I do not own the Walking Dead. I am not not associated with the creator, writers, actors or franchise. This is just for fun.

Wow! I wrote a long chapter :)))

I actually think this is my favorite chapter. What do you guys think?

Chapter 12

When they arrived back at Terminus, everyone was waiting behind the gate.

They all stood to the side as Daryl drove into Terminus.

When he parked the truck Glenn, Rick, Carl stepped forward. They stood in the back waiting for Daryl.

Daryl got out of the truck and walked to the back. They all stood there for a second, then gently pulled Herschel's covered body to the end of the truck. That way people could come and give their last respects. Beth and Maggie stepped forward together, arms holding on to each other, each had a bouquet of wildflowers.

Stepping away, and into the background, the men gave them privacy.

Beth placed flowers on top of the blankets that covered her father's body. Tears and sobs could be heard.

Maggie glanced over to Carol, and reached her hand out to her. Stepping forward Carol felt Maggie take her hand.

It was the first time Carol had felt truly wanted and a part of their "family" in a long time. Carol squeezed Maggie's hands gently.

At first, when Rick had banished her, Maggie had seemed to have agreed with Rick. However, something had changed between her and Maggie since then... Carol felt a new warmth spread through her heart towards the woman.

The three women stood side by side mourning the father, friend and the moral compass of their family.

In the end, the men carried the body to the place where they would hold a private cremation service.

Rick and Carl had prepared it while they were gone. A wooden platform was created, and Beth had placed flowers all around it. It was a beautiful setting that represented such a wonderful man.

Though Beth and Maggie left, Glenn and Rick and Daryl stayed behind to take care of the cremation process. They were used to burning walkers, but this was different. They had kept the fire so hot, that in the end, there were only a few piles of ash left.

Placing the ashes in a simple all steel container, Herschel's ashes would remain with his girls. They didn't want to have him buried at the prison or in Terminus...The ground seemed tainted and unworthy of such a loving man.

They would wait until they found a pure, beautiful place, and then officially lay him to rest.

Carol went back to her room after the service. Her head was hurting.

She heard a faint knock on the door.

"Come in." She told him.

HE entered. Carol felt her heart do a little flip. He was so attractive, strong and he was looks at her like she was the only woman on earth.

"You okay?" he asked as she sat up on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah." Carol told him.

"You don't look it." HE told her, as he took a seat in the chair at her desk. He gave her space, even though he had missed her horribly. All HE wanted to grab her and make love to her. Make her whimper in pleasure.

"Just lots of old issues, feelings and memories that came up." Carol told him.

"I'd imagine...it's understandable." HE told her. He could tell the run had taken a lot out of her.

"Well, I'm here if you need me." HE told her he stood up to leave, but she met him and wrapped her arms around him. Enjoying the support and care he offered.

"I really appreciate that." she told him. "More than you know."

Daryl was exhausted, but took watch that night. He knew he wasn't going to sleep anyway.

An hour into the watch...Rick came to see him.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Rick asked Daryl. Rick had noticed a deep frustration in Daryl recently. He had a pretty good idea.

"Fine." Daryl said shortly.

"Today was hard on everyone. You don't seem to be fine..." Rick told him leaning against the ledge of the roof.

"Do you really give a shit, or are you just making sure I'm staying in line?" Daryl told him angrily.

"What do yo mean man?" Rick said turning towards Daryl.

"You know what I fuckin' mean man?" Daryl asked him. Daryl turning to his "brother" and taking a step forward.

"Is this because of Carol?" Rick asked. He kept his body language relaxed refusing to push Daryl any further.

"That and other shit." Daryl said.

"I told you I forgave her for that we've moved past that..." Rick told Daryl.

"Maybe you've moved past all of it but I haven't." Daryl told him. Daryl was bristling remembering how Rick had just left her at the side of the road.

Rick looked at him in question.

"I'm pissed...still pissed at you man." Daryl told him.

Rick nodded. He'd known this was coming, and was surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

"I think you're mad at a lot of things and people...but most of all yourself." Rick told him.

