The sun was just starting to come up outside, the light creeping in through the dusty windows of the prison. Cell block C was silent, with everyone asleep in their individual cells. Serena wiped the crust from the corners of her eyes and rolled over onto her side. Usually she was woken by Daryl, unable to sleep for fear of walkers of due to an empty stomach, but since both of these things weren't a problem for him anymore she rolled over to find him sleeping on his back.

She watched his stomach rise and fall in time to the sound of his low snores. His chest was bare, with him wearing nothing to bed but his boxers, and so she lifted a hand and ran it along his chest, playing lightly with the sandy brown hairs and tracing the white scars that seemed to be found all over his body. They were the worst on his back, but when she brought it up he had told her not to ask him about it again. He didn't want to talk about it.

She looked up at his face, neutral in sleep. He tried so hard to hide emotions, and never expressed them with words, but his face was truly the window to his soul, and it always gave him away. Over the past few months his face had gown older, weather-beaten. A combination of the elements, stress, worry, and sleepless nights had changed him from the man she'd met in the woods over a year ago to the man and father he was today. His skin was rough to the touch, and he never seemed to be able to fully wash himself clean, but he was still so beautiful.

As she continues to rub her hand in a smooth circle around his chest he mumbled something in his sleep and turned his head from one side to the other. She smirked, hoping that he was dreaming well and thinking of her. The heat of him made her scoot closer to him, lifting one of her legs up and over his and tangling their feet together. He wasn't fully awake, but after months of sleeping together his body just instinctively moved to mould together with hers. Her head rested on his upper arm, creating a mussely pillow for her, and the rest of his arm draped down the other side of her, cradling her against him.

He was so peaceful, and yet watching him made her want him. They still hadn't picked up where they'd left off the other night by the bus. And he had promised. She turned her head to look across the mattress at Amy, passed out close to the other edge of the mattress. It would take a lot to wake her, Serena thought, the little girl was used to sleeping anywhere, the car, her arms, the tent. They could do pretty much anything and not have to worry about disturbing her slumber.

She turned back to Daryl, leaning in and kissing him just above his nipple, letting her bottom lip linger on the surface of his tanned skin and she moved her kisses upward to the bottom of his neck, nibbling lightly.

"Mmm." He moaned, lifting the hand that wasn't holding her tightly and rubbing his forehead. When she realized he was awake her began to run her thumb over his nipple playfully, while still leaving little pecks on his neck, starting to trace a trail back down along the center of his chest.

"What are you …" He trailed off. He didn't really need to ask. He lifted his head and looked at her and she stopped kissing him, looking up into his deep blue eyes. Brilliant blue diamonds, staring at her, moving her, bold and demanding, both cold and burning at the same time. Embers, igniting her flame.

She moved back up his body, planting her lips against hers, and pressing into him hard. He didn't fight her. He didn't want to. He ran his hand through her tousle of thick, silky hair. She didn't let it down very often, and he understood why, but he loved running his hand through it, pulling at it lightly. They both opened their mouths and their tongues intertwined, dancing with one another's. She breathed hard, deep, savouring the passion that was existing between them. She had been wanting, no, needing this for so long now.

When they disconnected she sighed, "Did you ask Glenn for some condoms?" They hadn't been so careful the first time, but every time since then she'd made sure they'd gotten some protection from Glenn. Amy was enough of a handful and they sure didn't need another little one running around any time soon. Though they sure would make pretty babies, she thought to herself.

He chuckled, "Yeah, but he's almost out, only gave me a few."

"Well maybe if he and Maggie would stop making trips up to the guard tower then they wouldn't go so fast." She said, playing with the hair on his chest again. The two of them laughed a little more. They didn't get nearly as much action as Maggie and Glenn did. Even on the road the two of them would disappear all the time.

Daryl lifted his head again, looking over at his little girl, "She still asleep?" He asked, watching her.

Serena nodded, smiling. She sat up, lifting one leg up and over his hips, settling down on top of him, "Yep. Try not to wake her, kay." She told him, leaning down and kissing his rough lips again.

