And here we are at the end of this story. I apologize for the lateness of it, but between real life getting in the way, and my attempt to make it right, it took longer than I thought. Thanks to everyone who favorited, who reviewed, and who read! I especially appreciate my cheerleaders! You know who you are! Please enjoy this wrap up, and know that there will be more stories. And once again, not my sandbox...
The early summer sun dappled the yard and promised a day that would be warm and dry, perfect for the family get together that had been planned for later in the day. The perfume of blooming flowers danced along the breeze, rustling the bright green leaves and scenting the warm morning. The riotous sound of water flowing over rocks in the creekbed and the twitterings of birds created a symphony that filled the air. Daryl Dixon stepped out onto the front porch of the farmhouse he shared with his wife and took a deep breath of cool mountain air. Breakfast eaten and the morning chores done, the hunter had been shooed out of the house and told to relax by Beth on the threat of violence if he disobeyed. Smirking at her feistiness, Daryl didn't argue, he just refilled his mug with what was left of the hot tea and did what she said while she washed the dishes and went about her day. She was getting ready for what she was calling a family reunion, and she wanted everyone out of her way.
Daryl moved to the rail, leaned against the column that supported the roof, and looked out over the property he called home. It was so good to be back in his home in the mountains. There was nothing that could beat waking up in your own bed, in your own house, and then eating your own food at your own table. That was how Daryl felt the longer he was in Walela Cove. For a man who had spent most of his life drifting from point to point, never setting down roots, Daryl had taken to his new life with enthusiasm. Always a follower, never a leader, he was pushed into the leadership position out of necessity. He worked hard, tirelessly for the Cove and his family, reveling in the feelings of accomplishment and love that he gained.
Taking a drink of his tea, he thought back over the last few months. He had just finished his second rotation on the High Council in Talladega, and while he was willing to do what was needed, he was more than glad to be done and away from that place and back to his Lil B and their family. Now he was taking advantage of the downtime that everyone insisted that he earned. Daryl stood on the porch with a mug of tea cradled in his hands and watched over his future.
Like Talladega and the rest of the United Territories, Walela Cove, itself, had grown in many ways. Farming was a big deal in this sheltered valley, along with ranching. They were growing enough to help provide very well for themselves with plenty left over to trade for what they couldn't grow or make themselves. While things weren't back to the largess of the world prior to the turn, there was a wide variety of things that could be traded for at this point. Demand for Walela's preserves and jellies and other products was high at the Farmer's Market in Talladega. There were more children now too, not only had Daryl become a father once, he had become a father twice over again. He could hear the quiet murmuring of his wife and the answering coos of his newest accomplishment. The twin girls were a completely unexpected, but well-loved surprise. Beth had finished her chores and was now taking them to lay down for a nap while Daryl kept a sharp eye on his firstborn.
The happy shrieks of his five-year-old son, as he was chased around by Beth's younger siblings, made Daryl grin in a way he had never done before or even could imagine before the turn. Things were good for the man who had never imagined that he would have had a normal life before the world turned. Hell, he didn't even think he would recognize a normal life if he had been thrown into one before. Now... now, this was normal, this was his life. And it was a good one. It was hard, it was dangerous, but it was his and he was thankful for that little wisp of a woman that had eased herself into his heart and life until he really couldn't remember where he ended and she started. Yeah, life for this ol backwoods hick was better than anything he could have ever imagined.
As Daryl moved to sit in a rocking chair on the porch, he watched their first guests Carl and Enid come up the path to the gate and greet the kids playing in the yard. Daryl voiced a welcome and told Enid who was carrying her sleeping daughter to take her youngest into the house to finish her nap with his girl's.
Enid nodded a thank you and kissed Carl on the cheek going into the house. Carl joined Daryl and the two men watched the children, now joined by Judith and Jack, Carl and Enid's son, playing in the yard. Even with Judith staying with them while her daddy the Marshal was off doing his job, the younger Grimes' had decided that a large family was what he wanted and needed, and Enid was more than ready to accommodate her husband. As of now, they had two children, Jack and Milly, and Enid had told Beth that they were ready to start trying for another one as soon as the baby turned two.
