Heavy breathing was all that could be heard within the cramped room. Everyone was tense, their grips tight on their weapons, ready to attack, ready for the worst.

Rhiannon's heart was in her throat. She was shoulder to shoulder with Tyreese on her left and Carl on her right. She could practically feel the tension radiating off the teenager next to her. She slowly placed her hand on top of his, making him jump at first before relaxing and looking over at her with wide eyes.

He hadn't even realized his fingers had been tapping against his gun nervously. He sighed quietly and gave Rhiannon's hand a quick squeeze before she moved it back to grip her sword.

She didn't know how it had come to this. They should've known it had been a trap.

Knowing Gareth was on the other side of that door had her on edge, she wanted nothing more than to storm out of the room and plunge her sword into his chest.

"We've been watching you. We know who's here." Gareth taunted. "There's Bob. Unless you put him out of his misery already."

Rhiannon clenched her jaw, turning to face the dying man behind her, her gaze softening at the sight of him. Despite being in pain, his face was hardened with anger.

"There's Eugene. Rosita. Martin's good friend Tyreese. Carl. Judith."

Rhiannon almost jumped out of her spot when she heard him say her name. Her protective instincts wanted to take over and kill the enemy before they could even lay their eyes on the kid.

"Oh, and how could I forget about Rhiannon? I was so sorry to hear about your miscarriage." Gareth continued, making everyone in the room stiffen simultaneously.

Rhiannon let out a shaking breath, her wide eyes locked onto the closed door that she wanted to bust through. She could feel everyone's gaze on her still form and it made her stomach turn uncomfortably. Beside her, Tyreese was looking down at her with a horrified expression.

That just made her feel worse.

Knowing that those Terminus monsters had been lurking around them the whole time, had heard her very personal conversation with Maggie, made her feel sick. She felt nauseous and she closed her eyes as she breathed deeply in an effort to remain calm.

The rest of Gareth's villainous monologue was lost to her. Her anger was festering, along with that familiar feeling of dread. She wanted them dead, she wanted them gone, and she wanted everyone to stop staring at her the way they were.

It wasn't until Judith's shrill cry sounded throughout the still quiet of the church that she was snapped out of her thoughts.

Shit.

She let out a string of curses in her head that would make a sailor blush. Tyreese was quick to grab the baby in his big arms and rock her methodically to try and get her to calm down. It didn't matter though, the damage was done.

They knew where they were.

"This is your last chance to come out before we start shooting." Gareth warned.

Rhiannon's knuckles were white with the grip she had on her weapon. She shifted on her feet, preparing herself for the inevitable fight that was about to ensue. But it never did.

The sound of gunshots and Gareth crying out in pain had her grip loosening and she moved towards the door, putting out a hand to stop Carl when he moved to follow her. She gave a subtle shake of the head to him, keeping him in his spot, as she leaned against the door to listen.

The sound of Rick's gruff voice had her nerves dissipating instantly.

The gruesome sounds of fighting and death followed, making her wince. Her heart was still racing as she cracked the door open, peering out carefully. She needed to make sure it was the right people meeting their end.

Her stomach twisted again at the bloody scene in front of her. Despite knowing the horrible things these people had done and how glad she was to know that they were dead, she couldn't help but feel unsettled by the sheer brutality of it all.

She looked up, her eyes meeting Maggie's, who looked just as off-put as she was sure she looked.

There was something deeper, almost like relief, on Maggie's face, that Rhiannon was having the reaction she was having. Rhiannon felt offended slightly, but she couldn't totally blame her sister. She was sure Maggie had fears that she'd go off the deep end and descend into the brutal madness the others were displaying.

She certainly wondered about it herself. She was actually surprised she hadn't had some sort of Joker-style breakdown after what she'd been through. She had a brief moment in Terminus when she killed that woman who had been going after Rick, but her killing spree had started and ended with that.

She couldn't blame Maggie for being worried.

"Everyone ok?" Rick asked, moving towards Carl who looked a little hesitant due to the sight of the blood splattered across his father's face and clothes.

"Yeah, we're fine." Carl said quietly, giving his father a weak smile as he hugged his son and kissed his daughter.

Rick turned to Rhiannon, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for staying with them."

