Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. There are several time jumps throughout this chapter.


Part III: A Soul's Unrest

Daryl and Carol both attended the doctor's appointment with Mika, and all tests confirmed she was not pregnant. Denise sat her down and explained to her how she could get pregnant and how she wasn't right now. Carol learned quite a lot from the conversation, and Daryl was praying Mika never had sex again, because he couldn't take it. He could not live like this. He was about to be a father for the third time, and he could not handle another baby, another title, not right now. Carol told him later he made the situation too much about him and not enough about Mika. He agreed with her and said they had a honeymoon they needed to catch up with.

"Hmm. See, I think we did that already." She ate peanut butter from the jar with a spoon.

"What? When?" he demanded.

"At the Kingdom. That was like a honeymoon."

He smacked his head on the counter. "You're cruel."

"You are not so sex deprived that you need a honeymoon," she commented. "Besides I'm hungry right now, so no."

He lifted his head. "Is it gonna be like this the entire time?"

"No, it won't always be like this, but for today, yes it shall be." She smirked at him and scooped out more peanut butter.


That night when Mika came home, Daryl decided it was time to have a talk. So, after dinner, he put Charli down for the night with Mika's help then walked her to her room and lingered for a moment, and she noticed.

"It's never just sex, you know," Daryl commented. "It's…givin' up a part of yourself to another person for forever."

"A piece?" She arched a brow. "Do you mean the concept of a virginity? Because I talked to Enid about it, and—"

"No, kiddo, I ain't talkin' 'bout your virginity. It's so much more than you're able to understand right now." He sat down on the edge of her bed and sighed. "I wish you woulda waited till you were older. You're so young, Mika."

"I don't feel young." She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them. "I feel…exhausted—from the dancing with Charli, not from a depression or anything."

"I know." He met her eyes. "Henry's a good kid. I do like him a lot. I just…don't see a future for you two."

"You don't?" She frowned. "Why not?"

"Those are my reasons, and I don't want you to cut a good relationship short, because of my reasons. Whether it eats you alive or not."

She scoffed. "You and Mom have sex all the time. How is that different than my one, single time with Henry? We're both in love."

He wanted to pitch himself out the window and escape into the night, but honestly, she might just fucking follow him. "Yeah, Carol and I…have an active sex life, but it ain't near the same."

"Because you're older? Because you have me, Charlotte and my brother?"

"Because…we're it for each other. We made the decision, and it feels right. We're struggle with some parental issues about our son, but overall, we're great. We…admit we have faults and are working to resolve them, yeah?" She nodded. "We're open with each other. We fight with each other. We disagree, but at the end of the day, the love is still the same. Can you say the same for you and Henry?"

She hesitated. "Okay, so we're just kids then. But! But I love Henry, and I know I do."

"That's good. Love is good."

"But I don't want to be bound to one person for the rest of my life. I want to explore and bring more people into our communities." She bit her bottom lip briefly. "I don't want to explore with Henry."

"Why not?"

"Because he wants to help cement the Kingdom's future, and sorta only the Kingdom. I'm sure he factors in the others, but he's tunnel vision on the Kingdom."

He nodded. "But you love him?"

"I do. I think we'll be happy for a while, but I think you're right about us not being like you and Mom. That's okay with me. We still have fun together and make each other happy. We come to decisions together. We're still a team, and as long as we're a team, I think we'll be fine." She smiled now. "He makes me happy, and that's good enough for me right now."

"Don't make me a grandpa," he threatened lightly. "Not yet."

"I promise." She stretched out her legs.

He groaned. "I love you, kid."

She giggled and rose up on her knees to hug him. "I love you, Dad." She sank back onto her bed and met his eyes. "We're being completely open with each other, right?"

"Right."

"Is…always like that? I mean…does it always hurt?" She tucked hair behind her ears. "It was nice to be near Henry like that, but…I don't think I liked it. Is it just because it was my first time? The next time won't feel like that? Or is it like…the more you do it, the better it gets? Or is it the person? Henry seemed to…you know, have a good time with it, and I did too but not in the same way…?" She shook her head. "I just have so many questions. Can I ask you? We're already talking about it anyway."

He nodded as though he had this profound answer for her, and she leaned closer to him only for him to say, "Ask your mom."

"But I'm asking you."

"I know, but please ask your mom."

"Fine." She peeked at him. "What's your favorite way to put Mom in the mood?"

"Mika!"

"What? I just wanna know how you approach the subject with her is all. Is it like…a conversation? Or does it just happen? Because I don't want to ask Henry for sex. That seems super weird."

"Okay, I'm leavin', but I'll have Carol come talk to you at some point tomorrow."

"Why are you leaving? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Very." He nodded. "This is a woman's conversation, too."

"Oh." She nodded back in understanding. "So, Mom can help me have a better sex life. Got it."

He paled and wanted to punch himself with a sledgehammer to forget this conversation.

Mika giggled. "I'm so kidding. Consider it payback." She reached over and flicked her light off. "Good night, Daryl."

"Yeah, 'night." He closed her door behind him and shuddered. He returned to his room to find Carol in her robe; he closed their bedroom door and called out to her.

"Hey." She tossed a smile over her shoulder. "They go down easy?"

