I hope you all enjoy.. Please, if you read.. Leave a review if you have any time.. I feel a little alone here.. Much love everyone

Anna nuzzled her head more into the softness of her pillow. Keeping her eyes closed, relishing in the comfort it had and comparing it to all the times she spent sleeping in a tree. Anna knew she had better get up and ready for the busy day ahead she had planned. Samson was on the end of her bed, his big brown eyes looking up at her from his paws. He had learnt his lesson by stealing her blanket and waking her up. Anna had made him sleep outside, on night time watch. Sitting up, she wrapped Daryl's poncho around her shoulders. Keeping away the cold that was settling in the air. It smelt like Daryl, making her feel warm and safe even though he wasn't there. Samson's ears flicked back and forth. Hopping off the bed and sitting by the entrance of the cell room entrance, wagging his tail excited at the sound of the footsteps echoing through the halls. Anna laughed, running a quick hand through her long, dark brown locks and she yawned "I know what you are waiting for; he will be here soon enough".

It had been a week since Hershel's injury and everything was starting to become semi-normal for everyone in the prison. They all had their set shifts, all taking turns with the different times of the day. Anna hated doing the morning ones, there being no coffee and all. Half the time she would fall asleep, Daryl would then poke her with the end of one of his bolts. She was quick though, taking it in a huff and hitting him with it and him howling in annoying pain.

Anna and Daryl always took their watches together when it was their turn to do them. Daryl would never admit it out loud to anyone but her. He never wanted to take the same chances like he did at the farm. Never again will he make that mistake and let someone down.

And since they found the new supplies, Daryl always came in with a cup of coffee and some form of food for her to eat before they went to work.

Today was no different; there was Daryl with a cup of coffee in his hand with corn cakes and relish Carol had made with the less than meagre supplies from the prison. He dropped one to Samson, who quickly gobbled it up. Daryl chuckled, a small smirk on his face "Both of you never stop eating do you. You both are going to eat us out of house and home at this rate" he joked. Daryl liked to see she was getting her fill and not giving to it to Lori or Carl.

Anna scooted back on her bed and rested her back on the wall, making room for Daryl to sit more comfortably. He placed the plate in the middle of them and held a piece of fritter out to her and she rolled her eyes at him, grabbing it with her mouth "Don't be giving me that smart mouth, posh southern girl look young lady. You need your strength for your knee to heal and get stronger. You aren't leaving this prison until you are" he told her "So you will eat your fill every day even if I have to pin you down and force feed you!"

It annoyed her, to not to be able to help the way she wanted. No one has had a chance to find her a new heavy duty knee brace and until then, by the orders of Rick as well, Anna was to not take any more chances and was duty bound in the prison. Not even with the walkers on the fences. So they had made do with bandages and strong tape as a brace with her knee for the time being until they could find one for her out on a scavenge. For Daryl's piece of mind, she had agreed to not to go on any runs.

"Carol, sure can work miracles with food" Anna commented, taking another piece of a corn fritter and dipping it in the sauce "This is absolutely remarkable, I haven't tasted anything so good since you started cooking me squirrel and rabbit on the fire".

Daryl begrudgingly rolled his eyes and playfully nudged her with his shoulder "Liar, you couldn't have eaten those corn cakes quick enough" he laughed "You inhaled those! I saw you hardly take a bite, you swallowed them whole".

It was good to see Anna was starting to get her appetite back, even a smile on her face. Although it wasn't the normal Anna smile. Her usual colour was starting to come back to her cheeks, a little more meat on her bones. She took a long sip of her cup of coffee, the warm liquid bringing back a sense of her life from before, bringing back old feelings of the way it was. Memories from her life before the virus flashing before her eyes.

Anna finished her breakfast, dusting off her hands on her blanket and wiping them on her trousers. Without having to even speak, Daryl leaned down picking up her leather boots, sitting them on the bed and pulling her feet towards him. He had to smirk, looking up to Anna from underneath his eye lashes. Anna was wearing pink socks with purple love hearts.

She was grinning ear to ear like a Cheshire cat, the cheerfulness radiated off her. She clutched her coffee cup and feeling real upright about herself "I got Hershel up to walk for the first time with his crutches yesterday!".

Hershel had been Anna's main priority during her week of semi-rest. They had all tried to get her to completely have a breather but it didn't work, not once. Even despite Daryl's growling and firm talks to tell her otherwise. It always ended up in them both fighting. Slinging words back at each other and in the end Anna doing what she wanted to anyway. She was too damn stubborn and refused to be told what to do.

