I sighed feeling content for the first time in almost a year. Henry was rested gently in my arms, as I rocked him back and forth in a rocking chair on the front porch. We had been at this house for about a week now, and I loved it here. They had food, fresh water, fences. I knew that feeling safe was never a good thing in this new world, that if you stop for a moment and think that nothing can touch you, that could get you killed. It happened with us and the prison, it happened with Woodbury. But something was telling me this was different.

I smiled down at my son, my beautiful son who looked just like his father. I looked from Henry over to Daryl who was chopping wood with Tyreese across the yard. Carol was picking walnuts off the ground with Micha, while Lizzie and Beth were playing on a blanket with Judith. It was beautiful outside, and we were all taking advantage of the gorgeous weather. I finally feel like I can catch my breath after months of running, months of being terrified of losing the ones I love. For all we know, everyone else from the prison was killed in the attack, but for now we were all content just staying here with each other. 

Carol and Tyreese had a plan to go to Terminus, some "Sanctuary" they saw on the railroad map. But after hearing about what happened with Woodbury, I wasn't about to trust anything and anyone I didn't know. I had a son to take care of, I had to protect him with all of me. I wasn't going to do anything to put him or Daryl in harm. Which is why Daryl, Beth and I politely declined when they offered for us to go. 

I kissed Henry softly on the top of his head before placing him in the baby sling across my shoulder and walking off the porch. I had been cooped up most of the week, just trying to heal properly. But I started to feel suffocated sitting around all the time, so I was determined to get some exercise today.  I walked over to Daryl and Tyreese, who seemed to be laughing about something.

Daryl shook his head and pointed towards the house when he saw me walking over. "No Emma, you need to rest" Daryl said before kissing my temple and gently pushing me back towards the house.

I groaned before turning and just walking back to Daryl and standing my ground. "I cant sit around all the time Daryl. I'm fine, trust me I'm a doctor" I said before kissing Daryl's cheek and rubbing my fingers through Henry's lengthening hair. "Fine, you two can come hunting with us" Daryl said nodding towards Tyreese who was now holding his hunting rifle. Carol was walking up behind us with her own gun, and I saw Beth was with the kids all playing in the front yard. 

I would have been excited to finally go hunting, but seeing that Beth was the only one here to watch three kids, I decided to stay just in case. "No, I'll stay. I wont leave Beth with all the kids" I told the three of them. Tyreese and Carol smiled and nodded before walking off for the woods. I looked up at Daryl and stood on my tip toes, kissing him softly on the lips. "Be safe" I whispered when we pulled apart. Daryl nodded before kissing both mine and Henry's foreheads and following Tyreese and Carol.

I relieved Beth not too long ago of watching all the kids, and she wandered inside to make lunch seeing as everyone should be back very soon. Henry was now laying on the blanket with Judith. Judith was playing with toys while Henry being too young was just watching in amazement. I sat on the porch steps watching with a smile as Micha and Lizzie played tag, both of them giggling. I loved they could still have fun in this harsh world. Although Lizzie didn't quite grasp the concept that walkers were dangerous. Carol caught her playing with one the other day. 

I looked down to make sure I had enough ammo in my pistol, when I heard Micha's high voice call out in pain. I lept off the porch quickly and my eyes went wide when I saw Lizzie had her sister shoved onto the ground, and was stabbing her repeatedly in her stomach. "Lizzie, NO!" I cried out, trying to stop her. I yanked her off her sister, but Micha was gone. 

I felt my eyes watering as I looked down at poor Micha who was drenched down in her own blood, and then looked over to Lizzie who was smiling down at her sister, still clenching her knife that had drops of her sisters blood falling down and staining the green grass. "Lizzie, what have you done?" I whispered, reaching over to Lizzie to try and get her knife from her. 

"I'll show you! She'll come back because I didn't hurt her brain!" She said as if this was something to be proud of. I shook my head and walked closer to try and pry the weapon out of her hands, but she instead pulled her gun out and pointed it at my head. "NO! She has to turn! We have to wait!" She cried out, her finger inching closer on the trigger of her pistol. 

"I can do it to Henry too! He'll come back too!" She said, looking away from me to my week old son who was sucking on his fingers. I felt tears roll down my cheeks in waves at the thought that she might harm my son. "Lizzie, Henry can't even walk" I whispered. Lizzie shrugged and looked away from Henry back to Micha. 

"Why don't you go inside Lizzie, Ill wait out here for Micha to turn" I said quietly, just trying hard to defuse this situation. Lizzie nodded and ran inside the house after holstering her gun. I fell down to the ground, and quickly snatched Henry up and clutched him to my chest and rocked him back and forth. Had I not been here, who knows what she would have done to my son.

I don't know how long I was sitting there staring at Micha's poor lifeless body before I heard Carol's voice yell from behind me. I heard Daryl screaming my name, and Beth obviously hearing the ruckus ran outside the house. I don't know how Beth missed a blood soaked Lizzie running through the house. Carol dropped down next to Micha and started to cry herself, while Tyreese grabbed Judith and wandered into the house. "What happened?" A hysteric Beth yelled out, looking at the scene around us with horror.

"Lizzie" Was the only thing I could get out. Daryl grabbed Henry from me, and cradled him in one arm before wrapping his other arm around my waist and helping me up. 

Two hours later and we not only had one dead little girl, but two. Carol shot Lizzie, saying she was a harm to all of us and she would eventually have killed the babies. She told me so herself she wanted to kill my son. Something was wrong with Lizzie, something I felt had started before this apocalypse even happened. Micha was too sweet, too gentle for this world, and looking down at Henry I had to wonder if this world was even meant for children anymore. 

"You sure you don't want to come with us?" Tyreese asked for the hundredth time today. 

"Nah man, we'll be alright." Daryl responded as he slung a bag of supplies onto his back. I had Henry in the sling across my shoulder so he was sleeping soundly. And a bag full of baby supplies on my back. Beth was coming with us instead of heading to Terminus with Carol and Tyreese, and she held my bow in her hands with my arrows on her back, as I couldn't shoot with Henry and she had become a pretty good shot.

"Maybe we'll cross paths again" Carol said as she bent down and kissed Henry's head before pulling me into a tight hug. 

We all said our goodbyes and watched as the two of them headed off down the railroad, baby Judith's tiny head peeking up over Tyrees's large shoulders. We watched them for a while before the four of us headed off in our own direction. Beth walked ahead of us, keeping her eye out for walkers while Daryl walked beside me. He smiled down at Henry and stroked my cheek softly with his fingers, before his crossbow soon appeared in both his hands and he was in survival mode.

All of us wondering what the road lies for us ahead.....