Even though everyone had fully accepted her back into the family, Carol still preferred to bring up the rear as they walked with Daryl at her side. There were enough threats in the world without feeling like you needed to watch out for those within your group. Maybe in time this feeling would pass. For now, she focused her energy into survival, paying careful attention to the sights and sounds around her.
There was a gentle breeze causing the tree branches to sway, the soft rustling of leaves filling the air. There were a few birds chirping in the trees, and some squirrels jumping from limb to limb. She was hungry, but kept their presence to herself. They looked small, and maybe if Daryl didn't notice them, they would have a chance to grow up.
"Hey, Carol!" Carl was walking against the flow of traffic along the tracks to come back by her.
"You ok?" Daryl, looked at her, eyebrow raised. He was still unsure who she was completely comfortable around.
"Yeah, I'm ok," she assured him. "Just give us a minute please."
Daryl nodded to her and jogged to catch up with Michonne, leaving the two of them to speak in what little privacy the open woods could provide.
"For what it's worth, my dad was wrong to kick you out. Daryl's right, anything could have happened to you," Carl stated, his displeasure with his father clear in his voice.
"Your dad didn't choose to be a leader, he just acquired the title," Carol said as she wrapped her arm around the young man's shoulders. "Life hasn't been easy for any of us since the turn, and even harder on him. He's been watching out for all of us, had to kill the man he thought was his best friend, and then your mother-" Carol stopped herself, not wanting to say something to upset Carl. Rick had been bending over backwards, trying to find food and shelter for not only the group, but his pregnant wife.
She smiled when she remembered the first night at the prison with Daryl. Lori had been given a larger portion as she was eating for two, and Daryl commented about "Little Shane" being hungry. She felt terrible laughing at it, but everyone knew it was a very real possibility.
"But, you lost Sophia." Carl turned to her now, apprehensive of saying the girl's name out loud. "You've lost someone too, and you didn't go crazy, didn't leave anyone to die. What you did, you were helping the group. You were keeping us kids safe. Thank you."
Carol stopped walking so she could hug the young man. His understanding and appreciation meant more to her at that moment than she would ever be able to explain. The mere fact that Carl had referred to himself as a kid showed her just how much he was trying to comfort her. Everyone knew how she felt about children, which made the situation with the girls hurt that much more.
Her eyes drifted up to focus on the angel wings in front of her. As long as she had those in sight, the anxiousness would stay away.
Walking the tracks with Michonne was almost like meditation. With her, there was no need to fill the air with idle chatter. Other than Carol, she was his favorite companion on the road. They had spent so much time together searching for the Governor, that they could communicate wordlessly and anticipate the movements of the other. He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder from time to time to keep an eye on Carol. It didn't feel right, being this far away from her after so much time apart.
"So, Carol and you are a thing?" Michonne asked, breaking the silence Daryl enjoyed.
"Could say that," replied Daryl, smirking at the woman. He knew she was smart enough that she already knew the answer before asking. "How'd you put it together?"
"You stay in one place more than a couple of hours, you'd be surprised what you can pick up," she answered.
Daryl nodded as they shared a laugh at the words repeated between them. It hadn't been too long ago that he said the words to her in an effort to stop her from chasing after the ghost of the Governor.
"Seriously, it's about damn time. That smile looks good on you, Dixon," Michonne observed, choosing to be silent after that statement. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to worry about a bolt in her ass, she thought.
From time to time, Tyreese would meet Carol's eyes, the pain of their secret shared between them. The fewer people who had to know about it, the better. Lizzie. Mika. Almost Judith. Carol looked at the baby, nestled against her brother for her afternoon nap, and felt the dampness in her eye thinking about how close Lizzie was to killing her.
"You didn't let me pull away, I'm not letting you do it either," Daryl said, taking her hand in his and rubbing circles on her skin with his thumb. You alright with Carl, or do I have to scare the kid?"
"Stop." She smiled at the tone they always had when either one of them said that word now. "He was just trying to understand why his dad made the choices he did. He's a good kid, Daryl."
After stopping off of the tracks for awhile, they continued in their normal groupings. Rick, Carl, and Michonne took the lead, appearing to be their own family unit within the larger one. They were followed by Glenn, Maggie and Tara, with Abe's group trailing closely behind. Bob, Sasha, and Tyreese were just ahead of Daryl and Carol. More often than not, they stuck to this order, whether by habit or strategical reasoning, it just felt right. It was comforting to Carol, having Rick as far away from her as possible.
Tyreese has been one of the more quiet travelers as they kept moving as far away from Terminus as possible. With so many losses weighing on his mind, it was hard to think of anything else. Everyone they had lost at the prison, the girls, and Karen. He balled his hands into fists, anger coursing through his veins. Sasha adjusted her gait so her shoulder would bump into her brothers as they walked, reminding him that she was there. He wasn't alone.
He looked down at her, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. Finally, a smile, small, but still true, spread across his face. "Always annoying, little sister," he teased, bumping back into her. 'You just keep poking and poking."
"It's what I do best," Sasha remarked with a grin. A quick glance over her shoulder told her that Bob was amused by their interaction. There wasn't much to find humor in these days, so when they found something, they made the most of it.
"I'm glad you were one of the few who made it through the sickness. Don't know what I would do without you telling me what to do all the time," said Tyreese.
"It's all thanks to you and your group. If you guys hadn't made it back with the medicine, I might not be here. Hershel too. He did everything he could to keep everyone as comfortable as he could," Sasha said, her voice full of sadness with the loss of the older man. She had come to think of him as a friend during their time in isolation, as she poured every ounce of energy she had into helping him however she could.
"Hey, there's a house up there!" Rosita called out to the others. The promise of a safe shelter and maybe some beds was all the motivation needed for everyone to pick up the pace. As they got closer, everyone began to focus. They had the routine of clearing a new shelter down to a science. As Tyreese approached Rick to take Judith for him, something had him coming to a screeching halt.
"No! Not here! Anywhere but here!" Carol's eyes shot up at the sound of Tyreese screaming and realized where they were. In front of her was two small, recently filled graves in the middle of a grove of Pecan trees, yellow flowers serving as the markers.