He couldn't remember if he'd been down this corridor before even for a hunter this place was a labyrinth. The echo's sounded the same from every area. He couldn't pinpoint where the banging was coming from it was infuriating. Left turn he'd already been this way he was sure, right turn the noise sounded closer somehow his ears were probably just playing tricks on him. No. there the door was up ahead. Open, close, open, close. that's where the banging was coming from, he crept forward quietly knife held out ready, wrapping his fingers around the edge of the door he braced himself for attack then swung it open and to his surprise found Carol on the other side. The poor thing. They had all assumed she was dead but here she was unconscious but alive. Picking her up, he ran as fast as he could back to their cell block darting round corners and shooting up corridors like walkers were on his tail. when he finally reached the door to the block he found the first bed he could and laid her on it, he checked for bites and scratches before grabbing a bottle of water and helping her drink it, that's when he heard Rick shouting at Carl and Beth.

"Carl, get a blanket, Beth, water and a towel!" the sound of the metal hinges squeaking and Hershel's crotches the only other sounds Daryl could hear so he headed towards the three of them and noticed a black woman lying on the floor, while Rick poured water over her and asking who she was, that's when Daryl made his presence known.

"Rick… who the hells this?" Rick once again tried to get a name out of the women but it wasn't happening. She could wait Carol was more important than this stranger. "Yo, come on in ere!" Rick looked over at Daryl then.

"Everything alright?" he looked concerned but over what Daryl wasn't sure.

"You're gonna wanna see this." That's when Rick finally got everyone to move Carl, Beth and Hershel they all walked into the block while Daryl locked the stranger in the mess hall, then lead the other's towards the cell he'd put Carol in. They all grasped in surprise when they saw she was alive and sitting on the bunk a smile on her dirty face. Everyone was overjoyed especially Rick, who hugged her with all his might. The whole scene was emotional and it messed with Daryl's fragile attitude, his sleepless nights were getting to him so he left the others and climbed up to his perch. Deciding now would be a good time to clean his gun but half an hour in and he still hadn't got his gun apart his focus not on it at all. Maybe he'll sleep better tonight because Carol's back. The nightmares had only been bad for the past couple of days, maybe that was it, and his problem was over, hopefully.


"Daryl, whatcha doin' tonight?" his Green eyed neighbour, beamed from her porch, a blue summer dress hugging her body, her dark hair curled down.

"Ain't got plans, why?" he looked up from under the hood of his truck, a rag thrown over his shoulder and oil covering his hands.

"Par's out of town for the weekend, so want to have a drink, I got some fine whiskey and a rabbit stew on the stove?" her eyes always seemed brighter when she talked to him, but maybe it was just the sun

"Well, little girly, my baby brotha ere, can't go anywhere his big brotha Merle ain't invited!" Merle said from the front door of their house, his white vest and jeans dirty, Daryl watched the smile leave her face as she looked over at his brother. She really didn't like him. Never had, guess it was because he tried too many times to get in her pants and each time she slapped him or kneed him. She sure knew how to leave a guy in pain and Daryl liked that about her even though she was beautiful and looked after her father she wasn't girly, she bantered like the best of them and could hold her own in most fights. Daryl had even taken her hunting once expecting her to cry or protest in some way about killing a poor defenceless squirrel but she loved the thrill of the hunt. She didn't even mind gutting the thing so they could roast it.

"Keep ya hands to ya self and we ain't got a problem, Merle?" she then turned on her heels and marched back into her home, her curls bouncing with each step.

"Ha, women only interested if you got a snake in ye pants or there lined with Benjamin's" Merle huffed then walked back inside the house, leaving Daryl wondering what the hell he was talking about.

Daryl smirked as he remembered that day. He and Merle had gone to hers after all. Merle even wore one of his best shirts over his cleanest white vest ( more like grey), he still had his grimy jeans on but that was scrubbing up for Merle. Daryl on the other hand had just washed his hands and that did him. The girl hadn't been lying when she said she had some fine whiskey and the rabbit stew was the best he'd ever had and he's had a few. It had been a good night, well till Merle got a bit too drunk. That's when the night had turned. After Merle had thrown the table over and smashed the glasses on the floor he tried to have it out with his brother who was trying to stop him hurting himself or the girl he was so eager to get at. Finally Merle had passed out in her father's bed leaving Daryl and the girl to clean up his mess. Daryl had apologised several times by that point but she just smiled and said its fine she was used to drunken fits. When they'd finally got the place back to normal they called it a night, Daryl dragged Merle back to his own bed and the girl headed to hers but not before telling Daryl. HE was welcome anytime for a drink. He should have gone to hers more, maybe she could have come with him and Merle if he had instead of staying at that house with her alcoholic of a father. Did she head to Atlanta like they were told too? He hoped not it was a dead zone, literally. There were walkers at every corner and he didn't want to think of her suffering that fate. Anyone suffering that fate, not even his own brother. Who disappeared in Atlanta after cutting his own hand off.


"Daryl, you might want to get in here!" Rick shouted from the mess hall the other end of the cell block, the sudden noise startling Daryl out of his daydream and as he got up his still assembled gun hit the floor with a thump.

"What the hell's got yer'll worked up?" He shouted as he walked towards Rick whose face was red and angry, no furious.

"Glenn and Maggie ain't back yet and Michonne knows why, Merle's got 'em, took 'em back to some survival town, Woodbury she said." The look on Ricks face was scary it looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel any second.

"What, Merle's got 'em, ye sure?" Daryl didn't know whether to be overjoyed that his brother was still alive or angry that he'd kidnapped members of his group so he settled on neither.

"That's what she said, Merle cornered them as they go supplies, demanding they tell him where you where, where all of us where. That's how she knew to bring the baby formula because Glenn and Maggie had it." Rick was pacing now, his gun handle held to his head like it would help him think.

"Does she know how to get to this town?" that was Hershel then, it was his daughter out there after all.


The day had passed quickly in the prison after finding out that Merle was still alive. Daryl was in a daze. His brother had made it this far even after cutting his own hand off in Atlanta but he'd kidnapped Glenn and Maggie. Taking them back to some survival town called Woodbury and the leader of that town was called the governor, (not like he fancied himself or anything). Daryl scoffed they had no ammo and were low on fuel but they had to go and save the loved up couple from his brother. What a sick twist of fate this world handed them.

Daryl was sorting his arrows when he overheard Carl asking why he couldn't go, but they were taking the wounded stranger. Which would have been a good question. if not for the fact that she was the one that knew where this town was.

It was dusk by the time they left the prison heading to Woodbury, anxiety had settled over the group as they drove. All not initially sure what they were walking into. It was pitch black by the time the car stopped. The group could just about make out the compounds perimeter wall in the distance. So on foot they crept closer staying low so not to be spotted. They were crouched behind a burnt out car before they knew it and then tried to decide what plan of action to take. During the plan making their tour guide disappeared leaving them stuck on a way to get in.