Here is another little chapter for y'all. Sorry I haven't been posting much, but I have some thing's going on in real life that have to come first. I'll post more when I can, so please be patient with me. Thanks.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of The Walking Dead characters and I'm NOT making any money off of them! I only claim the OC characters I created for this story.

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"So what type games did you play?" Sophia asked, walking the perimeter fence out in the woods with Glenn.

Smiling as he thought back, Glenn sighed, "Man...what didn't I play? Call Of Duty, Need For Speed...basically anything I could get my hands on, and if it involved driving fast or shooting things, I was playing it."

Sophia grinned and laughed before she shrugged and looked down at the ground as they walked, "I never got to play any games like that. Ed...he never let me have a video game system...or board games really. But, sometimes momma would take me to the mall and they had an arcade and she'd let me play some."

Glenn listened, always interested in what the younger kids had to say to tell him about. He had known Carl and Sophia since Atlanta, which now seemed like ages ago. He had watched the two of them grow and change with their surroundings, both learning to protect themselves and survive. Stopping, he pulled out a bottle of water, taking a long drink and then offering her some, "Maybe we can find some of those battery operated hand held games on a run. That or so really cool board games."

Grinning some, he chuckled, "If we could find a big toy store we could load up on things to keep entertained with."

"Maybe even find a skateboard?" Sophia asked as she handed the bottle back and wiped her mouth.

"Hell yeah. You skate?"

Sophia shook her head and shrugged, "No, but I've always wanted to learn."

"SOPHIA! GLENN!"

The pair turned, seeing Daryl running through the woods. "DARYL!" Glenn called out getting the man's attention.

"GET TA THE HOUSE! WALKERS!" Daryl yelled, darting around the trees and over to them. Stopping, he chest heaved with his exertion, "Herd's comin'...gotta get...back."

The three took off back through the woods heading for the house, Daryl hanging back some behind them to make sure Sophia didn't get left behind. Once they broke through at the treeline, the others were running around, carrying what they could towards the metal barn. Pointing towards it, Daryl breathed out, "Get ta the barn!"

Sophia and Glenn did as they were told and Daryl headed for the house. He had to make sure Carol and the kids were out and safe. Bounding up the steps, he slung open the door, going inside and looking around. Sasha and Carla moved past him, each with a box filled with food, "Get on to the barn and stay there. Where's Carol?"

"Upstairs," Sasha called over her shoulder.

Heading for the stairs, Daryl went up, going straight to their room and finding her their gathering Dakota's diaper bag. She tossed it to him as she got the baby, both heading towards the door.

"Sophia?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"In the barn...where we need ta be," he said, following her down the stairs. Heading towards the kitchen, he saw the cans of formula and grabbed for them, "Where's Asskicker?"

"Beth took her and Luke to the barn already," Carol said holding the door for them. He shoved the can's in the bag and grabbed his crossbow from next to the door. "How long 'til they reach us?"

"Don't know...but probably not long. Get up in that loft and make sure everyone stays quiet. Gotta help Merle block the entry with the trucks." Daryl replied, his heading already pounding from a headache. When they reached the ladder to the loft, he handed off the bag to Glenn who was helping everyone up and gave Carol a kiss on the cheek, "Stay safe."

Carol nodded, watching as he met up with Merle and then men worked out blocking the entry to the barn. Carefully as she could, Carol made her way up the ladder with Dakota and moved to the far back of the loft where she knew Daryl might want to be. Glenn followed with the diaper bag and she took it. Getting out the small blanket, she spread it out and laid the baby onto it and looked around for Beth and Judith.

Seeing Luke sitting next to Hershel, but not seeing Beth anywhere, she spoke up, "Luke...where is Beth and Judith?"

Shrugging, Luke got up, coming to her, "Don't know. She said she was going to get her bag and would be right back."

Not liking the sound of that, Carol placed her hands on his arms, "Luke, I want you to sit here with Dakota and watch him for me, okay? Don't let him move off the blanket and if you need help with him, ask someone to help you. I'll be right back."

"Okay," said, moving over and sitting down beside Dakota. Smiling at the baby, he began to talk to him.

Carol felt her stomach tighten and headed back down the ladder. Looking around and spotting Daryl and Merle at the trucks, she ran over to them, "Beth and Judith aren't up there. Luke said she went to get her bag...but she should have been back by now."

The brother looked at each other and then towards the other barn. There was no movement and the door were closed and locked. Daryl turned back to Carol, raising his brow, "We'll find them. Get ya ass back up there with Sophia and 'lil man."

When she left, Daryl glanced at the road. The walker's hadn't made it to them and he looked back at Merle, "I'll check the barn...get these trucks moved."

"Be careful, 'lil brother," Merle called out, knowing Daryl was being pushed to his limit.

Heading to the barn, Daryl opened the doors and went inside. Checking each stall, he came to the one Rick and Beth had been sharing and looked in. The bed had been made, but he noticed their wasn't any personal items around like he had seen before. Peering around the inside of the barn more, he called out, "Rick! Ya in here? Beth?"

When only the sounds of the horses eating met his ears, he clenched his jaw and left out, locking the doors back behind him. Jogging to the metal barn, he waited as Merle and Chad moved the trucks into place, "Either of you seen Rick?"

