A/N: Judith will be around eight here so just warning you that I am not a very big Lori fan and she isn't actually needed since Judith is already there so she is liable to die

Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead. If I did it would have more Rickyl moments.

Chapter Two

"-arl, wake up! Wake up! You shrunk!"

Carl jolted awake as his little sister's panicked voice invaded his sleep, his face nearly colliding with the tearful one of the blond girl. Her blue eyes were wide and tears were streaming down her face even though she was holding onto the small crossbow she'd been given by Daryl on her seventh birthday as if it were her lifeline. He grabbed her gently and focusing more on calming her than on the fact that his hands and arms were a lot shorter than he was used to.

"Sh, Judy. Sh. Calm down." He soothed stroking her hair and she shook her head.

"I can't find Ma and Pa, Carl, and there are a lot of strange people out there! Some lady came knockin' on tha tent a few minutes ago calling fer ya, but she didn't sound like Auntie Carol or Bethy or Maggie or that nice ol' lady in cell block C and-"

Carl frowned and looked around, trying to figure out where they were so that he could maybe find a clue on who the people his sister was talking about were. They were in a large spacious tent, both of them sitting on one of the two sleeping bags inside. In the corner there was an open suitcase full of women's laundry and with a start he realized that he was in the tent he'd shared with his birth mother at the quarry almost nine years ago. He inhaled sharply and looked down at Judy who was staring at him with wet eyes. It couldn't be possible! It couldn't have been her, he'd pulled the trigger himself on that fateful day so long ago. He shook his head. He had to stay calm for Judith.

"We need to find Ma. He'll know what's going on." He murmured and she nodded, calmer now, her little face twisted into a serious expression that he just knew she had taken from Daryl. He withheld a snicker, noting that she seemed a bit smaller. Instead of nine, she looked about six or seven and he was suddenly reminded of what she'd said to wake him up.

"Judy, you said I shrunk. How old do I look now?"

"You ain't a grown up no more," She began, studying him keenly. "Yer bout Andy's age."

Carl groaned. Andy was the child of one of the Woodbury citizens. He was a small fifteen year old, only 5'4, with mousy brown eyes and long blond hair that he wore in a neat tail. That meant that whatever had sent them from the Prison had deaged both him and Judy by a few years or so.

The sound of cars approaching the camp drew his attention and he frowned, reaching for the gun he always kept in his holster. Luckily it was there and- he checked the chamber and grinned-it was fully loaded.

"C'mon, le's go see what's going on."

His little sister nodded and unstrapped her crossbow, the tension in her tiny shoulders leaving ever so slightly now that the familiar weight was in her hands.

Keeping his hand near his gun, exited the tent and gaped in surprise.

Somehow even though he had completely expected to be in the quarry it had still shocked him immensely, especially as he took in all the familiar yet unfamiliar faces around the camp.

Luckily they had yet to have noticed him, most of them gathered near the front of the camp watching what appeared to be a reunion between his birth mother, his father, and Shane. He stared at them for a moment before Judith appeared at his side.

"Carl, who's that cryin' lady all over daddy?"

Carl snorted.

"That's our birth mother."

Judy frowned at him, her brow furrowing in a way eerily reminiscent of Daryl's own.

Their father hugged the woman back awkwardly before allowing his eyes to roam the camp. When his eyes landed on them, he grinned and raced past her, pulling them into a bone crushing hug, careful of Judith's bow.

"Daddy!" The six year old cried, her frown melting away.

"Judy! Carl! You're here!" He whispered roughly, voice choked with emotion and he pulled back briefly to look at them.

"Daryl?"

Carl shrugged. "Pro'ly huntin'. 'Member that's what he was doing the first time around."

He replied leaning into his father's embrace, happy to have most of his family back together. Of course then his mother and Shane had to ruin it.

"Daddy? Rick what's going on?!" Lori shrieked angrily, Shane standing next her nodding in agreement.

Rick glanced at them for a moment and pulled away from his children to survey the group before him for his people. Carol nodded from where she stood a little ways away, Sophia not too far from her. Other than his children, Carol and Glenn, he knew of only one person that should be with them at this point in time but wasn't. His heart sank.

Why wasn't Daryl there? Would he remember? He sure as hell hoped he would, his heart wouldn't survive if his husband wasn't there with him.

"Rick!" Lori yelled at him, but before he could answer he heard the voice his ears had been yearning for.

"Goddamn Walker! Takin' my fuckin' deer! I'm gonna stomp yer ass!"

Glenn snickered, listening as his friend stomped in the head of the walker munching on his deer.

"Ya alrigh' there, Daryl?"

The archer glared at him, not even noticing the heated blue eyes focused on his lean muscular frame.

"Stupid bitch ate my deer! Think if I cut around it-"

"You know it will."

