Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead or Hyundai.

"We'll be gone for a few days," Rick told the group that was there. "Sasha, Glenn, Maggie—it's up to you all to protect these people. Hershel, I want you to keep everyone in. Do not let anyone leave, and don't let anyone in either." He got the responses his wanted. "Get your things, Michonne. I'll meet you by the car when you're able." And Daryl, if he ever comes down.

Carl followed his father out. "A few days? How long is that? Two? Three?"

"I don't know how many days it'll be." He set his bag in the car. "But I need you to not worry. We'll be back as soon as we can, and you have enough supplies to last until we do."

He nodded. "I'll take care of everyone."

"I know you will." He teasingly ruffled his hair. "Watch your sister. Kiss her good night for me."

"I will."

"Good. Take care of things, do some stuff—chores and such."

He nodded. "Be careful."

"Always am."

––

Carol held her legs close to her as Daryl dressed, watching his every movement, thinking hard. He'd told her last night that he and Rick and Michonne were going away for a few days to look for a more secure place. She was glad Rick was looking for a place, but the idea unsettled her. Daryl didn't know it, and she wasn't going to tell him, but she had a very bad feeling. Just a gut instinct, like when something happens to your child, or someone you love dearly.

He shouldered his crossbow and looked over at her. "I'll be back soon."

She didn't respond.

"Carol?" He leaned down toward her.

She met his eyes. "I'll meet you down by the car."

He frowned. "All right." He exited the house, feeling unnerved.

Carol dressed and went to the car before they left. Rick and Michonne weren't in the car, but packing up supplies. Daryl was leaning against the car, picking at the edge of his blade. She walked over to him.

He put his knife back in its sheath. "Hey."

"Hey." She folded her arms.

"Feelin' okay? You're pale."

"It's cold." She shuddered for effect. "Daryl, I have to tell you something."

He sensed her seriousness and tensed slightly. "Tell me what?"

She leaned up and kissed him deeply. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer, feeling the cold on her. Distantly, she heard Rick and Michonne, so she broke the kiss. She grasped his face between her hands. "I love you. Be safe."

Rick and Michonne set the last of the bags in the truck and shut it, Carol stepped back as Daryl stared at her, and she smiled a good luck at them, glancing at Daryl once more before going back to their apartment. It was still early morning, the sun hasn't even risen yet, so she decided to get some more sleep. But the look of his face made sleep impossible. She lied down in on his side, his scent had soaked into the bed, and it was enough to make her fall asleep.

––

Rick glanced over at Daryl, who had been silent the entire drive—no, since Carol spoke to him. What did she say that made him act like this? Rick wasn't sure if he was sad, happy, broken or just tired. Daryl was a hard man to read on a regular day, so whatever happened between him and Carol really did a number on him. What did she say?

Michonne looked over the map in the backseat, they were a few building that would do for a camp, but she wasn't sure about some of them. When they passed by, a lot of walkers were stumbling about. They would have to find a place that's secure enough for an infant. With the prison overrun, they were only a few places to go. She wasn't sure if they could do any better than those apartments. They would do if they had to, but she was hoping they could find a place that had more space and less thin walls. She could hear conversation two rooms down, among other things.

Daryl gazed at the knife that he was using to pick the dirt out from underneath his nails. He didn't mind the dirt being there, but it gave him something to do. Carol's words played over and over in his mind. He was glad to know that Carol loved him and only him, but deep inside it felt...wrong. How could someone love him? He wasn't even sure he was...enough to be loved by anyone, least of all Carol. All of his life, he's been afraid of those who he loved, and he lost everyone he loved. He wasn't even sure if he loved her back or if he was afraid to love her back or if she was just...convenient. He did care about her. A lot. But was that love? Was he even able to love someone the way Carol loved him? Or have her love him?

He shifted in his seat slightly, moving his gaze out the windshield. He could feel Rick glancing at him, but the last thing he wanted to do was talk about it. Carol loved him. It wasn't hard to believe. With all they've been through, it was natural and he liked hearing it, but...how? He couldn't wrap his mind around how Carol could love him. What's there to love? Was there something he didn't see that she did? He didn't understand.

Rick spotted something and stopped the car, Daryl and Michonne looked at him, but he said nothing as he climbed out of the car. They followed, and they saw what had caught his attention. A gated community.

––

Hershel kept watch the second night they didn't return. He kept his guard up. Maggie and Glenn had gone out to get a few logs for a fire for the morning, but they hadn't returned yet. He had no worries. They probably had a heavy load, so he knew it would be a while before they returned.

