Protective Instinct

Daryl was gone when Carol woke the next morning. She remembered hearing him say that he was going to do some exploring today. She was up in time to feed the group going to the church to work with vaccinations. Shawn and Jada came by and Sam left with them to do chores. They promised to have him back in a couple of hours.

Carol wanted to go find Alia's house. She had told Sam that she would see if Alia could visit today. They would be going home soon. Michonne was outside working with her katana. She accepted Carol's invitation to accompany her.

Michonne was amused when Carol told her that Sam had decided she and Jesse should adopt Alia. She unleashed her katana and struck a dramatic fighting post, "I have no time to tend to children. I am a warrior and a warrior has to vanquish the forces of darkness."

Carol laughed, "You are probably scaring the hell out of the locals. Let's ask Esther where Alia lives." Michonne drove the Tahoe. "I've walked enough this last year and a half to know that you don't walk when you don't have to."

Esther was planting bulbs in her front yard. She stood up when they told her they were looking for Alia. "Let's go sit on the porch." She led the way to her porch and settled herself into a rocker leaving the swing for the Carol and Michonne.

"Alia's grandmother is very ill. We think that it's cancer. Christie went to her house this morning and gave her the vaccination. She doesn't have long to live. Miriam's husband died young leaving her with two boys to rear on her own. Isaiah and his wife lived in a little town about twenty miles from here. They got their family here that day, but Isaiah was bitten later on. His wife married again. A man with children of his own."

"Alia's dad and mother worked in some sort of medical research. Alia was with them at Fort Detrick. David and Sharyn drove down here and dropped Alia off. Two days Fort Detrick was destroyed in what the government said was a terrorist attack. The next day the dead came back to life only to kill others. That little girl is losing her grandmother now. The aunt isn't mean to her, but she is too busy to give her much attention."

Esther called Jacob in from the barn and he went with them to a small farm nearby. They stopped in front of a white farmhouse with a secure fence around the yard. Jacob sighed, "Now, Miriam looks bad. She doesn't have long now. She may be asleep." He escorted them up the walkway and knocked gently on the door. Alia's aunt answered the door and Jacob talked with her for a few minutes. He waved them in, "Miriam wants to meet you two. Alia has been telling her all about you."

The house was clean and filled with the sort of furniture that makes antique dealers cry. Carol could hear children playing out back. They were led to a main floor bedroom. A withered husk of a woman was lying on the bed. She looked too frail to breathe, but her eyes were open and she asked Jacob to prop her up. He did with the gentleness that he did everything else.

Miriam smiled tiredly at them, "Come sit down. If you two aren't a pair, all loaded up with knives and guns. "

They sat down. Carol ventured, "My son Sam really enjoyed meeting Alia yesterday. I was hoping that she could visit with us today." She had intended to refer to Sam as "a boy traveling with us", but she knew instinctively that Miriam would see through it.

Miriam said, "I'm running out of time. So I am getting right to the point. I have the "sight". Had it all my life but it wasn't very strong. Seems the weaker I get the stronger it gets. I have been waiting for you two for weeks. A Black woman and a woman with silver hair. You are going to take Alia with you when you leave here."

"You don't even know us." Michonne was startled. Carol noted that she didn't say no.

"I know you. I have the sight. You have sorrow all around you because you lost your children. Sorrow is a color all of its own. I must tell you Alia's story and then you will know why you will take her with you." She stopped talking and Carol picked up the glass of water that was sitting beside her bed and helped the sick woman drink a small sip.

Miriam went on, "My boy David went off to college at Charlottesville. Met a Black woman and got married. Sharyn was a beautiful girl, inside and out. David and Sharon were meant to be together and they wanted to start a family right away. That didn't happen and wasn't going to ever happen."

"Sharyn had a friend, her roommate at UVA. She was the only bridesmaid at Sharyn and David's wedding. The lawyer friend got pregnant, and she gave the baby to David and Sharyn. That was Alia. The friend visited them at least twice a year in their home so that she could see her child. Alia knew she was adopted, but the three of them were planning on telling Alia who her mother was that summer. Alia loved Andrea already so they were hoping that she would take the news well."

Michonne gasped, "Alia's mother was named Andrea?"

"Yes, Alia has a photograph of her Aunt Andrea. Blond woman with green eyes. Very beautiful. Alia gets her stubbornness from her I think. Alia's father was Black. Andrea met him in D. C. when she was there for some sort of training. She gave Alia to Sharyn and David because she loved both of them and knew they would love her baby. Now I give Alia to both of you so that you will love and protect her."

