She stayed the night in the tower. They kept an old mattress in the watch room, so Daryl dragged it out onto the deck. He sat with Rachel until she fell asleep. Once all the nagging questions were appeased, she found it very difficult to keep her eyes open. She could close her eyes without being afraid, and there was no need to make extraneous plans for continued survival. It would be a restful night.

When the sun's first light peeked up over the horizon and the warm rays touched her face, Rachel stirred from slumber. As her mind slowly wakened, memories from the day before felt scrambled: cars, motorcycles, Jesse, walkers, Daryl... It seemed much more like a very vivid dream. Rachel kept her eyes closed, afraid to find the inside of a tent with Jesse and Sarah at her side. The cloud in her mind lifted and Rachel knew that it had all been real. Her eyes fluttered open. The realization came with a mix of happiness and sadness.

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Rachel sat up and looked around, expecting to see Daryl standing nearby. He was nowhere in sight. She stood, stretched, and then circled the observation deck. It was on the far side that she spotted him, walking across the yard, away from what looked like three freshly dug graves. Rachel leaned against the rail and watched him with a sleepy smile. After a few more stride he stopped and looked up at her briefly, shifting the crossbow slung over his shoulder. Rachel watched him until he disappeared around the side of the tower.

When Daryl stepped onto the deck, Rachel realized this was her first look at him in proper light. He walked toward her, pausing momentarily to set the bow down. He was dirty; that was the first thing she noticed. She wasn't all that surprised. It had been one of the most consistent battles throughout their relationship. A few times she had locked him out of the house until he washed up. Rachel knew she was just as filthy. It had been days since the last time she washed. She had gotten a look at herself in a mirror yesterday and was put off by the sight. Now that she had her husband, the thing Rachel wanted the most was a shower, or at least a bowl of water and a cloth.

He was nearer to her now. She could see all the unfamiliar lines and scars that etched his skin, marking the hardship endured over the past year. It pained her to think of all the ways he had acquired them. His eyes were steely and focused in a way that she knew very well. He held her in a steady gaze like a hunter does his prey. Daryl took hold of her at the hips and paused to complete his own assessment of her well being. Rachel clasped her hands behind his neck and offered him a reassuring little smile. He leaned in and kissed her, gently at first, but soon it become impassioned. Still entwined, the two worked their way back into the enclosed room for more privacy, dropping articles of clothing along the way.

"How'd you get these?" Rachel asked after things had settled down, running her fingers over and between two scars on the left side of his torso.

"It's a long story." Daryl rolled onto his back and folded his hands behind his head. "We should get back to the others soon."

"Come on, Daryl, please," she coaxed, resting her head on his chest, "tell me."

"Fine," he grunted with some resignation. "I went after that little girl – Sophia. I took one of Hershel's horses. The damn thing got spooked and threw me. I rolled down into a ravine."

Rachel shifted so that she could look at him. A soft, playful smile graced her lips. "Hold on – a horse? What the hell were you doing on a horse?"

"Shut up," he replied defensively, but then smirked, "figured it was faster than on foot. Anyway, one of my arrows stuck me on the way down."

"Into the ravine?" she clarified, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, hurt like hell. Had to pull that son of bitch out too 'cause two walkers found me – used it on one of them assholes." He chewed on his lip for a moment before continuing, "I could've died that day – almost did. I lost a lot of blood. Found my way back to the farm eventually, but then got shot by Andrea."

"What?"

"Bullet grazed my head. They thought I was a walker. Hershel patched me up real good though."

"All that for a little girl," Rachel observed with wide eyes and a small, knowing smile. She pushed herself forward and kissed him.

"We really should get back," he insisted, sitting up. He collected the clothes that had been discarded on the floor. "Lots to do today."

"I suppose so," she agreed reluctantly, dressing as he tossed pieces of clothing at her. This time together had passed too quickly. It was back to reality. "We've got to bury Jesse – or whatever's left of him. I'm still can't believe he is dead."

Daryl paused in the doorway, looking back at her with some hesitancy before asking, "What was he to you?"

Tugging on her boot, Rachel rolled her eyes up to meet his. "What do you mean?"

"What kind of relationship did you have with him?"

"The kind that involved surviving..." She stared up at him with eyebrows raised slightly, waiting for him to get to the point.

"You sleep with him?"

"No, I didn't sleep with him," she retorted, rising to her feet. "We were a little busy fighting for our lives, Daryl, and looking after Sarah. How can you even ask me that?"