"Of course." Rhiannon shrugged. Honestly, she stayed behind because she didn't want to partake in the slaughter that she assumed was going to happen. Turns out, staying did just as much damage as going would have, but Terminus was finally gone for good and that was what mattered, that was what she chose to focus on.

Rick hesitated before walking away, giving her a look of empathy which had her on edge again. He squeezed her shoulder one last time before walking away. She watched him go with a furrowed brow, wondering why he was still acting like she was still on the verge of breaking.

Rhiannon turned, noticing the eyes still on her. Maggie shifted where she stood, her gaze dropping to her shoes. She noticed Glenn looking at her funny, like he was seconds away from marching over and smothering her with a hug. Even Sasha, who had been so consumed with murderous rage just minutes before, was looking at her sympathetically.

They heard Gareth.

They knew she lost her baby. That had to have been why they were looking at her so strangely.

Rhiannon sighed, looking down at her feet to avoid their gazes. At least she didn't have to be the one to have that conversation with them. Glenn was one of her closest friends and she felt weird about keeping something as huge as that a secret from him, but she also didn't want to keep having to say that damn word over and over to everyone.

"Rhi, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you-" Glenn started, taking a step towards her, his eyes soft and full of worry.

"It's fine." She interrupted quickly, her voice quiet and small. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Stop. You don't need to apologize for that." He assured her, bringing her in for a tight hug. Rhiannon smiled sadly. Instead of that dreaded feeling that came with someone pitying her, she knew Glenn was different. She was comforted by his hug and she actually was thankful that he knew.

The fact that everyone knew now meant she didn't have to worry about it slipping out later. She didn't have to keep dwelling on it. She could just move on like she'd planned to.

"Let's get these bodies outta here so we can get some rest. We got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Abraham's voice boomed through the church.

Rhiannon pursed her lips in annoyance. He wasn't giving up on Washington and he wasn't giving up on his choice to take Maggie and Glenn with him. The thought of them separating made her itch, it was stupid and she couldn't fathom that they were actually thinking about it.

She didn't care about the fights that would ensue, she wasn't going to let her sister go.

Rhiannon sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache beginning to form behind her eyes.

"I'll take watch." She spoke up, slowly moving towards the door, her footsteps lazy with sleep. It was a smart idea for her to stay up most of the night, given how exhausted she felt, but Daryl and Carol were still out there.

She let out a deep breath as she closed the door behind her. She practically dropped to the front steps, immediately leaning against the railing to keep herself upright. The uncertainty that weighed her down was enough to bring frustrated tears to her eyes.

"Where the hell are you?" She whispered out to the silence of the night.

She couldn't help but feel equal parts worried and annoyed. Worried that the love of her life was out there somewhere. The fact that he hadn't warned her or told her anything is what had her feeling so uneasy. It wasn't like him at all.

If she tried not to worry, to not focus on negative thoughts, it led her to feeling incredibly annoyed and angry with him. What the hell was so important that he just up and left without telling her anything.

She had done that once before and it had led to an epic fight between them. She knew how hurt he'd been when she'd done that, so why was he doing the same thing?

She didn't want to be mad, but she couldn't help it. After everything that had happened, she needed him. She couldn't get by without him, she didn't want to.

Rhiannon tensed and turned her head at the sound of the door opening behind her. Her first instinct was to be annoyed that she was being interrupted, that she couldn't brood alone like she wanted to, but the feeling immediately faded when she saw that it was Carl.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Helping you take watch." Carl answered simply, taking a seat on the steps next to her.

"You should be getting some rest."

"So should you." He argued, making her look over at him with narrowed eyes. She was regretting spending so much time with him over the past two years. Her sassiness and refusal to make good choices was rubbing off on him.

"I'm sure Daryl's fine, wherever he is."

"Yeah, wherever he is." She repeated the phrase lowly, bitterness seeping in her tone.

"You can't seriously think that he just left for no reason." Carl said, almost in a scolding tone. "Daryl's like the definition of overprotective. There's no way he would actually leave, especially knowing those Terminus pricks were out there."

Rhiannon turned to face him, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of a smirk growing at his words.

"Does your dad know you're using grown up words?"

Carl scoffed, nudging her shoulder with his. "Shut up." He mumbled, a smile forming on his youthful face. "You know I'm right."