Enid loved kids as much as Beth, and the two had turned their little school into something that the High Council had decided would be implemented in any community that wanted a trained teacher to school their children. They had asked the two young women to create an entire curriculum from scratch. It had taken them about three years and more runs on libraries and schools than Daryl wanted to admit, but they had done it and had presented it to be copied and used by anyone who was interested in education. Enid also took her housewife job seriously and had diligently learned everything that Beth could teach her. Between the two, there were plenty of sheets and towels and other knitted and crocheted items to be had in Walela and for trade.
While Enid was teaching and running her household, Carl had found his niche in farming. He grew every vegetable that would succeed in the area of the mountains they were in, and he also had built several greenhouses. He had managed to grow some things that the residents of Walela hadn't seen in quite a few years. His idea to make a run on several large-scale plant nurseries had proved fruitful. From one place, he had scavenged and saved several exotic plants found in a small tropical greenhouse. Plants that produced coffee, peppercorns, vanilla, and cocoa along with several different citrus trees had been recovered and painstakingly nursed to full health. There wasn't a lot, to begin with, and Carl had more success with some plants rather than others, but he was determined to bring back some of the things that they missed, and everyone was excited to see what he did. Other plants that wouldn't survive the mountain weather were coaxed into health in one of the greenhouses and then taken to Talladega and traded to people who would be able to use them. Carl had even established a greenhouse at the Farmer's Market and had a partner that kept it running for them. This partner was an older gentleman who had owned a nursery before the turn. With his expertise and help, Carl had become quite the green thumb and was even helping others in Walela with their crops.
It wasn't long before Carol and Hershel got to the house. Maggie and Little Hershel were with them. The boy was excited to see his cousins and immediately joined in the play. Hershel joined Daryl and Carl, and Carol and Maggie went inside to see if there was anything they could help with. Carol was still running the general store and warehouse in town with an iron fist and she, along with Dottie, ruled the outdoor kitchen when it was time to preserve what they had for the winter and spring. Between Carol, Beth, and Dottie, Walela became known far and wide for their canned goods. When she wasn't cooking or canning, Carol kept extensive records keeping track of everything that passed through her store. With her records, they made sure that the Cove had everything they needed. Whether it was produce from the fields or orchards, or it was dry goods and clothes that were either made locally or traded for, Carol made sure the store stayed well stocked. When she wasn't working, she was doing what she told Andrea was her pride and joy. She took care of the children she had had with Hershel. Neither could ever replace Sophia in her heart, but they certainly made her heart full. She always told everyone that having them was the best thing she had ever done.
Her husband agreed whole-heartedly. Having already been given the opportunity to live two lifetimes in one, Hershel didn't know what he had done to be able to live a third, but he was damn sure grateful.
He was slowing down, especially in the winter when the cold settled into the valley and wouldn't let up until the Spring sun finally burned it away, but Doc Mayor still made both his vet and human doctor rounds. He still was the honorary mayor in title, but he told the council that he was ready to retire from politics and he didn't actually work. He just made sure council meetings didn't get heated, and he still told his stories, entertaining his children and grandchildren and neighbors to no end. He had been positively thrilled when Noah and James had approached him one afternoon with the request that Hershel train Noah as a vet/doctor. He had spent the last few years teaching Noah everything he could about animals and humans. They even convinced a doctor from Louisiana to come to open a school in Talladega so that they could get more people trained at least in the basics of healthcare such as it was in this brave new world. She agreed to the proposal, and went from community to community looking for herbalists, midwives, anyone really that had even the bare minimum of medical training or home remedy knowledge. With the texts and books the military collected from various places as they did their regular patrols, Hershel helped the doctor design and set up a teaching clinic so they could create a small medical clinic in every community. He even traveled to Talladega once a year to go over things and adjust classes and just visit with the newest medics that were in training. It truly was a Wild West scene, but it was their's and they were making it work as best they could. Before it was over, Dr. Schumpert had a small school with a dozen students that intended to take what they learned and make their communities better.
Maggie had found her peace in Canton with her good friends Sasha and Ty. She elected to stay there instead of coming back to Walela and had come to get Little Hershel about six months after she left the Cove. It wasn't perfect, but she had Beth and Hershel had reopened and purged all those old wounds. It was hard, it was mean and dirty, but afterward, there was forgiveness and apology. Hershel and Maggie were able to move on and Maggie and Beth were able to be friendly. They would never be the sisters they could have and should have been, but they at least had a friendly relationship.
