I'm sorry if I don't update early tomorrow but I get my GCSE results tomorrow so hopefully big celebrations! Hugs, Lauren x

Maggie POV:

Daryl had left for his hunt a few hours ago and had told me that Carol and Merle would be busy all day. I took it as a hint for me to start planning the party, daddy had said Carol would be able to deal with a party physically but he wasn't sure about emotionally, we had all seen how she seemed to stay in the shadows and with only Merle and Daryl. We didn't want to push her though, she was doing much better than I had when the Governor was messing with my head.

I gathered everyone who I could trust and would be good at setting up the party in C blocks common room, most of Woodbury were in the yard or their cell block, they didn't really mingle with us unless it was meals.

'Okay while Carol is busy with Merle doing the gate or whatever the hell he's doing we can start planning this party for her!' I shouted so everyone could hear.

'Does Miss Carol even want a party, she seems awfully nervous these last couple days?' Tyreese asked, his voice laced with worry, we all knew he cared for her.

'Carol was… bait, for us trying to kill the governor,' Tyreese stood up slamming his hands down on the table, 'we killed him but she took some hits first, we think she is worried about what we all think.' Rick concluded. Tyreese seemed to be weighing it up in his head before sitting down again, his sister quietly scolding him.

'If she doesn't want everyone to know then we aren't going to tell them, for all they know it's from the herd, so on with the party planning, basically she has a load of presents locked up in D block, daddy says a couple of days to let her get a bit better around us so, erm, if anyone has any ideas something.' I looked around, I honestly didn't know what Carol would like.

'D block has a CD player in the wardens' office, I think it might be battery, she said she studied music in college so she might like that.' Tyreese offered. For god sake, he knew her better than we did, he knew what she did in college. We had known her for years and knew nothing, Tyreese knows her a month or two and knows about college.

'That will be great, I'm sure we can spare the batteries, I am going to hunt through the food supplies later see if there is anything yummy, oh! We have tonnes of chocolate too.' I had a huge grin on my face thinking about all the chocolate we had, must have been at least ten boxes full.

'Okay so everyone get working party in three days, we will find a way of keeping Carol busy that day Daryl will be able to think of something.' Rick announced, ending the meeting.

I went with Glenn to go on watch, we didn't trust the Woodsbury people being on watch after what happened with the walkergram. We sat outside legs hanging over the rails. It was still warm in the day but it was becoming cold at night, Rick had discussed doing a run to get some more food and blankets maybe some heaters or something. Daddy had said once the gate was done he wanted to try and start planting so we would have food next summer, this place was becoming a better place for us to have a future in, now the Governor was dead. Daddy told me what he knew, when Glenn heard he was sick, he say that woman as a mother and knowing how much she had suffered, had cut him deep.

I watched as Carol sat on one of the prison chairs while Merle was trying to screw some of the gate hinges onto one of the trucks, I couldn't stop laughing at him holding the door up with his back while trying to make holes in one of the trucks, every time Carol went to help I could literally imagine him growling at her.

'Go help him before he gets squished.' Glenn grumbled but got up to help. I watched him jog across the yard taking a tool from Merle before trying to make the holes while Merle focused on holding the door. I fell onto my back laughing when Merle hit Glenn around the head. I contemplated going and sitting with Carol who seemed to be struggling to stop herself from laughing. I looked through the binoculars to see if there were any threats, Rick shouldn't mind if I go down and watch from the field.

I sat down on the grass next to Carol, I could see her mind trying to decide if she would be able to get down to the floor without getting told of by someone.

'You sit right there, I just thought the show would be funnier if I could hear them too.' I looked up at her and saw her smiling.

'I think Glenn is going to have concussion by the time they get both gates on, they haven't even done the top of this one yet, god know how they will do that.'

I imagined Merle with Glenn on his shoulders, them wobbling and yelling obscenities at each other before falling in a heap on the floor. I burst into a new fit of laughter causing Carol to cock her head looking at me.

'Daryl should be back soon, I should go and start lunch.' I watched her go to stand up before Merle quickly interjected.

'You ain't going nowhere missy, let those lazy cunts do some work from a change, didn't see them trying to save the children, didn't see them doing shit to help either. Chat with Bo Peep bout how good I look flexing my muscle holding this fucker up.' He drawled.

I couldn't stop myself laughing at him, he was totally in love with her even if they couldn't act on it. He had done right by her, he would always be second to Daryl no matter how many times he hurt her.

'I'm sorry about what Daryl said, about Sophia.' I looked up at her, her smile had quickly faded.

