The battle at the Sanctuary took forever, and they fought with whatever they had. When they almost ran out of ammo and were exhausted, the group from the Junkjard came back and finally also the group from the Kingdom. With united forced they were finally able to fight the rest of the herd and the Whisperers. When the fight was over, people were sitting or lying on the ground, catching their breath. They won, but somehow no one was able to realize it yet. Daryl had his arm around Connie's waste, who was leaning on his shoulder. He looked around and he felt like he was drowning. Connie was the only reason which kept him alive. He watched how people were hugging each other, crying and laughing. Daryl saw how Carol and Ezekiel hugged Henry, who was still devastated about Lydia's death. He saw Eugene and Aaron hugging Tara, who was the only one who made it out of the ocean. Gabriel drowned as the big waves sunk their boat. Rachel was surrounded by people from the Oceanside and Martha was petting her shoulder. She was sad about Cyndie, who was killed when they were fighting at the Junkjard. Henry went to Vicky to tell her about Lydia. Magna and Yumiko greeted Luke, who had been fighting at the Kingdom while they were at the Junkjard. There was a lot of happiness and sadness in people's faces. And Daryl could also see the guilt some people felt, who couldn't safe their loved ones. Daryl felt it too. He couldn't safe Lydia and pain weighed heavily on his heart. And now there was something else coming, something equally bad. Daryl looked at Rick who was talking to Michonne. He knew what he was telling her and it was painful to see her reaction. She fell on her knees, holding a hand over her mouth in disbelief. Rick and Daryl exchanged a quick look. In this moment Daryl wished he could take the pain away from him, from her and from all the people around him. And he also wished someone could take his pain away.

They decided to go back to Alexandria as soon as possible. Rick wanted to spend the time he had left with his children. When they arrived at Alexandria the next day, the people who stayed there welcomed them back, happily cheering and celebrating their victory. But none of them felt like the winner of the battle. Connie and Daryl were still grieving Lydia. Daryl was also devastated because of Rick. Connie didn't know what to do. She wished she could cheer Daryl up, but her heart was heavy with grief too.

They sat for hours on the veranda of one of the houses in Alexandria. Rick was holding RJ in his lap, Judith and Michonne were sitting next to him. Connie and Daryl were sitting on the opposite side and Daryl was petting Dog, lost in his thoughts. They were waiting. But waiting for what? Michonne was checking on Rick now and then but he still didn't have a fever, which was strange and even though Connie knew it was impossible, she prayed every minute for a little miracle, which would safe Rick. Daryl couldn't take to lose him again, not after what he had lost already.

"What if you won't get sick, daddy. It could happen, right?" Judith asked and Rick gave her a sad smile.

"We talked about it, honey. This is very unlikely."

"But what if she's right?" Michonne suddenly asked. Rick frowned.

"Didn't you say those people were doing some experiments with you? What if they found a cure?"

But Rick shook his head.

"Look, I know you all want to believe, I want to believe too. But there is no cure. Maybe it will be another process and that's why the fever didn't break yet, but we all know how this will end."

Everyone was silent again. Connie petted Daryl's hand who finally looked at her and took her hand in his.

"I think you will survive dad," Judith finally told him with confidence in her voice and hugged him. Rick had tears in his eyes, he didn't say anything this time and just hugged her back.

After three days had passed and Rick still didn't show any sign of fever and the wound on his shoulder began to heal, everyone finally started to believe, that Judith was right. It was a little ray of light in their grief and Connie was thankful for this miracle.

Days went by and then weeks. Daryl, Connie and Dog were living in one house with the Grimes family. Daryl and Connie found support in their friends and in each other while they were grieving their daughter. Sometimes they remembered the good times they had with her and sometimes they hold each other and cried. But they didn't stop talking about her and she was always in their hearts. They weren't able to bring her body back to Alexandria, but they made a little grave for her, so they had a place to think about her. It was just a little wooden cross next to Carl's grave. Next to the cross were always fresh flowers and they also placed the little red playing piece from Candy Land next it.

Life in Alexandria went on. There was a lot to do. They were building new houses in Alexandria and Hilltop, since there were many new people there. They were planning to have another little fair in Alexandria, so the communities could do some trade.
Rick told Daryl he found another spot on Jadis' map, which he would like to check out, to get some more stuff for the fair.

"So, two months passed now, how does it feel to be the fucking miracle of this damn world?" Daryl asked as they moved out.

Rick laughed shortly.

"I don't know what to think about it, to be honest," Rick answered as he touched his shoulder which was healed completely by now. "But it sure feels like a fucking miracle."

Daryl looked at him.

"Well, since you came back from the dead, nothing surprises me anymore."

"Yeah. Hopefully Eugene can make the radio from the helicopter work, so we can contact them," Rick said thoughtfully.

"You ain't planning to go back there, are ya?"

"Are you kidding?" Rick laughed. "No way I will leave my family again. If the radio doesn't work, I'll send them a postcard."

They both laughed.

"But seriously, knowing that there is a cure somewhere, gives us new possibilities."

Daryl nodded.

They arrived in a small abandoned town.

"I don't know what you thing to find here," Daryl said, when they drove through the town.

"Looks like a place we searched already and there ain't shit here."

"You're wrong, there is actually something here. Something important," Rick told him and when Daryl looked at him questioningly, he just laughed and made the horses stop.

"Come on, I'll show you."

They both got down and walked a bit, before they came to a jewelry store. Daryl saw to Rick with a faint smile on his lips and Rick slightly tilted his head, encouraging him to go in.

Daryl looked inside the store through the dirty window and it seemed to be safe. They broke the door open and walked in.

"Can't believe you brought me here," Daryl told Rick with a thankful smile.

"Hey, I promised you, we find some wedding rings for you. You still want to do it, right?"

Daryl nodded and went through the store looking at all the jewelry and wedding rings.

When found the two rings he wanted, he took an iron bar and broke the glass of the jewelry display case. He handed Rick the iron bar and took the rings out.

"Hope you won't put me in jail for this," he told Rick, joking, showing him the rings.

"I think I can turn a blind eye to that. But only this time," Rick answered and they smiled.

They went outside and there was a wedding fashion store near the jewelry store.

"Hey, and you're sure, you don't want to put something like this on too?"

Daryl looked at Rick and then at the wedding suit he was pointing at.

"Pfft," Daryl made. "If you want me to put this thing on, you have to hit me unconscious with that first", he told him them pointing on the iron bar in Rick's hand.

They both laughed and Daryl put a hand on Rick's shoulder.

"Come on, brother, let's see what else we can find here."

They didn't find much, only some books and clothes.

They also came across a baby store and Daryl picked up some things for his baby.

"Did you pick a name yet?" Rick asked him as Daryl was holding a doll in his hands.

"Not yet, but I've a feeling it's going to be a girl," Daryl said.

When they came back, Daryl asked Rick to take the rings, so Connie wouldn't see them.

Connie hugged and kissed Daryl when she saw him.

"Did you find anything?" She signed.

"Oh, nothing special, just a couple of things. And this." He showed her a little doll.

That's cute, but what if it will be a boy? Connie wrote.

"I'm sure it's gonna be a girl," Daryl told her.

Connie gave him a suspicious look.

"You'll see." Daryl smiled and gave her a kiss.

Maybe we should start thinking about a name, Connie wrote.

Daryl nodded. He already had a name in mind.