Chapter 1….13 days
Well here we go a little joint story from me, SOA LOVING MOM and VICKIH! This one is going to be very dark and there will be times that you might not even want to read the chapters. We will give you warnings for Triggers with those chapters. Our favorite couple is going to go through hell to find each other and honestly we're both a little nervous. This story will touch on the darkness that the comics give. We thank you for giving it a chance and for reading. We both will be waiting for what your thoughts are. Thank you and have a wonderful tonight and a CARYL tomorrow. Thanks to Vickih for letting me do this first A/N and for being part of this story. Hugs from Alaska and Ohio! Soa and Vicki
Darkest parts of us.
-Darkest-
The beautiful sunny day made a mockery of the oppressive pall that hung over the group. It was supposed to have been a day of celebration and joy.
16 days ago:
Rick and Daryl had finally found a quiet moment together for the first time in months. All of the additional people meant neither man had to take watch as often, giving them both a much needed break. They had found a stash of southern comfort during the last run and sitting by the basketball court shared a bottle. Daryl had been antsy for the last month, pushing himself harder always volunteering for runs and extra watches. Carol had come to Rick and asked him if Daryl would talk to him about whatever was wrong. She slipped Rick the bottle and told him if need be there was another bottle hidden under the bleachers. Rick was shocked that whatever was going on with his brother, Carol didn't know what it was. Of all of them, Daryl and Carol were the closest and always confided in each other.
As the two men sat drinking, they talked about general topics until the first bottle was almost done. Rick feeling brave pulled out the second bottle and finally started to ask Daryl questions to find out what his issue was.
"Hey brother, what's been going on with you lately?" He wasn't sure the shy, reserved man would answer.
After what felt like an eternity, but was actually just a few seconds, Daryl's voice softly asked "If I tell you somethin' can you keep it to ya self?"
"Of course man," was all Rick said.
Daryl sighed, "After Merle, well I tried to pull away from y'all, but ya know Carol. She won't have it. Came stormin' into the tower one night, raising all kinds of hell with me. Told me that she wasn't havin' it, that she wasn't gonna let me pull away. That too many people cared about me, that SHE cared about me." Daryl looked at Rick, his bangs hanging in his face, "She said she cared about me. Said that what we had in this life we had to hold onto. Well I got to thinkin' as she was screamin' at me that I care about all of ya, but I….well…."
Rick smirked, "You love her."
Daryl swallowed hard nodding his head, "Yeah I want to tell her…."
Rick nodded, "But it's hard to put yourself out there, hard to open up to someone I get that."
Daryl huffed, throwing the empty bottle across the yard, "I ain't good at this shit, hell the only other person I ever loved besides Merle was my momma and now there's Carol. I'm a damn fool, ain't even kissed her or nothin' and I picked up two rings on a run last month." Daryl looked at Rick through his bangs, his voice like a whisper, "What the fuck am I thinkin'?"
Rick grinned, "You're thinkin' that once you find something that worth keeping a hold of that you go for it. Carol's not the kind of woman that you fuck in the guard tower. She's the kind of woman you marry and cherish the rest of your lives, no matter how long or short that is."
Daryl groaned, falling back on the ground, his hands going to his hair, "What the fuck do I do?"
Rick chuckled, "Well if it makes you feel better, Michonne has confined in me that Carol feels the same way about you. She's afraid if she tells you, you'll run screaming in the woods."
Daryl swayed a little as he sat up, a small grin breaking out on his face, "She loves me too?"
Rick nodded, "Yeah, I think we all can see that. I'll tell you what; I think I have an idea."
The men worked out a plan for Daryl to take Carol on a short overnight run to give them a chance to talk. After the couple left, Rick was to let the rest of the original group know what was happening and to have everything set up for a small wedding. They decided to ask Maggie and Beth to set up one of the warden offices as a "Honeymoon" suite. Daryl was afraid that this wouldn't work that she would laugh at him or that she would turn him down. But Rick reassured him, that Carol wasn't going to laugh at him OR turn him down. Anyone with eyes could see the two belonged together.
