Hope everyone is still liking this! You guys are great. Big thanks to Haitus80 for saving me, lol. I'm not sure how much is left here. I have one more thing to get through and then it should be done. Maybe two chapters? We'll see.

Carol looked over to Daryl as the group below them got settled in. They were mostly quiet but after years of being with them it was easy to know who was doing what. It was just as easy to know who was doing nothing. The thought had her nostrils flaring as she watched Daryl. His jaw was tense and his muscles were coiled tighter than a snake ready to strike. He turned his head slowly towards her his eyes climbing up her body with a predatory grace that was thigh clenching.

Carol walked towards the ladder and he shadowed her. Both moved like ghost in the darkness. There was a time when Carol was a religious woman. She'd be devout and clung to her belief but over time they were eroded away. All her faith in God or whatever the grand scheme things were fell away. How could God find it okay to let a little girl suffer? How could God condemn all his children without so much as a hope. How could God let men like Ed exist while men like Daryl had been a whipping post. No she lost her faith in God and put more stock in the man in front of her. Daryl never failed her. He had her back and she had his, they loved each other. It was more than that though and she could feel it burning like a fever through her body.

Gripping the top post she let her boots drop down and then she was looking up at Daryl. He moved quickly squatting down and watching her go. Carol smiled up at him and he mirrored her. It was friendly. It was the look of two wolves who'd caught the scent of blood and heard the cries of the trapped fox. Her feet hit the ground and Carol stilled listening as Daryl descended.

"Michonne." Rick's voice was tired. "We'll rest here and then I'll plan tomorrow what we do."

There was no response and Carol scoffed. Of course Rick Grimes would plan everything. Clearly he'd done such a good job leading them all so far. How many times were they all hurt? How many times did they almost die or starve only for Daryl to swoop in and deliver them from death. It was getting ridiculous.

She didn't wait for Daryl but instead stepped right out into the lantern light. Michonne's eyes widened comically and while Carl's own eyes seemed relieved. Rick turned looking at her and he showed a mountain of tension slipping his shoulders. She wanted to laugh. How could this man be relieved at seeing her? He'd sent her away saying that his children were safer without her around. He didn't even give her a warning or a chance to explain herself. He forced her from her home and the people she cared for- he made her leave the man she loved. No, he need not be relieved at all.

"Carol?" He choked out.

She tilted her head and he blew out a breath. "Didn't think I'd see you here. Where is everyone"

Michonne was watching her but Carol didn't even spare the woman a look. Rick was her focus and she locked on to him. She kept her face carefully blank.

Rick swallowed and shook his head, "Gone...Maggie and Glenn left with another group heading for Washington." He stood there and Carol stared right at him. She didn't waver and Rick wilted under her gaze. "Tyrese and Sasha didn't make it- we found Judith with them. Sasha was still alive but was bitten."

"Is she safe?" Carol questioned. Her eyes shot over to Carl who was holding the child to his chest. Judith was reaching for her but Carol held still. Rick's words were in the forefront of her mind and she'd not touch his kids. She loved Carl and Judith but she loathed Rick.

Rick smiled and he looked to Judith. HIs face soured for a minute and Carol seen something pass through his eyes. It mirrored the times he was in the tombs after Lori. Even in the chains of her own mind this wouldn't stop her though. In his right mind or not he'd gone too far.

"We ran into a group a ways back that was bad news." Rick was starting to ramble and his hands were on his hips. His head hung and he scuffed his boot, "They were going to kill us all. Daryl was there with us. He'd been with Beth before but she'd gotten taken. We don't know where she is."

Carol made a show of looking around before her eyes came back to him. Rick gave her a sad look and Michonne shifted. Carol finally looked at her and she seemed interested in what Rick was saying. Carol felt bile coated rage coming up her throat threatening to lash him.

"Carol I know you and Daryl were close." Rick stepped towards her. Michonne's eyes shot to her but Carol wasn't looking at him. Daryl was like a wraith moving. He managed to come up behind them all without even her hearing him or feeling him. His finger came to his lips as he briefly dipped into the lantern light silencing her. "They took us back into this slaughter room, Carol he didn't make it, I barely made it out of there."

