Rick saw the look the night desk clerk was giving them, so he hustled Carol and Sophia back to his desk. This section was almost empty since there was still over an hour before the day shift started. He motioned to the two chairs in front of his desk and sat down in his chair still staring at Carol in amazement.
"How?" he asked first.
Carol shook her head. "I don't know how exactly, but I dreamed last night. I dreamed about it all, everything that happened to us."
Sophia piped up, "I dreamed too Mama." She crinkled her nose. "But it was more of a nightmare."
Carol put her arm around Sophia comforting her. "You're right honey, a lot of it was." She looked back up at Rick. "Sophia woke up screaming, yelling about the monsters trying to eat her and that she wanted her Mama."
Rick's heart fell as he looked at them with compassion. He'd never wish that on poor Sophia, to remember how she died. "Oh no."
"No, it's better this way," Carol said in that firm non-nonsense voice she could get. She looked down at Sophia, "Isn't it Sophia?"
Sophia started nodding madly. "I was stupid before. I didn't stay where you put me, Mr. Rick. I didn't know what to do and I got impatient. Mama and I talked all about it and she's going to teach me how to be smart with them, how to fight them. Remembering is the first step to being strong, like Mama says. They'll never trap me again." Sophia said this with such fervor that Rick was a believer.
Carol was nodding along this whole time and then met Rick's eyes. "Sophia will be prepared this time, I'll be prepared. We won't just sit back and let you try to keep everyone safe," she vowed.
"About that," Rick started to explain, "It might be a bit harder than you think but I'm so glad you both remember."
Carol gave him an inquiring look and he elaborated. "I used the DMV system last night, tracked down everyone I remembered enough about to find them in the system, the ones I had an idea where they were before. None of them recognized my voice. So far, it's just us and Carl." He saw Carol's face fall and knew she felt the weight of the task ahead of them just as he did last night.
"I'm glad Carl remembers, he's my friend," Sophia said. Rick smiled at her, Carl would help her as well.
Just then his desk phone rang which startled him. "Sorry," he said to Carol and Sophia as he answered. "Hello?"
"Rick!" The familiar voice continued, "Son, you called me last night but I didn't remember you. After the night I just had though, I know you and I know why you were calling."
The relief that flooded Rick right then made him realize just how tightly wound he'd been. "Hershel. Thank God."
That got Carol's attention and she mouthed at him, "Does he remember?" He nodded wildly as Hershel continued.
"I don't know why I suddenly remember now, but I dreamed it all last night. Maggie's up and she remembers as well. Nobody else does though, not even Beth. Gonna have a family meeting and talk to everybody, we have a lot of work to do and they need to understand what's coming. Maggie's looking for Glenn right now."
"I called Glenn last night, he didn't remember either. I called a lot of the family, the one's I could find at least. Nobody remembered."
"Now, I expect that was weighing on you something awful, son. Well, we're here now, and we'll get the job done. If they don't remember we'll just have to bring them along with us until they do. How soon can you get here? The way I see it, we've got some planning to do, some people to find, a lot of work to do and about 6 months to do it in."
Rick glanced at his calendar, it was a novelty calendar Carl had gotten him for Christmas that showed all the lunar events. January 31, 2010; the wolf moon had peaked yesterday. Huh.
"Rick? You still there?"
Rick's attention jumped back to the phone. "I am, sorry. So today's Sunday and dispatch sounded like they thought I was working, but I'm on a rotation with Sunday and Monday off right now. I'll remind them we swapped with Kendal & Basset recently so Shane & I would have Sundays off. I'd planned on taking Carl fishing today so that'll be a good excuse to get out of the house. Carl remembers and Carol and Sophia are sitting in front of me right now. They remember as well. We can be there in a couple of hours, I just need to stop and pick up Carl."
"Carol's daughter's with her?"
"Yes," he looked up at Carol assessing, "Her husband's alive as well. He broke Sophia's wrist last night, I had them staying at a shelter after we were called to the house on a domestic call. They didn't remember then. I think they could use a place to stay right now if you have room." Carol nodded vigorously.
"Absolutely. We'll get the spare room made up and ready, you tell her that they'll both be safe here. I'll take a look at that wrist too." Hershel rattled off the farm's address. That made Rick grin, like he couldn't find it driving in his sleep. He dutifully wrote it down though. GPS never hurts and he didn't think he'd ever come from this direction before.
"Okay, we'll be there as soon as we can." Rick hung up the phone and smiled over at Carol.
"Did he dream?" she asked.
He nodded. "That's what he said, same as you, that he dreamed it all last night. Maggie too. Beth doesn't remember though or any of the rest of the family. They're alive though, that's what matters."
He stood up, ready to go when the phone rang again. He exchanged glances with Carol and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Well Officer Friendly, missed me so much ya decided we needed to do this again, huh?"
"Merle?" Carol's gaze jerked up and sharpened at that.
"Yeah, it's me. Ya went and missed me since you were lookin' for me hmm? Gonna give ole Merle another shot at this?"
"Does Daryl remember too?" Rick asked quickly.
"Now don't go gettin' yer panties in a twist there lawman. I's spent the night here away from home. Thought I took somethin' bad during those nightmares, came down hard. Daryl's back at our place, ha'n't talked to him yet. Need ya ta know we're a package deal. I's gonna get meself clean. Not gonna do that dumb shit no more, not wi' the dead 'bout to walk. Gonna keep ma hand. I's be a contributin' member of the damn group, get meself somma the 'spect ole Daryleena gots from ya. That gonna be a problem?"