"Charlotte was easy. Mika…has sex questions." He shuddered again and began to remove his belt. "Real…deep questions."

"I'm not surprise. She's always been a curious child. Sex should be no different." She closed the door and faced him. "And there are important things she should know. Things my mother never told me."

"What kinda things?" He was either going to be aroused or scarred.

"Like to pee after sex," she replied. "And sometimes knowing your body beforehand helps."

"Knowing her body?" He frowned, shaking his head. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, Daryl." She smiled sweetly at him. "I'm talking about masturbation."

"Oh, Jesus, Carol!" He wanted to be sick. "Why?"

"Because if she knows what she likes, she can show him how she likes it. Henry shouldn't be the only one getting off."

"Can we not talk about this?" He wanted to hurl. "Please? Christ, one minute she's too awkward for horseback riding lessons, and now masturbation is somethin' she might do."

"She won't get pregnant that way." Carol sauntered over him and helped him to unbutton his shirt. "Look, I know it makes you uneasy, but she'll figure her body out in her own time, with or without a talk with me. It's human nature, Daryl. Don't tell me you weren't jerking it whenever you could at her age."

He blushed up to his roots. "It ain't the same."

"How isn't it?"

"Girls…shouldn't do that."

"Girls or your girl?" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him flush against her. "Hmm?"

"I still see the little girl with messy leggings and a braid in her hair," he whispered. "How'd she grow up so fast?"

"She's not grown, but she is older." She searched his eyes and stroked the hairs at the base of his neck. "You need to be prepared for adult conversations with her, and I don't mean all the sex conversations, just…adult content."

He heaved a sigh and hung his head. "I ain't ready for this."

"No parent is ever ready, trust me. I've been dreading this since she first crushed on Henry."

"I didn't think she'd…get there so quickly. Thought I had more time."

"We always think we have more time than we do." She smiled thoughtfully at him. "But we make it work, and I will handle Mika's questions."

"Thank you."

"Now," she tilted her head to the side with a seductive smile, "why don't you focus on your new wife? I hear she's feeling very amorous, and she isn't sure what to do about it."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded. "I mean…we were talking about masturbation. Why don't I show you a little bit of what I like…and you show me what you like?"

His mouth ran bone dry at the thought of Carol pleasuring herself. He used to think about it all the time when they were apart to let some steam off, and he'd thought about it a few times when they were just a couple and Carol would make a raunchy joke. He just thought she'd never need to do that again, if he could help it.

"Under one condition," Daryl remarked.

She slid her hands down from his neck to his forearms. "I'm listening."

"I get to do to you what gets you off."

"You sure about that?"

He grinned. "I'm sure about that."

"All right." She stepped back and slipped out of her robe, leaving her completely naked. "But some rules." She smiled sweetly at him like she wasn't naked and looking stunning.

"Rules?" He drank in her body and quickened his efforts to join her, though some joy was killed at the sight of the bandage on her belly. He had forgotten all about it until now. Fucking Nina. "What rules?"

"You make breakfast in the morning," she listed. "And…you can only refer to me as your wife."

He nearly laughed. "What kinda rules are those?"

"Mine."

"Well, Mrs. Dixon, I accept your terms and conditions." She smirked at him. "And am prepared for your sore and tired body come tomorrow."

Her smirk deepened. "Daryl, you have no idea the things you've done me while I've masturbated to you, but sure, I'll be sore and tired."

Okay, that may have scared him, but he was horny and enthralled by her nudity, and the rest of the world faded from sight.


The next morning Daryl kept his word and made breakfast. Charlotte was peppy and offered to help, and he glad to have a sous chef with him. He let her help with the pancakes, and she noticed the bruises forming on his wrists. He blushed when she asked what happened and said it was nothing.

"Oh, gross." Mika sat down at the table.

"What's gross?" Daryl looked over at her then back when Charlotte asked if it was time to flip the pancake. "Not yet, kiddo."

"You know what's gross."

"No, I don't know what's gross. That's why I asked." He told her it was time now and helped her flip the pancake. "So, what's gross?"

"The very loud rattling I heard this morning," Mika answered. "Followed by moaning and grunting. And I'm pretty sure I heard one of you guys—"

"Mika." Carol entered the kitchen and shook her head. "Those were the sounds of me trying to fit into jeans."

"Sure, "jeans"." She shuddered and picked up the glass of milk Dad likely poured for Charli before she offered to help cook and drank.

"It was." Carol joined her daughter and husband. "Those look great."

"All thanks to little chef here." Daryl ruffled her hairs, and she grinned up at them.

"I can't wait to eat them." She pulled down plates and glasses. "Mika, after we finish eating, we'll go have a talk, okay?"

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'm surprisingly starving after being scarred for life." She hopped up to lend a hand.

"I told you: my jeans are my enemy." They truly were…for about ten minutes then they had a quickie, because apparently Carol grunting and groaning turned him off. Or they were still sensitive from last night, which was...intense for just married sex. Four hours of just married sex and a bath. A sexy bath. God, last night was good. She was getting bruises to prove it.

"Then why not wear what you wore when you were pregnant with Charli?" She filled the glasses with milk and looked for the honey jar.

"Because I made baby clothes for Charli out of them."

"That's a good reason."