"Alia won't want to leave you." Carol knew the girl would want to be with her grandmother.

"I've leaving soon, and I don't want her here when that happens. Go outside now and wait. Alia will be along with her things in a little while. I know who you are from the colors around you. Don't have time to explain."

"Your colors have sorrow mixed in with the brightest golds, blues, and greens. You may look different on the outside but inside you are very similar. Loving and strong. I won't see you again for a very long time, but I'll be on the bridge when you cross over."

Carol and Michonne went outside to the Tahoe. Michonne turned to Carol, "Andrea went to UVA. Undergraduate and law school. Andrea's child is alive. I'm going to be Alia's mother. I owe Andrea that."

Jacob brought Alia out later with a small duffle back of her possessions. Alia was crying and she refused to look at anyone. Jacob had his arms around her. "I am sorry, Alia, but it is her time to go." He got out at his house.

Michonne took Alia to her room when they got back to the log house. Carol stopped to talk with Sam and Daryl who were outside playing with Buck. Later she went upstairs to find Michonne and Alia both weeping over photographs of David, Sharyn, and Andrea. Andrea had saved her life that night the farm fell and her baby was to be partly her daughter now. Carol joined them in weeping when she saw a younger Andrea playing peek a boo with a laughing Alia.

Carol and Michonne came downstairs and ordered Sam to stay away from Alia until she was ready to come out of the bedroom. Carol went to look for Daryl. Michonne was in the kitchen with Eric fixing lunch.

Daryl was out in one of the outbuildings. He came outside, "I found an almost new four wheeler in here. I'm charging the battery now."

"We've got a new addition to our family. Alia is joining us. Michonne is going to be her first mother, but I'm going to be her mother too."

Daryl leaned against the building, "So I'm going to be a daddy again. So soon too. She is a good kid. You and Michonne will make good co-mothers. Michonne can teach her how to kill and you can teach her how to cook."

"I'll have you to know Michonne is making lunch right now."

Daryl laughed, "We better go rescue her."

Sam and Alia were out on the deck when they went back in the house. "I told that boy to leave her alone."

"That boy ain't never going to leave her alone when he knows she is suffering. Remember me following you around the farm? Didn't know shit on what to say or do, but I just wanted to do something." Daryl put his arm around her, "Love you."

Carol burrowed into him. The memories of that summer so vivid in her mind. Daryl and Andrea had both been with her at the Dale's old rv the first night after Sophia ran into the woods. They had went out into the darkness to search her lost girl. Daryl reassuring her with Cherokee roses and his relentless search for Sophia. Daryl who had caught her in his arms when Sophia came out of the barn keeping her from running to her own death. Andrea coming to rescue her while the others left in the truck.

She finally pulled herself away, "Something is burning. We better save lunch."

Alia sat beside Sam at lunch. Jesse sat on the other side and he caught Michonne's eye. "Why don't we take these two pests on an adventure. I met a guy today who has an airplane in his barn. The farm belonged to a guy who lived in Richmond, but had a farm here."

Sam's eyes lit up and even Alia seemed interested. They finished lunch quickly and were ready to go. Daryl got the directions, "Carol and I will take the four wheeler if I can get it working."

Carol finished the dishes and she heard the roar of the four wheeler before she finished. Daryl was waiting in the driveway and she climbed on behind him. He headed out along the ridge line. There was enough of a breeze to make her glad that she had was wearing a jacket.

There was a path running along the hill. Daryl followed the faint trail until he came to a large flat rock that overlooked the other side of the hill. They climbed up onto the rock to look around. The hill was very steep on this side but you could see through to the highway. "There's an old path that comes off this hill down to an old graveled road that leads to that highway. It's a way out if we ever need it. It is completely overgrown on the other end."

They dangled their feet over the rock and shared a canteen of water. Carol watched the leaves dance in the wind, their season of basking in the sun and soaking up rain over. Over. She put her hand on his leg and squeezed, "I want you."

Daryl smiled at her, "Show me, don't tell me."

