Chapter 6

...And then what?

Daryl and Glenn sat at the table as a pregnant Maggie put warm scrambled eggs on a plate on Judith's highchair. It was morning and the sun peered in through the window and gave an eerie light to the sullen mood in the room. Maggie took a deep breath preparing herself for what she had to do next.

Glenn looked up at her knowing that this would be another difficult morning. Maggie gave him a half smile knowing it had to be done. She moved from the kitchen to the stair banister and closed her eyes.

"Carl." She called and waited for an answer.

She tilted her head and listened but there was no response.

"Carl!" She called even louder.

"I'm not hungry!" Carl yelled from behind the closed door of his room.

Maggie bit the bottom of her lip and rubbed her belly.

"Carl, get down here, Now!" Daryl yelled, his voice thundered through the halls.

They all heard Carl's door screech open and Maggie turned to go back toward the kitchen as he came storming down the stairs. She began to make his plate as he appeared in the doorway. His eyes went directly to Daryl who glared back at him. Carl roughly pulled out the chair and looked at Glenn and Daryl before sitting down. He took a deep breath and peered at Maggie as she placed the plate down in front of him. Maggie gave a knowing smile as she pat him on the head.

"I'm old enough to decide if I want to eat or not. I'm not a baby." Carl asserted looking at Daryl and Glenn again.

No one responded, it was an argument they'd had many times with him. Carl shook his head and picked up the silver fork. He stabbed at the eggs and soy bacon as he shook his head.

"We could go out again. There's enough gas for the boats and..." He paused seeing the dismal expressions on all their faces. "I'll go out there alone if I have to." Carl threatened as he nodded his head.

Glenn's eyes shot over at him.

"You tried that, remember? You almost got yourself killed. You have to stop, you can't..." Glenn's words trailed off as he shook his head.

Thought back on the many arguments he made with Deanna and other members of Alexandria about him and Daryl going out to find Rick and Michonne. He missed them too and if there was any way of knowing where they were, a small clue to lead them in the right direction, he wouldn't hesitate. But there was no sign of them. The only thing they had was an abandoned truck and a broken chain.

Carl clenched his jaw as he looked at him.

"I'm not giving up." He vowed glaring at the three of them.

"Carl, it's been four months, I'm not saying they're gone but..." Maggie pressed her lips together and shook her head.

Carl felt a sharp pull in his chest and angrily backed away from the table. He stormed off toward the doorway and stopped still facing away from them.

"He wouldn't have given up on you. Any of you! He would have searched for you like he did with Sofia." Carl said in a low voice and went back up the stairs.

Glenn leaned forward and rubbed his forehead. Maggie moved behind him and began to rub his shoulders. Daryl shook his head.

"Man, we gotta get back out there. He's right, we can't stop lookin."

"Daryl, Deanna said no more searches. She can't spare the gas." Glenn tried to reason.

"Screw that. She ain't family." Daryl stood and grabbed his crossbow.

"Don't let him leave." Daryl told Glenn. "Make sure he eats." He said looking over at Maggie.

Glenn sighed and gave a little nod of the head to Daryl.

"I'll come back in a couple of days if I don't find 'em." He promised.

Daryl nodded at Maggie and Glenn before he headed for the front door. Before he could open it Carol swung the door open and stood in the doorway. She looked at Daryl with tears in her eyes as she anxiously rocked from side to side. Daryl looked at her in confusion as she struggled to get the words out. Her hands seemed to try to communicate her thoughts but ended up covering her mouth. Daryl walked closer to her and held her arm.

"What is it?" He asked searching her teary blue eyes.

"They're back!" She announced with an excited smile.

Daryl furrowed his brow and shook his head as chairs shuffled in the kitchen. Glenn hurried into the living room with Maggie right behind him carrying Judith. Daryl stepped away from Carol in disbelief as her words sunk in. She looked from him to Glenn and Maggie and nodded her head.

"They're back!" She repeated and walked over closing the gap between she and Daryl.

"Carl!" Glenn called as he moved toward Carol and she turned to hug him.

"I'm not hungry!" They heard an angry Carl yell and something hit the door.

Daryl shook his head still unable to believe it.

"Are you sure it's them?" His voice broke as he look at her for confirmation.

She nodded and smiled as the tears lined her cheeks.

"They just left the infirmary. They're on there way here now." She said grabbing a bewildered Maggie's hand and pulling her into a hug.

Glenn quickly turned and ran upstairs for Carl.

A few moments later, they all piled out of the house and onto the porch to see Rick and Michonne coming from down the street. They were holding hands, and everyone gasped seeing them. Rick lifted a hand to his mouth seeing Carl and the others looking back at them. It was a dream he had many nights out at sea. Carl barely recognized his dad. A scruffy beard covered the lower portion of his face. His hair was almost to his shoulders and his skin was tanned. But it was him.

Carl jump over the steps and nearly fail trying to run to his dad. Rick's hand slid from Michonne as he took off running towards Carl. She gleefully smiled as she watched father and son embrace each other. The others started towards the three of them as neighbors poured out of their homes. Maggie and Carol surrounded Michonne and welcomed her back with opened arms.

Michonne had a large shirt on but Carol noticed something when she hugged her. She looked down at her stomach her mouth dropped. A stunned smile crept on Carol's face as her eyes shot back up to Michonne's face. Michonne nodded confirming Carol's suspicions.

"How far along?" Carol asked.

Michonne squinted her eyes and thought about it.

"About three months, I think."

Maggie and Glenn heard the little exchange and Maggie moved over to Michonne and immediate touched her belly feeling prominent slope. Michonne looked at Maggie's even bigger belly in amazement. The two friends hugged each other again and laughed.

By this time, the entire group was together and getting their own hugs and kisses from over and around each other. Michonne smiled brightly as the endless hugs showered her from every direction. She turned to see Carl's wet face and red eyes making his way through the group to her. Tears swelled in Michonne's eyes when she saw his face. He walked over to her and they hugged. Carl finally pulled out of the hug.

"Dad says I'm going to have another brother or sister."

Michonne took a deep breath faced with the moment she'd prayed for and dreaded for months. She nodded and observed his facial expressions. Carl nodded.

"So, I guess that makes you my step mom now."

Michonne was caught off gaurd by that one. She looked down at the ground searching for the right answer. Carl cracked a smile and laughed.

"Good, I'm glad it's you. Couldn't have been anyone else." He declared as Rick walked up behind her.

Rick leaned over and kissed her on the forehead as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Later that night, the entire family had dinner at Rick and Michonne's house. They all sat around the table listening and laughing at the stories Rick told about the adventures of their unexpected trip. Sometime during the dinner, Abraham raised a toast to welcome back their wayward friends. Rick nodded and reached over to lift Michonne's hand and kiss it. She looked at him and tilted her head as they leaned in and kissed each other.

The End~

R.I.P.

George A. Romero

John Bernecker