"Yeah, I'll have to make myself some maternity clothes tonight." She helped herself to a pancake. "We have a lot on our agenda today. You girls have class late with Beth and Tyreese. Mika and I have to have a talk. I have a doctor's appointment."

She nodded. "Could I join you at the appointment?"

"I don't think you'll be able to with class. I'm sure they're at the same time." Carol set the pancake down and wiped her hands together. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I just...wanted to tag along, but we're having a talk, right?"

"Definitely."

"Good." She had a lot of questions she needed answered, and Dad was no help. Maybe now she could get the answers she needed and not have an embarrassed man on her hands.


Daryl approached the house, hand over his gun, and he exhaled deeply, the wind picking up. He padded up the stained steps and entering without knocking. He was surprised to find the house unlocked, and he pulled his gun out. He crept through the door and stomping his boot three times to call any walkers to him.

There were no sounds inside the house, and he walked through it, checking the back then moving to the front. He found a massive blood stain just by the back door with a stick coated in blood in the middle of it. He bent down and examined the area, shaking his head and following the stain out the back door, seeing a pile of dead walkers in the backyard. There was no evidence left of Nina. Only decayed walkers that were puncture through the head, and the ones that broken through were long gone.

He was glad. He didn't want this weight on his chest. She was a friend to him once, but she betrayed that. He would have killed her easily were it not for the struggle he saw Carol going through. She knew she needed to die, but she saw something similar in her briefly. Maybe it was the baby influencing her, maybe it was just stres, but Carol couldn't witness her death at Daryl's hand. She was a warrior, but in that moment she was just a mother, watching a former friend pale and silently beg for her life.

He walked over to Hershel's grave and smiled, kneeling over and setting a hand on the soil. "Hey, Hershel. It's been a long time. I have some news for you." He smiled to himself. "I don't know where to begin. First of all…you're a grandfather on both sides…."

He spent a good hour talking to Hershel's grave, tending to the overgrown flowers there, and he said his goodbyes to the great man there. He wouldn't be back. No one would. The road was overgrown as well, and it was difficult to make out. Were he not the tracker he was, he would have gotten lost. But he was the tracker he was, and he did find his way back. He had to say goodbye to Hershel and let the old man know what was what with his girls. It's what Daryl would want.

And he had to check on Nina. Finish that business before it was too late. He didn't know if those assholes would take her back after trying to kill her. He didn't know if she would even survive out here all by herself, but he had the answer now. He had no qualms about it. She was gone, and the rest of the world would not be fazed by it.

He left the grove then, and he didn't look back once. He felt a page turn, closing this chapter in his life, and he felt only relief. He never knew what Nina was meant to be to him, but he was glad it was nothing now. He had let of any of likeness he had for her the moment she came out as one of those freaks. Ex-freak or not, she put them all in danger without telling them what was going on outside their gates and the world had paid her back in kind. That was good enough for him.


Her lips parted in a soft moan, her legs dragged down his back, and he traced his tongue along her entrance, savoring the flavor there, and he placed a kiss to her thigh. She was quivering at his every action, and he knew just how to work her. They hadn't had time alone for anything in the past three weeks, and he was aching for her. He missed her everything—how she kissed him, how she touched him, how she moaned his tongue caressed that sensitive bead inside of her—and he was so fucking thrilled she had come up to him during his session with the kids to invite him out here. Home wasn't safe, not with the girls coming in and out at all times of the day, especially since with Charli always asking for help on the steps since she was so small for her age, and there was no privacy.

But here? There was no way they would be interrupted. They were almost all alone in the hayloft of the stable Abraham and Morgan had built years ago, and once the candles took care of the smell of barn animals, it was just the two of them and the scent of cinnamon rolls. It was a bit overpowering, but he didn't care. He could be with his wife the way he'd wanted to for weeks now, and they would leave on limps legs by the time he was done.

She cried out, her thighs tightening on his neck, and he kept up his stroke, feeling she was getting closer and closer to that edge, and he glided two moist fingers across her entrance, teasing her highly sensitive sex, and she purred. He knew she was almost there, so he quickened his motions, his groin burning against his jeans. He knew once she was free flying over the edge, he could join her and be inside of her, and that was what he wanted—to be buried inside of her, to be home—but he couldn't just yet. Not just yet.

"Oh, Daryl!" Her fingers dug into the blanket she'd brought with her, her legs stiffening, and when she came, she came hard. She groped for him blindly as the orgasm rocked through her, seeming amplified by the lack of one for weeks, and he rubbed his face his on the corner of his elbow before going to her.

"I missed this," she murmured, not having opened her eyes yet, smiling at him.

"Missed this, too." He kissed her lightly, moving down from her lips to her collarbone to the space between her sensitive breasts to her plump belly and back. "Glad you thought of this."

"Me, too." She opened her eyes and pawed her hand down his chest. "We should hurry. I have to teach a self-defense class in forty minutes or so."

"Forty minutes?" He smirked. "We got plenty of time."

