Reunion

The sun beat down relentlessly from above, just another warm sticky day in Georgia, the humidity enough to choke up your lungs. Cicadas chirped loudly over one another, their noise amassing into a choir of insects all clamoring for attention. A large bead of sweat trailed down Daryl's forehead to his chin and fell gently onto his shirt which soaked up the moisture like drought wrought soil.

His thoughts slipped back to only hours ago, bullets whizzing past, the fences caving in, walkers in the yard, and screams, screams all around him. Daryl squeezed his eyes shut and wiped away another trickle of sweat with the back of his hand. He looked over at Beth she was quite lost in her thoughts as well. 'Poor girl…this life ain't easy on anyone.' He thought solemnly as the thoughts he tried so desperately to subdue flooded back to him, his father dying in the woods choking on his own blood, Uncle Jess turning into a walker, and…Merle. Daryl bit his lip hard; forcing himself to shut the thoughts away, lock them in the furthest part of his mind. 'Don't do this to yourself not now not when you have the girl to look after, there's a time and place and now's not it.'

Daryl stared off down the road the intense heat starting to lighten as the sun eased toward the horizon. 'And the others?' That small voice nagged in the back of his head, 'Where are they? Are they alright? What about Carol?'

"Carol…." Daryl breathed.

'I know she's okay she's got to be okay.' Daryl glanced over at Beth she hadn't noticed he said a word. 'I'll find her, and she'll be alright we'll get everyone back together it'll all work out.' Daryl snorted 'Humph gonna be Mr. Optimist after all that shit huh?' He shook his head and picked up the pace eager to get to the town ahead.

"Daryl stop." Beth groaned, "Hey, wait UP!"

Daryl planted his feet firmly and whirled around to face Beth his face beat red from the heat making him look angrier than he was. "We don't have time to wait, we gotta keep on." He jerked his shoulder in the direction he was going.

Beth grabbed his arm and looked up at Daryl with indignation in her eyes. "I know we have to keep on but we need to look for the others too! We can't just forget about them!"

Daryl snorted, "Don't you think I know that girl?" He pointed down the road. Beth followed his finger with her gaze and at the end of the road there was an half toppled over street sign, an intersection, that looked to be a major crossroads with a few cars littered here and there.

"We hang a right and there's a town over there ya see? I've scouted it before; best bet is to see if any of em are holed up there."

Beth sighed, "I'm sorry Daryl, I didn't mean to-"

"Yeah it's fine." He continued walking on; Beth lurched forward to keep up. "Should we check the cars?"

"Already have. Everything's long gone, as for the houses though. There was a small herd here last time I came through so I didn't get to check em all. We may get lucky and pick a house that still has supplies." Daryl smiled at Beth to ease the tension. She nodded in response. "You good?" Daryl nodded towards the assault rifle Beth was carrying. She slipped out the mag and examined it. "Half gone."

"Alright just use em sparingly."

Beth stopped and stooped down unsheathing a knife from her boot. "I got it covered." Daryl smirked pleased that the girl at least thought to keep that on her amidst the panic. They reached the intersection and hung a right, the small town could be seen not far down the road. "Almost there."

Beth furrowed her brow, "Should we split up? Cover more ground?"

Daryl frowned, "I don't know about that..." Beth waved her knife subtly. Daryl shook his head and resigned with the thought. "Alright but if you get in a jam use your gun, I'll come running."

She smiled at him glad for the company, the concern and that he understood her abilities.

Her smiled faded as her thoughts turned to dark, a silver streak flashing through the air, red mist staining the grass, flesh going pale, and screaming all around her, or was it from within her.

Daryl stopped, Beth lost in though kept walking but was pulled back to the present when Daryl touched her shoulder. She looked up at him with eyes full of pain beyond her years. Daryl gave her shoulder a firm squeeze and Beth pulled her gun closer to herself. "I'm okay. Let's keep on." Daryl was silent; he understood her pain and realization that this isn't the time or place to have a break down.

Beth looked around at the desolate little town and back to Daryl who was eyeing the houses, he pointed. "I'll take this block you take the next over. Those last three houses I didn't get to check last time so be extra cautious ya hear?"

Beth nodded and headed across the unkempt front lawn of a two story house. Daryl watched her for a second as she peered in the windows and went to the front door. She eased open the door and made a clean sweep before entering. "She'll be alright." He though out loud.

