Daryl was so afraid, his thoughts were racing. He wanted to run to Connie, but he knew, if he did, he would probably break through the ice. So he just desperately stretched out his arms, shouting to her to come back. She started walking towards him, the ice was cracking and Daryl hoped and prayed, she would make it back safely. She was walking slowly towards him and their fingertips touched slightly as she stretched out her arms too. The ice broke under her feet, but Daryl was able to grab her arms and pull her closer, so she made it back to the safe ground. He was holding her tight in his arms, his heart pondering, and she was pressing her body against his. They looked at each other and then Daryl felt a hand grabbing his foot. A walker came out from under the snow and Daryl pushed Connie away.

"Go," he told her as more and more walkers started to rise from the snow. He killed the walker holding his foot, but then another one appeared from under the snow. Connie didn't walk away, she was fighting the walkers too. Daryl saw one walker behind her back, so he ran to it and pulled it away from her. The walker grabbed his arms, and while Daryl was trying to get rid of it, he tripped and fell backwards. Together with the walker he rolled down a small hill and landed on the ice. It cracked and before he was able to stand up, it broke and the cold water swallowed him. The shock of the sudden cold drove through his body. The walker was still near him and Daryl had to push it away. He was sinking to the ground, his clothes felt heavy on his body and they were pulling him down. He tried to go back up, he saw the light above him, but his limbs were numb and his arms and legs barely obeyed his orders. He was in panic so he tried to move as fast as he could, but it seemed to be an endless way back to the surface. He realized he couldn't hold his breath much longer, and swallowed some of the cold water. The awful feeling of drowning, brought back his memories again. While trying to come back to the surface, he saw several pictures before his inner eye.

He saw his drunk father's angry face and his voice echoed in his ears: "How you like that, you little asshole."

Life is short, he saw, written on Connie's notepad.

"Will you ask her?" He heard Carol's voice and he saw the beautiful ring he found.

He had to go back, he had to go back to Connie, so he tried to fight for her with everything he had left, but before he reached the surface he passed out.

Then he saw another picture. Connie's face. It was all blurry and he didn't know if he was dreaming or dead. He started to cough and he spit some water out, feeling a stinging pain in his chest. He knew then, he was alive. Connie was there, he could now see her clearly. She helped him to lift his upper body a little bit from the ground and he was still coughing, trying to get rid of all the water in his lungs.

Many people from the group were there too, they came back and killed the walkers. Connie's clothes were partly wet and Nate, his old friend who traveled with them several weeks ago, was the one who saved him. His clothes were soaking wet just like Daryl's. Daryl thanked him and they all walked back to the horses. Connie was holding Daryl close. Daryl changed his clothes in one of the wagons and he was still freezing as he was sitting there with a blanket over his shoulders.

Connie came to him and he moved, so she could sit down next to him.

"I'm so sorry," he said but she shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry," she signed.

Both of them had tears in their eyes. And Daryl just wanted to be close to her and it seemed like she wanted that too. She held his arm and put her head on his shoulder. Neither of them moved and they both just enjoyed to be together again.

They made a stop at the Sanctuary, to spend the night there.

Ezekiel gave Daryl a bottle with some moonshine in it, to help him to feel warmer.

"Thanks, I really need that right now," Daryl said, his hands still shaking as he took a couple of sips.

Could use some of it too, Connie wrote. He knew she didn't mean to take it, but moved his arm and held the bottle far away from her.

"No way. That's not good for the baby," he told her and she smiled, tearing up.

I'm not even 100% sure, if I'm pregnant, she wrote.

"But you could be, right?" Daryl asked.

Connie nodded.

I really want to have a baby, she wrote. I thought you wanted the same, that's why I was so sad.

"Listen, it's not that I don't want to have kids, it's just that I'm worried about you." He swallowed, holding back some tears. "I couldn't take to lose you," he added.

I can't lose you too, Connie wrote, also being very emotional. When I saw you falling through the ice, I was so afraid. It was so stupid to be mad at you.

"You weren't stupid, I was stupid. And we should've talked about all of it before we... You know."

Connie smiled. Daryl pulled her closer.

"Next time you mad at me, just hit me or something, okay? Don't run away."

Connie nodded.

Next time you decide to take a swim, please do it during summer time.

Daryl smiled faintly.

Preferable with me, she added with a smile.

And preferable naked.

Daryl couldn't help grinning at this, but then he looked around in embarrassment, afraid that somebody could have read what Connie wrote.

Suddenly he remembered that he had the ring in his pocket when he fell trough the ice. He was afraid, that he maybe lost it during his 'swim' and as he went back to search his wet pants, his fear came true. The ring wasn't there anymore.

"Shit," he said and Connie, who came after him, looked at him with a questioning look.

"Oh, it's nothing," he hastened to say. He was so disappointed about the loss of the ring. He regretted that he didn't gave it to her earlier.

In the next morning the group continued their way. Connie was always holding Daryl's hand like she was afraid to let him go. And he didn't mind that. He didn't want to be separated from her ever again.

When they arrived at Hilltop in the evening, Daryl and Connie were sitting with some other people in Maggie's office, warming themselves by the fireplace. Daryl saw Eugene coming out of a small room. Eugene established a radio there, so the communities could communicate. Daryl took Connie's hand and led her into the room, which was very small but at least they were alone there. She looked around, narrowing her eyebrows.

"Just wanted to spend some time with you alone," Daryl told her.

Connie smiled and then started to kiss him. He enjoyed it for a moment, but then he softly pushed her away.

"We can do that too, but first I wanted to talk." Connie nodded. He took a couple of breaths thinking about how to start. Then he told her everything. Everything about his past, how he never did something useful with his life until the apocalypse started. He told her about Atlanta, the Prison, the Saviors. The people he found and the people he lost. It took a long time and Connie was watching his lips closely trying not to miss a thing. When he was finished he finally said:

"That's basically it, not much of an impressive life." Connie looked at him and he was a little bit afraid that she wouldn't love him anymore.

"You ain't going to change your mind about me, are you?" he asked insecurely.

She started to write something and he peeked over her shoulder with curiosity. He read:

Nothing is going to make me change my mind!

This made him smile. Then she added, quoting him:

To hell with the past.

"I love you," she signed and he signed: "I love you too."

Then he added: "If you are.. um... then you should know, even if I'm worried, I would really like to have a baby with you." She smiled and hugged him.

He was thinking if this was the right moment to ask her.

"I know, it's probably not the best moment but..." Daryl stopped. Should he get on his knee? And what was the sing in ASL again? He tried to remember, but he was so nervous, the ASL sign Luke told him, seemed to be completely erased from his mind.

Connie was looking at him waiting that he continued and his heart started to beat faster, his hands were all sweaty. He cleared his throat, but before he could say something, he heard a cracking sound coming from the radio.

He narrowed his eyebrows and Connie looked at him and then followed his look. Daryl went to the radio which gave a cracking sound again and then he could hear someone talking, but he couldn't understand the words through all the cracking. He looked at Connie and told her there was someone on the radio.

"Hello?" Daryl asked. And then his heart nearly stopped beating because he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, hello? Can anybody hear me? Here is Rick Grimes. Answer please."