A/N: Per previous author's notes I stopped watching TWD after TF reached Alexandria. I also have a story similar to this one already (setting is an island). I'm not sure if I'll finish it on this site or not. I'm finished with it, but it was my self indulgence while waiting for Sherlock and Dark Matter to make it to Netflix. To be perfectly honest, in my other story I prefer my OC's to the TWD characters.

This story is different in that I took less time to write it and kept my OC's on the light side. Why you may or may not ask? Because I found new shows. Can anyone say 'The Defenders'? 'Jessica Jones'? After binge watching for the past couple of months I found my 'muse'. I listened to some really depressing songs to help me write this. I also started a reading a story on this site about Daryl and Carol leaving the group after the farm. I'm a lot happier with this as far as TWD characters.

There is no such place as Covet Island in Georgia.

As always I don't anything re: TWD characters, just my own.

Thanks for reading and helping me become a better writer. Wattpad here I come.

After

"What the hell?" Daryl's voice woke up Michonne in the passenger seat. They were on their way back to the prison after a three day run. She sat up to see the prison in ruins and walkers all over. He stopped at the edge of the field to see a tank sitting there.

"Shit," Michonne gasped. "We need to get in there, Daryl," she told him.

"Know it, Michonne. Walkers all over," he replied as he drove up the road ignoring everything but the prison. "Gate's broken."

Michonne didn't jump when a walker pounded on the window but her eyes got wide when she saw who it was. She rolled down the window and stabbed it in the face before rolling it up again.

Daryl looked at her before he hung his head. "Asshole."

"Maybe they got out."

He shrugged. "Maybe. Gotta get in there."

She turned and looked out of the back window. "Set one of those cars on fire?"

Daryl turned and looked at the set up. "Don't have anything."

She slumped against the seat. "What about that cabin? The one with the moonshine?"

"Take a day to get there and back."

She crawled over the backseat and started searching. She pulled down the back to get into the trunk and crawled back out again, flare in hand. "Glenn."

Daryl bit his thumbnail trying to figure out how to get out of the car, put the flare in a gas tank and drive away without being bit. There were too many walkers. "Don't know, Michonne. You can't cover me by yourself, not with all them walkers."

"In one of the cars?" she suggested.

He shrugged again. "Might not work. Could just go out."

"The RV?" she pointed to it.

"Better than this car." He stared and drove over, as close as he could get, to the RV. "Check under the seats. Maybe Bob let some booze drop outta his bag," Daryl sneered as he searched under his seat and came up with a lighter. He shook it and heard a little fluid left.

"Rubbing alcohol. Probably from the school," she commented quietly as she held up the bottle.

Daryl grunted before he shut the car off. Moving by Michonne he crawled into the trunk and lit the lighter and searched everywhere. "Huh. Someone did leave some alcohol in here," he held up a bottle of wine. He shut the lighter off and moved into the backseat with her. "Flare, rubbing alcohol and wine." He looked at the cars again. "One of 'em's got a window open. Could throw the wine and alcohol inside and start a fire."

"Sounds like a plan, Dixon," she agreed.

Daryl drove around to the car with the open window. "Got a cloth?"

Michonne held out her hand. "What?" he looked at it.

"Knife."

He rolled his eyes and gave it to her. She cut off the bottom of her shirt. Daryl turned away and blushed a little. "You can look now, Dixon," she said as she held out a strip of blue.

"Funny," he muttered. He took it from her, poured wine over it and tied it to one of his arrows. Then he rolled down his window and tossed the wine and alcohol in the open window. Michonne set the cloth on fire and he shot his arrow before rolling his window back up. He moved the car away a little. When he saw flames he drove back to the RV.

"Be ready," he advised. Michonne gave him a quick glance. When they saw the flames shoot up and attract walker attention they quickly got out of the car, killing walkers. Daryl got in the driver's seat and turned the engine over. The car on fire blew up as they were driving toward the inner gate.

Daryl parked as close as he could to the door leading into the prison. Looking at each other they got out and ran inside. Daryl shut the door and turned to see Michonne had already cut off the heads of two walkers. "Not ours," she whispered as they headed for cell block A. They both paused when they heard the sound of a baby crying.