Daryl turned to face a small house on his left. The shutters were haphazardly clinging to the windows, bits of debris littered the overgrown lawn, and a single walker lay decaying on the porch dried bloody streaks stained the chipped yellow paint of the front door. Daryl approached with caution none the less and tapped the walkers hip with the tip of his boot. Nothing, not even a twitch. He leaned forward a bit to see a gouge in the side of the walkers head. Daryl snorted and stepped over the corpse. He gently turned the door knob which offered no resistance and eased the door open. Crossbow at the ready he snapped on his flashlight and made a wide sweep of the front entrance. Clear.

He closed the door behind him and pushed on further into the house, a kitchen to his left and hallway to the right, he chose to clear the hallway first. Three doors loomed in the hallway like white vaults that held untold secrets he opened the first and made a pass with the light. Nothing, just a memory of what used to be a young girls room his thoughts went to Beth wondering if she'd found anything or if she was alright.

THUD THUD.

Daryl's attention snapped to the sound, he pulled the girls door shut and approached the door adjacent. A soft shuffling, low breathing, and a THUD against the door could be heard. Daryl frowned, he knew it was a walker but it was better to make sure. He turned the knob and flung the door open knocking over the rooms' occupant. The walker, once a young man, lay splayed on its back flailing on the floor trying to regain its footing. Daryl ended its struggle with a swift pull of the trigger, the arrow piercing the soft rotten under flesh of the jaw with lightning speed. He retrieved the arrow and backed out into the hall to check the last room, he knocked on the door, paused, but heard no motion, Daryl pushed the door open but found nothing of interest just a garage that was vacant of anything that looked useful.

He proceeded back to the kitchen most of the drawers were left agape and broken dishes riddled the floor. He trudged through the mess of a kitchen and into a living room that was splashed with pools of dark red instinctively Daryl pulled his shirt up over his nose to try and mask the wretched smell. The blood trail ran all the way to a final door at the edge of the living room Daryl pressed his ear up to the door and was greeted with a BANG as something flung itself at the door. Angry groans resonated through the thin wood as the walker tried miserably to claw its way through.

Daryl reached into his boot and drew his knife; swiftly he drove it through the door all the way to the hilt and met with a satisfying final gurgle from the walker on the other side. Daryl pulled back the blade and wiped it off on the recliner next to him, he pushed open the door with some effort and stared down and the dead walker crumpled behind the door. Daryl made a quick sweep of the master bedroom, checked the bathroom for any supplies and came up dry. With the house cleared he exited via the front door and moved on to the next house.

He cut across the lawn, stopping just outside the second house he turned and looked over to where Beth had been and saw a figure move in the upstairs window. 'Wonder if that's her or a walker.' He saw the figure crumple to the floor and another pass by the window. Daryl smiled. "Good girl."

And he proceeded up the stairs to the second house. This house was a bit smaller than the last as far as he could tell; the front door hung ajar piquing Daryl caution as he nudged the door open with his crossbow. Daryl made a sweep and stepped down into the inset floor. He traced his flashlight over a surprisingly immaculate desk and chairs set off to the right. 'Hmm doesn't look like much of anything went down here.'

SCRAPE.

Daryl turned sharply, his flashlight illuminating the kitchen across the foyer, which wasn't so immaculate. Blood streaks smeared the porcelain white tiles and lead off to a slatted door next to the fridge, what Daryl assumed was the pantry. He approached slowly and yanked the handle while taking a step back; an eviscerated walker tumbled out hissing vehemently and clawing at Daryl's boot. In one swift motion Daryl wrenched his boot from the walkers grasp and brought it down hard on the walkers' soft decaying skull. With a satisfying CRUNCH the walker lay still, hardly phased Daryl proceeded down the hallway that extended from the kitchen.

Two doors, one on either side, the first of which was a bathroom that had only a few bandages left in the medicine cabinet. Daryl retrieved a pillow case from the laundry basket in the room and stuffed the supplies into it. He stepped back in the hallway to check the last door, it was locked.

"Figures." Daryl stepped back and gave the door a hard kick just beside the handle, the wood splintered next to the lock and with another kick the door flung open. It was a small bedroom furnished with two beds some chest of drawers and a nightstand; the room looked to be shared between two people. Daryl searched around checking the half open drawers and nightstand but found nothing of use.

He looked to the closet and as he approached a foul stench assaulted his nose. 'Let's see what's behind door number one.' Daryl slide the door open and curled up inside was a young girl, a bullet hole in her head, teddy bear clutched in one hand and a pistol in the other. Daryl sighed, took the pistol and closed the door. He couldn't help but think of Sophia…and Carol and wondered if the walker he killed in the kitchen was the girls' mother. Daryl shrugged the thoughts off and exited the room, down the hall and past the kitchen exiting the front door without another thought to the dead walker and girl.

