Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
Theodora leveled a staff, Charlotte, Hershel, RJ, Joss and Judith mirrored the action, and she continued with the lesson under the fall sun with the small group of Alexandria's children at Seaside for a field trip. They were staying for two weeks under the care of Daryl and Michonne. They were currently walking the property, enjoying the warm breeze and taking up a patrol shift for Jack while he did a favor for Robin.
Daryl wasn't in the best mood he could be in given all that was good and happy around him. He was proud of his little girl, standing tall beside Theo, chestnut hair braided back by her own talent, holding the staff like he'd taught her to and aping the moves they had worked on just last week. He was thrilled that Mika had picked up the way of the staff and even received a custom-made staff by Henry, using her natural talent to wound and injure over kill—for people anyway. He was glad his girls weren't natural-born killers. They moved for the beat down method, reached for a chance instead of a kill. He was beyond proud.
But he missed his wife. It'd been four long weeks since Carol set sail on the open sea with a handful of Seaside's people to fish and locate that new settlement and try to open trade routes, along with getting that new information on the Shah. They had no way to truly communicate just the two of them since Nellie had control of the solar-powered walkie and kept it close for important updates. He and Alaric both were in the dark on their wives save for the updates given with the new settlement Carol had found: Tree Haven. Their leader, Malcolm, was a good man who was doing the best he could in an old RV camp—Tree Haven RV park and Resort—surrounded by trees. They had helped down the trees and install a watchtower to keep an eye on the tree line. Dug trenches all around the area to keep the walkers at a safe distance. Had training courses and runner courses and helped them be safer. They signed the treaties two weeks into the aiding, and Maggie ordered a shipment of food and wood be delivered to Seaside to be taken to Tree Haven since the water was the only way they knew just yet. Malcolm was to send a small party to Alexandria to mark a path, and Eugene was to lead that party. Daryl hoped they made it back safely.
As for Fire Found, they were in the dark completely about how the transaction went down. Carol had mentioned it to him one night before Nellie came in and asked for the walkie back to contact Robin. That was the last time they had spoken, and that was the first week of their trip. Fire Found wasn't too far away via boat, and they'd been busy with Tree Haven. Apparently, it'd been the first week of the trip dealing with Fire Found, and the rest would be sealing the alliance with Tree Haven. Daryl didn't even know when they would be back, and he was starting to get annoyed at the world.
"All right." Michonne stopped walking at the start point of their patrol. "I'd say good patrol, but I was walking with a ghost."
He chuckled softly. "Sorry. I'm distracted."
"Yeah, I noticed after my thirty-minute conversation I had with myself." She smiled at him. "It's all good. I know Carol is meant to return today, and I'm pretty excited about it myself."
He looked over at the dock through the trees and noticed something in the distance. "You see that?"
"I do." Michonne nodded and watched his reaction with a grin dancing across her lips. "Looks like a boat."
"'Cause it is a boat." He stepped forward before running towards the dock, Michonne went after him, and they caught the attention of the training group. He saw Charlotte drop her staff and come after them—so naturally Mika did the same—and they all made it to the dock at the same time to see Carol waving them down, and his heart swelled at the sight of her. "That's her."
"Mommy!" Charlotte jumped up and down, waving her arms in the air and grinning. "Mommy!"
"Mom!" Mika waved back and grinned at the sight of her.
Carol looked to the left as Ezekiel came out and joined them, Dominic pulled the boat right up to the dock, and Carol collected her bags and handed them over to Michonne, grasping her hand and jumping off the boat. Her boots hit hard, she straightened up, and she was immediately tackled by her seven-year-old and seventeen-year-old. She threw her head back and laughed, wrapping her arms around them and kissing their chilly faces all over. She missed them so much, and they were so warm and perfect in her arms. She couldn't believe she was holding them, and she relished it for as long as she could stand before the desire to see her husband overwhelmed her to the point of aching for him.
"Oh, I missed you girls so much." She cupped their cheeks from tallest to shortest. "My babies. You look so much taller to me."
"I grew!" Charlotte beamed up at her mommy. "A whole six inches!"
