Her screams ran through his mind as he paced the floors.
He silently watched the sun go down.
"You knew better, damn it Daryl" he muttered to himself, kicking the door frame.
It had been a long day of people in and out checking to make sure he was okay.
Dale and Andrea came by to check in on him.
Lori brought him a drink.
Carl even tried to comfort him while he was comforting Sophia.
But he wouldn't let it go. He couldn't forget what he let happen.
He couldn't even find comfort in his best friends words, but still Rick floated in and out of the room.
He finally let himself relax just a bit, leaning against the wall and sliding down he let his head fall into his hands.
He wanted to forget her desperate screams all he wanted to remember was that smile. He played the scenario over and over again in his head.
"Where is she, Glenn?" He asked. Backing away from him, shaking his head.
Glenn was trying hard to catch his breath.
"There are about ten walkers in the back office, they all came at us at once. The noise attracted some more from the back. I lost her in the crowd" He said, wiping the blood off his forehead from picking off a few walkers.
Daryl couldn't keep himself from falling apart. He slung his crossbow over his shoulder.
He pulled his knife out of his pocket, pain hitting him worse when he realized it was Carols.
He was over come with rage.
"Take care of these walkers, I'm getting Carol back"
He said, rushing in the direction he heard her screaming. He picked off almost half of the walkers with ease.
The rage pulsing through his veins fueled him.
He cut down all but two walkers he saw crowded around a shelf that had fallen down.
He could see Carol wedged under the shelf, not moving.
He was frozen. Paralyzed with fear and heart ache. He didn't notice the walker coming up behind him.
He was staring at the blood on her face, her tiny body laying beneath the weight of the shelf.
He heard the walkers groans as it approached him, he turned to jam the knife in its skull, but by the time he turned it already hit the floor with a thud.
He looked at it confused. He looked up and saw a young girl, not more than seventeen years old perched on top of an aisle shelf.
She dropped down and he nodded to her and motioned in the direction of Glenn.
"I already took care of the Asian. He's checking the perimeter. I'm going to join him" She said and ran off.
He looked back to Carol. He had lost all hope.
He walked up and jammed the knife up into the last walkers skull.
He went to kneel by the fallen shelf.
"What am I going to do now" He said. He placed his head in his hands.
"Daryl?" He looked up.
~~~~~~
"Daryl?" He looked up and saw Hershel.
"Is..is she one of them?" He asked. Jumping up.
Sophia rushed over to them as they walked into the back room of the big farm house.
Skye was leaning against the wall, picking the dirt from under her nails.
Beth came up and hugged her.
"Uh..what was that for" Skye backed away, feeling a little more than awkward.
"I wanted to thank you" Beth's quiet voice was already broken, but she was on the verge of tears now.
"For" Skye asked. Leaning back up against the wall.
"You saved us back there. Maggie and I would never have made it out if it wasn't for you and Daryl" Beth spoke a little fast. Skye could see the trace of nervous jitter in her voice.
"I wasn't about to let ya just get bit" She said. She saw Beth flinch a little and regretted being so stern.
"I'm glad we all made it out alive. I and I'm sure the rest of Daryl and Rick's group really appreciate what you , Maggie and your father are doing" Skye said. She let a hand brush Beth's shoulder and then dropped it.
Beth nodded and smiled and went back help her father.
Skye peeked in and she could see Maggie and Glenn talking. Glenn was all but tripping over his own two feet over Maggie. Skye smiled to herself and shook her head.
"We appreciate what you have done. When will you be leaving?" Andrea's voice broke her moment of peace.
She turned to face her. She had no tolerance what so ever. It was ignorance and big head's that got her brother killed.
"I don't. You got a nice thing here, you could use someone like me" She said.
"Our group is big enough" Andrea looked down at her.
Skye clenched her fists and got in Andrea's face.
"Good, you won't mind one more" Skye looked her over and backed away when she heard foot steps.
Daryl came up beside Andrea.
"Dale wants you out on post with him" Daryl said in a stern voice.
He had never much liked her, but found ways to forgive her, now these days his tolerance for her was wearing thin.
"I never got to thank you for saving my ass" He said looking away to the back room.
"All in a days work" She said, looking down.
He nodded and walked back off toward the back room. Before going in he turned to her.
"You will make a good addition to the group. Andrea will see that in time" He nodded at her and went in.
She smiled to herself again. For the first time in months she didn't feel on edge.
~~~~
Overwhelming panic shot through Daryl's veins when he heard his name.
"Carol?" He said. Noticing that she was wiggling a little under the weight.
"Hang on, hang on. It's going to be okay" He gripped the shelves and worked the best he could to pry them off of her.
When he finally got them all off he checked her for bites. She was clear and he let out a small sigh of relief.
He wrapped his arms around her and helped her sit up. She was floating in and out of consciousness.
"Daryl" She whispered and smiled a little before passing out. He held her tight.
"Daryl? Daryl come on! We can get her to a safe place" He turned toward the unfamiliar country accent.
A young woman was standing there with Glenn.
He nodded and picked Carol up. He didn't want to waste any more time in this place.
They all crowded in the parking lot. Their voices carried and his heart was racing.
"Wait, wait. What the hell is going on?" He said, dropping down to one knee, letting Carol sit on his knee and lay against his chest.
"This is Maggie" Glenn pointed to the young girl with the thick accent.
"Beth is my sister. Our father, he's a doctor. He can help her" Maggie said. Helping Beth into their mini van.
Daryl shook his head trying to figure out what to do.
He sighed and finally said.
"Glenn, go back to the group with Maggie and bring them back with you. It's getting dark and it's obviously not safe. I'll go with Beth and Carol" he looked down at her.
"Where is the girl?" He asked. Looking around. He noticed her looking over his bike.
"Ya know how to drive that thing?" He asked, pulling Carol closer and standing up.
"Sorta" She replied. "And my name is Skye, not "ya"" She said, a small trace of annoyance in her voice.
"Follow us on it" He said, tossing her a small pistol. She climbed on it and cranked it up. A huge smile spread across her face.
Daryl slowly slid into the van, holding Carol in his lap. Beth started the van and they all took off.
It felt like a century before they reached the farm house. He looked behind to make sure Skye was still trailing them, he saw her round the corner into the drive way.
"Gettin' dust on my bike girl" he groaned to himself and carefully got out of the car with Carol.
"Daddy! We have more survivors and someone is hurt!" Beth said, crossing the distance to her father.
"Get her inside. Where is Maggie?" He asked. Walking along side Daryl into the house.
"She is getting more survivors. She's safe" Beth said.
Daryl and Hershel brought Carol to the back room.
Daryl explained what happened.
"I can't watch her turn." He stormed out into the hall. He saw Maggie and Glenn pull up with the rest of the group following close.
His eyes fell to Rick. He was running toward him.
"Is she okay" Rick asked. Resting his hand on Daryl's shoulder.
Daryl motioned to the back room.
"They may need help.." he trailed off, staring outside.
He watched Maggie help Lori unpack the group. He couldn't join in the warm welcomes.
He could barely stop pacing the floors.
Rick floated in and out of the room where Carol was.
Daryl was beating himself up inside. He would never forgive himself for this.
Night fell and the group settled in.
Lori watched over Sophia and Carl.
Glenn and Maggie were sorting out what to do.
T-dog and Dale joined Rick in the room to help out.
Skye floated around outside while Andrea locked herself in the RV.
He paced the floors almost non stop. Sipped a little of the drink Lori brought him.
He finally relaxed a little and sat down.
He tortured his thoughts with what had happened over and over. He wanted peace.
He wanted Carol, safe, alive.
At that moment he didn't know if she was any of those things.
