A whistling sound ripped through the air. A large gaping hole emitted dark smoke with flickers of flames lapping around the wall's breach. Gun fire replaced the subtle bird's song as Daryl's team advanced into the mess inside the fort. Torn bodies laid in the dirt with the wild eyed living looking for cover.

Daryl took cover, but he saw that Lycaon and Balto ruthlessly tore into the scene. They hardly looked human as they swiftly dispatched Negan's men.

"Mi casa es su casa," a lazy voice said behind him. Daryl turned and barely stopped a bad from cracking open his skull. Barbed wire clawed at his skin as Negan forced his bat down on Daryl's knife. "Not bad cowboy, but how long do you think you can hold this up?"

Daryl looked back at him defiantly. The guy was unbelievably stronger and didn't seem to be breaking a sweat.

"Negan," Lycaon's dull voice pierced the air.

Negan looked up and kicked Daryl. "Hey beautiful. You didn't need to go through all this to get a date with me."

"I'm not interested in a date…" She smirked viciously. "I'm interested in a game."

Daryl suddenly felt that he was being lifted. Balto was dragging him away. "What are you doing," Daryl growled.

"What kind of game darling?"

"A ball game. You've got the bat, but not the ball."

Balto was sobbing as he carried Daryl out of the fort. "I'm not your damn princess…" The sound of an explosion ripped through the air. Balto fell to his knees. Daryl look up at Balto's anguished face. Tears streamed down his eyes while an empty scream strangled him.

Daryl's eyes widened and he ran back to the for as best as he could. He looked over the wall to see nothing but more smoke, gore, and burnt earth where Negan and Lycaon once stood.

Daryl was about to turn to kick Balto's ass, but then he saw the familiar shadow silently staring back at him. Daryl's chest rose as he took in deep breaths. The body writhed in a sickly manner. He heaved as Michonne and Morgan approached with their eyes fixated at the outstretched body of Carol.

"He is not to go anywhere," Michonne said sternly. Morgan nodded as best as he could. He didn't look any better than Daryl.

Michonne climbed up the platform. Her heart thundered with each quaking step. Carol had been with them for so long, she had been through so much, she had done so much for the team. What was she to tell everyone? She looked up to see what was left of Carol snapping her neck left and right struggling to get free. Michonne took out her knife. "Did I disappoint you Carol?" The knife dug deeply into the nape of Carol's neck. Carol froze and looked up at the sky one last time before relaxing into her final rest.

Michonne struggled bringing Carol down, but she finally did it. Daryl couldn't even look at her. He was beside himself with grief. Morgan was hunched over probably from guilt. "Get yourself together," she growled. "I'm surprised walkers haven't overrun us by now. Where's Balto?"

Daryl didn't even hear anything, but Morgan looked up with a waive of panic.

"Don't feel guilty for his death too. I can't do anything about him, but I can do something about the both of you. I need you to get your act together and hurry back. The team might need us."

"No," Daryl shook his head as he walked back and forth.

"Yes, and you are going to move on from this. We've still got Rick, Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Sasha, Tara, Eugene, and everyone else. We don't just need to live for them. We need to live because of the memories of those who died before us. Don't let them die for nothing. Let's live to carry on their memories. Daryl…" Michonne said as she grabbed his hand and looked into his eyes. "We don't need to feel any more loss than what we have already lost today."

Thank you all for reading! If you don't mind critiquing to let me know where I've messed up or just let me know that you liked it. Can't wait to watch the show: February 14 9/8c