Rhiannon stared at the building in front of her with trepidation. She never thought she'd want to ever step foot in a place like that, but in the new world, it seemed like their best option. She was just worried about what lay inside waiting for them. She had a feeling it wasn't good.

"Stay close." Daryl told her sternly, grasping her by the arm and pulling her into his side as they waited for Rick to cut through the fencing.

He noticed the nervous expression on her face and was itching to comfort her, to reassure her that everything was going to be ok, but even he didn't know if that was true. He was just as unsettled about what they'd be facing in there as she was.

As soon as they had an opening, Daryl pushed Rhiannon forward who pushed Beth forward. Her baby sister had barely gone five feet from her since her close call and Rhiannon was more than willing to keep her close.

She held the fencing open as Beth crawled through and followed, knowing Daryl would lose his temper soon enough if she let everyone go before her. As soon as she stepped through, her eyes were glued to the yard in front of her. She cringed at the sight of the infested space as the walkers migrated towards them, pusing at the fence that separated them.

"If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick off these walkers. We'll take the field by tonight." Rick told the group confidently.

Rhiannon had to push her nerves away. It was a risk, but if it worked, it could change everything for them. They could finally have a chance at building a normal life, well, as normal as this life allowed them to be.

"How do we shut the gate?"

"We can do it." Glenn spoke up, looking over at Rhiannon hopefully. She smiled lightly and nodded. The two of them had become quite the duo since the incident at the bar and again when they lost the storage units. They always had each other's backs on runs.

"No." Daryl said sternly at the same moment Maggie refused, causing both Rhiannon and Glenn to sigh in annoyance at their significant others.

"We're the fastest."

"No, you two go with Maggie and Beth, you draw as many as you can over there. Pick 'em off through the fence." Rick ordered making Rhiannon bite her lip to keep from speaking up in disdain.

She listened thoughtfully as Rick gave out orders for everyone and they went to their positions. Daryl gave her a fleeting look and a soft graze of his hand against her arm as he moved past her with Carol to the guard tower.

Glenn, Maggie and Beth started walking to where Rick wanted them but Rhiannon grabbed Beth by the arm, stopping her. "Here, take this." She reached down and took out the knife she kept in her boot, handing it out for Beth.

"What about you?" Beth asked with confusion and slight worry.

"I got another plan." Rhiannon said with a sly smile and pressed a quick peck to her forehead. "Go kick ass."

Beth sighed and rolled her eyes. "He's gonna be pissed!" She yelled as she walked away.

Rhiannon wasn't deterred by the thought of Daryl's inevitable fit of rage at her actions, she just knew she wasn't going to let Rick do it alone.

"Hey," She called out to him and jogged over to where stood by the gate. "I'm going with you."

"What? No, I told you-"

"I know what you told me, but I wanna help you instead. We'll use less ammo this way."

Rick looked at her sternly as he thought over her proposition. Rhiannon could see the look on his face and she knew he wasn't convinced.

"Rick, I'm not letting you do this alone. You wouldn't let any of us. Just let me help you."

His face softened and he finally sighed and nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But I'm not takin' the blame for this. When Daryl starts yelling, I'm throwing you under the bus."

Rhiannon laughed. "That's fair."

"Goddamn stubborn, you know that?"

"Yes, you people tell me that every day." She mused and pulled her sword from its sheath. She sent a reassuring smile to Lori who was ready to open the gate for them. It was comforting to see the look she and Rick shared.

"Good luck." She told them and opened the gate.

The two of them stepped into the yard, Rick putting himself in front of Rhiannon. "You stay close and keep your head up." He whispered making Rhiannon roll her eyes and stare back at him impatiently.

"Yeah, it's not like I've ever killed any walkers before." She said sarcastically and Rick sent her a soft glare making her smile innocently and nod her head forward. "We going, or what?"

Up in the guard tower, Daryl aimed his crossbow at the field below him. He perked up when he saw Rick and shot a walker that ambled towards him. He almost dropped his bow right off the edge of the tower when he noticed the short blonde that trailed behind him.

"You better be fuckin' joking." He growled and immediately turned on his heel to leave the tower and go in there himself to drag her out of there.

"Daryl, this is the best way to keep her safe, make sure nothing gets close." Carol reminded him, though her own grip on her gun had gotten significantly tighter when she saw Rhiannon.

