Carol's mind grew heavy on the fact that she was carrying a grenade as they entered the building, if she chose to tell Rick now they would assume she was crazy because of her husband's death and that wasn't the truth at all. She had never been happier, despite them all almost starving and her husband dying, she felt free and the freedom that came without her husband was almost overwhelming. She sat before Jenner agreeing to the blood test, fears like needles didn't bother her now.

he smiled at Sophia who was holding back, she couldn't help but notice how skinny her child had become, her collarbones were sticking out even worse than usual and she looked so tired. Carol supposed that she herself probably looked the same.

She enveloped her arms around her child and sat as Jenner started with Daryl, the younger brother. He was unofficially the most unknown of the camp and he must have noticed it. Carol wouldn't know what to do with herself if Sophia died or went missing, thought Carol.

His biceps flexed as he waited for the doctor to take his blood, she noticed how he slightly flinched as the needle pierced his skin. She felt her daughter stiffen at her side when Jenner called her over. Carol rubbed her arm smiling, she had a frightened expression on her face that could only be described as innocent.

"It's alright, his just going to take sole blood, alright sweetie."Carol re-assured her smiling softly. Sophia had never liked getting needles at the doctors, when Ed had allowed them to go. Her stomach began rumbling awfully as Andrea stepped up for Jenner. She hadn't ever been this hungry, Ed had made sure she ate enough that it wasn't too noticeable if anyone ever found out. His friends from work were just as bad as he was and when they came over for a drink Carol was terrified. The things they had said to her...

"She hasn't eaten in a couple of days, we all haven't" Lori broke her thoughts, making her look up quickly.

She nodded her head in agreement, she wondered how Andrea was doing it, living. The pain of losing her sister must have been greater than ever, she knew Amy had been the only family she probably had left.

"I have plenty of food and wine..."

Daryl for once was comfortable in being in a roomful of people. Everybody was just happy they'd found food. Compared to what they'd had since the whole world went to shit or what he had had since his mother died, this could be considered a feast fit for kings. The drinks Jenner had served were like heaven.

He surprisingly liked hearing the loud laughter for once, with all they'd gone through, they deserved this. He wouldn't have even been in the room if Merle hadn't gone and cut his own hand off. If he'd come back they would've...would've what? Merle had even been talking about robbing the camp, Daryl had had his doubts because there were too many and he secretly didn't want innocent people getting hurt, but he didn't tell Merle that. Merle'd think he'd gone soft.

He watched the boy, Carl take a sip of wine and the disgusted look on his face afterwards. Laughing, Daryl made sure Glenn took some as well, the guy was growing on him.

He watched the woman,Carol laugh along with the rest of them, she didn't seem so sad anymore. He felt adrenaline rush through him as she turned her head away from her daughter to look directly at him, her big blue eyes were locked on his. He turned away looking at the wall, he felt himself blushing, what Merle would say about him in that moment...

When Jenner had said they had hot water, Carol felt as if she was in heaven. Actual hot water...a shower...that was like heaven now.

She smiled as Sophia was jumping up and down in excitement as she walked into the bathroom, Carol shut the door and warned her not to stay in too long, though she couldn't blame her if she did. Finally it was her turn after Sophia complained about not wanting to get out.

"Now, stay right in this room and don't go out unless you're with me or Lori, alright?" Carol told her little girl who was sitting on the bed with wet hair sticking to her face. Carol waited for a nod before entering the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Once she had undressed she looked into the mirror, something she hadn't done in a long while. Breathing out she bit her lip hard. Her stomach was the most scarred place on her body, as well as her thighs, there were deep scars and smaller ones but they all mangled together. She ran over the ones on her hips flinching, Ed had dragged barbed wire over her skin repeatedly after he was finished fixing up the fence because she had come home later than usual. He didn't even give her a chance to explain why.

She moved her hands to her stomach where jagged looking scars remained, shaking her head she looked up to her face. Frowning, seeing God knows who's blood on the side of her face she rubbed it say until her face was read. She looked st her short hair and frowned, maybe she could grow it out now that Ed was gone. She felt her heart sink as she heard Sophia humming in the other room, she was so innocent and that would kill her in a world like this.

Turning on the shower she stepped into it, enjoying the sight of steam beginning to fog up the mirror. She almost gasped when the hot water touched her skin, she'd missed the feeling all too much. She let it run over her muscles and scars, feeling relaxed. She felt she could stay in there for hours, it felt so nice, like a piece of the past. She toothily smiled as she let it pour onto her, this was good. A hot shower and a full stomach. Amazing.

er probably too long, she stepped out reluctantly getting dressed and breathing in preparing for cooler air when she opened the door.

"Sophia? I can tell why you stayed in there so long. Sophia?" Carol asked, noticing she wasn't on the bed or anywhere near the room.

Her heart began to race as she opened the door to the hallway and it almost stopped when she met her eyes with Daryl Dixon's for the second time that night. Gulping she looked down to see Sophia beside him, her eyes wide and frantic.

"Shouldn't leave your kid alone, ya' know." Daryl said averting her eyes, she watches as he brought his fingers to his lips chewing on his fingernails.

"Oh God, where was she going?"

"Ain't got a clue. She was wonderin' 'bout that's for sure, found her heading down near the door to the basement." Daryl explained, looking down at the scrawny kid watching as she went to her mom and clung to her like a baby animal.

Carol arched an eyebrow at the redneck keeping the shocked Sophia close.

"And what were you doin' there?" Carol questioned. She watched as he half grinned, something that looked good on him, his hair was wet from his own shower and sticking to his face and darker in color. He looked cleaner than usual like that, she wasn't sure which suited him best being dirty or clean. She almost blushed, why was she even noticing that?

"Wonderin' about. Jenner don't seem so normal." That was all Daryl said and it left Carol confused, sure he seemed a little off but she would be too, being alone like he was. Then again Daryl was a hunter and picked up on certain things she and the others wouldn't.

"Thanks for bringin' her back to me." Carol said softly, smiling down at her daughter. She looked back up to see the hunter nodding in acknowledgement and walking down the hallway to God knows where.

Thank you so much to reviews and follows! Glad you like it , sorry this took so long to upload was wondering how I'd make this chapter, I know its not very good but I can't wait to start writing about once they get to Hershel's farm :)