Lily belongs to me but nothing else does sadly. Can you imaging how well off I'd be if I'd thought of the Walking Dead? Phew! Anyway, here you go.

As Lily shook her hair dry trying to keep her mind busy, she heard Carol and Beth out on the perch.

"You've got a knack for that," Carol admired how Beth took care of the baby.

"Just trying to do my part," Beth responded cradling the infant in her small arms.

Lily peeked out of the cell entrance and saw the older woman preparing a mail bin for the baby to sleep in. A whole table had been set up there on the perch and she hadn't noticed. Looks like no mattress could be pulled out there to sleep anymore.

"Sophia used to wake the neighbors. 3:00 AM like clockwork. Ed stayed at a friend's most nights till she calmed down."

"I always wanted a child. She wouldn't have made it if Daryl hadn't been here. He couldn't stand to lose anyone else."

"Sounds like him."

Lily ran her fingers through her butchered hair sighing. 'They need to stop talking like he's dead. He just ran away with his brother.'

"I don't see why he had to leave," Beth said. "Merle sound like a jerk."

'Because he is. The understatement of the year.'

"Men like Merle get into your head. Make you feel like you deserve the abuse."

"Even for Daryl?"

"I'm hardly the woman I was a year ago, but if Ed walked through that door right now breathing and told me to go with him, I'd like to think I'd tell him to go to hell."

"You would." It was nice having someone so positive around.

"It doesn't matter."

"We're weak without him."

"We'll get through this, too. Tyreese and his friends seem capable."

"I'm pissed at him for leaving."

"Don't be. Daryl has his code. This world needs men like that. Oh, hello," Carol cooed taking the baby in her arms and placing her into the mail crate.

"She fits perfect."

"You cozy in there?"

As the baby drifted off to sleep, one last thing ran through Lily's mind. 'I guess we're not all monsters.'

.. .. ..

It started out quiet but got louder and louder until Lily woke with a start. Thinking she was in danger she jolted awake and looked for the threat. Moonlight shone in through the windows lighting little. How she calmed herself down long enough to fall asleep was a mystery to her, but the screaming and fussing from outside the cell woke her. It wasn't a blood curdling scream one lets out when they see a walker but from an upset child.

Pushing herself off the bed strained her muscles. Everything was sore and stiff from the last few days but the baby needed attention. She limped out the the hall straightening the vest she forgot she was wearing and peered into the mail box.

Inside was Rick's baby girl. Carl's younger sister. She had brown hair like Carl. She fussed for a moment longer before opening her tear filled eyes and seeing Lily before her. When they met eyes, she stopped crying.

Lily gasped as she watched the baby. She wasn't at all afraid of the horribly discolored doctor. Slowly, she reached in and pulled out the baby holding her close.

"Hey," she whispered smiling at the child. "How are you Lil' Ass-Kicker? Rough night?" Rocking the baby back and forth seemed to calm her even more. "Miss Daryl? Yeah, me too. Lil' Ass-Kicker," she said again silently laughing at the name.

"Judith." Her head snapped up to see Beth at the bottom of the stairs. "Her name is Judith."

"Kind of an older name for a kid don't you think?"

"I like it."

Judith cooed. "She must like it too."

"You're good with her. She stopped crying almost immediately."

"All I did was look at her."

"She must feel safe with you around."

Before she could say anything, Rick walked into the room. Judith had no doubt woken him up but he looked like he was half dead hanging out in shadows like he did. He sauntered over to the nearest cell under the perch where Hershel's voice exited.

"She's out like a light. Must be days since she's slept." He was talking about Michonne.

'How did I forget about her? She made quite the intimidating first impression. Sword and all.'

"You look pretty shot yourself."

She was glad he said something because Lily certainly saw it too.

"How long before she can travel?" Rick asked ignoring Hershel like he'd done a few days earlier.

"Have to keep an eye on her. Pretty sure she has a concussion. Couple of days if she'd up."

"And what if her concussion takes weeks or months to heal?" Lily asked Rick calmly as she descend the stairs holding his child. "Are you just going to throw her out to the walkers? She helped you in Woodbury and you're just going to throw her out?"

Rick walked past her ignoring her questions as well after locking Michonne's cell.