Michonne closed her eyes and let Daryl go first when he shoved her out of his way. "Ah, hell," he mumbled before he shot walker Bob outside of a cell. Michonne shook her head and moved by him to see Judith in her carrier, locked inside.

"Keys?"

"I'll get 'em."

He walked away. Michonne stripped walker Bob of his gun and held it out when Daryl came back with the keys. Judith stopped crying the minute Michonne picked her up and rocked her. "Any ideas?" she asked.

Daryl shrugged. "Prison's fucked. Don't know where anyone is."

"We can't stay here, Daryl," she pointed out.

"Know it, Michonne," he sighed.

"Woodbury?" she grabbed Judith's carrier and headed for Beth's cell. She picked up some formula that was inside on a shelf. Daryl grabbed a bag, took the formula and another bottle before shoving it all inside. He led them to Rick's cell and took the rest.

"The common area," she reminded him.

"Why Woodbury?" Daryl knew Michonne wouldn't suggest it unless she absolutely had to.

"Walls. Solar panels."

"Could try it," he agreed.

"We should clear this place out. We won't be able to stay here. Take a car. Not the RV. Gas."

Daryl grunted.

"Did you want to go off by yourself?" she questioned quietly.

Daryl sat at the table in the common area. It wasn't smart to be by yourself. Michonne did it. He could do it.

"If you wanted to, I wouldn't blame you," she commented as she hugged li'l ass kicker.

"Nah."

Daryl relaxed when he saw her relax. She sat down across from him. "We'll stay the night here, clean the place out of what we can and go to Woodbury."

"More walkers may leave."

She rolled her eyes. "Not enough."

"Shit. Know that, too." Daryl got up and paced. "Fuck," he yelled.

Judith started to cry. Michonne crooned to her again and she quieted down.

Michonne got out of the car and grabbed the carrier while Daryl opened the gate to Woodbury. They'd stripped the prison of the guns that were inside, food, diapers, a few more changes of clothes for Judith and one each for her and Daryl.

When she finally made it inside she almost fell to the ground. Woodbury was burned down.

"Shit," she heard Daryl mutter.

Shit was right. She walked down the middle of the town. She'd hated it here. Andrea had liked it. Michonne looked at Daryl on the other side of the street. It had been done a while ago. The wood was cold to the touch.

"I don't think we should go inside, Daryl," she suggested as she looked around.

"Yeah. Not safe. Who the hell would do this?"

Michonne could only think of one person. The Governor. Asshole. Anyone else that came here would have kept it like it was. It was safe. Kind of. They needed to find somewhere safe. Especially now they had Judith. She looked at the little girl, all wide eyed, quiet, in her carrier. Michonne gave her a small smile and Judith smiled back, making Michonne more determined to not lose another child.

They met at the far side of the town where the buildings weren't as badly burnt. "Gonna check it out," Daryl pointed and disappeared. Michonne put Judith on the ground and pulled her katana. They hadn't seen any walkers inside, but she wasn't taking the chance. He came out a few minutes later.

"Clear. Not bad. Found some blankets and shit. Nice ones," he held up a fluffy blue blanket. "Only took people, food and guns." He tilted his head. "Could stay here."

"Not ideal," she murmured.

"Got another idea?"

"King County," she replied.

"What?"

"King County. Morgan barricaded his place pretty good when Rick, Carl and I went and got those guns."

"Right. Spikes under the welcome mat Rick said."

"It's where he got the idea to do the spikes outside the prison. They were set up around where he was staying."

Daryl grunted as he sat down on the porch of the house. Michonne put Judith in between them and sat on the other side. "How long to get there?"

"A couple of hours," she shrugged. When Judith started to fuss she made her a bottle, took her out of the carrier and fed her.

"We could go. Check it out. Don't got nowhere else," Daryl said as he watched.

"You can still leave if you want, Daryl," she offered again.

"Fuck you, Michonne. Ain't leavin' li'l ass kicker and you alone," he snapped.

