Premise: Set after the season three finale "Welcome to the Tombs", Rick Grimes and his group begin to rebuild the prison, and their lives.

THE WALKING DEAD

"To Live Again"

Chapter 1

By
Rapscallion​

The iron door to Cell Block C slid open and Rick Grimes stepped out into the cold morning air. The prison grounds were quiet except for the ghostly breeze and the raspy moans echoing from the walkers along the courtyard fence. Rick adjusted the fit of his jacket, walked down the staircase, and across the courtyard, the palm of his right hand resting on the grip of the Colt Python strapped to his waist.

Yesterday the Governor and his army attacked the prison, but Rick's plan of luring him into the tombs - the name for the prison corridors overrun with walkers - succeeded. Once the Governor was inside, Rick's group used a few smoke bombs, the prison's alarms system, and the walkers, to chase him out of the prison, and if they were lucky, out of their lives.

But maybe they weren't so lucky.

Hours before the Governor attacked, Rick had sent his young son Carl, his infant daughter Judith, along with Hershel Greene and his youngest daughter Beth, into the forest nearby for their own safety. Carl was shocked by his father's decision, and insisted he could help defend the prison; but Rick wouldn't budge and Carl, sullen, refused to speak to his father as he left with Hershel and the others. Their car sped away into the woods, leaving Rick standing in a cloud of dust.

They returned minutes after the Governor fled. Hershel took Rick aside and said Carl killed one of the Governor's men. A man? Hershel said he was barely older than Carl. The boy was following Hershel's orders to surrender when Carl shot him. Rick asked Carl if it was true that he killed a boy and he said 'Yes'.

But the shocking thing was that Carl said he killed the boy because he wasn't going to take a chance that he would come back and kill them. Like how the walker came back and killed Dale Hovarth, or how Andrew came back and killed his mother Lori. Or how the Governor came back and killed Merle Dixon. Carl practically dared Rick to follow the Governor back to the town of Woodbury, and kill him before he returned and killed them all.

It scared Rick to hear Carl talk so calmly about killing other people, but he knew that in this situation, his son was right.

Rick, Daryl Dixon and Michonne drove to Woodbury with the intention of ending the war. On the road, they saw that the Governor had slaughtered his own army only a few miles away from the prison with Karen as the lone survivor. Once Rick and his team arrived at Woodbury, they discovered it was empty except for Tyreese, his sister Sasha, and the town's women, children and elderly. Wherever the Governor disappeared to, he went alone. What could one man do to them?

Rick immediately thought of Shane Walsh. Bad as it was having the world go to shit with the dead coming back to feed on the living, it was worse having his high school friend and partner with the King County Sheriff's Department screw his wife Lori, while he was comatose in a hospital bed. Or how a frightened Lori confessed the unborn baby might be Shane's, or how Shane risked the group's stay at Hershel's farm by gunning down the walkers he kept inside the barn, or how Shane lured him into the woods to be murdered. After he killed Shane, nothing was ever the same between him and Lori, or between Carl and Lori.

Carl knew about his mother and Shane. He never said it out loud, but he knew.

Rick shivered. One man can do a lot.

Rick stopped in his tracks and cursed at the sight of Glenn Rhee asleep inside the Dodge Ram 1500. Glenn volunteered to stand guard last night, and had parked the truck on the courtyard for use as a makeshift sentry box.

Rick looked at Glenn for a moment. He had set the set back and covered his chest with a sleeping bag. A prison riot helmet was on the passenger seat. An M4A1 rifle was lying across the truck console.

"Glenn," Rick said angrily.

No response.

Rick opened the truck's door, and slammed his fist on the horn. Glenn sprung awake with a cry and threw off the sleeping bag. Glenn reached for the M4A1, but Rick pushed him back onto the seat. Rick grabbed the M4A1 with his other hand and jabbed the barrel into Glenn's chest.

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" Glenn screamed, his eyes closed.

"Morning," Rick said.

Glenn's eyes shot open. "Oh, Rick," Glenn exhaled in relief. "Thank God."

Rick shook his head contemptuously. "Fall asleep on guard duty?"

"I didn't," Glenn whined. "I said I could keep watch all night."

Rick almost corrected Glenn, but decided to not bother. Even though Glenn fell asleep when he promised not to, the perimeter seemed fine. Rick stepped away from the truck and glared at the walkers along the fence line. "See anything last night?"

Glenn moved the seat upright and pointed at the walkers. "Do our new neighbors count as 'anything'?"