Daryl looked up at him anger flashing in his eyes and his brother.

"I think you're mad at me for banishing her...yes...but I didn't stop you from looking for her. I didn't tell you to give up on her being alive. I wasn't the one playing house with Beth." Rick told him. Daryl took a step forward...rage radiating off of him.

Still Rick continued on..."I sure as hell wasn't the one, who was stupid enough to think the woman I loved would wait around for me...all the while I had my head stuck up my ass. You're just pissed because you thought Carol would always be there...waiting. Now you've got a little competition, and you don't know what to do with yourself." Rick finished.

Daryl's right hook came out of nowhere, landing solidly on his left eye.

Turning around, Rick felt another punch, this time in the gut.

Holding Rick down, Daryl told him, "You're the one who sent her away."

"Yeah, I fucked her over man. Something I'm gonna try to make up to her, but I wasn't the one she was in love with...I wasn't the one she held up, and got to me to see the man who I COULD become...So, don't give me that shit. I didn't make you do anything and I didn't hold you back either." Rick told him.

They wrestled on the ground, Daryl swinging and Rick trying to fend him off. That was until Glenn and Carl ran up, and started pulling them off of each other.

They were both breathing hard. Blood smeared across their hands and faces.

"Another thing brother. If you want Carol, then you'd better lay claim to her, because you're gonna lose her if you don't stop focusing on yourself.." Rick finished.

Rick wiped the blood from his mouth.

Pulling away from Glenn, Rick said, "I'm fine Glenn, thanks...". Then he walked away.

Watching Rick walk away, Daryl realized that he'd given Daryl a lot to think about...

The next morning Carol noticed that both Rick and Daryl had black eyes. Shaking her head, yet somehow not surprised, Carol went into the cafeteria.

...

HE was sitting at a table with two other guys. His eyes landed on her as soon as Carol entered their cafeteria. She radiated a strength and softness that he literally felt pulling him to her.

...

As Carol was walking to the food line, she saw Beth and Maggie come in. Both of them looked tired, but there was some level of resolution and contentment in knowing their father wasn't laying in a yard somewhere, and that he was now back with his family.

Carol saw Beth separate herself from Maggie, then she went and sat down next to Daryl. After a few seconds, Beth leaned affectionately into Daryl's shoulder. Carol saw Daryl's back stiffen, and saw Rick give Daryl a knowing look. All of a sudden, Daryl stood up and leaned down, then he whispered into Beth's ear, and then she followed him outside the cafeteria.

Carol felt pain shoot through her at the sight of the two of them together. She decided to just go and sit in the corner by herself. Carol didn't feel like socializing. She wanted to eat and get out of there.

Carol was going to begin planting and expanding their garden today. She looked forward to getting her hands dirty. It was always grounding. She saw Maggie and Glenn look at her with curious looks.

Looking over, Carol saw that HE was still looking at her. 'What was with everyone looking at her?' Carol started to feel like she was under a microscope, and suddenly she wanted to run out of the cafeteria and escape.

...

HE knew his friends were talking but all he saw was Carol. The tiredness in her eyes. The pain that flashed across her eyes at seeing Daryl leave with Beth.

He wasn't sure what had happened out there, but whatever had happened...hadn't fixed what was wrong between her and Daryl. Bad for Daryl, but great for HIM.

HE stood up and walked towards Carol and sat down.

"Hear your on schedule for the garden work today." he said.

"Yeah, I like doing it. It's nice to be doing something that doesn't have to with stabbing walkers in the head." Carol told him with a small smile.

"Yeah, that does seem like that's all we do anymore..." HE told her.

"Care if I help out?" he asked her.

"Don't you have another job to do?" Carol asked.

"I'm on watch, but I've taken so many shifts that I can trade with someone." HE told her.

"I'd like that." Carol said with a smile.

HE reached out and gently covered her small hand with his large hardened hand. HE loved how perfectly his hand covered hers. HE smiled back at her.

To be continued...