Updated: 04/22/2017 Fixed punctuation and grammar issues

3 Years Later

Ricks flashlight scanned up and down the almost picked clean aisles in the small department story that he and Daryl were currently in. They were about 20 miles out from the ASZ in a small deserted town. This was the furthest that they have had to travel since their arrival almost a year ago to the ASZ, but it was necessary with winter at least a month away. He continued to scan the multiple display cases and clothing racks. The store was still pretty well stocked with items.

Assorted clothes that have been long forgotten still hung on racks. Rick walked into a section where the clothes were clearly too small for an adult. They were for a young child, he quickly turned away from the clothing rack and trudged back towards the front of the store as painfully memories began to surface.

It has been over 3 years since he woke up from a coma and entered this nightmare where his wife and son were both missing or worst. He has tried to bury the memories of his family deeply within his self, but sometimes his deep yearning to know what became of them threatens to break him.

He sighs deeply and runs his hand down his weathered face as the mental pictures of his wife and son appear in his mind.

He finds himself dreaming about his family every night. His wife Lori would reach out to him and tell him not to give up and that they loved him. But as of late, the dreams have changed. Now he just sees his son Carl but always behind him in the shadows 3 lionesses were lurking and growling at him as he tried to approach his son. Once he was close enough, the lionesses would move to place themselves in front of Carl as if protecting him. He would call out to his son every time he would see him, but Carl would only stare at him and then smile.

"Don't worry dad. I am fine."

"Carl, please come with me son. I need you here with me."

"But they need me also dad." And with that Carl would always stand and walk away with the lionesses following him. These dreams would leave him mentally and physically drained when he would first awaken in the morning.

Slightly distracted with the wandering of his mind he doesn't notice the quick movement just left of his peripheral. Once his senses became aware he tries to pull out his weapon. The rapid kick to his face sends him tumbling backward tiny white dots flash before his eyes before he can recover but he is suddenly pulled forwarded, and a swift knee to his mid-section takes the wind out of him as he falls to the floor on his knees. His gun clatters to the floor out of his reach. As he is on his knees trying to catch his breath and shake his disorientation, he turns his head to the right and looks up at his assailant.

"Asshole" Rick mutters as he is coughing and trying to catch his breathe

The attackers head and face is covered by a black and gray Shemagh with tactical goggles to hide his identity. Based off of the gray tactical style pants and gear the assailant was wearing Rick knew he was gonna have to work to get out of this. He sees the blow that the assailant is about to deliver and he braces himself as the attacker draws his fist back.

"Wait" the word is spoken in a hushed muffled tone. Rick see a second person slowly walking towards him. The stranger also has a Shemagh wrapped around his head with tactical goggles hiding his features. The stranger has his head tilted to the side as if studying Rick as he slowly approaches. The stranger draws a sword from behind his back and points it directly at Rick.

Still trying to catch his breath Rick strains to keep his focus on the stranger before him as he feels the cold pointed edge of the sword under his chin.

"What is it?" the first assailant breathlessly spoke.

Ricks' eyes widened as he hears the assailants voice. "A woman," he thought to himself. He begins to take a closer look at the woman. Her clothing made it hard to determine her gender at first, but now as he looked he could see the slight curves of her figure.

"Look at him" another woman Rick was slightly confused as the second woman spoke.

Still, on his knees, Rick watches as the female assailant slowly walks to stand next to the stranger and stare at him.

An audible gasp and a quick "Shit!" escaped the assailant's mouth. "It can't be…."

"Where are you from?" Ricks attention is pulled from the assailant and that to the stranger who was using the tip of her sword to lift his face further as if examining him.

"What?" Ricks' face showed his look of confusion at the strange question. Ricks mind was coming back into focus, and he was ready to fight if he had to.

"Answer now" the assailant slowly moved forward and began reaching for two weapons that Rick didn't notice before that were resting on each side of the female assailant legs. They looked to be some type of batons, but he couldn't be sure as he tried to keep both women in his sight.

"Kings County. Why?" With that answer, the assailant removed her hands from the weapons on her side and backed up and turned towards the stranger.

The attacker moved closer to the stranger and began to whisper in the ear of the stranger. The tone is quiet and hushed, but Rick hears only one thing "Carl."

"Carl… Did you just say, Carl?" Rick begins to try and stand up after he hears Carls name, but as soon as he does, he feels the blade of the sword press into his neck.

The stranger stared down at him. "Don't move!" Rick was unable to see the strangers eyes because of the goggles. But based on the tone of her voice he knew that he had to stay calm. But did he hear them correctly did they just say, Carl.

"You said, Carl. Carl is..well was my son's name. Do you know my son?" many emotions began to display across Ricks face confusion, grief, and desperation. Ricks anger was rising because they still have not answered him "What do you know about my son!"

"Shhh be quiet. You will draw the dead to us" the female stranger stated firmly

"Where is your group located?" this time the assailant spoke

"Fuck you."

Rick was suddenly struck on the side of his face, and he fell over onto his side, and he began to see stars again

"Dammit. Why did you hit him?"

"He was making too much damn noise."

"Rick" they turn in the direction of the whispered call of his name

Rick heard Daryl and prayed he would reach him in time. Rick tried to raise himself up and fight through the throbbing pain in his head from the hit.