Rick shot Glenn a mad look, and the younger man lowered his head.

"Hear anything?" Rick asked.

"No," Glenn muttered. "Just those walkers hissing and shaking the fence; too bad it's not electrified."

Glenn climbed out of the truck and dropped the sleeping bag to the ground. He was wearing the riot gear from the prison armory.

"Alright, go inside," Rick ordered. "You better get something to eat because we've got a lot of work to do."

Glenn blinked. "Doing what?"

"Rebuilding the prison," Rick answered. "First, all those walkers have to be put down. Then we need to replace the main gate. The towers have to be rebuilt. And we have to do something about the collapsed wall out back."

"Yeah," Glenn nodded. "I guess you're right."

 

Someone whistled behind them. Rick and Glenn looked over at Cell Block C and saw Maggie Greene, wearing the brown coveralls, walking towards them. Daryl was beside her, crossbow slung over his shoulder and smoking a cigarette.

"Good morning," Maggie smiled, with a kiss on Glenn's cheek.

Glenn blushed. "Good morning."

Daryl grunted.

"Did you see anything last night?" Maggie asked.

"Glenn glanced at Rick and lowered his head. "No. I didn't see anything."

"You're both in time for the news," Rick said while slinging the M4A1 over his shoulder. "Glenn was just telling me that we should start rebuilding the prison."

Maggie looked at Glenn, impressed. Glenn looked back at Rick, who shrugged.

Glenn blushed again. "Yeah. Well, Rick would've thought of that sooner or later."

"You Asians do anythin' else besides thinkin' up new ways to work harder?" Daryl asked in a cloud of cigarette smoke.

"Hey, Daryl, I was out here all night in the cold and with the walkers," Glenn said angrily. "I'm not in the mood for your jokes..."

Maggie slipped her arm around Glenn's and began to pull him away. "It's alright, Rocky. How about some breakfast?"

"Huh?" Glenn asked bewilderedly. "Uh, sure."

Maggie and Glenn walked towards Cell Block C, while Rick grinned and looked at Daryl. "You're good at pushing buttons."

Daryl nodded and watched Glenn and Maggie walking across the courtyard. "Yo, Adrian!" he shouted.

"Screw you, man!" Glenn shouted back.

Daryl flipped Glenn the bird.

The cell block door slid shut. Daryl took another drag on his cigarette.

"Seriously, we need to refortify this place," Rick said. "If the walkers don't tear the fences down, a group like the Governor's will."

"You think he'll come back?"

Rick shifted the weight of the M4A1 on his shoulder. "I don't think so. He killed his own people. He didn't return to Woodbury. It looks like he's not coming back."

"Michonne thinks he will."

"We've got to protect ourselves from the walkers first. Besides, how are we supposed to find him?"

"For Michonne, there ain't much 'we' involved."

Rick shook his head as he and Daryl began walking along the fence line. The walkers, excited by the smell of live flesh, rattled the fence wildly.

"If Michonne wants to look for the Governor, fine. We've got enough here to keep us busy for the next few days."

"You'll have to count me out, at least for a while," Daryl said before taking a drag off his cigarette.

Rick stopped and looked at Daryl. "You're going with Michonne?"

Daryl blew out the smoke and shook his head. "No. I've got personal business."

Rick looked at Daryl, puzzled.

"I'm goin' to get Merle and give him a decent burial."

Rick remembered the events leading to Merle's death. He had led a successful rescue mission into Woodbury for Glenn and Maggie, but unintentionally wound up rescuing the Governor's former lieutenant Merle Dixon. The group argued whether or not to let Merle rejoin them in the prison. That's when Merle bragged that Andrea Harrison, the woman Rick had given up for dead when the Greene farm was overrun, was alive and in Woodbury.

A few days after the rescue mission, Andrea appeared at the prison. The reunion wasn't cordial, but she was determined to broker a peace between Rick and the Governor. Both leaders agreed to meet at a feed mill and negotiate Andrea's proposed treaty: the prison group stayed on one side of the river, the Woodbury group stayed on the other side.

But the Governor would have none of it.

The Governor wanted Michonne, a mystery woman who, during the rescue mission, put down his daughter-turned-walker Penny, and stabbed out his right eye. If she wasn't delivered to him, there would be a war. A war Rick had no wish to fight. He had lost Lori; he couldn't bear losing Carl and Judith.

The choice was obvious: a stranger's life in exchange for the lives of his children and a group of people he had known for over a year.

