No one said much while they ate, but ever so often Carol would look up to see someone looking at her. Finally, after years of being self-conscious thanks to Ed's constant abuse, she wondered aloud.

"I'm sorry- do I have sauce on my face? Ed, he never would take me out to eat. He was always afraid I would make a mess of myself and embarrass him. I guess manners really weren't my thing.." she wiped her face then stood to go wash up.

Lori looked at Rick and nodded. Then he spoke. "Carol, your face is fine. Join us- I mean, we'd love it if you would sit and just...I don't know..."

"We love your company, that's what he's saying," Lori smiled. "He never was good with the sweet talk."

Carol looked around nervously. "I'm afraid I don't understand...there are dishes to be done. Hershel's been so kind to us, so the least we should do is..."

"Sit," Hershel smiled. "The dishes will keep."

"I'll do the dishes," Andrea chimed in. Lori looked at her in shock. Never once had Andrea offered to do any of the housework, let alone the dishes.

"What's going on?" Carol asked. "I just don't understand..."

"You don't understand why we're being so kind to you," Rick offered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that...I wasn't trying to offend anyone..."

"Carol, I'm not Ed. You don't have to apologize for anything, let alone for something you clearly didn't do."

Carol looked around, saw that everyone was smiling at her, and she was more confused than ever.

She made eye contact with Daryl, who just winked a bit, only enough for her to notice, and he nodded his head.

"Carol..." Rick took a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you...I think we all need to say some things to you, things that should have been said a long time ago. It's my fault, and for that, I'm sorry."

"Rick, really, I'm fine..."

"No, you're not. And that's my fault. Because of me, because of my failure to think in the heat of the moment, for my failure to consider everything- your feelings, Sophia's needs and feelings-I hurt you. I might as well have...I just wanted to let you know I was wrong. I tried, but that's no excuse. Because of me, your little girl...she didn't deserve what happened to her. She was so brave, so strong- and now I see it's because she wanted to be like her mommy the whole time," Rick smiled.

Carol didn't say anything. She started to cry, but tried to wipe away her tears.

Andrea took her hand. "It's okay if you cry."

"No. It makes me weak, it makes us all..."

"Carol, listen to me. It's okay if you cry. You've been through so much, and I haven't- I don't think any of us have taken the time to really know you, to understand you, to appreciate you. What you've been through- when Amy died, I didn't want to go on. It was the end of my world at that time. But Amy had lived life. Not much, but certainly more than Sophia, your beautiful little girl ever had. What you two have been through- it certainly helps put my problems in perspective. I don't know how you get out of bed every morning, how you make sure every one of us has clean clothes, something to eat. I couldn't do it," Andrea didn't even look away at Carol. She wanted Carol to know just how sorry she was, how they all were.

"That's kind of you to say," Carol nodded.

"No. It's not kind," Andrea continued. "It's the right thing to do. We haven't been good at doing the right thing, not for a long time. We've been so worried about those...those creatures, that we've forgotten how to be human. I haven't taken the time to get to know you. I know...I know I talk about being brave, how I want to help out, how I want to take out the walkers. But you know what- your kind of bravery-I don't know if any of us really has it."

Carol said nothing. Her lip quivering, she just continued to nod and listen.

Andrea went on. "I know...I know I don't cry. But you know what- you go ahead and cry, get it out of your system. Do what you have to to heal. I would give anything to be able to cry, to be able to let myself feel again. I don't think there's a day in this world that any of us haven't wanted to cry. We just...we're scared, that's all."

"I think you're brave, too," Carl joined the discussion. "I know Sophia, she was great. She was my friend. She was really my only friend most of the time. She wasn't telling me what to do all the time- I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. She just wanted to play. She wanted to be friends. I don't know if my mom and dad are going to have a boy or a girl, but if it's a girl- I want my sister to be just like Sophia."

Carol really tried hard to stop the tears, but there wasn't any wiping of her face that could mask how she was feeling. "Thank you, Carl. I know she liked having you as a friend."

Lori patted Carl on the head affectionately, then turned her attentions to Carol. "This isn't easy for me to say. But how I've treated you- I've been...I haven't been very nice to you, not at all."

"You've been fine, Lori. We all understand. You thought you lost your husband, and with Carl..."

"That's just it!" Lori exclaimed. "I got my husband back. I didn't really want to face the thought of being alone, so I..." she didn't say Shane's name at that point, but they all knew what Lori had done. "I was too scared to handle my losses. But then..." now she was starting to cry, too. "The biggest miracle of all happened. Rick came back. My son hadn't lost his father. I could have my family back. I thought of no one else's feelings but my own. The only time I talked to you was when I needed you to watch Carl so I could go..."She looked at Shane, then went back to Carol. "Anyways, I realized I was scared. What happened to you with Sophia- I was so scared. I thought if it could happen to you, then it could happen to me. And I couldn't think straight. It was all about me. I never once stopped to let myself put myself in your shoes. The thought was too much for me to handle, so I avoided you rather than treating you how I would have wanted to be treated. I'm so sorry, Carol." She put her hand over her mouth, now fully sobbing. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

Rick pulled her close to him. "It's okay. It's okay."

