Epilogue

Mika placed one single flower on the top of the dirt mound. Daryl had spent hours breaking up the frozen earth to dig a grave just deep enough for Lizzie's body. Mika said nothing, only bent to place the flower and then stood, straightening to stand between Carol and Daryl.

"It's gonna be ok, sweetheart," Carol said gently, giving Mika's back a little rub.

"You can't know that," Mika said somberly. "We're all gonna die."

"Hey," Carol murmured, handing Judith to Daryl and kneeling on the ground in front of Mika. "This world is different. It's dark. But we're still here, aren't we? We fight. It's what we do. It's how we survive."

"My mom used to talk about heaven and hell, about how good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. Where is Lizzie?" Carol sighed softly, brushing a few stray tears from the girl's cheek.

"Lizzie was sick. She didn't understand the world the way you do. She couldn't help the way she was. She was…it was already there. It was something inside of her that she couldn't control. Do you understand?"

"Will I go to hell?" Mika asked softly. "I killed her. I'm bad, right?"

"No, you're not bad, honey," Carol soothed, pulling the girl into a hug. "You're not bad, do you understand?" The little girl's tears began to fall again, and Carol squeezed her tight. It wasn't the time to tell her to toughen up, to tell her to not be weak. This little girl was far from weak. She'd gone through something too horrifying to imagine, and she was going to be ok. It would take time, but she'd be ok.

"C'mon, Jude," Daryl murmured, rubbing a sleepy Judith's back. He gently placed his hand on Carol's shoulder. "You need anything?

"We're ok," she promised. "Take her on back. We'll be home soon." She curled her fingers around his, giving him an encouraging smile before he turned and walked away with the baby. Carol returned her attention to the grieving child and pulled back, wiping Mika's hair back. "You want to go for a walk?"

"A walk?"

"Mmm. When I was a little girl, my mother used to take me on long walks when I was upset. Sometimes we'd talk, sometimes we'd just walk, and that was ok, too."

"Ok," Mika murmured softly. "Let's walk." Carol smiled, kissing Mika's forehead and standing, taking the girl's hand in her own. "Do we have to talk?"

"Not if you don't want to."

"Can…can we talk about Lizzie sometime?"

"We can talk about whatever you want, whenever you want, I promise."

"Good," Mika said with a sad smile, tightening her grip on Carol's hand. And then they walked away in silence.

...

A year later

"Dada! Ook, da!" Judith Grimes waved her chubby arm in the air, pointing toward the porch, where Carol was sitting. Mika was sitting Indian-style on the porch behind her, patiently waiting as Carol worked her hair into a pretty French braid.

"Told ya I ain't yer Dada, Jude," Daryl muttered, lifting the toddler up into the air and blowing raspberries on her stomach, "but if it makes ya feel better, you can keep on callin' me that, I guess." It had been over a year since the prison fell, and though Daryl had tried to look for survivors, there had been none, and for the past year, Carol, Daryl, Mika and Judith had been living as a family under one roof.

Mika was taller now, growing into a slender young lady. She liked to hunt with Daryl, and she was learning how to use the crossbow, but she liked helping in the kitchen and the garden just as much. Spending time with these two whom she considered to be her parents was everything for her.

She'd struggled, really struggled with what had happened with Lizzie, but it had been something only time and talking it through could help with. She still woke with terrible dreams, but she understood she'd done the only thing she could do. Lizzie was dead anyway, the moment that walker had bit her.

"She called Carol 'mama' yesterday," Mika said with a grin.

"Who's been teachin' her that?"

"Not me, I swear!" Carol insisted, giving a little tug on Mika's hair. The girl laughed, yelping and scrunching her nose. Daryl snorted and shook his head, moving to the porch to sit, placing Judith on his knee.

"You goin' out huntin' with me tomorrow?" Daryl asked, nudging Mika's shoulder.

"Nope," Mika and Carol replied in unison. Daryl furrowed his brows.

"Guess I can go alone."

"Nope again," Carol replied. "We're going hunting, and Mika's babysitting."

"You sure 'bout that?" Daryl asked. "You ain't been out in a while."

"Exactly. I need the practice," Carol replied, giving him a tap on the top of the head. "Besides, it'll give us a little time to be alone together." At Mika's protesting groan, Daryl snickered, and Carol gave the girl a tap on the shoulder. "All done, sweetie. Can you take Judith inside?"

"Yes, ma'am," Mika said quickly, standing and pulling her surrogate sister into her arms. "C'mon, Jude. I think they're gonna kiss again." She made a face, and Judith made a kissing noise. Daryl shook his head, tugging Carol down off her chair and into his lap. She yelped, laughing and wrapping an arm around his neck.

"Think the girl's right," he muttered, before planting a loving kiss to Carol's mouth. She chuckled softly, snaking her other arm around his neck, sighing contentedly.

"Just the two of us tomorrow, huh?" Daryl murmured, stroking her back. "Like that idea."

"You know that deer blind you built out there? I snuck out there and put some pillows and blankets in it. Made it nice and cozy. Maybe we'll have a nap out there…or something." She winked at him.

"Knew I loved you for a reason," he smirked, kissing her again. She smiled against his mouth before kissing along his jaw and gently nipping on his ear.

The past year had been rough. They'd gone through so much. Judith had nearly died from fever, but due in part to some slightly outdated medication, she'd made a recovery, and she'd been just fine ever since. This new world was quiet when the walkers weren't close. It could be peaceful. But it was still dangerous. Even the sniffles could turn into something terrible. Every day was a risk, but they fought through the hardships. They'd grown closer helping Mika cope with Lizzie's death. Helping Mika cope with what she'd done had somehow helped Carol to fully heal and make peace with not just what had happened at the prison but with losing Sophia as well. Like it had been said before, back when the world was different, time would heal all wounds. And Carol was beginning to feel the truth in that.

"See, here I thought you loved me for my astounding personality," Carol teased, kissing him lovingly as he gave her ass a little tap.

"Want me to make a list of everything I love about you, 'cause I will."

"Oh, instead of telling me, why don't you just show me?"

"Now? You wanna go?" he asked, nodding toward the house. Carol laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Tonight, Pookie. Think you can hang in there for a little while longer?"

"Nope," he muttered, burying his face against her neck and sucking hungrily. She squealed and quickly shimmied off of his lap. She started off toward the barn, and he was in full pursuit right behind her. She laughed then, taking off in a full sprint, before he caught her around the middle, tugging her back against the side of the barn, out of sight from little eyes.

"What am I going to do with you, Daryl Dixon?" she asked, breathless as her face flushed pink from happiness.

"Dunno, but a kiss'll do for a start," he replied, grinning, eyebrows rising up in that teasing way she'd fallen in love with since their relationship had slipped into extremely comfortable territory.

"I think I can manage that," she whispered, winding her arms around his neck and gifting him with a loving kiss, a promise that he had her heart, and no matter what happened tomorrow, that would never change.

The End