"Still not back yet?" Carol exited the first apartment, having just put Judith down for the night.

"Not yet."

She rubbed her arms. "Do you know what Rick's looking for? I get the feeling it's more than just a place."

"What are we all looking for?" Hershel asked her. "What are you looking for?"

She met his eyes. What are you looking for? She sat down on the bench beside him. "Have you found the answer that question?"

"Not yet."

She smiled. "Figures."

In the distance, a flashlight waved, and Carol stood up to open the gate as Maggie and Glenn appeared, holding armfuls of logs. She opened it wide enough for them to fit through, took a few of the logs from each, and they walked up together.

"Next time, you reach through the thorn bush." Glenn rubbed his arm, and Maggie laughed.

"Next time, you watch for walkers," Maggie shot back through her laughs.

Carol dumped the logs in the pile and wiped the dirt off her sleeves and hands. Maggie and Glenn relieved Hershel from his watch, Carol checked on Beth and Judith. Carl was asleep on the couch, and the girls were sleeping deeply. She covered Beth up a bit more then closed the door. She turned and found Carl was wake.

"You do that a lot," he observed.

"Just making the rounds," she waved it away. "You should be sleeping. It's late."

"You should asleep too," he countered. "Are you worried about the others? Daryl?"

"Aren't you?"

He met her eyes. "Don't be. They'll be fine. He's got Michonne and my dad."

"I know." She was more worried about what he would say when he returned. "Get some rest." She walked out and headed for her apartment. She locked the door, peering in on Lizzie and Mika, who had legs halfway off the bed, but she let them be. She didn't want to wake them.

She sat down in the middle of her and Daryl's bed, crossing her legs and wrapping her arms around herself. She shivered and rubbed her arms. She closed her eyes and rested her head in her arms. She had a lot to sort out. Her head was already aching. Parts of her didn't want to be alone tonight, but parts of her knew it was better to be alone right now. She wasn't so sure she meant just tonight or overall. Everyone she's ever loved has died, expect for four people who've been there since the beginning of it all. How many more would she lose...would they all lose before they walkers starve or just get so decomposed that they can't move or fight? Years? Decades? Would humanity ever be able to stand up again? Vaguely she could remember her biggest issue was trying to keep out of Ed's temper and how to keep his eye off Sophia. How negligible that was now.

– – –

Rick and Daryl did a perimeter check of the gated community, Michonne kept watch on the road, taking out a few walkers here and there, and Rick and Daryl met at the other end. They were very few people inside—four or five at the most—no walkers though. They met back with Michonne, and as it was almost nightfall at this point, they found a place to stay in a nearby town. Rick divvied up a can of tuna and water, Daryl decided to keep watch outside the dingy little hole of a hotel room. He sat on the hood of the car, adjusting an arrow in his crossbow, the night air clearing his head.

"Do you think it's a good idea? The gated community?"

Rick looked up at her. "I do. Concrete's stronger than steel, and there ain't many walkers. I think it's a good idea." Better than those apartments.

"Wide, open spaces, possibly a yard for Judith to play in—seems like a dream."

"It does." He leaned forward, arms resting on his thighs. He met her eyes, thinking on how much she knew. About Carl, about Judith, but...how much did they know about her? "You've been with us for eight months now?"

Her eyes grew guarded. "That sounds about right."

"I hardly know anything about you though." He searched her eyes and knew he'd stepped on a nerve. "How well did you know Andrea?"

"Well enough."

He wasn't going to get anywhere. "Wanna take the bed or me?"

Her lip twitched as she repressed a smile. "You wouldn't be suggesting something inappropriate, now would you?"

He laughed. "I meant do you want to sleep on the bed or should I?"

"I'll take the couch."

"No. No, you can have the bed."

"I wasn't asking," she replied.

"We can argue about this all night. You take the bed."

"You can't make me take the bed," Michonne informed him. "And the couch is more comfortable."

He shook his head. "Fine. You win."

"Don't I always?" she mused.

"Yeah. You do."

– – –

"What do you mean, almost gone?" Carl demanded. "How can it almost be gone? We just went to get some."

"I recounted it this morning, and we only have enough to get through today," Hershel explained.

"Well, we'll go on a run, get some more," Glenn said. "Simple as that."

"Yeah, but where?" Carol shifted behind the counter. "Haven't we gotten all of the formula from all the nearby places?"

"We'll have to go further out." Maggie crossed her arms. "Glenn and I can go."

"I need him here." Hershel went over to the counter. "We have increased walkers at the gate now, and we need to prepare for when Rick and the others return."