"I know. You always are." Rhiannon said, her tone taking on a lighter note, though it didn't last long. "Still, the thought doesn't help much. He left for a reason, that means it's serious, most definitely dangerous."

"It's Daryl. If anyone can handle some rogue mission, it's him."

"Yeah, I guess." She mumbled. "God, I hate how wise you are sometimes."

Carl laughed, the sound bringing a genuine smile to her lips. She wished she got to hear that sound more often.

"You're just mad 'cause you're the one finally on the other side of the lectures."

"I knew you'd betray me one day." She joked, earning another nudge from the teenager as he laughed. He moved closer, resting his head on her shoulder.

"You've talked to me when I needed it. It was time for me to pay you back." He said quietly.

Rhiannon felt warmth settle in her belly, a feeling of contentment and love that had been numbed over the past weeks. She smiled and leaned her head against his, the two of them settling in the comfort the quiet brought.


Rhiannon stood with her arms folded across her chest, her face drawn tightly with anger as she watched the hulking red head pack the bus in front of the church.

She'd argued with Maggie practically all morning, but it was a lost cause. They both knew there was no other way. The group was divided and this was the only way to keep the peace between the two hard headed leaders that had just recently joined forces.

No one wanted a Rick versus Abraham situation again.

"I can't believe you're doing this." She mumbled as Maggie approached her to say goodbye.

"You could come with us." She offered for what was probably the fifth time just that morning.

"You know I can't. Daryl's still out there, I can't just leave without knowing what's happening with him."

Maggie nodded in understanding, though her face was slack with sadness.

"I hate this." Rhiannon whispered, feeling her eyes beginning to sting with tears.

"I do too." Maggie said, sniffling as she tried her hardest to not break down. "I don't wanna leave you, not right now, not ever. I never thought we'd be sayin' goodbye like this, but we have to go. We have to see if we have a chance at beating this."

Rhiannon nodded solemnly. She didn't care if the fate of the world rested on this trip, she was never going to feel good about separating from her sister.

"I'll see you soon. I know it." Maggie said, though her optimism wasn't exactly believable. She pulled Rhiannon into her arms.

The sisters held each other tightly. Maggie felt guilt fester within her. She had just learned something devastating about her sister and it felt so wrong to be leaving her side when she was obviously still grieving over it.

"I love you."

Maggie smiled, though it was strained as she tried hard to fight back her tears. "I love you too."

Rhiannon pulled away, keeping her eyes cast down as she did, knowing she'd burst into tears if she took one more look at her sister.

Glenn approached them, placing his hand on Rhiannon's arm to get her attention. He gave her a weak smile as she looked up at him.

"I'll see you soon."

"You better. I don't wanna work without my partner in crime." Rhiannon told him. They hugged quickly, sensing that Abraham was getting agitated with the long goodbyes that had been dragging all morning.

Rhiannon gave Maggie and Glenn one last wave as they got on the bus. She let out a shaking breath, her arms wrapped around herself as she watched them drive away. She hoped that wouldn't be the last time she saw her sister, she hoped Eugene knew what he was talking about, and she hoped Daryl and Carol would get back soon so they could follow them to Washington.

Rick sighed as the bus drove out of sight and the others made their way back into the church, except Rhiannon. She stayed in her spot, her gaze still locked onto the now empty road they'd left from.

Rick frowned, stepping towards her.

"Rhi…"

"I'm gonna take a walk." She said abruptly, walking away from him before he could say another word to try and stop her.

He was getting used to her quick exits and he hated that. But he knew the best thing he could do for her was give her the space she so desperately wanted.

Rhiannon felt herself get back the grip she had begun to lose on her emotions as she walked further from the church. She wasn't going far, she was smart enough to know not to. She just needed a break from all the looks, from the loss.

Although she hadn't been particularly close to Bob, she had seen how much losing him had taken a toll on Sasha and it had her reeling. She couldn't imagine that feeling, losing the one you love, losing the man that owned your heart.

She let out a shaking breath at the thought. She might be in that position now and she wouldn't even know.

It was the not knowing that was killing her more than anything.

"You plannin' on bolting too, Bambi?" A loud voice startled her out of her thoughts, causing her steps to stumble as she turned to face the redneck that had followed her.

"What are you doing here, Merle?" She asked, unable to hide the resentment in her voice. She just wanted two minutes alone, but apparently that was too much to ask for.