And they did. After the second round, however, someone decided to pay a visit to the horses, and to their horror, it was Charlotte and Hershel. They quickly dressed themselves and cleaned up all the evidence in case they came up to the hayloft, but they were distracted by their own conversation, and they were so cute, holding hands and feeding Saddie. Carol could imagine them having a lasting friendship their entire lives, and Daryl narrowed his eyes at the smooth little punk who might marry his little girl. He loved Hershel very much, but that was his little girl. He was highly on guard after Mika's surprise. He couldn't live with another shock from his daughters. Hell, the girl already called Hershel her boyfriend, and he was too scared to ask if she mean "boy friend", as in a boy who is a friend, or "boyfriend" as in Daryl was going to die early and potentially take Glenn with him. (He'd raised a good boy, but Daryl wouldn't go down alone.)

"It smells funny in here," Hershel declared.

"It's a barn. They always smell funny."

Daryl and Carol exchanged a glance and looked at the candle burning between them, among other things.

"We should go riding," Charlotte suggested to Hershel. "Let's get your mom."

"She's busy." He shook his head. "Let's get your mom."

"She's pregnant," Charli reminded him. "Oh, let's get Glenn!"

"Yeah, good idea!"

They ran out of the barn to locate Glenn, Carol folded up the blanket and blew out the candle, and they scurried out of the barn. Carol couldn't help but break out in a fit of giggles at nearly being caught by the kid they were trying to avoid this entire time, and Daryl kissed her brow, saying he loved her.

"I should get this stuff into the laundry." She patted the blanket under her arm. "I'll see you at home tonight."

"See you at home." He kissed her. "Take it easy in class."

"I'll try." She grinned at him. "I love you, too, by the way."

"I thought so." He stroked her cheek. "Always like to hear it, though." He dropped his hand to her round belly. "Eat somethin'. Little guy's bound to be hungry."

"I will."

"We'll talk more on names over dinner, get the girls' opinion on what they'll call their brother, okay?"

She nodded and stroked her belly. "Yeah, sounds good." She smiled and sneezed. "Well, I have to use the bathroom now. If you'll excuse me."

They parted ways there, but it wasn't long before Daryl was running back to find her. He'd been thirty minutes into his tracking course when Mika came to find him, saying Mom had gone into labor. He instantly dropped what he was doing and told Glenn to take over, following Mika back into the gates and to the clinic.

Carol was being supported by Denise and Tara, who had been with her when her contractions started, and he took over for Tara, trying to get her on the bed, but she refused. She used it as a support so they would stop holding her, but that was all. Daryl didn't understand, and Denise told him how she managed to birth Charlotte standing up.

"That's safe?" Daryl looked Carol over, imagining the baby falling out and landing on its head.

"Charlotte's fine, isn't she?" Denise sent Tara to get towels. "Mika, honey, go wait in the other room."

She was about to protest when her mom's water broke, and she saw a gush of fluid and felt queasy. "All right."

Denise helped Carol out of her pants, having just gotten her boots off before Daryl came in, and she asked Daryl to get one of the gowns from the drawer. He nodded and fetched one, helping Carol out of her shirt and bra, pulling the gown down over her as she screamed through another contraction. He moved to the other side of the bed and set his hands down, telling her to squeeze his hand instead of the bed since Denise had the other areas in check.

"You might regret that." Denise accepted the towels from Tara and offered her a brief kiss. "Go wait with Mika."

"You don't have to tell me twice." She wished them luck and ducked out.

"All right. Let's birth a baby."

Denise was much cooler this time, helping Carol through her contractions, and there was a lot of screaming. Carol was physically stronger than Daryl had imagined, and he tried to be strong and not let the pain show, but damn, this kid must have been ripping her inside out for her to punish his hands as she was. The next time Carol screamed, Daryl softly called out, and she let go of his hands to grip the bed before she broke his fingers, and Denise counted it down for her.

Yet at the end of the day, after the screaming and the fluid and the near finger breaking, there was a little boy. Eight pound, seven ounces of pure precious new life. He was gorgeous, with blonde hairs and bright blue eyes, having the same Dixon trademark beauty mark above his lip, and the rest was Carol. His wavy blonde locks, his lips, his nose. He was so cute, and he was named the perfect name for his face.

"Owen Merle Dixon." Daryl rocked his son his arms as he cooed and yawned. "Welcome to the world."

"Owen?" Charlotte rose up from the bed where her mother lay and peeked at his pudgy red face. "He looks like a tomato."

"You were no great looker when I had you," Carol informed the young girl.

"I didn't look like this, though, right?" She pointed to her little brother.

"Mm-hmm." Carol nodded. "You did."

"Wow. How ugly."

Mika snorted a laugh and shook her head at her kid sister. "Wow, Charli, very harsh."

"It's the truth." She sat back on the bed. "And what kinda name is Owen?"

"It's his name." Carol patted the space beside her, and Charli crawled over to her, lying down beside her and snuggling close. "Don't be so mean."

"I liked being the little one," she pouted.

"Aren't you glad to have a little brother?" She nodded. 'But you're sad 'cause you're not the youngest anymore?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you'll always be my little one." She stroked her hair. "My baby girl."

Charlotte's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really. Truly." She kissed her brow. "I love you girls and you boys so much."

"Finally got a break in my girl horde." Daryl smiled as he rocked his son back and forth in his arms. "Me and my little guy."

Mika couldn't help her heart at the sight of her dad and little brother. "Aww, Dad."

"I love babies," he confessed. "Judith, Hershel, Joss, Monroe…now Owen. God, I'd give anythin' to have had y'all girls as babies."

