We had been out for maybe a half hour when we came to a ridgeline on the train track we were following. I could hear the moans of walkers and I sighed, ready to take off in the other direction. The men, however didn't seem ready to run, instead the stood at the tracks, looking out at something in the distance.

I caught up to them just in time to see an idea flicker across Rick's face. His eyes lit up and he stared out at the field in wonder. My eyes followed his, and I noticed a huge prison in the distance.

"That's a shame." Daryl muttered, walking off in the direction we were going. Rick stated quietly, studying the grounds and I looked at him, suddenly coming to the same conclusion that he did.

"Rick, I-"

"There. We can go there." He pointed. Daryl and I exchanged a pointed look before the hunter sighed. "Look at the fencing, the guard towers! It's perfect, fortified, we can even keep watch for more hordes."

"It's a prison." Daryl said dryly.

"Exactly." Rick replied with a smile, turning back the way we came.

Rick was currently cutting through the fencing with wire cutters he'd borrowed from Daryl's bike. We had rounded up the others and made our way to the prison quickly, only losing a half hour or so of light. Daryl and I stood off to the side, ready to take on any walkers that came our way. I glance warily over my shoulder, back at the grounds, which were completely over run.

Rick beckoned for us to join him and I entered first, watching for any sudden movement among the horde waiting for us inside the fence. Quickly Daryl and Glenn got to work retying off the fence line with a spool of copper they'd found.

We found ourselves in the main walk, the guard walk, with only a fence between us and the walkers out in the yard. They noticed fresh meat and started walking to us, snarling as they did. I grimaced, holding my bow out, ready to fire on one of them.

We took off running up the pathway up to the prison, fences on either side protecting us from the walkers that threatened to devour us. I glanced at them warily, continuing to follow the group. We reached a small fenced off area where the guard walk ended and I sighed, setting down my back.

"If we can shut that gate, prevent more walkers from filling the yard, we can pick them off, take the field by tonight." Rick said to us. I raised my brow at him, shaking my head as I looked at the gate. It was a good two hundred feet away, with a mass of walkers between us and the gate.

"So how do we shut the gate?" Hershel asked the question that everyone wanted to know the answer too. Rick looked up at the gate sighing, he too realized how hard it would be.

"I'll do it, you guys cover me." I offered quietly,

"Like hell you will." Daryl said, his eyes narrowed. He began to argue with me. I shook my head at him, not wanting to hear it. "I don't have enough arrows to cover anyone and I'm a lousy shot with a gun. It would be stupid for anyone else to go in there, a waste of resources." Daryl scoffed as he began pacing, kicking up gravel in a fit of rage. I put my hand on his. "This is the only way I can be of use. I can do this!" Daryl conceded, although he didn't like it, frowning at me.

Rick began to hand out orders, telling everyone where they need to set up. Rick handed me two pair of carabineers, forcing a tight smiled. I returned his gesture and he capped a hand on my shoulder.

"We can trade." He offered quietly, not taking his eyes off of me. I shook my head, looking at the rifle strapped to his back.

"I need your aim." I grinned. We walked up to the fence quietly, not saying another word. I stood there, waiting patiently for everyone to get into position, my nerves on fire. He handed me a small pistol, something to use close range before sliding the gate open, just enough for me to slip out.

Slowly I made my way around the bus that had been tipped over. The others stood at the fence, distracting the nearby walkers and I was thankful they didn't notice me yet. I cleared my six, my heartbeat pounding loudly in my ears, and continued up the path.

I raised my gun, firing a single silenced shot into a nearby walker. I hit him between the eyes and he hit the dirt. Another walker to my right and I dropped that one too. The gate was clear so I ran for it at full sprint. A walker dropped right beside me, one bolt through his head and I looked up at the guard tower where Daryl sat nervously, finding his next target.

Gunshots rang out, more walkers dropping across the yard. I heard Rick's rifle, his 50 cal blowing of one's head just a few paces out from me. I had reached the gate, grabbing for it and kicking back a walker who attempted to hobble through, slamming it shut. I used the carabineers to latch one side to the other and turned, only to find that I had been snuck up on.

I fired on two of the walkers, but there was more than I had ammo for. To my right sat a guard tower and I reached out for the handle, praying that it was open. To my surprise the door flung wide and I scurried in, shutting and locking it behind me. The walkers pounded on the door outside and I fell into the back walk, heaving, trying hard to catch my breath.

"Light it up!" I heard Daryl shout from outside. The air filled with bullets and gunfire. I covered my ears, running quickly to the top, unstrapping my bow and knocking an arrow. I kicked open the door, walking out onto the balcony, looking out over the yard.

Taking aim, I let my arrow fly, making sure each one of my shots counted. I ran out of ammo before the walkers were completely cleared out, but the rest of the group took care of them quickly.

I grinned at the now empty yard, throwing my hand up into the air in triumph.

"WOOO!" I shouted, jumping up and down. I heard a cheer from Rick, down where I'd left him and soon the others joined in, letting out their own whoops of joy. We were one step closer to being safe. I glanced behind me at the prison, smiling widely.

The others slowly trickled into the yard as I made my way down the guard tower. I met them with a smile at the top of the hill and Daryl embraced me tightly. He grinned at me, his smile stretching ear to ear, one that I returned.