So Rick went to Daryl's older brother and repeated the ultimatum. But for all of Merle's racism and self-centeredness, he was disgusted with Rick's decision. But the idea grew in Merle's head and his love for his little brother won over his judgment. Merle kidnapped Michonne, left the prison, hotwired a car, and drove her to the feed mill to make the trade.

But Merle couldn't make the hard choice either. He let Michonne go, and drove on to the feed mill.

Daryl had gone to stop Merle, and when he returned to the prison, he wept and told Rick that he found a field of dead bodies with gunshot wound and walkers feeding on them.

Merle was one of those walkers. Daryl put him down.

War was declared and Rick's group won. But there was one final loss: when Rick and his team went to Woodbury, they found a sickly Andrea with a dead walker in a warehouse. When Michonne put her hand to Andrea's forehead, she was shocked by the temperature. Then Andrea slowly revealed a walker bite on her shoulder. The bite and it's meaning devastated all of them. Andrea said she was glad Michonne found her old group, and said she didn't want anyone to die. Andrea asked Rick for his gun, and with Michonne holding her hand, she took her own life.

Rick shook his head. Merle and Andrea: two more lives lost due to his bad judgment.

"I understand," Rick said. "You want any back up?"

"No. This is somethin' I have to do myself," Daryl answered.

"When are you leaving?"

"Today; I won't have my brother lay in a field any longer. I'm just goin' to say bye to the others before I go."

"Be careful."

Daryl took a drag on his cigarette, blew out the smoke, nodded, and walked back to Cell Block C. Rick resumed his patrol; the walkers behind the fence hissing at him as he walked past.

 

Beth Greene, cradling baby Judith in her arms, entered the communal room of Cell Block C. Her sister Maggie and Glenn, who stopped at their cell to remove his riot armor, sat at a table quickly eating a bowl of oatmeal. Sasha was going from table to table, refilling coffee cups for the elderly survivors of Woodbury. Carol Peletier stood behind a folding table, filling bowls of oatmeal for those still waiting in line.

Beth sat with Maggie and Glenn. "Good morning," she smiled.

"Good morning, Beth," Maggie said. Then she smiled and gently patted Judith on the cheek. "Good morning, you little rug rat," Maggie said playfully. "Can you say 'Good morning'?"

Judith didn't speak, but she giggled and waved her arms. Glenn smiled at Maggie's antics with Judith and resumed eating his oatmeal.

"Is daddy awake?" Beth asked.

"He woke up half and hour ago," Maggie said. "I brought him breakfast. I thought he should rest after spending last night checking the new arrivals for any cuts or bruises."

"So how was last night?" Beth asked.

"Oh, last night. No trouble at all," Glenn mumbled with a mouthful of oatmeal. "Not a sound or a twig snap."

"No," Beth corrected with a grin, "I mean how was last night, Maggie? Did you manage to fall asleep all alone?"

"Shut up, you brat!" Maggie laughed as she playfully slapped Beth's shoulder. Glenn and Beth laughed, too. Judith waved her arms happily, and the old people looked quizzically at their young companions. Carol, amused, shook her head and continued serving oatmeal.

"So has Rick decided what we're going to do next?" Beth asked.

"Don't ask me," Maggie smiled, "ask your future brother-in-law."

Glenn grinned. Then with a flourish, he took a napkin, wiped his mouth, and cleared his throat. "Last night, as I stood guard over you three ladies, I realized that we need to take back the fence line, replace the gate, and rebuild the towers."

"And what did Rick say?"

"He loved the idea. He'll probably announce it to the group later today."

Sasha appeared at the table and poured coffee into Glenn's empty cup. "Excuse me for eavesdropping on your conversation, but I think those are great ideas."

Glenn took his cup in hand and raised it to his lips. "Thanks. And thanks for the refill."

"Okay, so we follow through with Glenn's plans, but what about the biters?" Sasha asked as she sat at the table. "There must be over a hundred of them out there."

"Knives and clubs would take most of the day and a lot of strength," Maggie said. "I don't think these old folks are going to be much help."

Glenn shrugged. "Then we'll have to shoot them."

"Can we afford to waste the ammo?" Maggie asked.

"We could use the guns the Governor's army left behind," Sasha suggested. "They're all automatics. We could put down those biters quick."

"Those guns are in the tombs. We'll have to go through dozens of walkers to get them," Glenn said.

