4 Weeks since the barn :

Meredith got up at her usual time in the morning, she walked to the bathroom and quickly used it. She saw a pregnancy test, she grabbed a tissue, picked it up, and looked at it. She gasped slightly to herself seeing it was positive. She hid it well finished up and cleaned up, walking downstairs. She saw Maggie and Glenn outside talking and noticed how quickly they were moving. She walked over. "Maggie Come here fo a minute." She said gently smiling. "Can we talk?"

"I...Sure mama." Maggie said smiling at Glenn. "I'll be back." She followed her. "Mama - what is…"

"Are you pregnant?" Meredith asked hushed, watching her.

"Am i - No!" Maggie frowned. "Why?"

"Someone left a pregnancy test in the bathroom." Meredith sighed. "It's positive."

Maggie frowned and looked at the group of woman with Rick's group, and Beth. "Well.. More woman here now." She sighed. "Mama, if i was I'd tell you first -not hide it."

Meredith smiled, "Good. I would hope so." She hugged her. "Sorry honey."

"It's okay mama." Maggie sighed and walked back to Glenn.

Meredith walked around and watched the other woman - finally Lori walked over to her.

"Are you doing okay?" Lori asked watching her back.

"Just walking around." Meredith smiled. "Getting stuffy in that house."

"I..I understand." Lori said looking down.

"Everything okay for you?" Meredith asked sitting down.

"I uhm…" Lori sighed sitting down. "I'm pregnant." She finally admitted.

Meredith sighed in relief. "Good - was worried it was one of my girls." She laughed. "Not ready to be a grandma at 31."

Lori smiled slightly. "Yeah.. i'm sorry." she sighed and shook her head.

"Nervous?"

Lori nodded. "Just different now."

"I know." Meredith smiled. "Well.. It will be okay.." She took Lori's hand and placed it on her stomach. "It will be okay."

Lori smiled feeling Meredith's stomach. "I hope so." She nodded. "Thank you Meredith." She said hugging her.

Meredith nodded hugging her back. "Anytime you want to talk."

Beth was screaming, and Merle was cussing someone out. Meredith took off running along with everyone else. Merle was beating a farm hand that Hershel fired months ago - he had been hiding in the barn loft.. Beth was sitting on the floor of the barn crying.

"You sick son-of-a - " Merle hollered beating the man.

Meredith flew past them and down to Beth. She had a basket of eggs she had thrown. "Beth!" She said cradling her face. She looked at Merle watching.

Rick and Hershel came in running, and Rick was trying to pull Merle off of the man.

"I ain't done! That ass touched that lil' girl!" Merle huffed almost taking a swat at Rick with his bad hand he lost, moving around he tackled the man to the ground and started beating him senseless.

Daryl and Carol came running in with Maggie and Glenn. The others were in the doorway.

Beth was clinging to Meredith and crying, trying to cover herself up. Meredith took off her shirt, she had a tank top on and covered her from the waist down..

Daryl and Maggie, along with Glenn tried getting Merle off of him. Finally, along with Rick - got him off of him and Glenn was holding the man.

"Calm down!" Rick ordered looking at Merle, and the others. "What happened."

Merle panted, standing up straight. "I was tending pigs - Like Hershel asked me to do. I was in the middle of the pen, when I heard Beth saying no. I heard that son-of-a-bitch telling her to keep quiet.." He looked at the man, who has his face broken open and bleeding hard. He was beaten really good. "Hear her tell him no again - and got out of the stupid pen, to see what was going on. He was trying to..."

Meredith looked at Hershel then at Merle. "I….." She held Beth close as she cried.

"No mama, Mr Ben didn't...he tried.. "Beth said pressing her face against her,.Beth's blouse was undone, and she had a cut on her face from getting slapped and a few bruises on her legs.

Meredith wrapped her arms tighter around Beth, and looked her cut over..

Maggie let go of Merle. "I'm going to kill him!" She said lunging at Ben. Rick grabbed Maggie and held her back.

Hershel frowned and got up. He walked over to Ben and punched him hard. "Take care of him." He said closing his eyes.

Rick nodded and took him away into the woods.

Meredith calmed Beth down and took her inside, they started talking to her. "Honey. It's okay."

Beth sniffed. " I hope so.." She cried again clinging tightly to them.

Meredith and Hershel had a talk with Beth about it all, and sighed. "I can't believe that creep.."

"I'm…." Hershel sat down and put his head in his hands. He felt defeated. "I can't believe that happened. My Gosh - Mer. What if.. he went though.."

"But it didn't. We will just keep her close." Meredith said holding his hand.