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He didn't know how to live in this new world. If the events of the past couple of days had taught Hershel Greene nothing else, they'd taught him that. All this time, since everything had ended, he had tried to act as though it was only temporary, that someday someone would come and there would be a cure, and all the family and friends in his barn would be themselves again, life would resume its peacefulness.

Now he had to admit to himself that it wasn't true. The old life was over. Community, fellowship, family were all gone with it. He was fortunate to still have his daughters—so many had lost everyone. That poor woman whose daughter had been in his barn, who looked so lost and forlorn. If truth were told, she looked the way Hershel had been feeling all this time, the way he'd been pretending not to feel.

But that was finished now. He could no longer afford to dwell on the past, to shield himself from the truth with fantasies. The world had changed, and he was still alive. He had to learn what it took to get by now—to make something out of this new world that made sense, to catch up on what he had missed while the blinders remained over his eyes.

One thing he had not given enough attention to was the way life went on even in the face of terrible tragedy. When he had returned from town and Maggie had run toward him, his heart had warmed—he had her, if nothing else. But she ran past him and threw herself into the arms of that boy from the trespassers who had planted themselves on his land. Hershel had seen the two of them talking, but this was the first time he understood that something had grown between them, something he couldn't ignore. It was the way life went—young people would be drawn to each other, they would begin to feel something for one another. And with so few young people left, parents had to accept that the choices made would not necessarily be what would have happened in the old life … and be grateful if their child found someone with a good heart.

Glenn was not who Hershel would have chosen for his Maggie once upon a time. But seeing that she had chosen for herself, he gave some serious thought to the young man. Glenn was the one who volunteered. Hershel had noticed that, even without realizing it. Going to town, being lowered down a well, Glenn was the first to say yes, he would do it. He was quiet; he was respectful. He looked at Maggie as if she were something special. Which she was.

As Hershel sat by Beth's bedside, glad to see she, too, was beginning to come to terms with the new way of the world and her place in it, Glenn came to the door. "How is she?"

"She seems to be in good spirits today." Hershel patted Beth's hand as he got to his feet, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "Aren't you, doodlebug?" She smiled, closing her eyes. He left her so she could rest, joining Glenn at the door.

"Well, let me know if I can do anything," Glenn said, walking away.

That was Glenn, as Hershel was coming to understand. Without anyone really noticing, he held the group together by constantly being willing to put himself out for everyone else.

Hershel followed him. "Where's your family from?"

Glenn hesitated, as if he wasn't sure how to answer. "Michigan? But, before that, Korea."

"Immigrants built this country. Never forget that." Glenn nodded, but didn't speak, and Hershel went on. "Our family came from Ireland."

"Maggie Greene—I kind of figured." Glenn chuckled.

There were things Hershel needed to say to this young man, things he wanted to make him understand, but he wasn't sure how. He put his hand in his pocket and felt the hard round surface of his pocket watch, taking it out and weighing it in his hand. "My grandfather brought this over from the old country. He passed it on to my father, who passed it on to me. I pawned it to pay for a night of drinking I no longer remember."

He smiled at Glenn, wanting him to know that Hershel was well aware that he had not been a perfect man.

Glenn returned the smile. "You bought it back."

Hershel studied the watch, remembering. "My late wife did. Josephine. Maggie's mother. She gave it back, years later, when I sobered up. She was a good woman, my Jo." He looked up at Glenn. "Maggie's a lot like her."

Glenn nodded, but waited, listening. Hershel liked that about him. He wasn't quick to speak or eager to take over the conversation. He listened and thought and then responded.

"When we were in that bar, and afterwards, I thought about a lot of things. You become a father someday, you'll understand." He hoped people could still raise a family in this new world; he had to believe it, or what was there left to live for? "No man is good enough for your little girl." He looked Glenn straight in the eye. "Until one is." Wordlessly, he held out the watch. "Go on, now. Before I change my mind about you."

Glenn reached out and took it, his hand closing around the metal. "Thanks."

Hershel liked that. No protesting he wasn't worthy, no trying to pretend he and Maggie weren't something to one another, no effusiveness. Just a simple manly acknowledgement of what Hershel had been trying to say.

Weighing the watch in his hand, Glenn said "Thank you" again before leaving the room.

Hershel watched him go, thinking maybe he had been wrong. Maybe this new world, in bringing into your life people you would never have expected, never have imagined, actually had something to offer. Maybe in this case, it had brought Maggie someone who would love her the way she deserved to be loved; and Hershel someone he could trust to take care of her.

He had lost so much; they all had. But maybe they had gained something in return. Something to put against all the pain and sorrow and start trying to balance the scales.