Thank you all for your reviews I love reading them. I really hope you enjoy this newest chapter, please let me know what you think about it. Thank you to my beta for getting this back to me xxoo.

Chapter 13

Confessions.

Carol hadn't felt this good in so long; she rode down the dirt strip that led to Max's house. The trip had been mostly quiet. When she had first left town the walkers had stumbled out of town after her but she had lost them quickly and aside from a few random walkers on the road, the trip have been trouble free. She slowed as the fence came into view. Pulling up to the gate, she saw Glenn with his gun trained on her and then she remember she was wearing a helmet, pulling it off she waved seeing him visibly relax.

"It's Carol," he called out to Merle who was at the gate his gun ready. Smiling happily that she was home he holstered his gun before pulling the fence open, she rode in slowly coming to a stop and kicking out the bike's stand before hopping off.

"Damn girl it's good to see you," he smirked wrapping his arms tightly around her waist spinning her around. "Daryl's been in a panic, he went looking for ya," he said putting her back down and stepping back.

"How long ago?" she asked almost sounding surprised.

"A couple of hours ago."

"Damn, he probably just missed me."

"Well no worry he'll head back here once he can't find ya." Carol nodded. "Shit I didn't know you could ride," he said pointing at the bike.

"Ah yeah my uncle owned a bike shop I spent a lot of time there," she explained, that's when Merle noticed her hand was wrapped.

"What happened here?" he asked grabbing her hand.

"I got trapped in a theatre, when the walkers finally moved on I climbed out a window didn't see some broken glass," she sighed, Merle unwrapped her hand seeing the deep gash.

"Damn little sis that's pretty deep, you're gonna need stitches," Merle informed her. She looked at him stunned did he just call her his little sis?

"Carol you scared the hell out of us," Glenn said hugging her.

"Yeah sorry but I'm fine really."

"I'll get Beth to come take over with you short round instead of me, just gonna get Hershel to look at her hand." Glenn nodded moving back up the look out to wait for Beth. Merle and Carol moved inside to see Rick handing Judith to Karen.

"Officer friendly, look who showed up," Merle smirked at the shocked look on Rick's face when he saw Carol.

"Carol," he gasped moving across the room to embrace her. "What happened? Where did you go?" he asked pulling back.

"I ran into the pub but there was a heap of walkers blocking the cellar so I ran out the back door and hid in the theatre behind it, I saw you and Michonne looking for me but if I even made a sound a dozen walkers or more would have been on me in a second, I had to just wait them out."

"I'm so sorry, we should have looked harder," Rick sighed feeling guilty for leaving her behind.

"Rick, I saw Michonne running around looking for me while you tried to lead the walkers away, I also saw the herd almost take you guys down, don't feel guilty as you can see I'm fine." Rick nodded.

"Maybe you could talk to Daryl for me then, he's pretty pissed at me," Rick laughed softly.

"You and me both," Carol laughed. "Don't worry he will get over it," she smiled touching Rick's arm before heading off with Merle.

"Hey doc you got a new patient," Merle said walking into Cheryl's room with Carol, handing her over to Hershel. "Good to have you back," he smirked before heading out to find Beth.

"Carol, oh we were so worried," Hershel smiled standing. "Now what have you done here?" he asked looking at her hand.

"I cut it on some glass," she explained.

"Come sit," he said leading her to the chair beside Cheryl's bed, Carol looked down at Cheryl's wrapped stump feeling guilt flood through her, tears started to burn her eyes and she fought to keep them at bay.

"She's doing quite well you know," Hershel said sitting in a chair beside Carol, grabbing her hand he started to clean it. "She was up earlier taking herself to the bathroom and for a short walk around the house, she is even more stubborn than I was," Carol smiled nodding.

"Well she is related to the Dixon brothers," she smiled. "I'm glad she is doing well," Carol whispered.

"This may sting dear," Hershel said sticking a needle into the open wound to numb it but Carol didn't flinch she just looked at Cheryl sadly. Hershel was amazed at her pain tolerance but he supposed she had suffered far worse at the hands of her so-called husband back in the day. "You know Daryl went looking for you."

"Yeah Merle told me," she sighed looking at Hershel.

"He was quite worried about you, he feels terrible for the way he treated you, the things he said."

"I doesn't matter I deserved it, he was right anyway," she whispered looking down at her hand watching as Hershel stitched it.

"He was not." Carol turned at the sound of Cheryl's voice, "and you did not in any way deserve it, you tried to warn me and I chose not to listen, this here is on me."

"It's good to see you awake," Carol smiled "I'm so sorry about… but I couldn't let you die."

