Author's note: I know many Caryl fans were very disappointed by Daryl's OOC behaviour in the back half of season 4. I believe it stemmed from pairing him with Beth and I still have hope it was meant to show us that Carol brings out the best in him. I decided to rectify the situation by giving you what I feel would have happened if he was paired with Carol for the back half. I'm trying to stick fairly closely to the plot, but there are obviously things that never would have happened without Beth there, so those will disappear. I may use direct dialogue from the script in parts and then change up the rest. I hope I can do this justice and bring you guys the Daryl we know and love.

So just to set the scene for you... I don't plan on revisiting anything with the murders or banishment. For this to work the banishment never happened, so I won't get into any of that stuff. This basically starts where Daryl found Beth and said they need to leave, but it was Carol he found instead.

.~.~.~.~.

"We gotta go Carol. We gotta go." She heard his voice and knew he was right, but her eyes scanned the devastation one last time, looking for others, Lizzie and Mika in particular.

"The girls..." she said, looking at him for help. When she met his eyes, her heart ached. He didn't think they survived. And looking around her, at the war zone, she wasn't sure either.

Daryl touched her shoulder, "Come on."

Carol nodded and followed him. There were walkers everywhere. Their home was destroyed, for nothing. Those who wanted it were likely dead. And even if they weren't, no one could live there now anyway. She forced herself to not look back as they ran. Instead she went to a place in her mind and thought about a moment she had experienced, not all that long ago, when times were happy and hopeful, when they first found the prison and settled down.

Hey beautiful. I know it's been a while and I'm going to be honest, it hurt too much to think about you. But I have never forgot about you, not for one second. Though you're always in the back of my mind, I didn't have the strength to talk to you. For that, I'm sorry. I never had much good to tell you anyway, not until recently. After everything that happened on the farm we were always moving. But something happened. Something good. Finally. We found a prison. The group, the only family I have now, we all think we can make this place a home.

They ran from the prison yard into the surrounding woods. The walkers were on high alert, stumbling in all directions. There were so many of them. Carol was breathing hard but they couldn't stop. They had to keep going. She had a gun in one hand and her knife in the other, ready to attack.

Some of the others think we can grow crops in the yards. Maybe find some pigs, chickens, finally stop running, stop scavenging. Lori's baby is due soon. Did you even know she was expecting? Carl's going to have a brother or a sister. That's something I always wished I could have given you someday. Lori will need a safe place when the baby comes. You can't be on the road with a newborn, you just can't.

Suddenly they were surrounded by walkers. Carol lifted her gun to shoot, but realized it was going to just attract more of them and lifted her knife instead. Just as she was about to stab a bolt flew through the head of the walker she was reaching for. Daryl had already taken down 2 others. She shot him a look that said thank you, but at the same time he needed to know she could have taken care of herself. She would have taken the walker down without his help. Just to prove her point she attacked the next closest walker and dropped it with one swift stab.

Carol stepped on the walker's head and yanked out her knife, wiped it off and they took off again. Her legs were aching but she pushed harder, faster, running for her life.

I think the rest of us just need a safe place to be. To find ourselves, our humanity, once again. I woke up in my own bed yesterday, in my own room. It's been a lifetime since I've had that kind of privacy. Even before all of this, I was never alone. I always had you, or your daddy. I haven't allowed myself to unpack yet though. I know I'm not the only one. We are so used to running everyone has stuff ready to go if something happens. It's hard to get my hopes up when I've been faced with nothing but loss for years. You're my biggest loss though. Nothing will ever compare to losing you. But I talked to Hershel the other day, he's a smart man, you would have loved him. He said something that really struck me, he said if you don't have hope, what's the point of living?

They emerged from the forest into a field. Carol couldn't breathe, she had to stop, just for a second. She took a look behind her, she could see them in the forest, they had to get farther away or they would keep following. She nodded at Daryl and they kept going. Running. It always came down to running.

You know what I did after that talk? I finally unpacked my bag and made my cell feel like home. My home. When I was emptying it out I found your pony tail holder. The pink one with the rainbow attached, your favourite. I decided that I needed to start talking to you. I finally have good things to tell you Sophia. I really think we can live here. For the rest of our lives. And since you're always with me, this is your home too. I hope you like it. I miss you but we're together, here in this safe place. Forever. I love you Princess.

Carol stumbled, she couldn't take another step. She doubled over, struggling for air. The sweat was dripping from her forehead and trickling down her back. She sunk to her knees, watching as Daryl entered into a similar state right beside her. Exhaustion took over and they both collapsed onto their backs in the long grass.

Just when Carol was sure her lungs were going to explode and she would die right there in that field, two things happened. Daryl's hand brushed hers, reminding her she wasn't alone. And a voice whispered sweet words from somewhere up above, "Mama, mama, I love you. Just breathe."