He sighed angrily and stomped back to the edge aiming his weapon again. "That girl has some nerve." He mumbled as he shot a walker that was a few feet from her.

Rhiannon was ready to swing her sword at a walker but it suddenly fell with an arrow between its eyes. She stopped and looked up, a sheepish smile on her face. Even from where she stood she could see the scowl on his face.

She turned her attention back to Rick as a walker came from beside him, just inches from grabbing his arm. Her sword lodged its way into the brain, making it fall. Rick, who'd been focusing on another walker on his other side turned quickly and looked down at the walker in shock, he hadn't even heard it coming.

"Aren't you happy I'm here?" Rhiannon snarked and ran forward, making him curse under his breath and jog to catch up with her.

Rhiannon skidded to a stop as a bullet landed just inches from her feet. Rick crashed into her back and he quickly held onto her waist to keep from knocking her to the ground.

"Sorry!" Carol called out from above. She winced and turned to face Daryl sheepishly. He glared back at her, his face almost red from holding in everything he wanted to yell in that moment.

"You tryin'a stop my fuckin' heart?" Daryl barked at her and placed a hand over his chest that pounded with each frantic heartbeat.

Carol bit her lip to quell her growing smile and turned her attention back to shooting. It always amazed her how much love Daryl had for Rhiannon. Back at the farm she had wondered how he'd be with her and he definitely didn't disappoint.

Carol had no shame that many late nights were spent gossiping with Lori, Beth and Maggie about how adorable the hunter was. And despite him yelling at her, his fierce protectiveness and need to keep Rhiannon safe was so touching to see.

Daryl growled under his breath, feeling his temper reach a high as he watched her dodge the arms that reached for her. He really shouldn't have been surprised by what she was doing, it was a typical Rhiannon move, but he was still floored by her nerve. She loved to test his patience.

Rhiannon panted with effort as she ran while swinging her weapon at every walker that got close, that is if Daryl didn't take it down first. She watched Rick's back as he closed the gate and kept her place as he moved to the guard tower.

"Rhi, come on!" He yelled to her. She took down one more walker before following him into the tower, making sure to slam the door shut behind her.

She couldn't help but beam happily as they made it to the top. Rick handed her the extra rifle he'd strapped over his shoulder and brought out his own gun.

The two of them shared smiles as they cleared out the field, each dropping body taking away another ounce of stress off her shoulders.

"We did it." Rick said happily and looked over at her with a playfully smug grin.

"Yeah, we did." She mused softly. Despite the win, she couldn't help but move her gaze to the courtyard that was still littered with bodies.

Rick noticed the apprehension on her face and frowned. As soon as the last body dropped and they noticed the others leave the guard towers, he stopped her before leaving.

"Hey, this is gonna work for us. We're gonna be fine." He told her softly.

Rhiannon nodded slowly and looked down at her feet, feeling slightly embarrassed that Rick had caught her doubt and insecurity.

"With you out there, those walkers don't stand a chance." Rick joked, placing an arm around her shoulders. Rhiannon laughed lightly and they made their way down the stairs of the tower to meet with the others.

As soon as they left the guard tower, Carl was running towards them, a wide smile on his face.

"That was so cool! You were like a superhero!" He yelled to Rhiannon, his small arms winding around her waist in a tight hug.

A wave of pride washed over her at the excitement on Carl's face.

"What about me?" Rick asked, feigning sadness as he teased his son. Carl's smile fell slightly and he looked at his father guiltily.

"You don't have a sword." Rhiannon told him with a smirk, making him nudge her lightly

Her smile fell as she saw Daryl stomping towards her, his face drawn into a scowl. He raised a questioning brow, silently asking for an explanation.

She sighed and reached for his hand, pulling his arm down from where it was crossed over his chest.

"I wasn't gonna let him do it alone."

"You could at least tell me these things. Think you like makin' me go crazy." He growled, though she could tell he wasn't really upset, just stressed.

"I know, I just knew you'd try and stop me."

"Damn right." He mumbled and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead after looking around to make sure no one was looking at them.

Rhiannon smiled up at him endearingly, happy that he hadn't flown off the handle at her actions. He was slowly getting used to her being in the middle of the action. She knew he still hated it when she was on the front lines but he was getting control of his temper and they very rarely had fights about her involvement anymore.

Daryl linked his pinkie with hers as they walked to where everyone was setting down their things. "So, what do you think'a this place?" He asked her, his eyes casting over to the courtyard that was crawling with walkers.