"Oh, my God, and I missed it?" She knelt down and set a hand on her head. "Stop growing up on me, you little stinker." She tickled her sides, and Charlotte giggled. "Oof, big girl."
Mika grasped Charlotte by the shoulders at the sound of her dad's boots on the dock and held Charlotte back while Carol rose and turned to greet her husband. She watched Mom move in for a hug, asking if he'd missed her, and he lifted her up off the ground, making her laugh out her question; and he buried his face in his shoulder, casually saying "Not really".
"I'll take that." She cupped his cheeks and kissed him lightly, but he went in for the kill. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her right up against him, tilting his head to left to kiss her harder. He brought his hand up to her neck and parted her lips with his tongue, causing a soft moan to escape as his tongue entered her mouth, and she forgot where she was for a moment. That was until their seven-year-old and seventeen-year-old started to giggle like a bunch of hyenas, and Carol had to chill this kiss out before she took Daryl right here and scarred everyone for life. She pulled back and smiled at him, his forehead bumped against hers as he nuzzled, and she closed her eyes to enjoy for just a moment.
"I've missed you so much." She kissed him lightly and opened her eyes to look at his face. "How's our son doing?"
"He sleeps like his mother and is up all night at any little sound." Michonne answered this and slipped in between the two for a hug of her own. "Hey, girl. Look at that tan. The sea's been good to you."
"It has." She embraced her tightly. "I've missed you all so much."
"And we've missed you." Michonne moved aside and let Daryl take a hold of his wife's hand. "Come. We have a lot to show you."
The girls ran off to find Theodora to show them the training they had done, Michonne joined them with Judith by her side, and they went over their training lesson. Judith and Michonne took the lead, and everyone moved as one, forming a shield wall with the first layer. The second layer armed themselves with their arrows, and the third layer watched the rear with spears and sledgehammer. It was impressive, especially when they fired on practice walkers. Their accuracy was almost flawless. They had spent those four weeks practicing, and everyone was dedicated to their part. It was beautiful.
Theo came around from her position, telling them to take twenty and showed off the new weapon Astrid had cooked up last week just for her. It was half sledgehammer, half slingshot, though Astrid had made arrows for her to use instead of rocks, and it was like a sniper rifle with Theo's aim. It was very cool, and Carol wanted one to be honest.
"We got more to show you," Daryl informed her, arm around her waist, pulling her forward to where Charli and Judith were. "Girls."
"Okay." Charli lifted her arm to reveal a sling-shot style crossbow. It was made by Astrid to help Charli with her focus and aim. She'd gotten just as good as Daddy with it, and she showed her mother by hitting the target walker smack in the forehead on the second go. The first go she was too nervous with her mom being there, and she had to shake the jitters off first. "Okay!"
"Okay?" Carol looked at Daryl, who patted her side to get her attention back on the girls, and apparently okay meant release a live walker for moving target practice. Carol tensed up instantly at her seven-year-old taking aim on a walker getting ever closer. "Charli…"
"Wait for it," Judith instructed as the walker got closer. "Wait for it... You got this."
The walker was less than five feet away, Carol was about to pull her knife from her holster when Charli let the bolt loose and caught it right in the eye, and Carol exhaled with relief, grinning down at her talented and brave little scraper. She high-fived her and mussed her hair, kissing the top of her head to show her what a good job she'd done. Charli giggled and accepted the laud, thanking her mom and hugging her tightly, glad to have her back.
"I'll show you to our cabin." Daryl escorted Carol alone to the cabin where Owen was currently taking a nap with his babysitter, Herman. They entered the cabin, Herman gave a silent nod and left them, and Daryl showed her over to their little boy. "He's been asleep for a couple hours now, so it's okay if you wanna wake him up."
"Hey, baby boy." Carol picked him up off the bed. "How are you, my little boy?"
He fussed at being woken up, but at the sight of his mom, he gasped and hugged her tightly. "Mommy!" He gripped the collar of her shirt and grinned at her. "Welcome home."
"Not quite there but I'm close." She kissed his forehead and rocked him back and forth on her hip. "How have you been?"
