I'm so glad you guys haven't given up on this story. I know it has taken some time in between updates. Life is crazy at times.

Rick waited by the cars with Daryl and Glen while the rest of the people that were going on the run with them began to gather. Daryl wondered to himself if he should tell Rick that Ell would be coming. He already felt like he was more in the middle of it than he wanted to be. Before he could act they both say Ell walking out of the door toward them.

"Why is she hear?" Rick asked Daryl quietly enough that no one around could hear them.

"Maggie asked her." Daryl answered and watched as Rick walked toward Ell. He took her by the arm, turned her around and began walking back the direction she had come from. When he got her to a spot out of the way he turned her toward him.

"Your not going with us." He was forceful. More forceful than she'd ever herd him before. She looked him up and down, ran her tongue across the bottom of her top lip and crossed her arms. The two starred at each other for a few seconds before Ell nodded and turned, walking away without saying a word.

Sighing Rick wondered if he was wrong. He didn't want her to leave the safety of the prison, but now she may just take off while he's on the run. The first real interaction they had in two months and this was not how he wanted it to go. His frustration with the whole thing was boiling over and at that moment it was the last thing he needed to deal with. He needed to focus on this run. There were ten people going out and a lot of different things they desperately needed to find.

In the car on the way to the tiny little town of Darby Rick drove and tried not to look over at Daryl. He knew if he made contact he would feel the need to explain the scene at the prison with Ell. The way she reacted to him left he himself confused, explaining it to Daryl would be impossible. Daryl waited for him to talk about the run, anything, but when he didn't he took it upon himself to say something.

"I talked to her last night." Daryl felt almost shocked that he volunteered that information. Rick looked at him with questioning eyes. "That's how I knew Maggie asked her." He watched as Rick just nodded but kept looking ahead. "She scared."

"I know." Rick replied.

"You should to talk to her. Not like this morning but really talk to her."

"She hates me." He huffed.

"I'm sure she's pissed about this morning, but she doesn't hate you."

"I'll have to take your word for it, you've talked to her more than I have." Rick looked to Daryl hoping for more information. Instead Daryl just shrugged and the two men rode the rest of the way in silence.

Once at Darby the group broke up into teams of two and spread out. Each pair looking for vital items needed back at the prison. Rick and Daryl were to head to a department store. Weapons and cloths were their items. There was always a need for more weapons, just like cloths they couldn't seem to get enough.

The store was empty and the cloths weren't far from the guns. They backed their car right up to the front door and loading it full until they could barley close the doors. "That was quick." Rick looked at his watch. It had only taken them twenty minutes to fill their SUV. "Lets check out those houses there." He pointed to a row of five houses just to their south. Every little bit would help.

Rick and Daryl cleared the first three houses only finding two walkers. They found a few blankets and two hand guns but nothing else of use. At the fourth house they found three walkers already dead on the living room floor. Just like the three houses before they made their way upstairs.

Clearing each room as they went, first making sure there were no walkers then checking for anything useful. Rick listened as Daryl began to rummage through a dresser. With his rifle held up he pushed a door open with his foot and listened as it squeaked. Sunlight poured through the broken window causing him to raise his hand to block his eyes. After a moment his eyes adjusted and he was able to see into the room. Against the wall just under the window sat a crib. Blood was speckled throughout the room. On the floor the walls and on the crib. Slowly he moved one foot in front of the other toward the crib.

Holding his breath he took the final step allowing him to see into the crib. One glace was all it took. Tears filled his eyes and he rushed from the room, down the stairs and out the front door. Leaning over the railing of the front porch he threw up.

Daryl had seen his hasty retreat and felt the need to see what had sent him from the room. Peering into the crib he found himself having trouble not getting sick. The crib looked like some kind of evil cauldron. Blood, bones muscle tissue and a tiny human skull. A baby had been there once, and had met an horrendous end. One glance was more than enough for him. He turned on his heels and left just as quick as Rick had.

On the porch Rick wiped his mouth with his arm before he took a swig of water, gargled and spit it back out. "You okay?" Daryl asked and Rick just nodded. They had both seen a lot since the world went to shit, but this one was one that would stick with them weather they wanted it to or not.

"Don't tell any one about that." Rick didn't want it getting back to Ell about what they saw in that crib. It would just further prove she had reason to feel the way she felt. "We should get back." The two head headed back without so much as looking into the fifth house.

After meeting with everyone else they started the convoy back to the prison. Daryl drove this time as Rick just stared out the window. Daryl knew he was thinking about Ell, the baby and what he'd seen in that crib. He also knew there was nothing he could say to make him feel better so he just left him alone with his thoughts.

Returning to the prison they were all greeted with a heroes welcome. Rick hugged his son and spoke with him for a few minutes before excusing himself. He needed a shower. The things he'd seen that day made him feel foul. He needed to shower and have a few moments to himself before he could rejoin people.

Ell grabbed an apple and a bottle of water from the designated eating area. Everyone else was sitting down to eat together, but she was still having trouble being around everyone. Daryl sat next to Carol and Sophia, the little girl had taken to him after her found her in the woods. When he saw Ell grab and go like she'd been doing for weeks he excused himself and followed her.

Walking down the hall she could hear his boots closing the distance between the two of them. "Leave it alone Daryl." Ell curtly spoke to him without ever turning.

Daryl quickened his pace, getting within arms reach of her he grabbed her forcefully turning her to him. She looked up at him in a state of shock. His sudden assertive posture was off putting. "You need to go talk to him." He leaned in closer to her, his tone strong.

"I thought you were staying out of this?" She was irritated with his almost demanding statement.

"I am." He released his grip on her and stepped back.

Ell could see there was something on his mind. "Did something happen on the run?" She watched as he just nodded his head. "What?" She held her hands up as her voice echoed through the hall. She'd gotten louder than she'd meant to but she was aggravated. "What happen?"

"He's pretty shook up, just go to him. He needs you, needs to know your okay." Daryl leaned against the wall behind him.

"I don't even know what to say to him..."

"You don't have to talk to him." He cut her off. "Quit being such a pig headed pain and go to him." Daryl was annoyed that the two of them had some how drug him into the middle of their mess. But now one of his closest friends was hurting and the other person they wanted to talk to was refusing. Aggravated he turned and walked away. He'd said what he needed to say and knew that he wasn't going to get her to do anything she didn't want to.

Ell growled knowing he was right. Taking a deep breath she turned on her heels and head for the showers. It must have been bad if Daryl felt he had to step in and say something to her. Rick would never send him to talk to her. If he had something to say he would say it to her. So what ever happen, had to have shaken him to his core.

As always please let me know what you think. And I will update as soon as I can.