Daryl stomped into the prison, down the stairs into their cell block, dropping his bag on the table. He didn't say anything as he pulled out the list, followed by the collection of equipment Hershel had asked for. He laid it all out for Maggie and Beth to go through as Rick walked up behind him.

"How did it go?" The sheriff asked in a low voice.

"Few hiccups, but we got it done." Daryl said as he nodded at Maggie, who gave him a grateful smile. "How they all doin' here?" He asked as he turned to look at the other man. He frowned as he noticed the jittery, uncomfortable air that Rick was giving off.

Rick motioned his head, getting Daryl to follow him outside into the deserted courtyard. They didn't stop until they were down by the fence and out of earshot of the prison and its inhabitants. Daryl watched, concerned as the other man started to pace.

"Hershel went in, trying to help bring down the fevers. He thought he could help and now he's stuck down there." Rick started.

"Hershel will be fine, man. Take more than a fever to bring down that old coot." Daryl replied, trying to make light of the situation, hoping to calm Rick. "And he can direct Maggie through the window what she needs ta do on this side."

"That's not the only issue." Rick said as he stopped in front of Daryl.

"What is it man?" He asked, getting mad.

"It's Carol..." Rick started, getting cut off by the profanities Daryl said louder than he meant to.

"Carol's in there?" Daryl's hands went to his hips, his eyes glaring at the other man, pissed off. "What the hell did ya let her go in there for?"

"She's not in there Daryl...she's gone." Rick said, straightforward and without checking his words.

"What...what da ya mean 'Gone'?" Daryl said, his voice low.

"She's not dead." Rick said quickly, putting his hands on the defensive hunter's shoulders. "She left. She and I went on a run for food and medication to a nearby neighbourhood and when we left, she went her own way."

"What the hell? She'd never leave here, she cares too much about...hell everyone!" Daryl yelled. It was now his turn to pace, pushing Rick's hands away as he got mad. "Those girls, she loves them as much as she did her own..." The thought of Sophia made him even more confused. "She'd never desert them."

"I didn't give her a choice." Rick said softly.

"Ya kicked her out?" The hunter asked, shocked at the words he heard.

"Yeah, I did." The sheriff stated. "I had a reason."

"I don't give a shit for ya reason." Daryl yelled. "Ya stepped down, remember? Ya told me ya didn't want to be our leader anymore, ya remember that? Ya gave me that responsibility. So what the hell are ya doing kicking anyone out of here?"

"You don't know what she did..." Rick started, before something in the other mans eyes stopped him. "You did know."

"Yeah, I knew." Daryl said, glaring at his friend. "And I stand by her actions, just as I stood by yours all the times ya said it was all for the good of the group."

"You really think killing off two members of the group that hadn't even died was the right action?" Rick demanded.

"Given how sick they were and how long it took for Patrick to die from the illness, there's no way they would have survived. We would never have gotten the meds ta them in time. They would have turned and we would have again had walkers inside the walls. Didn't turn out so well the last time, remember that?"

Rick watched as the hunter spoke more than he had ever recalled hearing from the usually quiet man.

"Yeah, Carol shouldn't have made that decision alone, I'll give ya that. But ya really think anyone on ya "council" has the balls ta do what that woman did? I sure don't. She did what she thought was best ta protect everyone. And that includes your kids. Would have been a different story if they had coughed on Carl or Judith, wouldn't it? Carol didn't make a decision and get someone else ta do the dirty work, like the 'Council' would have, she did it herself. And..." Daryl stopped and looked at the ground. "And I'm proud of her."

Rick looked at Daryl, listening to the speech, knowing the other man was right.

"Your right, I stepped back. It's your leadership; I had no right to say anything to Carol. But what happens when Tyreese finds out? And the others? No one will trust someone that they think is a danger to the others."

"Well it's a good thing there's only three of us that know, isn't it?" Daryl said, his voice low and dangerous. "I backed ya at every turn, man. All I'm asking is for the same deal."

Rick nodded, knowing he owed the other man at least that much, given everything the hunter had done for him.

"No one will know. But how do we explain Carol's absence?" The sheriff asked as they started back towards the gates, before he realised the hunter was headed to his bike, not the doorway.

"Tell them she was going ta one of the housing estates ta looks for more meds, and that ya came back alone ta give the meds ta Hershel that ya got. No one has asked where she was?"

"No, I think they just assumed she went down to check on the girls through the visitation window." Rick assured him.

"Good, don't give nothin' away. I'll find her and bring her back." Daryl tightened his bow over his shoulder as he straddled the bike.

"Daryl...if you find her..."

"When! When I find her!" The hunter stated forcefully. He didn't say out loud that he wouldn't return without her, but both of them knew it was true. He wasn't yet ready to admit she was the whole reason he stayed.

"...when you find her, tell her I'm sorry." Rick said. "Good luck. She was last heading south to the main highway."

Daryl nodded before starting up the bike. He waited for Rick to open the gates before he took off down the path out of the prison. As soon as he hit the paved road he put his foot to the ground.