Officially

AN: hey everyone I just wanted to apologize for being absent for so long. Life got very busy and crazy for a while and the past year I haven't had a lot of time to write. I am going to try to write more in the New Year! I hope you all have an amazing holiday season and a Merry Christmas!

Carl gazed out the window at the blanket of snow that had covered Alexandria. He laughed as he watched Lydia and Henry get ambushed by a group of children led by his sister and soon an all-out snowball fight broke out. The past few weeks had brought many snow storms and freezing temperatures. It was the first Christmas since the world went to Hell that it actually felt like Christmas. Alexandria was well stocked and secured and despite all the losses over the past year during the conflict with the Whisperers, moral was at a high.

The past few weeks had been spent going on supply runes, repairing and reinforcing the walls and surprisingly preparing for Christmas. The other night he, Lydia and Enid had decorated a small tree with a box of Christmas decorations found in the attic of their house. Afterwards they had sat around the living room watching some old Christmas movie on tape and sipping hot chocolate. It had reminded him of Christmases when he was younger. He and his parents spent many Christmases as a family of three and each one and been filled with love and fun.

He, Enid and Lydia were indeed their own little family and he couldn't help but smile at the fact that quite possibly this time next year they would be a family of four.

Enid was only three months pregnant and they all knew that there were no guarantees in this world but Carl was extremely hopeful and optimistic. After all they had survived so much already and if his kid was a mixture of him and Enid he felt sorry for anyone or anything that tried to stop it from achieving whatever it set its mind to.

He heard the sound of footsteps behind him and turned his head slightly to the side and smiled as Enid made her way over to him.

"Watcha looking at?" Enid asked as she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Lydia and Henry getting their asses handed to them by a group of kids led by my sister," He chuckled and they both gazed out the window and watched as Henry got hit in the face by a snowball. Lydia yelled something and dragged Henry up and pulled him along as they ran from the ambush.

"Can you believe she's the same girl who a year ago slept on the floor and thought that dreams were a sign of weakness?"

Enid laughed, "She might be a little softer now than she was but believe me Lydia can still as stubborn as she was when the situation presents itself."

"Kind of like you?" he teased.

"Exactly and I guarantee you that this child of ours is going to be just as if not more stubborn." She said as she placed her hand on her tiny belly bump. She smiled softly.

"Oh I don't doubt that and I wouldn't want it any other way."

He pressed his lips to her forehead and she hummed softly as she rested her head on his chest.

/

"I can't feel my face." Henry said as he and Lydia ducked into the slight overhang of the pantry doors. "Did you lead us into that ambush?"

Lydia who was looking around the overhang keeping watch for the kids turned around, rolled her eyes and glared at him.

"Yes Henry I led myself into an ambush so I could get pelted with snowballs just for the fun of It." she didn't even attempt to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

"Okay stupid question I admit it I just thought…oh shit."

"What are they coming?"

"No look up."

Lydia looked up and saw what Henry was referring to. A peace of mistletoe hung above them. Jerry had hung mistletoe in several different places around Alexandria and of course the pantry would be one of those places.

Lydia felt a warm feeling on her cheeks. She was blushing but why?

"Don't worry about it Lydia it's just some stupid old tradition," Henry said as he looked to side avoiding her eyes.

"No!" she exclaimed and Henry looked at her in shock.

"I mean uh… it's a Christmas tradition and tomorrows Christmas and isn't it bad luck to break a tradition or something? It's not like I want to kiss you or anything," She added quickly. "I just don't want bad luck or some crap."

Henry gulped and nodded, "I mean I don't either so I guess we could kiss."

"Okay," Lydia said and slowly and cautiously she moved towards him until they were pressed right up against each other.

Henry let out a shaky breath and slowly tilted his head slightly and leaned in. At the same time Lydia leaned her head up. She could feel his breath on his face.

Just as their lips were about to connect two snowball hit them both on the head.

Judith and her pals had caught them again and once again Lydia and Henry were forced to run away trying to shield themselves from the snowballs. Both of them felt anger inside of them but they didn't know if it was because they got hit by snowballs or because those snowballs had interrupted something.

/

"I'd like to be the one to give the first gift if that's okay?" Lydia asked as she crossed her legs and leaned back against the sofa and looked up at Carl and Enid.

Carl and Enid were sitting side by side on the sofa. It was Christmas morning and the three had slept till around eight before getting up and coming downstairs to open the presents under the tree. There weren't many but it was the thought that counted.

"Sure," Enid said and rested her head of Carls shoulder.

Lydia reached behind her and pulled a Manilla envelope out from under her shirt. She handed it to Enid and turned her body so she was facing them.

Enid opened the envelope and pulled out a thick document comprised with many pages. She slid them over so that Carl could see as well. They flipped through the pages before they looked up at a nervous Lydia.

"Are these for real?" Carl asked, holding up the papers.

Lydia nodded, biting her lip.

"Where did you find adoption papers?" Enid asked softly.

"There's a town ten miles from here. It had a lawyer's office in it." Lydia looked between Carl and Enid before continuing. "I know it's a lot to ask and maybe a bit weird because I'm only seven years younger but this past year you both have done so much for me. You taught me it's okay to have feelings, to get attached to people and that enjoying life and having a family doesn't make you week. You two are my family and if it's okay with you I'd like to make it official."

Carl and Enid looked at each other with teary eyes for a split second before they turned back to Lydia.

"Then let's make it official," Enid said.

"We'd be honoured to make it official," Carl added. He reached for a pen and quickly signed his name before passing it to Enid who did the same.

Once it was done Lydia embraced them both, happy tears rolled down her cheeks.

They were officially a family and this was officially the best Christmas ever.