Beth

I led Carl into our farmhouse with Daryl by my side. A glance at his face told me he's having a hard time with this. I know how worried he's always been about finding Carl and Rick again and what they'd think of him for loving her and taking her as one of his children. I know how much he loved and respected Rick. We all did, but Rick was like a brother to Daryl.

I opened the front door and ushered Daryl and Carl in. Maggie and Glenn are sitting in the living room. Knowing my sister she's probably just been waiting on us to come in. "Joe's up with Carol an' the kids."

"Thanks" I smiled at my sister and brother-in-law, but kept moving through the house. I pointed out various things proud of the home we've created.

"How are you all comfortable in here?" Carl asked, "It seems so cramped,"

"We been talkin' 'bout adding on to this place or buildin' another small house or somethin'. Bigger the kids get the smaller the place feels. Most o' us work around the place, so durin' the day it ain't so bad." Daryl explained.

"Me, Daryl an' the kids all have the attic to ourselves, the main floors have more room cause o' it."

I led Carl and Daryl upstairs to the stairwell leading to the attic. I smiled at them both and then went up the last bit, pushing the door open. The twins and Judy stopped playing as soon as they noticed us and came running across the room to me and their daddy.

"Mama, Daddy! Aunt Carol an' Uncle Joe won't stop ticklin' us!" Jude announced launching herself at Daryl. The boys were giggling and tucking themselves against my legs, half undressed from their mud fight earlier.

"Ya mean like this?" Daryl started tickling her as soon as she was tucked against him. I stepped more into our room, pulling our sons along. Joe and Carol stood up and we watched Carl's face as he took in the sight of his little sister. He looked in awe. Daryl stopped tickling her and set her down, kneeling next to her. "Got someone I want'cha ta meet, baby girl." He pointed to Carl.

"That my big brother?" She asked. For only being three she's smarter than any child I've ever spent any time with.

"Yup it is. Ya gonna go say hi?" He asked. Every time I see him with our kids I'm amazed. I know how much trouble he's having with this, and how hard he's working at not shutting down like he used to do when his emotions get overwhelming. Judith looked at Daryl then Carl and then to me. I smiled and nodded. She hesitated for a moment before walking over to Carl. I leaned down and picked up Merle, not taking my eyes off Carl and Jude.

Carl knelt down and Judith said, "Hi," Carl didn't take his eyes off her as he said 'hi' back, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"Why ya cryin'? Are ya sad?" She asked.

"I'm happy," He explained.

"That doesn't make sense," She said matter of fact. Carl looked up from his sister, a silent plea for help on his face.

"He's happy to see ya, honey. Sometimes tears mean somethin' good." I explained.

"Oh," she looked at Carl and back at me. "I'm happy too, mama. Am I s'posed to cry too?"

"Not 'less you wanna."

"Nope. I don't like cryin'." She surprised us all by hugging Carl.

"What're your plans, Carl? Ya gonna come back?" I asked.

"If I'm not intruding on your family." He commented.

I'm glad it's just me and him right now. "Carl Grimes, you're family. Always have been, always will be. You have a home here if ya want it an' a space in our lives."

"Sorry," His eyes dropped to the floor and he looked sheepish.

"Lotta take in," I said, patting his shoulder. Daryl and Joe came out to the porch, joining us. "Daryl, why don't ya take the van an' go with Carl, get Michonne an' bring her home? She's hurt an' won't be walkin' here. I hate when ya leave but I know you'll always come home to us." I didn't give Carl much choice in the matter. To my amazement no one argued with me. It still amazes me that our family just up and listens to what I have to say and then does it.

I went upstairs and got the kids so they can say bye to daddy and Jude can say bye to Carl, too.

"Why ya leavin', Daddy?" Judith asked.

"Gonna go wit' yer brotha an' get a friend."

"He's comin' back, right?"

"Yeah, Ass Kicker, he's comin' back."

"Be safe daddy." She gave Daryl a quick kiss on the lips then a hug. Daryl gave both the boys kisses and hugs. Both of them clinged to him, not wanting Daddy to leave. He held them until they were ready to let go on their own. It's like this every time he goes on a run or hunting.

As soon as Jude finished saying her goodbyes to daddy she came to stand next to me. I looked down at her she looked back up at me. She holds herself like she's so much older than three. She's insightful and knows so much more than three year olds should. My little girl is something of a genius.

"Mama?" She's still looking up at me.

"Hmm?"

"'M gonna say 'bye ta my brotha." She still has that little bit of a babies lisp on top of she talks just like Daryl does, mimicking his accent. So long as she picks up his good traits and not the bad ones, like his cursing. The boys talk like he does too, but for the most part they have better grammar than daddy.

I couldn't stop the smile that took over my face as Judy walked over to her older brother. Carl's eyes widened in surprise and his mouth formed an 'O' as she stood in front of him. Carl stood there for a bit just staring. Judith waited patiently for him to bend down to her level. I looked over at Daryl, the boys still in his arms, watching Jude and Carl interact.

Carl went from being the surly eighteen or so year old man to the fourteen or fifteen year old boy we all knew and loved, shy and awkward with his sister. "If yer my brotha does that make ya Shawn an' Merle's brotha too, Carl?" She asked. I looked back over at Daryl, catching his nod just in time, then back over to Carl who's staring at me. He doesn't know what to say, that's clear as day.

"We're all family, Jude. Carl's your brother jus' as much as he's Shawn an' Merle's brother." Makes it easier down the road to explain the dynamics to the twins when they're old enough and actually want to know.

Carl smiled at me appreciatively, thankful I answered for him. Lucky for him, me and Daryl have been answering hard questions like that since she was old enough to form questions. It doesn't really faze us much, now. Judith accepted my answer, throwing herself at Carl. Carl fell flat on his butt as he caught her, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. She's definitely not shy. But with Carl it doesn't surprise me how affectionate she is with him already. She's been excited to meet him since we first mentioned him, listening to every detail we said about him. She's even drawn pictures of him. Somewhere its just Carl with her next to him, holding hands. Others it's Jude, Carl, Shawn and Merle in the picture all holding hands. Little stick figures that she would have some one write names over the heads of each person in the picture, for her.

The twins let go of daddy and threw themselves on top of Judith and Carl. Daryl stood up and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side. I tilted my head up, "S'pose we jus' gained another kid,"

"S'pose so," He said, looking a little green.

A/N: There is going to be one or two more parts to this, equaling a max a total of 4 parts. Sorry it took so long to post, but I wanted it to be perfect. I wasn't in a rush to get it out.