"I'm glad you did it, you saved my life thank you," Cheryl smiled grabbing Carol's hand in her own.

"No problem," Carol smiled.

"You shouldn't have gone into town though Daryl was in quite a state when he left here."

"You needed pain killers."

"I would have got by without."

"Are you pain free?"

"Yes."

"Good, it's done and I'm fine, once Daryl sees me alive and well he will be back to his grouchy, not wanting to talk to me self," Carol smirked, Cheryl laughed at this.

"You're all finished," Hershel announced wrapping a bandage around her hand. He had just taped it when they heard yelling coming from the living room.

"This is your fault, you left her to die just like you left Sophia," they heard Daryl yell.

"Oh no," Carol gasped rising to her feet and running out into the living room, she could see Daryl in Rick's face. Merle had just come running in the front door, Michonne was trying to get between Rick and Daryl but it was no use.

"And now she's dead too," Daryl spat before anyone could stop it Daryl raised his fist hitting Rick so hard he fell to the floor sliding across it because of the force. Daryl moved kneeling over Rick bringing his fist down a second time before Merle grabbed Daryl jerking him up trying to get control of his brother.

"Would you listen to me baby brother, Carol's…." but it was all Merle got out before Daryl pushed him back, Merle fell to the ground and Daryl was back on Rick before anyone could blink. Glenn and Maggie ran in trying to pull Daryl off but it was no use he was too strong and way too mad. Carol moved fast pushing through Maggie and Glenn and grabbing Daryl's arm stopping him from hitting Rick again.

"Daryl!" she yelled but it was almost like he couldn't hear her. Jerking him up with all her strength she turned him to face her, still on his knees she knelt in front of him her hands cupping his face. "Daryl stop it!" she yelled.

"Carol?" he whispered confused tears in his eyes.

"I'm here, I'm fine, and I'm safe, see?" she cried, tears slipping from her eyes placing his hand over her heart so he could feel its steady beat. The look in Daryl's eyes, the fear, and the pain was too much; it ripped into her, clenching her heart.

He looked so confused, so scared she didn't know what to do. Before she could think, he cupped her face pulling her to him, not caring who was around, who was watching, he smashed his lips down onto hers kissing her with everything he felt inside him. It slammed into her, overwhelming her, but she refused to pull away from him instead she pulled him closer to her, grasping at his shirt groaning at the feel of his tongue caressing hers. Her heart was racing, she never thought this would happen, never thought Daryl could ever see her as anything other than his best friend.

Merle watched on, finally they were getting it right and it was about damn time. He had tried to talk to Daryl when he came in through the gate but he had barely got half way down from the lookout when Daryl jumped out of the car and stormed inside straight for Rick.

"Is everything alright?" Cheryl asked walking into the living and standing beside Merle.

"Just perfect Aunt Cheryl," Merle smiled looking at Carol and Daryl who were still kissing as if they were the only two people in the room.

"Oh good," Cheryl smiled happily.

"Hell yeah little brother, about damn time you claimed that woman as yours," Merle yelled clapping. Daryl and Carol pulled apart slowly, Daryl still cupped her face resting his forehead on hers, eyes closed.

"Don't ever do that to me again woman," he whispered.

"I promise," she replied before moving to stand up, once on their feet Daryl turned to Rick who was now standing beside Michonne. His eye was quickly turning black and his lip was bloody but he had a smile on his face so Daryl took that as a good sign.

"I'm sorry I just…" Daryl started but Rick quickly cut him off.

"I get it, if I could have beat someone to a pulp after Lori died believe me I would have, it's okay I get it," Rick reassured him. Daryl nodded, glad he understood; he had known it wasn't Rick's fault when he came into the house gunning for him but he was so torn apart thinking Carol was dead that he needed a vent and Rick was the last person with her so he went straight for him.

"We need to talk… alone," Daryl said turning to face her. She nodded. Excusing themselves they headed out into the yard for some privacy. "I'm sorry for saying the shit I said, I didn't mean any of it I just got scared."

"I know Cheryl is really important to you and I'm really sorry she got hurt."

"No, I mean yeah she is important and I hated seeing her so hurt but that's not all that upset me," he confessed looking into her eyes. "You were out there woman, alone and I wasn't here to protect ya, ya could have been bit, killed and that…. That would have killed me."

"Why?" she whispered desperately needing to know how he truly felt for her.

"Cause I love ya woman," she nodded tears slipping from her eyes.

"I love you too Daryl," she confessed, he moved kissing her again for the second time but definitely not the last.