Beth turned off the water and Dixon slowly lowered the last plate to the stack. Daryl set aside the bow he was fiddling with, rose from the chair in the living room, and along with Hershel, strolled in to the kitchen as the broadcast repeated. The adults at the kitchen table looked around at one another as the message continued.

"There's a refugee camp that still stands?" Glenn asked.

"Sounds like a broken record," T-Dog noted.

Those who arrive, survive…

"There could be another community out there," Patricia said. "Like Woodbury. Taking in refugees."

…at the terminus of Fulton Country Railway…

"Except Woodbury's not foolish enough to advertise its location." Carol walked toward the radio and put a hand on the back of Sophia's chair. "Woodbury will take people in if they come across them, but to let everyone in this world know precisely where your camp is? And just roll out the welcome mat?"

"It does seem overly optimistic," Michonne agreed. "Men like the ones who tried to claim me could show up on their doorstep."

Terminus. Sanctuary for all, community for all…

"They must have a lot of confidence in their security," Glenn suggested. "Maybe it's an actual U.S. military camp, and they have an even bigger army than Woodbury. And more people."

"How is Carl going to call if this keeps playing!" Sophia complained.

"Try another CB channel," T-Dog told her. "They may have had to switch channels because of this. Try 27 and up. Those can't be picked up by walkie talkies. They'll be safer." Patricia raised an eyebrow at him, and he told her, "Hey, I told you I used to be a trucker."

Sophia turned the channel, paging through static, until the CB radio picked up Rick's voice: "Come in, Egypt, come in. Over."

"This is Egypt," Sophia replied. "Warrior Princess speaking. Is Midnight Dingo there? Over."

"You can talk to him later. Put Daryl on," Rick told her. "Over."

Daryl came over to the CB, took the microphone, and pressed down the talk button. "Did you hear that Terminus broadcast? Over."

"We heard it this afternoon," Rick replied. "It's been playing for the past three hours, on an endless loop, trying up that channel so no one can use it. Our town council just had a meeting to discuss it. Over."

"Had elections then?" Daryl asked. "Over."

"They chose Milton Mamet for mayor. A woman named Sasha Williams was elected to the council. She's a fairly good marksman and used to be a firefighter, I understand. Mr. Jacobson. I'm ashamed to say I don't know his first name. Everyone just seems to call him Mr. Jacobson. He's the head gardener here. Dr. Stevens, she's the town doctor. And Greg. He's a soldier and a guard who stayed behind during the attack. The council appointed Abraham as General of the Roman Army, and Rosita as lieutenant-general. They appointed Tara as Sheriff of Rome, and…uh…they appointed me as her deputy."

Daryl snorted.

"Wasn't she a cadet?" Glenn asked from the table.

T-Dog chuckled. "Bet that knocked him down a peg."

Rick, not hearing any of this because he still had the talk button down, continued, "The council is planning to send a team to check this Terminus place out. General Abraham, Councilwoman Sasha, and four other soldiers will be heading that way in a couple days, after they finish up some work here. They're going to do some reconisance, evaluate it, and see if it really is a functioning refugee camp. If so, we'll check if anyone has family members there. And we'll see if we can establish trade. Over."

"Well, sounds like y'all got a handle on it," Daryl replied. "Let us know what you find. But don't let them soliders mention Egypt. Over."

"We won't, but if it is a camp, is there anyone you want us to check is there? Relatives who might have been somewhere near Alpharetta, Georgia when it started? The terminus of the railway is near there. Just give us names. Over."

Daryl glanced at Carol, who shook her head. She didn't have any living relatives she'd kept in touch with before the collapse. No friends to speak of. That was how Ed had been able to keep her isolated, after all. He wasn't much different. He'd known only Merle, who was gone now.

"We know who lived and died among our family," said Hershel, looking from Maggie to Beth.

"My folks were in California," Glenn replied. "There's no way they're in a camp in Georgia, even if they somehow lived."

"If it turns out to be a functioning camp," T-Dog said, "Ask if Shantelle Douglas is there. That's my little sister. She's twenty. She was in college in Chattanooga, Tennessee when it started, but she might have been trying to get home to Atlanta."

"You had a sister?" Patricia asked.

"Maybe I still do," T-Dog said softly, as though it were the first time he'd considered the possibility in a long time.

"'Chone?" Daryl asked.