Chad nodded and pointed towards the other barn, "Said he was goin' ta do a final check on the animals, but I haven't seen him come back."

"SHIT!" Daryl yelled out, and then clenched his jaw. He began to pace some and then looked at the men, "They ain't in their...and their shit is gone too. Fucker's got Asskicker."

Merle and Chad both looked at each other and then Merle looked towards the road. Seeing the walkers starting to come into view, he grabbed his brother's arm, pulling him behind the truck, "Ain't got time ta go lookin' for them now. Gonna have ta wait out the herd and then go lookin'. We best get up their with the others for now and get somethin' planned out. They won't get far with that herd. Probably hunkered down close to here waiting on them to pass too."

"I can't go in there and tell Carol...or Carl that Judith is gone," Daryl said, his heart tightening in his chest and his head pounding more.

"Ain't gonna let ya go getting' ya ass killed either," Merle said. Barely standing and looking towards the front fences, he ducked back down, "C'on. We'll get a group together, make a plan and head out once they pass."

The three men crawled up into the bed of the truck and then crawled over the side. Once they were up in the loft, they had everyone quiet down and watched the herd from the loft door. They didn't know how wide the herd was, or if the fences in the woods would hold. All they could do was wait and hope they'd be safe where they were.

Daryl and Merle pulled the council together in the far corner, keeping their voices low and Daryl placed his hand onto Carl's shoulder. He told them about Rick and Beth being gone, and that Judith was with them.

Carol held tight to Dakota, tears rimming her eyes as she silently blamed herself for Judith being taken. She had asked Beth to take her, thinking she would be safe but had been deceived. Even with Carl saying it was okay for Beth to take her to the barn, Carol still felt she should have been the one to look after Judith. She should have made sure that both babies were up in the loft, safe and out of harms way.

Carl kept his eyes down as the others talked about who would head out once the herd passed to look for his sister. When it was decided Daryl, Michonne, Merle, and Glenn would go, Carl spoke up, "I want to go too. I have to go."

Daryl eyed him for a moment and then shook his head, "Nah...need you to stay here and help look after everyone." When Carl started to protest, Daryl raised his hand to silence him, "Look...with the four of us gone, gonna be short handed as it is. You're a good shot...and I need ya lookin' after everyone for us. We'll find them, but I need ta know that Carol, Sophia...and everyone else is safe."

Carl's jaw clenched and he cut his eyes away from Daryl. He wanted to go with them, make sure that Rick wouldn't be back ever once they had Judith. But with Daryl holding him back and then the feel of Sophia slipping her hand around his, Carl finally nodded, "Fine. But...don't let him back."

"Ain't gonna," Daryl said firmly. Looking at Hershel and Maggie, he sighed, "Same goes for Beth. I know y'all love her...but she's with Rick. They had to have had this panned out."

Scratching at his beard, Hershel stood up and meet Daryl's eyes, "Do what you have to, son. Just bring Judith back."

"Daddy?" Maggie's voice broke through, her pleading eyes looking up at the man.

Shaking his head, Hershel sighed and looked down at his daughter, "She made her decision that night she ran off with Rick. She told us she didn't need us anymore. She avoided us, wouldn't even sit with us at the dinner table. We have ta let her go, Maggie...even as much as it hurts, we have to."

With no other words, Hershel went over, leaving the small council group and taking a seat on one of the hay bale's that were up there with them.

"They had this shit planned out probably," Merle commented kneeling down in the hay. "We'll check the houses closet to us first. They might have stashed shit there or are held up in one of them."

"There's a house down the way. Noticed the other day that one of the cars had been moved, figured someone here might have tried ta move it," Chad said as he looked at everyone.

Looking around at the others, Daryl nodded, "'Kay...it's settled. Well check there first. Make sure you're gear is ready." When they began to separate, Daryl moved over next to Carol, his arms going around her. Kissing her temple, he then lowered his head slightly, whispering, "I'll find her, woman...stop ya worryin'."

Adjusting some so Dakota wouldn't be squished between them, Carol breathed out, "It's all my fault. If I hadn't..."

"Stop," Daryl said firmly and pulled back. Looking into her eyes, he shook his head, "Don't ya go blaming yourself for this shit. It was all Rick and Beth...not you. They played us all, so get them thought's out ya head. This wasn't your fault."

Carol nodded and then looked down as Daryl took Dakota from her. Looking around at the others, she whispered, "What are we going to do if the fences don't hold? We don't have enough ammo to take on a herd that size."

"Then we wait'em out. They can't get up here and we got the front blocked. They can't get in," he said, trying to reassure her. Giving Dakota a kiss on his head, he handed the baby back to her, "Why don't you two go rest some. I'm gonna take watch for awhile."

Carol nodded and turned, watching him go over to where Merle and Chad were at the loft door looking out. Moving back over to their spot, she sat down with him and leaned back against the wall, letting Dakota rest against her. Closing her eyes, she sent up a silent prayer for Judith, hoping where ever she was with Rick and Beth that she was at least safe.

Well, look's like Rick & Beth had an agenda after all...wonder where they might be going. Okay, review me please...it's your reviews that keep me going!

CARYL on!