Every day, Anna would go and see Hershel three times a day to check up on him, making sure everything was okay and no infection settling in his leg. Everyone was relieved that the old man was getting better, with the thanks of Anna and her skills as a surgeon.

Beth had been helping Anna with whatever she could. She wanted to learn how to help Anna to clean her crossbow and in the process Beth learnt the theory behind a crossbow. She even asked if she can learn how to shoot it. That Anna could be the one to give her lessons because Daryl still scared her a little, even now. Anna liked the feeling of having a little sister and always tried to be a good example for her. It was a little odd for her at first, having so much help from Beth and she had wondered why out loud one day. Daryl pointed out that Beth feels like she owes her for saving her dad. All Anna said "What? Why? It's what you do for your family".

"It is all thanks to your smart brain and that good heart of yours that he gets to walk again" Daryl told her, feeling honoured of his girl as he finished tying up her boots in the knots the way he liked. Daryl gave her a pointed, annoyed look. Anna could see the look in his eyes and the tell-tale signs of him starting to twitch, she just rolled her eyes at him and let him do his thing. According to Daryl, she never tied them right or in a tight enough knot to his standards so he took it upon himself to do it when he could. And sometimes she would purposely leave them untied, dangling about just to get under his skin. Her and Carl would take bets of lollies to see how long it would take for Daryl to crack and yell at her. Quite often the two of them would get split up to the opposite ends of the prison cells.

Daryl and Anna had little moments like this together when it was just the two of them, enveloped in their own world with no prying eyes looking on and staring at them, wondering what was going on. They were each other's own and they got each other, not even having to speak words to connect, just being able to sense each other's words and thoughts. It was nice to have the unique bond between themselves but sadly they had to get going with the start of a very busy day clearing out the front of the prison and Anna helping Hershel.

Daryl held out his hand and helping Anna to get off the bed. Samson stretched his front paws out, yawning and jumped onto the floor, shaking his fur about. Where ever Anna went, Samson was close behind at her heels, No matter what.

That is of course Anna was in one of her highly reputable bad moods, that's when he would go running to Daryl. Everyone fears the little woman when she is in one of her bad moods because they can rival Daryl's, if not worse than his.

He draped his arm over her shoulder as they walked out of their cell and Samson followed behind him. Anna leaned into him, he was always so warm. Daryl had a small well contented smile on his face, one that Anna was only privy to "Today is a new day Daryl" she said, nodding and a focused look on her face. "You never know, the odds just might be in our favour today? What do you think? I actually have a good feeling about today".

"Then that is all that matters" he said, nodding thoughtfully, "All you should do is hold onto that feeling and you will be able to do anything, even with dead people walking around the place". He looked down at her and she peered up at him, parts of her hair falling over her face. Anna's green eyes, the outlines of her iris, black making her green eyes appear lighter and almost freakishly if you didn't know about her. But to Daryl, they were pretty and made her who she was. That she had been through a lot and has come out the other side of it and stronger than before "Just no going being a super hero like you were back on the farm, here at the prison. You aren't ever allowed to do that to me ever again! Or I will make sure we lose the coffee power and it will never be seen again", adding that last part to mask what he was really thinking. Unsure of what was going through his head.

Anna saw something change in the hunter's normal stern eyes, something that she hadn't seen before on him and it intrigued Anna, making her look harder at him. It was soft, genuine and scared at the same time. Before she knew it, in a blink the look was gone on Daryl's face and his stern, red neck mask was back on.

Only since Anna had been with this group, had she felt the feeling of having family once again returned to her. It had not been felt in her heart and mind since she was a little girl, before the problems with her mother had started. She welcomed it with open arms and an open heart and never wanted to lose something so dear, so priceless and would do anything to protect it again. The pain of not having it for so many years of having a broken family would be too much to bare. "I promise you, Daryl Dixon. We are stuck with each other for life, remember? You aren't ever going to get rid of me so easily".

Something struck him hard at that moment, looking at Anna. He looked into the vivid green eyes of hers and finding himself getting lost in his thoughts. She had been a surprise to find in the woods all that time ago. A frown appeared on his face, thinking about if he didn't find her that night. They would have all gone without something so damn good. He felt a little sick in the stomach and a pain in his temple even thinking about the possibility of having no Anna in his life. He felt comfortable around her.