'It's fine, people use things against you, you just hold onto the good stuff, he never means it, I know.' I saw her try to quickly wipe tears from her eyes, not wanting to let them fall.

'Daddies really excited about this place, want to start planting soon, maybe try and get some animals to go along with that damn horse Daryl found.' I quickly changed the subject, I didn't want her upset any more than what she was.

'Was thinking about a name, I kinda like the name Bailey, but if it's Daryls horse he would probably want to name it something like hunter.' I saw her smile when she said the names, I wasn't going to push for why she liked the name, it seemed to mean something to her, that's all that mattered.

'I'm sure he would let you name it, plus Bailey seems a really good name for the horse, we can go see it if you want, it's in the court yard.' I stood up brushing the grass off my trousers.

'Merle we're going to see Bailey, we'll bring lunch out to you after.' I yelled laughing as he struggled with the gate as Glenn tried to screw it in.

'The hell you talkin bout girly, who the fucks Bailey, ain't no Bailey here.' He yelled, his face becoming redder and redder with each word, I would send Tyreese to help him on the way.

'The horse Merle, we named it Bailey.' Carol sounded happier when she said it, I could see Merles face change, he had noticed it too.

'Well angel, off you go.' He smiled at me, as though a silent thank you.

The walk to the court yard was silent, when Carol saw the horse though she started walking quicker, I had broken my ribs once, kicked by a horse one summer, I would never had been moving as quick as Carol, I frowned thinking about how much pain she must have suffered to not even act like it hurt her.

'Well aren't you a gorgeous girl, yes you are Bailey, when I'll allowed off I'm gonna get you some really stuff, get you all clean and a nice saddle, would you like that.' I leant on the wall watching Carol talk and brush down the horse with her hands, she seemed so comfortable with a horse.

'Where did you learn to be around horses?' I asked as she started checking over the horse, daddy had already check over the horse when Daryl brought it back, but I wasn't going to stop her.

'My mother ran a farm before she died, we stayed there but father worked business you know, he kept the horses, thought they would make me happy.' She finished checking over the horse and started feeding it some of the grass Michonne had fetched it. I didn't want to take her away from the horse so I decided to fetch her lunch so she could stay with the horse.

'I'll be back in a minute just gonna grab us some food.' She nodded too destracted by the horse to look at me.

I walked into the common room, quickly walking over to Tyreese to ask him to help Merle and Glenn, he laughed before walking out to the yard. I grabbed four plates of bread and canned ham before leaving to feed everyone, I dropped off Merles and Glenns first who looked exhausted but it seemed they had managed to get the bottom hinges done, Tyreese was holding the gate level while Merle and Glenn worked out their next move.

'Where's Carol?' Merle shouted as I approached.

'I already told you, she's with Bailey, I haven't seen her so happy. Said she use to live on a farm with horses, didn't want to drag her away to feed your fat ass.' I laughed. Glenn walked away to fetch the ladder so they could finish that side of the gate. I walked closer to Merle.

'She likes the horse, she wants to get the horse some nice stuff, is that a big enough hint for a Dixon.' I looked at him as he nodded quickly swallowing the bite of his sandwich.

'I'll send Daryl out to get some shit, Glenn should know where we would be able to find some stuff.' He replied. I looked at him and smiled before turning around and walking past him.

'Meet me in the guard tower later.' I winked at Glenn before walking past, I could hear him coughing, he was so easy to tease about stuff like that. Since the herd we hadn't had anytime alone and it was honestly starting to get at me.

I sat watching Carol mess around with the horse while I ate my lunch, she still hadn't eaten but from how much Merle and Daryl seemed to put on her plate it wasn't surprising, it wasn't sure if you could die from eating too much but if you could Carol would by the end of the week.

'Carol you gotta eat this soon, it'll end up melting in this heat.' I looked up and say her throw her head back laughing, I could imagine her living on a farm, long hair riding her horse through a field of flowers. I could imagine her being a happy lady before she met Ed.

She walked over quickly eating half of the food before going back to the horse and walking it around the yard, it seemed so natural for her.

'The hell Carol, yer meant to be fuckin resting.' I jumped when I heard Daryls gruff voice and I could see Carol physically flinch.

'Sorry.' She quickly tied the horse up and walked back to the cell block, once she was out of view I charged at Daryl, how dare he come back and upset her within second. I grabbed him stopping him from leaving, he tried to pull away.

'No, you listen now. She loved you and she will put up with all your shit but in case you missed it, she was happy, really happy, and you come back yelling at her and straight away she is running back into the shadows, I don't think it's us she's scared of, I think it's you.' I prodded him in the chest before walking off to find Carol.