Carol's eyes hardened to granite but before she could react Rick was stepping towards her again. He grabbed her wrist. "You have to understand- we would have went back but there was so many of them. I had Judy and Carl to think about. If it was Sophia you'd done the same."

Carol's entire body lit up and she jerked her wrist free from him. "You left him? Were you sure he was dead?"

"Yes." Rick's words were sharp. He gave her a look daring her to question him. Before she would have backed down but now her eyes were wide open. "Did you check before you ran?"

"Yes." Rick snapped, "He was a brother to me Carol!"

Carol's eyes moved the same time Michonne's did and the woman went rigid. She stood suddenly stepping next to Carl. A look of betrayal and hurt was on both Carl and her face. But more than that was the complete loss of trust aimed at Rick. Rick cocked a brow at her but Michonne's pallor was sickly. Daryl was standing in the light now a look of abhorrence on his face. His lip raised showing glistening canines and she shivered at the look. That wild animal was running free and circling Rick while licking its chops.

"Did you ever even go back for Sophia that day?" Daryl snarled loudly, "Or did you tuck tail and run that day just like you did on me? Lie about that too?"

Rick whirled around and almost went to the ground. "D dd Daryl?"

He stood looking at him and Carol moved then to Daryl. Her hand snaked down to his own and their fingers linked. Rick's eyes widened and she did laugh then. Of course his self centered ass never considered he was ripping them apart. He looked to Daryl ignoring her. Fury was racing over his face and he was caught up in his madness to blind to see the danger he was in. He thought he was in control. He expected Daryl to buckle under his gaze. Carol knew she'd cut his throat before she ever let Daryl be this bastards henchman again. He made her want to scream and she wanted to watch him run but they were wasting time.

"If I'd known I would have never left you." He gasped his chest heaving.

"You did know." Daryl barked. "You looked me in the fucking eyes and ran."

Rick flinched at his words. "I had to get to Carl! I thought you were right there with me."

Daryl got a look of complete disgust on his face. Carol stared him down. "I found him how you left him." Rick sneered at her unable to mask it. Daryl growled low in his chest and her body tightened at the sound. The sound was like thunder and she felt it in her bones. Rick swallowed but refused to step out of his delusion.

"Rick you told us Daryl wasn't alive." Michonne's voice was low and guarded. "You told them all you saw them kill him. We wanted to go back but you told us he'd died to so you could get to Carl."

"BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO!" Rick bellowed, "My son was more important than one him."

"Rick I saved Carl. You ran full steam ahead leaving everyone." Michonne's voice was bitter, "You didn't even look back."

Carl stared at him and shook his head, "Daryl has never left us behind. He saved Judy when you weren't there." His voice was young but held anger that reached further back than Rick was ready for, "How could you leave him? If he was a brother then how could you?"

Michonne caught Carl's hand holding tight. She was watching Daryl and Carol closely. Carol met her eyes and something was there that even Carol couldn't reign in. Her face fell but there was an understanding there.

"I'd do it again. I'd leave them all to be survive. It's all about survival." Rick snarled rounding back on Daryl.

Carol released his hand as Daryl shifted. His fist shot connecting with Rick's face, blood sprayed out with the sound of broken bone. He went down hard in a limp heap. Daryl stood over him his chest heaving and Carol met Michonne head on in case she made the mistake of trying to hurt Daryl. She liked Michonne but she wouldn't hesitate to cut her down. Carl was shaking his eyes filled with tears and Judith was screaming.

Carl met her eyes and he swiped at his face, "Can you take her? She hasn't really stopped crying since he sent you away. She needs you."

Carl walked to her and Judith held her arms out again and Carol took her. Michonne walked over but Carol met her eyes and shook her head. Daryl was completely still. She'd seen him this way and knew approaching him wasn't safe. His mind was in fight mode and any advance would be seen as a threat.

"Carol we had no clue he'd sent you away. Maggie told us." Michonne was speaking quietly making sure to keep Daryl in her sights and Carl. "He lied to us all about Daryl even. I would have never thought that he'd leave Daryl behind."

"No one matters to him." Carol's words were like acid, "He's not been right since Lori died. Daryl forced him into coming out of the tombs. Carl forced him to handle Judith but he didn't want any of it. I think he never came out of there."