"Think it'd be good for us. Just a matter of clearing it out."

"You worried 'bout that?" He asked slowly, noticing the tone of her voice.

"Aren't you? We don't know what's in there. The place could be filled with them."

Daryl frowned slightly, he hardly ever saw her like this. She was usually the one reassuring him when he had doubt. She always had this confidence that guided her in every situation, it was what he admired about her so much since the first day he met her. It wasn't like her to be the one with doubts.

He stopped their stride and stood in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. They slowly made their way down her arms to grip her hands in his tightly.

"''M not gonna let anythin' happen to you." He whispered, his eyes looking into hers intensely.

Rhiannon bit her lip, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks. "I know."

Daryl leaned down, his eyes holding that special brightness only she got to see. He was about to press his lips to hers when the sound of laughter broke his attention and he jumped back from her. He turned and sighed in relief when he realized it was only Maggie laughing at something T-Dog had said and it wasn't because they'd been caught in their moment.

Rhiannon had to hold back a laugh at the shy expression on his face. He never liked showing any kind of affection in front of the others, though that didn't stop him from trying to be sneaky.

Daryl turned back to face her, his cheeks blazing pink. "Gonna go for a hunt." He told her quietly. "Stay here, you've done enough today. Might just drop dead if anythin' else happens to you."

Rhiannon rolled her eyes. "You're such a drama queen."

Daryl sent her a playful glare that broke into a smirk. He squeezed her hand one last time in goodbye and walked away, her eyes on his back the whole time. She sighed happily, feeling so touched that he could make her forget about being nervous for that short time. It meant the world to her that he could do that for her.

She made her way to the group and sat down beside her father. He sent her a smile and placed his hand over hers. Beth sat on her other side and held out her knife to give back.

"Keep it." Rhiannon said with a smile. Seeing her baby sister in danger earlier that day had stricken a fear inside her she didn't know she could have. She wanted Beth to be able to look after herself because she knew she wasn't always going to be there to protect her.

Beth nodded slowly, her eyes looking down at the blade in wonder. For so long she wanted to prove herself, to learn how to fight and be more like her big sister. She sent Rhiannon a wide smile, she was finally getting her wish.

Hershel watched his daughters happily. He knew how much Beth looked up to Rhiannon and for most of her life, their relationship was mostly one sided, it was Beth calling her sister any time she could and most of the time getting her voicemail. It made him proud that his eldest daughter had grown up so much since the outbreak had started.

"You did good today, babygirl." Hershel told her, his fatherly pride showing, making her feel slightly shy. "Is he ok?" He asked her, his head turning to look at Daryl as he disappeared into the woods.

"Yeah, he's fine, he's not mad."

Hershel looked at his daughter in surprise. He was sure the hunter would be fuming over what she'd done. Even he was mad at first, but seeing the way she handled herself and helped Rick had calmed him down.

"Guess he's learned trying to stop you is always a failed effort." Hershel said with a smile. Rhiannon laughed lightly and sent her father a pleading look. He found it adorable how shy she always got from his praise. "You're getting more like your mother everyday."

Rhiannon's smile faded and she looked up in awe, her eyes swimming with emotion he hadn't seen from her in a long time.

"She'd be proud of you." Hershel said quietly, wrapping his arm over her shoulder to pull her into a hug.

A small smile graced her features and she felt a warmth in her chest that had been missing since her mother had died. She hadn't allowed herself to think of her mother often, it hurt too much. But she was slowly and surely coming to terms with it. Carol definitely helped, she was filling a gap she missed since she was a kid. Daryl helped everyday, she didn't even think he knew how much.

But getting that kind of comfort from her father, something she'd ignored for so long as a teenager, was something she knew she'd never take for granted again.

She smiled widely and leaned her head on his shoulder, letting her anxieties slip away in her father's embrace.

Everyone was exhausted by nightfall. No one spoke much around the fire, it was clear nerves were high about what they'd be facing in the morning.

"Can you take this to him?" Carol asked her, handing out a bowl of food to her and nodding her head over at Daryl who was taking watch on top of the overturned bus at the front of the gate. "He said he didn't want any, but we both know he's lying."

Rhiannon nodded and smiled gratefully at Carol, taking the food from her. She stood with a groan, feeling her joints ache as she walked, it had been a long day. She inwardly groaned as she stepped in front of the bus, realizing how tall it was.

