I'm glad there was no riot. This is kind of a depressing chapter, but we're getting back on good terms. For now. I hope you enjoy

Daryl felt like he was wiped out of the world. He fucked up. He knew it. He said he would protect them, but he had died. He had done it again. Said he would protect someone, but he let them die. He let another person down. He didn't only let him down. He let Lori, Carl, and everyone else who counted on Rick down.

Herschel tried to explain to Daryl that it wasn't his fault. That the arrow hit right into the femoral vein and he was bleeding in and out, but the man's words just buzzed in his ears. He was oblivious to the world until Carol started pushing him towards his bike. He noticed everyone gathering into the cars. He shook off Carol and Picked up his pace, but she was right on his heel.

"Are you okay?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm. He turned and noticed the worry in her eyes. His mind was so warped, he had forgotten about earlier. What a mistake he made. He shook his head.

"Fine" he said, regaining a steely composure. She frowned, looking right past it. One of the cars honked for their attention. Carol sighed. Andrea stuck her head out one of the windows.

"You ready to go?" she asked, motioning to the bike. When he just stood there, she looked back at the woman and held up a finger, asking for a minute, before turning back to Daryl, who was still standing there.

"Daryl?" she whispered. When he didn't move or anything she invaded his space, wrapping her arms around him.

"You have to know it's not-" she started, but he cut her off.

"Don't. Please don't." he whispered, untangling her from himself. He straddled the bike, and looked at her. Her face saddened, but she nodded. He watched her get on and felt her snake her arms around his waist. His stomach knotted at her closeness. They hadn't been this close in a while, except for this morning when he backed her against the wall. He shook the thoughts away, and started the bike. It clicked a few times before it roared to life.

"Gotta teach ya how to drive. Don't need ya fuckin' up the rides." he tried to make her smile, but it didn't work. He huffed, and started their way back.

Carol buried her face into his back. She felt his back tense up at the movement, but she ignored it. She was trying to comfort him, but she couldn't help but feel the ridges, even over his shirt. She remembered back on the farm, when she brought him up dinner. His back was covered in a series of scars, but she really paid no mind to them until now, when they were right underneath her fingertips. She mover her hands to his sides, knowing he was uncomfortable. She felt a bit uncomfortable too. They had kissed earlier. Really kissed. She didn't know what to think of it. She just knew she wanted it to happen again. Him on the other hand, she couldn't tell. His wall came right back up when Glenn said that. He did the same thing when they found Sophia. He tried to pull away, but she didn't let him then, and she wouldn't let him now

When she first met Daryl, his cold and gruff demeanor had made her shy away. As time progressed though, she found herself closer to him, more than she imagined. She'd catch herself staring at him, or daydreaming about him. She didn't know why she was, but she was attracted to him. More than she'd ever admit. She was more than grateful for everything he had done for her. He had looked for her little girl more than anyone in the group combined. He had taken an arrow and bullet in the process, and he still went out after that. As much as he tried to keep up his tough exterior, he always seemed to soften around her. She smiled at that thought. Soften wasn't quite the word. Daryl could never be a soft person. His roughness is what makes him who he is. That description would work for now. She hadn't noticed that they had made it back until he was trying to remove himself from her. She removed her hands from him and climbed off, him following behind her. Lori, Beth, and Carl ran outside.

"Oh thank goodness you guys-" Lori cut herself off when she didn't see rick. She looked at everyone, a pleading look on her face. "Please?" she begged, her voice cracking. Carl ran up to his mother's side, tears running down his face. Daryl sighed, and walked up to them.

"I'm s'rry. He was a good man." He said, almost running inside afterwards. Carol watched as Lori looked dumbfounded and distraught. Carl had become hysterical and Andrea was trying to console him. Carol went up to the crumbling woman and took her in her arms. She started to sod uncontrollably as Carol tried to soothe her.

"He can't be gone" she choked out in between sobs. Carol had led her back to her bedroom, sitting her on the bigger one of the beds.

"I'm so sorry Lori." She said, rubbing the woman's back. She couldn't imagine what Lori was thinking or feeling right now.

"Wha-what am I supposed to do? I can't take care of a baby by myself. Hell, Carl hardly listens to me." Her cries had died down and she was now staring at Carol. Carol had lost Sophia, but she knew in the end that she was in a better place. Lori though, could hardly keep control of Carl with Rick, and her trying to bring another child into this world; Carol couldn't begin to think about that.