"You were with him a long time."

"You've been with these people a long time," Rachel shot back. "And from the sound of it, there were plenty of women around. Have you slept with someone?"

"No," he spat, shifting the bow that he had slung over his shoulder. "Why would I?"

"Well, why the hell would I then? I thought you might still be alive – Jesse and Sarah were both aware of that!" She paused and then added with exasperation, "Damn-it, Daryl. Why'd you have to spoil the moment?"

Rachel pushed by him and stepped out onto the deck. The sun had just about cleared the tops of the trees. Daryl took hold of her wrist. She turned with a doleful expression, hoping that he was finished with the accusations.

"We don't need secrets between us, Rae. I've seen what it can do to people. It ain't pretty."

She looked him square in the eye and replied, "Why would I lie to you? We've never had secrets, you and me. I swear, nothing happened with me and Jesse."

Daryl chewed his lip, considering his wife, and then gave her hand a squeeze. His voice was gentler when he spoke. "I just had to know, okay? I'm sorry."

Rachel nodded. "I suppose it is time we headed back inside."

Together they made their way back into the cell block where they found some of the others eating a light breakfast. A small portion of food was set out on the table with a few bowls and spoons. Daryl was handing Rachel a bowl when she realized that Sarah was not with the group. Inquiring about the younger girl's absence, their response concerned her slightly.

"I went up to tell ya'll there was food. Sarah refused to leave the cell when I invited her," Beth explained, looking between Rachel and Daryl.

Declining breakfast, Rachel left to retrieve her companion. It wasn't like Sarah to turn down food. As she exited, Rachel heard Daryl ask if Rick had returned, but she did not hear the reply. Taking the stairs two a time, Rachel could see Sarah in the cell when she reached the second level.

"You sleep all right?" Rachel called out.

Sarah sat up quickly, looking a bit frazzled, "Yeah, I suppose."

"Good!"

"You didn't come back last night," Sarah added, pointing out the obvious.

"No, I didn't – sorry," Rachel replied, offering a weak smile. It was clear that the teenager was upset, so she chose her words carefully. "Daryl and I had talked for a long time; I learned how we got separated. It was so late that fell asleep in the tower. Sarah, I wouldn't have left you alone if I didn't think it was safe."

"I know…" she said quietly, not quite meeting Rachel's gaze.

"You aren't hungry? They've got some food waiting down stairs for you," Rachel offered, trying to bring out an explanation for her strange behavior. When the only response was a head shake, Rachel tried a more direct approach. "I've never known you to turn down food, so something's up. Spill it, Sarah."

Sarah looked down at her hands and muttered after a moment, "What's gonna happen to me?"

"What do you mean?" Rachel's eyebrows arched, not expecting such a question. "Nothing's gonna happen to you."

The teen's eyes suddenly glistened with tears. "You've got your husband back – and with Jesse gone… I don't know these people. I've got no one left."

There was some merit to her concerns. It was an understandable fear in the mind of a fifteen year old. The fear of being left behind, forgotten, or not cared for was a genuine cause for worry. No one wanted to be left alone in this world. It broke Rachel's heart to hear Sarah dismiss their friendship so easily. After all that they had been through over the past year, Sarah and Jesse had become her family – not even her husband could change that. It was easy to see how Sarah might overlook their friendship in the wake of Jesse's death; it was still fresh. There was also the stress that accompanied the prospect of having to develop new relationships.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily. We're in this together, you and me," Rachel assured her with a smile. "You forget, I don't know these people either, but we'll get to know them."

Sarah sniffed, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "What about Daryl?"

"We should probably keep an eye on him too. He'll be good to have around," Rachel quipped with a grin. Sarah gave her a half-smile. "Come on down. Let's get a bit to eat. We've got some work to do today."

Come on, let's get you a bite to eat. We've got some work to do today."

Rachel and Sarah joined the rest of the group in the other room where they were making plans for the day. Sarah helped herself to some breakfast as she listened. There was talk of clearing out a generator room and some of the lower levels in the prison, as well as talk of a supply run. Help was also needed to help Rachel and Sarah move their car and bury Jesse. It was easy to be impressed by the group's organization. A plan was quickly laid out and everyone had a part to play. Daryl and Glenn would help Rachel and Sarah. A few of the others would start on a new grave near the other recently departed. Rachel's stomach turned at the thought of moving Jesse's mutilated body – or whatever happened to be left of it.