By the time the others got back Daryl and Carol between them had managed to catch three rabbits, two snakes and four squirrels.
"Wow this is great," said Beth smiling happily.
Carol nodded, "yeah we can cook it up later, did you guys find anything?"
"Just more berries but not much else," Beth replied.
"We best get going then, before you know it it'll be dark again," Carol said picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.
"Okay," Beth agreed walking over to tell Lizzie and Mika to get ready to leave.
"You ready?" Daryl asked coming up behind Carol.
Carol took a breath before answering, "yeah sure, let's do this."
He nodded his head upwards and went to round the others up getting ready to set off.
Mika stayed close to Carol as they made their journey down the track, scared she might come across a walker. Daryl walked behind them all watching Carol intently as he did, he was going to find out the truth, who she was covering for. He wasn't even sure if it mattered any more, this person could be dead for all he knew but he still wanted answers from her, why she would choose to tell Rick a lie knowing the consequence.
No one really spoke very much, apart from the occasional inappropriate comment from Lizzie and the crying of Judith.
"Why won't she shut up," Lizzie muttered to Mika who was stood directly next to Carol.
"She's just a baby," Carol responded looking over at her.
"Babies don't belong in a time like this," Lizzie replied bluntly.
"Like any of us do," Daryl said from behind them, "none of us belong here."
Lizzie scowled at him and Daryl laughed a little, "calm down kid, I'm just pointing it out."
"Daryl," Carol said turning around to look at him with a concerned look on her face, "don't."
Daryl frowned but said nothing more and continued walking down what seemed to be an endless track.
Eventually after a few hours of walking Tyreese noticed something down the bottom of the slope through the woods.
"Hey guys look through there," he said pointing through a clearing into the trees.
"Looks like a cul-de-sac," Beth said.
"Clear one of those houses and we should be able to stay there," Tyreese replied looking to everyone for approval.
Carol nodded, "sure why not, this is what we were looking for in the first place."
Everyone seemed hesitant to go down, no one had really thought of what they would do after this, if this worked and they managed to live safely down there, then what? Would they continue looking for any other survivors? Would the build barriers around the area keeping walkers out? Would they stay there until supplies run low and then move on to the next best thing? All of these were good choices for surviving but not for living, it would never be anything compared to the prison, nothing would.
Everyone stood there for a moment looking down at the houses, preparing themselves for the what lied ahead.
"Lets do this then," Daryl said getting impatient, making his way down through the trees.
Everyone followed after him down to the road of the cul-de-sac.
"You wanna pick the most secure house," Daryl said walking around checking for broken doors and fences.
No one but him moved from the road, they let him take charge and choose where would be best to stay.
Daryl glanced over at them from across the cul-de-sac and whistled, "this ones good."
They made their way over to the door and hesitated again.
"Should just maybe two of us go in and clear the house?" Carol asked.
"Yeah yeah sure, Tyreese come clear the house with me, hand little ass kicker to Beth," Daryl said.
Tyreese handed Judith over to Beth and Daryl put his hand on the hand of the door, "you good?"
Tyreese pulled out his weapon, "yeah."
"Okay," Daryl said swinging the door open.
They stood at the entrance as Daryl banged the wall a few times waiting for any loose walkers. One came shuffling out of the kitchen and Daryl immediately shot them in the head with his arrow. They waited for any more but heard nothing so split up and scanned the house. Tyreese found one in the bathroom but apart from that nothing more, the rooms hadn't been touched since the apocalypse went down, it was a perfect place for them to stay.
"Alright it's clear," Daryl said dragging the two dead walkers outside and chucking them into the street.
Everyone went in and walked around, Beth looked in cupboards for supplies and medicines, Carol went upstairs with the kids, looking at the rooms for Judith, Lizzie and Mika, Tyreese went around to the back garden checking it was all secure and Daryl sat on the stairs, head in hands.
Carol came back down, leaving Lizzie and Mika up in the bedroom and frowned upon seeing Daryl.
"Something up?" she asked sitting down next to him.
