A little time jump and we catch up with what's been happening at Fort Dixon.

Sacraments

"Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (John 20:23).

"I christen you Tara Alma Josefina Martinez, in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen." Father Gabriel said, using a clean white cloth to wipe the water from the blinking infant's head. She frowned up at him with solemn big brown eyes and he smiled down at her before returning her to her father's arms.

Caesar kissed the baby's head, tears in his eyes, and Lily leaned over and did the same, holding Meghan's hand as she stood beside her, beaming. It had been her idea to name her new little sister after her beloved aunt who had died trying to save her grandfather.

On either side of the little family stood Carol and Daryl there as the child's godparents. The idea that he would be responsible for anyone's moral upbringing had given Daryl pause, but he'd also been humbled that they'd chosen him to do so. To his continual amazement, with three children of his own, in everyone's eyes he was admired as a full-fledged father figure.

Two months after their arrival, the members of Gabriel's group had started to blend in with the residents of Fort Dixon in many ways, some of them quite surprising. Mary had proved a natural at running the kitchens while her sons had gravitated to scavenging and trade missions, playing a sort of "good cop/bad cop" with those whom they found to do business with.

The good father had asked permission to hold once a week services in the main lodge and the Council had given provisional approval for them, wanting to see what kind of attendance he would get and also to see if anyone protested. His congregation had grown over each of the last eight weeks and today's baptism had almost the whole place, except for those on watch or patrol, crowding the hall.

"The sacrament of baptism asks for the consent of the congregation of believers to care for the child's spiritual well being." Father Gabriel said, addressing the assembled. "It goes without saying that her emotional and physical health will also be the responsibility of not just her parents and godparents but the entire community, because that's what we must be if we are to survive in this new world."

He raised his hands in the air and bowed his head as he gave the benediction:

"The Lord bless you and keep you, may he make his face shine upon you, go with the peace of the Lord." then he lowered his hands and smiled. "A feast of celebration has been prepared in the main dining hall and I'm told there are actually pies for dessert prepared by Sister Mary and our fine cooks who've been working all morning."

The service over, people started to stand and leave, but their attention was arrested by two little girls, holding hands, running up the aisle.

"Whoa there, half-pint!" Daryl said, kneeling swiftly to stop Rose while Carol moved in front of Judith to intercept her.

"What'd he do to Baby Tara?"Judith asked, her worried eyes rising to the tiny girl and then scowling at the priest.

Carl came in right behind the girls, looking apologetic.

"She's okay, sweetheart." Carol soothed, putting her hands on Judith's shoulders.

"Sorry—she got out ahead of me." Carl said, knowing some people were still leery of Judith being allowed to run loose after her actions during the herd attack. What she had done to the spy, Linus, wasn't common knowledge; everyone concerned deciding to keep quiet about the incident. Judith had been protecting her father and no one should be allowed to fault her for that. Still, someone was always at her side, usually Carl or Michonne, sometimes Beth, Daryl or Carol, keeping it in the immediate family.

"It's all right, my child." Gabriel said, smiling down at Judith reassuringly, "I would never harm a hair on her head."

"Why'd you put water on her?" Rose asked, more curious than worried.

"It's a sacrament of the Christian church," Father Gabriel elaborated. "To protect little Tara from harm."

Rose looked up at her mother and father in confusion. Her parents were not church goers, and though she knew some stories from the Bible, the explanation of the tale of her hand carved Noah and his animals and the baby Jesus at Christmas time for example, the concept of sacraments would be beyond her.

"It's a special ceremony." Meghan said sagely, acting the big sister, "Like when your mommy and daddy got married; remember?"

Rose seemed slightly less confused, but still frowned and looked to her father for confirmation.

"We all just promised to watch out for her," Daryl nodded, "Like we do for you and your brothers n' Judith... all the kids."

Beth and Sara came up holding the squirming twins who reached out for their parents, cranky after seeing them up front and not being allowed to be with them.

"We didn't wet their heads." Rose frowned at her brothers as Carol and Daryl each took one of the little boys to cuddle them close.

"It's something that was important to her mama and me." Caesar said, "It isn't for everyone to have to do."

"Riders at the gates!" Mark came rushing in with the news, out of breath.

"Hostiles?" Daryl asked, holding Charlie closer.

"I don't think so—they asked for you." Mark grinned. "Leader's an Asian guy. Said to ask you how big your head is now to have named the place after yourself."

"Glenn?" Beth exclaimed, grabbing and quickly releasing Carol's arm in excitement before she ran down the aisle.