Daryl searched two more houses on the block only running into a few more stray walkers and coming up with half a pillowcase full of canned goods but found no one from the group. 'Damn I thought we'd at least find someone holed up here...'

The sun hung low in the sky dusk was almost upon them and they needed to find a house to hole up in for the night. Beth was exiting a house with a second bag of supplies. "Hey!" Daryl called out to Beth "Let's wrap this up and lay low for the night."

Beth nodded and responded "Okay just one more house."

Daryl shrugged "Alright but that's it after-" his voice trailed off as his gaze drifted from Beth to the few walkers rounding the corner at the end of the block. Had they been spotted yet? Heard? No telling. Daryl waved at Beth and pointed in the direction of the walkers. Beth looked raised her gun and lowered it, her eyes grew wide Daryl turned to see why she would be startled over just four walkers and realized it wasn't just four it was a herd. "Shit!"

Beth darted into the house behind her. Daryl lunged forward to go after her but knew if he stepped out into the road he'd be spotted and they'd be trapped in that house. 'She'll be fine just get your ass in a house!'

Daryl turned on his heel and darted into the house closest to him. He closed the door slowly letting the latch make the faintest of clicks. He swept the foyer with his crossbow the dying light filtering through the shades making it hard to see anything; he reached in his pocket for his flashlight and found nothing. "Ah shit."

He dug in the supply bag one handed keeping his eyes on the darkness of the house and other hands finger on the trigger. Nothing. Must've dropped it outside.' He stared into the encroaching darkness of the house a moment longer before turning his back to it and peering out the slats at the road. The herd was larger than he expected. There were forty maybe sixty of them mingling around, none however being so bold as to venture into any of the houses.

'Sure are taking their sweet ass time though.' He seethed to himself; his eyes darted to the sidewalk where his flashlight lay being tossed around by the shambling feet of the walkers.

'Just don't break it.' He leered, Daryl's gaze fixed on the house that Beth holed up in. He couldn't see any movement, not that that was a good or bad thing but he assumed that she'd be smart enough to stay put and stay quiet.

Daryl turned to face the rest of the house. 'Alright I need to clear this place and we can just hole up here tonight, once that herd passes I'll get Beth.' Daryl left the supplies bag on the floor next to the door, didn't need any unnecessary noise if there were enemies lurking. He stepped from the foyer into what he assumed was a living room hard to tell in the lack of light. From there was a door in front of him a kitchen to the right and a hall on the left he stepped into the kitchen and found a half eaten can of green beans on the countertop. Daryl pushed it with the tip of his crossbow, it looked fresh. "Looks like I've got company." He heard a creak of floor boards behind him and whirled around to face the cause of the noise only to come face to face with a barrel of a gun.

He stood his ground trying to decide his next move; the figure was half in the shadows only the wrists to the barrel of the gun were visible. Daryl took a soft step to the left to try and angle some light on the figure but the gun just inched closer.

What seemed like hours passes when the muzzle of the gun tilted ever so slightly down, Daryl pulled his crossbow tighter to himself ready for an attack when a soft voice filtered through the dark. "Daryl...?"

Daryl's heart skipped a beat. He knew that voice he knew it all to well. He loosened his grip on his crossbow his face betraying his astonishment. The figure in the dark stepped forward into the slivers of light that seeped in through the kitchen window. And there standing before him looking as lovely as she always has was Carol.

Daryl couldn't help but feel a tremendous wave of joy overtake him as he pushed his crossbow behind him settling it on its strap. "Carol…" he whispered.

Carol flung her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist. They held onto one another for what seemed like ages so much spoken in this one action yet not a word crossed their lips.

Daryl pulled back from her and just caressed Carol's cheek he wiped a solitary tear from her beautiful face as it spilled down her cheek. Carol's hands flitted to Daryl face and held him just staring into his eyes; he turned his face slightly to nuzzle her palm. She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair softly.

Daryl's face betrayed the pain he felt. "I...I thought I lost you...again."

"Nine lives remember?" Carol pulled her face to his chest and snuggled to him. "I'm glad you found me." She smiled up at him, "I was starting to miss your redneck ass."

Daryl chuckled and smiled back. "You know I agree with Rick on a lot of things but I know you didn't..."

Carol shook her head. "None of that right now okay? We can talk about all that later."

Daryl cupped her chin and brought her face to his letting their foreheads press together and noses touch ever so slightly.

Carol turned her head away and shrugged. "So...where's everyone else?"

Daryl let go of her and walked to the front door Carol in tow and peered outside. "Right now it's just me and Beth the prison was attacked and got separated from everyone else."

Carol looked worried her mind searching for an answer. "Walkers take down the fence?"

