Most of the Woodburians had gone outside into the yard to soak up the daylight but a few mingled in the common area. They quickly dispersed when they spotted Daryl and Carol, knowing full well that the hunter didn't like them. Carol made Daryl sit at a table before disappearing for a moment and coming back with Herschel's medical kit. She found a clean cloth and dampened it before using to to dab at the blood around the wound, cleaning the area around the wound. Daryl tensed under her touch but Carol worked away, pretending not to notice. She cleaned the wound with a fresh cloth that had rubbing alcohol on it. Daryl winced as it stung his wound.

"This might sting." Carol warned.

"You tell me after you've already done it? Gee thanks." Daryl grumbled unhappily. He looked at Carol who was smiling to herself, dabbing at the wound with the cloth.

"Daryl you're filthy, I suggest you take a shower after you've had some rest." Carol smiled, pulling out a needle and thread. Daryl raised an eyebrow and watched intently as she threaded the needle, "This might hurt."

"This time you got the warning right." Daryl gritted his teeth and stayed still as Carol started to stitch him up.

"I know the mud and dirt is like a coat of armour to you. It protects you from things. And I know its like a badge of honour to you, it makes you feel like you've earned your place here. But the truth is you' ve earned your place with the group a hundred times over. The dirtier you are, the more you feel like you belong I guess. You run around day and night, saving people or feeding us or keeping watch. You never have any down time. You need to pull back, let someone else take some of your work load." Carol stated matter of factly as she sewed him up. Daryl tensed up again.

"You're talkin' out your ass woman," Daryl snorted as Carol finished the stitches. She sat up and looked at him.

"I'm not. Daryl I know you. I know you feel the need to protect us all. I know you bear the dirt as some sort of badge of honour. I know you have your code. I know you pretend not to care about any of us but you do. Like when you saved Glenn in the yard, or when you took it upon yourself to go out searchin' for my Sophia. When you took an arrow and a bullet in the process." Carol's fingers lingered on the scar Daryl had got from when he had impaled himself on his own arrow, "I know you. I know you have your walls but you're gonna have to let someone in one day."

Daryl jerked away from her touch, "Your talkin' a load of shit."

What was it with Carol today. She was pushing much more than usual, she was testing him. Carol gave him a small smile and stood up. She rummaged through the food cupboards, found the oatmeal and prepared a small bowl for Daryl. She placed it infront of him and stabbed a spoon into the grey mush. Her hand were shaking. Daryl watched her turn away and go over to the sink, preparing to wash a load of dirty dishes the Woodbury residents had shoved to the side. This angered Daryl. They had swanned off and left someone else to clear up their mess. Daryl took a mouthful of the oatmeal but it was harder to swallow than usual. Still he ate until he heard a clatter of dishes and Carol curse.

"Fuck." Carol sounded like she was crying. Daryl turned round and saw Carol, crouched down and scooping up shards of a broken plate. Daryl crouched down behind her and caught her trembling hand. It was bleeding. Carol broke down into anguished sobs. Daryl laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, still holding her hand and helped her up. He led her over to the table and sat her down.

"I'm sorry Daryl. I push to hard...and I get wound up. But there has been things on my mind and I missed Sophia's birthday. I forgot about my baby girl's birthday until Sasha told me the date today. I forgot about her, for one day I forgot about her and it just happens to be her birthday." Carol sobbed, gulping and choking. Daryl found the cloth with alcohol on it and pressed it to Carol's hand. She didn't notice the sting, to caught up in her memories. Carol finally composed herself and wiped her eyes.

"I feel real silly now." She blushed. Daryl finished cleaning the wound on her hand and wrapped a bandage round it.

"The day is still young, we can go into the woods-" Daryl started but Carol cut him off.

"Oh and what might you be proposing?" Carol coughed dryly, a mischevious glint in her eyes.

"-and carve her name into a tree, or write her a message and burn it." Daryl finished, raising his eyebrow at Carol. Daryl stood up and took his empty oatmeal bowl to the sink where he quickly rinsed it before shaking his hands off and turning back to Carol, who looked to be deep in thought.

"Let's go carve her name into a tree. She loved nature." Carol decided, standing up and examining the dressing on her hand. Daryl nodded before running up the steps to his cell. His foot slipped on the edge of one of the steps and he skinned his shin as he fell, he quickly regain his footing before carrying on like nothing happened, ignoring Carol's giggles.

