*Fifteen total years since the birth of Hope*

Beth sat on top of the wall at the military compound they d found. Her stomach growling for food which came in very low supply, her bones poking out from under her pale skin. Next to her sat Hope, her long blonde hair swept up into a pony tail, her long black eyelashes fanning out onto her rose cheeks every time she blinked. Her eyes as icy blue as her fathers, Beth watched her daughter for a while, she was hardly recognizable anymore. She was tall and thin towering over Beth slightly, but Hope was so much like her father. A rifle sat in between her thighs and a thick camouflage jacket hung over her shoulders swallowing her tiny frame as her ears tuned into each sound that was made from the woods. Beth felt that her daughter needed a normal childhood, she ha d sunk into herself slightly and she reminded her of Carl back at the prison. Of course, Hope hadn' t killed anyone but she ha d had a close call and now would never leave Beth s side or Daryl s unless it is absolutely necessary.

Hope was n't the best at dealing with situations, but she tried her best. With all these crowded spaces in the military base she felt like she couldn't breathe, she needed an outlet and Hope was petrified of people, that was the reason she stuck to her parents like glue. Hope didn't know where this... Fear of people stemmed from but it was the way her family all pointed guns at people that made Hope scared she didn't know what to do. Up until it happened, she remembered it all the forest when she was six and her dad was sick and how the man had tried to rape her mother. Hope shuddered visibly and her mother laid a soothing hand upon her shoulder. Hope nodded clambering down from the wall spotting her father and Rick walking together, their graying hair sticking up at all ends. Hope gripped her gun and knife walking slightly faster than she normally would towards her father who smiled seeing her approach him. Hope took the tangled the crossbow from her fathers back despite his protests, Daryl was getting old and he couldn't move like he used to. Daryl was nearly 60 years old which made him uncomfortable and irritable which made Hope smile when she teased him.

The military base was much like Alexandria, but this one was stationed at the border to Ohio. Hope didn't know much about America, but Beth felt the need to tell her daughter about some of the states as she grew up. On the way to new places in their car, Beth would call out 2 states and Hope would have to name a state in between. Hope walked with her father as he and Rick discussed the up-keep of the walls. Hope turned to face her mother who was engaged in conversation with Sophie. Hope looked towards the new families that had settled there was a family that had been tightly bound to their own, the family run by a man called Elijah Finch.

Elijah had a son (Ezra) and a wife (Marion), his daughter had already passed on. Hope understood their pain, after Hope was 13 her parents had tried to give her a sibling but the child was still born. Hope didn't speak of her little brother to anyone, it was a secret that stayed in between their family. Her bother was named Jackson, Beth and Daryl had allowed Hope to name him. Hope felt angry for months, if there was a God how the hell could he rob her family of something they 'd been wanting for months. Hope shook her head ridding her thoughts as her father finished his conversation with Rick before opening the door to their house. Hope stepped inside seeing Elijah and Marion sitting on the sofa.

"Daryl, I was hoping I could speak to you and Beth privately. " Hope looked towards her father who shook his head, Hope placed the crossbow down and fetched her mother from her talk with Sophie. Ezra stood in centre of the farmers quad and Hope stood a few inches behind. Ezra s eyes met Hope s, he let out a graceful smile which Hope looked towards the ground, her rifle resting comfortably in her hands. She watched as he slowly moved to pick the corn from out of the ground. Hope crossed her legs Indian style and watched as the sun beat down on her back.

"Hey Hope," Carl called from the food bank. Hope smiled walking towards him, his now short brown hair pushed up into a small quiff and his freckles slightly more prominent against his pale skin. His blue eyes are bright like the sea and Hope s rose cheeks bloomed as she approached him. Carl wiped some sweat from his brow.

" Hi, " Hope said innocently. "You need some help?" Hope offered quickly readjusting her ponytail before picking up a box filled with cans of stew. She made small talk with him while dropping them off at the table set up at. Rick was standing there with Judith who was organizing them in order of dates. Hope and Carl were walking back together past the farming section when her name was called.

"Hope!" Her father shouted as Elijah and Marion walked down the stairs of the houses looking stern as they approached Ezra. Hope jumped walking quickly and efficiently towards her parents who gestured for them to head inside without saying a word. Hope bit down on her lip nervously, a habit she had been given by her mother. She sat on the sofa where her mother and father stood in front of her, the ragged scar on her mother s cheek remaining prominent. Hope glanced towards her hands and then back up to the blue eyes of her parents.

"We have to talk about, something. You don t need to decide right away, but I am stressing to you. You don t need to decide right away, Beth said looking at her. Elijah and Marion have a plan, for us to keep surviving at this place. This wasn't t your dad s or my idea and you need to know that there isn't t any pressure for you to do- "

"Please just tell me that you want to say," Hope sighed, rubbing her face.

"They want you and Ezra to repopulate. Of course, they want you to wait until your eighteen- "

"Wait. What?" Hope said standing up.

" They want you and Ezra to get married, have a child safely. The doctors here are going to help, just don t give us an answer now. You and Ezra both have to come together and decide about this, " Daryl said. Hope nodded standing up and heading towards her room.

"I don t know what to do about this Daryl, I want her to fall in love with a boy and marry him like it should have been for her. Sometimes, I wish this never happened and I wish that she d have a normal life. But, then there was the possibility that she never would have been born. But, then Jax would have been born safely and he d have survived, " Beth cried to Daryl.

"Ssh, listen Jax is with your mom and dad. m sure that s the best place for him. Even if Hope decides not to go through with this, m sure fate will find her someone Beth. Wouldn't t kill you to have a little faith, " Daryl joked. Beth laughed wrapping her arms around his frame and tucking her head under his chin.

"I love you, " She whispered.

" I love you too. "