AN: hey- trigger warning for assault.

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead.

Chapter 4

She was fighting for her life, Daryl realized as the truck sped along the highway. She wasn't giving up, but she was no match for the asshole.

Carol he thought, her name is Carol.

Carol was fighting, trying to hold back Ed's knife. He could feel her emotions threaten to overwhelm him as he drove. She was so scared.

"God damn it." He pounded on the wheel as he ran in to some traffic near the highway exit to Allenville.

She wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

"Fight Baby, please, just keep going." He whispered into the interior of the truck.

Ed's sweat and drool was falling in her face making her gag as she attempted to fight him for the knife. She was flat on her back now, trying in vain to keep Ed's knife away from her.

"NO!" He screamed in the truck as he felt Ed get the upper hand, and the knife pierce her skin. Jesus Christ would this traffic ever move? Ed had stabbed her in the arm, he realized, not a mortal wound, but she was weaker now. Trying to fight him off injured. She realized suddenly that Ed was getting off on her struggles. He felt her horror, and the bile that rose in her throat.

"Scream baby, scream," he whispered in the truck, maybe someone would come help her. Where the fuck where the police?

She let out an ear piercing sctream, for a second he thought she might have heard him but he realized in dismay that Ed had stabbed her again. He was almost tempted to break away, he wasn't sure how much he could watch. Then Ed was suddenly gone, torn of off her by the police, and a female officer was beside her putting pressure on her stab wounds telling her to just hold on, she was safe an ambulance was on it's way.

"Just hold on baby." He whispered.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Allenville hospital had been easy to find, he'd made his way to the ER. The background noise of all the frantic voices in his head almost crippling him.

Hospitals, funerals, anywhere emotions ran high were the worst for him. People tended to let their thoughts run wild, with worry, expecting the worst. Those were always the loudest voices. Sometimes it felt as though a jackhammer was pounding inside his skull. He knew that before he entered.

He had to know, if she was okay. He had to.

He'd always been able to blend in easily. People never seemed to question him, notice him, when he didn't want them too. Today was no different as he made his way, towards the back of the er almost blinded by a crippling headache. He sat in a smaller waiting area obviously for those waiting to hear about critical patients.

His mind searched her out. She was there, she was okay. Being kept for the night to be monitored. She would be taken to a room shortly. He got up and moved closer to where he could feel her. She was in a side room in the emergency room.

The closer he got to her the more at peace he was. The other voices started to drift away like leaves on the wind. It was like the sun was breaking through the heavens calming the stormy sea.

He could hear his own thoughts. He could hear hers.

I'm a failure...

Her voice floated through his head, like a caress but he was struck by her sadness.

You're not a failure. He sent back trying somehow to reach out to her.

How did I let my life get to this point?

She was genuinely confused.

It weren't you're fault, he sent back. Wanting desperately for her to see the truth.

Just then the door to her room opened, an porter with a wheelchair entered the room.

"Gonna take you up to the room and get let the nurses get you settled ma'am." Her heard him say.

She was hesistant, his heart broke when he realized she was scared. This idiots weren't even addressing the fact she was attacked and almost raped and then they get a strange man.

She wasn't going to show weakness.

Time to be strong she schooled herself..,you don't give up. She thought.

I the hallway Daryl smiled at her ram determination, her spirit. His breath caught in his throat when the wheelchair was pushed into the hallway.

She glanced at him, in confusion and he held his breath. She was beautiful.

Her eyes a clear crystal blue. He could loose himself in their depths. He saw the confusion in her eyes as the wheelchair was pushed past him.

Somehow, somewhere, deep down inside, she knew him. She recognized him. She turned to glance over her shoulder one last time. He projected his thoughts echoing down the hallway, as the wheelchair moved along.

Don't worry baby, I'll never give you up, now that I found you.