Carol couldn't see Negan's face, but he seemed to be pondering Michonne's offer. Daryl was sitting on the blanket with her and had her wrapped in his arms, in an act of both restraint and comfort. "She knows what she's doing, trust her," Daryl whispered. There was so much she needed to tell him, but she was afraid to speak and attract unwanted attention.

Carol knew exactly why Michonne was doing this. She felt like it was her fault for giving Negan Daryl's name. She was sacrificing herself because she felt guilty they were in the position they were in.

"You'll come to me willingly?" Negan questioned her.

Michonne nodded. "I will. I'll do whatever you ask of me if you stop this right now." Michonne looked composed, but Carol could see the pain in her eyes. "And you have to let them both go - back home."

Carol could see Negan shaking his head. "I'll accept the first part of your deal - I'll stop this. But if you want me to let them go, you're gonna have to sweeten the pot."

Carol tensed. How could Michonne offer him anything else? What could he possibly want? "I'll do whatever you want," Michonne replied, her gaze steely and focussed. "Name it."

Negan turned and looked around at the crowd with a smile. "I've been waiting a long time for the right woman to come along." Come along for what? Carol wondered, knowing it couldn't possibly be good. "I think it's time to carry on my legacy." Carol could physically feel the color drain from her face and she fought against Daryl's restraint. "If you want your friends to get home," he turned back to Michonne. "You must agree to bear my child, or children, until you give me a son."

She could feel Daryl tense as he held her. How was he so restrained? It felt like such a strange role reversal with her ready to explode and him holding her back, staying fairly calm in such a horrible situation. Michonne looked physically ill. Don't agree, please don't agree, say no, Carol screamed in her mind. Michonne's eyes were shining as she replied. "Deal." It was only a single word but when it came out of her mouth it felt like a bullet went right through her heart. Carol knew what it was like to have a child with a monster, but when she got pregnant with Sophia it was at least her choice. It was the best decision of her life - but it was a decision, a choice - this was not.

"Show's over people," Negan announced. Carol watched as they took off. She could feel the relief in the air as people got away as fast as they could. A few lingered, likely Negan's most trusted cronies. "Get dressed," he sneered at her and Daryl. "You got lucky." Carol was struck with an overwhelming desire to strangle him, squeeze his neck until his eyes bulged out of his head. They were far from lucky - already humiliated, and deeply worried about Michonne.

With her entire body vibrating with anger, fear, disgust, relief and a whole slew of conflicting emotions Carol somehow got dressed. Daryl stuck close to her and she was thankful.

"Take them back to the room and take her to my chambers," Negan instructed a group of his men.

Michonne jumped forward. "You promised to let them go," she hissed.

"Relax," Negan drawled. "If you prove you were telling the truth tonight they will be taken home at first light. You have my word." Carol watched Michonne's face. She was so strong and Carol was devastated, but incredibly proud of her friend. "If there are two things you should know about me they are that I don't condone or engage in rape and I always stand by my word when I agree to a deal." Well aren't you just a peach, Carol thought. She also wondered what his definition of rape was after what he'd just forced her and Daryl to do. The man was sick. Insane.

"I want to say goodbye," Michonne announced. Negan nodded and waved at the guards to let them out of the cage. Carol ran to her and they hugged. "Tell everyone I love them and I'll see them again - one day, somehow," Michonne said, her voice choked with emotion.

"I'm going to kill him," Carol whispered very softly. "I want to kill him." She had never wanted anything more. "Be careful," she added as she pulled back and looked at Michonne, both of them teary eyed.

Carol stepped back and let Daryl say goodbye. Her body felt weak from all the emotional trauma she had endured. She felt numb as they were marched back to the room she'd shared with Michonne since they arrived. When the door shut and they were locked inside, alone, Carol collapsed into his arms and fell apart. "We have to help her, we have to," Carol spoke passionately against his chest. "She only did it because she felt guilty."

Daryl gently drew back. "What do you mean?"

"He manipulated her into telling him that you're the reason I would never be one of his playthings," Carol explained. "She felt responsible for you being here and what happened to us tonight." Her body was trembling. "We have to help her."

"We will. Once we get home - we will," Daryl assured her. "But you have to know something. Guilty or not - she would have done this." Carol let his words sink in and when they did she realized he was right. "You would have too, if the opportunity was reversed." Once again, she knew he was right. "You two are a lot alike. Brave, strong - selfless."

They hugged again, both silent. Now that they had already talked about the Michonne situation there was another huge elephant in the room, suffocating them. "I'm so sorry that happened to you - to us," she spoke softly, feeling the need to address it sooner rather than later.

Daryl shrugged, "Could have been worse." His words sounded nonchalant but his posture and the look in his eyes told a different story.

"Don't do that," Carol sighed, taking a seat on the bed too exhausted to stand any longer. "What happened to us was disgusting, unthinkable and traumatic. It was sick, twisted and it wasn't fair." Daryl sat beside her and leaned back against the wall.

"At least we're together. At least it was us, ya know?" he tried again to lighten the situation. He had a good point. Negan could have forced one or both of them to have sex with someone else. Maybe that was how Negan had rationalized that it wasn't a kind of rape because he knew the two of them were in love. In love. Yes, she really did love Daryl and at least he knew it now. "I didn't say it back, I'm sorry," Daryl said, looking at her shyly. "But I do -" His cheeks were flushed and her heart started to pound. "I love you too."

The timing was never going to be perfect. She had finally admitted her feelings in the middle of a devastating event and he was telling her now, while they were both struggling to come to grips with everything that had occurred in the last few hours. But the way it made her feel to hear the words come out of his mouth was incredible and in that moment she really had needed something good. They both had.

Carol leaned her head on his shoulder and happily let Daryl seek out her hand. It might have been a good time to kiss if this had been any old night. But Carol knew they weren't ready to go there so soon. It would have only took them right back to that cage. They needed time, and they needed to be away from the evil place they were being held and all the horrific memories. "We're gonna be okay," Carol said. Daryl tipped his head to rest on hers and squeezed her hand in response.

Carol yawned, considering the idea of sleep. But before she could suggest anything to Daryl the door flew open, Dwight and another man barged inside and quickly closed the door behind them. "You," Daryl hissed, leaping to his feet and rushing at Dwight.

"Stop, stop, please - listen," Dwight pleaded. "I know you want to kick my ass and you have every right to, but at least wait until we get you and your friends out of here." Carol slowly rose as Daryl froze. "We're gonna fill you in and then we're gonna need your help." Dwight motioned for the man next to him to hand Daryl something. She hadn't even noticed the man was carrying a crossbow. "This belongs to you and if all goes well I'll try to make sure you get that bike back too."

Carol watched as Daryl took the weapon with a look of shock. There was clearly a story he'd forgot to share with her. The other man also handed Daryl a gun and then walked over to her and passed her a small handgun. "They're fully loaded," he said. "But we should have some automatic rifles once everything is set. "You shoot?"

"Probably better than all three of us," Daryl answered for her with a smirk. They had hope - finally. They may have got out of there the next morning and got home safely, but leaving Michonne behind would have eaten at them both for a long, long time. This was real hope.

"7 minutes," Dwight announced. "Gotta fill you and it's go time. You ready?"

Carol tucked the gun in her waistband and looked at Daryl with a nod. "Let's do this."