The petals of the Cherokee rose hadn't faded since Daryl had given it to her days before. It sat, alone, in the small glass that Dale had in one of the RV cabinets, and she stared at it for far too long, losing herself in her thoughts. It had all been for nothing; all of her fears and the searching that Daryl had done. Shane and Rick had dragged their feet on searching for her little girl, not because they knew anything that she didn't but because she wasn't one of theirs. She wasn't Daryl's either, but he still went out and did something about her.
Carol shook her head, wiping the tears from her cheek. There was no use in crying, everything was done now. She just had to gather whatever remained of her strength and move on. Keep living, even if there wasn't anything to live for anymore. She saw that in Andrea sometimes, and knew that the younger woman had wanted to die after losing her sister. She had been right; wouldn't it be better to die cleanly than to be ripped apart and eaten by those things?
The door to the RV creaked open and she looked up, not sure who would be coming in at this time. Dale would still be up top, on watch, and the others were gathering for the funeral for Hershel's family, and for her Sophia. Daryl stood in the opened doorway, squinting at her.
"They're gonna start." He waited until she was looking up at him, "Want me to go with you?"
Carol nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and held out a hand to him. He took it without hesitation and helped her to her feet, tugging her behind him as they left the vehicle. "It won't always be like this, you know."
"I know, they say that things will get better after time passes." Carol took a deep breath and he stopped to look at her.
"No, it doesn't get better. It just gets less painful because as time passes too many other things take its place. Some good, some bad." He shrugged, "It just happens, but you don't have to deal with it alone."