Leaving the children with Caesar, Lily and the others in the relative safety of the lodge, Carol, Daryl and Carl quickly followed Beth, heading for the gates.

"Do you really think it's them?" Carl asked, "After all this time?"

"Levi said he'd bring them." Daryl replied.

The young Marine had left six weeks ago, determined to find out what had happened to the rest of his group from the base that still hadn't arrived at the Fort. He'd promised Beth that he would also stop in King County to bring word of her and Judith's survival to the rest of the people from the Prison and tell them how to find the Fort. It seemed he was as good as his word.

"I hope he's with them too." Carol said hopefully. Beth had missed him terribly and had kept herself busy acting as nanny to Rose and the boys just as she had been to Judith back at the Prison. She'd found a kindred spirit in Sara, who had also been taken and held by brutal men and together they had started support group of sorts for others who'd suffered similar ordeals.

Daryl took her hand and slowed her.

"And Tyreese?" he asked, worried about her.

"Carl—go to the Clinic and let them know." Carol said instead of answering Daryl.

"On it!" Carl said, peeling off to head for the building they'd just passed and leaving them alone.

Daryl pulled Carol to a stop before they reached the turn off to the main road leading to the gates.

"Everyone here is past it, but we don't know here Ty's head is at." Daryl said.

"We don't even know if he's with them." Carol said calmly, squeezing his hand. "If he is, we can handle whatever comes, Daryl. I'm not worried."

The look Daryl gave her said he was and she pulled him close.

"You're always on my side, aren't you?" Carol asked him, putting her arms around his shoulders and smiling up at him, chasing away his frown with a quick kiss to the side of his mouth.

"Always." Daryl told her, his hands framing her slender waist as he turned his face to kiss her more thoroughly.

"You two should wait here." Michonne's voice sounded from behind them. "Let us see what the situation is first."

Carol and Daryl turned to face her and the two others that she was with.

"I'll talk to them, Carol; let them know how it is." Rick said. Still weak from his ordeal and thin as a rail, he had Carl supporting him on one side and Michonne on the other.

"You shouldn't be up—we were going to bring them to see you." Carol admonished him.

"I told him that, but he's even more stubborn than you two." Carl protested.

One of the things that had bought Father Gabriel and his groups' way into the Fort had been their cache of Cipro and other vital medical supplies. Rick had lost about six more inches of arm in the end when they had to clean away the necrotic tissue, but the extremely strong antibiotic had finally knocked back the infection and his fever broke after two courses.

"I need to do this, Carol." Rick said quietly, meeting her eyes, "I owe you this."

Carol stared at him for several beats and then finally raised her chin in assent. Daryl released her, took her hand and started walking. The five of them continued down the road to the main gates in silence; their hopes for who would be waiting for them there occupying their minds.

It was a party of four people, their vehicles left outside the outer wall with the rest of the group, standing looking up at the palisades on the inner wall where Beth stood, barely able to contain her excitement.

"They're coming now, Glenn!" she announced after checking over her shoulder. "Daryl will let you in—oh God—I can't believe you're here Daddy! Maggie! and... and with..." and she burst into tears.

"It's okay, sweetheart." Levi's familiar drawl called out soothingly, "We're all here, safe and sound."

"It's so good to see you, doodle-bug." Hershel said, leaning on the young Marine's shoulder, almost overcome as well to see his youngest looking so well.

Daryl appeared on the wall beside Beth and she impulsively hugged him. Unlike the Daryl of old, he didn't freeze up, but instead gently hugged her back, understanding her joy at seeing her family again.

"You know I have to ask them a few questions before we can let them in, right?" Daryl said softly.

"It'll be okay, Daryl." Beth nodded as she released him, wiping at her eyes. "I know it will."

"Good to see you found them, Levi." Daryl called down, choosing to speak first to an already established member of the Fort community.

"They were a big help getting us back here—your friends are pretty bad ass, Dixon." Levi said appreciatively, looking at Hershel and then smiled at Beth, directing her next remark to her. "I can see where you get your spunk, Miss Elizabeth."

Beth returned the happy smile, bouncing up and down on her toes.

"So you found your platoon?" Daryl asked Levi.

"Only five of them; the rest decided to stay with Vicki or went off with that damn Irishman to Savannah." Levi said with disgust. "He's turned it into a open city; lots of free trade opportunities—it's like a Wild West boom town there."

"They're welcome here if you vouch for them." Daryl said, "We can always use good people."

"Thank you, sir." Levi said rather formally, but winked at Beth.