That began a long story about how he'd been doing lately, and it was perfectly repetitive and prolonged, and Carol giggled at the appropriate times and tugged his shirt down when he kept waving his arms about while gesturing and causing it to rise up. It was the best story time, and when it was over, it was time for lunch. Carol was praying to the gods it anything but fish. She couldn't stomach anymore fish. She might have to eat one of the children if they said fish.
She munched on Owen's little baby flab on his arm when she told him that, and he cried for her to not eat him. Daryl laughed and rubbed his back and said she wouldn't eat him, that it was a joke. He giggled then and said he knew and wanted to be put down. Carol set him on the floor, and they went to the pavilion they had built over the years, and Daryl told her to sit, and he'd get them plates. She found a place to sit with Owen, and Theo brought over a highchair for the boy. Carol thanked her, and Theo said it was no problem.
"Mommy!" Charli dropped down to the left of her with a bowl of stew. "How are you?"
"I'm a little tired, but I'm okay." She smiled faintly at her daughter. "How about you?"
"I'm great." She grinned at her blissfully. "I'm so glad you're home."
"Yeah, me too." She tucked hair behind her ear and kissed the top of her head.
Daryl and Mika returned with food for Owen and Carol, they ate together for the first time as a family in a month, and Carol nearly fell asleep listening to the conversation. She was thrilled to be home but thoroughly exhausted after a day at sea. Daryl rubbed her inner thigh and suggested they go on a walk to hunt down some dinner. She wasn't entirely up for it, but she decided to go for it.
Charli wanted to tag along, but it was an adult trip. She pouted, but Mika took care of it, and they headed out. The fresh air felt amazing on her face, and she was so grateful to not be at sea, though she would have to go back one day with her family so they could enjoy the fresh ocean air and see Tree Haven and Fire Found. It would be amazing. One day, not any day soon.
"Made you somethin'," Daryl caught her attention and handed over a bracelet made of fishermen's twine. "Just…had some time on my hand, and Mika showed me how she made our previous bracelets."
"Aww, Daryl." She rolled up her sleeve to reveal the worn bracelet she still wore, and he tied the new one beside it. "Thank you." She leaned up and kissed him.
It suddenly dawned on them that they were completely alone in the woods, miles away from camp, and they knew it would be a while before they were back home, so they made the most of nature. They didn't get fully undressed in case someone came after them with news or something, but they worked out some aches and desires all the same. Carol held onto him tighter than she ever had before, and he kissed her hard enough to bruise her lips, his teeth dragging across her lip and tugging gently.
She smiled at him and touched his face carefully, pushing his bangs back and kissing him deeply as he moved in and out of her quickly but with purpose. She moved her hips in time with his, and soon the only sounds in the entire woods was of rapid breathing and moaning. It filled the space between them, crushing out all air, and they both came together, calling for the other loudly and attracting a walker.
Carol reached down into her quiver and pulled out an arrow, readying her bow and loosing it, causing it to lodge into the shoulder of the walker, pinning it against a tree. She giggled and blamed him for making her head light. She kissed him and wrapped her arms around him.
"I've missed you."
"I've missed you." He grinned at her. "Got my ass in the wind to prove it."
She giggled again and kissed his lips. "Let's get dressed before that walker gets loose."
They found their pants and underwear, slipping into them and taking care of the walker, and they continued on their hunting trip, holding hands and following tracks. They spent a good five hours hunting down a sizeable deer for Seaside, helping themselves to some of Daryl's rabbit jerky when they sat down for a break, laughing and talking about how her trip had been. She didn't mention much on Fire Found or what their tip was, and he was worried it'd been a bust, but she said she didn't want to talk about it just yet. There was so much more she wanted to know about—how Owen was doing, how the girls were adjusting to Seaside and how long were they going to be there—and he answered every question.
"We'll probably be here another day. Michonne and Judy are headin' back tonight, but Theo has one more lesson for Charli and Mika. Then we'll use the lead accordingly."
She nodded. "We should get back. This deer won't cook itself for dinner."
"That's true." He smiled at her. "Glad to have you back home."
"Glad to be back home." She kissed his forehead and stood up. "C'mon."
