I do not own the Walking Dead. I am not associated with the creator, writers, actors or franchise.

Chapter 10

Daryl stood there watching in horror as the walkers began to circle Carol. She was crawling backwards on the ground trying to get away from them. Daryl was too far away to get to her fast enough. He risked himself, by turning away from the walkers he was fighting off, and pointed and shot an arrow at the closest walker to Carol. It went through its head, and collapsed at Carol's feet. Luckily, he'd killed it then, because it had just been about to bite Carol on the ankle. Quickly turning back around, Daryl dispatched the walkers that were trying to get to him.

Looking back to Carol, he began running towards her. He saw that Glenn had made it to her, kicked away one walker, and started pulling Carol away from the others. Maggie started hacking away at those same walkers with the machete she held. Glenn, letting go of Carol, returned to his wife to help her dispatch the last of them.

Daryl was immediately at Carol's side. He checked her for bite marks or other injuries and he found none. Daryl's heart was about to bust out of his chest.

"Are you okay?" Daryl asked. He hadn't been this afraid in a long time.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Carol told him. Taking his hand and pulling herself up.

Glenn and Maggie finished up the last of the walkers.

"Thanks guys." Carol told Glenn, Maggie and Daryl.

"Those walkers came out of nowhere..." Glenn told Carol.

"But you did one hell of job." Maggie told Carol. Respect showing in her eyes.

"Yeah, but let's not do that again." Carol said with a smile. Both Carol and Maggie smiled at one another.

...

After resting for a few minutes, they moved into their old cell block. Just like Glenn had told them, there were no walkers there.

"Okay, guys...let's get in and get out." Daryl told them. He knew that walking through this cell block would be hard for them.

Walking in, they had their weapons ready just incase. Immediately, Glenn and Maggie went to the left and went into Beth's cell. They would work down to Herschel's and finally their own.

Daryl followed Carol up the steps to his old perch. Carol looked over at his old stuff.

"Nothin' I need here, cept' maybe those shirts." Daryl told Carol looking down at his old bed. Two of those sleevesless shirts were still folded neatly from where Carol had washed them and put them there to find.

Carol remembered putting them there. She always made time to take care of Daryl. He worked so hard to provide, protect and support so many that lived at the prison.

She had been proud of him. She'd thought that maybe they'd had a chance to move past friendship, she felt like he wanted more...Daryl often searched her out to just be with her...Often he'd go to Carol's cell, while she was reading or mending...to just work on his bow, guns or whatever else he wanted, before he headed off back to his perch. Once in a while, Daryl would even sleep in the top bunk of Carol's cell. Just before the prison fell, he'd been staying with her more and more.

Carol thought that back then she was special to him, but now...knowing how easily he'd wanted to start a new life with Beth...how easitly he gave up on Carol...she felt her heart crack. She was tired of it, tired of letting people break it.

They moved onto Carol's cell. The curtain was still drawn. Cautiously, Carol pulled it back exposing the small cell she used to call home.

Books still sat on her little desk. Her favorite army green jacket, the one that was just a little too big, hung on a hook on the wall. Even her bed was still made...looking to the corner, she saw the chair where Daryl would sit and clean his weapons...there were a few bolts still next to that chair. Looking at the top bunk, she could still see the rumpled sheets from where Daryl had slept.

Walking over to a drawer, she opened it and pulled out an old wallet. Inside were a precious few pictures of Sophia. Carol opened her backpack and put the wallet, jacket and a few other things in her backpack. Turning around she came face to face with Daryl. He had the most intense look on his face.

"I remember the day that I carried ya' into this cell, after finding ya' in the tombs." Daryl told her. He took a step forward. Carol met his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment.

"I thought I'd lost ya'." Daryl told her. His hand reaching out to gently grasp her hand. He'd never spoken of that day. She had, when he had returned with Merle, but Daryl himself...never spoke of it until now. Carol looked at him wordlessly.