She saw the hard thinking look on his face and it worried her "Daryl? What's got you thinking so hard? You look as if you are about to burst a blood vessel and have a brain aneurism".

"Annie?" They were brought out of their own little secluded bubble with the voice of Tom.

Tom had been there a little while, looking on at the two and he marvelled at the unspeakable bond they had together. He has known Anna since they had been babies, growing up being best friends with her brothers and being her protector alongside with them. Tom had even gotten engaged with her but the careers got in the way and he chose that and it had been his biggest mistake he had made in his life.

Even if he had done, it was nothing compared to what Daryl and Anna had with each other. That would have prevailed over what him and Anna ever had. Tom had no doubt in his mind that they would have found each other even if the world had not ended. Something as strong as what they had.

Daryl quickly took his arm away from Anna as if she was on fire. Which wasn't true because Anna had been always felt cold to the touch since she got bitten "See you out there with Hershel" he muttered and rubbing the side of his nose with his hand, avoiding eye contact "Be careful walking around with your knee, ya hear me. I don't want to see you out there with any sort of limp or you will be in trouble".

Daryl shook his head as he walked away, growling quietly underneath his breath but then masking it with a cough to hide his embarrassment of showing his emotions. When Daryl rounded the corner, he took a moment to stand and stood his back up against the wall, looking up to the ceiling of the prison. He had to take this moment to get his emotions in check before he headed out to the others and scuffed his hair. He lifted his head up with his forehead creasing up. In all of his life he had not had this emotion going through his mind before. What the hell was it? He wanted to know what the hell is happening in his head and how on earth Anna was doing it to him.

He slapped the prison wall, dusting floating of the wall "Get yourself together, Dixon. Get yourself together" he whispered, scrunching his eyes shut and pinching the bridge of his nose "She's just a female".

But she was one that meant the world to him. If anything, ever happened to her, Daryl would never be able to get over it and forgive himself.

Tom had known Anna since she was a girl and he had come good friends with Daryl, being able to scratch the surface. Everyone liked hearing all of the horror stories about Anna before the dead started walking.

He saw the bond the two had, even a blind man could have seen it but they didn't. The way they were so attuned to each other, flowing with the other's movement. Reality was cruel with the way it was and the law of averages always being stacked against them. To even have the bond what Daryl and Anna had together, it was a billion to one even if it had happened in the modern world. For it to happen now, it was priceless. He smiled lovingly, a soft look in his eyes and feeling happy for his oldest and best friend. If something were to happen to him, Tom knew she had all of these great people to look out for his Annie.

"Tom?"

He was brought out of the fog, swiftly put his smart ass smirk back on to his face and the cheeky glint in his eyes, juggling a pair of crutches in his hand "So you and Daryl, huh? When are you two going to go and tie the knot?".

Anna's face forms a little frown, biting the inside of her lip and digs her knuckles into his arm "Shut up, there is nothing going on between us. Besides, who wants to get married with the world ending? What is the point?".

"Well, one thing is for sure. K, I, S, S, I, N, G" Tom turns and picks up Anna over his shoulder, knowing she would not be able to kick hard about with her knee.

"Ass hole" she says, giving up and relaxing, her crossbow loose hanging from her hands. She glares at Samson, playfully swinging her crossbow at him "Some help you are, just sitting there and standing by! You are meant to be my protector!"

"He knows when battles to pick, Annie. Plus, He knows it is fun as well" Tom chuckled, chucking her a little bit up in the air on his shoulders and playfully frowning "By the feel of you, Annie. You have put some weight on! You just might have some padding on that back side of yours, now I am impressed".

"If you were to say that to any woman before the dead started walking, they would have taken it the wrong way" Anna joked "But thank you! Daryl's been force feeding me".

Tom chuckled, he manoeuvred Anna a little so she didn't slip from his shoulder and walked down past all of their cells, walking down the stairs.

"Children" a voice said to them.

Anna looked over her shoulder and Tom just had his trade mark smirk on his face "Good morning, Lori and Beth. Fine morning, isn't it? Birds are singing and the sun is shining, dead people walking the earth and gracing is with their wonderful aroma of rottenness and decay".

"I hear one whisper of you two causing too much trouble I will send you both to your bed room cells with no dinner" Lori joked, pointing her finger at them.

"Well that isn't fair because we all know Daryl would somehow find a way to sneak food to Anna" Beth pointed out.

"That is so not true, Carl would sneak me some too. Him and I are tight, you see" she snickered, then looking around and waving her crossbow about a little "So, are you going to let me down at all? Cause the blood is rushing to my head and I am losing some brain cells".