"Wanna make sure my sister in law ain't gonna get torn apart out here."

"I'm not exactly your sister in law, genius."

"Aw, c'mon. You two are practically married. Ain't like it means much nowadays. Hell, ain't like it meant much before either."

Rhiannon's face twisted in a confused amusement that was becoming normal around the eldest Dixon.

"You're such a romantic, Merle." She doled sarcastically.

"I bet my brother's got me beat there." He smiled teasingly, though the mention of Daryl didn't have her smiling back.

"Yeah, ditching all of us really has that soulmate flare that makes me swoon."

Merle winced at the anger in her voice, her sarcastic words leaving no room for compromise.

"He ain't takin' this well." Merle said, the teasing lilt of his tone gone completely.

Rhiannon looked at him thoughtfully, slightly off put with how serious he was suddenly acting. It was out of the ordinary to have a real conversation with Merle and it was even rarer that it was one he started.

"This whole...miscarriage thing." He said awkwardly, the word sounding foreign in his voice. "He ain't ever lost somethin' like that, somethin' he really loved. I don't think he knows how to deal."

"What about your mom?" Rhiannon asked. She knew the story of how it happened, how awful it was for him to find out the way he did and so young.

"Our momma was a drunk. Only had a handful of good moments with her. But you n' that baby? You would'a changed his whole life. Hell, you have. And he ain't exactly a poster boy for handlin' emotions well."

"Yeah, I noticed." Rhiannon said with a slight snicker. "I'm sorry for how he's treating you. Like you said, he doesn't know how to deal with this. He can't take the help, he doesn't want to, even if it is from you."

Merle scoffed in disdain. "Ain't exactly brother of the year. Ain't a surprise he don't want my help after what I've done."

"That's not true." Rhiannon said quickly. "Merle, you've repaid your debt, everyone knows it."

Merle just shrugged and the two of them were left walking in silence, one that was more comfortable than she expected.

"So, you feelin' better or you still wantin' the world to burn?" He asked, seemingly out of the blue. She turned to look at him, her brows raised in question. "After, you had that look in your eye, like the whole world could crumble and you'd be ok with it."

Rhiannon sighed, contemplating his words. That was what it had felt like. Losing her baby had caused her to not give a shit about anything else, to find peace in death because she already felt empty.

She winced at the thought, at how selfish it sounded when she had so many people at her back, people that she counted on and that counted on her.

"A Lot of people that go through what you did have that look. You ain't some kind'a freak for that."

Rhiannon looked at him in surprise. She hadn't expected these words from him, not in a million years.

"A while ago, I must'a been 25 or somethin'," He started, a faraway look in his eye. "Had a nice girl, well, a girl." He corrected himself, causing Rhiannon to laugh lightly.

"She could drink a sailor under the table. Did every night." His smile fell and his face turned somber. "She didn't even know she was pregnant 'til she started bleeding real bad. Scared the shit outta me. After that, she just kinda… fell apart. Felt so guilty, she drank herself to death."

Rhiannon was silent as she let his story resonate with her. She was more than shocked that he was sharing this with her and even more shocked that she found herself appreciating it and appreciating him for trying to level with her the way he was.

"Were you sad?"

Merle shrugged. "Didn't really feel much of anythin'. Was always outta my mind then. But I knew it was for the better. We couldn't be parents. We would'a fucked that kid up somethin' awful."

Merle's face was more serious than she had ever seen it and she wondered if this was the most honest he'd ever been with someone.

"But you and Daryl? You two will be good parents. Always knew Daryl was the better man, always knew he'd do more than I ever could."

"You never know, there's still time. You could meet some amazing, Lara Croft type, settle down, have a kid." She smiled teasingly, making him scoff in amusement.

"Right." He said sarcastically.

The pair continued to walk in silence, unknowingly, changing their course to head back towards the church. Rhiannon's head was spinning with mixed emotions. She knew Daryl didn't handle emotions well. He'd stormed off and basically had a panic attack when he found out she was pregnant. It wasn't news to her that he was a little stunted in that department. But she couldn't help her anger from surfacing.

"I'm mad at him." She said, almost in a whisper.

"Who, Daryl?"

Rhiannon nodded. "I know it must have been something serious to make him leave, but he left. And I'm mad because I feel like I'm about to lose it all over again. I don't know if he's alive or dead and it's driving me crazy."

