I don't own The Walking Dead. I'm not associated with the Creator, writers, actors or franchise in any way. This is just for fun!

Chapter 7

The next morning their group woke early. They all decided it was best to go through the back way...back through the tombs that led up into the prison. Carol knew that today was going to be hard. If seeing the prison from the outside had been difficult, then being inside it would be overwhelming. Everyone dreaded it.

Moving together, Carol and Daryl, discovered yesterday that they made a great team. Not that they didn't know that already, but it just showed they still had a connection. The ability to communicate, almost wordlessly, was a gigantic plus when fighting walkers.

Of course, Glenn and Maggie stayed close to one another. Each of the couples took the small path that led from outside the prison fence to the underground tombs. Daryl led the way, then Carol, Maggie and Glenn took the rear.

"Now, remember...this could be full of walkers, so we're gonna go slow. If it starts to get crazy...we're out...not gonna lose people..." Daryl told them...his eyes falling and holding Carol's eyes intensely for a moment.

...

When they entered to tombs...it wasn't as dark as it had been before. That was mainly because, when the tank had fired on the prison, it had shifted and cracked some of the cement walls. This allowed sunlight to filter in through those cracks and openings.

They walked carefully through the hallways. There was no sound...no moans...nothing...that's when they decided to split up. Each one of them knew their way around the tombs. One went left, while the others went right.

Carol followed slowly behind Daryl. She and he knew this hallway well. Her heart sped up as she neared the closet door. She started feeling her chest constrict. Memories of being stuck in that small closet came rushing back.

Daryl's feet slowed, sensing something was wrong...he glanced back at her with a look of concern. Carol smiled at him reassuringly. As they began to pass it, Carol saw Daryl's back and neck muscles tense. It was obvious that he knew exactly where they were.

Carol stopped.

Daryl looked at her knowing why and what she was about to do. Turning around Carol faced the door. Slowly, Carol stepped forward, and put a hand on the doorknob.

Daryl knew what she was doing. So, unsure of what was behind the door, he stayed close by her.

Carol twisted the handle, and opened the door. Her knife raised and Daryl's cross-bow aimed into the dark. Carol switched on the flashlight and shown it into the closet.

Nothing.

She stared there for a few minutes. Carol was facing her fears by looking into that closet. She came out of that experience with a slight phobia of enclosed places.

Daryl kept watch at her back. Daryl didn't like seeing that closet. Hell, he didn't like being in the hallway. He looked over at the spot where he had sat, he remembered jamming Carol's knife over and over into the floor, the whole time believing she was dead. That was a dark point for Daryl. One of the darkest he'd had...the only other time had been seeing Merle as a walker.

Both Carol and Daryl were reliving the same memory from different perspectives. Each one knowing how quickly life could come to an end. Each one remembering how that moment in the tombs had elevated their feelings for one another.

"Come on Carol. We gotta go." Daryl told her. He wanted out of there.

"Okay." Carol told him closing the door...the door that had once held her captive...until Daryl had saved her. It was intense being back in a place that stirred up so many intense emotions between her and Daryl. It made her remember...

...

They continued through the tombs. They avoided the hallway where Lori had died giving birth to Judith. Carol felt guilt at not being able to help save her friend. She still wondered if she'd just ran faster, reacted quicker...maybe T-dog and Lori would still be there. She felt her throat close at remembering her dead friends...family really. Friends wasn't a strong enough word for the people you survived with in this new deadly world.

They waited until Maggie and Glenn had caught up with them. There were no walkers in the tombs. From what Glenn had told Daryl, there shouldn't be any in their old cell block either.

So, they cautiously made their way up the stairs and came to a set of iron bars. From there it opened up to a common area and then they had the cell block. There were maybe 20 walkers...the door to the outside stood partially open...

"I think we should take these out silently. Then someone needs to go close that door to keep others from coming in." Carol told them.

"Ok, I'll get to the door." Daryl told her.

"No, I will. You're faster at killing walkers, and you'll be able to keep most of them off me...not sure I can do that for you." Carol told Daryl.

"I'll go then." Glenn told her. Carol smiled at her friend.

"No, you need to protect Maggie and help Daryl." Carol told him. She knew that if anyone wasn't going to make it out...it should be her.

Glenn and Maggie were married. Carol didn't necessarily have anyone. Yes, Carol had slept with HIM a few times. Carol cared for HIM a lot, but that didn't mean it was fully in love with HIM. Being around Daryl was confusing Carol...she had drawn a hard line, and being back in the prison...feeling how protective Daryl was...messed with her emotions.

Daryl was made for this world, and she knew his survival skills would save their group from possible starvation, and protect them from not only walkers but dangerous and deadly people in this world.

Carol heard Daryl growl. She knew he wasn't happy with the risk she would be taking.

"I'm not leaving your side once we get through this barred door." He told her. His tone telling her there would be no arguing this fact.

Carol nodded at him. He was back to being her protector. Though she really didn't want him in that position again. Carol liked being able to take care of herself, proving her own self-worth, not depending on others, but in truth...everyone needed help sometimes. This would be one of those times, and though Carol may not trust Daryl with her heart...She would always trust Daryl with her life.

To be continued...