I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've managed to get myself sick with some kind of horrible, horrible virus that has left me weak and unmotivated. All I have been doing is sleeping, but I'm taking medication so hopefully I am on the mend now. I just thought I would let everyone know that that is where I have been. I managed to get out a tidbit of a chapter for everyone because I felt so bad for leaving you hanging for so long. I can't promise how it sounds, but it's something and it's short. I apologize for that again. Thanks for reading.

***I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters.


Daryl glared down at the man on the ground in fury. The man refused to talk and there was only so much that Daryl could do to him since the police were on the way.

"Pussy," Daryl spat at the man.

The man shot him a glare, "Call me all the names you want man. I'm not saying anything."

"Daryl?"

Daryl whirled around at the sound of Carol's voice. The creep apparently thought that that would be the perfect time to try and make a break for it, but Roxi sunk her teeth further into the man's flesh making him whine in pain. Daryl's eyes flashed back to him and he delivered a swift kick to the man's ribs. Satisfied that he definitely wasn't going to be breaking into a run now, he turned back to Carol.

"Thought I told ya ta stay in tha house?" He growled.

Carol peered around him, trying to see the man in the dark, "I didn't want to wait there by myself. I didn't know if someone might have been with him so I figured I would be safer here with you. I'm sorry," She whispered.

Daryl's features relaxed at her tone. He hadn't meant to snap at her, but the whole situation had him on edge. He pulled her close to him and rubbed her back soothingly. She was shaking slightly and he felt even worse for snapping at her like he had.

"I ain't meant ta snap at ya like that," He said gruffly.

She nodded against his chest, "It's okay. I just didn't like waiting over there and not knowing."

Daryl glanced up as blue lights lit up the area around them as two squad cars drove around the side of the house. A spotlight was turned on and pointed at the man on the ground who was now curled into the fetal position with Roxi standing guard as if she had been born for the position.

Rick Grimes exited the first vehicle and someone Daryl didn't recognize stepped out of the second car. Rick surveyed the situation on the ground intently, his gaze then traveling over Daryl and Carol. He turned to the other officer, "Shane, will you take that man into custody please?" He looked at Roxi and then at Daryl, "Can you call off your dog please?"

Daryl nodded, having forgotten all about Roxi and he kneeled to call the dog over to him. She hesitated, but finally Daryl was able to coax her away from the man on the ground. He kept one hand wrapped around her collar as they talked to Rick who was writing something on a pad.

"What happened here?" Rick asked.

Daryl sighed, "Well we had jus' got home no more'n an hour ago an' Carol let Rox out ta use tha bathroom. Only she took off 'round tha house here and I ran after her. Came 'round tha corner ta find her standin' over this guy who had been creepin' 'round Carol's house," Daryl explained.

Rick's eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them, "You just got home from where?" He raised a brow.

Daryl felt his face redden as he realized how that had sounded. He cleared his throat, "We went out ta eat."

"Have you been staying at Daryl's house Carol?" Rick asked.

Daryl felt his temper flare. This wasn't about him and Carol's relationship and he didn't respect Rick for trying to be nosey. Nothing irritated Daryl more than people trying to find something to gossip about all of the time.

"How's that relevant to tha conversation?" Daryl snapped, his shoulders tensing.

Carol rubbed her hands over his arms soothingly, "Daryl, it's okay."

Rick cleared his throat, "It might help to know if this is a repeat attempt or not. Now were you or not?" Rick asked Carol again.

"I stay at Daryl's house more than I do here, yes. But I still stay over here sometimes," She added.

Rick released a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair, "Alright. Give me one second. I want to talk to the suspect."

Daryl nodded, watching as Rick made his way over to where the other officer had the man cuffed and leaning against the hood of the police car. Daryl could see that his lip was bloody and he was hunched over as if his ribs were hurting. Daryl smirked in satisfaction. He dared anyone to question him about hitting the man because he felt like he might lose his cool completely if they did.

"Care to explain to me what you were doing lurking around this woman's house?" Rick asked the man.

The man stared straight ahead, his lips clamped firmly shut.

"Found this in his pocket Sheriff," The officer handed Rick a wallet and Daryl watched as he opened it, wishing he had thought to look for identification while they had been waiting.

"Cesar Martinez. This you?" Rick held the license in front of the man's face and still got no reply.

Rick sighed, "Put him in the car. We'll take him in for questioning," He told Shane.

Rick made his way back over to them, "Listen, I'm gonna take him in for questioning, but at this point, there's not much I can hold him for. Did you see him in the house at all or crawling out of the window perhaps?" Rick asked.

Daryl sighed in frustration, "No. Ain't seen none o' that, but my dog don't attack for no reason."

"Why don't you head inside and check the house Carol to make sure nothing seems missing or out of place?" Rick suggested to her.

Carol nodded, squeezing Daryl's hand softly before turning to head to the front of the house. Daryl watched her until she turned the corner. He knew that this man who had been snooping around her house was up to no good. Why else would he have been out here in the dark? Daryl crossed his arms, his stance defiant as he regarded Rick.

"You know anything about the bruises on that man?" Rick asked him.

Daryl kept his expression carefully blank and shook his head no.

"Listen," Rick glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice, "I get it, I really do. None of this looks good, but it's not exactly illegal for someone to walk around someone's house at night as odd as that sounds. If he had been dangling from a window that would be different, but with him just being on the ground there's not a lot I can do from a legal standpoint. I'm going to take him in and see if he'll tell me something that I can work with, but from the looks of it, I doubt he will talk."

Daryl rolled his eyes, but he knew the sheriff was right. He just hated that he hadn't caught the man in a more compromising situation.

Rick cleared his throat, "Technically," he spoke in a low voice, "he could press charges on you since your dog attacked him. I won't mention that to him, but I just thought I would prepare you for that possibility."

Daryl felt his blood boil. He knew he should have never had Carol call the cops. He should have taken the matter into his own hands. He would have been able to get the guy given enough time.

"Yer fuckin' kiddin' me, right?" Daryl cried.

Rick shook his head, "Wish I was. Sometimes the justice system is screwed up. I'll do my best to scare him away from that option if he brings it up. Someone needs to be here with Carol."

Daryl sighed, his eyes straying back over towards the house as Carol made her way back over to them. He searched her face as she approached and she shook her head when she finally made it over to them. Daryl reigned in his frustration. He wanted to rewind time and he wanted another go at the man in the back of that squad car. He wanted to know what in the hell was going on and he wanted some answers. This wasn't just some guy being creepy; there was more going on here and Daryl intended to find out.