He slid his hands down her sides, gripping onto her hips. Once they separated he smirked, "I'll try not to." He told her. But he wasn't making any promises.

/

It was another hot day outside the prison, but there was a bit of a breeze coming through the trees on the other side of the fence, and so Serena had brought Amy outside to play in the grass while the others brought the cars in from outside the fences and cleared the dead bodies out of the yard. Amy was becoming a quick fan of 'peek-a-boo' and 'if you're happy and you know it' and Serena was getting a kick out of her cute little reactions. It was also an easy distraction from the grass, which Amy wasn't a fan of yet. It just wasn't something she was used to, so every it she realized she was sitting on it she started to cry.

Daryl was standing on the dirt road near by watching them as Carol brought in the truck. He laughed, "What a baby!" He called, "Amy!"

Amy turned her head, looking for where his voice was coming from. When she finally saw him she stretched out her hands, convinced he would come save her from the evil grass, "Uhhh!" She wined.

"Stop." Serena chuckled, poking at her stomach. She looked up at Daryl, "You too." She scolded.

He put up his hands in surrender, or to claim his innocence, and then turned back to Rick. Rick was standing watching the gate up near the prison with intent, "Look." He told Daryl.

Daryl turned to see Axel and Oscar standing in the entrance to the yard watching them, "What the hell." He mumbled, turning to look at Rick.

"Come with me." He asked, moving up the drive towards the two inmates. Daryl followed behind him and T-Dog too. "That's far enough." Rick told them as he reached them.

Axel nodded, "Please mister, I know, we had a deal. But you gotta understand, we can't live in that place no more." He looked over at Oscar, who was just letting him speak, "All those bodies, they were people we knew. They're like ghosts or something."

Daryl shrugged, "Move the bodies out."

"We tried, Ok," Oscar spoke up, "but the fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we take a body outside, those things come at up and we just have to run right back in."

Axel perked up, looking at something behind Daryl, "Oh man, is that a baby?" He asked.

Daryl could feel anger building side him. He didn't know what these guys were inside for, and he sure didn't want either of them looking at his little girl. He turned to look behind him. Serena was standing a few yards away watching them with Amy on her hip. Amy waved, "Daaa!" She screamed.

Daryl turned back to look at Axel and Oscar, "The deal is non-negotiable. You live in the cell block we cleared for you, or you leave."

"Look, we've all made our mistakes to get in here man." Oscar admitted, "And I'm not gunna pretend to be a saint, but believe me, we've paid our due. Now we'll pull our weight, me and Axel, if you let us stay. But that place, it will drive us crazy. And I would rather hit the road then go back into that cell block." Axel looked over at Oscar with a look on his face like he didn't quiet agree, but he didn't say anything to the contrary.

Rick turned to look at Daryl, who just shrugged. As far as he was concerned, if the fools wanted to take their chances out on the open road, they could damn well go ahead and leave. He wouldn't put his family in jeopardy. Rick nodded, then turned back to the inmates, "Ok then."

/

Daryl locked the inner gate, Oscar and Axel on the other side staring at him. Axel shook his head, "Common man." Daryl didn't let it faze him. He turned and walked back to the others, gathered at the end of the bus. Apparently a few of them felt that the inmates should be allowed to join the group.

"Do you really want them to join us?" Rick was asking T-Dog, "You want them sleeping in the cell next to you?"

"If we send them out there we might as well execute them ourselves." T-Dog said, seeming guilty, "Maybe if we bring them in they could really contribute."

Glenn and Maggie and joined them too. Glenn shook his head, "I dunno. Axel seems a little unstable."

"And I didn't like the way he was looking at Amy." Serena said, brushing Amy's hair back as she bounced her up and down on her hip.

"It's probably just been a long time since he's seen a baby." T-Dog explained, "Probably didn't think he'd ever see one again."

Serena shrugged, "You willing to take that chance?"