Glenn was frowning as he listened to the exchange, wondering why Daryl was talking to Levi and not him.

"Good to see you, Hershel, Glenn, Maggie. Can you tell me who all is with you, Glenn?" Daryl asked, turning to the young Korean, his tone not overly friendly.

"Levi said you're a big cheese here at Fort Dixon..." Glenn said, "That mean you run this place?"

"We have a Council—right now let's just say I'm the welcome wagon." Daryl told him in measured tones.

"Is Rick alive?" Hershel asked. Levi had explained that he was trying to find his men hoping they had the antibiotics needed for the former leader of the Prison group.

"He is." Daryl replied. "Getting stronger every day. We were able to trade for the Cipro."

"And Judith? Carl? Michonne? They're really here?" Maggie asked.

"All safe and sound." Daryl nodded, repeating Levi's phrasing. "How about you all?" he pressed. "Any sickness or other worries?"

"Nothing catching." Maggie told him. "From our group there's ten: Sasha and Bob; the kids and... you don't know her, but there's Gwen... she and Tyreese were..." Maggie stopped, tears filling her eyes.

"He didn't make it." Hershel said sadly, "Died a month ago saving her when we got caught out by a herd on the road."

Daryl wasn't sure what to feel. Part of him was saddened to hear of the big man's death, but another part was relieved that Carol wouldn't have to face him.

"She's pregnant," Hershel continued, "And not having an easy time of it. If you have a doctor who could see her I'd appreciate it."

"We have a midwife, Sara... she and my wife see to most births here." Daryl said evenly.

"Your wife?" Glenn asked, clearly surprised. He exchanged raised eyebrow looks with Hershel and Maggie.

They had asked Levi not to say anything about Carol to the former prison group, not wanting to spoil Beth's chances of being reunited with her family if they might choose to stay away. Both Hershel and Maggie had been told by Rick what Carol had done during the outbreak, and both had gone along with her exile, just as Michonne had.

"Go get the rest of your people and bring them in." Daryl said, motioning them through the gates, "I'll introduce you to her and the kids."

"Kids?" Glenn echoed, but Daryl had already turned away, followed by Beth after she gave the new arrivals all a big welcoming wave.

"You'll need to turn over your weapons at the gate." Abraham called down to them, "Fort policy."

Glenn nodded and then he and Levi went back towards the outer gate to get the rest of their groups while Maggie stayed with Hershel, hugging, in tears over finally being able to see the sister and daughter they had feared lost forever.

"Daddy and Maggie and Glenn can stay with Levi and me –oh, but the kids! Maybe we can squeeze them in with—" Beth was babbling excitedly, making plans about living arrangements as she stood next to Carol, Rick, Carl and Michonne. Daryl was waiting closer to the gate with Sam and Abe, all of them on alert, knowing that any time they allowed newcomers in they were also allowing the possibility of danger to enter the Fort.

In a show of solidarity, Rick reached out and took Carol's hand in his remaining one, giving it a tentative squeeze, as unsure of the welcomeness of the gesture as Carol was that Glenn and the others would be happy to see her.

Carol closed her fingers around Rick's, accepting his comfort and support for what it was. A small relieved smile played at the former sheriff's lips.

Daryl glanced back at his wife when the gates started to open, and gave a little sigh when he saw the gesture. When he'd arrived, Carol had told Daryl that Fort Dixon was a place for second chances. He was glad to see that she was letting Rick have one with her. The alternative would've been for Rick to leave, surely taking Carl and Judith and in all likelihood Michonne with him. None of them wanted that.

Carol gave Daryl a tight smile and took a deep breath, but then her vision clouded as the gate swung open and she saw Glenn, his hair long and unruly, his eyes bright, a big grin on his face as he saw Daryl, who held out his hand with an equally happy smile. Glenn used the proffered hand to pull Daryl in for a hearty hug, perhaps emboldened by the one he'd earlier seen Daryl endure from Beth.

The hug degenerated into back slapping in the way that man to man hugs often did, and then Maggie was next for a brief one with Daryl before Beth was on her and Glenn, and their reunion, crying and laughing, made everyone watching tear up.

"Thank you for finding my little girl." Hershel said to Daryl, raising his left hand to put it on Daryl's shoulder.

"I had help," Daryl said, his head turning to indicate Rick and Michonne, bracing himself for the reaction to Carol.

"Well, my God." Hershel said in almost a whisper. He looked at Daryl as if in confirmation of who he was seeing, grasping onto the other man's shoulder tighter. "You found her, son."

Daryl nodded, his look full of his love for the woman for whom he'd looked so long and hard.