There was still trouble in this world, there were still those who would only ever take what they wanted rather than trying to create it and those that were just bad inside, but between the formidable army that they had created from the pieces and parts of what had once been a grand military force of different branches and the law enforcement that they had cobbled together, the United Territories had remained rather peaceful and outsiders with ill intentions tended to steer clear of them. That day in Talladega, the day that they sentenced a group of murderers and thieves and executed them with all due expedience had gotten out into the wider world. The ones that they had exiled had been told to spread the word - if you come south to Georgia and the Carolinas, to Alabama and Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana you do so at your own risk. They wanted nothing more than to be left alone and in peace and they were willing to do whatever was needed to preserve that. Trade was welcome, new residents were welcome, what was not welcome was crime.
For his part, Rick Grimes was in his element. After the Grady trial had been finished, Judge Mason had offered Rick the position of Marshal. He as in charge of hiring and training It wasn't an easy job from the standpoint of the travel and long periods away from his family, but he was finally doing something that made him feel right. Each community was asked to elect a sheriff, and Rick rode out ahead of the circuit judges to meet with the local sheriffs and arrange the stay for them and the lawyers that accompanied them. When he was not riding the court circuit, Rick was overseeing the training of new sheriffs and helping to set up law enforcement in various communities. This required long stretches outside of Walela, but Rick and Michonne had worked things out between them and both were happy with their arrangements. Rick left Judith with Carl and Enid whenever he was gone, but when he was home, she was with him.
As for Michonne, when they were in Walela, she worked with Carol at the general store helping with the books and restocking goods. When she was in Talladega, she ran their store there. The Farmer's Market had gotten so large, that some people had permanent stores that were open year round. They still held the mass market at what was once the speedway four times a year, but the place had grown so population-wise it was smart to have a store all the time. She also helped in Carl's greenhouse when they needed it.
When they arrived at the Dixon's, they were greeted with excitement by Judith, and because she was excited, the other children were too. Michonne left Rick with the men on the porch and wandered over to the side of the house where a table had been set out. It didn't take long for her to greet the ladies and join in as they set out all the things that had been fixed for the party.
The only thing left to do was wait on the stragglers that were running late as usual. Morgan, who had been elected the town sheriff and taught self-defense and how to handle a walker, came through the gate followed by Aaron and Jesus. Those two had returned later than planned from their last run and had taken the time to go home and clean up. They were still together and still scouting and scavenging, but now it was more for books and school supplies. No one searched for food or medicines any longer. When Jesus wasn't working, he was creating a library for the community to use, and Aaron had started gardening. He had been fascinated by herbs in particular because of the way his first husband had used them to make what they ate much more palatable. The last to arrive were Abraham, Rosita, and Gabriel.
Abraham and Rosita split their time between Walela and Talladega. They did six-month rotations like all the military did. They had chosen to join the rest of the soldiers rather than doing local security, and Abraham helped train new recruits while Rosita worked on vehicles. However, Rosita was likely to be out for a while as they had just found out she was pregnant. She had determined to stay with Abe even when he left to back on rotation, but as usual, that argument hadn't been settled yet. And Dottie hadn't had a chance to add her two cents into the equation.
Father Gabriel had made himself a solid place in Walela. Here he had laid his demons to rest and had grown another church family. He was the keeper of the departed and watched over the last memorials to the ones that they had lost over the years. He had also made himself indispensable to the community by helping wherever he was needed. He helped in the school and store, he helped with the canning and preserving. He helped Noah and Hershel as they saw to patients. It didn't matter what the task was, Gabriel helped if he was needed and had found himself a well-respected and loved member of Walela.
The only person not present at the reunion was Andrea. She had worked hard and had finally been appointed a lower circuit judge. She chose not to come back to Walela unless it was required for business and had drifted apart from the group. No one was surprised or hurt, really no one missed her attitude. But where it had rubbed the family the wrong way, Andrea's attitude had stood her in good stead in the law and the circuit court and she was sure to do well and go far.
Beth called everyone to the table and gathered the older children to sit on their own on a large blanket. The babies were in a couple of playpens already having been fed themselves. After the family said grace and the lost ones were acknowledged, food was passed around and there was much laughter and talking. Daryl watched from one end of the table as his Lil B spoke animatedly to Aaron and her sister.
He had traveled a hard road in his lifetime, and as he looked over the table at these people, these friends and family, he realized that hard road had been worth every scar, every scare, every cut, every bad thing that he had been through. That hard road led him to Beth Greene and Walela.