Chapter One.
Carol's eyes were fixed on the empty perch of the cell block where Daryl used to sleep, it's been a few days since he left with his twisted brother, Merle, and the group was outnumbered. Rick was going insane because of Lori's death and Glenn was on the edge of losing his temper, wanting to plant a bullet in The Governor's brain for the things he did to Maggie. This group was on the edge of losing themselves sooner or later and Daryl's leaving was also a reason why. The only one who were keeping it together right now, were Hershel, Maggie, Beth and Carol. Although the tension was there with Axel around. Carol's lips twitched a little as the images of Axel intimidating Beth and her, because he hasn't been around women for a long time. That wasn't an excuse to get on our nerves like that. Why couldn't Daryl just stay and help us? Because Rick didn't want Merle to stay in the same cellblock as ours. A deep breath escaped Carol's lungs as she turned on her heels and slowly walked out of the cellblock, heading outside with a rifle hanging on her shoulder. She wasn't going to watch this group fall apart because of the anger that's hidden inside of each and everyone, we all want to make The Governor suffer for what he's done, but we needed Daryl to succeed else it would be a path to our own death.
With her head held high, Carol walked up to Rick. She wanted to bring Daryl back, and she was going to do it either with or without help. "I'm going for a run." She immediately got to the point, that she even surprised Rick. Slowly the sheriff turned around, his eyes meeting Carol's features. The Old Carol would probably sit around and be the housewife that she was back when Ed was alive, but a year passed by and Carol became more independent than anyone expected her to be. The sheriff slowly shook his head a little as his hands were resting on his sides.
"If this is 'bout Daryl.."
"We need him, Rick."
Carol interrupted Rick within a second as her expression remained serious, she wasn't going to back down because the leader told her that she shouldn't go after Daryl.
"I'm going."
And with that, she took her steps away from Rick and turned on her heels to walk up to the cars, taking her rifle from her back and placed it on the backseat of the car before she slipped into the driver's seat and started the car..
Daryl's eyes scanned the area as he dragged his feet through the woods, following his big brother, Merle the whole time cause he'd know this area better than Daryl did. Merle has been doing tasks for The Governor and made Merle obey him like a dog, that was the way Daryl was thinking. Merle told Daryl everything about living in Woodbury although Daryl couldn't really imagine a normal life anymore. The world outside the walls that barricaded the town was still the same shithole that it became a year ago, nothing changed. Slowly the brothers came to a stop somewhere in an open field and decided to sink down on the ground, rest for a moment after hours of traveling. Daryl had to admit that he missed the prison, Lil' Ass-kicker and of course he missed Carol, but he didn't give into those damn feelings, neither did he say them out loud because of his brother. Merle would call him weak, cause those feelings did weaken you.
"Where the hell you're goin'?"
Daryl looked up at his brother as Merle stood up again and strolled away.
"Relax, baby brother, I'm just gonna take a piss."
Merle answered in his usual voice and disappeared back into the woods, leaving his little brother on his own. Daryl was used to the fact that his brother left him on his own, it wasn't like this wasn't the first time.. Slowly he shook the thoughts away and took his crossbow on his lap just to check up on the amount of arrows he had, he probably had to find some more soon, or make new ones but there wasn't much time to carve new ones out of wood or anything. A short breath escaped his lungs before he slowly got back upon his feet again, placing his crossbow back on his back again as his eyes scanned the open field. They were quite exposed but at least there were no walkers around, but this was just for a few hours, then they'll go on foot again. With his lips pressed into a straight line, he slowly turned around and strolled into the woods; The thing about Daryl was that he couldn't sit still, he had to do something, be useful, he couldn't just sit around and wait for nothing. Slowly he lifted up his feet to get over a broken tree trunk, placing his hand on the trunk just to support himself of getting over it as his eyes were drifting through the woods, he had to stay focused just in case The Governor arrives or a walker, they both were a threat.
And there it was, the reason why he was focused, quickly he turned on his feet; taking his crossbow in his hands as the sound of twigs breaking underneath someone's feet got caught by his ears. His eyes narrowing this instant as they were focusing into the direction of where the threat might come from. If it was The Governor, then approaching the target wouldn't be a good idea but on the other hand, he didn't expect The Governor to be here right now, didn't he have to fix the mess that got created back when Merle and Daryl escaped? Yea, The Governor was busy taking care of the shit that was going down in Woodbury, he doesn't have any time to chase a 'terrorist' and a betrayer. Slowly, Daryl started to take small steps forward, quietly approaching the target that approached him too, his jaw clenching within a second until he quickly made the turn around the tree and locked his aim on the target but instead shooting, he just stood there.. His eyes widening this instant as they met the eyes of the one who's been approaching him ever since he entered the woods.
"Carol?!"