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Everyone gathered around, their number and community had expanded since the previous year, and they were there to mourn those who had been lost. Lizzie and Carl were holding hands, which caused Michonne to lightly nudge Carol in the side, and Rick and Daryl both could feel the strain of keeping them apart in the coming years. Carol just smiled.

Beth and Mark were also holding hands. Beth had been helping through the loss of his parents for the past two years, and he was finally able to come this year. Apparently Carol reminded him of his mother, who he tried to save, but he couldn't. She turned so quick. He nearly died himself, and he wanted to give anything to turn back time and redo that moment. It was the reason he couldn't let Carol die, why he worked so slow to make sure he got everything. He had to save her this time. He worked through all of that with Beth, and they were planning to tie the knot. Hershel was still bitter. Beth was his baby, and she was growing up. It was the best feeling Hershel had felt in years. She was growing up. They all were able to grow up and grow old and die of old age. They would come back, but that was a part of life. It was part of the norm, even if it still left scars behind on them all.

Maggie and Glenn held a picture—one of Maggie and Lily since they had no sonogram of the child that hadn't make it. Maggie had finally told him about the child that was lost after their little girl was born, and they added it to the many pictures that hung up, lighting yet another candle. There were so many candles lit, each for a different person or a family. Lizzie and Carl and Beth had carved the names of Amy, Jim, Jacqui, Sophia, Dale, and Shane into one pink candle and Lori, T-dog, Axel, Oscar, Merle, and Andrea into the other candle. The ones who lost their lives at the prison, both form walkers and flu had their names craved into the candle beside them. They were burning brightly, and Carol could spot the picture of the beautiful little girl with red hair from here. It was yet another gift from the Army. They taken the time and energy to make laminated copies of those lost from government files. The world wasn't together, but it would be. They had time. They finally had time.

"Your son wants you," Carol informed Daryl as their two-year-old grew fussy.

He crouched down. "Hey, Lil' Man, we talked about this." Daryl looked into the blue eyes of their small boy, who looked exactly like his father only with the eyes of his mother. "This is important."

He crossed his arms. "Not to Daniel."

"Hey." Daryl uncrossed his little arms. "It's important to your mama and I." He glanced at Carol then whispered, "You and me are gonna," he pulled the trigger to an invisible crossbow, "only if you behave."

Daniel nodded.

"Good." He stood up, and Carol arched a brow. "What?"

"Can you stop corrupting our child?" she teased.

"I ain't corrupting him none." He crossed his arms.

"Fine." She met his eyes. "Can you stop loving them? Loving us?"

"Hell, no."

"Can you stop?"

She smiled and was going to answer, but she saw Daniel tugging on Judith's pigtails. She gestured to Daniel, telling Daryl silently to the his son. Today was Daryl's day to be the bad guy. "Daniel Merle Dixon," Carol softly scolded as to not interrupt the ceremony.

Judith got annoyed and shoved Daniel, Carol covered her mouth to hide a smile—she really was becoming a little ass kicker—and Daniel got upset. Daryl hauled him up as Michonne redid Judith's pigtails, scolding her on pushing Daniel. "All right, Lil' Man. It's all right. You shouldn't have done it."

Merle was Daryl's idea. He was so insistent. He wanted to remember Merle for all of the good he had done. It was rare, but when it happened, it meant the world to Daryl. He wanted that small piece of the good Merle did to be remembered in the form of their little boy. It would be too.

Carol set a hand on Daniel's shoulder, and his small fingers curled around her hand. She smiled. She couldn't stop either. She would never stop.

[Here endth the story. Thanks for reading!]