"Well, we don't want that. You don't have too many of those left as it is" Tom chucked her up a little on his shoulder to get a better hold of her "What do you think ladies? Should I let down the little trouble making pixie now or wait until we get to Hershel where I know she will behave like a proper Southern lady should do? She used to be in pageants as you all know, princess is putting it mildly come to think of it. Annie here was head cheerleader and she got prom Queen and home coming Queen before her senior year even happened".

Anna groaned and covered her face in embarrassment behind her hands, hiding the red tinge that was spreading across her face and then burying her face into the hood on Tom's jumper "Do you have to embarrass me, seriously? You know my parents forced me to do those things".

"Yep," he voiced, popping the p in his lips "Anna here was a true southern belle debutante here in Georgia. A real socialite with everyone wanting to be friends. Besides, I wouldn't be doing my job otherwise if I didn't embarrass you. Annie. Maybe I should tell the story of your first time in a training bra and how your dad and brothers were the ones to try and teach you".

She lifted her head, her lips pressed together and an evil, little trickster look in her eyes "Don't say I didn't warn you Thomas Jonathon Mertle".

Realization came across his face, realizing the tone of Anna's sing song voice. Tom had heard it all before and his face dropped, cringing at the thought "Oh no, you just called me by my whole name. Last time you said that".

Anna curled up her hands into fists and ground her knuckles into Tom's back, knowing the pressure points to be able to make him collapse in a heap of pain. Beth and Lori looked on at them warmly as they walked along, both smiling at the fun the two were having. It was always an entertaining time when Anna and Tom started bickering like siblings. It usually ended up with both being split up to the opposite ends of where ever the other person was.

Tom was struggling to hold onto her, her little knuckles making his back give way each time he took a step "Anna, stop it! I am going to drop you at this rate and then I will get my ass kicked by Daryl. You know he waits on any chance to bite my head off! Ow! Ow! Ow! You little devil woman" he howled, only being able to just hold her by the hips as she was still grinding her knuckles into any muscle she could reach "Will you please just stop it, you evil little witch! If Beth wasn't around I would have been tempted to switch the w with a b!"

"Will you please just put me down then?" Anna answered quickly said back to him, blowing a hair away from her face "Then I might think about not kicking your ass!"

Hershel's laugh could be heard, as they were just outside of his cell "Are you two causing trouble again and cussing? Do I have get you two split up and put you both in the naughty corner far away from each other? Or should I get Rick to put you on double watch duty? I know how much you both like that!"

Tom had Anna by her waist and her good leg and she hung there, holding onto his legs and hanging upside down. The two always play fought with each other, Anna always won because she used her knee as a disguise. Everyone knew Anna was one tough cookie, perhaps the strongest of them all "No" she moaned, looking like a little child who hand got caught in the cookie jar.

Tom slid her down, letting her land with an oomph and messing her hair up a little. She glared up at him, with her arm crossed "Really?" she asked, exasperated and flinging her long plait behind her back "Did you really have to do that and drop me to the ground?"

He was smug, leaning against the cell door with a smug look on his face. Carl was now standing next to him, holding out his hand and Tom high fived him "Good going wasn't it, little dude?"

"Always fun to get one over Anna isn't it?" Carl laughed, "She hates losing at anything to any of us".

Samson was licking Anna's face and she shooed him away, pushing him aside "Go to Daryl outside" she laughed, ruffling him behind the ears, the dog gladly running off to find his other best friend. Anna dusted off her knee, expertly getting herself up off the ground with all the practise she had gotten in the past few months.

Hershel reached up to the top bunk, easing himself up off the bed. He was feeling good, finally being able to get up and out of the cell bed.

Everyone was happy, their spirits feeling more positive and upbeat. Lori had a soft and concerned look on her face "You take your time".

But there was going to be none of that from the old man as he fully got himself up. Beth, feeling concerned, put her hands out and reaching for her dad "Daddy, don't push yourself. Please, be careful".

There was going to be nothing to stop Hershel from getting up off that bed and standing himself up. Anna held out the crutches for him, smiling softly at him. She was proud of how well he was doing and how quickly too, "You are doing well old man" she joked, "You pulled through this pretty fast!"

Hershel chuckled "What else am I going to do? I was starting to get sick and tired of looking at the bottom of that bunk bed!" It was all a little much for him, he stumbled, not quite used to the imbalance of having only one foot. Anna hopped back a little, holding his arms with Lori and Beth at either side of him. Tom moved in front of him and walked backwards.