Daryl noticed the look of disdain on her face and laughed quietly. He kneeled down and grabbed the bowl from her hands, placing it down beside him. She ignored his hands that reached down to help her up and she found her footing on the steel pipes under the vehicle.

Daryl had a small smile on his face as he watched her climb up to meet him. She sat herself next to him, her legs hanging off the side of the bus.

"You need to eat." She told him softly, giving him a pointed look making him sigh and reach for the bowl of food.

The two sat in silence, Rhiannon sneaking glances at him every couple of seconds. He hadn't spoken much since he'd gotten back from his hunt and it worried her.

"You aren't really mad at me are you?" She asked quietly, her face void of the smile she'd had before.

Daryl looked over at her quizzically and let out a small laugh. "I ain't mad. Just thought you'd want some space."

"Why would I want space from you?"

Daryl shrugged, averting his gaze from hers shyly. "I know you're worried 'bout this place, 'm worried too, didn't wanna make you feel worse."

"Daryl, you don't have to avoid me cause you don't have all the answers. I'm not expecting you to solve all my problems." She told him softly, intertwining her fingers with his. "I was just worried you were pissed at me for earlier."

"Not pissed at you, was just...scared. Don't like you bein' in the middle of walkers without me there."

Rhiannon nodded slowly, she felt the same, she hated it when Daryl when hunting by himself without anyone to watch his back. It didn't matter how capable he was, that didn't ease her mind much.

She sighed and laid down on her back so she could look up at the stars. "Don't you wish we stayed at the cabin?"

Daryl smiled lightly and nodded, slowly laying himself down next to her, setting his empty bowl to the side. "You know you're sisters would go crazy if you were away any longer."

"Yeah, probably." She laughed lightly. "They'd miss you too."

Daryl scoffed in response, his gaze focused on the sky above them to avoid looking over at her. He didn't believe that, he was the hunter of the group, he brought them food and fought to keep them safe, that was the only reason he'd be missed.

He knew he wasn't what Rhiannon's sisters expected for her, he saw the way they looked at him in the beginning. He couldn't believe that they saw him as anything more than the hunter and the guy fucking their sister.

"What was that noise for?" She asked, her brows furrowing at the scoff he'd let out.

"They'd miss havin' meat for dinner, that's 'bout it." He stated simply, making her frown even deeper.

"Are you serious?" She asked in disbelief, propping herself up on her elbow to look at him face to face, but he kept his gaze away from hers. "Daryl, you're not just a hunter to these people, they care about you. We're like a big dysfunctional family and it includes you whether you like it or not."

Daryl just shrugged and reluctantly moved his eyes to hers. "It ain't the same for me an' you. You talk to everyone, they all love you. I can't… It ain't like that for me."

"So? Just cause you don't open up to them the way I do doesn't mean they don't care about you."

Rhiannon noticed the look of doubt on his face and she sighed in annoyance. It looked like nothing she said would change his mind. She rolled her body over so she was laying over him, making him let out a grunt. He looked up at her in surprise, a smile threatening to crack his scowl.

"You are the most stubborn man I've ever met." She told him, her tone playfully stern.

"Guess that makes us a good pair, don't it?"

Rhiannon smiled and bit her lip teasingly. She leaned down to kiss him softly, her hands winding through his hair. She could tell Daryl was reluctant to do this by the way he hesitantly kissed her back. She knew he didn't want to do this when anyone could look over and see them.

She pulled away and smiled at the shy expression on his face. "You're cute." She told him and kissed the top of his nose, rolling off of him to lay at his side again.

Daryl sent her a playful glare. "Ain't cute." He grumbled.

"We can still do stuff, just gotta be quiet." She said quietly as she started to kiss his neck. Daryl's eyes widened and he let out a noise of shock.

"Uhh…" Was all he was able to say. He squeezed his eyes shut, his lips quirking up into a smile as she started to make a hickey on his neck. "You're fuckin' crazy, darlin'." He mumbled.

She pulled away and smirked. "No, you're just a prude."

Daryl looked over at the group to make sure they weren't watching them, he'd probably die of embarrassment if they saw her sucking on his neck. He looked back at her and couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of him. He was content to just watch her as she looked up at the starry sky in awe.

He thought back to their time at the cabin. Those three words she'd told him had absolutely floored him. He felt that he'd ruined the moment by not saying it back. Sure, he'd said that he feels the same way, but he hadn't outright said those three words. He knew she was looking forward to it but she'd never push him to say it.