"I didn't realize you were Speedy Gonzalez, Darlin." He joked.

"Serpentine." I laughed, weaving my upper body left and right. The others chuckled at me, Rick clapping my shoulder tightly.

"You did great." He offered. I shook my head, feeling my cheeks going red.

"We haven't had this much space since the farm!" Carol yelled spinning around, arms wide.

"WOOOOO!" T-Dog shouted at the top of his lungs.

The men got to work piling up the body's while the women started making a fire. We pulled the cars in through the guard walk, leaving them parked at the first tower. Daryl offered to take the first watch, once we got the fire lit.

I watched him quietly from where I sat, feeding on a squirrel that he'd managed to catch us earlier in the day.

"Mmm, just like mom used to make." Glenn said sarcastically. The campfire shared a chuckle and he tossed his bone out into the open field. I watched it fly, sighing. Rick stood up along the fence line we hadn't cleared, pacing back and forth.

"Lets try to keep the walkers away from the water, we could dig a canal under the fence, we'd have plenty of fresh water." T-Dog surmised.

"This soil is good, we could plant some seed, grow some tomatoes, cucumbers..." I relished at the idea of fresh vegetables. "That's his third time around." Hershel said quietly, pointing up to Rick. "If there was any part of it compromised, he'd have found it by now.

"This'll be a good place to have the baby." Beth offered after a long pause. I looked up at her and then to Lori. We hadn't spoken much since that night at the fire, when I told her that if Rick hadn't killed Shane I would've. It made me sad, we were once so close. She was my friend.

I stood suddenly, grabbing another plate for Daryl and began to walk away from the fire. I felt their eyes on me, but I didn't turn around. I shivered as I walked further away, the air growing more cold. Daryl saw me coming and he held a hand out to me, helping me climb on top of the bus. He looked at me quizzically, when I handed him the plate.

"It's not much, but if I don't bring you something you wont eat at all." I smiled at him. I felt or eliek his mom lately, making sure he took care of himself. He reached down to the plate, taking a bite. My stomach growled, despite my recent meal, and he handed the plate to me. I refused it and he took another unsure bite.

"I guess little Shane over there's got quite the appetite." He said bitterly. My blood ran cold at the name, but I shrugged it off, looking at him.

"Don't be mean." I chuckled, crossing my arms. We stood quietly, looking at the group around the fire. They laughed and I smiled, sighing. "Shane could never have done for us what Rick did." I crossed my arms in front of my chest, biting my lip.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked my huskily. I looked up at him, shaking my head, but he gave me the look that meant he didn't believe me. I sighed. We had never formally talked about what happened between Shane, Rick and I. it was over and done with, but every now and then I thought back to it, chilling myself to the bone. "I'm sorry I said his name." he said finally.

"Its okay." I shrugged, turning to him. "I guess we should probably talk about it, huh?" I sat down on the side of the bus and Daryl watched me. I patted the metal next to me and begrudgingly he sat down. "I missed my shot." I said finally after a long pause. Daryl scoffed at me, brushing it off, but my face was grave. "I missed him. And because of that he shot me." I gestured to my arm, pulling up my sleeve. It was no longer a wound, now it was a big, puffy scar. You could still make out the bullet hole, but the skin around it was also scared, burned from when we crudely cauterized it. "He got the best of me twice, when he pistol whipped me and again when I missed the fucker."

"You're here'n he's not... N'that's all that matters." It all seemed so black and white to him, but I wasn't so sure. I had choked at a time when it mattered the most. I felt unreliable and again the word useless trickled through my mind.

Daryl placed his plate on the side of the bus, pulling me closer to him.

"You survived'n you're kickin' ass. Huntin, fishin, givin' anyone of these people a run for their money. There's no one I'd rather have out there with me than you." I looked at him smiling, kissing his cheek gently. He pulled me closer to him as we watched out into the field together. It was quiet for a long time before I looked over at him. "We should probably head to the fire, get some sleep." Daryl suggested. I frowned him, playfully.

"I dunno, It's pretty romantic up here." He raised an eyebrow at me. "Wanna screw around?" I teased, stifling a laugh. A mischievous glint flashed across Daryl's eyes and he shook his head at me.

"Pfft. No." He glanced back at the fireside, gesturing with his hands at the others. His face went red and I laughed again at how embarrassed I'd made him. We both stood and he made for the make shift stairs he fashioned. "I'll go down first." He said, taking a step, not even realizing what he'd said.

"Even better." I snickered lowly. Daryl stopped, turning to me, grinning. I crossed my arms at him, raising an eyebrow, taunting him.

"Stop." He snorted, smiling at me. I bit my lip, holding back a laugh and Daryl grinned at me viciously, pulling me to the ground behind the bus, kissing me roughly.

LOL i'm sorry i just loved that scene between him and Carol so much i had to AU it. i laugh everytime. Anyways...

Reviews and messages. i'm going to space out my postings until i write more. i was lazy this weekend and didn't feel ike writing so iwwent camping instead yay! (Except not bc you guys are catching up to me lol)

so... yeah...

STAY BEAUTIFUL!