Hershel POV:

The cell block was quiet after the group left for the run, winter would be approaching soon so bigger runs were needed, and it gave them more time to look for gifts for Carol. I thought it would be a good idea to treat it as a Birthday for her. Glen had told me about what it was like at camp and how evil Ed was to her, and with the idea of her past that me and Merle had, she had probably never celebrated a birthday.

Carol was trying hard to keep everyone busy to stop the worry and panic coming in to everybody's heads. Daryl had decided to take watch we all saw how Merle had been acting towards Carol, I don't know if it is romantic or platonic.

I wish I felt able to walk up the stairs to talk to Daryl, but it would be a struggle to meet a hard head who is so scared of being rejected by her he could lose her to Merle.

'Beth, can you come with me a moment, Carol we will be back in a moment I just need some fresh air. Carol turned around and smiled at me as Beth and I started out to the yard.

I hoped Daryl would come down and talk to me.

Bethy, will you go and fetch Daryl and keep watch while I talk to him.'

'Yes daddy' I watched her run into the guard tower, her pony tail swinging as she ran.

I few moments later I could hear a gruff voice and loud steps coming down towards me. I leant against the metal barricades we had made for the governors attack.

'What?' He looked down to me shuffling his crossbow strap on his shoulder.

'You'll lose her son, you need to act before your brother does. I know you are scared you will lose her but she is just as scared she will lose you.' He was chewing his thumb he always seemed to do that when he was uncomfortable.

'She don't want me she deserves someone with honour, like Rick, not some redneck piece of trash. I wanna take her out for the day she's got something at home she wants, I can't leave though, can I?'

'If you wanna take her away for a day and she can get something that makes her happy you go, I can look after Judith so can some of the older woman, that gives you Beth, Carl, Karen, Tyreesse, Michonne and Sasha for watch, we can manage. We all know how to cook and you and Carol work harder that all of us, if you want go hunt now, that will give us some meat, then take night watch or Carol will so we have fresh people tomorrow while you're gone.'

With that he was gone off into the woods.

I worry about these people, so much damage they can't see a good thing if it hit them in the face.

Carol POV:

It's hard when people go on a run, we always try to make the runs as short as possible to prevent worry and to make it safer, but as we do more and more runs, we need to go out further for supplies, not like I ever go on of the prison.

I am trying to keep everyone busy, giving out extra chores so that people stay relaxed and don't realise most of a muscle has left the prison to god knows what.

Daryl had disappeared to the watch tower saying he will take watch until dinner.

I guess he is worried about losing Merle, after Michonne following him and saving him from his suicide mission, Daryl did seem to worry more. He didn't want to lose his brother after only getting him back.

Merle was a mystery to me, he seemed to hate everyone at the moment except me, well I don't think he hates Daryl, I think he is just pissed off with him.

Maybe I should just forgive Daryl, he didn't actually do anything, what is the point in being hung up on what if's. That would just drive us all mad.

Hershel returned to the cell block, looked at me and smiled, he was a sweet man, he was what I hoped for from a father. I am glad we were able to save him when he was bit, he is an asset to the group and the voice of reason, I still see him as the reason Rick returned from his run with insanity.

Maybe we are all insane, living in a prison, killing the dead.

I chuckled as I carried on cooking some pasta for dinner, this would be the first dinner in a while without the full group, I hope I will be able to keep it light and calm.

I could hear Judith gurgling as Hershel bounced her on his knee.

He would have been a great father, of course that is obvious with how well-mannered his daughters are, Maggie was confident and strong, and Beth had a gentle soul and was a born mothering character.

Maybe if I had a father like Hershel I would have been stronger, I wouldn't have married Ed, but then would I still have had my beautiful Sophia, would I still have meet Daryl.

Those what ifs again.

My father tried his best, you do stupid things when you're in love, I wonder if he is still alive somewhere, I haven't spoken to him in years, probably not since Sophia was born, Ed didn't want me having people I could run away to, I don't know whether I prefer Annettes abuse or Eds.

No one knows, I guess they all believe everything was from Ed, but the damage was already done by then, Ed was just the tipping point perhaps, pushing me over the cliff leading to no return to the bubbly sociable girl I could have been.

I could bloom in this world when being wary was an advantage.

I went to call everyone in for dinner, it would take a lot longer for me to get my dinner with everyone else from Woodsbury, and Beth was on watch while Daryl went and did some hunting, he never went in the afternoon because he said the animals would be hiding from the heat.

Maybe he was hiding too.

Slowly all the elderly people were fed and the children were being fed too so I went outside to take over watch and send Beth in to eat.

I like the fresh air, the prison was damn and smelt stale.

I slowly stepped into the watch tower enjoying the fresh air and slight breeze on my skin.

Beth looked down the stairs at me, her hair dangling down in her face.

'Beth go have dinner I will take over.' I balanced my plate as she handed me the rifle and took off towards the cell block.

Sometimes I forget how young she is, she shouldn't be in a world like this, hiding from mad men and flesh eating dead peoples.

I stared into the forest, using the scope to look for Daryl, he should be back soon, the sun was starting to set. I glanced at my plate, I really didn't fancy eating, me and Daryl always ate together.

I was terrible at staying mad at someone, the first time Ed hit me I left, staying at a motel across town, I went back the next day, received the apologies. A few days later and he did it again, worse, couldn't leave the house for a week.

I could see movement in the trees, I stared down the scope of the rifle, leaning into the safety bar, the walkers were attracted to the movement. It's something living.