++++++ I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters apart from my OC's ++++++

Thirty-One

Axel and Beth opened the gate for us when we arrived back at the prison. I could help but laugh at the looks on both Ebony's and Matthew's faces when they saw the prison and the look on Beth's face when she saw Ebony walk in like a long lost soldier coming home from the war. Glenn and Maggie seemed pleased just to see the prison again, Glenn looked like he was about to throttle anyone or anything given a moment's notice.

"Ebony!" Beth cried, tears streaming down her face. She threw her arms around Ebony's neck and hugged her tightly. "Oh my god! You're alive! Jade will be so happy!"

"Guys," I spoke, "brief introduction-this is my brother Matthew, Matthew, this is Beth and Axel, you know Maggie and Glenn already, you'll meet everyone inside."

Axel looked at me. "Excuse me, miss," he spoke up. "Where's Rick, Daryl, Michonne and Oscar?" he asked me.

"Back in Woodbury," I answered. "Matthew, Maggie, close the gates. Beth, you and Axel take the towers, I want sentries up in tower's A and B."

"Carol's got the girls," Beth informed me as Ebony handed her assault rifle to Axel.

I stared at the blonde girl. "Carol's alive? Jesus how long were we gone?" I shook my head. "No. We can talk when everyone gets back. Maggie, your father will need to know you're alive." The five of us headed up to cell block C where there was a group of people sitting outside in the common room. "CARL!" I called out, keeping an eye on the people in the common room. Carl wrenched open the door and greeted me with a hug of all things. "Holding the fort, wolf?" I asked.

Carl nodded in excitement. "Yeah."

"Anything happen whilst we're gone?" I asked for a sit-rep. "Care to explain?" I frowned, nodding at the people outside the cell block.

"Some people came through the tombs," Carl told me. "You saw them when you came in. I think there's a breach on the other side of the prison. We need to have a look."

I nodded. "Yeah, we'll have a look when your father gets back," I assured him. "HERSCHEL! HERSCHEL!"

"You have to come and see Judith," Carl told me, pulling at my arm.

"You named her?" I asked him. I took his hat off his head and ruffed up his hair. "Good on you, wolf man."

Matthew grinned at me. "You're doing good, little sis," he told me.

"Aunty Jay!" Jade shouted, running out of the cell that she and Sophia had set up as a toy room. "Did you bring me a present?"

Herschel came limping out behind her on his crutches with Sophia who was holding the bible. "Maggie!" he exclaimed, seeing his daughter.

Maggie ran up the stairs. "Daddy!" she sobbed as she threw her arms around him. "I missed you daddy."

Ebony slowly walked up the steps at the same time Carol came out holding the baby. She stopped halfway and looked at Jade, tears rolling down her face. "Baby girl," she whispered.

Jade stared at her mother and screamed bloody murder. "Walker!" she screamed, running to hide behind Carol's leg.

I made my way up the stairs and patted Carol on the shoulder. "Good to have you back," I smiled. I knelt down in front of Jade, "go hug your mother."

Jade shook her head. "She's a walker."

"She bleeds just like you and me," I assured her. "Go and hug your mother-she misses you."

Jade shook her head a second time and took off running into the cell that she shared with Sophia and Carol.

Carol sighed. "Take Judith," she said at the same time she shoved the baby in my arms. She turned and took off after Jade leaving me with the baby.

Ebony stood up. She was on the verge of crying. "PJ-"

"Just give her some time," I suggested. "We've been through a lot in the past couple of months. She got used to having all of us do the parenting for her. Think of it as that saying it takes a village to raise a child." I rubbed her shoulder, "she's been taught that people who are dead are walkers. Do you understand?" I questioned.

"I can't say I pretend I do," Ebony sniffed. "I just spent so long pining for her, thinking that she was dead and now she's less then twelve feet away from me and she wants nothing to do with me." She looked me up and down, a grin forming on her face when she realised I was holding a baby. "That suits you," she whispered, trying to change the subject.

I went to say something when Judith started screaming. "Crud, she's crying," I panicked.

"Give her to me," Rick suddenly spoke.

I walked down the stars and handed Judith over to Rick. "Men wounded in battle I can handle, babies are the scariest thing I have ever had to deal with."

Rick chuckled. "PJ, make sure you cradle the head," he told me before he gave Judith back to me. "Hold her in the crook of your arm," Rick instructed me. "Steady her with the lower part of your arm and hand."

Blood hell I felt super awkward.

"That suits you," Rick smiled.

I turned red.

Thank god Ebony spoke up. "Where's Daryl?" Ebony questioned.

Rick frowned. "It's alright, he's alive," he assured Ebony, his eyes fixated on me. "We ran into Merle and they went off together."

"He left?" Ebony and Carol asked at the same time.

"He's gone?" Sophia whispered.

"I couldn't have Merle here after what he did to Glenn," Rick answered, turning to Glenn. "So Daryl went with him. Look, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Ebony assured him. She looked incredibly upset but she'd spent a lot of time with Merle in the past few months and she was a good judge of character. "Merle…well I don't know what kind of man Merle was before he become the Governor's pet but close proximity to that man is like toxic venom in your veins."

Rick looked to Ebony and Matthew. "I'll need to know everything you can give me," he told them. "And I need to know about these people in the common room."

"They came in through the administrative part of the prison," Carl answered. "Wall's down. They said to Herschel that they wanted to stay."

Rick paused. He turned to me, "what do you think PJ?"

I looked down at Judith who had fallen asleep in my arms. "No," I whispered.

Ebony glared at me. "What-PJ-"

"We tried to help a group of people before but they ended up killing Lori and T-Dog," I growled at her. "They can't stay. We've got Judith, Jade, Sophia and Carl to think about. They've got no kids. I'm sorry-the answer is no."

Rick nodded. "I agree."

Herschel frowned but he kept his opinions to himself.

Rick looked at me. "Put Judith to sleep and show Ebony and your brother around. I'll deal with our guests."

I nodded. "Come on you two," I gestured to Ebony and Matthew. "This place is a soldier's worst nightmare and wet dream."

Matthew laughed. "I'm proud of you sis…you're doing well."

"Can you explain to me Michael and John?" I asked him.

Matthew nodded. "Sure…where am I gonna sleep?" he grinned.

I laughed.

Same old brother.

I missed this.