"We still need those guns," Sasha reasoned.

"I'll tell Rick about the plan," Maggie said. "If he agrees, Glenn and I will go collect the guns."

Instantly, Glenn placed his hand atop Maggie's. "No. It's too dangerous. The last time we went into the tombs we almost got swarmed and your dad got bit. Rick had to amputate his leg for God's sake."

"We know what to expect now. Besides we need those guns."

"They're not worth risking your life," Glenn pleaded.

"I'm not afraid of doing my share for the group," Maggie argued.

"Uh, let me ask Tyreese if he'll go with Glenn," Sasha suggested. "When we were in Woodbury, the Governor asked him to draw a map of the tombs."

Glenn turned to Sasha, surprised. "What?"

Sasha raised her hands for calm. "I swear it's not as bad as it sounds. Tyreese knew you guys were good people, and he wasn't going to help the Governor kill any of you. He just told the Governor that we weren't here long enough to draw an accurate map."

Glenn looked at Maggie, squeezed her hand, and looked back at Sasha. "Alright, we get Rick's approval first. If he says yes, Tyreese and I will got into the tombs."

"Do I have to shoot walkers? I don't want to shoot walkers," Beth said shyly, hugging Judith.

Maggie gently took Beth's hand. "Honey, you need to try. You're not a good shot."

"Don't feel embarrassed, kid," Sasha smiled. "Tyreese is a lousy shot, too. He couldn't hit a biter if it was breathing on him."

Glenn laughed at Sasha's joke. Beth smiled shyly and bounced Judith on her knee. Maggie glared at Glenn.

 

Carl Grimes awoke to the sight of the chipped ceiling of his cell roof, so he rolled onto his side and stared at his meager possessions on the metal desk screwed onto the wall. The duffel bag, school supplies, textbooks, comic books, and sheriff's deputy hat reminded him of home. If this were home, dad would go buy some paint cans and brushes, and together they'd repaint the ceiling. After that, he and dad would throw the football in the yard. Finally, they and mom would go out and eat dinner at the King County Café.

But they lost their home when King County was overrun by walkers. Then they lost mom while bringing Judith into the world. How long would they have Judith before she got sick, or starved to death, or before a walker bit her?

Carl got out of bed and put on his shoes. He placed his dad's sheriff's deputy hat atop his head, buckled his gun belt around his waist, and took the Beretta 92FS out of its holster. Carl ejected the magazine and checked its capacity: 14 rounds; 'One in the pipe'. That was a phrase he heard Shane say during gun training last year. Carl's eyes burned with rage and his grip tightened on the pistol.

Last year, a criminal's bullet left dad comatose. Shane drove Carl and mom to the hospital for every visit, encouraging them to stay positive. Days later, Shane drove Carl and mom out of King County as a herd of walkers overran the town. Carl always liked Shane, but once they settled into camp outside Atlanta, Georgia, with other survivors, he sometimes felt Shane was trying too hard to be like dad. They way Shane sometimes looked at mom also made Carl feel uneasy.

Then dad surprised everyone by returning from the dead. Carl was elated, but soon felt there was tension between the three adults in his life. Wherever the group went: the camp outside Atlanta, the CDC, or Hershel's farm, there was always tension between the three of them.

The only bright spot was when mom admitted to Carl that he was going to be a big brother.

Now mom was dead, just like Shane, and Carl knew the reasons behind the tension between his parents and Shane.

Mom and Shane had screwed around, and dad might not be Judith's real father.

Carl slammed the magazine back into the Beretta, holstered it, and ran out of his cell.

"Carl," a kindly old voice called.

Carl stopped and walked back to the cell where the voice had called him. Inside the cell was Hershel Greene, seated at the metal desk, and reading his Bible. Hershel gently closed the Bible and looked at Carl.

"Good morning," Hershel said.

"Good morning, Hershel," Carl said.

"Where are you running off to at this early hour?"

Carl thumbed over his shoulder. "I'm going outside to put down the walkers at the fence."

"Is that something that needs to be taken care of immediately?"

"Someone has to do it."

"I believe that someone is your father," Hershel said gently.

"He won't do anything," Carl said bitterly. "He'll forget about those walkers just like he'll forget about..."

"The Governor," Hershel interrupted.

"Yeah," Carl nodded.

Hershel pointed at his bed. "Sit down, son. Let's talk awhile."

Carl entered Hershel's cell and sat on the bed. Hershel turned around on his chair, his one leg dragging across the floor.

