A/N: Sorry the story just took a life of it's own.. I started this off to be about Duo and the group as a whole and its kinda morphed in a DaCarol fic.

Chapter Five

Boiling Blood

The hallway was pitch black as Duo , Daryl and Rick slowly moved along. Clearing another passage of any lingering walkers, walkers that might have been missed. Making sure the prison was safe as possible. The others were held up in the cell block they'd turned into a living area. It was the safest placed they'd ever had since the end of the world. People were able to breath for once. To Relax. The only time people stressed was when they left the cell block to clear hallways and secure doors that would allow walkers inside. They'd already sealed off most of the doors that lead to the outside. Sealed doors that lead to places they'd never go. They weren't worried about the back half of the prison. They were able to seal off that part. There was no way of clearing that area and securing it. The brick wall was down and it took that section of fence with it. There was no way of rebuilding it.

They cleared the courtyard of the dead. Checked and rechecked the fences. Made sure the locks on the gates were good. It wasn't just about keeping walkers out it was also to make sure they didn't get any unwanted visitors to sneak inside the prison. They'd been there almost a week and had gotten a lot done in a short amount of time. People were starting to hope.

Began to hope they'd found a place where they could start over. A place they could live inside a world of death.

The only issue they were facing now was when they'd all gotten there they found the prison wasn't empty. Not walkers but a few prisoners that had been locked up inside. They had No idea what was going on outside the fences. They knew that people had gone insane. Started to eat each other. They were dying and then getting back up. They locked themselves inside a room that was joined with the cafeteria. A guard padlocked the door and they weren't able to get out. They survived by eating the food that was stocked in the kitchen.

Another gift.

They'd cleared another cell block for them but one man wasn't happy. He wanted the cell block Duo and the others were in. He acted like he was the self appointed king of the prison. Something that didn't sit well with Duo , Rick and Daryl. It put them on edge how he was acting. He felt like a threat.

The other two seemed okay but weren't trusted either.

Carol was still in a funk after figuring out that Daryl wasn't interested in her any more once the new girl joined the group. She avoided Her and Daryl. When they were around she busied herself with Judy or cooking or what ever needed to be done at the time. If there wasn't anything to be done she hid in her cell. Daryl's distant behavior just confirmed to her that she was right and it broke her heart.

She taken to spending time outside working with Axel one of the former inmates who'd taken a real liking to her. She thought it was harmless and enjoyed his chatter. They began to cultivate the ground. They were going to start a garden.

Another week had gone by. A few walkers lined the fence but that had become the norm. They'd see people working in the garden or walking the fence looking for a weak spot that needed to be fixed. A walker fighting with it caused it to weaken and they'd go out kill the walker and reenforce the fence.

The uneasiness grew with the one inmate while the other two tried to tried blend in and become part of the group.

They kept a close eye on him as he moved around never really letting him stray out of sight. Always fearful he'd try and do something and put the group in danger.

Axel kept as far from him as he could always a few feet away from Carol which was really working on Daryl's last nerve. Always eying Carol every time She'd twitch Axel noticed and would adjust his body so she was always in his line of sight. Always placing a hand on her shoulder or back side. Carol didn't really care for the touching but blew it off as friendliness. Atleast he wasn't some crazy rapist or anything. Or so she thought anyways.

Daryl would glare at them from across the table at dinner time which confused Carol. If looks could kill Axel would have died days ago. Daryl would gladly dig a hole for Axel and drop his body in and shovel the dirt back over his body with a smile on his face.

Daryl's eyes grew small as he watched Axel lean over and say something to Carol and she smiled. Daryl shoved his chair back and stormed out of the room. Pacing his perch he fumed.

" Stupid fucking hillbilly "

He snatched his bow up and started for the watch tower. Glenn and Maggie were in the middle of a make out session when Daryl throw the metal door open causing them both to jump out their skin.

" I got this... Go some place else with that " he snapped.

Glenn looked annoyed but Maggie understood. She could see what was going on. Thing's changed between him and carol and he didn't know how to handle it and then comes along Chrissy and Axel making things worse between them. She took Glenn's hand and lead the way back to the cell block to grab some food. Telling Glenn Carol made a cobbler.

He sat fuming for hour's until T-Dog came in and took over. Daryl dragged his ass back to the cell block. He was halfway up the stairs to his perch when something caught his eye. A shadow. Out of place going into Carol's cell. He stopped turning to face the cell and listened. He didn't hear anything and thought maybe he was seeing things. He started back up the stairs then stopped suddenly spinning back towards the cell. He could have sworn he heard a muffled sound. He took off like a bat out of hell down the stairs and straight to carol's cell. His first thought was a walker got in some how. His blood turned to ice at the thought. Carol's cell and she had the baby that night. His bow raised as he stepped into the cell. It was dark and he couldn't make anything out really. Carol's bed looked oddly misshapen.

One long step and he was at the bedside reaching down. His hand grabbed a handful of cloth and he yanked back hard causing the person he pulled off carol's bed to slam into the metal bars behind them.

Carol shot out of the bed and snatched up Judy and got behind Daryl. Placing her hand between his shoulder blades causing a shock of pleasure to run through both of them. It was the first time since they got there that they'd touched each other. Daryl didn't let that distract him as he moved from under her hand and rush the person leaning on the bars.

" What the fuck man? Can't me and my ol' lady have a moment with out you glaring? "

Axel straightened up fixing his ill fitted shirt.

Carol's face fell.

" Ol' Lady? I think... "

Daryl interrupted

" She ain't your fucking Ol' lady "

Daryl grabbed Axel by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up a little.

" You come near her again you fucking hick and i'll make damn sure you become some walkers lunch "

Axel pulled free.

" You ain't her boss you can't tell her who she can and can't see and if she want's me than you need to learn your place "

Carol tried to say something but daryl's temper got the better of them both.

" I ain't telling HER what to do im telling YOU to stay the fuck away from her you hear me son? "

Daryl pushed Axel out the cell.

Axel pushed back pissing Daryl off even more. He was ready to beat the snot out of him.

" And she don't fucking want you you fucking hillbilly. "

" Oh yeah what make's you say that? Cause from the way we been towards each other says other wise SON "

Axel smirked.

For a moment anyways. Daryl's fist came flying out of no where. Making contact with Axel's nose. An odd cracking sound filled the other wise quiet cell block.

Axel roared in pain. His hand's flying up to his face. Blood gushing between his fingers.

Rick and the others came rushing out of their cell's. Guns and knives ready.

" What the hell is going on? " Rick demanded as he reached Daryl's side

" That mother fucker has got to go. "

Rick understood. Daryl had reached his line in the sand. Axel went to far with Carol and Daryl was there to see it.

Poor bastard Rick thought shaking his head.

" Alright everybody Back to your bed's fun's over."

Rick walked over to Axel.

" If I were you I'd go back to your cell block and stay as far away from Carol as you can till " She " says other wise "

Axel nodded towards Rick as he turned to leave holding his head back blood still gushing out. An angry sneer on his face as he gave Daryl one last glance.

Rick took Judy from Carol giving her a pointed glance at Daryl. She nodded handing Rick a half a bottle of milk for Judy.

She walked out of her cell and took Daryl by the elbow and pulled him back into her cell. He let her.

He was still angry but his eye's were cast down towards the floor. She put her hand under his chin and lifted his face so that he was looking at her.

" Thank you "

She gave him a weak smile then glared

" What the hell was that about?"