"Gotta fix that damn step." He growled to himself as he retrieved his crossbow from his bed and swung it over his shoulder, "Dumbass step." When he got back to the common area, Carol was still giggling as she made sure her knife was attached to her belt.

"Afraid to get a little down and dirty with a couple of walkers?" Carol asked, raising her eyebrow at the crossbow.

"This isn't for walkers, this is to fend you off." Daryl snorted. He rolled his shoulders and opened the door, holding it open for Carol. She looked mystified at his polite action but then he said, "Age before beauty." Carol hit him on the arm as she walked out the door, rolling her eyes at his fake 'Ouch'.

Daryl's eyes immediately wandered as he stepped into the sunlight. They lingered on the pile of corpses before darting to the people in the field, mingling and chatting, or simply strolling around the space. Daryl and Carol made there way down the yard and through the now fixed gates. Rick's eyes followed them, curiously wondering why they had disappeared into the woods together.

"Looks like someone other than Glenn is gettin' some." Tyreese's voice sounded in his ear. Rick jumped at the sound. He hadn't been aware of Tyreese standing next to him. Rick turned to the bigger man and raised an eyebrow.

"You think? That's not Daryl's style." Rick shook his head. Maybe Tyreese was right but it definitely didn't seem like something Daryl would comply with happily. There was more to it and Rick would respect their privacy. Tyreese snorted behind him, a chuckle in his throat. He muttered something that Rick couldn't make out before going off to join his sister.

Carol had never seen Daryl so relaxed but here he was, in the woods and totally care free. He had a look of happiness on his face, one that Carol had never seen before. He wasn't smiling but it shone in his eyes. They trudged further into the woods but Carol felt safe. She was with Daryl after all.

Daryl led the way, stepping over logs and dodging bushes. Daryl paused suddenly, held his hand up for Carol to stay back and waited. The sounds of branches breaking, twigs snapping and walkers groaning filled the silence.

"There's eight of them roughly. We can take them on or wait for them to pass," Daryl whispered, turning to Carol. Fear had imbedded itself in Carol's stomach and she didn't fancy her chances against an unknown amount of walkers, even with Daryl.

"Wait them out." She spat out. Daryl nodded and gestured to a big pine tree to his left. Carol realised what he was getting at and moved closer to the tree. She hid behind it but Daryl shook his head.

"Climb up it. Its funny to confuse them." He had a wolfish grin on his face. Carol tried to grab the lower branches but they were just out her reach. Daryl braced his back against the tree and cupped his hands, knees bent and waited. Carol put her foot in his hands and he boosted her up. She kept climbing until she was hidden amongst the firs. Daryl moved stealthily on the ground, bending down and scooping up rocks and pinecones, shoving them in his pockets. Finally the walkers came within view and Daryl pulled himself up the lower branches before waiting. Carol climbed down so she could get a better view of what he was doing.

The first walker ambled into view and Daryl flicked a small pebble at it. It hit the walker in the head, lodging itself in the rotting flesh. The walker spun around, looking for whoever had thrown the object now in his head. It wasn't particularly funny but it was amusing when there was eight or nine walkers, spinning and bumping into each other. A few attacked each other. Carol stifled a chuckle as they fought clumsily, then her heart dropped to her stomach. A small walker ambled into view. It was a little girl, no older than twelve years of age, with strawberry blonde curls and wearing a blue t-shirt with a rainbow on the front. The resemblence between Sophia and the walker was uncanny.

"Sophia? Sophia?" Carol mewed, reaching for the walker, in a trance. Daryl grabbed her by her waist, keeping a tight grip. He knew she wasn't seeing a walker but her little girl. Carol's eyes had spaced and she was obviously reliving memories. She struggled in Daryl's grip, tears streaming down her face. Daryl pinned her to the trunk of the tree, clamping a hand over her mouth and using his body to hold her in place. She wriggled back into his body.

Daryl bit his lip and looked around the tree as Carol continued to struggle, grinding into him. He blushed as she rubbed against his crotch. The blood rushed to his crotch and Daryl gasped as he realised what was happening. His body was reacting to a lady rubbing against him. His body was completely out of tune with the situation. Daryl couldn't let go of Carol until the walkers had passed, which didn't look like it would happen anytime soon, because if he did, she'd climb down the tree and embrace the child walker. Which would result in her immediate death. And that would be messy.

"Stay still." He growled in her ear, pushing her against the tree using his hand. He arched his body away from her, trying to keep some distance between their bodies. Carol was even harder to contain with only his hand. She was close to escaping his grasp. Daryl sighed before using his body to hold her to the tree again.

