"Rick." I call out, wincing slightly at the harsh echoes that bounce almost endlessly off the walls of the cavernous hallway. The cell block is eerily silent, hold for the heavy clopping of my boots on the dusty concrete floor.

"Rick!" I try again, letting a bit of frustration seep into my tone. I didn't have time for any of this hide and seek shit. He'd been avoiding me. That much was obvious. Carol was the reason he was avoiding me. That part was so much more obvious.

"Ri-" My call is cut short by the man himself. I meet him chest to chest, both of us stumbling back slightly at the shock of such a sudden appearance.

"Daryl," He begins, a bit sheepishly, "sorry. I was working on the generator."

I nod once, cutting off his stories. "Hershel said you needed to talk to me." I state bluntly, crossing my arms over my chest to regard him properly, yet casually at the same time.

"Right." He agrees, straightening up a bit, situating himself into his more leader-like persona. I've seen him make the switch a million times before. I can't help but arch my eyebrows in slight amusement as his eyes find mine.

"Well?" I prompt, leaning my back casually against the hard, dirty wall, keeping my gaze even with his, matching his intensity and composure.

"Daryl… I'm just gunna have to be blunt. I had to leave Carol behind."

I can feel the breath being pushed out of my lungs as a sudden rush of fear and anger wraps tightly around my insides. "What?" I demand, not suppressing the look of anger that has taken up my demeanor.

"Calm down." He says sharply, only stoking the fire of outrage that's beginning to burn in my gut. "Let me explain."

"Explain then." I demand gruffly, staring him dead in the eye.

His gaze averts from mine as he runs a hand through his thick, greasy hair. "She killed Karen and David, and then burned them. She claimed she was helpin' the group but she just… She killed them. They coulda been helped."

"Why?" I ask, not letting the undertone of ire leak from my tone.

"Why… What?" He questions, staring at a place on the wall just past my shoulder.

"What was her reason for killin' 'em?"

"She said they'd infect the rest of the group. Said they were a danger. Maggie agreed I did the right thing."

I stare at him. It was very typical of Rick. The reassurance of the group kept him going. I see where he was coming from with this. She could have been a potential danger to the group but… But this was Carol we were speaking of. The playful, lighthearted, soft-spoken woman who has… Two girls now. Two girls she was supposed to take care of.

"What about Mika and Lizzie?" I question, the anger slowly seeping from my voice to make way for a hollow emptiness.

"Hershel'll take care of 'em, I'm sure." He says, a tinge of relief taking over his originally tense disposition.

"… We can't leave her like that Rick. It's killin' her." I state bluntly, staring him in the eyes again.

"She's a strong woman. She'll be fine." He says nonchalantly, though a bit of guilt takes up residence in his all-telling blue eyes.

"She was family Rick. She was like a gotdamn sister to you. We've all killed people for this group… In this group. Even you. You ain't no saint. Whose to say you ain't a danger to this group… Or I ain't?" I question, letting the kindling of anger reignite in my gut. It was a feeling all too familiar that I'd missed. An all-engulfing rage.

"Daryl… You know it ain't like that."

"But it is. I'm goin' after her." I state, already making my move back for the other end of the prison.

"No, Daryl!" He says firmly, grabbing roughly onto my arm.

I whirl on him, swinging my fist to hit him firmly in the jaw. His head snaps back and he hits the floor. I shake out my hand, the pull and tug of bruising knuckles a familiar, and frankly, a missed sensation.

Before I can truly here the sounds of him standing or yelling at me to get back to him, I swing my crossbow up on my arm and walk out of the cell block, setting out to gather supplies I know I'll be needing.

I was going on a rescue mission.