Beth wanted to scream, to cry, to do anything. But as Carol's body fell, she felt frozen. Her throat constricted and all she could see was Carol's blank eyes and blood everywhere.

The Governor was watching their reaction with a sick smile of satisfaction. Karen was breathing heavily, unable to tear her gaze off Carol's body either.

"Take them away," the Governor instructed with an imperious wave of his hand.

The men advanced on them and Beth tried to focus and fight them. She got in one decent kick but Carol's death had stunned her and left her reeling. Karen managed to break one man's nose but she too was quickly subdued.

They were deposited back in their windowless room and this time their wrists were bound. The rope cut harshly into Beth's skin but she barely registered the physical pain. Nothing could surpass the hideous ache in her heart when she thought about Carol.

They shoved the two women into the room and shut the door. The violence of the push sent both women sprawling across the ground. Karen was on her feet again in an instant, trying to wriggle her wrists within her constraints.

Beth was a bit more sluggish. The fall had scraped the skin off her arms, leaving bloody grazes behind.

"We're going to get out of here and kill that man," Karen was muttering. She was walking around the room looking for some weakness. Beth struggled to a sitting position, knowing Karen's search was futile. They'd had one opportunity and they had blown it.

Karen turned and saw Beth was still sitting on the ground. When their eyes met, Beth could see the despair in Karen's expression but she refused to let it overwhelm her. Beth felt ashamed of her resignation.

"I'll help," Beth said, pushing herself to her feet.

"We have to get out of these ropes first," Karen was saying. "They would have tied them behind our back if they were smart."

Beth looked down at her bound wrists and thought the knots looked pretty sophisticated so it didn't matter much.

The men had locked the door behind them and they no longer had a weapon. Even if they did get rid of their ties, that didn't mean they could escape. Still Karen needed something to do and Beth was happy to think of anything other than Carol.

Beth walked closer to Karen, taking the woman's hands awkwardly in her own. She tilted Karen's wrists so she could see the knots at a better angle.

"I could probably start to work this free," Beth said, even though she wasn't really confident she could.

Karen nodded, she was grateful Beth was participating in the charade.

Just then the lock of the door clicked over. The women sprang apart. Beth's heart thundered in her chest. Maybe they were coming to attack her again. The idea of being raped after Carol had sacrificed herself to save her from such a fate sent fury through her. Even if her hands were bound she would fight tooth and nail to keep them away from her.

The door open and Beth retreated towards the wall. She wanted space between them and room to move.

There were two men but they appeared to be carrying something. With a graceless heave they pitched Carol's body into the cell with them. The door shut behind them.

Karen has gasped when she saw who they were carrying. "That's sick," she hissed.

Beth fell to her knees next to Carol. She ran a gentle hand over the woman's face. The rest of her body was covered in blood but not her face. She could have been sleeping apart from her wide, vacant eyes. Beth reached out and slid Carol's eyes shut.

"Why would he put her in here?" Beth asked.

"Because he's evil! He wants us to have to look at what he did to our friend," Karen spat. She couldn't quite look at Carol directly. "So we know what'll happen to us if we fight him."

Beth touched the woman's hand. Carol wasn't even cold yet and her death didn't feel real. But only the dead were this still. Beth felt a tear glide down her cheek as she realised this was it. Beth's thumb stroked Carol's palm. She'd never see Carol's kind smile or her moving ever again.

Beth's hand stilled and she felt dread creep up her spine.

"That's not why he put her here."

Something in Beth's tone made Karen look at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

"She's going to turn."

...

"They'll be expectin' us," Martinez pointed out.

"They won't be expectin' me," Morgan said. Daryl wanted to take back every time he had ever insulted Morgan. He was truly amazing. Though he didn't like the casual way he was handling the bomb.

Rick was ignoring the hissed conversation, his eyes trained on the prison.

Maggie was at Daryl's side and he realised she was trembling. He didn't know if it was fear, anger or adrenaline. Maybe it was just a combination of all three. He hesitated then put a hand on her shoulder.