"I get it. I'm pissed at him too." Merle stated simply.

"So you're not gonna try and make me see things rationally?"

Merle snorted. "Fuck no. My brother's been a colossal jackass lately and he hightailed it outta here leavin' you to snivel by yourself. That son of a bitch is gettin' on my nerves."

Rhiannon's brows furrowed. She hadn't expected that to be the direction this conversation was going to take, but with Merle she really shouldn't have been surprised.

"You're allowed to be angry at 'im for leavin'. No matter why he did it."

"Yeah, I guess so." She sighed. "I don't wanna keep fighting, though. We've done enough of that and I just want it all to end."

Merle just nodded in understanding, though a coy smirk was growing on his face. "You don't like fighting but you picked a hell of a group to settle down with."

Rhiannon laughed lightly and rolled her eyes at his poking jest. She was amazed at how well her talk with Merle had gone. She felt like she'd gotten some perspective on the situation and he'd made her laugh, something he usually did with his vulgar humour.

She felt lighter than before. Her anger with Daryl, with watching Maggie and Glenn leave was dissipating.

"Thank you for this." She spoke up, the break in the silence catching him off guard and he turned to face her, his face blank from any emotion. "I know you didn't come out here to just to chat."

Merle looked down, almost bashfully, making her feel a certain type of triumph knowing she was one of the few people in the world that Merle Dixon could ever be serious around.

"I appreciate the effort, brother in law." She smiled.

"Didn't do nothin'." He shrugged, his voice low in what was almost embarrassment.

"You know, you've become pretty sentimental lately." She teased, nudging his hip with hers playfully. The stone cold glare she got in return made her laugh, but it caused a twisting in her stomach. He looked just like Daryl when he did that.

"C'mon, Bambi. I've just about had enough of you." He mumbled, though she didn't miss the slight smirk on his face as they approached the church.

Once they arrived back with the group, or what was left of it, her dower mood was back. She remembered why she liked her solitude when she received sympathetic gazes from everyone, the silent way they asked if she was ok.

"Bunch'a leeches." Merle mumbled, noticing how Rhiannon tensed up immediately at all the eyes on her.

Rhiannon smiled lightly. She knew they had that fear of scrutiny in common.

"You ok?" Michonne asked, trying to sound casual, though she wasn't exactly good at hiding the concern in her tone.

"Fine. Just needed some fresh air."

Michonne nodded, taking a look back at the others to make sure they had gone back to what they were doing and weren't listening to them anymore.

"Look, I know this is hard for you. Separating from your sister is the last thing you wanna do, but it won't be forever. I can promise you that." Michonne told her, her hands reaching to grab hold of hers.

Rhiannon nodded slowly, her face drawn tightly. She couldn't let herself believe these false promises. They never ended well.

"Hey, get that look off your face. We'll see them again." Michonne told her sternly, leaving no room for arguments.

Rhiannon nodded again, this time her face softer with resolution. She knew Michonne was stubborn, was a badass and if she said she was going to do something, well, she was going to do it.


Rhiannon was sitting out on the front steps of the church again. She'd been out there for hours, her eyes staring straight ahead, waiting for any sign of Daryl and Carol. She hadn't even realized the sun had set.

She heard the door open behind her, but she didn't bother to turn, she just kept her attention on the forest in front of her.

"How's it going?" Michonne asked as she took a seat next to Rhiannon, her katana resting across her lap.

"Same. No sign of them." She replied monotonously.

Michonne sighed in defeat, her eyes moving over towards her friend. She was worried for her. She'd obviously been through a lot, the losses she'd experienced almost defeated her, and this loss wasn't something anyone would be able to help her through.

She had no words of comfort for her friend. Not anymore. With every hour that had passed, her own confidence had begun to slip and she couldn't keep up the optimistic front she'd had earlier.

"How's Sasha?" Rhiannon asked, finally turning to face Michonne, who looked slightly taken aback by her question.

"She's a mess, understandably. Even Tyreese can't get her to talk."

Rhiannon's eyes fell closed and she shook her head, letting out a shaking breath. Michonne frowned and scooted closer to her, her eyes looking her over curiously.

"What?"

"What's she's going through… that just….that scares the absolute shit outta me." Rhiannon admitted quietly.

