This Chapter is set after Carol and Daryl were able to kill Joe and escape out the first floor window of the farm-house.

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to thank you for sticking with me on this story. It has definitely had it's dark moments. J

Just a few reminders:

In this story, Carol DID NOT kill Karen and David.

1. Tyreese and Carol are just friends, but they have a connection. It's mainly due to how affectionate Ty is with her. Daryl thinks that they are more. He is jealous and insecure.

2. Carol is the strong woman we have come to love in Season 4. Daryl isn't sure she needs him anymore.

3. Please remember that Daryl has seen Tyreese pull Carol into an affectionate hug and kissed her. He does not know that it was almost completely platonic.

I do not own the Walking Dead or profit in any way.

Chapter 6: Meeting

Tyreese POV

Tyreese didn't know whether the men were following them or not. He just knew that he needed to get the girls and Judith as far away as possible and as quickly as possible. Only after they had traveled for a few hours...he had finally allowed them to stop and rest.

Mika and Lizzie were curled up together on the ground sleeping. The big sister had her arms wrapped around her little sister protectively. It had been hours since he had left Carol. He tried not to let his imagination get away from him. In a few more hours, it would be light out, and they would have to begin traveling again. He knew this was a lot to ask of the kids. Lizzie and Mika had both been scared and tired, but they had been amazingly strong and pushed through the night. Tyreese was proud of them. He credited Carol for having worked with them and teaching how important it was to be strong.

Tyreese had just fed Judith and changed her. The baby was now sleeping in his arms. It amazed him at how much this little baby didn't cry when her main needs were taken care of...She was used to the noise and constant movements that this new world caused in the people around her.

Tyreese was tired, but luckily he was used to not sleeping. Always being the biggest and strongest in a group since the beginning of this nightmare, had often put him in charge of watches and overseeing the groups. He decided to wait a bit, then when the girls were up...he would try to grab fifteen minutes or so of rest. They had to get to Terminus. He was putting all his hopes on finding someone from their group who had survived. Tyreese knew it was a long shot, but he didn't have anything else to go on.

Rick POV

At first light, Rick, Michonne, and Carl had headed off in the direction of Terminus. As they traveled the tracks, his thoughts were on his missing family. Family now meant so much more to him than blood ties. Ever since he had lost Lori, and came back from the edge...Rick had been able to lock off certain parts of himself.

The parts of him that hurt too much, the parts of him that could make him go crazy again. Those parts were the memories or thoughts where he failed the ones he loved. Memories of Lori...Herschel...Judith. He would never get that vision of the bloody car seat out of his head. Quickly, Rick locked it away. He had to be focused on getting them all safely to Terminus. He still had Carl to think about...

"Hold up." Michonne told them. Her eyes darting to the left. Pulling her sword, she stepped off the tracks and slowly into the brush. Carl and Rick silently followed behind her with their guns drawn. Michonne stepped into an area where it looked like a group had rested. Michonne walked over and picked up a can. Looking at the camp again, she hunched down and ran her fingertips over a set of footprints. Rick glanced over at her...he was unable to see what can she was holding. He was also busy scanning for threats while she did her inspection.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Dunno. Might be..." Michonne started. She hesitated. She seemed to be debating something in her mind. Looking up at Rick, she stood up and walked towards him. She held out the can for him to see.

Looking down, he saw that it was a can of formula. His heart stopped. A baby had been here? Hope surged through him. Then he tried to be realistic. It didn't mean it was Judith. There had to be other babies in this world. Carl reached out and took the can from Michonne.

"Does this mean...?" Carl said, but stopped himself from voicing his own hopefulness. He looked up at Rick and Rick slowly shook his head no.

"Seems that there was a small group. A couple of sets of kids footprints and one large adult. Looks like they've followed the train tracks too." Michonne added.

Rick looked the area over in detail this time, and saw what she was talking about. Whether or not it was Judith, or maybe others from their group, Rick knew they had to try to find them. They wouldn't last long out here alone. His mind going back to the house and the men he had almost been caught by.

"Alright, well...I guess we better follow those tracks." Rick told them. He led them out of the brush and started to walk the tracks again. Michonne and Carl followed behind. Carl never put down the can of formula.

Tyreese POV

They hadn't gotten very far since they had gotten up that early morning. The girls legs were tired and they weren't moving that quickly. They'd had a very small breakfast of granola, and hadn't been able to fill their stomachs. They had stopped to rest for the third time off the tracks just as Carol had told them to do...Tyreese was frustrated but he knew it wasn't their fault.

"Mr. Ty, why didn't Carol come with us?" Lizzie asked him. They hadn't said a word about her since they had escaped in the night from the farm. He knew they would be asking soon. The girls knew the rule that no one ever went out by themselves or were to be alone at any time. It was a way of ensuring survival. By Carol staying behind the rules had been broken.

He had thought about lying to them, and he had thought about telling them the truth. In the end, Tyreese decided on something in between.

"Carol stayed behind so she could follow us and cover our tracks." He told them.

"Why would she need to do that?" Mika asked. Curiosity in both her and Lizzie's eyes.

"Well, because we just wanted to make sure that if any of the bad guys were following us from the prison...they could be tracking us. It's just to be careful. She's not far behind." Tyreese told them. He had to look away at the last moment. He had never a good liar.

The girls thought it over. "But that means she's alone. No one is ever supposed to be left alone." Lizzie told him. Mika nodding her head in agreement.

It was then that they heard the sound of rocks sliding down the tracks. It was in the direction of the brush that they were hiding. Instantly, Tyreese was on his feet. He silently told the girls to get behind him. Mika held Judith, while Lizzie had her knife out. Tyreese had his gun pointed in the direction of the sound.

It was quiet for a moment. Then there was a rustling as someone or something worked its way through the branches and bushes.

Tyreese saw the tip of the sword first. It reflected sunlight towards them. The sword's uniqueness didn't fully register until he saw the dreadlocks on the woman holding it. Their eyes met and disbelief showed in both sets. Then realization. Her sword relaxed to her side as she looked at Tyreese. Then Michonne's eyes went to Mika, Lizzie and then finally Judith.

Tyreese lowered his gun. His eyes wide with wonder. The girls were already reacting to seeing Michonne.

"It's Michonne!" Lizzie said happily. Mika smiled broadly, and bounced Judith gently in her excitement.

Then more branches and bushes moved.

Tyreese watched as Rick and Carl stepped through.

To be continued...