Author's Note: Well, folks, this is the next to last chapter and the chapter where Carol finally faces her former family. It was a hard one to write and I hope you enjoy it. The last paragraph was very emotional for me and I hope it is for you, too. Only one more to go!

Thank you so much for sticking with this and leaving all your great reviews. I appreciate each and every one of you!

XOXO Pamela

11. Rapids

Carol waited close to an hour, staring at the rapids that finally had seized their opportunity to burst through the ice and resume their frothing and surging. Once she felt truly ready she went out towards the center of camp to find Caesar. He was over by Mitch and Pete's cabin, talking with the older brother. She walked up to them and politely interrupted them. "Caesar, do you have some time for me? I'd like to go over to the other camp." Mitch raised an eyebrow at her but Caesar smiled softly.

"Claro que sí, Corazon. I'd be happy to take you over there." They said their goodbyes to Mitch and started to walk down the path towards her former family. "What brought this change on? I thought you were bound and determined to ignore their presence until they left."

"Pete figured it out, he's a smart kid. Told me I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't get closure with them." She spun around to Caesar. "Did you know he has been getting involved with one of them?"

"And what would you have done had I told you? It's not fair of you to hold him back from happiness, that kid deserves love." He was brutally honest and she felt a surge of guilt for making their arrival all about her these past few weeks.

"Point taken. I sent him on ahead to prepare them. The less drama the better. They're leaving tomorrow." He nodded at her statement. "So the sanctuary place is real? Daryl mentioned it. What do you think? Is it something we should be looking into?"

"That's what Mitch and I were talking about. Mitch is going to go with them and see if we can set up some sort of relationship with the sanctuary. Maybe for trading, hard to find supplies. That way, if things go to shit here we have somewhere established to go." He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. "We're safe here. I think we could be here a long time if we wanted. Expand the community more, maybe let some families in. Pete and his new girl Maggie can be our guinea pigs. Have our first baby born here."

She halted her steps, causing him to stop with her. She plucked the cigarette out of his mouth and kissed him. "Have I told you lately how goddamn extraordinary you are?"

He pulled her close, grabbing one of her ass cheeks with his hand. "Maybe later you could show your appreciation and do that thing I've been talking about." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Get me through this reunion in one piece and you've got a deal." She pecked his lips and peeled his hand off of her ass. "Oh no, there's no way I'm doing anything until I get this over with. You're taking my head out of the game, Caesar."

He pouted at her and snatched the cigarette back. "Come on then, champ. Let's do this." He held his hand out and she took it and entwined her fingers with his. They walked the rest of the way like that.

They arrived at the other camp a few minutes later. She rarely came to this area even when no one was staying here. It was in a larger area than the main camp and almost every campsite had an RV or a camper sitting in it. The campsites formed a sort of a cul de sac and in the middle was a grassy area that held the campfire. There was a fire going and she could see Tyreese and Sasha sitting on the log benches, cooking something on skewers.

Her steps faltered and Caesar turned to her. "You okay? I'm right here with you. You can do this." He didn't let go of her hand and waited for her to start walking again. She spied Pete standing by a camper with Maggie. She saw Carol first and her mouth gaped open. Pete looked to see what caught Maggie's attention and smiled at Carol. Maggie started jogging toward her which soon turned into a full on sprint and Carol barely had time to brace herself before she was attacked by the young woman.

Maggie clung to her, weeping. "I never thought I'd see you again. When Pete told me, I didn't believe him. I'm so happy to see you." She pulled back and her tearful face twisted into an agonizing grimace. "Do you know about Daddy? Beth? Glenn?" Carol nodded and Maggie buried her face into Carol's neck and sobbed openly. Carol wondered if Maggie had ever been able to truly grieve. She had lost her whole family in such a short period of time. "Glenn died and I didn't even get to say goodbye." Her strained voice was heartbreaking and Carol gave into her grief and stroked Maggie's brunette curls. She could feel the rapid fluttering of Maggie's heartbeat against her.

They stood there, two women who had loved and lost so much, who had known and loved each other so dearly, embracing and grieving for the ones they lost, together once more.

Carol opened her eyes and noticed they had gathered an audience. The first face she saw was Michonne's. Her eyes glassy as she observed Carol and Maggie. Sasha and Bob seemed more distant, their faces unemotional. She then saw Tyreese step into view and her body stiffened defensively. Maggie lifted her head and turned around. "Oh no, Carol. It's okay. Tyreese knows Karen would have died. Everyone who had the disease died. Nothing we did could cure it. You gave them a merciful death. That's more than I can say for Glenn." Tyreese nodded his head at her, his features soft.

Carol let go of Maggie and walked toward the big man. "I'm so sorry I lied. I'm so sorry I acted on my own. I didn't give you a chance to say goodbye and I can't forgive myself for denying you that."

He stepped forward and it took every ounce of courage in her body to not flinch or try to bolt. She stood frozen as he tentatively reached out and grasped her upper bicep. "I forgive you. It's good to have you back, Carol." He stunned her with his capacity to forgive. She could only whisper a meager "Thank you," as he let her go and moved back by his sister.