He was sure of how he felt for her, he knew he loved her, but saying the words 'I love you' was something that still scared him. He'd never said those words to anyone in his entire life. Maybe his mom before she'd died and before she'd gone completely off the deep end with her addiction, but this was different.

He still had his fears about telling her and he didn't know what to do to make them go away. He didn't even really know what his fears were, he knew he loved her but he was just so out of his comfort zone, he was doubting himself with every decision he made.

He watched the woman next to him with a small smile and suddenly he couldn't remember what the hell he'd been scared about.

Rhiannon suddenly gasped, her eyes going wide. "Oh my god, did you see that? It was a shooting star!" She spoke excitedly. "Ok, we have to make a wish."

Daryl watched her with adoration as she closed her eyes, her face scrunched in concentration. She opened them after a couple of seconds and looked over at him, a wide smile on her face.

"That was so cool, I haven't seen a shooting star in years." She said with a childlike wonder that he found so endearing.

She looked over at him with a smile that made his heart flutter wildly in his chest. It left him breathless. "Did you make a wish?"

Daryl didn't answer, he just stared back at her, his face void of any doubt or insecurity that had plagued him just minutes before. Rhiannon's smile faded slightly at the intensity in his gaze.

"What?"

"I love you." Daryl told her with complete sincerity, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rhiannon's eyes widened as she looked at Daryl in surprise. Had he really just said those three words she'd been wanting to hear? Daryl was even surprised himself. He figured he'd be stewing in his insecurities and fear for much longer than he had. But watching her look at the stars with such happiness made him realize he couldn't wait any longer.

"I love you too." She whispered back, making him look back at her shyly with a small smile on his face. She fiddled with the necklace he'd gotten for her, as she tried not to show just how emotional his words had made her feel.

She reached over and laced her fingers with his and he squeezed her hand in his tightly. He looked over at her, feeling a new sense of ease as he had finally come clean about his feelings for her.

He couldn't believe his life. Despite the world going to shit and crumbling around him, he felt like the luckiest man on earth. He couldn't believe that the beautiful and strong woman beside him loved him and that he had moved past the darkness that had brought him down his whole life, and that voice in the back of his mind that told him he'd never be happy, to love her back.

Daryl leaned down to kiss her softly, this time not caring if the others saw. He was in awe that a girl like Rhiannon loved him and wanted him in a way he never thought was possible and he didn't care who knew.

They kissed slowly, not caring about their surroundings and not having any mind to take it any further. They were just content to indulge in this kind of closeness they rarely got. As they kissed, both of them found they were less stressed about what they'd be facing in the morning.

"Be careful." Hershel told his two daughters, his eyes worriedly casting over to the infested yard every few seconds. He didn't like that Rhiannon and Maggie were putting themselves in danger, but he also couldn't ignore the pride he felt that he had raised these two strong women.

Rhiannon hugged her father tightly, sensing his unease with the situation. "We'll be fine."

Maggie was right behind her, taking her place in her father's arms as soon as Rhiannon had pulled away and moved to hug Beth. It was never easy leaving their family to go on runs, it was even worse this time, if anything happened to them, they'd be watching through the fence the whole time.

Rhiannon shivered at the thought and shook her head, moving towards Daryl who was almost twitching with anticipation. He looked up at her as she approached and his darkened expression lightened when he saw her.

"You good?" He asked her, his hand reaching out for hers.

She nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "Just wanna get this over with."

"You'll be fine. I got your back." He told her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You stay by my side the whole time, got it? You take one step away and imma be pissed." He warned her, his stern voice meant to assure her but when she smiled and laughed at him, he realized it hadn't worked.

"Got it, boss." She saluted him sarcastically making him send her a playful glare.

"I'm serious, darlin'. Need you by my side the whole time." He told her quietly, his face turned serious. Rhiannon lightened her teasing smile and squeezed his hand in hers tightly.

"I will be. Don't worry."

She didn't have time to reassure him anymore as Rick stepped towards the gate, his face shrouded with deep concentration as he stared at the courtyard in front of them. They knew it was time to go.

Rhiannon regretfully pulled her hand away from Daryl's and reached up to take out her sword. She shifted on her feet nervously as she waited for Rick to unlatch the gate. She turned her head and met Maggie's eyes, her face creased with worry. She sent her a small nod, letting her sister know they'd be ok.