"We're gonna save 'em," he said gruffly. Daryl looked over at Bowan, who had Daryl's crossbow slung over his shoulder. It looked foreign and out of place on the big man but Daryl couldn't use it yet and it made no sense to leave behind such an effective weapon.

He had compensated by strapping as many blades as he could reasonably carry.

"We should go in now," Rick muttered. He turned and surveyed his group. "Martinez, you're with Daryl and Maggie. You're gonna help them find Karen, Carol and Beth."

Daryl ignored the pang he felt at hearing Beth's name.

"The rest of us will divide into two groups and provide cover and a distraction. Tyreese and Bowan, I need you to take out as many of his guards as you can. Glenn and I will help Morgan set up the bomb."

Daryl didn't like that he would be left out of the main fighting but he was more a liability at the moment. Besides, he wanted to find Beth so badly it hurt. If the Governor really wanted them all dead then they were going to go down fighting.

They started to break apart but Daryl lingered next to Rick. "Stay safe, brother."

"You too." Rick held out his hand and Daryl shook it. There were no more words even though he knew realistically he might never see Rick again.

Daryl moved further onwards, turning away to give Maggie and Glenn some privacy as they said their own farewell.

He joined Martinez who was lighting up two cigarettes. He passed one to Daryl. Daryl grimaced.

"Menthol," Martinez said by way of explanation when he saw Daryl's face.

"Man, you need to stop smokin' these little bitch cigarettes."

Martinez shrugged. "I got nothin' to prove."

There was a tiny smirk on Martinez's face and Daryl grinned ruefully back. Maggie joined them, her face determined.

Martinez took another deep drag before stubbing the cigarette out. "C'mon. Let's go get your women folk."

Martinez took the lead, remembering every inch of Woodbury.

He took them to what he called the back entrance. There were two guards on the top of a blockade. Daryl wanted to shoot them right then but he couldn't afford the attention it would attract and the guards had the upper ground even if he could get close enough to stab them.

Martinez held up a hand, halting them silently. He tapped his wrist, where a watch might be if he was wearing one. The meaning was clear: wait.

It went against Daryl's natural instinct but he knew Martinez was right. He was just going to get them killed if he barrelled into danger.

There was an explosion from the other side of Woodbury. The sound made Daryl's ears ring and the ground shake under foot. He had to clutch the wall to keep from falling. Maggie swore loudly.

Daryl didn't know what he had thought would happen when Morgan detonated his homemade bomb but it hadn't been anything this big. Martinez had kept watch on the guards and as soon as they had righted themselves, they took off in the direction the blast had come from.

Their small group didn't hesitate. They made it to the barrier. Daryl gave Maggie a boost up and then both Martinez and himself struggled up and over. The physical exertion left him a little breathless but Daryl tried to not to focus on that fact. Whatever the Governor had thought they would do to get their people back, it was likely that building a bomb would not have been high on the list.

"Where do you think they'll keep them?" Maggie asked, scanning the area for any threats.

"I have a pretty good idea," Martinez said grimly. "Let's move. That sound is gonna have every walker in ear shot crawling all over this place."

Martinez rounded a corner and instantly recoiled. It was too late. Some of the Governor's henchmen had spotted them. Daryl worked his knife free but Maggie was quicker. She surged forward, moving too fast for the henchman to take aim at her with his gun.

Maggie grabbed the man by his chin, thrusting the blade through his eye. He gave one horrifying scream before dying.

The other man advanced on Daryl but he underestimated the reach of Daryl's blade. The hand that had been holding the gun dropped to the ground. The man screeched but Martinez had circled around and he slit the man's throat neatly. He plunged the knife in again but into his skull this time.

"Don't need these douche bags comin' back as walkers."

Daryl whole heartedly agreed. The sounds of gunfire echoed from further off. Maggie blanched and Daryl could see that she was worried about Glenn. He didn't say anything to comfort her because what could he possibly say to make her feel better about this situation.