"Let's go." The stranger and the assailant silently dashed out of sight. Rick gritted his teeth and once again tried to get to a standing position. Just as he righted himself Daryl approached.

Daryl looked at Ricks bruised face and bloodied nose. "Hey man. Are you alright? What the hell happened?" He tried to help steady his friend who was looking around wildly trying to search for something. Daryl could tell that whatever happened Rick was on the wrong end of the ass kicking and he was pissed.

Rick began to rush in the direction that he suspected they went. "Come on! We can't let them get away" Daryl was following behind him still confused on what happened.

"Who?"

"The people who just fucking blitzed me. They came out of nowhere. One pulled a sword and held it to my neck." "They said my son's name and then asked me where was I from" "I think they know something about my son Carl."

Daryl and Rick emerged out of the front of the store and began scanning up and down the street to see if they could spot the two masked individuals who couldn't have gotten far. But it was too late the street was empty except for a few straggling dead who were now heading towards Rick and Daryl.

The main street had stores on both sides all in a different state of abandonment. Many had front show windows busted out, but there were still a few that seemed from the outside untouched. A few walkers were meandering about, but they soon spotted Rick and Daryl and began walking towards them.

"Shit" Rick cursed "Where the hell did they go?"

"Man, they are slick as hell to move that fast. Come on we can't stay here we are starting to get a crowd."

Indeed they were the few dead that were on the street was quickly turning into a mini herd of about 10. As the low growls of the dead drew out others.

"I can't leave I have to find them."

"Rick lets come back tomorrow, and we can track which way they may have gone."

"I can't. I have to know now what they know about me son."

"Man I know you do, but we can't find out anything if you are dead."

Rick still continued to scan up and down the street hoping to catch a glimpse of the two women or see where they ran off to.

"Your right. But we will be back first light."

Ricks' eyes came to a stop at a store that was about midway down the road. He could feel eyes watching him he just knew it. He reluctantly turned and followed Daryl to their vehicle that was parked on the next block over

From the safety of a long abandoned boutique store front, they watched him. They each studied him trying to make a decision on what to do. Shemagh and goggles discarded Michonne, and Ila stood side by side each with the same thing on their mind.

"He looks like him, but that beard makes it hard to be 100% sure."

Ila let out an irritated sigh at the nonsense her sister just said "Are you serious? You saw how he reacted when he heard Carl's name. That is his father." She turned to face Michonne, and she saw the look of concern and sadness that was on her face.

"We have to tell him."

Michonne glanced up at the ceiling trying to gain control of what she was feeling at this very moment "No."

"What do you mean no. Finding his dad is all he has been hoping for. Why can't tell Carl?"

"I know… I just" Michonne sighed deeply and lowered her head.

Ila placed her hand on her shoulder "I know he has become a part of our family. Hell he IS family he is our little brother, our baby boy but we can't deny him this" Michonne turned away from the window and walked towards a chair near the wall to sit down.

Ila continued to speak in a calm, reassuring tone "It's been 3 years. He is not the same scared child we found."

"I know."

"He needs this."

"I KNOW!" she whispered through gritted teeth. Michonne squeezed her eyes shut trying to fight back the tears. "I just want to protect Carl." she agonized

Michonne turned away from Ila who was crouched in front of her "We all do but Chonne it's his father."

"I'm sure that man is losing his mind knowing that his son may be alive. Are you going to tell him?" Ila quietly pleaded with her sister.

"Yeah but not immediately," Michonne hedged.

"Why the hell not?" Ila was fuming at her sister's stubbornness of not seeing how important it was for them to let Carl know that his dad is alive and well.

"I just want to be sure. We will come back tomorrow and see if Carls father returns."

"You know he will return. Don't do this to Carl. "

"Do what? What am I doing Ila?"

"This right here. Not wanting to tell Carl. This is about what Carl wants. He would hate us if we didn't say anything. I don't want to lose him either, but I know how much he wants to know."

Michonne pulled the worn-out photo of Carl and his family out of her back pocket. Carl had given it to her for safe keeping about a year ago. She looked at the photo and saw the smiling face of Carl's father. Michonne knew his face so well that she even sometimes dreamed of him. Michonne knew the instant that she saw the man in the store that he was Carl's father and she immediately felt her heart clench from panic.

She took a pen out of her pocket and scribbled a message on the back of the photo.

Michonne stood up and headed to the front door of the store" Come on." She and Ila sprinted across the street to the warehouse they encountered Rick in. Michonne placed the photo on the door of the store along the edge to secure it in place.

"What did you write on the back of the photo?"

"I put that we would be back here the day after tomorrow to answer his questions."

Ila shook her head. "With Carl right…" Michonne ignored her.

"Come on let go check on the kids. It's about to get dark." Ila knew her sister was stubborn when it came to anything about Carl. Over the years they have all evolved into his mother and sisters figures. So the thought of actually losing him was something that she knew none of them could or would fully accept.

"Yeah. Let hope he has taken a bath finally."

A/N: I want to thank everyone who has favorited or followed my story. This is my first story, and it is a daily lesson for me as I try and bring my thoughts to life in a proper easy to understand way. I will try and post the next chapter soon. -Isis Nicole