"Your father knows the walkers have to be put down," Hershel said. "But Carl, I believe he won't ask you to help do that."

"How do you know?" Carl asked. "Haven't I proven myself?"

"You have; numerous times over. But now it's time to put down your gun and live again."

"Are you kidding?!" Carl shouted. "The Governor tried to kill all of us yesterday! He wants this prison. He wants what we have. And he'll be back!"

Hershel leaned forward and put a gentle hand on Carl's shoulder. "The Governor won't be back. He's alone now. A man can't survive in this world alone. He's gone, Carl. He can't hurt us anymore."

Carl glared at Hershel for a moment. "Are you saying this because of that guy I shot?"

"He was just a boy, Carl, like you."

"He wasn't anything like me! I've never broke into someone's house looking to kill everyone inside it!"

"He was a scared boy with a gun, Carl," Hershel said gently. "He was trying to surrender."

"You told him 'Drop it, son', but he didn't listen, did he?" Carl argued. "He was coming at me. He was waiting for his chance to kill us, Hershel. Then he would've killed Judith and Beth. I wasn't going to give him that chance."

Hershel shook his head. "No, Carl. He wouldn't have done that. If Rick was there he'd tell you the same thing."

"If my dad was there, he'd of let the guy get away, just like he did with the Governor."

Hershel lowered his head and mulled over his thoughts. He looked up at Carl and sighed. "We didn't need to kill the Governor, Carl. We didn't need to kill his people. All we needed to do was frighten them, and it worked.

We've all lost so much of who we are; especially you, Carl. Your home, your friends, and your mother. You can never get them back. But there's one thing you can get back: your childhood."

Carl's jaw dropped in disbelief. "We're surrounded by walkers, and there's a nut who wants to kill us. But you want me to stay in my cell and play Xbox?"

"I'm not saying that at all," Hershel replied. "I'm saying that you don't deserve to spend each day expecting to kill so you can stay alive. And you don't deserve to live each day mourning."

Carl bowed his head. "You're wrong, Hershel. I'm sorry, but you're wrong."

Hershel placed a hand on Carl's shoulder. "Tell you what, son: until I'm proved wrong, can you give my advice a chance?"

"I'll try, but don't get mad when I say 'I told you so'."

Hershel laughed. "Can I ask you to learn humility, too?"

"No," Carl said flatly.

Hershel patted Carl's shoulder. "I appreciate your honesty. Now why don't you go get some breakfast. Carol knows how to cook a good bowl of oatmeal."

Carl huffed. "Anybody can cook oatmeal."

"Let me give you one final piece of advice: never critique the cook."

Carl smiled a little. "I know I can do that."

"Good," Hershel grinned. "Now, before you leave..."

Hershel reached for something on his desk.

"What is it?" Carl asked.

"Hershel turned to Carl, the empty bowl and spoon was in his hand.

"Could you take this bowl back to the kitchen? Maggie told me to stay off my feet, or rather, my foot."

"Sure," Carl said as he took the bowl in his hands.

"Thank you."

Carl stepped out of the cell and walked out of the cellblock. Hershel got out of his chair, lay in his bed, closed his eyes, and waited for sleep to pass over him.

TO BE CONTINUED.​

 

Chapter 2​

Daryl was walking along the hallway of Cell Block C when he heard the sounds of approaching voices. He stopped and looked up to see Glenn, Maggie, and Beth, carrying Judith, walking towards him.

"What difference does it make who gets the guns?" Glenn asked.

"None. So why did you freak out when I volunteered to get them?" Maggie countered.

"I freaked out because I don't want you to get killed!"

"I don't want you to get killed either. Should I act like a bitch every time you tell me that you're going out on a run?"

"Please don't curse in front of the baby," Beth pleaded.

"Which baby is that, Judith or Glenn?" Maggie snapped.

"Come on, Maggie," Glenn whined. "The tombs are crowded with walkers. I'm not exactly looking forward to..."

Glenn looked ahead and stopped. A moment later, Maggie and Beth noticed that Glenn wasn't beside them and also stopped. The three of them saw Daryl standing in front of them, taking a drag on his cigarette.

Glenn remembered his outburst at Daryl this morning, and beads of sweat ran down his forehead. "Uh, Daryl. About what I said earlier..."

Daryl blew out his cigarette smoke. "Having a little trouble in paradise?"

"The only one having trouble is him," Maggie said with her thumb pointed at Glenn. "Meet the new warden: Glenn Rhee."

