He sighed heavily and turned away, not wanting to see what was going on in the garage. Aaron and Daryl were going through their maps, checking off locations that they had already tried and failed to find people in, and planning a route to get to one of the more remote areas. It wasn't far away, there just weren't many good roads to get to that spot. That was why they hadn't tried it yet.

Not finding people wasn't something that discounted any specific location, and they often went to the same places over and over because people had a tendency to move around a lot and the ones they encountered were often traveling from one spot to another or wandering in search of a better chance. They could easily miss people coming through the region just by being in the wrong location at that particular time or day. It was one of the reasons that they were outside the walls so often, and that was one of the reasons Eric wasn't very happy at the moment.

Aaron had only just gotten back from a run the day before and they were already planning to go out the next day. It didn't give them very much time together, and it made him a little insecure that Aaron was so adamant about him remaining behind. Those gossipy neighbors, who liked to speak in their backyard when he was sure to overhear them, had all kinds of guesses for why Eric was being left behind and none of them were kind.

He sighed again, softly this time, but Carol noticed it and touched his elbow. "Want to go inside? We can chat while they finish their planning."

Eric nodded, his eyes not leaving Aaron as he replied, "Sure, I can make some coffee."

She waited until they were in the kitchen before speaking again, "Are you alright? You seemed a little less than enthusiastic about the next recruiting trip."

He nodded, setting up the coffee maker with fresh grounds and fussing with the buttons for a moment. "I just wish they would stay here a little longer. It was different when I was going out on the recruiting runs with Aaron; then it didn't matter how long we were outside Alexandria because we were together. Now? Sometimes I feel like I hardly ever see him anymore."

"And he's still being stubborn about you going on runs again?" Carol got mugs from the cupboard, having visited often enough to know exactly where everything was kept.

"Very." Eric shrugged, "I know there are times when I let things get to me too much, and I shouldn't listen to the stupid things that people say behind our backs, but sometimes I wonder if they're right."

Carol frowned, not liking this line of thought. She knew what the neighbors were like, having heard some of their speculation herself. "Right about what?"

He took a deep breath, waiting for a moment as the coffee machine finished brewing the small pot of coffee. "Like, maybe he doesn't want me to come with them on the runs because he doesn't want to spend that much time with me anymore. Like, maybe he's bored with me and wants someone else instead. Like, maybe he does think that I am just a burden out there."

"Oh. Eric, sweetie, none of that is true. I can see it every time he looks at you. He's just scared that something will happen and that he could lose you out there. He and Daryl had such a close call with that trap, and if Morgan hadn't happened by at the right time he could have been killed. He just doesn't want that to happen to you." Carol reached out and touched his back, leaving her hand between his shoulder blades for a moment as he listened. "He might be bad at expressing that to you, but even I can see that it isn't a lack of love that makes him argue for you to stay behind these walls."

He nodded sharply, "I should know that, but sometimes when I'm all alone here for the third night in a row I start wondering. We used to spend so much time together and talked all the time, and now I have nothing interesting to say. What am I supposed to tell him about how I spent my time here? I weeded the garden, or washed laundry again? It is boring, everything feels so narrow here, so lifeless."

She smiled wryly, "I know exactly what you mean. I was a housewife before all of this happened and it seemed like my days were endless chore and boredom. I bet I can think of something that could change that for you. If you'll give me a day or two, and trust my judgement a little."

"I trust you. Just don't tell Aaron what I said, okay? If he has to know about how I feel I would rather he heard it from me." Eric handed her a cup of the coffee, and poured a second for himself. "Should we bring them something, or wait for them to notice the smell of it and come looking?"

"Let's wait and let them find us. They should take a break, but Daryl can growl when the interruption isn't his own idea."