Hershel nodded back, but before he could approach Carol, Beth was there rushing into his arms.

More people kept coming through the gate, the next set included Sasha and Bob, who was carrying a small sleeping boy with black curls, about two years old, in a Bjorn sling against his chest, and then three other children, two of whom Daryl recognized from the prison, mop-top Luke, and Lizzie's sad-eyed sister, Mikka. The last child was a tough looking little urchin of about four with a cap of raven black hair and curious green eyes taking everything in carefully—the perfect blending of Rhee and Greene—obviously Maggie and Glenn's. The five Marines, three men and two women, were flanking the kids and the pregnant woman Gwen protectively.

Beth released her daddy and then greeted the patiently waiting Levi with a shy but passionate kiss. She then linked her arm through his to come and stand with Maggie, Sasha, Bob, Hershel and Daryl.

Rick and the others slowly came forward. Sasha looked furious, Bob looked worried, Maggie looked astonished, her mouth coming open in a gasp, but Glenn sprinted across the distance between them and wordlessly pulled Carol into an embrace, his face full of wonder and relief.

"She found her way here too?" Sasha asked Daryl, her mouth curling in disdain as she looked at Carol. "And what does your wife think of you welcoming a murderer into the place of safety you made for your family?"

Sasha and Maggie looked at Daryl for explanation.

"Ain't like that. Carol started this place." Daryl explained, "I found her here about a year after I left you all..."

"She's your wife." Maggie said, looking accusingly at Daryl and huffing out a breath in understanding. She'd known how the archer and Carol felt about each other. When Rick had told them that Carol had confessed to the killings and he'd sent her away, Maggie knew Daryl would take it the hardest.

Daryl nodded, watching Sasha's face. Of all of them he knew she'd be the last to forgive. Her brother was all the family she'd had left and he'd been devastated by Karen's death. Losing him on the road here had left her a mass of raw emotion.

"She saved all these people; she's done her penance and more than paid for what she did back at the prison." Rick said adamantly.

"Just because you've absolved her doesn't mean we can automatically trust her." Sasha said bitterly.

"Rick's forgiven her." Daryl told her, "And I'm sorry about Ty, but he was a kind man and I think he might've forgiven her by now too." he shook his head a bit grimly and added in warning, "If you can't, there's no place for you here."

"You know he let it go, baby." Bob said solemnly, carefully putting his hand on Sasha's back and slowly rubbing it in soothing circles.

"He did, Sasha." the new woman, Gwen said. She looked more Irish than Maggie with auburn red hair and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She was tall, as tall as Daryl, with sympathetic blue eyes and a calming quiet manner.

Sasha looked over at her, torn between righteous anger for her brother's sake and her exhaustion. She knew they all needed this place, especially Gwen and the children.

"We talked about it; what he would do if he ever saw her again." Gwen said, meaning Carol. "He came to understand that she did what she thought she had to protect the people she loved. It's what he did. It's our privilege to be here to offer her his forgiveness."

The child Bob was carrying moved restlessly and then awoke with a cry, rubbing at his eyes.

"We get to start over, Sash, all of us." Bob said, easing the little boy out of the carrier and handing him to her to hold. He cuddled in, burrowing his face into her neck and wrapping his arms and legs around her.

"Mama, do they have horses here?" the green-eyed urchin sidled up to Maggie and leaned against her leg. "Grampa said they prob'ly would n' that guy gots a cowboy hat." An accusing finger pointed at Carl.

"We do indeed." Daryl said in a friendly tone, crouching down to child level. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Dale Hershel Rhee, who the hell are you?" The child stood up tall, eyeing Daryl suspiciously, protectively stepping in front of Maggie.

"Dale! Language!" Maggie said quickly, blushing slightly, "Daryl's a friend."

Dale stuck out a grubby hand for Daryl to shake.

"I'm four." Dale said conversationally, frowning slightly and looking around while shaking hands with Daryl, "You got any kids around here?"

"Horses and kids." Daryl said, "My girl Rose is about the same age as you, but my boys are still little."

"Little like Thomas?" Dale smirked and looked back to the little boy Sasha was holding, confiding, "He's toddled. Falls down all the time and still wears stinkies. Can I play with your Rose girl?"

"If your mama and papa say it's okay." Daryl agreed, his eyes rising to Maggie's. "If you're staying..."

Dale looked up at Maggie hopefully.

Glenn, Hershel and Rick stood flanking Carol supportively with Beth, Levi, Carl and Michonne all nearby, waiting to hear what Maggie and Sasha wanted to do.

