So i'm really hating on Rick at the moment after what he did to Carol it ticks me off that i wrote him as a nice guy in this so i figured i would change it up a bit ;) Big thank you to my beta, hugs hun and i hope you all love, let me know what you think.

Chapter 4

Close to my heart

Daryl and Michonne had been forced to stop for the night; running into a herd they had been forced to run. They managed to slip into a broken down abandoned RV. Staying quiet, the herd had stumbled passed not even realizing they were there. They had set up camp for the night inside the old RV but just as the sun was coming up they were stunned to see Rick and one of the Woodbury guys Joe coming down the street.

"What the hell are you doing here? You should be back in the prison with Carl and little ass kicker," Daryl said coming out of the RV and standing in front of Rick.

"Keep watch," Rick ordered Joe, nodding he hopped up on top of the RV for a good look out. Rick led Daryl and Michonne just out of Joe's ear shot before stopping to talk. "A few hours after you all left Tyreese came back alone."

"What happened to Michael?" Michoone asked.

"Killed by walkers along with the other two teams that went out, Tyreese was hurt but I assume now he is back on the road," Rick sighed. "I left with Joe the night he returned while he was getting looked at by Hershel, he intended to head back out in the morning with more people, I tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn't listen."

"Well he ain't going to find her we are hot on her trail, in a few more hours we'll be at her old place and she should be there."

"Daryl I asked Michonne to leave a trail so if I needed you I could find you."

"Yeah she told me so what?"

"I didn't know but Tyreese was listening so now he is following you too."

"Shit!" Daryl hissed.

"You should stop," Daryl's head shot up at Rick's words.

"What ya say?" he growled.

"I know you care about her, that you're close but she caused this mess Daryl and now the prison is suffering for it."

"You let her go Rick, you're the one that helped her escape," Daryl hissed at him.

"Only because I care about Carol too, she is like a sister to me but Daryl she killed Karen and David, she admitted to it."

"That's crap! I told ya she was covering for someone," Daryl argued.

"Maggie has been questioning people, our group, the Woodbury folks hell even the kids, no one has come forward don't you think if she was covering for someone that after seeing how determined Tyreese is to kill her that they would come forward?"

"Not if Carol told em to stay quiet... shit I thought you were on our side."

"There are no sides, Daryl, we are a group everyone matters but Carol killed two of our own in cold blood you need to see that." Michonne stepped forward then seeing Daryl was ready to fly for Rick.

"I think you both need to cool down."

"Karen and David weren't our own, they where from Woodbury," he snapped pushing Michonne out of the way. "Carol she is one of our own she has been there from the start taking care of us, all of us, looking out for your kids when their mumma died, when you lost it and this is how ya thank her? By turning ya back on her?" he hissed.

"I'm not turning my back on her Daryl, I helped her escape I kept her from being strung up by them but it's been days, the prison is suffering, we need food and more medical supplies and what if the fence finally goes or the Governor shows up? We need you there, both of you."

"I ain't going back, not without her."

"Even if you find her, if you can't prove she didn't do it you can't bring her back to the prison."

"What?"

"If she really did kill Karen and David I can't have her at the prison, I can't have her near my kids, she's a threat."

"And since when were ya the boss again? We all fought for that place it belongs to all of us not just ya."

"She is a cold blooded murderer, I won't have her near my kids," Rick snapped.

"She didn't kill no one! And you're one to talk, ya got more blood on ya hands than most, not to mention ya boy."

"What are you talking about?"

"Carl shot that boy in the woods when he was surrendering; he didn't think twice, some people would call that cold blooded."

"He had attacked the prison..." Rick looked at the ground trying to defend Carl's actions.

"So had Karen but we didn't gun her down when we found her on the road... ya got one set of rules for ya and ya boy and a whole different set for the rest of us," Daryl almost laughed. Rick couldn't look at him and Daryl knew that Rick knew he was right. "Go back to the prison. If I ain't back in a week I ain't coming back," Daryl turned to walk away.

"Daryl..." he started but Daryl quickly cut him off knowing what he was going to say.

"Yeah if I come back she will be with me whether ya like it or not and if Tyreese makes a move on her he will get an arrow to the head for his troubles." Daryl warned before turning and storming away, Michonne stood there for a moment shaking her head before turning to follow the hunter.

"Michonne..." Rick called his voice pleading.

"Don't," she snapped turning to face him for a moment. "I've heard enough already," turning back around she jogged off catching up to Daryl.

Daryl and Michonne got to Carol's house faster than they thought, looking around they saw next to no walkers and the house seemed pretty secure. Moving closer Michonne walked the perimeter making sure it was safe while Daryl swept the house. Daryl had found one walker inside one of the upstairs bedrooms that someone had already put down but what worried him the most was the smear of bright red blood along with parts of a broken bottle, was she injured or had someone else been here?

