So this is an interesting chapter! I am very proud of it :) I think you guys will love it! (Well the beginning of it) :P Enjoy!

-Daryl-

Daryl frantically opened his eyes knowing full well whose scream that was. He sprang out of his bed and hoped Carol wasn't trashing around on the top bunk. She could fall and hurt herself, Daryl thought. He also thought about how he should have taken the top bunk instead of her. He climbed half way up the ladder and saw Carol she had stopped thrashing around but was still shaking. The last time she had a nightmare when she woke up freaking out was when they were stuck in a cabin waiting out the storm with Dave, Jen and Matt. Since then she still had nightmares but they weren't as emotional or frightening.

He reached over grabbing Carol's arm, "Carol! It's okay… It's okay"

She didn't stop shaking and was now sobbing. Lifted her head and saw Daryl on the ladder trying to calm her down. She motioned for him to move and he did climbing down the ladder giving her some space. He was clearly worried about her. She seemed to calm down but her sobs were breaking his heart. He backed up a bit more giving her room to breathe but she collapsed on the bottom bunk turning away from him.

"Carol…" He said sitting by her feet, "Do ya want to talk about it?"

She shook her head not looking up at him. It was still very early and Daryl knew they should get more sleep.

"Do ya want to be alone?" He asked patting her legs. She shook her head again and moved closer to him.

It was the first time she looked him in the eyes that night and Daryl saw the fear she was feeling. He knew that fear, it was very familiar to him when he was growing up. It was the fear of being alone or thinking about ending up alone. The fear that there was no one that cared about you and you were going to be alone forever. Carol was scared and it all made sense.

Daryl wasn't one for touches but he knew what he had to do. Taking a deep breath he pulled Carol in closer wrapping his arms around her protectively. She melted into his touch and cried into his shoulders.

"I'm scared" She said holding him tightly.

"I know… I gotcha…" He said holding her. He thought about kissing her forehead but decided against it his confidence quickly crashing.

In a few minutes Carol was settled down against Daryl's chest, her breath even and her tears gone. She was deep in a much needed sleep. Daryl didn't even ask if he should leave her in her own bunk because he knew all too well she does not want to be alone so he decided to say nothing but lay back down in the bunk motioning for her to follow. She did, curling up to his side and he slowly rubbed circles into her back and that was the position they were in now. He was unsure of what he was doing but he wasn't going to stop. After she fell asleep and Daryl knew she was asleep he kissed her forehead.

"It's crazy but I think I love you" He whispered before falling asleep with her in his arms.

-Carol-

Carol slowly opened her eyes to find a strong arm protectively wrapped around her body. She moved her head only to look into the beautiful blue eyes of Daryl Dixon. She stared into his eyes not saying anything and wondered if this was all a dream but then he spoke.

"Mornin" He said. It was still kind of dark so Carol figured that it was still early in the morning. She smiled looking into his eyes and remembered how he held her that night protecting her and making her feel safer than she has ever felt since she married Ed. She felt him stirring and he tried to sit up but Carol pushed him back down lightly. She wanted to live in this moment forever. It was one of the best moments in her life other than Sophia's birth.

"Please don't leave" She said and he slowly nodded settling back down.

Carol was scared, so was everyone else in the prison, they were all scared. Actually everyone was scared in this messed up world. Carol was frightened and just wanted to have someone she cares about near her and the only person she really truly cares about right now in this world was Daryl. She laid back down on Daryl's chest and felt the exhaustion that never seems to go away pulling her back into sleep. Even though sleep was pulling her under she still had one thought in her mind:

I love you.

Carol woke up that morning alone. She panicked because she told Daryl to stay… but also she remembered that was how her dream started out but before she could even get up Daryl appeared in her cell holding two food trays.

"Went ta get ya some food…." He said. He saw her confusion, "Sorry, for leavin'" He added.

"It's okay" She said accepting the food Daryl was offering her, "You always come back" She slightly smiled at him. Her smile disappeared as she thought back to her previous nightmare, "Uh… Thanks for waking me up last night…"

"No problem" He said biting into his breakfast. She noticed he would look over to her as she ate and when they would make eye contact blush and look away. It felt like those school crushes and how they were very awkward. The silence that usually was around Daryl and Carol was never awkward but mostly relaxing and peaceful.

Carol finished her food and out her tray to the side, "They find him yet?"

"No" He replied, "Gunna look later… Gotta be around here somewhere" Carol nodded looking off onto the wall deep in thought.

"Got something on ya mind?" He asked suddenly making Carol focus on him.

"Well… as I was walking away from Josh, after he grabbed me, I heard him saying that I made a bad mistake pushing him away… what if he comes back and hurts me?"

"Won't happen" Daryl simply said, "I got you. I will protect you if he ever shows his face, I promise"

Carol smiled, "Thanks. I feel much safer knowing you are protecting me"

Daryl blushed, "Ain't nothin." He said, "Wanna come with me ta watch later?" Daryl had watch after they ate because he switched with Glenn who took over for him in the tombs last night since he wanted to be with Carol.

Carol nodded, "That would be nice." She moved over and grabbed her Cherokee rose necklace off of the small table in her cell and turned to Daryl, "Could you help me with this?" He nodded slowly and helped her put the necklace on. Carol took a deep breath knowing she was going to have to tell him about her dream sooner or later because it was slowly eating away at her.

"Did I ever stop looking for Sophia?" She blurted out.

Daryl looked at her sudden facial expression before answering, "There was a moment… When ya wanted ta give up lookin…"

Carol frowned, "She was right…"

"Who was right?" He questioned.

