Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.

a/n: I would like to thank everyone that has left a review, favourited /followed this story. Your kind words mean a lot, and are ever so gratefully appreciated. Thank you.

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Fade (Yellow part 2)

She paused there for a moment, struggling against the emotions, unwanted memories threatening to overwhelm and bury her, as she stood enclosed within the safe circle of his arms. Daryl's head was still tilted against hers, the rough of his stubble scratching against her cheek in a manner that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Unbidden warmth surged through her from the contact, and she knew that she had to do something, least she lost herself to him and his persistence.

He still didn't know what had happened at the grove, and maybe, just maybe now it was time to tell him, to wonder if his shock would turn to fear, turn to disgust and fearful loathing, as she felt those same emotions herself. She had killed walkers, not even given it a thought, and she had killed people, and that guilt was tearing her apart. First Karen and David, and although it was a mercy killing, they had been suffering...her first thought had been the sheer desperate need to protect her family, protect the children in the group. Always the children. She couldn't save Sophia from her fate and she had been damned that any more would die. But she had been wrong.

And now, what made her any different to the monsters that roamed?

Pushing herself away from him, feeling his arms tighten momentarily before loosening, she stammered at him, "I killed her...I-I shot her, and she is dead, they are all dead...and I should have known, I should have seen it."

Daryl blinked at her slowly in confusion, "Shot who?"

Carol glanced at the floor, at his mud grimed boots, not daring to look at his face. Her throat felt suddenly dry, despite the coffee she had drunk. She licked her lips nervously. "Lizzie."

"Shit," his voice was suddenly low, a taut breath of shallow air. "What happened?"

She found she couldn't breath, hating the feel of fresh tears in her eyes as if they were an accusation. The linoleum of the kitchen loomed largely before her eyes, and she gulped at the abrupt tightness in her chest, at the wave of dizziness that started to engulf her, the blackness starting to spin before her eyes. His hand grasped her forearm tightly, steadying her, and glancing up at him, she sighed as she felt the world tilt itself, as he grounded her.

"Tell me, 'm here. What happened?" Daryl asked, his voice thick, laced with concern.

"It happened after Rick, after he'd sent me away..."

"Mhm," Daryl growled tersely, "and I ain't forgiven him for that."

Carol gave him a small tight smile. "I found Tyreese, and the girls. Lizzie, Mika and Judith. Seemed we were all heading for Terminus, walking those same train tracks. Tyreese, I don't think he was doing so well, and with three young girls, it isn't hard to imagine. I don't know what he went through to protect them, but he kept those girls alive for I have no idea how long. I was just so happy to see them all."

Daryl didn't say anything, just kept his hold on her arm, rubbing his thumb against the thin shirt covering her arm, almost as if he was trying to reassure her, for her to continue by his gentle touch alone and not words. She licked her lips again, trying to put into order the jumbled words that she was too frightened to express. "We found a small house, in a clearing..."

The sudden sound of footsteps clattering into the kitchen caused her to pull back sharply, and she heard Daryl hiss under his breath, before turning his head angrily. "For fuck's sake Glenn!" he spat.

"Hey," Glenn said, stopping as his eyes widened, taking in the sight of them stood close together, Daryl's hand gripping her arm, she obviously seeming upset and the hunter stood there glowering menacingly. "Carol?" he questioned, "Is everything okay?"

Carol nodded quickly, "We're fine, Glenn." She offered him a small wan smile, but the doubt did not leave the younger man's eyes.

"Glenn? Get the fuck out'a here," Daryl retorted hotly.

Glenn looked at him, deliberately walking towards them, towards Carol. "Whoa dude, we live here too."

"Yeah, an' yer timing suck's ass."

"Chill man, Maggie wanted coffee..." he trailed off, sneaking another look at her. "Carol, are you sure everything's okay?"

Carol loosened her arm from Daryl's grip, stepping towards Glenn. She squeezed his shoulder lightly, silently thanking him for the concern that echoed in his eyes. She couldn't fight against the surge of affection that she felt for the young man. He had always been one of the first to speak out in her defence, no matter what.

Glancing quickly over Glenn's shoulder at Daryl, she turned and fled to the only place that she could.

...

Carol sat down on her bed heavily, heart racing. She wiped her hands on the knees of her trousers, trying to still their faint nervous tremble. She felt weighted down with the burden of guilt and loss, and also fear- fear of losing him when she finally admitted what she had done.