Daryl snorted, "Yeah only after the Governor drove a damn tank through it."

Carols eyes widened, "The Governor?" Daryl nodded. "But I thought..."

Daryl shook his head. "Nope turns out the son of a bitch was just biding his time all along. Got him self another group of people and came to attack. We lost Hershel..."

Carol's gaze drifted to the floor her shoulders sagging. "So were is Beth now?"

Daryl pointed out the window. "That house across the way. Herd came through when we were searching houses."

Carol peered out the window with him. "That herd frequents this neighborhood, I see them at least once a week, like their circling the town."

Daryl snorted, "Well they need to hurry their asses up poor girl's probably scared to death right about now."

Carol walked back to the kitchen and returned with the can of green beans. "It may be awhile, are you hungry?"

Daryl gestured to the bag of supplies he had found. "I've got plenty you eat that." He smiled to himself, 'I knew she'd be okay she's not one to go down easy.'

She smiled at him "You know...I'm glad you're the one that came through that door and found me and not Rick…or Tyrees."

Daryl frowned. "I'll deal with the both of them when the time comes, we'll get this shit settled right." He looked over at her she seemed tired all of a sudden like she was carrying a strong burden; Daryl attempted to change the subject. "You holed up here I assume?"

She sighed scooped a spoonful of green beans in her mouth and nodded. "Upstairs there's a single room like loft I'm staying in, been here about a week, I was going to head out this morning but I wanted that herd to be behind me and they were running late. Good thing too." She smiled up at him. "Also if you're low on ammo I found a whole safe full of all kinds got it upstairs with the rest of my stash."

"You still got the car?" His eyebrows raised hopefully.

"Sure do it's hidden in the garage two houses down."

Daryl smiled "I could kiss you."

In one step Carol closed the distance between the two of them and did just that, planted a quick teasing kiss right on his lips. She smiled triumphantly at his surprised expression "And I just did."

Daryl was about to make a comeback when a scream ripped through the dark. "Beth!" Daryl pressed his face up to the window majority of the walkers were gone but a few stragglers heard the scream and were headed to the house. Gunshots clattered from the house. "Carol we gotta-" Before he could finish his sentence she was out the door Daryl closely behind her they crossed the street picking off walkers here and there, Daryl stopped long enough to scoop up his flashlight.

He kicked open the front door as gunshots pierced the veil of silence along with a clatter of metal and a loud thud. "Beth! Beth!" Daryl made a sweep of the living room and kitchen.

"Up here! HELP ME!" Carol leapt up the stairs and saw Beth struggling with a walker at the top of the banister one walker dead on the floor already Beth's gun lying on the floor next to it. Carol pulled on the Walkers shoulder as Beth sank to the floor and shoved it back pulling out her knife and making a clean kill of it with a quick jab to the eye. The walker slumped to the floor the hushed sound of escaping air from its lungs the final noise it made.

Daryl came barreling up the steps, "You alright? Are you bit?"

"No, no I'm just a little shaken," she reached over to retrieve her gun. "I thought I had them trapped but they broke out and caught me off guard...Oh no, the herd, did they hear me, are they coming back?"

Daryl glanced out the window. "There's a few strays hanging around we best not stay here tonight just to be safe."

Carol, "Let's load up the car and go I know of another place we can stay."

Beth looked up at Carol realization sinking in "Carol? You're alive?!"

Carol "Yes but WE won't be much longer if we don't go." Carol started back down the steps.

Daryl helped Beth up. "But Daryl, Rick said-"

"I don't give a damn what Rick said okay? We'll talk about it later right now we gotta move it." Daryl snapped. They hurried down the stairs and back to the house Carol and Daryl met in.

Carol was already moving supplies into the foyer. "I'll pull the car around Beth, Daryl; the supplies are through that door and in the closet upstairs, meet me out front." Carol took off out the back door now a solitary flashlight bobbing away from them in the night.

Beth and Daryl headed up the stairs. "Can we trust her to come back?" Beth mumbled.

Daryl slung the ammo over his shoulder harsh and met Beth's eyes "Look Carol isn't like that she wouldn't ditch us and what she did or did not do it over with okay? Focus on now."

"But what if-!" Beth started.

"Shut it already! We've got more important shit to deal with!" The crunch of pavement under tires drifted in through the window and Daryl descended the stairs meeting Carol halfway they loaded up all the supplies they had in the trunk. A few of the stray walkers took notice and were approaching at a slow steady pace, eager hands reaching out. Carol got in the drivers seat Daryl shotgun and Beth in the back.

Beth craned her neck to see out the back window and whimpered, "What if the other are here still?"