"Thank you," she blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay. She could survive on her own. With Judith. She didn't want to just survive anymore. She turned to Daryl with a smile. "Thank you."

Daryl shifted uncomfortably on the porch. "Morgan might still be there," he muttered.

"He might. I hope he is. If he's not? He's not. We can do this. We can survive. Help Judith survive. I don't want to just survive anymore, Daryl."

Daryl shrugged. "Had kids here," he jerked his thumb to the house behind him. "I'll grab the diapers and a few blankets. Let's get goin'."

"Let's get going," she echoed.

After changing Judith's diaper, while Daryl loaded their car and siphoned some more gas from the few cars that were left, they drove away.

Daryl turned from his place in the passenger seat and looked at Judith. "Wanna do the same, Michonne."

"Be back," Daryl told her as he got out of the car. "You be okay by yourself and li'l ass kicker?"

She rolled her eyes. "We'll be fine. If anything happens I'll drive to the street Morgan had barricaded and wait for you." She frowned. "I. Be careful."

Daryl shut the door and looked across the car to the opening in the wall. Daryl didn't know what it was used for but it was used for something. As he walked he remembered what Michonne had told him from her last visit. Morgan had been trying to kill them with a rifle on top of one of the buildings. The closer he got he could hear the walkers. When he rounded the corner he saw them. Lots of 'em. On spikes, just like Michonne had described. Not all on spikes. He took his knife out and killed two of them that heard him.

Looking around, checking the roofs, he didn't see anything. Twisting his way past the walkers he saw cages in front of the spikes. Dead rats. Shit. No one was here. He found the building with the welcome mat, lifted it up and whistled. Morgan was one smart guy, he thought, as he looked at the spikes underneath. When he went inside he stopped near the top step and saw the wire. Shit. Smart guy. Stepping over it he knocked softly. Morgan might be a walker. He didn't hear anything but knocked again. He waited then opened the door.

Knife out, he entered the room and came to a stop. The walls were covered with writing. Rick hadn't been lyin'. Crazy. He shook his head and went through the big open space. Daryl's shoulders drooped. No one here. Shit.

Michonne took Judith out of her carrier and held her as she walked around.

"Been gone for a while," Daryl said from behind her.

"The rats?"

"Yeah. Dusty. Nothin' in here."

"I'm surprised. He'd managed to collect quite a lot when we were here last."

Daryl grunted. "Safe. Could stay here."

She turned to face him. "Would you want to?"

He shrugged. "Fuckin' spikes all over the place. Take that wire down so we won't kill ourselves?"

"Food?"

"Have to start growin' our own."

She walked closer and stared at the walls. "This would have to go."

"We could redecorate," he drawled.

She gave a small laugh. "We could."

"Let's stay here a few days," he finally spoke. "Tired."

"Won't really have to have a watch."

He looked at her.

"I'm tired, too, Daryl. We need to sleep."

"You and li'l ass kicker can have the bed. Take some blankets and sleep on the floor over there," he pointed to the big empty room.

"I'd feel better if you were closer. Let's move the bed in there."

"Damn woman, got me movin' furniture and shit," he mock grumbled as he moved the army cot into the big room.

When he finished setting it up, she gave him Judith. Michonne tried not to laugh at the scared expression on his face. "Relax, Daryl. There's a baby store down the street. Carl and I got Judith's crib there. I'm going to check it out, try and find more things for her."

He shifted on his feet. "Don't know 'bout this, Michonne."

"You'll be fine, Uncle Daryl," she teased softly before leaning in and kissed Judith on the cheek. "She's eaten and her diaper changed. You'll have to learn."

Daryl frowned. "Can't be too hard."

"It's not. Take care of our girl," Michonne directed before she left.

"Be careful, 'Chonne," he called after her.

She raised her hand in acknowledgement as she walked down the stairs.

Daryl sat down on the bed holding Judith. "Our girl," he muttered. Judith looked at him wide eyed and smiled. "Quiet baby. Quieter than any other girl I knowed but Michonne, li'l ass kicker."