"I'm not." Daryl said, shaking his head, "I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them, and I could have just as easily been in here with them as I'm out here with you guys. But that doesn't mean we should let them in." Daryl looked at T-Dog, "Let them take their chances out on the road, just like we did."

T-Dog shook his head, but realized he was outnumbered in this argument. Rick patted him on the shoulder, "I can appreciate where you're coming from, but we've been through too much. Our deal with them stands."

"It just don't feel right, man." T-Dog said.

"We'll give them a weeks worth of supplies for the road." Rick promised.

"They might not last a week." T-Dog argued.

"Whose blood would you rather have on your hands, T?" Glenn asked.

T-Dog thought about it, "Neither."

/

The men and Maggie had managed to clear the inner yard of the dead bodies and pile them in the outer yard. Glenn, Rick, and Daryl had just left to collect some wood to burn them with, while Carol, T-Dog, and Maggie moved the vehicles up closer to the prison. Serena was up closer to the cell block entrance now, as Daryl had warned her to stay away from the inmates.

She was standing holding both of Amy's arms, holding her up in a standing position while she moved her feet forward, inch by inch, getting her first real taste of walking. She was laughing and kicking out in front of her playfully.

Serena turned to see Hershel on the crutches she'd found coming out of the cell block with his entourage of Beth, Lori, and Carl following closely behind him. When he saw Amy he laughed, "My my, look whose on the move."

"Ahh!" Amy screamed, trying to walk towards Hershel.

"She's not the only one." Serena said smiling at him and nodding down at his leg.

"Well I was getting board in there just staring up at that top bunk." Hershel said. He was looking around at the cleared yard, "This place is really starting to look somewhere we could really live in." He smiled.

Carl laughed, "Hey Hershel, I think you and Amy could race."

Hershel shook his head, "Not that speed demon, she'd take me home."

Serena was looking down in front of her at Amy, but the sound of snarling walkers suddenly reached her ears and she looked around. Coming from behind them, from under the bridge, was a pretty big number of walkers. Serena shuddered, "Oh my god." She looked back at Hershel, on one leg and crutches, his first time out. They were screwed. She moved towards them, picking Amy up in her arms, "Walkers! Look out!"

Both Carl and Lori drew their guns, aiming for the closest walkers, but there were still more coming from behind them. "Common!" Beth called to Hershel, helping him across the yard to another entrance to the prison. Serena put out her one free arm for support if Hershel needed it.

Maggie joined Carl and Lori, shooting off a few round into the walker's heads. Serena passed Amy off the Beth, "Take her, go ahead." She turned, pulling her own weapon out of her belt and covering Hershel as he made his way up a few stairs an into the gated area before the entrance. She took down a few walkers coming towards them, their brains exploding all over the place.

"That gate is open!" Serena heard T-Dog call, joining the others along with Carol. He pointed at the entrance to cell block C, "Maggie, Lori, Carl, go!"

Carol drew her gun, "T-Dog, go, I've got your back!" They had to close the gate before the hoard took over.

Serena followed Hershel into the door, closing it behind her and she watched at Lori, Carl, and Maggie made it to safety across the yard from them, going inside and sliding the door shut behind them. T-Dog and Carol disappeared from view.

"Serena!" She heard Daryl call from way down at the far gate.

She turned to see him and the two others running up the drive towards them as fast as they could. Serena gripped onto the chain link fence, "Daryl, we're Ok! Go help T-Dog and Carol, they went to close the gate."

Daryl pointed at her, "You stay there." And then he disappeared from view too, following after Glenn and Rick. Serena shut her eyes. She had told him to go, to help the others, but really she wanted him in a safe zone with her. She turned to Beth, holding out her arms for Amy, who was crying from the sound of all the gun shots.

Serena took the little girl in her arms, rocking her back a forth, hoping to give her some sort of comfort, "It's Ok, baby, it's Ok." She said, trying to sound convincing, hoping there was some sort of truth to what she was saying.

/