"You have their future," Carol promised him. "It's just as important as their start."

"Yeah, you're right." He gazed down lovingly at his son and kissed his brow. "Hey, little guy."

Mika reached out and set a hand on her little brother's head, stroking the baby fine hairs there. "Hey, baby boy." She stood up from the bed and held her arms out. "My turn."

"All right but careful. Watch his head."

Carol held her breath as he wanted over the newborn to, Charli snuggled closer to Mom, and Daryl moved behind Mika to adjust her arms then stepped back to sit beside Carol. Mika hushed the fussy baby in her arms, rocking like her father had rocked, and she soothed him. Carol smiled at the sight, and she rested her head on Daryl's shoulder. He kissed her brow and laced his fingers between hers.

"How's everybody doing?" Denise popped her head into the room and smiled at the sight of them.

"Get in here." Carol waved her in with her free hand. "C'mon."

She entered with alone, though Tara was on the other side of the door, listening in on the new member of her girlfriend's family, and Denise moved to stand in front of Mika. She peered down at the little boy, who looked so like his father with his mother's curls, only tinier, and she was in awe.

"He's gorgeous." She wrapped a hand around her mouth to keep the emotions back. "Wow."

"Isn't he, though?" Mika looked up at her mother and father. "He's perfect."

"And he doesn't match the profile," Denise whispered, taking in his blonde locks.

"I noticed that too," Carol commented, having picked up on the whisper. "They won't have any of my children—ever—but this only cements it."

"He's gonna look like Mika," Charli pouted. "I wanna look like Mika."

"Aww, thanks." Mika grinned. "But we're alike in other ways that are just as important."

"We are?" She tilted her head to the side, and Mika swore they were. "Very cool."

"Very, very cool." Mika handed Owen over to Denise and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Woof, that was a lot of pressure."

Daryl laughed. "You did good. Didn't drop him or nothin'."

"Go me." She plopped back onto the bed with them.

Denise hushed the babe in her arms and grinned down at him. "He is too precious. I can't wait to get to know you, little Owen."

Slowly—throughout the course of the day—family drifted in and out with gifts for the little one. He was carefully passed around the entire team and finally put down to rest late in the afternoon. Carol had fallen asleep long before him, and Daryl and Mika let her sleep while Charli braided her hair and hummed softly offkey to their wedding song. Mika would collect her in a moment, because Carol didn't seem to be bothered by the noise.

"We'll be leavin' for home in a couple hours." Daryl was going to come back after dinner to spend time with Carol, but the girls were going home for the night.

"There's no need." Denise pointed down the hall. "We cleaned up Mordin's old room, and the girls are more than welcome to stay in there tonight, so you can all be together. Tara and I don't mind."

"Yeah, I love a newborn in the house," Tara mused. "I'm great with aftercare."

"She really is."

"You sure you wouldn't mind?" Daryl didn't want to put them out. "I don't wanna put you in a compromisin' position."

"We really don't mind." Tara gripped the counter and jumped off it. "I love the girls, and I could use the company."

"It'll be great." Denise nodded. "Trust me."

"Okay." He laughed lightly in appreciation. "Thank you."

"It's what we're here for, you goob." Tara laced her fingers through Denise's. "We're family."

"And we love you very, very much." Mika jumped onto his shoulders and hugged him, kissing his cheek. "Dad."

"Hmm?" He looked over at her. "What?"

"Mom is kinda awake and wants to see you."

"Oh, all right." He patted her arm, she let him go, and he went to check on his wife. He peeked his head in the door and found her trying to hush Charli. "Hey, baby, no." He lifted her up and off the bed. "Go wait outside with Mika, all right?"

"But I wanna stay."

"Go. Now." He smacked her backside lightly, and she shuffled out of the room.

"Thank you." Carol carefully rolled over onto her back. "How are you holding up, Dad?"

"I should be askin' you that." He caught her hand and kissed it. "You're amazin', you know that, right?"

"I feel amazing, totally untouchable," she mused with a dry smirk, fatigue settling in once more, making it difficult to keep her eyes open. "How's our baby?"

"He's right over there." He pointed over to their baby with their conjoined hands. "He's doin' good. Heart rate is good. Blood pressure is good. All of it is good."

"That's good." She smiled faintly. "I am so tired."

"Then go to sleep. I'll take care of the girls, and all that good stuff."

"You will?" Her eyes drooped.

"'Course, now you just rest." He kissed her brow. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She moaned sleepily. "Good night."

"Good night."

"Good night, Mommy." Charli whispered this to herself, standing on the other side of the door and ran off before Daddy left the room to come talk to them.


Carol was currently soaking in some herbal bath thing Daryl didn't know entirely about that Denise had cooked up to help her body with its aftercare. Mika and Charli were in Beth's class, learning about toxic berries and whatnot. And as for Daryl? Well, he was elbow-deep in some stinky, black shit that his son kept pooping out, and he had no idea what was wrong or if this was natural, but he couldn't disturb Carol to ask. All the boy had had was breast milk, so it had to be okay.

He held his son up in the air, arms bent at his elbow, and he announced, "You are a wrinkled little shit gremlin."

Owen simply looked down at him, unimpressed.