He looked at Anna, seeing the concern in the young woman's eyes "You know, I am feeling pretty steady. I am probably even more steady than what you are with one and a half legs" he joked.

Lori stepped forward, holding her hands just a little from Hershel's shoulder as he took a few steps "This is a good start!"

"Do you want to take a rest? You can't be running marathons at the start" Anna joked as she hopped a little back on her knee, watching herself step over a rag. Carl steadying her by grabbing a hold of her hand. The young man had taken it upon himself to watch over Anna.

"Rest? Let's go for a little stroll outside in the sunshine! Besides, you need to go out and get some vitamin D young lady. You are looking a little pale and need more colour on those cheeks like you used to back on the farm!" Hershel joked. Anna just rolled her eyes at him cheekily as she walked with Carl beside Lori and laughed with them.

It was nice for the two leading ladies to not be at each other's throat and actually be on civil speaking terms. To actually be friends and act as family now. Beth walked ahead and opened the cell door and held it so Tom and Hershel could walk through it. The fresh air and sky was a welcoming feeling for Hershel, being cooped up in a little cell was confining, already feeling better. Tom backed down the stairs, holding his hand out in front of Hershel as they walked down them.

Hershel looked out to where the others were working, a thinking look on his face "They cleared out those bodies already? It is starting to look like a place we could really live!"

Anna and Lori lagged behind everyone, watching on as everyone in the group rejoiced in Hershel being on his feet again. Glenn had yelled out, happy but then soon enough got growled out by Daryl, a scowl on his face.

Anna laughed, shaking her head at Daryl who never seemed to crack a smile when he was around the others but only would with her "He does smile, trust me. Just not around all of you".

"I just want to apologise for having been so unkind to you before" Lori said, interrupting her thoughts.

Truth be told, Anna could have held what Lori did to heart but she never did. Life was too short to hold grudges for Anna. That was a large part of Anna that Lori was baffled by. She got angry, but never hateful towards her. Hate, it was such an awful word "No harm, no foul" she said with a shrug.

"Oh I think I was more than hurtful to someone as caring as you who couldn't even hurt a fly" Lori smiling fondly as she locked eyes with Rick, finally feeling a little what they had before all of it "It wasn't fair to have been so cruel and so damn nasty when all you were trying to do was what was best for my..", she paused, thinking about her words a little and affectionately put her arm around Anna's shoulder and closer to her "Well what I should really say is our family. You were there for them when I should have been and I could never repay you back the debt for keeping the family together the way you have done when I should have done. So, I just wanted to finally apologise and thank you for everything you have done, for all of us. We all would have been lost without you if Daryl never found you that night in the woods. We should all thank god every day that he did".

It was in that moment, in all the time Anna had been in the group that the fighting had finally ended. Everyone was feeling contented, at ease cause the tension had finally ended after so long of a fight. Lori was feeling bashful under the forgiving gaze, a look from her former long lived marriage from just before the dead starting walking the earth.

Daryl stood there, with his hands relaxed at his side and his crossbow loosely in one hand. She smiled, like a proper big Anna smile and poked her tongue out at him, laughing and giving him the peace sign. Daryl had not seen that smile in a long, long time. One that he had thought he would never see again. Thinking, he may have remembered seeing it back at the farm, before her father and brother was found by Hershel and Rick. He shook his head at the wander of the magic Anna possessed. He secretly marvelled at the magic she controlled to fix the shattered fragments of the unhappy Grimes family. She had brought the fractured family back together her warmth gluing the cracks, filling any holes that the sorrow would seep into again and preventing the seed of anguish back into them all, into their souls.

"Walkers! Look out!" a voice screamed shattering everyone from their thoughts.

Anna head snapped, instantly turning in front of Lori and taking her cross back of her back, shooting the closest walker to her through the eye. She limped as she ran, collecting her bolt , pulling it but not before kicking a walker that got to close and stabbing it from under the chin. "Lori!" she yelled out, looking behind her shoulder and seeing the woman still standing "Oh thank god!" she whispered, quickly getting up off the ground and running to her, grabbing her hand "We need to find somewhere safe!"