Daryl looked at the writing on the walls. Morgan cleaned out a lot of the houses around here according to them. He'd still go around and check. He laid on the bed and put Judith on his chest. "Our girl," he whispered as he ran his hand down her back. "Guess you is, Judith. Me and Michonne. Shit. Never thought I'd be a daddy."

Judith babbled back at him bringing a small smile to his face. "Huh. Hope your dad made it, Judith. Good man. Carl. Your brother. Good kid." He held her close to him. She made more baby noises. He felt like crying. "You're the first baby I ever been around. What'cha think, li'l ass kicker? Should we stay? Don't know where anyone is. Don't know Sasha and Ty that good. Hope Hershel made it. Had a bad leg. If him, Maggie and Beth made it they might go back to the farm. Hope Glenn went with 'em."

Michonne smiled as she watched Daryl and Judith asleep on the cot. After clearing out the baby store of the little they had left that Judith would need she came back here. The walkers were manageable from what she'd seen. Herds would be a problem. They'd have to find seeds. She sure as hell didn't know how to grow food. Rick had been learning from Hershel. She hoped someone had a book or something. Daryl could hunt. Teach her to hunt.

She wished she had a camera to take a picture of the two of them. Michonne inhaled and exhaled deeply. She was a mother. Again. Daryl was a father. For the first time. They were Judith's parents now. Her and Daryl. She was glad Daryl decided to stay with them.

She didn't think anyone made it. They didn't take time to check the walkers to see if any of their people were and she was sad. They deserved more than to walk. She crept closer and lightly touched Daryl. He jerked and opened his eyes.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey. Problems?" he whispered back and ran his hand down Judith's back.

She shook her head. "Found some things for her."

He grunted. "We gonna stay?"

Michonne took a seat on the floor and put her arms on the side of the cot. "I." She let out a breath. "We need something with fences or walls."

"Yeah. Too open. Spikes are good. People," he trailed off. "Might check the farm. If Hershel, Maggie, Beth and Glenn made it they might try there."

She nodded. She'd heard about the farm from Andrea. "Open there, too."

"Yeah, but they might go back. Shit, 'Chonne, don't know where to start lookin'."

"We don't." She looked into his eyes. "'Chonne'?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "You mind?"

"No, Daryl, I don't mind," she smiled. "How was your first 'daddy' duty?"

"Ain't her daddy," he grumbled.

"Now you are. And I'm her mother. We're her parents, Daryl," she stated.

Daryl sighed. He'd thought it earlier. "Yeah. I guess."

"You can leave."

He frowned at her. "No, I can't. I won't."

He could see her relax again. "Thank you," she whispered as she touched his arm.

Daryl shrugged again. He thought Michonne was smart and pretty. She had a nice body. Damn good with that sword of hers.

"I…might have another idea," she said.

"Yeah?"

"There's a private island. Covet Island. Off the coast of Georgia."

"How you know about it?"

"I was near there. Once. Before this. It was a rental. People could rent the entire island." She shrugged. "I saw pictures on the internet." She shrugged again. "I can't imagine vacationing when this happened."

Daryl grunted. "Don't know."

"I don't. It's worth a shot. An island."

"Won't need walls or fences," he agreed. "What else you know?"

"It wasn't very big, I remember."

Daryl rubbed li'l ass kicker's back. "Huh."

"We need to find a place, Daryl."

"Know it. Never been near the ocean," he told her.

Michonne looked at the floor. "I don't like it here."

He huffed out a laugh. "Can't imagine it's any better anywhere else, 'Chonne."

"Probably not. I'm out of ideas."

Daryl sighed and looked down to see Judith was awake and staring at him. "Gotta daughter," he scoffed. "This mean we're married?" he teased.

"If anyone asks, yes, I think we should say we're married."

"Don't plan on bein' around people."

"I don't either." She paused. "The little I heard from the people in Woodbury, some of them were okay. Frightened."

"They shoulda been."

"My point is there are more people like the Governor out there. Or worse than him. There are some people that are like us. If we say we're married I think we'll have less problems. If we see any."