He landed hard on his knees, throwing out both hands to catch himself before he face planted too. "Shit." He was already sore from the beating they gave him before tossing him into the cell, and landing hard just made every joint hurt that much more. He took a few seconds to catch his breath before sitting back on his heels and looking around. It was a small cell, but he was surprised that there was only one other person inside.

Daryl scooted toward the nearest wall, watching to see if that other person was going to move or if they had noticed him. When nothing happened he took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. He had been outside of Alexandria with Aaron when they had heard a loud explosion. They couldn't see what had happened, the trees had blocked any view they might have had, so they hurried back to the road and the vehicles. When they got close to the walls they could see that something was on fire, the gate was open and there were walkers streaming inside, and the sound of rapid gunfire came from several directions.

The only reason Aaron hadn't bolted into the walled community was because there were no open paths to get inside. He had been frantic, near panic about what was happening and whether Eric was safe. Everywhere they looked there were people fighting or walkers moving as a herd. They were going to try to circle around from a greater distance, but they were separated in the woods and Daryl was caught. He wasn't sure what happened to Aaron, or anyone inside the walls. He wanted to hope for the best, but experience had taught him that it often was the worst that he could expect.

He looked over to the thin figure in the corner again. He could tell that it was an adult, but that they were slender, probably male though they were hunched over their legs with their head down so he couldn't see much more than that. Except that they were shivering.

"Hey. You okay?" Daryl shifted closer down the wall, using it to brace himself still. "You awake?"

"Daryl?" His name was whispered, but it was Eric that was looking up at him, wide-eyed, "Did they catch you in the woods? Was Aaron with you, is he okay?"

Daryl held up a hand, "Slow down. We came back when we heard explosions, but we were separated outside the walls. He was alright the last time I saw him, so don't panic. What happened at Alexandria?"

"I'm not sure. I was at home. I heard guns but I didn't even get to open the door before someone else came inside. I think they were taking people from all of the houses, but I haven't seen anyone else since they put me here." He glanced toward the doorway, "They didn't say anything about why they were attacking us; they just grabbed me."

Daryl looked at Eric more closely. Even with the shadows in the room he could see that the entire right side of Eric's face was bruised and there was blood on his chin. He wasn't wearing clothing suited for the cold either, which made sense if he was grabbed from inside the house. Daryl shrugged out of his jacket, "Put this on, you're losing body heat sitting on this concrete."

Eric hesitated, staring at him silently for a moment before reaching out and taking the jacket. There was more bruising and blood along the pale skin of his arm. He moved awkwardly as he put the jacket on, but the shivering mostly stopped. "Thank you."

"They beat you?" Daryl moved closer again and Eric didn't seem to mind, "It seems to be their method of dealing with people." He wasn't one to reach out to touch people, not wanting to be touched himself, but he was tempted to grab Eric and pull him closer right now. "Are you okay?"

Eric shrugged, "I don't think anything is broken." It was a non-answer but Daryl didn't want to push. He had the feeling that he might not like the truth. The way that Eric was sitting and the slow way he moved indicated he was in pain but that he didn't want to admit to it. Daryl could understand that far too well, so he let it go for the moment.

There was a long moment of silence and it looked like Eric was going to ask him something several times, but stopped himself. Daryl could guess that it was something about Aaron again, and was glad that he didn't have to guess what had happened. It didn't take long for the silence to become uncomfortable though and Daryl shifted closer again, as Eric gave him a confused look.

"I don't know if they have plans for us, or if they're coming back before tomorrow, but it's only going to get colder, and –"

Daryl trailed off as Eric nodded, "I think I know what you are getting at. Shared body heat is the best way to stay warm. Aaron always told me that." Eric frowned and shivered, "Do you want the jacket back?"

"Not yet, maybe later. We'll see." He shifted closer again until they were finally sitting next to each other.