By that point there was barely a dry eye in the house. Maggie let go of Glenn's hand. "Carol..." Maggie started. "I realize, I realize I don't really know you. I never got to know your little girl. I felt bad for you, I didn't know what I could do. I have been hiding behind Glenn. Don't get me wrong, baby," she looked at him. "I love you more than you can know. I sometimes close my eyes at night and let myself think, what the future will be like for us. Will we get married, have babies, what those babies would look like..."She didn't look at Hershel. "But Glenn, I forgot. I forgot that Sophia was someone's baby. She ….I never felt so bad in my life than I did at that barn..."

"It's okay, Maggie," Hershel calmed her. "It's best we not speak of that day, not right now. We need to try to help Sophia's mother remember her little girl the way she knew her, the way she loved her, the way Sophia deserves to be remembered. Tell us, Carol...what was your little girl's favorite color?"

Carol looked up to the ceiling and smiled. An honest genuine smile. "Purple. She loved purple. I had always told her so many fairy tales about princes and princesses, that royalty loved purple. I told her that she'd grow up one day and turn into a princess and that she'd find her prince..."

Even Daryl had to smile at that point.

"When was her birthday?" Lori asked. "I hope we're not hurting you. You don't have to talk about this if you don't want to..."

"I do!" Carol exclaimed. " June 18th. That was her birthday. I want to think of Sophia the way I knew her, not what we all saw that day. From the moment I found out I was expecting to the very end...Sophia and I were close. She was the only reason I got out of bed every day of her life. She loved to play. She was quiet- her dad didn't exactly like a lot of noise around the house. But when Ed was gone- either off drinking or attempting to work or whatever he was doing- Sophia and I would go to her room. She'd bring out her dollhouse. We'd play. Here I was, a grown woman playing Barbie dolls...but you know what? I loved it. I loved every minute I had with her. We'd have tea parties. I'd bake her cookies and I wouldn't save any for Ed," Carol laughed. "She was so beautiful. I loved her so much. She was a good girl," she sniffed.

The room grew quiet, not out of discomfort, but because they were all reliving happy memories of the way their lives were before...before. When they all were able to play, either as kids or with their kids. Or with the kids they wanted to have, or would have. Whatever it was, it was a beautiful moment that no one wanted to break.

Hershel watched the group carefully. He noticed Daryl hadn't said anything, but he was decidedly happier than he was before the argument. "Carol...might I have a word with you in the kitchen, please?"

Carol, still smiling, nodded and she followed him.

He touched the flower which she still wore behind her ear. "You know how flowers come to be, don't you?"

"I guess. I never really had much of a green thumb."

"Dirt. It takes dirt. You take something so small, the seed, so small.." he reiterated, "that most people wouldn't even notice. You have to dig around the soil, get real good and dirty. You take that seed, now muddy and dirty and not even visible to the naked eye...but you believe in it. You water it. You feed it. You help it grow and you trust that it grows, even if you don't see results right away. Then one day, after the cold, hard winter has faded, and the skies are turning blue again, and you can feel the sunlight on your face...you just might wake up and see that little seed, that little tiny seed had turned into the most beautiful flower you'll ever see in your life."

Carol smiled. "That's lovely."

Hershel took her hand. "I told you that for a reason. Think about it. Think of something special- maybe someone special- you have in your life right now. You don't have to tell me who it is, what it is. You just think of that someone or something that you do have that makes you feel good, even if it's just for a second of the day. You take that thought, that seed, you hold on to it. You water it. You pay it attention. You don't' smother it, you just give it room to grow and blossom. Then, one day, before you know it and God willing and the timing's right- you'll see that little tiny something you hold on to now has become the most beautiful flower that you had ever seen. Just think about it." He smiled, squeezed her hand, then returned to the group.

It took Carol a second to think about what Hershel could have possibly meant. Only one image came to her mind. Daryl. Daryl made her feel good, even on her worst days. Did Hershel mean...was he trying to tell her that if she held on long enough, just got through her darkest time...and then one day...

No. She couldn't let herself think about that, not now. It seemed to hard to fathom that what she and Daryl had shared, their journey over the past few weeks could ever bring something wonderful into her life.

But that night as she got ready for bed, she looked at that wilted flower that she'd put behind her ear that day, and she thought of Daryl.

And for the first time in the longest time, she slept well that night. She didn't even cry herself to sleep.

She would always, always love Sophia.

She would never forget her.

Maybe nothing would ever happen between her and Daryl. It seemed kind of selfish yet kind of nice to think about at the same time.

But there was that seed, and as long as she had that...who knew what the future might hold?

She closed her eyes again, and instead of going to do laundry or cook or anything, she went back to sleep. No one said anything to her, and she didn't apologize for it either.

She would have to return to her duties, and she would, probably later in the day. But for now, she had a place to sleep, a blanket, her memories of Sophia- and maybe, just maybe, a little bit more.

The end