She kissed his ear and started unbuttoning his shirt, then rubbing his flat stomach with her hand. She rolled to the center of the rock and he followed, putting his shirt and pants down on the rough rock and then lying down. Carol stood above him taking off her clothes more slowly as he watched. His eyes drinking her in. She felt strong and loving and she knew that Miriam had seen that today. The trees and the underbrush seemed to shelter them here. "Your colors have sorrow mixed in with the brightest golds, blues, and greens". She rubbed herself between her legs until she was fully wet and ready. She straddled Daryl and lowered herself toward him, fully erect and waiting for her. He put his hands on her ass and brought her toward him. It was quick but still sweet and full of love and they climaxed together. Daryl laughed, "I never had sex in the woods before or at least not with someone else. I used to jerk off in the woods around the prison all the damn time. Those low cut tank tops you wore." He ran his hands over her breasts and squeezed gently.

Carol looked up at the dwindling leaves, "You should have come visiting my cell about eleven o'clock. I could have used a hand about then or whatever else you were willing to offer."

"Damn, woman. I'll be thinking about that all day."

She grinned at him, "See me at eleven tonight. We can role play. Bashful Daryl and horny Carol at the prison." She stood up and stretched, "Let's find a creek and clean up before we meet people."

Daryl got up slowly, "Sometimes I feel so used, but I ain't complaining. Bashful Daryl likes horny Carol a whole damn bunch."

The ridge trail eventually led to a sloping path that led down to the creek. The water was ice cold but they were able to take a short quick bath and then dressed quickly again. Daryl followed the valley road to a modest home with the Tahoe parked in front.

Jesse was working on the airplane engine while Sam and Alia were crawling out of the cockpit. Michonne was standing with an older man. Daryl hurried toward Jesse and Carol walked toward Michonne who gave her a speculative glance and then grinned, "Took the long way around?"

Carol smirked at her, "We were enjoying a ride out in the clean country air."

Jesse slammed the hood of the engine shut, "Move back everyone, I'm going to try to start it."

The engine started on his first try and Carol knew that nothing would keep Jesse or Daryl from taking to the skies.

Daryl looked at Carol, "I better stay down here."

She thought of all the times Daryl had pushed his dreams aside to tend to Merle and then everyone else. Carol shook her head, "Go on. We'll wait here." She took the digital camera that was in her jacket pocket and took a photo of Jesse and Daryl in front of the plane.

Jesse taxied down the paved runway. Daryl sitting beside him. Jesse sent the plane charging down the pavement and it lifted into the air and began to climb along a path that took it down the valley.

Daryl watched the world unfold itself in a way that he had never experienced before. Soon they were out of the valley and flying high above the highway. He figured that Jesse was leaving himself a place to land in case things went south.

Jesse glanced at him. "Ready for your first lesson."

The sky was blue above him and the world down below was awash with the last of autumn, "Hell, yes."

Jesse was a good teacher and he must have nerves of steel to turn over the controls to a guy who had never been in an airplane before. Daryl loved every second of the flight and it was too soon over for him. Jesse brought them in carefully, explaining every step of the way. They landed smoothly. Daryl could see that Carol had Sam by the hand not letting him go until the plane came to a complete stop.

He hopped out and met the boy's enthusiastic welcome with a hug of his own. He kissed Carol even if there were all kinds of damn people around.

Alia had raced toward them with Sam. Jesse hugged her with his natural grace, "Think we can talk Michonne into taking a ride with me?"

Alia smiled at him, "I'll go with you."

Michonne went with him on his next flight out. Jesse was difficult enough to resist in ordinary circumstances, but Jesse around an airplane had an unfair advantage. She didn't stand a chance. He glanced at her when they were flying over the highway, "You okay? Want to go back?"

"No, not yet." She cleared her throat and added, "I have to stay with Alia. I'm going to be her mother."

His blue eyes met her somberly, "She is a special girl. Wanted to fly with me. Not scared a bit." Jesse stared out into the horizon, "I'm just going to come right out and say this, I'm in love with you. I'm not expecting you to fall into my arms and swear undying love right now. I just want you to know that I would do everything in my power to protect you and Alia. No one could love you more than I do."

Michonne thought about Rick. She had been half way in love with him before they reached Alexandria and she still cared about him. It was different with Jesse. He was like that song that her mother used to like to sing, "Easy like Sunday morning." Easy to like, easy to trust, and easy to fall in love with. It would be sensible to not rush into anything. Was this some rebound thing? Jesse made her feel beautiful and sexy, and he loved the warrior part of her. He made her feel both loving and powerful. The man told her he loved her and he deserved a reply, "Don't stay in Charlottesville. Come and find me and tell me then that you love me. I'll have an answer by then."

"I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't think Daryl is going to be dragging his heels either. He loves Carol too much to stay away. Aaron has to get back to Eric."

