Hey everybody.

Please don't kill me,i know its been forever. But i'm trying. Hopefully there will NEVER be a wait like that again. (Thank Dixie for this update. She really got my ass in gear)

Enjoy :)

Daryl handed Tyresse the last of the medicine to dispense to the sick, the big man grinning as he hurried off to deliver it and no doubt visit his recovering sister.

Daryl was relieved the man thought of something else then Karen for a few moments. What had happened was shocking, no doubt, but the man had been incredibly erratic nearly the entire run. Daryl understood the anger in his eyes, he had been dealing with it nearly his whole damn life. But unlike him, Tyreese had yet to realize how dangerous and stupid being angry like that could do. Shane was a perfect example.

With nothing better to do, Daryl headed towards Riley 's cell. He hadn't talked to her since that quick chat through the door a couple days ago.

"A run?"

"To the university a couple dozen miles out."

It was silent for a minute on the other side of the door. Daryl could practically hear the gears working in her head and could easily imagine a small frown on her face as she thought more and more about it, eyebrows furrowed together. He sighed,hoping to pull her from her racing thoughts.

He knew she would worry. Hell,he was doubtful of this run himself. He never grew close to any of the Woodbury folks, besides Zack, and he was already dead. He knew he had to help them though, even if it seemed like a long shot. But more than that, Glenn was sick. It had knocked the core group on their asses. If Glenn died Maggie died with him, Beth then being added to the equation. Given the young girl's strange mental state, who knows what will happen if she looses both her sister and brother-in-law. Then it would all go to poor Herschel.

The man's entire family was at state. Herschel was a good man, one of the greatest Daryl had ever had the fortune of meeting, a man he strives but know he'll never be. The least Daryl could do for him after all his services is try to save his last remaining family.

"Don't worry Riles," he says after awhile. "We'll just be in and out, the medicine our one and only priority. The damn drive is what's gonna take so long. Ya' ain't gotta stress yourself."

Finally, he hears her sigh.

"I know, Daryl, I know." she says, sounding incredibly tired. "I just can't help it."

" Try to keep your mind of it. Just work the fence, or help Carol with dinner." He frowned as he thought of the woman. "Especially help Carol, Riles. I worry about her with those little girls."

"I'll try." She says. "Shes pretty stubborn when she wants to be. I suspect that's from hanging around you too much."

He rolls his eyes. "Shut up, Riles."

"Daryl, we gotta head out now!" Bob called from down the hall.

"Guess that's your cue, hillbilly." Riley chuckles humorlessly.

"I'll be fine,Riles." he assured her. "Don't you worry about me."

"Okay, bye Daryl."

"Bye Riles."

Daryl walked into her cell, expecting to find her curled in her bed with that goddamn book she loved so much, the one with the bright blue cover of some black-haired boy holding some gold pole or some shit. He's made fun of her constantly for it, though he was the one that happened to pick up the entire box set in a mall run a month or two ago. He nearly smiled, remembering her soft smile as she took the load of books from him. She had thanked him graciously and only came out her cell the following days for watch and dinner.

Who knew Riley Merger was such a bookworm?

But he didn't find her curled up with that damn book. No, she wasn't even in her cell. Nothing was in her cell.

Her backpack that had been full of her clothes and such was no longer leaning on the wall as it usually was. Nor was her other one or the few posters she had taped to the walls. Even her bed was stripped. The blankets and sheets he had snagged for her were all gone, leaving the lumpy mattress naked.

Daryl's heart started beating wildly in his chest as he moved towards the bed, getting down onto his knees.

It has to be here. If this is here then she's here. Please be there, please be there, please be there goddammit.

He bent over, peering under the bunk. Unfortunately, it was barren,the only thing taking up any room was dust. Daryl sat up, letting his back slam into the metal bunk frame uncomfortably. He starred at the concrete wall across from him, not really seeing anything.

Riley was gone.

If she was sick, then someone would have told him. She wasn't sick then.

She was gone.

"Daryl?"

The redneck looks up to find Rick standing just outside the cell, his brow creased in worry. Daryl slowly stood up, eyes narrowed dangerously. He visibly saw Ricks adams apple bob nervously, though his eyes stayed cool and collected.

"Wheres Riley?" He questioned, his tone harsh.

Rick sighed. "Look Daryl, something happened with-"

"Cut the shit Rick," he growled. "Wheres Riley?"

The other man looked upon him in a way Daryl could only decipher as pity. It pissed him off. AS he was about to snap at the man again, Rick decided to finally speak.

"I approached Carol, asked if she killed Karen and David. She said she did, Daryl. Said it so honestly it was spooky. I was just going to leave it at that, until i remembered Riley was with her during the time."

"Rick," Daryl whispered, afraid if he spoke any bit louder he'd be screaming. " That isn't Carol. And you aren't about to tell me Riley had a part to play in this."

Rick continued to look at him sadly, shaking his head. " She did, Daryl. She confessed, saying she was only trying to help. She thought what she was doing was right."

"Where is she?" Daryl asked in that same dangerously quite tone.

"I took them both out into this nice town a few dozen miles out. Left them plenty of food, water-"

"You left them?" He growled so menacingly the other mans eye's widened. Then, slowly, as if it was the most dangerous thing in the world, though it probably was in his case, Rick answered softly.

"Yes."

His friend never saw the punch coming, Daryl's fist colliding into his jaw with a satisfying 'crunch'. Daryl's blood was on fire, all he was seeing was red.

Rick had taken matters into his own hands, despite his constant proclamation of never wanting to be a leader again. Not only that, but he had taken some of the most important people in his life away from him. Carol, who was so caring and loving that it messed with his head constantly and Riley, who had weaved her way into his heart without even trying, much like Carol.

He saw Carols sweet smile and heard Riley's voice in his head, remembering some of her first words to him.

"Thank you."

"Um, what for?"

"Well, everything, i guess. Giving a tour, a cell, a chance. That's really something these days, ya' know?"

"Uh, ya', don't mention it."

A chance.

Rick didn't even give them a chance. No counsel meeting. Nothing.

Daryl's nostrils flared as he watched the man try to stand once more. Now he would no what no chances felt like, he not really giving a fuck if he got kicked out of the prison in the end. No, he was too angry to think of that.

He was just advancing to him when a thundering 'BOOM' rocked the cell block. Daryl spun around, eyes searching for the source. Only if he knew he and the rest of the group are about to find The Governor smiling at the gate.

With an armed militia and tank in tow.