Ch. 29

This is a shorter one than usual, but the next two are pretty long :) This story will be complete at Ch. 31!

I hope you enjoy them!


Months passed by in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

The kids grew so fast that Daryl had to take a run before winter had truly set in, and for the first time in months, Carol went outside the fence with him. She was a different kind of person now, but she was still fierce.

After they had gone through a little town near Griffin, they decided to make the trek up that way to see how things were going. Neither one of them had ever been there before, so it surprised them to see the massive chain link fence with barbed wire topping it that was blocking each entrance into downtown. Before the fences were blockades of tires and pikes.

A man on the wall called out for them to stop, but Carol just flipped him off and kept walking. "We're here to talk to Rick."

The young man didn't seem to know what to do, but he didn't fire his weapon, instead, he climbed down a ladder and opened up a small panel of fence to let them in.

"Who are ya?" He asked, pointing his weapon at them.

Daryl's defenses went up, and he raised his bow to meet the man. "We're friends of his. Tell him Daryl and Carol are here to see him. If he's busy, just go get Carl."

The kid nodded and walked away, leaving the gate unguarded and Daryl shook his head. "See this shit?" He pointed to the fence. "This is why ya can't depend on no one but yaself. We coulda been some assholes that had been watchin' the place a while, and he left us unattended." Carol nodded as he continued to rant. "And he wants me to bring my kids here to this place. Can't believe that shit."

Five minutes later, the kid showed back up with Rick and Carl in tow.

"Is everythin' all right?" Rick asked, his eyes were wide with fear.

"Fine," Daryl muttered. "Ya need to keep more men on the fences. This boy scout just left us here by ourselves."

Rick huffed out a deep breath. "We're still learnin'. Gotta lot of younger boys that are tryin' to pull their weight, but we ain't got enough time to train 'em."

"Ya better get to that shit then. We ain't bringin' the kids unless this place is locked up."

"Ya worry about your own wall, and I'll worry about mine, how about that?"

"Whatever," Daryl muttered. "We just wanted to check on y'all. Ya haven't been back in a while."

Rick nodded, and Carl looked a little ashamed. "Just got busy tryin' to get ready for winter s'all."

"So are we. Done harvested and canned everythin'. I've been huntin', too. I'm teachin' the kids how to shoot a bow still."

"Our town's a bit bigger than your place. Can't just go off and leave it unattended." Rick looked around. "Ya tell Judith when the winter comes that y'all will visit us here."

They stood in awkward silence for several seconds before Daryl said, "I ain't brinin' the kids here until I know your defenses are tight."

"They will be."

Neither one of them seemed to have much confidence in that statement, but Daryl followed him anyone when he offered him a tour. It was a lot like Woodbury. Just a downtown area cornered off with apartments created out of old shops and buildings. It was as well maintained as they could get.

Rick had an apartment in a building close by. It was just a single room, but it seemed plenty of space for him. Daryl chose to ignore Michonne's things that were folded neatly against the wall.

Carl lived across the hall. Supposedly single, but Daryl had his doubts on the matter.

Most of the people in town were around Daryl's age of little younger. The older people seemed to have formed a council, and Daryl could imagine just how well that would end up going over eventually.

All in all, it was a decent town, he guessed, but he didn't trust it.

As they were leaving, Carol spoke for the first time to Rick. "We got lots of goods. If we brought some, could be barter for some things?"

"Absolutely," Rick said immediately. "Any time."

They nodded and Carl opened the gate for them. "I'll try and come by and see Juju before too long," he said quietly.

Daryl grunted in acknowledgment and stepped outside the fence. "Ya ain't back our way in a few weeks, I'll come back. Prolly trade some things."


Later, as they walked through the woods, Carol sighed and nudged Daryl with her shoulder.

"It wasn't bad. He seems to be doin' good there. Better than before."

"Ummhmm."

"I ain't sayin' that we all gotta be best friends again. I don't think we can be anyway. I just think that we share this story together, and it's good to have that with someone—especially now.

"Ya went through things with Rick that ya never have with anyone else. You're raisin' his daughter for him. Even if y'all got some distance between ya now, you're still brothers. Maybe this is just that awkward estrangement phase that some families go through."

"Don't know shit about that. I think my whole family was always estranged."

"Things will get better."

They got home that evening and Sawyer ran at him, squealing loudly as Daryl swung him around. He couldn't imagine leaving his kid like that, and if someone had told him years ago that he would be a devoted father, he would have laughed in their face. The end of the world had changed him for sure.

After dinner and tucking in Sawyer, Daryl sat down on the couch in the kitchen and told Beth all about the day. About Griffin and Rick.

"It wouldn't hurt to visit. I already said that a while ago."

"I know. Instead of scavengin', I might start tradin' with 'em."

Beth kissed his cheek and smiled. "Now, that's a great idea."

"One day, you and the kids will come, too," he promised.

"I'd really love to get out of the armory for a little while," she whispered. "It's been so long since I've seen town."

Daryl nodded and took her hand. "Ain't shit out there worth seein'."

"Ya said that to me once before, ya know?"

He hummed in acknowledgement, and Beth laughed softly. "I have a good feelin' about all of this."

"Why?"

Daryl turned and looked at her. The lone kerosene lamp they only burned on special occasions highlighted her features and she looked like something out of a dream.

"Don't know. Just figure it's time for us to catch a break. Especially them."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Maybe your right."