"Does this feel weird to you?" Eric laughed softly, "This whole day has been crazy and I keep hoping that I'll wake up and it won't be real, and to end up here, with you, like this? It just doesn't seem real. I keep wondering what Aaron would say, and then wondering if he's okay. If he's still alive." He flinched at his own words, "I don't want this to be real."

Daryl nodded, "I know." He shifted slightly, reaching out to tug Eric closer, "I never thought that I'd be doing this. Aaron would understand though; he'd want you to be as safe as possible, under the circumstances. Getting sick because of hypothermia is not the way to stay safe." He waited until Eric nodded in agreement, and then wrapped an arm around the other man, "We should probably get some rest in case they come back soon."

When he woke there was light streaming in from the high window set in one of the walls. The cell wasn't really a jail cell, but a small cement room in the basement of a warehouse, with small windows high along the wall. Narrow windows that were barred against burglars. He had looked them over before it had gotten too dark the night before, and given them up as an escape route. For being in a small, cement room, Daryl was almost comfortable though. He was warmer than he had the right to expect at least.

They had taken his jacket and rolled it as best they could as a make-shift pillow, and then he had slept with his back to the middle of the room, while Eric was next to the wall. Daryl hadn't spooned with anyone ever in his entire life, that he could recall, and he still felt awkward about it, but it had kept them warmer and Eric didn't move around a lot in his sleep. He was idly wondering what Aaron would think about the situation when the cell door was flung open and someone was pushed inside.

It was Aaron, and Daryl scrambled up before Eric was fully awakened by the door slamming shut again. Aaron seemed to have gotten the same treatment that they had already received. His lower lip was split and still bleeding, and there was a bruise under his left eye. He seemed a little dazed, but when Daryl moved toward him he focused. "Daryl?"

"Aaron!" Eric was up and across the room in two steps and Aaron grabbed onto him; they grabbed onto each other Daryl saw. "I thought that- I mean, I hoped, but Daryl didn't know what happened to you."

Aaron looked around the room, over Eric's shoulder, seeing the rolled up jacket. "We don't have a lot of time. I was supposed to let them catch me to see where they brought me, and then the others were going to follow. That was hours ago. They should be here soon." He reached out and Daryl surprised himself by offering his own hand to be clasped, "Carol and Michonne organized a team to come get you and the handful of others that we thought were taken. Someone saw them loading people into a van before they left. Rick is leading the efforts in Alexandria to clear the walkers that got in and take care of the damages. We lost people, but not as many as we first thought. We just have to make it through the rescue attempt, so when you hear gunfire, stay down and stay quiet."

Daryl nodded and grabbed his jacket from the floor. "How did you get through?"

Aaron gave him a wry smile, from over Eric's shoulder, "They didn't catch me in the woods. I went around to the new construction and managed to get Abraham's attention. He covered me when I went over the wall. They had me shooting walkers as soon as I landed on the other side."

He and Eric slowly untangled themselves from each other. "One of the neighbors was the witness to the abductions; I guess Mrs. Aleffson was wilier than anyone gave her credit for because she hid in her attic and watched what was happening. She told me that Eric was one of the people grabbed."

Daryl hunkered down on the floor again, nearer to the doorway, "They got me while I was still in the woods. Didn't even see the fucker before he hit me." He gestured toward the door, "So there are others being held here too? I haven't heard anything from out there."

Aaron nodded, "There were three others taken. Rick thought that it was a lot of effort to rescue just a few people, until he heard that you were missing." There was a story there, Daryl could hear it in Aaron's voice, and he wondered if there was going to be future trouble. If Rick had suggested that it was too much trouble to send a rescue for Eric and a few others, people that Rick wasn't closer to, then Daryl would completely understand the anger. The way that Aaron caught his eyes and then looked toward Eric stopped him from asking for more information though.

"We should sit too." Aaron tugged Eric, gently, toward the wall and they sat close enough to remain in physical contact. Eric didn't seem to want to release his grip on Aaron's hand and he had finally stopped shaking. "We should stay quiet now, and listen for the attack."