I'm going to get to meet Norman, Emily, Steven and Michael this weekend and I cannot contain my excitement! I might have to climb Norman like a tree :-) Now onto the story...THIS IS IT...the reunion. Hope you like it!

"I'll stay as long as you want me too. I ain't goin' nowhere"

Daryl's words calmed the worry that had crept up on me as we came to a stop a little ways away from the porch steps. What if nobody was left? What if I was all alone now in this world? The feel of Daryl's hand in mine as he shut off the truck made me realize that no matter what I found, I wouldn't truly be alone. My breath hitched and I felt him squeeze my hand as the front door opened and out came one of the most beautiful images I had only seen in my dreams. Instantly my eyes filled with tears as I stared at her for a moment. I could see the confusion at the site of the unfamiliar truck in her eyes until they locked on mine and instantly I saw her start to shake.

"BETHY" she cried as I pulled open the truck door and she ran down the steps. We met in the middle in a mess of arms and tears as we clutched each other.

"Oh God Mags. " I cried as I held her and breathed in her familiar sent of jasmine. I could feel her shaking around me as we both cried.

"Bethy, I can't believe it's you. We all thought….thought that you….oh god Bethy I'm so sorry" she kept crying, tears falling harder and harder. I faintly heard the truck door open and shut and then heard my door shut too. Maggie must have heard it too because I felt her instantly stiffen and I could tell her gaze was on Daryl.

"That's my friend Daryl. He saved me Maggie" I breathed out through my tears and I felt her ease up just a little. But before I could say anything else, I heard a voice that I was not sure I would ever hear again.

"Did you?" She asked, her voice turning to that protective sister tone I knew all too well. I saw Daryl raise his eyebrow at her and shake his head.

"Naw, she saved herself and saved me. She's a little spitfire yer sister" he replied back, a little smirk on his lips directed at me, causing a rush of warm to go through me. I saw Maggie's eyes soften just a little toward Daryl as she gave him another once over.

"My sister?" Maggie started to say as she turned back to look at me but the sound of the screen door opening again cut off whatever else she was going to say.

"Maggie, what is all the comm….." Daddy's voice filled the air as he came out onto the porch, stopping as soon as his eyes locked on mine. "Doodlebug?" He breathed out, his words no louder than a whisper as he started to come down the steps toward me. I let go of Maggie and ran toward him, almost knocking him over with the force of my embrace. I could feel him sobbing into my shoulder, his words of "oh my sweet Doodlebug. Praise God your safe Bethy" being whispered through his sobs as he held onto me.

"I missed you so much Daddy. I love you" I said as I pulled away a little and kissed his cheek.

"I love you too my Doodlebug. God saved you and brought you back to us" he said as he wiped some of the tears off of my cheeks.

"It was part God, and part Daryl" I replied with a small smile as I turned in his embrace to look at the redneck that was leaning up against the truck. He was watching the reunion with invested eyes, but was still watching our surroundings as well. Always on alert.

"Is this Daryl?" My daddy asked as we walked over to where Daryl was standing. The smile on my daddy's face never wavering as Daryl pushed himself off of the truck and stood just a little straighter now that he was the focus of my father's attention.

"Daryl, this is my daddy Hershel Greene and my sister Maggie Greene. Daddy, Maggie, this is Daryl Dixon. He saved my life a few times over and helped me get home" I said, the smile on my face growing by the second.

"Thank you son for bringing my Bethy home to us" Daddy said as he extended his hand toward Daryl. I saw Daryl stare at it for a second before he glanced my way. I smiled brightly at him and I saw the corners of his mouth twitch up for just split second before he wiped his hand on his pants and extended his back to Daddy, both shaking hands.

"Yes, thank you Daryl" Maggie said as she wrapped her arms around Daryl in a hug. I saw the instant he tensed up, but he didn't push her away. I could see Daddy saw it too but didn't say anything about it. Maggie released him and stepped back toward me, wrapping her arm around me. I could tell she needed the reassurance that I was there and I didn't blame her. I couldn't believe that I was home either. All that time with the group, thinking I was going to have to do the trek alone until Daryl offered. He did save me, not just physically, but emotionally too….no matter what he says.

I heard the front door open again and turned to see Patricia and Otis coming out of the house. I ran to the both of them, hugging them tightly. After the introductions of them to Daryl, I took a look around the farm as I waited to see the two people that were missing from the reunion. After a minute and still no appearance I asked the question I was not sure I wanted to know the answer too anymore.

"Daddy, where is Momma and Shawn?"

The look that came over Daddy's face spoke volumes, instantly telling me that some of my worst fears were going to be recognized. I saw his eyes lock onto Maggie's , an unspoken message being relayed and I pulled away to face them both.

"Where are they? What happened?" I asked again, my voice rising from the sheer fear of what I was going to hear. I felt a pair of strong hands rest on my shoulders and smelt his familiar scent of leather and smoke but didn't take my gaze off of my sister and daddy.

"Bethy, I'm sorry" Daddy started but got choked up on his words as the tears started to roll down his cheeks again.

"NO!" I state angrily as I look at the both of them, turning my attention from my father to my sister. If he couldn't tell me, she sure as hell was going too.

"Shawn got bit while in town trying to get supplies. We didn't know how this virus worked so Annette stayed with him. She must have fallen asleep during the night because we woke up to screams. He bit her. There was nothing we could do" Maggie said, her gaze going from me to daddy, another unspoken message being relayed between the two. But I couldn't think of that right now, the world around me was spinning out of control. My momma and my brother?

"No" I state again, this time softer as the spinning got worse and then my legs gave out on me. The feel of Daryl's strong arms and hands on me are the last things I think of as my world goes black.