Michonne nodded in understanding, furiously trying to think of a response, some sort of words of comfort for her, but she came up blank.

"You know what I really want right now?" Rhiannon continued, relieving Michonne for the time because she didn't have to answer. "A milkshake."

The simple answer was not something Michonne had been expecting and she laughed at the surprise of it. Rhiannon smiled lightly, the moment of levity between them unexpected but so delightful.

"I remember when I lived in New York, if I was having relationship problems, family problems, or if I was just stressed from being alive, there was this diner across the street that I would always go to. It got to the point that I didn't even have to order, I'd just walk in and they'd hand me a chocolate milkshake. It didn't matter if it was 3 in the afternoon or 3 in the morning, it was all I wanted."

Michonne smiled, watching the contentment on Rhiannon's face as she reminisced.

"I was the same way with sour patch kids." Michonne admitted. Rhiannon looked over at her with a smile and nodded in understanding. "Man, I remember going through like four bags a night after I found out my college boyfriend was cheating on me."

"Damn, you got cheated on?" Rhiannon asked in surprise. Michonne nodded, waving a hand in dismissal. That guy was long forgotten to her. "Jesus, if that could happen to you, there's no hope for the rest of us."

Michonne scoffed in amusement and nudged her shoulder playfully.

Suddenly, the rustle of bushes in front of them had them on high alert, their smiles slipping from their faces as they immediately reached for their weapons.

Rhiannon was on her feet in the blink of an eye, her sword held tightly in her hand as she stepped forward. Michonne was right behind her, wanting to reach out and pull her back from taking another step, but she held back.

The figure that emerged from the shadows had Rhiannon dropping her weapon. She let out a loud breath of relief and her shoulders sagged as Daryl stepped forward, his face twisted with anxiety and regret, like he knew exactly what she had been going through while he'd been gone.

"Thank god." She breathed out, taking the final steps forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

Daryl sighed in relief as his arms curled around her frame that was clinging to him. He'd been fretting the entire drive back, wondering if he'd get a slap in the face as soon as he got back. He'd been expecting a blow out, not a hug.

He was so thankful to be wrong.

Rhiannon didn't want to let go. Her hands dug into the leather of his vest, clutching him tighter.

"Where the fuck were you?" She whispered, sounding desperate.

Daryl almost winced at the sound of her voice, guilt seeping through him at the clear worry he heard.

"I'm sorry. Fuck, darlin', I'm so sorry." He breathed out, pulling away from the embrace to look down at her, to see those brown eyes he'd been missing.

"Where's Carol?" Michonne asked, looking over Daryl's shoulder, but frowning deeply when she didn't see who she was looking for.

"It's a long story." Daryl sighed and turned to face the woods behind him. "Come on out." He called over his shoulder.

Rhiannon tensed as an unfamiliar man stepped out of the shadows. Her brows furrowed as she got a better look at him and realized he wasn't a man, he was a teenager.

"Who…" Rhiannon started, but her sentence trailed off as she realized she had about a million questions and she didn't know which one she wanted to start with.

Daryl took in a deep breath and turned towards her, grabbing her hands in his tightly. He looked nervous, his lip caught between his teeth as he looked down at her with so much emotion held in those blue eyes.

"We found Beth."

Those words almost knocked her off her feet and she was happy for his tight grip on her to keep her steady. Her lips parted but no words escaped her and she was left gaping at him, her face blank with disbelief.

"Noah here was with her. Was taken by the same people that took her."

"She…" Rhiannon trailed off, willing her voice not to break. "She's ok?"

"She's ok." Daryl assured her, though his stomach twisted uncomfortable because he really had no way of knowing. By the sounds of it, those assholes that took her weren't exactly saints and he had no way of knowing what the hell they were doing to her.

But he wasn't about to tell Rhiannon that. The fact of the matter was, Beth was alive, and that was all she needed to think about.

Rhiannon let out a shaking breath and she covered her face with her hands as she felt herself beginning to slip, her emotions ready to overhaul every rational thought she had. Daryl frowned and gently reached for her hands, leaning his forehead against hers once her face was clear.

"We'll get her back." He whispered, his thumb stroking over her knuckles that were almost trembling.

Michonne watched them with a weak smile. She was so relieved that Daryl was ok, that he was finally back where he belonged. She didn't know if she could handle seeing the state Rhiannon was in for one more day without him.