"She was here?" Michonne said walking into the room.

"How can ya tell?"

"When I was helping her escape I gave her a few tips killing walkers and laying their bodies around a house to mask your scent, I found four dead walkers someone had dragged them under the doors and windows." Daryl smirked, she was being smart; that was good.

Walking out in the hall he sighed trying to think of where she would go next, as he looked up he noticed a hatch that no doubt led to the attic but for some reason someone had removed the pull string and there was a small smear of blood on the hatch. Daryl pointed up at the hatch.

"Smart girl," Michonne smiled pulling a chair from the room she stood up pulling the hatch down and lowering the ladder. They moved up slowly being sure to stay alert for any possible danger but all they found was a messy attic. Moving around the room Daryl noticed the mattress on the floor and the empty tin of food, someone had been there recently.

He saw bloody rags and a needle and thread she was injured but she had patched herself up. Michonne kneeled next to the mattress picking up the picture off the floor smiling. "I think I know where she is going," she said handing it to Daryl, he smirked nodding.

"Let's head out." Moving back down the ladder and down the hall Daryl stopped for a moment, most of the photos that hung on the wall were now gone, she had taken them he guessed but one small frame still hung there of her holding a newborn Sophia in her arms, smiling he took the photo from its frame tucking it into his vest. He would carry it with him, close to his heart.

***TWD***TWD***TWD***TWD***TWD***TWD***TWD***TWD** *TWD***

The sun had hardly risen in the sky before Carol had taken off from her old house. After scavenging what she could from the surrounding houses, she had taken a few pictures of her and Sophia along with the photo album from the attic and headed off for her parents house. She was only about twenty minutes from the farm when she noticed she was low on fuel. Pulling into the familiar small town she headed into the old fuel station, she knew the pumps would probably be bone dry but Pete the owner always had a few spare bottles down in the basement; she just hoped they were still there.

After finding the bottles she headed back up, taking a shopping bag of tinned food and bottled water that still sat on the shelves she went to head outside but stopped at the scene in front of her. Two men and a woman were fighting for their lives against about a dozen walkers. What should she do? Should she stay quiet and let it play out? Or should she try to help them?

Deciding she simply couldn't stand by and do nothing, she put her supplies down and headed out, moving fast she started putting down as many walkers as she could. Just as one was about to bite into one of the men she moved fast, thrusting her knife into the back of its head and putting it down.

The man looked stunned but grateful. Turning she headed to go get her stuff; she could hear them calling out to her but chose to ignore them. Putting her stuff into the car she went to hop in but someone grabbed her but she reacted on instinct turning quickly, she moved her blade to his throat.

"Hey, it's okay we aren't going to hurt you just wanted to thank you." She took a deep breath trying to calm herself, nodding she lowered the knife and placed it back on her hip.

"Your welcome," she muttered turning to get into the car.

"Are you alone?" She turned looking at him questioningly. "I just mean we have a place nearby, it's safe... well as safe as it can be in this world."

"I'm fine on my own," she replied.

"Here," the woman stepped forward handing her a map. "The red cross is where we are, its an old convent so its got tall stone walls and heaps of room if you ever need anything."

"I don't like being tied down," she replied.

"We understand but if you ever need anything food, water, medical assistance, we have doctors, or even just a place to rest, you can come and go as you please... it ain't a prison," the guy laughed softly. Carol nodded.

"Thank you but I'm fine."

"Well if you change your mind just ask for Ryan that's me."

"Carol."

"Carol," he nodded shaking her hand. "As I said if you ever need anything, we owe you." She nodded one last time before slipping into the car and driving away.

Carol pulled up just before her parents' farm hopping out of the car she saw Daryl and Michonne moving around out in front. They had come for her, was it to take her back to face punishment? Was it cause he missed her or was worried about her? She wasn't sure if she could stand to see the anger and disappointment in his eyes but before she could decided what to do she heard footsteps approaching. Turning fast, her knife drawn she sighed in relief seeing Rick moving towards her.

"Rick, what are you doing here?"

"I was following Daryl, they're looking for you."

"Yeah I got that but why?"

"He wants to bring you in to face the council," he lied. He knew it was wrong but Carol was a threat and he needed Daryl back home.

"What?" she gasped shocked, Daryl wanted to bring her in to face the music, she wanted to cry for a moment. She almost believed he was worried about her.

"You need to disappear, take off and don't look back otherwise they're going to kill you."

"Will you tell him..." she stopped herself from saying she loved him and sighed, "tell him I died."

"What?"

"Give him this," she said handing him the small gold cross she hung around her neck "Tell him you found me but it was too late, goodbye Rick and thank you for everything," she whispered placing a soft kiss on his cheek before getting into the car. She turned around speeding off into the other direction.