He lowered him back down to his chest and carried him over to his bassinet. "All right, let's try a nap, all right?" He lied him down and bent down in front of the bassinet. "Do you want me to read do you, or do you want a thimble of whiskey?"

"Are you trying to booze up our baby?" Carol mused, coming down the stairs, tying her robe.

He looked over at her sheepishly. "Maybe." He straightened up. "He just wouldn't go to sleep."

"He's a baby. He doesn't know any better." She closed the space between them and grasped his arm. "Did you think this would be easy?"

"Didn't think it'd be this hard."

"Welcome to parenthood." She kissed his cheek. "I need a nap before I have to pump again, so why don't you two read a book? Charli loved when I read to her."

He nodded. "Go rest. I got this."

"You're sure?"

"You just pushed an entire life out of your body, I think I can handle a grouchy newborn."

She smiled at him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her forehead. "Get some rest for me, too."

"No problem." She squeezed his hand tightly and shuffled towards the couch since she couldn't make it back upstairs right now.

Daryl rubbed his hands together and went to the bookshelf to see that there was to read his little guy to sleep, and he settled on the favorite of Charli and Mika. He sat down beside the bassinet and looked in on Owen, who provided a big fake yawn, and Daryl smirked, flipping the book open to read to him. He loved being a father, taking care of Carol and their girls, and he was glad for this chance. Even with the shadows lurking outside, he was grateful to have them in his life again. And when the time was right, Carol and he would come together to crush the shadows. As a team, as always.


Beth gave birth to two beautiful boys, Ashton and Oakley, who had the same look as their father with her beautiful eyes. She was beyond blessed and grateful for a healthy delivery. Maggie had been there to help her through it, so had Noah and Glenn. She had done well, and Noah had never loved her more.

Outside the kids were playing, and Beth listened to their game while breast feeding her older newborn son.

"Patty cake, patty cake—Carl!" Judith stopped playing with Charlotte and ran towards the gate. "Carl!"

Charlotte narrowed her eyes at the blonde woman in the car with Carl and she moved out of the way, grasping onto RJ's hand and moving him back out of the way. She watched Carl get out of the car and grab Judith up in his arms, grinning at her proudly and proclaiming she was growing up well. It was sweet, and it made Charli want to approach him and ask for a hug as she had done without permission years ago. But she didn't feel comfortable.

"C'mon." RJ ran towards Carol, holding onto Charli's hand. "C'mon!"

They bolted over the way to Carl and the blonde woman, Charli dropped RJ's hand when they were close enough, and she watched Carl give RJ the same treatment as his sister. She smiled at the sight of them, pleased they were so happy, and she felt a hand slip into hers. She looked over to find Hershel standing beside her with a smile on his lips.

"C'mon." He urged her back towards his house. "We can go paint."

"Sunflowers?"

He nodded. "Bunches of 'em."

"Race ya!" She released his hand and took off towards the Rhee's house.

Carl laced his fingers through Astrid's and brought her inside the house to meet his parents. He was followed by his little siblings, and the first one he countered was Michonne. She was drying off the lunch plates and grinned widely to finally meet the young lady who had claimed her son's heart. And she was beautiful with long blond hair and bright hazel eyes, and she was mostly legs with sun-kissed skin. She was adorable next to Carl, and Michonne was excited to meet her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Astrid spoke first, shaking Michonne's hand once Carl had released her from a hug. "I'm Astrid Banks. I'm sort of the weapons crafter at the Hilltop."

"Oh?"

"Not sort of," Carl corrected. "She's the person who comes up with new weapons and defenses. She's the reason our walker problem is at an all-time low."

"That's incredible. We could use someone like that here." Michonne said this quite pointedly.

She laughed lightly, rubbing Carl's arm gently. "I'm sure I could whip up a few things and have them sent over."

"I'd like to see whatever you come up with." Michonne shifted her weight. "Rick's currently not in the house, but why don't you stay for dinner?"

"We're actually going to stay the week, if that's okay," Carl remarked. "I spoke to Dad about it on the radio, but that was a while ago. I'm not sure if he remembered."

"'Course I remembered," this came from behind them.

"Dad." Carl smiled and released Astrid's hand to embrace him. "How are you doing?"

He showed off the metal hand Aaron had crafted for him. "I'm doin'." He looked by him at Astrid, who was shyly smiling at him. "Is this her?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'd like you to meet Astrid Banks. Astrid, this is my dad, Rick Grimes."

"It's so great to meet you." She walked over and hugged him since she wasn't sure which hand to shake or if that was okay, and he patted her back with his hand. "Carl's told me so much about both of you, and I am so excited to be here."

"We're excited to have you here." Rick smiled at her and released her from the hug. "You two look like you had no troubles on the road."

"We had an encounter with a few walkers, but other than that, it was a smooth trip," Carl confirmed. "We're a little hungry, if there's any leftover lunch."

"Of course. I cook for a small army these days." Michonne waved them over to the counter. "How does ham casserole sound?"

"Yummy." Astrid joined Michonne at the counter. "Let me help you."

"So," Rick whispered to his son, "what really bring y'all to town?"

"We heard about the child taken from Seaside and wanted to check on how things were here." He looked at his mom and Astrid preparing food and making small talk. "And I thought it'd be a perfect chance for you two to meet my girlfriend."