Michonne's jaw was tight, as though she was trying to decide whether to even allow herself the hope. Finally she said, "Jamar Hawthorne. He was stationed at Fort Payne, Alabama. But he might have been trying to make it to me in Atlanta. He's my brother. He's thirty-six."

"That's your age," Glenn replied in surprise.

Michonne swallowed. "We're twins."

Daryl let out a bit of shaky sigh. "'Tircia?"

"Like Hershel said…my people were all near me," her voice shook, "and I know which ones I lost."

T-Dog reached out and put a hand over hers and squeezed.

"Ask for my Uncle Eric," Mika piped up hopefully.

"'S his last name?"

"I don't know," Mika admitted. "He was just Uncle Eric."

"He yer daddy's brother?"

"My mom's."

"You know her last name?" Daryl asked.

"Raleigh. He lived in D.C.. Is that near Alpharetta?"

"Uh…not really," Daryl replied. "Six hundred miles or so."

"So, you can't ask?" Mika said despondently.

"We'll still ask," he assured her. "Luke? You have any relatives livin' in north Georgia or south Tennessee? Eastern Alabama?"

"Uh…my grandma."

"What's her name?" Daryl asked.

"Grandma."

"Don't know her first or last name?"

Luke shook his head.

"Was she yer daddy's mama, or your mama's mama?"

Luke shrugged.

"A'ight..." he told the boy. "Ask 'bout her. Dixon? You got anyone?"

"It was just me and my mom, really. And uh..." He laughed. "I found my uncle."

Daryl smiled and pushed the talk button. "Ask for Shantelle Douglas, T-Dog's sister. Jamar Hawthorne, 'Chonne's brother. Eric Raleigh, Mika's uncle. And uh...Grandma. Luke's grandma. Over."

"I'll pass on the names to Abraham," Rick said without commenting on the lack of information about grandma. "Over."

Daryl smirked as he pressed down the talk button again. "How ya like being a cadet's deputy? Over."

"I get it," Rick replied. "Tara was here for four weeks before I got here. She knows everyone by name. And they like her. But man…" He laughed. "She could use some training."

"When can I talk?" Carl asked from behind his father.

"I'm going to hand the mic over to Carl."

"Hey, Sophia!" Carl half-shouted into the microphone, and soon the kids were monopolizing the CB.

December 21

Glenn spun around on the Segway, jerked it to a stop, and cursed. "You have to stop doing that!"

Daryl walked forward and recovered his arrow from the tree trunk. "Ain't like I was shootin' at you. Just had to get your attention. 'Sides, almost had me a squirrel."

"I think we have plenty of protein for the winter now." Glenn stepped off the Segway. "Although I'm going to get pretty tried of venison by the time its spring."

"Have cheese. Milk. Beans. Eggs. Little fish in the freezer still. Couple pounds of bear left."

"So why'd you stop me?" They were near the entrance to the Kingdom coaster, and Glenn strolled over and leaned back against the metal rail of the line corral.

Daryl shouldered his bow. "Whatchya gettin' Maggie for Christmas?"

"We agreed we weren't doing that."

"Shit," Daryl muttered.

"Why?"

"Carol expects somethin'."

"And you don't know what to get her?" Glenn surmised.

"No. She can just get whatever she wants when she wants it. Ain't like you got to pay for shit in the stores. Says it's the thought that counts."

"I think that means make her something."

"Like what?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know. What can you make?"

"Been tannin' some hides. Was gonna make Soph a beaver skin cap for Christmas. Carol said she used to be into Davy Crocket or some shit. Think Carol would want one, too?"

Glenn shrugged. "I don't know. You'd know her better than me."

"Also been tannin' that bear hide. Could give Carol a bear skin rug. Put it in front of the bed."

"Yeah…I don't know how well the dead animal thing goes down with most girls," Glenn told him. "They usually like jewelry and stuff like that."

"Can get any jewelry she wants in the shops. And I ain't never seen her take any."

"You could write her a poem," Glenn suggested. "Girls love it when…" He trailed off because Daryl's expression spoke volumes. "Yeah. You're probably not much of a poet."

"Fuck!" Daryl muttered. "Why don't they just tell you what they want?"

"Mine did. She's the best. She said she didn't want anything."

"Yeah, well, Maggie's lyin' 'bout that."

Glenn got a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Pfft. She's testin' you."

