"Caarl!" Ricked yelled but there was no response. He was running through the woods frantically. "Carrll!" He tried again. He had to get to him. He had to.

"Daaaaad!" Carl screamed from somewhere in the distance. Rick ran like he had never run before. How did he get so far from the group he panicked to himself as his feet dug deep into the Georgia clay. When he made it to a clearing he found Carl standing over a walker holding his right arm. Oh god' he thought. Not my son! Not my son!

"Carl, What happened?! How did you?" Rick begged his son for answers while now studying the deep bite on his sons forearm. "There's still time!" Rick pleaded with the universe as he wrapped his belt around the young mans now pale arm. He pulled it tight while reaching to remove his boot knife and whispered "Im sorry." before bringing the knife to his arm. "Dad, Why?" Carl asked with dying eyes before Rick sat straight up on his cot slamming his forehead into the bed above. It had all been a dream' he thought while wiping the sweat from his brow.

Rick had suffered from nightmares since he had found his family so he was getting used to them by now. It didn't make them easier or getting to sleep after possible but he had learned to operate on less sleep and Rick figured in this world it was probably a good thing. Besides before shit had hit the fan he had never needed the alarm Lori had set everyday despite his best arguments to just throw the thing out the window.

It couldn't be considered early morning but Rick decided he had enough tossing and turning for the night and decided to go check on his daughter. He'd have to be quiet since he had left her with Beth the night before. She had seemed down and Judith always brought a smile to the blondes face besides giving Rick a reason to drop by on a daily basis.

"Hey you." Beth Whispered from under a thin sheet.

"Don't you mean Mr Grimes?" Rick Joked quietly trying not to wake his child.

"Shut up.." Beth laughed "I mean, I apologize Mr Grimes." Beth said with a slight grin and a devilish southern accent as she sat up revealing the spaghetti strapped pink top she was wearing.

Rick took a slight step back before catching himself. "That's better." He laughed. He didn't know what he was doing but then again he never really did. Everything these days was about instincts and he had to trust his. It was the only way any of them had survived. Not that there hadn't been loss. He looked down at the floor.

Beth noticed the shift in the man in front of her. She noticed pretty much anytime he shifted. Physically or mentally. She had become a shift expert. Good news or bad news it usually came from Rick and learning to read the man had been a way of preparing herself for news to come. She told herself. Beth hadn't come up with reasons for all the other things she noticed but she figured she would soon.

"Can't sleep?" She asked softly

"Didn't mean to wake you. I was just checking on Judith." He smiled down at his sleeping baby.

"Out like a fire." Beth laughed before stopping to explain after noticing Ricks puzzled look. "I say fire because if you don't really put her out, like finish the whole sound track of little mermaid she will start right back up!" Beth smiled and sat all the way up letting a shoulder strap fall to the side.

"Ahh" Rick replied with a small grin trying his best to avert his eyes.. "Makes sense." He laughed. "The whole soundtrack?"

Darryl was walking around the grounds. It was his rehab. Screw what the doctor had told him. He felt great. He was alive and could walk around without a dead guy trying to eat him. The prison wasn't perfect like they had hoped when they had first spotted it but with hard work and a lot of sacrifice it was now home. The word felt funny still but honestly it was the first time he really felt at home. It was just missing his brother.

"Hey Darryl!" Beth said finishing her jog.

"Hey" he replied looking at his sweaty friend. She had sat with him a few times during his recovery and the two had gotten closer. Even if he had to kick her out for singing once.

"What are you up to?" She asked with a smile.

"Same as you. Just a lot slower." He laughed.

The two began to walk slowly around the perimeter. It was a good cool down and Darryl got a lot further than he thought he would before he had a friend to lean on from time to time. Not that he'd ever tell her that but he liked that she didn't make a big deal of it.

"Dinner will be ready soon. We should head back." Beth smiled up at Darryl. She was starving and the runs had been successful lately so she knew the group was in for a treat. Even if it was just Twinkies for dessert.