A flash of mahogany skin caught her eye. Michonne stepped up to her and enveloped her in a hug. Her voice was shaky and tearful. "You are a sight for sore eyes." She glanced at Caesar and lowered her voice. "So that's why he suddenly gave up the chase. He knows you're here." Carol nodded her head in the affirmative. "He's holed up in his camper. As soon as Pete told us you were coming he stormed back to his camper and has refused to come out. Rick's trying to lure him out now."

Carol kept her voice low as she responded. "He and I already had our big melodramatic reunion. I said things I don't think he can endure. Tell him I'm sorry I ever hurt him and I'm so grateful I had him in my life. He was my guardian angel, wings and all. Take care of him for me, please?" Her eyes met Michonne's and the warrior woman gave her a watery smile.

"Always. I wish you were coming with us but I understand. It'll take a while but one day he will understand, too. He's just a wounded animal right now who lost his mate. Sometimes you don't ever come back from that. But all of us will try our best. He's family. Dirty, smelly, uncouth family, but family all the same." They shared a giggle and parted.

As Michonne backed away, her retreating figure revealed a figure standing there, staring at her. "Oh, Carl, you've grown so much." Carol whispered, taking in the sight of the young man. He was taller than she remembered and had a hard look on his face. A look that said he saw too much in this world, endured too many sorrows. Suddenly the hard look crumbled and he became that little boy she met on the highway. He ran to her and they collapsed on the ground together. She could no longer hold anything back and the floodgates opened. Lori's precious boy was here in her arms. She wept openly and held him as her twisted his hands into her sweater, his body shaking. "Shhhh," she murmured, "it's okay. I'm here, I'm here and I missed you so much." She rocked him ever so slightly, her tears soaking into his long hair. They sat there in the middle of the camp, slumped on the ground, holding onto each other for dear life. "You know you can come visit me anytime you want. I've got this great place right on the river and there's a fishing dock. Heck, we've even got a fishing boat. It'll be like old times." This was the hardest for her, saying goodbye to the boy that straddled the line to manhood for far too long.

She heard footsteps and then a shadow cast over them. She looked up, squinting, and met the haunted eyes of Rick. She was reluctant to let Carl go so Rick crouched down next to them and the next thing she realized he was holding them both. His cheek was pressed against the top of her head and his hand cupped her neck. The other was wrapped around Carl. She froze for a millisecond before letting out a breath and relaxing into his touch. She had missed this Rick. The Rick who loved her like a sister and she like a brother. His voice was ragged in her ear. "I want you to come with us. You will always be family. We need you with us. I miss you so much."

"I can't. You were right. I found a new group and a fresh start. It feels good and it was meant to be." She brought one hand up and felt the scruff of his beard. She felt his tears wet her fingertips.

"I can't get Daryl to come out. I feel awful that he won't even come say goodbye to you." He leaned his face into her touch.

"He and I have had enough goodbyes for a lifetime. I don't think either one of us could survive another one." She answered truthfully. She knew they couldn't handle a public parting. Too much had been said, hearts exposed and raw.

She had a difficult time letting both of them go. Letting them go meant one step closer to them being out of her life again. She mustered every bit of strength and willpower she had and unwound herself from the two Grimes men and stood up, dusting herself off from the dirt she accumulated. They slowly stood up alongside her and Rick kept his hand on her shoulder. She looked around at everyone and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Forgive me for not having the courage to come see you sooner. Knowing you all were here and not being able to face you was wrong of me. You deserved to know the truth and I deserved a goodbye. I love you all and I wish you well. If the sanctuary doesn't work out you will always have a home and a friend here." She looked out toward the campers, seeking the one face she wanted to see one last time. She caught movement in one of the windows of a lone camper. She could make out a shadowed figure watching. She raised her hand and waved to him and couldn't stop herself from crying once again.

She said her goodbyes and Caesar put his arm around her as they walked away from the people she had lived with and loved for so long back to the ones who loved and respected her now. The shadow never moved from the window, waiting and watching her until she was just a speck in the distance and even then stayed until darkness fell upon the camp.

Caesar held her all night while she cried, finally letting it all out. He had plans to leave at first light to check the snares while Mitch followed the group to the sanctuary. Carol was still in bed, sleeping restlessly as the morning light filled the bedroom. She felt his weight sink down into the mattress next to her, his fingers grazing her face and then through her hair. She started to awaken from her slumber as he pressed his lips softly to hers. Her brain too drowsy to notice the obvious differences in his touch, in his smell, the scruffy beard as it rubbed against her cheek. She hummed sleepily and started to reach out to him but he slipped from her grasp, her fingers barely brushing his smooth leather vest. As her mind stumbled out of the world between dreaming and consciousness her body stretched and hers fingers touched something. She sat up as she realized what the object was. In her hand was the well-worn photograph. When she turned it over, two words were written on the back that caused her heart to squeeze so painfully she thought she would fall dead to the agony of the feeling. "One soul."