He raised his head from his hands and yawned, "nah just tired."
"Well I've just looked at the bedrooms, Mika and Lizzie have taken the room with the bunk beds, then there's two double rooms, one with two single beds and one with a double."
"I'll sleep on the couch," Daryl said rubbing his face and standing up.
"No Daryl that's not gonna help you sleep, we'll talk to the others and see what they want to arrange."
"Great," Daryl replied rolling his eyes.
"Tyreese, Beth," Carol called going into the living room.
They both walked in a few moments later.
"What's up?" Beth asked.
"Sleeping arrangements," Carol said, "upstairs there are three bedrooms, one with bunk beds for Lizzie and Mika, one with two single beds and one with a double. I don't who wants to sleep where or if someone wants to sleep on the couch but I can't say that'll be very comfy."
They all looked at the two seated leather couch and frowned slightly.
"I'm happy with the single, why don't you and Daryl take the double?" Tyreese suggested.
Daryl stiffened.
"Yeah I'm fine with the single," Beth said.
"Well...it's just, um, well," Carol began.
"Come on, you two are the closest ones out of all of us," Tyreese said sitting down.
"I spose so," Carol said uncertainly.
"There sleeping arrangements sorted then," Beth said going back to the kitchen.
Daryl also walked out the room saying nothing.
Carol followed after him knowing he wouldn't had the best reaction.
"Daryl," Carol said as he walked up the stairs.
"What?" he asked.
"Are you okay with this? I'm happy to sleep on the couch."
"Yeah I'm fine, I was just putting my bag up here."
"Oh, um okay then," Carol said taking a step back down the stairs.
"Why? You have a problem with it?" Daryl asked coldly.
"Uh no, no that's fine," Carol said awkwardly.
Daryl raised his eyebrows and nodded once, "good."
Carol went downstairs and grabbed the bag of her stuff, when she came back up she saw Daryl sprawled out across the bed on his back. She stared at him, watching his chest rise and fall as he took something in his pocket and started turning it in his hand.
"Watcha got there?" Carol asked walking into the room.
Daryl jumped and slipped it back into his pocket, "ah it's nothing, just some jasper I found before everything at the prison fell apart."
"Never known you to be the sentimental type?" Carol questioned sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah I'm not usually," Daryl said sitting up, leaning back on one arm.
Carol found it hard not to be attracted to him when he was looking up at her like that, "so...sleeping arrangements are going to be pretty shit for a while. I was thinking maybe we could clear another house and half of us could go next door or something-"
"Woah, getting a bit ahead of yourself there Daryl, yeah sleeping arrangements aren't great but it'll do for a minute, don't think this is going to be permanent, we have to keep moving."
"But why move if we're okay here? Let's face it it's not like we're going to find somewhere safe."
"The prison was safe," Carol pointed out.
"Yeah so safe that it got bombed and over-loaded with walkers, safe my ass," Daryl said collapsing back down on the bed.
"It if wasn't for the governor then that place would of been fine."
"Yeah instead someone else would of wanted to take it over and they would of destroyed it instead. Face it we're all just surviving, our generation wasn't meant to live."
"I'm glad you're alive," Carol said randomly.
Daryl glanced up at her, "yeah well I'm glad you're alive too, only person that's keeping me sane. You were the last person I thought I'd ever see again."
Carol smiled and Daryl sat back up.
"Now that I have found you though there's a few things you'll need to clear up and answer," Daryl said standing up.
"What do you mean?" she asked standing up also.
Daryl didn't reply as Lizzie walked in, "are you sleeping in here Carol?"
"Yeah I guess so," Carol replied.
"Is he sleeping in here too?" Lizzie asked looking intensely at Daryl.
"Yeah Daryl will be staying in here too, there's no other spare beds."
"Are you two going to have sex?" she asked bluntly.
"Lizzie! That's really not appropriate to be asking anyone!" Carol snapped.
Daryl could feel his face blushing red as he stood quietly.
"Fine fine whatever," Lizzie said walking out of the room, "you never said no though..."