The Walking Dead is not my creation. I do NOT own or pretend to be the geniuses that created the Walking Dead world. I do not profit from this, it is just for fun.

Hi Everyone, We Caryler's survived the season...I know it's been a hard season. I was so distraught I lost my enthusiasm for writing. However, embracing the joy that Carol is still alive...I figure I have months of creativity before I am (hopefully not) bitch slapped by the writers of TWD.

Anyway, this was a really difficult chapter to write because I was trying to show Carol as independent and Daryl not being used to it. This has changed certain dynamics in their relationship and both are so insecure they think each other doesn't want or need them. Silly Caryl.

If you get a chance please review, but know I'm not thrilled with this...:)

Chapter 10: Underestimating

Carol POV

The second part of the plan was the riskiest. It involved using Carol as bait. Daryl had fought hard against this plan. He had paced back and forth in his usual way that indicated his irritation and agitation with a situation or person. In this case, his agitation was due to Carol refusing to hide in the background.

Carol felt bad, but a lot had changed in her time at the prison. Daryl had been out with Michonne hunting the Governor most of the time. It hadn't bothered her, she had understood his drive to get revenge. He'd missed a lot of her social development and self-confidence that had grown over the previous months. After Rick had exiled her, she'd taken a lot of time to think about who she was, and more importantly who she didn't want to be. Rick had broken her heart. She loved Rick, not in a "lover" way, but as in family...When he had looked at her and said he didn't trust her...that was one of the worst moments in her life. That and the day Daryl left with Merle.

While going over the plan, Daryl had even pulled her aside trying to convince her to stay behind and let them handle the marauders alone. Daryl had been surprised at the anger in Carol's voice as she told him she was tired of everyone taking care of her. And that she refused to be treated like she was incapable any longer by him. She wasn't a "mouse" anymore. She was tired of being underestimated.

She was done with Daryl risking himself and thinking he always had to protect her. She was not the same woman she'd been while at the farm or on the road. When Carol had insisted on Tyreese being with her for her part of the ambush...Daryl had become deadly quiet. His face blank. Something in his eyes shut down. Though she was unsure of what it was. He was her best friend, and couldn't imagine him being this upset with her. There was so much they should talk about, but hadn't had anytime. They hadn't even had time to talk about Rick and what had happened.

Daryl only stopped protesting the plan when they shortened the distance between the first ambush point and second ambush point. Even though, this didn't allow as much time for errors. This did allow him to get to Carol and Tyreese to back them up more quickly.

Carol stood where the men would be able to see her in the moonlight. Tyreese positioned himself further down the path, where he and Carol decided they would have the best advantage to ambush them.

While Carol and Ty waited for the men to approach...Carol found she was really calm. It was the kind of calm that comes over you in the middle of a crisis, and you go into a kinda auto-drive. It's like your watching from outside of yourself. Emergency workers, soldiers and medical staff often have this ability. Shut down panic and fear, and do what needs to be

Carol had found a spot where she was at the top of a trail. From this angle, she would be looking down to see them. Thanks to the full moon...it was an almost perfectly clear line of sight.

Soon, the three men were within her sight. She pretended to struggle to walk and made noise to get noticed.

"Hey, Scout. She's there! Let's get her!" one man told Scout. Carol pretended to see them and limp away. She could hear them coming behind her as she stumbled forward. They were crunching sticks and dead leaves.

Instinct and adrenaline kicked in with her. Her heart rate increasing and she went into survival mode. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, but forced herself to run at a slower pace. It kept them excited about the chase, and yet was also enough to keep them distracted, and from noticing she was leading them exactly to where she wanted. She could almost feel her pursuers breathing down her neck.

Carol continued down the path. She had her gun in one hand and her knuckle buster in the other. She was almost to the place where Tyreese was meant to meet her. As she kept her pursuers at a distance, she stayed focused on how they had planned to execute the men following her. As she turned the corner, she saw Tyreese and she jumped over to the opposite side and ducked taking cover.

She mentally prepared herself for what had to be done. Tyreese had his hammer. He was deadly efficient with it, and because it was a blunt and pointed weapon, it could be used repeatedly without lots of reloading of ammo.

Carol hid in the bushes. Tyreese was on the other side of the path. They both looked at one another as readied themselves for the attack.

They heard them coming closer. Carol could see them coming up the path. She saw two men who tore around the corner. Carol jumped at the first man, driving her knuckle buster knife into the side of his neck. Blood gushed from his neck soaking her hand and arms. Then she pulled her knife from the man's neck and stabbed it into his head. There was a sickening crack and it split his skull. This made Carol gag a little. There was a difference between stabbing the walkers through the skull and a person who was alive.

Tyreese lunged at the other man with his hammer. With one strike, Tyreese broke through his skull splattering brains across leaves and dirt. The third and last man who followed had been smarter, while Carol had been distracted, the third man had grabbed her and put a gun to her head. She could hear the click of the gun as he pulled it back. When Tyreese looked up he saw the gun and the blank expression on Carol's face...Tyreese tried not to panic, in the time he had been with Carol, he had learned to control his temper. Tyreese knew she would easily sacrifice herself for the safety of him and the girls. Tyreese wasn't willing to let her die for him.

"Let her go man!" Tyreese shouted. Tyreese looked at Scout, and Scout's face showed all the fear and madness that was in the man. Most notably, the desperation at knowing he would die if he didn't have Carol as a hostage. Instantly, Ty knew he was going to take her and probably kill her. Scout had no compassion.

"Man, just let her go and we can call it even?" Tyreese told him, putting his hammer on the ground.

"Are you kidding me? I'm not stupid. You aren't going to let me go. I gotta take her, but maybe you'll get her back when I'm done with her." Scout said with a creepy smile. He tightened his hold on Carol's neck and made her choke. This man was not smart enough to just walk away.

There was no way Tyreese would let him take her. He glanced at Carol. He could see the words in her eyes, begging him to just let her go. Be safe. Let the girls be safe.

"Now I guess we'd better be on our way sweethe..." Scout's words stopped. His eyes widened. He released his grip on Carol. Then stumbled back. Carol and Tyreese stared at him and saw an arrow sticking out the middle of his throat. Daryl's arrow to be exact.

Carol felt relief. She looked at the arrow, then over to the area where it had come from. Daryl stood there. His chest heaving. He strode forward, and looked at the struggling man on the ground.

"Ger her out of here Tyreese." Daryl told him while staring at Scout. Scout whimpered and held the arrow at his throat.

"Daryl..." Carol began...

"GO..." Daryl told her. His voice had a tone to it she had never heard.

"Come on Carol." Tyreese told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her back down the path to the Michonne.

Carol looked over at Daryl. His eyes were on Scout. Scout was rolling around in pain.

Carol let Tyreese lead her away. She was confused and worried about Daryl.

They followed the path and met up with Michonne. Carol looked at Michonne and the woman gave her a small smile. It made Carol feel good knowing that the samurai had backed her plan.

Daryl POV

Meanwhile, Daryl stood looking at Scout. Scout and he had always had issues. Scout was a demented and perverted man. Seeing him touch Carol pissed him off so badly, that Daryl almost barreled over and ripped the throat from the man. Add Scout holding a gun to Carol's head, and Daryl knew he would have nightmares about it for a long time. So, when Daryl was ready, and was done telling Scout how his was going to enjoy killing him...Daryl stabbed Scout in the stomach and watched him die a slow painful death. People do not fuck with the people he cares about...

After Daryl finished Scout off, he headed back to the camp. Now that they were safe...Carol was safe, and whether she liked it or not, he needed to have a talk with her.

To be continued...