about." Oscar said as he noticed something in a cell they passed.

Addy frowned and looked up at her dad, who followed the man into the cell. Oscar was knelt down, holding slippers in his hand.

"The hell you need slippers for?"

It was a good question, it was the end of the damn world and the man was happy over slippers.

"You know, end of the day — relaxing." Addy would have smiled if she wasn't still upset. The girl blinked at him as he looked in between her and Daryl, but before anyone could comment, a groan suddenly sounded in the small room.

As quick as lightning, Oscar and Addy fired a couple rounds into it's head whilst Daryl fired a bolt from his crossbow, all at the same time.

"Alright." Daryl puffed, looking over his shoulder at Addy and Oscar. The three slowly approached the dead Walker,

"Must have been in the cell at the end," Daryl crouched and inspected it's face, "We checked everywhere else."

Daryl slowly pulled out a small knife from its neck, blood spurting as he did so,

"This was Carol's knife."

Something flashed on the man's face before he wiped the knife clean of the walkers blood.

......................................................

"Is she okay?" Addy rushed behind Daryl when she noticed the limp woman in his arms. Her father didn't reply and laid the woman down on her bunk.

"She'll be fine." Daryl held and squeezed his daughter's shoulder for comfort. The girl herself was about to say something, but the sound of Rick talking to someone made her stop,

"'Hell's he talkin' to?" Daryl's question went unanswered as he walked past his daughter and down the stairs towards the common room where the talking was coming from. Addy followed obediently,

"Rick?" The man in question looked up,

"Who the hell's this?" Rick turned to the woman laying under him,

"You wanna tell us your name?"

The woman didn't reply. Addy looked around the room until her eyes landed on Carl. She hadn't really seen him lately. The girl gave him a smile when he felt eyes looking at him, which he returned with an even smaller one.

"Y'all come on in here." Daryl said, eyeing the woman covered in what looked like blood. Rick stood up,

"Everything alright?"

"You're gonna wanna to see this."

"Go ahead," Rick nodded at Hershel and Beth, "Carl, get the bag." Carl nodded and picked up the woman's bag and a basket of baby formula. So that's why Rick let her into their home.

"We'll keep this safe and sound," Rick held up the woman's long sword — katana, "The doors are all locked. You'll be safe here, and we can treat that," Rick gestured to her leg.

The woman looked around the room and rolled her eyes, "I didn't ask for your help."

"Doesn't matter," Rick looked at her once more and walked towards the two Dixon's, "Can't let you leave."

"Poor thing must've fought her way into a cell. Passed out, dehydrated." Daryl explained as Carol — now awake — hugged Rick and Hershel.

Carol smiled when she noticed Addy standing next to her father and placed a hand on her freckled cheek.

"Oh," Carol gasped happily at the baby girl in Beth's arms, then looked back at Rick. The man looked down, tears forming in his blue eyes. Carol's face fell,

"Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, god." Her eyes were glossy and she turned back to Beth.

Addy felt something rub against her hand, and when she looked down she saw Carl's fingers slowly entwining with hers. The girl smiled softly to herself and gently took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, the boy giving a weaker one back. She glanced at him quickly and saw his gorgeous blue eyes were glassy with tears at the mention of his late mother. She gave his hand another squeeze, she knew what it was like to loose someone.

Carol gently took the baby out of Beth's protective arms as a tear rolled down her cheek.

......................................................

"Thanks," Daryl grunted as Addy passed him a heavy bag and shoved one in the car trunk, "Hey," Addy looked up at him,

"I'll be fine."

The girl nodded and looked down. Daryl knew she would worry when they went off to this so-called town 'Woodbury' the woman said Glenn and Maggie were taken to by the same guy that shot her in the leg.

"I know." Daryl ruffled her brown hair and walked off inside to get another bag.

Addy waved slightly as the car drove off through the gate. There was a knot in her stomach, the same one she got at the quarry camp and the same one she got at the CDC.

This time, Carl didn't hesitate to take his best friend's hand in his own and give it a squeeze, just like she did when he needed the comfort most.

.............................................................

"You are good with her." Axel complimented Beth as she coddled the baby girl — Judith. The man then looked to Addy and out of the corner of her eye she saw Carl inch ever so close towards her.

"You two related?"

"No, sir." Addy shook her head. If Merle had taught her one thing, it would be to respect her elders. Well, more like respect him.

"How old are you two anyway?" Carl crossed his arms from beside her as Beth answered,

"Seventeen."

"Twelve." Addy wasn't exactly sure she was right, but she was eleven when this whole thing started and it was summer again, so she had enough evidence to assume she was correct.

"Interesting." Axel smiled.

From the corner of her eye Addy saw something move,

"May I speak with you?" Carol.

The blonde man looked around innocently, "Me?" Carol didn't say anything and walked out, Axel following close behind her,

"What's the problem?" The man asked when they were out of earshot from the kids,

"Stay away from her — both of them." Carol corrected herself. She knew what Axel was trying to do, hell, Ed did it all the time.

Axel looked back to the cell they were in no longer than a minute ago, "Please."

"This isn't about you trying to repopulate the earth."

"I didn't mean no offence — I've been locked up a long while, and, well, there weren't many women. You follow me? I mean — Maggie, she's with Glenn. You're a lesbian, Addy's a kid. I was just talkin' with her."

Carol let out a breath of air, "I'm not a lesbian."

Axel frowned, "You've got the . . . short hair," he put his hand over his head and gestured to his hair, "You're not a lesbian?"

Carol raised her eyebrows,

"My, my," Axel leaned his hand on a nearby wall, "This is interesting."

Carol pressed her lips together, "No, it's not," And walked off.