"Oh, girlfriend, is it?" He grinned at his boy. "She seems lovely."

"She's a total badass. You should see her on the battlefield. She's wields a half staff, half blade, and she's really…talented." He didn't want to say the word he wanted to, but Rick got a sense of what wasn't said. "When she's not coming up with new defense mechanisms, she's training the people. She's amazing."

"Sounds like you're half in love with her," Rick jested.

"Not half," Carl corrected. "Fully. Badly."

Rick smiled and gripped his shoulder. "Well, I should get to know this woman then."

"Yeah, she's going to be around for a long time if I have any say in it."

Judith and RJ ran into the room to meet the new woman in town, Rick joined them, and Carl admired the sight of his family in one room. He smiled and was waved over by Michonne and Astrid both. He happily joined them.


"All around the kitchen, cocka-doddle-doddle-doo," Denise sang to the little ones in the classroom, trying to distract them from the storm outside, "Well, you stop right there, cocka-doddle-doddle-doo, put your hands your hair, cocka-doddle-doddle-doo. Put your arms in the air, cocka-doddle-doddle-doo. Spin around in a circle, cocka-doddle-doddle-doo."

Outside in the middle of a wind storm one of the walls had fallen down, Michonne and Judith were alone fighting back the walkers from inside the wall, moving in sync, Carol, Beth and Mika were outside the wall with Rick, Noah and Daryl, fighting off the walkers from that angle. Abraham and Eugene were passing out spears and commanding people who volunteered to help. There would be no guns or arrows, not with winds this strong.

There had to be at least thirty-five walkers still standing against them. The rest of the people were bringing over the replacement wall. It was a temporary fix, and they could only hope it survived the night as the wind shouted at them, knocking loosely gripped weapons out of hands and deeply decayed walkers at unsuspecting people.

Mika ducked as a walker flew her way, timing it so she thrust the blade of her spear through the skull of the walker. She had practice in the last hour doing this, and she was getting good at it. It was almost like a game, but she wouldn't admit that to anybody. Games were fun, and second chances were easily obtained. Not in the real world. In the real world, if she messed up, she might die or lose a limb, so no. It wasn't a game. It wasn't even close.

"Mika, down!" Carol commanded, and Mika dropped to the ground entirely, the wind knocking walkers over her, and she felt one catching on her ankle. Before she could react, Carol thrust the butt of her staff into its soft temple and helped her daughter to her feet. "Go back inside the wall! We'll take care of this!"

"No way!" She shouted over the winds. "Shoulder to shoulder, remember?"

Carol smiled at her. "Shoulder to shoulder then!"

It took about an hour to clear out the walkers with the wind bellowing as it was, the wall was damn near impossible to set up, but they managed; and the wind was dying down some by the time they started screwing and hammering, and everyone went back inside the walls to help. This time Mika went back to join the kids as Denise and Tara entertained them, and Carol pulled Judith back from the sparks of them welding the wall, and Michonne thanked Carol and asked her to escort her back to the other kids. Daryl said they needed to make sure none of the Shah had come through when the wall was down and unmanned, and Judith offered to help Carol search the town.

"I'll go too." Abraham tossed them a flashlight. "I'm in the mood to kick some ass if the occasion calls for it."

"And if it doesn't?" Judith challenged.

"Then I'll have gotten in my steps for today," he jested. "Now, c'mon."

They searched the town from top to bottom, looking in on the kids and searching homes, but there was no hint of the Shah within the walls. Abraham seemed disappointed to not be able to kick some ass, and Carol assured him there would be plenty of time. Charlotte was nearly eight years old after all.

Once the storm had finished its wrath upon their town, Maggie and Hershel went to check the fields to see what the damage was, and Glenn and Aaron tended to the solar panels, and Eugene and Michonne kept the group at the wall supervised. Carol and Denise helped the kids get comfortable for a night in the clinic, and Charlotte wanted to help with something outside. She was a big girl now, and she wanted to help.

Carol explained all of the work now was heavy lifting and maintenance. Charli didn't know anything about that and instead offered to help the other kids get comfortable for the night. Carol agreed with that plan and checked in on Owen. The one-year-old was sleeping soundly in Mordin's old bedroom with the Greene twins and two other infants. She decided to spend the night in that room.

Mika and Daryl checked on the animals in the barn and found them distraught by the storm. They worked for an hour to calm them down and get them stable. Mika fed horses left and right to keep them focused on what was happening right in front of them, and Daryl was stuck petting babies bows and trying to figure out how ducks got inside the barn.

When nature, every animal and every child were at ease, parents checked in on their little ones and headed for home. Michonne and Francine were on first watch to ensure the wall kept in place, and Abraham and Sasha decided to lend them a hand should another tree decide to knock another wall down. Maggie tried the radio to contact Seaside, Hilltop and Kingdom to ensure they had survived the storm all right, and Glenn put their little ones to bed before joining her to see if there was any communication among the towns working.

They were able to get a hold of each community and confirm the number of injured was low, walls were in place and stable, and the Shah were not seen. It was a victory only a few could claim. The missing boy who had been taken in place of Judith was not one of them.