Glenn rolled his eyes. "Come on. It's nothing like that."

"Wake up call at five-thirty, breakfast at six, lunch at eleven, rec in the yard all afternoon; supper at five, lights out at nine!"

"Maggie..."

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's my schedule," Maggie said, crossing her arms across her chest. "Not unless the Warden wants to start ordering everyone else around!"

Glenn raised his hands for calm. "Please, Maggie. I'm not ordering you or anyone else around. The tombs are dangerous. We both agree on that. What do you think, Daryl?"

Daryl shook his head, took a drag on his cigarette and blew out the smoke. "I ain't gettin' involved in your shit. Who am I, your bowlin' buddy?"

Glenn blinked. Maggie smiled. Beth giggled.

"Actually, I was on my way to tell ya'll bye."

Glenn and Maggie exchanged puzzled glances. Beth held Judith closer. "You're leaving us, Daryl?"

"I'm just goin' on a run. Merle's layin' out in that field. I'm bringin' him back, and buryin' him here."

"Why?" Glenn said angrily. "What gives Merle the right to be buried here?"

Daryl stood straight and glared at Glenn, his hands balled into fists. Maggie and Beth glanced at each other, wondering if Glenn had lost his mind.

"Did you forget that Merle kidnapped Maggie and Me?" Glenn asked. "He beat the crap out of me, and then he threw a walker at me!"

Daryl took a step forward. Maggie stepped in between them and began pushing Glenn back to the cell block's communal room. "All right. That's enough, Glenn," she said nervously. "You ought to know by now that nobody can make Daryl change his mind."

"He let the Governor put his filthy hands on Maggie!" Glenn shouted, ignoring his fiancée. "He knew what his boss was going to do to her, but that didn't stop him!"

Suddenly, Maggie slapped Glenn. "Damn it! Why do you keep going back to that! He barely touched me. He only humiliated me. Just like what you're doing now!"

Glenn rubbed the side of his injured face and looked dumbfounded at Maggie. "I'm sorry, all right. I'm sorry! But Merle was a killer. He wasn't one of us!"

Daryl stepped forward and punched Glenn in the stomach and shoved him against the wall. He squeezed Glenn's throat and leaned closer, his eyes blazing. "He was my brother, you son of a bitch!"

Maggie ran to Daryl's side and tried to push him away from Glenn, but Daryl had an iron grip. Beth, shocked by Daryl's violent outburst, held Judith closer and backed away from the scuffle.

"Daryl, let him go!" Maggie shouted.

Daryl grimaced and squeezed tighter on Glenn's throat. The younger man gasped for air and flailed wildly at Daryl's face in a desperate attempt to break the hold.

"Stop it, Daryl!" Beth screamed. "Stop it!"

The horror in Beth's voice frightened Judith and she began to cry. Daryl looked over his shoulder at the crying baby, and then looked back at Glenn, who was turning blue. He grabbed hold of Glenn's scalp with his free hand and threw him to the floor. Glenn curled into a ball and gasped loudly for air. Maggie ran to Glenn, fell to her knees and pulled him onto her lap.

Glenn, lightheaded and scared, looked up at the enraged Daryl.

"You better learn when to keep you damn mouth shut!" Daryl shouted.

"Dar...Daryl," Glenn coughed. "I...I'm..."

"What did I say, boy?!"

Glenn looked away from Daryl and shook from another coughing fit.

Maggie ran a soothing hand across Glenn's back and broke down in tears. "Oh God, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with the both of you?"

Daryl turned to leave when he spotted his lit cigarette on the floor; he stomped on it, ground it into the cold linoleum, and resumed his journey. Glenn had another coughing fit; Maggie cradled him in her arms and wept silently. Beth and Judith's cries continued to ring through the hallway.

 

Rick stopped his patrol of the prison's fence line the moment he caught sight of the group's cemetery. They had lost so many people in so short a time, and to Rick, he felt responsible for each loss.

When Rick's group moved into the prison, they found four prisoners who spent a year locked up in the cafeteria while walkers roamed the hallways feasting on the living. The prisoner's names were Tomas, Andrew, Oscar and Axel.

A tense agreement was made: Rick and his group would help clear out a cell block for the prisoners and both groups would stay out of each other's way. But Tomas tried to kill Rick twice. Rick killed Tomas with a machete blow to the head, and then chased Andrew into an enclosed exercise yard...and exercise yard filled with walkers.

