"You didn't do it."
The words were a low mutter, startling Carol from her trance.
They'd locked her up the day before, Rick and Michonne. Marched her to the cell and stripped her of everything but her knife. For her own protection, Rick had told her. Just until they figured out what came next.
She knew what came next. Tyreese would come for her. Of course he would. She'd already seen him once and she was convinced that had not three men held him back, he would have snapped each of the steel bars in front of him in order to punish her.
She would not try to stop him. He deserved his revenge.
She blinked twice. Pulled her gaze from the floor and looked up at the figure behind the bars.
"Don't." Carol whispered, drawing her feet closer to her chest.
Daryl's fist closed tighter on the strap of his crossbow and stepped closer.
"No, how 'bout you don't. Rick had nothin'. Nothin' but a hunch, so why would you go give yourself away like that, huh?" His other hand curled round the cell bar and she turned her head away from him.
She could not bear to see that look in his eyes.
"Daryl. Don't do this. It only makes it harder." Carol could not help her eyes welling up. She had to stay strong. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
She heard him shift, heard him press his weight against the bars.
"What do you think is goin' to happen? You can't just stay in here!" Daryl thumped the bar angrily, making her jump. "You think they just gonna ground you in here for a few days, then pretend it never happened? I can't sit here every damned minute of the day so Tyreese don't try to kill you!" Daryl's voice trembled on those last few words and he pushed himself off the bars and turned away, pacing in a small circle with one palm pressed against his forehead. "Why are you doin' this?"
Carol stood up then, took herself towards him and reached out and brushed her fingertips against his leather-covered back, the only part of him she could reach. "Because I have to do what's necessary. To keep people safe." She snatched her hand back quickly and turned away again. "Now you do your bit. Keep them safe."
It got quiet behind her. So quiet she thought he'd walked away from her without saying anymore and choked back the sob that wanted to run free, but let the salty teardrops run down her cheeks freely.
Daryl let out a long, ragged sigh. "Which one of them? Who's makin' you do this?" He said, his voice low and demanding.
She let out a hollow laugh and scrubbed her cheeks dry quickly. "How long has it been since I let someone tell me what to do?" She braced herself for the words that were coming. "I killed Karen and David. I thought it would stop the flu spreading. I was protecting my family. I am protecting my family."
"Stop lying!" Daryl roared. He was spitting with rage and upset and her heart fluttered with fear. It had been so long since he had been like this. It pained her that it had to be so. Daryl would overcome of it, of that she was sure. Or she hoped. She had to make it so, whatever it took.
"You think I wouldn't do anything to protect the people I love and cherish?" She asked him stonily, turning to give him a steady glare.
"I know that's exactly what you would do. I know you, Carol. You are coverin' for somebody. Which one of 'em?"
Carol shook her head quickly. She knew nothing she said was going to wash with him and protesting it anymore would only make it harder to keep going. "I'd do it to protect any child, Daryl. To protect any person. Any parent."
She slumped back against the wall and slid to the floor, focused her gaze back onto the concrete.
Daryl fell silent once more. In the distance she heard Maggie shout something and Michonne responded in kind.
"Was it Carl?" He swallowed audibly. "Or Lizzie?"
Carol couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. And right away, Daryl caught it. Her game was over. She lost.
"This ends right now." He told her, turning on his heel and storming away.
She scrambled upwards and called his name, over and over, but it made no difference. Daryl was gone, off to give her up.
She had failed. Another child that she couldn't protect. Carol wept.