This story is starting to wind down. I have this chapter and one more to go. I hope you enjoyed reading "Finding the Way Home". I am unashamedly in favor of happy endings.

And Baby Makes Six

Carol was embarrassed to admit that she had enjoyed Daryl's convalescence even though he was as terrible a patient that she would have imagined him to be. The first three weeks were rough on the whole family as Daryl struggled with the reality that he couldn't will himself all better in one day. After that he seemed to accept that he couldn't use his crossbow or do all the heavy lifting that he had done before. Daryl stopped sulking and complaining and began the long rehabilitation process to get his strength back but a good deal of the time he was restricted to taking walks and helping around the house.

The children were attending school at the new convent and he walked them there every morning, walked them home for lunch and then back to school after they had eaten, and then walked them home after school. Carol walked with him most days because she enjoyed the fresh air and Daryl slowed his pace to fit that of the children and Carol and he found that he had been missing too much before. Daryl had faced his own mortality with this wound and he was determined to make the most of whatever time he had left.

Daryl and Carol visited their neighbors more. He had always been too busy and too self-conscious to socialize much before. He was more willing now to put that behind him. This mountain was his forever home and he became more open to those who called it home too.

He and Carol would watch the babies so that Michonne and Morgan could get out to teach a class three days a week on using weapons. The new parents needed a break from the constant parenting of two babies and Daryl found that he didn't mind taking care of Josh and Amelia. The way their toothless faces would break into a grin when he talked to them always made him smile in return.

They usually had the house to themselves on those mornings and if the babies would take their nap then he and Carol would spend some time enjoying each other. Carol was far along enough in her pregnancy that they were limited to certain positions but there was no lack of interest in being intimate on either of their parts. Daryl realized that somewhere in the journey that had been their year together that he had changed from the man who had denied himself sex to one who reveled in giving and receiving pleasure.

Carol had been surprised that he was so turned on by her pregnant body. She was often appalled that her slender body had become so huge and misshapen, but Daryl had followed her changes with an appreciative eye and seemed as amorous as ever. Ed had been grossed out by her body when she had been pregnant with Sophia and she had been afraid that Daryl might be too. He would be too kind to say it but he might not want her after her body expanded to make room for their baby. She was afraid that she would see him shying away from her body. Instead, Daryl was fascinated by the way her body adapted to their baby and she saw that he wanted her as much as ever. She rewarded him by showering him with sex as often as she felt like it and that was way more often than she would have ever thought likely. ********************************************************************

Autumn was a beautiful time in the mountains and everyone tried to get as much outside time as possible before the winter hit. The mountains were ablaze with color and Carol began to take more and more photographs. She wanted to build as many memories as possible; she had no photographs of Sophia, Lizzie, or Mika to keep and treasure. She needed to have that with Alia, Matthias, and the new baby. She knew how quickly children grew and that they would not stay her sweet babies forever. Carol wanted to be able to show Alia's children their mother at six and seven. Photography fascinated her and she read everything she could find and then just began chronicling their lives in photographs.

Eugene had promised them a spectacular Christmas display and between him and Justine they had accomplished it. The tree went up two weeks before Christmas and it was awesome. They had created an outdoor display was the delight of every child on the hill. The rest of the geeks had responded with displays of their own and Carol was certain that the adults were as dazzled as any child by green trees and bright lights.

She and Daryl had stood before the tree when it was first lit and watched the awe in Matthias and Alia's face. Even the twins were mesmerized by the bright lights and Carol saw that Michonne was openly weeping onto Morgan's shoulder. Carol knew that she was remembering Andre because she was remembering how much Sophia had loved putting up the tree. Carol took a photograph of the whole family in front of the tree and then called Daryl over, "I am in labor. So send Aaron to tell Chana that I'll be along in an hour or so."

Chana had a delivery room in the small hospital and Carol went there to have the baby. She would come home after that but Chana didn't want to chance a home delivery. Chana liked the comfort that modern medicine offered to delivering babies.

Carol took a few minutes to talk to the children. She didn't want them frightened or worried. Putting up with a terrorized Daryl was hard enough without thinking her children were scared too.

She took the time to hang out with Michonne who was predictably hiding how she felt. "About damn time you had that baby. No more goldbricking around here. You can do all the laundry tomorrow morning when you get back. And don't you dare come back skinny. And no postpartum depression either. Just get your ass up and don't be moping around here." Michonne finished her tirade by bursting into tears and hugging Carol. "Love you, Carol. I really do and I always will. I'll be now to visit with you after a while. Justine and Eugene can watch the children. It's about time Justine found out that all that fun she is having with Eugene upstairs is going to give her a good case of the knocked up and then there will be shit to clean up all the time. Just saying."

Carol laughed because she knew that Michonne loved her and that she would be the one with her when the baby was born. She loved Daryl and he could be there to cut the cord but she wanted Michonne and Emily when she went through labor.