Rick shut the yard's door as Andrew screamed for his life. If only he looked back to make sure of what he heard...

Somehow, Andrew climbed over the barbed wire atop the wall and laid out fresh dear meat to lure walkers into the courtyard. Rick, Daryl, and Glenn were outside the fence gathering firewood when all hell broke loose.

Andrew was killed during his attack, but the damage he caused nearly broke Rick.

T-Dog prevented more walkers from getting inside by closing the courtyard gate, but he was bit in the process. T-Dog and Carol ran inside the nearest cell block, where he sacrificed himself to two walkers so Carol could get outside. Rick and the others found T-Dog's body torn open and being consumed.

Oscar and Axel may have been criminals, but they still had morals. Oscar volunteered to help rescue Glenn and Maggie from the Governor, but died because Rick froze when he thought he saw Shane shooting at them. Axel died days later; a casualty of a retaliatory ambush led by the Governor.

Andrea died because Rick gave her up for dead, and when she turned up alive, he never asked her to stay with the group.

But the greatest loss was Lori, who went into labor during Andrew's walker attack. She was hiding in the boiler room with Carl and Maggie when her contractions got worse. Maggie felt Lori's stomach and confirmed what she already knew: the baby hadn't turned inside her womb.

Carl wanted to shoot his way through the walkers in the cell block and get Hershel to help his mother, but she wouldn't let him take that risk.

Lori lifted her shirt, exposing the C-section scar on her stomach, and asked Maggie to cut her open. Maggie immediately refused to perform the fatal surgery, but Lori begged her to save her unborn baby. Reluctantly, Maggie agreed.

Then Lori told Carl to look out for his father and his baby sibling; told him how much she loved him and how proud she was of him, and she told him to always do what's right; don't let this world spoil you.

Maggie performed the C-section. Judith entered the world, and Lori exited it. Carl put her down.

Rick shook his head. Four people died because of his mistakes. One of them was the most important person in his life.

 

Rick walked over to Lori's grave. He looked around to see if he was alone. He had to talk to Lori and he wanted it to be private.

"Good morning, baby," Rick said sadly. "I'm sorry I haven't stopped by to see you, but..."

Rick stopped and chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I hear you loud and clear: 'Something came up,' That's always my excuse."

Rick unslung the M4A1 carbine from his shoulder and knelt before Lori's grave. "You had a girl, Lori," he smiled. "She's beautiful, just like you. Carl named her Judith, after his third-grade teacher. Can you believe that? I always thought that when we had a girl, we'd argue over whose mother would get that honor.

I want you to know, Lori, that when I said the baby was mine regardless of Shane, I meant it. There's no way to be certain Judith's mine, but I don't give a damn about that. I love that baby as much as I love Carl. I won't let anything happen to her, Lori. And I won't let anything happen to Carl."

Rick began to cry. He ran a hand across his eyes. The cold breeze chilled his face and rustled through his hair. When Rick finally composed himself, he looked down at Lori's cross.

"I also though you should know that we had some trouble recently. There was a madman called the Governor - ran a town called Woodbury about a day from here - well, he attacked us yesterday; stormed the prison like it was a castle.

Rick raised a hand for calm and shook his head. "No. No. Carl's okay. Judith's okay. We're all okay. We scared the Governor off with some flash bangs and walkers."

Rick began to laugh and his shoulders shook with amusement. "The son of a bitch ran out of here like his ass was on fire. I wish you could've seen it, Lori."

Then Rick became quiet and stared at Lori's cross. "Oh, Lori. Of course you saw it.

The last time I was out here this long, I was running all over the yard, all through the forest, looking for you. You saw when I threw out Tyreese's group. You saw when I was about to hand over Michonne to the Governor. You saw when I brought those people back from Woodbury.

I didn't know why I could see you, Lori. But I knew there was a reason why. I know what that reason is now."

More tears began falling from Rick's eyes and he wiped them away with his hand. "You were guiding me to the truth of our situation. There's no great mystery to it. You knew those two guys with Tyreese and Sasha were dangerous. You knew the Governor was going to attack us. You knew trading Michonne for peace was wrong. You knew when I came back with those people from Woodbury that we're going to be okay."

Rick leaned forward and rested his hand atop Lori's cross. "Thank you, baby. Whatever good I've done for this group, I couldn't have done it without you. I want you to know that I never hated you for what happened between you and Shane. You thought I was dead. The world...the world we knew was gone. You can stop feeling guilty over it. And you don't need to guide me anymore."

