I know that last chapter was long but the muse said to hit the "go" button and I did. Rick and Andrea are in the circle. This chapter will be short because some things need to be said between two friends. Carol forgave Rick because she was forgiven by Tyreese and because she is naturally a forgiving person. Daryl may forgive but he will never forget.

Forgiving Ain't Forgetting

Breakfast the next morning was relaxed and happy. Jesse was taking Carl, Lizzie, and Mika on a long ride. Michonne, Andrea, and Carol were going to Market Day to find some things for Andrea. They would take Jude with them. Daryl frowned at their going unescorted but by now most everyone in Adair knew that Michonne and Carol were spoken for. Andrea would attract attention but she could handle herself. Daryl has asked Rick to help him cut up some more trees for the winter.

They all gathered to watch the riders go out. Jesse was taking them on a long ride so that they could exercise their horses and to see more of the mountain than they had seen before. Carol was fidgety watching them leave; she liked it when they were all within eyesight. Unbidden the image of Sophia sliding out from under that car came to mind and she just let it come. Daryl was feeling a sliver of fear himself and he grabbed her hand giving it a reassuring squeeze.

The women went into the house to finish cleaning up breakfast and to get ready for some retail therapy. Michonne had planned on going with Jesse but she wanted to spend more time with Andrea. She recognized that Andrea had lost her whole family in the ZA, bonded with the Quarry group and then was left behind by them, spent a winter with Michonne, met Philip Blake and fell for the lie that was Woodbury, left Woodbury and was captured by a paramilitary group that enslaved her, and then she had escaped slavery and reunited with her Quarry group and Michonne. Andrea could use some TLC for a while.

Daryl drove the truck and Rick took the four-wheeler and the trailer out a mountain road to fall the fallen trees. Daryl showed him how to cut the limbs and drag them out of the way. They were using power saws and cutting the tree trunks into round chunks that they were loading onto the vehicles. Ashton had a log splitter and they would use that to split the logs into usable lengths for firewood. The noise of the saw might attract a walker so you needed to pay attention to what was going all around you all the time.

Rick's muscles had been hardened by days spent in the Georgia sun working with just hand tools. This was almost a vacation, compared to that. The air was still cool from the night and there was some shade from trees. Rick figured that Daryl wanted to talk to him and this was a place that they could talk without interruption.

They stopped for a break and some water. Daryl sat down on the tail gate of the trunk and Rick sat down beside him. Daryl squirmed a bit and started talking, "Rick, I am glad that you made it out of the prison and the slave plantation, but we need to get a few things straight between us." Rick nodded.

Daryl went on, "This place is called McAllister Mountain for a reason. The McAllisters have lived up here for a very long time. Living here means being part of the McAllister Clan and it is understood that your allegiance is to the clan. Patrick McAllister is the war chief and he runs the MMB to defend Adair and this mountain. You and me are never going to be in charge. Carol is a McAllister and they love her and will protect her". Rick had met all sorts of cousins last night and it had been obvious that Carol was part of a very tightknit family.

"Rick, you broke Carol's heart when you threw her out, but you did me a big favor. I had to make a choice, Carol or the group. I chose her and that has made me a happy man. I will always love and protect Carol. I have Lizzie and Mika and I will love and protect them."

Rick found his voice, "Daryl, I asked Carol to forgive me and she did. I should have stayed out of that mess. I had plenty of time to think about all that when I was working as a slave. Some things are better left buried. I respect that Carol and the girls are your family."

Daryl took another drink of cool spring water and looked around the work they had done this morning. "I found Carl trying to save Jude in the prison. Michonne and I took turns carrying her all that day and night. Carl kept up with us. Jude kept quiet just like she knew that she shouldn't cry. We were almost done the next morning and Carol was supposed to leave without us. She came after us instead. You have your children because of what we did. They belong with us, you can be their dad but they stay here on the mountain."

Rick was getting angry, "Those are my children and I am grateful for what you did."

Daryl broke in, "We aren't going to take your children but they belong here. You know that."

Rick remembered the crib in Carol and Daryl's bedroom and the clean sweet smell of Jude when he picked her up. Carl had shown him his horse and he saw the pride and care with which the boy tended his horse. This mountain was his children's home now and if he wanted to be with his children it would have to be his home as well." Rick asked, "How is this going to work?"

"You will live at our house until we get someplace built, and there is one more thing to clear up. Andrea," Daryl said. "She might have shot me one time but she also saved Carol the night the farm fell. Andrea has been mistreated for the last time; Carol and I intend to love and protect her and we expect that from you too."

Rick shook his head, "I would have gotten myself killed the first week at the slave plantation if it wasn't for Andrea. I didn't even get to talk to her but just seeing Andrea reminded me that I had something to live for. I was a man with children and friends somewhere and if she had found a way to survive, then I could too."

"I would never have gotten out if Andrea hadn't planned the whole thing. I owe her my life. I wouldn't hurt her," Rick said, "I think she just needs some time to herself to get back on track. She is a survivor".

Daryl said, "We need to get this work done so that we can get on home." So Rick and Daryl went back to work because they both wanted to get on home. The homestead was empty and Daryl decided that they should go to market day. They took the suv that Rick and Andrea had come in down to Adair.

…

Michonne and Carol had to convince Andrea to go to Adair. She was nervous about leaving the house and meeting other people. Michonne drove and Carol beside her. Andrea sat in the back beside of Jude who was being particularly adorable this morning. Andrea had never been around babies much but she found herself laughing at Jude's joyful babble.

The market wasn't so bad, Carol and Michonne seemed to know all sorts of people that wanted to stop and talk. Andrea tried to remember names and faces but she gave up after a bit and just enjoyed being in a group of people having a good time at an outdoor market on a nice sunny day. They were looking for clothes that fit Andrea and Jude who was in some sort of growth spurt.

Carol bartered for some cheese and freshly made pasta. Andrea found some jeans and tops that fit and everything was handled through barter. Michonne did most of the negotiations; she could still use her ninja face to good advantage, but Andrea could see that she had definitely loosened up. Michonne was more laid back and Carol was much more decisive and confident than she had been at the farm.

Carol saw Daryl and Rick coming through the crowd and smiled. Daryl really hated when she came down here without him; he liked to tease her that she was too generous in her barter. Andrea saw Carol smile at Daryl and looked past him to see Rick. Michonne muttered in her ear, "Remember you gave up sex." Andrea laughed at Michonne. Rick took Jude from Andrea and they walked through the market together. They bartered for things that they needed and when Jude got tired Andrea and Rick decided to go on home. Michonne said that she would ride back with them to see if Jesse was back yet.

That evening they all went to Jesse and Michonne's for dinner. Tyreese was a wonderful cook and he and Sasha had made a welcome to the mountain dinner for Rick and Andrea. They got back to the homestead before sundown. Daryl, Rick, and Carl walked the fence line, checked out the barn, and just generally made certain that everything was secure. Daryl had heard that there had been some robberies on farms around Adair in the last week so he was being extra careful about security. Lizzie and Mika were sitting on the porch steps and Carol and Andrea were sitting on the rockers when the men walked back to the house. Jude was playing in her playpen on the porch and all was right in the world.