"You go on ahead." Darryl grunted while looking out in the distance. "I'll be around soon, Don't worry blondie." he laughed a little before moving off towards the fence.

On her way back to the fence Beth found Rick and her Dad talking by the farm.

"I know Herschel but we're making it. Try to get the council to double recruitment efforts. More cars on the road means more gas but if we find even a few more people.. It could mean everything. We can't do this alone anymore." Rick spoke quietly but firmly. He had taken a back seat recently but the council members would often seek advice from the former dictator. Though Rick had noticed it was becoming less frequent.

"You're right Rick. Thanks. Save you a seat at dinner?" Herschel asked his friend.

"Sure." Rick replied warmly. "I'll be up in a few. Just gotta finish these posts." Herschel nodded his head and gave rick a slight wink before moving off towards the cafeteria. It was Spaghetti Tuesday after all and he wasn't going to be late. Even if it was Wednesday.

"Hey Mr Grimes." Beth said over the sound of Rick hammering the last of the posts. She was going to offer to help but with the sun being down and only the light from his lantern Rick hadn't noticed his onlooker yet so Beth did what she was best at. Observe.

"Ms Greene." Rick smiled. "Figured you'd be at dinner."

"On the way." She smiled and stepped closer to inspect the fence. "You did good." She complimented the former deputy turned farmer.

"Thanks." Rick replied with a wide smile. He had given Carl the day off to hopefully do some kid stuff with Patrick and forgotten the extra pig pens were needed finished before they could catch the new pigs they had seen in the woods. These pigs were smarter than the walkers but like all of the survivors they only could run for so long.

"It's been a long day." He informed her with tired eyes.

"Don't imagine you'll have a hard time sleeping tonight." Beth joked before being saddened at the thought of not having the company when the nightmares inevitably woke her up.

"No, I don't imagine. " Rick smiled at the blonde before noticing the frown pulling at her lips. "Though I haven't slept soundly since my coma. " he laughed from his stomach making Beth grin. She didn't hear this laugh often.

"You're funny" Beth poked Rick in his chest. "Come on it's spaghetti Tuesday. You know how Daddy gets." She turned away from Rick so he wouldn't see the ear to ear smile plastered on her face before swaying her hips a bit more than usual and began the hike for Twinkies.

"Can I make a toast?" Glen said standing with his wine glass. The recent runs had rewarded the group with close to a years worth of food and alcohol if rationed correctly and Ricks farm would supplement them until maybe even removing the need for food runs entirely. So naturally Glen had drank for the first time since the cdc and was feeling it and a need for a toast.

"Listen up!" Darryl shouted over the loud cafeteria. "The Korean has something to say." He smiled at his long time friend and adopted brother.

"Thanks you." Glen mouthed to the Redneck. "To Family, New Friends, Fallen Family and old friends." Glen smile faded just a bit as memories flooded his mind of those lost. "May their sacrifices always be remembered and lead us to these better days." Glen raised the glass a little and took a sip followed by the rest of the cafeteria.

"Here here!" A few others shouted while a few looked deep into their spaghetti bowls. It was always darkest before the Dawn but the group could feel the heat and had hoped it was sunrise and not hell fire.

"Well said." Herschel smiled at his son in law.

"I love you" Maggie whispered in Glens ear as he returned to his seat followed by a kiss on his ear lobe before whispering again "Don't drink to much Korean. I've got plans for us." Glen gulped and smiled widely bringing a smile to a few of the group members who were observing the interaction. After Lori died Maggie and Glen had become the groups hope. Aside from Judith and the children that is. Most would never admit to feelings they kept shoved down, despite the close quarters and lack of anything better to do.. It was to painful to get any closer than toasts and warm smiles. Knowing it was only a matter of time. Beth mused while twirling her spaghetti.

"Something wrong hunny?" Herschel asked his daughter noticing her playing with her food. He knew she only did that when something was bouncing around in her head.

"No Daddy, Everything is fine." Beth smiled warmly at her father.

"Good." He said quickly. "Everything is good." He said to everyone at the table.