"You can't think like that. You have all of us here to help-" Lori's shaking of her head cut her off.

"How can I put all of you in danger like that? It wouldn't be right to any of you, especially Carl. I can hardly protect him, and putting a baby in the picture would just put him in another world of danger." Her face was like stone, but her eyes were starting to water again.

"Lori. I hope you aren't saying what I think you are. If Rick was here, you know you wouldn't be feeling this way. He wouldn't want you to be like this now either. He'd want you to press on and be strong for you, Carl, and that baby. Do you understand? You can't think like this!" Carol's voice was demanding, yet concerning. The small woman started with the tears again, but nodded. Carol hugged her before speaking again.

"Good. Now let me go get Carl. I'm sure he would love to be with his mother right now." She said, heading to the door.

"Carol." Lori called. She turned back. "Thank you for being here. For helping me. Thanks." She gave a weak smile. Carol nodded, and walked out of the room. Andrea was waiting in the living room with a sniffling Carl on her side.

"Can I go see my mom now?" he lifted up his head, wiping at his eyes. Carol nodded.

"Of course honey. She's waiting for you." She gave the child a hug, and he ran down the hall. Carol plopped down next to Andrea. She noticed the woman cringe a bit and move away.

"Andrea. I don't know what I did to you, but I apologize." Carol really didn't want to have an all-out fight right now, but she was tired of the tension in the air whenever her and Andrea were in the same room. Andrea stood up and walked across the room, staring out the window.

"You could have told me." She said. Carol was confused. She got up and stood next to the woman.

"Tell you what?" she was trying to look the woman in the eye, but she kept focus outside.

"You and Daryl." Her voice was barely audible. Carol had to think for a few, before remembering last night.

"Oh Andrea."

"Just tell me why? Why did you let me embarrass myself like that? Just to have a laugh?" she finally looked at Carol, like she wanted to skin her right there.

"Andrea. You have to know I didn't know what you were going to do. I wasn't trying to sabotage you or anything. I didn't even have a place to say anything. Me and him…Well I don't know what it is, but if it was, I would have told you. I think you would be one of the first people I would have told." Carol felt like she was on the verge of tears. She sat back down on the couch and put her face in her hands. She heard Andrea sigh heavily and felt the couch sink a little next to her. She jumped a little when she felt Andrea's hand on her back.

"You don't hate me?" Carol asked through her fingers. She heard the woman laugh a little, and she looked up at her, a small smile greeting her.

"No I don't. I am a little mad, but I think that's more at myself. I can't blame you for my stupid ideas. I would have been more reluctant if I knew how you felt, but other than that, I can't really be mad at you." Andrea gave her a smile, and Carol pulled the woman in for a hug. Andrea patted her back, but pulled away after a few seconds.

"That's enough of that now. How's Lori?" she pulled herself away, putting a bit of space between them.

"I think she'll be okay. It's a lot to take in, and she's pregnant on top of that. So her thoughts and everything are probably skyrocketing. I think she'll be alright, but I don't think she should be left alone for a while. She was talking about something" Carol gave her a worrying look.

"Well like you said, it's probably this and hormonal. What did she say?" Andrea asked.

"She was talking about the baby. Like she doesn't want it anymore. I don't think she'll do anything to hurt herself or the baby, but I still think we should keep an eye on her." Carol said. Andrea nodded.

"I'll tell Herschel and the others. He may know how to handle these types of situations." She suggested. Carol nodded, and Andrea started for upstairs before turning back to Carol.

"I feel bad for what's gone down between me and Daryl. Could you let him know that? I don't think he'd want to see me right now." Andrea offered with a wink before disappearing up the stairs. Carol just sat there for a minute.

"I doubt he even wants to see anyone right now, let alone me." She told herself.

"That's right. Why would he wanna see an old hag like you?" Ed's voice laughed at her. She shook her head. She wasn't going to let Ed bring her down anymore. She sighed and headed for the stairs.

Kind of a cliffhanger ending. I felt like it was right to end there. You guys are amazing, and I love you all. Thanks for reading. I hope all of you have a wonderful Father's Day.