Michonne sighed and raised her hand to Judith's head pushing her hair off her face. She's sleeping soundly against Carol. Carl was by Daryl quiet. Carl was always drawn to Daryl even back at the farm. Maybe then he could even see what a good man Daryl was because over time it was Daryl Carl sought out. Rick might have been the sperm donor but in the end it was Daryl who was the father Carl needed. Carl looked up at Daryl and nudged him. His eyes flashed to the boy and Carl gave him a quiet look. Daryl shifted and then he was leaning against the wall before he slid to the ground. He was forcing the animal back into the cage for Carl but it wouldn't last.

"He's not going to let it go is he?" Michonne's voice didn't carry but to her.

Carol shook her head, "He was strung up like an animal. There was a world of hurt before that but only so many things can be looked over."

"I agree."

MIchonne looked at Judith and then Carl. "What now?"

"Daryl will kill him."

Both women watched the man as Carl settled next to him talking quietly. Daryl was rigid with rage. His eyes went to her and then Judith. His lips lifted briefly before his eyes swirled with a cloying anger.

"What about his kids?"

Carol snorted, "Do you honestly think he's raised them this far? Do you think they are better off?"

"Do you think Carl wants to see his father murdered?"

Carol met her eyes, "Do you want to see Rick get them both killed? Because they will die with him. You being there wont save them forever."

"You two won't stay?"

"Not with him breathing." Carol grit out, "We can't. I can't."

Michonne was quiet then and Rick groaned from the ground. She whistled and Carl went to get up. He paused though and turned to Daryl. When Daryl looked up at him Carl smiled sadly.

"I'm glad you found us Daryl. That you found Carol again."

"Carol found me."

Carl laughed and nodded, "Everyone needs saved eventually."

Daryl looked up at him again and smiled, "Eventually."

Carl walked away and Michonne went to the door waiting. Carl stepped over to her and Rick groaned again. Carl swallowed but his face was set his eyes hard. Carl was raised in this world. He'd been raised with the hopelessness of fractured humanity. Carol handed Judith over and Carl pulled her into a rough hug.

"I begged him to go back for you." He whispered, "You're all the mother Judith's ever know- all I've had. Both of you are. Please don't leave us."

Carol pulled back and met his eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks and she pushed his hair back. "Go with Michonne for now."

He looked at Rick then as he set up. Daryl wasn't standing but eye level with the man. That animal was stretching and gearing up. Carl swallowed and looked away. He walked away quickly after that and the door slapped shut. Michonne was leading them a bit away and Carol nodded to Daryl.

"So here we are...make your move." Rick snarled. "If you want an apology you won't get one. You both would have cut and ran."

Daryl stood to his full height. "You know whats sad? You know you're full of shit but you're so fucking broke you can't stop the shit spewing out of your mouth."

"Lori was mine." Rick barked. "Shane isn't the father and neither are you."

"That's rich coming from you. To be a father you need to act like one." Carol snapped, "You lost Lori when you turned your back on her after the farm Rick. That's on you and no one else."

Rick sneered at them, "You just always had to be there with your fucking solutions and kills. Feeding her and undermining me. Making me look bad to them all. I was the cop, I was the one who is going to lead us to safety."

Daryl was unfazed. "Lead who? Everyone who survived you has abandoned you."

"My son! My daughter! Michonne!" Rick hissed.

"Are waiting for me and Daryl." Carol smiled. Squatting down she felt the heat coming off Daryl and bit back a moan. "You have cost everyone so much. Time to balance the scales."

Rick stood up then and eyed her. "You could have just kept your mouth shut and stayed at the prison but you started teaching them things that you knew I said no to."

"You were a goddamn farmer who was to big a pussy to carry a gun anymore." Daryl snarled putting himself between them. Rick's stance adjusted facing a larger threat. "Someone had to get those people ready because you sure as fuck weren't."

"If you want to fight me get it over with." Rick waved them away. "I won't apologize."

Daryl nodded at him and before Carol could slow him his gun was out and cocked. Rick balked but Daryl held his eyes. "Merle was right about you." With those last words a shot rang out echoing for miles in the silence of the woods.