Nope, I don't own the walking dead and I'm not associated with it or it's franchise...just for fun.

*Hi Everyone...this is a little chapter I've dedicated to Daryl's man pain. I just found it important that you understand the utter remorse and pain he is going through.


Chapter 4


DARYL

"She can't leave Rick. Ya can't let her." Daryl told Rick. There was a panic in Daryl's eyes and voice. Rick felt it too, but for different reasons. Daryl's panic came from him being crazy in love with Carol. Rick's panic came from losing the one person who had sacrificed so much for him and his family's survival. A debt he'd never be able to repay. A woman who understood what he'd been through with Lori and Shane. A woman who'd forgiven him for one of the worst things he'd ever done. Rick loved Carol. They were closer than friends...not lovers, but still bonded...she was a sister he'd never had.

"Not much I can do about it Daryl." Rick told him. "She's her own woman, and she's pretty stubborn once she's made her mind up." He hadn't told him about the run yet. If Daryl knew what the ultimate goal was...Daryl would do something stupid. The man wasn't thinking straight, and Rick had to keep the balance between them. So, Rick had only mentioned Carol wanting to leave the hospital and go out on her own.

"I know that Rick. You don't have to tell me how my woman is..." Daryl growled out. No matter what Carol thought she was still his! It pissed Daryl off that Rick had taken on the protective role with Carol. At first, he'd been happy Rick was there for Carol, but now jealousy was running deep in him.

Rick didn't know Carol like Daryl knew her. No matter what Rick thought. Daryl knew what made her moan in ecstasy. He knew how to take her hard and deep enough to make her moan and beg like a vixen. Daryl knew how to take Carol so softly and gently, that tears filled her eyes with how much she loved him. Daryl had been the one to hold her in the middle of the night, when nightmares had awoken her, and she'd burst into tears at the memory of them. Daryl knew that Carol had a brother who'd died when his was 10. A brother Carol had loved with all her heart. A brother no one knew about but him.

Daryl had swung by Rick's room hoping to catch a glimpse of Carol.

The man was about at his end. He'd put up not having Carol in his life for the last month. Daryl was getting desperate, and thoughts about just kidnapping Carol...then taking her away until she agreed to forgive him and be with him again were becoming more and more appealing. Unrealistic? Maybe...but still possible.

Instead of finding Carol...he'd found Rick. What Rick had told him had set Daryl off in away he hadn't been in a long time.

"The hell ya can't do nuthin' about it." Daryl yelled. He took his foot and kicked a chair across the room. It slammed into a bookshelf, knocking the rows of book off. Daryl grabbed a stack of books, and threw them across the room. Pages flew out fluttering to the floor.

Rick just stood back and let Daryl rage. The man was hurting, and Rick knew he had to let off some steam.

"Listen Daryl. I convinced her that she should stay." Rick told him. "She agreed but wouldn't make any promises about changing her mind." Rick walked up and put his hand on Daryl's shoulder. Daryl flinched slightly.

"I just dunno what to do." Daryl told Rick. "I can't hardly breathe without her."

"You have to give her time Daryl. She's angry and she has a right to be." Rick said. Rick felt for Daryl, but understood how Carol felt. He'd been there. It was hard to be Daryl's best friend and brother, yet still empathize with Carol over his actions. Nothing would change his brotherly love for Daryl though. Just a weird position for him to be in.

"You think she'll ever forgive me?" Daryl asked softly. Rick could tell he was trying something, anything to give him hope...

"I don't know." Rick told Daryl. He'd never forgiven Lori or Shane. He didn't want to tell Daryl that though. Of course, Rick regretted not fixing things before she had died, but he knew he would never love Lori as purely as he had before the Shane incident. "I think what you two have is rare and special. Stuff like that can't just be forgotten."

Daryl just nodded.

"How's she doing overall?" Daryl asked calming down.

"She's okay. She's finally started sleeping again. Just keeps waking up at night. I hear her crying sometimes." Rick said to Daryl.

His stress at hearing her and knowing why showed in his body. Daryl punched the wall. His knuckles were bloodied, but he barely felt it.

"I can't keep this up Rick. I want to be there for Beth. She's carrying my child...but I NEED Carol." Daryl told him.

"Maybe with time...she'll be able to move past it." Rick told her hopefully.

"Not if she's gone!" Daryl reminded Rick.

"Just give her some time." Rick said again.

"Yeah, well...seems time is running out." Daryl told him.

"Just be careful you don't make it any worse Daryl. Think before you act." Rick told him. Rick had seen the look in Daryl's eyes. Daryl just grunted at him. His thoughts already elsewhere. Daryl nodded and left his room going out into the hospital.

Rick thought about the upcoming run. He knew it was going to have to be under the radar with only the runners knowing the day they were leaving and the mission of it. He couldn't risk any unknown factors affecting the outcome. Daryl being one of them.


To be continued...

I'm so sorry, but this has taken on a life of its own. This story is demanding to be longer than a few chapters...

PLEASE REVIEW so I know if anyone is enjoying this story...Keeps me inspired! ;)