"Oh shit. Do you think she is?"

"'Course she is."

"Oh no…what do I get her?"

Daryl shrugged. "Dunno. But tell me when you find out." He strolled on.

December 22

Carol came back from the bathroom, crawled under the covers, and gave Daryl a kiss. He closed his Shooter's Bible and lay it on the end table. "We havin' sex?" he asked.

"As romantic as you made that sound, no. It's that time of month. I told you it was erratic for me. But I could use a backrub."

"Can't promise I won't rub the front while I'm at it."

"You get sixty seconds in front," she told him. "That's all."

He sat back against the headboard and spread his legs so she could sit between them. He began with her shoulders.

She stretched her neck as he rubbed. "What do you think Woddbury will find in Terminus?" she asked. Rick had checked in today. He said - in code - that the Woodbury team, with Abraham at its head, had set out this morning.

"Dunno. Maybe nothin' but a recordin' on loop and the mic talk button taped down."

"It is strange," Carol agreed. "Sophia's so excited to visit Carl tomorrow. I'm a little excited to see Woodbury, too."

Daryl slowed in his rubbing. He wondered, suddenly, how many men there were in Woodbury. They were up to sixty-six people now, Rick had said. Some were kids. Some were women, but there had to be at least twenty men. Maybe thirty. Men with a lot more charm than him, probably. "I love you," he said.

She craned back her neck to smile at him. She planted a kiss gently on his lips and then looked forward again. "Where'd that come from?"

He realized he didn't say it often. In fact, the last time he said it might have been several days ago, after she'd been shot at. "Just…don't want you to forget."

She chuckled. "I don't think I'll forget." She leaned back against his chest and sighed contendly. "But I like being reminded anyway."

December 23

"C'mere," Daryl motioned Sophia over as Carol threw a final pack in the bed of his pick-up. They were bringing mostly booze and cigars and clothing for trade – it was what they had. Glenn had already walked ahead to open the gate for them and would shut it behind them after they left.

Carol watched as Sophia, who wore her sword on her back, wandered over. Daryl handed her a holster with a small handgun clipped into it. "This goes on your belt. Want ya to carry while we're on the road, just in case. Only for a real emergency. This is the one we trained on. Safety's on."

"Okay," Sophia said and clipped it onto her belt while Carol put up the tail gate.

"Go ahead and get in the cab, Sweetie," Carol told her, but to Daryl, "can I talk to you a minute?"

Daryl wandered closer and leaned against the closed tailgate while Sophia got in the truck. "What?" he asked.

"You can't just give her a handgun to carry without discussing it with me first."

"Goin' seventy miles today. Shit could happen. She's been taught to be safe with it."

"I agree she should carry it," Carol said.

"Hell's the problem, then?"

"The problem is you didn't bother to discuss it with me first. Do you understand that?"

"Yeah." There was dissapointment in his voice. "She's your kid. Not mine. I ain't got no right. Sorry."

"That's not what I meant at all. You have every right to parent her. Daryl, I told you that you've been more of a father to her than her own father ever was. I meant that. And I want you playing that role in her life. It's just, we have to parent together. We need to make sure we're on the same page so she gets a consistent message from both of us. And to make that happen, we have to discuss things like this first. I happen to agree with you on this, but, if I hadn't…when we don't agree…we should work that out privately first. Instead of arguing in front of her."

"Oh." He looked suddently relieved. "Yeah, that makes sense."

She smiled. "Does it?"

"Mhm. Just…never thought 'bout it I guess."

"I've never had to think about it before, because with Ed…" She sighed. "I just deferred to him. Always. There wasn't any discussion to be had. But that's not what's going to happen with us."

"Understood."

Carol stepped forward and kissed him. He kissed back, put a hand on her ass, and pushed her against himself. He dove his tongue into her mouth, and that was when Sophia impatiently blew the horn.

Daryl pulled away. "Hold your horses, girl!" he hollered and then made his way to the driver's side.

As Carol climbed into the passenger's side, with Sophia wedged between them, Sophia said, "Did you see the gun Daryl gave me? It's a .22. Not a very big caliber, but it'll do."

"I did see it," Carol replied with a smile. "Now listen to what he said about only using it in emergencies."

"I know…I know…."

Daryl started the engine and they drove toward the front gate of Fun Kingdom, which Glenn, waving, closed behind them.