Back and Forward

Carol woke pretty early; the sun was just rising over the fields. Daryl was still sleeping, his face turned towards her. But his features weren't resting, they were tensed. She stood up and approached him, wand stoked his hair slowly. Suddenly Daryl grabbed her hand, pushing her towards the floor. His eyes stared viciously at her, but as he recognized her, their expression softened.

"Don't startle me like that, woman!" he said full awake. "I thought something was attacking me".

"You were…" the grip on her hand was tight. "Never mind, sorry" she wanted to pull her arm away, still he didn't let her. Yet he wasn't holding her that tight anymore, her skin stopped hurting.

"I was…?" he asked of her to finish the sentence as he stood up, also pulling her up.

"I thought you were having a nightmare, I tried relaxing you a little".

He sighted and let her arm go.

"Not in these times, ya won't be able to relax anyone by stroking them in their sleep" there was a slight smile on his face.

She was rubbing her arm, he hand was shivering a little. She nodded quickly and left the tent. Daryl followed her.

"Where ya rushing like that" he caught up with her. "Wait up, woman! Carol!"

She stopped and rubbed her forehead.

"Did I hurt ya?" he tried looking her in the eyes, but she just stared at the ground.

"Of course not!" she sighted annoyed and wanted to pass him.

"Then what did I do?" he took a step to his right so she couldn't pass. His eyes were still searching her,s she was still avoiding him.

"Nothing, you did nothing! I am…reacting stupidly".

"Is it because of Ed? Talk to me, I…"

"No, Daryl, look. Some things I need to sort out for myself. It has nothing to do with you, I am sorry for reacting like this. I just need…some space, I am sorry" she looked him shortly in the eye then passed him and rushed towards the woods. Daryl looked over his shoulder after her then walked back to his tent.

Carol was wondering alone, slowly through the green trees. Birds were singing, the wind was dancing between the leaves, but other than that the forest was peaceful. She hadn't wandered too far, just enough to make a little space for her mind to cool down. She sat on the ground supporting her back on a tree, looking at the wild nature. Her knife was in her hands, she wasn't crazy after all, she knew she could encounter a walker at any time. Her fingers wondered over the shiny blade of the knife as her eyes got stuck somewhere faraway. Her mind finally managed getting out of that tense state and she took a deep breathe in…just as she heard a noise coming from behind. It wasn't the wind or a bird at best it was an animal. She slowly raised, trying to still hide behind the tree trunk, her palm wrapping around her knife. She turned suddenly wanting to take whatever that was by surprise, holding the knife up, ready to attack. But she faced Daryl and looked him straight in the eyes. She sighted and rolled her eyes, dropping back to the ground. She rubbed her forehead somehow amused.

"Ya heard me?" he asked rather surprised, as he stopped next to the tree. "I can sneak up to a dear, but I can't sneak up to ya?"

"I developed some sharp senses in time…sometimes they come out. Like now. You're hunting?" she looked up at him.

He smirked.

"Ya thought I was going to let ya walk alone in the woods with just that knife?" he supported his arm on the tree. "Ya weren't supposed to see me".

"I asked you to…"

"I don't care" he interrupted her calmly.

She looked up at him half annoyed, half amused.

"Look" he said bending down to her. "I get ya need to sort some things out for yourself. I also get it's about Ed. But ya can't ask of me to watch ya run in to t' woods and sit still like a moron".

"Sometimes, memories scare. My mind plays as it likes, I can't control it, I can't control my body".

"So, ya ran to the woods?" he asked amused.

"I run somewhere to be alone and come to my senses".

"Carol, ya changed a lot. I told you that. Ya became very strong, something ya never were. And I get ya deal with ya problems alone. I really appreciate that…ya ain't a crybaby, ya can handle your gun. The thing is…ya ain't alone anymore. And if ya decide to run into the woods, you gonna have me following ya. Get it, woman?"

She had to smile, her palm went to his cheek. She stroked it and he enjoyed the feeling.

He kissed the wrist of her hand and pulled her up. They walked back to the farm, paying attention to the sounds of the woods.

"Looks pretty safe around here" he said. "I'm gonna hunt, once I get ya back".

"Daryl" she said as the farm was in sight. He turned to her. "The same goes for you. If you want a partnership, you need to learn you're also not alone. I know the confidence we had between us, as we grew up, broke. But if we're building it up again, you also got to give in".

He looked at her, thinking. He nodded shortly and turned to walk back into the woods.

"And that goes with the whole camp" she called after him, but he ignored her.

Carol returned to the other as they were waking up.

"Morning" Dale said from above his RV. "Took an early walk into the woods?"

"You can call it that" Carol said making shade with her hand as she looked up at him. "What about you get down from there and we start organizing ourselves a little?"

"Yes, ma'am" he smiled and got down. "I bet there is enough water around here, we can put up that shower again".

"That would be something. We also need to organize the cans, see what else there is around, Daryl has also gone hunting. Why don't you start with the water and I'll start with the cans and a fire place".

Dale nodded.

But it was easier done for Carol, arranging the cans, putting up a fire, sitting area and so on, as Dale and T-Dog encountered a walker in one of the fountains. Attempts to get him out in one peace failed and they had to close it in. Fortunately there were other fountains and they soon got a shower and a drinking place. Glenn prepared himself to go to town with Maggie.

