itsis3 - thanks for the love. Yes they are at the CDC, hopefully this next chapter will make that more clear...

That last chapter was so short I figured I'd throw two up. Hope ya'all like it.

I don't own a thing.

Chapter 6 - Daryl

I waited for Carol to come to breakfast, my eyes darting without my say-so to breakroom's entrance, but she never showed.

Everyone else was assembled. Ed was stuffing his pig face. Sophia looked pale and was just staring at her food. T-dog had gone all Martha Stuart, bragging about his damn powdered eggs. King Shane was trying real hard to catch Skeletor's eye and send her meaningful looks which she did not seem open to. Interesting. Glen looked more Geek than alive, last night was probably the first time the kid ever got drunk. The black lady was doting over Glenn's hung over ass. Carl was getting a few laughs at Rick's expense as he fumbled with the aspirin. Bunch of fucking amateurs. I drank as much any of them and I wasn't moaning like a little bitch. Finally, Doc Jenner showed and the old man, Dale, and the blonde started pestering 'im about the meaning of life, zombie apocalypse style.

I shoveled the rest of my plate into mouth and shoved away from the table.

I told myself I was just scoping the place out but I was systematically searching the rooms and I knew who I was looking for, I just didn't know why.

I poked my head into the rec room and didn't see anyone so I kept going but then I stopped, backed up a few paces and slowly pushed the door open.

There was an empty bottle of liquor on a coffee table. Same bottle I saw in Ed's hand last night.

I stepped into the room and noticed Carol's bag knocked over with books tumbling out. Girl loved to read.

I took a breath and walked around the couch to find Carol curled in a tight ball on the floor, her eyes wide open staring straight ahead. I dropped to my haunches by her head.

"Breakfast is ready," I said.

"Not too hungry."

"Maybe not, but Sophia hasn't touched her breakfast," I murmured, not sure what else to say. "I reckon she's worried bout ya, don't feel right eatin' without ya."

She sighed. Girl had told me once that Sophia was her only reason to keep on. Guess she meant it, 'cause she was pushing herself off the floor.

I heard her suck her breath in through her teeth as she struggle to get up.

I stood and held out my hand to her.

She looked at it and then down at the floor.

"I couldn't make myself get off the floor this time. Couldn't deal with everyone lookin' at me."

I kept my hand extended and finally she took it. I pulled her up and she sucked in her breath hard.

She swayed on her feet and I kept hold of her while she steadied herself.

Put my hand under her chin without actually touching her and with visible reluctance she looked up. Now it was my turn to suck in my breath.

My hand was shaking with rage as I lowered it to my side but I kept my face studiously blank. I knew what she was talking about. Nothing was as bad as the beating but the pity in peoples eyes was a close second.

"Come on woman, before there ain't nothin left," I said.

She nodded and looked at her book bag.

"I see you're looking to pursue a career in petty theft," I jabbed, walking over and slinging the bag over my shoulder. That got a weak laugh out of her. "Don't worry, I got your loot."

I followed behind her, watching her try to hide her injuries. She was walking stiffly, trying not to move her back at all, but she was also walking awkwardly like she was tender down between her...

Son of a bitch!

I stopped and stared at her back as she hobbled forward. I was mad, mad at her mad at him, mad at the world for making sick men and weak women.

"What are you gonna tell everyone about your face?" I spat, the anger too much for me.

She stopped with a sigh.

"I got too drunk last night, tripped on Sophie's doll and broke my fall with my face. I'm just a stupid clumsy girl."

"What are you gonna tell them about your back?"

Her body went ridged.

"What about my back?"

"What about your back? What about your back!?"

I closed the distance between us in two strides, grabbed her shoulders and pressed hard. She gasped and withered away from my touch before she whirled around to face me. I kept stalking toward her and she kept backing up, 'til she was pressed against the wall, fear in her eyes. I was too mad to care.

I slammed my hands on either side of her head. "What are you gonna tell them about..."

I couldn't say it so I just looked down.

Tears welled in her eyes.

"Please, please stop."

"You're pathetic," I spat. "How could you let him do THAT to you?"

A little sob escaped her lips and she slid down the wall. I backed up and started pacing like mad in front of her. Tears streamed down her face silently as she looked passed me, passed the wall, passed this whole place, somewhere beyond reach.

"Before the world went to shit, you don't think I wanted to run away? But what was I gonna do? Leave Sophie? He started on me when I was younger than she is now. If it's me, then it's not her," she said firmly, desperately. "I couldn't take her with me. I was a minor. Maybe I could have kept myself fed and alive and avoided child services dragging me back to him if I was on my own, but..."

I kept silent, pacing, watching her. I'm not sure if she was even aware I was their or that she was speaking aloud.

"It's not like I'm her mother, I couldn't sue for custody, so I stayed because I couldn't take her and I couldn't leave her. I couldn't fight because she can't. If I did, he would just go after her, easier prey. Too weak to fight back, too weak to get away."

I stopped pacing when I realized what she was saying. What she sacrificed for her sister. How trapped she was by the situation.

"My only option was to never give him a reason to go after her. She's 11, I just had to survive seven more years and then we could both leave. I could make sure she made a life for herself as far away from him as the world would allow. After that, after she was safe and o.k., I was thinking I could kill myself. Maybe him too."

I leaned back against the wall across from her and let my body slide down to the floor.

"Then the world went to hell. There will never be some safe, far away place I can set her up in. We can't hunt or forage or farm. We have no medical training or any useful skills. Our best chance of survival is to stay with this group. So now, after we can finally run away without worrying about being dragged back, we can't. Why? Because if we leave the group, we will be eaten alive by geeks."

I hung my head in shame. Of everyone here I should have understood.

"That's how."

"Huh," I said, looking up.

She turned her head to look at me.

"Knowing the alternative, that's how I let him do THAT to me."

"You don't have to stay livin' with this to stay with the group, just-"

"Just what?" she spat. "Just tell them? You think I want them knowing. You think I want you knowing? If it was you, would tell everyone?"

I just shook my head and looked down, overwhelmed with shame.

"You could kill him," I whispered.

She looked up at me then, but said nothing.

I could kill him.