"I should have told ya'...told ya' that..." Daryl began. Daryl stopped...what did he want to tell her? Tell her that he loved her? That she was the only one who'd ever cared for him...fought for him without ever asking for anything in return? He'd never experienced that in his life.

The only thing that scared him more than reaching out and embracing it..her...was having her unconditional love taken away from him. So, that fear had kept his walls up. Even now.

Daryl cleared his throat. He didn't finish his sentence. Fear still holding back his words. Holding back his love for her. Though he knew that he was at risk of losing her to HIM...he just couldn't get the words out of his mouth.

Carol slowly pulled her hand out of his...he would never change. He would always hold back from her.

"I guess we need to head back." Carol told him. Turning and leaving him behind...she left the cell.

...

All of them took their time gathering and going through their old home. Maggie and Glenn had spent a little more time in Herschel's cell. Carol and Daryl had heard her crying quietly.

Carol had thought about going to the girls cells, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it...It was hard enough being here. She wasn't ready to relive their father's death and the promises she had broken to him.

When Glenn and Maggie came out of the cell...Carol instinctiviely pulled the red-eyed girl into her arms. Maggie gratefully let herself be embraced. After a few moments Carol released Maggie back to Glenn.

"Are we ready to do this?" Carol asked them. The next step was to retrieve Herschel's body to give it a proper burial. After that they would go for Daryl's bike.

"Yes, but I want to take daddy back with us." Maggie told them.

"But baby...the body will be badly decomposed." Glenn told his wife.

"I know, but I want him near Bethie and me." Maggie told him.

"Well, we do have the truck. We can place his body on in the back...if you're okay with him sharing space with Daryl's bike..." Glenn told her.

"I don't think daddy would mind." Maggie smiled gently. Walking back into cell she grabbed sheets and blankets to wrap his body up.

Ready now, they traveled back out of the prison through the tombs and through the woods to the truck and car. It was a silent journey. Everyone still reeling from the emotions being at the prison had raised.

...

Organizing their supplies, they realized that it would be better for all of them to wait until the next morning to go back to the prison...each person had lost focus and were lost in their own painful memories. They would wait to get Herschel and the bike until after they had rested for the night.

Before it got dark, Daryl left to go into the woods. Carol was glad for the space. His presence causing a familiar frustration in her. His continued unwillingness to share his feelings with her was a slap in the face. Remembering that he'd had no problem with sharing with Beth now only made it worse. Holding Beth's hand, carrying her around...giving her a freakin' piggy back ride. Carol was so over these games. She felt anger course through her. Anger at herself. Anger at him.

Carol had a man waiting for her back at Terminus. HE was more than willing to share everything with her and held nothing back. Did she love HIM? Honestly, not like Daryl...she didn't think she'd ever love a man like she loved Daryl. However, Carol was getting to the point, where she just wanted to be loved back by someone, to be touched by someone who didn't hesitate or pull back from her. And waiting on Daryl to work through his feelings for her...just wasn't going to cut it anymore.

...

Daryl walked through the woods. He struck at the limbs as he walked by...

"Mother fucker!" Daryl grumbled to himself. Why couldn't he just tell her? Why did he have to be so fucked up...that he couldn't even tell someone he loved them? Carol, had obviously, cared about him? For the longest time, she had been waiting to be loved back by him. The fall of the prison had caused a shift in her. Hearing about him and Beth...no matter how innocent he knew it was and told her it was...had changed her views on him. She wanted more and he knew that Carol deserved it.

He knew that if he didn't get over his insecurityies he was going to lose her to HIM.

"God damn it..." Daryl whispered to himself.

After about an hour, he made his way back to camp. His resolve to get over his fears stronger than ever...

To be continued...

There's no way this path is going to be easy for Daryl...not with Carol and not with himself...

Carol isn't going to save Daryl from himself this time...he's going to have to do it for himself. Hopefully...it's in time...

As always...reviews are appreciated...:))))