Carol was pulled into a meeting with Nellie and the other leaders to discuss the tip they'd gotten on the Shah the moment they were back in town, having contacted Maggie with the ham radio. They discussed what the plan would be—waiting for troops from Kingdom and Alexandria and heading to the location immediately. Maggie didn't want Carol involved and demanded she and her family come home tonight with Judith and Michonne and the kids, and Carol refused. Ezekiel agreed with Maggie, and Carol couldn't believe it.
"This is my daughter they're after. I have every right to be there," Carol fumed. "You have no reason to keep me out."
"You're too involved," Maggie stated. "I love you and know exactly where you're coming from, but you can't be there. Stay home with Charlotte. Keep her safe. We'll move out as soon as we get word on the troops."
They ended the meeting there, Ezekiel tried to explain his reasoning in having Carol not be involved, but she walked out of the building. She headed over to their guest cabin and packed up their items, needing to have a face to face chat with Maggie as soon as possible, and she caught Owen and Charli playing peek-a-boo behind the bed. She stopped for a moment and admired the two of them, remembering who this was really about, and she sighed, sitting down on the bed and running a hand through her hair.
"Everything all right?" Mika entered the cabin, having seen her mom taking off for the house like a storm.
"Yeah. Yeah, it's fine. We just have to leave tonight, too. Maggie's orders."
"Oh, bummer." She looked over at her siblings, who were now focused on them. "Go pack, guys."
Charli took a hold of Owen's hand and guided him into the next room to pack up their items, Mika lent Carol a hand, and they made easy work of packing up. Daryl came in to tell them dinner was ready and found them moving the bags to the main room. He asked what was going on, and Carol told him Maggie wanted them home tonight, just like Judith and Michonne and the other kids. There was no arguing. Her word was law apparently.
They said their goodbyes to the community of Seaside after dinner, they loaded up the car and headed back towards home. Theo said she'd radio in their lesson, which would be difficult, but they'd make it work. They didn't speak much on the way home, though the kids sang a few songs loudly and annoyingly, but Carol was content to be with her family, even if she was thinking over how to verbally destroy Maggie.
And that was exactly where she headed when she got the kids settled down for the night. Daryl asked her where she was headed, and she told him exactly where she was going. He said to let it pass, to give it a night and see how she felt about this in the morning, but Carol wasn't going to take this lying down. She was going to hunt down the Shah with the rest of the men and women who amassed to become the troops. Maggie would just have to face facts.
However, Maggie wasn't in the mood to talk when Carol arrived. She had been dealing with Enid, who believed Carol had every right and reason to be there when they brought down the Shah, and Carol made mental note to thank Enid for that. She had no idea Enid had thought so passionately about her, but she was grateful to have someone else on her side.
"Maggie, this is my daughter we're talking about. I have every right and reason to be there. Don't you understand that?"
"What I understand is you're gonna get yourself killed tryin' to take out the Shah," Maggie retorted lowly. "You can't see straight when it comes to them, and I won't be the one to tell Owen and Charli and Mika their mother died chasing assholes."
"I won't die by their hands. Have a little more faith in my ability."
"I have upmost faith in your abilities, Carol, but you're a woman scorned. You have the fury, that untamed wrath, but you're a hammer. We need finesse. We need…a scalpel."
"Excuse me?"
"You're a hammer to which every Shah member is a nail, and we don't need that kind of thinking. We need to be deft with this, and yes, you're very skilled and very…determined, but we need more than that to get rid of them once and for all."
"It sounds like you don't intend to kill them." Carol narrowed her eyes. "Are you… Are you going to try and strike a deal with them?"
"What? No, of course not. We will kill each member to ensure the safety of our future, but some members may be swayed. Like the younger members, and we can't just bum rush our way through 'em all. Okay? We can try and save the young ones."
Carol clenched her jaw. "You think I'd kill a child? To ensure the safety of my own? Really, Maggie?"
"I don't know how far you'll go to extinguish this enemy," she honestly replied, meeting Carol's eyes. "I'll save those I can, rehabilitate them and see if they can handle or want to handle being a part of our communities."
Carol shook her head. "Wow, now I see how you are, Maggie Rhee. Thanks for the enlightenment."