As they finished the last bottle, Rick waved Ty and Mike over to help get a very intoxicated Daryl back to his cell. Daryl seemed content as they got him back inside. As they laid him down on his bunk, he smiled at Rick, "Thank you brother."
Rick chuckled, "Anytime, now get some sleep before your woman kicks my ass for getting you drunk." Daryl just smiled lazily and laid back on the bunk, his eyes already closing.
-Darkest-
The day had arrived for the couple to go on their "run". Carol, looked relieved to be getting out of the prison for a bit, hugged her family and friends before heading to the car they were taking. Daryl, vibrating in excitement and a hint a fear, walked over to Rick.
"Good luck, brother. If you're not back by tomorrow night, we'll come looking for you."
With a small smirk, Daryl told him "Better make it two days, just in case this goes like I'm wantin' it too." Daryl winked at him and Rick agreed to wait till the third day, he had no idea where his friend's courage was coming from, but he loved the look of contentment on Daryl's face. Rick clapped him on the back and stood back watching Daryl get in the car with Carol. The two of them looking happier than Rick could remember.
As soon as they cleared the fence and the couple were gone, Rick had the thrill of telling the core group the plans. He watched the joy on the others faces with a smile. Beth and Maggie already talking frantically about the plans for the 'honeymoon suite'.
The third day arrived without a word from Carol and Daryl. Most thought they were just too caught up in each other and had missed the return date.
Rick along with Glenn, Ty, Michonne and Maggie all decided to go fetch the wayward pair and bring them home. Glenn was particularly happy to have a chance to bust Daryl's balls for all the crap he had given the younger man and Maggie over the last year and a half.
As the team arrived at the spot where the couple were supposed to be the smiles and laughter faded.
Walker bodies littered the street; lying near the safe house they found Carol's rifle and knife as well as Daryl's crossbow and his angel winged vest. Next to the torn and bloody vest were two shining bands, which had never had the chance to grace the hands of their intended carriers. Collecting the items, Rick shared tears with the others as they returned home to share the heartbreaking news.
When they got back to the prison only one grave was dug, away from all the others that dotted the landscape, everyone knowing Daryl and Carol would have wanted it that way. Ty, who had some skill with carving, made a cross with a Cherokee rose and the names of the two lost would be lovers.
Rivers of tears flowed; Carol had been well loved by everyone she met. Daryl, while not as tactful as Carol was respected for all he had done. The stories that were shared during the service, brought tears and laughter to all. The theory that even in death, Daryl and Carol would be together brought some comfort to the survivors.
The original group refused to allow any of the couple's personal things to be moved from their cell. The door was locked, bars covered, no one would be allowed to enter the room. Daryl's crossbow was placed on the grave, tilted against the cross along with Carol's favorite scarf.
That night Rick stood in the guard tower, tears rolling down his face for his lost family. He only hoped that in the end Carol knew how much Daryl loved her; he only hoped they got at least a chance to hold each other one last time. He heard the tower door creak open and then felt the warm reassuring hand of Michonne as she put it on the small of his back. Rick dipped his head and let the tears flow. Michonne didn't say a word, she just comforted him.
Present
Grief is a funny thing. How you deal with it can make or break you. Beth, once one of the weakest of them, took over teaching the kids. Ty and Sasha took over the scheduling for runs and watches. Several of the Woodbury elders filled the various roles Carol had once done. But it wasn't the same without them.
The core group, more deeply affected by the loss, spent time sharing more stories of the couple. While they all shared the pain of loss, surprisingly it was Glenn, Michonne and Judith who had the hardest time with the loss.
Michonne had grown to love the gentle woman as a sister and fellow warrior, having shared more of herself with Carol than she had ever shared with another person. She suffered in silence, but everyone knew that the woman was hurting; she walked the fence for hours on end stabbing at walkers to relieve her grief.