The two women looked at all of the people they cared about surrounding them. Sasha boosted Thomas up a little higher against her chest and kissed his head, rocking him slightly from side to side. Maggie looked down at Dale and then over at Glenn, who tilted his head at her questioningly. Carol didn't move, but her hands were shaking so she curled and uncurled them into fists, fighting to stay calm.

Then Maggie lowered her head in determination and walked swiftly forward. Alarmed, Daryl stood, but Carol held up a hand to stop him and stood her ground as the younger woman came to her. Maggie stopped right in front of her and looked into her eyes.

"I'm glad... I'm glad you're okay... and that Daryl found you..." Maggie said, reaching out and enfolding her in a careful hug.

Exhaling in relief Carol hugged her back.

"Three? You and Daryl? Really?" Maggie said into Carol's ear with a short incredulous laugh.

"Yes," Carol smiled, wiping at her eyes. "Dale is precious, Maggie."

"Mizz Carol?" Mikka's soft voice drew everyone's attention to her as she stepped forward.

Daryl had to grin when he saw the flummoxed look on Carl's face. At fifteen, Mikka was a lovely willowy blonde teen, holding hands with ten year old Luke.

"Mikka!" Carol said and releasing Maggie, she held out her arms to the girl who let go of Luke's hand and ran to her.

While they hugged, Luke approached Daryl and shook hands with him, both of them remembering how Daryl had saved him in Patrick's walker attack on the D block all those years ago.

"I missed you so much!" Mikka said, "But Mr. Tyreese took good care of Luke and me; he said he knew you'd want that."

"He did?" Carol asked and the girl nodded.

"He said that?" Sasha asked, coming closer.

Carol let Mikka go and faced Sasha.

"He did." Mikka told them, "He knew she'd promised my dad to watch out for Lizzie and me—he felt real bad he couldn't save her too—but I knew he tried." she sniffed as she thought of the big gentle man. "Mizz Sasha and Gwen and he took good care of Luke n' me. Mr. Bob too."

Bob smiled at her, thanking her silently for the mention. It was for her sake, for all the children's that they'd decided to follow Levi back here to the Fort. He'd fight Sasha on this if she didn't want to stay. He respected Daryl and liked Carol, had even understood what she had done; wasn't so sure he wouldn't have done the same if it came down to it.

"Hey Carl." Mikka said, catching the older teen's eye with a shy smile.

Carl blushed crimson but managed to stutter back a, "H-hey."

Everyone grinned at that.

"Looks like you joined the club." Hershel said to Rick, gesturing at his arm. Then he looked at Michonne. "You do the honors?"

"Daryl helped." Michonne nodded.

"Yeah, he's good like that." Hershel agreed dryly, remembering how Daryl had helped hold him down while Rick took the hatchet to his leg.

"Daryl always does what's right." Rick said, with no trace of irony, his look at Daryl including Carol.

Daryl moved to stand next to his wife, putting his arm around her.

"I'm sorry about Tyreese." Daryl said, looking at Sasha and Gwen. "He was a good man."

"Thank you." Gwen said, "He said the same of you." she looked expectantly at Sasha and when the other woman still didn't speak she shifted her gaze to Carol and held out her hand.

Carol took it.

"And thank you for offering... for allowing us the opportunity to live here in the home you've made..." Gwen said.

"You're staying?" Carol asked, putting both her hands around Gwen's.

"We're staying." Gwen said, looking pointedly at Sasha. "We need this, Sasha. All of us."

Sasha still didn't speak, but she did nod in silent agreement.

Bob put his arm around her, mirroring Daryl's hold on Carol.

"Welcome to Fort Dixon." Carol said with a hopeful little smile.

AN: There are traditionally seven sacraments in the Roman Catholic Christian faith, three of which are important in this chapter: baptism, marriage and reconciliation, also known as penance or confession. The sacrament of penance is considered the normal way to be absolved from mortal sins which would otherwise condemn a person to Hell, which we heard Carol worry about in her talk with Daryl in the S5 episode "Consumed." On the TV show she confessed to Rick and Tyreese about the deaths at the prison, but only Ty knew about Lizzie because of his participation in what happened in "The Grove." Carol hasn't confessed the truth of that incident to anyone, meaning she hasn't been able to find absolution for what she sees as a damning mortal sin. I despair of the TWD writers ever letting her have that with Daryl or at all.

Thanks for sticking with this one; I know it's been awhile since it was updated. I think one more chapter to wrap things up-it's been a wild ride!