"Its not her. Its not Sophia." Daryl whispered in her ear. Carol finally stopped struggling and blinked owlishly. Her eyes focused on the tree right in front of her face.

"Why am I pinned to a tree? And your knife is diggin' into my back." She asked. Daryl slid away from her, shifting his crossbow in his lap in an attempt to cover his embarrassing situation. He glared at the walkers' stumbling about below the tree before spitting on the head of the closest one.

"You freaked out. You started trying to get down the tree." Daryl grumbled. The last of the walkers stumbled away, having caught the scent of something easier than Daryl and Carol. Daryl dropped out the tree, keeping his hands in front of his problem, in a casual manor. Carol dropped down next to him and stumbled. Daryl caught her with one hand and steadied her before letting her go. She nodded her thanks before trudging deeper into the forest.

Rushing water could be heard in the distance and Daryl led Carol towards it, keeping his back to her. The air was sweet with the smell of water-lillies when they finally arrived at a small lake with a river rushing into it. The water looked cold and Daryl imagined the cold water would have the same effect on his body as a cold shower would. He placed his crossbow down and jumped into the water. He gasped as the icy water made contact with his skin. He dived under, brushing his feet against the muddy bank. He could feel himself going soft, the blood rushing elsewhere. He bobbed to the surface and shook his hair out his eyes, like a dog. Droplets of water landed on Carol.

"Daryl what the hell are you doin?" Carol exclaimed, giggling.

"I was hot." He stated simply before splashing at Carol. She screamed playfully before darting behind a tree. Daryl hauled himself out the water, shook his head again and grabbed Carol when she thought she was safe. She came out from behind the tree and muscular arms wrapped around her, lifting her off the ground. Moments later she was submerged in freezing water. She pushed herself to the surface and groaned indignantly.

Daryl was sitting in the grass, angled towards the sun, crossbow in his lap and soaking wet. Carol climbed out the water and peeled her sodden sweater from her skin. She tied it around her waist and stalked off, knowing Daryl would follow, looking for a distinctive tree to carve her daughter's name into. Carol stopped suddenly, the perfect tree capturing her attention.

It was a thick willow tree, with the trunk split in two and curving away from each other. Smaller branches had intertwined around the trunks, creating a woven armour, protecting the tree. Carol found a spot on one of the trunks where the branches hadn't met each other yet and the trunk was exposed. She drew her knife and began to work, stabbing the knife into the tree.

Daryl stayed back, giving Carol space and privacy to work, keeping his eyes on the surrounding areas, looking for any signs of danger or something he could shoot for dinner. A squirrel scurried up a tree to his left and the arrow pierced it's furry body, pinning it to the tree. It died with a pained squeak. Daryl pulled his arrow out the tree and removed the skewered squirrel. He stuffed it under his belt as Carol finished her carving with a small grunt.

"D'you think this is okay?" She stepped back and turned to Daryl, hailing him forward. He stepped up and looked at the what she'd carved.

Sophia Grace Peletier

11 years old

I miss you so much

xxx

Daryl raised his eyebrow at Carol before nodding, "I think she'll like it." Carol wiped her eyes, wiping away the tears she had shed. She looked at Daryl and gave him a brief smile.

"Let's go home." Daryl nodded and followed her as Carol led the way through the woods. She truly was a marvellous creature. Daryl's eyes were drawn to the tanned arms that had become toned and weathered. He couldn't imagine Carol any other way. She had changed so much, she had become a different person. She no longer shied away from her own shadow, instead she embraced it.

They reached the prison shortly after sundown. Rick opened the gate for them with a curious look on his face but a knowing twinkle in his eye. A mischievious smile appeared on his lips.

"So...what have you guys been up to?" He could barely contain his laughter. Daryl looked at him curiously but Carol just giggled and punched Rick lightly on the shoulder.

"It weren't nothin' like that, you dirty old man."

Rick nodded and went back to keeping his eyes beyond the fence. Carol paused at the door leading into the cell block. Daryl almost bumped into her but managed to keep his body from touching hers.

"Back there, I know it wasn't your knife." Carol smiled before disappearing into the cell block, leaving the blushing hunter alone and embarrassed.

A/N: I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this but I enjoy writing this fic and sharing my work with the world. But if you are reading and have any critique or praise or comments, drop a review below. It would make me very happy to know what you guys think :)