If I know you as well as I think I do, then I know you've been putting off reading this.

The sun was warm on my skin as it beamed its rays down into the small community, spreading heat throughout my body.

It may even be years from now that you've decided to open my letter - you always did like to procrastinate on things like this.

I let a sigh escape my mouth as I leaned far back in the rocking chair, letting the chocolate brown waves of my hair fan out onto the cushion behind my head.

Then again, that's one of the many things I've always loved about you.

But that bit of peace was soon broken by the peel of laughter that erupted from the front yard. My eyes flicked down below me and a grin split my face at the sight.

I hope you're happy where you are now - surrounded by our children, hopefully still in our house. Alexandria's already rebuilt by now, I'm sure.

Winnie was racing as fast her legs would carry her through the yard, Daryl and Rick chasing after her and 10-year-old Judith. Well...chasing as best they could at their age.

Things are probably so different now - for you, for everyone.

Rick's hair was gray by now and he had a full beard of the same color to match. But his eyes were still the same ice-blue they had always been, never changing. Daryl was much the same apart from his facial hair that only had a few streaks of discolor in it. We'd all changed so much these past seven years, I suppose.

But I know you've made it through - you're a Dixon as well as a Grimes now after all, so how could you not?

Just then, Daryl managed to grab Winnie, lifting the giggling 8-year-old up onto his shoulders. Her little brown curls bobbed in the wind, beaming down at her grandpa as the shark-tooth necklace around her neck glinted in the sun. Suddenly, I heard the screen door slam shut behind me and the porch's wooden floorboards creaked under added weight. I glanced up and smiled when I noticed who it was. Carol returned the gesture, her arm enveloping my shoulders gently in a half-hug before wrapping back around the tiny person in her arms. A grin found its way on my face as I reached out my hands, cooing at the infant.

I bet you have so many additions to the group by now - new faces you've come to love.

He smiled a toothless smile back at me, gurgling happily as he latched onto my index finger. Because of her age, I knew this was the only child Carol would have. But gosh, I admit, I loved my little half-brother, Norman, with all my heart. His blue eyes peeked over at me curiously and I couldn't help but laugh at his adorable infantile innocence. The silver wedding band on Carol's finger glistened in the sunshine as she re-adjusted the baby boy on her hip and I smiled as she pressed a light kiss to the top of my hair lovingly. I would never forget my mother - not for the world. But Carol was a great step-mom - it was hard to imagine not having that familial relationship with her now.

Speaking of new faces, does our son have mine? Or does he favor you more?

I was about to speak then when I was abruptly cut off by the bang of the screen door and the pitter-patter of little boots on the floorboards. I barely had time to blink before a tiny figure in an over-sized, worn brown sheriff's hat came racing across the porch.

Little Reed was a carbon-copy of his father - piercing blue eyes, fair skin and that same smirk I'd come to love so well. It was a bittersweet reminder of the way things used to be but I was grateful for it despite that. There was no way I could ever forget him with my son around.

Maybe he stays in the house better than I did at his age.

"Reed! Honey, where do you think you're going? Aren't you supposed to be in the house?" I asked, arching an eyebrow at him expectantly.

He pouted before hooking a thumb over his shoulder towards the front yard where his sister, aunt, and grandpas were.

"Come on, mom, let me go play!" he begged, his blue eyes downcast.

I bit my lip in thought before a sigh whistled through my lips and I finally relented, those eyes like his father's winning me over completely, "Fine. Go on!"

But knowing you, you're a pushover for him - the Grimes charm, I'm sure. Just make sure not to give him too much chocolate pudding...and certainly not 112 ounces of it...

He cheered happily and Carol laughed from beside me as I rolled my dark brown eyes playfully, smiling. The 7-year-old boy raced down the steps as fast as he could, his sheriff's hat sliding slightly down his forehead before he launched himself onto the back of his grandpa. Rick stumbled forward, barely catching himself before he burst out laughing, hoisting his little grandson up higher. Judith broke out into a run herself then and together, her and Reed managed to tackle Rick to the ground, the entangled mess of them laughing like hyenas. I couldn't help the chuckle that erupted from my own lips as I watched them.

"Are they roughhousing again?" Michonne piped up suddenly and I glanced back to see her leaning against the doorway, the sun lighting up her frame.

I nodded, grinning, "Would it be them if they didn't?"

She arched her eyebrows briefly, nodding in agreement before snickering at all of them playing.

Gosh, I miss all of you. Dad, Michonne, Daryl, Carol...and especially you. You were my whole world, Angel. Ever since I first laid eyes on you that summer night.

But as her and Carol watched on, I let my gaze drift down to the blue hand-prints on the porch and I felt the familiar tug at my heartstrings. It had been too long since I seen him last...it was time to change that. I bid the women goodbye then before quickly departing to the edge of town. But it wasn't just him who was here...both of them were. And as I rounded the corner, my brown eyes fell on the two crosses poking up out of the ground in the small cemetery.

No amount of time could ever diminish that. And I want to believe it hasn't for you, either.

Wind blew through my dark locks as I picked my way through the other crosses 'till I came to stand in front of them. I chewed the inside of my cheek as I read off their names: Carl Grimes and the other simply, Owen. A sigh escaped my lips then as I knelt down in the grass between both graves. It all felt like yesterday but at the same time...so, so long ago...

You're going to live such a long life and although it will be years, I hope, until we see each other again...

An entire lifetime ago, in fact. And I'd been through so much since, I thought as I glanced down at my hands briefly before looking over at the graves of two of the people I'd loved most in the world - both gone now.

Know that I will always love you...even after I'm gone.

My heart ached for them still and there were times to this day when I got choked up just remembering...but I was no longer lost. I wasn't gone yet - I was still here, with my daughter, my son...with my family. But I would always love Owen and Carl - until the day I stopped breathing, too.

Slowly, I let each of my hands rest on the soft, green grass of the graves, fingers entangling in the blades.

"Goodbye, my loves..." I breathed out softly, feeling a bittersweet sensation wash over me.

May we meet again...

Love always,

Carl Grimes

Owen and Carl would always be with me...wherever I go, they'd be there. Because my love for them was like the wind.

I couldn't see it...but I could feel it.