The small group of them hurried into the courtyard and Rhiannon had to hold back a flinch at the sound of the gate closing behind her. Rick and T-Dog, who were at the front of the circle they'd made, were the first to take out the walkers coming towards them.

Rhiannon rolled her eyes when she realized that she and Maggie were at the back, she wondered if they'd done that deliberately. If it was, she was sure Daryl had some say in the decision.

She kept her eyes forward but turned on her heel abruptly when she heard growls coming from behind them. She suddenly realized being at the back of the group wasn't an advantage when she saw walkers heading towards her.

With one fierce swing of her weapon, the two walkers were decapitated and fell to the ground. She noticed more coming from around the corner and before she could even take a step towards them, Daryl's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Stay here." He warned her sternly, giving her a pointed look.

Rhiannon rolled her eyes and looked to Maggie who nodded, knowing exactly what she wanted to do. The sisters moved towards the walkers confidently, not even looking back at their boyfriends who called out to them.

"Rhi, the fuck did I tell you?"

"We got it!" She yelled back at him and in seconds, she and Maggie had taken down the small group. They quickly ran back to the group of men that were partly glaring at them and partly staring at them in awe.

Daryl stared at Rhiannon with barely contained anger, his face beginning to turn red. He was just about to start yelling at her when she thrust her sword forward, making him flinch and jump back. He turned his head in time to see the walker she'd gotten fall to the ground, just inches from him.

"What were you gonna say?" She asked sarcastically, giving him a wicked smirk. She stepped past him, leaving him frozen in his spot, gaping at her.

He shook his head and jogged to catch up to her as they moved deeper into the courtyard.

Rhiannon immediately skidded to a stop and threw herself against the door when she noticed the area near the back that was flooded with walkers. "Shit." She muttered, sharing a look of annoyance with Rick.

She heard growls from behind her and quickly jumped out of the way as walkers dressed in police gear staggered towards them. Daryl immediately fired off a shot at one that was coming near her, but his arrow just bounced off the shielded helmet it was wearing.

Rhiannon swung her sword, lobbing it's head from it's shoulders. She turned and sent them a smug smile making Maggie glare at her, it wasn't like they all had swords too.

Her smile fell when she heard Rick call out for Daryl and she ran with him towards Rick. She stayed a few steps back as they closed the gated part of the court yard, locking in all the walkers, so she could watch their backs and take out anything that tried to get close to them.

They moved quickly to take out the remaining walkers. As soon as the last body fell, she let out a long breath, finally realizing she'd been holding it in. She was running on pure adrenaline, it felt like the fight had only lasted seconds. A small smile grew at the thought that the fight was over, that the thing she'd been dreading all night was finally done.

It suddenly hit her that she'd gone against what she'd promised Daryl and ran towards a group of walkers without him. She turned on her heel to face him and gave him a sheepish smile when she saw the scowl on his face.

"It looks secure." Glenn spoke up, making Rhiannon sigh in relief that he'd delayed her groveling.

They grouped together again, this time Daryl was practically hovering over her as he stood behind her, his chest against her back.

"Not from the look of that courtyard over there. And that's a civilian." Daryl pointed out, making Rhiannon's high dissipate as quickly as it had come.

"So the interior could be overrun with walkers from outside the prison."

"If there's walls down, what do we do? We can't rebuild this place." Glenn asked, his eyes surveying the dead walkers that lay around them.

"Can't risk a blind spot. We have to push in." Rick told them and before anyone could interject, he was walking towards the entrance.

"You gonna listen to me this time?" Daryl growled in her ear as they walked behind Rick.

"I was just doing what needed to be done." She defended herself.

"Mhmm."

Daryl's response made her glare up at him. He finally sighed, his angry expression loosening as he looked down at her. "Just stay with me this time 'fore you give me a heart attack." He grumbled.

Rhiannon let a small smile crack her features and she nodded, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Her relief that he wasn't mad at her and about to blow her off was short lived as they approached the door.

She realized the courtyard was the easy part, that they were going into this blind. It was terrifying.

She held her breath as Daryl opened the door and she followed behind him slowly, her weapon held tightly in her hands.

The silence in the prison was eerie. She looked around, suddenly realizing this was the first time she'd ever been inside one, it wasn't something she thought she'd ever see. She made sure to stay with Daryl as the two of them looked around the empty room. She looked up as Rick got their attention and held up a set of keys.

