"Stay safe!" he mumbled out of the corner of his mouth, nudging her slightly as he passed her on his way to the car.

His conscience was killing him, just as it always did when he was leaving the prison for what had become a minimum of three days by now with the distances involved to look for crazy Philipp Blake, the Governor of Woodbury, who had killed Andrea and Merle and his own second in command and tried to wipe out all the inhabitants of the prison because they wouldn't roll over onto their backs and join him, submitting themselves to his rule.

He'd gotten away at the end of his crazed attack using weaponized walkers despite all of them shooting at him. None of them had noticed him slipping away, and during all of his search runs with Michonne, who was no less determined to find the sumbitch than he was, they hadn't found a trace of him.

They were going out for the fifth time today. The sun wasn't quite up yet, and it was cold. A light fog shrouded everything that was more than half a dozen yards away. Despite the early hour, both Rick and Carol were up already to see them off.

"Nine lives, remember?" She smiled bravely at him, her lower lip trembling.

He couldn't bear to look at her.

Now that she no longer had to keep it short so Ed couldn't grab her by it, her hair was growing, and she had the loveliest curls that he'd ever seen. And he had always liked her smile on the few occasions that she'd had to wear it. With those curls and that beautiful smile she looked like a mischievous pixie. Where were these thoughts coming from?

He briefly caught her eye before dropping his gaze to the ground again. He could feel his face growing hot despite the chill in the air. His boots kicked up dust as he approached the small pea green car and opened the driver's door, sliding in behind the wheel as Michonne opened the passenger door.

Rick stepped up to the open door before Daryl could close it. He glared up at the former deputy, squinting against the rising sun. "What? Ya gonna give me that bullshit again? He's got nobody left, he's no longer a danger?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Looking uncomfortable, Rick sighed. "He's got nothing left. All his people are either dead or with us. You know how dangerous it is to go out there for days at a time ..."

"Yeah, I do, and you know how dangerous it is to allow a rabid dog to live", Daryl spat. "And that's what he is - a rabid dog, and he's out to kill every last one of us. I won't stand for it. We need ta find him and put 'im down."

"Look, Daryl, I really appreaciate that the two of you are doing this for us ..." Rick began again, but once more Daryl cut him short.

"And that crap ain't gonna fly with me neither", he barked, barely containing his furious contempt. "I ain't doin' this outta the goodness of my heart and you bloody well know that", he snarled. "Ya know what he did ta Merle. Ya know he killed him but let 'im turn so I'd have ta put 'im down." He inwardly cursed the hitch that crept into his voice at the last words, but luckily nobody else seemed to have noticed it.

Rick nervously twisted the gold band on his ring finger and Daryl's heart seemed to turn over in his chest. Maybe, if he'd managed to take the crazy bastard out while he was in Woodbury, the nutcases that had followed him wouldn't have attacked the prison and Lori wouldn't have gone into labor prematurely.

He didn't have the first idea about being pregnant, but he did know it had been too soon, what with the women always chattering on about how many weeks she had left. If she had carried her daughter to term, maybe Lori would have lived to raise her. Rick wouldn't have gone to Crazytown for weeks - a place from which he still hadn't fully returned. Carl and Li'l Asskicker would still have both parents. Carl wouldn't have had to shoot his own mother in the head to keep her from turning.

He bowed his head in shame.

Merle had been right. He was a piece of crap, worth less than the dirt under Rick's boots. He sould really make his life easier for Rick.

Keeping his eyes on the gravel outside the car, he mumbled: "Look, man, I know you need me here for this council thing of yours. I'll go out this one last time, and then, if ya still want me to, I'll join it. Put in more huntin', too, to feed all these new people better. I'll try ta do right by y'all. Deal?" At this last word he dared to raise his head again to look at Rick.

He was relieved to see him smile, but failed to notice the look of disapproval flitting across Carol's face ever so briefly at his words.

Rick, however, nodded vigorously. "Deal. You'll be back in three days' time, as always? You know we need all the manpower we can get here."

Again, Carol's face darkened behind his back. Everyone knew Daryl was working himself ragged, going out to hunt, going on runs, going on watch, yet Rick seemed to always be goading him into doing even more, while others weren't pulling even half their weight. But he was going out, putting himself in harm's way, and she wanted the memory that he took away from this moment to be a happy one, so she kept her thoughts to herself.

As Rick stepped back and closed Daryl's door she gave him her brightest smile and he nodded back at her, his teeth worrying his lip. Then he started the engine and the car moved off and out through the gates being opened by Glenn and Maggie who had taken gate duty to see them off as well.

He didn't speak for several miles, and yet once again he was grateful for his company. There was still so very much he had to learn about dealing with people, but one thing he knew: Most people, when thrown together by fate with someone who wasn't saying anything, would start talking about shit just to break the silence. One thing he really appreciated in Carol was that she was not one of those.

And neither was Michonne. He imagined the horror of doing this with nice, kind, chatty Glenn and shuddered.

Mistake.

But she surprised him and remained silent some more instead of asking why he'd shuddered.

More miles were spent not talking and he started to relax. As soon as he did, he saw her smirk. "What?" he asked.

Glancing at the odometer, she said: "It's taken you 35 miles to relax this time. You're getting better."

He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Last time it was almost 52. Much better!"

He grunted. "This a contest?"

"Not at all, but it's not much of a secret that you're uncomfortable around people - well, with a few exceptions ..." She smirked again as he glared at her. "You try to get away from the prison every chance you get so you can relax and be yourself for a while."

"Myself, hm?"

She nodded. "Yes, but even once you're out you kind of, I don't know, have to get used to the idea of being alone again, and you can only relax once you've done that. And it takes you less time every time we go out." She sounded triumphant.

"You been keeping score?" he grunted.

"It's not that hard. It's only our fifth date."

He flinched as if she'd stabbed him. "'s is NOT a date", he growled emphatically. She laughed out loud, but it was a good laugh - not ABOUT him, as in making fun of him, but inviting him to join in, wanting to laugh WITH him. He allowed himself a brief snort as he really liked her. "Date, my ass."

They were silent together again for several miles before she spoke again. "So, what's up with you two?"

"What's up with who?" he grunted, keeping his eyes on the road. Obviously, there was no traffic, but he was wary of game and walkers jumping out of the woods lining the street. He'd never live it down if he managed to get into a car crash with no other cars in sight.

She produced an impatient sound through her nose that had him raise his eyebrow again. "You and Carol, who else?"

He snorted out an almost-laugh. "Yer seein' things. It's nothin'."

"In that case the whole prison is seeing things. The other men are all afraid to even look at her for fear you'll put a bolt through them."

When he didn't answer she looked over at him. He was totally not relaxed again. "I'm sorry. It's nobody else's business."

"Yer right, it ain't."