"Carol," Maggie called after her. "I'm sorry, but we both know what you did at the prison, trying to save the lives of the people you love. And if you love your babies even an fourth as much as I love mine, I know you'd kill every single member to snuff out that darkness, but I can't let you do that. I am sorry."
Carol just kept walking. When she returned home, she broke a lamp in frustration and Daryl came downstairs to see what was wrong. She told him not to worry and headed upstairs to take a bath. He tried to stop her, to get an answer out of her, but she was too exhausted. She kissed him goodnight and vanished behind the bathroom door. He frowned and hoped to get answers in the morning.
In the morning, Carol went to work with training and took out her frustrations on the walkers they had brought in. Charlotte's classmates were deeply impressed, Charli was pouting because she wasn't able to show off her own skills with the wrist slingshot crossbow, and Mika could tell something was wrong with her mother. They both approached her after class, but she assured them she was fine. She faked a smile and sent them on their way, heading over to the clinic to have her knuckles wrapped. She'd knocked it too hard against the brass knuckle hilt of her knife, and she'd opened a few bruises there.
"Well, that looks painful." Denise lightly dabbed peroxide-soaked cotton swabs onto the wounds. "What happened?"
"Walker training. My knuckles caught on my knife. No walker blood was near it, though, so don't worry."
"Oh, good." She pulled her hand closer on the table, and Carol spread her fingers apart. "How are you handling being back?"
"Good. I'm glad to be home." She smiled. "I've missed my kids like crazy, and Daryl, too, obviously."
"Obviously," she concurred. "How are you and Owen bonding? I know it was a rough couple of months."
"Oh, we're good, I think. He still is a Daddy's boy, but he cuddles up with me now and then. Or he did. We haven't done any cuddling since I've come back."
"That's good. How about you and Charlotte? She's still trying to impress you with every breath?"
Carol smiled deeply. "Yes, and I adore her for it. She doesn't have to try so hard. I'm impressed with everything she does. I hope she knows that."
"Tell her."
"I should." Carol inhaled. "But enough about me. How are you and Tara doing?"
"We're great." Denise smiled naturally, beautifully, and Carol could tell she was very much in love with her girlfriend. "I love her so much. We actually had a little anniversary ceremony thing last week."
"What?" Carol gaped. "You guys got married?"
"Not in those words but sorta." She laughed. "It just happened."
"That's incredible. I'm so happy for you." She wished she could have been there. "I would have given you away had I been here."
"It's fine. It was just the two of us, speaking from the heart and it was really romantic. I saw a new side of Tara, and I feel…giddy as shit." She laughed, and Carol smiled at her. "I'm in love, okay? Don't judge me."
"I would never. I'm happy for you." She gripped her hand and squeezed. "Congratulations."
"Thank you." She lifted her eyes to her face. "I wish you could have been there. It would have been perfect then."
"Aww." She grinned. "I love you, and I'm happy for you. No matter what."
Denise finished cleaning up her knuckles, wiping herbal ointment across her knuckles and sent her on her way. She decided to go home and lie down to calm the headache Maggie had given her, and she instead found Daryl in the kitchen. She approached him with a smile, and he looked upset.
"What's going on?"
"You mind tellin' me why you went off on Mags when she was just lookin' out for you?"
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. You're taking her side?"
"Because I sat around long enough to hear her side," he answered. "You can't just…yell at people to get your way, Carol."
"I wasn't yelling at her. I was demanding my right to be there when the Shah are dealt with. I've earned it after nearly four years of having them lord over me." She gestured to her hip. "They carved into my side, scarring my body, if you recall!"
"I do recall. I also know you are obsessed with them. You haven't gone a day without mentioning them in weeks." He searched her eyes. "Yeah, I spoke to Zeke before we left. Nellie, too."
"The whole point of that mission was to get information on the Shah, so of course I spoke of them!" She gestured behind her. "I did what I had to do for Charlotte. At the end of the day, that's all I want—what is best for her. She's nearly eight years old, and they will be coming after her."
"I'm aware of how old our daughter is, and I just happen to agree with Maggie here. You're so driven, I worry you'll run with this tip and Charlotte won't have you by her side for her eighth birthday."
"Why does everyone seem to think I'd get killed? I happen to be one of the stealthiest people here. I've gotten the best of even you, Mr. Crossbow."