Rick stood up and slung the M4A1 carbine over his shoulder. He looked at the prison for a moment and looked down at Lori's grave. "We've found a home and we're going to keep it, Lori. We're going to survive. We're going to live. Be at peace, Lori, please. If you're going to stay with us, watch over our children. Watch over the group. Because I don't think I can do it anymore.
I love you, Lori."

Rick turned around and walked back to the prison. By the time he was halfway across the courtyard, he saw Maggie waiting for him atop the staircase of Cell Block C.

 

Carl brought up the rear of the serving line as Carol handed a bowl of oatmeal to an elderly man. When Carol saw Carl, she smiled and rested her hands on the table like a waitress behind a diner counter.

"Good morning, Carl. Did you sleep well?"

Carl thought back to last night's peaceful sleep. Then he thought about waking up to a world without his mother; to a world filled with walkers starving for the few that were still alive. "I slept good."

"What can I get for you? Frosted Flakes, Trix, or maybe bacon and eggs?"

"We've got all that for breakfast?" Carl asked, his eyes wide.

"No," Carol said, shrugging her shoulders. "But don't you wish we did?"

Carl sulked and stared at his shoes. Carol smiled again and tapped the brim of Carl's Stetson. "Cheer up, Carl. Now that the Governor's gone, we can put a group together and go on a supply run. Pretty soon, we'll be eating real food instead of the leftovers from the cafeteria."

"Yeah," Carl said unenthusiastically.

"Until then, the menu is oatmeal," Carol scooped a ladle filled with oatmeal into a bowl and handed it to Carl. Then she took a spoon from a plastic box on the table and placed it in the bowl. Carol smiled at Carl again. The boy looked at Carol, then looked at the bowl, and walked away to find a table. At that moment, Daryl stomped into the communal room. When Carol saw Daryl, her smiled dropped and was replaced with a look of concern. "Daryl, what..."

Instantly, Daryl grabbed Carol's wrist. "Can we talk out back?"

Carol glanced at Daryl's grip on her wrist and then looked up at his serious expression. "Sure," she nodded.

 

Daryl walked around the table and he and Carol stepped into the group's cell block. Daryl paced around as Carol watched with increasing concern.

"What's wrong, Daryl?" Carol asked.

"Short Round's got a big friggin' mouth," Daryl answered.

"Glenn? What did he say?"

"He insulted Merle. That little shit is lucky he only got a beatdown."

"You hit Glenn?" Carol shouted. "I don't understand. What's going on?"

Daryl waved a hand. "Forget it. He ain't important. I just wanted to say 'bye."

Carol's eyes widened and she brought a hand to her mouth. "You're leaving?"

Daryl stopped pacing and looked at Carol, stunned. "Hell no. I'm leavin' to get Merle. I'm gonna bury him here."

Carol clasped her hands together and looked at the floor. "When are you leaving?"

"Right after I tell Michonne."

Carol nodded, looked at Daryl, and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm going with you."

Daryl blinked. "You don't have to do that."

"You're right, but I want to."

Daryl bit his lip as he considered Carol's offer. "The feed mill's a long ways off. No tellin' what we might run into goin' there and back."

"And that's why you need me to back you up."

After a few more moments of consideration, Daryl nodded. "All right. Get your shit and meet me at the Bronco."

Carol nodded and stepped inside her cell as Daryl walked out of the cell block.

TO BE CONTINUED​

 

Thank you, Sadie. I really appreciate that.

This story takes place between "Welcome to the Tombs," and the flashbacks from "A", which were set three months after the Governor was chased out.

The flashbacks in "A", made it seem that Patrick had only recently joined the group, so he might appear in the final chapter.

 

Thanks for the reply, Cheria.

Beth might stay in the background until the group gets the guns to put down the herd outside the fences.

One thing I enjoyed is comparing how Daryl and Glenn react when their girlfriend volunteers to help the group. Daryl actually considers it, while Glenn whines and pouts until Maggie backs down. I really hated Glenn during seasons 3 and 4.

Rick's talk at Lori's grave was hard to write, but I hope it sounds realistic. And yes, Lori's body is in the grave. I've never believed she was consumed by the fat walker.

Next chapter preview : Michonne, walkers, and everyone has a job to do.

 

Thank you, Lady Nightshade.

I'm glad you think my story blends with the show, because a few scenes, especially Rick's talk at Lori's grave, were hard to write convincingly.