"Sophia" She knew Daryl was confused so continued to explain, "My dream… Sophia was in it… She told me I gave up looking for her, forgot about her, and left her for dead"

"Ya didn't give up on her"

"But you sa-" She was cut off as Daryl continued.

"Ya wanted to give up… I never said ya did give up. You told me we might as well stop because of everythin that happened and I got angry. I yelled at ya. But after, showed ya that there was still hope…"

"You did that?" She smiled, "You put hope in me?"

"Only because I knew there was a chance we could have found her and everyone wanted ta give up."

Carol smiled and gripped his hand, "Really?" He nodded, "Thanks, for everything. Without you I don't know where I would be right now.

-Daryl-

"Come on Darylina! Ya got her where ya want her now make a move!" Merle's voice echoed in Daryl's mind, "Get her now before someone else does or even worse that bastard, ya'll are lookin for claims her ass."

Daryl looked at the hand Carol failed to move from his and then to Carol. He knew it was the perfect moment to make a move but he was currently at war in his head. Should he? What would happen between them if he did? What would happen if he didn't? Tons of questions were going through his mind but he didn't realize he was leaning into her until they were inches apart. What if she pushed him away? Where ever Daryl went he felt the rejection others gave him. The first time he ever felt accepted was from Carol but what if she rejected him? He didn't think he would be able to recover if she did but he needed to find out once and for all.

"Fuck it" He muttered leaning in closer until his lips were upon hers. He closed his eyes as he lightly kissed Carol, smiling when he felt her kissing him back. This was the one time he ever listened to the voice of Merle inside his head and didn't regret it. God, he didn't regret this… This was Carol, the most beautiful woman in the prison, the woman who never gave up on him, even when he gave up on himself.

He watched her turn from a fragile woman being controlled by her abusive husband to a free, strong woman controlled by no one. Losing her memory set her back but slowly she was getting stronger and watching her get stronger with all her determination and courage made Daryl realize just how much he loves her. The kiss got deeper and Daryl almost flinched away when Carol ran her fingers through his hair but he controlled it reminding himself Carol would never hurt him in any way because she was kind and caring towards everyone but especially him. He had finally done what he wanted to do for so long and it felt so right.

Daryl pulled away from her having a small smile on his lips. He looked at Carol and also saw she was smiling. Smiling didn't mean rejection. That smile was accepting him and he couldn't be more relieved and excited.

"Still want ta come with me on watch?"He asked hoping she would say yes.

"Of course I do" She said her smile getting wider, "There isn't anywhere else I'd want to be. But I will have to meet you out there… I want to bring the trays back and go visit Lizzie and Mika, see how they are doing."

"Want me ta come?" He questioned.

Carol shook her head, "No. You go on watch before whoever is up there gets mad because you are late. I will be fine." Carol let go of his hand and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. She watched as he got up and moved to leave her cell.

"Tell the girls, I say hi" She smiled then nodded.

"I will."

It had been about an hour since Daryl had been on watch and he was starting to worry. Carol hasn't shown up yet when she said she was going to. He knew she said she was going to come but what if she changed her mind? He only had watch for another hour until someone came to relieve him maybe she would show up sometime in the next hour? He decided to try and get his mind off her not showing up but then it hit him. Maybe something went wrong with the girls or worse… He decided he was going to wait another half an hour and if she didn't show up go see where she is.

He waited the slow half an hour that seemed like it went on forever and went to find Lizzie and Mika. He went through the tombs locating them by the wall of drawings they hung up to make the tombs a "brighter" place. He cautiously approached them.

"Hey, Daryl!" Lizzie said, "Come to see our drawings?"

"Uh… can't right now… Did you guys see Carol at all today?"

"Nope…" Mika said, "Why is something wrong?"

-Carol-

Carol grabbed the two trays Daryl brought in her cell and made her way to the dining area. It doesn't take long to get there but Carol took her time walking through the hallways. She smiled to herself; she must be the luckiest girl ever having Daryl Dixon care so much about her. She blushed remembering the kiss they shared and wondered if they just moved onto the next level with whatever relationship they have going on. She was near the dining area when she was suddenly grabbed. She dropped the two trays she was holding and let out a scream before a hand covered her mouth.

"Well, where are you going?" Josh said pushing her harder into the wall, "Going to see your new boyfriend aren't ya?" She thrashed and pushed but he was stronger, "No… actually I think you want to stay here with me."

"Let go of me!" She yelled but his hand was still covering her mouth, "STOP!" She managed through his hand.

"I'm going to pull my hand away now… and you are going to not scream. Do you understand? If you disobey me I will fucking shoot you" He said placing a gun to her temple. Carol nodded and he slowly removed his hand but kept his gun trained on her head, "You are coming with me" He tied her arms behind her back and tapped her mouth shut. Josh pulled Carol away from the wall, through the tombs and out of the prison.

-Daryl-

Daryl didn't answer them but instead left the tombs and headed towards Carol's cell with the girls following behind him. He noticed the trays he brought this morning were on the floor just outside the cell and his stomach turned. He slowly walked into his cell and was disappointed she wasn't in it. Instead of finding her he found a letter neatly folded on her bunk. He picked it up and opened it not really knowing what to expect.

I told her she made a bad mistake.

A VERY bad mistake

Taking her wasn't a part of my original plan but hey, she pissed me off.

Don't wait up. If find us she will probably already be dead.

Nice knowing you bastards

-Josh