Speeding up a bit here-but you all know the story-so I want to get to some CARYL!

Hopefully the next chapter. Enjoy!

Shane had taken almost the entire group up to the hill to confront Jim. Gwen had stayed behind, she was sick of Shane. They came back down with Jim cuffed and tied him to a tree. Dale came over and explained what happened. Heat stroke does crazy things to people.

Rick gathered everyone around and explained the options that they should be considering. Everyone sat in silence.

Glenn spoke up first, "Are we deciding now?"

Rick looked around, "We can, or we can take some time to think about it, but we should be on the road no later than tomorrow."

Andrea had her arms crossed, "Are we all staying together?"

Rick smiled at her, "I sure would like to. But if you want, you don't have to go with everyone else."

Dale took off his hat, "I'll be staying with my niece, so I guess the CDC is for me."

Carol put her arms tighter around Sophia, "Us too."

Gwen looked up and smiled.

Lori stood from her place sitting on the log, "Carl and I are going too."

Glenn nodded, "Me too. I guess, I mean, you guys have been really good to me so, I should, and I want to."

Andrea looked up from where she had been arguing with her sister, "I guess were going to the CDC."

T-dog looked around, "Hell, if that's where everyone's going count me in."

Jacqui took his hand, "Me too."

Morales stepped forward from his place just outside the circle, "I hate to break this up, but we're not going. We got family elsewhere.. We're gonna try and find them."

Rick looked at him with a sad smile, "You have to do what you think is right."

Morales nodded once.

Shane threw up his hands, "I guess everyone's decided. I suppose I should stick with ya."

He walked off completely ignoring Rick's thank you.

Rick did notice one person who hadn't said anything, "Daryl, we'd like you to come with us. We can leave a note for Merle..."
Daryl interrupted him, "Ain't no need for that. He ain't comin back. Guess the CDC's as good as any."
He then walked off towards his campsite.

Rick sighed and turned to Dale, "You wanna go with me and talk to Jim?"

Dale nodded. Rick addressed the group, "I guess we should leave tomorrow morning as soon as we get set up. "

He nodded and the group split up and headed back towards their jobs for the day. Except the jobs were more towards clean up now.

Carol and Lori went back to cleaning the fish Andrea and Amy had caught.

The fish fry that night turned into more of a celebration then previously thought of. Carol put an extra plate together when she noticed that once again they were short one guest.

She made her way to the Dixon campsite again.

Daryl was packing up when she approached him, "We had plenty of fish. I got some for you."

He looked at her with a cautious look, "Why?"

She shrugged and looked down, "Just did."

He took the plate from her and sat down next to his tent. He was starting to eat when she crouched down across from him.

"I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about your brother."

He shrugged, "Ain't nobody's fault but Merle's."

"Still. Also..."

He waited for her to continue.

"I'm glad you're going with us."

She hurried off back to the main fire. Daryl watched her leave. He thought about it for a minute, then followed her. He sat by her in the circle.

Dale was talking about his watch and some quote. Daryl wasn't really paying attention. His mind was on the small woman to his right.

She was so different. She went out of her way to not only be nice, but to spend time with him. No one had ever done that without wanting something. But for the life of him he couldn't see what she could want from him.

He'd noticed her immediately upon entering the quarry the first day. He didn't know why he was drawn to her, but he really was. There were times he'd find himself seeking her out. Not to say anything, just to watch her. She was graceful. She was pretty. She wasn't Merle's taste and if you would have asked Daryl before he would have said he had no taste in women. Whatever came along when he was drunk enough was his taste. Or at least, that's what he had always had. She was so different from anyone he'd ever had any contact with.

He was jolted out of his study of Carol by Amy getting up. Andrea asked her where she was going and Amy made some joke about privacy.

He went back to staring into the fire. He was jolted again, this time by Amy's scream. There were walkers everywhere.

Carol grabbed Sophia and Daryl grabbed them both. He pushed them behind him as he whipped his crossbow off his shoulder and started firing. He pushed the girls towards the RV.

Everyone around him was panicking, except Rick, Shane and Gwen. They all shoved the women and children towards the RV. Daryl made sure that Carol and Sophia were safely inside before accepting a shotgun from Rick and firing at the line of walkers coming towards them.

Suddenly it was over. They were all gone. Dead again. Andrea was sobbing over the body of her sister.

Jim said, "I remember what my dream was about. I remember what the holes were for."


Leaving the next morning was held back by burying the ones they loved, and burning the walkers. There had been a little dust up over Amy and Andrea, but that had resolved itself when Amy came back and Andrea shot her.

The next issue was Jim. He'd been bitten in the confusion.

Shane and Rick wanted to take him to the CDC. Daryl wanted to kill him. Gwen put a stop to all of it.

"Lets just ask Jim what he wants."

After thinking about it for a while, Jim wanted to be left in the forest, alone. They all packed up and left him where he wanted to be.

They traveled down the road at a good pace. The Morales family had split off already. They arrived at the CDC with half a day left. They advanced on the building very carefully. Gwen led the way and went to the keypad on the door. She paused after trying one number that didn't work.

Shane was impatient, "What the hell are you doing?"

Gwen gave it right back, "Trying to find the tune to Funkytown. What does it look like I'm doing?"

He shot her a nasty look, "Do you know the damn code or not?!"

She didn't turn to him, "I know a lot of codes if you could shut up and let me think."

She only sat there for a moment more before putting in a code and the door shot open. Rick thought he had seen the camera above the door move.

They all filed inside. Gwen got everyone's attention. "I have to go down and see what the timers say before we get started. Then I can get a layout of this place and tell you where everything is."

A voice came from behind them, "The timer is at 47 hours 30 minutes."

They all turned to see a blond man in a lab coat holding an assault rifle. He was looking at Gwen, "Executive password, that's impressive."

Rick stepped in front of everyone, "I'm Rick Grimes. We're here for supplies. We know about the timer and will be out of here in plenty of time."

The man only glanced at Rick. He was still looking at Gwen, "CIA?"

"Not really. More like US Military. Gwen Horvath, assigned to Washington DC. Although obviously I'm AWOL."

The man nodded, "Doctor Edwin Jenner. " He paused, "Here for supplies?"

Gwen nodded, "Perhaps a night off as well."

Jenner chucked, "Lot to ask these days."

Gwen shrugged.

Jenner sighed, "Blood test is the price of admission."