They'd lost their previous doctor to a walker. That was what Buffy had told her earlier that day as she'd lead Carol into what they set up as a makeshift medical bay.
"Dawn does a lot of whatever we need lately, but she's got the bedside manner and touch of a Mac truck."
"I'm not a doctor. I know a few things but it's all second hand knowledge."
She'd been wary of accepting this offer when Buffy mentioned it. It would only take one mistake, one fumble and if she ended up killing one of their people, even by accident, it could mean exile for her entire group.
Buffy just shrugged as she pulled down various bins and opened random drawers to show her where everything was located.
"I don't care if you found out how to reset a broken finger on youtube. If you can do it, that's good enough. We need the help. We don't tend to get beaten up too much around here but when something does happen we've barely got a few girls who know how to do more than put a bandaid on an open wound."
She paused then, probably noticing for the first time the hesitant look on Carol's face at the prospect of being even partly responsible for the health of the whole community and her expression softened.
"Look, you don't have too. This isn't an order. You just seemed to be…comfortable with handling the situation with Faith. We could absolutely use the extra pair of hands, but if you don't want the job I'll understand." She stopped a second and gave Carol a hopeful look with a small smile. "Also, bonus? It doesn't require presetting an oven. I reserve the right to beg for additional muffins at some point in the distant future though."
She'd relented then with a small nod and got a full blown smile from Buffy in return. It might be nice to do something that actually helped someone. That hadn't been a thing any of them got to do much of anymore and opportunities were slim to non.
Carol had spent the rest of the afternoon getting familiar with the space and the supplies, of which they had surprisingly plenty before heading back to the tiny house she shared with Daryl.
He was already there, stretched out on the sofa like it was Sunday afternoon and they hadn't a care in the world.
"Hey, that sofa try to float away?" Her voice was light when she said it but he bolted upright quicker than she could finish her sentence.
"Was just resting a minute. 'Bout to head out. See if anyone needs anything done."
"Daryl, I'm teasing. We deserve a rest. If they need us they'll say so."
He relaxed some then and she noticed the apprehensive and somewhat shy expression on his face. Wondered what that was all about and if she should try and drag it out of him. Decided she absolutely should.
"What is it?"
"Nothin' just thinking."
She huffed. "How'd your run with Faith go aside from the donkey incident? Did you two manage to get any supplies before she went flying into a fence?"
He nodded and made his way off the sofa to a nondescript paper bag on the kitchen counter.
"That woman is insane and never shuts up, but it was fine. Got a few things before the Ass showed up."
She smirked at his pun. "Look at you making jokes."
He'd grabbed the bag from the kitchen and plopped it down onto an end table in front of her before sitting back on the sofa. "Gotcha something"
Her eyebrows went straight up into her hairline and she curiously peered into the bag to see what he possibly could have gotten her. Pulled out a plain white button down shirt in exactly her size.
"You got me a shirt. Daryl, thank you." It was perhaps one of the most thoughtful things someone had ever gotten her, even if it was pure white and just begging for a stain.
He only shrugged but she could tell there was a small amount of heat running up the back of his neck and he refused to look at her straight on. "Figured we all needed some new things. Saw that and just grabbed it. Might not fit."
"It's perfect." She headed off to the bathroom for a shower that had been on the agenda anyway and emerged half an hour later wearing the newest addition to her merger wardrobe.
As the sun started lowering itself behind the trees the final two groups that had set out earlier returned in a rush down the gravel drive. It didn't take long to see Rick and the others discussing something that appeared to be urgent with Buffy in front of the main house and before the night was over everyone on the farm had been gathered into the large kitchen.
Buffy and Rick at the front. Carol, Daryl and the rest of their people off to the right with Buffy's group to the left and a smattering of twenty or so women at the back.
Buffy nodded to Rick, a que to fill everyone in on the crisis of the day. "While we were out today we found a quarry. Massive, filled with walkers. Can't even count how many. They're contained for now but that won't hold forever."
The room was silent except for Faith who snorted from her spot on the kitchen table. "Why the hell not."
