A/N: this is a work of fan fiction and not meant to infringe upon the properties of Kirkman/Moore/AMC.

Now that I have caught up with the show, I am taking the lead from the comics. I am hoping to skew it in just the right way that no one will be truly spoiled :). If you'd like to listen to the Redemption Playlist, you can find it by searching for Leah Pensotti on YouTube :) it features songs and artists mentioned in the story as well as chapter names :)

Redemption (The Road to Alexandria)

By Leah Pensotti

Chapter 26: Five Weeks Later

Anna loved being in the sunshine. Especially with Judith.

She was finally able to physically do what she wanted to, even though her shoulder was still weak, the wounds had shut and had begun to heal. The stitches came out of her shoulder and cheek. The shoulder would always look bad, but her face was beginning to look better. The bruises and ungainly swelling had dissipated, and a pink scar now ran from her inner cheek to the apple of her cheekbone. She hoped that the pinkness would fade over time.

On that particular afternoon, Anna was harvesting tomatoes and peppers from the garden...the only things she had manged to clean up and get healthy in the backyard, but she was nonetheless excited about. Judith grasped a fat green pepper in her hands and squealed with delight.

Carol called to them from the back porch, "Need any help carrying them in?"

"No, we're fine. Be back in a few minutes. Thanks for the offer, though."

Anna stood and picked up Judith and then the basket full of fresh veggies, which she couldn't wait to chop, dice, cook, pickle or can. The options were limitless.

As she neared the back porch, Daryl and Rick appeared. They had been out all day walking the perimeter of the wall and helping Abraham's team fortify and build pikes for protection. Judith scrunched up her nose in excitement, seeing her father and said something that sounded like, "Day-ee" in his direction and pointed.

Rick laughed warmly and took the basket from Anna and kissed both her and Judith on the forehead, "How are my girls?".

Anna smiled, "Loving the sunshine. Oh, and she now calls everything a 'shoe.'"

Recognizing the sound, Judith extended the pepper she was holding to Daryl and said, "Shoo."

Daryl laughed and took the pepper from her, said thank you and bit into it, "Best tasting shoe I've ever had."

Judith scrunched up her nose again and and clapped, "Shoo."

Since they had settled into Alexandria, Judith had been making developmental landmarks with leaps and bounds. Her babbles turned into mimicking and soon she was giving names to faces. Carl was identified as "Ca" and Anna was "A-nana."

Everything else (except her father) was a called a shoe.

Rick looked down at the basket and nodded, "Not a bad haul."

"I wish there were more varieties, but I think this is a good start. I can't wait to plant more."

Carol laughed, "Anna wants to turn all the yards into gardens. I'd love to help her but I killed any plant I was given. But I will help can and cook."

Anna smiled, "I can't wait! Sauces and pickles and jams and jellies and preserves. Now if only we could figure out corn and wheat and dairy..."

They all walked into the house and Anna saw Carl and Enid sitting at the kitchen table, poring over gardening books. They were going to help Anna and Eugene plant and build raised beds and make cages for plants that grew tall. School had ceased since half of their class had died when the herd converged on the town. Anna figured reading and discussing books, writing recipes, and building a functioning garden would do for the moment.

Judith cried happily when she saw her brother, "Ca!"

Carl looked up and smiled, "Hey Judy. Get a lot from the harvest?"

She raised her chubby arms in the air, "Shoo!"

The kitchen filled with laughter and Anna handed Judith to her father and took the basket to the kitchen sink to wash them off. She asked over her shoulder, "Ya'll staying for dinner?"

She heard Daryl answer, "I'm heading over to Aaron's. Gonna talk about scouting, and everything to take into consideration since the last time we went out. I'm sure Eric will make something there. Thanks though, Sparky."

"How about you, Carol?"

"I'm going to go check on Sasha. Take her some food. She hardly leaves that tower. I'd like it if she came down and ate."

Anna nodded, there were a few folks she hadn't seen in a while. Michonne and Morgan had been spending time together, Sasha had her tower, Tara was taking it easy with Eugene and Rosita while Abraham and his builders worked on the wall, and Maggie had been telling her about Spencer's progress. She had been taking him food. He hadn't left the house since the funerals.

This was completely okay with Anna.

Daryl and Carol said their goodbyes and showed themselves out, and Anna counted fourteen tomatoes and eight peppers. Her mouth watered at the sight of them, fresh food was something she had craved since she was holed up at Grady.

She had a lot of ideas and she couldn't wait to talk to Eugene about them. The funny thing about Eugene is that he proved very helpful in engineering, building and planning ideas dealing with math and science. He had become something of a "city planner" for Alexandria.

