Torture and rape, if you don't want to read skip the italic writing x

Carol POV:

I could feel him chocking the life out of me, feel It draining, before he threw me on the floor, I couldn't brace for it, my hands stuff tied behind my back, I could feel my ribs giving, his constant attack killing me.

'Fucking bitch, thinking you were worth something, thought I taught you better!' They both started kicking me, I tried to curl in on myself to stop the pain. Ed and the Governor continued, only stopping when they got bored and decided to change how they hurt me.

'You thought someone like Daryl would want you. He left you to get hurt, to suffer.' Their whispers taunting me, driving me mad.

'Please.' I begged, my voice hoarse from the hours of them beating me, I tried not to scream, not wanting them to have the satisfaction.

They pulled my hands tying them to a pole in the wall instead, I tried to pull my body away from them, why couldn't they stop. Daryl was supposed to have come, come and saved me. Ed pulled my legs, I could feel the rope cutting my skin. The Governor was gone for now, vanished. Ed started pulling back my toes I could hear the sickly crack as they broke, I bit my lip stopping the screams I could feel building, my mouth tasted of blood. The Governor was back, stood naked before me grinning, his smile made me gag.

'I'll show you what a real man can do.' I screamed as he thrusted into me...

I woke up to the sound of screaming it took me a minute to realise it was my own. I was covered in sweat, I had woken the Dixons up, they were both looking at me, whispering at me, I couldn't hear them though, just the Governor and Ed laughing. Rick ran through the cell door, just in some swear pants holding his gun, I watched Daryl wave him away before they turned their attention to me. The laughing had stopped.

'Carol, answer me.' Merle pleaded, I looked at him before quickly cuddling into him, he would keep me safe from the laughter, I felt him rubbing small circles on my back, salty tears burned my eyes threatening to spill, I let them fall, not for what had happened but for one of the men I loved betraying me, leaving me to suffer. He hasn't apologised, not admitted it had happened, I could see it in his eyes though, the guilt for what he let happen.

'Come on darlin, what happened?' I shook my head on his chest, I couldn't talk about it, couldn't let them know it broke me, I could hurt them, let them suffer with everything inside, it was my battle to fight.

I ignored Daryl I wasn't ready to forgive him yet, I knew I would, I always did, I couldn't stay mad at him. I swung my legs over the bed.

'Woah, the hell you going?' Daryl yelled.

'I need to pee, Jesus I can manage.' I replied, moving to stand, I was a little wobbly, but I would be able to manage. I started moving out of the cell, the cement cold on my feet. I could hear someone following me, they would talk to me if they wanted.

'Carol, I'm sorry I didn't get you out faster, I just didn't know how many there were.' Daryl sounded desperate.

'I'm alive, that's all that matters. I was nearly at the toilets now, I felt him grab my wrist, he was being soft but I pulled away, I wasn't forgiving him yet. I walked into the bathroom leaving him outside, when I left he was still stood there waiting, he should have been there earlier when I needed him.

'I should have been there, I fucked up, I get it, just don't ignore me, please. Don't use Merle to make me jealous.' He whispered the last part. Jealous he thought I was using Merle, Merle didn't abandon me, he didn't treat me like shit on his shoe.

'Make you jealous, you ever thought that if you treated me like Merle did then I would act like I do with him with you! All you do is yell at me and say horrible things to me, but I'm the one in the wrong, u were right there, you could have taken the shot and I wouldn't have ended up naked and tied up in a basement. But no, you fucked off and left me there for hours getting hit and beaten while you were safe here.' I stormed past him back to the cell block, I didn't need his shit. Merle was half asleep on the bed so I quiet moved onto the bed and curled up to try and sleep again.

I woke up when the sun started to come through the cell block, everything hurt but I got up, I didn't like being on medication so I would just keep busy and ignore it. I climbed over Daryl, leaving him and Merle to sleep longer. I got changed as quickly as my ribs would let me, I tried to ignore the stitches Hershel had needed to do. Just more scars to make me look ugly.