"Yes, you are very talented and very agile, but that doesn't mean you can take on an entire group of wackos by yourself." I mean, probably, he thought to himself then he flattened his hands down on the counter. "And anyway, we need people here to protect the walls in case the Shah come for us before the troops are ready. Now that Charlotte is nearing her eighth birthday, our protection is gone."
"Excuse me, what did you just say?"
"With Charli of age, there's no reason to keep us around. We could supply them with more children, but we're mostly a threat to them. So, they'll like wipe us out as soon as they get their hands on Charli, take over our community and do fuck knows what to it.
"So, it's totally okay for our daughter to be made a shield for us, but not for me to fight alongside others to protect her?" Carol spat. "Is that what I'm hearing right now?"
"You know I didn't mean it that way."
"Look, we can either go out there together, or we can end it right now," Carol threatened. "I don't want… I don't want that, but if you keep siding with them, keep disbelieving in me, then you'll leave me no choice. I have to stop them, no matter what."
"Carol, it ain't us or them! We're all on the same goddamn side! You just don't realize it." He growled. "And I can't lose you again!"
She paused for a moment, trying to not that soft and beautiful statement weaken her resolve, and she stammered out, "I realize you aren't as invested in finding and taking out the assholes who are hounding our daughter as I am!"
"You know this means as much to you as it does to me," he seethed in a lethally low tone. "She's my daughter just as much as she is yours, and I would take a wall of bullets for her, you know that."
"Of course I know that, Daryl, but this isn't about taking a bullet for her; it's about me eliminating a threat for her."
"Why do you have to be there?"
"Don't you understand why?" He shook his head at her. "I have to be there so I can look Charli dead in the eye and tell her with pure confidence the Shah are out of our lives completely. Now I am done having this conversation—I am going, and that's final."
"Are you done with just this conversation, or are you just done with me?" he demanded, bringing back her earlier comment.
She scoffed and gave him a look before turning on her heel and walking away. Daryl dropped his eyes to the counter and wanted to punch it, but he sighed instead. From the shadows of the kitchen, Charlotte approached her mother, knotting her fingers together nervously, but she'd sat in the shadows long enough to watch her mother and father argue back and forth. Mom stopped at the sight of her, and Dad came around the counter to see if she'd considered his position, but instead he saw Charlotte.
"Hey, Charli, what's going on?" Daryl tried to smile to make it seem like they were all right, but it didn't meet his eyes.
"I know you've been fighting." Charlotte dropped her hands to her sides and looked from her father to her mother and back. "And I know it's about me and the Shah."
"We're trying to resolve this without involving you," Carol informed her. "We have Fire Found's lead, and we'll use it end the Shah. Don't you worry about it, okay? Go get ready for lunch. I'll make your favorite—"
"No, I am going to worry about it," she snapped, gripping the hem of her shirt in two tight fists, her heart pounding against its fleshy cage. "I'm having nightmares over it. I'm losing sleep over it, so don't tell me to not worry, because that's crap, Mom. And it only makes me worry more!"
"Charlotte, I'm sorry this happened to you, but there's nothing more we can do right now. We need numbers to attack, and we don't have those numbers just yet, but soon we will. We'll use the lead and go after them." Carol tried to touch her, to console her, but Charli flinched back. "Baby—"
"Don't tell me of a bullshit plan that won't work. You can't capture and kill the Shah by your own willing of it. Don't you get that?"
"Charli, we will get 'em," Daryl vowed, moving closer. "We got a good lead on one of their camps. We'll head out as soon as Seaside, Kingdom, Hilltop, Tree Haven and Fire Found prove enough men, so we can match 'em solider for solider."
"How do you know the lead is good?"
"Because they have pictures of the Shah and evidence of them being in the area," Carol explained. "It's a solid lead, the most solid once we've had in three, nearly four years."
She nodded. "Then I have a plan to draw the Shah out."
"You do?" Carol crossed her arms over her chest and opened her ears to hear her daughter. "Okay, let's hear it."
"Use the lead…find their camp…and send me to it." She met her mother's eyes, and Carol could see she was entirely serious. "Use me as bait to draw out the Shah."