Theo grinned at the sight of Carol and Owen in the meeting room, Daryl and Maggie were discussing the newest group she had found, and Theo was trying to resist the urge to comment how lucky Carol was the boy was light-haired and honey skinned. He didn't match the profile they'd given out. He was safe. That alone deserved a celebration.

"What's the name of this community?" Maggie asked Theo. "How do we reach them?"

"By boat." Theo turned to them, all business and approached the map they had smoothed out against the desk. "It's Fire Found. A sister community to ours. They didn't want us to speak to you on their behalf until they were certain you were on our side. They're certain now and want to strike a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Carol asked.

"What kind of name is Fire Found?" Daryl asked.

"They were chased by a terrible forest fire and found the park they now live in, Daryl. And for Carol, they want us to seek out and kill the Shah. They have a lead, and they'll give it to us in exchange for food and weapons. They're willing to accept anything you offer for later, but for right now they want the Shah eliminated." She could hardly contain her excitement in that proposal. Going against the Shah with all their numbers combined? It'd a slaughter, but it'd be worth it to stop those bastards once and for all.

Maggie nodded. "That sound doable, but what's the catch?"

"They want to meet with the leaders of each community before any deals are made. Well, a representative of each community. I agreed to those terms. I already have Kingy Z and Enid on my side. I just need a rep from your end."

"I can't go. I have to renew the contracts with Hilltop, the Kingdom and Seaside," Maggie reminded Theo. "And Glenn has a training seminar in a couple days. How long will this trip take?"

"Roughly?" Theo tipped her head side to side to think and answered, "Two to three to...erm, four weeks."

"Four weeks?" Her brows shot up. "That's…a lot to ask of someone."

"It's needed for the information on the Shah, however," Theo reminded her. "I can't tell them no after saying yes. I'm sorry."

"I'll go." Carol stood up. "I've been itching to do more around here, and I think this would be a great way for me to do that."

Daryl opened his mouth to protest instantly. "No. You can't."

"Daryl, it'll be fine. Theo will be there. Ezekiel will be there. Enid, too. We'll take care of each other." She carried Owen over to him. "And Owen's fine without me now. He adores you more than me anyway, and you have work here to finish. I don't."

"It's four weeks, Carol."

"Possibly four weeks," she corrected. "I'll be fine. I've always wanted to go boating anyway, let me live a little."

"I promise she'll be in a good hands." Theo stepped forward. "I'm not going, but our town doctor is. My sister is. Trust me. I wouldn't send my sister on a death mission. Our boats are good, strong and capable. She'll return to you with a goddess like tan and information on the Shah. It'll be worth it."

Daryl hated this idea. He knew Carol was a woman gone mad when it came to the Shah. She saw nothing but them, and he'd worked for years to try and get her to see that vision would only get her killed, but she didn't listen to him. Or if she did, she didn't let it show. He knew this was necessary to catching the Shah, to stop them once and for all, but he couldn't agree with it. He just couldn't.

Though Carol didn't need his permission, so Maggie and she agreed on those terms and would send Carol back with her. Daryl hung his head and tried to see the bright side of this, but he couldn't. All he saw was his wife leaving for four weeks and continuing a blind hunt for the Shah. He knew it was inevitable, but he had hoped it wasn't. He'd hoped to any power out there it wasn't yet there they were. And as they say: fuck.

"I'll be back before you know it," Carol spoke her family. "And then this will be over."

"Do you promise?" Charli asked, stepping forward to embrace her mom. "You have to promise, or I won't let you go."

"I promise." Carol rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. "Daddy will be here for you all until I get back."

"Yeah." Mika lightly punched Charlotte's shoulder. "She'll be back before you know it, and then you'll have to brush your teeth again."

"Mika!" Charli hissed then paled and looked at her mom with round eyes. "I always brush my teeth."

Carol chuckled. "I know that's a lie, so Dad will be sitting in while you brush."

She groaned and released her mom, moving over to stand by her dad. "Thanks a lot, Mika."

"I try." Mika grinned and embraced her mom. "Have a safe trip. I love you."

"I love you too. Take care of the family for me." She rubbed her back.

"I will." She squeezed her once and let go.

"I know you're not happy with my decision, but it's for our children's sake, and the sake of every unborn child in our communities." She searched his eyes and hugged him. "I love you more than you can know, and I will come back and stop this one-sided war. I swear."

"Bye, Mama," Owen patted her back. "I love you."

She smiled at her precious big boy and kissed his cheek, setting a hand on her husband's chest. "Do I at least get a goodbye?"

"I love you," he leaned over and kissed her. "Be careful."

"Don't worry," she murmured against his lips, "I've got luck on my side."

He hoped that was enough and kissed her once more, deeper, longer, memorizing the feel of her lips on his, and he stepped back to look in her eyes. "I support you, no matter what you do or where you go. I love you very much, so please, be safe."

"Don't worry, handsome," Theo called out from the car. "We'll take good care of her. We always have."

"Goodbye." Carol shouldered her bag and joined Theo in the car.

"Goodbye, Mommy! Be careful! Catch fishies!" Charli shouted through her hands that were cupped to her mouth. "I love you!"

"Bye!" Mika waved.

"Bye-bye!" Owen waved.

Daryl exhaled and watched the car disappear down the road. "Goodbye."