Carl ran up, covering them from behind as they opened a gate and ran into the prison. Anna's heart was pounding in her chest, a ringing echoed in her ears. They were in their common room, her limp even harder and her knee pulsating with a pain that was shooting up and down her leg. Suddenly, walkers came through an open door. Anna pulled Lori in front of her, so she was behind her to protect both of them and she slammed the door shut behind them, leaving a notable foot print of walker blood on the ground.

They ran through the tombs, barely being able to see a foot in front of them when a siren sounded "What the hell?" Anna whispered, looking about with her crossbow raised.

"Mom?" Carl asked worried, walking up to his mother.

A groan of pain sounded from behind her, she turned to see Lori leaning up against the wall and her worst fear seeped into her mind, her skin tingling with fright. She put her hand on Carl's shoulder as she walked past him and put her hand on Lori's back.

"Can you keep up?" Anna asked, looking at her concern.

"Are you bit?" Carl asked, scared for his mom.

"The baby is coming. Something doesn't feel right" she moaned, turning her back to lean against the wall.

Anna nervously put her hands on Lori's stomach to try and get a feeling of anything that was going on. It was hard, wishing she had her medical bag right there with her. But she didn't have time to think much more than that when walkers came clambering around the corner of the corridor.

"Mom! Anna!" Carl yelled, pointing his gun at them and looking over his shoulder.

A spike of energy went through Anna's body, a jolt went through her heart and she was close to throwing up. She grabbed Lori's hand, pulling her into her side and walking away "We don't have time for me to look at you here, we need to go!" she whispered.

Carl lead the way up the corridor, his gun ready to protect them. Lori was gasping in pain, leaning hard on Anna's small frame. Her knee, she didn't want to even think about her knee at the moment. Anna knew it was going to be bad, that didn't matter in this moment. Lori and Carl did. There were shadows on the walls ahead of the walkers, there sounds instantly filling Anna with more dread that she didn't know was possible. Quickly, they turned and followed Carl's lead. He found a sliding door, to a boiler room and pulled it open "In here!"

Anna and Lori ran in as fast as they could, Carl following form behind them.

In there, Lori took a breath leaning against the wall, taking deep breaths. Anna watched, her empathetic instincts taking over her medical ones. Something in her gut felt ad, like some impending doom was hovering over them all. She hated getting these feelings, not knowing what it was going to be. Lori gingerly put her hand on the railing of the stairs and walked down. But not without Anna who was right by her side "Easy now" she whispered.

They walked further into the boiler room, listening to the walker's noise echoing up above them. Lori held onto some hanging chains, holding in a groan that turned into a painful whimper. Carl looked at his mom, worried and then up to Anna for answers.

"What are those alarms?" Lori asked, gasping for air and in pain. The sweat coating her skin and making her hair stick to her face. Lori let go of the chains,

"Don't worry about those!" Anna told her, following Lori with her hand on the small of her back "I need you to lay down on the ground".

Lori took a deep breath "The baby is coming now!"

Carl's breath got caught in his throat and fear struck his heart "We have to get back to our cell block and get Hershel to help Anna deliver the baby. All of the medical stuff is back there!"

You could hear a pin drop in the cell. Looking over Lori, Anna took a deep, calm and steady breath. She pushed out her fears, the little demon's whispers silenced by the angel's good prayers. Her surgical instincts took over and her voice calm. Anna had to be for Lori and Carl "We don't have time, I am going to have to deliver the baby here".

Anna pulled her crossbow from her back and set it aside near a fallen ladder "I am going to have to take your pants off, Lori".

Lori's breathing was laboured, beads of sweat falling from her face. Anna took Lori's hands and helped her down. She unzipped her pants, slid them off and looked up at Carl "I am going to need you to help me deliver your little brother or sister. Do you think you are up for it?"

Carl's eyes widened a little, he didn't know where to look but he knew he had to be there to help his mom through this.

Anna looked but couldn't see how much Lori was dilated. Her breathing was laboured, the pain was becoming too much for Lori "I need to push, I need to push" she gasped.

"Okay, let's get you up then" Anna held on to her ribs, letting Lori push herself up.

Lori pushed, holding her screams and closing her mouth. Anna got down to her knees, looking at Lori "You just keep pushing Lori, your body will know what to do".

She pushed but nothing was happening. Anna knew something was wrong when Lori pushed, bringing her hand away and it was coated in blood "Lori! You have got to stop pushing! Something is wrong".

It didn't feel right and Anna knew it, from everything she knew as a surgeon. That amount of blood was not good and it scared her. But she had to push away those fears and be strong. She lay Lori down onto the floor and it was then Anna knew what was going to happen, Lori's skin was now drenched in sweat, shaking with shock and pale as a ghost.

