"Almos' there…" he assured as he led her down the hallway. They were deep inside the prison, winding through recently cleared corridors. Carol had a tattered strip of cloth wrapped across her eyes as a blindfold. She had no idea where he was leading her, but she tried to trust him.

Finally she felt herself being guided through a doorway. He walked her a few more paces and slipped the blindfold off. She gasped, looking around.

"What is this place?" she asked as she made her way around the room. It was a good size, with a large window looking out into a lobby. Overturned chairs and busted tables had been pushed in heaps around the sides, creating a border of sorts. She could make out the form of a smashed computer amid the wreckage. Papers were scattered everywhere.

"Some kinda administration office is my best guess," Daryl replied, leaning over and pointing to a square picture frame lying in a corner. Carol bent down to get a better look. She picked it up and the fractured glass fell out, clattering to the floor. She brushed some dust off the picture inside. It was of a young girl with a pretty smile resting against a wooden railing at some kind of beach. The ocean breeze whipped at her long brown hair.

"What do you think happened to her?" Carol asked suddenly. Daryl turned away.

"Doesn' matter."

"It matters for her," Carol whispered, dropping the picture frame. It made a clang as it connected with the concrete. There were a few seconds of awkward silence as Carol silently wondered about the girl's fate.

"D' you like it?" Daryl asked as he set his crossbow down against a wall, below a blood-spattered calendar. He didn't tell Carol, but he'd taken out two walkers in there the day before. Through the crusted blood, it was obvious the calendar page hadn't been changed since the outbreak. He flipped through several pages, wondering what month it was.

"It's wonderful." Carol assured, walking towards him and giving his hand a friendly squeeze. He smiled briefly; shyly. He watched, arms crossed, as she explored some more.

"Better get back. Told Rick I'd only be gone a minute. Don' want nobody comin' down lookin' for us." he said as he grabbed his crossbow once more and started for the door. Carol turned around and nodded, joining him in the hallway. The door clicked shut. As they travelled down the dark hall, they made light conversation, cherishing the time alone together.

The entrance to Cell Block C was now in sight, but Carol wasn't sure she was quite ready to part ways. She stopped suddenly, blocking Daryl's way, and spun around. Then she pushed him hard against the wall and her lips connected with his. He stood there, frozen, breathing in her scent, wishing he knew how to return the kiss. But he didn't. He couldn't even remember kissing his mother. He instantly became aware of how rough his lips were compared to hers; how scratchy his cheeks were; how awkward he was. He slid down the wall, dodging away from her. She stared at him, the enchantment broken, and a tension filled the air, breaking only when they parted after entering Cell Block C.

.:|:.

It was only an hour later that Rick approached Daryl with a favour in mind. He had been sharpening his hunter's knife when the ex-cop's feet appeared at the edge of his perch. Daryl looked up at him, putting his blade down.

"Well?" was the only greeting he felt like giving him today.

"We're low on food." Rick explained, his hands on his hips. "I'd appreciate it if you went on a run; maybe brought back some fresh meat too."

Daryl nodded. "Sure."

"And I want you to take Carol."

Daryl stared at Rick, mouth slightly open. He couldn't tell if the man was onto them or completely oblivious. He hoped for the latter. Rick's facial expression didn't change. He didn't knowingly smirk. His eyes didn't gleam with playful suspicion.

"Why?" Daryl asked, going back to sharpening his knife, trying to avoid eye contact.

"She's been cooped up here with the baby for an awful long time. Plus, I don't want you goin' out alone. We can't lose you again." Rick responded.

Daryl glanced over at Merle's cell. He could see his brother's face twisted into a glower. For a moment he considered declining. But then he regarded how it would look to Rick, who knew nothing of Merle's threat. Feeling defiant, he nodded in agreement. Rick helped him to his feet. Daryl yelled for Carol, who appeared with Judith in her arms. Her smile rained warmth down on the baby's head.

"Come on. We goin' on a run. Gotta get us some food." He told her firmly, sticking his knife into its sheath and grabbing his crossbow. He had an extra handgun at his left hip, too. He pointed towards the large backpack. "You grab that one, I'll take this one."