Justine and Eugene were going to be married on New Year's Eve. They were going to live her and yes they were going to expand the house one more time after they started a family. Justine was still living in the convent but Kathleen had given her blessing to the marriage. Justine loved Eugene and it seemed best to Kathleen that they marry as soon as possible.

Eugene had taken every lesson that Tara had taught him on their one memorable night together and used that knowledge to make Justine a very satisfied woman. Justine had a couple of relationships before but nothing had prepared her for her first night with Eugene. She was expecting awkward shy sex and instead she found that Eugene seemed to know far more about bringing pleasure to her body than she did. He denied her release while he continued to tease her with his tongue and his fingers until she finally demanded that he let her finish. He laughed and sucked hard on her clit until she climaxed. She was still reeling from that when he carefully entered her and began a new wave of pleasure and denial. Again she had to demand release and she clung to him as he thrust faster into her and her body shook itself into another climax. Eugene came not long after that and she felt for the first time his seed inside her. Justine knew that she was never going to ask where he learned how to do those things that he just did to her but she was going to make sure that he never did them with anyone else.

Justine and Eugene stayed with the children of the house while Michonne, Morgan, and Daryl were at the hospital with Carol. The babies went to sleep after they downed breast milk that Michonne had left in bottles. They preferred her traditional manner of delivery but they drank enough to feel full and sleepy.

Alia and Matthias were excited about the tree and that their mother was at the hospital delivering the new sister. Aaron had wandered down to the hospital after dinner to stay until the baby got there. He loved Carol and wanted to be there to see the new baby.

Finally, Justine and Eugene got Alia and Matthias asleep and they settled on the living room couch to wait for news. Their intentions were good but they were soon making out like teenagers. Justine was making those little whimpering sounds and Eugene was looking forward to whimpering a bit himself when they heard a baby cry and then the other baby erupted and they both pulled back and laughed.

Carol had let Daryl stay with her until the pain became more severe. She then sent him out to the little waiting room with Morgan, Aaron, Brian, and Jesse. Emily and Michonne stayed with her through the next two hours of hard labor. Chana was pleased that Carol was going through labor normally. She was in pain but that was to be expected. Chana felt her own baby move as she checked Carol.

Daryl was brought in when the baby's head crowned and he managed to stay upright through the birth and cutting the cord. He held his daughter for a few seconds and then gave her to Carol. They had decided on the name weeks ago but had kept it a secret until now.

Christie took the baby to clean, "What is her name?"

Carol smiled, "Lydia Grace Dixon. Lydia was the first person to welcome us here on the mountain. Daryl loves the name Grace so we put them together."

Daryl sat down heavily beside of Carol. Michonne and Emily were fussing with Lydia and Carol was watching them and smiling. He took Carol's hand and kissed it, "Baby makes six, and I love her but no more babies for us. Justine and Eugene can ride the baby train from now on."

They held hands and listened to Lydia complain at the top of her voice about the world outside of her mother's womb. Daryl listened for a minute, "Merle would be giving me hell but he would be happy for me. Does Lydia look anything like Sophia?"

Carol nodded, "Maybe a little but she will live a different life. She'll have the best daddy in the world and two brothers and sister that will love her. Aunt Michonne will hand her a sword before she can walk and she'll be a warrior. Lydia Grace is going to be hell on wheels and Merle is somewhere laughing about that."

Michonne brought the baby back to Carol and put her carefully in her arms, "She is beautiful even if she is a Dixon." Michonne burst into tears again and Daryl hugged her.

Everyone in the waiting room stayed long enough to see Carol and the baby before going home. Daryl had followed Aaron outside and hugged him. "Love you, Aaron. I am so proud to have you as a son."

Aaron hugged back, "Love you, Daryl. Bring that baby and Mama Carol home before long. The house never feels like home unless Mama Carol is there."

Daryl stood outside a few minutes and watched the stars. He had two daughters and two sons and a wife he would cherish forever. He let the tears fall. Crying for happiness was a Carol thing but it felt good to cry because life had given him the children that he wanted and the wife that he adored. He thanked the Creator and then went back inside to stay with Carol until they could find their way home up the hill. The house would be warm and there would be lights from the tree shining on the faces of the people that he loved.

It was the next morning before Carol was released and he drove her home. It was colder and it felt like snow and Daryl didn't care if it snowed a foot and they were snowbound until spring. Morgan and Aaron came out to help Carol in and he carried Lydia Grace into the house behind them.

The house smelled like pancakes and he knew that Morgan must have made breakfast. Eugene was putting pancakes on the children's plates and Michonne was feeding Josh while Justine rocked Amelia. Morgan eased Carol into a chair and Aaron went into the kitchen to get a pancake. Daryl took the blankets back from Lydia and put her in Carol's arms so that everyone could see her. It was good to be home.

AN

The next chapter will be the last. I really do like happy endings. I have put Carol and Daryl through enough misery and have given them the end that I wish for them.

Review please.