Anna was lost in her own thoughts when she felt Rick's arms at her waist and he planted a kiss on her neck, "You're far away again, Sweet Thing."

She smiled, "Just thinking. Ideas for the town."

"You make urban growth sexy."

Carl let out an embarassed sigh, "Da-ad."

Anna laughed lowly, "You're cramping your son's style."

"I forgot. He's a teenager now."

Rick got ready for bed and heard Anna in the next room singing Judith to sleep. He and Daryl had spent the day surveying the progress at the walls and talking about the things they didn't want to...like the walker trap he and Aaron had found and the man that encounted Morgan outside Richmond...the one with the "w" just like the walkers.

Daryl thought it would be best if they did not scout for awhile. That it would be best to fortify the town, make stronger defenses.

Rick agreed.

They needed to be ready.

His concentration was broken when Anna tiptoed into the room, her hair in a low ponytail and wearing one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers.

Christ. She'd make a potato sack look sexy.

Anna pulled back the covers and slid in beside him. She shook her left hand opened and closed it.

"It's happening again."

Since she was wounded, Anna had healed for the most part. The gunshot wound in her shoulder closed and some of her strength retuned, but her smooth skin had been gnarled and scarred and she had been experiencing numbness in her left hand. She said she thought she had nerve damage.

And then there was her face.

Anna was self conscious of the raised, bubblegum pink scar. He saw her angling her hair over it often, especially when they were with other people.

She was always going to be beautiful.

Rick pulled her close to him and took her left hand in his, "Pins and needles?"

She nodded, and looked a bit sad.

"It's frustrating. I'm worried I am gonna drop Judy or something."

He sighed and massaged her hand, "Just keep her on your right side. "

Anna smiled and leaned against him, "I love that little girl."

"She is pretty amazing. I can't believe how much she has grown...changed. Carl, too."

Anna looked serious for a moment, "You know...Carl and Enid are getting kind of close and I was wondering...have you..."

Rick raised his eyebrow and waited for her to finish.

"...You know...given him the talk?"

He felt gobsmacked.

Sex?

Carl?

"Has he said something?"

Anna shook her head, "No, and I am sure if he said anything it wouldn't be to me. I've just been picking up on...vibes. I think it would be good to hear about something like that from his dad...and not by me or anyone else."

Rick thought for a moment and realized Anna was right. Carl and Enid were the only ones of their age...and curiosities arise.

"I think this is a 'Blue Lagoon' type situation. Remember that movie? Two kids shipwrecked on an island?" Anna chuckled lowly.

Oh, he remembered. How could he forget Brooke Sheilds?

Anna saw the look on his face and smiled, "Rick Grimes. Are you scared?"

"It just really didn't ever occur to me that I'd have to have this conversation with him...I just thought I had to teach him about survival...not sex."

She touched his face, "It's just making him aware of what could happen. How things work. Most kids get the talk at 11 or 12. It's just...life. Apocalypse or not. It doesn't mean you're endorsing it. Just tell him the facts. Straight up."

He thought about what Lori would say in this situation. She would probably agree with Anna, because she knew what boys Carl's age were like...she would be more in tune to that...those "vibes."

Rick thought about what their home would be like without Anna...and all he could think was poor Judy. Poor Judy growing up with a brooding dad and teenage brother. Before he knew it, Rick leaned in and kissed her and asked what he had been thinking all day.

"Anna...what would you think about us...getting married?"

She laughed, and then realized he was serious, "I mean, with the world the way it is...is it still a thing? Does it matter?"

He shrugged, "It matters to me, and I think it matters to you. Maggie and Glenn got married when we were at the prison. Her dad performed a ceremony. We could talk to Gabriel."

Anna looked thoughtful and a small smile pulled across her lips, "I suppose I wouldn't rule it out then. "

"Would you want a ring?"

She shrugged, and he could tell she still wasn't truly believing what she was hearing, "If you find a ring, then I'll say yes."

Rick realized that it was a formality, an idea from the old world. That they could call themselves husband and wife now and no one could question it. Maybe he was being sentimental...but he believed there was something to be said to say vows infront of God and your people...if you believed in that sort of thing. They could vow love and fidelity here in bed and it would truly be the same.

Maybe he just wanted to make an honest woman out of her.

Or maybe he wanted her to make an honest man out of him.

Rick kissed her sweetly, "That's a deal, Sweet Thing."

A/N: here is a nice piece of fluff before the next wave. Calm before the storm. Thanks to my lovelies Katarzyna88gb, Scmclendon, May85 and guest :)

Also, If you favorite and follow this story, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It makes me happy to know people are reading. And if you haven't left me a review yet, I so hope you do! Thanks and love! Leah xoxo