Carol, "We can look for them another day not right now. Besides if they are around here I'm sure they heard our gunshots and will be looking for us too but certainly not tonight."

Beth resigned and stared out the window longingly. Carol flicked on the headlights and drove dodging the fallen walkers as best she could and skirting the rest as they reached towards the car with greedy hands

The night was already thick, the stars and moon that hung overhead providing little light to see by. Not a single walker wandered around the desolate road that stretched before them, trashed cars and a run down gas station were the only that lined the long stretch of road.

Twenty minutes away from the little town Carol pulled up to a small gated community full of cookie cutter houses, she parked the car and got out moving the gate while Daryl hopped over to the driver side and drove the car in, she hopped back into the cars passenger seat. "Alright take a left here it's that blue house." She directed. The street was desolate of all but debris and smashed cars, not a walker in sight.

Daryl, "Like I can see which is blue in this dark." He chuckled, "Damn houses all look the same to me. You're sure it's clear?"

"Positive, walkers haven't come here in awhile the few that do I put down quickly. I've got traps set up around the yard of where we'll be staying and a sturdy fence too, it'll do fine."

"Let's just hope nobody else thinks it's a nice place too." Daryl pulled the car up and Carol undid the gate he parked the car in the drive and killed the engine. Beth was already asleep in the back seat they let her rest as they made sure the house was still secure and unloaded the supplies. Daryl took note of the house, small, two story blue house, with a chest high chain link fence, and sharp poles sticking up and through the fence.

Carol picked up the last box of supplies and paused next to Daryl. "Everything look okay to you?"

Daryl nodded. "Sure thing. Got a nice little place here."

Carol smiled, "Thanks, it's not much but it'll do." She headed inside.

Daryl stared out at the road for a minute longer the dim light barely illuminating the street nothing moved say for a gentle summer's night breeze. Daryl walked back to the car to get Beth. "Beth we're here lets get up and go." Daryl shook her awake.

She awoke, looked around puzzled for a moment and got up and followed him inside.

Carol was pushing a few of the bigger boxes into the pantry as to hide them from prying eyes, "Upstairs is safest." She told Beth as she passed by. Carol locked up the front door and headed upstairs. The upstairs room that they put the rest of the supplies in was furnished with a bed, couch, and recliner; Beth curled up on the couch and fell asleep almost instantly despite her hunger the need to sleep was overwhelming. Carol sat down on the bed she ran her fingers through her short hair and sighed. "Been a long day..."

Daryl pushed the recliner in front of the door and sat down in it. "When is it not?" He reached over to the pillow case of supplies he had gathered and produced from it a pop top can of ravioli, a grin stretched across his face.

Carol smiled weakly and lay down. "You don't have to keep watch ya know. This place is safe."

Daryl smirked, "Better safe than sorry." He popped open the lid and tipped the can back chowing down on the contents.

Carol chuckled and rolled over to go to sleep. "We can head back tomorrow; see if anyone else is around."

Daryl nodded. "Sounds good. Have you been through that whole town yet?"

Carol, "Almost, the block you found me on was the last few houses I needed to search, I got all I could from the other houses."

Daryl wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "Well then if someone does wind up there they won't be around for long."

Carol nodded and pulled the covers up a bit more around her shoulders settling in. Daryl sat in the recliner staring out the window at the night sky wondering about the others as he finished off his food. He sat there on guard twirling his blade in his fingers and with a full belly and place to rest, sleep finally overtook him.

Daryl woke up startled in the pitch black a cold sweat on his forehead knife at the ready. He slept a hard dreamless sleep and forgot where he was for a moment until he saw Carol asleep on the bed and Beth on the couch. He got up and stretched, paced the room looking out all the windows and sat back down twirling his blade. 'Guess this place is safe…so far.' Daryl glanced at Beth was who was slightly snoring in a deep slumber, and then to Carol who made the faintest of whimpers in her sleep.

Daryl got up and approached Carol he stroked her hair softly her twitching stopped and whimpering ceased. He just smiled at her enjoying the warmth of her skin against his hand. Her arm curled up and met her fingers with his and her eyes flitted open capturing his gaze. He leaned over her and put his lips softly to her forehead and she pulled him to her. He had missed her and she him and neither of them were about to back down from sharing this moment of peace with one another. Daryl crawled into the bed next to her and lay down; she tossed the covers over him and smiled. He pulled her close to him face to face sharing a warm embrace. Carol nestled her head to his chest the rhythmic sound of his heart lulling her to sleep while he stroked her hair softly. They drifted off to sleep in one another's arms as it always should have been. It may not be perfect but for the night it feels like heaven.