I walked slowly through the cell block, no need for everyone else to be awake as early as I am, I made some coffee, today would be a good day. Once I finished my coffee and had set everything up for breakfast I went to my kitchen storage, I might as well start getting it sorted, no one would know where anything was at this rate. I walked to the room, holding my knife just in case, we had cleared the tombs but I still worried one day we would let our guard down and something would happen.

I looked into the room, it was filled with boxes, I could hardly see the other side where the shelves were. I lifted the first box, I could feel my ribs protesting but I would be able to cope, Ed had broken several of my ribs and I had kept working to stop getting more beatings, I would easily be able to move some boxes. I looked at the sun through the small windows, the others would be up soon. Hopefully they wouldn't worry about where I was. I just needed some time alone, away for their worry and pity. I had helped kill the Governor, he wouldn't be able to help us anymore.

I laughed thinking about if Merle had really bought me the Governors balls on a string, I help my ribs and tears streamed down my face, I could really imagine Merle doing it, just handing it me like it was the best present in the world.

I could see I was starting to make a dent in the mass of boxes, I couldn't believe how many they had managed to get in this room, I stopped for a few minutes sitting on one of the boxes, my ribs and muscles were tired and sore from the constantly work they had been doing for the last few days, Merle had told me that Hershel said I should rest let everything start to repair, but I could just stay in that room, sleeping, dreaming, waking up screaming. No. I needed to stay busy, distract myself from every memory the previous day had brought up, I needed to lock them away in their box again.

I could hear footsteps coming towards the room, they were too normal to be walkers, they had a purpose. I stood up from my box, moving towards the door, I saw Daryl leaning against the door staring at me, he was biting his thumb, he always did that when he was nervous. I smiled to myself, he was nervous around me.

'Hey.' I said looking at my feet, I didn't want to see pity in his eyes, or any other emotion, he already thought I was using Merle, I thought he knew me better than that. He made it sound like I was some whore.

'Hi, you shouldn't be down here, your ribs need to heal.' He mumbled from behind his thumb.

'I'm fine, I've worked through broken ribs before, a couple cracks aren't going to stop me.' I turned back to my work, if he didn't want to look at me then I wasn't going to bother trying to work through to him.

'M'sorry about what I said earlier.' I turned to look at him, he was staring at me, I could see the sorrow in his eyes, the guilt, the fear.

'It's fine.' I replied turning to lift a box, as I lifted it my ribs screamed, I dropped the box, holding my side hoping the bad would subside, I couldn't become a burden. I could feel tears building behind my eye lids, I wasn't going to cry, the pain would go. I felt him moving behind me, turned me around to face him, he pulled me into him, holding me while the pain shoot up my side.

'Come on, we'll get you some pills, then if you want I will help you sort all your boxes out but you're not lifting anything, I don't care about what Ed made you do.' He pulled me into his side, wrapping his arm around me, he must have been uncomfortable but he didn't tense, he never flinched when I touched him but he always tensed, this was something new. I couldn't stop the tears from falling so I let them, quickly wiping them away before anyone would see them, I didn't need babying, I would get Daryl to help me finish the room once the pain stopped.

I sat down in the common room, staying in the shadows, we always usually had breakfast with the Woodbury people, I didn't want everyone staring at me and how horrible I looked, if Hershel would let me I would shower later, try and clean away all of the dirt I could feel on me.

Daryl sat down next to me and gave me a bowl of oatmeal, I didn't look at it, I just started to eat it, I wasn't hungry but I didn't need them all getting on at me about now eating, I pushed the first spoonful into my mouth, I waited for the bland taste, but instead I was shocked with the sweet taste of honey. I looked up at Daryl and saw him smiling chuckling at the table.

'I can treat you right, you just gotta kick my ass sometimes, I'm a gonna fuck up and say things I don't mean but I can try.' I looked into his eyes, he was telling me the truth. He was going to try and that was all I could ask from him.