Jesse took two excited children up for a quick flight next. Sam enjoyed it and Alia loved it. She was full of questions about the instruments and the airplanes. She was very disappointed when they landed so soon.

Carol was next. She found herself enjoying the flight and liking Jesse even more. Michonne must be an idiot not to fall for this guy. She felt protective of Jesse. He would have been a perfect younger brother. Michonne should love him because he was so lovable.

Daryl demanded another trip. It was getting late and he wanted to fly into the setting sun even if it was only for five minutes. The mountains rolled beneath them like a green, brown, gold, and orange ocean and they flew toward the sunset as if there was nothing holding them to earth. Then, Jesse taught him how to turn the airplane safely and easily.

Back on earth they pushed the airplane toward its makeshift hangar. Jesse checked the fuel supply there and planned for another flight tomorrow. He and Daryl make sure that the families got back to Alexandria safely.

Jesse and Michonne took the four wheeler back. Michonne found herself holding on tightly to him as he sped along behind the Tahoe. His body was strong with plenty of muscle but still compact and graceful. They arrived back at the house too soon.

Shawn and Jada had made pizza again. They ate inside and then the adults drifted outside to sip some of the Thompson's fine whiskey. Carol curled up beside Daryl on a chair. The others scattered around them talking. She and Michonne left to put the children to bed.

Carol waited in Sam's room until he finished his shower. He came back in his briefs and t-shirt. "Thank you for going after Alia today."

"Couldn't let you lose your soul mate." She spoke lightly, because she wasn't sure how much to tell him.

"When are we going back?"

"Christie will check everyone tomorrow morning. They'll head for Charlottesville tomorrow afternoon. We'll be going toward Alexandria tomorrow morning. Jesse and Daryl are going to follow along with the plane sure we get back safely."

"I could stay here forever." He looked sleepy and Carol felt the overwhelming tenderness toward him. She had called him her son today and he owned a piece of her heart.

"Goodnight, Sam. Now go to sleep and we'll make pancakes in the morning." She tucked the covers up around and bent to kiss his forehead. "Don't be sneaking in to keep Alia awake, or you're really in trouble. I'll send Daryl after you."

"Trouble is my middle name. Samuel Trouble Dixon, that's me." He smiled at her and she felt him take over more of her heart. "Tell Daryl I ain't afraid of him. More afraid of you than him."

Carol turned the light off, "That is enough with the sass. No more. "

"I am sorry. I love Daryl. I was just trying to be funny."

Sometimes you have to say it first. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you too. May I call you Mama Carol?"

The kid always pushed every button and jumped every step he came to. "Yes, goodnight, Samuel Trouble Dixon."

Daryl scooted over when she walked onto the deck. Michonne was still upstairs and Shawn and Jada were gone. They were coming for breakfast. Christie and Morgan were inside talking. Aaron and Eric had disappeared. "Where is Jesse?"

"He went upstairs to tell Alia goodnight. Just bashful Daryl and horny Carol in the moonlight." Carol took a sip of whiskey. "Sam has claimed you as his father. He says his name is Samuel Trouble Dixon. Be prepared to be called something reflecting your new status. Dad maybe?"

"What is he calling you?" He put his arm around her and she leaned into him.

"Mama Carol. Now finish your drink and let's go play in our bedroom. Horny Carol is going to seduce bashful Daryl. I don't want you going off to the fleshpots of Charlottesville without a good reason to miss me."

"Are you trying to get me drunk so that you can take advantage of me?" Daryl kissed her neck and then slid his hand up under her sweater to her breast. He massaged each breast and then took possession of a nipple with his hand while they kissed. Carol pushed him back, "One outdoor activity a day. You keep doing that and there will be moons all over the place out here. Come on, not Bashful Daryl. Let's go to bed."

AN

I loved Andrea and I resurrect any chance I can get. This time she lives in her daughter Alia. The only way I can see Andrea not going to Alia would be that she thought that Alia died when Fort Detrick was bombed to control the virus. I didn't write that in this chapter so just consider it as canon.

My grandmother had the "sight". It's a mountain thing. Some "sighted" people claim that there see auras around people that are different colors. So Miriam sees their "sorrow" as a color that they share. Carol and Michonne are green, blue, and gold and that means that they are both loving and strong.

Miriam tells them that she will see them when they cross the bridge. That is my personal way to visualize moving from this existence to the next one.

I loved writing this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I guess I write what the show never gives us.

Review if you like it.