...

Beth sucked in a breath as the gravity of what she had said hit her hard. She scrambled away from Carol's body. Karen had already backed herself into a corner, looking from Carol to Beth with an open mouth.

Beth joined her, leaning in to the other woman. Karen's body radiated heat after being so close to Carol's cooling flesh. The touch gave Beth comfort.

"What do we do?" Karen's question was a little shaky but Beth could see she had made an obvious effort to control her emotions.

The ropes on Beth's wrists felt heavier than before. They had no weapon and no means of putting Carol down. The thought of killing Carol gave Beth a sour taste in her mouth. It didn't matter how much she tried to reason with herself that it wasn't Carol lying there, that the Governor had been the one to end her life.

"Let's get our hands free," Karen suggested when Beth didn't answer. "We need to be able to move."

Beth returned to working on the knots in Karen's bindings. A silence descended in the room. Beth was focused on her task but she noticed Karen kept sneaking glances at Carol's body. At first Beth thought she was wary and on edge but then Karen sighed deeply.

"Poor Carol," Karen said mournfully. "She was one of the good ones."

Beth had to swallow before she could respond. "She really was." Her voice cracked a little bit.

"She was nice to me straight away. Even though I was from Woodbury."

Beth nodded. "She would always give people a chance." Her vision blurred due to her unshed tears. She had had to say goodbye to many people since the world ended but nothing quite compared to this. Stuck in this room with her dead friend, waiting for her to turn into a walker, was a new level of horrible.

Beth's fingers were raw from grappling with the rough rope but against all odds she could feel the knot begin to loosen. She had lost track of time while working on the ties. Ten minutes may have passed or an hour.

Beth wished that the transition time for walkers was more precises. It might be hours before Carol reanimated. Or it could be seconds.

The ropes widened enough for Karen to frantically shove them off her wrists. Impulsively, she flung her arms around Beth, clutching the girl tightly. Karen had interpreted this as a sign and Beth found hope creeping through her.

"My turn," she said urgently.

Karen was reaching for her wrists when a loud nose roared through their senses. The ground pitched violently and Beth staggered forward. She landed heavily on her knees and, unable to break her fall properly, slumped to her side. The impact drove the air from Beth's lungs.

Daryl. That was the first thought that sprung to mind. They were here to rescue them. Who else would let of an explosion like that? Beth wanted to cheer but then the reality of her situation set in.

She was inches away from Carol. Her blond hair actually brushed Carol's shoulder.

Karen was quickly pulling Beth away from the corpse. Beth forced her feet underneath her so she was upright.

"Did she move?" Karen demanded.

Beth was staring at Carol so hard she wasn't sure if she was seeing movement or if it was just a trick her fear was playing. Then she heard the softest whistle followed by a gurgle. The noise came from Carol.

Beth's heart skipped a beat. "Hurry," she said thrusting her wrists at Karen. Beth was fighting not to panic but it was getting harder. Carol's lips were moving, still only sluggishly but it was enough. They didn't have a lot of time before she was a dangerous walker.

Karen's fingers desperately worked at the knots and Beth kept her gaze on Carol. It was like watching the last traces of Carol fade away. Her skin had a bluish tinge and the twitches that had extended throughout her body were animalistic in nature.

On the floor, Carol's body spasmed, arching up off the ground and gasping. The eyes flew open and they held none of the warmth that Carol's had. They were a milky blue; alien in what had once been Carol's face.

Beth forced herself to think of this as a walker. It wasn't Carol, not any more. This creature was a threat. Fortunately it hadn't seemed to notice Karen or Beth yet. It was still preoccupied with the change. Eventually though it would scent them and attack.

"Karen," Beth said to attract her attention. Inexplicably, Beth's voice sounded calm.

Karen looked up from her task and saw that Carol's eyes were open and was slowly pushing her way upright.