Carl held his mom's hand "Mom, mom", tapping his mother's face gently "I need you to open your eyes".

Anna was starting to feel frantic "We need to get you back to Hershel, he will be able to help me out".

"I am not going to make it" Lori muttered, delirious with pain.

With all of the blood and not being fully dilated, no amount of pushing was going to help Lori "I know what this means and I am not losing my baby. You have got to cut me open, Anna" she pleaded.

Anna shook her head, scared "No, I can't do that here!".

"You have no choice. You have your hunting knife on you, don't you?" Lori gasped, her voice hoarse with pain.

Anna didn't want to, she knew what was going to happen if she did. Her fear seeped through her defence and the tears she had been holding on to finally started to fall. The whites of her eyes were red, her bright green eyes looking as if they were glowing "I have no anaesthesia" she whispered, her hand bloodied hands nervously sitting on Lori's knees "You won't survive this".

"My baby needs to survive. Please, my baby. For all of us, please Anna. PLEASE"

That's when the tears started falling for Anna, shaking her head from side to side. Her lips pressed together tight to stop the sobs from escaping "No, please. Lori!".

"Do you see my old C-section?" Lori asked.

"I can't Lori" Anna answered, her voice cracking.

"You can! You have to!" Lori pleaded. "You have to be there for Rick, Carl and this baby. I know you are doubting yourself, especially after all that I have put you through".

"I know you can do it" Anna shook her head, mindlessly and feeling all afraid "But I know you can. I don't trust anyone more to watch over my family then you, Anna. I know they will be safe. Please, will you do that for me? Will you watch over our family?"

No words could come out of Anna's mouth, the shock of knowing what she had to do. She simply nodded a yes, her lips letting a small quiet sob escape from her mouth.

"Carl, baby. I don't want you to be scared. You make sure you listen to Anna and your daddy, okay. Doing this, it is what I want. You take care of your dad for me, make sure Anna stays out of trouble" she laughed, half-heartedly "It is going to be alright, you take care of your little brother or sister".

"We don't have to do this" Carl cried.

"You are going to be alright. You are going to beat this world! I know you will" Lori told him, "You are smart, you are strong and you are so brave! And I love you! I love you both".

"I love you too!" Carl whimpered, sniffing back tears with Anna's hand on his shoulder

"You have got to do what was right baby" Lori. "You promise me you will always do what is right. It is so easy in this world to do the wrong thing. So, if it feels wrong. Don't let the world spoil you".

Anna's came in short, sharp bursts as the sobs rattled her chest, she didn't want to cry. It meant it was all so real. Lori lovingly touched Carl's face, wiping away his tears "You are so good my sweet boy. You are the best thing I ever did! I love you!" she wailed.

Carl flung him himself into his mother's arms and cried.

It was in that moment, Anna's shoulders shook with grief. Sitting there, it was all too much. Closing her eyes, wishing it all be albeit a very bad dream. But it wasn't. She was tired of losing her family, people dying on her. Her whole life, death seemed to want to always walk with her hand in hand.

Lori let go of Carl and kissed the side of his head. "Okay, okay, okay now".

"Anna when this is over, you are going to have to do it" Lori pleaded. Anna couldn't come out of her mouth, only silent sobs as she shook her head "Don't let Rick do it".

Lori patted Carl, at peace with was about to happen "Alright, alright, alright".

Fretfully, Anna reached for her hunting knife from her pocket. Her hands shook with heartache, tears falling freely down her face. Lori's face softened, rubbing Anna's hand affectionaately "You really are a guardian angel for us all. Look after my boys and my baby for me, please?"

Anna nodded, her voice barely above a whisper "I promise".

Lori took one final calm, steady breath and looked up to the ceiling "Good night my love".

"I am so sorry" Anna didn't want to have to do it but quickly ran her knife across the c section scar, the blood pouring out and coating her hands. Lori screamed, her eyes fluttering and closed, her head falling to the side.

"Carl, give me your hand. Please. I need to keep the sack clean I can't cut too deep or I will get the baby" Anna asked.

Anna pulled out her small Swiss knife, flicking it open "I see the uterus, I am going to pull the baby out. I can't tell if it is the arm or the leg". She fumbled around a bit. "Okay, I am going to pull the baby out" Anna muttered.