I nodded at him before trying to finish my breakfast, the honey made it much more edible.

Once I was finished Daryl took me to Hershels cell, I really hoped he would give me the go ahead to do what I wanted, or at least not tell Daryl that I shouldn't be doing anything or else I would be stuck in my cell all day.

I hadn't seen Merle all morning but Daryl had said he was finished off the wall by making the gate with Tyreese and Glenn, I would go and see him later and thank him for everything he had done for me.

I laid on Hershels cot, letting him poke at my ribs checking if they were okay for me to be up and about, he checked my stitches afterwards, I kept my eyes closes while he checked me over, I didn't want to see everything that was wrong with my body. I didn't need any more reminders. I already knew what was there, seeing it would just make it more real.

'I want you to rest your ribs, the stitches look fine though, just rest and don't do anything to exhorting.' He said giving me a brief smile as I pulled my top down.

'Can I take the bandages off to have a shower, I just want to wash everything away.' I tried to explain but was coming up short.

'I understand, go and have a shower when you want, I can rerap them after, I just want to say thank you, because of you that man can't hurt anyone else.' He patted my knee before leaving his cell, I could see Daryl outside the blanket waiting for me.

'Come on then, you said you would help me.' I smiled at him, grabbing his hand pulling him towards the storage room. I felt him entwine his fingers with mine but tried to ignore the spark of electricity shooting through my fingers. I couldn't stop myself grinning.

When we got to the storage room I sat on one of the boxes when he opened boxes and moved them to where I pointed, every time I tried to get up and help he would order me to sit back down and boss him around. I couldn't help watching his bum every time he bent down to move one of the boxes, I was become sad that there weren't that many boxes left for him to move, watching his muscles flex lifting them was really helping me forget about everything that had happened.

Beth brought us lunch, I would have to teach her how to make bread or else we would have no pasta left, it seemed to be the only thing she could make that was edible and even that wasn't always.

Daryl stopped to eat some of his lunch but gave me half, even after I argued about how he needed it more for all the hunting he did and everything else while I was just sitting here. He wouldn't have it though, it was the same last night, my plate seemed to have twice as much as it should have.

We only had a few boxes left, everything was in an order, that hopefully everyone would be able to understand, though Daryl seemed quite confused with it to start with, but after a few boxes he seemed to understand how it was going until I would be able to put some of each piles boxes onto the shelves for everyone.

'When I'm better, or am allowed to work, I want to make everyone a bag, with some food and medical things, maybe a knife too just in case we have to leave quick, it probably sounds silly now though because the Governors dead, but I thought it was better to be safe.' I looked at him expecting him to laugh at my idea.

'It's a great idea, maybe at a torch and map too if we can scavenge enough.' I beamed at him, he thought it was a good idea.

'Come on, you want a shower don't you, I can grab your Pjs while you shower then we can go have dinner or something.' I nodded at him and started walking out of the room, as I was walking down the corridor I felt him reach for my hand, I gave it him and let him link our hands. It was like his hand fitted perfectly into mine.

He left me at the showers promising he would wait for me outside.

I quickly threw my clothes on the floor and took the bandage off my ribs. I climbed into the shower, scrubbing my skin to remove every memory of the Governor, the things he said, the bruises, the dried blood, the thought of him touching me, wanting to rape me, wanting to kill me. I got out of the shower when my teeth started chattering from how cold the water was.

I caught sight of myself in the mirror and couldn't stop looking, at the bruises, the scars, I stared at the stitches, 'Governors girls' it was clean easy to read, I cried as I traced over it with my finger, I just stood there for a few minutes, sobbing about everything I had lost since I was born. Everything that had been done to me. I was broken. Daryl was too good for me, he could have one of the beautiful women from Woodsbury, I looked down my body seeing every imperfection, every flaw.

Daryl manning up enough? x