She didn't hear the soft snicker of her door opening, the faint click as it shut. She didn't see him stood there, quietly regarding her, a sad haunted look painted on his face and in his eyes. She didn't look as he sat down on the bed next to her, only glancing up at as he took one of her hands between his. His head fell towards her, resting gently on her shoulder, and she bit her lip as she felt the tears start to spring to her eyes. She leant her head against his, closing her eyes as they sat together in a momentary silence.

"You don't have to tell me what happened. It don't matter what ye did," he murmured suddenly, raising his head to look at her through the shaggy curtains of his hair. "I jus need ya, here with me." He moved one hand from hers, his finger pausing before wiping the tear as it fell from her eyes.

Their faces were so close that their foreheads almost touched. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. "Daryl, I..."

His lips tentatively brushed against hers, silencing her. Carol felt the blood thunder loudly in her ears, and despite herself, she leant back into him, pressing her lips more firmly to his, deepening the kiss. His rough calloused hand smoothed across her skin, cupping the back of her head, pressing her to him, his lips moving more firmly and eagerly over hers at her response. His other hand slipped about her waist, fingers ghosting across and under the tail of her shirt, his fingertips trailing across the skin there. She gasped slightly, her senses returning, and feeling her face flush hotly, she broke the kiss, edging away from him.

"I have to go, get ready for this meeting..." Carol trailed off, seeing the same hot flush to his face, his narrowed blue eyes.

"Naw," Daryl said, shaking his head. "Ya don't have to go for hours yet." He tightened his arm around her waist, drawing her nearer to him. "'M here if ya wanna talk, and 'm here if ya don't wanna. 'S no problem."

Carol looked at him, seeing his earnest warm expression, and suddenly, she wanted to tell him, she didn't want there to be any secrets between them. This had been held from him for too long.

She ran a hand over her face, and took a deep breath, feeling his hand on hers again, his fingers entwining hers. She gave a him a quick wan smile, and squeezed his hand.

"Tyreese was good with those girls, he'd protected them...but I could see he was tired, and he seemed relieved to see me. And I was so happy to see them there, all safe. But something was wrong, and we didn't realise just what was wrong until we found that house and camped there." She sighed, "Lizzie wasn't reacting to the walkers as she should...she would get angry when we put them down. It wasn't normal, I caught her playing with one..."

Daryl frowned at her, "What ya mean, playing?"

She shrugged, "as in playing 'tag'. You know how kids play tag with each other? Except it wasn't Mika she was playing with. It was a walker. I killed it, and Lizzie was so mad at me, so angry. Blamed me for killing her friend," Carol laughed bitterly. "I should have realised at that moment. But I didn't, not really, not then. I don't think Tyreese did either."

"Hell, don't blame yourself," Daryl said quietly.

"I should have known, Daryl. We were watching for walkers when it happened. We'd left Lizzie with Mika and Judith. And when we got back, Mika was dead. Lizzie had stabbed her over and over again. Poor sweet little Mika was dead, and Lizzie was stood there waiting for her sister to turn." Her voice broke then, and she didn't stop the tears in her eyes from spilling onto her cheeks. Clamping a hand to her mouth, she struggled against the sob in her throat, the sound making the breath hiss from Daryl. He pulled her roughly to him, his arm banding around her as she buried her face into his chest.

"S..she wanted to kill Judith, wanted her to turn too. I had to take Lizzie from them, and I had to put her down...like she wasn't a child at all, like she was a damned walker. And I shot her. I didn't know what else to do, Tyreese agreed that she was a danger, how could we trust her? She killed Mika...and would have killed Judith too."

"Jesus Christ, Carol. 'M so fucking sorry," he whispered.

Carol raised her head, tears streaming down her face. Choking back a sob, she tried to push away from him. But his arm held her tight. Glancing at him, she wondered at the fact that it wasn't fear or revulsion on his face, but warmth, understanding and compassion. His eyes were misted with tears. He raised his hand and gently smeared the tears from her cheeks, his lips pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, before pushing her head back to his chest. She listened to the strong thump of his heart, placing her palm there as if to capture the sound to her skin.

"You're the strongest, most compassionate person I've ever known. Everthing you've ever done has been to look out for our family, our group. We've all done shit things, its'a shit assed fucked up world out there. But it don't make us bad." Daryl placed his fingers under her chin, tilting her face towards him, his eyes meeting hers, holding her gaze. "Yer a good woman Carol, and 'm proud of ya. Every single day, an' I don't want ya thinking any different." He tucked her back under his chin, one hand smoothing the hair at the back of her neck.

She thought then, of all the times that she had risen from the ashes just to burn all over again, and maybe now there was no need for that. She could just let herself fade, and become anew in his unrelenting presence.

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