"We clearly need to come up with a solution to this problem. I'd be all for leaving them there but if there's a chance they could get out…it's not worth the risk."
Buffy was interrupted by Rick who launched into a suggestion that no one else in the room seemed to be impressed with. "I think we should lead 'em away. We can get a few cars up ahead, they'll follow the noise. We take 'em about twenty miles out."
Xander raised a hand and spoke with barely concealed puzzlement. "Or we can try to avoid setting a herd loose into what's left of the free world? Call me crazy but I don't like the idea of sending them on walk about even if it's in the other direction."
Faith nodded and pointed to Buffy. "Let's blow 'em up."
"That could work." Came from Dawn at the far left.
"Kill it with fire." From Xander.
"Ok ok, let's say we do find a way to light up the whole quarry. How do we keep from setting forest fires because I'm pretty sure that would be unadvisable."
Dawn's words were confident when they floated out over the room. "Technically that's not a concern if the quarry is deep enough and the fire is far enough away from the edges. If there's nothing else to feed the flames once the dead are…well dead…then it'll just burn itself out. It would be a relatively controlled burn."
She paused at the people watching her and crossed her arms in Buffy's direction. "What? I know things."
Faith jumped down off the table she'd been perched on. "Little D is on point. I'm down for some zombie roasting. I'll bring the s'mores."
Buffy was silent for a moment, pondering this new information and Carol could see the internal debate all the way across the room. Everything had it's risks. Every decision had the potential to make or break them. She didn't envy the other woman her position. Watched as Buffy regarded Rick and the rest of his people.
"You guys ok with plan B?"
Rick glanced at Daryl who nodded the affirmative. Rick was hesitant to agree, she could see it written there plain as day. He wasn't in favor of the plan but in the end practicality won out and he simply agreed. Picking your battles was never something Rick had been good at but Carol could only hope that this was a sign he was learning.
Buffy nodded and addressed the room. "We'll leave in the morning. Dawn and I will have your assignments by then. Half of us stay here, half of us go. Best case scenario this'll be over by nightfall. Everyone get some sleep for now."
Xander was giving her a look that she could only describe as satisfied with a hint of amusement and it took everything she had not to flip him off. This didn't mean anything. She was not in any way whatsoever getting attached to any of the new people and the only reason she offered Carol a job patching up wounded slayers was because they were short staffed on people with actual medical skills. That's all it was.
"For someone so worried about them finding out that everyone here except yours truly and Dawn can bench press a car, you sure set them up to witness some pretty nifty super healing."
Xander was seated at a bar stool in the kitchen, sharing a bowl of expired goldfish with Buffy. Everyone else had cleared out to their respective spaces, leaving the two of them to discuss the day's events.
She rolled her eyes. "Come on. Of all the ways they'd be suspicious I don't think one of us healing from a cut or broken bone earlier than most is gonna be the smoking gun."
He held up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm not saying it's a bad idea. In fact I think it's good. They need to feel like we appreciate them. Like they're one of us. That sort of thing takes time but it'll never happen at all if we keep them at arms length. People only start thinking you got something to hide when you're actively hiding something."
She let out a soft laugh. "Thanks for making the rash decision I made on a whim sound like it makes perfect sense."
"It does. I'm glad you made it."
He slid the bowl of goldfish over to her again and she grabbed a few, popping them into her mouth lazily. "What do you think about Rick so far?"
"I think he's used to being the one giving orders. For now, he's dealing, but it might be an issue someday."
She sighed and nodded. "Things could be different when they've settled. When they see it's not a case of us versus them. They've all been out there a long time now. Can't just shake that off overnight."
She had noticed the same thing. Done her best to not completely shut Rick out of the decision making right off the bat to avoid setting up conflict. This one needed a soft touch and that was an effort Buffy wasn't entirely certain she wanted to make forever. The prospect of them butting heads down the road loomed in the background and she could only hope it never became a reality.
By that time tomorrow they'd be celebrating a victory and mourning a loss and Carol's new white shirt would be almost entirely covered in blood.