Daryl pouted, just enough for those who knew him well enough then turned around and stomped down hard on the deer's head.

Carol and Glenn laughed, as did Carl. Daryl flipped them the bird then turned to their audience. Everyone was staring at them in shock, or, in the case of Lori and Shane, anger.

"What the hell was that?!" Merle yelled, frowning at his younger brother whose eyes strayed to him and widened slightly. A torrent of emotions flashed in those stormy grey-blue eyes the most prominent being shock and guilt. Merle's frown deepened.

Why would Daryl be feeling shocked at the sight of him when they'd just seen each other a few days ago? As sudden as the emotions came they vanished and Daryl pursed his lips and looked at the others. His breath hitched as his eyes landed on Rick and his children and a small smile crossed his lips. Both children grinned back, pulling away from their father to run over to him and tackle him into a hug.

"Ma!"

"Stop callin' me that!" The reply wasn't very convincing, especially given the widening of the archer's smile.

Merle gaped at the children watching as his little brother embraced both children as if they were his own, yet he knew for a fact they weren't, they couldn't have been Daryl's because the man had never gone out with a woman in his life. Normally Daryl avoided anyone other than him like the plague yet here he was being buddy buddy with the chinaman and holding on to Officer Friendly's kids like lifelines.

Then Merle noticed the changes.

This Daryl was definitely not the same one he'd left behind three days previous. His hair was too long, brushing the top of his shoulder and partially covering his face, his body while still lean, was more muscular and his grey eyes were hard as steel, full of the same protectiveness that he normally saw on Queenie's face when she looked at her son. Then there was his crossbow. It looked more worn than it had when the younger man had cleaned it a few nights ago although it was still well cared for. All in all this Daryl looked…older, almost Merle's own age.

The archer pulled away from the embrace and swung the girl up onto his hip with practiced ease before turning back to the group watching him.

Lori glared at him then at her husband.

"Mom?! Rick what the hell!"

Officer Friendly's face darkened and he glared at her.

"Are you trying to get my children killed?" He snarled at her. "Lower your voice before you draw every walker in the damn county to our location."

"Rick, they don't know. Calm yer ass down." Daryl snapped at the former officer and the man scowled but nodded walking over to him.

"What happened?"

"I don' know. Woke up here a few days ago an' left to go huntin'."

"Whataya mean ya woke up here? Ya been here for weeks now! What don't we know?!"

"Yeah, what's going on, Rick? Daryl? How do you know each other?" Shane asked stepping up beside the angry wife of his best friend.

"An' why do Officer Friendly's kids call you mom?" Merle added.

Rick pursed his lips and stared at the gathering of people. Carol and Glenn moved to stand beside him and Daryl, standing united behind their leader.

"It's your call, Rick." The latter reminded him.

He nodded but continued to stare at those they had lost so long ago, a sudden realization hitting him. These people weren't his family. They weren't the people he'd bled for, bled with, they weren't the people who had survived in hell with him for almost a decade. No, these were the people who had died too early to see what could be, to see just how bad humanity would become. These people were too complacent, too weak and they wouldn't survive if they continued on as they had. He had to take charge. He had to keep his family safe in this group of strangers that just happened to be people they'd once known.

His gaze snapped to Glenn.

"Set up a perimeter. We need to get out of here soon."

The former pizza man nodded and took off to do as he was bid.

He turned to Daryl, Judith, and Carl.

"Take watch. If anything happens send Judy to me. I'm gonna explain some things to this group."

His archer nodded and ushered their children toward the RV with nary a sound. Merle stared after them as if he were tempted to follow but his curiosity won out and he followed Rick and Carol as they led the others to the now cool fire pit. They all took a seat around it and gave the two their undivided attention. Just as Rick opened his mouth to speak, Glenn joined them, anxiously twisting a slim gold band around his finger.

"Perimeter's clear. Judy, Daryl, and Carl got eyes on all sides."

"Good."

Lori scowled. "Carl shouldn't be doing that! He's just a little boy! And that little girl can't be any older than six!"

"He's seen more than you'll ever realize! And Judy is more than skilled enough to help them! Now shut up so I can explain!"

His ex-wife's mouth closed with an audible snap and he took a deep breath.

"Now, I know this is gonna sound crazy but I need y'all to understand that there's no way I can make any of this up." The former cop paused. "Carol, Judy, Carl, Glenn, Daryl and I are from the future."

TBC…

A/N: So I don't feel too hot about this chapter and I rewrote about fifty fucking times trying to get it how I wanted. I don't know how well it came out so please feel free to click the review button and tell me what you think. NO FLAMES! I cannot stress this enough! Flames are ignorant as hell and be responded to with extreme belligerence on my part.

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3/26/2015 12:52:33 PM