worked.

"Maybe, might be able to." Daryl said gruffly.

"We can look for solar panels." Daryl told her as they decided to look for the prison. They got ready to leave and said goodbye to the others.

"We won't be long." Charlie told Hershel who nodded and watched them leave. At least she hoped not. They had no idea just where to look.

They drove on Daryl's bike to save more fuel as they reached the town and looked for a store that did solar panels.

The two headed towards town. They knew it was likely they wouldn't make it back that night but it didn't much matter. Rick knew not to send anyone after them.

"Isn't that the truck that Glenn and Maggie took?" Charlie asked Daryl as she saw the small truck parked on the side of the road. Charlie got a cold feeling all over.

"Yeah it is." Daryl said frowning.

"Where are they?" She asked worriedly as she looked around. Daryl saw there had been a struggle as he guided her to the bike and that was when they saw a grey Humvee blur past them. Daryl grabbed Charlie, shoving her fast behind a nearby car.

"What the hell was that?" Charlie asked still in shock. The last time they encountered people had not been good. Daryl led her back towards the bike and they climbed on.

"We gotta tell Rick and the others." Daryl said grimly as he turned on the engine. It started up. They drove back to the prison worried over their two missing group members.

Charlie couldn't help but think that they were wasting time. They should have followed that Hummer. "Who the hell is that?" Daryl said, breaking her concentration. Looking up she saw what he had been talking about.

A woman stood behind the fence line of the prison. In her hands she carried bags of what looked like... Formula? "Why does she have that D?" Charlie said suspiciously.

"I ain't sure, Char." Daryl said as they hurried to where the others had noticed the mysterious woman.

Charlie waited for Rick and approached the fence line with caution, taking out her pistol and flicking off the safety.

"Who are you?" Rick asked forcefully, but the woman didn't answer, instead she swayed weakly.

"Are ya bit?" Rick asked taking notice of the bleeding at the woman's side.

"Gunshot," The woman answered, correcting Rick.

"Rick! She's carrying baby formula," Daryl noticed the cans in the basket. That was when the walkers seemed to pick up her scent.

They started closing in on the woman, and she pulled out a katana, starting to kill the walkers. But she was unsteady on her feet, and the next time she went to swing her weapon, she dropped to the ground.

"DAD!" Carl shouted, as he rushed to the woman's rescue. He shot at the surrounding walkers before going out to help bring her in.

They helped the mystery woman inside as Carl dragged in the baby formula. Hershel tended to the woman as getting an IV set up and Charlie saw she had been grazed by a bullet to her left calf as she started bathing it and the woman hissed.

"Where did ya get the formula?" Daryl asked wearily as he stood close to Charlie who tended to her with Carol helping her.

"Your friends were getting it when they got taken by people in Woodbury." The woman answered quietly and paused. "Figured you would need it... Look they were taken." Michonne said. She had left Andrea behind. All she wanted was to get her back.

"Taken by who?" Rick said angrily. His people were gone and he wasn't comfortable sitting here without action.

"The Governor." Michonne said quietly. She only hoped this group was better than that one. "Merle shot me after I left Woodbury, the Governor doesn't like people leaving the place." Michonne said bitterly.

Daryl stilled at the mention of his missing older brother as Rick, him and Charlie exchanged a look.

"My brother wouldn't do that." Daryl said firmly as Charlie grasped his hand tightly.

Charlie looked at Michonne, "You said Merle... Is he okay?" She shrugged off the thought of him shooting her. She knew Daryl loved his brother but she also knew what Merle is capable of. This was one of those things.

"Hunky dory."

"Right, we should get ready to leave." Rick said firmly and they all nodded as T - Dog came over. "We can't just leave them with that man. If he is the way you say then they might not have much time. What do we do about Merle, is he coming back here?" He asked wearily and Daryl glared as did Charlie.

"He's my brother, man." Daryl growled warningly at the man who ignored him.

"If Merle has gone off the reservation... We might have to look at him a little closer D." Charlie said, knowing he wouldn't like it. "If he hurts one of our people... They may not want him with us. We could lose them."

"We ain't havin this conversation! My brother is kin. We find him, he comes back here with us. End of topic." Daryl snapped, grabbing his bow.

They all headed to the small grey car. "We follow Michonne. When we get close we walk." Rick ordered. Then they left to find their people.