Rick sighed. He understood Merle loud and clear. No Merle, no Daryl. He made a decision and just hoped he didn't come to regret it. "I understand Merle. If you can do that, if you can get clean and be a contributing member? Then sure, we'll take you." Carol's eyes got very wide at that.
"Aight then. I'll grab lil brother and meet ya. Where at?"
Rick rattled off the farm address. Told Merle they'd be there within a couple hours, to wait for them before they knocked since Hershel wasn't expecting the brothers.
Merle cackled. "Wanna prepare them a little for ole Merle? Aight, fair nuff. We'll wait for ya. Gotta lot ta do and I's gots ta get clean 'fore I'm much help."
"And Merle?" Rick needed to emphasize this. "That racist shit won't fly anymore."
Merle huffed out a laugh. "I know, I's willin' ta change ma ways so's we can survive this. Merle's a new man, ain't gonna let this world kill me 'gain. We'll wait for ya and see ya there."
Rick hung the phone up slowly and didn't look surprised when it immediately rang again.
"Hello?
"Rick?"
"Andrea? Is that you?" Rick responded.
A sob came through the phone. "Rick, I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you."
"Shhh, it's okay. You understand now, right?"
"I do. I'm gonna find Dale and get Amy and my parents and head your way."
"I talked to Dale last night, he didn't remember," Rick told her.
"You talked to me last night and I didn't remember then either," she reminded him. "Give me his number and I'll try him right now."
Rick complied and gave her the number he'd called the night before. Rick explained they were heading to the farm to start planning with Hershel and Maggie. Andrea got Hershels number as well and promised to check in with them there.
This time Rick hung up the phone and neither he nor Carol were surprised when it rang again.
"Hello?"
"I've been to eight county fairs and one goat rodeo and I never dreamed that Rick fucking Grimes could bring me back from the dead."
Rick laughed before he could even think about it. "Abraham? That you?"
"The one and only. How the hell did you pull this off Rick?"
"No idea, I haven't done anything as far as I know. But I'm not gonna waste the opportunity. You think you can round up Eugene, Rosita and any family you wanna save and get over here before the end? Best I can tell we have about 6 months before it starts spreading."
"I can do that. Any idea where we're gonna land?"
Rick rattled off Hershel's farm address. "Gonna get started there. Heading there today to get some planning done. Six months Abe. Just think of what we can do with all that time. We can be ready, at least a helluvalot more ready than last time."
"Right, I'll gather the flock, fly your way." Rick gave him Hershel's number to check in with and hung up.
He looked up and grinned at Carol. She grinned right back just as the phone rang again.
"Hello?"
"Rick Grimes? You called me last night."
"Speaking."
"Thank God. I remember. I didn't last night, but I remember it all now Rick," Michonne said.
"Michonne," Rick breathed out. "Andre? He's OK?"
"Yes, he's fine. And I'm gonna keep him that way."
"Okay, we're gonna meet at Hershel's farm to plan. Can you come?"
"I'll make time. When and where?"
Rick rattled off the address he was coming to know by heart now. Also Hershel's number and confirmed they'd see her soon.
The phone had barely hit the cradle when it rang again. Rick had it back up and at his ear quickly.
"I'd like to speak with Rick Grimes."
"Jacqui? Is that you?"
"Rick. I dreamed about you last night."
"I know. That seems to be going around right now."
"How?" she asked.
"I honestly have no idea Jacqui, but we're planning for it. We have time and we're going to survive. I want you to come with us. T-dog too. Could you call him, see if he remembers?"
Jacqui agrees to find T-dog and check in with Rick again at Hershel's number. Again, as soon as he hung up the phone rang again. Carol laughed.
"Hello?"
"Rick? Rick Grimes?
"Tyreese," Rick responded.
"It's true then? It's happening?"
"Yes, it seems so. But we have a chance Ty, a chance to do this right, to survive. We're meeting to plan out what to do so we're ready. When can you get here?"
"Sasha doesn't remember, so I doubted myself. As soon as I can talk her into believing me I guess. We'll get things taken care of here in Jacksonville and get there. Even if I have to kidnap her, we'll be there."
Rick gave him Hershels address and phone number so he could update them and stay in touch.
Again the phone rang as he put it down.
"How many people did you call, Rick?" Carol exclaimed.
He just grinned at her. "Hello?"
"Rick. It's Aaron."
"I can't tell you how good it is to hear your voice Aaron."
"You too. So, time travel?"
Rick laughs, "Looks like it."
"Hey, don't knock it. Best thing that's happened to me in a long time. Where are we meeting? How are we going to do this?"
"An old friend we lost before we met you, he has a farm. We're gonna meet there, start planning and figure out how to survive this. We can ride out the start there at the very least. It's remote and was secure for the first while."
"We have some things to tidy up here, but then we're heading your way. Gonna pick up some supplies on our way."
Rick rattled off the farm's address and Hershel's number.
"We'll talk to you soon then. Maybe I'll get ya some applesauce," Rick joked.
Aaron laughed.
This time when he hung up the phone, it stayed silent. Carol, Sophia and he got in his car to pick up Carl.
He threw a grin at Carol, next to him in the front seat. "They're remembering."
She smiled back and said, "Get a move on Sheriff. We've got family to see."
A/N Rick is far from alone now! Ya know what they say-many hands make light work. And even lighter yet when most of you understand what's at stake. Just think of the things all these minds can come up with!