"If you can find us some detergent, soap and so on, bring it all in. We have a lot to wash and we're running out of it" Carol said carrying a basin of clothes.

"What when all runs out?" Glenn asked her.

"Sand will have to do" she turned to walk.

"What?"

"You heard me" she smiled at him.

She walked a little and met Lori.

"Hershel wants a symbolic funeral for Otis when Glenn and Maggie return. He said we should all be there".

"Sure" Carol agreed. She looked long at Lori. "Carl is fine?"

"Yes, he will recover" she smiled.

"But there's something on your mind".

"No…just the stress with Carl and…just that".

Carol nodded not really believing her.

"You know, if you need anything…right?" she smiled and walked away.

The water wasn't very cold as it was again a hot day. She rubbed the clothes on her washing board, cleaning them as good as she could. She returned soon to her tent. As she entered she found a flower in a former bottle of beer, sitting on the box next to her mattress. She touched the petals.

"It's a Cherokee rose" Daryl said as he entered.

"Yes, you told me the legend when my mother died" Carol sat on her mattress, still stroking the petals of the flower.

"I guess we all need hope now".

Carol looked up at Daryl.

"You belong here, Daryl".

"Come on, Hershel's having the funeral".

They were standing while Hershel was reading out of his bible, Daryl not really caring for the words. But something had caught his eye and that was Shane. There was something wrong about him and definitely something wrong about his story. He decided to remain silent. Besides that he noticed Carol's attention was directed towards Lori, rather than Shane or his story. Daryl looked at Rick. He wasn't suspecting anything he was trusting his best friend fully. There seemed to be a bound between them, but Daryl suspected it was more from Rick's side than Shane's.

"T-Dog you should cook some scrambled eggs again for us. Maggie brought us a few" Dale said that evening.

"Scrambled eggs for dinner?" Glenn asked.

"Ya ain't picky when the world is over" Daryl said to him as he passed him. "That or squirrels".

"Yeah, I'm going with the eggs" Glenn said.

Daryl walked towards the house and found Rick and Lori sitting next to Carl's bed. Carol was also there.

"How's he?" Daryl asked.

"Better" Lori smiled.

"Can I have a word?" he looked at Rick.

The man stood up. Carol looked after them.

"Ya wanna stay here for good?" Daryl asked him.

"That's the plan if I get to convince Hershel".

Daryl remained silent, but Rick caught his thought.

"Convince him, not make him".

"I got that, wasn't saying anything. Ya sure it's a good idea?"

"Look Daryl, you don't owe us anything. You're free to leave or do whatever you want".

"Yea, all my other plans failed" he angered. He turned around and walked out.

Rick returned.

"He's not that bad, you know. But that was his brother up there, the only that was there for him since he was born" Carol said to the man.

"Lori says you know him for a while".

"I do".

"And how come Merle was the only soul for him out there?"

"Because I abandoned him" Carol swallowed hard as she stared into Rick's eyes. "But he belongs here with us, he searched for T-Dog like insane even if it was him who dropped the key. He is one of us, Rick" Carol said as she stood up.

She went out and as she returned to her tent she saw Daryl take out his mattress and move it much farther next to his bike. He had also placed a small tent there and was preparing to make a campfire.

"All this…this group is broken. And I'm not a part of it. Ya better off with them than me. But me…I ain't them" he said to her as he was arranging his new home.

"Daryl, don't give up so easily. Rick will come around and…"

"I ain't needing anyone to come around, woman. Merle was right, one is better alone".

"And…us?" she whispered.

He stopped doing what he was doing.

"What's us?" he walked to her. "Ya abandoned it first, Carol. I leave for a few months and ya get married. Then I return and I can't even see ya. Remember when we met on the street and ya barely said hello? I tried talking to ya then and ya just ran away like I was some kind of stranger?"

He waited for her to get angry. He knew is hadn't been something she had done because she wanted it, but because she was obliged to. But she just looked at him, her eyes filling up with sorrow.

"You're right, Daryl. I was a crybaby and I always felt the need for someone. And I was stupid for believing Merle that you're not coming back. But you know what? I am glad I have spared you from it. I am glad I haven't become a burden for you. Still…I am not a burden anymore. And I've been trying anything I can since we have met again to…give you something good. 'Cause you are the only I have ever cared for like this since…since I can recall".

She turned to walk as he was rather speechless. But she stopped. She looked at him. And, right there, he recalled something.

"Merle is not around anymore to control what you become. Now it's just up to you" she added.

Daryl was making arrows when T-Dog approached. He handed him a bowl of scrambled eggs.

"Guess they taste better than squirrels" he said.

"No, they don't" Daryl grabbed the bowl.

"Why' you sitting so far from us?"

Daryl didn't reply.

"I just wanted to…say thanks" T-Dog said and walked away. Daryl looked after him.

He ate his eggs and stood up taking the bowl back to the wash basin. He placed it there and searched for Carol with his eyes. He saw the light burning in her tent and walked there. She was stitching something in the dim light. It was his vest, the one with the wings on it. She placed it apart and wiped her cheeks with the back of her palm. As she stood up, she faced him.

"Ya were never a burden for me, woman. Get that out of ya head" he said and left.

Note: this was a short one, hope you enjoyed. The good stuff is starting in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!