"Do you ever think about what it's like back home?" Mason asked, staring at his sister as they walked side by side. Evelyn was resting against Florence's chest, the little baby securely and safely tucked away in the carrier wrap that Daryl gave her. It was proving really useful lately, she used her double-ended spear as a walking stick, only using it for when it would be time to use it.

"I do think about it, I think about how everyone is surviving. I mean have they found guns? Has the snow killed everyone and it's just a cold wasteland now? I think about it every night before I go to sleep. I want to see how it's going and I want to know if the people we cared for are alive. But at the same time, I try not to think about it." Mason nodded, staring at his sister who smiled at her baby, giving the baby silly looks and doing motherly things.

"Do you think we'll find anyone from the prison?"

"God I hope so," Florence mumbled, needing to find the others, needing to find her new family. Needing to be in Daryl's arms again, needing to feel somewhat safe again. She wanted her family back.

"You miss him?"

"You miss her?" Florence replied, referring to Beth, knowing that he was in a relationship with her. Mason knew she didn't mean any harm by it, he knew what she meant. Mason, after all, knew his sister all too well and knew the way she thought and spoke. He noticed, that she drawing a little ladybug on things, a marker of sorts.

He could only presume it was for Daryl. She was the closest with him after all, that way he thought and believed. The older of the two Riley siblings sat in the shack, wrapping her baby in a better outfit and began feeding her, she was starting to get a hand of looking after her baby.

Florence was a crier. That was the truth. She's always been sensitive, and always will be, she knew that. It was who she was, and what she did. She was sensitive, there was no doubt about that, at nighttime the crying was worse, it was when she would think and her thoughts made her cry and weep.

She waited for sleep to hit her like a freight train, she didn't want to be alone anymore, a herd came. They killed them all. They ran and found a train track. A sign was posted on the metal, Florence stared at it, drawing her little bug on the corner as Mason read the sign aloud.

"Sanctuary for all. Community for all. All those who arrive, survive."

Florence wanted to be hopeful, wanted to be happy, wanted to jump around with delight but she couldn't be hopeful. She learnt that ages ago. Hope gets you killed and so does fear. No emotion was safe, no one was safe.

After a week of walking, Florence and Mason had to run at the signs of a storm. The brunette mother covered her daughter's ears with protective earmuffs. Keeping her baby's young ears safe from thunder. During the storm, Mason did his very best to keep his sister calm, the loud noises were certainly overwhelming for her, yet he was proud of her for remaining as calm as possible so she could look after her baby. 

However; something happened, and they both got separated, Florence was alone with her baby and the loneliness drove her close to insanity. Her emotions were still all over the place from her pregnancy; she couldn't cry- no she had to be strong for Evelyn and had to hope she would be seen by someone she knew or someone good. 

After the storm had passed; Florence began walking through the woods again, Evelyn was resting in the carrier, headphones over her tiny ears and was honestly a really good baby considering everything that was happening. 

The mother took a break, she held Evelyn close to her chest; resting a small kiss on her forehead, and singing a song... doing anything to give her baby a sense of normality even if she wouldn't remember anything in these stages of her life. 

She grabbed the stuffed elephant out from her bag; Evelyn held onto it, making those adorable and cute baby sounds that almost seemed unreal. Florence was glad to have her baby; though, she wished she could have the others with her. 

"I'm sorry my little lightning bug; I've gotta take your elephant now. Gotta keep moving, you'll understand when you're older." The mother rested a kiss on her forehead; carefully prying the stuffed animal from Evelyn's tiny hands and placed it back in her bag. 

(Made by me, can be found on shoplook.)

Day after day; the only form of human contact Florence had was with her baby. She lost track of the days, surely it hadn't been weeks? Honestly, she didn't know and maybe she was just a little crazy, she had started talking to herself, trying to fill the silence of the natural woodland. Florence continued to draw bugs on the terminus signs. Hoping Daryl was seeing them, Mason maybe? Just someone, anyone. 

Another few days passed; she found a little store, it was the first sign of hope, she searched for walkers and once it was safe, the brunette moved it and began looking for baby stuff and anything for herself. 

Not too far away; Daryl was walking with the Claimers, as the group walked together he spotted the little bug that he told Florence to draw on Terminus signs, it was the greatest sense of relief ever, she was still roaming around, this was good news. It just had to be. 

Much to his relief, the group had seen Florence walking around, unaware that she was being watched from afar. Daryl had learnt the rules of the Claimers; learnt that child rules applied to a harsher level than schoolyard 'dibs.'

"Claimed, anything with her is mine." Daryl hissed; Joe nodded giving him the allowance to get his 'claim,' he did not want anything to happen to his wife and child. He would not survive without them in his life. He couldn't, he got the perfect girl and the perfect little baby. He couldn't just lose them, not to monsters like the claimers.

Daryl watched as she looked through the baby formula; taking what she needed for her baby over the need of herself. Not wanting to startle her; the archer slowly began humming Somewhere Over The Rainbow, the gentle noise didn't startle her as he would've expected but it did enough for her to raise her spear and face the source of the noise.

"Daryl...?" She cried out almost silently, she rested her spear down and moved closer to the man who won her heart. Daryl gave her a small smile; then looked at Evelyn who rested in the carrier on her chest, Florence carefully handed Daryl their baby; she smiled softly as he took Evelyn in his arms and rested a kiss on her forehead.

"Flo, you gotta listen to me, I'm with this group- they call themselves the claimers. They ain't good men, you gotta do everything I say. Keep Evelyn with you at all times, I gotta make it look like you're my-"

"Bitch? Like you've claimed me?" Daryl nodded, sighing as she sighed, he rested a kiss on her lips and held her briefly. He was so glad he found her, Evelyn was placed back in her carrier, and Daryl took her spear from her hands and ruffled her clothes up a bit to make it look as if they fought a bit.

"Anything I say to these dicks about Evie or you is not true. I'm just-"

"Doing what you do best? Surviving, adapting and doing what you do best?" Daryl kissed her lips, he missed her so much and it was so great to have her back with him. The man nodded, watching as Florence took the bag off her back, grabbed the toy elephant and handed her bag to Daryl.

"Gotta make it look like you fit with these men. Take my weapon, my stuff, show that I'm just a piece of property."

"You know it ain't true?" He wanted to make sure that his wife knew she wasn't something to be owned, something to be tossed around like a ragdoll.

"I know and I know you love me and Evelyn and that you'd do anything to keep us safe. So I know that what I'm gonna see, I might not like but it's keeping us safe and it's you doing what you do best."

"Flo, you're-"

"Amazing? Glad to see you? Yeah, I know... one final kiss, please?" Daryl kissed her lips, holding her and their child, making sure both knew equal parts of his love. The man took his wife and child back to the claimers, surprised as Florence already started behaving in a submissive behaviour as if she were scared and angry that she was caught and being dragged along.

"The baby better not cry when I'm sleeping."

"It won't, if it does, I'll kill it myself," Daryl informed, grabbing her upper arm in a way that appeared harsh and started dragging her with the group.