Her eyes followed him to see Carol comforting Axel.

"Whenever Thomas went off, Oscar always soot up for me you know? He was my friend," Axel said. Carol nodded her understanding.

"He went out fighting," Rick told him.

"So what now?" Beth asked walking to join the group that had formed in the moonlight. "You think the Governor will retaliate?"

"Yes," Maggie answered.

"Let him try," Glenn answered quietly but with hatred.

"He's already making the necessary arrangements to kill us," Lily said shifting Judith to her other arm. "But we can beat him. He won't get away this time."

"Sounds like he's got a whole town. We're out numbered and out gunned."

"We could use some reinforcements," Hershel suggested. Lily loved the way he subtly entered the four strangers into this conversation. 'We truly need the numbers and nothing these people have done has made us feel threatened. Why not let them stay?'

They filed into the food room and saw the four people gathered on one of the tables. When the group entered the four stood up. The large man offered his hand to shake. "I'm Tyreese." Rick did not shake his hand.

"Sasha, Allen, Ben," Hershel introduced the other three.

"How's you get in?" Rick asked Tyreese.

"Fire damage to the administrative part of the prison. Wall's down."

"That side's completely overrun with walkers. How'd you get this far?"

"We didn't. We lost our friend Donna."

"They were lost in the gyms," Carl spoke.

"You brought them here?" Rick snapped turning to face his son. Lily took a step in front of Carl forcing Rick to make eye contact with her as she protected his two children from him.

"He had no choice," Hershel defended the boy drawing Rick's attention away from Lily.

"I'm sorry about your friend. We know what that's like."

Tyreese spoke again with his deep gentle voice. "Hershel said you could use some extra hands."

"He told you correctly," Lily spoke up looking at Tyreese.

"We're no stranger to hard work. We'll go out and get our own food. Stay out of your hair. You got a problem with another group, we'll help with that, too. Anything to contribute."

"No," Rick said flatly looking to the ground.

"Please," Sasha begged. "It's like '10 Little Indians' out there. It's just us now."

"No," Rick repeated.

"Let's talk about this," Hershel said. "We can't just keep—"

"We've been through this. With Thomas, Andrew. Look what happened."

"Axel and Oscar weren't like them?"

"And where's Oscar now?" Rick asked aggravated.

Lily snapped. She was so fed up with how Rick had been running things since Lori died. "Dead because helped you save us!" she pointed to Glenn, Maggie and herself. "We aren't going to last forever. We need help, Rick."

"No, we don't. I can't be responsible."

"You turn us out, you are responsible."

"Rick," Hershel called him over to speak privately. "You've done o much for us. I appreciate that. We all do. We owe you our lives. We've done everything you've asked without question. And I'm telling you, you're wrong on this. You've got to start giving people a chance."

All that could be heard was the sound of everyone holding their breath. Waiting for Rick's response. Everything was riding on his decision at that moment.

"Yeah," he said patting Hershel on the shoulder. Looking up to the cat walk his whole demeanor changed. "No, no." Over and over he whispered that to himself shaking his head. He was acting like he'd seen a ghost.

"Why are you hear? What do you want form me?"

"Dad?" Carl asked. When he tried to take a step towards Rick, Lily wrapped an arm around his shoulders holding him back.

"Give him some space," she whispered.

Rick's breathing increased and he kept looking up to the cat walk as if someone was standing there looking at him, but no one was there.

"I can't help you! Get out!" he shouted turning and facing the four strangers.

Lily's heart pounded in her ears as she watched Rick go into melt down mode. Axel pushed Carol behind him as Rick walked close to them. Lily pushed Carl toward the wall keeping him away from his father.

She met Tyreese's eyes and gave him a sad look. Rick was having a mental break down and he was going to kick them out right when he was going to let them join. She quickly walked over to him and whispered under her breath, "He's having a mental break down. I wish I could help you but for your own safety you need to leave. Right now."

Tyreese was hesitant to follow what she said but agreed when Glenn began to herd them outside away from Rick. When they were gone, Rick had settled, but only just. He'd just thrown four people out into the walker's hands at night and was calm about it. Something was wrong with him. Something was very wrong.