"So, where's Carol?" She asked again, shifting on her feet nervously.

Rhiannon looked up at Daryl nervously, Michonne's question setting her on edge again.

Daryl sighed heavily and ran a hand over his tired face.

"They have her. Those idiot cops that took Beth, they got Carol. They're holed up in a hospital in the city."

"Well, let's go." Rhiannon said, moving to side step Daryl and walk to Atlanta if that was what it took, but he stopped her, grabbing her arm tightly.

"Hey, hey, relax. We can't just march into the hospital and ask nicely. We gotta come up with a plan that won't get us killed."

Rhiannon's face dropped and she looked at Daryl with wide, horrified eyes. He knew exactly what she was worrying about.

"It's ok. It's not like that. We're just gonna need a little more incentive." He assured her.

It wasn't a Governor or Terminus situation, but that didn't mean they were in the clear. There was probably going to be a fight if they didn't think of a way to persuade them to give their people back.

By what Noah had told him about their leader, Dawn, they were going to need a pretty heavy deal to convince her.

Rhiannon nodded, though she didn't look like it had reassured her all that much. Her eyes were swimming with unshed tears and her gaze fell to the floor to avoid looking directly at him, which felt like a punch to the gut to him.

"C'mon, we gotta tell the others." Michonne spoke up.

"Go ahead, just… give us a minute, ok?" Daryl asked and Michonne took one last look at Rhiannon who was eerily still and silent before nodding and motioning for Noah to follow her inside.

Once they were left alone, Daryl was quick to wrap his arms around her again, this time even tighter, practically stealing her breath with how strong his grip was.

"Did you see her?" Rhiannon whispered and she had to fight back a cry when Daryl shook his head. "Then how do we know he's telling the truth? How do we know she's ok?"

"He's got no reason to lie. He said Beth helped him escape, he just wants to pay it back and help her get out too."

Rhiannon nodded, letting out a shaking breath and she pulled away from his embrace, wiping under her eyes furiously.

"You really scared me." She said quietly, her eyes refusing to meet his as she looked past his shoulder, like she was too nervous to make eye contact with him.

He sighed heavily and his hands snaked to the back of her neck, his fingers weaving through her hair.

"You have no idea how sorry I am. I knew I should've told you, but I saw the car that took her, it had the same cross painted on the back and I just… I couldn't let it go. I had to follow it and I didn't have time to run back and tell anyone."

Rhiannon nodded. She understood, she was just still reeling from everything she'd been told. She just needed to process everything.

"I'm not mad at you." She told him, smiling lightly when she saw the relieved look on his face. "Not anymore, at least." She admitted, almost bashfully.

"You got every right to be mad at me." He said quietly, leaning his forehead against hers. "Fuck, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, to freak you out so much."

"Hey, you found my sister. I can't ever fault you for that." Rhiannon smiled, her hands crawling up the length of his back. "You've done more for me than I ever thought was possible."

Daryl looked shy by her praise and he quickly leaned down, pressing his lips to hers fiercely. One last apology, he told himself, as he kissed her.

Rhiannon held him tightly, her mind falling blank as his lips moved with hers. He pulled away slowly, but it wasn't enough for her. She felt like she'd been deprived of him for too long and she wasn't ready for it to end.

She leaned up on her toes, her arms snaking around his neck to pull him down to her height and she kissed him passionately, their reunion quickly becoming more heated than he had anticipated.

Daryl moaned in surprise at her forwardness, surprised by how ravenous she was being, but he wasn't about to complain. He felt dizzy as her tongue swiped against his, her teeth nipped at his bottom lip, her hands tugged at his hair.

It was all too much, at least for now.

He pulled away, his chest heaving for breath, his lips pink from her assault.

"What was that for?"

Rhiannon shrugged. "I needed you. I always need you." She said simply.

Daryl blushed and bowed his head, letting his hair fall over his face to hide his reaction. But Rhiannon knew his trick and she reached out, brushing the hair from his face, her hand lingering against his cheek.

"You know, if you ever walk out without telling me again I'll kick your ass. I don't care if you've found my great aunt or some shit, I'm not dealing with that again."

Daryl sniggered. Her words lacked any venom or threat, but he knew she was serious.

"Yes, m'am."