"Think Michonne is alright?" Carl asked his father.

"Of course." Rick smiled before sipping more wine. He usually never drank this much but what was the point of this place if he couldn't indulge every now and again?

"She'll be back soon." Darryl said between mouthfuls. "Trail went cold last week so she was finishing up loose ends even though they weren't that lose. " Darryl laughed a little before remembering he was trying to calm his smaller friends fears. "She knows what she is doing. " He smiled at Carl bringing some light back to his small friends face.

"She's the best!" A drunken Glen said a little to loud "Plus she uses a samurai sword so that makes her cooler than Darryl" Glen finished with a look towards the bowman. "Racist" Darryl grunted and the group laughed together releasing any tension they still had from the days activities.

Everything was quieting down for the night. The cafeteria had a few people still eating twinkies and finishing their drinks but for the most part everyone had retired for the evening.

"Beth, Have you seen Glen?" Maggie asked her sister slightly concerned. Before Beth could answer a very naked Glen came running through the cafeteria and out into the field. Close behind a very pissed off Darryl was limping after him crossbow in hand. "You can run china-man but you can't hide that pale ass!" Darryl yelled before exiting the building.

"Nevermind." Maggie laughed loudly and ran to save her fiance.

"Never a boring day?" Carol laughed while picking up the last of the tables paper plats and Styrofoam cups.

"Aside from the boring ones?" Beth smiled and stood up. "Do you need any help?" She offered.

"Nah we got this. " Carol informed her as she dumped the plates in the trash and looked over at Herschel. "Funny we used to worry about biodegrading. "

Beth laughed and gave her Dad a kiss on the cheek before heading off to check on Judith. Rick had excused himself earlier and put Carl to bed. Judith would be getting grumpy right about now and she intended to save him.

As she approached his cell she could hear Rick humming the tune to under the sea. She slowed her pace and walked slowly to the edge of his cell listening intently to the man. "Shalalalalala don't be scared go on an kiss da girl" He sang quietly before humming a few more bars,placing a kiss on his sleeping baby and laid Judith down into her crib.

"Didn't know you were a fan." Beth teased as she poked her head around the bars startling Rick a little.

"Oh yeah. The biggest." He joked before leaning against the back wall of his cell. "How much did you hear?" he asked nervously

"Just the kiss da girl part." She smiled warmly at Rick and licked her lips a little at his squirming. Before Rick could reply Judith began softly crying. Thank god Rick thought and picked up his angel. "Shhhh Baby girl.." he soothed. Judith only continued to cry an obviously overtired cry.

"May I try?" Beth finally spoke after her heart had stopped melting from watching Rick hold his child to his chest doing his best to quiet his baby girl.

"Of course." Rick smiled and gently transferred Judith into Beth's waiting arms. He sat down onto his cot and watched the blonde quiet his child by singing quietly 'part of your world'. After a while her cries ceased and Rick laid further back onto his cot as Beth continued her singing. He couldn't remember a time he had felt more content and comfortable even back when the world was still turning.

When Rick woke up he was shocked by how rested he felt. The familiar burn of his eyes and aching of his muscles were nowhere to be found. As he sat up he noticed the blonde sitting in the chair by his daughters crib with her head on the edge and just a tiny amount of drool falling from her agape mouth. She really was beautiful he thought as he stood and swept her up into his arms.

"mmMmm" Beth moaned sleepily.

"Shhh, It's ok Beth." Rick whispered as he made his way towards her cell.

"I do." Beth smiled with her eyes shut.

Rick laughed at the obviously dreaming girl in his arms. "Shhh." he tried again as he readjusted her in his arms.

"Mmm" Beth moaned again as Rick laid her down into her bed and brought a sheet over her still body. "Rick.." she said quietly. "It's ok Beth. Go back to sleep" Rick finished before noticing the girls eyes were still shut.

Rick took a few steps back and took one last look at the sleeping figure in front of him before whispering "Sweet dreams" and began the walk back towards his cell while whistling. Something he hadn't done in a very long time.