So, I know that this has been done A LOT of times already, but this was a result of my anger over that last episode. Also, a friend said I should post this because it originally was just going to be for her. This is just how I want Daryl to react to Carol missing and it might just be two parts, but I have some ideas on how it could possibly be a short story. I want to see how well this is received first before I go ahead with them.

Once again, this is just my version of what I hope happens in the show, so please, if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all! Thank you and I hope there is some people out there that might like this! :)

Chapter One

He couldn't fuckin' believe it. This was deja vu. Everything about this situation was the same except the location and the fact that he didn't have a dozen squirrels strapped to his belt. His crossbow lay across his back and he fiddled with strap with his eyes narrowed.

Rick stood in front of him, body and face cocked to the side and hand resting on his pistol, just like it had been over a year ago at the quarry.

"You got somethin' you want to tell me, Rick?" Even his words mirrored those said so long ago. He had just gotten back from his run with Ty, Michonne and Bob and after dropping off the meds to Hershel, he had gone off to find Carol. The run had been difficult both physically and mentally and he needed to unwind, but his best friend and confidante was nowhere to be seen.

Maggie had reassured him that she wasn't with the sick, but that was all she said. The look she had given him made him go straight to Rick. Something was up and he was going to find out what it was.

He had finally found Rick standing by the blackened remains of his pigpen. The man turned to face him and he skipped the pleasantries.

"Where's Carol?" He demanded.

"Daryl..." The former sheriff started.

"Where. Is. She?" This was no time to beat around the goddamn bush. Something was up and he needed Rick to tell him. Right. Now.

"She killed Karen and David."

The wind left his sails, then. That wasn't possible. Carol would never kill someone in cold blood like that. His Carol was kind, caring and liked to tease him.

His Carol was not a cold-blooded killer.

"She admitted it me, Daryl. She said she did it because she wanted to stop the sickness from spreading."

"Where is she now?" He got a sick feeling in his gut and he clutched harder at the strap of his crossbow.

"Daryl, I'm going to need you keep a calm head about this..." Rick stepped closer to him with a placating hand, but made sure to angle his body away.

"You got somethin' you want to tell me, Rick?" He bit out.

Rick avoided the hunter's eyes. "Carol isn't here."

"What?" He took a menacing step forward. "What do you mean she ain't here?"

"I took her on a run and-"

"She dead?" His voice cracked slightly as he spoke the words.

"No, I left her out there. I banished her from the prison." The words were said so matter of fact, Daryl had to clench his fists tightly so that he wouldn't punch Rick in the face for being so unemotional about it.

"What?!"

"She killed two of our own, Daryl. She's lost her humanity and I don't trust her around my children and the rest of the group."

"Whoa, let me get this straight, Rick." Daryl was having a hard time processing everything that had just been said. "You don't trust her anymore? The same woman who has taken care of your kids, has taken care of everyone fuckin' person here and who would probably put her life before anyone else."

"Daryl, listen, you don't-"

"No, I do understand, Rick! After months of not wanting to be the leader, you finally decide you want that position back. That's not how it works." Daryl began to pace angrily in front of the other man.

"She's a danger to us, Daryl. What if it had been one of us sick instead of Karen or David? She would have killed us and not given a second thought about it. I talked to her, Daryl. There isn't anything left of the old Carol."

Daryl stopped in his tracks and choose to ignore the last comment. Rick didn't know shit about Carol. When was the last time he talked to her anyway? He had been too busy with his fuckin' plants and pigs to pay attention to much else. "Why's your kid still here, then?"

Rick looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I said, why the hell is Carl still here?"

"I don't understand-"

"Your kid killed a boy, not much older than a teenager, when he was surrenderin'. If we're kickin' people out because they're a danger, than why is he still in here?" Daryl walked so close to Rick that there faces almost touched. "Why are you still here?"

Rick was silent and he kept his gaze averted.

"It wasn't your fuckin' call to make, Rick, and you know it." Daryl took a step back.

"I didn't do it just because she was a danger. If Tyreese found out, then he'd kill her. I did it to protect her, too."

"Leave fuckin' Tyreese to me. He ain't goin' to lay a hand on her." He turned to leave, then. He was going to find her. It didn't matter that he had just gotten back from a run, he knew he wouldn't be able to relax until she was back where she belonged. And that was right by his side.

"She's not welcome back here."

Daryl whipped around. "The hell you say?"

"You heard me, Daryl." Rick stood his ground, his hand still brushing the handle of his gun. "She's not welcome back here. I can't have her around my children."

"That ain't your decision, either. This is her home just as much as it's yours, if not more. While you were off in crazy town, she kept her head, took care of your kids and helped keep this group together. While you were off being Farmer Rick, she helped run this place and helped keep it fed." He moved to walk away again, but stopped. "When I bring her back, Rick, which I will do, I don't want you to ever call me your brother again. You're not shit to me anymore. This is the fuckin' last time you leave behind someone I care about."

First, it had been Merle and look what that had done to his brother. Now, he was six feet under. Like hell he'd let that happen to Carol.

His Carol.

So, tell me the truth. Should I continue with this little experiment?

Thanks for reading!