Sorry for the wait and the length of this chapter, but if I didn't update tonight then I wouldn't have been able to update until Sunday night because I am going out of town for Thanksgiving. I also just want to let you know, that no matter what happens on the mid season finale on Sunday, I will still continue to write this story. So, my Governor's attack may be completely AU(besides the tank, I'm pretty sure it will be and plus the whole story is AU as well haha). Well, enough rambling, I hope you all enjoy and I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! :D

Chapter 4

Daryl returned back to the prison just as it was getting dark. The sound of his bike alerted whoever was on watch and the gate was being pulled open just as he got there. It didn't take long for Rick to find him after he parked the Triumph and dismounted.

"Not much luck, huh?" He asked when he saw the couple scores and rabbit strapped to his belt.

"Naw, but at least I got somethin'." He didn't look the ex-sheriff in the eye for fear the man would see exactly what he was feeling. For the first time in a month, he felt happy. Carol was safe, she was near and she was his. That evening in her cabin had cemented that fact.

All he wanted to do now was drop off the game in the kitchen and retire to his cell. There he would lie in his back and recall the events of earlier. Like the way Carol had wrapped her legs around his waist, the way her chest felt pressed against his and the way her tongue slid deliciously against his own.

"Daryl?" Rick was looking at him oddly.

"What?" He scowled, annoyed that his was so suddenly pulled from his daydream.

"Nothing. You just looked like you're somewhere else."

I fuckin' wish. "Naw, I'm here." He shrugged and turned to leave.

"Do you want me to take those and let you get some rest? You look tired."

He was tired. A smirk came to his face as he walked away from Rick. Carol had worn him out.

The day the Governor attacked had been just like every other day. Daryl woke up with the sun, dreams of Carol still on his mind and stumbled to the bathroom to take a cold shower before everyone else got up to start their days.

Making his way to the outdoor kitchen, he noticed that he wasn't the only one up. Beth, who had taken over the cooking since Carol's banishment, was now slaving away over the fire. The cooking was too much for one person, especially someone as young and inexperienced as Beth. The job had practically been thrown at her and Daryl couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. He wanted to bet that her older sister was still asleep in the cell she shared with Glenn.

"Need help?" He didn't know that much about cooking, except for maybe frying the meat, but he figured he could at least help the girl with something.

Beth jumped slightly at his unexpected presence, just like Carol had always done. She turned to look at him, mouth set in a hard line. "No, thank you." She snapped and turned back to her work without another word.

Daryl stepped back, confused. What the hell had he done to the little Greene to have her get all snappy with him? He'd expect something like that from her sister, since he had been spending the last month giving her dirty looks, but not from her sweet tempered little sister.

"You sure?" He tried again, thinking that maybe she had been upset with him because he had startled her.

"No, I'm fine," she said without looking at him. "Why don't you go see if Rick has anything else for you to do?"

Daryl froze at the icy tone of her voice. "Excuse me?" He couldn't believe that she was talking to him this way.

She turned to him, then, her face a picture of innocence except for her eyes which flashed with anger. "I'm sure Rick has something you'll happily drop everything to do, Daryl."

"The hell you sayin'?" He took a step closer and was surprised when the girl didn't cower away. He knew how menacing he could be.

""Daryl, I want you to go hunting. The group needs meat.'" She spoke in a gruff, deep voice, clearing trying to imitate Rick's way of speaking. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Daryl would have laughed.

"The group does need meat. Don't see you makin' vegetables for breakfast."

"'Daryl, we need you here, so stop looking for Carol.'" Everything made sense then. Beth was upset that he had stopped looking for Carol. He was about to open his mouth, not to say he had found her, but to say that he hadn't given up, but she continued. "I can't believe you just up and quit looking for the woman you obviously had feelings for. Did she not mean that much to you? Was she just someone to dump all your problems on and then, not give a shit about after?" Beth's voice grew steadily louder. He had never heard her raise her voice before.

Instead of getting angry, Daryl remained calm. "Look, Beth, I ain't done lookin' for her and there ain't anythin' Rick can say that will make me quit."

She blinked in surprise. "Really?"

He nodded. "Rick ain't the boss of me and I only do the shit I want to do."

Beth's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for saying those things, then. I've never cussed before and it just kind of slipped out."

Daryl smiled. "Well, it's about time you fuckin' start." People began to trickle into the eating area and a few ladies approached the blonde-haired woman and helped with the rest of breakfast. Daryl took that as his cue to grab a bowl and leave.

It surprised and gladdened him that there were at least two people, other than him, still in the prison that cared about Carol.

Daryl took his bowl of food and walked to the same spot him and Carol had stood a short month ago, watching the walker build up on the fences. This time he was alone. Well, for a moment.

Glenn jogged up to him seconds later. "Hey." He greeted with a smile and Daryl returned it. "I didn't get the chance to talk to you when you got back last night. Everything okay?"

"Everythin's fine."

Glenn looked at him oddly, then. "Something is different about you. You look...happier? You smiled at me."

"Well, fuck, can't a man smile around here?" Daryl growled and focused on his breakfast. He didn't need the nosy ass Asian in his business.

"Something is going on you with you, Daryl." Glenn looked him over. "And I'm going to find out what it is." He threatened.

Daryl didn't have a chance to respond, because the air was filled with the sound of an approaching vehicle. A large vehicle. He looked up and nearly dropped his breakfast on the concrete.

A fucking tank was making its way towards the prison's fences.

Thanks for reading!