Chapter 1.

Carol's POW

Carol Peletier was all alone now.

This was somewhat new to her, since she had always been taking care of the others. First, as a young girl, she took care of her younger brothers and sisters. After that it was Ed and Sophia, all the years in their unhappy marriage. And then, after the apocalypse, all the people of the group. She had always been part of something bigger, she had been needed by the others.

Until now.

She was driving her car without purpose, driving as long as she could. After that she would probably walk. She had a lot of time to think now.

Part of her still found it hard to believe that Rick had actually banished her from the prison. After all they had been through, really? And like this, without a chance to say goodbye to the people she had grown to care a lot. People she had grown to love. People like… Daryl.

Mere thought of the hunter hurt. A lot.

To him Carol was the closest person in the group. That was obvious to everyone, but their relationship was quite hard to define. It was more than just friendship, that Carol knew for sure. But how much more, that was hard to say. She only knew that sometimes in the night she dreamed of him. And in many occasions she felt warmth in her crotch just by looking at him. Especially she liked his arms. They were so tanned, so muscular.

But the attraction was not just physical. She recognized soul mate in him.

He had suffered a lot in the hands of others. Just like her. Despite of that Daryl had managed to maintain his good heart, his dignity, his resilient spirit. Surely he hid all that carefully from most people, especially from the strangers. But Carol knew him now the way he truly was. An exceptional man.

And vice versa. Carol knew that the hunter needed her in the group. She took care of him. She calmed him down. She helped him to interact with the others, since he was not a man of many words. She was - kind of - the only family he had left. And now, because of Rick, she couldn't be there for Daryl no more.

The thought was almost unbearable. Suddenly she felt tears in her eyes. She couldn't see the road clearly anymore, so she had to pull over.

Carol stopped the car and leaned on the wheel for a while. She inhaled and tried to calm herself down. This was one of the few good things in this shitty new world. You could stop your car in any time, anywhere. And the parking was allowed everywhere, she thought and even smiled a bit.

She decided to eat something. She still had some fruits left from that garden. This was as good time as any to have a snack. At the same time she noted that she had been driving in circles. She was actually not that far from the prison yet.

She drank some water too and kept thinking about the people of the group.

Rick. That man had obviously been through a lot. But so had the others too. Rick was acting selfish and childish now, Carol thought. What did the group do when he kind of lost it after Lori's death? They supported him. They took care of his children. And after Carl shot that young boy from the Woodbury - what did they all do? Once again they supported Rick, tried to help him with Carl.

But what did Rick do when she really needed his support? He chose to make her leave. He didn't negotiate with anyone. He didn't took the matter in the council. No one else had a chance to say anything, not even goodbyes.

King Rick just decided to exile me, she thought bitterly.

It was at that moment when she heard a knock. When she turned her head she winced. There was a bearded, untidy man with the gun just behind the window, right next to her car.

"Get out of the car, bitch. And keep your hands where I can see them", he shouted.

Carol couldn't believe how stupid she had been. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't been careful enough. And now she was in trouble.

She opened the door slowly and got out of the car reluctantly.

The man looked at her from head to toe with greedy eyes.

"Oh, what a catch. Car with the gasoline, some supplies I suppose and you. A woman is just what I need", he said, smiled and rubbed his crotch.

"Consider yourself as my property from now on. You can call me Jack", he said.

He took some cable tie from his pocket and tied Carol's hands behind her back.

While doing it he tweaked her behind.

"What an ass you have here! I can't wait to take a closer look on you. Let's get to my camp first. And naturally honey, we have to carry all this there as well."

He had a can and a hose with him. He opened the fuel tank of her car, put the hose in and sucked. He was obviously pleased when the gasoline started to run from Carol's tank to his can. After that he opened her trunk and whistled when he saw her stuff there.

"This must be my lucky day!" he laughed.

Carol was mortified. Ever since Ed died she had been telling to herself that she was not a victim anymore. And now all this. First Rick banished her. Then - after just two days on her own - she was snatched by this horrible man. So easily, without a fight.

One thing only was in her mind now.

I will never see Daryl again.

xxx

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I was sad and kind of angry too when Rick banished Carol from the prison.

I see this as a turning point for Daryl and Carol. He have to decide either to stay in the prison or to track her down. Remember - he has his own code.