Carol's movements were unsteady, like a newborn, but Beth knew that wouldn't last. She was a freshly turned walker and would have almost all the strength that live Carol had. The muscles hadn't had time to deteriorate yet.

Carol had turned its back on the women, overwhelmed by her return to existence. Watching her scent the air like a beast was grotesque to Beth and broke her heart all over again.

Beth didn't have time to dwell on her grief. The creature stumbled around, making the connection between the smell of fresh meat and the hunger in its belly. The difference was startling but there were enough remnants of Carol in this walker that the pain Beth felt was all the more acute.

The creature hissed at them and lurched their way. Beth reacted instantly, kicking it hard in the gut. The creature wielded away. Carol would have shown pain after taking a hit like that but the creature was just frustrated.

"Split up to confuse it," Karen suggested. They automatically shifted in opposite directions. The creature was perplexed. It was still new enough that its instinct to kill hadn't taken hold properly.

Beth gave a swift prayer of thanks that they hadn't thought to bind her legs as well. She didn't think she was imagining the burst of gunfire outside. They just had to survive long enough and then they would be rescued. Someone else would take the responsibility of helping Carol off her shoulders.

Beth was the easier target. She was smaller than Karen and still had her hands tied but walkers never did have much sense of strategy. It looked at the two women and saw that Karen was the bigger meal.

The creature launched itself at Karen. Karen hesitated, not used to fighting a walker that had once been a loved one. She eventually fought back, pushing Carol away. The creature staggered back a few steps but Karen had sacrificed some balance to do it.

When the walker reached for her again, it managed to bring Karen down to the ground. The woman grappled with it, forcing its open mouth away from her neck but the angle was bad and Karen's strength was faltering.

Beth wished her hands were free but she swung her bound wrists like a club, smacking the creature in the face. Beth had hit as hard as she could and was positive some of the more delicate bones in her hand had shattered. She had stopped Karen from being bitten but not dislodged Carol.

The creature's mouth hovered over Karen's skin once more. Beth knew subconsciously she had been holding back, unable to completely separate this walker from Carol but Carol was dead. Karen wasn't.

Beth kicked again, this time slamming her booted foot into the side of the creatures head. That sent the walker spiralling off Karen's body. Karen rolled away, sucking in deep breaths of air. Beth focused on the walker.

It had fallen on its back and it wasn't standing yet. Beth wished it had fallen on her stomach so she didn't have to see Carol's face. With one last look, she desperately tried to see anything that proved Carol was still in there but the creature just bared its teeth and prepared to attack again.

With a sob, Beth stamped her foot down on the creatures face hard. She stomped again, exerting all the force she possessed. At one point Beth realised she was shouting with each blow she dealt but she didn't stop. It was only when there was nothing but a bloody ruin left did Beth stumble away, numb from what she had to do. Distantly she observed the door banging open and arms wrapping around her.

Dimly she looked up at the person embracing her. The blue eyes were familiar and loving and slowly his voice penetrated the haze that surrounded her.

Daryl was checking her over for injuries. Beth saw his concern when at first she couldn't answer but Beth couldn't drag her eyes away from what was left of Carol's body. Daryl followed her stare and an expression of horror covered his face.

"Carol?"

AN: I've just re-read this chapter to edit and I've realised how truly awful it was in terms of what I've just put Beth through. But at least we've reunited the lovers. Thank goodness because that got bleak but I felt it was important story wise. During the end I made the conscious decision to switch between Carol and the more impersonal 'walker, creature, it' because I wanted to reflect Beth's struggle to see Carol as a threat and a walker. I'm not sure I pulled it off though, let me know.

In more happy news, did everyone see the trailer here? We got a Deth moment! It will probably be nothing but until we see that episode, we can all let our imaginations run wild. It would be insane if that became canon! All us Deth writers will feel like prophets. And welcome to all the new readers that I've suddenly got. Coincidence? I think not. Trailer magic! Looking forward to hearing from you all.