Glenn having considered Daryl his best friend and Carol as a sister couldn't reconcile the truth he would never see them again. He was withdrawn, keeping to himself and almost moving through the day like a ghost at times. Maggie was there for him and when they were alone at night, she comforted him when the nightmares came.
Judith, not old enough to understand why the two most familiar faces in her life were no longer there, cried until she collapsed into fitful dreams. She missed the warm embrace of her Aunt Carol and the strong hands and rough voice of her Uncle Daryl.
Not as surprising, Rick, devastated by the loss, wandered the fence for days, hoping he would hear the soft sounds of Carol's voice or the gruff raspy sounds of Daryl's. But those voices never came and he felt like he had failed them, let them down.
Carl, having come to love Carol as a mother figure and Daryl as an older brother and mentor, refused to talk to anyone. He sat near their grave and would whisper words to them, begging and pleading with them to return, but they didn't and the young man was pushed further into his rage and grief.
Life moved on during those thirteen days, but the pain hung like a cloak over the group. Thirteen days changed all of their lives, thirteen days and hell came to their front door.
-Darkest-
The day started out like any other for the group. Everyone went about their way working the fence, standing guard, teaching the children, taking care of their crops and animals. But a disturbance at the gate brought Rick and the others rushing out. Karen and Miranda headed to the tower to cover them, while the rest went to the main entrance.
As soon as they got to the gate, Rick felt anger course through his veins. He knew the man standing there; it was none other than Martinez. He remembered him from the meeting he had at the silo with the governor.
Rick pulled his Colt Python and cocked the trigger, "What the hell do you want?"
Martinez held up his pathetic little white flag, "Man we're not here for trouble. I left him, we left him. We're trying to do the right thing here. Why don't you put down the damn gun and let's talk this out."
Martinez shifted nervously as familiar faces from Woodbury and the core prison group all pointed their guns at him. Martinez groaned, "I'm not with the governor anymore. I've been trapped with him; I did what I had to do to survive. You've got to believe me and if you'd give me a fucking chance you'd see that. Look at what I brought you!"
Rick huffed, "Don't seem like that, last time we saw you, you were shooting the hell out of our home. I seem to remember catching sight of you on top of one of his trucks blowing the shit out of our home."
Michonne watched everything taking in Martinez and Rick. Her eyes going to a second car that was parked further down away from the gate. Michonne put her hand on Rick's back, "What's in the second car?"
Rick pushed the barrel of the Clot out through the fence, aiming at Martinez's head, "THAT HIM? THAT THE GOVERNOR IN THAT CAR?"
"Whoa man, chill! I got somethin' you might want. I'm telling you that we LEFT HIM!"
Rick looked over at Michonne, who quietly whispered to him, "It could be a trap."
Rick sighed, "We ain't comin' out. You can pull in but I want your guns first."
Martinez turned and waved to the second car, dropped his weapons on the ground and signaled the other vehicle to follow his lead. Instead of getting in his car, he walked through the gate with his hands over his head. The others all panned out around him, the car pulled in slowly. Rick and Glenn pushed Martinez to the ground patting him down trying to see if he had any weapons on him. Once they saw he didn't have any weapons on him, they made him set on his knees in the dirt and rock. Carl and some of the boys from Woodbury closed the gate.
Rick motioned to Michonne and Glenn to check the car. Glenn pulled the man out from the driver's seat and shoved him into the dirt. But it was Michonne rounded the back seat that all hell broke loose, "JESUS! RICK! It's Daryl and Carol! We need to move! Ty get Bob and Hershel. Jesus!"
The sight before them was one that would be forever etched in their minds. The horrors that must have befallen them were enough to make even the hardest stomached person sick. The one thing that stuck Rick was even though both of them were out cold; Daryl's hand was still on top of Carol's. Even trapped in whatever hell they had been in, the two of them had made it through, and the shy gruff hunter was still comforting her.
Rick looked up toward the rest of the group, "MOVE! We're not losing them again!"
Thirteen days. Thirteen days of grief and now the prison group was going to find out what hell truly was. Hell had just rolled through their gates and what happened from here on out no one was ready for.