Her stomach dropped, they had to go into the cellblock where the prisoners were. This was the part she was dreading the most. She didn't want to see people that became walkers because they were trapped in cells and starved to death, but she also didn't like the alternative. She didn't want to share this place with prisoners who'd survived.

Her steps faltered as they stepped inside the cell block. Daryl turned to look at her when he realized she wasn't right behind him where she should be. He watched as she looked at the cell blocks with a slight fear in her eyes. He knew she was feeling out of her element in this place. She'd told him last night that she never thought she'd ever step foot into a prison.

He hadn't either, it was jarring for him to be inside one knowing he'd spent his whole life avoiding it in fear that he'd end up like Merle.

Thankfully, there were only a couple of walkers and it hadn't taken them long to clear it out. Rhiannon was the first to volunteer to go get the others from outside. She knew she'd have to get used to the cells eventually, which she wasn't looking forward too.

She waved to her father who was waiting for them, pacing in agitation. He immediately opened the gate and rushed forward, scooping her into a hug.

"Everyone's ok?"

She nodded. "We're all fine."

"How is it?" Carol asked, already holding all her stuff in hand, eager to get inside.

"It's…prison. Pretty much what you'd expect." She shrugged. It definitely wasn't an ideal place to live, she didn't even want to think about what she'd seen splattered on those walls, but at least it actually had walls. That was all that mattered now.

She helped carry their stuff inside and shook her head from all the negative thoughts she had. She watched as her sisters smiled at each other and her father sighed in relief as they stepped in. She knew this place would be good for them, she just had to keep reminding herself that she still had her family so it really didn't matter where they were, as long as they were together.

Everyone began to pick their cells to sleep in, which immediately had her on edge again. Sleeping in a prison cell really wasn't something she thought she'd do in her life.

"I ain't sleeping in no cage. I'll take the perch." Daryl said from the second level, making a smirk break out on her face. It seemed like they had the same thoughts running through their heads.

She rolled her eyes and made her way up the stairs. She ambled toward a cell off to the side of the stairs, dropping her bags on the bottom bunk. At least it had a mattress, she told herself.

She turned, looking for Daryl, and poked her head out of the cell. She snorted when she saw him lying on the floor between the stairs.

"Are you serious?" She called out to him, making him open his eyes and look over at her.

"What? I ain't sleepin' in there."

"I'm not happy about sleeping in there either, but it's better than the nasty ass floor."

Daryl just shrugged and laid his head back down against his jacket that he'd balled up as a pillow.

"Daryl, I'm serious, that floor is disgusting. If you sleep there, I'm not touching you for a week."

He looked up at her and she had to stifle a laugh at the fear she saw in his eyes at her threat. His eyes narrowed at her challengingly. He suddenly let out a small laugh. "Sure." He drawled sarcastically.

Rhiannon crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow. "I give it ten minutes before you come crawling into my bed."

She turned on her heel and before she walked into her cell, she grabbed the hem of her dirty, blood stained shirt and pulled it off, leaving her in her bra.

Daryl's eyes widened at her actions and he swallowed thickly, feeling his arousal ignite. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to block out the thought of her naked body in that cell.

"Fuck." He muttered and stood from his place on the floor, grabbing his bag with more force than was necessary. He stomped off to the cell she chose and threw his bags down.

His arms wound themselves around her waist, his touch on her bare skin making her shiver, and he began placing kisses on her neck.

Rhiannon smiled widely. "Didn't even make it ten seconds."

"Yeah, I ain't stupid." He mumbled against her skin, turning her around to face him so he could kiss her properly. She moaned against his lips and moved her arms to wind around his neck, her fingers tangling in his growing hair.

The kiss didn't last long, they were both too exhausted for anything else. Daryl leaned his forehead against hers, his arms still around her waist to hold her to him.

"You ok?"

She nodded and looked up at him, touched at his concern for her and his ability to tell when she wasn't completely ok.

"Just gotta get used to this."

"I know." He said quietly. He guided her to lay down and crawled onto the small bunk next to her, the two of them barely fitting together. "You an' me, we're gonna be fine." He whispered, his head tucked into the crook of her neck.

"I know we will." She whispered back, a hint of a smile on her face as she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax enough in his arms to fall asleep.

Extra long chapter for making you wait a little longer than usual. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! xx