A/N – It may take me a little longer to post the next chapter or two as I am building up to something. I want to do it justice so it might require a day or two of thought… Anyway. I hope you like this chapter and I'm looking forward to your reviews. Thank you!

Chapter 25 – Looking for Trouble

Daryl couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Maybe it was that he hadn't been outside in nearly three days, that he hadn't hunted in what felt like forever, that he hated the feeling of being cooped up inside with these people – not Carol a-course, jus' 'em other dumbasses.

They were checking over the last part of the prison today – Glenn, T-Dog, Andrea, and Daryl. Rick had stayed back; it was obvious he wasn't welcome around Andrea. Daryl couldn't blame the woman really – it was clear she had been sweet on Shane – but it didn't do the group any good to have people at odds with each other. Sooner or later the broad has to git over 'erself… for the good of the group.

T-Dog's loud whoop interrupted Daryl's thoughts. Daryl watched as T-Dog clapped Glenn on the back with a jubilant sound and said, "Finally becoming a man, my man! Good for you!"

Andrea came up from behind Daryl, "what's going on guys?"

T-Dog grinned, "Glenn just told me that he asked Hershel for Maggie's hand last night! Can you believe it? We're gonna have ourselves a wedding!" Glenn grinned sheepishly, his face fast becoming a bright shade of red.

"Reckon ya girl's gotta say yes first," Daryl muttered. Weddings… 'ardly seems the time for fuckin ceremonies and shit like tha'.

Glenn frowned at Daryl, "Yea, she's got to say yes first, yea, that's right. You think she won't?"

Daryl looked at the boy. He forgets sometimes how young the former pizza delivery boy was. "Don't cut yerself short, short-round, gal's lucky to have ya. I'm prob'ly jealous is all. Thought me and ya'd git hitched some day." Daryl grinned sideways at the younger man. The group laughed.

"Daryl Dixon, when'd you become a damn comedian?," Andrea said.

"Must be Carol's influence…" Daryl stopped cold at T-Dog's words.

"Wha' ya know bout it?" Ya don' know shit, so shut yer fuckin mouth.

T-Dog put his hands up playfully, a gesture of mercy. "Hey, don't get all bent about it. We all know. It's not like we can't hear the two of you. Unless you want to say that's Rose moaning Carol's name in the middle of the night. I swear, that baby must be the heaviest sleeper of us all." Daryl glowered.

"Oh, T, leave Daryl alone. And we probably hear Carol more than him anyways." Andrea smiled, but she had the good sense to look reproachfully at T-Dog, and then apologetically at Daryl – now angry enough to spit fire.

"Let's jus' git this shit over with."

Carol made stew that night for dinner from some salted pork and canned vegetables. They'd been lucky when they'd come to the prison because there had been food left behind that was still passable for eating. The freezer items had all been worthless, but there'd been plenty in the pantry and when added to what they had brought from their previous town raids, well there was enough to make it a few weeks before another supply run. Especially once Daryl can hunt again. And maybe me too… She was strangely excited to get out and hunt with him. She wasn't confident in her being able to shoot a moving target, but she was excited to try.

The feeling of being watched had finally passed as she had concentrated on cooking. She thought about saying something to Daryl later but figured he'd just think she was being a silly woman. I'm just scaring myself and that's all.

When the others came in for dinner, she felt proud of the meal. It was good to learn to protect herself and the group, but she was still glad to do her domestic duties as well. They all raved about the food, for the first time all eating together – a real family meal – and Carol felt happy to be sitting next to Daryl as they all talked.

He ate with his right hand, and she nearly jumped when she felt his left hand come to rest on her leg.

"I don't understand why we are even discussing this… we are safe here. We can't go looking for trouble," Rick said. Carol refocused her attention on the discussion at the table. Michonne and Woodbury.

"You don't understand," Andrea said, "she saved my life. I was going to die out in those woods after you left me for dead. Now, I don't blame you for leaving me behind, but Michonne didn't even know me. She saved my life. I owe this to her. I can't leave her there if there's even a chance she's still alive, not until I know what happened."

"If it was Lori, or Carl, you'd go back," T-Dog said.

Rick looked at T-Dog irately. "What is this to you anyway?"

"What happened to you, man? I remember when you went back for goddamn Merle Dixon. We all left Andrea for dead back at that farm and she made it out because of Michonne. If this is important to Andrea, well, hell, it's important to me and it damn well should be to you too." Daryl's grip on her leg tightened at the mention of his brother's name. That's not it. T-Dog's words rung false in Carol's ears. Something wasn't right. She wasn't sure that T-Dog only wanted to go to Woodbury for Andrea. She remembered how interested he had been in Michonne and in Woodbury when Andrea had told them what had happened to her. There was something else going on. She caught Daryl's eye and he seemed to be on the same page.

"What else?," Daryl spoke up.

T-Dog looked at him. "Fine. If you people need an explanation… which you don't deserve, might I add… I think I know her. Michonne. And that's all you're going to get out of me."

"So we just go back… for her savior," Rick gestured at Andrea, "and your… your what? Your long lost love?" He paused a moment and then, "We are not going to Woodbury!," Rick yelled slamming his hands onto the table with a loud bang. The room was silent as they all stared at him.

The silence was broken by hands clapping. A man stepped into the room out of the hallway… clapping his hands together. The room was still with dumbstruck silence. Then, Andrea gasped. The stranger was tall, blonde hair in a crew cut, muscular build, but it was the eyes that caught Carol's breath – Rose's eyes. The clapping stopped, the man smiled maniacally and said, "Oh good show, mates! Good show, but you're wrong, you know... because you are all going to Woodbury."