It was hard to see what she was doing, all the blood and bad lighting. Anna was letting her instincts pull over all the others and was doing everything by touch. Carefully, Anna held on to whatever limb it may have been, gently pulling the baby out.

It wasn't breathing.

Anna patted the baby on the chest, nothing. Turning it around and trying to get the baby breathing by patting it on the back, not quite looking up to Carl. The baby let out a cry and they both let out the breath they were holding. Carl took off his vest, nervously but gently giving it to Anna, wincing as she shifted on her knee as she wrapped the precious little cargo "We need to go" she whispered in a soft voice, barely audible.

Carl touched her arm, barely being able to keep in his sobs "We can't just leave her in here, she will turn".

The world is too damn cruel. Anna reached into her back pocket for her gun, her hands shaking as she got it in her hands.

"No, she's my mom" Carl told her, a long tear falling down one of his cheeks.

Anna closed her eyes for a moment, opening them up to see the young man standing before her "Carl, you can use my gun, not yours. I'm not going anywhere, I'm going to be here for you, always".

She didn't turn her back, her eyes dazed with sadness, red rimmed and feeling heavy, as if there was sand embedded under her eyelids. Anna refused to turn around as Carl pointed the pistol at his mom "You don't have to worry about a thing, Lori" she wished.

There was a loud bang and Anna jumped slightly, her skin jolting at the fright. Life was so unfair, losing Lori. How many others had they lost? Would Daryl be okay? With everything Anna had, she had hoped he was okay. That anyone of them would be okay.

Anna tried to kneel to get her fallen crossbow, the pain too much to be able to get all the way down. Carl, suddenly was so grown up, stepped forward and picked up her crossbow with a half attempted smile. Trying to be positive after what he had done for his mom "Stuck with each other for life, remember?", Carl reminded her, as he helped sling her crossbow back on "You wouldn't be you with your crossbow on your back".

Together and dejectedly they walked away from Lori, regretting on going outside to everyone.

Anna left her knife and gun behind with Lori. Not wanting to ever touch it again.

The door slid open, the baby crying. Daryl's head snapped up, fast and relief washed over him. Anna was alive, barely being able to walk but holding a baby in her hands. He closed his eyes for a moment, gaining composure and opening them back up. She was still there.

Samson was by Tom's side, on the ground and his head on his paws, his ears lying back, whimpering. Respectfully, Tom bowed his head with his gun handle on the ground.

Rick was walking side to side, in shock and walking to Anna.

Daryl's heart went out to Anna, as she tried to stop Rick and openly sobbing, a piece of her broken. Daryl's shoulders slumped, ducking his head as he saw his little angel, looking around at everyone and see her lost pieces of herself as she saw who wasn't around. Anna locked eyes with Daryl, piercing right through his very being, seeing her cry and in so much pain. He could see Anna losing who she was. And she was never going to be the same again.

"Maggie, get the baby off Anna" Hershel whispered, then looking at Daryl "The poor girl can barely walk".

Without words, Daryl stepped forward as Maggie took the baby with Glenn. Both in grief as everyone was.

Carl walked out behind Anna in silence. Rick turned to his and looked around for Lori then back to his son for answers. Carl stayed silent. He was broken but changed. His silence was answer enough. Rick knew what it meant. It hit him hard and fast..

"No, no, no" Rick cried his hands on his knees, falling to the ground.

Daryl didn't care about how everyone would see him with Anna this time. She was broken, dazed and feeling more pain than anyone could have ever managed, blaming herself for something that was out of her control. Because of one sick person who wanted to get even with them.

She looked up, in such intense sorrow and pain and grief took over her body and every fibre of her being. Agony was seeping its way into her heart, shattering it into a million pieces. Daryl knew this time was different, that not even he could piece her back together the way it was before. He just had to help her deal with living with the pain. It was overwhelming for her, to have lost so many people in one day. More than what she had lost in her lifetime. Anna felt numb, feeling herself removed from everything. The cracks had finally broken through with this final hit, shattering everything she once was and leaving her broken "Daryl. I.." she whispered, looking back at Rick on the ground and Carl standing by himself.

"Shhh. You don't have to say anything". Daryl put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her in tighter, keeping it together for her and pulled her into a hug with no words spoken. It was difficult for him, he didn't know what to say or do to help her. He was afraid he would say the wrong thing, saying something stupid and making it all even the more worse. There was little Daryl could feel to make anything better for Anna. He couldn't take away the pain but he could be there for his best friend, his girl.

Daryl would always be there for his girl. She was his world now.