"Right now?" Carol asked, looking confused as she handed Judith off to Rick. Both of the men nodded and she resisted the urge to check if Merle was watching. She hoisted the empty backpack onto her shoulders after checking the bullets in her gun.

Carol could have sworn when she turned her head before exiting the prison, she caught a glimpse of a tiny smile playing on Rick's lips.

.:|:.

The first place they raided was an old corner store. The sign that loomed above it had been in desperate need of a lick of paint even before the apocalypse, but the windowpanes were surprisingly intact. Carol held her gun at the ready as Daryl beat the door open. At first they heard and saw nothing, but then low growls became audible as at least two pairs of feet limped through the aisles.

The first walker rounded the corner and sped up at the sight of fresh meat. But Daryl was faster, and the only thing that walker ate was a bolt. Carol pounced on the second walker, driving her knife clean through its skull. Blood spurted. Carol felt slightly impressed with herself. Daryl acknowledged the clean, timely kill with a smile and a nod. He'd taught her well.

Many people had been there before them, and most of the shelves were wiped clean. They didn't, however, leave empty-handed: they gathered several bottles of water, a twelve-pack of energy bars and a can of spam (at which Carol cringed). They also snagged some bottles of various medications and some feminine products for the women (at which Daryl blushed).

.:|:.

Meanwhile at the prison, Rick had an idea of what had caused the increased distance in Daryl and Carol's relationship. One day they had been thick as thieves and the next, Merle had been folded into the mix and the two barely looked at each other. He felt the obvious theory was also the correct one.

"Well, if it ain't Officer Friendly," Merle sneered from his cell. Rick chuckled sarcastically. "The hell do you want anyway?"

"I've noticed somethin' off about Daryl that I wanted to ask you about." Rick slid the metal key into the lock on the cell door. With a jerk of his hand, it came swinging open. "I'm willing to let you out if you'll be civil."

Merle gave a snarly laugh, but stubborn as he was, he was sick of being cooped up in that crate twenty hours a day. He secretly rejoiced at being able to take full steps.

"There's a woman here who you might not remember. She and her family also stayed at the quarry: Carol Peletier."

Merle wandered towards Daryl's perch and began climbing the steps. Rick followed him, ready to draw his gun in a moment's notice. But Merle wasn't interested in attacking Rick. Not today.

"Yeah, I know the bitch."

Rick ignored the distasteful name as Merle prodded around his brother's things. The grimace he made when he stumbled across the poncho was priceless.

"Well, they were pretty close up until the…incident at Woodbury. You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that, would you?"

Merle turned to face Rick with spiteful eyes.

"Lemme spell it out real clear for you: all this time its jus' been me an' my brotha. An' he ain't never had, nor is he e'er gonna have nobody but me, 'cause nobody really cares for 'im but me. 'Cause you don' know 'im. Don' know what we been through. Ain't nobody does but me."

Rick had heard enough. He grabbed Merle and dragged him down the stairs and towards his cell. The incensed man roared obscenities as he was thrown into his cell.

You're wrong. Rick thought angrily as he stormed off, Merle still pummeling threats at him. Carol knows.

.:|:.

By the end of the day, they'd raided six locations and filled their backpacks with food and other valuable assets. The sun was sinking into the horizon and there was little light left. They knew they had to hurry back but neither were eager to say goodbye. Their pace was slightly slower than it should have been, and by the time the prison was in sight the moon had risen and its pale beams were reflecting off the high gates. Knowing their time together was coming to a close, Carol leaned in to give Daryl a hug. Her body melted into his as she nuzzled her head into his neck.

Daryl mustered the courage to return the gesture. His arms wrapped crookedly around her frame. There were three words waiting to be born on his lips, but he could not bring himself to say them. Maybe it was because he felt like he would be admitting his weakness: he had allowed himself to crave her affection to the point where it became a need, even if that affection was but a nod or a sly grin. Or maybe it was because he didn't feel worthy of a woman's love, and especially not Carol's. Whatever the reason, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Even hours afterwards, while he lied in his blankets on his perch, those three words plagued him. He needed to say them to her, but he where he'd even begin. It baffled him how a trio of tiny, insignificant sounds could become so powerful when combined. He wasn't sure if he was ready to wield that power.