"Carol and Carl can do that," Glenn replied. "Beth and Lizzie and Sasha and Bob—"

Maggie caught on and touched his arm. "He's right. We should stay." She searched his eyes, and he backed down. Tomorrow was important, and it would raise morale. It had to.

"Fine. Who's going to go then?"

"Carol, Maggie and Sasha can go."

"I'll tell her." Carol left the room and went to find Sasha. "Carl, give me a hand."

He jogged after her.

"So, what are they really going to get?" Glenn asked.

"Tomorrow is Judith's first birthday," Hershel explained. "Carl was insistent, and it would lighten the mood around here."

"And Carol knows this?"

"She does. We also need diapers and kerosene. They might be able to find some further out. We need Maggie and Glenn to help move tables outside, and I don't want Bob outside the compound or out of my sight. We're only keeping him here until Rick returns and we have somewhere to go, somewhere he doesn't know of."

They nodded.

Carol found Sasha in her room, and she filled her in the on what they needed, but Sasha wasn't in the best of moods. She went along with it anyway, and she gathered her things. Once their bags were in the back, they took the truck, Carl opened the gate for them, and Sasha drove towards the part of town they've yet to go to.

The trip was silent, Sasha didn't want to play music, and Daryl had taken most if it with him or lost it in Zack's car. Sasha first drove back to the prison by Carol's request, most of the walkers were out in the field or ambling inside. Sasha pulled up to C block, Carol and Sasha got out while Maggie kept the walkers at bay with her machete. Carol found the bike in the same condition it was left in, Sasha helped her lifted it up and onto the bed of the truck, Maggie and Sasha traded positions as Carol secured Daryl's motorcycle.

"He's gonna be surprised to see this," Maggie commented, leaning against the truck, holding the extra bungee cords.

Hopefully surprised enough to not immediately reject her or push her away, because he believes he isn't worthy enough to be loved. "Thank you for helping me with this." She secured the wheels then climbed down and shut the gate.

"Let's go." Maggie gestured to the mass of walkers hobbling out of the cell block. "Sasha!"

She sliced open—and off—the head of a walker, the face fell in two directions as it fell to its knees, and Sasha hurried over to the car, climbing in the passenger seat.

Maggie drove them to the town that was a ways away from the apartment, they only found a few shops, but the doors were boarded up, so they had to break the windows. Stepping over broken glass, Carol took the list that pertained to food, Sasha took the half on batteries and flashlight and lanterns—mostly anything that gives off light—and Maggie had the remaining chunk on feminine hygiene and bandages. They found most of the supplies were still intact, so they filled their backpacks and even purses that were just hanging about. They weren't any walkers inside either, so they took as much as they could and loaded it into the car.

Maggie narrowed her eyes as the blazing sun caught her face. "We should get a crib for Judith too, see if we can scrounge up some more formula and clothes. Judith needs somethin' nice to wear on her birthday, and she's outgrowin' her clothes now."

"There was a store for toddlers' down the road." Sasha lead them to the store with dust and mud covered windows and pulled out her knife. "And I know I saw walkers."

Maggie and Carol got their knives out as well, Maggie used the cutters to snip off the chains, and two walkers came with it. Sasha and Carol took out a man and woman who wore the same uniform. They walked over the dead bodies then cleared out every item Judith would ever want or need, Maggie secured them in the back by Daryl's bike, Carol checked in the very back, and she heard a groaning. She gripped the hilt of her knife and slowly crept along iron shelves. She peered over the shelf and found a man. He was living, and he was gripping his ankle.

She studied him. He was tall, dark hair, but she couldn't see his face. It was cloaked by darkness in the musty storage room. She approached him and bent down. "Are you all right?"

"I will be. It's just my ankle." He groaned and sat up a bit. "I tripped. I don't know over what though."

"Let me see." She slid up his pant leg and looked over the wounded ankle. From what she'd learned from Hershel and what she had to look up online to keep the neighbors from asking too many questions to which they already had the answer to, she knew how to help him. She found a nearby onesy for a baby and ripped it using her knife, wrapping it around his swelling ankle. "That should do, but you'll need to find a brace." Good luck. We just raided the entire area. "Is your camp nearby?"

"Yes, it is." He stood up. "I appreciate this."

"It's the best I could do." She rose. "Don't put too much pressure on it."

"I'll make sure he won't." A man walked over to them, flashlight in Carols face. He was Hispanic, and he had a familiar feature to him.

Carol's blue eyes moved toward the man she's just helped, and with the light, found he only had one green pulsating eye.